Michael Scott (filmmaker)
Encyclopedia
Michael "Dorkman" Scott (born March 26, 1983) is a Los Angeles
-based independent filmmaker, best known for his visual effects work in Star Wars-related films Ryan vs. Dorkman
(RVD) and its sequel Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 (RVD2), which he co-created with Ryan Wieber
. The films have received a great deal of recognition on the Internet, with the former reaching #2 in Google Video
's "Top 100" ranking in May 2006. As of April 29, 2009, RVD has been viewed over 4 million times on YouTube, and RVD2 has been viewed over 4.3 million times on YouTube. As of April 29, 2009, RVD2 holds the honor of being ranked # 51 all time in entertainment videos.
, a prominent Star Wars fan site noted for its fan film-making community. According to the official TFN entry for the film, the backstory involves Ryan and Michael, or Ryan_W and DorkmanScott, as they are known on TheForce.net's forums, meeting after their friendly online rivalry over who is the better saber artist, and fighting to the death with real life sabers.
Though fan-made lightsaber
duels were already commonplace on the internet at the time of its release, RvD gained attention due to the quality of the lightsaber
special effects, which some compared to the visual effects
created by Industrial Light and Magic
. It was also lauded for its careful and clear cinematography and its fight choreography, praised by some fans as being equal to or even surpassing the fighting showcased in actual franchise films.
In the spring of 2006, the short became a viral video after being posted on such websites as eBaumsworld, CollegeHumor
, and (arguably the biggest boost in its popularity and visibility) the front page of YouTube
as a "Featured Video." The YouTube video officially surpassed two million views on September 30, 2007, along with tens of thousands of hits at other sites.
A version of the film uploaded to Google Video has surpassed 1.5 million views.
On December 15, 2006, the filmmakers released a sneak peek of the sequel on YouTube, which established the official release date as March 1, 2007. (View at YouTube)
The film's score was recorded on February 11, 2007 with a 60 piece orchestra at Capitol Studios in Hollywood. To accomplish this goal, film composers Gordy Haab and Kyle Newmaster donated their time and talents to the project. The film's creators used a PayPal link to solicit donations from fans, in order to pay the musicians. M. B. Gordy (lead percussionist from Battlestar Galactica
) provides the percussion.
Though the internet release was March 1, 2007, the filmmakers announced a premiere screening of the movie, open to the public, on February 24, 2007 at the Wilshire Fine Arts Theatre, Los Angeles. The film was also screened the same evening across the country at the New York Comic Con.
Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 was released as scheduled on March 1, 2007. (View at YouTube)
's past, pre-Phantom Menace
, the film features a battle between two other Sith Lords, Darth Wroth and Darth Anarcis (taken from anarchy
). Michael was post-production/visual effects supervisor on the film. Although the trademark Star Wars text crawl at the beginning of the film identifies the film as "Contract of Evil", the film was uploaded to YouTube by the filmmakers under the title "Darklords of the Sith".
, focusing on a young Obi-Wan Kenobi
and his apprenticeship to Jedi
Master Shaak Ti. The film becomes a battle between Shaak Ti and a strange creature (identified in the credits as Kiloss), who wants to take Obi-Wan and train him in the ways of the Dark Side. Other Star Wars characters to make an appearance in the film are Even Piell and Ki-Adi-Mundi
.
' The Monkey's Paw
. Teresa Berkin costarred as the mother. Some liberties were taken from the original story, such as the name of the family, the way the family got the paw, and the father dying instead of the son. The film is available on YouTube.
as the comic book's protagonist, Charlie Stone.
The adaptation went through a number of iterations and formats, including a web series and a television pilot, before the decision was made to treat the project as a theatrical feature film. A concept trailer for the project, featuring Park, was produced in the summer of 2007 and released on YouTube later that year.
Though several drafts of the script were written during 2008-2009, budgetary and other logistical issues eventually resulted in the project being cancelled, with Scott officially stating in a June 9, 2010 blog post that his version of the project was "dead."
