The Hobbit: Into The Fire (A Purist Edition of Desolation of Smaug)

[ranger613]

I admire your desire to get this just exactly right! I do think this looks better. I'd be curious to see the reaction of anyone who saw this that didn't know about the gold in the theatrical cut. The shininess is a bit weird but I'm not sure anyone not looking for it would be bothered by it.

Thanks for your feedback. I'm trying to reduce the shininess. I want this to be the definitive book cut haha!

 

[kellenpure]

Very much improved in my opinion. Really nice work! Moe S is right on - there remains a brief odd sheen, but I don't think it would be that noticeable unless you were looking for it. Could very well be scales in the moonlight, it's the right color. I'm glad you were able to preserve the scene because the bust out and shot up to the sky is pretty epic. You can tell Smaug is well rested and ready to fry some Lake Men!

Before the final cut is released, I still have to fix the dragon's gold color. I'll post clips on here for you guys to review-- appreciate any feedback. I want to get this right thanks!!

 

[ranger613]

[MENTION=13347]Moe_Syzlak[/MENTION] , [MENTION=27411]kellenpure[/MENTION] , guys thanks a lot for the feedback. I'm happy this version is better. For bite this is the final version, but if I manage to reduce the sheen I'll post that. Thanks guys!!

Ps. I'm sorry for typing bite up there, I meant "for now". Bite because espn is on and they're reporting about how Uruguays Suarez tried to bite an opponents ear off in the World Cup yikes.

 

[Moe_Syzlak]

Ps. I'm sorry for typing bite up there, I meant "for now". Bite because espn is on and they're reporting about how Uruguays Suarez tried to bite an opponents ear off in the World Cup yikes.

I'm so disillusioned! Here I thought you were the world's greatest multitasker.

 

[ranger613]

I'm so disillusioned! Here I thought you were the world's greatest multitasker.

Lol its a bitten shoulder! A bitten shoulder!!! [emoji15]

 

[ssj]

Cheers, amigo!

 

[Aztek463]

It definitely looks better. Granted, we've all seen the theatrical cut so we know that he's supposed to be shiny and stuff. No fault in us noticing. I do think the cuts to Bard and his family are a bit...odd, but then again, I don't really know what else you can do. There is, for better or worse, where you sometimes have to leave it at "good enough" since some things can't be completely fixed, at least not with the skills or tools that most of us have available. But damn, you did better than you had to (meaning, you didn't really have to do anything to it, but you did anyways. What [MENTION=10624]ssj[/MENTION] said times a billion).

 

[ranger613]

Cheers, amigo!

Anytime, my friend!!

It definitely looks better. Granted, we've all seen the theatrical cut so we know that he's supposed to be shiny and stuff. No fault in us noticing. I do think the cuts to Bard and his family are a bit...odd, but then again, I don't really know what else you can do. There is, for better or worse, where you sometimes have to leave it at "good enough" since some things can't be completely fixed, at least not with the skills or tools that most of us have available. But damn, you did better than you had to (meaning, you didn't really have to do anything to it, but you did anyways. What ssj said times a billion).

Thanks man. I'm happy with it now, just want to reduce the sheen, perhaps by dimming the highlights. I realize this will not be ready in time for next week, so it will likely be a July release...

The bard cut, yeah I put this in because in this current edit, Bard is completely left out after the Lake town sequence. I felt inserting him there not only minimized the shiny dragon (which you can see for about 5 secs now), but also gave him a 'hero' moment, like hey remember this guy-- he'll be important in the next episode!

I forgot to answer your credits question a while back-- I put them side by side because the original credits ran for way over 10 mins! I compressed them a bit to make the file size smaller with best quality (that's compressing like 12 mins of footage).

In fact, although this cut is officially 98 mins, the movie is only 90! How to kill the time? Good music
PS. Lemme know if you're gonna use Shining Star by EWF in your 300 edit. .. I just had an idea... :-D

 

[ranger613]

Update:

I really want Into the Fire to be The definitive cut of Smaug, and in light of that, need to tinker a little with the grade and make a few further changes to the Gandalf/Sauron fight as well as the dragon in the end (I'll post regular update clips here). To those who've already seen the final cut I PM'd, it will not be Significantly different, other than the changes I've posted about since you made recs.

In light of this, I was originally planning a release next week, but will have to be delayed till the following week unfortunately. Sorry for this.
In the mean time, if you haven't seen it yet, I hope you'll watch and rate "The Hobbit: Fire of the Dragon" on IFDB. Thanks so much for the support guys!

