Would There Ever Be a Possibility...? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Eönwë · 03-24-2008, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azaelia of Willowbottom

Deciding what's in and what's cut

If we're actually doing this, can I have one request. Please keep Tom Bombadil this time! I'm sure we can have some fun with that.
edit: anyway, we have to include our namesake, the Barrow Downs.

MatthewM · 03-24-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eönwë

If we're actually doing this, can I have one request. Please keep Tom Bombadil this time! I'm sure we can have some fun with that.
edit: anyway, we have to include our namesake, the Barrow Downs.

Oh yes - Tom would stay in if we decided to do that part of the story. But I am thinking, would it perhaps be easier to do a seperate Book (ex: Book II) rather than the story as a whole? For fans like us, we would not be "lost" as to what happened prior, and anybody who will be listening to our project would already be familiar with LotR. So it might be easier to work on just one of the Book's.

Azaelia - good outline.

Macalaure · 03-26-2008, 09:40 AM

I think the great advantage of a project like this is, that we need to abide to less restrictions than a commercial radio adaptation would have to. We can, for example, take as much time as we like to, or afford to worry less about characters that might not seem credible to a non-reader. There is no real reason to cut anything - unless there is something which turns out to simply not fit into the whole.

This is probably a stupid question, but I guess it should better be cleared early on: Could there be any copyright problems for this?

TheGreatElvenWarrior · 03-26-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Could there be any copyright problems for this?

I'm sure that you would have to go through the Tolkien Estate or something to get their approval for this... but other than that little detail, I think that this would work out fine!

Azaelia of Willowbottom · 03-26-2008, 01:47 PM

I'm not sure, but I believe that as long as it's just for personal use and we're not going to sell it or otherwise make money from it, we should be in the clear as far as copyrights go. In other words, if it goes no farther than our little community, I don't see that we'd have a problem.

However, getting the Tolkien Estate's approval is more than just a "little detail", especially if they expect that we buy the rights, which I can't imagine would come cheap.

I dunno. I don't know too much about copyrights, and I could very well be wrong. Perhaps we should ask someone who knows more about this sort of thing.

MatthewM · 03-26-2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macalaure

This is probably a stupid question, but I guess it should better be cleared early on: Could there be any copyright problems for this?

I really don't think it is a big deal. It's not like we are going to sell it. If everybody went around trying to seek the approval of the Tolkien estate for doing anything LotR related not only would the Estate be overly rich but nothing would get done because the Estate is extremely slow in response. Have you ever ran a search under YouTube for LotR videos? I verily doubt that each person who put a song to New Line's movie clips asked for New Line's permission, along with the Estate's permission, along then with the artist's permission for who's song they are using.

I can see an issue if we were going to sell this for money. But we're not.

So, let's talk about this. How would we record the parts for our respective characters seperately? Also, we would need a voice sample from everybody who was auditioning for a spot...we can't just have anybody saying they will do this project and than finding out they can't deliver, or do not fit their part.

Macalaure · 03-27-2008, 09:39 AM

Well, I was just asking because Copyright has been discussed a lot recently on the Downs and because, after all, in the ideal case, we would be putting an adapted version of the whole LotR available on the Internet. YouTube is a bad example, because much of what's on there isn't actually legal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew

So, let's talk about this. How would we record the parts for our respective characters seperately? Also, we would need a voice sample from everybody who was auditioning for a spot...we can't just have anybody saying they will do this project and than finding out they can't deliver, or do not fit their part.

I don't think separate recording would work out well. I think services such as Skype allow to record calls (not sure whether the quality's sufficient). All who play a role needed in a particular scene (plus a "director", maybe) could just call each other at one time to record a scene. With a little bit of scheduling, this might be a way.

The voice samples are a good idea, but who decides who gets to decide over who gets which role?

Rikae · 03-27-2008, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Well, I was just asking because Copyright has been discussed a lot recently on the Downs and because, after all, in the ideal case, we would be putting an adapted version of the whole LotR available on the Internet.

It seems like it should be legal if we aren't selling it, but we should probably start off with a disclaimer to that effect, just to be on the safe side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macalaure

The voice samples are a good idea, but who decides who gets to decide over who gets which role?

Democracy?
The question is, do we vote for representatives on the casting committee, or have a general election on the casting of each role? Dictatorship is right out.

Rikae · 03-27-2008, 10:51 AM

Actually, on second thought, discussion (a la Wikipedia) tends to give better results than democracy when you have a small enough group to make it feasible - the trouble there, though, is the inhibiting effect concern for the prospective actors' feelings will have. Secret ballots it must be...

