May the Fourth be with you: Check out this NFL player's Star Wars fan film
Kansas City Chiefs second-year wide receiver Chris Conley has two passions: football and Star Wars. And during his time at the University of Georgia -- in addition to racking up nearly 2,000 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns -- he found time to make his own contribution to the movie franchise.
Before his senior season at Georgia, Conley wrote and directed a 26-minute Star Wars fan film titled 'Retribution.' He also appears in the film, which he tabbed a full production team to help him carry out.
Last year, MMQB caught up with Conley to discuss his Star Wars affection and his own film.
KLEMKO: What was the impetus of your fan-fiction film? How long had you studied the film world before you got into it?
CONLEY: About four days. Four days before we had our first production meeting, it was really a crash course on what filmmaking is, a lot of trial by fire, a lot of errors that were made that when I watch it now it makes me cringe, things that I would never do again. It was so valuable, being in that situation. Being thrown into the fire like that made me learn so much faster. I was blessed to be surrounded by some really talented people.
Conley says he tabbed Grayson Holt for the visual effects and worked with members of the Mandalorian Mercs and the 501st to acquire the proper costumes and props.
"It really took this thing from being a second-rate homemade video into something that was a true fan film," he said.
Conley's film revolves around a fallen Jedi warrior. Here's his own description:
My film is about a fallen Jedi named Khari Vion, who comes back to the city of Athens to basically finish what he left there. He fled and went to the Dark Side, and he goes to finish off his old master. His old master has taken on a new apprentice, reluctantly, and in his apprentice he sees much of his last one. So he goes to Athens to take him out, and it's about that struggle between the dark and the light, and someone who is lost coming home.
Bulldogs fans will almost instantly notice that most of the film takes place inside Sanford Stadium -- home of Georgia's football team.
If Star Wars is your thing -- or even if it's not -- take the time to check out Conley's awesome film. And if you're wondering, he says if he had to pick which character he's most like in this stage of his NFL career, he's a generic Padawan.
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