Mark Hamill Hopes Episode VII Will "Balance" CGI

[StewShearerOld]

Mark Hamill Hopes Episode VII Will "Balance" CGI

Appearing at a 30th anniversary screening of Return of the Jedi, Mark Hamill commented on Disney's new Star Wars trilogy.

The lives of Star Wars fans changed irrevocably last year when <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120408-Disney-Acquires-Lucasfilm>Disney purchased Lucasfilm and announced a slew of new developments for the franchise, including a new film trilogy slated to begin in 2015. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121706-J-J-Abrams-Signs-Up-To-Direct-Star-Wars-VII>Director J.J. Abrams has since signed on to the project as well as Academy Award winning <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120586-Disney-Hands-Star-Wars-Episode-VII-to-the-Writer-of-Toy-Story-3>writer Michael Arndt. Various reports have also said that cast members of the original trilogy would be returning to <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122167-Harrison-Ford-Will-Return-as-Han-Solo-in-Episode-7>reprise their roles.

While Disney has yet to officially announce the return of original series cast members, the actors, along with series creator-George Lucas, have done a pretty <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/mar/08/star-wars-sequel-george-lucas>good job of it themselves. Most recently, Mark Hamill, appearing at a 30th anniversary screening of Return of the Jedi, commented on the new film and his role in it. "I don't even think I believed that the third trilogy would feature us. I thought it would be all different characters," said Hamill. "It wasn't even on the radar for me, at all. And I had sort of settled into my elderly recluse phase of my career."

Hamill also discussed his hope to see the new films re-embrace some of the practical effects used to make the original trilogy. "I've only had one creative meeting about the new films, but I do remember saying, 'We've got to find a proper balance between CGI and old school [FX]." The three prequel films were frequently criticized for their heavy use of CGI, something Hamill wants to avoid. "I think there's nothing wrong with CGI, but I think you have to have a balance, because the camera perceives the width and the depth and the weight - even if it's a miniature model, the camera just realizes that."

Source: <a href=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/05/star-wars-episode-vii-mark-hamill-on-his-hope-for-a-balance-between-cgi-and-old-school-fx>IGN


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[Caffeine_Bombed]

I second that. Films rely on CGI way too much sometimes (the rumours of an all CGI Labyrinth reboot actually made me weep). This is why I love Del Toro!

 

[Cyrromatic]

Spoken like a true jedi.

 

[Product Placement]

The sense is strong in this one.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

He is the chosen one. The one that would come to bring balance to the CGI.

May the anamatronics be with you.

 

[Arcadian Legend]

I agree with the man. There are a lot of movies nowadays that rely on CGI or overuse it. I love the thought of reusing the special effects from the original trilogy, it would be a great touch.

Captcha: DANISH ROBOT DANCERS, Um, er, wha?!

 

[Zipa]

I so hope Abrams listens to Hamil on this, a Star Wars movie in my lifetime that doesn't suck balls would be awesome.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Abrams, if you can't take the advice of Luke Skywalker regarding Star Wars' direction, you have no hope. Listen to the man. He will bring balance to the trilogies.

 

[knight steel]

But..........but.......will it have JAR JAR BINKS?
He's the best character if they don't have him the entire movie will fail!!!
If you make a Star wars movie you have to have his seal of aprroval

Spoiler: Jar jar's seal of approval

Otherwise I'm not seeing it T_T
Just look at his dynamic acting and emotion

Spoiler: Best scenes ever

He has to be apart of the new trilogy he could even be the main character ^_^

 

[Hawkeye21]

One thing we know for sure, since JJ is directing ep.VII is going to have a metric fuckton of lens flares.

 

[Dragoon]

I really hope they listen to Mark, the overly large use of CGI didn't help the prequels and it'd be silly to make the same mistake twice.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

I think it will be fine in JJ's hands, look at the first Star Trek movie he made. The cgi was good and was used well. Plus the overall acting and how he moved the camera made the film fun and interesting to watch. Where as the shots in SW1 - 3 were so slow, boring and static that you couldnt help but look at the background to much.

It should be really easy for him, just think of the millions of comments that have been left pointing out all the flaws and negative issues of the prequels. Or he could just watch the red letter media reviews. Either way i think we will get a great Star Wars film series with great characters, great actors and great cgi/fx and direction.

My CAPTURE said Phila Delphia (could this be a star wars character? ;-)

 

[Lord_Jaroh]

One thing we know for sure, since JJ is directing ep.VII is going to have a metric fuckton of lens flares.

If it turns out to be a good movie, he can use all the lens flares he wants.

I hope to god that Abrams takes Hamill's advice, but as well that Arndt writes something great that is not "nostalgia driven", but still speaks to the fans. The prequel trilogy shoved all sorts of "fanboy" moments into it that didn't really have any point to be in there, and yet the movies themselves did not feel they were part of the star wars universe. They made movies that shoved a bunch of "new stuff" into it when they could, and did not draw back to the originals when they should have. Not only that, it failed to create a coherent plot that could grab the audience.

Sigh, I just hope that Lucas selling to Disney ends with a happy ending...

 

[Goofguy]

Mark brings up a valid point, though it will be interesting to see what Disney will do with a Luke Skywalker in his early 60s.

 

[Evil Smurf]

Wise, this Jedi is.

 

[INeedAName]

"We've got to find a proper balance between CGI and old school [FX]."

"I think there's nothing wrong with CGI, but I think you have to have a balance..."

Thank you! Praise Mark Hamill for saying this (even though it should be obvious) but it just can't be stated enough! I'd recommend the creators of the new Star Wars trilogy look to the Lord of the Rings trilogy to see a perfect balance between live-action and CGI.

 

[Mr. Q]

Well said, Mark Hamill, and thank you.

If there is anything that yanks me out of a good movie experience, its massive uses of CGI in areas where practical effects can do the job. This is why I've never gotten on board with Avatar. I understand that its using cutting edge technology to render facial animations of actual actors but the movie as a whole feels like a video game instead of a movie imo. If there was ever a need for the people behind Episode VII to take advice from someone, they should definitely listen to Luke F-in' Skywalker.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

"Career"

Good one Mark.

Still, he's right, practical effects are better, just look at Christopher Nolan's work- the corridor scene in Inception and Bane crashing the plane in Rises look fantastic, although obviously for a film like Star Wars CGI is going to be a bit more in need.