Electronic Arts, BioWare and LucasArts gives the gaming community the biggest of teases on Star Wars: The Old Republic to date: An actual release date! The MMO that almost everyone wants to play is set for release December 20 for North America and December 22 for Europe. Accompanying the date for TOR, the game’s pricing structure has also been revealed.

With the purchase of Star Wars: The Old Republic, gamers will receive a free month of online play that comes with the game. Once over, gamers can elect for payment plans which start at $15 for a single month, $42 for three months or $78 for six months. If you’re thinking this all sounds similar to the structuring of World of Warcraft, who can blame you? WoW is practically the direct competition for TOR.

For those of you out there who get down with pre-orders, early access for Star Wars: The Old Republic has been promised. May the force be with you — especially since a lot of you will most likely be ditching holiday family plans to get your Jedi (or Sith) on…

In any event, The complete Star Wars Saga is coming out on Blu-Ray, and it seems George Lucas saw fit to make some . . . . “changes” (whodathunkit?!?!). Honestly, most of it comes off rather frivolous; Obi-Wan makes weird sonic sperm whale noises or some junk, the Ewoks can blink now, etc. etc. etc. But the that’s got fans royally pissed is the inclusion of dialogue for Darth Vader during a pivotal moment near the end of Return of the Jedi; As the Emperor gleefully attempts to “force-shock” Luke Skywalker to death, instead of Darth Vader merely looking back and forth between his son and the Emperor, he also utters the line “NOOOO!!!!” in dramatic fashion, before chuckin’ the Emperor over the railing. Some even believe it’s the same “NOOOOO!” Vader screamed at the end of Revenge of the Sith. Which would just be hilarious, honestly. And I must say, the change in question is rather terrible, and it does kind of ruin what was a pivotal scene in the film.

Now on the one hand, we can argue the merits of Lucas making changes to Empire and Jedi when you consider that those aren’t films he directed. Some of it is a bit of a slap in the face to the directors, and some of the actors involved. I don’t think the dude who played the reformed spirit of Anakin Skywalker at the end of Return of the Jedi appreciated it when Lucas decided Hayden Christensen should be the reformed spirit instead. That may have been the defining moment of that actor’s career, to be, up until the prequels started, the physical representation of Anakin Skywalker as an honest to God Jedi. I feel sorry for that dude!

But the fans? The old school fans? The fans who probably didn’t get around to loving Star Wars until the Special Editions came out in theaters back in ’97? Sorry, but the bottom line is, and I think you’ve all realized this long ago. . . . George Lucas does not give a good goddamn about you!!! George Lucas is Charlie Sheen doing his one-man stage show!!! Boo all you want, he’s already got your money, dude! Lucas KNOWS that he helped revolutionize special effects in film. Lucas KNOWS that he revolutionized merchandising. Lucas KNOWS he’s a mother-fuckin’ monster!!! I wouldn’t even be surprised if Lucas acknowledged that the most of the changes he was making (and continues to make) to the original trilogy were dogshit. ‘Cause all that matters at the end of the day is how new fans get introduced to Star Wars. The kids who are between the ages of 5 and 15, THAT’S who Lucas cares about right now. And in another 10 years, there will be ANOTHER batch of kids to jump on the bandwagon, through whatever forms of media there are to captivate the hearts and minds of children. He don’t give a fuck about old-ass bastards that want the original films on blu-ray without all his retroactive fuckery!!! He doesn’t need you to support the films. He needs you to support the brand, and he knows you’ll support the brand one way, or another, or another, or another.

See this right here? This is the Star Wars live-action series you’ll continue to wait for!!!

At the end of the day, Star Wars ain’t the Green Bay Packers!!! It doesn’t belong to the fans, no matter how much you’d like to believe it does. Lucas chooses to share it with you in whatever way HE sees fit! You better break out the VCRs or fire up the old laserdisc players if you’re feelin’ nostalgic for the pure, untouched trilogy, ’cause I think those are the only ways you can see them now!!! But if they ARE available on some DVD format . . . Why you cryin’?

Ken Ralston

David Schaub

In the beginning of the month, Disney released their latest spin on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland on Blu-Ray and DVD. Pop Culture Shock is excited to bring to you an extensive Q/A session with Alice in Wonderland’s Animation Director David Schaub and Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Ken Ralston. Schaub has been in the industry for more than 15 years and has worked on I am Legend, The Polar Express, Cast Away, Stuart Little and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Ralston is an industry pioneer and has five Academy Awards for visual effects technology while working at Sony Pictures Imagesworks and Industrial Light and Magic. Some of his credits include Contact, the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Return of the Jedi and Star Wars. Together they answer questions about Alice in Wonderland, 3D technology, and the animation industry.

THE GREENPRINT FOR EFFECTING ALICE

The first question on everyone’s mind is, what’s it’s like to work with Tim Burton?

