Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Pre-release)

[Zombie_61]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

From what I understand Disney's purchase includes the models and props used. (correct me if I am mistaken) And if so, do you think these will be used in the sequels, stand alone films old school or do you think they will go all CGI for the ships?

I'd be very surprised if Disney/Lucasfilm used physical models instead of CGI for whatever future Star Wars movies they're planning. I much prefer physical models for the simple reason that I believe they look far more realistic (in the hands of capable effects artists, that is). But the reality is that CG effects are, from a filmmaker's perspective, far more practical and flexible (i.e. easier to re-do) than physical effects, and therefore more useful.

That said, I would like to see them return to using actual sets and locations instead of Chroma Key sets and CG scenery. I don't mind a little CG enhancement here and there, but I sincerely believe it helps the actors deliver better performances if they have actual sets and props to use rather than green walls, floors, and their imaginations. And, of course, a table looks more like a table if it's actually there.

 

[seelsa73]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I had the impression in the previous SW that only the best jedis were humans...excepted Yoda, some like kit fisto, ki adi mundi and all the council members.
I pray for JJ Abrahams to bring the magic of the first trilogy with those tales of space western atmosphere and creepy industrial feel of the empire. Maybe they will introduce darj jedis of some sort but starwars is not only about jedis and siths...

The words "Jedi" and "Sith" are the same in both the singular and plural tenses, just so you know.

I'd be very surprised if Disney/Lucasfilm used physical models instead of CGI for whatever future Star Wars movies they're planning. I much prefer physical models for the simple reason that I believe they look far more realistic (in the hands of capable effects artists, that is). But the reality is that CG effects are, from a filmmaker's perspective, far more practical and flexible (i.e. easier to re-do) than physical effects, and therefore more useful.

That said, I would like to see them return to using actual sets and locations instead of Chroma Key sets and CG scenery. I don't mind a little CG enhancement here and there, but I sincerely believe it helps the actors deliver better performances if they have actual sets and props to use rather than green walls, floors, and their imaginations. And, of course, a table looks more like a table if it's actually there.

i agree with you on the use of practical sets and locations and if i may add one, characters. But to me ships are done very convincingly in CGI, because it's usually metal surfaces which are much easier to recreate than, say, the skins/hides of creatures and alien characters, which rarely come out convincingly (Yoda being the only exception from the PT.

 

[TEEDA]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

The words "Jedi" and "Sith" are the same in both the singular and plural tenses, just so you know.



i agree with you on the use of practical sets and locations and if i may add one, characters. But to me ships are done very convincingly in CGI, because it's usually metal surfaces which are much easier to recreate than, say, the skins/hides of creatures and alien characters, which rarely come out convincingly (Yoda being the only exception from the PT.

Thank you, English is not my main language so I didn't know about this.
I have faith in JJ Abrahams, i m sure he 's done something great. He can handle it. But hope Disney won't try to block him with his freedom in interpreting Star Wars.

 

[Jeyl]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

But hope Disney won't try to block him with his freedom in interpreting Star Wars.

If JJ's direction involves "I want the camera to be shaking here and there and I want the camera to be so up close to the actors that you can see every detail of their face..... at an angle!", I hope they do block him.

 

[TEEDA]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

If JJ's direction involves "I want the camera to be shaking here and there and I want the camera to be so up close to the actors that you can see every detail of their face..... at an angle!", I hope they do block him.

Well I meant the way he chooses actors , and supervised his most recent movies. He did a terrible job with " that " movie with the shaky cam. haven't seen it by the way. But i m sure he will direct Starwars in a good way....or maybe not...As long as he doesn't make everything too cleany and polished on a design side.

 

[Lutso]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

If JJ's direction involves "I want the camera to be shaking here and there and I want the camera to be so up close to the actors that you can see every detail of their face..... at an angle!", I hope they do block him.

Have you seen Super 8? The thing was shot like a legit Spielberg movie. I want this argument to go away...

 

[Jeyl]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Have you seen Super 8? The thing was shot like a legit Spielberg movie.

Love letters tend to do that.

 

[aeonpulse]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'm wondering if Abrams is going to attempt to emulate the directing in the OT at all, in order to give it that Star Wars feel, if you know what I mean. I hope he does, to an extent.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

"Faster, more intense"?

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'm wondering if Abrams is going to attempt to emulate the directing in the OT at all, in order to give it that Star Wars feel, if you know what I mean. I hope he does, to an extent.

