NFBisms

I love how Darth Vader looks in this show.

If you’re using New Canon Cut, why not use it for the Dooku beheading?

The audio and things like Palpatine still mouthing words he isn’t saying aside, the shots in your clip go by too fast and Anakin actually still looks regretful. I also don’t agree that Anakin would be that casual about killing Dooku. He hates Dooku. In NCC, he’s not apologizing for killing Dooku but aware of how and why he did it. Palpatine then reassures him it doesn’t matter anyway, it’ll bring a quick end to things, which is more in line with how CW Anakin would justify it.

EDIT: Oh I see it’s edited from a draft a few workprints of NCC ago. I recommend working from the original film as the source as much as you can; you have much more freedom to tweak the scene the way you want that way. And like I said, I’d be willing to provide raw materials if you want to use some of my choices before I put out a final version.

Should I just make two versions for that change?

Would be easier if more people hated it.

You could probably skip everything but the last four episodes of the new season, honestly. xP

Also yeah, this is going to be pretty cool.

Hal 9000 said:

Maybe I should just watch this when it’s at at least workprint status rather than the show!

Any of this kind of edit will be more of a fun novelty than anything else, tbh. The finale works really well, paced as it is, so cutting back and forth between ROTS and it would undercut what makes it great on its own imo. The momentum it has in building tension and riding a wave of dread is going to be lost - unless someone wants to rescore RotS scenes with more Vangelis-esque music to alleviate it (which is possible).

I think if you did want to see it, it’s worth it to see the original product first. Not to discount anyone’s efforts obviously. It’s a great idea to edit the two, just not a replacement like a FanFix would be.

I also think if you’re worried about how “ugly” it looks, these four episodes are the best TCW has ever looked. Not just in lighting and animation, but even the designs have been updated with more rounded features and smaller eyes. It’s really good.

Delpheas, if you need any specific raw materials or audio from New Canon Cut, just ask. Don’t wait for my final version. Try not to use my shitty in-progress workprint lmao

Thanks everyone! Sorry about how I’m awful at posting - I’d much rather read and work than make updates but I’m glad it doesn’t go to waste when I do take time out and share. Different perspectives really help me figure out what to do next; I can go in circles with myself for days without it.

Narrowed down what’s definitely changing to these:

• Leave out “I won’t lose you, Padme.” Was just trying that out.
• Tone down some laughter/banter/extra lines. Although, it would be nice to have some specificity on which instances are too much.
• Volume on Kashyyk and/or balcony scene
• Tighten the editing on “Is that bad?”
• Keep full war room scene
• Leave out the freaky screams in the temple hologram

On the fence about:

• Fully removing the scene with Mace/Yoda/Obi-Wan. The film works so much better for me with Obi-Wan alongside Anakin. The Clone Wars has thrown a wrench into that plan, I must say.
• Leaning towards keeping original “Don’t lecture me Obi-Wan” because I can definitely see how “You weren’t there” doesn’t work seamlessly. But response has been 50/50, and I prefer what the latter says about Anakin versus the original line anyway. Going back and forth on this for a while. Would be easier if more people hated it.
• Removing Wookiee subs. A common note I got earlier on was that cutting to Kashyyk there was a little confusing, especially since it moves pretty fast. The subtitles mitigated some of that confusion by explaining what we’re seeing, and I hadn’t gotten any notes on that particular thing since its inclusion a few revisions ago. Even if we don’t typically get Wookiee subs, it feels worth it for clarity?

Addressing specific points:

sade1212 said:
Will you be releasing your edit with a 5.1 audio track so I can steal your audio changes more easily, or just stereo like the earlier verson?

Oh, and I can’t work out what Anakin says at the start of palpatinereveal.mp4.

This is the plan atm, but it is more work. I have the first third of a previous version in 5.1 but that’s a while ago now.

