How I became a Headshot Jedi Master!
(Just want to see the video? Head to the bottom👇)
To celebrate May the 4th—the famous “Star Wars Day”—I decided to channel my inner Ewan McGregor and have some fun this year. The concept of blending Star Wars and Headshots had been stuck in my head for a while and I needed to put it into action.
The Plans to become a Professional Headshot Jedi
When planning the video, I went through various scenarios, characters and ideas. Eventually distilling it down to asking one important question:
What if Obi-Wan Kenobi was a professional headshot photographer?
Because let’s be honest—if anyone understands the importance of lighting, angles, and dramatic flair, it’s ol’ Ben Kenobi!
How did I do it?
I had a rough script in my head that had been building slowly. Mostly Star Wars references and puns that could be twisted into a joke, reference or a straight up quote that just worked!
To be honest, I felt like a complete idiot while filming this video! Questions like: why did I spend money on a “Jedi” costume from Amazon, will people actually find any of this funny and how is this the kind of stuff in my brain…instead of math or preparing for tax season?
The turning point came when I mixed the Cantina song from A New Hope into the video. The fun music mixed with a deadpan delivery, tied it together nicely. I did have to re-edit the video many times to get the references and jokes to land. It showed me how much pacing makes a difference if something is funny or not.
Why did I decide to do this?
Creating content like this is fun and if I can make someone laugh, that’s a bonus! I think as Photographers our work can be transactional and one dimensional. I enjoy making others laugh and it was fun to express myself and sense of humour to not only create content but also market myself as a professional headshot photographer who you can have an enjoyable experience with.
It gave me a chance to celebrate pop culture, connect with my audience in a fun way, and show the fun side of running a photo studio.
Whether you're looking for a new headshot or just need a laugh, I hope the reel brings a bit of both.
May the Force be with you,
Obi-Wan Kenobi