 

[Zarius]

At your own pace man, definitely no rush, you'll have a perfect product in due course, and we'll be quite paitent

(almost finished downloading FOTD btw)

 

[ranger613]

At your own pace man, definitely no rush, you'll have a perfect product in due course, and we'll be quite paitent

(almost finished downloading FOTD btw)

Cheers man, thanks for the support! And I totally feel you with Mega, Upload/Download sucks right now for some reason, not sure why.... Can't get the redrum edit up at faster than 60 kb/s, even though I tried at different locations with high net speeds. Hopefully it'll get better...

 

[Aztek463]

I forgot to answer your credits question a while back-- I put them side by side because the original credits ran for way over 10 mins! I compressed them a bit to make the file size smaller with best quality (that's compressing like 12 mins of footage).

I totally hear what you're saying. You can speed up credits a fairly decent amount without having them look funny, as well. Granted, it's a minor thing that 99.99% won't care about anyways.

 

[ranger613]

I totally hear what you're saying. You can speed up credits a fairly decent amount without having them look funny, as well. Granted, it's a minor thing that 99.99% won't care about anyways.

Agreed!

 

[ranger613]

kellenpure, Moe_Syzlak, Aztek463, ssj;
Hi guys, just one more change I made to the final cut-- the Gandalf vs Sauron fight. In the original, I felt the editing was a bit overly frantic, and the back-and-forth went on a tad too long.

This feedback was first given by ssj, and I discussed it on here a bit. After making the changes, personally I think the scene flows better after simplifying it. Here is the final cut:

https://rangerkris613.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F90504190633

I also reduced Sauron's fiery armor-- being a book cut, I guess this is open to interpretation. If he had to appear before Gandalf at all, it wouldv'e more likely been in Maiar form, like this draft scene from Jackson's Return of the King--

--and not in full armor. (Sauron was replaced by the Ologhai troll in the ROTK final cut). In any case, the armors still there. I also cut down the repeating gif attack.

Lemme know what you guys think.

Thanks!!

 

[kellenpure]

Scene definitely needed shortening, still is a pretty long duel.

Dang! I really like that draft image! Too bad Jackson didn't go with something like that. The Silmarillion says that Sauron was at one time able to take on a very fair visage, which is how he tricked the Men of Numenor to attack the Valar. I think it would have been interesting to see a ghostly image of what he used to be, be more creepy actually. In fact, there would have been many ways to make him more creepy - I thought in ROTK could just appear as a shadow in a window at Barad dur, with one freaky glowing eye.

Where did you find that image?

 

[ranger613]

Scene definitely needed shortening, still is a pretty long duel.

Dang! I really like that draft image! Too bad Jackson didn't go with something like that. The Silmarillion says that Sauron was at one time able to take on a very fair visage, which is how he tricked the Men of Numenor to attack the Valar. I think it would have been interesting to see a ghostly image of what he used to be, be more creepy actually. In fact, there would have been many ways to make him more creepy - I thought in ROTK could just appear as a shadow in a window at Barad dur, with one freaky glowing eye.

Where did you find that image?

I remember reading about it way back when ROTk came out as part of the trivia.
Heres a link with some imagery and description:
http://www.flicks.co.nz/blog/film-is-a-harsh-mistress/secrets-of-the-hobbit-trailers-part-2/

I totally agree. This is how he would have chosen to appear, like they describe.
Thanks for the feedback!

 

[ssj]

sounds eeeenteresting. . . but for some reason, i can't view the video. :-(

 

[ranger613]

sounds eeeenteresting. . . but for some reason, i can't view the video. :-(

Oh no! I'll re upload [emoji4] thanks for letting me know

 

[kellenpure]

Really would have been cool for Gandalf to see Sauron's fair look when encountering him at Dol Goldur, for a moment anyway. He was no longer capable of assuming this physical form by this time, but a ghostly image would have been within reason. Someday hopefully fanediting can get to point where changes such as that can be made.

 

[ranger613]

Really would have been cool for Gandalf to see Sauron's fair look when encountering him at Dol Goldur, for a moment anyway. He was no longer capable of assuming this physical form by this time, but a ghostly image would have been within reason. Someday hopefully fanediting can get to point where changes such as that can be made.

Absolutely agree! I wish they had done this. Lemme tinker a bit, see what happens haha