{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} '''''Ryan vs. Dorkman''''', often abbreviated by fans as '''''RvD''''', is a series of ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[fan film]]s, created by [[Ryan Wieber]] and Michael "Dorkman" Scott, and first released to the internet on March 1, 2003.
==''Ryan vs. Dorkman''== {{Infobox film | name = Ryan vs. Dorkman | image = | director = Michael Scott<br />[[Ryan Wieber]] | producer = | writer = Michael Scott<br />Ryan Wieber | starring = Michael Scott<br />Ryan Wieber | cinematography = Colin Waledisch | editing = Michael Scott<br />Ryan Wieber | music = | studio = Blinding Light Productions<br />Ryan W Films | distributor = [[TheForce.Net]] | released = {{Film date|2003|03|01}} | runtime = 5 minutes | country = United States | budget = }} ''Ryan vs. Dorkman'' was produced as an entry in a [[lightsaber]] choreography competition hosted by [[TheForce.net]], a prominent ''Star Wars'' fan site noted for its fan film-making community. According to the official TFN entry for the film, the backstory involves Ryan and Michael, or "Ryan_W" and "DorkmanScott" as they are known on TheForce.net's forums, meeting after their friendly online rivalry over who is the better saber artist escalates too far. The fight to the death will determine once and for all who is the most skilled with a saber.<ref>{{Cite web | title = TFN FanFilms - FX Projects - Ryan vs. Dorkman | url = http://theforce.net/fanfilms/fxprojects/ryandork/ | accessdate = March 12, 2010}}</ref>
In mid-2006, the short became a viral video after being posted on such websites as [[eBaumsworld]], [[CollegeHumor]], and the front page of [[YouTube]] as a "Featured Video." The YouTube video, which passed one million views by January 30 had over five million views as of March 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/ryan-vs-dorkman-director-needs-your-help-to-make-his-first-feature/|title=Ryan vs. Dorkman Director needs your help to make his first feature|first=Peter|last=Sciretta|publisher=Slash Film|date=2010-03-30|accessdate=2016-08-29}}</ref> There were also versions uploaded to [[Google Video]] and other sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/saber-rattling-ryan-vs-dorkman|title=Saber Rattling: Ryan vs. Dorkman|first=Matt Zoller|last=Seitz|publisher=Slant|date=2006-03-25|accessdate=2016-08-29}}</ref>
In early 2008 Wieber and Scott re-mastered "RvD" and made it available for download on the official site. The re-mastering involved removing the "greenish-yellow wash," re-doing some effects, fixing [[rotoscoping]] errors, reversing the effects from the de-interlacing (which gave diagonal lines a "jagged" look), re-framing certain cuts and upgrading the audio track from a loud mono track to a softer stereo track. A more detailed explanation of the remastering process was also posted on the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ryanvsdorkman.com/|title=Official site|accessdate=2016-08-29|archivedate=2011-02-07|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207190841/http://ryanvsdorkman.com/}}</ref>
Both Ryan and 'Dorkman' were featured in the music video for [[Weezer]]'s 2008 song "[[Pork and Beans (song)|Pork and Beans]]" which included many other internet video stars.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Weezer Gives Web Celeb Tribute in Vid | publisher = StarWars.com | date = May 23, 2008 | url = http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2008/05/23/weezer-gives-web-celeb-tribute-in-vid/ | accessdate = March 12, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716134133/http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2008/05/23/weezer-gives-web-celeb-tribute-in-vid/ | archive-date = 2011-07-16 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
== ''Ryan vs. Dorkman 2'' == {{Infobox film | name = Ryan vs. Dorkman 2 | image = | director = Michael Scott<br />[[Ryan Wieber]] | producer = | writer = Michael Scott<br />[[Ryan Wieber]] | starring = Michael Scott<br />[[Ryan Wieber]] | cinematography = Travis Boles | editing = Michael Scott<br />[[Ryan Wieber]] | music = [[Gordy Haab]]<br />Kyle Newmaster | studio = Blinding Light Productions | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2007|02|24|Wilshire Fine Arts Theatre|2007|03|01|United States}} | runtime = 9 minutes | country = United States | budget = }} Wieber and Scott announced in May 2006 that they would be producing a sequel. ''Ryan vs. Dorkman 2'' (RvD2) was shot in Atlanta, Georgia in August 2006, and featured several technical improvements over the original RvD, such as the fact that it was shot in 24p high-definition, as opposed to the original's 30p standard definition. The lightsaber blades also interact with the environment in the form of sparks, burns and other effects which were not present in the original. These were made in collaboration with [[Bob Forward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://natecow.com/films/duel-of-the-dorks/vfx-breakdown/|title=VFX Breakdown|first=Nathaniel|last=Caauwe|publisher=Nate Cow|accessdate=2016-08-29|archive-date=2014-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214094717/http://natecow.com/films/duel-of-the-dorks/vfx-breakdown/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The film's score was recorded with a 57 piece orchestra at Capitol Studios in Hollywood. To accomplish this goal, film composers Gordy Haab and Kyle Newmaster donated their time and talents to the project.