RYAN WIEBER VS. MICHAEL "DORKMAN" SCOTT

Ryan and Mike...wow.

That was amazing. I know this thread must sound like a broken record, but all I can do is echo the sentiments that others have expressed. I admire you for all the work that must have went into that. I can imagine you and mike staring at your computer screens at 1am with bloodshot eyes, rotoscoping frame after frame. Did you ever get totally tired of the rotoing and give it up for long periods of time?

I do have a few other questions, too:

1) More about the choreographing. Did you have the shots planned out in terms of length before you started choreographing? What I mean is, was your choreographing catered to specific shots? Like you say, "this shot will last about 10 hits, now lets get them down" and then do another shot with like 3 hits? One of the problems my fiends and I have is remembering the sequence of moves...I think someone else asked this, but did you use video footage to remember?

2) About the clone shot-I think Ryan said Mike did it? Mike, can you explain in more detail how you placed and motion tracked the image of the Ryan clone into the shot as the camera was moving? I understand how to do non-moving clone shots, but not what you mentioned...

3) What is the font you used for your names at the beginning? I must get that font, it is so cool. And How did you keyframe it so it looks like the text is coming from your perspective into the screen. Did you have to gradually decrease the size of the text as it was moving?

Once again, my hat's off to you guys. Ryan, you've helped me out a couple of times on my lightsaber and clone tests, so it was cool to see your excellent work. I know I'm rambling on here, but I checked out ALD and that was awesome as well. The harsh, direct lights in that garage really recreated the feel of the hanger in AOTC.

 

Oh, yeah: other questions i thought of:

When you roto out something to make it look like it's not there, how do you make it look so perfect? For example, you said that(in the force battle) your Dad was holding the hilt and moving it towards you, until you grabbed it. Since the camera wasn't moving in this shot, did you film that space with no one there and then mask out your Dad with this blank footage of no one there? If so, since he was holding the hilt, how come we see the whole hilt? Wouldn't his fingers have covered part of it or something? Or did he suspend it from string?

Also, if this was the way you did it, how come we can't see any lines of difference at all? In AE, what can you do besides adding a big feather at the mask edge to decrese visible lines (heh heh...I sound like Maybellene commercial)? I have tried decreasing the opacity a tiny bit, which seems to help as long as the person isn't transparent. Is there anything else you use?

Thanks.

 

Yes that's what we did. Just make sure your lighting and exposure is locked and consistent on set. That's all it was. And for that shot, my dad was holding the hilt by a rod that was screwed onto the back end, where it doesn't overlap with the handle at all.

To answer your previous questions:

What is the font you used for your names at the beginning? I must get that font, it is so cool. And How did you keyframe it so it looks like the text is coming from your perspective into the screen. Did you have to gradually decrease the size of the text as it was moving?

The font used was Alexis (the Lexus font, I realised recently) and I just animated it so it goes from like 3000% scale down to 100% and allowed motion blur in the composition. Nothing too tricky.

More about the choreographing. Did you have the shots planned out in terms of length before you started choreographing? What I mean is, was your choreographing catered to specific shots? Like you say, "this shot will last about 10 hits, now lets get them down" and then do another shot with like 3 hits? One of the problems my fiends and I have is remembering the sequence of moves...I think someone else asked this, but did you use video footage to remember?

Yeah, we filmed our moves to look back on later and make sure we were remembering it correctly. It was immensely useful. As far as planning shots, the only shot we were sure about from the beginning was one long unbroken shot for the first engagement and we wante to have it last as long as possibe without getting redundant. All the other shots we basically talked about and agreed on while on set. Most of the time we just went with angles that are most flattering to the choreography and allow the hits and swings to be displayed as clearly as possible.

 

From Ryan's Director's Comments for ALD:

This project began as part of our final project for Drama class, which we chose to do on video. We basically spoofed three movies, calling our spin-off sequences "deleted scenes you probably haven't seen".

The question was asked, if there was extra room on the DVD if ALD would be added, I was also wondering of there is any chance that these other two spoofs might make an appearance.

 

Heck, just put everything on it and call it the "Ryan Wieber project DVD".

 

Three words: BETTER THAN DUALITY

But I can't stop wishing that you guys were wearing cloaks and fighting on a docking bay.

Very nice work, guys!

 

I like it as it is! It makes u think a bit that lightsabers maybe Do exist in reality

 

Hmm.. Well yes, in terms of production value, it was similar to Duality.

EDIT: I don't really think anything is better than duality.

Chris

 

I don't really think you say anything is better than duality.

Troops is better tha Duality.

