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darkhelmet

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Join date
23-Apr-2006
Last activity
21-Jul-2015
Posts
520

Post History

Post
#297626
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297626/action/topic#297626
Time
Cool, OLK. I understand your reasoning on the score; I'll give more weight to William's score work as collected by GoodMusician as I consider the music for my edit; maybe I'll do an alternate music track to allow for both mixes.

Yeah, I don't really dig using "the" in "The Republic Lost", but I wanted to keep with the tradition of the OUT, and specifically "A New Hope". Jedi was the only one of the original 3 not to use an indefinite article like "a" and "the". I'm not into using ROTS as the title, because it's never made clear in the prequels what the revenge is all about, unlike the story in ROTJ which clearly reinforces the movie's title. I'm attempting to find a title that reflects the serial titles of the OUT in their ability to clearly reflect the main thrust of each movie and perhaps to have multiple meanings like ANH refers both to the stolen Death Star plans and to Luke as well.

I'll hopefully have a preliminary title crawl with 20th Century Fox Fanfare done and posted by the end of this weekend.
Post
#297610
Topic
George Lucas to host showing of Star Wars "1977" for AFI's 40th anniversary.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297610/action/topic#297610
Time
Originally posted by: Red5
AFI Star Wars

They seem to have updated the webpage, it now says Special edition and they removed the (1977).

No big surprise, it's good though that the message got through.

It's a sad, sad day. Lucas once lamented the colorization of films he originally watched in black and white. Maybe he doesn't see the hypocrisy in allowing only the Special Editions to exist in a beautiful restoration since he, as the artist, changed them, but the effect on movie-goers is the same: the original versions which we came to love are not being preserved.
Post
#297603
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297603/action/topic#297603
Time
EST and OLK: great feedback. Thanks! It seems clear that I will need to use either Obi-wan' and Anakin's full names and/or the title "Jedi Knights"; point definitely taken.

About the rest of the crawl: I'll be going back to the drawing board to try to fit the new one as closely within the official crawls' line-by-line constraints as I can.

Regarding how the Separatists would stay together after Dooku's death, a key victory such as that wouldn't mean that the war would end immediately; there would likely be pockets of resistance that would still need to be defeated. So, the fighting in the rest of the movie would essentially be clean-up operations to make the defeat absolute. That's been a difficult concept to fit into the crawl and still have it sound cool. Originally I had "Capture will begin the end of the conflict"; not very literary-sounding.

The music: I'll definitely be listening to GM's Episode 3 music before I decide on including non-JW tracks (but I really do like some of the moody pieces from GLADIATOR).

Regarding "revenge" and the episode title: though the concept of the Sith's revenge was set-up very blatantly in Episode I, it became a very weak plot point that never sufficiently (IMO) played out in any of the prequels. OLK, your points about the sources of the desire for revenge are very plausible, but they are never really driven home in the movies. The reason for revenge should have been apparent since, in a movie, strong plot points don't exist if they aren't shown on-screen (the old drama addage: "If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage.").

Some other titles for consideration: "The Republic Falls", "The Twin Fates", "The Dark Times", "The Republic Besieged". I just came up with "Besieged", and I like it a lot; topical and doesn't give too much away just like "A New Hope"! Any of these hit a good nerve, or do you guys have any titles to suggest?
Post
#297407
Topic
George Lucas to host showing of Star Wars "1977" for AFI's 40th anniversary.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297407/action/topic#297407
Time
I've been lurking this thread every so often, and it sounds like AFI might actually show the original. The title given does say "1977". Unless the'yre lying, the only one from '77 is the original.

And don't they hold one of the only copies which Lucasfilm has no legal right to? I seem to remember someone saying that back when the forum was fighting to get an anamorphic OUT DVD release. And that a British film group has a copy as well. Is that right?
Post
#297405
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297405/action/topic#297405
Time
Cool! Thanks, OLK. I'm not particularly attached to the title as is, but I don't really see what the revenge was for. It's never clear what the Sith are getting revenge for.

SotD, GM's Episode 3 soundtrack is definitely too good of a resource to pass up! I'll give it a listen. Overall, though, I wasn't really impressed (prepare for blaspemy!) with Williams' work for most of the prequel films, so I'm excited to possibly use other music that might fit. I'll need to decide on that later, though, since I've got my work cut out for just the editing right now. BTW, what's "tracked" music? Music that exists from other sources and not originally composed for the footage it is finally used for?
Post
#297368
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297368/action/topic#297368
Time
OLK, I'm glad it feels more like an OT crawl to you, too. Adding in their full names would be great, but I'm already at 19 lines which makes it just as long as ANH's crawl which is the longest of all the crawls aside from the one from the original '77 release. I may try to squeeze it in there, though, if it'll fit with the music and not scroll up too quickly.

SotD, thanks for the suggestion. Like OLK asked, what parts do you see as needing replacement? There are some tracks from the score to Gladiator that I've been toying with the idea of using.

