Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

[Adam Reynolds]

Another new TV spot:

And only 35 days to go.

[Borgholio]

And it looks like Ackbar is in the movie.

[The Romulan Republic]

I believe I'd seen at least one report to that effect already.

Personally, I think Ackbar is overplayed in the EU, but I don't mind this.

[Andy Wylde]

http://assets2.ignimgs.com/2015/04/23/o ... _1280w.jpg

I was curious as to why the Resistance would be utilizing the symbol of the Rebel Alliance since they ARE NOT the Rebel Alliance? Not really a big deal one way or the other. Because the First Order has a new insignia so I thought the Resistance would utilize a new insignia as well.

[The Romulan Republic]

Probably expressing their solidarity with the ideals of the Rebellion, whatever may have happened to cause the name change.

[Andy Wylde]

Probably expressing their solidarity with the ideals of the Rebellion, whatever may have happened to cause the name change.

That is true. I guess that the symbol serves the same purpose really. It was just an observation I made and thought it was interesting that they are reusing the same symbol.

[Lord Revan]

We've not seen the post-disney canon version of the New (Galactic) Republic insignia/flag either.

Also we don't know the relationship between the resistance and the New Republic for all the we know the Republic is backing the resistance under the table because for political reasons they cannot act directly against the First Order.

[Andy Wylde]

We've not seen the post-disney canon version of the New (Galactic) Republic insignia/flag either.

Also we don't know the relationship between the resistance and the New Republic for all the we know the Republic is backing the resistance under the table because for political reasons they cannot act directly against the First Order.

Yeah that was also another thought that the NR might have taken that Rebel insignia and now the Resistance is using as well. I remember in the Legends/EU that the NR logo was the exact same as the Rebel Alliance but it had stars around it. So I could see the Resistance using this insignia.

[jwl]

We've not seen the post-disney canon version of the New (Galactic) Republic insignia/flag either.

Also we don't know the relationship between the resistance and the New Republic for all the we know the Republic is backing the resistance under the table because for political reasons they cannot act directly against the First Order.

According to wookiepediea (them giving the source of the novel Aftermath, which I haven't read) the new republic logo is this: http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/sta ... DelRey.png

[Anacronian]

New TV spot.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpBcTMGsiOM[/youtube]

[Lord Revan]

We've not seen the post-disney canon version of the New (Galactic) Republic insignia/flag either.

Also we don't know the relationship between the resistance and the New Republic for all the we know the Republic is backing the resistance under the table because for political reasons they cannot act directly against the First Order.

Yeah that was also another thought that the NR might have taken that Rebel insignia and now the Resistance is using as well. I remember in the Legends/EU that the NR logo was the exact same as the Rebel Alliance but it had stars around it. So I could see the Resistance using this insignia.

I seem to remember reading somewhere (not 100% about to take it with a bucket full of salt) that Snoake somehow manipulated the New Republic into not being able to respond to the First Order properly.

[Andy Wylde]

I seem to remember reading somewhere (not 100% about to take it with a bucket full of salt) that Snoake somehow manipulated the New Republic into not being able to respond to the First Order properly.[/quote]



I agree with you on taking all this with a bucket of salt! lol But I think the idea of there being a NR that may be working alongside the FO a pretty cool idea. And the Resistance knows that the FO is full of it and splintered off to try and get rid of them. It seems to me that maybe there might be some kind situation similar to the TV show V. Where the Visitors become friends with the governments of the world and the Resistance knows that the Visitors are up to know good.

It would be like the FO trying to work alongside the NR and the Resistance knowing the FO is not what they seem to be? Just my thoughts on it. I think if they do decide to have a NR in these new films it will add a good dynamic to it. So there would be 3 factions, FO, NR and Resistance.

[Rogue 9]

New TV spot.

Fixed.

[Lord Revan]

I agree with you on taking all this with a bucket of salt! lol But I think the idea of there being a NR that may be working alongside the FO a pretty cool idea. And the Resistance knows that the FO is full of it and splintered off to try and get rid of them. It seems to me that maybe there might be some kind situation similar to the TV show V. Where the Visitors become friends with the governments of the world and the Resistance knows that the Visitors are up to know good.

