(The Mandalorian+BoBF) The Way of Mandalore | A New Mandalore Movie Saga (Final Update in Progress) — Page 15

I’m interested to see how Book 5 plays out and what you give us for Book 6. The stills of removed Grogu are great and I think Grogu and Djarin reuniting later also helps sell the passage of time and give some indication that he wasn’t training for like a few weeks before he left.

If he is going to help Djarin in the fight against Gideon that also feels like a much stronger place to show off his training than BoBF.

Would love links to all of the books once 5 is ready, thanks!

Awesome to hear from this again! I’m stoked to see some of these changes, especially the removal of Grogu at some points.

Hey Acbagel, it’s been a while, hope you’re well!

A little while back you shared the final cutlist for Book 5 and said the VFX was nearly complete - are we close to release? (I’d be happy to view a draft if you don’t have time right now for your own final pass!)

One note on your Book 5 cutlist stood out to me - “Added a few new wipe transitions throughout the mines to cover up old Grogu scenes” - do bear in mind that wipes can absolutely be overdone, and you might not need any at all. It’s normal in movies (including Star Wars ones) to convey a longer period of travel as a series of regular cuts (not wipes), which might be plenty here to carry us through.

Finally, since you’ve mentioned a v4 pass on Books 1-4 incorporating feedback, just one more note on Book 1: Regarding the fish guy’s bounty capture and subsequent scenes, I know you tried two approaches. The first approach was “I can bring you in cold or hot” hard cutting to him being slammed into carbonite. I remember suggesting privately that you extend that out a bit more, to get the better introduction to the Razor Crest. You then extended it out for approach two, including the scene of the snooty dude whistling for a cab to take them to where the Razor Crest was parked (a scene originally used presumably to give Mando some early combat, since in the original he fights a beast out on the ice). Your second approach also includes the good scene of fish dude saying “The Razor Crest is a nice ship” and asking about why Mandos don’t take off their helmets - which then hard cuts to carbonite. You want to keep that scene on the ship as it adds a bit of context for introductions and the movie’s themes, plus gives fish dude a bit more character which will pay off later. However (though I know I suggested it), the scenes of Mando picking up his ship frankly drag. But you can have it both ways! I’ve made an alternate cut of this that works very smoothly, cutting right from “I can bring you in cold or hot” to Mando’s ship taking off above the cantina (no scenes of it parked on the ice) and then into fish dude talking, before he gets frozen. It’s much cleaner, gives you the best of both worlds, keeps the pacing up, and is a very easy cut to make as the music smooths out nicely. I’d recommend you try that!

I’ve also just spotted that you have a repeated shot in your first movie: Both times Din approaches the small space station where he gets the prison break job, his display shows the same readout then the camera pans up to the approaching station. I’d cut that the second time - you have enough of a different shot of him approaching it again without needing that first one.

At the very end, I’d also just cut right from the Crest’s feet touching down to the shot of Grogu and Din leaving the ship as the music swells - no need to take a pacing pause to have Din tell Grogu not to follow him (this time).

Another thought for Book 2. We’ve talked a lot about the overlap point between Din and Boba, around Fennec’s unconscious body. I think the ordering you have right now from Din’s perspective is absolutely right, but I’d tweak Boba’s just slightly. I’d cut from the scene of Din and Grogu flying away (the shot of the Crest from behind going off into space) to the scene of Boba discovering Fennec - but only to the point where he turns her over and sees who she is. (This works nicely with the shot of the ship leaving, since abnormally for this show, the camera doesn’t follow the ship away - it’s almost as if the direction here says “there’s more to see on Tattooine first even though Din is leaving”). Then, once Boba turns over Fennec, cut to the scene of levity in the Crest cockpit into the flight toward the wetlands planet (music works for this), and the scene of Din and Grogu seeing Cara’s fight. Then back to Tattooine for Boba and Fennec now sitting at a warm fire, and you’re back to where you were. This version of events just slightly improves the timing of scenes relative to each other, and makes a bit more logical sense to me.