David Schaub: Tim was absolutely great. He is such a visionary and an absolute pleasure to work with. He has an incredible visual sense, and any time that we got stuck in any way he would always have great ideas that would steer us in new and interesting directions. That vision took us places I never imagined we would go. He has great respect for all of his actors and artists, and truly manages to bring out the best of everyone involved. Because of Tim’s involvement, I would have to say that it was one of the most rewarding shows I have ever been a part of.

Ken Ralston: Working with Tim Burton was wonderful, one of the best experiences of my career. We both have a passion for the art of moviemaking and shared an artist vision for ALICE.

How much leeway were you given to add your and your staff’s own personal style of animation when there was also the look and visual style of Tim Burton that was being presented?

DS: Tim was great at giving us lots of creative license to try lots of different things. He would always steer the work toward his particular sensibilities, and rather than completely scrap a performance that was working well in it’s own way – he would always find a way to make the most of the elements that worked and steer the ship forward without completely turning the ship around. I think it was a very rewarding experience for the animators.

What was the storyboard process like? Were the boards very detailed and specific? Or were they more loose and gestural, focusing on mood and general blocking?

DS: Tim is a very visceral filmmaker… and does not like working with storyboards. It is a very interactive process when it comes to animation, and a lot of our performance cues were taken from how he directed the actors on set. When it came to the animation process, it was the typical round of blocking, primary and secondary animation approvals.

For Tweedeldee and Tweedledum you combined footage from faces of a real actor with CG-figures. Who came up with the idea for that and how difficult was it to animate, control and combine the facial expressions?

DS: That was Tim’s idea, and it is something that Ken Ralston always wanted to do; that is, combining live action elements of a face in the render.

One of the more intriguing facets of the animation in Alice in Wonderland were the hybrid characters, like the Tweedles. Many questions were asked about the involvement of motion capture, the challenges of this hybrid process.

KR: To be clear, there are no motion capture characters in the film. They are all animated. As protection, we did capture motion, which was useful as a guide for the animators. For the hybrid characters, such as the Tweedles, we wanted to maintain the brilliant facial performance of our actor, which could never be duplicated by a CG interpretation.

DS: Motion capture became a point-of-reference for us in the end. If you watch the performances of the actors on set – often on stilts (and moving that way), you will see that the essence of movement in the final scene is very different. That is because the performances were animated. We went into this shoot not knowing all the details of how it would shake down, so we covered ourselves by acquiring motion capture, as well as optical data (that’s what those big white/black targets are on their suits). The actors are directed on set to hit their marks, moving from A-to-B and delivering a performance that we ultimately used as reference for animation. If you look at the way the Tweedles move, it is indeed the essence of Matt Lucas’ performance – but it is also stylized in a way that is very different than the way they moved on set. This was a deliberate style choice that evolved once we got into animation. The faces were also fully animated with animation controls, but for an extra level of realism, the eyes and often the mouth were tracked back into the final render. We had to nail those facial performances precisely.

With regards to body replacement, the trick was to stabilize the head (on a card), attach that card to the animated body, and then we were free to move the character anywhere we needed to within the scene. It proved too limiting to leave the head locked in it’s photographed location in the plate.

David, how many man-hours are added with the hybrid characters as opposed to having either live action or fully animated characters?

DS: The hybrid characters were particularly tricky – mostly from a technical point of view. We did not have to make a huge creative leap regarding performances because the essence of the performance is precisely how the actors performed their parts. Stayne was probably the trickiest in that regard because of his proportions. The trick was to replicate the essence of those performances – precisely as Crispin Glover performed – but also imparting a level of gracefulness to his moves which were often difficult to accomplish on stilts. Hours? Many hours! It is just another one of the many animation challenges that we were presented with.

Ken, the film was filmed using green screen. Was it particularly difficult to recreate all the environments with CGI, taking into account the style of Tim Burton that is so overloaded with details? What kind of challenges did you find in this regard?

KR: It was very difficult. Every shot in every scene has many details and textures in the environments. The real difficulty is the size of the data and the rendering of the shot – and the time it takes to do all of that – had to be calculated to take that into account in our schedule.

Does working with a green screen change how you approach things?

KR: Green screen or blue screen is basically the same idea for compositing live action into visual effects. But the green screen color, after long periods of time, seems to create a certain aggravation and irritation after staring at it for a long period. It is effective for compositing, but visually and psychologically exhausting to be surrounded by it for extended periods of time. The overall concept of shooting against green screen enabled us to design our sets and environments after the live action shoot. So it gave us great flexibility.

Its easy to think ‘oh it’s all green screen’ but how complicated were the physical green screen sets you built?

KR: They are deceivingly simple looking but the placement of all of the green props and elements were lined up exactly to the detailed CG designed sets developed by production designer Rob Stomberg. We also had to clothe stunt people, technicians, mechanical effects crew and anyone who was visible in frame but not a principal cast member in green. We shot on 2 large sound stages where portions of sets were constructed. And the green screen also had extensive reference markers so we could track the cameras and know where we were in space.

