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ST Massive woodland battle scene with thousands of extras

Discussion in 'Sequel Trilogy' started by LANDO_ROCKS, Sep 29, 2014.

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  1. LANDO_ROCKS

    LANDO_ROCKS Force Ghost star 5

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    Nov 28, 2002
    According to this article - https://uk.yahoo.com/movies/star-wars-episode-vii-to-feature-woodland-battle-with-98528489434.html

    After a brief shoot on location in the Forest of Dean, ‘Star Wars VII’ is set to feature a huge woodland battle scene complete with thousands of extras.

    Star Wars: Episode VII To Feature Woodland Battle With Thousands Of Extras

    It’s something we’ve come to expect of ‘Star Wars’ – those huge, epic battle scenes that really bowl you over. And while there were plenty of those in the original trilogy (including tonnes of iconic Stormtroopers) the prequels tended to veer towards CGI trickery to bulk out those Clone Trooper ranks.

    Thankfully, ‘Star Wars VII’ is said to be returning to the old ways… and with a woodland battle scene filmed in the Forest of Dean, it looks as though J.J. Abrams used of thousands of extras to get a more authentic look.

    And I have some rather interesting details about this pretty epic shoot.

    After meeting with ‘Star Wars VII’ director J.J. Abrams, I spilled the beans in an article for Total Geeks and while he didn’t say much about the ‘Star Wars’ sequel, he really didn’t have to.

    “Actors Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Pip Andersen and Adam Driver were all at the hotel, ready for the shoot,” I explained. And after witnessing each of them arrive back from the set, it wasn’t long before I was able to piece together an idea of what had been going on.

    “It looks as though ‘Star Wars VII’ will feature a huge battle scene with thousands of extras,” I revealed. “I have it on good authority that the Puzzlewood shoot involved a full-scale battle which surrounded a pivotal fight scene with some of our main characters.”

    And who was involved in that fight scene? None other than John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Pip Andersen. “I also had word that Adam Driver was on the scene (and spotted him skulking around the hotel) but I was unable to establish his exact role in those scenes. But judging from the state of Ridley and Boyega’s stunt doubles, they were in for quite a workout.”

    Of course, I can’t help thinking that this adds weight to the theory that Pip Andersen was cast in ‘Star Wars VII’ due to his extensive parkour skills and while we’re still unsure whether his character is good or evil, I get the feeling that Abrams might just have cherry-picked the best element of the prequel trilogy – a Darth Maul-style villain.

    “One thing I heard while sitting with some crew members was the sheer quantity of extras involved,” I explained. “We’re talking thousands of extra hands on set… [and] it seems that they were filming a rather large-scale battle sequence out in the woods.”

    Obviously, this has a rather huge hint towards the events of ‘Return of the Jedi’ and I can’t help thinking of the battle of Endor. But while numerous locations have been suggested from the galaxy far, far away I’m just not 100% sure where this woodland battle takes place.

    We’ve seen Abu Dhabi step in for Tatooine and a location in Iceland supposedly takes us back to Hoth. But has the Forest of Dean appeared as Endor? And does this mean the return of the Ewoks?

    For now, we’ll have to wait and see… but I get the feeling that the closest we’ll get to any cute, furry creatures is Peter Mayhew’s Chewbacca. Just don’t tell him I said that.
     
  2. DarthTunick

    DarthTunick SFTC VII + Deadpool BOFF star 10 VIP - Game Host

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    Nov 26, 2000
    Despite the obvious connections to ROTJ, if this ends up being accurate, then I'm intrigued.
     
  3. The Hellhammer

    The Hellhammer Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 4, 2012
    Highly doubt it is Endor but the rumor sounds interesting nonetheless.
     
  4. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    "Thousands of extras" would be impressive if true. There can't be many productions that would use thousands for one scene any more. You go with hundreds and CG the rest don't you?
     
  5. plaidphoenix

    plaidphoenix Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 6, 2013
    It's possible for them to do a forest battle and have it be totally different then ROTJ so that doesn't bother me too much. What I find a little twitchy is the idea of "thousands of extras". Not to open a CGI vs Practical effects debate but I have to wonder if we're talking about a battle scene so big to require thousands of extras, I have to think it might be more practical to fall back on CGI.

    That's what they did with the Battle of Pelennor Fields for LOTR.
     
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  6. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    Yeah - I mean it would be great to see for sure, but it just feels off to me. I could be wrong. And I guess just because achieving something is unusual it doesn't mean it is completely impossible for someone to want to go there.

