Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
So, in a universe where a giant Dreadnought can just hover in the clouds, and spaceships have artificial gravity, the poor transport ships have to use thrusters/propellants. But that's OK. Zach is going to make transport ships the new TIE fighters.
So, let's go to timestamp remaining 2:04:11. The farmers are debating what to do with the galactic empire and a farmboy comes in running "they're coming!" and we hear a rumble from the ships.
So, let's cinematically establish the arrival of the empire officers in their totally cool transport ships...
2:04:07 Overhead shot of the shadow of the transports racing along the ground. Camera at the bottom of a ship looking down.2:03:58 Camera lags back and lets the lead ship pass it. It looks up to see the ship skimming along the land. Thrusters firing kicking up clouds of sand. Wait a sec... why didn't we see clouds of sand when looking straight down? The thruster wash comes and goes without regard of height from the ground.2:03:56 A "rousing choral anthem plays" (according to the CC). Total coolness!2:03:48 A shot of "Father" looking up at the incoming ships2:03:44 The lead ship is about to land next to the village. Thrusters straight down and descending. Throws up a *HUGE* amount of wash in a sand storm from up high, which didn't happen earlier when skimming the surface much lower.2:03:40 Cora watching the ship descend. Apparently, she can keep her eyes open while being blasted with the sand cloud.2:03:38 Camera on the ground looking up at the descending ships past the villagers are all shielding their eye from the thruster wash and sand.2:03:36 Shot at eye level of the nice girl (the one who will be part of the attempted rape.. no, not that one... the *first* attempted rape of the movie). She's shielding herself from the wash in a thick sand cloud.2:03:34 Say, what's happening with the farmer who sold grain to the rebels? Oh yeah, let's get shot of him shielding his eyes from the stand storm.2:03:32 New shot... camera looking down on "Father" and the villagers on the bridge all shielding their eyes from the wash.2:03:30 Eye level shot of the three ships slowly descending. Did I mention their thrusters are sending up a bit of sand in their wash?2:03:28 Ground level shot of some villager's feet in a cloud of sand. Riveting.2:03:26 Eye level shot of one of the ship's landing legs extending and touching down amidst the continuing sand wash.2:03:23 Ground level close-up shot of that landing leg's foot-pad firmly touching down in the sand. This is where I just burst out laughing. That close up of the foot pad "establishing" that the ship is landing is so... unnecessary.2:03:19 Back to "Father" and villagers holding up their arms to block the sand wash.2:03:16 Eye level shot of one of the ships that has touched down, and another, closer ship also now touching down. Lots of wash, even coming at the camera!! Ramps coming down for the occupants to walk out.2:03:05 Close up view of the feet of an officer starting to go down a ramp. Slo-mo! Pulls back to reveal the main protagonist.2:02:57 Close up of "Father" looking back at his people seeming to say "do you all see them walking in slo-mo, too?" Surprisingly, no more cloud of sand and dust around him. It all moved to the background to bother the extras.2:02:49 The Protagonist walks over the bridge toward "Father." The air is crystal clear.
So, that 1 minute 20 seconds to establish the transport ships are arriving and it's occupants get out. And also establish just how much wash their thrusters create. I'm sure that will be a major plot point in Part 2.
And all done in 15 shots! For three ships to land.
What will the forthcoming director's cut add to this?