Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Pre-release)

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'm guessing that Ben Burtt will do it if he's not busy. If he can't I think Matthew Wood would do a great job. He's done the Prequels and Clone Wars. He taught Ben Burtt how to use the digital system. They already have a catalog of SW sounds so you'd really only miss out on him creating new sounds.

 

[jme3]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Great news all around with these announcements.

 

[seelsa73]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I know you guys seem to like Jangos charges. When I saw that in the theatre everybody started to look at the speakers thinking there was a bum channel. That totally took everybody out of the story. Jeez, the list is so loooong!

You can't really claim that EVERYBODY was taken out of the story by that. If it took you out of the story that's one thing, but you can't speak for everyone else. I probably wasn't in the same audience as you, but that sound effect didn't take me out of the story at all. It did catch me by surprise when the sound came back, though.

 

[CutThumb]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Well, the news there will be less CGI and more models used really cheered me up.

Latest Celebrity Photos | Pictures | Galleries

 

[Vivek]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Similar article and quotes as linked by CutThumb earlier. Getting back to using models and practical effects is indeed more promising news.

Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy Talks Star Wars: Episode VII | Superhero Hype

"The story and characters are all we're talking about right now," said Kennedy. "We have an amazing team at ILM, who can create fantastic effects, but if we don't have a great story and characters, the effects mean nothing. I do think making huge popular culture – and I've had the good fortune to be a part of a lot it – is really hard to do and get right. And if you don't spend the time you need on developing characters, and finding stories, complicated stories, the audience gets tired because they think they're seeing the same thing again and again."

She added that "Episode VII" will combine real locations and special effects. "It's a conversation we're having all the time in the development of 'Episode VII.' Looking at all the Star Wars movies and getting a feel for what even some of the early films did, combining real locations and special effects – that's something we're looking very seriously at. So we're going to find some very cool locations that we're going to use in support of 'Episode VII.' And I think we're probably going to end up using every single tool in the toolbox to create the look of these movies."

Davis asked Kennedy what was in that toolbox, to which she responded: "It's using model makers; it's using real droids; it's taking advantage of artwork that you actually can touch and feel. And we want to do that in combination with CG effects. We figure that's what will make it real."

 

[Edwardowan]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Amen, Hallelujah and May the Force Be with Us! :thumbsup

Similar article and quotes as linked by CutThumb earlier. Getting back to using models and practical effects is indeed more promising news.

Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy Talks Star Wars: Episode VII | Superhero Hype

"The story and characters are all we're talking about right now," said Kennedy. "We have an amazing team at ILM, who can create fantastic effects, but if we don't have a great story and characters, the effects mean nothing. I do think making huge popular culture – and I've had the good fortune to be a part of a lot it – is really hard to do and get right. And if you don't spend the time you need on developing characters, and finding stories, complicated stories, the audience gets tired because they think they're seeing the same thing again and again."

She added that "Episode VII" will combine real locations and special effects. "It's a conversation we're having all the time in the development of 'Episode VII.' Looking at all the Star Wars movies and getting a feel for what even some of the early films did, combining real locations and special effects – that's something we're looking very seriously at. So we're going to find some very cool locations that we're going to use in support of 'Episode VII.' And I think we're probably going to end up using every single tool in the toolbox to create the look of these movies."

Davis asked Kennedy what was in that toolbox, to which she responded: "It's using model makers; it's using real droids; it's taking advantage of artwork that you actually can touch and feel. And we want to do that in combination with CG effects. We figure that's what will make it real."

 

[jme3]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'm so glad these folks have seen the light regarding cgi. But I'm almost willing to bet there will be someone, somewhere who'll take potshots at the movie for the practical effects not looking as "real" as cgi... :lol

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Great news. However I hope Williams scores A LOT of stuff ahead of time. He'll be pushing 90 when these three wrap up...

 

[SmilingOtter]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Neither here nor there, and I realize that SW has never been about scientific realism, but I was just watching that seismic charge scene recently, and had to wonder what all those asteroids were doing orbiting Geonosis, when they should have been constantly raining down on the planet.

Happy to hear that ILM's model makers still have jobs.

 

[JD]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Bad practical effects = Bad CG
Good practical = Good CG

There is no > or <. It's in your head.

