Star Wars is getting creative with the lead-up to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Instead of relying solely on traditional media such as trailers and TV spots, Lucasfilm recruited a team of fans to help introduce audiences to the crew of Rogue One in a unique way. Through stop-motion using the brand-new line of toys from the upcoming film!
Several animated shorts – four in all – will be released on the official Star Wars Youtube Channel over the next month. With the help of Tongal, the fan-created episodes are the first look we”ve seen at the official new line of Rogue One toys. Written by Kevin Ulrich and brought to life by stop-motion animated and directors Dan MacKenzie and Tucker Barrie, Go Rogue features toys from Hasbro, LEGO, FUNKO, JAKKS Pacific, Mattel, and the Disney Store. The first installment below finds Jyn Erso and the Empire on the lookout for the missing Death Star instructions.
Don”t worry, there are no spoilers in the video! A representative for Lucasfilm confirmed the team did not see the film nor were they briefed on the plot in advanced. It is purely a creation of their own imagination.
“I”ve been a Star Wars fan my whole life so this is a dream project,” says James DeJulio, co-founder of Tongal. “It”s been amazing to see what an inspiration Star Wars has been to so many members of our creative community, whether that”s coming up with their own Star Wars storylines, or playing out scenes with Star Wars toys at home with their kids. I”m excited to share this first ‘Rogue Story” with the world and hope it inspires fans to share theirs.”
This isn”t a false hope. After all the Go Rogue episodes air, Disney and Lucasfilm will open the floor to fans in a global contest. Beginning September 30, fans are invited to share their own short stories or skits from the Star Wars universe. Winning entries from around the world will be chosen by a panel of judges, including Rogue One director Gareth Edwards. Since both children and adults love a galaxy far, far away, the contest will be split into “teens and adults” and “kids 8-12”. Adults can enter the contest over here while the entry page for children is over here. The winners will be invited to Lucasfilm in San Francisco for a screening of Rogue One and also get to see their story on the big screen.
“These fan-created shorts are a tribute to the incredible content that the Star Wars community posts online every day,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “The ‘Go Rogue” campaign was designed with Star Wars fans in mind – we want them to be front and center in the run-up to Rogue One by imagining and creating their own Rogue Stories.”