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Lucasfilm Opens Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge
(released 3/14/2007)


Lucasfilm has teamed up with AtomFilms and Spike TV for the launch of the "Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge." The trio unveiled details today at the Challenge's Website and issued an immediate call for submissions. Challenge award recipients will be unveiled online, on-air on Spike TV and at the massive Star Wars Celebration IV fan event in Los Angeles May 24 to 28, 2007.

The "Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge" is a new phase in a long-running partnership between Lucasfilm and AtomFilms to celebrate the best in fan made videos and animations. Past programs have produced such Internet classics as "Star Wars Gangsta Rap," "Pink Five" and "Pitching Lucas."  This year, Spike TV comes aboard as a television partner to provide on-air exposure for the Challenge's top submissions, as judged by George Lucas, staffers at Lucasfilm and AtomFilms, as well as the voting of online viewers.

"I'm very happy we're continuing this event, which we began in 2002, because out of the current crop of young moviemakers it's quite possible we'll find some of tomorrow's best writers, producers and directors," said Star Wars creator George Lucas.

"Star Wars is an institution and Spike TV is thrilled to join forces with Lucasfilm and AtomFilms," said Kevin Kay, GM, Spike TV. "As television partner for the Challenge, Spike will extend Star Wars fans' devotion beyond the digital arena by celebrating on-air this incredible movie franchise and showcasing content from its passionate fans."

The initial phase of the Challenge culminates May 24-28 at Lucasfilm's Star Wars CELEBRATION IV convention in Los Angeles, which commemorates the 30th anniversary of the release of Star Wars. Challenge award recipients will be announced and screened during the five days of CELEBRATION IV festivities. Spike TV will give viewers a front-row seat to all the action with on-air programming partially featuring some of the Fan Movie Challenge's best entries.

Previously called the Star Wars Fan Film Awards, the name of this long-running program was changed to reflect the fact that most of the submissions are shot, edited and even submitted, digitally. Steve Sansweet, director of fan relations for Lucasfilm Ltd., noted, "There really isn't any 'film' being reviewed anymore. Just as with the Star Wars movies themselves, our annual competition has proudly entered the digital age."

In addition to the introduction of Spike TV as television partner, there are several new elements to the Challenge that fans will find appealing:

--  An award category for "fan fiction" will be offered for the first time, in addition to parody, documentary, and other categories.
--  Fan movies also will be available for viewing at the official Star Wars site http://starwars.com beginning later this spring

Go to http://starwars.atomfilms.com to find out more and to view previous fan films.



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