SilverKey

I wouldn't say it was orangeness that made the TF movies so damn awful ;)

I agree that the lightning is too much to take out, brash. I don't really see a way to make it work with the other material there is. Not unless you want to do a whole lot of rotoscoping and patch it together from the other movies.

As meaningless as it is, I think the Yoda vs Dooku duel is the best we get in AOTC. They put way more thought into that one than in editing the one with Obi-Wan and Anakin. Maybe there is some extra footage on the DVD's that might help to enhance the duel a bit?

Like that color correction, Angel. It reveals some details and makes Geonosis look more real. Good job!

About Palpatine's face, I always thought the transformation of Palpatine's face happened because the lightening he generated was reflected back on him. Kind of like a loop. It would have had double the effect on him.

Personally I think the the lightning should be saved as a surprise for ROTJ. But I think it's impossible to remove the lightning from ROTS. Also, if Dooku is a rogue Jedi in an edit, he shouldn't use the lightning either. Maybe just Force push Anakin away.

That line always struck me as kind of weird. As if the planet is safe because it is volcanic. Doesn't make any sense.

I think just cutting "It's a volcanic planet" would suffice. Grievous could just say "I am sending you to the Mustafar system in the Outer Rim. You will be safe there". That's all you need to know.

That's cool, the cutter! Glad you're thinking it through like that. Doesn't matter if I agree with it or not, it's always interesting to see some alternate takes on the material :)

You have some great ideas, thecutter. But I agree with most of rpvee's post: I too think most of your work is a little too jumpy and I think that's because you cut out the stuff you don't think work, but don't concern yourself with the actual flow of the scene.

And maybe this is not the right place for this, but you keep criticizing or parodying Anakin's (admittedly mostly awful) lines by saying they aren't Vader enough, but I'd like to point out that Anakin hasn't always been Vader. Had he been, there would've been no fun in seeing the transformation. I agree something should be done about most of his dialogue, but cutting stuff like his glee during the spacebattle seems a little pointless to me.

Good points, Bingowings. I'm not against having a hero ship per se, I just can't find any place in the story (as it is) for it. A personal ship for Anakin would be cool. A ship he'd have in AOTC, and one that he keeps tinkering with during the war to make it more effective. I think that would really add to his character.

I'm all for a more consistent visual style in the prequels. All 3 prequels kind of have their own look (with AOTC and ROTS being a little closer to each other). Carrying over some designs from movie to movie could help give the prequels a more consistant and less random look. This random look might also be because the movies take place on so many different worlds, but the OT was very epic as well and has a very distinctive and own look. 

TPM and ROTS look the best of the prequels I think. TPM benefits from lot of location shooting and having a very "real" and grounded look, while ROTS approaches the "70's" style of ANH the best in use of colors. Especially Utapau looks like it could have been in the OT. In AOTC most things look plastic.

I have heard this discussion before (though not on here), and I think that's a pretty good idea, if we could fit it in the story. Personally, I don't really see it fit with the PT as it is.

It fit in the story of the OT because it was Han's personal ship and we spend a great deal of time with him. But this doesn't really apply for the PT. I think this has to do with the bigger scope of the PT: we see more characters, more planets, more cultures and the trilogy plays over a longer period of time.

For example: the Naboo have their own distinctive style of ships, but we only really see those in TPM because the story is set there. In AOTC, Amidala has her own ship, but it gets blown up. The Jedi also have their own fighters in AOTC, but those have changed again in ROTS because the visual style of the movie is trying to move towards that of the OT.

Also, having a hero ship in the PT just because the OT has one sounds a bit like repeating itself, like Lucas is already accused of in the PT.

I agree that the look of Kamino's interiors is a little too clean, but why exactly would a cloning facility be dirty and gritty? Aren't labs and hospitals and environments like that always sterile and clean looking?

Personally, I like how most of Kamino looks, it's something very different from what we've seen before in Star Wars.

Bingowings said:

If the technology for C3PO and Luke's bionic hand exist such androids must exist.

The technology is there, agreed, but we never see droids like that in the rest of the saga, while there are certainly parts where they might have come in handy. Personally, I don't think Terminator-like droids "fit" in Star Wars, it feels against the entire romantic concept of the saga.