RB, I'm guessing you're paraphrasing Luke from the Star Wars novel? To Obi-Wan: "Damn your force!" Thanks for keeping it topical!

Post
#297321
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297321/action/topic#297321
Time
Well, it's slow-going with life and other projects in the mix, but a friend and I sat down with an Episode 3 script and went to work; he's got a head for story details and is great at continuity!

We cut out a bunch of stuff (Grievous will be gone as Kerr had said he was doing with his edit) and added some scenes back in (making Padme a stronger character).

Seeing that the story would actually work without Grievous (it was like getting a look at what Lucas had written before the addition of Grievous the story flows so well!), I got excited to begin my final anamorphic widescreen edit, and wrote a new title crawl with my friend's input.

Gone is "War!" or anything remotely cheesy like that. I referenced all of the GOUT crawls for similar language and tone. Hopefully everyone will like it, but there is a lot of story we had to write just in the crawl to plug up plot holes like why the fighting doesn't cease after Dooku is dead. Well, here it is; fire away!

Star Wars
Episode III
The Republic Lost

Despite staggering losses
to the ranks of both army
and Jedi, the indecisive
balance of the Clone Wars
has recently tipped in the
Republic’s favor.

In desperation, Separatist
leader Count Dooku has
risked his fleet and his
own capture to abduct the
Supreme Chancellor from
the capital planet.

Escape would destroy the
Republic’s resolve; capture
will doom the tenuous
Separatist coalition. In
pursuit, Jedis Kenobi and
Skywalker race to restore
peace to the galaxy….
Post
#295217
Topic
Star Wars - The Vintage Edit (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/295217/action/topic#295217
Time
Nice! Glad to hear things are going good. Yeah, i can't wait to see my edit up through a DVD player on an actual TV screen. The feeling must be awesome! Really glad to hear it went well and that the OT can keep living on in the HD world!

BTW, so does the fact that you sat down with your friend and watched your cut mean that you won't be needing those critiques you requested help with a while back?
Post
#295103
Topic
Prequel Trilogy - Sagafied (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/295103/action/topic#295103
Time
Hey, Tome!. Finally watched your Grievous edits 1 & 2 again for comments on the music focusing on the spots where Grievous has dialogue. I'm not much of a musician, but GoodMusician has an ear for these kind of things; maybe you could request that he take a listen, too. I'm actually a little nervous over smoothing out the score for my edit.

Clip1: (@ 0:57 in the file) Nice! Can't tell where the new music edit starts!
(@ 1:22) I don't know if this was an edit or if it was simply the file encoding, but there is a slight audio pop as you cut to the next scene.

Clip2: (@ 0:44) Music dips a little quickly.
(@ 0:48) Music suddenly loudens then drops again.
(@ 2:27) Nice! Music transitions are nice IMO! The music here is from the animated source, no? The only thing is that it seems slightly out of place with the music surrounding it. But we work with what we've got, right?
Post
#295080
Topic
Who got their membership pkg and "letter" from George Lucas?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/295080/action/topic#295080
Time
Very cool and interesting bit from the letter, Mielr! I take it as encouraging. Remember that Lucas took an active interest in seeing the Phantom Editor's cut of TPM? I think he might actually like to see the activity and the different takes people have on his films.

In prepping for the final edit of my version of Episode 3, I was surprised to find that the deleted scenes were mixed in full 5.1 surround. Not that that is proof, but it is an interesting treatment for material which is in no way insertable into the main movie when you watch it on the official DVD. Almost seems like an invitation to play around with the stuff.

Edit : Now if only he'd do a release like that for the GOUT.
Post
#295079
Topic
What is the most distressing aspect of the PT?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/295079/action/topic#295079
Time
So, I was using ADigitalMan's Guide to MPEG2/AC3 Editing when I got to the point where I was using Womble MPEG Video Wizard to fix the MPEG file of Episode 3 which I had ripped.

I went to select the fix for my file, and the radio button selection inexplicably read "Fix GOP Time Code and PT Errors (Read + Write)" when it should have read PTS instead.

I figured it was just a program bug or something since it had always said PTS before. But when I clicked the radio button to start the fix, the program deleted the Episode 3 MPEG from my computer!!
Post
#295077
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/295077/action/topic#295077
Time
Thanks for the input, SH and GM! I was hoping the 70's logo would meet with approval. I think I've found my source for that visual in the form of ALIEN, though the running time for it in this movie is about 3 seconds longer than in SW. Just a matter of fading in and out at the right times I would imagine.

Regarding the opening fanfare, though I agree with you, GM, that the ESB version sounds better, for the sake of story chronolgy I am leaning toward the 1954 Alfred Newman original as heard in SW. I know some people here on the boards have done some amazing GOUT anamorphic work, and if the ESB version of the fanfare has been used consistently across the Trilogy there, I could see a reason to use it, too. Doyou know if this has been done?
Post
#294929
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/294929/action/topic#294929
Time
Alright, my first update: should the new 20th Century Fox opening be kept, or should the movie open with the retro 70s version? If retro, any suggestions for a 16x9 anamorphic source for it?

