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Empire Strikes Back Soundtrack Restored and Rescored Demo project

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I had recently discovered the unused / deleted music for the Empire Strikes Back and had never known so much music was cut out of the film and although many of the cut's I have to say I agree with I could not help feel that a bit too much had been cut away and not to mention some small differences I noticed of better start and stop points for the score.

So I have put together some demo videos of what I felt should have been kept. But I also want to say that I would like to encourage others if they feel like it to chip in and do demo's of what they felt should have been kept also. So If you like I don't want to command this thread as my own project but that anyone can have a go and a say if they so wish.

Basically I viewed the unused / deleted score as often interfering but in some instances where it does not I wanted to restore these sections but also try to maintain Kershners intensity. By no means am I saying my mock ups are final decisions of what is best as peoples opinions differ. But I have had a go at trying to bring more Williams score into the films scenes without ruining Kershners intentions.

So first off check this page for the deleted score in it's entireity.

http://www.starwarz.com/tbone/the-empire-strikes-back-restored-music/

Then check the original film or the special edition.

Ok now for some edits.

Echo Base

Link Deleted


What I did. Simply started the music a bit sooner when Han shakes hands with the general. This is actually where the theme starts.


Hoth Search

Link Deleted

What I did. I included the music where Luke collapses in the snow, and I also added the transition sting for when we cut back to echo base. I am not actually to sure about this last one (I also thought about moving this cue to when the door actually slams shut to give that more emphasis) but I really feel the music when Luke collapses a dead cert as should not have been cut. I also think that I should have cut it a bit sooner losing the timpani hit. a second attempt on this I think is needed.

Probe Droid

http://vimeo.com/101691213


What I did. ah this is complicated much flitting back between the original and the scored version but I really like the way it came out. Would never dream of replacing the concert imperial march though. That has to stay in my opinion.

Meet Yoda

http://vimeo.com/101691388

What I did. Simple and fun actually a one note rescore in there but repeated the playful theme and started the last cue a couple of seconds earlier this is where the theme actually starts. I think it's simple and nice.

Mynocks!

http://vimeo.com/101691604

I really like the imperial march rather than the silence perhaps kershner felt this was over used but it is short and sweet and I think if the deleted scenes were present then it would definitely not feel over used but this is my concern on this one as much as I like it. Included mysterious sting for Leias first glimpse of a Mynock. And changed Han's Blaster to the correct sound just because I felt like it. but I also went this far in the footage so as to associate that sound with the Mynocks that is heard when Leia first makes a spot.

Luke Training

http://vimeo.com/101691799

Started the score a bit earlier on "no, no there is no why.." Simply because I feel that it transitions into dark side cave a lot better. all other additions I kept scrapped.

The Duel Part 1

http://vimeo.com/101691905

I kept the score going until Vader delivers his line and I had the idea a while back was unsure if it would work but yes It works ever so well and I think it's just perfect this way. you can feel the drop off after Vader delivers the line and really creates a lot more tension.

Han to the Rescue and North Ridge I decided any unused / deleted music was best kept that way in these 2 instances

I plan to do a few more, but I would like to discuss the deleted score and I would also like to see other peoples edits of what they think also. As it's open to interpretation. If you think that the soundtrack is perfect as is I am cool with that but this is a discussion about trying to figure out the best way to restore more Williams music and disputing should so much have been cut? And has it even been cut short in some theme instances which I think I have spotted 2 of those so far.


So if you just want to share an idea or share an audio score edit please do so as I think many people are interested in John Williams original unused score and what can be taken from it to perhaps further improve the film. But please no alternative cues like the snow speeders take flight or the alternative intro cues as these are unuseable and impossible in any edit unless you use that music in another scene for instance. But I wanted to focus more on restoration than anything radical with this.

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where does it go? or where do you think it should go.

I am going to have another go at the hoth search and echo base I think.

Can you post up a link to the part you mean? Ah I think I just found it thanks for pointing this one out got any more?

question where is the music from where Han rides the taun taun into echo base?

I am going to move that transition sting to when the door shuts and see what it does..(Did not Work It actually cancels out the emphasis) But I think I would not make any further additions from the unused score the Hoth Search is that final thorn in my side on this score restoration ideas. It may need score originally intended for another part of the film to be used to kill all the dead air while Han is on the Taun Taun. The way Willams scored these scene was pretty awful It may prove tricky to find a suitable alternative. So this is the final hurdle. But I would still love to see others ideas if anyone wants to offer any up.

Echo Base V2

http://vimeo.com/101690630

Ok Fishmanlee I have restored the light fanfare.. To do this I had to rebuild the background track so I had to add background noise Taun Tauns sound effects and as an added bonus I have added Taun Taun Footstep sounds that were always missing. Not only does this re-score sound better but It's like it should always have been this way. I think I got it pretty seamless it's very hard to spot that it's an edit and I think this is possibly the best I could do. So thanks for pointing it out I am extremely happy with the way it came out and I hope you like it. I also improved upon the the proper start point for when Han shakes Reikens hand. Anyone fond of seeing how a piece of music can change a scene should check this out.

Hoth Seach V2

http://vimeo.com/101690904


Ok now I am still not entirely happy with this, I think it needs shaving back more but I will show where I am at at this time. This is about my 6th or 7th attempt and still not happy here. I used the transition sting to emphasize lukes final collapse and had to improvise with a cue from another part. Although it works it does not feel 100% right so I think it needs another attempt I knew this one would be tricky but I could use some help on a more foreboding piece of score that I can't seem to find anything that fit's perfectly. But I restored the cue after the door shuts. You will have to watch it to see what I mean.

There something I felt I needed to add as these 2 clips are now directly related in terms of music. It was an important part of the decision process. The Light fanfare which now replaces part of the vader theme as Han rides into echo base is somewhat repated in the sustained strings and harp. It was meant to conjure up the image of han riding through the door again whilst Leia is standing by the door brooding. This is an explaination of my choices. So these 2 clips are linked by theme to help try to convey this. It's the best I could do and although initially I was not happy I have started to warm to it more.