MatthewM · 03-27-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macalaure

think services such as Skype allow to record calls (not sure whether the quality's sufficient). All who play a role needed in a particular scene (plus a "director", maybe) could just call each other at one time to record a scene. With a little bit of scheduling, this might be a way.

The voice samples are a good idea, but who decides who gets to decide over who gets which role?

What's Skype? I'm not familiar with it...is it something like a program online in which you could record conversations, etc? If so, that's definitely a start and a good idea. Indeed with some scheduling it is a way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikae

Actually, on second thought, discussion (a la Wikipedia) tends to give better results than democracy when you have a small enough group to make it feasible - the trouble there, though, is the inhibiting effect concern for the prospective actors' feelings will have. Secret ballots it must be...

Well, I would say a discussion on the matter of casting would be fair enough for everybody. Definitely samples are needed though, auditioning for a certain character, perhaps? What do you mean about Wikipedia? Do they have discussion boards? We could also discuss here about casting for each role - let me just say, it's no secret who I want to voice - and I could provide you with an excellent audition via my crummy microphone here to prove my worth.

Male voices - I am one, I'm sure we would have plenty. Maybe somebody could also, if they have the skill, do more than one voice. I don't think I could, but I'm sure other people have this skill.

It's also necessary to decide which parts of the story we shall attempt to do - my vote is Book II, that being The Council of Elrond - The Breaking of the Fellowship. Any other parts people would like to attempt? I know Gwathagor mentioned Bombadil.

Gwathagor · 03-27-2008, 10:50 PM

Well, from LOTR, a few other scenes that might be fun would be the Council of Elrond, the conversations between Faramir, Frodo, and Sam, and the Treebeard scenes.

And then there's always The Hobbit and Unfinished Tales.

Gwathagor · 03-27-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewM

Male voices - I am one, I'm sure we would have plenty. Maybe somebody could also, if they have the skill, do more than one voice. I don't think I could, but I'm sure other people have this skill.

I'm planning on playing everybody.

Gwathagor · 03-27-2008, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewM

Oh yes - Tom would stay in if we decided to do that part of the story. But I am thinking, would it perhaps be easier to do a seperate Book (ex: Book II) rather than the story as a whole? For fans like us, we would not be "lost" as to what happened prior, and anybody who will be listening to our project would already be familiar with LotR. So it might be easier to work on just one of the Book's.

Azaelia - good outline.

Good thought. It would be cool just to do certain parts of the story that we felt needed improvement, or that we particularly liked - such as the Bombadil episode. Could be a good way to start out, and then expand the project later if all went well.

I'd love to help. I am going to school in the Chicago-area and live near Portland, Oregon (during the summer), so I may be a bit removed from other Downers, perhaps. I'm not sure. At any rate, I'll do whatever I can. Some tasks would doubtless work better over long distances, but I can write and act.

03-26-2008, 01:47 PM	#5
Azaelia of Willowbottom Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: By the Sea Posts: 446	I'm not sure, but I believe that as long as it's just for personal use and we're not going to sell it or otherwise make money from it, we should be in the clear as far as copyrights go. In other words, if it goes no farther than our little community, I don't see that we'd have a problem. However, getting the Tolkien Estate's approval is more than just a "little detail", especially if they expect that we buy the rights, which I can't imagine would come cheap. I dunno. I don't know too much about copyrights, and I could very well be wrong. Perhaps we should ask someone who knows more about this sort of thing. __________________ "Wherever I have been, I am back."

03-27-2008, 10:50 PM	#11
Gwathagor Shade with a Blade Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: A Rainy Night In Soho Posts: 2,512	Well, from LOTR, a few other scenes that might be fun would be the Council of Elrond, the conversations between Faramir, Frodo, and Sam, and the Treebeard scenes. And then there's always The Hobbit and Unfinished Tales. __________________ Stories and songs.

03-26-2008, 09:40 AM	#3
Macalaure Fading Fëanorion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: into the flood again Posts: 2,911	I think the great advantage of a project like this is, that we need to abide to less restrictions than a commercial radio adaptation would have to. We can, for example, take as much time as we like to, or afford to worry less about characters that might not seem credible to a non-reader. There is no real reason to cut anything - unless there is something which turns out to simply not fit into the whole. This is probably a stupid question, but I guess it should better be cleared early on: Could there be any copyright problems for this?

03-27-2008, 10:51 AM	#9
Rikae Mellifluous Maia Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A glade open to the stars, deep in Nan Elmoth Posts: 3,489	Actually, on second thought, discussion (a la Wikipedia) tends to give better results than democracy when you have a small enough group to make it feasible - the trouble there, though, is the inhibiting effect concern for the prospective actors' feelings will have. Secret ballots it must be...