Yeah, I'm familiar with Guri, but the movies should be the movies. The EU is an entirely different universe, one where Luke has sex with a ghost, half the Jedi Order seems to have survived survived their extermination, Palpatine has a cycloptic son and where apparently is some kind of superweapons-r-us where Kevin J. Anderson likes to shop for plots.

And what's wrong with Zam being just a human being? I agree that the shape shifter concept should be dropped because it's pointless, but why make her a droid? It doesn't really add anything.

Bingowings said:

Carrying on from my response to Dave's vid having Zam turn out to be a Terminator style Separatist android would be kind of interesting.

Her face could melt off revealing the workings underneath or she could explosively self destruct.

Like an Austin Powers fembot? :P

Too be honest, I don't think robots like that fit in Star Wars. Based on the other kinds of droids we see, the technology doesn't seem advanced enough.

I do like the idea proposed on the previous page that a war is already going on during TPM. That way the reason for the blockade of Naboo can be changed and may give the situation more urgency. Maybe the planet is now under siege or something and the Trade Federation want to use the planet as a staging area and to build droid factories.

Nicholas J. Michalak said:

I removed Clieg's lines mainly because he's essentially a character I'm indifferent to.  He has all of two or three scenes in all of the saga, and is never mentioned again.  While I get that, yeah, it's a more touching eulogy for Shmi, we forget anything about this guy by the next scene.  He really has little to no emotional impact on the story.

The mass murder confession is gone because it's insulting to Padmé's character.  She is a person dedicated to peaceful, diplomatic, non-violent solutions.  At every turn throughout the prequels, she strongly seeks diplomatic solutions to everything up until there is absolutely no other option available.  So, I cannot accept that she would choose to marry a guy who confesses to murdering men, women, and children out of blind rage and vengeance.  Plus, in ROTS, she is shocked at the thought that Anakin would kill younglings despite knowing that he has already killed men, women, and children in cold blood, previously.  These events make her appear to be moronic, in the least.  I also think, as another fan editor did (don't recall which), that it's perhaps more telling that Anakin would trust this secret with Palpatine more than his own wife (as he mentions it in ROTS after Dooku's death).

The wipe from Anakin bringing his deceased mother home to the funeral was in contention with me.  It does appear odd, but I don't know how well a straight cut would work.  Might just have to cut out earlier.  I'll work in those ideas for removing 3PO's lines.  After hearing Adywan's old radio interview, I think distancing Anakin from C-3PO's origins is a truly intelligent idea.  The big problem is I have no idea how to remove CPO from the final shots of the film.  I do intend to start my own thread, shortly.  Just keep revising my excessively long post covering all three films (which I am editing simultaneously along with a few other films).  Likely, the thread will debut this weekend, if not later tonight.

-NJM

Fair enough about Cliegg's lines. I'd keep them, but this is your edit after all :)

I get your point about Anakin's confession, and I agree completely. What I was saying with my post was that I think it's necessary the scene is kept, just remove him confessing the actual murder. I think we need this scene because Anakin just did something terrible and this scene goes a little deeper into it. It shows Anakin showing remorse for what he did, which is important because without it, it would be even harder to relate to him. Also, this scene brings Anakin and Padme a little closer to each other.

How I would fix this scene is when Padme asks him what is wrong, Anakin could answer with "nothing", taken from one of their ROTS conversations, but underscored with some foreboding music. It might give the scene some subtext.

Concerning the transition between Anakin's arrival at the farm and the funeral: maybe it might work nicely if you pan up to the sky after the arrival, hold it right there for a few seconds, and then pan down again to the funeral. The shots seem pretty much the same, so it might work smoothly.

I'm going to read your thread about your edit, brash. Looks good!

I like Michalak's AOTC clip, but I don't agree with removing Cliegg's speech. Why shouldn't he say goodbye to his wife? Gives the movie some much needed humanity. I also like how different Cliegg and Anakin's eulogies are: Cliegg's is all about Shmi and what a good person she was, while Anakin's is all about himself. I think it's a nice juxtaposition.

Personally, I'd keep the scene in the garage, but I agree with you guys that the actual confession should go. I would also remove Anakin actually cutting down the first Tuskens in the camp. That way, with the confession removed, the scene in the garage could be Anakin just ranting and trying to deal with his emotions, at least to Padme. The murder is only implied. This also tackles the issue of Padme just shrugging it off and marrying him anyway (and in ROTS not believing Anakin would be capable of murdering children).