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The Next things I do will be re-scores of the special edition additions that use repeated score and I may have another go at Hoth Search but this won't be for a while due to work comitments. So I hope you enjoy the clips and I welcome anyone else to post up a unused score edit or a rescore of their own. It can be a lot of fun and I have enjoyed doing this small demo project and I hope you like what you have heard and don't disagree with my decisions that I made but if you do or you don't say so!

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I have bumped this but there are 2 things I wanted to raise from studying the music and comparing the footage.

1. If the fanfare from "the imperial probe" was to introduce echo base. Then that would mean at one time the footage was laid out that way. The probe droid arose from the crater and then we cut to Han riding the taun taun into the launch bay. So this would have happened after Luke got dragged off by the Wampa. So this means that this theme in the restored music video got scrapped and re-written out but they still used a score from arrival on dagobah. Probably because they shifted the probe droid to an earlier point in the footage.

2. Hoth Search unused score... Now I am not 100% about this but I said earlier that the way John Williams scored these scenes was pretty awful. I am now going to retract that statement and say that the music that is unused was scored to luke being chased by the Wampa through the snow. It sounds bad with the footage because it was never intended to go with this footage in the first place. Or it's the Probe Droid Vs the Wampa scene which is story boarded.

That is quite important in so much as the cues that have been demonstrated in the restored music video are totally wrong because they never went with this footage originally. only a small section matches the film properly. That is the only explaination I can give but if it is just bad scoring then well no wonder it got cut out.

The rest of the videos seem to be spot on accurate apart from these 2. I don't think any score was written for Han on Taun Taun hence why it remains without music. But if the themes in that piece of music was meant to be a menacing snow creature chasing luke.. Then that also gives me another idea....

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Back at my PC Stumbled across a cue that I found through listening to the radio drama.

It is a transition cue for when Luke is in the med center. The interesting thing is because the way the footage is laid out it plays over the bacta tank scene. The Bacta tank was in the fourth draft so I am going to draw a conclusion of this is a restored cue for the bacta tank sequence. Missing the planned sudden flash of light that is described in the script as luke writhes about as the robot puts his arm on the side of the tank, please download the clip below to hear it.

http://vimeo.com/101692029

I have not spent long on this as the background track would need rebuilding the score that was used possibly removing with sound effects but it is possible to restore this cue partially I think the music that comes directly before it was meant for luke writhing about in the water as described in the script in footage we have yet to see or cancelled due to the accident Hamil Had in the Bacta Tank.... Perhaps they toned this scene down after that? That is pure conjecture but it seems to fit the description and the footage.

Anyway I think It was meant for this moment, It has the rebel base feel to the sound which Williams scored. The other thing to note is the horrible transition cut between music score that needs a smother transition between hyperspace and the snow speeders take flight. Really sloppy... Hyperspace needs fading out sooner and perhaps the flight of the snow speders a bit sooner (Timpani hit) of which I have not touched but It needs fixing as it was a poor audio edit and you will clearly hear the awkward cut if you listen closely as zev says "Echo Base". to properly sort out this messy transition would require cutting away to an exterior shot of the snow speeder to allow more time to sort it in an un-messy way unless an unscored audio track could be obtained that is.. Or even perhaps hyperspace simply needs to overlap with the snow speeders take flight to smooth it out.

The full score can be heard here which includes the omitted parts of the snowspeeders take flight & Bacta tank cues at the end. If it's not the Bacta tank then these cues could possibly be for the Wampa attack on echo base but because the radio drama uses this cue where it does It's a more tell tale sign of that it is the Bacta tank sequence rather than anything else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUO4fC9zfJI

The music used in the Bacta tank is from "Luke's Nocturnal Visitor." upon where he meets yoda on dagobah.

I really would like to restore snow speeders take flight but there is a couple of barriers. Isolated voice track and extra shots to pad the sequence out, That is a tough call but it would also require a slight altered timimng as Zev would say his lines at a totally different time but they kept the cues in tact for the ending. I will have a go at it but it won't be pretty so I will fore warn as I have no way of isolating the voice track.

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Mp3 edit of flight of the Snowspeeders straming link

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/oldd2q440jl793c/snowspeeders+take+fligh+timing+rough.wav

Ok I have roughly worked out where the dialogue sits within the sequence of flight of the Snowspeeders. I think I am pretty much right. The problem I have now is how do I actually get this to go with the footage? I had to simply chop the audio for the dialogue including the score that is present in the origibal (hyperspace).

Probably beyond my skill but the issue here is there is  a missing shot in the middle or perhaps 2 but It really needs to be accompanied by footage so as It can be worked out where the missing shots need to go. It's a headache and It can be worked out but it is not easy, There is also the issue of can zevs lines be isolated from a mix say a 5:1 mix.

If you care enough to listen to this then you will realize that hyperspace was a poor substitute for what Williams actually did and how he really was at the peak of his masterful scoring. the score fits extremely well around the dialogue and complements everything that is happening.

So I have done the groundwork on where his lines sit. now I need help in this hole I am in. There is definitely a seperation gap in the middle and this springs to mind.

Questions and help please...

1.Is it possible to isolate Zev.s lines from say a mix say 5:1 mix for empire strikes back SE or any version out there?

2. has anyone the skill and a decent video editing suite that can easily time the footage to the audio.? even with a still image on the missing scenes

I will leave it there and I hope someone can help me out on this because it is really tricky.

The footage was only shifted in the timeline and was not altered so if the footage lines up with the audio there is only scenes or shots of snowspeeders cut nothing more that is important as it means it is possible to restore music and sequence this in terms of footage and exterior special effects shots but unless zevs lines get impersonated or can be isolated it is not.

The music directly preceeding flight of the snow speeders is for the probe droid emerging from hybernation. which relates to this image.


The script clearly states dawn, and this concept is in the dawn so that is concept art for that scene that got cut that comes directly before the flight of the snow speeders. Flight of the snowspeeders also could be argued was not dawn like enough.