    How many extras were they using in the LOTR battles for example? 100s right?

    In Robin Hood I think it was hundreds on that beach, and that was Ridley. Moses looks pretty epic but again, we're probably talking low hundreds that are then replicated.
     
  7. DarthTunick

    DarthTunick SFTC VII + Deadpool BOFF star 10 VIP - Game Host

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    Nov 26, 2000


    I would hope it's not.
     
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  8. plaidphoenix

    plaidphoenix Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 6, 2013
    I'm not positive but yeah, hundreds at most, mostly for the Rohirrim scenes.
     
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  9. CrazyOldJedi

    CrazyOldJedi Chosen One star 6

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    Oct 29, 2000
    The guy has picked up a couple of snippets and tried to thread them together. His only interaction with Abrams seems to be having his picture taken with him. The 'thousands' seems an exaggeration and looks like it includes the crew as well. The stunt doubles, returning to the hotel, obviously were showing signs of exhaustion so this was more than likely an action shoot. Interesting that Ford, Hamill and Fisher were not spotted.
     
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  10. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    "And after witnessing each of them arrive back from the set, it wasn’t long before I was able to piece together an idea of what had been going on". OK, mate, glad you've got it all figured out.
     
  11. CrazyOldJedi

    CrazyOldJedi Chosen One star 6

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    Oct 29, 2000
    Another point to consider about this report is that the interesting parts of Puzzlewood are quite restricted. This is not the place for a large battle scene as there simply is not the space to fit thousands in. Even though the redwood forest used for the ROTJ scenes had a lot of space at ground level between the trees a lot of the scenes happened around the bunker in a middle of a clearing. Every other large scale ground battle has been in a wide, open space, something that the Forest of Dean is not.
     
  12. King3000

    King3000 Jedi Padawan

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    Aug 17, 2014
    I heard there have been a lot of "Small People" on set, working through Warwick Davis' Agency, nothing about an "Endor" scene or "Ewoks" so far, but there was alot of them.
     
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  13. City Councilman Binks

    City Councilman Binks Jedi Master star 4

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    May 7, 2014
    Hopefully they are involved in the space battle, together...
     
  14. Darth PJ

    Darth PJ Force Ghost star 6

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    Jul 31, 2013
    I seriously doubt they'll be '1000's' of extra's used in a forest/wood battle scene. It would be a total logistics and H&S nightmare for starters. '100's' would sound more legit.
     
  15. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    Agreed. This guy is basically putting his own speculation out there as a scoop I believe.
     
  16. JediKnightWax

    JediKnightWax Jedi Master star 4

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    May 21, 2014
    The new heroes will be probably be fighting in the forest.
    Han and Chewie and someone else in the Falcon fighting in space.
    Luke and Daisy doing something on another planet.
     
  17. A Chorus of Disapproval

    A Chorus of Disapproval Head Admin & TV Screaming Service star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2003
    I can't wait to see them blow up the power generator for the Death Star's deflector shield.
     
  18. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    This is where we see the Incendiary Troopers doing their thing, right?
     
  19. DANNASUK

    DANNASUK Force Ghost star 7

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    Nov 1, 2012
    "And after witnessing each of them arrive back from the set, it wasn’t long before I was able to piece together an idea of what had been going on"

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Bobby Roberts

    Bobby Roberts Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Mar 24, 2014
    A battle in the forest, huh?

     
  21. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    Maybe this is on the steppes of the snow covered mountains we saw in that Luke(or whoever)/ bad guy/ Falcon concept.
     
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  22. Krueger

    Krueger Chosen One star 5

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    Aug 9, 2004
    In this day and age no film employs "thousands" of extras. Sorry, but CGI comes in handy for things like that. That is one thing Lucas was right on. There is simply no need nowadays to hire that many extras for one sequence. More trouble than its worth.
     
  23. Satipo

    Satipo Force Ghost star 7

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    Mar 29, 2014
    While I agree, it would be funny if this was true and backed up Isaac's talk of 1000s of extras (which might even be where this guy got his numbers from).
     
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  24. Darth PJ

    Darth PJ Force Ghost star 6

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    Jul 31, 2013
    I'd certainly like to see them try... but it would be a case of 'can't see the extras for the trees'... ;)
     
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  25. STARBOB

    STARBOB Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Dec 11, 2002
    1000'S of extras would also mean 1000's of people who could leak spoilers out.
     
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