The Plans for the Second Barrow-Downs Audio Adaption!

[MatthewM]

Hello all!

I thought about posting this on the original "Would There Ever Be a Possibility?" thread, but decided to attract more views it would be nice to start a seperate thread.

Right now, The Ring Goes South Barrow-Downs community adaption is underway, with almost all of the roles cast. We will be recording, word for word, a dramatization of a few pages. I would like to announce our second production, which our head of the department Nogrod likes and has agreed upon.

Now, we are indeed in the infant stages of The Ring Goes South, but as is with many productions, people like myself get hasty (as Treebeard encourages us not to do) and start talking about, if the first project comes out well, making a second. Now as I thought about this I came up with what I think is a great idea.

After TRGS, I think it would be nice recording 3 1/2-4 pages (a rather short production) from At the Sign of the Prancing Pony. I have the perfect pages, too - I am not sure what edition everyone has, but I am talking about recording from a page or two in, when the sentence starts:

"It was dark, and white stars were shining..." and ending with Pippin's line of "Mind yourself! Don't get lost, and don't forget that it is safer indoors!"

It would be a great tribute to the beginning of the Hobbit's journey. Also, I was thinking that it would only be fair to let males play the Hobbits this time - seeing as how the girls will be playing Sam, Pip, and Merry in our first production. The narrator could surely be female. Since this wouldn't be a huge production, I don't really see why anybody would have a problem with it.

Each character has at least 2 lines of words, and the characters are as follows:

Frodo
Merry
Pippin
Sam
Nob
Butterbur
Gate-keeper

Nob could surely be played by a female, as well. So we could have 2 female roles- Narrator and Nob. But since not every male will be getting a part in TRGS, I think it would be nice to have the Hobbits voiced by males.

I have a love for Pippin, and I could do a good Pip. He only has a line and a half, so I would definitely be aiming for that role. The others could be discussed accordingly. I feel like Nogrod could make a great Butterbur or Gate-keeper, or maybe even Frodo. Any role he wants, really, he's the man!

Anyway, let me know what you think of this! Again, I know we haven't even truly began our first project (one thing at a time - I know) but I just wanted to share my thoughts with you. I think it would be great!

Then, if that all went well, we could branch out to something from say, RotK, in which there will be a ton of one liners for everybody to get involved.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

That sounds like fun! I'd just have to get myself a reasonable microphone, my webcam's isn't very good...

[Gwathagor]

I'm game, as usual.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

I followed your first project on and off and wished I'd taken part. So, I'm not going to pass up this opportunity. As long as you don't mind a pompous English twit in your recordings, I'd like to join in an active role.

If you are taking suggestions for other ideas, (yes, one thing at a time, and all), I always thought that The Council of Elrond would be a good one. Nice and long, plenty of lines for everyone, and a good, juicy, background devolopping scene.

I must ask, though, for these recordings, will you be wanting sound effects?

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Hookbill the Goomba

I must ask, though, for these recordings, will you be wanting sound effects?

Definitely, we will be using some sound effects in our current project, so I'm sure we will be using them in this one as well. We aren't sure the extent of them yet - but in The Ring Goes South I'm pretty sure you'll be hearing wolves howl, amongst other things!

Do you have any recording device that you would be able to use to give us a voice sample?

[Nogrod]

Welcome aboard Hookbill!

Originally Posted by Hookbill the Goomba

I must ask, though, for these recordings, will you be wanting sound effects?

I think that's kind of an idea that we haven't discussed as yet... We made a few homemade sound effects when Brinn was visiting us here in Helsinki and they turned out quite fine (that recording we made of the fellowship in front of the gates of Moria). So the question is whether we wish to use sound effects here as well, and whether to make them ourselves or to fall into using those sound effect cd's there are in the market.

I'd vote for home-made sound effects and if you Hookbill had that in mind I'll welcome you all the warmer. I love coming up with that sort of things but two heads create more than one (as I haven't yet heard of anyone else being enthusiastic about making them - if that has been due to shyness, please come forwards)!

Somehow using ready-bought sound effects would sound like betraying the amateurish (amare = to love, amateur = a lover) quality we have in these things. But that's only my opinion...

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

Do you have any recording device that you would be able to use to give us a voice sample?

I have some software called 'cooledit' which is excellent for sound recording. I've also got a microphone somewhere... I'll get on to it in the morning.

[Thenamir]

This sounds like a lot of fun! Depending on the time requirements, I could contribute a voice-over (I rather like the idea of being the narrator), some sound effects, and perhaps some original music, scored on my new Yamaha ES-7.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

I've made some samples for you, one of me just narrating and one as a character (Harry the Gate Keeper; the first one I flicked to). So... Where do you want me to send them for your nefarious schemes?
I could always upload them to a temporary source, like so...

NARRATION

THE KEEPER

(just click the big, orange, 'download securely' button)

Hope they don't make you sick.

[Eönwë]

Well, since I didn't get the chance to do the last one (sorry, people) I think I might be able to do this (the summer holidays beckon!).

But I don't know about voices yet.

[Nogrod]

I've meddled with your clips a bit Hookbill and they can be found from here.

I added some bottom to them and they sound good indeed but the hiss in the first and the low hum in the Harry-bit are a bit disturbing... Anything you could do about it?

Thenamir, as I said in my PM if you have any ideas about the music just come forwards with suggestions. I'm in no way willing to reserve the music-department as my own. On the contrary. It would be nice to make things together - and as I'm no real composer myself I'd be glad to play anything someone else composes (I can play guitar, bass and sing - and I can also handle synths to make classical instruments or those weirdo movie sounds and I've learned to program drums / percussions...).