So If a scene has concept art and full color one at high detail that means that this scene carried quite a bit of weight and importance. And the only thing I can put on this is that this scene overlapped with the speeders searching for Han and Luke and inferred that the speeders were the probe droids tip off to the location of Echo Base. I am guessing but I think that is a pretty informed guess based on the planned position and the music that is not part of the snow speeder search.

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So a little more detective work and I have known about this for some time this is the other awkward audio cut in Empire strikes Back.

What's more amusing is many people will slag the special edition off for ruining the music when actually the music has been ruined from the original thetrical release with about 5 seconds cut from it.

I am talking about Lukes Rescue from the underside of cloud city of course. I do agree the special edition totally ruined the music and the pacing the way it was cut and edited but the this piece has always never been complete.

Here is a rough streaming audio clip that shows where the missing 5 seconds occur.

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/ujwk3a5b84kodn2/cloud+city+rescue+rough+timimng.wav

Now the thing about this particular cut is that the footage has never been released and it would be very difficult to restore this small section of music of about 5 seconds to the film. But judging by script entries vs the music it seems that the film had been streamlined down and because of this the music cut happened. But I think that we are talking about 2 missing shots in those 5 seconds. one of Lando clambouring to get luke in the flacon and a shot of chewie growling and the falcon rocking due to a nearby explosion / flak blast. They seem to have changed the tempo of the music throughout the sequence to accomodate the footage and smooth out the cut's to footage. It would be really interesting to see how this sequence played before the cuts I hope one day we get to see this missing 5 seconds. It starts with a slightly extended shot of Lando looking around which we see in the Empire Strikes Back trailer...

Wether this scene could be recreated with small stop motion figures of Lando and Luke on the top side of the falcon. A shot of Chewie could be perhaps re-used when the blast occurs and then cut to Leia for her concern. 5 seconds is not much footage. But even I have to wonder if this is also possible or not.

I also want to refer to the 8mm mono track that has Leia saying "Hurry we've got company" now this is placed after she says "Lando?" I am going to say that this line was delivered prior to this before the BOOM! that rocks the falcon then we would see Lando struggle with Luke cut back to Leia then saying "Lando?" But this audio line further backs up that the scene was only a small part Lando ontop of the falcon The majority of the sequence was in cockpit of those 5 seconds. Again I am guessing but The music backs it up by there being no flourish with the explosion mentioned in the script.

Just found the missing cockpit shot... First time I have ever seen it so my hunch was right. "Hurry, we've got company"...Bang!

This brings me to the end of the cut score for this demo project and I can't help but want to see the version we not only never heard but also never saw. I looked through the Original trilogy story boards book yesterday and neither Lando rescuing Luke on top of the falcon or the probe droid at dawn are in the the book. Strange that... Perhaps they were never story boarded but if they have the probe droid going into to hibernation during the blizzard why did they not story board the probe droid emerging and continuing it's search... It's in the script so this just seems like a weird thing to leave out. They have alternative scenes of Luke being rescued being scooped up by the falcon which I don't think ever got made into film they obviously were going with Lando pulling him inside on top of the falcon but it never has seen the light of day. Hibernating probe droid is not something I feel that needs to be seen in the film but a shot of the probe droid at dawn and perhaps becoming alerted to the Snowspeeders is though and that to me makes perfect sense in terms of a worthy edit to make not only because Mcquarrie did art for it but it helps as a reminder to the threat the probe droid poses and put 1 and 1 together to explain what happened (Snowspeeders rescuing Han and Luke Gave away the location of Echo Base).

Unless anyone can point anything else out about cut score then I think I will draw my part to a close on this and welcome anyone to pitch up any ideas or what ever they think.

Anyway I'll just leave this here.....

So now for some more radical edits....

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Before I do anymore on this I wanted to do a bit of house keeping so now all links are streaming links. That way it is easier to watch and listen, and I hope this makes it easier for people. I was busy doing the actual sound editing at the time so I felt this needed to be updated. Hope this means more people will stop in to have a listen and hopefully enjoy.

Thanks

And as this project is half love of the film and music and part detective work there is something I have been thinking about Han on the Taun Taun. I think the music that is claimed to be for R2 and C3-PO's chat before Luke Collapses could be music score for Han Solo riding the Taun Taun because it is similar to the music when Han get's to Luke and put's him inside the Taun Taun. This could be a myth dispelled about what people have claimed to be music for the R2 scene may have always been intended to be for Han on the Taun Taun. Not Sure about that yet but it's a very strong hunch that I have.

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I think it may be 50/50 part of that music is for R2 and C3PO and part of it is for Han... I have cut the film as close to the 4th draft as possible with an acceptance of early 5th draft changes to script.... It plays out a bit different but It works well enough but has one missing shot of Han on the Taun Taun riding out of echo base. The only way to get to the bottom of the muddle is to cut the film as if it were the 4th draft and see what happens as the revisions are not available for the 5th draft so it's guess work.

I have also noticed another awkward cut to score when C3-PO and R2 go to talk to Han by the falcon so this will have an edit soon but I plan to do as close as I can 4th/ early 5th draft reconstruction if possible. But it's not easy and will take time. I may also be wrong about the probe droid at dawn I need to figure out how long is missing from the score as It cut's in at the end of Han trying to save Luke so we must assume that perhaps this scene was silent as there is a break in the score before the snowspeeders take flight kicks in proper.

Ok I promised something a bit radical here you go.

"Rogue Flight Prepare to Launch"

http://vimeo.com/101787038

"Rogue Flight Prepare to Launch" taken from the Empire Strikes Back Radio drama and inserted to the film. This Slightly pumps up the prelude to battle and thinking of 5:1 sound mixes I wondered if this would work well in the rear speakers like the announcement would be pushing the viewer out the door... Anyway I like it hope other people like the idea.

Han to the rescue

http://vimeo.com/101791068

This was just an edit to smooth out the cut to the music once again it features a one note re-score to tail it off and prevent the tangent of score that comes after it so it feels like a complete piece.

