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

PT Practical Effects in the Prequels- Sets, Pictures, Models, etc.

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by Han Burgundy, Dec 28, 2013.

  1. Dark Ferus

    Dark Ferus Chosen One star 8

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    Jul 29, 2016
    I like how much Hayden looks like a young David Prowse there.
     
  2. B99

    B99 Force Ghost star 6

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    Nov 10, 2014
  3. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

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    Oct 1, 2012

    RIP Grant Imahara.
     
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  4. elfdart

    elfdart Jedi Grand Master star 3

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    Apr 1, 2001
    Looks like a bunch of the pics are gone.
     
  5. AEHoward33

    AEHoward33 Jedi Master star 4

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    Aug 11, 2019
    Wow. That's all I can say.
     
  6. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

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    Oct 1, 2012
    Another image of Grant Imahara, working on ROTS.

    [​IMG]
     
  7. oierem

    oierem Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2009
    Really impressive.

    I really think, in terms of marketing, they made a really serious mistake by focusing so much on the CGI advances of the PT, and ignoring all the traditional/model/miniature work. They created the false impression that it was all CGI - and that became unpopular very quickly.
     
  8. KyleKartan

    KyleKartan Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 4, 2004
    Agreed. Yet in the Web Documentaries they uploaded on SW.com during the production of the movies they showed the sets and models too. It just wasnt as popular as showing the CGI stuff. Also stuff like "The Beginning" and "Withhin a Minute" on the Ep I and III DvD showed the model work in great detail.
     
  9. Oissan

    Oissan Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Mar 9, 2001
    I don't think it was a mistake at all. The marketing didn't really focus all that much on technology at all, you can't blame that for people coming up with the idea for "it's all CGI". People believe whatever they want, regardless of whether it is true or not.

    Beyond that, this was the early stages of mass-use of CGI, and the beginning of digital filming. To push this new technology, you obviously would try and tell other filmmakers that you are on the way to make use of this technology easier and cheaper. That's how things develop. While there may some some growing-pains associated with that, it is still something that someone has to start with, or it would never happen. Lucas always cared more about doing something that would push technology forward than about what some people might think about the current outcome.
     
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  10. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    I recently acquired about three dozen issues of the official Star Wars Ships and Vehicles collection from 2011. They all came with diecast models of the ships/vehicles in question (which I also got in the order, very cool). The issues bundled with each model included in-universe backstory, usually a focus on a related character, a feature on similar ships that were from the EU only, then some general worldbuilding and behind the scenes stuff near the end.

    In the issue specifically related to the N-1 Naboo starfighter, I came across this image I'd not seen anywhere before:
    [​IMG]

    Sorry for the low quality, it was a pretty small image in the magazine that's been blown up a bit (if anyone has a higher quality photo I'd love to see it).

    It seems to show the actors playing the Naboo pilots, including Ralph Brown (Ric Olie) at the forefront. The photo's caption indicates that this bluescreen set is where the actors' did their filming for the space battle scenes in TPM, with full-size N-1's being rebuilt away from the Theed hangar set. Interestingly, given that they rebuilt multiple ships, it would seem that the actors all filmed their scenes together as a group, rather than one at a time in the same ship, which is a nice tidbit to know.

    Was pretty cool to stumble onto a new behind the scenes image I was unaware of, though it'd be fun to share it :)
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
  11. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

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    Dec 7, 2014
    Gathered a couple more rare behind the scenes photos from the Starships and Vehicles collection. I thought would be worth sharing. Again, these are low quality, small images in the magazines (getting the focus and lighting right to photo them is a huge pain), and if anyone ever finds higher quality versions I'd love to see them (I try reverse image searching, but nothing comes up).

    Ok, onto the photos, first up is a full-body profile of Darth Maul:
    [​IMG]

    Here's the full-size Jedi Starfighter from AOTC, erected in a car park:
    [​IMG]

    Rear-view shot of the same full-size ship:
    [​IMG]

    A production miniature of the ship, which would then be scanned into the computer for creating the final digital model. Note the lack of astromech in this iteration:
    [​IMG]

    Lastly, an aerial of the green-painted Eta-2 Jedi Interceptor from ROTS, presumably parked on Mustafar:
    [​IMG]

    Edit: Daniel Logan, portraying one of the 'five-year old' clone troopers:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2020
  12. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    Another quick daily update of photos, this time it's makeup for Passel Argente (Separatist council member) being applied by creature supervisor Jason Baird, as well as one of the Neimoidians getting prepared for the meeting scene:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I was able to find another source for the second Passel Argente photo, it was cropped tigther for use on a trading card, so here's alternate quality version:
    [​IMG]
     
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  13. Billy_Dee_Binks

    Billy_Dee_Binks Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 29, 2002
    That's from the deleted scene of the Naboo Pilots returning to the hangar to find out who flew the Starfighter that blew up the Trade Federation Droid Control Ship. Pretty sure it's on the 2012 Blu-Ray PT extras disc.
     
