Comments on: Syncing lips with Madonna and the Minimoys http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/ Milo Wakelin showers you with film-related detritus... Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:02:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: milo http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-293 milo Tue, 11 Sep 2007 07:06:56 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-293 Thanks for that Javier! I'd be interested to see the sequels... I do hope they keep the quality of the animation as high as in the original. Thanks for that Javier!

I’d be interested to see the sequels… I do hope they keep the quality of the animation as high as in the original.

]]> By: Javier Delgado http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-239 Javier Delgado Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:31:01 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-239 Well.. since internationally we see the movie dubbed to other languages, the english dubbing became unimportant... Since i an not an native english speaker, i did not notice problem in the english version with the dubing until i began to read about it. Probalby we have become so used to dubign that we do not care much about those problems. I guess the real problem was trying to cut the love story of Arthur and Selenia. I have nto seen the US cut, but from other people i have been writong, it seems that even withuth the main scenes cut, it is obvious somehthing is going on, so if feels unconfortably.. I found an early interview with Besson, when he was asked if he did not find strage to voice a ten years old witha 48 years old maddona.. He comented that Maddona had made a young voice, and that he expected that 10 years old kids would not konw who was her... Unfortunately, seems Besson forgot that there also were adults who were going to took decitions on this film... and they were not happy about Maddona in a movie for children. I considered mysel an animator, and have became fan of this film, there is so much to admires (and some things that also are plain wrong..) But for this film Besson create an infraestructure for CG films in France that did not exixted before. Almost all the animators (more than 100) we new han had no expereice, so they create something very diferent, that may be good. Already the two sequeals are in the making, so we have to wait and see... Also.. I put in youtube some of the deleted scenes . I am not shure if there are all, since they amount probalby to a 4 minutes, and 8 minutes were cut. Probalby the other cuts were fragments of dialoges. just search in youtube "minimoy deleted" thanks Well.. since internationally we see the movie dubbed to other languages, the english dubbing became unimportant… Since i an not an native english speaker, i did not notice problem in the english version with the dubing until i began to read about it. Probalby we have become so used to dubign that we do not care much about those problems.

I guess the real problem was trying to cut the love story of Arthur and Selenia. I have nto seen the US cut, but from other people i have been writong, it seems that even withuth the main scenes cut, it is obvious somehthing is going on, so if feels unconfortably..

I found an early interview with Besson, when he was asked if he did not find strage to voice a ten years old witha 48 years old maddona..

He comented that Maddona had made a young voice, and that he expected that 10 years old kids would not konw who was her…

Unfortunately, seems Besson forgot that there also were adults who were going to took decitions on this film… and they were not happy about Maddona in a movie for children.

I considered mysel an animator, and have became fan of this film, there is so much to admires (and some things that also are plain wrong..)
But for this film Besson create an infraestructure for CG films in France that did not exixted before. Almost all the animators (more than 100) we new han had no expereice, so they create something very diferent, that may be good. Already the two sequeals are in the making, so we have to wait and see…

Also.. I put in youtube some of the deleted scenes . I am not shure if there are all, since they amount probalby to a 4 minutes, and 8 minutes were cut. Probalby the other cuts were fragments of dialoges.

just search in youtube “minimoy deleted”

thanks

]]> By: milo http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-146 milo Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:09:13 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-146 You know, you are right! the lip animation had been driving me crazy - it did look as if some characters were speaking in English, and some in French. It made the film even more confusing! I guessed the actors playing the tribesmen were French... it just seemed a bit strange to cast French extras when all the live action scenes were otherwise filmed in English! All in all, I feel the film did have a great deal of international appeal, but I think that with the dubbing, the inconsistent lip syncing and the cuts, they mishandled the English release. You know, you are right! the lip animation had been driving me crazy - it did look as if some characters were speaking in English, and some in French. It made the film even more confusing!

I guessed the actors playing the tribesmen were French… it just seemed a bit strange to cast French extras when all the live action scenes were otherwise filmed in English!

All in all, I feel the film did have a great deal of international appeal, but I think that with the dubbing, the inconsistent lip syncing and the cuts, they mishandled the English release.

]]> By: Javier Delgado http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-141 Javier Delgado Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:07:52 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-141 Hello again.. I just find some interesting info about the film... I tough the original voices were french, but the voices of MAddonna and the otheres were record, and the lyps were animated following the voice. Unfortunatelly, the animators were french (and most of them working for the first time) and could not cope witth the english phonemes. So. the problem is that the characters are speaking english with french accents :) when they realized the problem, they decided to put a camera focusing the lyps of maddona, and Bowie. So the fared better that the other characters. ohh.. also the tribesmen were french. After all it was filmed in France, and most of the extras were french. Hello again..

I just find some interesting info about the film…

I tough the original voices were french, but the voices of MAddonna and the otheres were record, and the lyps were animated following the voice.

Unfortunatelly, the animators were french (and most of them working for the first time) and could not cope witth the english phonemes. So. the problem is that the characters are speaking english with french accents :)

when they realized the problem, they decided to put a camera focusing the lyps of maddona, and Bowie. So the fared better that the other characters.

ohh.. also the tribesmen were french. After all it was filmed in France, and most of the extras were french.