Also he says “He’s already more of a man than most” in that clip. Again, it’s experimental - I just wanted to try it. Rogue was spot-on when saying I was trying to build more tension between Mace and Anakin here. But it’s not entirely necessary and it’s probably going. (It’s not even Sam Jackson)

Octorox said:
-One thing that didn’t work for me in any of the clips was the color grade. I’m not exactly sure what you’re trying to accomplish with it, but the warm “instagram filter” look doesn’t really resemble any other Star Wars media, so I wouldn’t say it’s helping your goal of making the movie mesh well with The Clone Wars or the OT. Frankly, ROTS is probably the best looking prequel movie already, with natural colors and a clean digital look that complements the animation in Clone Wars well.

Oh, I agree with you. It’s just stuff I’m trying out. I’ve been working on this on and off for a while so I can get pretty bored with the film; doing experiments like that keep me from falling asleep lmao. I don’t think I’ve had a consistent grade on this since Fall 2017.

That process is probably how I’ve been eternally putting off finalizing anything, since I’m always trying different things that may or may not work. But when I make a “discovery” that works, I get excited again. I do feel like I’m getting to the end, though. Once it starts becoming about pulling back, as it is now, then that’s how I know I’ve exhausted most of my creative thinking for this film. I don’t doubt there are more things one could do in service of my primary ambition for this edit, but I’ve reached my ceiling. Idk. Maybe it’s just all the COVID free time talking.

RogueLeader said:
I think I would suggest cutting out the end of the line, “-and not be pushed around.” That part of the line feels like it has an accent that Anakin doesn’t have. I also wonder if you could pitch it up very slightly, since it sound a little deeper than Hayden’s voice in ROTS. Maybe I’m wrong though.

I also would cut “I know you do”, it feels squeezed in an I think it takes focus off Padmé’s monologue a little.

As far as Hayden’s pitch, I did pitch some of these up already, actually. But I didn’t do it as much as I could have since I feel like his voice fluctuates a lot throughout the theatrical as it is. I felt that because the range was already so broad and varied, I could get away with stretching it a little more. Besides, the deeper vocals do a bit in connecting Hayden to Lanter more smoothly. This is still Hayden’s voice, but him averaging a little higher was how we got Mat Lucas as an impersonator for years.

I’ll tinker with removing “…and not be pushed around.”

sade1212 said:

Are you doing anything ambitious with the scene with Anakin’s fall, before and after Mace gets defenestrated? And what’s your plan for Order 66 or Anakin’s march on the Temple? Sorry if you’ve detailed these already. I’ve just always felt that that specific bit is where the movie always falls down for me.

I’m going to post a few clips in the next section of this post, which will include a clip of this. (Still WIP)

It’s not a huge overhaul or anything. Basically, I tried to reverse when the film depicts Anakin’s remorse. In the theatrical, the moment he cuts off Mace’s hand is kind of an impulsive move that he immediately regrets, (What have have I done?) and as the scene progresses he gives in to the dark side. By the end of two minutes: “Yeah, the Jedi will go after the Senate! What about the other Jedi spread across the galaxy? I’ll kill’em too master!”

My approach was making the moment he cuts off Mace’s hand as one he actually does on his own conscious accord. Instead of snap-igniting his saber, screaming NOO and doing it as almost an involuntary reaction - he purposefully closes his eyes, his saber ignites offscreen, and then he’s done it. And then only as the scene progresses, does he begin to show more of his regret. It’s that point it’s too late, not earlier. From there, he’s mostly quiet and he looks down in remorse as Palpatine says “Once more the sith will rule the galaxy…”

It was always weird, it does feel like Anakin could have pulled back after killing Mace if he really regretted it that much. So not demonstrating regret until after committing to Sidious (and killing Mace with the intent to do so) feels much more like the “too late” thing.

A real moment of selfishness, not “Idk what I just did but I guess I have no choice.”

I don’t think it’s too ambitious since it didn’t require too much work.

More Clips For Feedback:

First clip I ever posted of this edit (Updated) (Anakin’s Theme Rescore)
Anakin falls to the dark side (WIP)
Obi-Wan initially wants to help Anakin out of the lava after their duel
Earlier vers. of preduel.mp4 without “I won’t lose you”/tweaked “You weren’t there”

regarding the “Just Rey” edits, I propose we have Luke and Leia at least whisper cheer: “rey skywalker rey skywalker” before Rey decides to ignore them

I’ll get on writing them out, soon. I know I said I wouldn’t do this, but there’s a new workprint in the Google Drive folder with some additions, so when I do it’ll be for that.

