As fans around the world celebrate Star Wars Day (May the 4th be With You), it’s fun to take a look at some of the ways the Stars Wars films have inspired those folks. Be it charity work taken on by groups like the 501st Legion, to building your own Astromech droid, Star Wars fans are a creative bunch to say the least.
Some of them even turn on their cameras and create impressive little films that you find yourself being sucked in to, or having a good laugh at some of the sillier parts of the film series.
We’ve gathered up five worthy fan films to help you celebrate this most special of days for Star Wars fans.
Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager
Sometimes a fan film becomes so popular it spawns an entire series. Chad Vader ran for 38 episodes over four seasons, and won the George Lucas Selects Award in the Star Wars Fan Films award in 2007.
George Lucas in Love
Not all fan films have to be set inside the Star Wars universe proper. This one became immensely popular and suggested how George Lucas may have come up with some of his ideas for the Saga… along with how he may have gotten involved with Howard the Duck.
Pitching Lucas
Ever wonder why Lucas wrote most of the large Star Wars projects himself? Pitching Lucas, which won the George Lucas Selects Award in 2006, gives us a glimpse into what it must have been like for the former head of Lucasfilm to hear pitches for new projects.
Threads of Destiny
While most fan film efforts tend to lean towards the humorous and shorter in length, some oteams out there go all out and really show off their ambition. Clocking in at an hour and 48 minutes, Threads of Destiny may not be the most polished production in the effects area, you have to admire the ambition.
TROOPS
Released in 1997, TROOPS was probably the film that brought the concept of fan films to many people’s attention for the first time. Despite it’s age, it’s still a lot of fun to watch, and the concept has always amused me.