Star Wars: Rise of the Rebellion, A Rogue One Edit

[DigModiFicaTion]

Thanks for the feedback Frink. I see what you mean. Change made.

 

[William Andrews]

I agree with TVs Frink, maybe putting episode III at the start of the crawl can be very confusing to people. Maybe you could try using the concept of Anthonolgy or, another posibility, is to do a call back to the original crawl in 77' which didn't have any title whatsoever.

Anyway your previews look amazing, I can't wait to see the final product.

Cheers mate.

 

[DigModiFicaTion]

Hmm, seems as though I'm not understanding posts. Is it that the crawl is confusing or is it that the forum thread title, or is it both. 

I'll update my original post to inform my intent of making this episode III. I'll be attempting to reform the prequels into two episodes and this will be the third.

 

[TV's Frink]

I was referring to the thread title (and the edit title if you're using it there), I haven't watched any clips.  Including "Episode 3" might confuse people into thinking this is an ROTS edit.

 

[DigModiFicaTion]

Here's a side by side regrade comparison. The regrade is only on Tarkin and Leia's skin tones. After reviewing footage from the OT I wanted to add a bit of yellow back into their overly pink skin.​

[align=left]While this is not an edit of RotS, it will replace it in my Star Wars saga. Episode I-III will be condensed into two films. I'll possibly seek permission to use scenes of the Darth Maul fan film to expand episode I so that II & III can be remade as a single episode.​

 

[revel911]

I am still not convinced of Leia's authenticity, but the coloring though subtle is quite a bit better. Less corpse blue looking.

 

[hbenthow]

In addition to regrading Leia and Tarkin's skin tones, might you also regrade the movie as a whole? It has a blanket green tint, and an overall drab look that makes it look rather flat and dull at times.

Below are a few comparison screenshots comparing the Blu-ray with a regrade made by KingKong650 (a faneditor of sorts, who specializes in regrading movies that have been inflicted with blanket tints). Personally, while I think that KingKong650's regrade (which slightly increases the brightness and contrast in addition to removing the unsightly tint) is a marked improvement, even his regraded version looks a bit drab to my eyes. I think that movie would greatly benefit from a more colorful look, and maybe a bit of film grain.

Each top photo is from the Blu-ray, and each bottom one is from KingKong650's regrade:

 

[DigModiFicaTion]

Hmmm. I hadn't noticed the tint until you pointed it out here. I personally like the faded/muted tone to the colors. It blends with the OT. I my attempt to remove the green tint as you have pointed out, but I don't believe I would want to enhance colors.

 

[hbenthow]

I see. Even removing the green tint alone (without enhancing the colors) would be a big improvement.

Do you believe that it would also be a good idea to slightly increase the brightness and contrast (which KingKong650 also did in addition to removing the green tint)?

Also, one of the most intriguing things that I noticed in your list of proposed changes is this:

If possible, allude that Jyn and Cassian make it off of Scariff

That's one of the changes that I'm most interested in seeing. Have you found a way to achieve this?

I'm not sure whether this will be of any use, but here's a description of one way that the filmmakers actually considered at one point in the production before scrapping it (as revealed by screenwriter Gary Whitta):

The Death Star emerges from hyperspace to lay waste to Scarif and protect the Empire’s secrets by destroying the special weapons facility along with the Rebel incursion.

But this time there was no last-second broadcast of the plans from a satellite tower. Jyn and Cassian were to escape the surface of the beach world carrying the data tapes.


“A rebel ship came down and got them off the surface,” Whitta says. “The transfer of the plans happened later. They jumped away and later [Leia’s] ship came in from Alderaan to help them. The ship-to-ship data transfer happened off Scarif.”

Darth Vader was still in pursuit and began attacking Jyn’s shuttle as the Rebels tried desperately to transfer the information from the data tapes to Leia’s vessel. Finally, Vader was successful in breaching their shields and destroying the craft.

The audience would have been left fearing the heroes were dead. But as Vader’s Star Destroyer ventures off to chase Leia’s Tantive IV, we would have remained focused on the shuttle fragments floating in the vastness of space.