Some Preview Clips

"General Skywalker"
There was very little contrast between Hayden as a padawan in AotC, and at the end of the war in the theatrical RotS. He seemed to exclusively follow Obi-Wan’s lead and was at the mercy of the council throughout the film. Meanwhile, Lanter’s General Skywalker was a bold and experienced Jedi general. This clips shows additions/edits that give Hayden that same authority and leadership skill. He gives commands, is addressed by his rank, and is more explicitly involved in military matters. He is treated as not just an adult, but respected as a war hero.

Anakin’s Personality + Relationship with Obi-Wan
Following up on Anakin as more of an adult, this clip demonstrates how Obi-Wan and Anakin’s relationship has evolved. Equal in rank and skill, they’re brothers on the same wavelength. In humor and action. Obi-Wan doesn’t treat Anakin like his subordinate/apprentice, nor does Anakin to Obi-Wan as a master and with formality. Anakin’s easygoing fun nature from the Clone Wars is supposed to be translated in Hayden here - more of the jock-like swashbuckler - and Obi-Wan responds to it with his appreciative wit, not exasperation. The banter is meant to service this from the novelisation:

“And Obi-Wan Kenobi knows, too, that to have lived his life without being Master to Anakin Skywalker would have left him a different man. A lesser man. Anakin has taught him so much (…) He smiles now, and sometimes even jokes, and has become known for the wisdom gentle humour can provide. Though he does not know it, his relationship with Anakin has molded him into the great Jedi Qui-Gon said he might someday be."

As the last real hurrah for the duo, maintaining camp and humor was fine for me, as a contrast to the later tragedy.

Second Act Kashyyk Kickoff + Luke’s Father Wanted Him To Have This, When He Was Old Enough
I’m using Hal’s LoE structure of politics before nightmares, as a way to establish that even an Anakin in an untroubled state of mind still has friction with the Jedi council. Because of that, Grevious’s entrance on Utapau can’t happen where it does in the theatrical - I’ve replaced it with the initial attack on Kashyyk (+Wookiees moving to call the Jedi). It kicks off the second act in a similarly bombastic way, and introduces that subplot a little more elegantly than a change of subject at the tail end of another scene.

That transitions into Padme and Anakin’s balcony scene. The scene on its own is cheesy and bad, but I hope with the added dialogue I mitigate most of it. When we come down to them, they’re in the middle of discussing whether to give their baby a lightsaber. Perhaps if they should be a Jedi or whatnot. (Callback to Ben Kenobi lines too!)

That actually segues pretty nicely into Padme saying she wants the baby on Naboo, but it also feels like a real conversation a real couple would have; Anakin and Padme hashing out the different things they want in their relationship and for their child, rather than just a vague and empty “we love love love”. It in turn also subtly sets up their later ideological conflict, in a way that doesn’t turn us against Anakin immediately. He’s just like his jock-y CW countepart here.

More than that, Anakin doesn’t seem to particularly want or care about the kid(s) in the theatrical, and with this, it’s more clear he absolutely does. He’s excited in his own masculine way, and that also lends itself nicely to how he feels things for Luke as Vader in the OT. He’s ecstatic about being a father, and I keep that thread consistent and noticeable throughout the edit, whereas it kind of fizzles out and seems forgotten (by Anakin) in most of the theatrical.

Siege of Mandalore Tie-Ins and Fixes
Here’s how I’m currently trying to handle the inclusion of the deleted scene where Obi-wan, Yoda, and Mace discuss their concerns about Palpatiine - a scene that can be replaced by a later scene in the film and recreated for TCW. This scene was important to maintain because it establishes where the Jedi are on the chessboard quite early on, and Obi-Wan being here for it is wonderful parallel progression with Anakin. He’s reacting alongside Anakin to the events of the film, rather than offscreen, and helps position their roles as main characters for coming cataclysm. Based on Knight of Kalee’s suggestion.

