Such a great discussion. As a beginning VFX artist myself, lots of things I already knew (which is reassuring) but also lots of things I didn't (which is reassuring).

Note on non-commercial Nuke: you can write stuff but no bigger than 2K. Some nodes are disabled as well.

Yeah, good stuff. Lots of other scenes you could do as well

I don't care much for Finn. I can buy into his desertion as discussed above, but aside from that he's a generic whacky guy who makes boyfriend jokes. I really don't buy that someone who was indoctrinated and spent all his life in an imperial environment could be this way. I'm not feeling a tangible character when I see him on screen.

Damn, Invid. I'm so sorry. Hang in there.

We're just a bunch of strangers on the Internet, but I'll be damned if we won't help you in any way we can. Just let us know.

Everything Darth Praxus said. You, sir, warm my heart.

I've been listening to the OST for a few days. It actually has many memorable themes that probably aren't as obvious as Rey's on the first viewing. Partly because the film probably puts too much emphasis on the forgettable action parts of the soundtracl, but also because there's little re-use of the themes in different atmospheres - which, as Clemmensen pointed out, Williams has always been insanely good at. Or maybe that as Alex said, they're more phrases than themes.

Still, I was pleasantly surprised that listening to it changed my mind a lot. I especially love the opening track and its suspenseful violins/high trumpet blares associated with the First Order attacking. It's a very different treatment than the Empire's and feels new. Not even talking about The Jedi Steps, which effortlessly carries incredible drama and meaning with just a few notes. I think it easily enters my favourite SW melodies.

Taken as a whole, it's certainly not as memorable as the OT's, but there are great themes (or phr... yeah you get the idea) to be found in it. What it's not is "crazy forgettable and lame", at least to me.

PS: I'll admit I don't care much for Snoke's theme, though; it feels like a rehash of Palpatine's theme but without its greatness.

Depressing, and yet so enlightening. Thank you so much, Alex.