InfoDroid

Oh, thank you, but no no no...I'm not back.  Just heard the news and had to join in the jubilation.  LOL 

I've read the reviews.  Sounds like Asteroid-Man has done an excellent job. 

I'm just glad someone finally pulled it off.  Congrats, Asteroid-Man!  Hats off to you for finishing.  I'd love to see it sometime.

Superb job as always, Adywan!  I just had the pleasure of seeing this yesterday.  It's so nice to finally be able to watch Empire Strikes Back (especially on the 30th anniversary) without getting pissed off at all the abortions they shoehorned into an otherwise perfect film.  The coloration is perfect too.  White snow!  Yay!

Thanks for spending the time to create and release this.  It's truly great. 

--InfoDroid 

Ripplin said:

InfoDroid said:

I've learned the trick is to wait until you've FINISHED an edit before you start the thread...  LOL! 

FINISHED FINISHED...or finished, but willing to implement post-"finished" suggestions? :p It's really fun for people to see the progress and offer things that might help. Sure, it's a shame if it doesn't actually get done (and we all mourn your situation with Crystal Skull, of course), but oh well.

I've been surpremely enjoying following the progress of "Doc Savage: Detarnished". People need to check that out.

Oh, I love the suggestions.  Definitely.  I just hate being the king of great but unfinished projects.  LOL!   

I've learned the trick is to wait until you've FINISHED an edit before you start the thread...  LOL! 

Wow, that Cloud City shot is stunning, Ady.  Incredibly realistic.  I'm sure it looks even better in motion.  Great work!

I agree whole-heartedly.

I appreciate the offer, Ripplin, but I don't really think that's necessary.  It doesn't need our approval.  We'll see it when the rest of you see it.  We've got nothing personally invested in this.  Asteroid-Man has gone and done his thing, and he deserves full credit for it.  We wish Asteroid-Man well on this endeavor and are looking forward to seeing it turn out as good as we all hope it will be.

--ID

Yeah...using real names in these types of projects?  Never a good idea.  If in doubt, you probably should've defaulted with the screen name.  I've already gotten one Lucasfilm C & D letter.  I don't really need another one.

Personally, I'd rather go uncredited, than have my real name attached to this.  I appreciate the sentiment, but it's your project, Asteroid-Man.  I haven't been involved in this hardly at all.  The credit should go to you.

I am concerned though by the fact you said you integrated some of the clips we posted.  I don't have a problem with that at all...but those clips aren't in full-rez.  Don't you think it would be better to just sort of make your own approximation and interpretation of those clips rather than integrate unfinished wmv clips with inferior picture and sound quality into your edit? 

I have to say, I'm baffled by the description of your process here (or lack thereof).  A couple weeks ago you were having trouble ripping the DVD's.  Now it's finished?  Forgive me, but as someone who knows how these types of things work, it just seems a little strange.

But, on the other hand, maybe you performed a miracle...time will tell.

--ID 

Dr. M is right.  I was just going to suggest that in my last post but forgot.  Sorry.  The conversation just kinda naturally evolved in this thread.  Didn't mean to clog it up.

I will correct you however, on the fact that I AM actually a big fan of the franchise.

--ID

HeKS said:   From what I can tell the color looks good. As for the arrangement ... just a thought ... I think the B&W Raiders bit is an interesting idea because of the warehouse tie in, but I wonder if putting the Orellana's Cradle scene next might disconnect the Raiders bit from the warehouse scene a little too much.

HeKs, I chose Orellana's Cradle as the first scene for three reasons:

1) It's very close to the tone and feel of the opening scene of both Raiders and my Temple of Doom edit.  The pace is perfect for the credit sequence.  It slowly draws you in to the movie.

2) It sets up the whole Crystal Skull plot and poses the question to the audience "What IS this thing"?

and 3) (and this is an important one) The stone spire in the graveyard is the ONLY triangular-shaped object in the entire movie that you could fade into from the Paramount logo, which is an essential thing to have....other than the "gopher mound" which I refuse to use.  That was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.

So, I appreciate your suggestions, HeKs.  They're good ones, and I understand what you're saying.  But, I think I'll be keeping this arrangement.  It works for me.  Keep in mind also, that film flow and music flow is also a big factor in making these decisions. 

As far as the titles for "a few days earlier" are concerned...I'm a big fan of Oliver Stone, so I've always enjoyed mixing up the timeline on movies.  Quentin Tarantino's strategy also is a big inspiration.  It's all about "rate of revelation" to the audience.  It's about building questions in their mind and then choosing when to let them in on the answer. 

George Lucas' strategy has always been to lead the audience from point A to point B.  First people talk about what they're going to do.  Then we watch them do it.  I try to limit that as much as possible, and for me, it makes it so much more interesting to watch.  And to avoid making Indy look dumb, the audience should never know more than the main character knows, except for a few Hitchcockian exceptions.  This film suffers from a lot of that.  So, personally, I'd rather jump around the timeline a bit and "suffer through" a couple title cards rather than be bored to tears by an A to B to C storyline which is dull to begin with.

Imperial Fighter said:

InfoDroid, this radical re-structuring edit you are working on sounds terrific.

 

Good luck with this project, as a heavily re-structured version will be VERY appealing.

Thanks!  And yeah, my edits are normally referred to as "radical" because, while I have respect for the material that has come previously in the series and I beleive in keeping it in the same spirit of what has come before (especially Raiders) I don't really feel the need to be restrained by the traditional Lucas template. 

