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THE JEDI'S APPRENTICE: AOTC Edit Video-Breakdowns (Edit Released)

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 (Edited)

A thread dedicated to my edit of Attack of the Clones and my video breakdowns!

(after a brief time of silliness, everything will be posted here from now on)

Trailer thread:
https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/The-Jedis-Apprentice-fan-edit-TRAILER-on-youtube/id/63105

Attack of the Clones Re-Edit: Making Anakin Cool Part 1
https://youtu.be/hsC7ZRe2DBE

Attack of the Clones Re-Edit: Making Anakin Cool Part 2
https://youtu.be/lDrJLAaUEJo

Attack of the Clones Re-Edit: “SAVING SHMI” Making Anakin Cool Part 3
https://youtu.be/nefY0Acsd-U

Making JAR JAR COOL? Attack of the Clones Re-Edit
https://youtu.be/RM0GO4Bgm_o

Episode II re-edit “FIXING DEX” Star Wars ATTACK OF THE CLONES
https://youtu.be/GDJwO6BvUWc

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I’m a big fan of that cut to black. Good work!

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Please just make on thread for all of your stuff. This isn’t Reddit. Trust me, I did the same thing when I first joined.

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Anakin Starkiller said:

Please just make on thread for all of your stuff. This isn’t Reddit. Trust me, I did the same thing when I first joined.

This is it. I added all my previous stuff in the description. The title is about my edit, not my individual videos. I even tried to get the threads merged but the mod hasn’t got back to me yet.

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 (Edited)

Cathy, you had a lot of excellent observations regarding Shmi’s death scene.

I didn’t think I would like it but for the most part I like your use of digital zooms, especially your motivation to zoom out on Anakin, then zoom back in. Also, literally cutting out all sound in the moments following her death, then it slowly returning. This really works for me. I think those are little things that could help give the moment a little extra impact. I would suggest possibly slowing down the zoom in on the tusken guard just slightly, but for the most part I think they work well. Nothing too extreme.

The one thing that doesn’t work for me at all, personally, is the piano rendition of the Imperial march. I just can immediately tell it isn’t really Williams, for one, and I also don’t think it is very appropriate for this moment.
Honestly, if I could make a suggestion, what about reusing Anakin’s theme, since we only hear it once in AOTC? I think the last 30 seconds of Anakin’s Theme track could fit in this moment, since it transitions into something a little darker at the very end, and it clearly reminds us this is just a boy watching his mother die.
Here is the track, starting around the last 30 seconds: https://youtu.be/WUC7MgkOgKA?t=141
You also could possibly slow down the track and pitch it down maybe, if you wanted to try to do something more ominous. Just think it might be a little more appropriate for this stage in Anakin’s life, since this is sort of the moment where Anakin loses his innocence, represented by Anakin’s Theme, in a way.

Also, excellent observation regarding the scene transition, where it appears it originally was meant to be a wipe to Yoda’s chamber. Wow, never really noticed that but I think you’re right. Honestly, I think the hard cut to black works sooo much better than what was there before. It’s a little more intense, to me.

I also wanted to make a note regarding the lightsaber changing colors. It seems like others find the idea interesting so you could totally go for it, you don’t necessarily have to be stuck with what is canon, but the the way lightsaber crystals change color doesn’t necessarily work as you described. It’s not really where the lightsaber will shift depending on one’s amount of hate or anger in the heat of a moment. Rather, bleeding a lightsaber crystal is like an intense ritual that bends a kyber crystal to the will of a Sith, which goes against its natural energy, and thus changes it into a red color. It is possible for a crystal to be purified as well, but that also is a process that takes time and concentration, so a lightsaber won’t just change color like a mood ring in the middle of a battle.

But, like I said, this is your edit and you do whatever you want to try! Overall my biggest suggestion for this would be to change the Imperial march piano rendition.

EDIT: The end of Anakin’s theme does have a hint of the Imperial march still, it’s just a lot more subtle.

DOUBLE EDIT: Listening to Anakin’s theme again, if you notice at the very end of the track, there is a long pause between the last and the second to last note, and the last note plays out for several seconds. It would be interesting if you had the song stop at the second to last note, leaving the motif unfinished, just like Shmi’s last sentence “I love…”
Just an idea though!

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Just an idea though!

I’ll take what you said into consideration. 😃

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I have to say, I appreciate your different approach to this film. Most edits cut out Dex, and a few other things you decided to keep, so it is interesting to see you attempt to preserve them.

I donlike what you’ve done with it, but I think that scene could use a little more work.
First of all, I think you should end the scene on a shot of Kenobi rather than Dex like it does originally. It feels too abrupt as it is now.

Also, I know this will be difficult to deal with, but the continuity feels weird in this scene now because of the various trims. For example, seeing Obi-Wan walk into the diner and the next shot is of a closeup of him already sitting in a booth. Also, at one moment Dex has the dart in the palm of his hand, and in the next shot Obi-Wan has it. I don’t know if it would be possible for you to try to make issues such as these a little less noticeable.

Also, I get that some of the info seems a little unecessary, but I think keeping the line about him prospecting helps establish why Obi would go to Dex for this kind of info, since it implies that Dex is a well-traveled individual. Otherwise e have no idea why this raggedy-shirt guy would know anything about saber darts.

And while it is true that we never see Obi go to the analysis droids, that reference does explain why he had to go to a third party for this information. You could just keep that line and what Dex says about symbols, and remove the rest and go straight to Obi saying, “Kamino, I’m not familiar with it.” At the very least is another way the scene establishes Dex’s knowledge/experience.

While I do like how you cut out the beginning of the scene, the one thing we do lose is establishing that that restaurant is Dex’s Diner. Otherwise, he could just be meeting a contact at a random restaurant. Not sure how important that is.

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I watched this earlier today! Just wanted to say I thought you did a really great job at taking feedback. I respect that you didn’t just necessarily make the changes me or others suggested, but you tried to address those issues in your own way, like you did with extending the final Dex shot. Good job there Cathy.

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Cathy, I think you might have OCD based on all that shot stabilization you’re doing 😉

Within reason I actually like just a bit of camera wobble. For me it suggests that an actual human had a hand in making this movie. Sure a programmable camera rig could operate more smoothly, but where’s the art in that? Where’s the soul of the film? Not that AOTC has much soul to begin with.

Anyway, really enjoying your videos. Interesting, well made and very funny.

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 (Edited)

But where’s the art in that? Where’s the soul of the film? Not that AOTC has much soul to begin with.

I think the art of most camera work is not to be noticed. I noticed it, I didn’t like it, literally could make it go away by pressing one button. Does it make the film better? Eh, not really it’s not really a worthwhile change.
Would I have done it if I was editing the original for its cinematic debut? Yes. Without a doubt. That’s why I did it. I hope that explains my point of view!

Thank you for your compliments!

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I’ve been thinking, wouldn’t Dooku be better as a retired Jedi? Wouldn’t it be better if he actually believed in the things he said? So I made Dooku a Jedi. So he needed a new lightsaber…

https://youtu.be/r_BRP5XzpeA