NEW Schedule for Silm Film!

All at once; the discussions themselves can take a while and Corey sometimes goes on tangents, while some topics go undiscussed. Case in point 4.09 or 4.10, where he spent almost all the time on Hildorien and he was supposed to discuss Hildorien, Dragons and Luthien that day. It also does take awhile for the session to get going.

I think that there are those in this group that make some of the conceptual topics a higher priority than you might prefer. Don't worry. We'll get to more tangible topics (like casting) soon enough. :)
 
I will say that the Hosts are well aware that there's a hurdle for new people to get involved in the project - asking people to catch up on so many hours of podcasts before jumping in is a big ask. I know Corey and Dave did an 'Intro to Silm Film' talk at a California moot last year at the very beginning of Season 4 (podcast link available here: https://radiopublic.com/the-tolkien-professor-BWkdy6/ep/s1!ffa46 ), and part of the hope for that was to give a quick entry point into the project. Corey Olsen's "The Tolkien Professor" podcast just recorded its 500th episode, so, yeah...this is a lot. The first Silm Film episode was June 2015, so exactly 4 years ago now.

As I see it, there are a few options. Start listening at the beginning, and whenever you get caught up, go ahead and join in at that point. Granted, that was much easier when I did that halfway through Season 1 than it is currently! Another option would be to start listening at the beginning of the current season, so one is 'up to date' on the podcasts, and then go back and listen to the older ones at your leisure. This has an advantage of allowing people to 'jump in' faster (especially at the beginning of a season), but does require that the listener have patience considering what they don't know about what came before. Obviously, we're not going to all rehash everything that happened back in Season 2 just to 'fill in the gaps' for someone who hasn't listened to the podcasts. But we can answer the occasional question about how x was handled when it comes up. The kind of thing that can be answered with, "In SilmFilm, Amrod died in the shipburning" and "Fingolfin is a kinslayer."

What happens here on the forums is a discussion concerning the content of the podcasts. Thus, listening to the podcasts is a prerequisite for participating in the conversations. Granted, not everyone is always caught up on all of them, and some of us miss one from time to time, but then you generally just skip over those conversations if you're not up to speed on what is being discussed. If you do want to join a conversation or comment, it makes sense to preface your remarks with 'I haven't had a chance to listen to the session yet' so people can be understanding if you missed something.

The order of events is this. During the podcast, Corey comes up with his 'Questions for Next Time' (I realize we've departed from that model lately, but that was true for Seasons 1-3, anyway!). The thread is opened on the messageboard, with his questions in it as food for thought (or my heads-up as to what the next session will be focused on in the absence of that). Everyone here discusses in the week or so following the podcast. Then, I compile notes and a powerpoint from that conversation and submit it to the Hosts prior to their broadcast. During the broadcast, they discuss and make decisions, using listener input (both the notes from the boards and live comments).

For an asynchronous podcast listener, it would be best to listen to the recording sometime in the week after it airs. This would allow you to drop by the messageboard and add your thoughts/comments before the next podcast. That is what I meant by my comment about posting your ideas on the forums in advance to be incorporated into the podcast that way. That has always been an option, and some of our regular participants on the messageboards have not attended the sessions live.



Like any fandom activity, the general assumption is that everyone is caught up and 'up to speed'. There's generally a leeway immediately after new content comes out as you let everyone get caught up, but the assumption is that someone who is active in the fandom is going to want to watch/read the newest release and that the discussions are going to focus on that. If you haven't gotten caught up yet, you likely aren't going to join the discussions focused on that movie/book/TVshow/whatever. I know everyone here has read the Silmarillion, and it's not like Tolkien is publishing new content. So, at least there's that! But the reality is that this isn't simply 'Silmarillion fandom' - this is a fandom project focused on Corey Olsen, Dave Kale, and Trish Lambert's Silmarillion Film Project podcasts. So, yeah, there's a presupposition that those who want to participate in the project want to listen to the podcast sessions, and have done so.
It took me about six months to get caught up on all four seasons of podcasts. I have an hour-long commute to and from school, so I could get through about a full episode per day. Then, when I realized sometime in Season 2 that I could listen to them at double speed, I could get through two per day. However, I also did things like practice speeches and rehearse lines for shows I was in while I was driving, so I probably averaged about four episodes per week.

Although I waited until I was caught up to join the forum and watch the episodes live, I definitely do not think that was necessary. As long as you know The Silmarillion, you can contribute your opinions on how the material should be adapted. There are plenty of general topics related to the entire series or to an entire season to discuss. Also, you don’t need to listen to episodes if the topics don’t interest you. For example, if you didn’t care about visual design and didn’t feel like you had anything to contribute to that area of the show, you wouldn’t be obliged to listen to the episodes about visual design.

One thing that I think might help asynchronous listeners would be a short summary of the topics discussed in the episode. For example, the most recent episode would be something like “Sauron character arc (place along the path of evil, view of self, relationship with Melkor): How has he changed from Season 1? Where will he be right before the War of Wrath? Where is he now? How does he react to Morgoth stepping into his plan to capture elves by putting the Spell of Bottomless Dread on them? Kinslaying reveal: Thingol's initial reaction, Thingol's less radical approach after talking to Melian, reactions of the Noldor in Doriath at the time. Galadriel and Celeborn: Celeborn keeps secret until later in the series, Orodreth and Meril's wedding will happen before the ban so Galadriel and Celeborn can represent reconciliation." (I just did this from memory, so I may have left something out). That way, asynchronous listeners would have a better idea of what is actually discussed so they can determine whether or not a particular episode is necessary to listen to before contributing to the discussion. It would also allow them to, in the worst-case scenario, skip an episode but still have some idea what went on.

