Northern Lights

Deleted Scenes Added

Posted by Energy on 2012-10-26 16:59

Just a quick one; if you've been really keeping an eye you'd notice the site is being updated as we speak. Keep an eye on the deleted scenes section, lots of new material is being added (and lots already is!).

Deleted scenes section open

Posted by Energy on 2011-09-12 15:23

I've started filling up the deleted scenes section. There's a lot to be put in there, so it will continue to grow over the next few weeks. Feel free to take a look and let me know what you think, there are images, and videos linked so you can see what remains of each scene.

There are two final restored scenes coming very soon too!

Site updates

Posted by Energy on 2011-06-16 15:07

The site is going through quite a few updates. I've started work on the media section, let me know what you think and if you have any technical issues. The plan is to finally get this site fully of the ground over the next couple of weeks. Lots of information to put up, video, audio and images too...

The Ending (and original script)

Posted by Energy on 2011-04-21 11:19

For those who do not frequent the forums that I've been posting on might now know that my ending did get released.. a bit later than planned, but it's out. Click below, then come back here...

Watch it now

Hope you liked that? Obviously some rare new clips in there, including Lyra's breath-taking walk into Cittigazze, and that clip of the fight between Stelmeria and Roger's deamon is pretty cool too. Let me know what you think and post a comment on the video.

I'm in the process of recording an audio commentary to go along with the video if people are interested.

On another note, it looks like the guys at HisDarkMaterials.org have managed to get hold of what is possibly the first draft from Chris Weitz, check the script out here. It's an interesting read - I'll be doing something on this soon.

Anyway I'm going to try and update this website a bit more now that life has settled a bit. Tomorrow I plan on writing a small piece on the ending video I made. Until then...

Little delay, and a pic

Posted by Energy on 2010-12-24 21:59

Just an update - Christmas has slowed Harmony and myself down, and annoyed as I am, I'm going to push the launch back to 31st December. I've had to delay the release of the video for a few reasons. I've got one shot that I'm having to rotoscope each and every frame (basically redraw parts of the frame) and it's taking longer than planned. Harmony needs a few more days to finish up improving the scans of the low-res images and has had tech issues. Finally I want to polish the audio a bit more, as there are a few glitches... so a bit of a delay, but as a sorry a little treat...

Matte Painting for the ending sequence


See you on the 31st!

Preview of new ending clip #2

Posted by Energy on 2010-11-10 14:59

I just found some new shots that really just made my hair stand on end. This is what keeps holding me back from putting up a new video - in the past 24 hours I've found 3 clips that would add a lot to the movie. All 3 are only short... and 2 involve the ending. One of them is iconic.

To some degree I want to upload them all now, but for now I'll tease with this image of one of the shots. Stelmeria attacking Roger's deamon Salcilia.



I've almost run out of research resources - once done a final edit will be unvieled. Keep an eye out Christmas time.

Final video preview

Posted by Energy on 2010-10-28 15:30

Not a big update, just a couple of stills to show as a preview of the upcoming final version of my ending video. These are not final versions as someone is currently working some magic on them to make them look better, but even still they're some great shots.

The fanedit

Posted by Energy on 2010-10-27 16:21

In my spare time I've been planning a fanedit of the film, titled 'Northern Lights' - I've made rough versions of this but I'm currently working on a version that is technically a lot better and a better viewing experience. I'm going to list a few changes for how my edit is different. I'm not going to list all my sources for footage yet - but I will be soon, along with screen shots of my edit.


So here is a quick overview of the edits that I have and plan to incorperate:

• A quote from paradise lost at the beginning (like the books)
  
• A new introduction to the movie, some of this will be storyboards mixed with footage
  
• Lord Asriel's speach in the retiring room is slightly extended
  
• Mrs Coultler and Lyra talking in the dinning room is slightly extended
  
• The Master does not refrence the Golden Compass
  
• The Master gets captured by the Magestrium
  
• A few extra shots of Lyra in London
  
• Lord Asriel being captured in the north is extended and edited
  
• A few extra shots inside the Magesterium
  
• Some extra audio has been added with pan seeing Iorek
  
• When Lyra is captured and taken by the Sameyods she's taken to Bolvangar instead of the Bears
  
• New shots have been added inside Bolvangar
  
• Mrs Coultler discussing Lord Asriel has been edited
  
• Lyra escaping Bolvangar has been extended
  
• There's an added scene of Sereffina and Lee Scorsby talking in the balloon
  
• Lyra falls out the balloon and is captured by Bears, and is taken to the Ice palace
  
• After the bear fight, a version of the ending is shown using clips from the film, preproduction work, and much more...
  

There are loads more scenes that I haven't been able to edit back in to the film, but these will be listed here in due course. I hope to put up soon a more complete version of the ending, but till then...

Introduction

Posted by Energy on 2010-10-27 15:53

In 1995 author Phillip Pullman released a book called Northern Lights, it went on to win multiple awards and became the first part in an epic triliogy. In late 2007 a movie was produced under the american title of the book called, The Golden Compass.

The film that was released in cinemas had been stripped of many of the core features of the book. After waiting for so long to get the movie version of their story the fans agreed that the movie had been a dissapointment. This was unlikely to be the first part of any triliogy, let alone one that could be entitled with the word 'epic'.

What was strange though, was that fans liked scenes in the films, things were filmed well and the characters almost worked but everything felt rushed and unfinished. Even the choice of taking the obvious steampunk world and giving it a more futuristic feel could be forgiven - however there were some cuts that were too harsh for even the fans to bare. Removing the ending and replacing it with an over the top mushy one, removing nearly all the religious imagery, reordering the film, removing any scene that didn't 'push' the main plot along, all and more played part in fans unlike of the full movie.

Had this been the director Chris Weitz fault? - you would think that the man in charge would be the one responsible - not so in the case. A large amount of the blame seems like it can be laid down at the feet of 'the people with the money' at New Line. 3 months before the movie's release it went through a huge transformation. The idea of this site is to try and turn the clock back to before that.

I've been researching the movie on and off for the past few years and have managed to resurect lost scenes and find out a whole wealth of information about the version of the film that never was and may never be. This site is going to be a place where I can put my findings (with sources) and have a scene by scene reordering of the film. This site is going to grow...