Dark Knight batpod sequence re-edit

#1

Hi all, not sure whether this is the place to pot this, but seeing that I a budding filmmaker any feedback and ratings on the following link would be kool was just a personal project:

Like most people I loved The Dark Knight, but felt that the batpod sequence could have been a bit longer with batman doing more of his ‘thing’ and showing the audience that he really knows his city.
Especially because the joker has batman at every turn, batman really needed his moment in such a dark movie. Anyway I got the idea whilst listening to the ‘Like A Dog Chasing Cars’ track on the soundtrack so I re-cut the squence with this track and added previz (low quality 3D) for the sequences I didn’t have. More of a personal thing really, just to see if what was in my head would actually cut together well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvZE-0VStQ0

Arvind!

#2

It flowed pretty well for me. I didn’t have any difficulty following the new action. I don’t think you should have Batman stop at the top of that slope in the mall, though. That scene has a quick, even pace, and it makes a point of Batman just blasting through every barrier without even slowing down. If there were some reason to stop, like he’s up high looking at how the truck is moving so that he can time his approach properly, it might work. Just pausing for a hero shot, though, pulled me out of the action.

That said, a scene almost never needs to be longer. I think if that sequence had been much longer than it was in the theater, I’d have started getting bored and eager for the next part to begin. The Dark Knight was just about the perfect length overall, and I never found myself wishing it would just get on with it.

If you want to really practice your editing, try recutting some scenes from The Matrix Reloaded to make them shorter. Pretty much every single scene in that movie was too long, and cutting it down would be a very good exercise in editing.

#3

Hi Midgardsormr

Thx for the comments, very helpful. Just a couple of notes. I wasn’t trying to create a hero shot for batman on top of the stairs, the stairs were the obstacle and he was hitting the brakes on his batpod to not flyoff off the top into the low ceiling, granted the previz probably isn’t very clear here, but I felt it would have worked fine if I had the real kit to film with.
I agree with you on the TDK being the perfect length, however in such a dark film batman definetly needed his moment to shine as he ever really gets one, and also Nolan built this character up so well in Batman Begins it kinda felt like he was left by the wayside.
My cut only extends the sequence by about 2-3mins this would have been exceptable extension to the overall length of the film and would have achieved what I was talking about with the Batman character.

Anyways I’m am currently working on my next short which I will post up here for feedback soon

Thx

Arvind!

#4

I was expecting to roll my eyes, but I like how you incorporated pre-vis style graphics. The action flowed well, especially the part where he cuts accross the train track, and when he takes off the guy’s side mirror. Reminded me of watching that Wolverine workprint. Pretty impressive.

#5

Nice job! I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of that sequence in the movie either. You did a good job with this.

#6

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I tried. Honest, I did. But I couldn’t make it through that sequence far enough to even arrive at the first of your revisions. I didn’t bother to watch The Dark Knight, and the first three minutes of the clip just served to reinforce why I didn’t.

The fundamental problem with this entire sequence is that “it’s a computer-graphics extravaganza,” and nothing more. Police-officers and various other “human accouterments” exist-and-die (“buh bye!”…) for no more lifespan or justification than did any “red-shirted security officer” in the original (Desilu Studios sit-com…) Star Trek. Insipid lines like “they’d need a lot more firepower than this,” literally exist … and in spite of the obvious fact that bullets have already penetrated the enclosure … only as an unnecessary preamble to the fact that the Joker is about to unleash a bazooka.

Yawn.

Puh-leeuze…

Oh, I hope that I have not just farted at your High Mass, and if I did so please ignore me. Like I said, I never even made it far enough to reach your first edit. Glad you enjoyed the movie . . .

. . . glad I missed it.

#7

Uh, if you knew anything about the movie, most of that is either real or scale model effects, very little CGI was used. In addition, the bullets were not penetrating, but if you look they were making dents not blowing holes in the side. There are some groaners of dialogue in that movie, but it’s far and beyond any of the other super hero movies out there, and a lot of regular movies as well. I found it thoroughly enjoyable.

#8

Oh, I know. I guess it just didn’t click for me. Maybe it just takes popcorn-n-beer. :bounce:

#9

In the car chase sequence as presented in the theatrical release of the film there are approximately 25 shots making significant use of hero CG of which 18 are used in the youtube re-edit (it omits the chopper crash). There are two miniature shots. In total there are around 50 VFX shots in the car chase of various types. The rest is for real - ie, it happened in front of the camera in real time.

#10

Thanks alot for the comments guys, realy nice to get feedback!
I work at a Soho based VFX company and knocked TDK re-edit up in my own time…I’m an avid fillmaker so watch this space for my next short film!

Really glad u enjoyed it!

Thx

Arvind!

#11

By the way Paul (DNeg) did you work with a chap called Scott Cooper at DNeg, he’s now working with me at Cinesite, we were at university together!
Small World!

Arvind!

#12

Yes, Scott was on the Dneg TDK team. Say hello to him for me!

p

#13

Will do!
:slight_smile:

Arvind!

#14

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