Hoth Search Final

http://vimeo.com/101798979

The thorn in my side is gone now... I have eliminated all the dead air from the sequence of Han searching for Luke in the snow. Hope you enjoy it both a video an audio edit this time but It was not as complicated as I thought and there is still some improvisation in there but I think it works well I could get used to it rather than all the silence. The scene needed emotion not intensity... It now has emotion from John Williams. But it is more a case of pulling one out the bag than restoring any known cues as I said before I not saying this is how John Williams intended it to be but I have got rid of the dead air and that is what I wanted to achieve so it's a "way of doing it" which nobody else has come up with and the restored music video is quite frankly awful so I'd settle for silence over that video on Starwarz.com but I'd settle for my video over silence if you catch my drift. It's also using music that was intended for this part of the film and not like music edits in the original film that pulls music from score that was never intended to go in this parts that they put it in. So It's not as radical as the original in that sense but it's the best I could do.

Snowspeeders take flight

http://www.mediafire.com/listen/p6mdx2wq3aicyfp/snow+speeders+take+flight+EDIT.wav

Ok another straming link for now but more discovery as I extracted the 5:1 audio removed as much as I could to isolate the voice of Zev and synched it all up properly but still to add it to video... Here's what I think I found out.

1. Missing shot of the sunrise before the sequence starts Whoops no Black screen perhaps

2. Missing shot of snowspeeder in the middle like pictured below

3. Probe droid comes after the speeder lands in echo base??? Or I think it does. Or it See's the speeders taking off?

4. Synched up the Bacta Tank cues properly???.. This is probably the transition back to echo base Landing Bay from the probe droid??? Not Sure..

I will ask again if someone can help out on the video side of things here again, I have not yet put the audio to the footage but I have also a sneaky feeling that some shots may have been sped up a bit. So is it getting a bit more exciting now? Anyone can help do a small edit? I have never seen a restored version that incorporates the cues the way I am saying it is. I am not just putting music over footage I am trying to rebuild it so as we can appreciate what It might have been like... Please help anyone?

So having slept on this piece of music that follows the rescue of Han and Luke by the Snowspeeders I am settling on that the Mcquarrie Image is the Hard Braking before Zev Landed.

Now The Empire strikes Back "Jaws" influenced section.

It's not a chase scene but it's a different take on the unseen monster... Instead of a shark it is the probe droid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWLO4acMTCM

The similarities between the cut music and the jaws motif theme are very similar indeed. Getting Closer getting closer Snow Speeders fly off Back to echo base. The Radio Drama situates this music in the tent with Luke dragging him out but the music sounds nothing like a struggle it sounds like a hunt or a chase. Although it's a dupe because the probe droid does not want to eat them. But only to Hunt them... And tell on them.

Anyway I have now edited to video and although I cannot honestly account for the music that comes afterwards because I still have my doubts about what it is for... I can't be 100&

I will post it up soon. The main thing to celebrate about doing this restoration of the music has shown me the fade through black and the wind howling over the black screen and then we fade into daybreak weather it's "hyperspace" or "The Snowspeeders take flight" The one thing I am pleased that I have discovered is the black screen with sound. An absolute improvement in the pacing of the scene hands down. I think it works a treat. So no more Mumbo Jumbo  about what might have been but I think the next phase is to abandon restoring snow speeders take flight and concentrate on smoothing the cut bewteen hyperspace and this piece.

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SNowspeeders Take Flight. Luke's Rescue

http://vimeo.com/102392112

So I could not restore the original music the isolated voice track from Removing the soundtrack was not good enough. This is what I settled on.

1.Added faint shivering sounds to Luke when in the Taun Taun from Radio Drama

2. Extended the music prior to the scene transitioning to the next day and held a Black Screen with only music and Sound effects Everything drops out piece by piece and then gradually builds back up again. I think this is the main improvement to the transition. It really gives a lot more time for things to set in, I think it helps make the search a bit more dramatic also as It's not rushing to get on with the rescue. I only did this because this is what the music that plays led me to, in the original film it fades of before there is a natural fade off in the music so it's either not intended to go like this with the footage or it was meant to be a much slower transition like I have interpreted as. Which I think is interesting how it was cut off short to get to the next scene quicker rather than waiting a bit longer.

3. Smoothed the cut between "Hyperspace" and the "Snowspeeders take flight" 

I am Also unsure about this music that comes after in the piece so I have not altered the music in The Bacta Tank this should stay as is on Reflection as I am not sure it is for this part at all.

Hope you folks enjoy it.

The only technique that I can conceive to actually get a full range to zev's voice so as his voice could be isolated would be to record somone doing at least a half decent impersonation of him and say the lines exactly the same. Because "Hyperspace" for the most part is in the lower band of the audio spectrum most of Zev's accent is reatined after the soundtrack is removed so It may be possible to add the impersonation and what's left over from the soundtrack removal to rebuild zev's lines to a fuller sounding voice. The impersonation to restore the bass in his voice and keep what is possible from the original actor. Kind of like a mixture of two voices to create one voice.

Snowspeeders Take Flight Restored

http://vimeo.com/102512839

So this was the one you probably wanted to see.... That music that I did not know what it was for is actually for the BACTA TANK. This is the best effort I could muster to restore the full sequence with the original music. Zev's voice is not good enough I accept that.
Anyway it's been a headache I still think it may be a bit incorrect you will notice where it is :) but it is nearly there now for how it was intended originally. Even just for curiosity it is a fun ride. Funny how I said the Jaws inspired moment ended up being the Bacta Tank after all with Luke in Scuba Gear perhaps John Williams got a bit carried away or Lucus put him up to it. Funny either way. It must of been a bit more of him thrashing about than the cuts we see in the film. The Transition is when we cut to C3-PO and R2 wether that should be reatined could perhaps work?

Escape From Echo Base

http://vimeo.com/102441750

Restored the music from where the Falcon escapes from Echo Base. Found a small cinematic from the SEGA Star Wars Trilogy Arcade Game. I used this for the missing special effects shot in the sequence to restore the cues. Although crude it's interesting to hear the full build up without the cuts. I have to also say that I agree with the cut's when the storm troopers are shot and Leia speaks so I don't think they did any major wrong. But the few seconds that are missing on the FX shots are important bits of the music that should not have been cut especially "Punch it".

