Just had a chance to check out the new v2.7 and it is a BIG improvement on v2.5 colourwise. Some of the fleshtones in certain scenes are still too red for my liking but the overall improvement is pretty staggering. Great job towne32!
Do you have any plans to work on The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi Despecialized Editions?
Thanks KK.
Regarding the other two films: I think the color on ESB 2.0 is my favorite color grading of any version of a Star Wars film available to the public. Could use a few tweaks, like in the 97SE footage, but I really hope 2.5 and 3.0 stay extremely close to 2.0. Part of the motivation to do what became 2.7 was to get a version that’s a little more natural looking, and less experimental, to round out the Trilogy next to the very impressive ESB 2.0. I’m relatively indifferent to the “controversy” of whether the earlier Hoth shots should be bluer or whiter, and I’ll settle for anything that’s not crazy. I’m also fairly open minded about the interior Cloud City shots, where no one seems to know if they should be warm or cool. If an answer ever comes about, then so be it.
In Jedi, there are a couple things I toyed around with changing, as I had done some grading of the BD previously. But in looking at 2.5, I found that I preferred the vast majority of scenes to any other versions available. Sometimes the 35mm needs to compromise with the surrounding BD footage, making them compatible with neither being perfect. I think the early Sarlacc scene desert shots are a little bit green, but other sources are way too blue there. I think the only way I would consider working on Jedi for would be if another Rancor 35mm source became available that could replace the deep dark blue shots with ones that match the rest of the scene. That’s the main thing the film could use.
I realize how hypocritical it is to say that I think we all obsess a little too much about the color. That’s not to say that all of the projects relating to it aren’t great and worthwhile. But there will always be room for improvement, and it’s worth asking ourselves whether we’ll always be too critical to enjoy the films.