Cool, thanks for the comment. You know I just noticed womble does have some filtering tools. I'll have to play with it. I mean even try running one of the clips backwards and seeing if it looks natural, and yet different from the original.
Btw, as far as an establishing shot: I would have liked one, but the problem is most footage is immediately recognizable from M1 and there is little footage more than a couple frames of the Oracle not talking.
Actually where I'm eventually locating the scene shouldn't require a setup. Smiths walking in and saying the Great and Terrible Oracle pretty much sets the stage. Anything more would kill the pace at the location in question... you'll see. At least that's one vote for version 1.
Okay, here's a repost of the re-edit of the Oracle being assimilated with Gloria Foster put in. I fixed the audio so it's Xvid/mp3 this time.
The first version is what I posted before. Btw, there is still a lead-in with audio only, so don't panic.
The second version is an alternate idea, eliminating the oracle reaction shots altogether. Smith is ranting so much you almost don't notice you never see her. This one is a rough edit just tossed together so you can get the idea. I might cut the cookie bit to make him seem a more aggressive (though frankly I love the whole Smith monologue. It really bring out his crazy.) If I go final with the second version I will recode the cropped wide shots to show the Oracle's legs, arms, etc. (just cropping enough to remove her head) giving a bit better quality. The reason it's cropped out now is because in the 2 different sources used (in v1) she is wearing different outfits.
duckboyz2: I'd love to see an edit using EtM and deleted footage. But since I don't own the big mama-jama set and won't spend the money on it myself, I just don't have the footage. I understand the supersize box has EtM footage in DVD quality.
Ok not really. I still want to finish M3 first and make sure both movies correlate before burning a disc and QC'ing it. The very end may get additional tweaking too. I'd still love to come up with a different beginning instead of ripping off DeZionized, but CBB Group's idea was really golden (that and moving Trinity's flight to the end (though I edited that a little differently to make it smoother)).
But lets called it a closed beta version. It weighs in at a surprising 1:52 (with credits, 1:40 without). Mind you that's a 27 minute saving over the original but 11 minutes longer than DeZionized's first half. M3 is anticipated to be much shorter.
I was going to post a screenshot so you can see Womble's death by 1000 cuts (and cross fades), but I can't get my website to come up right now.
But progress is progress.
Edit: Forgot to cut coming attractions. Times updated.
I rewatching parts, I agree. Neo lets Smith assimilate him.
Final answer: as much as I'd like to account for the Oracle being missing by having her assimilated earlier (which allows a smoother transition later from her chip/message to the Merovigian visit), I still feel Seraph has to introduce the concept of the backdoors, and Neo needs to fight the plural Smiths as a setup to what's to come in M3. I'm sad, but it makes the rest work better.
I'm just trimming so she is no longer in hiding, they just weren't looking for her until she sends a chip that she wants to meet.
Which means if someone else wants to use that for their own edit, I give my blessing. I'd rather see all possible ideas explored then being petty over whose idea is whose.
I feel like I'm spamming my own thread now. I'm just working hard and confusing myself. I need someone to clarify a plot point.
At the end of Revolution, in the great Smith battle, Neo is finally converted to a Smith which starts a chain reaction. We know Smith tried this before in Reloaded. So the question is, is Smith stronger now and able to do something stupid that defeats himself, OR does Neo LET him in order to bring things full circle (he jumped into Smith in M1 which started the whole problem). OR do I need to cut the earlier attempt in Reloaded in order for this to make sense?
Boon23, I never saw that before, but don't worry I have no intention in doing what he is.
One more knot to untangle and I can get back to editing. Either my M2 ending must change or the M3 beginning. I'm in love with both, and changing either causes problems.
If I use the Oracle missing thing mentioned above I not only cut parts I'd rather keep, but at the same time have to go back to very close to the original ending which is very unsatisfying.
So... I watch and rewatch some clips now, ad naseum. Damn I hate the third movie.
--------------- She heard it from someone in Hong Kong who read it on a screen in Beijing It was posted on a site in Seattle And me, I read it on the back of a cigerette packet, it said: Election beats electrocution, this is the new Revolution -- Clint Boon
What's really surprising is I'm finding the more complicated/drastic changes, which sound impossible are proving easier than the subtle ones. I may have to make M2's ending a little less upbeat than anticipated. I forgot I have to work in the Neb blowing up. That'll still work best at the end of M2. Ok, I may have been premature with my full-ish outline, the script is in flux again. I'm still sticking to the themes and broad strokes.
