Filmmaking Deep Dive: Action Filmmaking in Star Wars
Added 2023-01-11 16:00:05 +0000 UTCI really love Star Wars, but I don't often like Star Wars. Look, people are complicated.
Something really bugged me about the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series, and I thought it was worth examining with you all. The action, in STAR WARS was boring and often poorly put together. So I decided to compare bad action in good Star Wars (I mostly liked the show) to good action in bad Star Wars (I have strong opinions about the prequels).
This is a new format of video for us, so let us know what you think in the comments. More film essays? More hands-on stuff (that's coming in my next one.) Theoretical? Practical?
Anyway, it's an exciting new world of Patreon Content™. Glad you all get to be part of the experiment!
Comments
The Star Wars theme played with kazoos is what I was missing in my life. Thanks Allen
I Killed Earl
2023-02-03 04:33:02 +0000 UTCThank you for this, Alan. What you said explains why some movie scenes fall short for me. Before I couldn’t understand why. Continuity is something I think that gets me a lot. Sometimes the way it is cut the scenes don’t seem to line up. Sometimes it is small things like object or person placement. But at other times it will be things like injuries, or when something looks absolutely destroyed in one scene, but in the next it seems to be in better shape.
Hannah Rose 🥀
2023-01-14 03:08:26 +0000 UTCI really enjoyed your insider perspective. Filmmaking is complex, and it's good to understand it a thin slice at a time. I look forward to more!
Richard Cunningham
2023-01-13 04:09:17 +0000 UTCThat outro … Star Dialogues with the kazoo-esque music … *chef’s kiss* Perfection. You rock Alan, so hard. Thank you all for everything you do! 🎥💚
Elizabeth McDowell
2023-01-12 18:21:57 +0000 UTCThankfully I just watched your video on firefly. So I know how to get along with and hear ideas from people I disagree with! ;) Jk. Although I am a prequel fan I absolutely agree with you about the action sequences being weak. I also found them to be jarring and frustrating to watch. Part of that might have been because were...really DARK? I felt that was a big part of what made it difficult to follow. Maybe they were trying to cover up their use of the volume, I don’t know, but all the closeups and the dark settings made it difficult to enjoy the choreography for me. These videos are great, more please! Edit: My KNB disappointment actually mirrored my feelings from EP2 when it appeared Anakin was about to duel wielded against Dooku but instead the camera just zoomed in on them both like they were making an 80s music video light-show... 😑
Hannah Vaughn
2023-01-12 11:16:05 +0000 UTCI like Star Wars... kind of.
taylor garrett
2023-01-12 06:12:48 +0000 UTCThis was super interesting! I enjoyed the show for the most part but couldn't put my finger on why the action sequences felt underwhelming, so it was great to get this perspective.
Sarah H.
2023-01-12 03:00:46 +0000 UTCYes yes yes yes yes! More of these please!!
Johnny
2023-01-11 22:27:28 +0000 UTCgreat points Alan!! Totally agree with you that the "prequels" were total garbage (storyline wise, though some good action scenes). I'm wondering if you have every seen the YouTube videos by Belated Media titled "If Star Wars Episode 1, 2, 3 were good"? If not, I would love it if you watched them and then from a film maker perspective give your opinion if what is in those videos would indeed have made the prequels better.
Cecilia Harrington
2023-01-11 21:43:57 +0000 UTCI'm with you on this. The SWU has had storytelling continuity issues almost from the beginning, and it's had a whole host of other problems along the way, but the action sequences were always solid. Except here. Some of the sequences were downright visually confusing. I had a few storytelling continuity gripes with the series, as well. Buuuut...Ewan McGregor. And chibi Leia. I've long felt that the SWU needed three people/committees overseeing everything: one to shepherd story continuity; one to point at things and say, "That doesn't make sense;" and one to stand over everyone with a wooden ruler and smack them when they make stupid decisions. George Lucas: "So hear me out - midichlorians!" Ruler lady, smacking his hand: "NO George! That's a bad George!" But maybe that's just me. Also, it's great to hear actually logic-based criticism like this. I'm team "give us more of these videos."
LB Clark
2023-01-11 16:46:16 +0000 UTCI have a bias on the phantom menace being my all time fav. Its the only one my parents let us watch anytime. So its the one I know know the best. I love all the movies. You do make some really good points.
Morgyn Olson
2023-01-11 16:30:57 +0000 UTC
![Murasaki [ムラサキ]](https://samsuka.com/istorage/44954.jpg)
