9/11: Five Years Later

A slight change in normal Transformers posting. Its been five years. Wow, sometimes thats hard to believe. I hope your day goes well and for all the sadness for this day, I think hope should be the message.
7 Days In September
Changing of the Guards
Jon Stewart 9/20/01

Another Frontal Bumblebee Pic

seibertron.com has posted another image of Bumblebee robot used for filming that is one of the best pics taken of the yellow one so far. Thanks Julio M. for the link.

Tranformers Battle Scene Mock-Up Pics

Seibertron.com has posted two pics that appear to be mock-up of a battle scene between the Decepticons and Aubobots in downtown Los Angeles. The images show a possible cut-out robot views of Megatron, Frenzy, Starscream, Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Jazz to scale with the surrounding cars and building. Useful in determine what the scale of the Transformers will be to the average car and skyscraper (basically about 2-3 stories tall).


(source)

Set Pics of Something Going Boom

"hatchetgirl" has posted some pics of Transformer sets in Los Angeles on flickr. Based on the leak script this is part of the ending of the film but exactly what is going on is up in the air. Still worth a look see for the curious. Might even want to call this a spoiler warning except don't know what it might be spoiling.

Click here for the pics.

(source)

Even More Optimus Prime Pics

TFormers.com has posted two additional boards of the plans for the movie version of Optimus Prime. The pics are both a repeat of those released yesterday and additional images of Optimus with his gun. The status is listed as "work in progress" so possible that his final design could be different then what currently see. Also congrats to them for doing the watermark in a more logical manner.


(source)

PVP Weighs in on Megatron

PVP, hilarious daily strip, gives their opinion on the Megatron designs and fan reaction. Click link or the below pic to make it large enough to read.

More Bumblebee Pics

Or at least a view of Bumblebee's tires. As he sits in a truck. Hey he is big though. And yellow. OK not terribly exciting but something to look at while debating whether you like those Optimus Prime pics.


(source)

More Pics of Movie Optimus Prime

AICN.com has posted a front, back and face pics of Optimus Prime. These images are much clearer then the previously released pics. At first glance, I can't say I liked the design, but the more I look at them, the more I am digging them.



(source)

AICN.com Shia LaBeouf Interview

AICN.com and MTV.com had a sit down with Transformers star Shia "Sam Witwicky" LaBeouf to discuss the movie. The MTV.com article was just a fluff piece to keep TF on everyone's mind. AICN.com article is a bit more in depth and much longer.

- "Megatron’s crutch now is that he's frozen. But it's modernized. You can't have a toy gun. You've got 9 year olds watching this movie and yes, we're creating mythology, but you can't make a toy gun your antihero and then have Hasbro go out and sell toy guns with the little yellow cap on it, you know? It'll look [f'ing] ridiculous to have Megatron with a yellow nose, you know what I mean? It'd look retarded."

Can't say I disagree with that. The reason why is its now illegal to make a realistic toy gun. As a result Megs can never be re-released stateside in his original form. Still, Megs frozen for most of the movie? Can't really say that warms the cockles of my heart.

- "The fact that it's a Razor, a plane that nobody's seen before, that the military is giving us... that nobody has filmed or seen. I mean, CNN has not seen this plane and we're filming it. It's cool. It gives it that edgy shit. People have seen guns before, but to make Megatron something that nobody's ever seen and make it an edgy presence..."

Does that mean that Megatron's Earth form will be the Razor? A military secret jet turned into a toy, isn't politics and Hollywood grand.

- "The engine of Sam, for the film, essentially he is the liaison between the robots and the humans. ...the reason Sam is able to communicate with the robots... It's not because he knows some [f'ing] alien language. Sam Whitwicky comes from a lineage of explorers. Captain Archibald Whitwicky was his great, great grandfather, a 19th Century Seaman, who, during a search, an exploration of the arctic circle, fell upon an ice cave. Fell into the ice cave and into a hand; the hand of Megatron. What he saw when he turned was an eye which burned a laser into his eyeglasses, which was a map of where the Energon Cube is being stored."

