JEDI JUNKIES: Interview with Director Mark Edlitz
Something inside us is tired of the grey. Everyday, we get up at the same time to go to school/work and do the same things over and over again and we go home at night feeling empty; feeling that there must be more to this life. Science has done a great job in finding solutions for everything in life except for that emptiness. Sometimes, we have to reach beyond ourselves and stretch for the stars to find that answer.
In this article, we have for you an interview with Mark Edlitz, creator and director of Jedi Junkies, a documentary that investigates how the Star Wars mythos has started to move on from the silver screen to real life. Mr. Edlitz films creative individuals who push their imagination and try to bring more color into themselves and into our lives. I enjoyed watching how the film chronicles other fan film directors who struggle to create their own Star Wars mythos with their own films. Their journey in trying to reconstruct actual sets and make-up designs with little money as possible is inspiring. I was amazed at how some actors jumped into these roles with very little or no money and just their love for Star Wars.
This documentary is more than a Star Wars take on Trekkies
Below is the interview with Mark Edlitz where he shares with Nerd Caliber on how this documentary came to be.
Share with us a little of your background. What were you like before you discovered Star Wars? How did you discover the trilogy and what was your response?
I saw Star Wars back in 1977 with my Grandma. I saw it late in the run after all my friends had seen it. When I went, the theater was pretty empty. Not those long lines around the block that I’ve seen footage of. The film immediately transfixed me. And eventually transformed me. The experience was a big impetus for me to go into filmmaking.
I went to NYU film school. After I graduated, I made a film called SEXUAL SECRETS — which is actually getting released later this year.
How did you get the idea for Jedi Junkies and what motivated you to pursue it?
I wanted to make another feature film and I wanted to make it about a subject that I knew a lot about and was very passionate about. It takes years and years to make a documentary and it’s essential that you love the material. I also didn’t want to wait for “permission” to start making a film. I knew if we had enough passion and motivation, we could make JEDI JUNKIES.
What do you think viewers will experience or learn from Jedi Junkies?
I want hardcore Star Wars fans and casual fans to be entertained by the movie. That’s first and foremost. I wanted them to think it’s funny and fun to watch.
But I also wanted to explore a really interesting community of people. People who use their love of Star Wars but express it in many different ways. Musicians write Star Wars themed music. Filmmakers make Star Wars inspired shorts.
In JEDI JUNKIES, you’ll meet the NY Jedi, a group of light saber enthusiasts who practice their made light saber skills.
You’ll meet a guy who creates custom light sabers in his shop in his back yard.
You’ll meet Ed Sanchez (director of Blair Witch) who has the best Star Wars collection I’ve seen. He doesn’t just keep his toys in boxes. He also takes them out and displays.
You’ll also meet a few obsessive collectors. Including one guy who has so many toys that he had to get rid of his bed to make room!
And perhaps most amazingly, you’ll meet a guy who built a life size Millennium Falcon in his back yard! Can you believe that? I love it. He and his friends got together and built a space ship!
What were some of the challenges in filming this documentary?
The first challenges were just finding the right people to interview. I reached out to everyone I could find on the social networking sites. Then after we met them and picked which ones we wanted to interview, the next big challenge was getting them to trust us. To make it clear that we weren’t there to make fun of them. That was never our intention.
What would you say has been your greatest or favorite moment filming Jedi Junkies?
We interviewed the actors who played Darth Maul, Chewbacca and Boba Fett. As a fan, that was a thrill. But perhaps even bigger than that was being invited into these wonderful, interesting, creative and very welcoming communities.
What is your opinion about the acceptance of science fiction in popular culture? Why is it more people are very open about their geekiness nowadays?
The internet changed the way fans could communicate and express themselves. With Facebook and other social networking sites, it’s easy for fans to meet, stay in touch and talk about their interests.
What is it about Star Wars, in your opinion, that makes it so timeless to old and new fans?
Star Wars is a really fun and exciting movie. Great story. Some would say an old story but magnificently reinterpreted. The fans that saw it as kids have grown up and have vivid memories…so they want to recreate that experience and share it with their own kids.
A lot of Star Wars fans have been upset about the changes George Lucas has made to the trilogy. What is your opinion about it? Why do you think Star Wars fans are upset by these changes?
We touch on that a little bit in the film. We have a brief segment where we ask fans “Who Shot First?” I was a little surprised by the answers. I understand why he’s altering the films and would hope that the original films would be easily available as the “special editions”.
Where can someone purchase or find more information about Jedi Junkies?
The film is available for rental and purchase at Amazon and iTunes. Just $2.99 to rent and $9.99 to buy.
You can buy Jedi Junkies
You can also rent Jedi Junkies here!
What projects are you currently working on? Will we see a sequel to Jedi Junkies?
Next project is a documentary about fangirls. So, anyone reading this interview and is a fangirl (or has one in their life) can write us at StarWarsDoc@gmail.com