Dave, were there any traditional camera tricks that helped as shortcuts in the animation process?

DS: There weren’t really any camera tricks that we could get away with on a film like this. The typical tricks that you could pull off in 2D would be revealed in 3D. For example, if you discover that a character is floating off the ground in your render, you could always cheat that contact with a contact shadow in the final comp. Since we are dealing with stereo cameras, all of those cheats reveal themselves in 3D; so we can’t get away with too many camera “tricks.”

THE FACES AND PERFORMERS OF UNDERLAND

DS: In addition to the obvious “fanciful” characters, we also animated all of the animals – really all the “non-human” characters in the film. While we have a lot of creative freedom for the “fanciful” characters (like the Cheshire Cat, March Hare, Caterpillar), animating realistic animals always presents a challenge since everyone knows precisely how a horse, or a dog moves… There is less wiggle room for a creative stretch and if it isn’t right, the animation stands out like a sore-thumb.

Which character was the most difficult to animate?

DS: Each character had it’s own unique challenge. From a technical perspective, Stayne was incredibly tricky, since every shot required an animated CG body underneath a photographic element of Crispin Glover’s head. Creative challenges were the Cheshire Cat and getting the essence of the “creepy” nature of a cat and what that all meant from Tim Burton’s perspective. “Creepy, quiet and …STILLNESS (not over-animated)” was the directive.

Could you explain the technical challenges regarding the animation process of the “staring”, Cheshire Cat?

DS: The eyes and mouth were certainly the biggest challenges. The eyes are so prominent, and we were able to control all of the dilation attributes to make them as real as possible. Also, the smile was a challenge since it spanned from ear-to-ear. The inner palette had to deform as well so that the teeth tracked along with the mouth through it’s full arc.

What about the concept behind the Blue Caterpillar? What was the overall goal for animators with that character? Were there any early ideas that were axed?

DS: The caterpillar performance was truly dictated by how Alan Rickman voiced the character. You don’t even need to see the reference of his performance to feel the disdain in his voice. As with all of the animated characters, the goal was to tone the “animation-knob” way down. Tim wanted to impart an extreme level of subtlety in the performances so that the characters reside in the same world as their live-action counterparts. Again, we took our cues from how Tim directed his actors on set. Nothing is over-dramatized, and if a performance can be sold with absolute “stillness”, with a perfectly timed little dart of the eyes, that’s exactly what Tim wanted to capitalize on. That was a common theme for all of these characters – and the frogs come to mind in that regard as well.

The animation of Bloodhound is incredible and realistic, did you use any special technique or is it just the talent and rigging magic of the animation artists?

DS: Rigging talent and magic of the animators! Indeed, the realistic characters and real animals are surprisingly the most challenging. It needs to be loaded with subtlety and nuance in order for the performances to ring true. Once the animators delivered the performance, the shots went through a “shot-finaling” process where a skin-simulation (including ears and jowls) was applied that gave him that extra level of believability with his saggy, baggy Bloodhound skin.

How much training was involved in putting the actors on stilts?

DS: They spent several days hobbling around the set trying to get the hang of it. The primary reason for putting them on stilts was to get the eye line right on set. You’ll notice that the movement of an actor on stilts LOOKS like an actor on stilts, so those performances were really used as a point-of-reference for animation. The animated version of the Tweedles for example has a different feel about them than what was actually shot. That was a stylistic choice that evolved with Tim over the course of the show.

Ken, which of the actors was presented with the greatest challenge to achieve an effect, over the course of the shoot?

KR: Mia (Alice) probably was presented with the greatest challenge. Mia had to carry the weight of performing opposite many, many characters that were not at all visible on the set as you see them in the movie. It was also her first film like this, so she had a huge learning curve. She did fantastically.

What all went into the epic climax of Alice in Wonderland?

KR: The end battle was shot entirely on green screen. We designed the Jabberwocky as an homage to Ray Harryhausen’s work. There is a tremendous amount of animation and compositing. The sequence is full of many effects and animation tricks – fog, dust, debris – many, many small details that blend together to add a reality to the scene.

David, Could you please name your favorite wonderland inhabitant, maybe one that matches your own character.

DS: My favorites changed through the entire process. You develop close attachments to characters as they develop, but it seemed like each sequence brought new and different challenges and new favorites. Cheshire Cat was probably the first favorite that I could identify with. By the end of the show I was clearly the March Hare – completely frazzled!

Ken, Alice came up with more than 1.700 VFX-Shots! How important was the whole pre-visualization process to cope that massive project?

KR: There wasn’t as much pre-visualization of the project as you might expect. Only the action sequences, like the Bandersnatch chasing Alice, and sequences with less actor input were the ones that could be pre-visualized. The nature of this project was that we had simple versions of the environments available on the set, which allowed Tim and the actors to have the flexibility to create the scenes and action on set.

THIS THING CALLED 3D

Ken, this project mixes old and new techniques. Are there any new filmmaking technologies on the horizon that you’re excited about or that you think will change the game in a big way?

