RogueLeader

The Watsonian bends over backwards.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure DigiMod’s Heir to the Force removes that by creating a new shot.

While I would love to see that removal come to fruition at some point, I think the super weapon aspect of the base is essential to his edit, since the ground splitting apart and separating Kylo and Rey still occurs in his edit.

If you could pull the vfx off I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea. It would be sort of the point where, I imagine, the lightsaber really starts to struggle. So having a close-up shot that makes a point of saying “something is wrong with the saber” would be a nice set-up to the issues it will have in the following half of the duel. And honestly, I think any additional shots would benefit the sequence in general.

Movies Remastered said:

Yeah, Pretty much!

On another note, The glitchy Saber effects were pretty easy to do but I’m just trying to find a good spot where the blue glow isn’t too dominant in the rain reflections. That’s gonna be the only issue making this effect work. I’m thinking of using a close-up piece of footage from when Rey ignites the Saber before she jumps Kylos ship. I’ve cut that scene in my edit so it’ll be good to use it elsewhere.

0:53 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adzYW5DZoWs&t=17s

Thoughts?

Are you suggesting rotoscoping Rey and her saber out of this shot and replacing the background with the Death Star ruins?

You explain the reasoning of your decisions really well! I also think framing the objective of your edits as a way to make the characters and universe more in-line with their depictions in Legends. Although obviously you’ll still make decisions based on personal preference (as you should), it also gives you an extensive framework to both guide your choices and justify your decisions. It definitely makes me interested in your project and eager to see what you come up with. I liked the ST for the most part, but I always enjoy new takes on these films!

To remove Han returning to the smuggler life, I’m assuming you’ll cut the Rathtar sequence?

I would be interested in hearing about other specific ideas you might have that maybe stand out from other edits. Are there big changes your still trying to figure out how to implement?

Oh yeah! Sorry, sometimes I just reply to something without thinking about which thread I’m in! If I ever bring up ideas, I’m more like throwing out into the universe, rather than directing it at you.

Wait, are you about to be a real poppa?! If so, that’s the best kind of busy. Congrats man!

I think for clarifying that Snoke wasn’t literally controlled by Palpatine like a puppet, you could make two lines changes.

1. Instead of “I made Snoke”, he could say, “I trained Snoke”
   The vat of Snokes would make it clear enough that he made him (unless you used poppa’s Palpatine clones shot). Maybe a shot could be made with a Snoke clone and a Palpatine clone. You could even use that shot to show other clones that are in-between the physical appearance of Snoke and Palpatine. Which would answer the question of who Snoke was a clone of: technically Palpatine, but a deformed, genetically alerted version of him. And each new clone became less deformed than the last. Snoke was just an earlier iteration.

2. Do what Dom did, and take out Snoke’s “you have ever heard” part of Palpatine’s line. This line definitely makes it seem like Palpatine IS Snoke.

Awesome! I can’t wait to see your interpretation of it! I had the idea, but I don’t have a concrete idea for how it should look, so it will be cool seeing someone else add their own creativity to it.

I had the idea while I was brainstorming for a Palpatine-less TROS edit, but I realized it could work for a more conservative edit of the movie as well.

Hal 9000 said:

But I do like that idea! RogueLeader is a fan editing genius.

Lol, thanks Hal! Now I just gotta do some actual work…

Movies Remastered said:

That’s a REALLY good idea, dude.

I’m wondering how that effect would look and sound?

It might be a pain, but you could make the the saber more crackly, or wavy(?) as it becomes more unstable, and then we could see the saber either oscillate, or maybe even fade or dissipate. You could distort the regular saber sounds, like when it ignites or deactivates. Maybe you could add a spark effect sort of like what you have with Kylo’s. I mean, I think only one or two effects would be necessary to really sell it. The hard part might be masking out the blade for a few frames here and there to show it malfunctioning.

You mean she did for the symbolism? I mean, this doesn’t change the symbolism…

Kind of building on the idea of the crackly Skywalker saber, I think it could be interesting if during Kylo and Rey’s duel on the Death Star, that Rey’s saber was almost becoming “overloaded” from the constant saber-clashing, and starts shorting out by the end of the duel. For example, in the shot where Rey sort of shakes her hand, you could have the saber fluttering in and out. Then finally, when Kylo keeps hammering away at Rey while she is on the ground, we could see the saber give out while Kylo is raising his to deliver the final blow. This would give a reason for why Rey grabs Kylo’s saber and stabs him with it, rather than just using her own.