That leads into Anakin and Obi-Wan in the briefing room, where we actually get a mention of Ahsoka and what’s happening with her in SoM. Other edits in the scene are just subtle things to make Anakin and Obi-Wan more brotherly. Making the interaction less formal and actually having Anakin acknowledge when he’s being a little radical on his own, based on Obi-Wan’s expression. It also makes Anakin less blind and more pragmatic like TCW Aankin; he understands why the council distrusts Palpatine. Here he just has faith in, not blind loyalty for, Palpatine.

Appointment to the Council and Anger Management
Following up on that thread, these are more ways Anakin is not blindly loyal to Palpatine, and more mature and pragmatic.

Using deleted scene dialogue, Anakin relays the council’s concerns to Palpatine, and Palpatine responds by being more subtle about his manipulations. Rather than tell him the council needs him and Anakin just buying that entitlement, he just points out all Anakin has done for them in the past and leaves it at that.

Anakin handles the rejection better than he does in the theatrical. As opposed to lashing out for not getting what he wants, he feels the unconventionality of the situation and catches on to a plot they aren’t revealing to him. It’s less “How dare you do this to me” and more “Wait a second, what’s going on here.” He’s more upset at their dishonesty than what he feels he’s owed.

Subtle things to make him more CW-y: Obi-Wan gives him a head shake to calm him down, Mace doesn’t refer to him as “young,” and Yoda offers Anakin something to think about rather leave him cold. In line with all of their TCW relationships; Obi and Ani and communicate nonverbally, Mace and Anakin have a strained but equal relationship, and Yoda is nicer than Mace to Anakin.

Anakin and Padme’s scene has Anakin not lash out at Padme. He understands the council’s moves but Palpatine is his friend. He’s caught in the middle, rather than all-in on Palpatine at this point.

Not From A Jedi
At Delpheas’ suggestions, here’s how I’m reincorporating that scene where Anakin senses Obi-Wan’s been at Padme’s. Right after “Not From a Jedi.”

I initially didn’t keep it because I had the Padme deleted scenes where it is in the theatrical, and because Anakin came off as too sinister and the tone was too foreboding for how I wanted to depict his fall. I want Anakin to be cognizant and aware of his actions up until the end, and this scene almost single handedly undoes that. But there’s merit in how it discusses Obi-Wan reaching out, worried for his friend.

I discovered that placed after the opera scene and before (1) His friendly farewell with Obi-Wan and (2) His soft discussion with Padme about his dream (this has been moved from the beginning of the film to the middle), it doesn’t necessarily read as an unhinged Anakin’s descent, but a moment. And having normal, human moments afterwards shows that he doesn’t fall down a rabbit hole into Vader (which is what I don’t want.) I’ve edited the scene short obviously, ending with:

P: You expect too much of yourself…
A: Is that bad?

…Which isn’t like the theatrical, where he pretty much tells Padme he’s going to use the dark side. Now, he’s just opened himself up to his selfishness, which works well directly off of the opera scene. The dark side isn’t something he’s interested in yet, nor is it anything he ever really seeks in this edit, at least until the last second choice between Mace or his wife.

Obi-Wan reacts to Anakin’s Fall
I’ve always had an issue with how… nothing, Obi-Wan’s reaction to Anakin’s fall initially is.

I tried to mitigate some of that, with a few added lines/shots and distressed noises (from Ewan himself) that better show how much it shocks and hurts him.

Slightly more experimental clips currently on the workprint:
Palpatine Reveal (Palps is more subtle)
Grevious expecting Skywalker (Parallels Maul and Ahsoka)
Anakin is the father isn’t he? (Obi-Wan comforts Padme, wants to save father of her children)
Padme stands up to Anakin, Obi-Wan thinks there’s good in him (kept here for archival reasons)
Earlier, better version of above (Audio clip selection TBD, some VFX, Padme shot credit to snooker)

Anyway, feedback for all that would be helpful, although how it all works together is more important so hmu for a workprint!