It would be like the FO trying to work alongside the NR and the Resistance knowing the FO is not what they seem to be? Just my thoughts on it. I think if they do decide to have a NR in these new films it will add a good dynamic to it. So there would be 3 factions, FO, NR and Resistance.

I wouldn't say that New Republic is working with the First Order as much as made irrelevant in this conflict as player due to political reasons.

For example Snoake (or more precice agents working under him) could have manipulated the political mood within the New Republic goverment in such way that anyone suggesting military build-up and/or strong central goverment would be seen as trying to become the next "emperor". Thus the Resistance would have to pick up the mantle of defending the Republic from the First Order as while the Republic goverment is not in friendly terms with the First Order it's crippled by paranoia of the "enemy within".

[Adam Reynolds]

So it appears that it was Rey flying the Falcon during the major engagement we see it in. Who knows if Han was with her at the time. Though given that we see Han refer to being home in the other trailer, I suspect that he wasn't in it at the time.

[Anacronian]

Well, Han Solo could be manning the top guns while Rey was flying - and I guess Finn Is in the bottom guns while Chewie and BB-8 are repairing stuff.

[Adam Reynolds]

Well, Han Solo could be manning the top guns while Rey was flying - and I guess Finn Is in the bottom guns while Chewie and BB-8 are repairing stuff.

In the other trailer we only saw the bottom guns firing. I suspect it is just her and Finn. Probably in a follow on to the scene where they head for a ship and it is destroyed by TIE fighters

[Adam Reynolds]

It is confirmed that Maz Katana is the odd looking alien shown on the poster

[Andy Wylde]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... _XMTN0QeWI

I have to say that this video still makes me laugh! All this talk about "real sets" and "practical effects" was the biggest PR scam in the history of SW. I wonder if the people in this video look back and think to themselves, "man, WTF was I thinking at the time?"


I know at this point in time it doesn't really matter about all the real sets BS with the movie only a few weeks away. But it does shine light on the way the new powers that be went about marketing a new era of SW. I thought the whole marketing campaign sucked from top to bottom. And this video is only a tiny portion of the affair itself. I tried to listen to the podcast from the last Celebration and only a few minutes in all that practical effects BS started to rear its ugly head and I then tuned out and didn't really follow much more after that.

I have my reservations about the film and the new era of SW for that matter. But the only reason I am giving this movie a chance is because it is SW.

[Adam Reynolds]

What is especially funny about that is the interview with Grant Imahara. He actually worked on the physical special effects for the prequels. In particular he drove the remote control R2D2. So to say that there weren't practical effects is largely bullshit. Though it was more true as the prequels went on, its partially why TPM seemed visually closer to the originals in many ways.

Though they are still probably right that the practical effects in TFA are likely much higher than ROTS was. It is also the case that CGI is better and cheaper now than it was in 2005. Not to mention that they currently have a budget that with inflation, is $65 million more than ROTS.

[Lord Revan]

What is especially funny about that is the interview with Grant Imahara. He actually worked on the physical special effects for the prequels. In particular he drove the remote control R2D2. So to say that there weren't practical effects is largely bullshit. Though it was more true as the prequels went on, its partially why TPM seemed visually closer to the originals in many ways.

Though they are still probably right that the practical effects in TFA are likely much higher than ROTS was. It is also the case that CGI is better and cheaper now than it was in 2005. Not to mention that they currently have a budget that with inflation, is $65 million more than ROTS.

tbh even ROTS had alot and big sets and practical effects and sets, it was never the "filmed exclusively in a green screen set with absolutely no practical elements what so ever" that PT haters like to depict the PT as being.

[Adam Reynolds]

What is especially funny about that is the interview with Grant Imahara. He actually worked on the physical special effects for the prequels. In particular he drove the remote control R2D2. So to say that there weren't practical effects is largely bullshit. Though it was more true as the prequels went on, its partially why TPM seemed visually closer to the originals in many ways.