Edit: For example even if I was to cut or relocate the Seraph scene, it's needed because he provides the explaination for the Backdoors they use to get Neo into the building at the end. It has to stay where it is.
Hair is being torn out. I will lick this, I promise you.
Assuming I'd like to keep Seraph and the fight in the park (is there a real name for that fight? I'm thinking the Burly Brawl but I won't swear to it.): Would we believe the Oracle would send a message to Neo that leads him to Seraph, who in turn takes him to a park where he first discovers/encounters the plural Smiths? And then later the whole team goes to the Merovingian.
In my mind fluidity and believability would suggest that if the Oracle were to send him anywhere it would be straight to the frenchman. But then again by having Seraph take him to the park he would then understand the nature of the Smith menace. And we know the Oracle has a habit of saying what needs to be said for the proper outcome.
I'm having troubles with this. My goal is really to preserve as much of the films in my edit as possible, yet arrange them into the most optimal story. I'm in love with this new idea but I can't get it to fit together in my mind without cutting those two scenes entirely. I can't even think of a place to move them to. After meeting the frenchman there's too much chained together action to shoehorn it, and M3 is too late (and redundant) (though I could fit Seraph there).
The only earlier time they're in the Matrix it's night so a day light fight is out. Arggh.
TECHNICALLY the DVD standard requires at minimum 1 DD or PCM track. A surprising amount of players have no problems with a DTS only track though.
Trailers extras whatever. Extra discs for god sake. If you can't afford $.30 for a second blank... Frankly though I don't see where the X0 project should even waste their time with them.
As far as space on a DVD goes, sure DVD standard can only do a max of about 10mbps (divided between all video, audio and subpicture streams), a large number of 2-disc Special Edition-type releases still only put about 5-6 mb of space towards their movie-only disc.
I don't know if they're lazy or if it's just cheaper somehow to produce. Ever see a CBR 9mbps 2 hr movie only disc? There's space for it on a DVD9.
Bit of an update. (3/13/06) I haven't had time to do any work on this today, but while daydreaming at work I made some revisions in my head. As a result I may start M2 all over again. I'll try to save as much of the more tedious cuts as possible, but since I'm a sloppy editor I'm going to have to redo more work than I should have to. (I do crossfades by using both audio tracks in Womble so adding material gets everything out of sync.)
A few pieces I cut need to be put back so subtler references flow better and make more sense. Also my opening, although good, I realize now that some elements work better for the opening of M3. So timewise it's a set back.
I'd actually like a different opening rather than stealing the DeZionized idea, but I can't come up with anything better, especially since I don't want Neo having prophetic dreams.
I did come up with an awesome alternate cut idea, but because of the actress change of the Oracle, large chunks of the films would have to be lost to make it work. I'm putting it out there in case someone else wants to take a stab at it: Alternate vision: M2 would open with my doctored version of the (first) Oracle being Smithed through to Smith laughing maniacally. Neo wakes. Now all the references to the Oracle being in hiding and needing to consult with her make sense. She's missing not hiding. Unfortunately the Seraph fight, the conversation on the bench and the Smiths fight at the park would have to be cut since the Oracle is gone for the balance of M2. Everything of use the Oracle does in M2 is on the chip delivered to Neo anyway. She never says "Go to Merovigian", we have to assume that info is on the chip. Now the chip is the Oracle's message in a bottle to Neo that she made when she knew Smith was coming. Cool eh? Making it's delivery all the more critical.
You can then open M3 with the Massive Smith Fight from the end M3 and the (new) Oracle can be back in the rebuilt Matrix for the rest of that film.
I'd do it, but frankly I like the Seraph fight (good Kung Fu fighting) and the Smith battle in the park (the latter might even be better than M3's final showdown).
I'll sleep on it, but I don't think I could find away to get those two action sequences back and use that form. Either way I think I'm going to shelve M2 and start on M3 tonight/tomorrow just to get that right before fixing up M2. I'll have a better idea what I need it to say working backwards.
.-=The Matrix: Hacked!=-. .----A FanEdit Project----. Last update: 11/28/06
Status: Matrix Reloaded: Finished Matrix Revolution: Finished This readme covers both Matrix Hacked releases.