Some thoughts on Siege of Mandalore so far in regards to my edit:

• I know Delpheas hopes to use New Canon Cut for their combined edit with this finale, so check that out if you want to see that.
• I like how much they refer to Anakin as “General Skywalker” in this last season, more than usual, almost as a way to mitigate how RotS doesn’t reference it, much like this edit.
• I would have thought the overlap between RotS and the show would shift Lanter’s Anakin to be more like Hayden’s, but the show didn’t do that, and I think he fits with this edit’s interpretation even more than before.
• Yoda calls Ahsoka “Padawan” still, so I feel validated about Obi-Wan in my edit referring to her as that as well.
• Based on what Ahsoka hears, Anakin does say “What have I done?” As it is missing here, should I reinstate it? I feel like the scene works better without it - Anakin as less conflicted at this juncture and more selfish - but it’s there canonically or Clone Wars-wise, something Ahsoka hears. I was thinking I could get away with not using it since Lanter actually says that specific line in the episode, (so it could be like an inner thought) but idk. She hears the rest of the scene as it is in the edit.

Not entirely sure how to incorporate the early deleted scene that goes over the same material as the scene just recreated in Shattered. I’ve already cut Mace’s “I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi” and I can stretch in my head that he would repeat “The dark side surrounds the chancellor” later and share similar sentiments as Mundi, but I’ll probably have to cut Yoda’s “Great care we must take…” and instead end the scene on Obi-Wan’s “Arrested…?”

But now the scene is so short, and it’s a shame to lose that beat with Yoda imo. I really don’t want to cut it entirely because I truly believe we need to establish the Jedi’s position on the chessboard as soon as possible, and Obi-Wan needs to be there for it, reacting alongside Anakin (and in similar ways!) instead of offscreen.

I genuinely think the Walkabout arc is better than Bad Batch but I don’t think you have to include either one.

If you really have to, a heavily edited, shorter version of those arcs would be better.

The prequel planets were fantastical and crazy in theory, but unless they were Earth-y ones like Naboo or Tatooine, in practice they were just live wallpapers behind platforms.

Maybe we could have a Kaminoan just chilling in the background for a similar effect. It could wave to Ben, too.

Unnecessary sidenote: I think it’s funny that you’re using that image as an age-up Anakin since that movie in particular Hayden is promoting in the picture (Little Italy), wants you to believe Hayden is in his mid 20’s lol

this has been another nfbisms-has-seen-every-hayden-movie flex

He looks alright for near-40’s, but how about instead of transposing his late 30’s face onto 23 year old Hayden, why not just use his entire head with a different haircut? And like, the classic white robes? There’s something about his entire Revenge of the Sith look overall that doesn’t feel very ethereal and light side-y. That includes the mullet. Idk why.

I’ve always wanted to change that about ROTJ SE too.

This doesn’t really bother me, but I liked the idea that one could watch The Clone Wars and then the Original Trilogy and it would preserve and even enhance the ESB reveal. But this finale heavily implies it anyway, so ¯\(ツ)/¯

Also Ahsoka agreeing to help Maul was a pretty surprising moment, but then she fought him anyway. It’s a good thing the duel ruled. I predict they’ll help each other during Order 66.

I’ve moved onto working towards exporting a full 1080p file (like I’ve been wanting to do for two years!), and I think that’s likely going to be the thing that gives me closure on this project. Because of that, there are still a lot of little kinks that I’ve just kind of let sit throughout every version that I want to fix before then.

And the fact TCW isn’t over yet also nags at me because with every episode there’s at least something I want to try - not to mention I’d just experiment whenever any new idea comes into my head anyway. (Honestly at the behest of literally anyone’s feedback too sometimes). I didn’t post updates on everything because things would change quite often.

I’ve essentially been using this project as my personal editing exercise - I have upwards of 30 versions on my hard drive which are full of subtle revisions. It’s not really worth uploading all of them, and a lot of the time the “latest version” I had uploaded wasn’t the latest version I would want to show someone after two days. Sometimes people would ask for a link and that’s when I would export whatever was on my timeline just for them.