I would be happy to try to make little summaries like these, as long as the expectations for detail aren't too high. I also can't promise that I will be able to listen to every episode live, but I will try my best. Let me know if this is something you guys would like me to do.
 
Brief summaries would be great! They can go in the Episode Questions thread where that episode is being discussed (not the 'new' thread that is posted after the session). That will also be hugely helpful if someone is trying to remember which session a topic was discussed in to go back and check what was said. It's okay if you can't do it every time; maybe someone else can chip in times when you're absent. I know Richol has done a great job taking notes in the past, but again...not for every episode.
 
Good to see you around, man! You've been missed!

I’ve had kind of a lot going on. Celebrating a year since I moved north to Taipei, and celebrating 6 months with my girlfriend... by buying some property together. :p Celebrating 5 years in Taiwan in November, whereupon I’m hoping to try some new things job-wise, as I should be able to become a permanent resident! It’s been sad having to miss... gosh, I guess two years of Silmfilm, but I think as things continue to develop, i’m Hoping to be able to creep back in and make some contributions again!

But first I gotta make sure we finish buying this flat. :p

Edit: It occurs to me that I need to grab my copy of the Sillmarillion, it has been 5-6 years since I read it, and I kinda need a refresher if I’m gonna start doing this again.

But this time when I get back from America at Christmas I’ll have actual space to put my books and knickknacks! Frabjous day!
 
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Yeah, we all have different priorities on what we find more interesting on this project.To me it is mostly the cosmological questions, the fleshing out of the material and -the finished episode outlines

While i find a lot of other topics, like casting for example,often quite a bit dull...
 
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I think that there are those in this group that make some of the conceptual topics a higher priority than you might prefer. Don't worry. We'll get to more tangible topics (like casting) soon enough. :)
Did they ever discuss means of production, ie how the Noldor are getting their food?
 
Yeah, we all have different priorities on what we find more interesting on this project.To me it is mostly the cosmological questions, the fleshing out of the material and -the finished episode outlines

While i find a lot of other topics, like casting for example,often quite a bit dull...
Was that a dig at me?
 
Did they ever discuss means of production, ie how the Noldor are getting their food?

To a degree. Like most of us, they seem to think that they will get their food through hunting, fishing, and farming. They imagined that farming would be quite different for the Elves in a general sense. The Elves don't plow and weed, they sing songs to convince the plants they want to flourish and the less helpful plants to let that happen.
 
Was that a dig at me?

You are not yourself the topic of casting, now are you? We each like different aspects of this project. You enjoy casting; others find it dull. Some enjoy the cosmological questions; others find those dull.

It's not that the way a subject is handled is wrong or uninteresting - it's just that we don't all invest is all topics with equal fervor. And that's fine. Pick what interests you and go with that.
 
To a degree. Like most of us, they seem to think that they will get their food through hunting, fishing, and farming. They imagined that farming would be quite different for the Elves in a general sense. The Elves don't plow and weed, they sing songs to convince the plants they want to flourish and the less helpful plants to let that happen.

Hunting and fishing are not very sustainable for a large group of people..., well fishing CAN be with the richt technique..

I am also sure they DO till fields and sow !
 
Hunting and fishing are not very sustainable for a large group of people..., well fishing CAN be with the richt technique..

I am also sure they DO till fields and sow !

That doesn't seem to be what they are envisioning as per their discussion of Elvish technology. But, as it is doubtful to impact the project much, I wouldn't be too concerned.
 
If I'm remembering correctly, what the Hosts requested was no elven monoculture and no straight lines of crops. So, yes, there are fields and crops, but perhaps not the kind where you could just take your film crew to an existing farm and shoot there.
 
You are not yourself the topic of casting, now are you? We each like different aspects of this project. You enjoy casting; others find it dull. Some enjoy the cosmological questions; others find those dull.

It's not that the way a subject is handled is wrong or uninteresting - it's just that we don't all invest is all topics with equal fervor. And that's fine. Pick what interests you and go with that.
I, on the other hand, absolutely the abstract concept of “casting” made manifest on this Earth.

Says so right here on my birth certificate.

If I'm remembering correctly, what the Hosts requested was no elven monoculture and no straight lines of crops. So, yes, there are fields and crops, but perhaps not the kind where you could just take your film crew to an existing farm and shoot there.

I imagine natural farming or other no-till variants (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_farming) could serve as a model, especially since we’re dealing with literal faeries.
 
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My argument is - as always- they have words for plough, sowing, fenced fields, acre, tilling and tilled land, so they must have known it and probably done it. There still are wide possibilities open on exactly HOW they did it.I guess if they sing to wind and seas for good travel, they also might sing to crops for good harvest... seems likely what the valar would have taught them... as we know the Valar create much through music.
 
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