The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Edits

[M4_]

I saw you did end up using several of the digital alterations made for my edit, the rock,thorin,smaug, remember to mention it somewhere in your post, a lot of hours were put into them by eric1894 and I don't want him going unnoticed

 

[ArtisDead]

I saw you did end up using several of the digital alterations made for my edit, the rock,thorin,smaug, remember to mention it somewhere in your post, a lot of hours were put into them by eric1894 and I don't want him going unnoticed

Those alterations were awesome! Did you mention that you have upgraded it since I got it over a year ago?

 

[Stromboli Bones]

I saw you did end up using several of the digital alterations made for my edit, the rock,thorin,smaug, remember to mention it somewhere in your post, a lot of hours were put into them by eric1894 and I don't want him going unnoticed

Absolutely, I'll be updating my description ASAP! I ended up adding your stuff while adding a title card at @ArtisDead 's suggestion.

 

[M4_]

Those alterations were awesome! Did you mention that you have upgraded it since I got it over a year ago?

Oh yea , it's been updated quiteeee a bit final release was June/July 2021!

And no problem I get how it goes with doing revisions and the main post getting outdated, happened with my edit as well.

 

[spence]

The is a trilogy that is rather unique in that so much of it is, on it's own, spectacular yet the sum is less than its individual parts. Whereas non-OT Star Wars edits seek to 'make the most of what you have' Hobbit edits seek to show just how good the foundation film and performances are if you strip away the over-indulgences. The wonderful result is that similar to Star Wars the

Honestly, I like the movies. Except for some of my very first edits, I've never edited a movie I flat out don't like. Why would I want to spend that much time on something I'm not in to?

Especially with something like The Hobbit, which are such gentle films, the edit has to come from the heart or it's never going to work. There's some truly incredible stuff in these films. (And the Star Wars prequels/sequels and Justice League and all the stuff the community can't stop tinkering with).

BTW I watched the first part, great so far, I'll give you more of a response once I get through the entirety of it.

 

[Stromboli Bones]

Honestly, I like the movies. Except for some of my very first edits, I've never edited a movie I flat out don't like. Why would I want to spend that much time on something I'm not in to?

Especially with something like The Hobbit, which are such gentle films, the edit has to come from the heart or it's never going to work. There's some truly incredible stuff in these films. (And the Star Wars prequels/sequels and Justice League and all the stuff the community can't stop tinkering with).

BTW I watched the first part, great so far, I'll give you more of a response once I get through the entirety of it.

I couldn't agree more dude. I always describe the movies as like "They took the book, made roughly 95% of it into movies, and then we're forced to add a whole bunch of bloat and side plots and stuff."

Ultimately I think we're all here because we love LotR, and we are, each of us, trying to find our own perfect way to get that same level of enjoyment from the Hobbit.

 

[ArtisDead]

Uh...I'm here because I love fanedits and the surprises that may be unveiled. A new approach to an old favorite...like American Gangster by L8wrtr. A movie I didn't care for redeemed like MI2 by Spence...A series of movies that really weren't that impressive molded into something new that is mind blowing like SplitUnbreakableGlass by Wraith...a television series made into an incredible movie like Northwest Passage by Q2 and yes all of the plethora of Star Wars edits and Hobbit edits too numerous to mention.

What's as exciting as that is to watch a new editor sprout up out of nowhere with an excellent edit and produce many excellent edits. That's awesome.

 

[Stromboli Bones]

Here's to any new editors you encounter then friend

Uh...I'm here because I love fanedits and the surprises that may be unveiled. A new approach to an old favorite...like American Gangster by L8wrtr. A movie I didn't care for redeemed like MI2 by Spence...A series of movies that really weren't that impressive molded into something new that is mind blowing like SplitUnbreakableGlass by Wraith...a television series made into an incredible movie like Northwest Passage by Q2 and yes all of the plethora of Star Wars edits and Hobbit edits too numerous to mention.

What's as exciting as that is to watch a new editor sprout up out of nowhere with an excellent edit and produce many excellent edits. That's awesome.

 

[Stromboli Bones]

Here's how I handled Smaug's escape from the mountain and the start of his carnage!

First I used M4's recoloration of Smaug exiting (originally used Maple Films's and cut it short, but M4's was slightly less "wet" looking)

Next, I brought in the intro music of Move #3 immediately after Bilbo says "What have we done." and kept the entirety of the Master frantically trying to save the gold. This scene gets cut a lot due to how silly it is, but I don't mind it.