So instead of maintaining that cycle, I’ve just kept anything offline for now so that I can try everything I want to post-TCW, and have something I can submit to FE. Don’t expect anything until after the show ends. I hope everyone gets it.

I’ll post more clips soon, just so I can get definitive feedback on whether to keep those in the edit or not.

How about deepfaking CGI Yoda with a Yoda face more consistent with the OT?

I think Poe’s tone is the issue for me. In the actual briefing scene, he’s talking authoritatively to a big group, but the relics line is spoken more pensively to one other person. The mix differences wouldn’t be that noticeable if he was speaking the same way.

Delpheas said:
But let’s say it always was supposed to be 3-10 days. Padme really didn’t tell Anakin for 8-9 months that she was pregnant? The way they talk about “going early to naboo to get the baby’s room ready” is not what someone who’s giving birth in two weeks would say. It just doesn’t work based on how pregnancy maps out.

I don’t see why not. It’s news that would warrant being together in person, and Anakin has been in the Outer Rim sieges for months. Padme’s insistence on their responsibilities can even further explain why she wouldn’t tell him; so that he can stay focused on the war at hand.

Idk, it all works out for me. The problems with it are suspension of disbelief things, they don’t actually break continuity.

I don’t really think it’s necessary to have the pregnancy be known prior to the film, regardless of that scene. I easily believe Anakin looking at her face from the front just didn’t notice her belly. And the fact that they don’t know about the twins has always been weird, but I don’t really know if I’m interested in fixing that here. Maybe she just didn’t want to know, or maybe there’s no way to check without compromising the secret, idk. It’s not really in the goals of the edit, more effort than it’s worth, personally.

I would be interested in seeing the proofs of concept, though.

I actually toyed with Anakin saying “Kill me” but I decided against that or “save me.” Subtlety is good and Hayden shines when it comes to his face alone.

I won’t be using Hal’s alt ending since I’m not super convinced by it. It should be pretty easy to insert oneself though.

Same, I was just relating that “worst edit idea” to a personal idea I actually spent any amount of time on with similarly flavored early 2000’s alt-rock music.

everyone’s favorite kowakian monkey-lizard

I actually had a personal edit of Attack of the Clones I was working on that was scored with music from Spider-Man 2, (because Spider-Man 2 is the best movie ever made) and that included songs from Train, Yellowcard, and Dashboard Confessional lmao.

don’t ask me why i did that bc i genuinely couldnt tell you

Yeah, fuck Klaud actually.

He tickles me on an animalistic level, but him, DO, Greg Grunberg, and Merry being so prominent over the heart of the last film makes me sad. I honestly really loved Rose’s character.

Klaud deserved a better movie, at least.

Why do so many editors want to remove Klaud? Poor Klaud.

Thanks!

RogueLeader said:
I actually think “your padawan” fits less now, in comparison. Was that the best version of “padawan” you could find?
I’m guessing you may have already tried to have him say “Ahsoka”? I wonder if it would fit better, because of course we know who Ahsoka is, but it might feel weird for Obi-Wan to refer to Ahsoka as his padawan, because a hypothetical non-Clone Wars watcher might be like “wait, Anakin has a padawan?”
Plus, is she still technically his padawan? But people wouldn’t necessarily question it if he just said “Ahsoka”.

pfft plebs don’t even know about Jedi Master Yorp Adywan?

I toyed with a “your captain” I found from TCW, but that really didn’t work. And “Ahsoka” from JAT never sounds like Ewan, much less Ewan in this particular scene.

But Ewan says “padawan” like 3 times in Attack of the Clones, and that’s it for the trilogy. xP

So I’m stuck with that one instance of it, but I think I found a way to make it work?
Here’s another go at it: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rQ55sV6qLhA49hMVySz_NtvKiMWXtths/view?usp=sharing

(ignore the masking fuck-up towards the end, it’s a side effect of me extending a shot, I’ve fixed it in my editor)