KR: I don’t know there is something on the horizon that will change the game as much as it is about applying the best technique to get the director’s vision onto the screen. Thank you for recognizing that we used a great variety of techniques. Change actually happens somewhat slowly in visual effects. Each film builds on what we learn from the last. While it may seem that certain films are a stunning breakthrough, the imagery is often the result of a steady progression accomplished over many years and through many films. Our technologies are continuously evolving.

Alice was filmed in 2D and then post-produced in 3D… and that this was Burton’s idea from the beginning… Where do you stand in all that controversy between movies filmed in real 3D and those that aren’t?

KR: To me, the style of the movie dictates the approach that you take. It is not so much one or the other. It is what is right for the movie and the director’s style and intention. In the case of ALICE, shooting in 2D facilitated our CG post-production.

David, did the decision to take the film 3D in post take you back to square one in terms of your preparations?

DS: No. We always knew that this film would be done in 3D, so preparations were made to accommodate that from the beginning. In essence, it is only the live action characters that need to be “photographically” converted to stereo. Everything else in Underland is CG (characters and environments), so most of that could be rendered in stereo from our synthetic 3D world. We did not have to make a lot of concessions for the 3D aspect, and really focused on making the story and characters hold up as a 2D film… then the 3D was icing on the cake at the back-end.

Could you explain the 3D animation process a bit for those who may not know that there are animators who add that 3D element to the experience? And how happy are you with the 2D version of the film even though there was that effort done by your 3D team?

DS: When we are inside of our CG world – and if all of our characters were CG, then the process of animating in 3D is really no different than it would be on a 2D film. In the end, the scene is rendered through a left-and right-eye camera. It is a virtual world and everything is already set up with depth relationships. The tricky part is when we integrate live-action elements into that world – like Alice, for example. Before the CG characters can be animated in a scene with her, Alice must first be given “volume” so that the other characters can interact in a believable depth-relationship with her. Basically, a stunt-double version of Alice must be created and animated to match the performance as seen from the camera, then the photography is projected back on to that geometry to give her depth. With regard to “making” a 3D movie, we really only think in terms of 2D (for the most part), and make it the best 2D movie that it can possibly be. The 3D aspect adds depth and places Alice inside this weird and wacky world of Underland… but hopefully people aren’t thinking too much about the effect, but enjoying the ride instead. The goal is to make everything blend seamlessly.

Have the animations been created for 2D and then taken to 3D with the whole movie process, or have they created directly for 3D?

DS: The live-action characters (like Alice, the Red Queen, Mad Hatter) were converted to 3D, while the CG character were native 3D in our virtual worlds. From an animation perspective they were animated like any other CG character then rendered through left-and right-eye cameras. The tricky part comes into play when a CG character is interacting with a live-action character. The photographic element of the live action character must first be “rotomated” in the scene (essentially a CG stunt-double) so that photography can be projected back onto that character. Once a 3D representation of that character is in the scene, the CG characters can interact with that live-action character – keeping depth registration in mind. We now need to take into account the Z axis – not just X and Y like in a 2D film.

Ken, which cameras have been used and which is the source, digital only or also 35mm negative?

KR: It was the Genesis camera, digital only, for any of the Wonderland sequences. And the live action bookends were shot on film.

The Genesis Camera used for Alice In Wonderland has a CCD with a resolution higher than 4K, do you think a 4K 2D re-release of the movie could be possible in future?

KR: While I can’t comment on any release plans, technically, it is possible. Everyone is always advancing the technology to get the best image possible.

Were you satisfied with the use of 3D in the film? What was your favorite scene?

KR: I was very satisfied with how 3D helped us immerse Alice into the world of Wonderland. As for a favorite scene, I love when Alice meets the Cheshire Cat. It works on so many levels.

Have you been surprised by the speed with which 3D has become the norm for blockbuster releases?

KR: Maybe a little surprised but it has been clear for some time that there was a growing appetite. The success of AVATAR really demonstrated the potential of 3D and also accelerated the availability of 3D equipped theaters.

David, you’ve mentioned the small tricks you couldn’t get away with. Do you find it frustrating as an audience member then to see the films that are converting to 3D with far less attention to detail?

DS: Sure. I would hate for the quick-conversions to give the stereo medium a bad wrap. If the audiences get turned off by the experience of a few poorly executed conversions that could be enough to change the course of the future of 3D (stereo).

Alice has – possibly unjustly – been lumped in with a number of other blockbusters that have ‘upscaled’ to 3D in post. How do you feel about the rush to the new technology? Do you feel some of the other films undermined what you had achieved?

DS: We can always hope that the standards remain high. Of course there is always the possibility that the work turned out over the next couple of years will dictate how the industry goes as a direct result of how audience react to the 3D conversions currently underway.

