If Georgia Bulldogs' wide receiver Chris Conley's football career doesn't pan out, he can always fall back on his promising career as a sith lord.
Conley released a 26-minute Star Wars fan film titled "Retribution" over the July 4th weekend, and the results are impressive. Conley stars as a sith lord and battles a Jedi master and his padawan, while the University of Georgia Mandalorian club (we're assuming that's what it is) defends helpless students from a Stormtrooper attack. The film takes place on the University of Georgia's campus, with an epic saber battle beginning in the university's football stadium.
The project began last year when Conley, via Twitter, sought out Star Wars fans to fight in a light saber duel, which he planned to film.
"A lot of people really want to do this," Conley said in an interview prior to filming. "It's something I'm kind of spearheading. It's been a goal of mine before I graduate. This is just for me, just for fun. All of the people who are involved like that sort of thing and we accept our nerdiness."
Due to the overwhelming response, he transformed the project into a short film and widened the scope. All of the actors in the film are Star Wars fans and University of Georgia students, with cameos from Bulldogs' running back Todd Gurley, Georgia coach Mark Richt and even the University of Georgia mascot Hairy Dog. Conley both wrote and directed the film, and he received production and special effects assistance from Infinite Productions and Spirit World Productions to turn what started as a small project into one of the most entertaining Star Wars fan-films ever created.
Speaking with the Athens-Banner Herald prior to filming, Conley said he doesn't let people tell him what he should and shouldn't enjoy.
"My brother and I got into the games and into the some of the Star Wars history outside of the movies and I've just been a fan of it ever since," Conley says. "I've been a big guy who prides myself on remaining who I am regardless of who I'm around or how old I get. It's something that I like and regardless of what people tell me, if it's frowned upon or not. It's me."
Better yet, there may be more Star Wars action from Conley to come. Conley tweeted on Sunday: "Thank you all for the support of Retribution! We had a blast making it. There is more to come."
