Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager

Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager
File:Chad vader.png Chad at work, Episode 1
Genre	Comedy
Created by	Aaron Yonda Matt Sloan
Directed by	Aaron Yonda Matt Sloan
Starring	Aaron Yonda Matt Sloan Brad Knight Christina LaVicka
Composers	Andrew Yonda John Lee
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of episodes	8
Production
Producer	Courtney Collins
Editors	Matt Sloan Aaron Yonda
Original release
Network	Channel 101 YouTube
Release	June 25 2006 – present

Chad Vader is a fan film series by Blame Society Productions that has gained popularity on the Internet, particularly through viewings on YouTube and MySpace. It was originally created for Channel 101, where it was "cancelled" after two episodes, but the creators have continued to make episodes and publish them through other video hosting websites. The first episode has been viewed over seven million times on YouTube. A portion of the episode IV video was aired on Good Morning America on October 12, 2006. As of January 4, 2008, there are eight episodes, each between five and six minutes long, written and directed by Matt Sloan and Aaron Yonda. This completes the first season of Chad Vader and a second season is promised. The mayor of Madison, Dave Cieslewicz, appears in two episodes (six and eight). The "Empire Market" scenes were filmed on location at Willy Street Co-op, Madison, WI.

Chad Vader has been translated into at least 5 languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese, Hebrew and Lingua Franca Nova. The series also has a DVD, which contains all 8 of the first season episodes, and has also spawned a merchandise line.

Plot

The storyline centers around Chad Vader, the younger brother of Darth Vader, who works as a day-shift manager at a supermarket named Empire Market. The story presents Chad's clash with customers and other employees while incorporating dialogue and concepts from Star Wars.

Season One Synopsis

Episode One

This episode establishes the character of Chad Vader, the day shift manager at a grocery store called Empire Market, as well as his co-workers, including his boss, Randy, and night shift manager Clint Shermer, with whom Chad has an intensely adversarial relationship. Chad manages to convince attractive cashier Clarissa to have a date with him, under the guise of discussing "some plans I have for a more powerful laser checkout system". Later on, Chad gets into yet another dispute with Clint, threatening him with his lightsaber. However, Chad trips on a banana peel Clint throws under him, and is left in pain on the floor by Clint.

Episode Two: "The Date"

Chad Vader continues his training of two Empire Market employees, Tony Edwards and Jeremy Wickstrom. Edwards, annoyed with Chad's behavior, leaves him with the more enthusiastic Jeremy, whom Chad takes under his wing as his "apprentice". During his date with Clarissa, Chad confides to her that the reason he wears his suit is for life support after he accidentally rode his bicycle into a volcano; the suit was given to him by his "famous brother". Clarissa expresses sympathy for Chad. Later at work, Chad is caught using his hologram to spy on Clint while he is complaining to Randy about Chad's behavior. Randy, furious, gives the day manager position to Clint while giving Chad the night shift.

Episode Three: "The Night Shift"

It's Chad's first shift as night manager, and he finds that Empire Market is inhabited by strange employees and customers when the sun goes down. Jeremy Wickstrom, Chad's new "apprentice", has transferred to the night shift to assist him. After dealing with some of the store's unusual customers, Chad calls Clarissa on the phone. It is revealed that Clarissa stood up Chad on their second date the previous night. After Clarissa abruptly ends his call, Chad gets into a physical confrontation with a gloating Clint, who, to Chad's horror, reveals that he has begun to date Clarissa. (Note: This episode has a different theme opening due to the fact tha Chad is no longer day shift manager but a night shift manager)

Episode Four: "A Dog in the Store"

Chad is still on his first night shift. Jeremy urgently reports to Chad that a dog is loose in the store. After giving Jeremy the job of finding the dog, Chad spends some time to himself on the loading dock out back, spying on Clarissa sleeping with his hologram. He is later joined by "Weird Jimmy", Empire Market's eccentric janitor. Weird Jimmy reveals to Chad that he was once a day shift manager himself, but had some "minor problems" after being given the night manager position. Chad and Jeremy later chase down the dog loose in the store, which turns out to belong to the store's night-time cashier, Lionel. The following morning, Chad sees Clint complaining to Randy about their fight earlier that night. When Randy confronts Chad, and refuses to give him back the day manager position, Chad quits his job.

