Yoda's Animation Woes

[darth_mcbain]

From IMDB



A virtual rebellion broke out among the computer animators working on Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones over the climactic scene in the movie in which Yoda engages in a light-saber duel with Count Dooku, according to Entertainment Weekly. Animation director Rob Coleman told the magazine that he found himself waking up in the middle of the night, imagining how he would be "dragged through the mud" by critics who would say, "The guy who did Jar Jar has now f***ed up Yoda. Burn him!" The magazine said that some animators even created alternate stagings. But Coleman relates that Lucas told him, "You don't understand, the fans WANT this. ... They want to see Yoda throw it down." Coleman says that the animators wound up creating the scene, grudgingly. "They thought we were ruining the movie." (It eventually turned out to be its most-talked-about scene).


Interesting - I would have thought they'd have been totally stoked to create a scene like this.

[Jedieb]

Makes you think they were a bit gun shy after what happened with Jar Jar. They spent over $20 on Jar Jar alone and the results were mixed, and that's being kind. But Yoda has been the highlight of the movie for many. They definitely pulled it off in my opinion.

[Sanis Prent]

I'm in utter awe of the CG Yoda. Wonderful!

[darth_mcbain]

They did an incredible job with him. It was totally seamless IMHO.

[ReaperFett]

They spent over $20 on Jar Jar alone
Could have got a McDonalds ;)




I do understand his point. We know Yoda as this slow, limping person, and then suddenly he is leaping round like a psychopath? It would be SO easy to screw that up. Luckily for me, they didn't

[JMK]

Me neither, I thought they did it rather well.

[ReaperFett]

The only complaints Ive ever heard were it makes the walking stick look pointless, and it was too fast. SO no matter what, the actual CGI was great. Coleman deserved to have a falling council member named after him :)

[JMK]

I remember when I first heard that Yoda was going to fight, and I was SO against it. I didn't want to see him "flipping like a ninja turtle on speed" is what I remember saying. Well, that's exactly what they did to him, but I have to say that it all looks good. Truth be told, I'd still rather have seen him beat Dooku with the force only, as I see Yoda as "above" hand to hand combat, but I'm satisfied.

[ReaperFett]

I always envisoned him using the force to float his Lightsabre :)

[darth_mcbain]

Originally posted by JMK
I see Yoda as "above" hand to hand combat, but I'm satisfied.

I do too. I loved how they staged it - Yoda made no move to attack Dooku. He simply sounded so disappointed when he said "Count Dooku". Kind of like that tone of voice your parents take when they are really disappointed in you. It was Dooku who attacked Yoda first, and at first Yoda was just deflecting the attacks defensively, and only when it was clear that it would come to blows did Yoda resort to his lightsaber...

And Reap, I thought the same at first, that Yoda would float his saber with the Force and fight that way.

[ReaperFett]

problem was, thats done in Hot SHots and Bugs Bunny cartoons :)

[Ilyn Pyke]

The CGI's for the most part in the movie were marvelous with the exception of Jar-Jar and the Jedi striding across the hall of the Temple Archives. However Yoda is one of the most covincing CGI creations I have ever seen on bigscreen. Bravo GL!

And I have to say the dueling style of Yoda is astonishing and exciting. I thought he was going to depend on the Force personally with very little use of his lightsaber.

[Darth_Ytnom]

Jar Jar's animation was impecable, thats not the issue, the issue was his personality and annoying voice. Yoda also amazing, ILM is the greatest!!!

[darth_mcbain]

Given the success of the animated Yoda, do you think that if he returns in Ep. III he will be animated or a puppet? The real reason for his animation in Ep. II was because there was no way they could have had him fight as a puppet. If he is in Ep. III, and he doesn't have any action sequences, do you still think they'll animate him?

[JMK]

I think they will. Lucas seems hell bent on making everything he can CG! :)

[Jedieb]

I think he's CGI the rest of the way. Now that they've done him once they have a ton CGI Yoda material to work with. So he'll be that much easier to animate than to go back to a puppet for EP3.

[ReaperFett]

I think he's CGI the rest of the way
All the crew will act like Lucas is on set, and they add him to any behind the schenes footage later? :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

:lol