How Two Brothers Made the Award-Winning Fan Film Bounty Buddies

Telling stories through toys is something that dates back almost to the beginning of the brothers’ Star Wars fandom. “Ever since we were very young, Star Wars toys and figures were some of our favorites to play with and collect,” Cody says. Their parents were fans, inviting them to take their first steps into the larger world at a young age. “I was drawn in by the storytelling and the universe that was created,” Jordan says.

“Star Wars was one of the first films that really made an impact on me, and made me want to pursue filmmaking and animation,” adds Cody. “It was something unlike I had ever seen before”

And on the small screen

The brothers began playing with cameras and dabbling in stop-motion in grade school, they say, and began working professionally in the field of film and animation in 2011. “Our journey has kind of gone all over the place, contracting animations for LEGO to working on projects in the game industry.”

So to make their own installment for the Star Wars Fan Film Awards, the professional brothers encountered few problems. “We wrote the short together,” says Cody, “and often times had the same lines of dialogue and tones in mind; it was crazy!” In fact, they had so much great material, one of the biggest obstacles was just paring it down to a manageable size. “We polished the script a couple times, and then went on to filming,” Jordan adds. “Some of the biggest challenges were working with the figures and positioning them in relatively confined areas.”

Winning the award was definitely a career boost, in addition to being “a huge blessing and a tremendous honor,” Cody says. “When we've had meetings in the entertainment fields, sometimes people are familiar with Bounty Buddies, and sometimes even know the lines!”

It’s also another piece of Star Wars that has helped them connect with others and launched a few friendships. “The Fan Film [Awards] has changed our lives in some ways, but we're still the same fans we've always been,” Jordan says. “It opened the doors to chat with some really cool people, and to make some awesome friends.”

“There are so many awesome people in the community, and it's so much fun to meet others who enjoy the galaxy like you do,” adds Cody.

'Trust your instincts'

For those putting the finishing touches on their own creative fan masterpieces, the brothers Gustafson are firm believers that interesting stories and sources of inspiration are all around us. “There are so many common threads in film, media, and storytelling, and you can learn from just about anything you observe or take in,” Cody says. “Always have your eyes and ears open! You might be inspired by the way a film goes about staging a big reveal at the climax, or even listening to the funny stories your friends and family tell you about your day.”

And never settle. “Always push yourself to learn something new or try something you haven't before,” advises Jordan.

But maybe the best pieces of advice can be plucked from the Star Wars galaxy itself. “At the risk of sounding too cliché, I think Qui-Gon Jinn perhaps said it best when he said: ‘Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts,’” Cody says. “I think that sometimes we second-guess ourselves in situations that involve creative freedom, but the real force that drives a submission for the Star Wars Fan Awards is a love of Star Wars.”

“There will always be some rough patches in creating,” adds Jordan. “But looking back, you always want to be able to have had fun in the process. And always remember to ‘Fly Casually!’”

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.​ Enter contest between 7/18/18 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (“PT”) and 9/17/18 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., Canada (excluding Quebec), Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico who are 13+ at time of entry. Limit 1 submission per genre per person. There are 34 Star Wars prize packs available to be won (Estimated Value: US$200 each). See Official Rules {https://www.starwars.com/star-wars-fan-awards-official-rules-2018} for full details on how to enter, eligibility requirements, prize description and limitations. Void in Quebec and where prohibited. Sponsor: Disney Online, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-7667.

Associate Editor Kristin Baver is a writer and all-around sci-fi nerd who always has just one more question in an inexhaustible list of curiosities. Sometimes she blurts out “It’s a trap!” even when it’s not. Do you know a fan who’s most impressive? Hop on Twitter and tell @KristinBaver all about them!