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A re-do and a rescore...

Escape From Echo Base Final

http://vimeo.com/103070044

Redone this one as It was not correct now it is a lot better and rebuilt the sound mix where neccesary removing the whining falcon sounds and putting a better breath sound for Vader. The clip I used for the missing shot is actually got the falcon the wrong way round but It conveys the period of time that is missing from the sequence. All in all. This needs to be restored to the film without doubt in my mind. Should have been in the special edition.

Bespin Fly Through Rescore

http://vimeo.com/103070504

Rescored using music suggestion. Instead of the music that was used for the special edition for this scene which is repeated score. I have chosen to repeat another bit of score for when Yoad warns Luke he "Will Be" Afraid. This music not only fits the tone of the scene better but goes as far to suggest this is what yoda could see coming when he warned Luke to Be afraid. I think it works and improves the tone and gives a bit more substance to a scene which otherwise Is just special effects shots. Only Just noticed that the sound of the door opening is late and has bad timing so that needs fixing too. But I am not going to bother at this point. That is a film error not my error.

Once again anyone who drops by to listen and watch hope you enjoy them and feel free to comment on these or anything else I have done.... Only a few more to go. Including a re-do of the probe droid scene.

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Thanks for the feedback and It's not something I feel strongly about changing, It's an idea from quite a while back now that I came up with.

What I think it does though is give the cloud car the back seat and Leia the front seat where as in the special edition music it draws more attention to the cloud car flying in front of the window. This music I used I think draws more attention to Leia pacing up and down by the window and stays with her through to her "Somethings Wrong" .

It's no biggie but I thought I would share it. This is a bit different from the rest as it is 100% re-score and no restoration of unused cues. and I think you are right this has now gone a bit flat with this change.

I spent a long time trying to take this back to the orignal cues today and it's not easy to fill the middle. There could be another way though....

With regard to the escape from Echo Base restored music... Something that now watching again to do with video is Vader now the wrong side of "Punch It!"? Perhaps these 2 need switching around the other way in the timeline. Or a better description might be Vader has always been the wrong side of "Punch it!".

Bespin Fly Through Final

http://vimeo.com/103312836

I have tried very hard with this not totally happy with it but I have managed to restore the music from the original whilst having to add lib in the middle. First off the transition is a bad one from "There is another" so I smoothed this out by starting the music a bit sooner to smooth that over. That also meant rebuilding the whole sound mix for the x-wing fly by's but also meant that the music does not line up exactly how it used to but I don't think there is any damage from this. Then I also had to rebuild the sound mix for the cloudcars and fill the gap with music in the middle before finally restoring the music and sound effects from the original when Leia is by the window. The music in the original does much the same as what I was trying to achieve with the re-score. Focus on Leia not on cloudcars. Anyway this has taken a while so hope this is considered at least a good effort and brings back the original feel of the scene whilst keeping the special edition footage. I am starting to nod this though compared to the special edition version.

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Meet Lando

http://vimeo.com/103586338

Some restored Music and added the sound effect for the space train as it passes under the landing platform. Tried to extract the sound from the DVD menu this is the best I could do to retain the missing sound effect for the special edition fx shot.

Renegade Squadron

http://vimeo.com/103586290

This is Star Wars remember? It's a team effort the command center is in contact with the pilots right? Yes I remember... So I tried to get the feel of the original film back in to Empire Strikes Back like what we had at Yavin. It's the Hub of operations we hear the pilots over the PA on open channel so I thought I would try to fix that a bit. This is a small audio edit but I think it works to feel like you are still with the pilots even though you are in the command center.

Retreat!!!

http://vimeo.com/103600131

This is a good example of padding out an existing sound mix. I think it came out really well. It's the scene where Han goes to get Leia from the command center but the mix has been padded no more mute background actors and added sound for C3-PO. there is also a bit of audio from the theatrical cut which is not present in the SE on top of elements from the radio drama. I think I nailed this one.

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So I now am drawing this mini project to a close, but I think if anything I managed to flesh out a few ideas and although some of those ideas need a bit more work I have a good frame work in mind for a number of Audio edits some of which I am not shown.

Anyway to draw this to a close I did a couple more and I hope if you watch them then you enjoy them.

Bespin Rescue / Shuttle Edit

http://vimeo.com/104834523

This is something that I have had some ideas for a long time and in the process of doing the rough edit a new one came into play also. The changes are as follows.

1. Tie Fighter Sound added to back up Lando's excuses that Tie-Fighters are present at cloud city

2. When Luke falls upside down I put a new impact sound as the sound they used for this sounded something like a mario game or like a cartoon grapes being crushed. So I changed this and added a rattle to the weather vein for consistancy.

3. Restored Line from Leia "we Have to Go Back" removing "I know where Luke is"

4. Put Back "Bring My shuttle"

5. Rebuilt sound mix for Luke Hanging under Cloud City improvised a music cue and inserted the shuttle leaving before the Falcon get's back to cloud city.

I timed this to the SE Audio but really I would have liked to Have timed it to the original theatrical but as a rough mock up this will suffice. I also wanted to add the missing 5 seconds when Luke is on top ofthe Falcon but I am at a loss for creating an extra shot/ shots to fill the gap so that is not possible at this time. Remember this is only still rough mock up edit. In my mind there is still a bit more to add to this including extra music but the premise is there for the basic frame work I have in mind.

Extra C3PO Line

http://vimeo.com/104834596

When Han Leia and C3PO are running for the falcon in Echo Base I added an extra line to C3PO for Fun.

So If you followed what I was doing thanks for watching and listening but that is all for now I may attempt a full edit next year and do it 100% seriously. But at this time I wanted to only flesh out some ideas. Thanks Again.

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So for a bit of an experiment I edited the audio during the Carbon Freeze Chamber section. This Happened to comprise of a number of Audio edits so I felt it was worth Sharing even if only for interest purposes.

Carbon Freeze Chamber Alarm and Vader

http://vimeo.com/109903874

So here is a brief Changelist.

