UPDATE: New Drizzt vid & Sword Fighting blog

[JackSmithIV]

I don't know how I felt about the casting/acting, but that's the snobbish New York actor me talking.

I'm awesomely impressed. The fight choreography is pretty spot on, and doesn't suffer a lot of amateur stage-fight mistakes. It looks like a very solid production. Overall, this is one of the best fan films I've ever seen for a fantasy franchise.

Well done!

 

[ppaladin123]

I think puny Wulfgar was pretty good. The character is supposed to be young, and he's easier for the target demo (teenage boys) to identify with.

That said, yeah the bit about forbidden love looked like it was intentionally awkward and corny. The fighting was better than I expected but not great--though the face-to-face-flashing-blades thing looked way better than it had any right to.

And Drizzt was terrific, in appearance and attitude. Only minus was that his face makeup was rubbing off on his hair in the fight scene.

Bottom line: very good job all 'round. Nice work, and thanks for creating it!

Oh, I don't think puny is the correct word. The guy playing Wulfgar is clearly in good shape, athletic, toned, etc. He is just built more like a long-distance runner or an elf ranger than a giant raging barbarian powerhouse. Still, it is hard to find somebody with that sort of physique and they were dealing with a shoe-string budget so...not bad considering.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

Really TALL folks in days past would often look slim for their height...lack of our rich food etc, but they would be extremely strong.
Pal of mine was like that, 6'6", looked wiry, but ye gods was he strong.

 

[Traycor]

On the other hand the fencing was surprisingly good, a lot better than I would have expected. A pretty convincing two-weapon style that looks very Drow, but also plausible even to a trained eye. And the villain wasn't too bad.

I expect at the very least the guy doing Drzzt and / or your fight coordinator can get a few nibbles in Hollywood.

Glad you liked the sword play. It took a good bit of sorting out to find a fast style with two long blades. Most conentional techniques would get the blades tangled up or would keep one blade offensive and the other defensive.

We wanted to do something fluid that would keep both blades offensive and defensive.

 

[Nivenus]

Alright, just saw it. Pretty impressive considering the budget. Like others, I think your fight choreography was the best part and you obviously spent a lot of effort on that. It's appropriate too, since action sequences are pretty much the highlight of Salvatore's work (not that his characters and stories are bad, they're just not as good).

I also thought other production design elements were in really good quality. Your use of special effects and costuming was impressive. The makeup for Artemis was probably the best, but that's likely because it was almost certainly the easiest. Bruenor wasn't bad, though the beard looked pretty fake (which I'm sure it was, admittedly). I though Drizzt's makeup was really good - except for the fact that his lips and a few other features were exposed. Granted, I know you might not want to smear his lips with makeup but a little bit of digital enhancement (which I'm sure is possible) might help here, since it makes it immediately obvious that it's not his skin color, which breaks the suspension of disbelief.

The worst part, I'd have to say, was easily the acting, but I imagine few of you working on it are actors and I know how difficult from my own work as a student filmmaker how hard acquiring talent can be. On the other hand, the problem might have been direction, though the high quality of everything else seems to suggest that's not the problem.

But so long as you're able to accept the lower-tier acting and little messups like Bruenor's beard and Drizzt's makeup this is a really, impressively well put-together piece. Thumbs up.

 

[Filcher]

Loved it. Looking forward to more.

 

[questing gm]

For a low budget production, I couldn't ask for more. This is very well done!

To those who are complaining or being critical over the details, you guys are just being ungrateful!

 

[Traycor]

To those who are complaining or being critical over the details, you guys are just being ungrateful!

Nah, I welcome constructive criticism
Most fan films are heavily praised and sent on with a smile and a pat (no matter how horrible they are). The fact that people are taking the time to critique means that they are taking it seriously. That is a high compliment.

 

[questing gm]

Well, can't blame you for the things that could only improve with a fatter budget (props, locations, costume, casting since you used paid actors) I'm already very impressed that you actually got yourself a panther!

I've also done some productions too so I understand how scare resources can be and how it can come out on screen especially for a fantasy film.

On the technical side of things, cinematography is overall good but it might work better with some tighter framing for the fight scenes and some more close ups for good variety. Editing is gorgeous (even the CG locations) that could be made better with tighter cuts for the fight scenes (together with more shots). I think the 'Forbidden Love' bit should have used the footage when Cattie-Brie and Drizzt were holding hands and Cattie-Brie screaming.

If there's anything that I would really need to say that needs improving is the sound level. Some of the dialogue gets overwhelmed by the soundtrack and there were unclear pronunciations.

But again, I still give you thumbs and toes up for accomplishing something like this. (now I only wish there was a bow-down smiley)

 

[Derro]

Holy Shizzt!

The title said fan film and I figure it would be below The Gamers in quality. Boy was I wrong.

Very well done. Above average choreography, good costuming, returning Aegis-fang, a class act all the way. I'd love to see more of this.

PS Tell Hair and Make-up that a light mist of canola oil and rubbing alcohol sprayed on the front of the wig will prevent it from picking up the face make-up.

4.5/5... Regis doesn't have a goatee.