The way I see it, there are two kinds of fan-edits, there are those that edit annoying bits and pieces out of otherwise good movies to make them less annoying and more enjoyable.  And then there are those that try to create a new experience out of the same material.  Mine usually end up falling into the second category, because I enjoy the challenge of trying to be creative with it.  I think, however, the world needs both kinds.  I'll be the first to admit, my versions are not for everyone.  People who know my edits, know to expect something different.  But, then again, some people like Indy 4 except for a few scenes or whatever and that's fine...Personally, I think it's deeply, deeply, flawed and a radically bad movie calls for a radical edit.  :D  But, that's just my opinion.

--ID

All right, Sluggo has spoken.  Pancho Villa stays.  :D

My color palette:

Slightly desaturated.  A little darker.  A little more contrast.

jones1899 said:

I have a TON of questions for you regarding your thoughts on certain bits of dialogue and such. But first of all:

1. Which format is your edit going to be done in? 

2. Who's Gaith? Did he post ideas on Indy 4 that got you interested or something?

3. Can you post a pic of your color correction? I'd like to post a pick of mine as well but I don' t know how to take a screenshot. 

4. How long do you antcipate this edit being?

Thanks for the encouragement, Guys.  :) 

1.  Format is going to be NTSC DVD, 5.1 surround.

2.  Gaith is a forum-member on FE who contributed greatly to my Unholy Edition of Last Crusade.  He PM'd me some ideas and kind of re-lit the spark on this for me a couple weeks ago.

3.  Will post screenshots when I get home tonight.

4.  Edit will probably be around 90-100 minutes.  Depending on how the Jungle Chase works out.  LOL!

I also want to say that this is in no way meant to subvert Jones1899's efforts on his edit.  He's doing a great job and should be commended.  Our edits will be completely different anyway.  He's keeping the Nuke scene for instance, and in mine...it uh, "goes the way of the dodo."  :)  This is just my chance to complete a trilogy of edits I promised a long time ago.     

Oh, and good points raised on the Mutt scene.  I had remembered the "dropped out of school" bit but forgot he'd been tutored by Oxley.  So it should stay? 

Thanks, m.s!  Yes, you're right about the structure.  It's similar to what I did with Temple.  And OMG it feels so much more like INDY again!  :)

Originally posted on FE.org:

Question:  How many days would you guys say had passed between Indy's FBI interrogation and Orellana's Cradle? 

That's awesome, HeKs!  You really have to look close to perceive any artificiality.  Actually, considering NOTHING but the people are real, that's pretty damn amazing, even looking closely at it.  Good job!  Are you going to school for that?

Good analysis, Jones.  I agree on every point.

And Dr. M, in regard to the beams shooting into Spalko's eyes.  I like that idea, but didn't Belloq do something similar in Raiders?  Ghostbusters ectoplasm shot out of his eyes and struck the Nazi soldiers.  But maybe that similarity would be a good thing.  :)

vaderios said:

Tie fighters? How about Republic Cruisers? and Hellfire droids and an army of Stormies?And droid spiders? And Landed Star destroyers? lol J/k

I'd prefer buzz droids.  ;)

But, no.  I get what you're saying, Doubleofive.  I'm sure the "walking" animation would be much more difficult.  An AT-ST model in front of a blue-screen would be much easier to composit.  That'd still be tricky though, getting the lighting right and everything. 

adywan said:

also the whole continuity problems will mean that unless i can get new shots of the ESB AT-ST to insert into this sequence, then it will have to go from the shot where luke looks up to see the AT-AT explode. One minute its there and the next its gone

Is there any way to create a new shot with 3-D models?  Similar to the way you added the TIE fighters in ANH?

While we're waiting...why don't we discuss how/why Stargate was able to pull off the whole "aliens as ancient Gods" concept so much better than Indy 4?  Essentially, it's the same story.  Why did it fall so flat in Kingdom?  And how can we take some of that same dynamic that made Stargate work and infuse it into Indy 4?    

doubleofive said:

For those wondering, here is what Ady has to contend with when it comes to The Last Three Walkers:

Also notice the wildly varied backgrounds.

Wow...never noticed that, all these years.  And we think the Prequels are bad with continuity...How did that ever pass?

Wow...end of the month?  That's fast.

So, either the "newsreel" footage, which won't necessarily be newsreel footage, but a mix of historical and disturbing footage...OR we've got the twelve skeletons circling her causing her to explode...OR just a simple (yet slighly less-satisfying) edit of the original version that is somewhat alien-free.  Those are our best options so far. 

Still waiting for this miracle bomb Imperial Fighter keeps threatening to drop...Better be good.  LOL!  ;-)

And we're still open to any and all random, crazy suggestions...preferably ones that don't rely on CGI.  I doubt any of us faneditors have Rob Coleman and his staff tied up in our basement.

Yes, when you see the comparison shots, the color change alone is striking.  It's been a while since I've seen the walkers in their "authentic" gunmetal gray color on WHITE snow!  And Angel's background matte is beautiful.  More great work, Ady!

Okay...what's some other Cate Blanchett footage we could use?  Let's see...they could transport her to Middle-Earth?  No.  They could blast her into the past and crown her as Queen Elizabeth?  No....  They could fulfill Spalko's lifelong fantasy of becoming Bob Dylan?  NO!  She could be stalked by a lesbian version of Dame Judi Dench...no, no, no, NO!  None of it works.