Then, I used Bard talking to his kids layered over the music/sound of Smaug flying over and the people screaming (original shot was of Tauriel and the dwarves paddling along one of the canals, looking up in terror)

Finally, the scene of Bard reassuring his kids that the dragon won't kill them by saying "Not if I kill it first" comes RIGHT before, and contrasts with, Smaug devastating Laketown.

 

[ArtisDead]

This is excellent. I like how you handled that Smaug transition. Good to see that even the newer Hobbit edits offer things new and unique to the editors' own creative vision.

 

[ArtisDead]

Nice checklist!

 

[Stromboli Bones]

Here's a sample clip of the intro/title card I made!

 

[ArtisDead]

Dude...that's freaking awesome! One of the coolest intros I've seen. Excellent work!

 

[ArtisDead]

I find it very encouraging that you remain positive and confident and keep moving forward in light of how long it has taken to get your edit reviewed. Maybe, you could visit some other threads of editors in your position and help them find that wellspring of positive confidence that you have tapped while you wait?

 

[Stromboli Bones]

I find it very encouraging that you remain positive and confident and keep moving forward in light of how long it has taken to get your edit reviewed. Maybe, you could visit some other threads of editors in your position and help them find that wellspring of positive confidence that you have tapped while you wait?

Lol I'll do what I can!

 

[Wraith]

Just out of curiosity, how many different edits made it into THE HOBBIT-Bot5A "SMORGASBOARD" ? (no offence intended, just admiration for the concept and dedication of the time to watch so many and then sift)...

 

[Stromboli Bones]

Just out of curiosity, how many different edits made it into THE HOBBIT-Bot5A "SMORGASBOARD" ? (no offence intended, just admiration for the concept and dedication of the time to watch so many and then sift)...

Originally it was 5, hence the name, but eventually I added a 6th (M4), and technically a 7th (Bread and Butter)

..... I'm leaving the name though..... Lol

 

[Wraith]

Name should stay for sure....

 

[ArtisDead]

Originally it was 5, hence the name, but eventually I added a 6th (M4), and technically a 7th (Bread and Butter)

..... I'm leaving the name though..... Lol

I think that decision is justified because at the time those were not approved edits here where you have chosen to submit your edit for approval following the necessary guidelines. Both of those edits are very good however and should have been submitted for approval here. One was and soon will be but that is now and not then. You definitely do the honorable thing by owning what you borrowed.

 

[L8wrtr]

Very cool work, great concept and visual execution.

If you're open to some constructive observations/opinions...

1) The overall visual approach is way cool with the circular dragon, then the fire swipe revealing the Title, nice use of the flames.
2) Audio really needs to be re-balanced. It's fine to have that loud crackling and swipe initially, but by the time Bilbo is narrating, that needs to have been faded waaay down from a roaring house fire to a pleasant hearth fire You can use a traditional long crossfade at the end of that audio track, or use key frames (assuming your editing program uses them?) to lower it and then hold it at a sustained lower volume until it is properly faded out.
3) The blend transition to cut the audience reaction. Where I'd say the audio is a strongly suggested change, this one I guess is more about preference. Don't know which flavor of blending you're using for that transition, but it is absolutely not seamless and I think even untrained eyes are going to spot that something was removed. I'm not an fx guru so I don't know if there is a way to improve that blend, but if it were my project, I don't know that I could leave it at that.
If you're hellbent on cutting the reacting crowd, you may want to steal your own trick with how the logo is revealed.. when the firework first explodes, depending on what you have available, perhaps finding a way to have that initial explosion force a near white flash, so that as it fades back we get the dragon climbing into the sky.
Another option is to cut your darling and simply start with the circular dragon on leather, with crackling fire and go from there.

Regardless of what you do with point three (up to and including don't change a bloody thing), two observations once the logo first shows up.

1) When the leather backing fades in, we are hearing a roaring fire, but the visual is fairly static. Before even knowing what was coming, my brain was looking for ambient flicker. If it were my edit, I'd use that same flicker of amber that you use after the flame passes by the entire time.. flicker and backdrop.. then the awesome swipe of fire which leaves the title inside the circle (really love that effect! Great work!)
2) The logo is BEAUTIFUL, but the "The Battle of the Five Edits" is a tad.. smallish.. If it were mine, I'd try and increase that font if at all possible, double-stack the line? But that's just a personal preference.. it looks technically perfect and that fire transition is really awesome looking. I'd never have pulled anything like that off in my first edit, kudos.

I hope that's all taken well, this really is a great intro, the only thing I would say you absolutely should do is adjust the audio levels, everything else is preference.