What started as a simple father and daughter project eventually became something much bigger.
In this first episode of Rising Behind the Storm, Jeff Murphy and his daughter Rory share the origin story of Storm Rises | A Star Wars Fan Story. From filming on an iPhone and exploring local locations to building a production involving more than 100 cast and crew members, 60 filming days, and more than 700 visual effects shots, this is the story of how it all began.
Along the way, they discuss filmmaking, family, creativity, personal growth, and the unexpected journey that transformed a small weekend project into a three-part film series. If you've ever wanted to make a movie, start a creative project, or hear the story behind an ambitious passion project, this is where it all begins.
Join hosts Jeff Murphy and Rory Murphy for Episode 2 of Rising Behind the Storm, the official behind-the-scenes podcast for Storm Rises | A Star Wars Fan Story. This episode features Lee Anthony Smith, actor, co-writer, and the man behind General Viper. Lee shares how he became part of the project, helped shape the story, and brought one of the Rebel Alliance's key leaders to life. Together, Jeff, Rory, and Lee discuss the creative process, memorable moments from filming, favorite scenes, and what it was like spending five years building an independent Star Wars fan film from the ground up. Whether you're a Star Wars fan, filmmaker, or simply enjoy hearing the stories behind independent productions, this episode offers a unique look at the people who made Storm Rises possible.
Filmmaker Philip Zlotorynski joins Jeff and Rory Murphy for a trip through nearly 30 years of friendship, filmmaking, and some seriously questionable production decisions.
Long before the Star Wars fan film Storm Rises, Jeff and Phil were making independent movies together as young filmmakers, from high school theater competitions and Jeff’s infamous “Pizza Man” performance to their first feature film, Unforeseen Courage. But Phil’s connection to this story goes far beyond filmmaking.
To Rory, he’s always simply been “Uncle Phil.” He’s been part of her life since the day she was born, watching her grow from a little kid into a performer and filmmaker herself. Now, all these years later, the three of them find themselves making Storm Rises together.
In this episode, they dig into rarely seen photos and behind-the-scenes footage from those early years, including the story of an explosion that nearly set Phil on fire, a leopard encounter he’d probably rather forget, and the crazy journey of making an independent feature while still in film school.
Storm Rises started as a father-daughter project — a shared love of storytelling that grew into something much bigger. Built with passion and perseverance, this film represents the journey we took together to bring an idea to life.
This is a non-commercial fan film created for entertainment purposes only. Star Wars and all related characters and properties are owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. and The Walt Disney Company. This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Produced by Quest Pictures, Storm Rises will be released as a three-part film series, with each chapter exceeding 35 minutes. Structured as a cinematic trilogy, each installment deepens the story and raises the stakes, culminating in a full-length experience. This format allows the journey to unfold over time, giving audiences a chance to connect with the characters and world as the story rises.
Go behind the scenes of Storm Rises as we break down how we created and animated a massive Rancor attack sequence using Autodesk MAYA.
Hosted by Jeff Murphy In this BTS breakdown, we take a look at the animation process, shot development, visual effects workflow, and how the scene evolved from concept to final cinematic shot for the film.
What started as a father and daughter Star Wars fan film eventually grew into a three-part film series involving over 100 people and more than 700 VFX shots.
More behind the scenes videos, cast interviews, podcasts, VFX breakdowns, and filmmaking content coming soon.
Go behind the scenes of Storm Rises: A Star Wars Fan Story on Day 21 of production inside the Rebel Base set.
Director Jeff Murphy walks the cast and crew through the scene, shot planning, blocking, and filmmaking process while building moments from the three-part fan film series.
This behind the scenes episode gives a look into how scenes were created with practical sets, teamwork, creativity, and independent filmmaking techniques.
What started as a father and daughter project during COVID eventually grew into a massive production involving more than 100 people and over 700 visual effects shots.
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