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Speculation Episode 7 Special effects: What do you expect/hope for?

Discussion in 'Archive: Disney Era Films' started by Lee_, Nov 18, 2012.

  1. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    There is much speculation regarding directors/actors/storylines, I don't hear much talk of special effects for the new movie. Yes, all of those things are undeniably important, but so are special effects; this is Star Wars!

    Those of us around in '77 know just what an epic jump in special effects that Star Wars was (think about the other movies at the time and before, no comparison), and how it set the standard for a movie generation. Star Wars was always on the cutting edge. A lot of the special effects in the OT, even though the tech is way outdated, still look pretty cool today.

    I am not a hater of the PT, and think overall it had great special effects, but I believe it could have done better; I think the potential is fantastic.

    The astroid field battle with Obi-Wan and Jango was awesome.

    ROTS was underrated in a lot of ways. The city scenes and ship ports were fantastic.

    The technology has come a long way since ROTS as I understand it.

    I have great expectations for Episode 7. Here is what I expect:
    1) Of course, many killer light-saber type weapons and laser guns.
    2) Really gnarly computer generated creatures. With the tech used for lame stuff like JJ Binks, really amazing creatures could be made.
    3) Space ships, space battles galore.
    4) Planets and environmental scenarios that are new and looking awesome.
    5) Modern looking (inside) environments, making things look futuristic, like they did so well in Prometheus; I don't want Star Trek-looking, Christmas light-looking scenes inside ships and houses/buildings. The medical technolgy in Prometheus made the twin's birthplace in ROTS look bad.
    6) Surprises, give us a lot of new tech stuff.

    So, what do you expect, what are the rumors, and what info do you have regarding the latest special effects that could end up in Epsiode 7? What would you like to see regarding the kinds of things in the items numbered above? What worked and should be brought back from the PT?
    (note: don't waste our time with the pseudo-intellectual garbage of "substance is important, not special effects." Yack with someone that cares, this thread is for special effects discussion.)
     
  2. gregvader123

    gregvader123 Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 16, 2012
    I wanna see more real sets. Less shiny CGI and actors acting on sound stages painted with Thrawn's blood.
     
  3. Luukeskywalker

    Luukeskywalker Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 23, 1999
    Not sure. I just hope they nail the effects as good as possible.

    Alot of people are rooting for a director that uses more practical effects and full sets as opposed to tons of blue screen. Frankly, IMHO if they get a director who is intent on filming in mostly real world locations and would want to try to greatly limit the blue screen, to get a "real" look closer to that of the OT, I think it would be a mistake. The Star Wars universe is way too rich and is suited for those filmmakers with the most vivid of imaginations. I don't want them filming on the streets of New York City for the Coruscant scenes to give it a "real" look, because they want it to look like it was in the OT. Cuscant is a fantasy city, not a real world city.
     
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  4. sashlon1138

    sashlon1138 Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2012
    Less is more.

    Subtle and realistic should be the goal.
     
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  5. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

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    Nov 3, 2012
    As I understand (I don't purport to be an expert) they have come a long way with that technology, and could do a better job (with CGI/blue screen stuff).

    I mostly agree with this, I think they did a great job with a lot of the scenes, Kamino and Coruscant were way cool.
     
  6. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Realistic I am sure will be a goal. Subtle? Seriously doubt it, Star Wars will likely always be a bonanza.
     
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  7. gregvader123

    gregvader123 Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 16, 2012
    I second that. Look what Lucas did with the PT. Look what he did with OT. He exhumed it and put a big digital dress on it. I'll bet he's frothing at the mouth just thinking about how he'll drown the ST in CGI gravy.
     
  8. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

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    Nov 3, 2012
    I don't think younger fans realize just what a mass of special effects the OT was for its time. It wasn't any more subtle than the PT by standards of that day; Lucas always pushed it to the limit.
     
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  9. gregvader123

    gregvader123 Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 16, 2012
    True he was limited by what he could do with effects in '77 but that limitation was a good thing. And what he did then was groundbreaking. Nothing in the PT was groundbreaking. It just an overuse of CGI, the most advanced special effects at the time. He took special effects that Jurassic Park Pioneered and used them like a cheap whore. Nothing groundbreaking, too much of a good thing. Too much Gravy. Too much frosting.

    And yeah none of the younger fans realize what a mass of special effect the OT was, and none of them give a ****.
     
  10. Doug625

    Doug625 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2012
    I hope it looks nothing like the PT, Some of the large scenes of cities looked terrible, I still joke and call the prequels cartoons because of the look and most of the dialogue was meant for 6 year olds. I think WETA with Lord of the Rings kicked Lucas' ass at the time
     
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  11. sashlon1138

    sashlon1138 Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2012
    We'll, I'm most definitely NOT a younger fan lol.

