But regarding the opening scroll issue -- You must have thought of this already, but I have to ask why can't you just use the opening scroll from MagFan's "The Clone War"? I guess I would like this because I really like MagFan's work on "Balance of the Force" but suspect your Episode II cut will supercede his in my book.
I don't really care for that title. The film really isn't about the Clone War, it's about bigger things. Plus, you don't really see much of it in this movie.
Also, I don't have a DVD quality copy of MagnoliaFan's film (and I don't want to try to get it through the mail, because I'm kind of paranoid about personal information being attached to this.)
I like it, too, partly because it's the only one I came up with myself! I just thought it tied everything up nicely, when Yoda said, "The shroud of the Dark Side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has." It's more of a "big picture" title, like "A New Hope."
I'm 13 and I could do the title in about 2 mins in after effects. Just keyframe a mask with a bit of feathering and put the original footage in track 2, with a random starfield as a mask. Thne put your title "Shroud of the dark side" on top of everything and keyframe it with a bit of 3d perspective.
I don't really care for that title. The film really isn't about the Clone War, it's about bigger things. Plus, you don't really see much of it in this movie.
Also, I don't have a DVD quality copy of MagnoliaFan's film (and I don't want to try to get it through the mail, because I'm kind of paranoid about personal information being attached to this.)
If you find a way to re-do it, Shroud of the Dark Side would be best, I think.
I like it, too, partly because it's the only one I came up with myself! I just thought it tied everything up nicely, when Yoda said, "The shroud of the Dark Side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has." It's more of a "big picture" title, like "A New Hope."
I'm 13 and I could do the title in about 2 mins in after effects. Just keyframe a mask with a bit of feathering and put the original footage in track 2, with a random starfield as a mask. Thne put your title "Shroud of the dark side" on top of everything and keyframe it with a bit of 3d perspective.
Could you do it for me and post it for download, perhaps
And again, I'm very interested in establishing at the beginning that Obi-Wan is keeping Anakin from saving his mother. Keep in mind when thinking about this that I can make Anakin say whatever I want, when he is not facing camera straight-on.
Therefore, here are some changes in how the scene in the garage will run:
Anakin: I'm good at fixing things. I always was.
Anakin: It’s all Kenobi’s fault. He’s jealous. He held me back!
Anakin: I killed them. (suddenly quiet, lamenting). I killed them all. (getting angry). They're dead. Every damned one of them.
The lines will be read differently, as well. Anakin is really, really agitated at this point.
“And not just the men.” (read with higher voice, intense). “but the women.” (snarling). “and the children, too. They’re like animals” (building) “and I slaughtered them like animals.” (screaming).
The "To be angry is to be human...I know I'm better than this" exchange is cut. Actually, it was never in the original film to begin with. But I don't want Anakin to be sorry about what he has done. I want him to scream, "I hate them, at the camera, and go to the next scene as he sits down.
Another kind of fun dialogue addition to the beginning of the saber duel:
Obi-Wan: We'll take him together. CUT to shot of Dooku looking at them. Voice-over:
Anakin: As you wish.
He loved to say that in the OT; why not tie it into this movie?
And as a final note, the scene on Naboo with the new queen has been cut. There was no critical plot info there, and while it would have been a problem were the romance scenes in their current order, we now have the scene with Padme's family to establish the pair's location.
Thanks for all the interest, everyone! You guys are really motivating me to work on this and to get it done.