I think it would add an interesting aspect to the duel that we haven’t really seen before, where our characters are dealing with a malfunctioning weapon. It also gives Rey a practical reason for why she inevitably builds her own.

I don’t have an eye for this like many people but I think this looks great!

Yes. It would’ve been nice if Luke had just said that instead.

Meant to respond to your post earlier but I love what you’ve written so far! I might end up disagreeing with your further ideas, but when I read your current post I feel like you’re a kindred spirit! Really digging your approach and mindset.

I think I had a similar thought when speculating on what IX would be about, but I like the idea of Rey’s problems in IX not being solvable through her physical prowess. She is a fast learner when it comes to combat, flying and the Force, but these skills won’t necessarily unite a galaxy. She has to learn how to inspire people, and be an example to others. Something she could really learn from Leia.

But, it also gives you an opportunity to have Rey be tempted by a darker path.

I mean, that could’ve been cool, but they couldn’t fit every cool idea into these movies. Maybe he’ll wield two in some future story, but having him wield two in a fan edit would be impossible.

Yeah, is there a shot of the planets close together or something? If we actually saw a few moons or planetoids in the direction Poe jumps into hyperspace, it actually might sell the the whole concept more. But it looked like empty space to me.

Might not be a big deal, but we see the saber on her belt that whole scene in wide shots, so it might have to be adjusted in those shots as well.

TestingOutTheTest said:

The trees don’t exactly look like the ones in the battle.

Shhhhhhhh.

That is awesome. We could just use that shot, add some animated fog or clouds or something to give it a little movement, maybe the flash of blaster fire from the forest below, and have TIEs flying overhead or something, sort of like that other est. shot poppa made. That shot on its own is really cool not to use.

I feel like I’m in college, attending a debate on morality with Nev and Jake on stage. I’m taking notes for my extra credit assignment.

Hmm, I could see that. If you could alter Mon Mothma’s line about “Many Bothans died to bring us this information”, it would be like she would be referring to that attack.

Although, we could assume Bothans wasn’t necessarily an alien race, but could be a term for humans, like Corellian, Alderaanian, etc.

That is a good point. Maybe when Rose asks what he is doing, instead of saying, “We’re taking the entire ship down”, he could say, “We’re taking the First Order down.”

Might not be good. I just wish their interaction was a little different.

Hal 9000 said:

Lol he would’ve sounded like someone saying what he feels he has to to his girlfriend to be able to go out and drink with the guys.

Lol, so true. But it isn’t much better than the current version, which sounds like Finn is saying, “Rose. Please. Let’s not do this shit again.”

This is contradictory from what I said earlier, but if they wanted to go with the angle that Finn is “saving what he loves” by destroying the command tower, that might’ve been clearer if Hux was still alive and was killed in the destruction. Sure, the First Order apparatus is what feeds the child soldier program, but it was Hux’s army. He says as much in both TFA and TLJ. Sure, I guess Pryde takes that over once he kills Hux, but, in a way, stopping Hux would at least be a symbolic way of stopping the stormtrooper program.

But maybe they wanted to make the final battle more impersonal for Finn, since that will make it seem less like he is seeking personal vengeance, and is just trying to fulfill his mission of stopping the fleet, rather than wanting to kill anybody?

Would love to get some thoughts on this. Right now the final battle feels a bit generic, and it would be nice if there was a little more catharsis or something to the way the battle ends. Maybe including Hux would go more against Finn’s character arc in last two films. It just feels like the battle is missing something for Finn’s character. I don’t know. Obviously we don’t have much to work with, but still. Finn and Rose’s interaction just feels weird and forced, to me.

EDIT: It could be interesting if when Finn asks Hux why he saved them, Finn could ask Hux to come with them, but then Hux responds, “I don’t care if you win, I want Kylo Ren to lose.”
This way, Finn actually offers his enemy mercy, so regardless of you include Hux in the final battle or not, it shows some interesting development for Finn. Although, I would suggest including the idea of making Finn and Poe stun stormtroopers rather than killing them, as well. It would be weird if he killed stormtroopers, but then offered mercy to Hux.