A Hallelujah Christmas

Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a merry Christmas. I'm sure that I did. I recently played this song at our annual Christmas Party Talent Show and thought I would share it with you. This is a re-recording of it which I took later because I thought it was such a beautiful song. I don't recall who did the original, but the Christmas version was revised and sang by a band named Cloverton, from which I got the idea. I hope you enjoy!

King Arthur Trailer

Finally, here is the finished music trailer for King Arthur. I have not made  a regular one yet but I think this one will suffice for now. Enjoy!

A Side Project

It's about time I made another post just about life. Unfortunately, I can't make a post which has nothing to do with filming,lol...My younger brother and I had just written a storyline and outline of a short movie we were going to make, when he happened to drop the camera outside on the ground. Even worse, it wasn't even his, but our older sister's who had just bought it. Sooo, filming came to a very abrupt halt. Fortunately for us, (and more so for him to redeem his reputation) he fixed a broken camera that was lying around the house which had shared a similar fate in March on a beach in Oregon, and we are now using that. The quality is less, but oh well! we have a camera at least.

The movie is currently being filmed by some of the members of Silent Planet Productions and goes, temporarily, by the name of 'An Unknown Friend'. Any suggestions along those lines would be appreciated and considered. The movie will be short and will appear on the blog by October at the latest. Since we are doubtful whether King Arthur can be posted on my blog do to complications, I decided to allow my readers and followers to at least get a glimpse of the amateur films that Silent Planet Productions makes.

Gwyn

Filming and Rapiers

Just a little update on filming and director meetings, on August 5th, the directors/producers/editors/ and cast of King Arthur met at a Community Center and filmed a large battle scene for the movie. Our cast included people from a different film studio as well as our original cast so we had about twenty-five people in it. It was really great. We got a lot of good clips and footage.

We also met on August 11 with the directors of the other film studio and had a wonderful time fencing with homemade rapiers. Let me rephrase that, we had an Awesome time. We looked over their costume designs and screenplay and talked about our movies together for quite a while. While outside our conversation strayed to Oliver Cromwell for some weird reason (actually, somebody said Cromwell was a good guy and I immediately had to refute their opinion with my own arguments, lol) and we also had a stimulating conversation about him, justice, execution and different "random" topics. (I try to refrain from using the word random because there is no such thing as random, so when I put it in quotes you know I mean miscellaneous really.) Great time there.

Filming has been really hot lately, (average is 100 or so when we're filming) so we try to get the scenes done quickly. Also, our two main actors are gone on an adventure/camping trip, so our filming has slowed down because we really need them back! The movie will be done by December 2012.

Gwyn

Film Night- OK

As you can tell from the title, last Wednesday did not go so well. Sir Pellinore would not cooperate through the choreographing scenes and I did not bring the make-up for Guinevere or the blood which was supposed to be all over King Arthur. Nevertheless we made do with tomato puree and dirt. The scene was filmed really quickly because we were expecting to be called any minute so Merlin's part wasn't filmed and we may have to redo the entire scene. Stress level was 95 and the kids were all goofing off and being ridiculous. (It's hard to film a scene with three people when about ten other kids are looking on, "helping" and, to be frank, causing problems. lol.
Good luck all amateur filmmakers! Hurrah for amateur movies!

gwyn- Director of King Arthur and Co-director of Silent Planet Productions

Update

We're currently working on a trailer for King Arthur and hoping to film some good trailer shots this Wednesday when I meet again with the cast. Some of my friends are also working on a movie with another group of people and apparently they're making gauntlets, chainmail, breastplates, medieval saddles and metal swords for their filming, plus giving all their cast riding lessons to have fights on horseback.  I can ride a horse but the horse I have I don't think any of my cast will have the guts to get on. (Wish I had the time they have!) I struggle enough just getting the Wednesday filming done, let alone trailer shots! But I guess that's part of directing and organizing your own film. I should be meeting with them on July 4th and I'm hoping to drag them upstairs to watch the trailer and get a few tips from them.