I was thinking of losing the new Lucasfilm logo in favor of the 70's version as well, to keep continuity with the GOUT as if this one really came before the Holy Trilogy.

Thoughts? Suggestions?
Post
#294880
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/294880/action/topic#294880
Time
Originally posted by: MeBeJedi
btw..What the hell was this guy ^ waiting for?

Lucas forgot to say " Faster , more intense"

<smirk> He must've forgotten to say that a lot during filming.

(small) PROJECT UPDATE : I'm encoding what I hope will be my final anamorphic video source for doing the final editing. Most if not all of my edits so far have been sourced from inferior letterboxed DV AVI sources. BUT NO MORE! I'm hoping a 5.1 surround sound treatment doesn't prove to be too much of a headache. I'll update as often as I have something to share (whether it be video that I just can't keep under my hat or just my status).
Post
#294666
Topic
Prequel Trilogy - Sagafied (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/294666/action/topic#294666
Time
Sorry that it's been a while, but my wireless is now back up.

I'll need to go back and rewatch the clip to answer question #1, but, in response to rearranging the Jedi chamber sequence, it's an interesting idea. However, the way it plays out right now, there is too little action that occurs with Obi-wan to account for the larger amount of time which passes for the chamber scene. Maybe you could cut back and forth between the two to make this less noticeable?
Post
#294659
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/294659/action/topic#294659
Time
Originally posted by: TheTome
If you notice this happens a lot during the opening fights. When Obi Wan and Anikan crash their ships in the hanger they kill the droids in almost the same fashion. Stand still, and eventually a droid shooting your saber will kill itself. I've tried to fix both instances in my edit, but really the best you can do is make it less obvious the droids simply have no aim rather than fix it entirely.

Also, take a look at the duel footage I've edited with Dooku. Some of the issues remain, but I think I've been able to make Dooku's crushing of Obi Wan fast enough that it could actually happen in the time Anikan is on the ground. Let me know what you think.

You know, I never really noticed the lack of aim for the blaster bolt deflections. The hangar fight did always annoy me, but I thought it was only because of the lame droids. However, the ease of Anakin's and Obi-wan's defense was troubling, too. I never knew there was THIS much wrong with the scene. Hmmm...

Nice music selection for your Dooku duel edit! It really felt that much more intense, like an act 1 opening in Star Wars should be. It does slow down dramatically when Anakin has Dooku at his mercy. Any way to extend the previous music into this section, too? Keep the adrenaline flowing?

Post
#294085
Topic
Episode 3 - Editing Back in Progress (* unfinished project *)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/294085/action/topic#294085
Time
Originally posted by: Saintheart
You're thinking of doing something like an explosion to rattle the ship seriously and then drop the balcony on Obi-Wan, aren't you?
The explosion idea for the balcony falling on Obi-wan is a great idea! I'll keep that in mind. But, no, that wasn't what I was thinking... And I'm not going to reveal it yet, either (though it really wouldn't be anything splashy).
(2) Since I am hoping not to show Palpatine turning around in his chair, this might prove annoying as I would need to use After Effects to remove Anakin and Obi-wan in order to use Palpatine's wide shot for scene establishment.
Ah. I missed that. Nvrmnd then...
I still think you may have a point there. I may need to put in the extra work.
I'd suggested having his silhouette somehow blocking part of the shot for a brief second, moving right to left, but the logistics might be beyond anything but WETA
How much do you think they'd charge for 1 shot? Seriously, I briefly looked at surrounding footage for a shot that might work as a shadow but didn't see an Anakin figure that could be rotoscoped for a shadow, but that doesn't mean one doesn't exist in other fights. He should be in the shot. Definitely. How'd that escape Lucasfilm?? Maybe they should contact WETA!
...Obi-Wan's landing on the floor IMHHO should be shortened at the beginning, because it feels a beat too long and makes the audience think Anakin's just waiting for his cue to attack Dooku instead of hammering straight at him...

Yeah, I got that impression, too. Like, "What do you think this is Kid Blunder? A line for an amusement park ride?"
It was just my initial impression [that Anakin was in cahoots with Palpatine]... it does work on repeated viewings, but I hope I was coming to it with a fresh head when I first viewed it...

Yeah, I like the way the cuts work technically, but you might be right.
And lastly: I think you've actually got the choice of "Surrender, friends"or "Surrender, gentlemen." Because the 'friends' line also comes from that meeting in Ep 2: "Our friends from the Trade Federation have pledged their support."

I like "Surrender, gentlemen."

Thanks for posting the rotoscope info. I haven't tried my hand at any of it yet.