BROKEN ALLEGIANCE Remastered Edition -- now online!

We have gone back and made some changes to BROKEN ALLEGIANCE based on the comments from the TFN Fan Films Board.

Broken Allegiance - Remastered Edition

QUESTION: Should I bother to download this film again?
ANSWER: Absolutely!!! This is a MUCH better version. The changes were largely made on the basis of the TFN BA forum thread.

WHAT HAS BEEN CHANGED:
(spoilers - for those that haven't seen the earlier version of the film yet - below)

1. Completely remixed audio:-
This includes extra sound fx, more stereo panning, easier to hear dialogue, re-edited music cues - generally a much better mix. Of particular note is the opening title music transition to the first scene - it has been dramatically improved, as has the end title music transition.
(Thanks to Inkthinker, Bedivere13, Macho, DorkmanScott, RONDC20, Ryan_W, HBMC_Kloon, PadawanNick, mpfjr, Iyidin_Kyeimo & JediToren for the constructive criticism on this.)

2. Tie fighters fire more & travel faster:- One of the opening scene's tie fighter shots has had more rapid laser fire added, while another shot has been sped up to increase the tie fighters' flying ability.
(Thanks to Inkthinker, JediTAC, DorkmanScott, Laserschwert, PadawanNick, mpfjr & GarenLiLorian for the constructive criticism on this.)

3. Re-colour graded several shots for improved picture quality & technical specs.

4. Improved chroma-key edges on a couple of Super Star Destroyer bridge shot, including one where Vader's cloak 'disappeared' behind a mask.

5. Remade the tractor beam shot:
The pull of the tractor beam on Ruan & Calis's assault transport is less sharp. It now decelerates as it is caught by the beam.
(Thanks to Inkthinker for the constructive criticism on this.)

6. Thor's ship heading for the planet has been remade:
(Directly after Vader says "You know what to do.") Previously this had an unfortunate 'juddering' or 'stepping' motion. This has now been smoothed.

7. Several tightening of shots & scene changes for pace:
This includes the wipe to Thor's ship landing on the ground, the wipe to the Imperial shuttle & Thor's ship returning from the surface. Also, shortened Thor aiming at Calis before shooting her.

8. Thor's Ship landing now has a dust cloud & stronger heat haze as it touches down. Now this shot truelly rocks!

9. Improved covering of the back of Thor's neck where bare skin could be seen under makeup.

10. Gave Calis a 'less fatal' shot
When Calis is shot by Thor, we have moved the point of impact on her body, from her chest to a less vital part of her body. Thus adding to the believability that she survives the blast.
(Thanks to Bedivere13, Minibro, Smashalot, Ben-Kushaan_Exile, Scott_M, The_Scream_Man for the constructive criticism on this.)

11. Ruan & Calis look up at Super Star Destroyer in sky:
This has been softened, as the edges were a little too sharp.

12. Stormtrooper uniform has 'yellow stain' washed out by his mum:
The stormtrooper amongst the landing party on Bathawee has had his yellow suit / armour 'bleached' white. Frame, by tedious frame...
(Thanks to SilentSliceR for the constructive criticism on this.)

13. Improved continiuity of stormtroopers firing at Ruan:
Previously the stormtroopers got off six shots before Ruan reacts by pulling out the Imperial Officer's gun. Now the troopers only get to fire twice. This shot has also been flipped so the stormtroopers are facing Ruan when they fire. We have also added laser bolts flying past Ruan & the Imperial Officer in the next shot.

14. Improved Calis's lightsaber against sky.
We slightly increased the colour to Calis's lightsaber when she puts it in front of the officer's face. Previously it came close to 'disappearing' against the bright sky.
(Thanks to andakin for the constructive criticism on this.)

15. Masked out some set imperfections in the imperial shuttle cockpit.

16. Remade Calis & Ruan in Thor's ship cockpit mattes:
Previously these wobbled all over the place - now they are much better.

17. Final shot of Th

 

OMG...Vidman...you're a monster. No human would put so much effort into remastering their film so quickly after its release!

You're amazing!

I have such high respect for you as a filmmaker. This is definitely pure dedication to your fans.

I can't wait to watch it!



EDIT: where is it?

 

HEY! I read your announcement and made a beeline for TFn's theater! I hope this 130MB coming down the pipe right now is the right one. . .

 

I saw it again and I loved the little changes you made, specially the landing sequence with Thorn 's ship it's much better now.

I have a question :

You talked about a BIG Edition of BA with a great quality for the video and sound ... I remenber you said a 300MB format for the guys with ADSL and a small one for the 56K

When will we be able to see it ?

Thanks to answer and again good job "Vidman".

Greg.

 

The smaller "dialup friendly" version of the film will be going online in the next day or two.

