Blade Runner: The Version You've Never Seen Before (Update: Beta Released) — Page 5

It would make sense. The question arises from the distinction in his initial post between "alternate/deleted scenes" and "raw dailies". If these dailies are something else altogether, I personally find that prettttty exciting.

Sorry guys, I don't check this forum often, so my replies might sometimes be sluggish.

The question of raw dailes vs deleted scenes...

They are two completely different things. The deleted/alternate scenes are taken from the edited ones on the set, although I have made a few minor modifications to integrate them into the film better--the way it stood, the "play all" function on the set was designed so that they played as a condensed alternate version of the film. I'm keeping the fuller narrative, so they sometimes have to be sandwiched between existing footage, and this required a few editorial techniques.

The dailies though, come from the documentaries. The documentaries, rather than showing the footage from the film or the edited deleted scenes, often show the raw camera outakes, usually of alternate takes and alternate angles of existing scenes, unique stuff that is only seen in these docs. I spent two days cataloging them all because sometimes they are quick and subtle, and ended up with a huge library of shots that aren't seen in any version of the film; I didn't use them all, because sometimes they didn't fit, but I tried to use them as much as possible. So, for example, when Deckard enters the Bradbury building and you get that long tracking shot of him entering from above, the version you will see here is the first half of that shot that was edited out of the film but appeared in the documentaries where it starts on an empty hallways, tracks left and then pans down to find Deckard, ending right where the shot normally begins. I had to colour-correct it intensively to match the following and preceding footage. Another example is that there is a shot of Deckard running on the top of cars from the Zhora chase, and some shots of extras that are really neat, again from the docs, that I have edited into the chase sequence (while also tightening a couple existing shots to keep it balanced better). Another example, is the scene with Chew--it begins with the deleted/alternate scene with Batty and Roy walking to the store. Once they enter, we cut to the theatrical/DC/FC version, but once Batty steps inside, instead of lingering on the close-up of his feet, we cut to a wide angle dolly shot from the dailies as he walks through the lab, cutting back to Chew from the regular versions, with some custom sound work since all the dailies are silent. So, with all these different sources cut together, that five minute sequence has only 50% of material from the regular versions.

Anyway, the reason this hasn't been completed is because my laptop died in the summer. I'm currently working off my netbook for the last six months, and it's not nearly powerful enough to do anything on this. I have all the files though, and I'm hoping to buy a brand-new desktop this week, so god willing this could be completed and finalized and available by the end of the month.

EDIT

Just got a great new computer today with a fantastic processor and monitor. In the middle of transferring files now. Hopefully start getting back to work on this tomorrow!

Ah. Thanks for the response, Zombie! I look forward to seeing it!

I decided to post a clip of the work-in-progress colour timing. Cut into the actual film, none of the deleted footage matches, and although the deleted scenes were cut and timed very well for deleted material, none of the shots match each other or the film itself. This has created quite a headache. Because so much of this mis-matched colour is "baked in" the actual footage, there is only so much I can do; a pro colour suite would do it, but I'm just using womble. I plan on exporting a couple trouble shots to get better matching but so far I think this is cutting together pretty well so far, and certainly better than the raw versions.

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

Yeah, some of the dailies are in bad shape, although many are in better shape than some shots in the deleted scenes. There are one or two that stand out from the rest of the footage, but the shots are cool to see anyway so I'm just leaving them in. And the main movie footage I am using is the DC. The FC is too slick and the colouring is too altered.

I agree that the clip is looking very good. Can't wait to see more examples.

I loved your beta of this. It was really very inventive and fresh. I'm sure whatever color correction you'll do will look great, zombie84. Wish you well on this! I can't wait to view it.

Dear zombie84,

I can't sent you a PM because your inbox is full. So I'll just throw it on here in the hope that you'll read it. Recently a new deleted scene from Blade Runner was uploaded on YouTube by a person called Ridleyville. He has his own website dedicated to Blade Runner on www.ridleyville.com. I immediately thought of the Blade Runner version you're currently working on and how this new scene could really hype it up, make it even more unique.

The new deleted scene takes place before Deckard calls J.F. Sebastian's number on his vid-phone in his ground car. Originally, before he makes the call to J.F. he calls Dr. Hermann Schlecht.

(Before viewing the video I have to warn you. Ridleyville placed a huge watermark in the center of the video. I'm sure you could get him to delete the watermark if you explained your dedication towards Blade Runner and that the scene couldn't fit a better purpose with your definitive version of the film.

Also, below you'll find the script for the vid-phone sequence. It makes more sense if you follow it since you won't hear Deckards voice or see some of the actions he does such as showing his police badge. But you could easily add that in with subtitles.

You'll also read a very small but important scene that's sadly missing, which shows how Deckard manages to get J.F.'s number. If you don't add this in as a title card (like the silent films), the whole scene between Deckard and Dr. Schlecht becomes pointless. But that's the sacrifice you have to make if you want to create the most complete version of the movie ever.

Eventually you'll read the scene of Pris answering Deckards call that's in the original movie. Just so you understand the whole sequence.)

Here's the link: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajK1ISnbMsU

Script:

DR. SCHLECHT 
Guten Abend. 

DECKARD 
Dr. Hermann Schlecht... 

DR. SCHLECHT 
Ja. 

Deckard has shoved his badge in front of the lens. 

Schlecht squints, inspecting the badge that must be appearing on his vid screen. 