The Empire Strikes Backyard is better than Duality.

KnightQuest is better than Duality.

Broken Alligence is better than Duality.

The Formula is better than Duality.

Ryan vs. Dorkman is better than Duality.

Just because something was good, or popular, doesn't make it the end-all fan film.

Oh, and Ryan, I'm working on getting that VHS to ya. Any idea for timeframe on the DVD?


?Eaglet

 

Thanks, Eaglet.

Chris

 

But just 'cause you say something is better doesn't make it so.

Out of all those things you mentioned, you can't really compare them fairly, nor come to the conclusion that one is better than the other.

The only thing you could fairly compare to Duality is, in fact, my fight with Ryan, and even that, "better" is subjective depending on what you're talking about.

Choreography? Maybe we win, but Rive or Blight could still kill us.

Effects? No contest, Duality wins.

Story? About the same, which is to say it requires a lot of outside knowledge and extrapolation, but it does exist.

I just don't think there's any reason to compare it. We didn't make it to beat Duality.

...we made it to beat Art of the Saber II.



M. Scott

 

It makes u think a bit that lightsabers maybe Do exist in reality

As do the PA SE's.

 

Dorkman: ...we made it to beat Art of the Saber II.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

But it would be interesting to see Ryan and Dorkman vs. The Ho Brothers!

The only question is......Who are the evil ones?

 

It's very difficult, in my opinion, to compair Duality to films like Broken Alliegence or Knights Quest. Duality (once again in my opinion) would could not be accuratlly catagorized with these two films.

Duality, in it's own group, is top of the line. So, I don't agree that KQ, BA, Troops, etc are any better or worse than Duality. We classify films by saying, "Duality is old, R. v D. is fresh and new." We can't do that, all of these are great films are the products of talented and dedicated people.

 

Duality, in it's own group, is top of the line. So, I don't agree that KQ, BA, Troops, etc ares any better or worse than Duality. We classify films by saying, "Duality is old, R. v D. is fresh and new." We can't do that, all of these are great films and the products of talented and dedicated people.

I do agree. Just making a point.


?Eaglet

 

im tired of this thread

 

Then, not to be harsh, but go away. No one twists your arm to post in here.

M. Scott

 

im tired of this thread

Then don't look at it, don't post in it.

That is rather simple. You NEVER post in a thread that it should be locked, that it's a bas topic, or that you're 'bored' of it. Leave the modding to the mods, or PM them. But don't dis a thread, especially not like that.

Oh, and READ THE FAQ!!!!

(sorry, had to say it )


?Eaglet

 

Oh, and READ THE FAQ!!!!

Oh yeah....FAQTAC

 

My sentaments exactly, kinda.

-Josh

 

Ya, you tell him off Eagle and Dorkman!

 

But it would be interesting to see Ryan and Dorkman vs. The Ho Brothers!

The only question is......Who are the evil ones?

The interesting thing about both of these- no clear good-guy bad-guy, you can make arguments for each. I remember a discussion about that in the AotS thread.

 

hahaha

 

Re: possibilities of lightsabers existing in reality...

I must say...this is gonna sound odd no matter how I try to put it, but anyway...my impression on rewatching this film, given the setting and the cast, was that you can easily visualise the movie as really being about a couple of Engineering majors/grad students obsessed and smart enough to put together a pair of lightsabers just to see if they'd actually work...

...just an impression.

*deafening silence*

Okay, I'm done.

 

Screw it. FX master FREE for all. A jedi Imperial Rumble if you will.

Glasses: Since you seem to be more badash after you loose them, why where them at all? Is your faith in the Force so small??

The final clone shot should've been in there, man. Almost needed for those new R&D fans that don't know nothin' about clonin' no wiebers.

Details. You guys paid attention to the details that make the rest look amateurish. Nice.

Fighting on par with the Ho's. But its still no Duel of the Fakes.

DVD, yes, DVD, good. Can't wait for that.

The opening name credits where marvelous. On par with Drugs, of Sex, Drugs, and Natalie Portman fame. Very groovy, baby.



And as for sucking up:
[In best James Lipton impression]
Surely God created the Flanneled One just to create the Star Wars universe so this fanfilm could be made. I am also of the hearty opinion that eyes were created for this same reason. Surely God will say to you, upon seeing you in heaven, assuming it exists, "That was better than Duality and the AotSaber 2, and in you I am well pleased."

Re:
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

But it would be interesting to see Ryan
and Dorkman vs. The Ho Brothers!
The only question is......Who are the
evil ones?

Easy. Goatees. Evil ones have goatees. You could say they were evil clones.