I bought a chain mail coif for the film (since I didn't have the time to make one) and got it just as cheap as I would have if I had made my own. (Without all the labor and time) I wish we were filming a movie I had written instead of King Arthur; Then you can write the script and plot using weapons, armor, scenery and settings that you have available without having to go but stuff. I buy everything for our movie so cash is not something I have in abundance. (Speaking of which, I really need to buy some fabric to make new costumes...) Anyway, I'll post another update after Wednesday's shots.

Gwyn -Director of King Arthur and Co-Director of Silent Planet Productions

Film Night-Success

Last night was the first official film night for King Arthur. We filmed the Excalibur scene and I was able to play my part of the movie, which consists of going under water and holding the sword up for King Arthur to take. Yes, that's me with the oar in the center of the picture just come out of the water. To the right is the Lady of the Lake, to my left is King Arthur, to my far left is Merlin and the other girls are Morgan Le Fay and some unknown lady who came with the Lady of the Lake. Due to my being director, and also due to our overflowing cast, this was the only part available since this is my seven or eighth movie or play to act in and several other people have not ever acted. I was impressed with the acting of one of our cast as I had not expected as much before we filmed, he being a new actor. The actors from our previous production, A Winter's Tale by Shakespeare, shone out again as usual on film night. This was the only scene in which I was not to be filming, due to my acting in the scene. Next film night is the 20th!

Abigail Gwyn-Director of King Arthur and Co-Director of Silent Planet Productions

Clouds

These were all taken at our house. Awesome pics! The last one is during the tornado watch when a tornado went through about twenty miles south of our house.

Ist Day of Filming - Practice Shots

Last week a few members of the production met at one of the actors' home and did a few practice shots to get our actors familiar with their parts. We had a very small group so we filmed some short clips between Sir Ector and Sir Kay. If anyone would like to read the script for the play, we have it here. Here are a few pictures and videos

Me, looking over the script

Merlin, my brother Micah

Sir Ector, (red shirt) and Sir Kay being ridiculous

Next film date, the 25th!

gwyn

The Script

Here is the script, for those who are interested. Several of the camera scenery shots have not been written down, but they will exist in the movie.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

King Arthur – David

Nurse – Hannah

Kay – Joseph

Sir Ector – Jared

Sir Balimor – Carson

Merlin – Micah

Sir Pellinore – Paul

Lady of the Lake (Viviane) – Jessica

Morgan le Fay – Katelyn

Guinevere – Sara Grace

Guinevere’s Handmaiden – Calli

King Leodagrance – Valerie

Leodagrance’s Messenger – Levi

Plus Various Knights and Maidens

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table

SCENE 1

Uther’s castle, rain, sound of fighting etc. Takes child from cradle and meets woman.

MERLIN

Take this child, the only living son of Uther Pendragon. Bring him to Sir Ector of Sauvage. He shall not die with the rest of his father’s household.

Nurse

I will guard him with my life.

She exits.

SCENE 2

SUBTITLE: Eighteen years later…fade to Arthur’s face

Arthur and Kay running to meet Sir Ector.

Sir Kay

Sire, my brother and I have just had word that the Archbishop of Canterbury has proclaimed a grand tournament, to be held a fortnight hence.

Sir Ector

Indeed?

Sir Kay

Yes, father. And, being thy son by birth, for the honor of our household and the credit of our name, I find I have an extraordinary desire to imperil my body in this tourney. For this reason, I request your permission to attend.

Sir Ector

Very well. You have my permission. We will go to Canterbury, and I do hope that God will give thee a great deal of strength so that you may achieve honor to thyself and credit for those who are of thy blood.

ARTHUR

Father, may I come also?

KAY

What?

ECTOR smiles

Arthur, my son, you are much too young for such doings.

ARTHUR

May I come as my brother’s squire?

ECTOR

So be it.

SCENE THREE

Cut to tourney, Sir Kay and Sir Balimor are fighting

Sir Kay

Very well! I will do battle with thee and cast thee down like thy fellows!