The even larger one really depends on Azeem and how big a file he is willing to accept.

We were thinking about 640 pixels width and 44khz 16bit stereo audio.

If he lets us do a 250-300mb version then we shall, but its really up to him.

 

Wow. Rock on. I'm so psyched that an awesome movie has been made even better. Downloading now.


SK

 

OK thanks vid.


Azeem I hope you read vidman's post ... I want a High quality version of BA right ????!!!!


Greg.

 

I love the film, any chance of a blooper reel.

I'm sure there a few....

 

Downloading now...

 

I cant find it!
Or is it the same link but changed the file?
any chance for a link anyone?
Thanks
>>Garrett

 

It's the same link.

I really liked the 'Re-Mastered' edition, the TIE's now move like they should, good, and the ending is VERY nice looking. I could look at that nebula for hours.

The only thing I didn't like was where Callis shot first...

 

Jedi,
Yes it's the same, just with a file change.

Vidman,
It's insane having a 'Special Edition' a week or so after the release of a film but it was worth it, I enjoyed the film more this time than first time around, It's a really good all round performance, strong in every department, probably my favourite hosted by TFN.


My only complaint (and I use this term carefully, becuase it's such a tiny gripe) is that a lot of the really 'pretty shots' I'd already seen in the second trailer. e.g. there was a really nice shot of Coruscant at sunset, and I thought this was going to be expanded upon on the film, so felt a little sad when it wasn't. If I would have only seen Trailer 'A, ' then the finished film I would probably have appreciated the enhanced visuals a whole lot more. Looking back at trailer A it's come a huge way since then (Vader surveying the carnage in trailers A and B are poles apart...)

Anyway, as I say, it's a really small gripe about an otherwise really good film, made better by the tweaks you've made. Good stuff.

 

Warning.....this is going to make some people mad. But it is my opinion.


Flame me if you want but I think the idea of remastering a film 2 weeks after it's release is just silly! Who hasn't finished their film on a deadline and wished that they had more time to perfect some shots. 2 weeks? Why not just delay the release and finish it all the right way the first time?

SOD was released on Dec. 1 and there were a ton of shots and effects that I would have liked to fix. But we didn't .....in the spirit that a film is like a snapshot of where you are at that moment in time. I can appreciate that you want your film to be the best it can be but I tend to think that you let your work stand on its original merits. You might as well have put out a notice on the original film that it was just a beta and the release candidate will be on the way in 2 weeks or so. Followed by the final edition.....etc....

Oh by the way.......since so many of you TFN fans complained about the little tiny car going by in the woods in the background of one of the lightsaber battle in SOD we have reshot the scene and edited that out! Not!!!!

P.S.
I also changed a few stars in the background of one of the space battles and changed the RGB values of space to 18-18-20. Go download it again and see the difference!!! WOOOO!!!!!

Let the flames begin!!!

(by the way....I didn't agree with GL redoing the real Star Wars Trilogy either. Let your work stand as it is! )

 

SOD is the last of the films made for fun... no wait there is that one with the kids in. These are the last backyard and freeware fun fanfilms. Bring on big budgets and proffessional equiptment....














or prehaps not

 

I have no beef with the equipment and professionalism involved. My opinion is that when you finish a film you should be done with it and let it stand. Even if there a mistakes. That is part of the process. Its just my opinion.










I'm going to go touch up my Indiana Jones movie I made on my 8mm movie camera when I was 12 now. Not really.

 

I can understand that philosophy Icicle, and personally I'm never going to alter Dark Skies (even though some of it makes me absolutely cringe to look at now), becuase, as you say, I look at it as a 'barometer' of what I could do then, and I like it that way.

But having said that, if someone wants to alter/tinker with their film to make it better, then fair play to them. Vidman actually alterred the film in direct response to comments/criticisms from the TFN board, which is a pretty cool thing to do. If Seeds of Darkness wanted to release a special edition, TFN would happily post up the new version just as they do when people post up 'better compressed versions' or whatever.

As for the Star Wars stuff, George Lucas has a bit of a dilemna that is a world away from our little problems. he has a series of six films, that are meant to be seen as one big story, and the first one was made at a time when flying a ship from left to right was a really big deal, so the special editions are really just to polish the thing so the early ones don't look insanely bad next to the latest ones.

Artists tend to fall into two seperate camps, the ones that say There it is, it's finished, and I never want to see it again and those that keep that oil painting on the studio wall for ten years, scrubbing away every now and again, always tinkering. Neither 'method' is correct, they are just different.

