I have attempted to reconstruct the shooting script & various other plans for ROTJ’s final third using scanned storyboards available online as my primary source. This took some time, and also used behind the scenes videos, the Rinzler book, etc. I have done my best to document the whole thing here:
https://macrobinoculars.wordpress.com/
It may be interesting to some of you to read through the whole thing, though I find the Space Battle and Rebel Assault sequences to be the most interesting. Do not neglect the Analysis page, which has some really interesting behind-the-scenes photos of storyboards. Please note that you can download a big PDF with all of the storyboards for your own use.
I welcome any questions, suggestions, critiques, or (best of all) any scans or photos of storyboards that I’m missing.
This is my favorite storyboard that I found during the process:
That was cool to view , thank you ! Wow , seems like the Holdo Maneuver in TLJ was lifted from the ROTJ storyboards ! I have the OT storyboards book but don’t remember those two shots being in it . Will have to take another look .
It does seem like the Holdo maneuver’s look was based that storyboard, but I think it’s ultimately a misinterpretation of what was intended; the ROTJ scene is showing a Starcruiser exploding alongside a Stardestroyer, due to what I’d characterize as the Star-Wars-equivalent of Star Trek’s Warp Core Breach. The ship is so damaged its reactor goes critical or whatever. So they drew that picture to convey the intensity of the explosion, and decades later its used as inspiration for a very different event on screen.
So fascinating! Great work!
“Always in motion is the future” 🌌
Glad y’all have enjoyed. I just made a big update after being given a look at a fan-scanned revised 3rd draft of the film. Definitely changed some scene orderings & script details. I’ve also included links to relevant videos throughout, a few more storyboards that have appeared online, and a look on the Sources page into what storyboards typically look like.
The only big thing I’d like to do, other than get the missing storyboards, is do a detailed analysis of how things were rearranged in the editing process. Maybe someday!
I agree with the others, this is very well put together. I’m having a great time comparing storyboard frames to final shots and seeing the process. Some unused shots in there I would have loved to have seen realised, too. Thanks for your work on this!
“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”
Just wanted to chime in and say this is really amazing! I don’t think I realized until recently how much changed from planning phase to the final film. Really insightful stuff. Also the sliding photos to see the storyboard and the final frame comparison is top notch!
That is some awesome work compiling all that, and the sliding photos comparison feature is a great interactive touch. I really enjoyed reading through all of that. One for the bookmarks!
The Secret History of Star Wars | Star Wars Visual Comparisons | George Lucas: Star Wars Creator, Unreliable Narrator & Time-Travelling Revisionist
Glad y’all have enjoyed. I just made a big update after being given a look at a fan-scanned revised 3rd draft of the film. Definitely changed some scene orderings & script details. I’ve also included links to relevant videos throughout, a few more storyboards that have appeared online, and a look on the Sources page into what storyboards typically look like.
The only big thing I’d like to do, other than get the missing storyboards, is do a detailed analysis of how things were rearranged in the editing process. Maybe someday!
Thank you so much for this. I was pointed to it be a friend and didn’t expect to see such a quality piece of work as this, it took me back to eagerly reading the old comics, manuals and compiling scrapbooks on Star Wars way back in the 80’s!
I do hope we see that detailed analysis of the editing process some day too.
“The other Sequels were the result of an over-anxious press. The original intention was to make three [films], and that was really the end of it. It was not until 10 years after the first [film] that I thought of doing a back story.” - George Lucas, speaking at the Premiere of ROTS in 2005
This looks really awesome, man. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for all the kind words.
If anyone has any ideas on what kind of infographic or chart would best represent rearranging a timeline, I’m all ears.
Just wanted to give an update. Over the past few months, I’ve updated files here and there as new storyboards have appeared online. Unfortunately, I did not keep a list of the updates, so I’ll just give you a small taste here:
I continue to collect boards from the rest of the movie. If I ever get the time, I’ll work on that. Well, and the chronological editing analysis…
Good work certainly Interesting to see how it was shortened.
I came across a video recently of the Asteroid chase from empire strikes back which has the footage timed to the music spotting.
https://vimeo.com/328696041?ref=tw-share
I wonder if you could shed any light on this with storyboards?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHEFkHm20KQ
It seems like there are a few shots missing?
Alternatively the music is out of alignment in places?
Combination of the above two things?
Some footage is at the wrong speed?
The person who did the video has the music at the wrong speed?
Unfortunately, I have only collected ROTJ storyboards. I decided at the start of the project that collecting for one movie was more than enough work.
If you are interested in collecting for ESB or ANH, I would be happy to give you tips on how to find them.
That is fair enough…
Shoot me a PM on it but just keep it brief. I don’t have much time atm.
If in fact this music spotting video is correct then there are a few obvious answers for some of the blanks that I feel don’t require storyboards anyway.
For instance sone big blanks would have been tie fighter pilots in cockpit I reckon. Re-used from ANH.
A shot of the falcons engines failing is another obvious shot.
Holding still on the hole the falcon flies into I think would be another
Yet there is less obvious ones too.
I have completed a huge update to the site.
https://macrobinoculars.wordpress.com/
It now features storyboards for the entire movie, not just Act 3. There are also numerous additions to the original reason for the whole site: The Space Battle & Rebel Attack sequences.
There are a few more things to add, such as a good way to just see all the raw storyboards without the script and my commentary, but I figured this was a big enough update to post.