American Jedi Documentry

Wise words Senan. Thank you.

Hello all,

I am Opie's ex-wife. I thought I would help you all out by taking some things out of the context of "hearsay."

I can honestly say I had no idea my private life was going to be splashed across national television in this manner.

I had no idea that I would end up reading comments about myself, describing me as a cheating wife, being written by absolute strangers, judging me for dealing poorly with problems they know nothing about.

I am saddened, that Opie would claim to love me, and then choose to talk about these personal problems in front of a national - international? - audience.

I feel this shows very little regard for the feelings of another human being. Very little empathy.

That being said, you are all right. There is little I can do.

But thank you, to those who expressed concern for my emotional welfare in all of this.

Hello Luciana, I wish you all the best. If anyone doesn't realize there are two sides to a story (I say three) they have a lot to learn. If there is anything I or we, The Order, can do to help please let us know.

Thank you, Br. John. I really appreciate your kindness. I hope this movie, overall, will reflect well on you and your Path.

Here we go again. Fine. Should have guessed this would dragged out publicly. So lets clear all this up.

A professional documentarian got in touch with me because he wanted to make a film showing the positive influence of the Jedi Path. I vetted him to the best of my ability. I then introduced him to other Jedi who i felt would enjoy the process and show the beauty and purpose of the Jedi Way well. This included members from all over the Community. This occurred January 2014. Eventually I was asked to be interviewed as well and I agreed to talk about the Path. It was an 8 hour interview. We talked a lot about the Jedi Way - never once was my marriage brought up.

After his interviews he wanted something more. Face interviews are all well and good, but don't make for much of a movie. Even documentaries need story arcs. Something to engage and connect with the audience. So he asked what else he could film. I suggested the Jedi gathering of 2014. As people were going up for Knighthood. And that could be an arc. This is where Perris and Hannigan became a bigger focus. Because they had these arcs. Not just them though. Kitsu Tails, Angeleus, and others were all involved in the processed and filmed repeatedly. All sharing their journey and what brought them to this point.

I was asked by Laurent to be a sort of guide. To help him talk to and navigate Jedi and our lingo and groups and such. So i traveled with him during this time. 18 days or something like that. During that time we became friends. Talked about a mutual issues and experiences. He was going through a rough situation which mirrored one I had went through a few years earlier - my failed marriage. And so I opened up to him about it.

For better or for worse this lead to more filming on the subject. In which I did eventually share MY STORY. Which despite people trying to villianize me here - I am 100% allowed to do. Just as others have gone around and said some very horrible and untrue things about me - that is their right. Because it is their story. Now one can argue. Well that was said in private (which it wasn't, it was said in very public areas more than once) and this is very public (much more than facebook and jedi forums). But it is people sharing their experience and story of their life. Each person alive is allowed to do that.

So to address the current new claims. Was it wrong of me to talk about my story without consulting with the people involved? Maybe. However, Luciana knew of this documentary and had the chance to be a part of it. It was not a secret. This wasn't done under the cover of night. But hey. It is done. I told my story. No one has to like it. No one has to agree with it. No one has to watch it. But I didn't do anything improper and suggesting otherwise is just being petty. I was asked about a tough time in my life. I spoke about it. As is my right to do with my life. People don't get to complain because they acted in a way they don't feel paints them in a good light. I was no saint. I didn't hide my failings. But who knows what will be said, shown, or included in the documentary. Find out in November I guess. But this isn't a lack of empathy or whatever else people want to throw at my feet.

This is simply a brief glimpse into the lives of various Jedi. And guess what? Life is messy. We all make mistakes in our lives. We all experience broken relationships. Heartbreak. And some of that happen to get caught on camera. Perhaps another mistake. *shrugs* Time will tell. But that is it. That is the story. That is what happened. Do with it and make what judgments you will. I am done. Just as the filming was been done three years ago.

Maybe this will help or at least lighten you day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knsoHl5OhrA

Or this (the first Star Wars filmed parody).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ymFxkFfIhU

Going through a divorce myself right now let me just say I can empathise with feelings on both sides. It's also clear neither of you wanted this dragged up here.

If I may suggest, the best way to resolve this won't be on an internet forum in front of people who barely know either of you. You've both spoken your piece eloquently and I think it's quite clear that there's two sides to the story.

Might I suggest in the interests of you both, and of the community here, we leave it there? This is your business, not ours. And now, if we watch the documentary and it portrays a single side, we'll be better able to understand there's another, too.

Ladies and Gents,

Let's take a break here. This is becoming a personal issue and this is a public forum. There have been several requests to take it to PM that haven't been heeded. I'm sorry, but I am going to go ahead ask for a break for the rest of the day.. Any questions or comments you can PM me.

Thanks
Ros

So how 'bout that symbol? :laugh:

Am I reading no one from that school or lineage is in the documentary?

