The sound and FX were even more amazing than the choreography - though the ebb and flow of the fight worked really well. Amazing what you can do with a digital video camera and some serious editing skillz!
Great editing, no doubt, but there's also great camera handling and some great facial expressions. I didn't really think the ending flowed, but it was a good gag. It was a good place for it too. It would have been nice if there was some small thread that connected it with everything else though. The choreography was inspired and it was cut together extremely well. I sensed the intent with the location they chose: grandiose machinery puts you in the sense of being in one of the emperor's throne rooms. I totally hadn't expected the fight to turn out the way it did. Very entertaining. I've been watching it over and over. They must've practiced duelling a lot or have taken a fencing class or something. I was somewhat put off at first by the continuous one handed light saber hold of Michael's character, but enjoyed the pay-off with the punching. It's so much fun to watch!
Excellent job on the video. only thing i have to complain about, is that a coulpe of the moves felt a little slow, like when he reached back over his head. I liked the part where they were rolling over. and what software/programs did you use and where can i find them?
Wow! Amazing what you can do on a budget! Very entertaining.. you know as the fight progressed.. and since it looked "to the death" I wasn't sure if anyone was going to really die in the end.. I noticed when it was over.. I had my hands clinched and my palms were sweaty! haha.. very good..
Only regret, a minor issue, I was kinda hoping some of the props, background items got more involved in the fight.. e.g. a few tables/chairs/whatever cut up with the sabers. Nice touch on the leg slice!
Excellent in all aspects! Story, filming.. action, effects etc..
Incredible! Truly incredible! Great special effects, excellent video quality and amazing choreography! These guys are truly talented and made an excellent low budget video which I am truly in awe over.
That video was really great!!!! I know of a competition (very good exposure) that you might want to enter it in. Contact me (at my website) for more info. I produced the John Williams Clarinet Concerto for John and his Clarinetist. My website is http://www.mytempo.com (contact info is there). I was also the top Artist Webpromoter for the old mp3.com website when they were paying their artists a combined $1 Million a month for downloads.
I liked how Michael Scott actualy knew how to use a weapon and used the correct stances and guards though it was kinda obvios for anyone who does bouting (for me i do it with broadswords) that Scott Micheal was showing off and wasnt realy trying for most of the fight though if i had taken my opponent out to make sure they were dead i would coup de-grace them
How HOT is THIS?! DEADLY! I was sitting in front of my laptop eyes gaping and mouth so wide ajar that I tought my jaw would stay like this forever. And the choregraphy and effects – amazing!
This was an AWESOME clip!!! You can tell a great amount of effort was made from the character's stances to the camera angle shots. The choreography was excellent and the special effects were great. Good choice of backround music, it made me feel like I was watching a lost episode of the Star Wars saga. Great job guys!
Unbelieveable! Extremely entertaining & visually dynamic! 5 minutes of priceless film. Incredible choreography! More complex than any we've seen in any of Mr. Lucas' films. Worth the cost of admission alone and far more enthralling than any of the Star Wars films as of late. Well done.
I can't see the video clip. I've got the most recent quicktime download. Do you have it in another format by any chance? Or could you email it to me? Thanks.
I came here to have a laugh at these guys. After seeing it though I can only offer them my respect. Sure it slowed down to much in places to slightly unrealistic levels but I have seen B-movies that were not near as good when it came to there fight scenes. I am sure that if these guys are in film school or something they would have got an A+ for this work.
ummmm, what can i say. Very good, but not as good as everyone makes out. Some people said it was not as good as the film, which is rubbish. The fighting wasnt bad, but it was like the actors knew what was coming next. Brilliant editing though. This could be one of the best homemade films of all time!
Freaking amazing. One question. Did they use the cheaper lightsabers you can get at K-Mart for 7 dollars, the more expensive ones for like 20, or did they use replica's with a wooden ends that used to actually film the real star Wars films?
