Going Rogue

In August 2015, cameras rolled on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - and they rolled, and rolled. Gareth Edwards's unconventional shooting style emphasised improvisation not just in performance but also in blocking, camera placement, lighting and all other elements of filming. The film's two distinct shooting styles, initially separated as Empire and Rebellion, started to blur, and the pursuit of shots that felt good often overshadowed the script.

The script, which was still changing, being passed between multiple script doctors after the shoot began. Find out which of your favourite Oscar nominated writer/directors did a pass on Rogue One (number 3 might surprise you!). Also, find out which cast member would start each take by singing the Frozen soundtrack.

Edwards shot first, but that might change in the special edition.

You can follow the show on twitter or tumblr @goingroguepod, or for slightly less hinged content, follow @tansyclipboard on twitter or @tansyg.bsky.social on Bluesky.

If you want to get in touch, you can email [email protected]

CLIPS:

 - E.C. Henry's Rogue One Editor Interview: Colin Goudie (spoiler-free)

 - The Director's Cut - Rogue One with Gareth Edwards and Chris Miller

 - The Filmmakers Podcast - How To Edit A Star Wars Movie with Rogue One and Monsters Editor Colin Goudie

MUSIC:

"Floating Cities", "Bleeping Demo", "Concentration", "Half Mystery", "Vanishing", "I Can Feel It Coming", "Scissors", "Magic Scout - Cottages", "Tenebrous Brothers Carnival - Intermission", "Twisting", "Prelude & Action", "Night Vigil" & "Stormfront"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Suspended Animation", "Promixa Centauri" & "Quiescent in Time" by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

In 2013, Gareth Edwards pretended he was going to get lunch, and instead went to a meeting with Kiri Hart at Lucasfilm. He was one of a handful of promising young directors who'd been handpicked to direct a new Star Wars film, off the strength of his low-budget debut Monsters. Edwards was offered Destroyer of Worlds, originally pitched by VFX legend and Edwards's personal hero, John Knoll. 

Gary Whitta went into his meeting at Lucasfilm surprised to be considered for a film project at all, but his ideas hit the right note, naming basically every major influence Knoll had listed in his pitch. Whitta would write the first draft and come up with the film's title, Rogue One, before being replaced by Chris Weitz, Oscar nominated writer and noted Boba Fett hater.

In the middle of all of this was Colin Goudie, an editor hired twelve months before Rogue One even started shooting, tasked with making the film out of other films.

Welcome to the messy, contradictory world of Rogue One's script.

You can follow the show on twitter or tumblr @goingroguepod, or for slightly less hinged content, follow @tansyclipboard on twitter or @tansyg.bsky.social on Bluesky.

If you want to get in touch, you can email [email protected]

CLIP SOURCES:

 - The Sci Fi Talks Podcast

 - The Rule of Two

 - The Filumentarians

 - The Director's Cut

 - IGN's  WFH Rogue One Livestream

MUSIC:

"Bleeping Demo", "Hiding Your Reality", "Concentration", "Dreamcatcher", "Industrial Cinematic", "Stormfront", "Rynos Theme", "Ever Mindful", "Envision", "Anguish", "Twisting", "Lost Frontier", "Prelude & Action", "Stay the Course" & "Magic Scout"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Suspended Animation", "Void Glider" & "Quiescent in Time" by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

In 2003, John Knoll heard a rumour on the set of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It sparked a chain of events that would span two decades, several films and one massive corporate takeover, and would finally result in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

This is the story of Rogue One, told by someone who has spent more time thinking about the film than anyone who worked on it (except John Knoll). Each episode of Going Rogue covers a different phase of the film's life and the different lives it lived, from TV episode to low budget war movie to $200million franchise blockbuster. 

You can follow the show on twitter or tumblr @goingroguepod, or for slightly less hinged content, follow @tansyclipboard on twitter or @tansyg.bsky.social on Bluesky.

If you want to get in touch, you can email [email protected]

MUSIC:

"Hiding Your Reality", "Floating Cities", "Industrial Cinematic", "Phantom from Space", "Hitman", "Late Night Radio", "Screen Saver", "Odyssey", Sincerely", "Dreaming Flashback" & "Lithium" 

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

"Suspended Animation" & "Quiescent in Time" by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com