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  14. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

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    Dec 7, 2014
    Ah, seems that might be correct:
     
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  15. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

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    Dec 7, 2014
    Back to the magazines, and I found this shot of Typho with his helmet on. There were a couple of similar images in the magazine that I was able to find easily enough with google, but this one eluded me, so here it is:
    [​IMG]

    Really sorry about the focus on this one, my phone camera refused to register Typho's face :p

    Edit: Aha, finally a rare image I was able to find already uploaded somewhere on the internet ;) Here's a profile shot of Cordé, with 'dirty explosion' effects applied to the costume:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2020
  16. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    Got a couple more images from last night to share, I'll put some extras in spoiler tags to cut down on loading. Firstly, a below shot of the Trade Federation Battleship model:
    [​IMG]

    I was able to find some similar shots online from what seems like the same photo shoot:
    Curiously, the magazine had a very similar shot to this first one, taken inches to the left and a few seconds different (the person in the background's arms were positioned differently):
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The magazine also had a shot of the battleship's engines, the ones that Anakin blows up:
    [​IMG]

    Nute and Rune in the Naboo palace:
    [​IMG]

    Shots of effects supervisor John Knoll in full costume as one of the Republic fire fighter crew members:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    And one bonus shot from the internet:
    [​IMG]

    Lastly, miniatures for the huts on Kashyyyk, as well as a massive Wroshyr tree:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  17. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    Three more rare photos from the pages of the Starships and Vehicles collection! First up is the upper half of Dooku's Solar Sailer under construction:
    [​IMG]

    An early production model of the ARC-170 fighter for ROTS:
    [​IMG]

    The long tail was an element Lucas specifically requested be reduced in size for the final design.

    Lastly, Natalie Portman being prepared for the first scene in Palpatine's apartment, with a George himself sneaking a glance at the camera in the back :p:
    [​IMG]

    There is a copy of this shot floating around online, but this is a slightly uncropped version, where you can actually see the face of the costume assistant on the left :)
     
  18. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

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    Dec 7, 2014
    The last of the issues I acquired featured an article on one rather rare character, Ruwee Naberrie (Padme's father), played by Graeme Bludell in both AOTC (deleted scenes) and ROTS (at the funeral):
    [​IMG]

    Another shot from the same set/location I was able to find:
    [​IMG]

    The magazine included this closeup, but I was able to find another, much clearer copy:
    [​IMG]

    And also this full body shot, cause why not:
    [​IMG]

    Next, here's Ruwee in his funeral outfit from ROTS:
    [​IMG]

    The only online version of this image I was able to find was this super-closeup of the actor's face, which is probably good, since my photo was lacking in detail ;):
    [​IMG]

    Additionally, this is the set of the 'refugee ship' on which Anakin and Padme travel to Naboo in AOTC, followed by a production model of the same ship (with landing gear not seen in the actual film):
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Those'll sadly be the last of my uploads of photos and such for now, since I've exhausted the supply of Starships and Vehicles magazines. There are another 40 issues, covering many Prequel and OT (and one or two EU) ships, would like to collect the magazines someday, even if not the models that come with them :p
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2020
  19. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    I'm back with some more photos! :D Decided to buy a couple more of the Starships and Vehicles Collection models, with the accompanying fact file magazines. First, behind the scenes shot from the part of the Mustafar duel when Anakin and Obi-Wan scale the pylon:
    [​IMG]

    There are a couple of similar photos from this scene, but not this specific one.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    This next photo is also from Mustafar, though it may be hard to tell at first. It's seemingly part of the miniature used for the landscape of the surrounding Lava floes:
    [​IMG]

    Lastly, another treat for fans of Passel Argente, everyone's fifth favourite Separatist council member :p No, but seriously, this is a neat find, a unique profile shot of Argente, as portrayed by Steven Boyle in AOTC (with inset of Marty Wehterill's profile from ROTS, apologies for the light glare on that half of the shot):
    [​IMG]

    While there are a number of photoshoot images of Argente from ROTS, finding AOTC images are considerably rarer. There was also a shot that seemed to display an alternate, more reddish costume for Argente, or it may be another Koorivar aide:
    [​IMG]

    Edit: Not sure I've ever seen a photo of the Gungan Sub model, so this is an exciting find:
    [​IMG]

    There are photos of the sub as a digital model as well, so I don't know whether this physical miniature was merely used for reference, or if it was used in the film alongside the digital one.