    I mean I want the CGI to be toned down, more subtle. I don't want the film to be about he smart#$% CGI effects.
    I want more real elements.

    The CGI in the PT (especially AOTC) was horrendously overboard.
     
  12. gregvader123

    gregvader123 Jedi Padawan star 2

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    Nov 16, 2012
    Yeah it isn't too far removed from the Clone Wars TV show if you think about it.
     
  13. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

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    Nov 3, 2012
    I was talking in general about younger fans, not anyone in particular.

    Some of the PT CGI worked better than others for sure. I think it will be done better this time around in any case.
     
  14. DARTH_BELO

    DARTH_BELO Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2003
    All I hope for is that they pay attention to continuity. None of this "changing things up purely for the sake of changing it up and making it fresh and new" crap. Things like the ship designs, weapons, lightsabers, looks of locations and creatures, and IMO most IMPORTANTLY: sound effects! X-wings/other familiar vehicles (if used) MUST sound the same, blasters must sound the same, lightsaber sounds, etc. etc...SW must retain that "used universe" feel...If that happens, I will be a happy man!

    I'm not too worried about the quality of special effects-if The Avengers is anything to go by, I think it'll be fine. Today's CG for such movies looks amazing for the most part nowadays.
     
  15. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 11, 2009
    That's nonsense.

    1. The practical effects and model work on the PT was massive. Any one PT movie had more model work than the entire OT all together. Period.

    2. It is just stunning to suggest that ILM's work on the PT isn't groundbreaking. Fully integrated, completely animated, digital characters like Jar-Jar and Yoda in live action, facial replacement for stunt performers, digital set extensions and environment replacement, full body actor replacements, digital armies, early digital character movement motion control, digital editing solutions. Your argument ignores how many of the effects of the OT were just continuations of the work of Douglas Trumbull in the 60s.

    3. To say that the volume of the effects was a flaw is missing the point. The point of the movie, on a technical level, was to find a way to do movies with that scope, using digital tools, and make it feasible for everyone to make them. Which, oh, by the way, is exactly what happened with every summer movie since.
     
  16. LawJedi

    LawJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 11, 2009
    And I think you need glasses if you watch those movies on BD and think that WETA Digital's work in any way compares with ILM. Weta gets points for their motion control character work and their WETA Workshop craftsmanship. But their straight up CGI work was lukewarm at best.
     
  17. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

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    Nov 3, 2012
    I thought they were both groundbreaking, OT and PT, for very different reasons; they both stood out in their time. Lucas was never one to sit still on special effects, he tooks risks to maximize and advance what was available.

    Besides the digital characters, some of the ships looked fascinatingly real; I love the brief scenes of the ships flying overhead in the scene in ROTS just after Obi-Wan says fairwell to Anakin when leaving to fight grievous; it looks and sounds so real.
     
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  18. Saurion-Fett

    Saurion-Fett Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 3, 2001
    I loves the scene in ESB when they are in the giant worm repairing the ship....the used future look was awesome it seemed real (the my hand are dirty too ) the set was real. Use GGI wheb needed but nothing beats a real set
     
  19. chris hayes

    chris hayes Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 13, 2012
    There will be a lot of CGI cause that's the way it is these days but the use of more scale models would be nice .
     
  20. Darth_Kiryan

    Darth_Kiryan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 13, 2009
    Scale models. i remember those days.

    now where is that picture....
    [​IMG]
     
  21. Saurion-Fett

    Saurion-Fett Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 3, 2001
    Wow that picture says it all...Dont get me wrong I am not a hater of CGI but I feel actors preform better with a tangable,,,,,,,just watch the Jedi in AOTC...that should have been a moment like the KOTOR trailer
     
  22. Darth_Kiryan

    Darth_Kiryan Jedi Master star 4

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    Mar 13, 2009
    it actually wants to make me cry.

    at least LOTR had 'bigatures'
     
  23. LANDO_ROCKS

    LANDO_ROCKS Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2002
    100% my view.
     
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  24. Saurion-Fett

    Saurion-Fett Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 3, 2001
    I think George pioneered CGI(Which is great) but AOTCs seemed to miss some steps like the factory scene and anakin riding the space cow...but the Jedi arena battle for me was the low point of a great movie,
     
  25. LANDO_ROCKS

    LANDO_ROCKS Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2002
    I rewatched ROTJ today and was reminded how the special effects weren't in your face, it shouldn't distract you from the story.
     
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