Star Wars returns to the UK....

http://starwars.com/news/star_wars_feature_film_production_returns_to_the_uk.html

So we all going for auditions?

 

Yes, all FF-UKers should be extras!

 

If they do anything at Shepperton I'm in the general neighborhood..

 

My new ambition is to be part of this greatness

 

Always good to have ambition!

 

I hope they do some location shooting, firstly because it will be nice to have a few scenes that aren't 100% CGI and secondly because I think the Star Wars universe is severely lacking in a planet with our unique climate and weather systems.

That said 'mildly soggy' doesn't really evoke a sense of excitement which is probably why so many British films are so bleak

 

Kamino was filmed at Mumbles. No CGI was needed

 

It seems like they will be doing more location shooting this time, various media sources have already claimed several areas will be used to shoot the movie.

Plus the SFX are apparently being outsourced to save money which means no ILM. Best to reduce the need for CGI if you're going to make it cheap and therefore probably crappy.
I hope we get more models, the ships in the OT look as good as anything in the PT.

 

I'll admit I've not been following the news and rumours that closely yet (after binging hard after the buy out and little new news I've decided to wait unti major announcements are made) so I haven't heard about this.

Is there any word on who they are outsourcing to? I imagine most people would be wanting Weta given their historically excellent use of miniatures and CGI (although the Hobbit was much more CGI driven then LOTR). But I'd quite like it if they could get a young and hungry effects study to work on it, not dissimilar to ILM back in the seventies. I suppose the more likely scenario would be a bunch of effects houses working on their different specialties

Based on what I've noticed talking to people and reading online is that the biggest demand is for the use of models or less CGI etc and I hope they listen to fans in this regard (but then carry on and make the movie they want otherwise)

 

ILM was founded by Lucas, a Lucasfilm production not using it seems kinda weird

 

I'm happy for them to try new things as long as it's for the right reasons. If it is, as you suggest just a budgetary issue then I still don't think that it could be bad because I'm a strong believer in the idea that necessity breeds invention. Making a movie of the scale of Star Wars without a bottomless pit of cash might actually help the movies.

That's how ILM did so well, they had to invent a lot of new techniques because filming in that way didn't exist. Of course nothing as pioneering is likely to come out of the new Star Wars but I personally would be enthusiastic about a new company taking over if it brings new ideas to the table

That said I'm maybe trying to hard with my optimism, ILM are one of (if not the) greatest effects houses and to not use them might be foolish. But one way or another it signals to me more of a clean break and an attempt to step out of Lucas' shadow. Lucas would never use anyone but ILM (and why not, he founded them) but I'm happy for a new director to try something new to make it feel more their own. Many people think that Lucas' lack of outside influences are what caused a number of the problems with the prequels (personally I think that's too simplistic but no doubt a factor) and I think different creative influences and even dreaded boardroom meddling might actually create something that feels more like the original Star Wars than the prequels did

 

Edinburgh Castle as a Bast Castle-type secret Sith fortress maybe?

 

I was hoping they'd be down the road at Elstree, but Pinewood is not too far away....