Still not sold on the "Energon Cube" name. Still on sold on selling a family heirloom on eBay. Still no idea why Megs land on earth in the late 1800s (and even though evil smart bad guy, gets trapped in ice) and its takes a hundred plus years later for rest to follow. I hope they explain either in this film or the next why the time lapse and other questions that gets raised in that scenario.

- Shia later describes the film as being nonstop, "There is no let-up and the only let up there will be is the humor of it. Even the romance is action-driven."

I take that as a good sign. Transformers should be all action. If they can get some character in there, all the better, but if they freeze everything and then poorly shoehorn in character, then why bother (the mistake Bay has made on his previous films). I am not looking for a diatribe on the human condition, just a highly entertaining popcorn flick worth watching again and again.

- "If you're not confused, you're not paying attention."

I just liked the phrase. But the gist is the film is so massive that the cast etc loose track of what is happening.

Above is really where most of the Transformers info was. The rest of the interview was mostly an ode to Michael "General Patton" Bays and how much work is it to do the film of the Transformers size. All in all, an interesting read which you read in it entirety here.

Ain't It Cool News Set Visit and Interviews

AICN.com has posted about a set visit by Quint. He previously visited the set several months ago when the shoot had just started. Once again it’s the Los Angeles, end of movie shoot that has been talked about in set visits by other sites. He was able to see a couple takes get filmed and sat down for an interview with various cast members. One thing though, the leaked February draft of the script is darn close to what they are using as the shooting script. They may have reworked some lines and maybe tweaked pacing but the main fight sequences and FX heavy parts, I think out of prep time necessity, most of the script was left mostly intact as written.

In the brief interview with Quint, Josh Duhamel claims to have been a TF fan as a kid, but I have my doubts based on the sum total of various interviews I have read. Not important but does make you wonder why bother to lie or at least exaggerate your interest. This is his chance to break out and join the movie big boys and leave his Las Vegas TV salary behind. Can't blame the man for being ambitious and the potentially certainly is there (if he chooses his projects carefully). Any case, I recommend he get someone to hook him up with some old eps, the cartoon movie, and a few toys. This way when on the promotional press tour next year, he will have some anecdotes to help sell his "childhood" interest in Transformers. He can then claim he still has some of those toys from his childhood and whatnot. Do a house tour and boom, instant props.

Michael Bay commented on his vehicle choice for Optimus Prime (which personally I don't see the problem), "The reason I went with the flames was to be able to define Prime's mid-section when he's a robot." The flames act as sort of the defacto grill/ribs for Prime while the long-nose truck was chosen for additional mass which I assume means he looks taller and a better match to Megatron. Additionally, the Skorpinok film opening sequence has been fully rendered. I am thinking that some of that will be used in the Thanksgiving trailer.

Bay also expressed that he is pleased with choice of Peter Cullen for the voice of Optimus Prime but that they plan on hiring actors to help create video reference for the animators to work with. He stressed it wasn't motion capture, and sounds to me more like how traditional cartoon animators, especially Disney, use to capture human expressions on their cartoons by often filming their voice actors while doing ADR and let the animators copy them as they saw fit or just using a mirror and so forth. Bay should pick of a few of the older Disney flicks and watch their making of bits to see how it was done.

The article picks on Megan Fox a bit (with reason I think, again based on sum of articles seen and read) and so I shall pass on the opportunity because she is hot and in our world that means everything (joking a little). Bay also expressed some concern over not having a bigger presence at the San Diego Comic-con, ala Spider-Man 3. Personally I don't think it mattered since the film is still a bit a ways and the true momentum doesn't really matter until about three months before opening cause of the ADD of the average consumer who don't even know what a comic-con is.