All ideas about nice home-made sound effects are welcome - and the actual effects themselves to be sure*. Yes, we can discuss this. There are a lot of sound effects around to be used but do we wish to make them ourselves as well?


I have been kind of organising The Ring Goes South -project - and I do hope we'll get it done pretty soon - but if someone wishes to take charge of this project feel free to do it. I can do this as well, as it is fun, but I have no special claim or aim on doing it. So anyone with a decent software for doing the mixing stuff and a wish to organise this could do it. I'm available for any role you think I might fit and I can help with the music as well.

This doesn't mean I'm trying to slide off from the project. No way. I love these! But I just wanted to say I'm not in any way willing to be the one who calls the shots if someone else would love to do it and curses her/himself why that guy bosses all around...


*Hah. Legate and Rune are coming here in the beginning of August. With Volo, Lommy, Aganzir, Greenie and Anniina, Lommy's friend - and possibly my little sis & her boyfriend - we could indeed try to record something what the general noise in the Prancing Pony could be...

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I've meddled with your clips a bit Hookbill and they can be found from here.

Ah, okay. Thanks. It's been so long since I used the sound recording software that I completely forgot to get rid of the hiss!
The hum in the second one is probably because I lowered the pitch.
Moreover, I need a better microphone...

[Volo]

I'm happy to do any hobbit I'm given, especially as I now have a microphone.

[Gwathagor]

I think I could do a pretty good Frodo, if you need me.

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I can play guitar, bass and sing - and I can also handle synths to make classical instruments or those weirdo movie sounds and I've learned to program drums / percussions...).

And you play them very very well! The clip that I heard about the possible Bree music sounds great.

All ideas about nice home-made sound effects are welcome - and the actual effects themselves to be sure*. Yes, we can discuss this. There are a lot of sound effects around to be used but do we wish to make them ourselves as well?

I would prefer home made stuff, like the wolves howling that you and everybody did in that preview clip. It's more authentic that way. I agree that using pre-made sounds will put a damper on the originality.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I have been kind of organising The Ring Goes South -project - and I do hope we'll get it done pretty soon - but if someone wishes to take charge of this project feel free to do it. I can do this as well, as it is fun, but I have no special claim or aim on doing it. So anyone with a decent software for doing the mixing stuff and a wish to organise this could do it. I'm available for any role you think I might fit and I can help with the music as well.

This doesn't mean I'm trying to slide off from the project. No way. I love these! But I just wanted to say I'm not in any way willing to be the one who calls the shots if someone else would love to do it and curses her/himself why that guy bosses all around...

Nogrod...without you I don't think we could go on with these! Don't be so modest! You are the natural leader of these, even if I came up with the seedling ideas. Think of it this way...pretend I'm Frodo offering you the Ring and you're Gandalf. Now, instead of refusing the Ring, do take it!!!

[MatthewM]

Oh and Hook- great clips! Thanks for them...I like your Gate Keeper!

So, thus far, we have myself, Hook, Gwath, Volo, Eönwë, Thenamir, TheGreatElvenWarrior, and of course Nogrod if he wants to do a role. So, that is 8 people. Did I forget anybody? If so, do correct me.

Out of the 8 mentioned, who are females? I know Hook, Gwath, Volo, and Nogrod are males, so that's 5 including myself...and I know TGEW is female...Eonwe and Then, care to let us know your gender? Odd question...haha.

And Nogrod...do have all those people over your house for some festivity in Bree! That would be great!

[MatthewM]

So...any preferences? Gwath has mentioned Frodo. Volo, I know you have an interest in Frodo too...as you'll be voicing him in The Ring Goes South.

I know to some it doesn't matter which character they get, which is fine! Just wanted to get the ball rolling and see if anybody has any more preferences.

[Eönwë]

MatthewM, I am the same gender as the character I am named after (though I don't happen to be the greatest warrior ever).
Basically, male.

[Laurinquë]

Well this looks like a lot of fun!
I don't really know how female parts there are, but I would love to take part in it!

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

And Lauri is a girl.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

I don't really know how female parts there are, but I would love to take part in it!

You know Tolkien... not too many...

We have tried to overcome that fact with assigning the narrator and the hobbits & the elves to female-voices (in the Ring Goes South -part underway now). This particular thing about the Prancing Pony is an offshot of that which Matthew who thought the males should have a right to play the hobbits suggested. And it's a nice idea. But there are very few roles to females then.

So it will be kind of a male thingie...

But I'd say we start co-discussing (in a separate thread) a part from Lothlorien where all the elves and hobbits would be females... or let's make a gender-radical interpretation of any part of the story? Or let's turn to Silmarillion for a female adaptation of a part of it?

How about the Ainulindalë? There's only the narrator there but we could come up with any nice ideas about it: voices speaking it on top of others, in unison, in a fugue-style, someone reading it in discord, sharing the parts, composing the music & performing it together... there's no limit what we can do but our imagination...

Or any of those stories of the old that have no characters speaking their lines but just are so grand being stories of great things passing?

I'd be more than happy to help you out with any that kind of thing without a character role myself.

[MatthewM]

That's a nice idea Nogrod...I wouldn't be able to help much because I haven't read the Silm

Concerning this project, there could be about 2 female roles. The narrator could be female, and Nob could be voiced by a female as well, if we wish!

So we just have to decide how we want things to go...who would like to be who, etc.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

If you need any female singers for the recordings, Lauri and I can sing, her being an alto and me being a first soprano... I don't know if she'd sing though...