“They got away in an escape pod just in time,” Whitta said. “The pod looked like just another piece of debris.”

 

[ironman23]

Because I can never stay out of any coloring discussion, I took it upon myself to mock up a few examples of color enhancement for the film. Obviously, removing the green tint was the most important step (done pretty well by kk650 btw), then minor color saturation with a warmer tone was added in, and a little film grain was placed on top for icing on the cake

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/211400/picture:0

 

[DigModiFicaTion]

Because I can never stay out of any coloring discussion, I took it upon myself to mock up a few examples of color enhancement for the film. Obviously, removing the green tint was the most important step (done pretty well by kk650 btw), then minor color saturation with a warmer tone was added in, and a little film grain was placed on top for icing on the cake

There seems to be a lot of blue in these.

Upon viewing the shots Hbenthow shared on my computer screen (previously I had seen them on my phone only) I actually like the original shots more, green tint and all. To me, the kk650 shots (the bottom ones) look a little washed out or hazy in the backgrounds.

 

[Canon Editor]

In my opinion, the best you could do would be have “Attack of the Clones” become your Episode I, opening with the wonderful scene of Anakin before the Jedi Council from Episode I.  Episode II can be “Revenge of the Sith”.  Obviously, these are just my two cents.

 

[ThrowgnCpr]

There seems to be a lot of blue in these.

Upon viewing the shots Hbenthow shared on my computer screen (previously I had seen them on my phone only) I actually like the original shots more, green tint and all. To me, the kk650 shots (the bottom ones) look a little washed out or hazy in the backgrounds.

I agree completely. I don't care for the mock-up color grades posted recently. Far too red/blue, especially in the highlights. I actually really enjoy the color grade on Rogue One, and would suggest keeping it. If you do adjust, I would be very very subtle with it.

 

[ironman23]

There seems to be a lot of blue in these.

Upon viewing the shots Hbenthow shared on my computer screen (previously I had seen them on my phone only) I actually like the original shots more, green tint and all. To me, the kk650 shots (the bottom ones) look a little washed out or hazy in the backgrounds.

I agree completely. I don't care for the mock-up color grades posted recently. Far too red/blue, especially in the highlights. I actually really enjoy the color grade on Rogue One, and would suggest keeping it. If you do adjust, I would be very very subtle with it.

Understandable, the original does have a reserved palette, I just always enjoy tinkering with stuff like that

 

[ThrowgnCpr]

It's always fun to tinker

Each time I viewed Rogue One I kept thinking how great the film looked. It is by far the best looking Star Wars. The grade was well done and it had a nice amount of grain in the picture. I think it should serve as a reference moving forward for everyone working on a SW film.

 

[hbenthow]

To me, the kk650 shots (the bottom ones) look a little washed out or hazy in the backgrounds.

I'm pretty sure that the reason for that is that he increased the brightness and contrast in addition to removing the green tint. Removing the tint without boosting the brightness and saturation would probably not cause the hazy effect.

It is by far the best looking Star Wars. The grade was well done and it had a nice amount of grain in the picture.

Really? I've always found it rather poor-looking (sharp and clear, but flat and dull). I guess it goes to show how divergent and subjective tastes in visuals are. Personally, I've always been more of a fan of colorful visuals. If it were up to me, a good-sized percentage of movies would still be made to look as if they were shot with three-strip Technicolor.

I've always thought that war movies in particular could benefit from richer color, if it were to be used creatively. It is beyond me why no war movie yet has explored the potential of visually contrasting the pallor of the dead and dying (highlighted by the rich redness of the life-blood seeping out of them) with the flushed faces (from the exertion and excitement of fighting) of their living compatriots. War movies tend to be so desaturated that everyone looks like one of the dying.

 

[ThrowgnCpr]

It is by far the best looking Star Wars. The grade was well done and it had a nice amount of grain in the picture.

Really? I've always found it rather poor-looking (sharp and clear, but flat and dull). I guess it goes to show how divergent and subjective tastes in visuals are. Personally, I've always been more of a fan of colorful visuals. If it were up to me, a good-sized percentage of movies would still be made to look as if they were shot with three-strip Technicolor.