What is it? Remix edits of Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions. Maybe “fan” edit is a little too strong of a word. More a-fan-of-the-first-Matrix edit. I’m attempting to present the second two films in a way consistent with what made the first so enjoyable.
The first Matrix movie is one of the few films I would probably consider perfect. I wouldn't touch it, ever, don’t ask.
The second film although a good action film, is little more than that. There’s not much to do for it except surgical removal of that which sucks.
The third film, now that's a whole different story, or should I say, it is now. Forget everything you know. Conversations are now about different things. Plot threads have been unraveled and re-knitted into the film in a different light. The tone is different, the story is different. Leave what you remember about this film at the door, it’s the only way you’ll enjoy it.
Be aware the third film is a bit rougher only because the editing has been so drastic. Events that, in a real film, would probably be shown to you in better detail aren’t there only because the footage doesn’t exist. Regardless, the story should still be completely clear and enjoyable.
The format is two DVD5s in NTSC. Anamorphic, DD 5.1.
Why are you doing it? Ok, I LOVE the first Matrix. I was a bit of a fan of Keanu (whoa), and I got mild enjoyment out of Johnny Mnemonic (I am a big fan of William Gibson). When I first saw the film advertised I couldn't believe someone was stupid enough to let Keanu near another CyberPunk film. I did drool at the prospect though. Opening day I took the day off and went to see it. I then saw it again that evening with a friend. And again a third time later that weekend with my sister. This is in fact the only time I have seen a first run movie 3 times in the theater.
Matrix 2 and 3. How could I not like the idea? The second one was weak. They even tried embarrassingly to rip off the theme of The Empire Strikes Back for the ending. The Architect is his father; Neo-Solo is frozen in carbonite; Trinity is his sister. (j/k) Ok, sophomore slump. The third, man that's gotta rock right? #2 was just the wind up to the main event... I nearly chewed my leg off to escape the theater while I was watching it. I couldn't believe the Wachowski's had gotten so lost from the original film. I tried to wipe the whole experience from my mind.
BUT after watching the really nice things the CBB Group did with the DeZionized Matrix I was struck with the realization that the movies may not be as irretrievable as I originally believed. To get the best film though would require complete disregard for the material and the filmmakers. A cut so daring that some would call it impossible, genius or even daft. So this has been gestating for over a year. Nine drafts of the script and a lot of on-the-fly changes, a lots of false starts and versions, but it is done.
How many movies is this? It’s two separate films. My goal is to preserve as much of the original footage as possible.
Matrix 2 (M2) clocks in at 1:52. The final file is a bit heavy has been hit with DVDShrink (about 6% compression). There will not be a dual layer vision. M3 is 1:36. At that length, space is not an issue.
Who is this for? Well, frankly, me. I'm trying to redeem these films, making them closer to the original, and I just want them to suck much much less. I wanted to see if an editor can do what the writers and directors could not. That is: make a film you wouldn't mind rewatching.
What about (The Video Games/The Deleted Footage/The Comics/What the Fan Sites Say...) If you are a Matrix fanatic well versed in the canon. If you own all of the DVDs, re-releases, video games, comic books. If you have naked pictures of Carrie-Anne Moss on your computer and Lawrence Fishburn on your wall (I’m not passing judgment): you will hate these films, you will hate me. This is not the edit you are looking for. Get DeZionized or enjoy your DVDs as they are. Don't even think about watching this. These movies should standalone, you shouldn't have to be up on all that other stuff in order to understand what's going on. That's called a plot hole.
How are you going to be different from the Dezionized edition? The DZ edit is really great. They pointed out the intense craptitude that was the character Locke (though it was obvious. Locke is the new JarJar). They also showed that much of what was important was in the Matrix not out if it. But, people need a place called home, so I've left Zion in. I also wanted to show how much of a zealot Morpheus had become. I think it’s important to the progress of his character.
What sort of changes are you making?
