I'm beggin' ya ...

CAN WE PLEASE HAVE SOMETHING MORE THAN JEDI DUELS?!

Come on, guys, there's more to fan filmmaking than grabbing a light saber, rotoscoping it and calling that a story.

I don't mean to get on a rant here, but the current spate of jedi fights is getting a little tired.

Alright, come on, really let me have it!

 

Yes, we need something more original...[sarcasm] like a 3-way fight.... or a 4-way fight... or a 5 way fight... or a .....[/sarcasm]

 

You know, I think it's a little silly to bring up this tired subject as if a new fan film has arisen to spark this anew. Though none have.

Maybe to YOU there's more to fan filmmaking than lightsaber fights, but to most people that's what captured their imagination and got them going in the first place. I know I'm certainly one of them.

For people who want to make films, sure, they'd better figure out how to make a story and keep an audience's attention. But remember that for the most part it's just to show friends and family, who haven't been jaded by the abundance of lightsabers we've seen.

Even you, the maker of Rogue, couldn't help putting a lightsaber (singular, granted) into your film. It's a staple of Star Wars, and heart-pounding duels are something we all want to see -- and many of us want to do.

M. Scott

 

I've got one script with sabers, but no dueling. And another idea I'm trying to flesh out with no sabers period.

 

I never tried to pass mine off as a film.

 

My script uses the word "Jedi" twice, never shows one on-screen, never so much as mentions lightsabers.

It's Rebels vs Empire, plain and simple.

I'm working on it, but it's an ambitious project anmd is going to take a while to complete...I'm at the very beginning of the process, so don't hold your breath.

 

Quote: You know, I think it's a little silly to bring up this tired subject as if a new fan film has arisen to spark this anew. Though none have.

Where have you been the last 3 days Scott? A new "jedi fight" movie was just released 2 days ago and can be downloaded from our site.It's called Dark Beginnings and must admit after seeing this one I felt the same way as Semaj is feeling. The SW universe has so many stories to tell that have nothing at all to do with the jedi. Like the kessel runs, bounty hunters, the Fetts,and many more. When and if I do ever start filming I will have one and only one jedi in my film. No saber fights, I want to expand on the jedis abilities to handle situations without the use of his saber unless totally necessary.
Well there's my 2 cents worth.

 

it would be a nice change.

Hell I wouldn't mind at all if they did, I just wish there were more movies a little less focused on Jedi.

But you gotta admit, most people get off on the idea of making it look like they got their own blade. I know i did

 

Mine has a jedi with a lightsabre. I will cease production immediately.

I thought it might have been fun. I guess not...

 

I think this can be summed up with a butchered quote from The Rocky Horror Picture Show:

"Well. What do you think?"
"Oh...I don't like films with too many...sabers..."
"I didn't MAKE IT for YOU."

M. Scott

 

I guess some one should give Lucas a call, too, and ask him not to put a saber fight in any of his movies too. It's not like any one wants to see yet another saber fight.

I understand that in a forum like this, dedicated to, not just a single genre, but a single movie series, it can get somewhat repeatative to see more sabers. You have to remember, though, this community is very very small. To the general public, seeing some one (especially some one they know) wield a lightsaber is still a magical event.

I just showed a teaser for Hidden Phantom at my karate school. Everyone, even those that shuned the project earlier, was impressed to see their friends flying star ships, holding handstands and leaping across canyons, but it was the lightsabers that had their jaws on the floor. There's nothing in the trailer that would amaze anyone here, but in the "regular world" the lightsaber is still king.

Go make your movie the way you like. Have a blast with your friends. Most of all ...

Have fun!

 

There's nothing in the trailer that would amaze anyone here, but in the "regular world" the lightsaber is still king.

Nick just hit the nail on the head.

I guess the real question is, are you making your film for us, or for the 'real world'?

 

And I guess the best answer to that would be, neither, I think primarily we all make these films for ourselves.
And for the record, I love a good saber fight as much as everyone else. Don't necessarily think I mean get rid of them entirely, I guess what I should have said was if you want to make a film without jedi or with them, it would be nice to see the storylines go into more depth on all the other characters and their adventures as well.

 

Sorry Daft. I thought your fan film had a chance after you changed its name from "Ahead of the Storm" to just "Storm Ahead".

Oh well, I guess its back to the drawing board since lightsabers and Jedi are played out.



(someone should tell Sarlacc Pit before its too late)

 

I have to agree with PadawanNick. If I showed my first movie here, it would be laughed at. It's Jedi, it's sabers, it's in the living room, and the actors are kids. But I showed it to my family, and they asked to play it again immediately. My nephew brought it to school for show and tell. They loved it.

I do agree that board veterens want to see more. I do, too. The thing is, there's always going to be new people who just want to swing a lightsaber. To them it's new. Asking a new member to do more is like a 1st grade teacher saying 'do my students HAVE to do addition and subtraction all the time. That's boring. Why can't they do something new, like calculus'.

Yes, its , but its true.

 

The thing is that is how you cut your teeth. You make lightsabers. If you develop in filmmaking through this board, your probably of the mind that you want to rotoscope. So you anxiously trod through the tedious process, and you want everyone to be as excited as you are.

It is only that what you have done has been done a hundred times. We have to accept that we are in a school like atmosphere. We all come to experiment and try things that WE haven't done. Not that haven't ever been done.

I actually don't mind seeing dual after dual, because I know the people putting out a product are at least trying, they aren't telling you about this awesome 2 hour story they are going to make, and never do. The ones who put out the short duals are the ones in the trenches learning the craft.

Remember, ANH only had a couple minutes of lightsabers.

