Duality (Star Wars fan film)

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Duality
Directed by Mark Thomas
Dave Macomber
Starring Dave Macomber
Mark Thomas
Stephen Muraoka
Music by John Williams
Alan Derian
Distributed by TheForce.net
CrewofTwo.com
Release date(s) Early 2001
Running time 6:15
Language English

Duality is a fanfilm created by Mark Thomas and Dave Macomber. It was released early in 2001. This cut used music from the Star Wars films. A re-scored version was later made available. In addition, there is a behind-the-scenes split-screen comparing the storyboards, bluescreen footage, and final film.

It is one of the first fan films to exclusively use bluescreen footage composited onto virtual backgrounds. The cast consists only of three actors, two of which are the creators. Duality is also the only fanfilm to get its own parody (see below).

The film was originally hosted at TheForce.Net but was pulled upon request when there was a falling out between Mark Thomas and the Star Wars fan film community.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Sith apprentice Lord Rive (Macomber), is tasked by his master, Darth Oz (Thomas), to battle another apprentice, Darth Blight (Muraoka), as a final test determining who would serve by Oz’s side. The two would-be Sith clash violently with their double-bladed lightsabers while Oz watches via hologram. After a long and vicious lightsaber duel, Rive's weapon is severed in two and Blight loses his saber. A quick brawl later and the two engage in a final bout with the two halves of Rive's saber. It ends with Blight impaled and Rive bisected through the waist. After they die, Darth Oz appears in the flesh. Consumed with fury and wrath at his failure to procure a permanent apprentice, he electrocutes the bodies of the two failed apprentices with Force Lightning.

[edit] Behind the Scenes

  • Darth Blight's name, apt for a would-be Dark Lord of the Sith, probably speaks for itself.
  • Darth Oz's name is likely inspired by "King Osric of Shadizar," a character from the world of Conan the Barbarian. Or, it may be taken from the movie Zardoz, which in turn was taken from The Wizard of Oz.
  • Lord Rive's name also speaks for itself.[1]

[edit] Production

The script was first written by Mark Thomas, with Dave Macomber devising the fight. Filming took place at Alamo Studios in Santa Barbara, California in September of 2000. A teaser trailer was released in November of 2000, which featured a slightly different Sith ship and chamber entrance.

Post-production was split between Thomas and Macomber. Thomas primarily handled the digital backgrounds, 3D models animations. Compositing the footage and the lightsaber effects went to Macomber. Lastly, Thomas edited the sound and made the final cut.

Crew of Two's site featured extensive break-downs of the process.

[edit] Soundtrack

The first cut of the film featured copyrighted John Williams music (mostly from Phantom Menace). A later release had all-new music by Alan Derian. The Juxtaposition movie features the John Williams track.

[edit] Reception

Fan reaction to Duality was mostly positive since its release. Many fan film directors, such as Nick Hallam, have since cited it as inspiration for their own films. If nothing else, it proved that film-level special effects could be produced by the common fan.

Duality has been featured in articles in Apple.com, and Entertainment Weekly.

Criticism has been the lack of story or plot against the flashy visuals, although a rather common element in fanfilms centered around lightsaber battles.

See Adam Bertocci's page for a review.

[edit] Connections to other films

[edit] Duel

Duel is the production predecessor to Duality. Mark Thomas directed and featured Josh Waller as an Anakin/Luke-esque Jedi and Dave Macomber as a Sith lord (humorously labeled Darth Hideous). As one can imagine, the crew was significantly smaller than on Duality. Duel stands as one of a small number of fanfilms that strays slightly from the Formula and is set in a desert (presumably Tatooine).

[edit] Two-ness

Two-ness has the honor of being the one and only fanfilm parody of another fanfilm. Created by Stephen Ballew Roy Thomas, it loosely follows the same plot of Duality. It also spoofs, among other things, Saturday cartoons, Scooby Doo, and the Jetsons.

[edit] External links

The Force.net[2] no longer has links to Duality and Crew of Two’s[3] site is down. As such, using the Internet Archive is a must.

Adam Bertocci’s reviews for

Articles and Interviews

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