]]> By: Javier Delgado http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-90 Javier Delgado Mon, 30 Jul 2007 03:07:46 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-90 If you look at any of the international releases (latinamerican, spanish, italian, protuguesse, japanese), the are all uncut.. and still have the full english track... So If people order any of these and not the us release, they will get the full movie. It seems only the US (or the english) editino is cut. Also the international edition have a beautifull making off documental.. If you look at any of the international releases (latinamerican, spanish, italian, protuguesse, japanese), the are all uncut.. and still have the full english track… So If people order any of these and not the us release, they will get the full movie.

It seems only the US (or the english) editino is cut.

Also the international edition have a beautifull making off documental..

]]> By: milo http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-70 milo Tue, 17 Jul 2007 19:58:41 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-70 I agree about the animation - I think a lot of care and effort went into the film, and I think a rushed - or at least insensitive - release into the English-language markets killed it. Apparently Luc Besson was hopping mad at Miramax. For the DVD release, I really wish they had bothered to include the uncut version of the film (showing the Madonna / Freddie Highmore romance) and the option of different language tracks. That said, I think fans of animation would still do well to check it out. It's imaginative, fun, and different. I agree about the animation - I think a lot of care and effort went into the film, and I think a rushed - or at least insensitive - release into the English-language markets killed it. Apparently Luc Besson was hopping mad at Miramax.

For the DVD release, I really wish they had bothered to include the uncut version of the film (showing the Madonna / Freddie Highmore romance) and the option of different language tracks.

That said, I think fans of animation would still do well to check it out. It’s imaginative, fun, and different.

]]> By: Javier Delgado http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-62 Javier Delgado Mon, 16 Jul 2007 05:58:47 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-62 For my part, i love the animation. Strictly speaking they did not used motion capture, but rotoscopy. They recorded the live performances, but they were recreated by the animators usign the material as reference. After the battle with the mosquitos, when Selenia and Arthur see each other in the eyes. The flush of emotions that shows Selenia, before giving him a smile is one of the best animated sequences i have seen. I have work in computer animation for 29 years and i can just say that those few seconds of animation are the best i have seen. Just thinking. I just have heard the original french voices (in youtube). The voice of Mylene Farmer does not sound as young as i expected.. So i guesa it is the image of MAdona, what starte all the problems... For my part, i love the animation. Strictly speaking they did not used motion capture, but rotoscopy. They recorded the live performances, but they were recreated by the animators usign the material as reference.

After the battle with the mosquitos, when Selenia and Arthur see each other in the eyes. The flush of emotions that shows Selenia, before giving him a smile is one of the best animated sequences i have seen. I have work in computer animation for 29 years and i can just say that those few seconds of animation are the best i have seen.

Just thinking. I just have heard the original french voices (in youtube). The voice of Mylene Farmer does not sound as young as i expected.. So i guesa it is the image of MAdona, what starte all the problems…

]]> By: milo http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-50 milo Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:56:37 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-50 I agree - there really was no reason to cut the Arthur / Selenia romance. I think there is something about Madonna that people find controversial just for the sake of it. I think it started back when she did that <em>Like a Prayer</em> music video with the burning crucifixes and the black Jesus. (When it was announced she would starin <a href="http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/films/8396/Evita/" rel="nofollow">Evita</a> (1996) it sparked riots in Argentina....) For me, the problem with Arthur and the Minimoys was that the dubbing was inconsistent - some voices matched better than others. Also, it really got my goat when they dubbed over the tribesmen who appear to help Arthur in the 'real world'. Surely the actors could..... speak English? I agree - there really was no reason to cut the Arthur / Selenia romance. I think there is something about Madonna that people find controversial just for the sake of it.
I think it started back when she did that Like a Prayer music video with the burning crucifixes and the black Jesus.
(When it was announced she would starin Evita (1996) it sparked riots in Argentina….)
For me, the problem with Arthur and the Minimoys was that the dubbing was inconsistent - some voices matched better than others.
Also, it really got my goat when they dubbed over the tribesmen who appear to help Arthur in the ‘real world’.
Surely the actors could….. speak English?

]]> By: Javier Delgado http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-48 Javier Delgado Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:28:30 +0000 http://blogs2.moviemail-online.co.uk/confetti/2007/05/30/syncing-lips-with-madonna-and-the-minimoys/#comment-48 Maybe instead of looking for famouss voices... they shold have go for professional dub artist... In the latin american version (actually mexican version), there is no problem with lip sync, even taking into account that in spanish the dialoge is longer. (I have the DVD with the Latin american and US version). Also lets not forget that Arhur and Selenia are about the same age, is just that minimois measure the time diferent, so there was no reason to cut the kiss, the wedding, the transfer of powers, and that Arthur is now the future king... But Madonas voice made Selenia to look too big for Arhur... At least in the different translation, that did not happened... :) Maybe instead of looking for famouss voices… they shold have go for professional dub artist…

In the latin american version (actually mexican version), there is no problem with lip sync, even taking into account that in spanish the dialoge is longer. (I have the DVD with the Latin american and US version).

Also lets not forget that Arhur and Selenia are about the same age, is just that minimois measure the time diferent, so there was no reason to cut the kiss, the wedding, the transfer of powers, and that Arthur is now the future king…

But Madonas voice made Selenia to look too big for Arhur… At least in the different translation, that did not happened… :)

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