[SPOILERS] Feral Predator Design Thread

[Mike’s Monsters]

To be fair, perhaps you can't recall it because you haven't been as active maybe? Meaning, if we compare activity, I have 3x the posts of you in only 1/4 the time.

And there's a flipside to that coin. Rarely does - a few select people here - say any of it is ADI's fault, and are staunch defenders after three bodies of work and four directors visions pointing fingers every which way. After three films, it's fair when you see problems carried over from film to film to recognize a common denominator. (If we had three mediocre Predator films by the same writer where problems would reoccur, I'd be questioning the writer being right for the job right now). I already have major concerns with Mr. Davis.

Have you factored in the possibility that I do check this site daily, but don't post? I have checked the boards and site daily for nearly the last 15 years. I've been more active in the last week than I have been in years because this is the first movie that has me hype since Prometheus. I am being completley honest here, I haven't been super hyped on the franchise or these boards because of the same song is being sung over and over again. I don't post because I am tired of seeing the same conversations over and over again and feel there's rarely ever anything to contribute. I love this place, and it's been a part of my life for over half of it, but often times, I don't want to be here because of how negative it has become.

I see what you and others say, which are rarely praises, and most of it sounds like children throwing nerdfits online. Not at all saying these critiques cannot be made, but there is a method to doing it, and a lot of the time it just turns into shitting on ADI in here. It often feels like people try to find something, anything to be mad at them about. And seeing the constant shit storm these last years, and more lately doesn't make this place very inviting. I can only imagine being someone who works on these films reading the messages posted here sometimes.

Again, there is a method to feedback and a lot of the time, not all, is really poorly done here most times. And like I said, it's just tired reading the same arguments who don't always have a clear view of the big picture, making themselves sound like the ignorant ones.

It often feels like people will have the entire experience of the movie ruined for them because they know ADI is working on the movie.

[Kradan]

Comparing posts count - wasn't it me who was doing that sort of shit during the last big ADI Preds' hustle ? I mean, Voodoo, c'mon

[bobcunk]

What I mean and always mean is the directors do not ask for mandibles bending in odd unnatural directions simultaneously nor direct ADI to implement excess skin flaps in unnatural twists and rolls in strange ways...

They could ask for the mandibles to be in a specific configuration and move a certain way if they wanted - like they can direct any other performance. They don't ask for skin flaps, but they do ask for over extending the mandibles - which means excess material to accommodate the full range of motion. Silicone and latex can only stretch so much.

My emoji;
https://i.ibb.co/LvswsVp/IMG-20190916-160417.jpg
My response:
So you're saying this was all on the director and unavoidable by ADI. Anderson blame: 100% / ADI blame: 0%

https://64.media.tumblr.com/0a1771ca992104d6dd71567ee4de7a43/tumblr_pmylellN1r1xuau3co1_500.gif
I get the people who have have personal relationships with ADI, but after three movies, it seems some just bend over backwards to lay absolutely zero blame at their feet and 100% at the directors. I read Stan Winston's book and he acknowledges plenty of their FX mistakes and details them - just the film Congo alone - but to some here it seems like ADI makes no errors apparently, even when it's visibly and logically undeniable to many with their Predators. It's just as nonsensical as laying 100% of the blame always on ADI's feet and 0% on the director. It's always such a bizarre world in these forums for me.

I dont know who is responsible for the avp designs or how much was Adi. Tbe only problem I had eotb the avp predators was their bulky armour and wrestler shaped bodies and the flappy mandible lips. The armour and body is a design preference by the director so o dknt blam adi for that but the flappy flaps could have been avoided by using a strechior materiel or have some kinds of mettel wire along the edge, other than that adi did a good jop worth the effects. People never bring up how stan Winston's original predator's have a very noticable eyehole seam that takes youyþut of the moment when you noticed it.

During an interview with the one guy from adi they asked him about the preds mouth and he said they are aware of how it looks but perfer it.