Both movies are intended to be closer to the spirit of the first film. Although I considered re-coloring my edits to match the theatrical cut of the first Matrix, that would be prohibitively difficult, and a lot of people already have the altered DVD version of the first film. M2 is edited largely for conformity to M3 and my new themes. Both are edited a little for pacing, and a bit for lowering the pompous exposition quotient. M3 has the most serious changes since I am doing the equivalent of cutting up a reel of film, putting the scenes in a bag, shaking and putting it back together in the order I yank them out. To be fair I'm only 90% happy with the final cut of M3H, but my technical skills, software problems and source limitations prevent me from doing any better.
Some of the changes: Certain themes and ideas have been removed globally from both films. Mostly because I felt they sucked or weren't well executed. This accounts for dozens of tiny edits and trims. Sometimes just a word or two was removed from sentences.
Neo is now the One. The one and only One. Thou shalt have no other Ones before him. Get it? Multiple Ones and previous Zions had no real point. All that did was water down a great first film. (Congratulations you’re the One, the savior of all mankind. But there’s been some Ones before, and oh yeah they failed miserably. Good luck with that.)
Neo does not have powers in the real world (thanks MeBeJedi). This was so obvious I actually missed it in my first drafts. I hated it when I saw it, but lived with it so long I accepted it. No visions of the future, no disabling of squids, no Blind-o-vision, nothing. I am not opposed to the occasional vision within the Matrix about the future of the Matrix. That's Oracle territory and I'm fine with it. (And it's like one shot.) In TRW it just isn’t right.
Sati/The last Exile. What the heck was that all about? Man, if they were going somewhere with it I fell asleep as soon as her dad started talking in limbo. Programs reproducing and having little programs that have no use? Why is she the last? And if it's so hard to get in and out of the Matrix how did her dad do it to visit the Merovigian in the first place, and return for her? It's just a horrible idea all around: Gone. Sati is now one of the Oracle’s adopted kids (like in the first film). She has the ability to tweak colors; It's more useful than bending cutlery.
The Oracle looks different in the third film. Yes I know Gloria Foster is dead, but that's not an excuse for her not going back to work. The way it was handled was terrible. Either explain it or ignore it. Don't drop hints about "Something happened, but we're not telling what. (Oh and we’ll mention it three times!)" That's poor story telling. It may be explained in Enter the Matrix (game) but guess what, I'm not playing a game, I'm watching a movie. This has been fixed (with a really bad hack edit job). It's not pretty but it at least works if you suspend disbelief.
Programs talk of love. Um, no. It's been done, and I just don't care.
M3 had so much hyper action at the end, you got desensitized to it. I remember zoning out several times from all the flashes and explosions. Action has been redistributed. It's also less gritty war film, more sci-fi action film.
Trinity is dead, Neo is blinded and possibly/likely dead (as far as the movies are concerned). I don't want a downer ending. Not in the final film of a series I’m invested in. If the first film ended like that I wouldn't have been back. Neo survives his ordeal, and may have his vision (it's left up to the viewer to decide).
Both movies have new beginnings and new endings and LOTS of other changes.
Specifics: _Matrix Reloaded Hacked_ A new opening lifted from M1. (Different from DeZionized.) This event is referred to three times later in the movie, so telling the audience that Neo dwells on it seemed important. I think it'd give me nightmares too if it happened to me. (Btw, the use of the theatrical color palette (instead of the new-improved one) is intentional to give a more dreamlike effect.) They are not waiting to hear from the Oracle, she’s not in hiding. They are planning their strategies instead. A lot less Locke. The worshipping of Neo as a god in the real world (TRW) is cut. The annoying kid is largely gone. (Can I change who the new JarJar is?) Less home life with Link (and his wife/family) Less of Councilor Hamann. I really don't care that he can't sleep or is fascinated by the blinking lights of the machines at Zion. The scene was ok but it really seemed to make the whole Zion portion of the movie overly long. No rave scene (um, yeah, that's all I'll say about it). It is now a town meeting and prayer service. A little less Oracle as needed. A little less Merovingian babbling. He extols the virtues of the French. But this is the only time in any of the films where a specific location, city, country anything is EVER mentioned. That’s gone. Persephone no longer talks of love before kissing Neo. The scene now feels more like "what is this human thing called love". A campy cliché, but the oldest are the best, right? Do we need full introductions to a couple of goons at the Merovingian's mansion that are going to never be seen again? They were werewolves right? That could’ve been done much cooler. Trinity's Flight has been extended with footage from the opening. It’s slightly different than the DZ version. It has a different angle or two and a slightly different pace. A serious axe has being taken to the Architect. If Neo is the only One, half of what he says serves no purpose. He brought the movie to a screeching halt. The movie will have an upbeat ending and a bit of a surprise. The original ending made the film feel less self contained than it already was.