Though they are still probably right that the practical effects in TFA are likely much higher than ROTS was. It is also the case that CGI is better and cheaper now than it was in 2005. Not to mention that they currently have a budget that with inflation, is $65 million more than ROTS.

tbh even ROTS had alot and big sets and practical effects and sets, it was never the "filmed exclusively in a green screen set with absolutely no practical elements what so ever" that PT haters like to depict the PT as being.

One notable bit that was purely CGI was Obi-Wan vs Grievous. Ewan was literally fighting nothing when filming that scene. It is one reason why it was so short. I suspect there has actually been more screen time of the two fighting in Clone Wars.

[Borgholio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... _XMTN0QeWI

I have to say that this video still makes me laugh! All this talk about "real sets" and "practical effects" was the biggest PR scam in the history of SW. I wonder if the people in this video look back and think to themselves, "man, WTF was I thinking at the time?"


I know at this point in time it doesn't really matter about all the real sets BS with the movie only a few weeks away. But it does shine light on the way the new powers that be went about marketing a new era of SW. I thought the whole marketing campaign sucked from top to bottom. And this video is only a tiny portion of the affair itself. I tried to listen to the podcast from the last Celebration and only a few minutes in all that practical effects BS started to rear its ugly head and I then tuned out and didn't really follow much more after that.

I have my reservations about the film and the new era of SW for that matter. But the only reason I am giving this movie a chance is because it is SW.

I really don't understand why people whine so much about the "Practical Effects" statement. Sure, practical effects were used in the PT all over the place. Nobody is saying they weren't. What they're saying is that CGI was used in excess in the PT and they're trying to avoid that. Look at the whole clone trooper thing from Episode 3, where they put the actor's head on a fully CGI body. Was that really necessary? Why not just build a few dozen plastic stormtrooper suits and have something actually there to interact with?

[Andy Wylde]

[/quote]
I really don't understand why people whine so much about the "Practical Effects" statement. Sure, practical effects were used in the PT all over the place. Nobody is saying they weren't. What they're saying is that CGI was used in excess in the PT and they're trying to avoid that. Look at the whole clone trooper thing from Episode 3, where they put the actor's head on a fully CGI body. Was that really necessary? Why not just build a few dozen plastic stormtrooper suits and have something actually there to interact with?[/quote]


"Was it necessary"? Well to the person making the film it was. I had absolutely no issue what so ever regarding the CGI troops. And since Lucas was flipping the bill on making the film, why should he waste money on plastic suit pieces and extras to have wear it? CGI was available and Lucas utilized it like he did with every other tool in the special effects toolbox.

So that is what it boils down to. It was his film to make and he went with a choice he felt comfortable with. He was under no obligation to cater to the some whiny ass fanboys over how to make his films.

[Borgholio]

It was his film to make and he went with a choice he felt comfortable with.

Which is why he fucked up in the first place. His best movies are the ones where someone ELSE took the helm. His choices have sometimes been quite bad. Need I bring up the whole "Han Shot First" thing? His desire to use CGI can be racked up with a bunch of other bad ideas he had for the SW franchise such as Greedo shooting first, an Anakin who is a whiny bitch instead of a mature warrior, Ewoks, Jar Jar Binks...the list goes on. Abrams is heavily advertising these practical effects because they simply work better than a green screen with some actor staring at a tennis ball on a stick. Sure, modern CGI is amazingly good but it's just not the same. Look at the Warcraft movie for instance. The Orcs are quite obviously heavy on the CGI...but they still had humans there to put the CGI "costume" over.

He was under no obligation to cater to the some whiny ass fanboys over how to make his films.

I would hardly call a large group of people who grew up with Star Wars to be whiny ass fanboys because the very nature of one of the main characters was flipped on it's head in a really half-assed way, or do consistently less-than-perfect CGI which people will notice, when a plastic costume or a rubber suit with some CGI finishing touches will work so much better. I mean sure, to someone who just watches Star Wars as another movie, these might seem to be nitpicks. But to people who want to get totally immersed in the SW universe, these things stand out like sore thumbs.