Now onto Book 3 (I’m doing a hasty review through with fresh eyes): I know you want to keep Gideon’s presence high throughout the series, but I’d change his appearances in this one. You have him in two main sequences in this movie - the first being the Shadow Council scene (where we learn that the Imperial Remnants are coordinated, get some good context for wider plots including Thrawn, and have Gideon declare he wants to stamp out the Mandalorians), and the second being the tracker scene and Gideon talking about catching Mando and Grogu to continue their cloning.

I think both of these need a little shift, and will try to justify why. But firstly, let me address the fact that I don’t think we need Gideon to have a strong presence in this movie. Yes it’s nice to see him, and to keep him feeling like an overhanging threat. But, so long as each movie at least escalates that threat, I think that need is satisfied. Compare now to your current Book 5, where we don’t see Grogu in the movie until the very end, which leaves us on an interesting development. I think doing the same here would be fine - you still come away from this movie on a punchy note where the Gideon plot has escalated.

So, regarding the tracker plot, I know it’s used here currently to illustrate Gideon’s will and skill to hunt Grogu down. However, the plot about capturing Grogu and his clone relevance really doesn’t continue until your Book 4. I know you’re using it to make the Imperial presence on the Mon Calamari planet more of a trap, but to be honest I don’t think that quite sells, with the dialogue we have. I also don’t think it’s necessary - from Din’s perspective his whole storyline in this movie has been to find Mandalorians, something he finally does at the end. Personal stakes for Gideon don’t add much here (especially as the Imperial resistance is quite weak), so having them as a thorn in his side which helps ingratiate him to Bo Katan’s faction is plenty.

Secondly, regarding the Shadow Council plot, I think that would work better AFTER that Mandalorian-Imperial conflict, as the triggering act behind making Gideon then declare that the Mandalorians must be stamped out. That then leaves our episode on the nice punchy finale (Thrawn reveal, escalation and all), which leaves the threat now overhanging the future movies. It’s the Mandalorians directly striking at Imperials which makes it into a vendetta for Gideon. I would also, as some have suggested, trim the lines about requisitions, as they’ll take now three movies to pay off. (Boba and team have also destroyed the Imperial base on Nevarro, including Gideon’s clones, this movie, so he’s taken a double hit onscreen, further justifying his rage at the end.)

This way, you’d have a straightforward Din-Grogu adventure as they seek Mandalorians, with issues and false leads along the way (and nearly bumping into Boba again), with their actions ending up triggering an escalation of the conflict between Mandalorians and Imperials.

Then, in your Book 4, you could introduce “I’ve placed a tracker” and that subplot just after Mando leaves the planet with that ex-Imperial warlord. We know she’s got ties to Thrawn, and thus the Shadow Council, so it’s absolutely feasible that an Imperial spy could be operating there to report back to Gideon. The dialogue there would reinforce that Gideon wants Grogu - and then he’d strike immediately, on the very next planet, where Din finally meets Boba and the Imperials show up to kidnap Grogu. Again, I think that’s neater, and keeps each movie more focused. You could cut the two elements of the tracker scene around the one of Din on the Crest trying to get Grogu to grab the ball with the force.

A final note on moving the tracker scenes to the following movie - this new suggested ordering would now make more sense of the lines about Pershing’s cloning work being lost, since in this ordering, this discussion would follow the events of Din and co destroying the final Nevarro facility (including clones) the movie prior.

Last thought for now. I’ve seen your demo shot of Boba sniping Din as Din leaves the Tuskens with Boba’s armour, and love it. We’ve talked a little here about dialogue for Boba just to sell why he’s not attacking now. Perhaps the word ‘Patience’ would do? (I think he says that in BobF.) The implication would be that he knows he shouldn’t go toe-to-toe against someone in Mandalorian armour (especially shiny new silver armour), further justified when he only attacks Din on Tython when he has Fennec with him (and a sniper shot aimed at Grogu).