    Also, while this is concept art, not technically practical effects, it might still be interesting to learn that this early design sketch for the sub seems to have been a very direct inspiration for the Phase I Clone Trooper helmet in AOTC:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2020
  20. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2014
    Ok, one very last set of photos I have to upload, this is the end of the issues of the Starships and Vehicles collection I purchased. First up is the unpainted production model of the MTT (the cables running from beneath provide power for internal lighting):
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Here's the fully painted and detailed model, placed outdoors for lighting reference to aid in the creation of CG models:
    [​IMG]

    Another shot of the model, this time placed within an unpainted version of the TF landing craft:
    [​IMG]

    Also from TPM, the Neimoidian Shuttle model, seen in a grand total of one shot when Nute and Rune arrive at Theed after taking the capital:
    [​IMG]

    Later films use purely digital models for this ship type, but its brief use in TPM warranted this miniature. Here's an extreme closeup of the interior, something glimpsed for only a second on screen:
    [​IMG]

    For reference, this is how much we see of the ship in the actual film:
    [​IMG]

    Lastly, two early production models of Dooku's solar sailer:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    This early design still had a disconnected cockpit, not unlike that of the Geonosian fighter craft it shares many other similarities with. The finished craft was entirely digital when in flight, with a full scale prop used for the Geonosis hangar scenes.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2020
  21. darkspine10

    darkspine10 Chosen One star 8

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    Dec 7, 2014
    I actually just found the original source of this photo, it's a frame from footage used in Within a Minute, the main ROTS behind the scenes doc on the dvd, at exactly 48:13 in the doc :)
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2020
  22. Palpameme66_IG

    Palpameme66_IG Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2021
    Wow it's been a while since this forum was used, so I don't expect many of the original posters here will see this any more, but I am a star wars YouTuber and Instagrammer called @palpa_meme66 with a huge love for the prequels. They are movies I have defended my entire life and the amount of incredible practical effects and miniatures that get so often overlooked by the majority of fans is insane.
    To cut the story short, over the last couple of years I have made it my duty to try and compile almost a Catalogue Raisonne, a complete database if you will of all the miniatures of the prequels. It's a real shame that there isn't really anywhere online that one can go that just has a full database of all this stuff. You have to go hunting through decade old forum posts or random behind the scenes documentaries or exclusive and now rare books to find all these sorts of images. And the trouble with all this information being spread out so much across the Internet in different places is that eventually it will be lost. Heck, look at this forum. In the nearly seven years since its conception most of the images shared here are no longer available.
    So my goal was to find and collate as many behind the scenes images of as many miniatures as possible and compile them all into one easily accessible resource for all to enjoy for years to come - be it for simple interest and leisure, or even for research, this hopes to be the first catalogue of every single miniature made for the prequels.
    So far I must have researched and collected over 600 images of likely more than 100 separate miniatures across all three films, and I know that there are plenty more I have yet to discover that I know exist, but have never found physical or behind the scenes evidence of.
    Initially I started do this as a huge Flikr thread, but it was really messy, so in the end I decided to create a new Instagram page called @practical_prequels where I would sort all the images by movie and by location, and neaten them all up and crop them down so they look presentable, and for the last few months I have begun the unenviable task of uploading all this stuff, each with a description and little behind the scenes factoids about each one, along with a frame from the movie that shows the miniature in its context.
    Presently I have uploaded over 100 posts and haven't even got to the end of the Phantom Menace section yet.

    If anyone would like to see this catalogue you can view it here:
    https://instagram.com/practical_prequels?utm_medium=copy_link

    As a call to you guys, if anyone here has any photos or images or information on photographs or stills from behind the scenes footage that I have not yet been able to get my hands on (particularly from older books and magazines such as Lorne Peterson's Sculpting A Galaxy from 2006), or even rare images from ILM museum days where they showcase loads of their old movie models, then I would love for you to contact me either by sending me a DM on @practical_prequels or you can e-mail me at palpameme.official@gmail.com, and help me to continue to add to this catalogue to make it as complete and comprehensive as possible.
    I want to preserve all of these images before they are lost to time and for future generations to enjoy and appreciate all the incredible work and talent that went into creating this amazing trilogy.

    This thread alone was a fantastic resource, introducing me to quite a few new images I'd never seen before and I thank everyone greatly who has participated in this thread over the years for talking about all this stuff and helping it to become more common knowledge amongst the 'lay' fans too.
     
  23. Palpameme66_IG

    Palpameme66_IG Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2021
    I found this. It's a pretty cool image thread of the Edmonton, Canada Star Wars Exhibition, and it's full of props and sets and puppets and stuff from both trilogies. Some really great high-res photos of the Dud Bolt and Mars Guo puppets too. https://robbysilk.com/star-wars-identities-exhibit
     
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  24. Palpameme66_IG

    Palpameme66_IG Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2021
  25. Palpameme66_IG

    Palpameme66_IG Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2021
    Personally this is my favourite behind the scenes still from any movie. It's just beautifully shot. It feels like it belongs in like Bladerunner 2049 or something! Absolutely gorgeous [face_love][​IMG]