If you haven’t been paying attention (and shame on you if you haven’t, there could be a quiz at the end of all this), we got our Star Wars fanfilm done.After viewing the Star Wars Challenge entry, you can view the conclusion of Myth & Legends HERE.
The Star Wars Fanfilm Challenge is almost done. The finalists are chosen, and George will soon be forced to sit down and watch them all (poor bugger). The awards will take place at the Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando in a few weeks. Not only will George Lucas himself be at the Celebration, but so will Jon Stewart (yes, the very same Jon Stewart that played the reporter on the Groundhog Day episode of “Jack’s big Music Show”).
What was I talking about again? Oh yeah.
As it’s clearly on my mind, I’ve scrounged up some predictions. I’ve tried (and failed) to avoid personal bias, but here’s some educated guesses from what I know about Atom and what I know about Mr. Lucas.
This one is a straight up shoe in. It’s great work. Well crafted, well written, and the guy they got to do 1977 Harrison Ford’s voice is bloody amazing. Here’s the problem. I was all over this video when it showed up on the SW Challenge group. It’s from an entire CG school. The credits list over two dozen animators and a handful of instructors. Then I found out it was entered in the contest and the mixed feelings crept in. Sure, I hate losing (which has got to have a ton to do with it), but the fact is, if I was any more professional at video production (which is to say at all), I’d be uncomfortable entering things like this. If it was cool for the high end semi-pro crowd, then why isn’t AT-AT Day Afternoon in the Challenge? That short would have cleaned up in this thing.
A trailer for a full length feature to be shown at the Celebration. Lots of cool camera work and great effects. It almost beats out my ooginess over serious fanfilm productions. They spent an awful long time on their feature, and it certainly shows. The other thing is just the high end semi pro thing, but they’re actually from Orlando, so the whole Celebration should be incredible for them.
There’s a couple of other really nice serious dramatic entries, but they’re far too long. They’ve been pretty clear that they want under 10 minutes on these things, and I’m betting George prefers under five.
I know there’s that Rock Trooper short in there, but it’s CG is far too professional, and it’s just not as funny as this short and sweet little number. This one gets a smile out of me. The mix of Look Who’s Talking and the Robot Chicken “Aluminum Falcon” sketch totally works.
This funny little cartoon is pretty good. The District 9 and Wacky Races spoofs are pretty clever too, but I think this one edges into the lead. IG-88 taking a leak. A naked Gungan in a trunk. It’s all there.
Why should my video win? Well, because I seriously want me one of those 3PO and R2 trophies, and I’ve got a shark obsessed little guy who basically needs to see Sea World.
Seriously though, I’m not sure. While ours is entertaining enough while poking subtle fun at the expanded universe, doesn’t really fit into any other category (hence, I assume, the creation of this one), and goes all Flash Gordon serials at the end, it’s not without it’s faults. It’s a little long at nearly eight minutes, and without the fight scene that’s part of the conclusion, it’s three characters trading witty banter on the holonet. I sure do like it though, and am awful proud of everyone involved. It shows some real love and respect for this fantasy world we grew up in.
This charming as all get out and skillfully crafted short deserves to take it. The CG artwork in comic form is great and the whole thing comes together really well. To be fair to the others I’ve mentioned, I should draw attention to my problems with this short, but I don’t have any. It’s gold. Go watch it.
So, lemme know what you think. I know there’s lots of other good stuff in the Challenge. Maybe you’ve got something else in mind. G’won. Prove me wrong.
They always seem like they’re having so much fun. Ever since high school, I’ve been envious of their damn exclusive cast parties that always sound like the very best time in the entire world.You might say I could have joined the drama productions, but you see I suffer from cantsingordanceitis, a tragic affliction that predominately targets very white, soulless gingers.
Anyway, actors.
In any project I’ve ever done, they always seem to be having so much fun (certainly more than me). I tried to tap into that by giving myself the lead role in Meridian (the ego on that guy), but without letting go of the reigns, it kinda backfired.
Alyssa, Mike, and Kel took me from my dark world of jealousy and bitterness and into the light.I know I said I’d be sharing a tale of woe regarding this Star Wars production, but I gotta say, those three knocked it out of the park acting-wise.I can’t actually remember them needing more than two takes (though they must have, right?), and (like I said before) had no trouble at all pushing imaginary buttons, talking to make believe robots, hitting the jokes, and otherwise selling a location that wasn’t there.
The first night of shooting, which was pretty much everything in the contest entry, went super smooth. I found myself having just as much fun watching those guys act as I did with the whole moulding a creative story thing (that just makes my heart sing).
The second night was all lightsabers and crash mats. It was pretty physical stuff, and Mike and Kel had colds so bad they thought they were gonna die. Mike even suggested rescheduling, and I did something I never have before. I browbeat them all into getting it done.It just seemed like everyone was tired and grouchy, but I bulldozed through it.I’ll admit I didn’t know how messed up Mike and Kel really were til later.They were swinging faulty lightsabers at each others’ heads and flipping in the air.Hell, without her glasses, Lissa beaned me in the elbow with her first baton throw, and nearly tagged the camera with a bad bounce on the second. It was a hectic, seat of the pants mess, and a couple of shots were almost forgotten.