Echoing earlier posts, while I can certainly dig on this movie and hope that it is rad, I am concerned with that symbol and its implicit potential to represent the Jedi movement..

Br. John wrote: Hannigan, you'll be happy to hear we have a UK gathering going on right now. I can't remember how many we've had over the years so somebody throw me a bone. Need the info.

I've always encouraged physical groups. Especially when the we need a grand physical temple talk comes up. I say, if you can't find five people who live close to you to get together once a month, why are you worried about a building?

But due to not being near a physical group, online is all what many people have available. It's beats the hell out of having no connection at all.

Speaking for myself, not for The Council or Sweet Baby Jesus, I'm anxious to see the film and have no worries about how good, bad or otherwise it may be. I hope it's good for the sake of those involved. They deserve it to be good.

P.T. Barnum was right when he said, [the vast majority of the time] "There is no such thing as bad publicity. There's just publicity."

There are 11 of us here at the UK Gathering which give or take one or two is consistent with the previous 2 years. Friends meeting-up, eating together, laughing with each other and re-connecting . . .

I really wouldn't worry about that. The Documentary isn't going to reach a large crowd and those it does reach will have minor interest. The Jedi community has managed to survive 20+ years with a great many logo's and not one standing above the other....I am confident that this will be no different. There are plenty of people in the community that can and will set the record straight.

Trisskar wrote: I really wouldn't worry about that. The Documentary isn't going to reach a large crowd and those it does reach will have minor interest. The Jedi community has managed to survive 20+ years with a great many logo's and not one standing above the other....I am confident that this will be no different. There are plenty of people in the community that can and will set the record straight.

Great sour grapes?

I had no idea Opie now espouses the ideals of jediism. I look forward to learning more about how the dark side caused him to convert.

MJ Hannigan wrote:

Trisskar wrote: I really wouldn't worry about that. The Documentary isn't going to reach a large crowd and those it does reach will have minor interest. The Jedi community has managed to survive 20+ years with a great many logo's and not one standing above the other....I am confident that this will be no different. There are plenty of people in the community that can and will set the record straight.

Great sour grapes?

Lol , this movie is already a succes in my book , people are talking that were not talking , peoples are having a good look at this and going , hmm is this what i want and some hopefully realise , ...that its not them that are sticking their necks out , but Opie, Hannigan and Perris are and i wish them the best of luck , and i hope that we as Jedi support them , no matter how it reflects on us

Amyntas wrote:

MJ Hannigan wrote:

Trisskar wrote: I really wouldn't worry about that. The Documentary isn't going to reach a large crowd and those it does reach will have minor interest. The Jedi community has managed to survive 20+ years with a great many logo's and not one standing above the other....I am confident that this will be no different. There are plenty of people in the community that can and will set the record straight.

Great sour grapes?

Lol , this movie is already a succes in my book , people are talking that were not talking , peoples are having a good look at this and going , hmm is this what i want and some hopefully realise , ...that its not them that are sticking their necks out , but Opie, Hannigan and Perris are and i wish them the best of luck , and i hope that we as Jedi support them , no matter how it reflects on us

I wasn't talking about the quality of the movie. I was answering J.K Barger concerning the Symbol.

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Heads up. I am working on the 2014 Just Jedi Datacron and detailing the American Jedi along with an FAQ. If anyone can think of any questions and answers that should be in it. Please feel free to PM me https://trisskar9.wixsite.com/just-jedi/2014

I guess to me, not to disparage the effort, but the film is a low budget very limited release project. It might affect how a few thousand people see the Temple, but those were probably people who wouldn't join or support us anyway. It might effect how a few thousand people see some individuals, but those were probably people who wouldn't befriend or support then anyway.

All in all, I think it'll be interesting to watch, but won't change my life one bit.

ReallyRiver wrote: I guess to me, not to disparage the effort, but the film is a low budget very limited release project. It might affect how a few thousand people see the Temple, but those were probably people who wouldn't join or support us anyway. It might effect how a few thousand people see some individuals, but those were probably people who wouldn't befriend or support then anyway.

All in all, I think it'll be interesting to watch, but won't change my life one bit.

Again the selfishness amazes me. No one will care about totjo one way or the other. Totjo is not and will never be the Jedi Realist community.

Perhaps I've misunderstood the documentary. I'd thought it was specifically about TOtJO?

ReallyRiver wrote: Perhaps I've misunderstood the documentary. I'd thought it was specifically about TOtJO?

lol, maybe one day we can make something of that nature! (if memory serves, there is a thread discussing just that.) But as for this documentary, it appears to be about Jediism and the Jedi Path in the U.S.A., not specifically TotJO.

Ooooooh. We'll, that is a different beast. I'll have to rethink my feelings on it based on this new information, lol.