Got to hand it to you, George Lucas failed to make the sabre-fights in the last three movies as believable as the sabre-fights in the first three movies. You seem to have the force with you when you made this clip. NICE ONE!
I've done a lot of small sword and rapier/dagger choreography with pros here in Los Angeles. Truly, this was fun. You guys obviously worked hard on this. I really liked a lot of the camera angles, and the way you handled the comedy. However, I was *sure* that Dorkman losing his glasses was a turning point -- it was a misstep in the storytelling of the fight, methinks. However, I liked the pacing a lot. Very enjoyable!
Registered just to comment on this spectacular video.
1) Awesome. 2) Awesome. 3) Awesome. (sorry, my awesome key was stuck) 4) You guys interested in re-doing episodes 1-3? I bet your stuff would be better than at least half the junk Lucas threw at us. 5) tiny nit-pick, I loved the ground combat, but I think the sabers bounced off the floor a couple times. Lightsabers would cut into it. But don't listen to me. 6) Awesome.
I really enjoyed watching this video. You guys did an excellent job on the choreography, and it was interesting on how the man in black used a stance similar to that of a fencer. I would love to see more of this type.
That was great.Also good links to others .the ho one could have been better,But all are better than i can Muster.Stil curious to the programs used to create it.Old Jedi Secret Perhaps.
From a girl whose boyfriend fences and does swordplay as a hobby, honestly, the huge sweeping motions are great for romanticism and "cool" factor, but a well-placed eppe or saber with just a flick of the wrist could slit a throat. Small motions are best with an organic, metal blade. I realize that with lightsabers, there isn't the "bend" that metal blades have, so the motions would have to be bigger, but I would imagine one would try to keep his weapon across his torso at all times, so as not to have an embarassing and deadly injury.
That said, you boys are great! Extremely well-choreographed, good timing, a bit slow now and again, but that adds to the drama. Cute, too!
I really wish more girls did swordplay--it's hella cool.
Bravo! I normally find myself saying, "Oh, another Star Wars light saber fight". But this was 100% entertaining. That's even if you set aside the expert correography, and the effects. Outstanding!
This is definately one of the coolest things that i have seen done. I am even thinking of doing something like it myself but i know that it would just be a bad impression and nothing could match up to this!
I was like "That yellow lightsaber is so cool, Michael Scott is so cocky, he isn't going to win" then when Ryan went down i was like "wow...i am as good as predicting the future as miss cleo" and then when i seen the real ending i was like "AWESOME!"
theforce.net has some good tutorials on adding lightsaber effects, which can be done with Adobe Premier or Aftereffects (I'm familiar with the former method).
This movie was choreographed quite well with some creative twists. I'm guessing the guys in the clip have some experience handling swords.
Dude I was always trying to make starwars movies with my friends, and I had photoshop, but you guys did an awesome job, way better than I have ever done. The sound effects were Amazing, realistic and coordinated. The Digital effects were awesome, and amazingly reactive to each others hits. Good job, I think you should apply at Industrial Light & Magic (Star Wars) digital company.
I have to say that this is really god damn awesome. You can tell that they have both had atleast some sort of martial arts and/or fencing training. Moves as fluid as those are rarely seen done by your average Joe.
As to what software they used, I would have to give a educated guess or two. If they're really in to special effects, then they might have used After Effects. But from what I've seen and used I would say that they used AlamDV or EffectsLab DV, since those software produce effects just like this with the tools readily available, and they're pretty much designed to do lightsabers and muzzle flash effects. Ofcourse they can do a whole lot, but that would be my guess.
And btw, if you use EffectsLab DV or AlamDV this sort of thing isn't really hard at all, mainly just time consuming. stop by at www.fxhome.com, the software is pretty cheap, and really easy to use. Pretty much anyone can make those kind of effects, and with good quality. =)
Edit: Hm, they did use After Effects, info at their site. But that google videos one was made with AlamDv. And they didn't even have any formal MA training, I'm baffled by this fact. Kudos to you boys. =)
this is the first movie i saw on this website. perfection. i was blown away and still am. the only problem is i cant help imagining my and my twin brothers faces over theirs. sigh, i guess sometimes one can only dream.