I just watched through these and found them an overall enjoyable experience. There were a few moments I missed but they were few and far between in it has been a well done reshaping of the first part of the New Republic stories.

In terms of feedback I agree with a lot of what Eddie has said, so I won’t repeat it, just 2nd it. Just a few thoughts from my watch through:

I loved losing Grogu eating the frog babies. That was always a bit distressing to watch and I think you placed the ice planet sequence well and very nicely cut around Frog woman’s presence.

One thing I did notice in the reshuffling was that Mayfeld talks about Grogu like he’s met him, and Grogu was not aboard the Razor Crest at the same time as Mayfeld in this edit.

I’m also wondering if the music when our crew has successfully traveled with the rhidonium could be less upbeat? Something that gives a sense of doom because our heroes are being saved by Imperials. It should feel phyrric, and the music undercuts that imo.

Also the first cut to Mayfeld interrupting the scan to save Djarin was disjointedly abrupt. I know you don’t want him taking his helmet off, but it only almost worked here.

Finally, just a question really, Does Bo-Katan dismissing Boba as a Mandalorian because he’s a Clone cause problems with the Legends idea that the Mandalorians sheltered defected Clones during & after Order 66? Or is it simply that she is taking umbridge at what she perceives as a clone wearing ancestral armor?

Greetings!

I live! Lots of stuff happened in my life got busy too much work had another baby blah blah blah sorry sorry sorry.

Anyways. The Way of Mandalore. I’m back at it! Book 5 was so close to being finished before and I promise I’m right there on the precipice. I got some good work on my review done yesterday, and the film is clocking in at 2 hrs 20 minutes and I’m at the 1 hr 25 minute mark on my review. I will have one final mini-changelog to post here because I am making a few alterations based on having fresh eyes on it during the time away. I’m going to do everything I can to have it out this weekend. It really is that close!

Thank you so much to everyone still posting feedback in the meantime. I will definitely go through all of it as soon as I get Book 5 out.

Amazing. Good luck with the baby!

Book 5: The Apostate is officially released!

Well that was unfortunate timing! Site goes down almost immediately before I finished my edit haha. I found some of you on Reddit and IFDB to send the film to over the weekend still, but please make a new comment here if you have not received the edit yet and would like it. The final changelog is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TIVp5tQY9WxxnOe8iRXvG5t4P6vTi1ZCbb8CnxwB_9Q/edit?usp=sharing

Please post some reviews and feedback on book 5 after you watch. It was a massive project so I’m sure some thing slipped through.

Delpheas said:

I’m interested to see how Book 5 plays out and what you give us for Book 6. The stills of removed Grogu are great and I think Grogu and Djarin reuniting later also helps sell the passage of time and give some indication that he wasn’t training for like a few weeks before he left.

Storyboarding Book 6 right now! I’m jostling a few different structures around with the series of events so I’ll start writing on that tomorrow.

If he is going to help Djarin in the fight against Gideon that also feels like a much stronger place to show off his training than BoBF.

Yes, I am leaning toward this idea currently. Definitely thinking an end of Book 6 reunion where we first see his new powers on Mandalore in Book 7.

stevepaynter said:

Hey Acbagel,

Any plans on doing anything with Ashoka series once all episode have been released?

Well while this site was down and I couldn’t access my Book 6 notes, I did indeed start playing around with certain scenes in Ahsoka… I still really want to work on The Bad Batch so I’ve not decided officially on anything but yes there are some editing notes I’ve been taking on Ahsoka that I think would help the individual episodes, but I want to wait for the whole season before trying to cast any vision for it

Yeah I’d definitely let Ahsoka finish before thinking about picking it up. I wouldn’t anticipate that it’ll need interleaving with Mando in quite the same way that the Boba show did.

Besides, I’m excited to see you work on Bad Batch! 😉

Thanks T-202! Glad you enjoyed.

I have uploaded a version with some fixes so if you’re coming back with a broken link just DM me and I’ll get you the new one.

Would like a new link if possible too! Thanks!