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

PT The Prequels Strike Back: A Star Wars Documentary

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by mes520, May 29, 2015.

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  1. mes520

    mes520 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
    As many of you know and for those of you that may not know, independent film studio Ministry of Cinema's next project will be a Star Wars documentary called, The Prequels Strike Back. And yes, their focus will be the Prequel films: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.




    Along with Mike Klimo and his outstanding theory, they also will feature the work of many other experts. Here are the experts and some of their works and they have agreed to an interview if schedules permit:

    • Dr. Anne Lancashire - University of Toronto professor, Harvard Ph.D., and longtime Star Wars theorist. Here is an article she wrote on Attack of the Clones.
    • Chris Gore - founder of Film Threat magazine, comedian, writer, and overall titan of independent film
    • Dr. Camille Paglia - University of the Arts professor, Yale Ph.D., and self-described dissident feminist. She argues that Lucas is today's genius.
    • Paul F. McDonald - lifelong Star Wars fan, writer of Star Wars Heresies, and frequent commentator on the prequels.
    • Bob Clark-- writer and cartoonist, creator of webcomic Neo-Westchester, and Star Wars theorist, writing on subjects from Attack of the Clones to Duel of the Fates.
    • Dr. Jonathan Young - psychologist and Star Wars commentator, expert in Joseph Campbell and curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives.
    • Steve Galipeau - psychologist, Jungian analyst, and author of Journey of Luke Skywalker
    ** Also I emailed them a week ago, asking if they will addressing the truth about the use of CGI in the PT, and yes, they will be talking about the models and sets.

    Finally, here is the Indiegogo link for more information.
     
  2. GuardianSoulBlade

    GuardianSoulBlade Jedi Knight star 3

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    May 26, 2015
    I really wish they could get some of the movies' crew for some interviews, even if it's not George Lucas, especially in regard to the practical effects. It would be nice to hear from some of them and not just archive footage.
     
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  3. mes520

    mes520 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012

    That would be awesome, but yes, it probably won't happen.
     
  4. Cushing's Admirer

    Cushing's Admirer Chosen One star 7

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    Jun 8, 2006
    Interesting set up but the practical effect and CGI thing I think is well and sorted. I'd say pretty much everyone interested knows both are used already.
     
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  5. Rhane-1138

    Rhane-1138 Jedi Master star 1

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    Nov 9, 2001
    I suspect that their eventual documentary will be stronger without delving into the silly "too much CGI" arguments. What makes a scene good is almost never related to the methods used to create the images that make up the scene.
     
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  6. Cyreides

    Cyreides Jedi Knight star 2

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    Feb 19, 2014
    lolno

    not even close
     
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  7. JEDI-RISING

    JEDI-RISING Chosen One star 6

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    Apr 15, 2005
    i was watching a show last night where they were talking about Jaws and yet another "Lucas is evil because of CGI " came into the discussion. it's just a mantra with these people.
     
  8. mes520

    mes520 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
    Yeah, from what I've seen, a lot of fans from lovers to haters of the PT still say "the PT was all CGI". It's really surprising.

    Update: The Prequels Strike Back has officially made the $7,500 mark. [face_party] That was the amount it needed to make a full length feature film.
     
  9. GuardianSoulBlade

    GuardianSoulBlade Jedi Knight star 3

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    May 26, 2015
    But I distinctly recall that Bruce was an animatronic shark!

    There's only one fitting way to celebrate:
    Augie's Great Municipal Band/End Credits!
     
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  10. sonnyleesmith

    sonnyleesmith Jedi Master star 2

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    Apr 29, 2014
    Where's the crowd funding site for the documentary defending the OT? I'm having trouble finding it.
     
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  11. GuardianSoulBlade

    GuardianSoulBlade Jedi Knight star 3

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    May 26, 2015
    Nice to see another stretch goal.
     
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  12. darksideDINO

    darksideDINO Jedi Knight star 1

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    Apr 18, 2015
    Did the OT not fund the PT? That already makes it the Daddy! ;)

    I would watch it, I'm always intrigued to see fan-made documentaries. 'The Death of Superman Lives' looks tremendous!

    The argument over practical vs CGI is far from over. CGI can be a glorious thing when utilised as a necessity. Sadly, it seams to have become the easy option these days...the PT being one of the founding instigators.

    I've seen real life sharks in the Bahamas when I was a kid. They didn't look real, I swear to god they didn't look real! They were real, but they looked unreal! That's why the look of 'Bruce' never bothered me, still doesn't... great movie!
     
  13. redlightning

    redlightning Jedi Knight star 4

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    Feb 1, 2014
    Boy this looks silly.
     
  14. CoolyFett

    CoolyFett Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Feb 3, 2003
    Will this feature be on TV? Or how can we fans see the doc?
     
  15. mes520

    mes520 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012

    No, I don't think so, though anything can happen.

    You'll probably be able to download it at places like Google Play and iTunes when it comes out. Also if you get a certain perk on Indiegogo they'll send you a free download or a copy of a DVD.
     
  16. Qui-Riv-Brid

    Qui-Riv-Brid Force Ghost star 5

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    Apr 18, 2013
    This is fine but I hope the makers aren't the hesitant type who are trying to say "Well they aren't great but hey they are at least OK"

    This is the wrong tactic.

    I would get Mr Plinkett on and if he could take it (assuming he didn't run away) I would proceed to rip him to shreds.

    Right from the start there are 2 easy questions that usually send the prequel despisers into fits.

    1. Do you acknowledge the utter and complete objective and demonstrated success of the prequels with the audience as seen at the box office and on VHS, DVD, BD and digital sales as well as merchandise?

