Darth Lucas said:
Here it is, a little later than I'd hoped, but here nonetheless. The transition between Star Wars and Empire.
https://vimeo.com/83473441
password: ot
Those FX shots are genius, simple yet perfect. Nice job!!!!
But I think it still feels a bit like two films spliced. I believe you need a couple of scenes on the Hoth base before cutting away to Vader to truly sell the concept that one narrative is flowing into the other. After the last shot of the Falcon in flight over Hoth do a wipe into Han walking through the Hoth hanger with Chewie doing repairs. He then walks into the command room but just skip right over his talk with Riken (I checked the scene, it would be sooo easy to remove). So he strolls in, gives Leia a thoughful look and then tells her he's leaving. Then they have the corridor argument (Without the Ordmantel line).
This would be very similar to the Yavin hanger scene from ANH where he's telling Luke he's leaving. If this is still supposed to be flighty Han from ANH (And not 1 year later best buddy Han) then it would be natural for him to leave the rebels as soon as Chewie has fixed the damage from the Tie-Fighter attack. It's only his growing love for Leia and the sudden assault by the Empire that stops him from leaving as planned.
Remember there will be no sudden heroic rescue of Luke during the trench run that shows us that Han has changed. In this edit, and at that point in the narrative he still should be a bit selfish and still be argueing like cats and dogs with Leia.
That's how I see it anyway.
Then cut away to Vader as planned (But with smoothed edges on the wipe).
Infact... I think it may just be possible to cut from the flying Falcon into the corridor scene of 3PO telling R2 it's freezing* (Nice bit of scene setting exposition) they then walk up to Han and tell him Leia wants to see him. Remove the middle of the scene mentioning Luke and splice that with the end of the hanger scene I mentioned and continue as above.
*Plus 3PO mentions that he can't dry out Leia's clothes... because they are still wet from the garbage-masher! Plus this would help explain away the costume changes as 3PO is telling us in passing that the characters have had (And needed) time to change.