 

Well I better throw my script out the window.

 

I really don't think it's fair to ask fans to stop putting light sabers in films when George is still doing it.

 

Dorkman disagreeing with me? NO THERE'S A SURPRISE!

And I'm not asking you to stop putting Jedi's in it. I'm not even asking for no jedi fights at all (I swear, that George Lucas comment was a pathetic retort) ...

What I am asking for is something more O-R-I-G-I-N-A-L then a Jedi and Sith running into each other, fighting it out to a stirring John Williams rehash.

There's more to the Star Wars universe than that.

 

There are indeed more fan films with the simple saber duel, than you can shake a stick at. The fan film I am working on is quite lengthy and has lots of action, including lots of lighsaber action, but there is now lightsaber duels in my movier, nor any Sith lords.

I don't know about most people, but I think there needs to be some more original stories than the basic lightsaber fight.

 

I understand exactly what you're saying Semaj. Story is all I really ever look for anyway, although a nice fight or fancy FX are nice too. We're workin on a story-based fan film. We do have Jedi and lightsaber fights, but thats not the point. We have pretty much no FX other than lightsabers either. Too bad it probably won't be done for at least another two years(seeing that it has been more than two already)

I think people mainly need to make their characters solid, not hollow. A Sith probably wouldn't run around killing people just "Because he's evil!" would he? Give characters motivations, emotions, conflicts, etc. Then, go back through your script and look for character flaws. We had a guy roughin' up a Jedi and then realized "Wait a minute, that should be almost the exact opposite! Although still the same..." (Obviously, this example may be confusing, but you have to understand the context) We had misread the character's motivations.

Also, once you have your story and characters fleshed out, go back through your script line by line and read them out loud a few times as if you were the character. Fix wording issues per character (Master Yoda probably wouldn't say, "Yo dawg, wazzzzuuuuup!?" now would he?) Make sure the lines fit the character and also that they don't sound forced.(Unless that is what you're shooting for, of course.)

Wow, sorry, didn't mean to rant... ¡Ciao!

Virru

 

There is one object that people think of when they hear Star Wars. Do I need to say more?


Well I will, even if you don't want me to. Now, all of us realise that all a lightsaber fight is is just two kids flailing wooden sticks at eachother. But the vast majority of people who will watch these films don't know the difference between After Effects and Photoshop. Or for that matter that After Effects Even exists.

Now there is definatly enough intrest to warrent the creation of a nich market of fan films with no jedi nor lightsabers and I do not doubt that it would be refreshing. However, if we begin to look down on films that have duels than what has this community really turned into? What would Star Trek be if people said, 'STOP TELEPORTING AROUND, GESE! CAN'T SOMEONE MAKE A FILM WHERE PEOPLE DON'T USE THE TELEPORTING THING!' and where would action films be if people said 'what is with this final fight! we know the good guy will win and the bad guy will lose, just kill him already!'. Get the point? did I make one? I don't remember, it is too late at night

Saber Fights = good
Non-saber fight fanfilms = good

so lets just get some love and peace and make fan films everyone!

 

I don't think it is so much 'Saber fight fan films' vs. 'Non-saber fight fan films' so much as 'Just saber fight fan films' vs. 'Saber fight fan films with an actual storyline'

If I'm wrong, then you have permission to fight me in a lightsaber duel. But only if we have Duel of the Fates playing in the background.

 

Okay, that's anoyther thing...I'm getting deathly sick of saber duels set to Duel of the Fates. I mean, c'mon...the original trilogy never had Duel of the Fates and everybody loved the original trilogy! Enough is enough already! Sheesh!

That said, I too feel the frustration that seems to be expressed by many...and ridiculed by some in this thread. Like it or lump it, the fan film community really has basically reduced the Star Wars universe down to Jedi vs Sith. Let's be honest, most fan fi;m plots are simply excuses to get to the saber duels, no matter how involved they are.
And, worse, because canon states that during the original trilogy there are no Jedi or Sith fights we haven't already seen on-screen, most fan films end up being set either before or after the original trilogy.

These are undeniable trends. And I think all that's really being said here is that it's kind of growing stale. That all saber duels are starting to just seem the same.

That we seem to be stuck in a rut.

Personally, I agree. And while I admit that a lightsaber duel must be fun, it really would be nice to see fan filmers branching out, exploring more of the Star Wars universe...because there really is more to it than Jedi vs Sith. A lot more.

For myself, I had a story occur to me one morning during my shower (why does every good idea I ever have come to me in the shower? WTF is up with that?) that was set between ANH and ESB. No Jedi. No Sith. No lightsabers. It explores an aspect of the war between the Alliance and the Empire that hasn't really been discussed much. It hearkens back to the days when Star Wars was new and the Force was only a side-plot involving Luke and Vader. When the fate of the galaxy stood in the balance, and only brave beings in fragile fighter craft stood between freedom and oppression.

IMHO, we need more of that, if only to balance out the Force-and-Jedi-centric storylines. I don't think anyone here is saying more than that. Not really. It's not that lightsabers duels are bad...they're just too commonplace and have lost their luster.

 

First off, Whispering, if one Star Trek fan film after another simply showed a group of kids stepping into a transporter and saying "energize," to the stirring horns of a Star Trek theme ... I doubt that would hold interest for much of anyone.

My point is that you have to have a story to justify people spending time, and bandwidth, to download your film and then watch it without feeling like they wasted their time.

There's nothing wrong with having Jedi in the film ... hell, Rogue has one.

But if all the film is, is another Duel/Duality rehash, I'd much rather watch the original, thank you.