It’s definitely good to see you’re alive and well, AlaskanSandman!!
Dazman has already said hello in this thread, but since he didn’t toot his own horn I’ll go ahead and do it! Have you seen his incredible work on fixing up shots and adding VFX throughout Phantom Menace?
https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/The-Phantom-Menace-Improved-Edition-10-years-on-the-forum-edit-Released/id/91544/page/2#1485011A lot of his work overlaps with yours, such as city lights on the Naboo and Tatooine planets in space, nicer lightsabers, and so on. From his OP, it namely boasts hundreds of cuts, tens of added slight sharpening effects to blurry shots, about 75 Audition audio edits, about 170 After Effect shots, and new short shots from upscaled dvd footage, so far too much to enumerate, but from a casual watch I thought his work did a fantastic job at revitalizing the film after two decades!
While I can’t speak for anyone else, I definitely think the best TPM cut would be one that consolidates all of the visual work both you and Dazman have put in; is there any chance you’ve considered collaborating on that front?
I have not atm. Maybe after I finish my own work. I know there was another user named Snooker who had done some good work too like removing Yoda from TPM.
Right now im largely focusing on my own edit as I have a couple distinct story beats that are different, like the assault on Naboo and Escape from Naboo to specifically give my edit its own unique arch. Other things have been changed in my edit like Palpatine killing the younglings instead of Anakin, as this makes Obiwan’s accusation to Padame, questionable. Specially from Anakin’s pov, as Anakin know’s its not true. Palpatine frames Anakin essentially, and Obiwan bites the bait.
I don’t mind people using similar ideas, but don’t want to get bogged down in other peoples “vision’s” while trying to get out my own.This makes anakin’s hatred of obi wan more reasonable.
When Obi discovers the younglings, they have saber burns and he and Yoda just assume it was Anakin after seeing Anakin on the holocron. Then when confronted about it by Padame, in earshot of Obiwan, Anakin doesn’t deny it. He say’s “Obiwan is trying to turn you against me”. So from Obiwan’s pov, it’s true and Anakin is lying to Padame. From Anakin’s Pov, Obiwan is lying and trying to turn Padame against him. Proving Palpatine to be right about the Jedi.
Anakin killing the younglings is just too out of left field. Palpatine doing it, cements him as the true evil of the story. While also adding layers to the conflict between Ani and Obi.