Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Or if they wanted continuity between thousands of clone troops, build them all digitally.

...and, in the process, rob them of any and all realism.

[Forever Knight]

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Forever Knight

[Show spoiler]

A slight resemblance there with the orange shading. Thankfully I don't see Donald when I see the Storm Troopers; cool design IMO.

[aiman04]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

A slight resemblance there with the orange shading. Thankfully I don't see Donald when I see the Storm Troopers; cool design IMO.

Already posted 2 pages ago.

[Det. Bullock]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Or if they wanted continuity between thousands of clone troops, build them all digitally.

Can you actually tell the old trilogy stormtrooper apart from each other?
Of course not, they are wearing armor that cover them head to toe.

There was no reason for using CGI even when you see them close up in quiet scenes, and for when they are without helmets there is a nifty CGI trick called motion control, the same used in films like Moon to make multiple Sam Rockwells to stay on screen at the same time, it looks much more real than pasting Temuera Morrison's head on CGI models.

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

No, he did the exact same thing a lot of the time.


Or are you going to pretend they didn't travel to places like Italy, Tunisia, or build huge sets in Australia?

That's mostly episode I, it's from episode II onwards that there are problems, and the starship being a set in episode III it's not an excuse for stuff like pasting Temuera Morrison's head on CGI clonetroopers, the same shot could have been done more realistically by using motion control instead of doing it full CGI.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Det. Bullock

Can you actually tell the old trilogy stormtrooper apart from each other?
Of course not, they are wearing armor that cover them head to toe.

Some are shorter, some are fatter, some can't run as well. I'm sure having them all the same was borne out of Lucas' experience in the past.

That's mostly episode I, it's from episode II onwards that there are problems.

Actually only one is from I. The others are from III.

[Det. Bullock]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Some are shorter, some are fatter, some can't run as well. I'm sure having them all the same was borne out of Lucas' experience in the past.

Yeas, because they really had do everything full CGI instead of using a couple of stuntmen with Temuera Morrison's build and replicate them, they still look ****ing fake all the time even when they really don't need to.

Was that difficult to at least make a few costumes for Mr. Morrison for the scenes where he is alone with a jedi or something?

I don't think it was that difficult to find a few stuntmen with Morrison's build, put them in costumes and replicate them, instead of using 3D models for everything, that was only Lucas hating having to direct actors on set.

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Actually only one is from I. The others are from III.

My point still stands, CGI is still used in a way that is too blatant or in places where really wasn't necessary.

[aiman04]

There are many experienced film makers here. Everyone seems to know everything.

[Det. Bullock]

Originally Posted by aiman04

There are many experienced film makers here. Everyone seems to know everything.

When I see complex scenes with two Sam Rockwells in Moon and I see scenes with much less direct interaction using purely CGI troopers with an actor head pasted on, I ask myself why couldn't they use the same technique of a film that had a fraction of a budget but looked better?

It's the same of reviewing a book, one may not be a writer but can often tell if something is off.

[AeroK]

Originally Posted by Forever Knight

LOL that's funny. I never noticed that.

[StingingVelvet]

All these pictures mean jack shit and I'm not sure what the point of posting them is. The only thing that matters is the finished film. I wrote a couple pages ago that Abrams' Trek movies are obviously CGI-filled movies, but he managed to make them look real and believable. He sold that CGI using real portions of set, proper camera angles and balance. Lucas did not. Jurassic World did not, toward the end. Winter Soldier did great until the end, where it faltered a bit, but it still did a better job than most others.

Episode VII has CGI characters and surely a ton of CGI backgrounds and editing and whatnot. No one is saying otherwise, we know it will be a movie with thousands of effects shots. However trailers and comments from the creative team have told us it will likely be more balanced, more well done than most modern blockbusters. THAT is what makes us happy.

Like Stan Winston said in the T2 DVD documentary 15 years ago it's all about balance and combining techniques depending on the situation. Most modern filmmakers are lazy or ignorant and just have CGI do everything. That looks lame and fake. Why are close-up shots of restrained Raptor heads in Jurassic World CGI? It boggles the mind. Episode VII not having that issue is what we're happy about.

[spanky87]

Why must the prequel fanboys derail every Episode VII discussion?

Nowhere in the marketing so far have they specifically said that they are making this film more practical as opposed to the prequels. They are making this a selling point because so many people are sick of the vapid blockbusters that abuse CGI today, and it is very rare in 2015 for a 200million+ Hollywood blockbuster to be made this way. That comic con reel was also to show people how much love and care is being put into making this film, and also an attempt to convince skeptical Star Wars fans that thr franchise is in good hands since Disney bought Lucasfilm.

If you still think it's implied that they are bashing the prequels use of CGI then so what? Yes, Episode I did use plenty of practical effects but you must be delusional if you can't admit that Lucas went overboard with the CGI in Episodes II-III regardless if practical effects were used in those films.

