Shit, you’re right. That’s damns subtle, though. I bet it’d be relatively easy to animate the wrench as falling past that opening rather than into it for a single digit number of frames, if the clip is good otherwise.
I’ve got something special to show you all later today, hopefully, too. 😉
I think it works fairly well and is definitely preferable to the “before the race” scene. I think if someone can animate the wrench falling past the engine it would definitely merit inclusion.
That’s all you need, I like this MUCH better than the before the race scene. What I appreciate it is Jar Jar is still the, erm, comedic relief without being too much and over the top. There are a few options with the wrench being animated for any skilled person to do that hopefully!
I edited my other paragraph since I watched some clips, never-mind on my comment!
Re-edit
What’s interesting about the sound and the timing of the wrench falling into the pod is it’s timing and sound (thud) matches to the time it would fall through and hit the ground. It doesn’t make a metallic sound, but a dirt sound. Watch it a few times and you’ll see/hear. Plus, you see there is a corresponding hole where the wrench does fall through.
Now watching the original cut online during the scene … It doesn’t make sense if he was grabbing a the wrench in the fan … how would it have gotten there if you watch and hear the animation.