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based independent filmmaker, best known for his visual effects work in Star Wars-related films Ryan vs. Dorkman
Ryan vs. Dorkman
Ryan vs. Dorkman, often abbreviated by fans as RvD, is a series of Star Wars fan films, created by Ryan Wieber and Michael "Dorkman" Scott, and first released to the internet on March 1, 2003.-Ryan vs. Dorkman:Ryan vs...
(RVD) and its sequel Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 (RVD2), which he co-created with Ryan Wieber
Ryan Wieber
Ryan Wieber is a compositor and amateur filmmaker, best known for his visual effects work in creating short Star Wars-related films. His lightsaber duel Ryan vs. Dorkman, which he co-created with Michael Scott, has received considerable internet recognition, including reaching #2 in Google Video's...
. The films have received a great deal of recognition on the Internet, with the former reaching #2 in Google Video
Google Video
Google Videos is a video search engine, and formerly a free video sharing website, from Google Inc. Before removing user-uploaded content, the service allowed selected videos to be remotely embedded on other websites and provided the necessary HTML code alongside the media, similar to YouTube...
's "Top 100" ranking in May 2006. As of April 29, 2009, RVD has been viewed over 4 million times on YouTube, and RVD2 has been viewed over 4.3 million times on YouTube. As of April 29, 2009, RVD2 holds the honor of being ranked # 51 all time in entertainment videos.
Ryan vs. Dorkman
Ryan vs. Dorkman (often abbreviated by fans as RvD) was first released to the internet on March 1, 2003. It was produced as an entry in a lightsaber choreography competition hosted by TheForce.netTheForce.Net
TheForce.Net is a Star Wars news site. It has material related the movies and associated games, publications, and other merchandise ....
, a prominent Star Wars fan site noted for its fan film-making community. According to the official TFN entry for the film, the backstory involves Ryan and Michael, or Ryan_W and DorkmanScott, as they are known on TheForce.net's forums, meeting after their friendly online rivalry over who is the better saber artist, and fighting to the death with real life sabers.
Though fan-made lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
duels were already commonplace on the internet at the time of its release, RvD gained attention due to the quality of the lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
special effects, which some compared to the visual effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
created by Industrial Light and Magic
Industrial Light and Magic
Industrial Light & Magic is an Academy Award-winning motion picture visual effects company that was founded in May 1975 by George Lucas and is owned by Lucasfilm. Lucas created the company when he discovered that the special effects department at 20th Century Fox was shut down after he was given...
. It was also lauded for its careful and clear cinematography and its fight choreography, praised by some fans as being equal to or even surpassing the fighting showcased in actual franchise films.
In the spring of 2006, the short became a viral video after being posted on such websites as eBaumsworld, CollegeHumor
CollegeHumor
CollegeHumor is a comedy website owned by InterActiveCorp and based in New York City. The site features daily original comedy videos and articles created by its in-house writing and production team, in addition to user-submitted videos, pictures, articles and links. In early 2009, CollegeHumor's...
, and (arguably the biggest boost in its popularity and visibility) the front page of YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
as a "Featured Video." The YouTube video officially surpassed two million views on September 30, 2007, along with tens of thousands of hits at other sites.
A version of the film uploaded to Google Video has surpassed 1.5 million views.
Ryan vs Dorkman 2
After the sudden and tremendous resurgence in popularity of RvD, Wieber and Scott announced in May 2006 that they would be producing a sequel. Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 (RvD2) was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Los Amigos Tortilla Factory, in August 2006 and has been released worldwide.On December 15, 2006, the filmmakers released a sneak peek of the sequel on YouTube, which established the official release date as March 1, 2007. (View at YouTube)
The film's score was recorded on February 11, 2007 with a 60 piece orchestra at Capitol Studios in Hollywood. To accomplish this goal, film composers Gordy Haab and Kyle Newmaster donated their time and talents to the project. The film's creators used a PayPal link to solicit donations from fans, in order to pay the musicians. M. B. Gordy (lead percussionist from Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
) provides the percussion.
