Model makers are cool again, Star Wars VII

If any of you older guys grew up like I did, making scale models... this looks interesting-
"Old school cool" we now understand that model makers on the Star Wars: Episode 7 project are being recruited on up to seven year contracts, which cover three sequels and three spin-offs. Insiders wonder how far director J.J. Abrams it taking the return to practical effects. Could all the ships be handmade models shot on green screen, similar to how they were shot in the original trilogy? I hope so.
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A return to practical effects is good but in the end, they'll add so much CGI crap on top of it you won't pay much attention anymore. I don't give Disney much credence. They'll do what they think they need to do to bring in an audience.

To me the last three SW films were just horrific in the use of CGI in every single scene. I felt like they shot the entire movie on green screen and in many cases, just phoned it in. Horrible, if not unwatchable. CGI Yoda? Completely ridiculous and phoney looking. Then, to add insult to injury, Lucas recuts and "enhances" the earlier movies to make them worse.

Abrams couldn't do any worse but the Star Trek series he did has similar problems in addition from having no scene last more than 2 seconds without cutting.

MTV videos ruined Sci-fi and action film making IMO. Everyone thinks you have to jam pack every single scene quick cut with visual junk and hip background music to have a hit. Oh, and then add slow mo to slow it down because it's too fast for you to see.

 

Haven't seen Abrams second Star Trek movie yet (Into Darkness?)

I agree, I also hate the MTV style video speed-cut that won't let you get a good luck at a vehicle or ship for more than a second and they cut away, flash, strobe, and show 4 different shots in rapid succession. I've seen cars shows edited this way on TV now, and you just want to ring the guys neck and yell hold the camera on the long shot for just a few seconds! Idiots!

I was a big fan of the ships and vehicles in the original trilogy (loved them as much as the actors)... so I was disappointed when they didn't use the X-wing, Y-wing, Star Destroyer, Crawler, or Darth's Tie Fighter. I'm hoping the new movies return my favorite spaceships with out going back 3 or 4 generations and dumbing down their designs.

Happy to hear the model makers are back... rumor goes they are currently building a full size Millennium Falcon at pinewood studios.
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Perhaps Disney influence can be positive, If you watched Tron Legacy they created an entirely different world and much of it was not CGI. The suits really glowed, and many sets used green screen only for windows and things like that.

The earlier SW trilogy definitely has a timeless feel unlike the later prequels which look dated and silly today.

Abrams is one of the better sci-fi directors today and listening to interviews with him, this is his absolute dream to direct these movies. Basically he is as big a fan of the first Star Wars films as anyone. So I think he might be uniquely positioned to have the ideal combination of intelligence, enthusiasm, corporate backing, and experience to pull it off.

 

Wow Mark, those Millennium Falcon rumors have me smiling since yesterday!

You guys remember the crappy matte of the Falcon behind Han Solo and Lando in ROTJ?
In contrast to the glorious actual fabricated model in HOTH?!!!
It looked so majestic!!

You know it Bob, George began going downhill in jedi -the film feels at times like its going
through the motions not to mention the charming -kind of- but silly Ewoks.
There's a book called Tales from Jabba's palace that among other stories chronicles the
happennings back at the Palace -it belonged to some monks when Jabba took over- while
the rebels escape the desert monster. And boba died that moronic death.
It's borderline chilling what happens!

There's something tangible about having a real object besides an actor for him or she to
react to. And it shows through film.
You might also blame George for ruining movies with crappy digital effects beginning with
The Phantom Crapper I mean menace.
I actually walk off that pos during the first 25mnts.
I still laugh at the documentary The People vs George Lucas when so call fans went to see
it and Everybody it seems was suffering Mass Hysteria LOL.
Only after repeating viewing -to see if it was truly that bad LOL!!- did they realize they were
taken for a ride.

I remember reading that Phantom has only one shot where no digital effects are used
it's the one where the Queen is looking out of a window.

And yes just to prove the lost of intelligence and perspective of Lucas look no further to
the gift he gave to Disney: 4 Billion only. He gave that company away.

Lol I just remember reading in Time I think that the Ewoks were very happy about phantom
cause now they were no longer the most hated creautures in the SW universe;
Crap Crap I mean Jar Jar was!

 

Full Scale Millennium Falcon Completed for STAR WARS: EPISODE VII! ? GeekTyrant

According to this article, the ship is done.

 

Not only practical sets but there is an army of prosthetic artists creating practical creatures/aliens right now

 

Very cool!! Whats old is new again, and it looks much less "fake" if done properly. CGI just doesn't have it yet.

 

Great thread.

 

8 Reasons Why Star Wars Episode VII Is Destined to Please
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Incredible Darth Vader?s TIE Fighter scale model cost $19000 to make | DamnGeeky
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The detail on some of those star destroyers is almost past comprehension

 

A few pics behind the scenes...
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I couldn't agree more.

Fingers crossed for VIII.

 

Local model show, great talent.
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WOW, those are amazing!

 

New trailer today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngElkyQ6Rhs

 

I was five when the original SW came out in 77. Saw the film and wanted all the toys! Did get a few of the toys. I did my degree in film and television production. I wrote an essay for film history class, comparing Star Wars to John Wayne's epic film The Searchers.

The original movie was written to be more adult. What ruined the films after was they became about making them for kids and selling toys. I believe the whole franchise has been ruined by adults trying to deliver what they think children will like. I refuse to watch the digitally re-mastered with additional scenes additions to the originals. Disney will just ruin the next ones because they are making them for kids and sell toys!

 

Thanks for posting this!
Chewie we're home...

 

If anyone was watching Monday Night Football, final (only) full trailer dropped at halftime. 30M youtube views within 48 hours too.

Advance tickets went on sale immediately after the trailer at halftime. At one point all major online ticket sellers were crashed Monday night. As of Wednesday 1000 screenings nationwide were sold out already. It broke the 24 hour recordfor presales in IMAX by 6 times, Fandango's record set by Hunger Games by 8 tumes, and AMC's record by 10 times.

Disney has reserved every IMAX screen in the country for the movie...for four weeks.

Box office predictions even before Monday had it challenging Jurassic World's domestic ($215M) and worldwide (~$510M) opening weekend records. As well as Avatar's all-time record over $2B. Probably even higher now after the week.

Keep in mind the largest domestic open in December is under $100M. SW7 will demoloish that record.

This movie is going to be huge and looks great.

And next Christmas, we get another one.

 

Based off this trailer, another billion $$$ or so for Disney this December.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wji-BZ0oCwg

 

Premiere for Rogue One was last night.

Obviously this is a premiere and the invited guests would like to be invited again to the next one. So perhaps the tweets were biased.

But they were overwhelmingly positive.

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/12/11/strong-non-spoiler-first-reactions-rogue-one-star-wars-story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-TpMXQojRA

Thursday night it is in theaters. Tracking to do $140M US and around $300M worldwide opening weekend.

 

Meanwhile, at the auto show...
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