The other reason I wouldn't every go back and change my stuff is that ultimately it won't make a blind bit of difference if a ships smoke looks cooler this time, I'll still end up with people saying 'Oy Nutley, that ain't the way Vader is born! Die, die, die '

I think it's cool that Vidman took the trouble to alter stuff, it shows that the TFN audience opinion actually matters to him, and he respects their opinions. Nothing wrong with that that I can see, it's just that Vidman falls into the 'tinkering camp, and you (and I, I suppose) fall into the 'enough already' camp.

EDIT: Do I sound like I'm sitting on the fence, or do I sound like I'm sitting on the fence?

 

mistakes in a fanfilm are always fun. Thats what makes them seem more... human.

 

guess i should watch the origional first...

anyway,

Nick "Shorty" Long

 

Not to offend anybody but the "last" reason to change things in your film is because of what people on this board say. True there are some who give constructive criticsm which is welcomed. But I didn't realize that fan films were like a "choose your own ending" books where the users reviews determine what needs fixed and what doesn't.

If I changed or manipulated all of the little things in SOD that were critiqued we could have a whole new movie. Granted there are things that I would "like" to change but I subscribe to the "snapshot" theory. I'll make sure to get the things that were bad in SOD right in my next project. We learn and grow from each experience.

Daft.....I understand the painting analogy. But I feel once you let the public view your art then it should remain intact. Just my opinion. I have to subscribe to this theory or nothing would ever get done! I'd constantly be fixing every little thing.

 

I see my name mentioned quite a few times in that list of changes you made.

I am feeling quite guilty at this point. I never ever dreamed that what I could say as a casual poster on this board would help lead to changes to your movie.

They were meant to be constructive and give you some ideas of (what not to do) on your NEXT work.

However...
Now that you have made those changes, I am sure you are even more proud of this accomplishment. Years from now you will not look back and cringe over a few problems with the movie.

Oh, and in support of your decision: It is your movie, your artwork, and you should be able to do what you want, when you want, and how you want.

How many times have I read a book that had errors? By the third edition of the book, those errors are all corrected.
When a movie is released in theaters, it is TOO LATE to change it by then. You *might* get to fix some things before it goes to rental, but for the most part, you are stuck. That is why we see "directors editions" on DVD. Usually they change/add/fix/delete the crap they wanted to originally.

I gave your original film a 10 out of 10 and after these changes I give it a... 10 out of 10.

 

hundreds of fanfilms and someone makes changes to thier work to make it better... I'm glad someone took the steps to do so. We've seen one side of the fence long enough and I for one am glad to see the other...

Welcome to the digital age! In years past, "remastering" a film was a time consuming and almost impossible task. With digital media, someone can turn around and release another version.. heck, microsoft has been doing that for years!!! and thats something you actually pay for! Here we are... a bunch of star wars fans making movies... If someone wants to make thier work better, then by golly - go for it! While its plain to see which side of the fence I'm on with regards to this movie, let me say that I do not plan on "remastering" my movie when its done. I have neither the time or TIME (yes - time was said twice) to do that...
I'll hop in my speeder now and go to Toshi Station... see ya'll later...

EDIT: the download was worth it to see the entire opening chase scene again... that looked great!!! good job!
Here's one thing I noticed (that you can/can't fix - its entirely up to you) -
Why is the girls voice deeper than the guys?

 

Wine wine wine, is that all you ever do Icicle? Are you jealous that someone made a better fanfilm than yours?? Sometimes we make mistakes on our films and don't notice it until afterward.

Great film guys, your an inspiration!

SWmaster

 

I'm not wining. I just have an opinion on how a finished film should be handled. I think a special edition within 30 days of initial release is a little odd. Why not just do it right the first time? Or wait a little longer and add even more?

And for the record I don't think Broken Allegiance is a better film than SOD. I also don't think SOD is better than BA. I think each has its own merits and high points and if you put them up against each other they would balance each other out.

But I do think SOD could be a better film (than it currently is)if I "remastered" it. But I'd like to leave it as is just for posterities sake. This is my opinion on "all" films. Let sleeping dogs lie. But everyone is entitled to do what they want with their own film. I am entitled to disagree with there decisions too.

also........

I seriously hope that the last post was a joke. I can't believe somebody would start bringing up jealousy and "better film than yours". Are we 10 years old? oh.......maybe some of us are. sorry.

 

Well I'd say to you who don't agree with remastering at all: Think of it as showing it to the others in the process of creation. Just like George gets the opinions of all the others working on this movies, Vid is merely gauging the opinion of the others here, the others who ALSO make these films.

Heck, the film was made to showcase talent, why not make it the best it can be! (our audience here is probably not the main reason the film was made, let's remember this!) I for one say "if you wanna change it, change it - just don't make greedo shoot first!

john

 

I am not going to download this new version of BA.... I am gonna wait a little longer until "Broken Allegiance: Special Edition" comes out... I heard that it will include never before seen footage .........