Though the internet release was March 1, 2007, the filmmakers announced a premiere screening of the movie, open to the public, on February 24, 2007 at the Wilshire Fine Arts Theatre, Los Angeles. The film was also screened the same evening across the country at the New York Comic Con.
Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 was released as scheduled on March 1, 2007. (View at YouTube)
The 65th Sense
Michael contributed the visual effects to this USC student thesis film, a parody of The Sixth Sense. This was his first visual effects job.The Formula
Michael was a visual effects supervisor for the Star Wars fanfilm 'The Formula', directed by Chris Hanel and Steve Phelan. It was during the post-production process of this film that he felt the workload was too heavy, and brought Ryan Wieber, who would also earn the credit of visual effects supervisor, on board. This was their first direct collaboration on a project, and ultimately led to a friendship between the two former rivals.Contract of Evil (aka "Darklords of the Sith")
An exploration of Darth MaulDarth Maul
Darth Maul is a fictional character in the science fiction saga Star Wars. He is one of the main antagonists of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz....
's past, pre-Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
, the film features a battle between two other Sith Lords, Darth Wroth and Darth Anarcis (taken from anarchy
Anarchy
Anarchy , has more than one colloquial definition. In the United States, the term "anarchy" typically is meant to refer to a society which lacks publicly recognized government or violently enforced political authority...
). Michael was post-production/visual effects supervisor on the film. Although the trademark Star Wars text crawl at the beginning of the film identifies the film as "Contract of Evil", the film was uploaded to YouTube by the filmmakers under the title "Darklords of the Sith".
Crossroads of Destiny
A follow-up project from the creators of "Contract of Evil", the film takes place many years prior to The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
, focusing on a young Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
and his apprenticeship to Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
Master Shaak Ti. The film becomes a battle between Shaak Ti and a strange creature (identified in the credits as Kiloss), who wants to take Obi-Wan and train him in the ways of the Dark Side. Other Star Wars characters to make an appearance in the film are Even Piell and Ki-Adi-Mundi
Ki-Adi-Mundi
Ki-Adi-Mundi is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. He was portrayed by actor Silas Carson in each of the films of the Star Wars prequel trilogy...
.
Sandrima Rising
Michael is heavily involved with the upcoming fan films project "Sandrima Rising". According to a March 1, 2008 blog entry, Michael was "[fight] choreographer, director of photography, actor, visual effects supervisor, visual effects artist, and editor on the project", and is currently working on the visual effects for the film with a currently unspecified deadline. Michael also states that, with the exception of RvD3, "Sandrima Rising" represents his retirement from fan filmmaking.The Monkey's Paw
Before Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 was released, Scott directed and starred in a short-form adaptation of W. W. JacobsW. W. Jacobs
William Wymark Jacobs , was an English author of short stories and novels.-Writings:Jacobs is now remembered for his macabre tale "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Toll House"...
' The Monkey's Paw
The Monkey's Paw
"The Monkey's Paw" is a horror short story by author W. W. Jacobs. It was published in England in 1902.The story is based on the famous "setup" in which three wishes are granted. In the story, the paw of a dead monkey is a talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, but the wishes come with an...
. Teresa Berkin costarred as the mother. Some liberties were taken from the original story, such as the name of the family, the way the family got the paw, and the father dying instead of the son. The film is available on YouTube.
The Descendants
In spring of 2007, Scott was contacted by Dark Horse Entertainment, and offered the opportunity to direct an adaptation of an independent comic book property they had acquired, The Descendants. The project was to star Ray ParkRay Park
Raymond Park is a Scottish actor, stuntman and martial artist, best known for his playing the physical part of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Edgar on Heroes.-Early life:Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland...
as the comic book's protagonist, Charlie Stone.
The adaptation went through a number of iterations and formats, including a web series and a television pilot, before the decision was made to treat the project as a theatrical feature film. A concept trailer for the project, featuring Park, was produced in the summer of 2007 and released on YouTube later that year.
Though several drafts of the script were written during 2008-2009, budgetary and other logistical issues eventually resulted in the project being cancelled, with Scott officially stating in a June 9, 2010 blog post that his version of the project was "dead."