Re-promoting this video to the front page as a VideoSift Classic. Originally published on Monday 13th March 2006 (promotion called by gold star member dotdude)
I hate to burst your bubble but http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2667365 Is the best Saber fight out there. Blows Dorkman's away. If you have trouble finding it google "Art of Saber"
Stumble This
Only regret, a minor issue, I was kinda hoping some of the props, background items got more involved in the fight.. e.g. a few tables/chairs/whatever cut up with the sabers. Nice touch on the leg slice!
Excellent in all aspects! Story, filming.. action, effects etc..
Incredible! Truly incredible! Great special effects, excellent video quality and amazing choreography! These guys are truly talented and made an excellent low budget video which I am truly in awe over.
you should try to make one with "actors" from a local karate/kickboxing club, their fast and strong movements really make a clip like this stand out
DEADLY! I was sitting in front of my laptop eyes gaping and mouth so wide ajar that I tought my jaw would stay like this forever.
And the choregraphy and effects – amazing!
http://www.videosift.com/topstories.php
http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash
Excellent editing
Excellent moves
Contact Lucas will you!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7292576415845588372
Very well done!
I've done a lot of small sword and rapier/dagger choreography with pros here in Los Angeles. Truly, this was fun. You guys obviously worked hard on this. I really liked a lot of the camera angles, and the way you handled the comedy. However, I was *sure* that Dorkman losing his glasses was a turning point -- it was a misstep in the storytelling of the fight, methinks. However, I liked the pacing a lot. Very enjoyable!
1) Awesome.
2) Awesome.
3) Awesome.
(sorry, my awesome key was stuck)
4) You guys interested in re-doing episodes 1-3? I bet your stuff would be better than at least half the junk Lucas threw at us.
5) tiny nit-pick, I loved the ground combat, but I think the sabers bounced off the floor a couple times. Lightsabers would cut into it. But don't listen to me.
6) Awesome.
http://www.videosift.com/story.php?id=1876
it owns
Good Job guys.
For those who are interested, our official site for the film (and possible sequel) is http://www.ryanvsdorkman.com
That said, you boys are great! Extremely well-choreographed, good timing, a bit slow now and again, but that adds to the drama. Cute, too!
I really wish more girls did swordplay--it's hella cool.
Seriously though, that was outstanding! Great moves, someone get George on the line...
I was like "That yellow lightsaber is so cool, Michael Scott is so cocky, he isn't going to win" then when Ryan went down i was like "wow...i am as good as predicting the future as miss cleo" and then when i seen the real ending i was like "AWESOME!"
This movie was choreographed quite well with some creative twists. I'm guessing the guys in the clip have some experience handling swords.
Awesome job, You guys rock.
If you have no idea who Preston and Steve are go to wmmr.com
As to what software they used, I would have to give a educated guess or two. If they're really in to special effects, then they might have used After Effects. But from what I've seen and used I would say that they used AlamDV or EffectsLab DV, since those software produce effects just like this with the tools readily available, and they're pretty much designed to do lightsabers and muzzle flash effects. Ofcourse they can do a whole lot, but that would be my guess.
And btw, if you use EffectsLab DV or AlamDV this sort of thing isn't really hard at all, mainly just time consuming. stop by at www.fxhome.com, the software is pretty cheap, and really easy to use. Pretty much anyone can make those kind of effects, and with good quality. =)
Edit: Hm, they did use After Effects, info at their site. But that google videos one was made with AlamDv. And they didn't even have any formal MA training, I'm baffled by this fact. Kudos to you boys. =)
Is the best Saber fight out there. Blows Dorkman's away. If you have trouble finding it google "Art of Saber"
I'm afraid most Sifters dissagree with your assessment. :-)