The article had no new information to reveal about the movie. It’s mostly just touches base with the set and gets a feel for things. Like AICN.com, I have high hopes for the movie and unlike most of fandom, I am mostly pleased with has come out about the movie. I hope the shooting script is more polished the February version as far a dialogue, humor and some of the setup. I also hope that this desire to emphasis the alien-ness of the Tranformers is lightened some. I understand where the Bay and co are going with it, but there is a reason Sci-Fi gives the aliens a touch of humanity visually. It’s not just to save money, its helps to create a connection (or disconnection) with the characters for the audience. Starscream and his sneer is a classic example. Show his face to anyone, fan or no fan, and once they see that smug sneer, they instantly know his character. The movie Megatron for instance, screams evil, but I am afraid that he will develop him into such an over the top evil that he becomes a characture. My point is to follow the Darth Vader and Sci-Fi Rule of Alien Characters - allow some humanity to leak out in words, actions AND visuals.

Full article here.

Optimus Prime's Big Gun

TF2005.com forums have posted a pic grabbed during the Magic Clothing Trade Show in Las Vegas. I guess its part of a plan for Tranformers movie related clothesline. Optimus was one huge gun.

Two Video of Transformers Set Footage Released

Two new videos have hit the web showing some of the filming for Transformers being done in Los Angeles. One piece of footage from TMZ.com (found by AICN.com) mostly shows the vehicles for Jazz and Ratchet being driven around and prepped for a scene. The other video,found by TFormers.com shows a little filming being done as a caravan of cars go down the street with Bumblebee.

The videos are here and here.

Bumblebee's Face is Revealed

The face of Bumblebee has reached the web. Its very Furby/Ewok like to me. Its also the final nail in the coffin that the Tranformers heads will not have human faces we grew up with. Since the movie is aiming for internal logic, it does make sense that alien robots wouldn't have human faces. Still, no horns on Bumblebee is a sad thing. (source)


Update: Roberto Orci, one of the writers of the script, commented on TF faces, "without confirming or denying anything, all faces will have CG elements augmenting them."

Producers Tom and Don Video Interview

IESB.net has a two part video interview with Transformers producers Tom DeSanto (on left) and Don Murphy (on right). Both are apparently huge comics books and movies fans with both owning 10,000+ comics (me to but want to sell mine) and apparently thousands of DVDs (hmmm I bet the surround sound is sweet). Gives them geek creds at least. Very very wealthy geeks. Ah the things I would buy. Anyway, back to the videos.

Tidbits of note:- Transformer rights where purchased in May 2003 from Hasbro.
- Most of the studio exec pitched too at the time where to old to understand or know Transformers but at second pass they indicated that maybe hit the slightly younger demographic execs to show that the interest is there (how giant transforming robots laying the smackdown using current FX tech wouldn't be popular is beyond me).
- Tom believes that Transformers is character driven sci-fi with a great mythology (yet oddly they use very little of said mythology, maybe future sequels?).
- "The fans trust you guys."
- "...Surprised and pleased about how passionate the fans are. ...There is a solid fan base that Tom and I and the film makers are trying to service and keep happy. At the same time there is a mistake to think there is a universality in that fan base." I still say we are hearing from the vocal minority when it comes to complaints and most know that the cartoons are just not worth copying. They are filtered through childhood eyes, but when see em as adults, they suck to be blunt.
- Apparently an early script had Arcee in it. News to me anyway.
- "At the end of the day you have to stay true to the heart and soul of what Transformers are." Basically, all said and done, the goal isn't to copy the cartoons.
- The voice of Prime was decided because at the point in the film making process where a decision needed to made to move forward. They are not at that point with Megatron, but Frank Welker has been auditioned for the role and his name is being discussed. He's still in the running for the role. Ultimately, the decision on casting is Michael Bay's, not the producers.
- Soundtrack decisions are still in the very early phase.
- Tom challenges fans to bring non-TF lovers to see the movie and make them a convert.
- Don asks fans to hold their opinion until they see a 3-D CGI polished moving Transformers.
- The end of the interview was about future projects including the PG-13 animated Teen Titans (no relation to the Cartoon Network version).

The article, video part 1 and part 2.

