logo Sign In

Idea: The Turning Star Wars Into A Television Show Fun Thread.

Author
Time
 (Edited)

With all this talk of making fan trailers and the like I thought it might be a fun project to edit the six films as if they were an American television miniseries (about 40mins per episode excluding adverts but including the new titles).

Yep, that means a television title sequence, previously on and next time tails, advert pauses and cards and for added fun Star Wars themed ad breaks (Kenner Toys, the foods etc).

This project could be broken up into small doable chunks that anyone could handle.

All suggestions welcome, is this a modern series like NuGalactica or a seventies show like OldGalactica but with much better special effects?

It would need it’s own ad campaigns too and when (hopefully) the show is complete people can design DVD boxes (or VHS and Betamax boxes if it’s a period piece).

What should the screen format be?

We could even have different continuity announcers for different countries and regions.

It’s a bonkers idea but it might be fun.

Lets see Star Wars the way it should never be seen on a small screen with adverts.

Author
Time

Hmm... as for "previously on", don't the radio dramas include a few audio clips like that?  It could be synched up with the corresponding movie footage.  Also: if you're interested in seeing a cut-down version like that, the 30's serial film edition by TMBTM cuts each movie to roughly 50 minutes.  That could be used as a reference to how the movies would flow at such a speed.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

Author
Time

That sounds like a fun idea, but I think the best idea is to model it on older shows like the original Galactica. Unless you wanted to go into the prequels - then I'd suggest a '90s show like Stargate or Deep Space 9.

So for an opening sequence, remix an upbeat piece of music (like the credits from Star Wars), start with some ships flying and action scenes with anonymous characters. Then you'll introduce each actor with a shot of their character smiling, wind down with some action shots of the main characters. Maybe I'll make some mockups or something.

Author
Time

do you think a REBORN style proect may work in this context? the multiple storyline strands would help keep the pace up and would provide loads more cliff hangars. the clone wars opening could be good for this, with the 'clone wars' title card replaced with alternative ones specific to film (someone did some good ones not so long ago) and the space ghost style intro?

Author
Time
 (Edited)
bkev said:

Hmm... as for "previously on", don't the radio dramas include a few audio clips like that?  It could be synched up with the corresponding movie footage.  Also: if you're interested in seeing a cut-down version like that, the 30's serial film edition by TMBTM cuts each movie to roughly 50 minutes.  That could be used as a reference to how the movies would flow at such a speed.

The idea I had was to forget the film duration and cut all the material into 40ish minute chunks, scenes deleted from the films could be put back too and like nuGalactica some of the material could be held back to reappear as flashbacks. The radio announcements are great for radio but don't really work in a television context (shame we can't get some of the real actors to say "previously on Star Wars" but as this is meant to be a fun edit maybe we could have fun recording imitations).

We would need a Star Wars theme that comes in at the 50sec to 1min mark and have a definite begin and end (there's work there for you music editors out there).

Author
Time

bleeeeeh.:P i gues whoever made it had fun, ive seen a few like that already. its a bit too 'cheesey american teen drama' for me like the OC or something.:P

 

i get what you mean though! maybe cheese could be funny, with a really bad spanish dub and bad colouring. it could be like one of those over the top soaps.

Author
Time
 (Edited)

The lentgh for my 30's serial (silent) edition is (more or less):

TPM: 42 min

ATOC: 37 min

ROTS: 50 min

ANH: 43 min

ESB: 45 min

ROTJ: 53 min

Author
Time

The point of the 30's serial cut though was to keep the movie episodes as seperated episodes.

A television miniseries cut could take all six films and mix them into one resource that can be edited into episodes that don't necessarily follow the sequence of events as shown in the films.

TPM might, for example sake form two episodes and bits of ROTS might be held back to the later episodes to maintain the surprise that television episodes depicting the events of ESB might cover.

The saga as a whole might be spread over 11 or 12 episodes (like Season One of Buffy or NuGalactica).

Author
Time

I see your point. Nice idea.

Author
Time
 (Edited)
Bingowings said:

The point of the 30's serial cut though was to keep the movie episodes as seperated episodes.

A television miniseries cut could take all six films and mix them into one resource that can be edited into episodes that don't necessarily follow the sequence of events as shown in the films.

TPM might, for example sake form two episodes and bits of ROTS might be held back to the later episodes to maintain the surprise that television episodes depicting the events of ESB might cover.

The saga as a whole might be spread over 11 or 12 episodes (like Season One of Buffy or NuGalactica).

This sounds like a LOT of fun.

My first thought would be to make them approx. 22 minutes a peace, like the Saturday morning adventure shows from back in the day. Then each episode could be contructed around one action sequence.

STAR WARS: Episode 3: "Annie's Big Race!"

STAR WARS: Episode 6: "Mystery on Kamino!"

STAR WARS: Episode 12: "Luke vs. The Ice Monster!"

STAR WARS: Episdode 15: "Betrayal in the Clouds!"

(the exclamation points are a must! :) )

 

Author
Time

Last night I started working on an opening credits. The first version has the version of "Star Wars Theme" that plays during the skiff battle in ROTJ. It's a 'rough draft.'

Bingowings, maybe if we can agree on a format for episodes, this can be a 'consequetion' (sp?) fanedit done collaboratively, with different folks 'directing' differenet episodes.

 

Is anyone handy with Photoshop who could make cool title cards. I need ones that say:

'Previously on Star Wars'

"Episode VIII: A Mystery on Kamino!"

and

"Episode XXI: Luke and the Ice Monster!"

(I'm not diving into editing these yet, just playing with the concept, presenting ideas.)

Author
Time

If you do go the "Consecution" route, I would LOVE to edit an episode.  It's a great, fun idea.

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Mix and match the classic SW font and the prequel font.  Use classic for "STAR WARS" and the "Episode #" lines, prequel for "Previously on..." and the episode titles.

 

BTW, I mentioned this thread over in the "Consecution" thread at FE and it got an immediate response, so much so that boon started a separate thread for it to organize it in a more formal manner and start getting people to commit to actually doing it.

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

Author
Time

Good work, Ziz!  That was the place to put it, because there it WILL get done.

Author
Time

... and just for the record, I totally don't mind where it is discussed as long as it gets done. It's a great idea and should be developed. Constructively.
(and, no, I will not fanedit Star Wars ;-))

Nothing about fanediting is easy.

Author
Time
Ziz said:

Mix and match the classic SW font and the prequel font.  Use classic for "STAR WARS" and the "Episode #" lines, prequel for "Previously on..." and the episode titles.

My collection of 'Star Wars' fonts is somewhat limited - I just have one called "StarVader".

 

Star Wars Episode XXX: Erica Strikes Back

         Davnes007 LogoCanadian Flag

          If you want Nice, go to France

Author
Time

http://www.dockingbay101.com/fonts/

All the Star Jedi series of fonts are there, plus your Star Vader, plus plenty more.  Even a bunch of "in-universe" ones including a few AurekBesh variants.

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

Author
Time
 (Edited)
Maybe we could do a series with no real sens of continuity, like a Star Wars consecution project with no end. Just put a text settings the time where the action takes place at the begining, then make your 20 or 40 minutes Star Wars episode with any Star Wars footage you want. That way anyone could do an episode of this show when he wants. Of course we'd loose the serial aspect and the cliffhangers. But it would be nice to see all the new little stories that editors can bring with the same material (à la EU). But maybe that would be another project.
Author
Time

I think it's important to end each episode on a cliffhanger be it dramatic or ponderous.