Yes really. It is far from flat. There is great contrast and clarity in the image. It may not be oversaturated like many modern action films, or even some Technicolor prints, but I think they did a great job of keeping it in line with the OT aesthetics, while giving it a slight modern touch. Rogue One looked incredibly real to me. Not bleak, nor over-the-top/fantastical. I actually felt like I was in that universe while watching the film.

 

[mrbenja0618]

Coming in late to this one too. I think your work is outstanding. Love your opening. 

I don't think it can be avoided; but this will be the first Star Wars saga film that will have a passage of time (If that makes sense.) Usually these movies take place within a couple of days. Not that it's a major issue. I've often thought it would be great if this was Episode 3 as opposed to what we got. I keep hoping there will be a solid Kenobi film made (Maybe more than one?) and then if it works could be the new Ep. 1 and 2. Here's hoping.

On your edit. I do also think fan-service in places could be lost. I wouldn't eliminate R2 and 3P0 just because I like that they are in every film. The other service I wouldn't eliminate is the blue milk. To me that's like eliminating lightsabers and spaceships from Star Wars.

I also agree with an earlier post that a tad bit of film grain could make those CG characters seem more organic. I had more issues with Leia than Tarkin. 

Otherwise, I like what you're doing.

 

[DigModiFicaTion]

Thanks Mr Ben. I plan to leave all of the "fan service" material in except for r2 & 3PO. The other nods felt natural to me.  When I saw them I went, "oh, hey it's that one guy", or "blue milk, must be the intergalactic kool-aide" but when I saw the Droids my response was, "really?" I don't like that those two have been in every episode. IMHO, their presence in the prequels made thise movies worse because they forced the prequels to bend around them. I don't want to bend Rouge One around them. I may trim the scene with our cantina friends, but it will remain. Thanks for your feed back! 

If possible, allude that Jyn and Cassian make it off of Scariff

That's one of the changes that I'm most interested in seeing. Have you found a way to achieve this?

I'm not sure whether this will be of any use, but here's a description of one way that the filmmakers actually considered at one point in the production before scrapping it (as revealed by screenwriter Gary Whitta):

Reveal message

The Death Star emerges from hyperspace to lay waste to Scarif and protect the Empire’s secrets by destroying the special weapons facility along with the Rebel incursion.

But this time there was no last-second broadcast of the plans from a satellite tower. Jyn and Cassian were to escape the surface of the beach world carrying the data tapes.


“A rebel ship came down and got them off the surface,” Whitta says. “The transfer of the plans happened later. They jumped away and later [Leia’s] ship came in from Alderaan to help them. The ship-to-ship data transfer happened off Scarif.”

Darth Vader was still in pursuit and began attacking Jyn’s shuttle as the Rebels tried desperately to transfer the information from the data tapes to Leia’s vessel. Finally, Vader was successful in breaching their shields and destroying the craft.

The audience would have been left fearing the heroes were dead. But as Vader’s Star Destroyer ventures off to chase Leia’s Tantive IV, we would have remained focused on the shuttle fragments floating in the vastness of space.

“They got away in an escape pod just in time,” Whitta said. “The pod looked like just another piece of debris.”

 

I hadn't seen that interview, thanks for sharing it. I've toyed around with removing one of the earlier scenes of a transport touching down and adding it in as Jyn and Cassian emerge from the tower, but there is a lot of masking that would need to happen to make it work. The transport scenes on Jedha are possible sources as well, but they have Bodhi, Chirrut and Baze in the shots and are super shaky. To be honest, I'm not quite sure I'm at TM2YC levels of quality when it comes to masking and rotoscoping, yet

I'd like to borrow from the idea at 4:09 in this HISHE video, if possible. I'm just not sure it can be pulled off appropriately in terms of the mood and intensity of the moment. 

[align=center]

Even if I am able to pull it off, I would release a "sacrifice cut" and an "alive cut" of the edit which would present the original ending and thus idea respectively. ​

 

[hbenthow]

Even if I am able to pull it off, I would release a "sacrifice cut" and an "alive cut" of the edit which would present the original ending and thus idea respectively.

That's a great idea, and the most ideal approach.