[SiL]

It's a simplistic assumption. It suggests all the flaws would have occurred regardless, even if Stan Winston or Weta was handling the fx versus ADI under the same conditions. We would have received exactly the same result. It's too ill-considered for me to treat seriously after three films.

Unless Stan Winston or Weta has access to a super stretchy material that would retain its shape (they  don't; even the City Hunter's mandible skin got stretched out in places) you'd still have the floppy mandible skin. The mandible position is clearly something ADI like doing, but their maquettes and mechanisms are capable of correct positioning - putting it on the director to specify what they want.

I know nothing much of how the production pipeline is done, but the only reason why I can see someone like Stan Winston Studios being able to refuse or make changes on the contrary of the director's vision is that they are the gods of practical effects, arguing against them is like fighting a hurricane, they are masters of the craft and they know what they are doing. I can't fathom any director that can go against the genius that made the Jurassic Park, Alien, Predator, Terminator series become what they are today. When they have a reputation like that, can a producer or director argue against them? I can say for certain I honestly don't know how this works.

For most of Stan's career, you did it practically or you didn't do it. Practical effects artists had better power to argue for things because there was no alternative. Today producers have the option to go with CGI that they can micromanage in post production for less money, so practical effects have to compromise to get paid.

And Stan Winston was repeatedly told no throughout his career, or given briefs and jobs that didn't allow him and his team to do their best work.

[olapaulakoski]

I'm just hoping this turns out to be elder predator from predator 2 in the end and we se how he got the 1715 gun.

[Kradan]

It'll probably be better if they don't do that

[SiL]

From what we know so far it isn't.

Unless the Greyback shows up as an additional Predator, which is still entirely possible.

[The Shuriken]

From what we know so far it isn't.

Unless the Greyback shows up as an additional Predator, which is still entirely possible.

Is it possible that "additional Predator" might just mean additional stunt work?

[Mike’s Monsters]

The more I see, the less I'm expecting to see Greyback show up. It wouldn't make much sense to me to have him show up for a quick cameo like he does at the end of P2. It could easily be forced if they go that way. If he's more integral to the plot, I'd be all for it. I just don't want him to be tossed in to be a connection, it would feel like a wasted opportunity only used to pull at nostalgia strings.

Unless there are more Predators we haven't seen that are in the entire movie, that could change the situation, but I don't think that's the case. I'd prefer he not show up if so.

[SuperiorIronman]

Greyback could still be in the movie via a cameo. We know Greyback has a crew but we don't know everyone as there's probably more we didn't see and even more over the centuries. Greyback might've hung out during this. He might not be lead but he may be involved.

I can see a scenario where Feral even turns out to get the pistol only for Greyback to get it later. Either by killing Feral for it, or since Predator tend to die in the film's they're introduced is passed onto Greyback as a status symbol. So at the end with Naru becoming a hunter you have Greyback taking command of the Lost tribe with the pistol being a symbol of his command.

[Corporal Hicks]

Yeah, I'm wondering if it's possible to fit Greyback into the film now. And I had been very certain before. I was going to say I'm expecting this to have been lower budget so we might not have any many Predators, but even AvP and Predators had multiple Predators so I think that's a non-concern.

Perhaps they're just keeping it pretty tight-lipped. They've managed really well with the film so far. Would be pretty exciting if they actually kept any other Predators a secret in the marketing!

[PredatorvsAliens]

i mean why not all Greyback ever was
well is a cameo so it can still work

[Kailem]

It was only ever going to be a cameo at most. Anyone who was/is expecting him to play some major part in the story is only setting themselves up for disappointment.

I still think it's possible we might see him, but again, I think he might simply be shown to be off hunting a different group of people/animals elsewhere and not having much of anything to do with the main story.

[Corporal Hicks]

If he's barely in it, I don't want to see him take the pistol. I think that'd be anticlimactic.

[Kailem]

I just don't see how they could possibly have him in it "a lot", especially now that it's clear the main Predator isn't him (not that I ever expected him to be).

It was only ever going to be an "ah-ha, I know who that is!" post-credits easter egg-type thing rather than an integral part of the story.