Duality (film)
Encyclopedia
Duality is a Star Wars
fan film
created by Mark Thomas and Dave Macomber that made its debut on the internet
on February 10, 2001. It is one of the first fan films to exclusively use bluescreen footage composited onto virtual backgrounds.
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 Rive impaled and Blight 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.
The script was first written by Thomas, with Macomber devising the fight. After about 14 months of pre-planning, filming took place at Alamo Studios in Santa Barbara, California in September of 2000. Post-production was split between Thomas and Macomber. Thomas primarily handled the digital backgrounds and 3D animation, while Macomber handled compositing and the lightsaber effects. The final version took four months of post-production, using off-the-shelf software from Electric Image
, Adobe
, and Apple, and about $3,000 in out-of-pocket costs.
said its effects "have the impressive digital sheen of Episode I"., while IFILM programming director said the film "absolutely blew me away, and a lot of people out there are saying this is the best they've ever come across." The film showed that film-level special effects could be produced by the common fan. Macomber and Thomas said they had "taken a few calls" from Hollywood effects houses after the film premiered.
In August 2010, Time
magazine's online visitors listed it at #7 on their list of the Top 10 Star Wars fan films.
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
fan film
Fan film
A fan film is a film or video inspired by a film, television program, comic book or a similar source, created by fans rather than by the source's copyright holders or creators. Fan filmmakers have traditionally been amateurs, but some of the more notable films have actually been produced by...
created by Mark Thomas and Dave Macomber that made its debut on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
on February 10, 2001. It is one of the first fan films to exclusively use bluescreen footage composited onto virtual backgrounds.
Plot
SithSith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
apprentice Lord Rive (Macomber), is tasked by his master, Darth
Darth
In the fictional Star Wars universe, Darth is the traditional title of a Sith Lord or Master, the first part of the new name they take on. One backronym is that is a condensed version of 'Dark Lord of the Sith'....
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 Rive impaled and Blight 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.
Production
Macomber and Thomas originally produced Duel as an acting/choregraphy demo for an actor, but felt they could make a better film with CG stages, as opposed to the location work on the original. The cast consists of three actors, two of whom are the creators.The script was first written by Thomas, with Macomber devising the fight. After about 14 months of pre-planning, filming took place at Alamo Studios in Santa Barbara, California in September of 2000. Post-production was split between Thomas and Macomber. Thomas primarily handled the digital backgrounds and 3D animation, while Macomber handled compositing and the lightsaber effects. The final version took four months of post-production, using off-the-shelf software from Electric Image
Electric Image Animation System
The Electric Image Animation System is a 3D computer graphics package published by EIAS3D. It currently runs on the Mac OS X and Windows platforms.-History:Electric Image, Inc. was initially a visual effects production company...
, Adobe
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
, and Apple, and about $3,000 in out-of-pocket costs.
Soundtrack
The first cut of the film featured music and sound effects taken from Star Wars films, but a later release had all-new music by Alan Derian.Reception
Reaction to Duality was mostly positive, generating over over a half million downloads in its first year of release. Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said its effects "have the impressive digital sheen of Episode I"., while IFILM programming director said the film "absolutely blew me away, and a lot of people out there are saying this is the best they've ever come across." The film showed that film-level special effects could be produced by the common fan. Macomber and Thomas said they had "taken a few calls" from Hollywood effects houses after the film premiered.
In August 2010, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine's online visitors listed it at #7 on their list of the Top 10 Star Wars fan films.