- Post
- #1068065
- Topic
- Using Star Wars quotes only...
- Link
- https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1068065/action/topic#1068065
- Time
So…it’s big.
So…it’s big.
Rey understands Droid-speak, but I think she’s the only human who can do it 😉
Luke only gets the gist of things like strong yes and no answers.
Yeah I feel like that’s the one I’m sort of leaning towards but it’s hard to know how well it’d work without actually seeing it.
I went ahead and made a rough version where his counsel with Vader is in between Han & Leia’s talk and Rey’s interrogation. Didn’t put the entirety of those two scenes in the video, just enough to get the gist. I also went ahead and put the two Maz scenes back together where the Kylo scene originally was just to see if the transition would work without it in between them. Like I said, it’s rough, but maybe it’ll help you guys decide if this direction is worth pursuing.
I don’t think we need the establishing shot of the Finalizer for this cut, since we can assume that Kylo’s prayer happens on Starkiller Base. The TIE mountain shot could preface both scenes, linking them more closely together.
I think a change of music would help the Maz castle scene.
Nice initiative! 😃 I like most of your ideas, and as you know I’d like to use some of them for my edit which is also based on Restructured. I’ll make my own thread eventually.
I have a few questions and thoughts.
"Insert shot of the Falcon going to lightspeed …"
Is there usable footage for this?
It may be possible by using the end of the shot at the end of the film where the Falcon jumps out of the Resistance system, and then there are two possible shots of it falling out of lightspeed, both requiring the removal of a planet.
"… trim Bala-Tik’s dialogue about the First Order looking for a droid …"
I feel like this is easier said than done. Bala-Tik mentions the FO looking for a droid and two fugitives, which leads to them wanting to search the ship, and then finally saying “kill them, and take the droid”. All of this is connected, so I think you’d have to remove all of this dialogue and cut from “Nowhere left to hide” to the Rathtars attacking, and move Rey opening the Rathtar cage to a slightly earlier point. Not sure this would flow well, and the increasing tension between the gangs and Han would be lost.
This is the one scene where I’m fine with a lot of cuts, since the Rathtars are one of the weakest parts of the film IMO. After ‘Nowhere left to hide’, Rey could open the cages, then cut ‘and take the droid!’. Then keep the initial Rathtar attack, but cut Finn’s improbable capture and rescue. Maybe cut Han’s blasting the door open with the Bowcaster, since it doesn’t make any sense and it closes later in the scene.
"Regrade Maz’s Castle after Rey runs away to look as if it is occurring in late afternoon"
It’s possible, and it makes the sunset shot make slightly more sense. But you’d have to regrade about 10 minutes of footage (until they leave Takodana). Might be worth it though, if it looks good.
I think a few scene-specific regrades would do wonders for the OT look of the film, especially the Falcon scenes and the droids.
“Reincorporate Kylo’s investigation of the Falcon” - Using xxtelecine 7xx’s clip I’ve done some further cropping and editing to make the timecode removal more seamless. Looks good, I could upload a clip later.
And I made a version of the island dream shot, I’ll upload that as well.
I look forward to seeing them!
I feel like, based on what you said, that the Kylo scene should go as late as possible in order to keep it fresh in the audience’s mind. I like the idea of putting it right before the interrogation scene, so that Rey can call him out on his Vader worship right after his visit to the ‘shrine’. Then, after she throws him for a loop, she escapes and further infuriates him.
What are you DOING back there?!
As much as I don’t want to do a shot-by-shot color correction of TFA, there are certain scenes that do warrant color work. For example, many of the closeups of C-3PO look terrible to me, while the wide shots look much better. I thought it was just how the different suit reflected light, and though it is partly that, it’s also that he’s been graded to be too flat and green in comparison with how he looks in the wide shots and the rest of the saga.
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/207316
For similar reasons (that I’ve touched on elsewhere before) I think the Vader scene should be moved, as it’s placement in the theatrical is kind of a non sequitur.
