The Official "I'm worried about Yoda" Thread

Loved the teaser, but that CG Yoda freaked me up! What was that? Who was that? Why?!!

We've been very happy with a puppet Yoda for 3 films, no one ever complained he didn't look very life-like because he had TONS of personality.

Now he's CG, and it looks crappy. I'm sure (and hope) ILM will improve him, and they might really make him look much more life-like than the previous ones. BUT IT WON'T BE THE SAME YODA. It's like Jabba, he didn't look very real in ROTJ, but he had personality, unlike the CG one...


...I'm worried...

 

I'm not!

(Doesn't really fit the topic, does it?)

 

I know!! Do we have to start an official "I'm not concerned about Yoda" thread?

I guess not....but he looks good. Just as long as his facial expressions are consistent throughout the saga....meaning just because he can make new faces now that he's CG, that doesn't mean he's going to.

 

I never liked the idea of a CG Yoda, but from what the teaser showed us he looks not only OK, but very cool, very angry.

 

I can't see why people are worried. I think he looks great! What am I missing? Maybe I'm just used to that "CG" look. I guess he looks different than the puppet but I don't think it's different in a bad way. In my opinion he looks more lifelike.

 

I was worried when I heard that Yoda was going to be CG, but the teaser calmed my fears. Not only did he look cool, but he looked more consistent with the puppet in the OT than the puppet in TPM did.

And remember, Frank Oz is the essence of Yoda, and he's still doing the voice.

 

Me too. I'm worried about the old puppet, moreso. After Episodes 2 and 3, there will be no question that Yoda's scenes in Episodes 1, 5 and 6 will have to have a new superimposed CGI Yoda in them. The only shot they cant touch is when Yoda is on Lukes back, during training in ESB. But most everything else should be replaced. Of course, they should keep Frank Oz as the prime input on the shots and for Yodas expressions.

Now for the real problem. Will it be possible for ILM to make a CGI Luke in time for the DVD releases of the original trilogy? I hope so! hehe.

Isurus

 

I can't wait to see how ILM manages to make Yoda move around on screen without having him look fake. But even though I want Yoda to look amazing...I don't want him to put the Yoda puppet's to shame.

 

Look at how he walks away from Mace in that one shot... Or in both shots, look at his clothes. Amazing. I'd swear that they put a CG head on a headless puppet.

 

I really don't want them to redo any Yoda shots in Ep 5,6 for the DVD release.

I don't even want Special Edition on DVD.

I want at the THX version. If they wanted to, perhaps they could have the Special Edition on there as well.

Call me a purist =)

 

Maybe I am wrong, but wasn't the Yoda which was pacing in front of Obi-Wan at the end of Episode I CGI?

 

I think you're right.

 

> Maybe I am wrong, but wasn't the Yoda which was pacing in front of Obi-Wan at the end of Episode I CGI?

Yes and no, most of it was the puppet (see the DVD documentary), but when he's walking that the CG one.

BTW, I love this CG Yoda, great expression on his face, whoever animated that expression is doing a great job !

 

How is Yoda supposed to Jedi about, if he is a puppet? I think a CGI Yoda is 10 times better then a midget in a Yoda costume

(looks good to me)
[image=http://www.avantweb.net/EP2/yoda.jpg]

 

Well, I certainly don't want Lucas to go mucking about and replacing the OT Yoda with a CGI animation. Part of what made Yoda work in the OT was the character that Frank Oz created through his puppeteering. A lot more of the character that we know came out of what Oz did than many realize. Unfortunately, there's a very good chance that much of this will be lost in the translation to CGI, since Oz will merely be doing a voice-over.

I can see using CGI for certain effects, such as Yoda walking in a long shot. But really, when it comes right down to it, Yoda worked very, very well as a puppet, and if he's fully CGI all of a sudden it seems more a matter of change for the sake of change... which is not always the best course of action, particularly when you're trying to blend prequels with films which have been in the public consciousness for a quarter of a century.

Might I add, however, that this was basically they ONLY concern I had when I saw the trailer. For the most part it looks tasty as hell!

 

When I saw his part in the trailer I thought he was a puppet in that shot

 

From what I know as fact, there still will be a Yoda puppet for certain scenes. But there is only so much a puppet can do, when it comes to fighting and stuff. CGI is the way to go for certain scenes, because I think it would look too funny if it was a midget in a costume.

 

Chalk me up as one more who liked the CG Yoda on the AOTC teaser. I think he looks great.

But honestly, I've always thought that Frank Oz's voice is the REAL heart and soul behind Yoda. Yes, his handling of the puppet is unique, but it's his voice what makes the difference, same way I loved threepio on TPM even though Anthony Daniels wasn't inside it.

Frank

 

Had George Lucas told us that Yoda is a puppet in Episode 2 then everyone wouldnt say anything bad. Its this whole "cgi" is fake bandwagon that people use.
In my opinion, he has more character and looks far more lifelike than he has done since Return of the Jedi.

 

Yeah but the CG Jabba (episode-i) did NOT have the character that the big rubber puppet had in RotJ.

There's something lost when you remove the puppeteer from the puppet. It'll take a great artist to sit down at a computerand match franks performance (not that it can't be done).

"The voice is the easiest part." -Frank Oz

 

I love the new Yoda. It's definately my favorite shot of the trailer.

When I read last year that Frank Oz wasn't going to be able to work during principal photography, I was very worried. I thought CG was really going to screw Yoda up. But, after finally seeing it, I have no complaints.

However, I don't quite get why people are now complaining about the puppet. I've never thought that it looked bad (except maybe in TPM). The Yoda from Empire still looks real to me.

 

Of course it was easy, he did it as Grover on Sesame Street for years!

I would hope that Frank Oz would have some say in the matter of doing a completely CG Yoda. He really did bring life to that character.

 

Well, thats why I'd be happy with a CGI Yoda, as long as Frank is, in a way, directing the look. When watching ESB or RotJ, especially after these next 2 come out, you'll notice when the puppets eyelids dont move properly or an eye is slightly looking in the wrong direction. What would be best is to be able to adjust that one eye or eyelid enough to make it totally proper. In a prior thread, I suggested they have Frank, with the puppet, do all the expressions he can with Yoda and then to digitize them. This way, they'd get that emotion Frank put in there, but also have the freedom to make Yoda do cartwheels, if neccessary. I recall on the DVD, Frank saying something like ""what do you need me for, anymore George...this computer Yoda is amazing"" . Err, thats not a direct quote. But that's the gist of what he was sayin, me'sa thinks.

Isurus

 

[image=http://www.avantweb.net/EP2/yoda.jpg]
(Click on image for bigger view)

I think CGI Yoda looks good. I didn't even know the last shot in TPM was a CGI Yoda until someone told me that here.

 

I thought he looked great in the teaser.