I don't know if this has been discussed in depth before, but one of the things I've been thinking about a lot concerning AOTC is removing the mystery surrounding the clones subplot in AOTC. Removing it would make the Jedi a lot less stupid.

Not that I'm really working on an edit, but I've been gathering ideas left and right, and in my ideal AOTC edit, the existence of the clone army is common knowledge. The debate Padme returns to Coruscant for is whether or not to deploy it on Republic worlds. Problem is, by removing the "mystery", there really is no reason for Obi-Wan to visit Kamino.

So, how would it work to still have the tour around Kamino in the movie and get Obi-Wan on the Geonosis trail? I'd like to hear your ideas on this.

Yeah, it's a good idea, but difficult to work out. It also matches with what Lucas had originally planned for Qui-Gon in one of the first drafts of TPM: Qui-Gon doesn't show up until Obi-Wan arrives at Coruscant with the Queen, and accompanies him to Naboo where he is killed by Maul.

Qui-Gon kind of is the main character in this movie I suppose (though I think TPM is more of an 'ensemble' movie). Take him out, and the other characters can't make up for his absence. Still, would be very interesting to see how the movie would turn out without him. Maybe it's another option to make Obi-Wan a junior Jedi knight? Remove all references to him being a Padawan, and make him more of an equal to Qui-Gon. Maybe the mission to Naboo is his first as a Jedi, just like Anakin's mission to Naboo is his first in AOTC. It would also rid us of that 'jealousy' angle that is kinda there but goes nowhere.

A little correction I have to make (though no one will care :P): the Neimoidians DID send TC14 away with drinks before they received the order to kill the Jedi from Sidious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joTzwjVUSo4

Guess RLM was wrong on that one, but then again, he couldn't even tell two handmaidens, who were mentioned by name in the movie, apart.

You guys are right, my mistake! But anyway, if it weren't for the gas, we wouldn't be having this discussion :P

Nicholas J. Michalak, I hope you're not seeing this as an attack on your work, those are just my thoughts. Keep up the good work :)

I agree about the introduction for the Jedi, it is good. But don't you think the Neimoidians are being portrayed as puppets already? One of them calls the blockade "your scheme" (to Sidious) and we see them taking orders from, and reporting to Sidious throughout the entire movie. They are puppets alright, but Sidious doesn't really come into action until ROTS. In TPM, and to some extent AOTC, the Neimoidians are our bad guys, or are at least the faces of the bad guys. That's why I think they need a bit more introduction.

Yes, they could have poisoned the drinks, but those were sent before Gunray had even received the order to kill the Jedi from Sidious. ;)

Nice work on those TPM openings, guys. Personally I wouldn't change that much, since I think it's the best part of the movie. Some good action and a very fitting introduction of two (main) characters and the Jedi themselves.

I have some suggestions for this scene, if you don't mind:

It never bothered me that Gunray contacted Sidious based on TC14 guessing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were Jedi, but you seem hellbent on changing that, which is fine :P. The cobbled together line by Gunray is very effective, but might it not also work to just change TC14's line into something like "I verified the ambassadors identity and they are Jedi Knights"? It seems very reasonable to me that a protocol droid would know how to recognize a Jedi. Also, a droid is easy to overdub, and it would explain why the droid is still in the scene.

This is a great new introduction for the Jedi: we don't see their faces until they blaze onto the screen in all their ass kicking glory. But I don't think there is enough introduction for the guys of the Trade Federation. Cutting into the middle of a scene, where one of them stands with his back at the camera, isn't a very good introduction for the main 'villains'.

Shaping up nicely bob! Great suggestions by the other posters as well. I'd say no to lightning though. It's overused in the PT as it is. It was a big thing when it happened in ROTJ, but seeing Dooku use it in AOTC and Palpatine using is so casually when fighting Yoda kind of cheapened it.

bobgarcia74 said:

Think I'm going to stick with the Sound effect, I might change it out for something close to it tho. I based it off the sound that the Jedi make when they burst run in TPM, cause I thought it fit pretty well. I might work alittle of the Sith Scream back in tho.

