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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Cinematography of The Phantom Menace

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by -_-_-_-_-_-, Mar 21, 2003.

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  1. Jedi knight Pozzi

    Jedi knight Pozzi Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2000
    How good is TPM compared to other films that aren't SW? :)
     
  2. -_-_-_-_-_-

    -_-_-_-_-_- Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 28, 2002
    Glad to see that my old thread is still running strong. I'll definitely have to stop in more often and add my commentary.
     
  3. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2001
    Image of the Week


    <a href=http://web.pdx.edu/~tschroed/universe/screencaps/tpm010.jpg target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://web.pdx.edu/~tschroed/universe/screencaps/tpm010.jpg width=200></a>
     
  4. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2001
    Because it is so hard to post an image a day and it does not offer much time for people to discuss, I am going to start posting new images once a week.

     
  5. anidanami124

    anidanami124 Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 24, 2002
    That sounds cool I also like that pic the back round is very cool. :)
     
  6. Jedimancer

    Jedimancer Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2004
    Once a week is fine; I'm just glad this thing got started going again. The pic's got a nice color scheme: dark, cool greens and blues mix with a bunch of warm golds.
     
  7. MatthewZ

    MatthewZ Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2003
    Yes, the Gungan City has a very organic feel and look to it.
     
  8. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 6, 2001
    If I am not mistaken, this shot slowly moves, as the background also does with the fish swimming and so on.

    Good Stuff.

     
  9. dee_dee24m

    dee_dee24m Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 20, 2003
    Each establishing shot in TPM is an absolute beauty, a fine mesh of CG, models, location work and some wonderful, steady, well-paced camerawork. The Gungan city is no excpetion.

    I could watch these shots for hours!!!! Does anyone know who was responsible for these shots? (was any one name attached to 'produce' these shots?) Whover, they deserve a round of =D=
     
  10. Tokio_Drifter

    Tokio_Drifter Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 24, 2003
    I like them gungan priests, they sure look very dogmatic! :)
     
  11. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2001
    Image of the Week


    <a href=http://web.pdx.edu/~tschroed/universe/screencaps/tpm020.jpg target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://web.pdx.edu/~tschroed/universe/screencaps/tpm020.jpg width=200></a>
     
  12. The_Nameless_One

    The_Nameless_One Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2002
  13. General Kenobi

    General Kenobi Administrator Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 1998
    I love how the holograms appear against the backdrop of the windows.

    I was hoping the the new ESB hologram of Ian would look a little more like this Sidious hologram (i.e. the shape of his hood), but I suppose they might have had some limitations in replacing the old one.
     
  14. openmind

    openmind Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 23, 2003
    I think one of TPM's funniest lines, came from this scene and just fit in with the mood. "this is getting out of hand. Now there are TWO OF THEM!". [face_laugh]

    Also there is nothing to "complain" about in this scene. Excellent imagery. :D





     
  15. PloKloon1138

    PloKloon1138 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2001
    Whenever I watch this scene, I'm always transfixed my the reflections on the table. I don't know why, but it's just such a perfect little detail that adds to shadowy, elusive, illusion nature of the Sith. :)
     
  16. Chaotic_Serenity

    Chaotic_Serenity Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 10, 2004
    I love the placement in that shot. Not only is Sideous' control of the situation represented by his seat at the head of the table, but both he and Darth Maul are elevated above the rest of the cast members present. The coloring around the set also matches the tone of the scene - dark, black, dangerous. We're watching the villains of the movie plot the downfall of the good guys. Not happy in tone or appearance, muted enough to focus on the cast as well.

    Great stuff.
     
  17. Tokio_Drifter

    Tokio_Drifter Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 24, 2003
    /\/\
    You got me!

    I also like how this moment relates to a scene in ROTS...... but I can't go there! You know :p

     
  18. MatthewZ

    MatthewZ Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Sep 21, 2003
    I like how holograms are just like you and me. They can sit, talk, sip coffee, whatever.
     
