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Goose's PAL Executor Special Features Project (* unfinished project *)

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 (Edited)

Hi all,

A few of you will have seen a couple of references to this project of mine in other threads (Moth3r’s transfer thread, the old Executor thread), but, as I’m getting close to completion of at least some of the material, I’ve decided to start a thread of my own.

I have so far sent out a couple of samples for “review”- Rikter and Tellan, take a bow- but for everyone else, a brief outline of what I am doing is as follows:


Overview: Capture of all of the extras from the UK Executor OT release, hoping to improve on previous NTSC captures, whether from VHS or laserdisc.

Source: 1995 Executor PAL VHS Boxset

Capture Card: Pinnacle DV500

Capture/ Editing Software: Adobe Premiere

DVD Authoring: Adobe Encore

DVD Menus/ Effects: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects

DVD Format: PAL; Introduction, Menus 16:9; Features 4:3

Average Bitrate: Varies, typically 6-8 Mbps to fit on a DVD-5

Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0

Additional Info: 3 DVDs, one each for SW, Empire and Jedi, each with an intro movie, menu music and animated menu transitions, Easter Eggs


…which is about all for now, other than to say that the first versions of both the Star Wars and Empire Special Features DVDs are finished. Which leads me nicely onto my first request:

I have used the original Ralph McQuarrie production artwork for the menu design, along with themed sound effects for motion menu transitions. However, I have only been able to find a fairly average set of scans for download, and lack the original McQuarrie portfolios to produce decent scans from. SO, two requests, really:

  • Does anyone possess the Ralph McQuarrie production art in large scale and good quality and, if so, would they be willing to send me some better scans than those I am currently working with?

  • I am looking for any hi quality audio files of a number of sound effects, especially R2-D2 related…

Of course, any contributors will be looked upon very favourably when I start to send these DVDs out for further sampling…

That’s all for now- please let me know what you think, ask any questions, give me any pointers and my PMs are always on!

Goose

I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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Sounds like a cool project, good luck!
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Most of the McQuarrie artwork is available in fairly high res at the force.nets multimedia section.
Neil
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Thanks NeilB- i have checked those out and they are reasonable, but not an improvement over what I already have.

Might have to get busy on eBay....
I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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I have the original Portfollio, but I don't have a scanner. :-(
We had some new HP email, printer, photocopier, scanner machines at work that may be able to make copies, assuming that I can work out how to do it.
I'm not at work unitil next Monday. I can give it a try then. Failing that maybe I could post them to you to copy and then you could send them back?
Im in the UK.
Let me try the scanning option first, then PM me here in the middle of next week.
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smc999-

Sounds great! I'll wait to hear back from you next week. Many thanks for offering to help

G
I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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Gillean-

Wow, those are great! Nice work- I'll see if these work out any better on the menus than what I had.

Cheers!

G
I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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Okay, I've looked at those uploaded shots in more detail- the colours are more vibrant than what I had before, and the Luke vs Vader picture is better in all respects, but there is still banding on some of the other pics (3P0 and R2 in the desert in particular).

SMC999- if you could still look into that copying you were going to try, or forwarding stuff to me, I would be very grateful.

G
I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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Thanks The Dark One- I'm starting to get a fair amount of material now, so should be able to combine the best aspects from each- best I get my artistic head on....
I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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Sorry to say that the scans I can make look no better than the links that have been posted. :-(
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Thanks for trying smc999!

I'll see if I can get decent size sample movies uploaded over the next few days, so that I can guage opinion on whether or not what I have now is of a sufficiently high standard.

G
I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that.....
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are you still doing this project?

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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I've not seen Goose post in a long time....a long time.

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>