Fan Film The Series Director’s Commentary

In celebration of the 1 year anniversary of filming “Fan Film The Series” David and I recorded a director’s commentary for each episode of “Fan Film”

Find out what we were, or weren’t thinking, some of the origin of some the scenes, and other bits and pieces about the production.

Enjoy!

Click on each link below to see the commentary versions:

Episode 1 Director’s Commentary

Episode 2 Director’s Commentary

Episode 3 Director’s Commentary

Episode 4 Director’s Commentary

Episode 5 Director’s Commentary

Episode 6 Director’s Commentary

Fan Film Episode 1 Director’s Commentary

Get the inside scoop on Episode 1 and all it’s many versions that lead up to this final version of the debut episode of “Fan Film The Series” with this special director’s commentary version:

Fan Film Episode 2 Director’s Commentary

Episode 2 was episode 1 before episode 1 was episode 1. Khrysti was Karen, and Dave was Taylor, but Gregg is still Gregg. Make sense? If not, check out the commentary for Episode 2 of “Fan Film The Series”:

Fan Film Episode 3 Director’s Commentary

Lost in the woods, flubbed lines, siblings arguing – and that’s just half of the topic’s discussed in this episodes commentary:

Fan Film Episode 4 Director’s Commentary

Find out what those green striped sweatsuits are all about, and why all those movie posters don’t seem to match the storyline when you really think about it:

Fan Film Episode 5 Director’s Commentary

Episode 5, the last scenes in PA. But a little secret is revealed – some of these shots where done in Florida. Can you guess which ones? Well, stop guessing and watch to find out:

Fan Film Episode 6 Director’s Commentary

And last but not least, Episode 6 of Fan Film The Series with Director’s commentary. Hear the ups and downs of getting this final segment in the can, and more Xanadu references than you can shake a stick at:

What Was The Name Of That Indian?

Our Zombie Madness marathon continues this week on The Cutting Room Floor with Undead or Alive.

Zombies Upon Us

Head on over to the Cutting Room Floor where we begin a run of zombie movie reviews.

Explaining Boba Fett to a new generation

Being in a work environment where a majority of my co-workers where born well after the original Star Wars was released (and some after Return of the Jedi, ugh!) we’ve had several constructive and not so constructive conversations about Star Wars in regards to the original trilogy, the prelogy, and the saga as a whole.

The most interesting one as of late was about Boba Fett. While discussing the linage of Boba from the view point of his appearance in Attack of the Clones, the question was asked of me, “Why was he so popular in the original Trilogy considering he had such little screen time?”

I answered as best I could that the time allotted for the conversation, but I still thought about it that night. After a little more consideration, I think I’ve summed up that mystique and fascination around Boba Fett, for me anyway, is not in what he does or says on screen, but it’s the things that his words and actions elude to that make him so interesting.

#1 – Cool Costume

First and foremost, the costume; It’s always more exciting to be a bad guy in the Star Wars Universe for nothing more than the cool outfits. Vader, Storm troopers, Imperial Scouts, even the Snow Troopers are cooler looking than the Hoth Ski Patrol outfits the rebellion wears. And at the top of the “looking fabulously evil” pyramid is arguably Boba Fett. There’s so many gadgets and gizmos on that outfit that look both useful and menacing, yet we never get to see 98% of them in action in either of this appearance in both Empire and Jedi.

#2 – His Reputation

Next, his apparent reputation; Of all the bounty hunters on Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer that Vader addresses, Boba Fett is the only one Vader singles out with a warning of “No disintegration.” Apparently up until this point, Fett seems to have developed a reputation of having some sort of itchy trigger finger.

Soon after having his reputation alluded to, Fett’s gives a clear demonstration that he’s both smarter than the Empire and equally as cunning as Han Solo.

#3 – Smart and Cunning

When Han Solo attaches the Millennium Falcon to the back of the Star Destroyer, he manages to baffle and elude the entire on-staff Imperial intelligence and tactical divisions.  Presumably, the Falcon’s last recorded trajectory and position where shared with the Bounty Hunters. Boba Fett was the only one that figured out the only possible end position of the Falcon and hid in the Garbage ejection lock until the fleet departed. From there, he follows the Falcon and alludes to another interesting unexplained back-story for our favorite bounty hunter.

#4 – Cool Technology, or Interesting Past

When Boba Fett leads the imperials to Bespin before Han the crew arrive, that conjures up 2 pretty cool possibilities on how that happened in my head. First, it is possible that he may have had some sort of device in Slave I that could hack into the Falcon’s navigational computer and tell him where they plotted their course. That’s pretty cool, but I like to think this second possibility is closer to the truth. The theory can be made, though with no evidence what so ever, that Fett followed the Falcon’s trajectory and plotted a course that lead him to the general area of Bespin. I like to believe, and again this is just me, that Boba has some kind of history (maybe with a alternate identity) with Han, Lando, or as smuggler, or a combination of any of those and used that past history to conclude that Han was heads to seek refuge with Lando.

#5 – Mouths off to Vader and Lives to Tell About it.

Once on Bespin, things start to get interesting with Boba Fett. For instance, when he mouth’s off to Vader and lives to tell about it. When Han is strapped in the torture device, Fett snaps “He’s no good to me dead!” to which Vader offers a stern yet sensible explanation that Han “will not be permanently damaged”. In sharp contrast, Lando delivers the same amount attitude when his agreement with Vader is changed and Vader responses with threats and intimidation.

#6 – Mouth off to Vader Again, Lives to Tell About it, and is offered cash!

If getting away with mouthing off to Vader once isn’t enough, Fett does it again, and not only lives but also is offered money. When Han is being prepared for the Carbon freezing chamber, Fett again pulls an attitude on Vader with “What is he doesn’t survive?! He’s worth a lot to me!”. Instead of Vader responding with a STFU force choke, he offers up a destroyer load of cash to compensate Fett if Han dies.

#7 – Casual Conversation

The most interesting exchange between Vader and Fett comes when Lando declared that Han has survived the freezing process. At this point, Vader turns to Fett and says, “He’s all yours, bounty Hunter”. This is possibly the only line in the original trilogy that can pass of casual conversation from Vader. One could say Vader has a comfort level with Fett having spent a good portion of his life around clones sharing the same DNA, but remember this is written from the point of the prelogy not having existed yet which makes this scene all the more interesting to me.

#8 – Senses Something, or is just that Damn Good.

After having Han turned over to him, Fett leads a small entourage to his ship. When passing down one corridor, Luke is hiding out of sight. Yet, as they passes bay, Fett looks in Luke’s general direction. Either he senses something dangerous to him down that corridor, or he’s that damn good and checked all of his surroundings.

#9 – Knows Luke is there.

Once the coast is clear, Luke heads after the entourage. While he approach, Fett steps out from around the corner and fires at him. Now, the fact that R2-D2 beeped and whirled might have had something to do with that. But kudos to Fett for recognizing an unusual beep and whirl amongst the other beeps and whirls throughout the city and deciding to check it out with rifle at the ready.

#10 – He gets away

And last but not least, he gets away in the end. The end of Empire, at least. Even with the glimmer of hope from Lando saying, “There’s still a chance to save Han” Boba Fett still gets away unharmed with Han in the cargo hold.

So maybe I’m reading too much into many of these scenes, or maybe there are other points I missed. But either way, when I was asked the question of what Boba Fett was such a big deal to me back in the day, that’s what I came up with.