Star Wars Fan Films
Over the past few years since the release of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, the instances of Star Wars fans making their own short films and displaying them online has grown exponentially.
Lucasfilm supports and encourages young filmmakers to make their own Star Wars “fan-films” providing the films are non-profit making. Web sites such as TheForce.Net, which host Star Wars fan films, are among the top entertainment based websites browsed online. The exposure for people involved in such fan films is very high, with industry personnel visiting these sites regularly. Cases of cast and crew who have worked on fan films have actually been recruited by Lucasfilm for positions on Star Wars Episode 2 & 3!
The Story
Broken Allegiance is an ambitious Australian-made STAR WARS fan film, set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Two Sith apprentices, Ruan & Calis, escape the Empire by fleeing the planet Coruscant in a stolen transport. They must fight for their freedom when Darth Vader sends a vicious bouty hunter, Korbain Thor, to track them down.
The Production
The film started pre-production back in January 2001, where the script went through 11 drafts before shooting began. Auditions were held in March to an overwhelming response. Rehearsals took place from April through to June.
The film went into production in June and wrapped shooting in late July. The film was shot both in studio and on location around Melbourne in Victoria, Australia.
Post production took 8 months to complete and the film premiered in April 2002.
Broken Allegiance cost approximatey $6,000 AUD to make, this money going into materials for making sets, props, costumes, catering and the hire of equipment to make the film. The film was shot in 16:9 ratio using a Sony PD-150 DVCAM camera. Not one person was paid for working on B.A.
All cast and crew volunteered their time for free for the love of the genre and filmmaking.
The film once completed, garnered much media coverage and was screened at numerous local and intenational film festivals to great responses. The film has, since its release, been downloaded worldwide in excess of 1 million times.
On average, the website receives around 1800 or more visitors per month, and to this day Broken Allegiance continues to be downloaded at a rate of up to 500 times per month worldwide.
A Word from the Director
One of my very first memories is of my parents taking me to see Star Wars as a four year old. I was overwhelmed by the experience and so thrilled by George Lucas's ground breaking film that from that very moment, I knew I wanted to be a film maker.
I began with Super 8 at the age of nine, and eventually moved into video. Every school holidays I'd be out somewhere shooting my latest blockbuster with friends, usually ending with a lounge room premiere.
After high school I studied filmmaking and media for a few years. Bit by bit I began to learn the craft, always dreaming of one day directing my first feature film as I slogged it out on student short films in every crew role going.
For the past ten years I have worked professionally in the film and TV industry in various production roles, from sound and camera to producing and directing independent documentaries and shorts.
Broken Allegiance, based around the Star Wars universe, is my most ambitious project to date. As producer and director, it involved over a year and a half of around-the-clock planning to produce a work that is ultimately a homage to the films that inspired me all those years ago to pick up a camera.
Working with a dedicated cast and crew, it has been our aim to produce a quality fan film, not only with stunning visuals but also substance to its story and characters.
I hope you enjoy the film!