Episode Five: "Holiday Blues"

It's almost Christmas, and Chad Vader, now unemployed, gets drunk at a bar while spying on Clint and Clarissa nearby. Clint and Chad almost have a fistfight, but Clint relents to go to the bathroom. When Chad confronts Clarissa, she asks Chad to "do something useful with your life and stop being so lame". A drunk, spurned Chad leaves the bar. Later on, Chad stands on a bridge at a park, contemplating suicide. Just as he is about to jump, Chad is met by a Force ghost named Ben, the spirit of a drunk driver who died after he ran over a gas pump that exploded. Ben manages to help Chad take Clarissa's advice to do something with his life, and Chad resolves to find another job. Chad is later seen at his new job, wearing what would pass for a business suit.

Episode Six: "New Job"

Over the course of two days, Chad is hired as a telemarketer and a printer, but is quickly fired due to his erratic, aggressive behavior. Ben appears to Chad again to persuade him to return to Empire Market, but Chad balks at the idea and runs away. Meanwhile at Empire Market, Chad's old co-workers, including Jeremy and Clarissa, begin reminiscing about Chad's career there. It is revealed that Clint, as day manager, has begun to bully his subordinates, including Clarissa. Chad, meanwhile, is hired and quickly fired both as a janitor and a cleaner for the mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, Dave Cieslewicz. Chad has begun working as a taxicab driver when he is again visited by Ben and is finally persuaded to go back to Empire Market to get his old job back. Chad Vader returns to the store, confronts Randy, and demands that he be re-hired.

Episode Seven: "The Plan"

Chad threatens to not leave the store until he gets his job back. He vows to buy an item once every hour to avoid a loitering charge. However, Chad admits he's broke to Jeremy, but the latter hatches a plan to shut down the store's power. After another visitation from Ben, Chad realizes he must settle his score with Clint once and for all. Dubiously assuming Clint's identity, Chad begins to verbally assault customers. He is later helped by Clarissa -- whom he reconciles with -- when she gives him Clint's name tag. This leads to customers unloading a ton of complaints against Clint. However, Clint deduces the ruse and angrily confronts Chad. As he does so, Jeremy, with Weird Jimmy's help, cuts off the store's power supply. In the dark, Clint and Chad begin their final battle.

Episode Eight: "Clint vs. Chad"

Clint manages to gain the upper hand once the store's emergency power kicks in, and knocks Chad to the floor. Chad feels like giving up, but finds upliftment when Clarissa, Weird Jimmy, Chad's co-workers, customers, former employers, and Mayor Cieslewicz profess their belief in him. Chad is further provoked when he sees Clint bullying Jeremy. Using the Force, Chad manages to attack Clint with a barrage of lemons, and pushes him into a display of cabbages. Later on, Chad tells Randy that Clint damaged the lemons and cabbage display by himself and quit, claiming his former enemy "has mental problems". Randy reluctantly gives Chad the day manager position back, on the condition that Chad change his attitude. Randy further tells Chad that there's talk of a conglomerate buying out Empire Market. Later on, Clarissa and Chad arrange another date, and Chad discovers that Jeremy has begun using the Force. The first season ends with Chad telling his apprentice Jeremy about his new plans for Empire Market.

Main characters

• Chad Vader (Aaron Yonda/voiced by Matt Sloan) - The main character and day shift manager of Empire Market. Sometimes using lines lifted from the Star Wars films, Chad's main goal is to crush Empire Market's competition and help make the store dominate the food retailing industry. While he has antagonistic or rocky relationships with some of his co-workers, most notably Clint, he has better ones with others, such as Jeremy. Chad implies in the second episode that his brother is Darth Vader, and that Darth gave Chad a life support suit and helmet similar to his own after Chad accidentally rode his bicycle into a volcano. Though he uses a red Sith lightsaber as a weapon to threaten opponents, he does not hold the title of "Darth", meaning that Chad, despite his fantasies of attaining power, is not really a Sith. Despite Sloan being a local comedian and voice actor, LucasArts were impressed by his Darth Vader impression. This led to him becoming the new voice actor for Darth Vader. His voice appears in the games Empire at War: Forces of Corruption, Soulcalibur IV, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

• Clint Shermer (Matt Sloan) - Chad's nemesis, the former night shift manager. Clint is a bully who is constantly finding ways to abuse Chad, and does the same with his co-workers after Chad quits his job. It becomes apparent in the second episode that he has wanted Chad's day manager position for some time. Chad forces Clint to quit his job after he is defeated in their final battle. It is revealed in the eighth episode that Clint's father owns Empire Market, explaining Clint's spoiled demeanor. Matt Sloan also performs as the voice of Chad.