The point is, I don’t think the cast and crew had a ton of fun that second night. They did an incredible job, and the end result certainly eases a retcon into that memory, but I suspect that day my bitterness towards hedonistic actors caused me to drag them down to my level.
First off, if you haven’t seen Inception yet, quit reading this nonsense and go do so.
I’ll wait.
Now, this is gonna sound a little silly (and when I say “silly” I actually mean “hypocritical”), but I’m not that crazy about fan films. I know the thing I’ve done that still gets the most attention is Mosquito, and I know this appears to be the first of six posts telling the tale of making a Star Wars fanfilm. Like I said.Silly.
I think it might be just the ones that take themselves seriously.I love light-hearted fan films like the classic Troops and the Power Girl and other DC hero skits from Blinky Productions (it’s not about the boobies, I swear).Weird Al’s The Saga Begins (youtube it, okay. I’m at work) is still one of my favourite music videos. Projects that celebrate a love for the subject material in a fun way feel more like praise than… I dunno… unnecessary replication. Fan films like Dead End and this new Aragorn thing are fantastically pretty and extremely well done, but something about them just feels off.
So, after Mosquito, I kinda unsuccessfully swore off fan films.I fell hard and fast in love with Firefly and wanted to tell the world.I also wanted to shake Whedon’s hand, but the bugger jammed on DragonCon that year.Then the controversial character slaughter in Serenity (which I’ve discussed on this thing more than any sane person should), Whedon’s last bit of his X-men run (which I can’t help but call “Kitty Pryde: #1 With a Bullet”), and my on going double whammy of sour grapes and poopy pants at Vagabond not making the Dr. Horrible cut (I really thought John and I had the stuff on that one) left me cold and masterless in the depths of space.
Then came the realization that I’m not much of a self promoter. Sorry, Bachelder, I’ve taken your teachings to heart, but I might just not have that sure and swift a pimp hand. I’ve got two original (or as original as things can ever be in this day and age) projects slowly churning their way through post production, and I want more people to see them.Enter the Atom.com Star Wars Fanfilm Challenge - a contest where Lucas picks the winner each year. What’s more, my best friend Kel always said he wanted me to make a Star Wars fanfilm (I eventually repaid him by all but cutting him from the contest entry, but more on that later). As cool as Firefly was, Star Wars will always be STAR WARS.A solid fanfilm would certainly generate new interest in my other projects.
It was already dangerously close to the contest deadline (I started Mosquito five weeks before its deadline.What the hell is the matter with me?), but I wrote up an easy to shoot script (though one that dangerously straddled the line of playful parody and seriousness) with a handful of friends in mind. Natalie Portman (who is a fantastic actress) said that acting in front of a green screen was so hard that it aught to be taught in acting school, so I was a little worried about my gang. It turned out they could act in front of a bluescreen better than most of the actors in the prequels (except Ewan McGregor. Nobody does anything better than Ewan McGregor), and things got rolling pretty quick…
…if I may so bold as to quote the title of Graham Roumieu’s poignant and soul achingly profound book about Bigfoot.
Close call though.
So, I’ve been out of touch with the interwebs for over a year now. It was a time of moving and renovations and family stuff and frame by frame covering up Emilie’s goddamn tan lines for Magellan. I learned alot about the wonders of After Effects and the unfortunate reality of limitations.
I made a Star Wars fanfilm.
I knew it’d be fun and I’d kinda like more than just the folks on my Facelurk friends list to see the upcoming chapters of Magellan and Meridian. As it turned out, entering the George Lucas Fanfilm Challenge (the winner of which is chosen by George hisself), became a true homage to Lucas. He nearly died making A New Hope, and so did I making just a ten minute fanfilm. Like most of my stories, this one has lots of amusing bits at my own expense. Over the next week, I’ll share the sorrid tale. Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned. I dunno.
So, I’m back at it and have a good deal of stuff to share with you over the next little while. Stuff like…
Star Wars: Myth & Legends
A slicer and her droid companion find themselves on a holonet run gone all kinds of wrong. The first 7 or so minutes became our entry into the 2010 Fanfilm Challenge. The action sequence conclusion is done and will appear here on this site, and maybe Atom.com. I’m not sure.
The Magellan Affair
Our retro sci-fi noir. More Bogart than Blade Runner, and more Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid than anything else. Did some changes to Part One and have Part Two ready to go (damn tan lines). I promised myself I wouldn’t shoot any other projects until Parts Three through Seven were finished.
Meridian
A supernatural comedy set in the Canadian prairies. Corner Gas meets X-files. Filmed as a 22 minute pilot to be released in three bite sized chunks.
There’s other stuff (although there really shouldn’t be). Maybe a new script for a full length feature once Magellan’s done. Maybe a webcomic based on the Teen Titans comics of the 80s. Maybe even some more Mosquito. I sure did appreciate the few kind words I got asking for more when I kinda crapped out there.
But How Does it End?
