Discussion The role of the Muppets in the ST (seriously)

At this point I would rather see less CGI overall but I dont think puppets/muppets would cut it. More actors in costume though is something I hope that is seriously considered. Especially now with the level costume/makeup has come. There should be no real reason to CGI an alien in my opinion.

Think about this. I think one of the reasons why Jar Jar was so hated was because he was done with horrible CGI. IF he was costumed with an actor. He might not have been so horrible.

 

Agreed.

Plus, CGI has really improved since the PT was made, so they should really be able to make some great creatures/environments/space battles. The PT did some groundbreaking work on CGI; I think the new series will take it a few steps further in realism and visual spectacle.

The Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park are a great example. I don't think the movies in general are great (in fact, beyond the first one, mediocre to really lame), but the dinosaurs were fantastic.

I think the use of CGI in the new SW movies will be amazing, the makers will see to it. I think the expectations are huge from every direction: fans, Disney, Lucas, and the makers themselves- guys like JJ and Arndt
are going to come in with a big vision for a project like this.

I honestly don't think puppets will see the light of day in this.

 

I want CGI muppets! Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Ernie & Burt rendered in lovely CGI!

 

CGI is fine, a long as its background stuff.

 

Yarael Poof could easily have been a practical effect.

 

The first time I saw the Yoda puppet for Ep I was in a sketch on Conan Obrien. I thought it was made by the show for the skit, and was hilariously horrible looking. I was FLOORED when I learned that it was actually footage fro the film, and thus the real Ep I Yoda. Terrible.

CGI Ep II and III Yoda looked good, and obviously if he's gonna move around, CGI is needed, but still Empire/Jedi Yoda was the best!

 

Muppets or Puppets in the ST... I think as someone referenced above, it may depend on the nature of the set design. If we get a lot of green screen sets, I'd say muppets/puppets are doomed.

However, if they do build out larger sets with real mud, lighting, dirt, wind etc (which would be awesome) I'd say a puppet or two has a chance to be seen. Even for background characters, I feel you can avoid the Uncanny Valley effect if real stuff is used.

 

Jeez. Non-traditional effects in the Classic Trilogy wasn't limited to "background stuff" whatever that means, and there is more CGI used in modern movies than some people think.

That actually could have taken more work than was required just to put that swaying neck in the council room.
Jar Jar would have been even more ridiculous as a costumed human, and still just as disliked.
Why am I here?

 

Muppets/puppets can be great when well used, as can completely CGI, but I would love to see puppets/costumes enhanced with CGI. As great as RotJ Jabba was, his eyes could be so much better. Same for ESB/RotJ Yoda. Absolutely fantastic work, but the mouth movements, eye movements, facial expressions could be so much better with some decent CGI work. (Both characters work tho, were both very believable thanks to the puppeteers and the actors interacting with them)

I want them to harken back to the puppet days of the past, but utilise the technology of today to bring the puppets into the modern era.

This is what my preference for the ST is.

 

Am I the only one who loves both puppets and CGI?

 

No, I'd be more than happy with some entirely CGI characters, along with some puppets enhanced with CGI, along with some prosthetics enhanced with CGI. Nemoidians mouth movements could have used some CGI

 

If there's going to be cgi characters were asked to invest in then the Gollum method has to be used. If you've done it properly then fingers crossed. If its background cgi (crowds, city scapes, etc) then fill your boots ILM.

 

Similar to my thread but not quite what I meant or had in mind. I would love to see more traditional puppets. It would be a nice touch to give the movie a retro feeling.

 

Should this thread be merged with this one;
http://boards.theforce.net/threads/original-trilogy-aliens-vs-prequel-cgi-aliens.50008708/

 

Personnally, I like the use of puppets/muppets more than the use of CGI to create aliens.
In my opinion, it feels more real to see an actual physical thing on screen than something that is computer-created.
When I rewatch the PT, I can't help but think 'oh, Sebulba, Watto, San Hill and Grievous are computer-created'.
Although they are quite well done (in terms of CGI), they just are not real.
I think a lot of people love CGI because they have grown up with it.
I still remember the bad use of CGI in the nineties that I just cannot really enjoy it.

 

yes.

 

I heard they own everything of Henson's but CTW and the Sesame Street characters, some kind of grandfathered licensing exception.

 

It's a little more involved than that, but basically this is correct.

 

Dad, whats a muppet?

 

I don't think you can make a Noghri out of a muppet..... but it would be funny to see that creation

 

Well, it's not quite a mop and it's not quite a puppet, but man...

So, to answer your question: I don't know.

 

Henson's workshop does some cool puppet CG hybrids. Computer model controlled with a puppet, then you aren't limited to a "puppet" sized anything, but you can still get that "alive" feel that really great puppeteers can give you.

 

I think not. Jar Jar is hated because he is an excessively goofy and annoying character that tried too hard to appeal to kids all the while speaking a clichéd-ridden, border-line racist dialect.

You can change the way a bad character looks all you want, but spraying perfume on a pile of sh** doesn't change the fact that it's still sh**. It's the substance that makes us truly hate or love a character, not his presentation.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing the Muppets in the ST, but Star Wars isn't known for it's breaking the fourth wall humor.