On Set Video and Pictures including Jazz and Ratchet

LatinoReview.com has posted some new pictures and video from the on location shoot for Transformers in downtown Los Angeles. The pictures including shots of the set, cast, extras and the vehicles being used including a nice shot of Ratchet and Jazz.

The pics are here and the video here.

Transformers Set Visit Reports

Apparently at some point this weekend, the Transformers producers allowed various fans from various websites to do on-set visit for Transformers in downtown Los Angeles. Of course the usual media folks where allowed on site to. The numbers and whatnot are unknown but here are the ones I have come across so far and will add more here as find them. Mostly I will just add the bits that are at least new information to me.

Set Reports
Latino Review
IESB.net
Sci Fi.com Wire
IGN.com
The Movie Blog

Information revealed
- Robot heights:
Jazz : 13 feet tall
Bumblebee: 17 feet tall
Ratchet: 24 feet tall
Iron Hide: 26 feet tall
Optimus Prime: 28 feet tall
Megatron: 34 feet tall
- Full trailer expected for the holiday season with the plan having at least some Optimus Prime voice work, robot action, traditional transforming noise and "More Then Meets The Eye" theme.
- Jazz vehicle form is a silver Pontiac Solstice
- Ironhide's alt form is a black GMC 4x4
- Ratchet is a Humvee
- Film will have a little background in the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. From what I read it just explains why they came to Earth when explaining the situation to Sam Witwicky.
- An attempt is being made to do on location shooting at the Pentagon, first time allowed since 9/11
- A military unit called Sector 7 is the task force assigned to track down and investigate the alien invaders.
- Voice casting is still wide open, nothing definite but Frank Welker as Megatron is still an option.
- If you are a fan of the Furby, you will experience sadness during one scene where a truck of them catches on fire as the "Energon Cube" grants them life, and if you don't like them, much joy.
- Hasbro has final say on all character designs (thus explaining why the COO keeps commenting on leaked designs).
- Apparently Don Murphy was going to do GI Joe but the Iraqi invasion scrapped the idea so Hasbro suggested the Transformers.
- The hope is to have Soundwave show up in a sequel.

Don Murphy's Weekly Post

Don Murphy posted his weekly random thoughts on Transformers and fandom in general. Suffice it to say, he probably isn't going to make any friends with it.

Weekly POsting- Brought to yo by the NUmber 10 and the Letter "C"
So – a busy week- what have we learned? Here’s ten thoughts, questions and observations from the week.

- Preliminary, not final, two dimensional designs for Megatron and Starscream’s head get “leaked” bringing on a horde of fan haters
- A small percentage of the fanbase are not very good readers. They take last week’s plea to reserve judgment until they actually see a Transformer move in a trailer or clip as a brush off. Many of the same fans just learned to walk erect this past week as well it turns out.
- Big visit to the set by the fan community this week. Lots of interviews with lots of different people, not just me. Let’s see what the fans think after these start coming out.
- Found out about a secret attack site by Covenant. At least we know what he’s made of now.
- Bowspearer visited the cornfield and made a triumphant return. God I like that guy’s pluck.
- People have emailed me for posting at AINTITSHIT news. As anyone here knows, I hate that inaccurate rumor site. I was wronged years ago by Harry. While I now think Moriarty is a stand-up guy he is barely involved with the site. Therefore, be advised I would never be caught dead at AIS. And you shouldn’t be either. These are the people who continue to leak stolen, copyrighted early images from the film. No honor, no pride.
- In the midst of all the haters, one hater promoted and pushed himself far and wide to get some much needed attention. We stood up to his piss and vinegar. He spread his campaign across many sites. We decided to delete the battle as we were giving him what he wanted- attention.
- As I said in the interview yesterday…people want Welker. They want the Transformers noise and the song. They hate Starscream’s head. They hate the flames on Prime. They don’t love Megatron. While far from a consensus, I get the complaints. I am sure that others on the team get the complaints. If not, I will make sure they get them.
- We changed the look and shape of the board. Now it is even more of a free for all. Everybody- PILE ON GRIMBOT!!!!
- To the real fans both here and at Seiberton, Allspark, TFW, Tfans- EVERYWHERE. Thanks for your feedback and your intelligent suggestions. They are being heard above the hate that a few newbies insist on spewing.