Balimor

I will teach you to cry for mercy!

More fighting. Kay breaks his sword over Bali’s head and Bali is about to strike him when Kay’s friends escort him off the field. Cut to [tent], Kay drinking wine and someone bandaging his wounded shoulder.

KAY

Arthur!

ARTHUR

Yes, brother?

KAY

Make haste and fetch me another sword, for mine is broken.

Arthur

I will do so with all speed.

He runs out, sees the sword in stone.

Arthur

I will go and get that sword if I can, for it will assuredly do well for my brother to finish his battle.

He approaches the sword. Merlin is watching. He draws out the sword, Ector also sees.

Sir Ector

What is this miracle? No one can draw that sword out.

MERLIN

No one but the rightful King of Britain. Hast thou forgotten the prophecy?

Sir Ector

Is he then the chosen one?

MERLIN

He is the one, even thy foster son. The prophecy shall be fulfilled this very day.

Sir Ector kneels before Arthur.

MERLIN

Behold, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, King of Britain!

Arthur

My father! Why dost thou kneel to me?

ECTOR

I am not your father.

MERLIN

Your father was King Uther. Your name is Arthur Pendragon. Long ago when thou wast born I, Merlin, gave you into the care of Sir Ector care when your father’s castle was attacked. Too long has this country been without a King. In you lies the hope of Britain. And lo! The spirit of prophecy is upon me and I do foresee that you shall be the greatest king that ever lived in Britain and many knights of extraordinary excellence shall gather around thee. Thou, Arthur Pendragon, shall be King of Britain.

cut to crowning scene with cheering crowd

SCENE FOUR King Arthur riding through a forest [with his knights].

SUBTITLE: Four months later

              MERLIN, riding from the opposite direction.

Greetings!

ARTHUR

Greetings, Merlin!

MERLIN

I perceive that thou ridest out on an adventure, sire.

Arthur

Verily, I go to seek out the Sable Knight who hath wounded one of my knights and killed another. I shall wreak vengeance on him for his misdeeds.

Merlin

Prithee, allow me to accompany thee on this great and perilous adventure.

Arthur

I assure you, I require no assistance, but I should welcome your company.

To his knights.

Wait for us here, my lords.

They travel for awhile, come to a black shield on a tree.

MERLIN

Methinks we approach the domains of said knight.

Arthur strikes it. A knight comes out of the castle.

Pellinore

Ha, sir knight! What rashness is this? Now I do tell thee that for thy discourtesy I shall take thy shield and hang it on yon tree. Wherefore give me thy shield or prepare to defend it.

King Arthur

I thank you for the choice thou grantest me, but as for taking my shield I believe that shall be Heaven’s decision. So make thyself ready for I have come to demand reparation for thy evil deeds against my worthy knights, and I shall have battle with thee!

Pellinore

That will I do.

They fight

Arthur

I give you my knightly word that thou art the most potent knight I have ever fought.

They fight. He wounds Pellinore but loses his sword. Pellinore is about to kill Arthur.

Merlin looks on.

Merlin

Stay! Stay thy sacrilegious hand, Sir Pellinore, for he who lieth beneath you is Arthur, king of all this realm!

Pellinore

Say you so, old man? Then your words have doomed this man unto death. For no one in this world hath suffered as much as I have from his hand. Wherefore, seeing he is in my power, he shall die.

Merlin

Not so! He shall not die at thy hand for I myself shall save him.

Strikes Pellinore out cold with magic staff, takes Arthur to a hermit’s call.

Scene 4

Merlin sits outside the hermitage while Queen Guinevere and company arrive.

              Guinevere

              What have we here?

              Maiden

              Verily, I believe we have come upon a hermitage, my lady.

              Guinevere

              Indeed. Approaching. Greetings, sir

              Merlin, rising

              Good morrow, my lady. What service can I render thee?

Guinevere

Answer me but one question, prithee. Whose is that milk white steed?