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Schatanoff | first = David | title = Kyle Newmaster and Gordy Haab – Composers – Star Wars Fanatics | publisher = The Alternakids | date = February 27, 2007 | url = http://thealternakids.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/kyle-newmaster-and-gordy-haab-composers-star-wars-fanatics/ | accessdate = March 12, 2010}}</ref> The film's creators solicited donations from fans in order to pay the musicians. M.B Gordy (lead percussionist from ''[[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'') provided the percussion.
The film premiered February 24, 2007 at the Wilshire Fine Arts Theatre in Los Angeles,<ref>{{Cite web | last = Young | first = Clive | title = Ryan Vs. Dorkman II Premieres Saturday | publisher = Fan Cinema Today | date = February 19, 2007 | url = http://fancinematoday.com/2007/02/19/ryan-vs-dorkman-ii-premieres-saturday/ | accessdate = March 12, 2010 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20120712052049/http://fancinematoday.com/2007/02/19/ryan-vs-dorkman-ii-premieres-saturday/ | archivedate = July 12, 2012 }}</ref> with a screening at the New York Comic Con the following day. The film was released on the internet on March 1, 2007, with a soundtrack DC release later that summer. Within one year, it acquired over 2 million YouTube views and underwent a re-release in full HD.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dorkmanscott.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/one-year-of-rvd2-five-years-of-rvd/|title=One year of RvD2, five years of RvD|first=Michael|last=Scott|date=2008-03-02|accessdate=2016-08-29}}</ref>
The film was entered into the 2008 [[The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards|Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge]], where it won Best Visual Effects.<ref>{{Cite web | title = And the real winners are... | publisher = San Diego Union-Tribune | date = July 25, 2008 | url = http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080803/news_1a03winners.html | accessdate = March 12, 2010 | archive-date = March 13, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120313182421/http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080803/news_1a03winners.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>
In August 2010, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine listed it as one of the Top 10 ''Star Wars'' fanfilms.<ref>{{Citation | title = The Top 10 Star Wars Fan Films|newspaper = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]| date = August 24, 2010 | url = http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,589287877001_2012690,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100825062146/http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,589287877001_2012690,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 25, 2010 | accessdate = September 15, 2010 }}</ref>
==''Ryan vs. Dorkman 3''== In a behind-the-scenes video from Wieber and Scott, they commented in a May 2007 video on possible plans to do a ''Ryan vs. Dorkman 3'' sometime in the future. No official timetable was set, but Wieber and Scott stated that they would produce it when they conceived more ideas on how to structure and film that installment, as they did not wish to simply create a rehash of RvD2 that exhibited no substantial advancements in special effects or filmmaking.<ref>{{Cite web | title = RvD2 - FAQs (Part 5) | website = [[YouTube]] | date = May 31, 2007 | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiN_C-iz_lk | accessdate = March 12, 2010}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title|id=0982924|title=Ryan vs. Dorkman}} *{{IMDb title|id=0985666|title=Ryan vs. Dorkman 2}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200209/http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-8230/TS-11747.mp3 Interview with Ryan and Dorkman] on [http://www.geekza.com Geekza].
{{Non-canon Star Wars}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:2003 films]] [[Category:2007 films]] [[Category:2003 independent films]] [[Category:Fan films based on Star Wars]] [[Category:Films shot in Atlanta]] [[Category:2003 English-language films]] [[Category:2003 American films]] [[Category:English-language independent films]]