Find something that’s big. Find a big, cultural phenomenon and say something about it in a beautiful way. I think that’s part of the reason for [our film’s] success.
-Prescott Harvey
Soon after Disney announced that JJ Abrams would direct the next Star Wars trilogy, the clever creatives at Sincerely Truman responded with a beautifully-directed film called “4 Rules To Make Star Wars Great Again”.
The film speaks with the collective voice of practically every Star Wars fan in the universe: “Dear, JJ Abrams, please don’t mess this up.”
The video went viral.
Over 126,000 Star Wars fans have signed the petition at the main site DearJJAbrams.com*.
Sincerely Truman (a small creative agency in Portland, Oregon) was nominated for a Webby Award.
JJ Abrams got the message.
…and director Prescott Harvey was invited to pitch one of his original feature film ideas to JJ’s team at Bad Robot Productions.
In this interview, Prescott Harvey and art director Robert Perez share their personal success stories and take us behind the scenes of ‘4 Rules For Star Wars’…
*Unfortunately, Sincerely Truman closed it’s doors and the ‘Dear JJ Abrams’ site is no longer functional.
Watch ‘4 Rules To Make Star Wars Great Again’:
Before you listen to the podcast interview, you should definitely watch the film.
Listen To The Interview:
“You have to spend the time thinking it through. Then you have to spend the time making it good. If you do those things… If you can really look at it and say, “I believe in this 100%.” Then you’ve got something that people will love.”
-Prescott Harvey
Episode Highlights:
- How your own visual voice can influence the work of the big studios.
- How to amplify your creative passions and get viral attention.
- How creative fandom can inspire beautiful art.
- Why darkness is important in all-ages storytelling.
Why The 4 Rules Work:
As often as you can, try to release something that comes from your heart.
-Prescott Harvey
Are you storyteller?
Read Prescott Harvey’s insightful blog post about Why The 4 Rules Work and consider what it reveals about all stories and all audiences.
…this conversation is much bigger than Star Wars.
The ‘Dear JJ Abrams’ Concept Art:
What Do You Think?
What kind of “jedi wisdom” did you gain from the interview with Prescott and Robert?
What lessons can you draw from the success of the film or the ‘Dear JJ Abrams’ website and apply to your own art career?
Sure, we could use this time for geeky debate about the fate of the next Star Wars Trilogy (which I love) but I would rather look deeper…
I actually like the prequel movies, especially because they looked different and they had to. It was way before the collapse of the republic order and before the rebellion, I can’t see a reason why the prequel needed to be look like the older movies, and I am happy they didn’t. Some shots behind the action were also nice there, and I hope there will be some new ones.
Of course, Christian.
There are lots of folks who like the prequels.
However, I would like to keep the discussion here focused on the lessons learned in the actual interview.
The interview is about the success and impact one small team of visual storytellers can have in this new, connected world.
Chris
I love the backgrounds of these two guys, it gives me hope. Where they’ve been and how they kinda took leaps of faith gives me a little courage with my passion project. Thanks for another awesome art cast, Chris! Currently reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and I’ve come across a part that talks about initiative and how it shapes a person. I’m glad this team took the initiative to make something awesome. I feel like the generation I come from needs more of it!
Me too, Britny!
It’s a great time to be an artist.
I’ve actually never read the ‘7 Habits…’ but I’m a big fan of initiative!
Me too! I’ve accomplished so much since I discovered I don’t need to be told when to start or what to do. It’s liberating. Thanks for that! I’m still very much a newbie though. Long way to go. 🙂
The tone of that video is kind of terrifying. If I were JJ Abrams, I’d need a stiff drink right about now.
Vaya con dios, bruh.
Ha!
#nopressure
Chris,
Thank you for that absolutely stunning interview the creative minds behind this video.
If anything it was affirmation to me that creativity is about persistence, passion, and risk-taking.
Hearing about their process, motivations, and trust in their own talent is so inspiring and a great example to each of us as creatives.
Thanks again, man!
Thank you so much, Lee. That’s so encouraging.
Prescott and Robert (as well as the Dear JJ project itself) are an inspiration.
This was brilliant! I couldn’t agree with the points more…and I completely related with the commentary on darkness in all-ages entertainment. I’ve been thinking along the same lines with the story I’m currently writing…which fortunately is the most “from the heart” piece I’ve ever made!
Oh man, Scott! That’s so exciting!!
Good one! Please, for the next one do “4 things we have to do to bring Firefly back”.
Maybe they’ll do a Veronica Mars thing and fund it on Kickstarter!
