DISCLAIMER: Most of you are far more knowledgeable than me. That's why this post will ask a lot of questions and not give a lot of answers. Hooray internet-enabled collaboration!
There's been a lot of talk over in the Fan Edit section about how to recut and reshape the PT into less-terrible movies. As folks like RedLetterMedia have explained, the chief problems in the PT are the story, the directing and the dialogue.
I have heard, however, some talk about how nearly everything in the PT is CG. Perhaps some Fan Edits (*cough* Revisted *cough*) might someday work on replacing the CG with physical elements when possible, such as having men in Clone Trooper suits, an idea Lucas bizarrely eschewed.
But what about all those spaceships? Is replacing any of those justified? What would be required to do that? Obviously quality models would be needed, and that is a large field that a lot of hobbyists on the internet are already taking care of, whether or not they have Fan Edits in mind. The ability to make quality physical models of spaceships exists.
But getting footage of those models, as far as I can tell, would require a motion control camera system. Digital compositing doesn't seem to be the problem, as it really is just blue-screened footage and there are people that know how to handle that - but getting that footage is an issue.
What would it take to make a motion control camera? Any and all knowledge, speculation, etc is welcome. You can even talk about prices and how they're too high or within reach or whatever, because this is a brainstorming thread and not an announcement that I have any intention of purchasing these things. I just thought the discussion was a good idea.
