TFA: A Gentle Restructure (Released) — Page 26

Hal 9000 said:

Excellent work. I think the only piece of the puzzle is some replacement score audio from Sir Ridley for the First Order appearing over Maz’s Castle.
EDIT: At least, I think that was the plan. I apologize; I’ve been busy with the actual, real job lately.

I think you’re right! At least that might be the biggest thing. About that scene, apart from adding “they’ve found us”, I need to know which edits you want and don’t want. Like the sunset, “those beasts”, etc.

NeverarGreat said:

I know that Sir Ripley was working on removing the timecode from the deleted scene so that it could be useable in this edit. Apart from that, I don’t know what the decision was on the Finn line edit. It can be rendered in full quality as well if there’s interest in using it.

Right, I haven’t tried much yet but I think it will be doable. Which Finn line do you mean, the one where Poe mentions the weapon system?

Hal 9000 said:

Great! I am okay with the TIE sunset shot and, “Those beasts!”

Okay with keeping or removing? ;P

^Gotcha! Keep everything, new music. Can’t say when it’ll be done, but at least I know what needs to be done.

Personally I’m cutting the Rathtars quite a bit, but I don’t hate them and it would make sense to leave them alone in this “Gentle Restructure”.

I can upload my Rathtar edit later, for reference.

I think you guys are overthinking the Rathtar scene. The biggest problem I have with it, is how over the top it is. While Finn getting grabbed by the tentacle is definitely one example of many in this scene, it’s fine on its own. The cut you did in 1st version was plenty.

Does it make Mary Sue look slick?
Yes.

Does that hurt the movie?
No.

As far as I can tell you got rid of the burps and farts and you gave the scene a better pace by cutting or trimming some shots. Honestly, other than those burps and farts I can’t actually tell you what’s missing. If that isn’t a sign of a well edited scene, than I don’t know what is.

Rey is not a Mary Sue, though this is not the place for that discussion.
What I will say is that if you think Rey is a Mary Sue, the “wrong fuses” part is one of the areas in the movie where she screws something up, so probably don’t cut it. I also love the rathtars which I know puts me in the minority.

Apart from the way Finn is shown to be dragged along, my other biggest bugbear with the ‘rathtar’ sequence is the way the CGI’d tentacles continue to flail about in an over-the-top way after being cut off - the way they exessively squirm about is comically bizarre, and so those 2 issues are definately OUT in my own ideal cutlist. 😃

But as far as re-editing moments like this over-and-above the intended changes needed to make the ‘Starkiller’ weapon fire later in the movie goes…I kinda veer towards the intention of ONLY altering the footage that’s necessary for that single ‘gentle restructure’ goal, and keeping the rest of the movie’s footage otherwise intact for this particular edit - it’s the thing that will distinguish this version from other heavier edits involving the same ‘Starkiller’ restructuring, but I have no strong preference either way Hal.

As I always recommend, include or exclude whatever makes YOU happiest.

Hal 9000 said:

I agree with y’all, so the rathtar sequence will be untouched for this project.

Of course, if you ever choose to do ‘a FULLY restructured’ edit of TFA too…then I would expect to see the ‘rathtar’ sequence suitably amended for that version! 😉

Vladius said:

Rey is not a Mary Sue, though this is not the place for that discussion.
What I will say is that if you think Rey is a Mary Sue, the “wrong fuses” part is one of the areas in the movie where she screws something up, so probably don’t cut it. I also love the rathtars which I know puts me in the minority.

I don’t actually think that about Rey. I don’t know why I said that.

Hi, I’m new to this forum, this is my first post, but I’ve been checking on this thread for a couple of months and I’m excited to watch the next version of the edit. I just read through all of the posts since last month and there’s one place I wanted to throw in my two cents.

I’m looking at this edit with fairly fresh eyes, having not seen the original TFA since it was in theaters. I loved Sir Ridley’s fast paced treatment of the build-up to the TIE attack (posted Jan. 12). It felt like what the scene would’ve been if SKB had never existed. My heart sank when I read what appeared to be pushback towards keeping things more as they were in v1 of the edit.

Once Finn looks up and sees a star destroyer instead of a death ray, every shot that follows it is recontextualized. It’s no longer a scene about a distant tragedy/call to action, but an imminent attack, and I believe that Sir Ridley’s edit did a great job of acknowledging that change.

I too think that’s a better way to do it. You can still keep the TIE shot where it was, just need to rearrange the music.

Well, thanks everybody else for actually doing the work. I’m just having fun watching it come together.

I’ve been making an Ep.III edit for the past couple of months. It’s my first edit and the whole learning process has given me a greater appreciation for what I’m seeing here.

The fast paced restructuring wouldn’t work if the added TIEs are replaced with just a Star Destroyer. In the fast paced version Rey looks up because she can hear the TIE engines and Finn does the same. But if it’s just a Star Destroyer Rey wouldn’t hear it and Finn would react only to the sounds of the crowd reacting. So Rey’s reaction would need to be saved for later when the TIEs are revealed. I guess I’ll just have to try and see how that would work.

Agreed. If we have only the Stardestroyer then this fast cut doesn’t work. IMHO it should keep the original scene ordering: Rey runs away, Finn and Han look up to see the Stardestroyer before Finn asks where Rey is, Rey talks to BB-8 and hears the TIEs.
I do prefer that cutorder anyway but with only the Stardestroyer I think it’s a necessity.

Other possibilities that might (or might not) be worth considering to keep the “fast cut”:

• BB8 reacting first (without TIE sounds), making Rey look up. However I’m not sure it makes sense with the direction Rey is looking in. I think Finn and Rey are on opposite sides of the castle so they wouldn’t be looking at the same thing anyway.

• Keep Rey reacting to TIE sounds and then cut to Finn reacting to crowd noise. But I guess this might feel a bit off since that would give the feeling that TIEs have been passing over Rey for the duration of the cutaway to Finn yet she just stands there. This problem is technically in the fast cut as it is, and I feel like it works there but might not work without Finn seeing TIEs.