1. Extracted the sound of the alarm, and changed it so that the alarm starts when the pipe is struck by Vader because I thought it made more sense.

2. The Alarm continues to sound off at the same volume until they both move away from the area.

3. Edited Some of the sounds Vader makes when he get's hurt.

4. Added a better sound when Luke Lands after he does his somersault as the sound that is present does not sound correct compared to previous sounds of ground hit's or falling on the metal so this makes a nice difference I think

Nothing too radical and by no means am I sure about these changes apart from Lukes somersault but It was something I thought I would simply experiment with and put to the test as In the original mix the alarm is quieter in the SE mix it is louder but they both feature the same flaw that it fades off to make way for the characters voices. Alarms don't do that so I thought I would try and go for realism and see how it plays.

One last thing about this clip the sound that brings Vaders attention to Luke being up above him.Is that Luke slipping down by accident? My guess is that a pipe or something gave way where he was hiding. Possibly another sound effect to add here of metal straining before it gives way then the story will be told better.

EDIT:

I decided to add the creaking Metal and re-upload so this has also been added for extra flavor, does it all tie together?I don't think any other section of the duel needs any audio editing and I have done my best for this part hope you enjoy it :)

Anyway have fun and Happy Halloween.

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Oh well I thought I should share a small horror story that had a happy ending...

Carbonite Block Slam

http://vimeo.com/110114533

So I found that in the special edition mix of ESB the Block of Carbonite that Han is encased in when it falls to the ground the sound effect is late and is not timed correctly compared with the original theatrical mix. The theatrical mix is without fault. But because the sound effect is late it is actually a positive thing in terms of editing the sound effect to give the momment more impact and keep the same sound effect going a bit longer. Yes It is annoying and ridiculous that they got it wrong but also It is easy to fix and make it have slightly more impact.

So I was hoping to have a good weekend but instead I have been couped up indoors sniffling away full of flu.. So I got bored and did another edit.

After The Bounty Hunter

http://vimeo.com/110114584

Lando get's 3 extra lines of dialogue and acts as a guide. The last line I think is especially important as we never knew what their next objective was after failing to catch Bobba Fett so I thought this is a good thing and gives a nice narration. I also think this last extra line is a bit shoe horned in and I spent quite a while playing with a place for it to go. This is what I finally settled on in the video. I think it is ok It could be better perhaps I don't know. I again did my best with it.

If that first Video does not manage to spark any comments I really have no idea what will?

There is one more edit that I am going to attempt this week and I have been pulling together resources to make it possible it's going to be a bit of a behemoth of an audio edit and will take quite some time as It is a bit complicated so stay tuned for the last chapter over this small holiday season, as after this week I am flat out back to working stupid amount of hours again and there won't be any more edits for quite some time.

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So the final chapter arrives....

Escape From Cloud City Remix

http://vimeo.com/110375670

Password: remix

This is both Audio and Video Edit please ignore video quality it is all about timing and audio mainly the Video part is another job. ok a step by step changelist.

1. Theatrical mix kicks it off - the audio takes are better for C3PO and I needed to use the timing for the video also

2. We then cut to custom sound mix for Lando's announcement - The Sample makes a lot more sense on the exterior shot of cloud city. I then incorporated the gout mix for the second line along with Gout footage.

3. We then cut to the special addition mix for R2 frying himself, re-timings of footage his footage is bundled together so this is all now one action rather than divided as It has always been it now happens all in one go.

4 Back to Theatrical mix

5. Back to Special Edition mix on Chewie shooting Storm Trooper and then we stay with it until the end.

6. improved the clarity of C3PO saying "Fixed" as it sounds helmet muffled voice

7. Added Extra bits of dialogue a storm trooper Shouts and C3-PO has an additional line etc small additions

8. When Chewie Put's Down C3-PO it now makes a small sound

9. The Falcon taking off sound has been enhanced and It will take off for longer with the music

It's been a lot of work and I really hope it has been worth it, It's very close extremely close but no cigar smoking just yet. :) Thanks for watching and have a great Halloween / Fireworks whatever no more from me for a while please feel free to comment I have tried very hard to do my best this has taken me about 20 hours to do like I said almost there...

EDIT

I have redone the announcement part of this a re-uploaded and made a few minor adjustments I would say it is now there in terms of a way to do it. I think I have improved this part and now it's all in. I think I will smoke that cigar now :) Updated the changelist

A hint about my next edit in the picture below but it won't be for a while.

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Hoth Battle Part 1

http://vimeo.com/112213650

Password: bigfoot

This is still a WIP but I have got this far still needs a bit of tweaking around I think but it is a teaser as I am going to do the whole battle also. New Soundmix putting in missing AT-AT footsteps and a few other things.I think I have helped the audio match what is actually happening on the screen a bit more but the actual mix may need volume changes so it's still placeholder at the present somewhat.

There is a couple of small video edits which I think are noteworthy. When Wedge flies through the AT-AT's legs I trimmed and re-timed to get rid of horrible trailing leg of the AT-AT and on the shot where the tow cable strikes the leg I added a pan and zoom to give the leg the feeling that it is moving and not just hanging static in mid air. A really simple solution to a bad looking shot.

More to come at a later time but I did this in what little spare time that I have so no more until Late December by the earliest.

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So I decided to finish what I started as I had it planned for a few weeks, so I kind of lied about not doing anymore but I felt like doing it this morning so I did this edit.

Betrayal at Bespin

http://vimeo.com/113088613

Password : bespin

So this is a scene re-arrangement edit primarily but I really do think it works on a number of levels. it is also a bit long winded but It needs to be so you can see how the re-arrangement effects how the sequence plays out.

1. Changed sound of Han's Blaster shooting at Vader

2. Inserted edited shot of Shuttle on Landing Platform and added music score. Now this needs a lot more work namely to be better done and animated perhaps have a storm trooper standing guard perhaps a cloud car flying overhead and last but not least an actual model of the shuttle rather than a matte drawing.