That’s an interesting idea. I was just imagining how it would play back to back with Rey’s Dream (they both feature a helmet from a deceased warrior), but of course it wouldn’t work there. Were you thinking it should be closer to the final confrontation in order to bring his conflict to the fore?
My girlfriend and I both had a strong negative reaction to the shot when we saw it in the theater, since it seemed so tacked on. It was especially strange for her since R2 is her favorite character. It would have been so nice to see them in the background on the Tantive.
I haven’t watched the video, but this might have something that you’re looking for:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EVS7CF_LyQ
Neat! Though I don’t think it’s seamless enough for this edit.
If it didn’t have a timecode I’d probably use it. But I understand why it was cut - it really only exists to have Kylo become aware of/ruminate about Han’s presence, and it takes precious screentime to do it. DigMod just cropped the video, but it’s pretty obvious in some shots.
This is very complicated.
I will be sure to check them out.
Theoretical?
It’s my first fanedit, and I still don’t know how I’m going to accomplish some things (such as audio and authoring), so yes, at this point it is still theory.
As I’m not one of the people seeking big changes to TFA, I don’t have many thoughts on a lot of the videos. But man, that stabilized final shot is so much better.
Thanks 😃 It’s one of those things where you wonder what they were thinking when putting the movie together.
Well everyone, I’m moving out: http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/The-Force-Awakens-The-Starlight-Project/id/54912
I’ll still post edit specific ideas here, no worries, but for the miscellaneous ideas I won’t continue cluttering this thread. 😃
This is a comprehensive fanedit of The Force Awakens based on Hal 9000’s TFA Restructured, and is available via Private Message.
So what are the goals of this edit? As I see it, they are threefold:
First, to heighten the drama of the story. This is done through many changes, for example cutting down and re-editing the much maligned Rathtar attack, interconnecting character actions on Starkiller Base, and moving the destruction of the New Republic to the end of the film.
Second, to illuminate and strengthen the characters. Each of the major characters is refined through cuts and additions to enhance their presence and hint at their arcs throughout the trilogy. Rey is darker, Finn is less jokey, Kylo more conflicted, and even Poe gains some new depth. Even minor characters are given more presence in the film such as the pirates of Maz’s castle or Resistance officers.
Third and finally, to more fully realize the world of the film. This is done through restoring several deleted scenes, restructuring scenes to enhance the illusion of the passage of time, and adding shots which provide new perspectives of the world.
(Restructured edits in italics, unique changes in bold):
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
If anyone wishes to use the contents of this edit in their own edits feel free, I would only ask that you credit my work 😃
After having an “Easter marathon” my current ranking is
1./2. - Star Wars / The Empire Strikes Back
3. The Attack of the Clones
4. The Clone Wars
5. Return of the Jedi
6. The Force Awakens
7. The Phantom Menace
8. Rogue One
9. Caravan of Courage
10. Battle for Endor
11. The Star Wars Holiday Special
12. Revenge of the Sith
This is certainly a unique list.
Here’s version 3 of the scene:
https://mega.nz/#!edc3hLzB!jwPhXUHnAxZMXp2CWEBEQ5cYOLKiIH0kdfgZe6sQ5Y4
I totally understand if this doesn’t end up being used in the edit. I just haven’t committed to making a standalone edit of the film since I’m not too concerned with changing or deleting a whole lot. I feel like TFA is too frenetic as is, so most of my interest is in adding and extending crucial shots and scenes to let the film breathe. The biggest change I would make would be what Hal is already doing, so I feel like my edit would be rather superfluous.
JEDIT: There are several references to ships, pilots, and flying in the scene, so it would probably be less jarring if it was more obvious that she was imagining flying a ship. Perhaps compositing her into the cockpit of an imaginary X-wing would sell the illusion and further indicate her unique Force vision ability where she is interacting within the vision itself.
So many people on social media are saying that TLJ teaser was boring, but that’s what people said of ESB, so I’m looking forward to a more thoughtful, more mystically tuned entry. Also, Skellig Michael has the very real potential to be my favorite Star Wars location of all time.