• Randy Morgan (Brad Knight) - Chad's boss as the general manager of Empire Market. Chad, who takes his day manager job very seriously, practically worships Randy. When Chad meets with Randy, the former always kneels and calls Randy "Emperor", which causes Randy some considerable discomfort. In one of the Empire Market training videos, Chad describes Randy as, "a man I am not worthy to look at or be friends with", and a "true managerial genius."

• Clarissa (Christina LaVicka) - A cashier at Empire Market who went on a date with Chad, but later dated Clint. She ultimately asked Chad if he wanted to go on another date after Clint had quit his job. Chad said he had to check his schedule.

• Jeremy Wickstrom (Paul Guse) - An Empire Market employee who idolizes Chad and wears the headpiece of an Imperial ground officer; Vader usually refers to him as Commander Wickstrom. Jeremy eventually transfers to the Night Shift with Chad, until Chad went back to being a Day Manager. In the last episode he is shown to have the power of the Force when he pulls a broom to his hand. Wickstrom is wearing the top piece of the helmet and sees Chad more of a leader than a boss.

• Weird Jimmy (Craig Johnson) - An insane janitor. He used to be the day shift manager, but has become unstable since moving to the night shift and losing his position as manager. This was revealed during a conversation with Chad outside the store. He consults his mop (named "Mop") before he does anything and "believes in elves".

Minor characters

• Ben (Mike McCafferty) - A Jedi ghost who stopped Chad from committing suicide and helps him get his life back on track. He claims his death was caused by driving drunk over a gas station pump (which then exploded). He appears suddenly, but disappearing requires additional effort, such as performing a song and dance. He finally finds another way to disappear — by screaming 3 times.

• Hal (Aaron Yonda) - An odd man who searches for strange things such as a live chicken, goat's milk, a goat's hoof, and a goat for his "voodoo ritual." He is one of the main characters in one of Blame Society Productions other series, Fun Rangers. Aaron Yonda also plays Chad (but does not provide the voice).

• Tony Edwards (Asa Derks) - An employee in Empire Market who doesn't like Chad very much. He can be seen in the first two episodes. Chad refers to him as "Commander Edwards," much to Tony's annoyance. He also hates being told to search his feelings to find an aisle.

• Lloyd (Rob Matsushita) - An employee in Empire Market who often makes fun of Chad about his relationship with Clarissa. Chad Force chokes him for saying too much about him and Clarissa. Despite this he eventully ends up missing Chad being the day manager due to Clints more mean-spirited attituide.

• Tammy (Kealynn Kees) - An employee in Empire Market who refuses Chad's proposal for her to work an extra shift in Episode 1. She also shows up here and there.

• Lionel (William Bolz) - A weird employee in Empire Market who always says that customers "save a lot". In one of the episodes he asks Chad if anything is faster than the speed of light (referencing Star Wars spaceships). He also asks Chad if he likes light bulbs. He brings his dog into the store in episode 4.

• Star Wars Nerd (Steve Agee) - A Star Wars fan whom Chad sees when he's about to commit suicide. Some believe he was in fact a hallucination

• Mayor (Mayor Dave Cieslewicz) - The mayor of Madison. Chad tries working for him but it didn't work out.

• Bartender (Drew Foerster) - The bartender who serves Chad in Episode 5.

Awards and recognition

• Matt Sloan and Aaron Yonda were awarded the George Lucas Selects award for The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards 2007, presented at Star Wars Celebration IV, for their work on Chad Vader. George Lucas personally selected the short movie as the best fan movie of the year. The annual competition is hosted by AtomFilms.
• Chad Vader appeared on the cover of Isthmus Magazine, January 25, 2007.
• Clips from episodes 1 and 4 appeared on the October 11, 2006 episode of ABC's Good Morning America.
• In an obvious homage to Chad Vader, one of the achievements on the Xbox 360 version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is entitled "Worst Day-Shift Manager Ever".
• The character appeared as a guest riffer on Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones for Michael J. Nelson's RiffTrax service. Nelson and fellow riffer Kevin Murphy also appeared in a special episode of the series.

External links

• Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager Official Page
• Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager online at AtomFilms
• London Metro Article
• Lightsaber and Hologram FX by Saul Mandel