ben_danger said:thanks for the fcp pointer octorox. i just got hold of a copy of after effects, so had a go at masking a closer shape to jabba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwVB-zpcxjk&feature=channel_page . for some reason it wont upload to HQ so its looks terrible. there is full colour correction on this version, but some bits do seem too dark because of the upload. next question though for an after effects whizz, is there a way to make a mask, and then set it to change shape? eg make a square blob for the beginning of a 5 second shot, and have it slowly morph into a circle blob at the end? could make jabbas arm movements and him shuffling towards the camera work better.
I do like the concept, but I think I like Monroeville's idea of having the crowd noise go silent when jabba hits the gong, with the first alien only coming out to the sound of it's footsteps (kind of like a hushed silence to see what it will do; this seems like a good way to add still more tension to the scene), and music and crowd noise coming back after it screams.