I’m hoping Rian can intercut the more action-oriented Poe/Finn plot with the introspective Rey/Luke scenes. I think Empire kinda drags in the middle a bit (blasphemy!)
I I had any artistic skill whatsoever I would recreate the Empire poster with Poe and Finn as Han and Leia and that picture of Mark on Daisy’s back where Luke is.
I’d be careful about doing that, since people could misinterpret that as complaining about TLJ being a (Frink trigger warning) rehash.
There is something very poetic about that dream sequence
“Hopefully it’ll work”
😉
Thanks for the kind words everyone. It may not be strictly within the bounds of this edit, but I thought it was worth submitting for consideration.
There is one more thing that this addition makes more clear that I didn’t realize until now, and that is Maz’s words about how the Force has ‘always been there’.
Here’s version 2 (or 8, but who’s counting?):
https://mega.nz/#!jdFQ1LoI!uhnEtNqFogoeDNRBDui4kp-duoK-KSIEQ3gC4PhYzdE
Audio:
https://mega.nz/#!zIFAhBRR!kb7FIXKDTYv7LZ27QRw2LrNiLz9z4Aj_tYlAtppSSP4
The first water video has been replaced with one that more closely matches the island shot, there’s a slight zoom in on Rey between the two shots, and the island shot has been lengthened and stabilized.
Most recent thoughts on my ranking:
1- SW (always been my favorite)
2- RO (most like my favorite for obvious reasons)Rogue One would probably make my top 3 simply because of its unique tone but for the final scene. The movie prides itself on being a more grounded and realistic take on the Star Wars universe, but the discontinuity of the Tantive being at the Scarif battle, the plans being carried onto the ship instead of being beamed from afar, and the fact that the rebels knew that Vader had seen them escape makes the entire exercise ring hollow for me. In a more ‘delightful’ movie such as TFA this sort of continuity issue wouldn’t be as big a deal, but here it really ruins the film. I’ve described it like a runner tripping at the finish line and breaking their nose two inches from the ribbon.
It’s funny because I don’t even mind that. First of all, it’s discontinuity with another movie, so by itself it’s not like the ending doesn’t make sense, only after the fact. Second of all, I’m not even sure it’s discontinuity. Sure, it’s definitely not the way most would have assumed things would go down, but if you think about it, so long as Vader just assumes the plans were beamed to the Tantive rather than Raddus’s ship (and the fact that he didn’t force grab the plans would imply he indeed wasn’t aware) then there’s no real continuity problem at all.
“The Rebel flagship is disabled, my lord, but has received transmissions from the surface.”
“Prepare a boarding party”
It seems very much like he thinks the plans were beamed to Raddus’s ship and there is no other ship with which they can escape, otherwise why not just destroy the flagship outright? They clearly think they have all the time in the world to take prisoners and recover what was stolen, and it’s a surprise for Vader when the Tantive escapes.
the plans being carried onto the ship instead of being beamed from afar
They were beamed aboard the flagship and then carried onto the Tantive. Maybe a bit of a stretch but there were similar stretches in the OT.
And that’s why I said that it wouldn’t be a problem in the OT or ST. Their genre is much more action/adventure where these sort of issues are brushed aside, but RO is more of a serious war movie. Even considering this, just one of these issues in isolation is forgivable, but three all together compounds the issue into something quite unforgivable, at least for me.
Most recent thoughts on my ranking:
1- SW (always been my favorite)
2- RO (most like my favorite for obvious reasons)
Rogue One would probably make my top 3 simply because of its unique tone but for the final scene. The movie prides itself on being a more grounded and realistic take on the Star Wars universe, but the discontinuity of the Tantive being at the Scarif battle, the plans being carried onto the ship instead of being beamed from afar, and the fact that the rebels knew that Vader had seen them escape makes the entire exercise ring hollow for me. In a more ‘delightful’ movie such as TFA this sort of continuity issue wouldn’t be as big a deal, but here it really ruins the film. I’ve described it like a runner tripping at the finish line and breaking their nose two inches from the ribbon.