Rian Johnson was "actively encouraged" by Lucasfilms President Kathleen Kennedy to find a story that was "personal" to him. Johnson the eighth installment in the 'Star Wars' franchise. He revealed that during the pre-production stage he felt "nurtured" and "protected" for coming up with his own ideas for the sci-fi movie by Kennedy. In a chat with website io9, Johnson revealed he has a great, collaborative relationship with Kennedy. He said "I felt very protected by her ... Lucasfilm actively encouraged me, not allowed me, but actively pushed me to find what was personal about this story for me. To find a story that was personal and would mean something deeply to me."