It's very easy to cherry pick behind the scenes photos from the prequels in favour of your argument. I don't see anyone posting pics of Ewan McGregor filming his Kamino scenes. That's the type of stuff they are trying to avoid, where there's an actor acting by himself surrounded by blue screen. They want the environments to be tangible for the actors as much as possible.

In the comic con reel they even included a shot of Kylo Ren landing on a planet, which uses blue screen, to show the type of shots that will require CGI.

Honestly, no one involved in this new film has bashed the prequels. JJ Abrams clearly isnt a fan but he always speaks respectfully about George Lucas in public and tends to deflect prequel questions by bringing the subject back to the new films without bashing the prequels.

[GC Riot]

Originally Posted by spanky87

Why must the prequel fanboys derail every Episode VII discussion?

Nowhere in the marketing so far have they said that they are making this film more practical as opposed to the prequels. They are making this a selling point because so many people are sick of the vapid blockbusters that abuse CGI today, and it is very rare in 2015 for a 200million+ Hollywood blockbuster to be made this way. That comic con reel was also to show people how much love and care is being put into making this film, and also an attempt to convince skeptical Star Wars fans that thr franchise is in good hands since Disney bought Lucasfilm.

If you still think it's implied that they are bashing the prequels CGI then so what? Yes, Episode I did use plenty of practical effects but you must be delusional if you can't admit that Lucas went overboard with the CGI in Episodes II-III regardless if practical effects were used in those films.

It's very easy to cherry pick behind the scenes photos from the prequels in favour of your argument. I don't see anyone posting pics of Ewan McGregor filming his Kamino scenes. That's the type of stuff they are trying to avoid, where there's an actor acting by himself surrounded by blue screen.

In the comic con reel they even included a shot of Kylo Ren landing on a planet, which uses blue screen, to show the type of shots that will require CGI.

Honestly, no one involved in this new film has bashed the prequels. JJ Abrams clearly isnt a fan but he always speaks respectfully about George Lucas in public and tends to deflect prequel questions by bringing the subject back to the new films without bashing the prequels.

Yeah, I also think it's important to assure the viewers that they're going this route, as not only George Lucas went overboard, but arguably also Peter Jackson when he recently returned to Middle Earth for the Hobbit films. Those films in part felt more like CGI showcase reels than stories they wanted to tell.

I'm feeling very confident in Abrams' vision and I'm hoping for the best.

[aiman04]

Prequel fanboys derail the thread? You don't come here that much huh. I can't count how many times I have to remind everyone to stay on topic. I respect everyone's opinion, but labeling others as fanboys doesn't make you any smarter.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Half the time when he's holding it, it was replaced by a CG version.




Here come the typical hater personal attacks.





Or if they wanted continuity between thousands of clone troops, build them all digitally.




[citation needed] You keep mentioning this mystery scene.




Again, the nastiness of the haters comes out.

Typical hater attacks? You're the one that quoted me and started talking down to me like I was an idiot. Come on man. You're better than that. You also completely ignored every point I stated. "This mystery scene" is clearly something you know about seeing as you already responded to my prior comment about it too.

They didn't need continuity on shots of Temura as a pilot, while being the only one in the scene. (revenge of the Sith opening sequence). His head just floats there while the cgi Helmet whisps around like a phantom. It looks terrible.

[spanky87]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

It's not about the cgi exactly, it's how you use it. Jurassic Park to me is still the more convincing and believable film because they carefully integrated cgi and blended it into the practical effects-- its an art form in and of itself. I liked Jurassic World overall, but my big criticism of it was that dinosaurs always looked like a bunch of cgi dinosaurs and it pulled me out of the movie a bit.

I had the same problem with Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy-- the cgi had improved since Lord of the Rings, but Lord of the Rings still looks better because he did a better job blending practical effects with the cgi. The Hobbit comes off more artificial-looking in comparison.

I was pulled out of Jurassic World from the very first shot with the eggs hatching. The CGI looked so second rate and they could've easily made that look better by going practical for that shot.

In Jurassic Park there was also a scene with eggs hatching and they had the sense to make it practical, and it still looks amazing today.

[Ernest Rister]

Practical or digital...none of that is going to matter if they didn't nail the script. Attack of the Clones isn't a bad experience for me because of the 13 year old f/x, it's the woeful screenplay. Episode VII isn't going to be a good exerience because they built a working BB8 or shot in Ireland or in the mountains...it's going to come down to writing.

[Col. Zombie]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/72286


I defy you nerds NOT to get excited after watching this.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Col. Zombie

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/72286


I defy you nerds NOT to get excited after watching this.

Zombie, that YouTube video was posted here two days ago. Just back up a few pages.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Zombie, that YouTube video was posted here two days ago. Just back up a few pages.

Oops. I've been away from the interweb for a few days and thought AICN had something new. Oh well.

I still like the video.