"Faster, more intense"?

:lol

Ya, not so much the directing of actors.

I hope he uses some of the cinematic style though!

 

[aeonpulse]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I hope he uses some of the cinematic style though!

hahahah, thaaaaaaat's what I meant!

 

[Dave Ward]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'd be very surprised if Disney/Lucasfilm used physical models instead of CGI for whatever future Star Wars movies they're planning. I much prefer physical models for the simple reason that I believe they look far more realistic (in the hands of capable effects artists, that is). But the reality is that CG effects are, from a filmmaker's perspective, far more practical and flexible (i.e. easier to re-do) than physical effects, and therefore more useful.

That said, I would like to see them return to using actual sets and locations instead of Chroma Key sets and CG scenery. I don't mind a little CG enhancement here and there, but I sincerely believe it helps the actors deliver better performances if they have actual sets and props to use rather than green walls, floors, and their imaginations. And, of course, a table looks more like a table if it's actually there.

It's not just about believability, either. Greenscreen sets are often small, giving the actors limited room for movement. If you look at the behind the scenes prequel stuff, you see how this contributes to the static feeling of the movie.

For instance, a scene where a character runs into a room, they often have to run from a standing start, play-acting that they'd been jogging. On a real location, they could probably just run in from another room. Likewise, the tendancy for a director, especially Lucas, is just to piece the movie together with a predictable long shot to establish followed by intercutting close up for dialogue.

 

[Lutso]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Love letters tend to do that.

Well, that's the point. So far, Abrams has shown nothing but "love" for the original trilogy (and even hinted at a distaste for PT, which I thought would have made everyone happy, but alas). He seems passionate about Star Wars, just like he did with E.T. and Close Encounters. So I see no reason that he wouldn't pay respect to those films by emulating the film style.

I'm wondering if Abrams is going to attempt to emulate the directing in the OT at all, in order to give it that Star Wars feel, if you know what I mean. I hope he does, to an extent.

That's what I'm getting at. That's what he did with Super 8 and he did it perfectly. I have high hopes he'll carry that technique over to Star Wars.

 

[Zombie_61]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

...i agree with you on the use of practical sets and locations and if i may add one, characters. But to me ships are done very convincingly in CGI, because it's usually metal surfaces which are much easier to recreate than, say, the skins/hides of creatures and alien characters, which rarely come out convincingly (Yoda being the only exception from the PT.

For me the believability of CG characters and items such as ships almost always comes down to the way they move. A good artist (equipment, time, and budgetary constraints removed from the equation) can create, say, a CG X-Wing that looks convincing in static promotional shots, but if it doesn't move through the scene in the same manner in which we've become accustomed to seeing X-Wings move, it loses it's believability factor no matter how good it looks. In my opinion, this is where a lot of CG artists drop the ball--they might be able to faithfully replicate the look of the X-Wing's well-weathered hull right down to the last scratch, but if they don't understand physics and the way physical objects move through space that same X-Wing will look fake. (And, yes, I know we're discussing fictional spacecraft moving in a fictional universe, but the same rules apply.) Admittedly, the crew that filmed the practical models used in the Original Trilogy movies didn't get it right 100% of the time, but in my opinion they got it right far more often than the CGI artists did for the Not-So-Special-Editions and the Prequel Trilogy movies.

 

[Psab keel]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Star Wars, visual effects, part 2 of 3 - YouTube

If you start the video at the 2:00 minute mark Richard Edlund explains why the compositing work on the OT was so believable. If they follow this technique in the new film, even CG effects will likely lose their "too smooth to be real" look and will fool the eye.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Star Wars, visual effects, part 2 of 3 - YouTube

If you start the video at the 2:00 minute mark Richard Edlund explains why the compositing work on the OT was so believable. If they follow this technique in the new film, even CG effects will likely lose their "too smooth to be real" look and will fool the eye.

I've been saying it for years. :thumbsup

 

[Monkey67]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

The jedi and sith seem to have tons of Grammar Nazi people in their ranks. Just so you know that as well.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

The jedi and sith seem to have tons of Grammar Nazi people in their ranks. Just so you know that as well.

It's the only way to learn.

 

[rodneyfaile]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Shouldn't Sith and Jedi be capitalized instead of grammar Nazi? Lol

 

[jme3]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Shouldn't Sith and Jedi be capitalized instead of grammar Nazi? Lol

Not if you're not a grammar Nazi.