This was a great interview and… Wow… Just wow with the two videos. Wish I knew about it and shown it to the Star Wars Troopers at Cyphacon this past weekend, but they probably already knew about it. We have some serious hard core fans of Star Wars here in the South, especially Louisiana where making costumes is very important and the fans show it through their talents. They would have loved it. I seen some of the movies, but never been much of a fan of them. However, I loved hearing the process it took for these guys to get this little fan movie out and all the passion filled hard work it took. As well as how the ideas sometimes doesn’t come from the artists, but those around help as well. Just goes to who fanboying(or fangirling) can sometimes bring good things. All four art styles in the short film are beautiful in their own right. Kudos to Sincerely Turman for the great work! I wish the director good luck on his pitch!
I think you nailed it, Mandy. The lessons found here transcend Star Wars.
Did you read Prescott’s personal blog about ‘Why The 4 Rules Work?’ I think you’ll love it.
No, just linked to it now. As soon as I finished typing my response for your podcast and posted it, I got a call that some packages I was waiting for had come in. For $319 or so bucks, the Yiynova DP10U+ 10.1″ USB Digitizer Tablet has made me very giddy with joy so far after working through the kinks. Well worth my refund check. Seeing my work on the pen display screen is so much better than the awkward looking at the screen while drawing on the tablet. It just makes me wish for a Cintiq all the more, but I am dirt poor. But, upside, Yiynova and some other companies are beginning to catch Wacom’s tail, so maybe sooner or later we will finally get cheaper, better versions of the Cintiq.
Enjoy it, Mandy! My Yiynova (the larger) is one of the best purchases I have ever made! You’ll have to show us what you do with it!
I will be doing a small review of on my blog as well as show off the first piece in it as I am planning to do with it which an illustration for the School of Visual Storytelling’s 3rd Thursday Contest this month. I’ve delayed working on it just so I can use this new display since my VisTablet is beginning to wear out. I will begin working on it tonight and hopefully have it done by this weekend.
Very interesting listen. I think several good points are made on storytelling, initiative, and collaboration. : ) Thank you Chris, Prescott and Robert!!
I also want to move to Portland.
Thanks, Beki! Portland is great.
Let us know if you make it out to Portland, Beki!
Totally! We’re hoping to move in that direction this fall, so if we end up in Portland – we’ll have to grab tea/coffee and talk story telling. 🙂
“Dear Prescott, What is your Metachlorian count?”
Hahahahahha. Made my day.
Hahaha!
Thanks, AJ.
Pretty low, which part of the reason why I made the video : )
I liked the insights on the darker aspects of old fairy-tales and stories and how they are important in the upbringing of kids. Even the Wizard of Oz has its very dark twists (***spoiler alert***just look up what happened to the body parts of Nick Chopper, the former Tin Man). A twist I loved when I was young and still find it inspiring.
Oh yeah. I’m a big fan of the “real” tin man story.
The thing is, it’s not dark for darkness’ sake. It’s a genius cautionary tale.
…one that our children definitely need to learn in this increasingly “tin” world.
I liked that part of the the interview too, kim. Fairy-tales are good at showing us darkness and consequences and doing the right thing without going over board on all the gruesome details. It’s so important for everyone to be reminded of those things from time to time. Someone (I think it might have been C. S. Lewis) said that stories don’t tell us that there are dragons in the world, but that dragons can be defeated.
Great interview! It was interesting when both Prescott and Robert talked about how listening to music helps thier creative process. I find soundtracks help me too. How about anyone else? What kind of music do you guys like to listen too when working?
Changes all the time for me. Been loving London Grammar lately…
I was just inspired by this as I have a fanart project that I am currently working on. The past year I’ve been having a debate both with myself and others about the validity of storytelling through fanart.
On the spectrum of fanart though I think Star Wars has much more cred as a franchise. But it’s still wonderful to see a professional company produce something like this to create conversations in our culture about art, vision, fan-input, etc.
And it’s always wonderful to see beautiful artwork, editing, and animation which puts beloved characters in a new light (or in this case in a new….we wish it had been that way to begin with? Light? aka STOP RUINING STAR WARS! YOU GET ANOTHER CHANCE! SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH IT! USE THE FORCE, JJ!)
On a sidenote, as a Christian and an artist I was fascinated to hear another faith-based artist talk about how they saw the work coming in as a part of God blessing them. I have seen this in my own life and am always interested to hear about that POV from other faith-based artists.
Fun episode! Yay fanart!
I agree… except for one item. Your message is absolutely correct… almost. The egregious disconnect that everyone seems to make is… ewoks. They were supposed to be Wookies. I believe that… Lucas died with Boba Fett… and after his witch of an ex left him… with 5 adopted kids, who love teddy bears. Sad. Sad. Sad.