Hang Tight Stooges, Hang Tight.

As far as what blog or board he is talking about with a hater, I have no idea what he is talking. While I understand as a producer, Don hates Ain't It Cool News, as a fan I am glad its there. As for the set visits, already some have hit the web and will be posting on them as find them. Mostly I will just summarize what, if any, new information they reveal and leave the reading of them up to you.

Update: Here is the link on the story of the blogger that apparently set off Don Murphy. Kreon posted about how he felt that the movie shared very little with the source material beyond giant robots and didn't appreciate being talked down to by Don. That got the attention of many, as the 200+ responses showed. Don Murphy then replied to it, basically calling the guy a desperate attention seeking loser, only with many more words. Kreon then replied to it here and here, with Don making one last dig in the above. Not sure why this person, among the gigantic amount of noise being made right now, became the focus of Don Murphy's anger, but only Don can explain.

Brian Goldner Comments on Megatron

COO of Hasbro, Brian Goldner, once again provides a little insight on the intended toy designs for Starscream and Megatron over on Don Murphy's forums. The most important part for may would be "Throughout time [Megatron] has had a very big gun...."

Good Afternoon--Let me answer your questions. Starscream is simply the coolest, most aggressive military jet in the skies. The military has given us unprecedented access to deliver this character to the audience in the most compelling way. He is Very much like G1. As noted to Nelson earlier in the week, the details, deco, weapons, and sculpt itself will change as we move from grey model to final form.

Megatron is an early style board. Without revealing too much of the story, there is a very important reason for his look to have evolved from pure G1; although the final look is a work-in-progress--ILM has just recently begun all their CGI development. Megatron has a iconic personality, and approach that dates back to G1. Throughout time he has had a very big gun....

Good sign, makes you wonder what is coming. I am still undecided on Megatron. The leaked designs are sweet, actually quite fantastic and should be fun to watch on the big screen and see in toy form. The problem is its just not a Megatron we know and love. I can't decide (yet) if I think that is important or not.

(source)

Megatron Design Revealed

AICN posted, then pulled photos of the robot form of Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons and main villain (sorta, as only in film for about 20 minutes). Thankfully a site reader, Donald C., sent me the pics.

I do believe that if the producers et al got a ton of crap for Starscream and other leaked designs, the sh-- is about to truly hit the fan. You saw a hint of him form being built here, but now you get to see it in all its colored glory.

Now, having read the script, the idea is Megatron retained his alien Cybertron form in part because of his contempt for earthlings and all things Earth related. If you hate them, why trans-scan into a earth form. So the idea is to scream "look!, evil alien robot." On that beat, they absolutely nailed it. Sadly though if you are looking for your childhood Megatron, there is nada (but maybe get that in the voice perhaps?).

COO of Hasbro Comments on Starscream

More notes from Transformers movie related big wigs. The first is a message from producer Don Murphy and now another note from COO of Hasbro, Brian Goldner. Hasbro is the American side producers of the Transformers line who are committed to producing the movie related line, which is the past is an indication needs to be ready to hit shelves by late May on the outside. He is speaking on the grey Starscream toy prototype, seen here:

Please let the people on the board know that any grey models they have seen are VERY early forms of toys and will be revised and changed, and will gain tremendous detail as they move toward finished products...

thanks and regards,
Brian Goldner

Its kind of sad its necessary for him to do this. The image is of a grey figure. Its screams prototype. Prototype in turn indicates that its still being worked out and updated. Its the whole point of the prototype is to allow tinkering with the final design until its locked. I will reserve judgment on the toy once see a picture that is close to the final design (and hopefully not so close to brother of Waspinator). They have at least 8 more months to tweak the design so I am not worried. The detail though, based on what little have seen, should be a joy to behold.

- be so glad when better quality pics without that ridiculous watermark comes out. Also made update to reflect original source of the note, thanks Shan