DECKARD 
You are Senior Vice President of the Tyrell Corporation. 

Dr. Schlecht nods. 

DECKARD 
You have dix huit clearance at Tyrell. Right? 

DR. SCHLECHT
Yes. 

DECKARD 
How many other employees have the same clearance?

DR. SCHLECHT 
Four, including Dr. Tyrell and myself. 

DECKARD 
The others? 

SCHLECHT 
Dr. Chew and J.F. Sebastian.

DECKARD 
Sebastian? 

SCHLECHT 
Yes. J.F. Sebastian. 

DECKARD 
I want you to authorize access to your personnel files. Put it on Esper. 

SCHLECHT 
Now? Do you know what time it is? 

DECKARD 
J.F. Sebastian employment and personal information. 

SCHLECHT 
Punch in your Esper code please. 

Deckard punches Schlecht out and punches in Esper. 

DECKARD 
Coming in. Night Doc.

(MISSING SCENE)
The Esper screen reveals a single face SEBASTIAN. 

Information and data blare out. 

ESPER 
J.F. Sebastian. AMAPT 46751. 
Designer, Age 27, hobbies 
Grand Master Chess Player. 
Clearance..... 
(MISSING SCENE ENDS) 

Deckard punches the telephone number on the vid phone. 

On the vid-phone a strange out of focus face looks startled. It's Pris. 

DECKARD 
Hi.... J.F. there? 

PRIS 
Who's this? 

DECKARD 
An old friend of his. 

Pris looks for a moment then puts down the phone. 

DECKARD 
That's no way to treat a friend. 

As the vid phone goes blank one of the dwarfs jumps on to the hood of Deckard's car. 

Deckard starts up the car, screetches forward and the dwarf falls off onto the street. 

You might also want to take a further look on Ridleyville's YouTube account. He has a lot more interesting videos such as a Behind-the-Scenes video of Zhora's death, which has an interesting shot of Zhora running that I've never seen before.

The best of luck! ;)

That's cool. Too bad it has a woman's voice reading Deckard's lines.

Zombie, it looks good to me, but then, the original shots look good on this computer... Definitely not an HD monitor or anything of the like.

I'm definitely digging that deleted scene. It would be nice to see some version of it inputted to the edit.

Also, zombie84, I just noticed a flash frame when I was recently watching the edit. Right before Deckard meets Rachael in the elevator to his apartment, there's a one frame shot of Pris on the streets. I thought you'd like to know, so you can fix the final version. I really do love this and can't wait for a color-corrected, 5.1 version.

Gaff could be monitoring the call from his spinner and the female voice could be his in car surveillance computer protecting Deck's identity from anyone monitoring Gaff's car.

That sounds very PKD.

Not bad... It does seem somewhat fitting, though I don't know that the woman's voice is exactly fitting for the computer either.

My other main hesitance about that would be that it is literally adding to the film, rather than just splicing in original shots. I don't think that's within Zombie's operating guidelines here. (Though I'm sure he'll express his own feelings on the matter.)

If it could somehow be made to just seem like the guy on the vid-phone was just reading Deckard's questions and responding verbally, that would be less intrusive, I think. Maybe if Deckard's lines were subtitled, but in a way that they looked like they were being typed. (Appearing one letter at a time, in a natural rhythm, with a blinking cursor... Though I don't know why Deckard would be typing it and not speaking... Again it might take explanation from outside the source material to pull it off.) (Though, again, lack of intrusion may not be Zombie's goal, so maybe he's cool with it.)

Sorry to go off topic here but has anyone seen the fanedit "Blade Runner White Dragon Cut"? Seems to get good reviews but doesn't seem readily available from the usual sources.

For anyone who has seen it, what are your thoughts?

Well let me know if you track it down.

The White Dragon edit is very elusive. I did a lot of digging around a while back and found the only copies were sent to the recipients by the editor in physical form ie: actual discs. There was supposed to be an updated version made which was to polish some the effects and scenes created.

The editor has a youtube account and I tried to contact him/her many times without any joy.

If anyone does manage to get a copy please pm me as I would love to see thic cut.

bkev said:

More on-topic: is Zombie's WP still easily available? Just off of seeing the Final Cut for the first time and I'm curious to see this version as well.

There's a torrent on Demonoid, which reads that it has 4 seeds, so you still should be able to get it. When you do, you're in for a treat. It really is radically different, and in some ways, better than the Final Cut and most of the release versions. You can find it easily by searching the edit title on Demonoid.

More off-topic: I too would be interested in the White Dragon Cut if anyone could actually find it.

Zombie's WP is a beta at the moment right?

NeonBible said:

Zombie's WP is a beta at the moment right?

That is correct. The final version will have surround sound and color correction, as well as little tweaks here and there, I believe.

Nice idea but the frame rate is awful. That's the problem with having a 1-man animation team, I imagine; you have an awful frame rate or you take an eternity. I don't think I could watch it.

Sidenote: This is supposed to be about Zombie's cut...

Hey, so when I disappeared from the site for like a year, this kind of went with it. I'm back full-gear now, so hopefully I can get this out really soon, since it is 90% done already.

Note: this will NOT have surround sound. Simply because it is a lot of work for a project where it makes little sense. 75% of the film is from stereo sources. The colouring will be tweaked, which is the big thing holding it up now. And in response to pretty consistent complaints, I will be tweaking the Zhora scene so that it makes more sense to people.