Fake Silmarillion Trailer

[Voronwë the Faithful]

This is a fan-made trailer for a mythical Peter Jackson directed, New Line Cinema produced Silmarillion movie that I saw at another site. I've seen a number of fan-made Silmarillion material and I have universally disliked them intensely, so I was pretty surprised at how much I liked this. Enough so that I thought I should share it here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT9UcZPT ... r_embedded

[Primula Baggins]

Wow. It's a patchwork, of course, but well put together. I would line up to see the film.

I was amazed by the opening creation sequence, with the nebulae that gradually assume the forms of beings. Those clouds in reality are where all stars and planets are born. It's a powerful idea.

I wonder where they got the sequence? Or if they made it themselves—not impossible these days.

I think if I could choose I would like to see the Sil done as a series, maybe on HBO. I think it's better suited to the episodic material (as Elen has shown us). I for one would appreciate a closer-in focus on the people of the story. But with the capability to include sequences like that opening one.

From what I understand, it's unlikely ever to happen. But it's fun to think about.

[axordil]

To whom do the rights pass after CJRT is no longer with us? That's what would determine whether anything media-related ever comes of the Sil.

I especially enjoyed Arthas, the Lich King from World of Warcraft, as Morgoth. There are stylistic, if not story, parallels.

[Primula Baggins]

In a way I'm glad I couldn't recognize any of the source material. More fun that way.

Would this work as a series along the lines of Game of Thrones? Minus the sex and gore? Or would GoT have worked at all without the sex and gore?

(I liked Game of Thrones a lot and look forward to the next season. But it's bleak bleak bleak. Even the sex is usually bleak and depressing. So I guess, for myself, I wouldn't miss it.)

[Frelga]

They had me at Approved by MPAA and Melkor.

[River]

The Sil, if it ever makes it to the screen would have to be a series. The only way to make a movie from it would be to select one of the more well-developed bits, such as Beren and Lúthien, or the story of Túrin. With some clever story-telling, you could include enough backstory to make it sensible.

[Primula Baggins]

But it wouldn't be the Silmarillion.

[Elentári]

Neat trailer...I could just imagine something like that advertising our screenplay!

The Sil, if it ever makes it to the screen would have to be a series. The only way to make a movie from it would be to select one of the more well-developed bits, such as Beren and Lúthien, or the story of Túrin. With some clever story-telling, you could include enough backstory to make it sensible.

That was our reasoning, too, River...we focused on the 3 major stories that covered the majority of the story of the Silmarils (leaving out Túrin because it is more coincidental to that theme, and a whole can of worms in itself!) And I'm still pretty much of the opinion that they should be standalone, or self-contained, stories: Our first effort, The Tale of Fëanor, worked really well, IMO simply following a linear storyline, and I still think I'd have preferred our Beren & Lúthien on its own as a single storyline. The only problem is that Tolkien wove such an intricate tapestry that so much overlaps - Thingol, for example, has a finger in every pie, so his backstory needed explaining!

I agree with Prim regarding the opening Ainulindalë sequence - that looked awesome, and would be a much better approach for a serious adaptation than some of our 4th Age stuff. The difficulty with Fëanor's story is that it begins in "Paradise", so that needs setting up somehow...I suppose the question is how much detail/background is necessary, and whether it is done in real-time or flashback.

[Alatar]

I think the opening sequence is from the new Clash of the Titans remake, with the audio from The Silmarillion audiobook read by Martin Shaw. Its a genius piece of editing.

[Holbytla]

Nice trailer.

Though I highly doubt the Sil will ever be made.
Where on earth will they find enough actors to play all of those poncy elf roles?

[axordil]

Poncy CGI.

[vison]

I look forward to the day, and I KNOW it's coming, when a fan-made version of LOTR is going to be what the movies should have been in the first place.

[axordil]

Except without the professional acting, technical capability, or other reason for actually watching them.

[Primula Baggins]

To play devil's advocate for a minute, it is possible to shoot a professional-looking film or TV show using equipment anyone can own. My son has a 35-mm digital SLR camera that can shoot professional-quality HD video. The same one has been used to shoot episodes of network television dramas that otherwise use the normal $100,000+ cameras, and you can't tell. The SLR costs $900.

With digital the need for special lighting, etc., is much less if you can work with natural light most of the time. Editing even at the professional level is done on laptops now. Scoring doesn't require symphony orchestras these days. Etc.

And there are talented people always looking for work, or footage for their reels at least. I think a fan film (or TV serial) could be done. The problem would be scoring the trifecta of a professional-level technical crew, professional-level actors, and a professional-level screenwriter, all willing and able to make a long commitment for pure love of the subject matter.

[axordil]

The problem would be scoring the trifecta of a professional-level technical crew, professional-level actors, and a professional-level screenwriter, all willing and able to make a long commitment for pure love of the subject matter.

As a rule professional-level anything requires professional-level money. Even labors of love (and the writer's strike) like Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog paid their people in the end.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I'm with Ax on this one. But then, I know that a lot of people were very impressed with the two recent LOTR-related fan films, Born of Hope and The Hunt for Gollum. I most empatically was not.

[Griffon64]

I think the trouble will be that the material most people wish to a see an adaptation of is copyrighted. The funding ... perhaps we'd get to a future where that's not a problem, due to the rise of things like this: http://www.kickstarter.com/

[Frelga]

There is an adaptation of Pratchett's short story, Troll Bridge, that is being funded and filmed on such basis. Apparently, they are beefing up a relatively cozy storyline with epic flashbacks into the hero's past, and the snippets look GOOD.

The copyright concern, IMO, is the greatest obstacle to such efforts. It did not apply to Troll Bridge, where Pratchett himself has given his blessing.

I really think that, past an author's death, the estate should be entitled to no more than a share of any proceeds from derivative works, no control over who does what with the material. Of course that won't fly, and won't help with Sil, where Christopher Tolkien contributed to the content himself.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

To whom do the rights pass after CJRT is no longer with us?

The rights are held by the Tolkien Estate, n'est pas? So the title 'High King of Tolkiendom' will fall to whomever is next in line. Hopefully the bloodline is pure or there may be civil war.

Would this work as a series along the lines of Game of Thrones? Minus the sex and gore?

What're you talking about? There is sex and gore is The Silmarillion. Incest, even. (Shocking, I know! )

Where on earth will they find enough actors to play all of those poncy elf roles?

Except without the professional acting, technical capability...

That's why it will be made with Legos.

[Primula Baggins]

Well, I guess I should have said "minus the sometimes gratuitous, always in-your-face sex and gore."