THE ANIMATION INDUSTRY AND CAREER PATHS

Ken, you post quite the impressive resume, a lot of these being American classics. Could you tell me a little bit about your involvement or what you had a hand in with the Back to the Future and Star Wars franchises?

KR: Star Wars was my first feature film and I did motion control camera work on the first film. Ultimately, I became visual effects supervisor, one of 3, on Return of the Jedi. I was visual effects supervisor on all of the Back to the Future films and they were the first times I worked with Bob Zemeckis.

Having worked with Zemeckis, how successful do think mo-cap is as a solution to animation problems, and are you happy with the speed at which it’s growing use in the industry?

KR: Motion capture has a place in specific types of movies. It is one of many available tools. On Alice, we only used motion capture as a reference. All of the characters and animation were actually done through traditional key frame techniques.

Was there ever a moment where you couldn’t achieve what was being asked for, or is that a thing of the past?

KR: Sure – for a variety of reasons, there are always shots that either don’t live up to the initial intent or due to schedule, physical resources or cost have to be re-envisioned. But overall, on this film, what you see on the screen came together even more robust than we first imagined.

David, I know the L.A. area is considered to be the heart of American animation, are there any other U.S. cities that are doing interesting things in animation?

DS: Albuquerque, NM! I’m not kidding. Sony Imageworks has a facility out there, and a large chunk of this work was done out there. We are all connected via video conferencing, and remote desk-top dailies. We have also opened up an office in Vancouver that will operate in the same way – using ABQ as the model since it worked so well. More and more studios are going this way to take advantage of the tax
incentives that are being offered. I love the idea – and I look forward to the day when animators can work remotely from anywhere. And as for LA… yeah, that would get the traffic off the freeways!

Ken, where are the best visual effects companies in the world? Is all the best work done in the US, or are there great boutique effects houses elsewhere?

KR: A lot of the best are in California. However, there is great work being done all over the world. There is a fabulous global community of visual effects and animation artists.

David, how did you first get interested in animation generally and what do you recommend for students looking to begin a career in your area of expertise?

DS: I’ve always had an interest in animation – for as far back as I can remember. Originally it was Saturday morning cartoons, but later it became the Disney classics. I was the kid that drew flip-books in the corner margin of my math book and was always doodling or fiddling with 8mm film projects of my own. My advice to any aspiring animator is to dive in head-first and get involved. There is really no better way to get good at this than to do it. Take every opportunity and make the most of it. There are some great schools out there, and we are seeing a lot of great talent coming our way as a result. In the end it really is about your reel, and a demonstration of your talent that makes an impression. The artistry is what matters, regardless of your particular education. But all that education certainly helps.

Many colleges still offer traditional 2D animation degrees, is there any place for 2D animators in today’s studios or should they go back and study CG?

DS: When it comes to animation, it is the performance that reins supreme – whether it is pencil on paper or hand on a mouse! The VFX world (and films like this) is certainly dependent on CG tools and if that is the realm that a student is interested in, then it is best to focus in that area. But in the end, all of these tools are exactly that – just tools. Choose your medium.

Ken, there is seemingly more work out there with so many films that up the ante as far as fantasy and fan boy movies continue to roll out of Hollywood, but in reality studios keep closing, how tough is it really out there for animation and FX houses?

KR: It is challenging business. The effects films that do well support the idea of these kinds of big movies. And you are right, the ante is continually upped. We are all very conscious of economics and delivering a quality product within the limitations of schedules and budgets.

As technology has advanced to the point where basically anything you can think of can be created on screen, do you think audiences are suffering from “CGI fatigue?” How do you continue to wow audiences who have, in some ways, seen everything already??

KR: CG is a tool like any other tool in making a movie. It can be used correctly or abused. When used correctly, it can enhance the film’s illusion and the audience experience. It is less about the technique and much more about how it is used. When used effectively to enhance a story, stunning visuals and the opportunity to explore something you have not seen is a rewarding experience.

DS: The most important thing is to wow audiences with great stories and great performances. Yes, if a film hinges on spectacular VFX in order to keep the audience’s attention, then it is very easy to get “CGI-fatigue” on a grand scale. Everything we did in this film was in support of the story, and bringing Tim’s vision to life. It was never about creating some spectacular effect that no one had seen before… but the upside is that I think we ended up with some pretty unique things in the film that audiences have in fact not seen before!

Ken, has the Blu-ray image quality forced you to be more meticulous with visual effects in any way?

KR: The Blu-ray image is actually equal to the resolution at which we work. So what you see on Blu-ray is the same as what you see on the big screen and the same as what we see here at Imageworks when we are viewing dailies and making the shots. We are trying to produce the most perfect image and Blu-ray maintains that image quality.

David, Blu-ray technology can bring to new life the old masterpieces of the past, do you think old Disney classics will look as exciting in 2K resolution as to be appreciated as much as new animation movies?

DS: I think the remastered Disney classics look AMAZING on Blu-ray! The level of detail that you see on the old cels is phenomenal – you can even see the shadow of the cel against the background. It brings you up-close and personal to that amazing artwork that has been so hidden in low-resolution renditions.