_Matrix Revolution Hacked_ I suggest skipping down if you don't want any surprises ruined. I will be as vague as possible. The action has been spread around more. Another new beginning; A bit of M2 has been relocated here (it weighed down the end of that film, but makes a good introduction to the third). More last exile stuff trimmed. Neo will not zap squids or faint like a little girl. Sati and her family are gone. Yawn, good riddance. Trainman and his snaggletoothed face is off my screen. You might catch his silhouette or see him in a wide shot, but that's it. He is just another anonymous extra. If the Oracle knows the future, why the heck did she send them to catch the Trainman if they were going to have to storm the Merovigian's club anyway? Oddly the Trainman gets to the train platform and back to the club in a real hurry, what was up with that? Merovingian's silly self-importance is emphasized. No Morpheus-Locke-Niobe love triangle. Mostly because of the less Locke thing. Come on, who'd want him anyway with Laurence Fishburn around. Maggie isn't killed, only because I'm trying to avoid zombies in this film. A few less people end up dead, but some people's fate are a bit more ambiguous. No infantry, no reloading teams, less gore -- it made this movie more of a gritty war film. If I wanted that I'd watch Thin Red Line or G.I. Jane in the case of Link’s wife. Soooo… Link's wife was largely cut again. The kid is largely cut too. Did anyone buy him getting into a battledriod and kicking ass his first go? I couldn’t drive a car straight when I first started and that doesn't involve shooting things at the same time. Gate 3 jamming thread is cut. It involved the kid and Link's wife. Is Mifune dead? Probably, but I like to think he kicked ass and took names. Trinity is not dead. No blind-o-vision. Neo is now more Zatoichi than Mua’dib. The Logos now has a soft crash (we need it later). Trinity waits in the car while Neo goes to the ATM. An Ewok celebration. (Ok no Ewoks really, but there could be.) A reasonable explanation for the new Oracle's appearance. The movie has the Super Brawl near the beginning. I'm starting with the end and working backwards. Zion fights off the invading squids. DZ cut this, but giant fighting robots have never been this good since Aliens. When Lock appears (which is more frequent than I would have liked) I've de-assified him. Can anyone be that obnoxious to everyone including his superiors all the time? Neo realizes the only way to stop the attack on Zion is to do what he should have done before. He goes to the Source. This isn’t incongruous since no other One has merged with the Source before… As such he will travel to Machine City to plead for peace, bargaining with his life. Neo's comatose body is brought back to Zion. His friends try to help their friend and savior while Zion celebrates.
Tech stuff: Womble Mpeg Video Wizard DVD (demo version) - I don’t really recommend this software it has some unpleasant quirks. Croping, fade outs, and transitions were largely done with a combination of AviSynth, VirtualDubMod and CCE SP 2.70 (7-passes). Authored with DVDMaestro.
Misc. All sorts or tricks were used from the cheesy (overdubs, reversed video, and recycled clips from other Matrix films, and hack-like edits) to the slick (cropping (might also fall under cheesy), nice transitions and _very_ subtle edits that humming birds can't see.)
How can I get a copy? Version 1 was released as Xvid/mp3 on Pirate Bay. I believe the torrents to be dead. Version 2 fixes a couple cases of macroblocking and letterbox bar problems. I've also redone all fades in AviSynth for better quality. A couple of minor sound tweaks were performed along with QC fixes and oh yeah Revolutions was seriously overhauled to fix continuity issues.
Xvid/mp3 version can be found on The Pirate Bay.
DVD's will be sent out on a Pay It Forward system. There are 3 U.S. sources and one in the U.K. for you Euro people to start.
What's a Checksum and why? To prevent degredation of quality from repeated duplication, I've generated a checksum file from the master copy. Running a checksum test will scan your files and verify that they (in high probability) are identical to the original. I'm using SHA256 method which is a stronger checksum than most P2P software utilize.
I recommend the cross-platform freeware JSummer for testing, further details are available on the DVDs themselves. If you receive a disk lacking this information, here is a copy of the Checksums (copy to a text file save with the extension '.sha256'): Matrix Reloaded Hacked:
I've finished 49 minutes of Reloaded and have already cut 20 minutes. (About halfway though the film).