3. We cut straight to chewie in the cell

4. Boba Fett voice restored

5. Re-inserted Luke arriving at Bespin as per the 4th Draft script and re-did the transitions whilst also including a bit more music score to the scene as I think he should fly towards the planet for a bit longer with the music.

This scene re-arrangement I think put's the sequence in a  better order and keeps what is happening closer to time otherwise it feels like Luke is nearly there but actually takes a long time to still actually get there whilst also feeling disjointed and destroys any foreboding about the other characters needing to be rescued by him before any consequence of them being captured / tortured and so fourth. It is not really exciting but I think it makes sense  as far as real time is concerned.

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So I have been focusing on scene re-arrangement recently but unfortunately due to some unseen circumstances with a very close family member illness never nice around Christmas time this project is currently on hold indefinitely.

Constant trips to the hospital and everything like that is taking my time away amongst everything else that I have to do.

So this is possibly the last edit I will do for quite some time until later next year I don't know when to be honest at the moment there are other scene re-arrangements that I want to try especially the probe at the start of the film but it will all have to wait now until when ever that is, so I leave you with my most radical edit yet and I hope anyone who is following what I have been doing enjoys the clip It was a hell of a lot of work to re-score this section and it is still WIP please let me know if you like it or do not like it. But if anything I should make you feel like you are watching it for the first time again but different It is very radical edit and was fun to do but I tried to pump some drama in there too. Closer to real time....All music used was composed by John Williams for The Empire Strikes Back.

Hoth Battle Re-score & Scene re-arrangement

http://vimeo.com/114880331

A small but recent discovery leads me to the transition for when the Falcon reaches Bespin. Here is the original Transition.

But going by the 4th draft script and taking into account the closing iris transition should it have been a bit more like this.

Curious about this one... I think there may be music to back this up also but I have not checked yet. Did they keep the iris transition but fail to complete this shot? This shot is in the script (4th Draft) Certainly much more arty farty too... I am almost 100% that this is what they originally planned for the sequence but I cannot be totally confident. But I think it would work a lot better so case closed gonna say yeah had to be. No Music just checked so perhaps they wrote this one off or it was meant to be sound effects only after the Harp gliss and add a break in the score.

Edit:

Just realized the symmetry between the cut scene and the reveal of Vader... Very interesting indeed

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Ok so I was meant to be doing some work which is really boring to do and doing it in my own time but I got distracted, and I have been concentrating on over the shoulder POV shots from the Snowspeeders.

I checked the thread here about scales and I think I am almost right but I have struggled to get my head around this. So here is where I am at with this so far. I need help!

The green is a guestimation of the chasis.

Again the green is a guess of where the Chasis is.

Not sure how to do this 3d CGI model I guess but It is not a problem on full framed cockpits but only on over the shoulder shots. This is something that would be really cool to break that tin can feeling on these shots but I have no hope of doing this. But I would appreciate someone who is familiar with the scaling to check my positions of the chasis. It's been a real racking of my brain to figure this out so far. There is also the air inlet which would be visible on these shots. I think it is 5 in total one with Zev searching for Han & Luke 4 in the battle.

Basically the guns and a part of the chasis should be visible on any downward and wide framed window. As I have stated previously if it is a full front pov cockpit it is not an issue due to camera position and the guns and chasis would be out of sight. as for getting the position 100% correct I perhaps don't have the skill not my forte but If anyone want's to have a go and takes an interest I am interested in what you will say or correct it because I am struggling with it. I don't think this last image is at all correct... might not see any of the ship here or only a small bit the gun on the right would be a lot further back in the frame.

I have got my head around the angles a bit better but, it is too difficult for me this so last update on this I will leave it here though as I will try something  even if I am struggling.

Side on the right is more correct but, i know it is still not correct 100%. This is very difficult. I will leave it there though for now not going to pursue this any further out of my skill level I think or I might come back to it later because it is nagging me..

Oh yeah and Luke would have crashed in his video torpedo cockpit when he flies through the AT-AT legs!!!! They did not take the width of the ship into account would make for a funny video I think.

Nearly there...or there abouts it was nagging me. Edit reverted to a previous version was more correct...

hmmmm Jet Stream :) proof that it is nearly beyond me the texturing definitely is.

This is incorrect but what I wanted to say is that this could be done using a combination of three separate 2d images as a matte that being the chasis the gun and the flat plate. There is not too much movement to the actual camera on these cockpit shots so it should not be too difficult apart from the angles and the scale.

Please please and please again any good artists out there feel they can take this on as a still image for fun, please share it with me, I would love to see it :) I wish I was better at art but you know when it is just something that you were not gifted with well that is me.

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Escape from Echo Base new Version

http://vimeo.com/116947635

I figured out a few new things about this sequence and I had already noticed a few things when I did it before this is now much better and has faster pacing and re-shuffled I think correctly.

There is a few cut's here also sorry about that but it is for the best in my humble opinion. scenes have also been re-arranged so that it flows better as per 4th draft script which is also a total incoherent mess by the way on this scene 3 versions of the scene are repeated. I did my best to increase the pacing and I think I succeeded in that.

Whats missing?

Laser bolts firing at 3po when he is being pulled through the door

A chunk of ice falls on top of the falcon while they are running towards it in the Hanger matte shot.

Cockpit Flashes from the stormtroopers shooting at the cockpit

The Falcon hovering and the door opening need to be 1 shot killing 2 birds with one stone. when the falcon flys out the doors should still be opening. Laser bolts so fourth.

Thanks for watching, hope you enjoy seeing it a bit differently.

Further notes

The door may start to open earlier than I have in the clip after the gun that pops out the falcon shoots the firs storm trooper.

The Death of general veers means that it would transition into the last rebel transport calling for princess leia and saying they could not wait much longer. This would be scored with the music from the scene I cut where the hereos run past the old Wampa door.

I put the wampa door scene after 3po get's dragged through the door by Han, I think that is where it goes in the timeline but the wampa sub plot does not exist in the film so it is no good to keep it in my opinion.