What’s more satisfying for you Ken, working on a film that makes a Visual FX leap in advancement, or working on something with a such a distinct visual style that defines the overall impression left by the film? I think Alice achieved both of these in spades (pun intended).

KR: It is both. First comes the look of the movie and the requirements of the story. If that leads us to a technical advancement, that is a bonus. But it takes terrific films like ALICE to do all that.

What’s the best visual effect you ever did that no one realizes was a visual effect?

KR: There are many. CONTACT was a movie that had many of these kinds of invisible shots. For example, the mirror shot, in which Jodie Foster as a child runs up the stairs, down a hallway and reaches into a medicine cabinet, is a complicated blending of elements that you have to look hard at to realize that what has occurred is impossible.

What’s your favorite visual effect of all time, one that you did not do, but really admire?

KR: Excellent question. The Skeleton Fight by Ray Harryhausen seen in “Jason and the Argonauts” is my favorite visual effects sequence. This scene, more than any other, stands out as one of the greats of all time.

Did you learn anything unexpected during the massive production-process?

KR: Nothing was really unexpected. After doing these kinds of movies for so long, I was able to anticipate many things and be prepared. It is great when a plan, especially a big complicated plan like this, comes together. I had a great team of super geniuses backing me up at every turn.

Any final thoughts on Alice?

KR: Alice was definitely one of the best experiences I have ever had in my career. Working creatively with Tim Burton was incredibly satisfying. There were many challenges and we had a brilliant team that worked well together. I am very proud of the work and most importantly, it was fun.

DS: This experience on Alice was truly the most creatively fulfilling experiences of my career. It was a huge pleasure to work with Tim Burton, and an amazing opportunity to give life to the characters of Underland. It was also a crew of the most talented animators that I ever had the pleasure to work with – professional and talented on every level. While the schedule was grueling – 9 months in animation from start-to finish, we all realized we were a part of something special. You don’t get such wonderful opportunities very often, so everyone pulled together and gave it everything they had to make the best of this special time that we had. It was great to see the work pan out the way it did, and great to see audiences enjoying the wild and wacky world of Underland!

And be sure to check out the Alice in Wonderland blu-ray and my review to see both Ken and David’s work on the film. If you haven’t already, make sure you visit the big round table interviews with Alice in Wonderland’s costume designer Colleen Atwood and conceptual artist Dermot Power. Click Here for that article.

We’ve got two more clips of the Wil Wheaton Awesome Hour from Emerald City ComiCon 2010! Here, Wil reads “Blue Light Special” from his book The Happiest Days of our Lives. In it, nine-year-old Wil Wheaton must wrestle with one of the seminal struggles of the ’80s: should he save his $1.99, or blow it on a Star Wars figure? It’s part geek tribal myth, part Jean Shepherd, and all hilarious:

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE EC3 COVERAGE!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Questions? Comments? Post them below!

We’ve got two more clips of the Wil Wheaton Awesome Hour from Emerald City ComiCon 2010! Here, Wil reads “Blue Light Special” from his book The Happiest Days of our Lives. In it, nine-year-old Wil Wheaton must wrestle with one of the seminal struggles of the ’80s: should he save his $1.99, or blow it on a Star Wars figure? It’s part geek tribal myth, part Jean Shepherd, and all hilarious:

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE EC3 COVERAGE!

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We’ve got two more clips of the Wil Wheaton Awesome Hour from Emerald City ComiCon 2010! Here, Wil reads “Blue Light Special” from his book The Happiest Days of our Lives. In it, nine-year-old Wil Wheaton must wrestle with one of the seminal struggles of the ’80s: should he save his $1.99, or blow it on a Star Wars figure? It’s part geek tribal myth, part Jean Shepherd, and all hilarious:

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We’ve got two more clips of the Wil Wheaton Awesome Hour from Emerald City ComiCon 2010! Here, Wil reads “Blue Light Special” from his book The Happiest Days of our Lives. In it, nine-year-old Wil Wheaton must wrestle with one of the seminal struggles of the ’80s: should he save his $1.99, or blow it on a Star Wars figure? It’s part geek tribal myth, part Jean Shepherd, and all hilarious:

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE EC3 COVERAGE!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Questions? Comments? Post them below!

We’ve got two more clips of the Wil Wheaton Awesome Hour from Emerald City ComiCon 2010! Here, Wil reads “Blue Light Special” from his book The Happiest Days of our Lives. In it, nine-year-old Wil Wheaton must wrestle with one of the seminal struggles of the ’80s: should he save his $1.99, or blow it on a Star Wars figure? It’s part geek tribal myth, part Jean Shepherd, and all hilarious:

CHECK OUT OUR LIVE EC3 COVERAGE!

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Questions? Comments? Post them below!