As far as the Oracle clip, I agree that it's rickety. Unfortunately I NEED the original Oracle in that scene and I just don't know what else to do. I was hoping M1 would have enough of her just sitting and smoking like the new Oracle does, but there's nothing useful.
Yup, it's awkward reaction shots, but otherwise Agent Smith would be talking to no-one (which would be worse). I am thinking of changing the second reaction to her saying Bingo since she's big on that in the first 2 films.
As far as trying to color match with filters, maybe. I'll just see when I get to it. It may stand as it is unfortunately. This is proving to be a slow tedious process.
What's funny is I'm going over this film looking at more detail than I ever have, and I'm finding some of what I considered plot holes to be just really subtle detail. It doesn't make it much better though.
I'll be starting a new thread tomorrow with a tentative change list. I hope to be halfway through this film by then.
The reason some of you can't hear the audio is it's ac3 and you'd need ac3filter (on the PC) (or try loading it in your DVD software if it can handle video files).
Hmm. The rotoscope of the blind fold clips sounds good, and it will really only be brief. I actually stand a chance of cropping the scene if I can't find anyone to help. Sloppy but it'll do the job.
The first Matrix will be untouched. I find it to be a nearly perfect movie. The second will actually have fewer (drastic) changes than the third. I'll attempt to improve the 2nd but the problem is there's little you can do with what is there. The Dezionized people showed me a lot of good ideas, but short of cutting slow parts, I'm not sure it can be made a lot better.
When I'm done you'll probably rate the movies from best to worst as M1, M3, M2 (which in my mind reverses the order of the last 2 films.)
The worst problem is that the second movie lacked any real subtext. The third at least attempted to incorporate religious allusions to the story like the original. The second is just a mindless thrill ride and little else.
As far as Agent code. I think that can be explained away because agents after the first film are version 2.0 (according to credits). Neo even comments on the upgrades. New code could be a new color.
Ok if anyone is offering those Enter the Matrix clips, PM me. If not, that's just as fine my script (now re-written with MeBe's great suggestion) is pretty much read to go.
I DO need HELP though! I'm trying to get the word HACKED! matching the Matrix Reloaded lettering falling just after the words Reloaded appears. It needs to fall from the top of the screen to the bottom. There are 60 line black borders top and bottom. I just can't match the color and get it to look like anything but crap. I just wasted an hour getting nothing useful. Womble's title editor is useless and crappy. Oh yeah, and I'm color blind which doesn't help.
MebeJedi: Actually after M2 I was struck with the same issue of the Sentinal zap. But, between that and the Architect's (painfully rambling speech) I was given the impression that M3 would reveal that Zion and the "Real World" (TRW) were another form of control (or more accurately the opposite side of the equation). That is, the TRW/Zion were ANOTHER Matrix, dirtier and less pleasant. If people rejected earlier Matrices because they were a paradise and you have a new Matrix MOST people find flawed enough to believe, you need to let the malcontents who see through it to think they've escaped by putting them in a tougher less pleasant place. Basically a prison in a prison. TRW would have a different set of rules than the main Matrix. Therefore The One would really be the person who discovered the second prison, found a way to bend IT'S rules and really free humanity from the machines. (There had to be a first who first freed themselves from the original Matrix why not a first who freed themselves from the Zion-Matrix.)
Re-listen to the Architect's speech at the end of M2. You can almost see what I just said.
If you ask me it would have been a much cooler turn out. Unfortunately, as much as I'm going to bend these movies to my will, there's just no way to make that story happen. I'll just have to become a rich and powerful Hollywood producer/director and re-make the last film.
Edit: Ok, I think you talked me into it. I'm going to rework the script MeBeJedi. I had been living with the idea of Neo having TRW powers so long I forgot how much the idea blew when I first saw it. The Squid-zap is an easy cut. I was actually going to construct a new prophetic dream for M3 in which Neo forsees the upcoming battles, Trinity's death and his own blindness (if he can see the future, how did that take him by surprise?) At least that's an afternoon I'll have back. Large cuts for removing BlindOVision should be easy enough, but the real problem is the real world Smith fight. If he's blind, how will he defeat him? I suppose he still know Kung Fu outside the Matrix. I guess it's easier to believe he's Zatoichi than Muadib.