The only other thing I think I'll mess with is flickering the lights on and off as he raises up out of his chair. And flickering them again in between him cutting them down. Keeping the sabers glowing bright all the while. If I can do that, I'll be thrilled.

This version of the scene is ment to shock people, so that they feel and understand how the Jedi must have felt, like WTF!?!?. Thats why no music cues are added. Cause I feel it takes away from the action going on.

Now the Music after the force rush will be cleaned up tho. I kinda did this quick, and was so happy with the results. I wanted to share it. 8)

That's a great idea. I don't know if you watch Smallville, but in one episode in season 9, Clark is inside Checkmate's headquarters to rescue Chloe. When he enters the room she is in and fights of the guards, the lights are flickering, and because Clark moves so fast, all we see when the light comes on are single frames still of his movements. The music and sound effects fill in the rest. I think it's quite artistic, and may work very well for this scene since the material is very limited. Here's the scene on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhi8njyGpak

Great idea Angel! I agree with snicket, that scene looks scary as hell like that. Imagine what it would look like with the Throne Room theme playing underneath it.

I think with that scene, the less we see of it, the better. Maybe just implying with music and some brief shots what kind of terrible waste Palpatine laid on the Jedi would be far more effective.

Agreed, but I would limit both appearances to cameos. We could have Grievous in the war room on Geonosis, but save his introduction for ROTS.

I made some mock ups of adding Dooku to Qui-Gon's funeral, but they are buried somewhere in this thread. The idea was that he looks at the building where the funeral is held, says something like "Goodbye old friend" and sighs. Nothing really spectacular, but I think it's workable, and not too intrusive in the movie. Adding him to the Council might work too, I think that has been suggested before.

Are you still looking for clean sound FX Brash? There is a library over at TheForce.net: http://theforce.net/fanfilms/postproduction/index.asp I haven't checked the files, but there may be something there for you.

I also watched your arena clip, and if you don't mind, I have some feedback as well:

I thought Dooku looking concerned when Padme got cut by the creature didn't really fit. He has no connection to her, whereas Gunray does. You already have him upset over defeating her creature, so why not have him be happy with the creature cutting her?

I think you made a bit of a mess of Anakin's "story" in this scene. There is no logical flow of events: he jumps on the creature, disappears from the scene for quite a while, and then the next time we see him, he's off the creature again, even though we never see him fall off. It's all a bit jumbled. I think the least you can do is show him riding out of frame, then later have a short bit with him falling off, getting back on, and then get back to rescue Padme. That way you could still cut the dicey looking stuff, but also keep things logical. It's a nice idea to see him tame the creature with the Force, as the music cue indicates, but again you don't really follow up on it by showing him jump on the creature. In your cut, it feels like he comes out of nowhere when he's riding into the shot to save Padme.

The appearance of the Jedi is a bit too sudden, I think, but the musical cue first very nicely!

The battle in the arena is rather messy, so I don't think you've made it better or worse. I do think you should've kept Padme's part of the quip (unless you cut that earlier in the movie). You have to stay with the characters in a scene like this, and little bits of dialogue help (plus, the OT characters had time to crack wise most of the time during battles as well :P).

We kind of "lose" Mace in the battle. I think it's important to keep him involved in it, since he's a recognizable character. It's a bit more interesting to see him fighting instead of a bunch of name- and faceless extra's.

What happens to Anakin's creature in the battle? We lose him as well.

The original cut of the scene didn't have this either and I don't know if it's possible, but maybe it's an idea to change the music into something more grim when we see more Jedi dying and the remaining ones are being surrounded? It might give the whole scene a bit more weight.

I hope you'll see this as constructive feedback, and I hope it might help!

Thirded. Great idea and mockup Angel!

bobgarcia, your work on this edit is simply spectacular! I especially love how you seemlessly removed that ridiculous and unnecessary flip by Dooku. Can't wait to see more of your edit.

If you are looking for more Christopher Lee dialogue, have you tried the Clone Wars animated movie? Lee did Dooku's voice in that one, so you might be able to find some lines in there. Keep up the good work!

Bingowings, I never tire of seeing the ending of ROTS moved from Polis Massa to Dagobah. The idea in that video is rough, but the idea is just perfect.