Year: 2009
Running Time: 54 Minutes
Rated: Not Rated
SRP: $ 29.99
Studio(s): 20th Century Fox
Release Date: January 5, 2009

Film/Feature: B+
After Family Guy’s successful spoof of Star Wars: A New Hope called Blue Harvest (2007), a follow up poking fun at Empire Strikes Back was as much a sure thing as a sunny day in California. In Family Guy Something Something Something Dark Side, we get to see Stewie as the venomous little Darth Vader again and see Peter Griffin as Han Solo, Lois as Leia, Cleveland as R2D2, Chris as Luke Skywalker, and Quagmire as C3PO, Brian as Chewie, and Meg… well, she has a minor role. And Mort, well Mort has an incredibly funny role that I won’t spoil.

In fact, I will try not to spoil any of SSSDS, because it is best seen with as little knowledge as possible. Just brush up on your familiarity with Empire Strikes Back, and the usual barrage of 80′s and 90′s pop culture references which drive the comedy of Family Guy. As someone who also enjoys Seth Green’s Robot Chicken Star Wars spoofs because they are little stories that fit perfectly in the told story, I was pleased to see Family Guy do something different by doing a direct parody of the Original Trilogy. It’s a boon for anyone who enjoys that inappropriate (but hilariously funny), crass edgy material that Family Guy dips into and wants to see this beloved animated family in the classic Star Wars parts. I couldn’t stop laughing and in an hour’s time, you can relive all that’s great about Empire Strikes Back. It’s true that this watches like three straight episodes of Family Guy, but it is uncensored, it is in glorious high definition, and the animation is so good that some scenes look almost identical to scenes in the live-action movie.

I know Star Wars parodies can be found as common as a penny lying on the street, but Something Something Something Dark Side hits all the right notes and stays within its own little universe thankfully Far Far Away. When the inevitable follow-up We Got A Bad Feeling About This comes out, I’ll be the first one in line to complete the Griffin remix of Star Wars.

Video: A-
This is the first time Family Guy has been seen in high definition and SSSDS gets a1080p AVC-encoded transfer in its original full frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio.If there’s any doubt at how good an animated series can look, then just compare this blu-ray with one of the early season DVDs. The separation of animated objects is crystal clear, black outlines are stable and straight. With the scenes set on the planet Hoth in the winter landscapes, there’s a thin sheer veil of white snow mist throughout and just adds enough to the image to make for an impressive image. Colors are quite brilliant especially in the infamous light saber fight with the grated floor and fiery lights below. The swampy and muddy Dagobah scenes with Yoda show a lot of intricate work as well–not to mention the handful of live action scenes that are inserted (that will not be spoiled here) look incredibly crisp. And since many of the scenes are done in outer space, the blacks are Vader-dark and are lovely in this transfer. In all of its seasons and specials, Family Guy has never looked so good.

Audio: A-
Done equally well is the audio mix for SSSDS. It has a surprisingly active 5.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio track, that has plenty of bells and whistles you’d normally expect out of a Star Wars film. Action sequences like the At-At battle the front and rear channels come alive with lots of activity. Especially when there are ships that zoom by in Cloud City or whenever the Millennium Falcon takes flight all of the classic Star Wars sound effects can be heard in HD-audio glory. John Williams majestic score also gets its spotlight on center stage as this is the first time it’s being heard on blu-ray and for those waiting for Lucas’ Original SW Trilogy, this will help the agonizing wait for its eventual arrival. There are no other audio selections and subtitles are available in English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Suomi, Dannish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish.

Extras: B
For an episode that runs just shy of an hour, there’s a good amount of extras to dig into. All of the extras are in high definition, AVC-encoded and are in 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo.

Audio Commentary by Executive Producers Seth MacFarlane, Mark Hentemann, David A. Goodman, Writer Kirker Butler, Director Dominic Polcino and Actor Seth GreenThere is also subtitles available for the commentary which helps distinguish who among the six guys is talking because outside of Green and MacFarlane it’s difficult to know who’s who. The commentary is full of extra laughs and uncensored hilarities that are at times screen specific but full of side conversations and Hollywood stories. And there might be the slight influence of Patron. It’s also revealed in the commentary that a Clue spoof is in the works and will probably see the light of day later in 2010.

Family Guy Fact-Ups is a trivia track done in VH1 Pop-up that’s full of outrageous and hilarious minutiae about Family Guy and Star Wars.

The Dark Side of Poster Art HD (9:18) is a brief featurette about how Joe Vaux painted the blu-ray/DVD covers as a beautiful homage to Roger Kastel’s original iconic posters. Character designer Mick Cassidy also joins in on the discussion and eventually beers are drunk and shirts are being taken off. I will say that there is enough chest hair in this extra to last a lifetime.

Animatic Scene-to-Scene with Commentary by Director Dominic Polcino HD(6:36) Polcino compares side-by-side animated penciled storyboards before color is put in to the finished product.