    2. Do you acknowledge the utter reality of the prequels having many more practical effects in each single film than the entire OT combined?
     
  17. mes520

    mes520 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
    Found this on Clone Corridor.

     
  18. ShaneP

    ShaneP Ex-Mod Officio star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Mar 26, 2001
    That's quite a lineup of scholars to talk about the prequels. The funny thing is people like Paglia and the other scholars can see the continuity of SW mythology all through the Saga and not OT vs PT and all that mumbo jumbo.
     
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  19. GuardianSoulBlade

    GuardianSoulBlade Jedi Knight star 3

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    May 26, 2015
    They may be part of the fandom, but they are not part of the fan dumb that is unfortunately part of a franchise this large, They're also viewing Star Wars from an academic point of view, not a fanboy point of view.

    It'll be such a relief to see a doumentary that people are part of the fandom without going into the fan dumb territory.
     
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  20. ShaneP

    ShaneP Ex-Mod Officio star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Mar 26, 2001
    Yep. That's why it could be really enlightening. It's providing a different context to the whole thing.
     
  21. sonnyleesmith

    sonnyleesmith Jedi Master star 2

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    Apr 29, 2014
    1. Yes it was a success from a $$ standpoint. Nobody's disputing that. The film themselves were lackluster as supported by millions. Of course millions also love them, but what does it say about the sterling reputation of the saga when half the fanbase is divided? If the PT stands up so well in its own, why did the marketing gravitate back to OT imagery on products. Didn't see a whole lot of Frito Lay bags with Padme's mug on it. But Yoda, vader, Chewbacca, R2 and Threepio? You bet! Merchandise sales for the films, particularly TPM, was a boon to the Star Wars economy for the fact that they were the first new Star Wars toys to come out in almost 2 decades. They were must haves, especially to the generations who had never seen SW before. And since it was marketed heavy before the film even came out, everyone had to have the toys. The movie itself was a big toy advertisement.

    2. Ignoring that the amount of CGI in the prequels outweigh the use of effects in the OT, this argument is a smokescreen to distract the more glaring problems with the films. Mainly story, tone, continuity, character arc and development, compelling protagonists, sense of realism, dialogue, intrigue, wonder, and tension.
     
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  22. Samuel Vimes

    Samuel Vimes Force Ghost star 4

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    Sep 4, 2012
    As comparisons go, that isn't terribly useful. Ex. a film with five pratical effects and zero CGI effects is compared with a film that has ten pratical effects and 1000 CGI effects and the latter films has more pratical effects. While technically true it is also a bit misleading

    It would be far better to compare the number of CGI effects divided by the total number of effects.

    Take the number of CGI effects in ANH, divided with the total number of effects.
    And do the same for TPM and compare.
    Which film would have the higher percentage?
    Or do the reverse, the number of practical effects divided by the total number of effects.

    Bye for now.
    The Guarding Dark
     
  23. KING_KENOBI

    KING_KENOBI Jedi Master star 2

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    Oct 19, 2004
    of course,if they only needed 7500 several of us here could have spotted them, that cash and not that would have been that.
    But what they mean,is if they can crowd source that they can show investors that there's a market for the movie.
     
  24. Prospecting on Subtyrrell

    Prospecting on Subtyrrell Jedi Knight star 2

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    Mar 18, 2014
    How is it fair to compare CGI effects in the OT when you barely had computers? Of course there aren't going to be a lot. The claim is that the PT went "all CGI". But that's just not true. There were still loads and loads of practical effects.

    Whether it looked good or not is of course another matter entirely.
     
  25. Qui-Riv-Brid

    Qui-Riv-Brid Force Ghost star 5

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    Apr 18, 2013
    Which doesn't apply in the least to the movies being discussed since they have literally hundreds and hundreds into the thousands of each.

    The Geonosis arena in AOTC alone was some 300 "practical" shots of the miniature.

    Of course for the final VFX shots every other sort of shots elements were used to create the final VFX shots.

    Sure you can as a theoretical exercise but the reality is that it doesn't work very well since it's all part of one whole. Try and do that with any modern movie. JJ talks about how they are using CGI to remove things as much as add things. Removing something with CGI is still a CGI effect. Whatever version of CGI he was referring to.

    ROTS had 2200 VFX shots. I don't know the number of total shots in the movie.

    So as I have said before ROTS has 2200 VFX shots of which Rob Coleman said there were 1269 CGI animation shots.

    Now of course what that means is that said shots are one of the elements used in creating the complete VFX shot. So one shot will be a combination of said CGI , live action on sets, special effects, miniatures, mattes and whatever else.

    Whether it's 1% of the shot or 100% of the shot there is CGI animation present in about 58% of the VFX shots of the movie. Again I don't know the total shots of the movie itself.

    IIRC at least for the actual filming there were some 2500 shots or more done. IIRC TPM had some 2200 total shots in the movie with 1950 of them VFX shots (however exactly they calculate what a shot is.)

    Obviously their were many cell animation elements done for the OT so what percentage of shots they were part of I don't know.

    They do actually.

    Just like TESB and ROTJ then and likely each and every new film.

    The only movie that apparently was ever actually really liked was ANH.

    Like they were divided to one degree or another by just about everything since ANH?

    What products?

    Where were Luke, Leia and Han's faces?

    Human faces obviously don't sell that well. They are a dime a dozen that is why you use Maul or Jango or Jar Jar etc etc. Non-humans face or masks or whatever catch the eye.

    I really don't see what your point is.

    Welcome to Star Wars marketing 101.
     
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