The Formula (2002)

Original title

formula

Directed by

Ryoji Ikeda

Genre

independent film

Country

United States

Runtime

35 min

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A group of friends in Iowa spend 18 months making a Star Wars fan film. The movie follows one fan who becomes frustrated with the process and turns against his crew. It explores why people make fan films and encourages them to keep going.

low-budgetmetareflectiveearnestdocumentary-stylemotivationalslow-pacedobservational

What happens

The Formula is a fan film that premiered online in 2002. Made in Iowa by a group of friends over 18 months, the movie documents a Star Wars fan's attempt to make an epic fan film of his own, only to become disillusioned by the process and turn on his friends. The movie centers on the motivations of fan filmmakers, and proved popular for encouraging other would-be filmmakers to not give up their own projects and enjoy the process. The Formula has been featured as a leading representative of the fanfilm genre, with print references in The Weekly Standard and The Times. It eventually screened theatrically, showing as an official selection at the 2003 Cedar Rapids Film Festival. Film Threat gave it a five-star (out of five) review, calling it "a great surprise to those seeking out a good Star Wars fanfilm that's not made up exclusively of angst-filled Jedi, stormtroopers, over the top villains, or whatever the norm is nowadays.". The Formula was the first film for directors Chris Hanel and Stephen Phelan, and both have gone on to filmmaking careers. Besides working as a video game designer, Chris Hanel also co-wrote and served as the VFX Supervisor for the series Return of Pink Five. The film is also notable because it was the first visual effects collaboration of Ryan Wieber and Michael Scott, who went on to create the popular lightsaber fight Ryan vs. Dorkman. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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