A SCRIBE UNLEASHED an article by Jorge

What do you do when you discover a world populated by creative trailblazers but find yourself with little time for trailblazing of your own? If you are TV’s Frink, you create your own trail.

This Self confessed Star Wars fanatic found himself in a quandary: In a world of over 100 Star Wars fanedits, which do you watch first? Since he was not a faneditor himself but wanted to contribute to the community, he decided to create PROJECT CUTLIST.

It’s aim? to watch and catalogue every Star Wars fanedit and the changes to the films.

And contrary to everyone’s belief, including myself, this month he celebrates his 20th cutlist done.

Remixed by Jorge› Congratulations are in order and a party is in progress since you have just passed a milestone.

TV’s Frink› Thanks. Yeah, just finished my 20th Star Wars cut list. I didn’t think I’d keep going this long.

Jorge› I didn’t think you’d make it either. So lets begin at the beginning. how and when did you hear of fanedit.org?

TVF› I read a post that talked about a review of Attack of the Phantom. I think it was on Darth Mojo’s site. The review had a link to fanedit.org.

Jorge› so what was your impression of the site?

TVF› The site – I was thrilled and confused all at once. I had vaguely heard of the Phantom Edit but had no idea there was a fanedit community. And I had no idea there was a way for me to see the Phantom Edit. I spent a lot of time looking at all the Star Wars prequel edits. It took me a little time to realize there were other fanedits as well.

Jorge› so I guess we should talk about Star Wars. I have no idea how old you are. did you see the original releases or catch them on dvd?

TVF› I was four when the original came out. I don’t remember seeing any of the originals in the theater – but I watched ANH and ESB countless times on video. I think we taped it off cable in the 80’s. I did finally see the SE re-releases in the theaters.

Jorge› I saw the original releases. I saw Staw Wars by myself. I still remember there were 3 cute blonde girls sitting in front of me and they had a lot of my attention.

TVF› Tough to concentrate on Stormtroopers with girls nearby.

Jorge› yeah I remember after the film I chased them home.

TVF› Hah.

Jorge› but the film was pretty cool. Actually i bought and read the paperback of the film before the film was released. didnt understand it. anyways, so once you found fanedit.org and managed to look up after the star wars library, what else caught your attention?

TVF› Definitely the Matrix edits. Couple of batman edits, ID’s Temple of Doom, Terminator 3, your Memento. Not a lot of variety there, I have to admit

Jorge› And did you ever wanted to dip your hands into creating a fanedit?

TVF› Not in the beginning. As I’ve worked on the cutlists I’ve started to think about it once in a while, but I don’t think I have an editor’s sensibility. And the cutlists take up too much time right now

Jorge› How did the idea for the cutlist originate?

TVF› Sheer inability to decide which Prequel fanedits to download. This was back before jdownloader and I didn’t have a premium RS account, so it was a pretty good time investment to DL an edit. Of course, I had to DL in order to do the cutlist.

Jorge› And now you’re up to 20.

TVF› I just checked – November 18 was the first completed cutlist (Slumberland EP 1). So it’s been 9 months to do 20. Roughly 2 per month.

Jorge› so takes us through the process. how did you do the first one and how has it changed to today?

TVF› The original idea was more selfish, I have to admit. I simply watched Phantom Menace from start to finish and noted everything I would want to see cut out of the movie. The plan was to then watch a fanedit and mark down which items were cut. It was pretty rough, and hard to read if you didn’t know my shorthand.

Jorge› It really was only useful to yourself.

TVF› Right! It was with your encouragement that I decided to expand the scope of the project. So I figured, the only way to really describe exactly what was cut, was to create a script.

Jorge› Create a script? couldn’t you download one?

TVF› Not really. I found a half-decent version of the script on IMSDb. I then watched Phantom Menace again, stopping every few seconds to “fix” the script, to better reflect what was on the screen. It took roughly an hour to fix about 5 minutes of film. So maybe 25 hours of work to produce the script. After that I watched the movie again while reading the script, looking for and fixing mistakes.

Jorge› I’m tired already.

TVF› From then on it’s just a matter of watching the fanedits while reading the script, pausing whenever necessary to mark in the script if something had been changed. It takes about an hour to do about 15 minutes of film. Action scenes take much longer than dialogue.

Jorge› This was for THE PHANTOM MENACE?

TVF› Yes. After a few cutlist scripts were done, I took on the AOTC script. If you read the three base scripts, you can see I got more descriptive as the process went on. And now I find the EP 3 cutlists the easiest to do, since the script is in the best shape of the three.

Jorge› but I was wondering about the process before. Like do you work on them the same day of the week? at the same time?

TVF› Oh, I see…

Jorge› do you wear your Star Wars jammies? do you have a fav snack or drink? is it at your fav chair with surround sound set up? paint me a picture.

TVF› I do the work on the computer. Film on one half of the screen, word file on the other half. And headphones only for sound, so as not to disturb the wife or wake the daughter. One reason I don’t put too much about sound in the cutlists. As for when I do the work. I have a full-time job, so there isn’t much time during the week. Maybe an hour of time after dinner a couple nights during the week. I then try and squeeze in several hours over the weekend. If I have a lot of free time on the weekend I can finish a cutlist in the one weekend. Almost never happens.

Jorge› I guess I should have painted you my picture first. I imagined you going into your screening room in the basement where your R2D2 video projector would project images onto your screen while you drink coca-cola out of a Darth Vader mug and you’re wearing your yoda jammies. I guess the reality is much more challenging.

TVF› I think your picture sounds much more fun. I would probably have Chewbacca jammies, though.

Jorge› And in between Star Wars cutlist you jumped into another universe. the Matrix.

TVF› oh no. I have to apologize to anyone who is interested in that one. I don’t think it’s going to happen.

Jorge› oh? i thought you already started?

TVF› i actually got through the first half hour of the reloaded script, but i’m getting burned out working on the cutlists is kind of fun still but building the script is murder.

Jorge› so no matrix? there is no spoon?

TVF› Ha! Which pill should I take?

Jorge› Still, your Star Wars cutlist project should certainly allow you a place at the table.

As Gaff said at the end of Blade Runner “you’ve done a man’s job sir!”

TVF› I appreciate that. I feel like an honorary faneditor, without doing the actual work.

Jorge› Well then as an “honorary faneditor” I cannot help but make you part of a tradition started with spence on my podcast show…

TVF› Uh-oh…

Jorge› I don’t know if you’re familar with a tv show called the “Inside The Actor’s Studio”?

TVF› Yep..

Jorge› In it the host asks his guest 10 questions based on The Proust Questionnaire about one’s personality. and right now I am going to ask you those same questions.

TVF› got it

Jorge› ready?

TVF› yep

Jorge› 1. What is your favorite word?

TVF› cheese

Jorge› 2. What is your least favorite word?

TVF› grumpy

Jorge› 3. What turns you on?

TVF› cheese?

Jorge› 4. What turns you off?

TVF› lack of cheese

Jorge› 5. What sound do you love?

TVF› rear speaker sound

Jorge› 6. What sound do you hate?

TVF› alarm clock

Jorge› 7. What is your favorite curse word?

TVF› belgium

Jorge› 8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

TVF› fantasy sports writer

Jorge› 9. What profession would you not like to do?

TVF› President

Jorge› 10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

TVF› You smell like flowers

Jorge› TVF it had been a pleasure chatting with you.

TVF› Thanks Jorge! I had a blast.

Want to see exactly what was changed in a Star Wars Prequel fanedit? Check out detailed scripts at TVF’s Star Wars Prequel Cutlist Project:

faneditforum link (registration required)

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