The Force For Fun Interview with Jim vs. Vader Filmmakers Erik Beck and Justin Johnson

You have scene the video above, now lets get to know filmmakers Erik Beck and Justin Johnson, the duo behind Jim vs. Vader.  

Erik and Justin met in 2005 and began working together in 2007, the dynamic duo moved to Los Angeles in 2011.  In addition to creating their own Youtube videos they have produced music videos for Sony/RCA and cable network promos for The Hub and Epix.  

What brings a kid from Yuba City, CA together with a kid from Eau Claire, WI?  Why Star Wars of course.  

Erik and Justin were kind enough to take the time to talk a little Pringles, a little film making and a lot about Star Wars.  

Lightsaber Rattling (LR): I understand you both are fans of the AT-ATs and the Battle of Hoth, which makes me think you are big fans of The Empire Strikes Back.  Do you think Empire is the best of the Star Wars films and why or why not?

HA! Funny you should ask because we actually made a silly video where Justin and I explore that very questions (while battling in giant robots made of cardboard of course). In the video Justin argues that Empire is the best, while I think Return of the Jedi is the better. In reality though I think we both agree Empire is indeed best! It's the darkest of the original trilogy and the character growth that Luke goes through is so great. At the end of the day its hard to compete with that first battle between Luke and Vader. It's so moody and well shot and of course has the epic reveal at the end!

LR:  Answer honestly. When eating Pringles do you make the "duck face" at least once?

That seems like something Justin would do for sure. I've of course done it, you really have to at least once, but in general I like to get right to business when it comes to enjoying Pringles. No time to goof around when delicious snacks are involved! ;)

LR: I was impressed with the visual effects in Jim vs. Vader, can you talk a little about how you were able to accomplish this?

Star Wars is such a seminal film in the world of special effects that we really wanted that aspect to shine in our spot.  If you watch the full 60 second version it's sort of crazy how many gags we cram in there. For the lightsaber battle we got lucky in that our friend Jim (namesake for our main character) is a trained stuntman with stage combat experience. He taught our actors all their sweet moves and was the stunt double who did the flip off the table. For everything else we tried to keep a solid balance between simple "practical effects" and computer generated effects. For example the saber "blades" were thin metal rods painted white that we painstakingly covered up in After Effects. Our friend Devin (also a stuntman) threw himself backward onto a hidden pad for the part when Vader tries to force push Jim.  Our favorite effect though is when the mug gets chopped in half. The key to that one was a trick mug that is already cut in half and has a small dam built in the side to hold a small amount of coffee. There's some great behind the scenes videos on the Pringles YouTube channel (YouTube.com/Pringles) where we talk more about all of this, but suffice it to say we really love creating special effect!

LR: As filmmakers what was your reaction to the news that we would be getting new Star Wars films and is there anything in particular you want to see in those films?

We are very excited that there will be new Star Wars films coming soon! J.J Abrams is one of my favorite contemporary directors and we have full faith Disney will do the new movies right. Lucas & Disney have been making awesome stuff together for years. Just look at Star Tours! I would also look to the great job they did with the Muppets, another beloved and well respected franchise, and get excited for future of Star Wars movies!

Visit YouTube.com/Pringles to see Jim vs. Vader as well as the other finalists in The Force For Fun contest presented by Pringles and Star Wars. 

J.J. Abrams The Daily Show Interview Clips

J.J. Abrams sits down with Jon Stewart promoting Star Trek: Into Darkness and well the topic of Star Wars came up.

CLIP #1: Talking Trek and contrasting Trek and Star Wars

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

CLIP #2: Jon Stewart lobbies to be a Jedi in Episode VII

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

SOURCE: The Daily Show

Behind the Scenes of "The Force For Fun" Finalist: Jim vs. Vader

You have seen the Jim vs. Vader video, now take a look at the behind the scenes footage.  See how Erik, Justin and their crew brought a lightsaber duel to life in the office.



