Man in the Funny Hat
Hero
Any D&D film set in an existing, popular setting already has two strikes against it in the gaming community. Some will oppose it because they are not fans of that setting (or ar bigger fans of another setting and feel slighted that THEIRS is not the chosen one). Some will oppose it because the resulting film will not fit THEIR idea of the setting in look, choice of actors to play well-known roles, etc. Top that up with the possibility of failing to produce a good film whether the setting fans are otherwise with you or not. And one more thing to add - pleasing the gamers with the portrayal of a favored setting is irrelevant anyway because as a percentage of your movies audience as a whole they don't amount to dry squat.
I recommend:
Do NOT choose an existing game setting as your source.
I keep saying this but apparantly it's just not well understood - a successful film BEGINS with the writing. It matters not where the movie is set or who stars in it or directs it if the script isn't up to the task. bad actors, editors and directors can screw up a movie with a good script, but it's VASTLY less likely to have those same persons fix a movie with a BAD script. And gamers will enjoy winks and nods and jokes about gaming. NOBODY ELSE WILL. The hobby is too niche. Great numbers of people know D&D exists but they know NOTHING about what it's really like to play. A movie is NOT the place to teach them the game while you joke with them about it. Instead there is a pretty simple formula available for successful stories: introduce characters that people like. Put those characters in danger to push them to grow and develop. Resolve the danger, preferrably as at least a partial consequence of the characters growth/development. Simple drama, not inside-jokes and self-satire.
I recommend:
Take the movie seriously, let the movie take itself seriously and your chances for success increase exponentially.
A D&D movie should, however, feature at least some basic D&D tropes. However it starts it should quickly come to be about the exploits of a PARTY of "adventurers" and not, I repeat NOT, feature one individual adventurer in particular. If in no other way it this will be what seperates it from the usual crop of fantasy films. Drama and interest should draw from their interactions with each other and how as a team they deal with obstacles and other characters (or FAILing as a team to do so.)
Leave out the kitchen sink. Don't feel you have to show great swaths of setting to demonstrate D&D's breadth and scope. Keep the story tight and moving. Whatever else D&D may be it features combat and action. Acknowledge that character actions in the movie should be defineable under game rules, but do not allow game rules to force limitations upon you that prevent making a better FILM. Again, demonstrating the GAME in the movie will result in a stilted, unwatchable movie. Keep gamespeak out of it as much as possible (though a certain amount is actually desireable as regards magic.) Do not limit the movie to ANY given editions rules. Use them as a basis to work from, but do not constrain yourself with them unnecessarily and sacrifice the movie as a result. If game rules can be altered by the DM and participants for a better game they can damn well be sacrificed utterly for a better movie.
I recommend:
MOVIE first. Game, an unfathomably distant second.
Hire a director who's played the game (and more than once or twice), but who understands that previous recommendation and would never violate it. The producers need to have some experience with the game as well. Do not, however, make the mistake of thinking that you have any particular need to hire ACTORS who have played the game. It might be fun but it simply is not a consideration - AT ALL - in who portrays the characters on film, and how.
I recommend:
Hiring dedicated professionals first and foremost.
The rest should take care of itself.
I recommend:
Do NOT choose an existing game setting as your source.
I keep saying this but apparantly it's just not well understood - a successful film BEGINS with the writing. It matters not where the movie is set or who stars in it or directs it if the script isn't up to the task. bad actors, editors and directors can screw up a movie with a good script, but it's VASTLY less likely to have those same persons fix a movie with a BAD script. And gamers will enjoy winks and nods and jokes about gaming. NOBODY ELSE WILL. The hobby is too niche. Great numbers of people know D&D exists but they know NOTHING about what it's really like to play. A movie is NOT the place to teach them the game while you joke with them about it. Instead there is a pretty simple formula available for successful stories: introduce characters that people like. Put those characters in danger to push them to grow and develop. Resolve the danger, preferrably as at least a partial consequence of the characters growth/development. Simple drama, not inside-jokes and self-satire.
I recommend:
Take the movie seriously, let the movie take itself seriously and your chances for success increase exponentially.
A D&D movie should, however, feature at least some basic D&D tropes. However it starts it should quickly come to be about the exploits of a PARTY of "adventurers" and not, I repeat NOT, feature one individual adventurer in particular. If in no other way it this will be what seperates it from the usual crop of fantasy films. Drama and interest should draw from their interactions with each other and how as a team they deal with obstacles and other characters (or FAILing as a team to do so.)
Leave out the kitchen sink. Don't feel you have to show great swaths of setting to demonstrate D&D's breadth and scope. Keep the story tight and moving. Whatever else D&D may be it features combat and action. Acknowledge that character actions in the movie should be defineable under game rules, but do not allow game rules to force limitations upon you that prevent making a better FILM. Again, demonstrating the GAME in the movie will result in a stilted, unwatchable movie. Keep gamespeak out of it as much as possible (though a certain amount is actually desireable as regards magic.) Do not limit the movie to ANY given editions rules. Use them as a basis to work from, but do not constrain yourself with them unnecessarily and sacrifice the movie as a result. If game rules can be altered by the DM and participants for a better game they can damn well be sacrificed utterly for a better movie.
I recommend:
MOVIE first. Game, an unfathomably distant second.
Hire a director who's played the game (and more than once or twice), but who understands that previous recommendation and would never violate it. The producers need to have some experience with the game as well. Do not, however, make the mistake of thinking that you have any particular need to hire ACTORS who have played the game. It might be fun but it simply is not a consideration - AT ALL - in who portrays the characters on film, and how.
I recommend:
Hiring dedicated professionals first and foremost.
The rest should take care of itself.
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