  19. anidanami124

    anidanami124 Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 24, 2002
    I have always liked how Maul just stepped in there in that scene. It was creep. :)
     
  20. JediHPDrummer

    JediHPDrummer Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 23, 2002
    This shot is beautifully composed. I love the reflections of gunray and sidious on the table. This implies their duality; palpatine/sidious are just using these guys so he can become chancellor and hoprfully rule with an iron fist. Nute Gunray also has a dual nature, he's working for sidious but he is not too fond of him, he's just looking for profit from Naboo. So you can say that both of these men are greedy in a way and selfish

    I love also that we have 2 Sith's and 2 Nemodians, it's a beautiful rythem, this again comments on the theme of duality. And i love how the sith are in hologram and the nemodians are not. This again comments on the theme of apperance vs. reality in star wars. Things are not what they seem, they are not clear, things are illusionary.

    Now the technical part of the shot: Sidious and Maul are definately the first things we look at and they are at the center and they are higher in the frame and the table leads us to them, this shows that they are indeed the real one's in charge. The Dark colors add a great atmosphere to the scene and also the only colors really only being black and White to express the personalities of these people. Also, this shot has 3 sides to it, the left, middle and right. Whenever there are 3 sides, it gives it an uneven feeling, and that is surely being expressed in this seen. Great shot George

    Edit: I just noticed another thing, the image of Naboo in the Backround is in the top right corner of the frame . We see the ships in the backround dominating that frame, thus dominating naboo. With Naboo being in a small portion of the frame, this implies the lifelessness and inorganic way these people are. These people are truly controlled by machines and they act like machines. Technology and Machines are taking over organic life. Organic Life helps us breath, live, and we all have a connection with each other, and we all live together for mutual advantage, another theme in SW.

    Again Great Shot
     
  21. Tokio_Drifter

    Tokio_Drifter Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 24, 2003
    That's impressive stuff JediHPDrummer!

    Another aspect which stood out to me is this shot clearly shows who's in charge here: Sidious, cause he's positioned right in the centre of this shot (indeed on the head of the table, like the 'conventional' father), and he is surrounded by his puppets.
     
  22. MasterObi-Wan-Kenobi

    MasterObi-Wan-Kenobi Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 6, 2002
    Indeed very impressive HPdrummer. I have never looked at that on that way.

    I always thought the colors were very "cold" in here, which i cery like in this shot. It's exactly the opposite of Naboo, which symbolizes nature and warmth. But in this shot, Even Naboo looks cold.
     
  23. JediHPDrummer

    JediHPDrummer Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 23, 2002
    MasterObi-Wan-Kenobi, it does seem very cold and frozen. Even though space is black, it has that night time feeling. A feeling of cold emotions like hate and deception. Naboo is the antithesis of this, great contrast.

    Edit: Another cool thing about this shot is that the audience is sitting down like the nemodians and we are looking up(low angle)to Sidious and Maul, again suggesting the one in charge, who is in control and who's most powerful. Also, there are white bars that seperate sidious from the nemodians, again this expresses the division between these people. Even though they have a deal with each other, the nemodians and sidious have different goals, and are using each other. Also, look how far away we are from them, there's no close up to show the intamacy, since we are far away, it shows a very cold relationship, and a buisness relationship.
    Another Thing that struck me was this set's or shots relation to palpatine's office in episode 2. Maybe it was or wasn't intentional. But we get that feeling of palpatine/sidious being at the central or the man in charge. And he has a huge window behind him like the other set showing is clear view or his kind of dominace of the galaxy. I may be going to far here, but there is definatly a relation with at least the shot.
    Wow, i never knew i would write that long for just one shot. But i guess i'm really just analyzing the scene around that master shot.
     
  24. openmind

    openmind Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 23, 2003
    indeed on the head of the table, like the 'conventional' father

    How about taking this a food for thought. Something I was thinking just yesterday: In the dinner table scene in AOTC was Cliegg Lars sitting at that position as well. :cool:
     
  25. Tokio_Drifter

    Tokio_Drifter Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Dec 24, 2003
    open minded,

    It's probably a bit far-fetched, but the only time I recall Anakin sitting on the head of the table is in ESB, as Vader, as a puppeteer/parasite, just like Sidious in this shot right here. You mentioned Cliegg, and the same could be said from Qui Gonn (TPM Dinner-scene), also a father figure, but instead of Sidious/Vader a loving one, a 'true' father, so to speak. (This deals ofcourse with Anakin not having a father, eventually finding one in sidious..etc)

    btw: what happened to this great thread?
     
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