Session 4-31: Sets and Locations

Also, a reminder that VOTING FOR CASTING ends on December 25th! So please, head over to the casting forum, peruse the nomination threads, and then follow the link to cast your vote in the survey. The more people who vote, the more robust the results :)
 
Here are my notes for this session. I was interrupted a few times while watching, so I apologize if I missed anything major.

SilmFilm Session 4-31: Sets and Locations

Because this is a theoretical show, our budget is unlimited and filming locations can be wherever we want!

Mithrim
  • Fingolfin is in the north and Maglor is in the south. Because of the shape of the lake, they can see each other but are actually pretty far away. Watchtowers around the lake. When do they transition from temporary structures to permanent structures? – depends on how much wood is available. The terrain of Mithrim is like the Scottish highlands, so there is not a lot. They would prioritize barricades over houses. They would not cut down all the trees around them. Temporary materials are okay.
  • What would the characteristics of the Noldorin tent cities be? Everything should look neat. It would be artistic, structured and organized like Roman camps. Feanorians would have a more organized camp, but Fingolfin’s camp would not be sloppy. There is less central command in Fingolfin’s camp than in the Feanorian camps. As they live there, they would improve the tents, maybe with embroidery. The Feanorians would have more furniture and goods in their camp.
Amras’s settlement
  • Amras lives a nomadic lifestyle in the tents from the camp of the Feanorians. Amras has not moved on and is not contributing to the leaguer. Amras’s tents are pretty and painted, not dark and somber.
Dorthonion
  • Land of pines needs to be fully wooded. Altai mountains as location. Dorthonion should not just be mountains, there should be flat land on top. Lots of wooden architecture, and Angrod and Aegnor’s fortress is not the strongest or most fire-resistant. Gorgeous and ornate woodwork.
Himring
  • Has to be cold and snowy. Flattop Mountain in Alaska as location. Himring should have a sense of being commanding with lots and lots of defenses pointed at Angband. Barren landscape around the hill but there should be some wood.
Keep Helevorn (Caranthir)
  • Castle on the lake. Road by the castle to collect tolls from the Dwarves. Gorgeous views over water and mountains but also difficult to assail.
Barad Eithel
  • Iceland as location. Clinging to the mountains like Reichenbach Falls but not as extreme. There should be roads to it. Barad Eithel is not really a city; it is a defensive position on the border of Fingolfin’s realm and a staging ground from which to respond to threats in the east and survey Ard-galen. It is not at the very top of the mountain. There could be a waterfall. They maintain horses on the plains but have room for the horses to withdraw to. There should be a pass back to Hithlum that Barad Eithel defends. The fortress is a full castle not just a watchtower. Civilian settlement is on the western side of Ered Wethrin.
Tol Sirion
  • Drawbridge on the eastern side but no bridge on the western side. The western shore is inaccessible mountains. How purely military is Tol Sirion? Probably pretty military since it is named the Tower of Guard. It can be both practical and pretty. Minas Tirith relies much more on its geography than Himring does. It should have walls but not a lot of concentric walls. The island should be pretty craggy, and the fortress should look hard to get into because of the river by it.
Falls and Gates of Sirion
  • Haifoss as location for the Falls of Sirion. It should look like the river disappears. The Gates would probably need to by CGI or real location filmed only from a very careful angle.
Brithombar and Eglarest (Cirdan)
  • There are two separate havens, so one could have cliffs, and the other could have a protected harbor. Eglarest is flatter; Brithombar has more cliffs. The city is very close to the water because the Elves love their ships. The havens are more defensible since being reconstructed after the attack in Season 3. Eglarest could be walled with cliffs behind it and difficult to access except by boat. Brithombar is built near the old city but more up on the cliffs to be more defensible.
Vinyamar
  • City on several levels overlooking the sea. It should be very pretty. The main approach to the city should be from the river. Maybe some different islands in the river are occupied during the Mereth Aderthad.
  • Throne room should be the most western point and near the sea on the lower terraces of the city. The statue is carved into the mountainside and looks west.
Gondolin
  • Artesian wells and fountains, pools and channels of water. Green fields to support the populations with agriculture. Turgon’s throne room shows less humility than the Vinyamar throne room by being at the top of the tower. Individual villas, not laid out like a typical city.
Nargothrond
  • Hidden in river gorge, green but not stony. Three arches with tunnel and trees in front to hide it. Nargothrond is concealed by the Noldor defending the area around it. The entrance is visible but only when you are very close to it. It is not exactly concealed, but it is hard to access.
 
This is quite helpful thank you, I wanted to continue working on those. If anyone is gonna do the same, we should divide up the work or actively work together so we don't just independently do the same thing twice.
 
Brithombar and Eglarest (Cirdan)
  • There are two separate havens, so one could have cliffs, and the other could have a protected harbor. Eglarest is flatter; Brithombar has more cliffs. The city is very close to the water because the Elves love their ships. The havens are more defensible since being reconstructed after the attack in Season 3. Eglarest could be walled with cliffs behind it and difficult to access except by boat. Brithombar is built near the old city but more up on the cliffs to be more defensible.
I think the locations used would be a mix of Portugal and Corsica (Bonifacio)? Not sure what was decided. I tried to comment but was too slow.
 
I think the locations used would be a mix of Portugal and Corsica (Bonifacio)? Not sure what was decided. I tried to comment but was too slow.
I don't remember if they chose an exact place for the havens. I think they said the buildings in the picture of Bonifacio were too far up the cliffs from the water.
 
I guess I’m disappointed that we’ll be waiting more than a month for results for the casting.
Yes, but you will have to be patient. Also, I have to work on the presentation, and I have regrettably caught a cold when I was supposed to do it, which delays things. In the end, everything will fall into place at the appropriate time.
 
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