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Escape from Cloud City corrected sequences.

http://vimeo.com/119593326

It's only taken me about 2 years to finally figure this out but I had the Eureka moment today. It consists of 2 sequences re-arranged I think in the correct order in terms of footage

There is no Audio mix. I was purely concentrating on getting the scenes into the correct order. It's a lovely experience to watch it, if you ask me Enjoy it for all it is worth. This is a major milestone for me in figuring out what the hell was going on with the way they edited this part and no script will give up these answers it all just fell in to place somehow.

I now feel that I have blown the lid on how screwed up the editing of this film really is and how amazing the film making was and how some of it was totally butchered beyond what it was meant to be. You could be shocked you might just choose to think I am wrong.

Now there is one last thing to mention and it is perhaps we have a missing Shot of R2 D2? it could be a mistake the shuffle I made here so it is possible that the extinguisher shot of R2 letting off the smoke stays in it's original location in the sequence and the missing shot would go where I have moved this shot to. Or there is a missing shot of R2 and this leads into the extinguisher shot in the location I have it in Other than that I think this is 100% correct.

I have slept on this and I am just happy I finally have a bit of closure on this puzzling part of the film. I am not sure if I will attempt to re-score and re-dub the sound effects and re-create it yet. But the music cues will obviously be effected but I wonder how this matches up to the theatrical version vs SE version obviously the falcon taking off has always been way off so this goes someway to explaining why the music never really matched up with the footage correctly.

It's not 100% correct and it never will be too many missing pieces of footage. Random shots in a less random order is a better way to describe the clip.

Whoops! made a mistake on the first sequence R2-D2's foot is visible in the elevator I am Happy about this so it is in the right place :) and I made a balls up.

I also still have two shots the wrong way around chewie and the mark on the wall once I have all the footage confirmed by myself as in the correct order as this is very much trial and error then I will see what is missing from the sequence. The dead body of the stormtrooper has been part of the telltale signs of sussing this out but it disappears when R2D2 uses the extinguisher so what ever it does not really make any sense in the correct order still. Version 3 will be on it's way at some point.

Exhibit A

Lasers Heard but not seen

Ok my first piece of evidence and I have thought about this for a long time. On this shot a sound effect can be heard of three laser blasts that go "Pew Pew Pew" (yes I know that both reads and sounds ridiculous....But listen to it.) There are no shots fired in this shot and the sound effects also run over into the following shot. This means that there was another scene in this location at some point that had 3 laser blasts possible shooting and missing Chewie as he runs from his cover behind the wall. But I don't know this for sure but it is another tell tale sign that things are not quite right or is it simply suggestion that Chewie left his post and the sound effects are simply there to implythat is going on elsewhere. But it is important thing to note regardless of any alterations.

Exhibit B

The Dead Stormtrooper.

He is there on the first shot looking out but is in the location of where the stormtrooper in the following shots later is shooting at Chewie from.

Not only this but the numbers of storm troopers also decrease between shots but then increase again for the shot of R2 using the fire extinguisher but the Dead Stormtrooper has vanished.

There is however no Squib Mark on the wall from where Chewie shoots from in this shot.

Exhibit C

The IMPosters

These guys have no place what so ever in the latter part of the sequence. They are related to the start of the sequence although the shot has been flipped.

But this shot throws a big answer our way. This shot gives us the total amount of seconds missing from the majority sequence. Taking into account Exhibit A this means that 2.5 to 3.5 seconds of footage are missing from the point where R2D2 plugs in to the wall (Although it may not have been the start of the sequence originally all footage after this point in the film sequence as we know it is missing 2.5 to 3.5 seconds). That is factual analysis from this point.

To make an educated guess as to what fills those 2.5 to 3.5 seconds 1 second and a bit is the stormtrooper shooting behind the pillar being hit by laser fire. the remainder is to do with Chewie leaving cover and possibly R2-D2 coming back inside with lasers whizzing past the camera... What angle / direction is this shot? Probably looking from outside the door back inside the building.

Looking at the start of the sequence where these guys are meant to be... It is a lot more difficult to decipher how much is missing from this part. but including this shot into that part it probably means that we are missing no more than 5 seconds from the start. At a guess Chewie shoots one of them which would lead into the shot that follows where he would shoot the second Stormtrooper who gives chase (for which the footage exists) there is obviously a shot of Chewie running into the ambush also precursing this shot when in it's correct location.

Exhibit D

The Crossfire

There is only one place that can have crossfire across the mouth of a tunnel and that is from the area where R2-D2 Chewie and 3PO are located

Ok so although I have been messing about a bit regarding the Judge and Jury trial approach to looking at the footage (yes I am joking) I came across another cut scene which I found interesting and it could replace a highly suspicious scene from another location.

Now this image is a crap effort but it's enough to get the point over. There was meant to be a scene where the cargo bay doors shut on slave 1 and we would have possible seen Han disappear as the doors of the ship shut. Cool Eh?

Where does it go... Well it might go where Chewie turns around and 3PO says "turn round you wooly" this scene may be a part of the sequence I am looking at at the momment. or perhaps as the saying goes "as one door closes another one opens"

I am going to clear that piece of footage as being in the correct location though and just call the scene with Slave 1 a "no Budget" for this shot unfilmed. But with that said it probably would have been a low budget shot not including the ship or landing platform with 1 set wall or cargo bay floor and darkness shrounding the image of Han in Carbonite with sound effects to convey the door closing. Here is the script entry note if you had not built a full size Bobba Fett ship which shot would you choose over Bobba Climbing up the Ladder or the doors shutting. Cool Idea either way. would have denoted as 387 A /B / C

387. EXT BOBA'S SHIP - EAST LANDING PLATFORM
Imperial Stormtroopers slide Han's encased body int
o an openingin the side of the bounty hunter's ship. Boba climb
s aboard on a ladder next to the side opening.
BOBA
Seal it.
Exhibit E (back to joking around)
R2 is smoking again whilst he plugs into the wall at the second door.
This means he never left the first Door where he got electrocuted. Or is he even plugged into the wall?
Ok so last note on this for a while... One Door, One escape route keeping as much footage as I can is what I am going to do so cut's are going to happen.