George Lucas Selects 'Chad Vader' for Top Honors in the 'Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge' from Lucasfilm Ltd. and AtomFilms

George Lucas Selects 'Chad Vader' for Top Honors in the 'Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge' from Lucasfilm Ltd. and AtomFilms

Hit Comedy Short Makes Its Television Debut On Spike TV Tonight

Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge Awards Announced During Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles

To View All Fan Movies, Visit the Official Fan Movie Challenge Site: http://starwars.atomfilms.com

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, May 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- "Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager" received the coveted George Lucas Selects Award on Sunday night in the "Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge" presented by Lucasfilm Ltd. and AtomFilms(R), a division of MTVN Entertainment Group, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) .

The five-minute comedy short by Aaron Yonda and Matt Sloan, featuring Darth Vader's younger brother as a grocery store clerk, will make its television debut at 11:25 p.m. ET/PT tonight on Spike TV.

"Chad Vader" and other Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge finalists - including seven other award recipients - were honored at the Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge awards at Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles, which marks the 30th anniversary of the original theatrical release of Star Wars. All of the competition's official selections are now available for viewing at the official Fan Movie Challenge site: http://starwars.atomfilms.com/, and at the official Star Wars website: http://www.starwars.com/.

George Lucas said, "We've had a lot of entrants this year. It's been a tough and intense judging process. We have decided that the winner this year is 'Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager,' by Matt Sloan and Aaron Yoda -- oh, that's not right -- Yonda."

"Thanks to the incredible passion and creativity of Star Wars fans, and the support of our partners at Lucasfilm and Spike TV, this year's Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge was another major success," said AtomFilms General Manager Scott Roesch. "We are proud to honor Aaron Yonda, Matt Sloan and our other award recipients, and bring their movies to fans online and on Spike TV."

This year's Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge received a record-breaking number of submissions from five continents between March and May 2007, and 19 movies were designated as official selections by judges at Lucasfilm and AtomFilms. Seven awards of merit were given, with "Forced Alliance" taking double honors, earning both the Audience Choice Award (based on the AtomFilms audience's vote) and the Best Fan Fiction/Drama award.

   The 2007 Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge awards are:    -- George Lucas Selects: "Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager," by Aaron Yonda      and Matt Sloan   -- Audience Choice: "Forced Alliance," by Spearshield   -- Best Comedy: "The Eyes of Darth Tater," by Lee Vehe   -- Best Fan Fiction/Drama: "Forced Alliance," by Spearshield   -- Best Action: "Essence of the Force," by Pat Kerby   -- Best Animation: "IG-88: The Dancing Robot," by Anton Bogaty   -- Best Short Subject: "An Incident at Toshi Station," by Mike McMahan   

The Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge continues! AtomFilms and Lucasfilm are currently accepting entries for the next phase of the competition, and Spike TV will air new fan movies periodically throughout the year. For more information please visit the official "Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge" website at http://starwars.atomfilms.com/.

About AtomFilms

A 2007 Webby Award finalist, AtomFilms is unique among online video services, licensing and developing original content in partnership with filmmakers and animators. Since pioneering the online video category in 1998, AtomFilms has attracted a loyal audience of millions of users with its consistently outstanding short-form programming. AtomFilms compensates filmmakers and animators based on revenues generated from its advertising and distribution businesses, and its payments to creators have totaled millions of dollars. AtomFilms is a division of MTVN Entertainment Group, a unit of VIACOM (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) .

About Lucasfilm

Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading movie and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound; LucasArts; Lucasfilm Animation; and Lucas Licensing. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses.

About Spike TV

Spike TV is available in 91.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of VIACOM (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Spike TV

CONTACT: Aileen Budow of Spike TV, +1-212-767-3952,
aileen.budow@spiketv.com

Web site: http://www.spiketv.com/
http://starwars.atomfilms.com/
http://www.starwars.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment