Star Wars Episode III: Behind the Scenes Webcam

securitas writes "Soon Star Wars behind-the-scenes webcam goes live when shooting for Episode III begins in Australia. 'The webcam will be moved every day, shooting live for 12 hours and then replaying in a loop while the cast is sleeping.' Of course it's only free until next week when you will have to join StarWars.com's newly relaunched site to view the cam as part of a package of services that includes online chats, outtakes and deleted scenes." I'm not sure if it's worth $20, but it's worth something....

Comments

Could you figure out the plot?

[192939495969798999]

It could be worth a lot for the webcam if some really dedicated viewer is able to piece together the plot, or other spoiling elements. Although you could just wait for the DVD, which will probably have all the thousands of hours of webcam footage included.

Re:Could you figure out the plot?

[Eric Ass Raymond]

That's unlikely since even the actors had hard time understanding the plot in Eps. I and II. Why? Because of the excessive use of blue/green/whatever screens during filming.

Good Riddance

[AttillaTheNun]

As a fan since I saw A New Hope at the drive-in as a 6yr old, I have to say I'm disappointed at how George finds new lows in which to sink. Instead of embracing his incredibly huge and devoted fanbase, he has decided to milk it for all he can (once again). The Wachowski Bros. and Peter Jackson have left this sorry franchise in the dust anyhow (I haven't gone back to the special features disc from AOTC since I watched the 4-disc LOTR set and witnessed a cast and crew that was incredibly devoted to telling a compelling story first and using all the effects at their disposal to bring it to life). AOTC was a lame, convoluted story with wooden acting and nothing but effects that will simply not last the test of time. The original trilogy, even with it's relativley immature effects and puppets still outlasts the prequels, which will be mostly forgotten except for the most desparate fans (who will likely be paying for this site for years to come in hopes of yet another useless tidbit on how 99.9999% of the movie was digital.

I Love The Haters

[blinder]

First off, anyone who pays attention (and I do NOT expect that here on /.) knows that I am NOT a "fanboy" as I was around when EP IV was released (the first time).

But I must say, whenever there is a story on /. about SW, all of the George Lucas haters just crawl out of the woodwork to expose the depths of their naked jelousy and dreadful envy in the most disgusting and pathetic manner: by hauling personal attacks on George Lucas.

Its truly pathetic. You are truly pathetic. George Lucas, in my estimation, is a genious. He has managed to pull bits and pieces of mythology and form it into a cohesive and compelling universe that has enchanted millions for nearly 30 years! Lets see any of you do that, you little twerps.

I loved EP I, can't get enough of EP II (I probably watch the DVD once or twice a month, including the bonus footage, I can't get enough of Ben Burt's documentary) and I am eagerly waiting for EP III, and I will, with a big huge smile on my face, happily pay for the new SW site. Why many of you cry? Because there is real value for me, because I can see the joy, creativity and genious behind this franchise, instead of just being consumed by jelousy and envy.

If you *hate* George Lucas so much, why do you spend so much time expressing that hatred? I was tempted to just let this topic go, follow my own advice and ignore the comments in this topic, but when I see some people calling GL names and conducting personal attacks... it sickened me. You people make me sick.

I understand *legitimate* criticism of work, especially in creative works, and I have some of my own regarding Star Wars, but what I have been reading here reads more like hate and not thoughtful criticism.

Re:I Love The Haters

[greenhide]

I'd also point out that true fans were hugely mistreated when the "Special Edition" versions of the original episodes came out.

They kept on saying, "You've seen these movies on a dinky TV for years! Now you get to see it full screen, as it was intended!"

And yeah, most of each movie were great. But then Lucas had to stick his big greasy fingers into our childhood memories. Most of these movies we knew by heart. And although the special editions weren't profoundly different, they *were* different in many ways. It might be as simple as removing the cute scene on Dagobah where R2 barfs out a slew of water and fish, or as extreme as turning the Xarlac into something out of Little Shop of Horrors. And yeah, some people complain about Greedo shooting first, but come on! That didn't really have any effect on the overall movie, oh -- except for the fact that now Han loses his whole outlaw persona.

The point is, it's clear that the one thing that saved Star Wars (and yes, it was Star Wars when it started out, not New Hope) was the simplicity and limitations on Lucas' special effects. Sometimes a tight budget makes a movie better -- just look at the Godfather, which barely was made, and where Coppola nearly was fired.

Green screen

[Junior J. Junior III]

Since 99% of the new Star Wars movies are digital animation anyway, won't the cam just show you a few actors in costumes standing in front of a green screen? Seems kinda pointless...

Re:Spend Your Money You Will, Yes.

[greenhide]

Shouldn't that be "Path to the dark side, greed is"

No.

Yoda didn't invert *all* of his sentences, which is something the script writers in I and II should have noticed. The lines in those episodes sound as if someone wrote a bunch of bland sentences and inverted them. His lines in Empire and Return of the Jedi, OTOH, reflected genuinely the concept of a character who is approaching English (or whatever their "common tongue" really is -- linguistics is rarely addressed in the Star Wars saga) as a second language.

This is pretty much the only Yoda quote in the movies that sounds authentic, probably because it was not artificial constructed:

"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to blah blah blah [Yeah, I could look up the exact quote, but bored am I]"

So the original quote is correct. Compare it to this monster (in Episode II):
"Threatened the very Republic is, if involved the Sith are."

No no no no no no no! Horrible, horrible! If I were Lucas at this point, this is what would have happened:

Screenwriter: Ah! My Lord Lucas! I have written the Yoda dialogue and I feel that -- gurk gurk gurk --

Lucas: You have failed me for the last time.

And then...

Lucas: Ah! My dear Star Wars fan! I am near complete in issuing the original episode on DVD, special edition of course, and very soon -- ack ack ack

Fan: You have failed us for the last time, Lucas. Director Smith!

Kevin: Yes my lord.

Fan: Make ready to release all three initial episodes on DVD. In their original format. Greedo must not shoot first.

Kevin: Thank you, Star Wars fan.