SOURCE: Youtube.com/Pringles

And don't forget there is still time to enter the Pringles The Force For Fun Week 1 Giveaway contest below for a chance to win a Star Wars Mimobot Flash Drive and Pringles.


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Interview with Tim Lebbon, Author of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void

Photo © Tracey Lebbon

Lightsaber Rattling (LR): Into the Void introduces us Lanoree Brock who is certainly the protagonist of the story, but throughout the novel we see her at least face challenges and ponder choices that at times are far from heroic.  What do you think defines a hero and does she qualify?

Tim Lebbon (TL): I think someone who faces these challenges, makes the correct decisions––however hard they might be––and emerges triumphant is a hero.  She faces some very dark times, true.  But yes, I think she's heroic, if also a little tragic.


LR: In the story we are also introduced to the Je'daii.  This group is the ancient progenitor of the Jedi we are more familiar with from the films and the Expanded Universe, yet they are in many ways very different.  How did you approach fleshing out the Je'daii? And what do you think makes them similar and distinct from the future Jedi Order?

TL: The similarity is that they are generally good people seeking peace and calm.  But what sets them aside quite dramatically  is their perception and use of the Force.  The Je'daii seek balance in the Force.  The light, which they call Ashla; and the dark, which they call Bogan.  They believe that a balance between light and dark forms the perfect relationship with the Force, as opposed to the future Jedi Order who seek only knowledge of the light side and actively avoid the dark (most of them, at least...). 

For me as a writer this was a much more fascinating concept to explore than pure light or pure dark.  Every real person exists with shades of grey, and that's no more obvious than in Lanoree Brock. 


LR: Into the Void focuses largely on the broken relationship between the main character Lanoree Brock and her brother Dalien, as well as Dalien's broken relationship with the Force.  I have to ask, is Dalien a  squib? Or do you think  his relationship to the Force is more of a self-imposed condition?

TL: (Note: first I had to find out what you mean by squib ... but I think I get the gist): I think Dalien is one of those people who is not naturally in tune with the Force.  Back in this era there are many, and it's these who moved away from Tython––it's a Force-rich planet, confusing and troubling to those not rich with the Force––and settled on other planets and moons in the system.  Dalien is one of those ... but instead of being allowed to exist as his own person, he'd continually nudged and pushed towards the Force by his family (his parents are both Je'daii Masters).  The more this happens, the more he resents it.  And then he rebels.  It's quite a tragic story.  

LR: The novel feels a bit like the Mos Eisley Cantina with the wide variety of alien species present, including some like the Cathar and the Noghri that we haven't seen too often lately. How did you go about picking your aliens?

TL: The deeper history of this era tells how a variety of species and races were brought from all across the galaxy to the Tython system by the Tho Yor.  So I wanted the novel to be populated by an array or alien species, most of which I chose from the comics by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema.   


LR: Finally, you have been very prolific in writing novellas and short stories, in the past there have been a number of Star Wars short story collections (Tales from...) and more recently there was John Jackson Miller's Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook novella series.  If asked would you be interested in doing more Star Wars work particularly of the short story or novella variety?

TL: Yep, I'd love to.  I'm also keen to continue Lanoree's story ... there's a lot happening in the Tython system, and I'm sure she'd be in the thick of it!  

A special thanks for Tim Lebbon to take the time to chat with us and to Random House Publishing for arrainging the interview. 

Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void is on sale now in hardcover, eBook and audiobook formats. 

Pringles & Star Wars: The Force for Fun Finalist: Jim vs. Vader

The Force For Fun kicks off at Lightsaber Rattling with this week's video, Jim vs. Vader and a very cool giveaway courtesy of Pringles.  This week readers have the chance to win a Star Wars Mimobot Flash Drive and 2 cans of Pringles.

Check out the video below and enter to win the contest.  The Force may be with you...

Enter the Mimobot Flash Drive Contest Below:

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Look for more coverage of Jim vs. Vader this week on LightsaberRattling.com and head over to Youtube.com/Pringles for more awesome Star Wars videos.

Complete contest rules can be found here.