Family Guy-Something Something Something Dark Side Table Read Act 1 and 2 HD (49:27) In a conference room, are at least 50 people packed with cast and crew in practice run of the script. I love animation table reads, because you can partially see the actors really get into character; you can see how well the script is based on the genuine laughter in the room and to actually see all of the interactions of the actors. Many times actors record their parts separately so this is a great prelude to what the finished product will sound like. There are also plenty of scenes and lines that got cut out too, some of which were very funny, so make sure you check all these out too.

Sneak Peek of Family Guy Episode VI: We Have a Bad Feeling About This Table Read HD (2:26) is a very short taste of what’s to come in the eventual third installment of Family Guy Star Wars specials. The camera is tight into Seth MacFarlane so you can really see him play Peter Griffin as Han Solo who is being defrosted from his carbonite tomb.

Disc Two is a Digital Movie Disc that makes portability easy. Normally on the sheet that holds the confirmation code also lists the expiration date and there was not one listed, but if these Digital Movie Discs are your thing, make sure to see when that is (it may show on the download).

Overall Shock Value: A-
While it’s hard to justify a separate purchase for a Family Guy movie, (especially when it will eventually be packaged together with the other Star Wars spoofs once they’re all completed, or in a complete series set), but this is a lovely first foray into high definition for Family Guy and if you’re a fan of the show AND a fan of Star Wars, then I don’t see how you can pass this up. If you’re a casual fan, then perhaps you give it at least a rental; but for my money, I’m going to recommend the curious to Buy It.

The Fate of the Geonosian Campaign rests in the hands of two Padawan friends, Barriss Offee and Ahsoka Tano as embark upon an integral – and unsupervised – mission in “Weapons Factory”, airing Friday at 9:00pm on Cartoon Network.

Operating without the supervision or protection of their respective Jedi Masters, Padawans Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee embark upon a desperate, last-ditch effort to destroy the droid foundry established by Poggle the Lesser on Geonosis. But when their descent into the Geonosian catacombs becomes a deadly journey into darkness, they must rely on each other’s strengths to find the light and complete their mission in “Weapons Factory,” an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS, airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, November 13 on Cartoon Network.

“The one thing I really think is great about The Clone Wars is how it has a message in it of courage and loyalty and honesty and hard work,” says Meredith Salenger, who provides the voice of Barriss. “Barriss is very bright, honest, professional and brave. She would much rather sacrifice herself for the protection of others and the completion of her mission. Just learning those things – the tenets of the Jedi way – is important for kids. The Jedi have good values.”

Perhaps best known for her starring role in Disney’s The Journey of Natty Gann, Salenger welcomed the opportunity to embody one of the Jedi role models from George Lucas’ “galaxy far, far away.” Of particular interest, though, was the prospect of exploring a new type of interpersonal dynamic within the Order – specifically the burgeoning friendship between Ahsoka and the strait-laced Barriss.

“Her Jedi Master is Luminara Unduli, who is very by-the-book and ordered. As a loyal student, Barriss tends to be just as structured in her approach to dealing with situations,” Salenger says. “However, I think the more time she spends with Ahsoka, the more she tends to improvise a bit and trust her own instincts. Like most relationships, you are always learning from your friends who have different attitudes about life. When Barriss is with Ahsoka, her vulnerability and curiosity come out. With best friends, you can’t help but be influenced by one another.”

A newcomer to the world of voice acting, Salenger found herself influenced – and inspired – by the cast and crew of The Clone Wars, though she also found herself drawing from her own well of inner fandom.

“Who isn’t a Star Wars fan? I remember standing in line outside the movie theater with my Dad when the very first Star Wars came out. I honestly feel blessed to be part of it – though since working on the show, I’ve learned a lot more about the Star Wars universe,” she says. “Working with Dave [Filoni] is like working with the most creative and imaginative guy ever. He is so much fun; he is so good at directing the actors and creating a visual of the scene and what our characters are going through. I thank him all the time for bringing me on board.”

Tasked by the Jedi Council to rekindle an old flame in order to solicit crucial – and dangerous – information from a suspected traitor, Senator Padmé Amidala finds herself torn between love and duty in “Senate Spy”

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Ah, dentists. As the song goes, they have a talent for causing things pain. But with new advances in the field of dentistry, the pain might be more fleeting than you think. And it’s all thanks to Star Wars. Well, kind of.

Presenting the Cool Plasma Blowtorch (that’s cool as in cold, though the technology is also pretty nifty), the latest advancement in dental care that kills plaque, cleans your teeth, and looks exactly like Mace Windu’s lightsaber. Plasma is an ionized gas, the fourth state of matter (after solid, liquid, and gas), and is usually hot. For example, the center of stars are made of hot plasma, and if introduced to your face, would probably blast it apart. Same with both Sith and Jedi lightsabers, hence the cauterization of wounds and the melting of metal when a Jedi tries to chop through your blast door.

Continue reading “Open Wide – Mace Windu’s Lightsaber Is the Latest in Toothbrush Technology” »

Mr. Billy Dee Williams!