To me, what is challenging about this episode is demonstrating the tension between the Noldor camps. To use this handy chart*, how likely is it that our kin will attack us today? This is not a war situation and there is no kinslaying. No skirmishes of any sort break out. It's more like a de-militarized zone. But I'm not sure how official the no-man's-land designations are? Like....are they just...staying away from each other? They are establishing a perimeter and fortifying the camps, and we can show that. But if this is like the boundary between North and South Korea...how do you *show* that?
We start out with the Host of Fingolfin mad as hornets. They just marched across the Ice because Fëanor betrayed them and stole the ships (again). They confronted Morgoth at Angband and then turned away from the gates. They marched to Mithrim. They set up a camp. At this point, the tension between the Host of Fingolfin and the Host of Fëanor is fairly high. If we have to assign a color to the question of 'how likely is it that violence will break out?' when the two full groups see each other for the first time, we're at a
SEVERE.
And then.... They find out that Fëanor's dead and Maglor's in charge. That...changes things, but it doesn't make them less angry. So, they're still mad, but not actively plotting a war. I guess the threat level drops, a little bit? Maybe to
HIGH.
And then...the camps just stare at each other across the lake for a long time. We know they aren't plotting war against Angband; they're too worried about the immediate threat staring at them. So, they more or less do nothing? It's awkward to show what they are doing. Because, la la la, going about our business....is tough when you have a concern that the neighbors might attack at any time. You're not relaxed. You're vigilant. But...no attack ever comes. They're staying at this very high level of tension (but without any fighting) more-or-less indefinitely. The Fëanoreans have more supplies and the Fingolfinians have more people, but they're not exactly exchanging goods, here. They're not working together.
With the disappearance of Fingon, the threat level bumps up to
SEVERE again, and we have the events play out in Acts 3 and 4. That is fine, and we're going to show that meeting disintegrate. So, I'm not too worried about convincing the audience how dire the situation is there. Ditto with the beginning, when we have people in the camps saying what they think of the other camp to set the scene.
But...how do you show that slightly-reduced-but-still-highly-alert threat level? On the surface, it appears as if the groups are just going about their lives during this interval. Showing them
not make plans to attack Morgoth or
not portion off Beleriand isn't showing anything. What are they doing in this time? We don't have to show a lot of it, but I would feel better about this outline if I knew how we were conveying that state of alertness to the audience. What are their long-term goals, before this all comes to a head? Are they just going to...camp out next to Lake Mithrim...forever?
*In reality, this chart is never used to indicate green or blue levels. Whether or not you're worried about being attacked, there's always a chance you will be. And in Beleriand, the Noldor will live in constant threat from Morgoth throughout the First Age. But...there are lower threat times, like the Mereth Aderthad and the Siege (prior to Glaurung's appearance). In Episode 1, we're not in this 'low threat' stage, even though Morgoth is doing...essentially nothing. Doom of Mandos!