Ewok: I wasn't aware anyone actually played EtM with the reviews as bad as they were. Can you tell me if the video cut scenes are near DVD quality and worth trying to edit in? The game is like $5 now and I would definitely grab it just for the footage at that price if they were good enough.
Btw, don't all yell at once about the clip. Yikes. Q: What's the sound of one hand clapping? A: A bad fan edit clip...
Hmm. Ok, let me warn those that might be interested in my edits: If you liked M2&3 even a little, you will HATE what I am doing to it. They will be completely different films. That's because I was on the verge of performing a labotomy on myself to remove all memory of M3 after seeing it.
I will be changing the stories, the meanings and the subtext (mostly in the final film, but the second needs changing to fall in line). So although the suggestions mentioned would be good if you were making minor changes, but they have no fit in the edits I'm making.
I spent the better part of today playing with Womble Mpeg Wizard DVD which adds 5.1 audio editing ability.
Yes that's a like 4 hours on less than 2 minutes of film. If this isn't the hardest part of my edit, I don't even want to think what is. The point is I will be filling a lot of plot holes with spackle. (IN other words it's not pretty, but they will be filled.)
The clip attached has been converted to Xvid (2-pass) with the final ac3 audio track. The only down side to it is that when Womble recoded a bit of the video (that I had previously recoded) there was some degradation (only in a few parts). I won't describe further, because you'll be happier not knowing that they are there if you don't see them.
What this is is the first of my plot hole fixes: the reinstitution of Gloria Foster as the Oracle. Some cropping and recycled clips from Matrix 1 were used. The question once again becomes: does this work well enough to use?
You will note a change in tone for this scene. The Oracle is almost playfully defiant now rather than resigned to her fate. It seems more in character if you ask me.
Don't worry about hurting my feelings, I just want to know if I'm dreaming or if this is all really looking promising. (And before anyone says anything the first 6 seconds are black on purpose. It gives me a bit of audio tail to crossmix later when integrating it in the film.)
Eli, it's the NEED to be thinking like that that is making me redo the Matrix films. We're being forced to fill in a huge amount of plot holes ourselves, and to explain away a really terrible ending. I love the original Matrix too much to be left with such a bad taste in my mouth from the sequels.
OCP: The material there is better than you think, it just suffers from writers/directors who had too many irons in the fire and forgot what a good movie is. See: Matrix 1 & Bound (and possibly the up coming V for Vendetta).
Like I said, I'm not really pushing details out right now (mostly because things are still pretty fluid), but it will be 2 films. The Dezionized version could have been 2 since it clocked in over 3 hours (though word is they'll be cutting more). Either today or tomorrow I will start some serious editing to see whats what. I have the broad strokes now, but I lack some details that I'll work out as I go.
This won't be done anytime soon, but by the time the weekend is over I should know enough to give further info or to scrap the idea entirely. It's VERY ambitious since I've never done a fanedit before. Some of this will hinge on being able to make my changes convincing.
Lastly, If anyone really does have the ability to do some bandaged eye cg, please PM me. I'm talking maybe 1 or 2 shots is all that's needed.
I had forgotten about Bane's cuts. Hmmm. I dunno, in Matrix 1 they had fancy electric acupuncture and surgery on a ship no less (did any of them look like a doctor there?) It led me to believe that they're fairly advanced. Maybe they figured Bane was an ass or would only cut himself again.
OH and I originally was going to work in one animatrix clip (the CGI one that's so awesome), but it may not fall in with my cut. (And it's CG for crying out loud). I considered trying to get the footage from Enter The Matrix since they filmed it at the same time (and its suppose to be pretty good), but I can't see adding much more to the films, and I don't think it's up to DVD quality.
Yeah, that's true. I'm afraid that although I'm improving the story and tying up lose ends, that's the last sticking point. If you don't believe that they can fix him up, it all falls apart. It's that or I need someone who can do some Sfx and add either cuts on his face or a blindfold.
I mean I will show him under medical care, but he'll be completely healed when I do. I think I'm willing to suspend disbelief only because I've been thinking this out for about a year and I just finished the 8th draft of the script today. I want to do this, and I am really in love with what I have.
