logo Sign In

NeverarGreat

User Group
Members
Join date
11-Sep-2012
Last activity
26-Jul-2025
Posts
7,701

Post History

Post
#1458345
Topic
The Force Awakens: Starlight (V1.1 Released!)
Time

Master Lawdog said:

So, Neverar. I know this is your thread for The Force Awakens, but what are your plans/goals for your edit of The Last Jedi?

The plans are ever-evolving, but right now the biggest situation to resolve is how to begin the film. While focusing purely on TFA, I’d planned to have two versions with two endings, but in beginning TLJ this is awkward since it would require two versions as well.

The situation is complicated by my gradually warming to the ending of TFA as it stands in the standard edit because it has become important to the thesis of the film. In the original, I disliked how it essentially ended on a cliffhanger devoid of much meaning. Rey had already decided to find Luke when she left the Resistance base, concluding her arc of embracing the good light of the Force and her new destiny, and this seemed in the theatrical version like the thematic end of the story. The journey to Luke seemed a purposeless extension of the narrative in order to technically get Luke into the film. The final moments between the characters are of Rey silently asking, then demanding that Luke take up his saber and be the legend the galaxy needs. It is a passing of responsibility, not just for Rey but for the film itself as if it can’t be bothered to decide its own message after all.

However, in Starlight Rey’s journey is more clearly about her quick acceptance of the Dark Side to survive, implying that she must find a mentor in the Force if she is to avoid this dark fate. Her meeting with Luke retains its former meaning, but now gains a new one in that Rey is revealing her deep spiritual and emotional need for guidance. She is not a centered, self-sufficient character as she was portrayed in the theatrical version, but a hurt, wounded character who has survived only by giving in to vengeance. With this new context the final moments seem to me to be a fitting culmination of Rey’s journey given the assumption that Luke takes the saber and becomes the mentor she needs. In this way the film ends on the perfect moment, for any rejection by Luke would throw her into deeper temptation as TLJ reveals.

(There’s also the in-person revelation of the island to consider, which is the payoff of the two-part setup earlier in the edit.)

All this is to say that I now actually favor the Standard ending of the edit over the more radical Visions version. I will probably still render out that version for anyone who wants it, but I’ve made peace with TLJ opening on the island despite the issues of the passage of time. That is not to say that there will be no passage of time between films, for I am planning on describing some event in the crawl of TLJ that occurs between films, but that is for the TLJ thread. Removing the ticking clock of the First Order knowing the location of the base helps tremendously.

JEDIT: One thing that would make the standard ending ideal would be to figure out a lengthened sequence of traveling from the base to Luke’s island. That would probably be the biggest change for a V2 of this edit.

Post
#1458241
Topic
The Force Awakens: Starlight (V1.1 Released!)
Time

PM sent!

As to the changes, I’ve seen a few of the more radical TFA edits and they tend to leave me cold. There is a point where removing content from any media will give me the feeling that something is missing. Some edits remove practically all of Finn’s comedic moments and at that point Finn is diminished as a character since there’s simply less of him onscreen, less to remember about his presence. The same thing can be said of Rey - some edits remove or edit around her more extreme Force abilities and this also feels like Rey’s impact in the story is diminished.

In short, story elements that are disagreeable are at least remarkable. I’ve tried to keep these elements while trying as much as possible to build around them the solid foundation that should have existed in the original cut.

This is also why the runtime of the edit is only about 3 minutes shorter than the Theatrical version. Unless a goal is to shorten the film (TLJ, the Hobbit movies), I try to balance the runtime of the cut material with added material so that the result feels like a truly alternate version of the film rather than The Force Awakens: Now With Less Force Awakens.

Post
#1458145
Topic
The <strong>Original Trilogy</strong> Radical Redux Ideas Thread
Time

Except that they don’t know that they’re inside the slug until later.

The only way I could see making the scenario semi-beliveable would be to put the hint of an atmosphere around the asteroid. It probably wouldn’t make sense for an atmosphere for a body that small, but their behavior and the gravity of the asteroid implies that it is at least moon-sized.

Post
#1456913
Topic
The Force Awakens: Starlight (V1.1 Released!)
Time

Peonthegrate said:

I just realized, is the link for the V1 small and V1 full quality the same link? For the workprint link I have theres only one 5GB file, not two.

It’s two links. I kept the big file separate since space was an issue and I didn’t think it would work in high volume. However, since there don’t seem to be any issues so far, if you’re interested just leave a note on the original link PM and I’ll be sure to include the new one. Or PM me anew 😃

Post
#1456666
Topic
The Starlight Project Part 2: The Last Jedi (WIP)
Time

Well this is still all preliminary, since I haven’t actually done any editing on this. You may recall I had some crazy ideas for TFA that ultimately didn’t pan out when put into effect, but even if they don’t work at least everything will have been considered. My guess is that neither scene will be cut, ultimately, but cutting them at the outset will make their absence known, and more importantly illuminate exactly what is important about those scenes.

For example, in TFA I originally cut the throwaway line about the trash compactor, but later it became apparent that the line was necessary in explaining Phasma’s fate in the film in a way that couldn’t be ignored.

Post
#1456613
Topic
The Force Awakens: Starlight (V1.1 Released!)
Time

PM’s sent!

Thank you hinvention for your thoughts! The Kylo voice cutoff was - I’m pretty sure - part of the original, though with how much cutting and moving things around I’ve done, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that it was a mistake. I’d have to compare them to see.

EddieDean said:

A couple more loose thoughts, and responses to other feedback in this thread:

  • In TLJ, can we also please get a flash of sith eyes when Rey on Ach-To “goes straight to the dark”, to tie back to this?

That’s a nice idea!

  • Regarding the tracking device, could we maybe have a cutaway shot of the light turning on (maybe with a ‘turning on’ sound effect), and then when Han’s disabling it, can we do that as a cutaway too (with a ‘turning off’ effect), just to make that point last a little longer?

I’d have to find a view/shot of that area of the ship, and off the top of my head I’m not sure where that could be found. If that were to be found, we’d be in business.

  • On BMadden’s idea to retain the shot of the gang member being punched into the rathtar’s mouth: While I do enjoy that shot, I’d argue that the way the scene is cut now, with far less visible rathtars, still works better, to emphasise the ‘unknown fear’ aspect. They’re scarier in your imagination, and them being scary makes this scene more tense (and valuable) than if it’s more of an ‘adventure’ scene evading a clear creature.

That’s where I am on the shot - the longer we linger on/interact with the creatures, the less scary they are.

  • On the Jakku colouring, as I said previously I absolutely think that this current version of the film should be considered ‘complete’ and cinema-worthy. It’s certainly not broken anywhere, and the existing grade is fantastic. But if we are thinking about potential tweaks to the Jakku regrade, I’d perhaps retain more blueness in the sky so it’s less blown out, tone the white sand down just a little (so there’s just a hint of yellow-brown), and bring some of the remaining yellow-brown sand shots closer to the new white.

Definitely something to consider for the future, and I agree.

  • Counter to hinvention’s opinion, I thought that the changes to the dialogue about the Senate/Hosnian system being targeted really worked.

I agree that it’s not perfect, and if anyone else wants to try to improve the flow of those lines they are welcome to it, but I’ve reached the end of my abilities in that area.