 

[Jedi-72]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Great news. However I hope Williams scores A LOT of stuff ahead of time. He'll be pushing 90 when these three wrap up...

I thought the same thing. Man, a sad day that will be when he moves on. While I was not a fan of the music done for the prequels (I can't hum a single a piece of music from the three films except the trumpet blare from Duel of the Fates), I can't imagine a Star Wars film without him. He's like one of The Beatles. You need all four members or it ain't "The Beatles". Long life and good health, sir.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I thought the same thing. Man, a sad day that will be when he moves on. While I was not a fan of the music done for the prequels (I can't hum a single a piece of music from the three films except the trumpet blare from Duel of the Fates), I can't imagine a Star Wars film without him. He's like one of The Beatles. You need all four members or it ain't "The Beatles". Long life and good health, sir.

I think got the most part the music for the PT was one of the strongest elements. I like the Droid invasion music and duel of the fates from TPM and the ROTS score is pretty solid. The OT was downright inspired though. :thumbsup

It'll be a very sad day indeed.

 

[rodneyfaile]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I can't wait to find out who they cast as the villain in this movie.

 

[The Terminator]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I can't wait to find out who they cast as the villain in this movie.

Ray Park as a Darth Maul clone!

DUN DUN DUUN!!!

 

[Riceball]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Bad practical effects = Bad CG
Good practical = Good CG

There is no > or <. It's in your head.

I agree, there can be bad practical effects just as much as there is bad CG. I, for one, would have no problems if the new trilogy was heavily CG just so long as it was good CG and to go along with the good CG there needs to be good compositing, something that I've felt that ILM has been pretty weak at esp. with the advent of digital composting. That said they really should try to limit the CG to things that work best in CG like giant monsters/beasts & spaceships and no more CG clone troopers and no more all CG sets.

 

[Solo4114]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Yeah, I have to say that CGI human-form animations always look off to me. Always. Like, to the same degree that, for example, stop motion photography did. It's too smooth and yet simultaneously stiff in the case of CGI. So, the end result is that CG clone troopers look...stiff.

The other big issue, to me, is with lighting. The surface lighting of actual models seems more natural to me than a lot of CGI. I'm not sure what that's about exactly, but again it just looks too....I dunno...artificial.

 

[jme3]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Neither here nor there, and I realize that SW has never been about scientific realism, but I was just watching that seismic charge scene recently, and had to wonder what all those asteroids were doing orbiting Geonosis, when they should have been constantly raining down on the planet.

Happy to hear that ILM's model makers still have jobs.

Suspension of disbelief is maybe more a prerequisite in SW than in other sci-fi...

But really, though..., maybe they're in the same orbit as the ice and rocks of Saturn. They were the same kind of rings, no?

 

[Mola Rob]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Yeah, I have to say that CGI human-form animations always look off to me. Always. Like, to the same degree that, for example, stop motion photography did. It's too smooth and yet simultaneously stiff in the case of CGI. So, the end result is that CG clone troopers look...stiff.

The other big issue, to me, is with lighting. The surface lighting of actual models seems more natural to me than a lot of CGI. I'm not sure what that's about exactly, but again it just looks too....I dunno...artificial.

I agree. Build the armor and slap it on real people don't have CGI Stormtroopers, it just plain does not fool the eye.

To me CGI models of ships lack not only the proper lighting many times but also lack a sense of actual weight. They seem to exist in their own little universe where everything is too floaty and doesn't follow the actual laws of physics.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

To me CGI models of ships lack not only the proper lighting many times but also lack a sense of actual weight. They seem to exist in their own little universe where everything is too floaty and doesn't follow the actual laws of physics.

Quite often the characters as well. A big complaint I've got with CG, even good CG, is that the physics are off. Kills the realism. When done right though it's a thing to behold.

 

[Jedi-72]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Quite often the characters as well. A big complaint I've got with CG, even good CG, is that the physics are off. Kills the realism. When done right though it's a thing to behold.

True. The problem is that that level of quality is so seldom or consistently achieved, even in the same scene. I still feel like CG has yet to really rise to the level where a completely CG character is able to blend and interact seamlessly and completely convincingly with live action performers. The same goes for CG objects, like the cg saber hilts used throughout the prequels. The physics just ruin the illusion that they're trying for.