Merlin

Lady, he who lieth within is a knight, very sorely wounded so that he is sick nigh unto death.

Guinevere

Pity of Heaven!

Maiden

Surely this is a sad thing.

Guinevere

I beseech thee; lead me to him that I may behold him. For I have some skill as a leech, and it may be that I can cure the hurts of this poor knight.

She comes inside and looks down at sick Arthur and holds his hand. His eyes open. They fall in love. She and her maiden(s) dress his wounds.

Arthur

Who are you?

Guinevere

My name is Guinevere, and I am the daughter of King Leodagrance.

Arthur

By my life, you are the most beautiful sight my eyes have ever beheld.

SCENE 5, in hermitage, Arthur sitting up in bed, pacing by the window.

Arthur

Merlin, it vexes me sorely to have come off so ill in my encounter with King Pellinore. I might have won had I not broken my sword. I wish to fight him again.

Merlin

Thou art, assuredly, a very brave man to have so much appetite for battle, seeing how night thou camest unto thy death not four days ago. Yet how mayst thou hope to undertake this feat, seeing that you have no sword or spear?

Arthur

I know not. But I shall find a weapon, even if it is merely a wooden cudgel.

Merlin

Since your heart is set on this battle, I will lead you to the Forest of Adventure and to the lake that lies therein. In the centre of that lake there hath been seen an arm which holdeth a sword of marvelous excellence. But when a man draws near to take it, it vanishes beneath the water.

Arthur

Merlin, this is very strange indeed. My curiosity forces me to beseech you to take me to this enchanted lake, that I might seek to obtain this sword.

Merlin

I will even do so.

They depart.

Merlin

Yonder lies the enchanted lake.

Lady of the Lake approaches him with Morgan le Fay

Arthur

I am afraid I have intruded upon the dwelling place of the fairies.

Lady of the Lake

Nay, do not be afraid. Thou art welcome here, King Arthur Pendragon, beloved of the fairies. I am Viviane, the Lady of the Lake.

Morgan le Fay

I am Morgan le Fay, Queen of Avalon. But tell us, what brings thee to our land?

Arthur

I fought a battle with a certain sable knight in which I was wounded sorely and broke my sword. Therefore I have come here at the advice of Merlin to seek the word which lieth in this lake.

Lady of the Lake

My lord, that sword is no easy thing to achieve.

Morgan le Fay

Indeed, several knights have lost their lives by attempting that which thou hast a mind to do. For no man may win yonder sword unless he be without fear and without reproach.

Arthur

Alas, Lady, that is indeed a sad saying. For though I may have knightly courage yet in truth there are many things wherewith I do reproach myself withal. Nevertheless I will try to take this sword even if it be to mine own peril.

Lady of the Lake

If that is your resolution, then we shall aid you, for it is in my mind that you were meant to come here.

They go to the edge of the lake, a boat lies on the shore.

Morgan le Fay

Behold, the sword!

He goes out in the boat, gets the sword.

Arthur

My deepest thanks to you, fair ladies of the water. I shall call this sword EXCALIBUR, and may I ever wield it with honor, for an upright cause.

Scene 6

Arthur and Merlin are at Pellinore’s field with Pellinore and Excalibur.

Arthur

Now Merlin, my dear friend, I forbid you to enter our quarrel this time, nor by any magic arts wilt thou interfere.

Arthur turns to Pellinore

We do by now know each other very well and again I challenge thee to fight me, man to man until one of us is defeated.

Pellinore bows his head and they step back to their respective places. Fight takes place, make sure there is very good choreographing here.

Pellinore

Spare my life and I will yield unto thee.

Arthur

I will spare thee, and what is more, if you swear fealty to me, I will return thee to thy former estate. For I bear no ill will against you, but I cannot maintain rebels in my kingdom.

Pellinore

I will give thee my allegiance, sire, for you are in very sooth a worthy knight.

Arthur

And you, sir, if you are willing, shall join my knightly company.

Scene 7

King Leodargrance, pacing in his hall/garden. Guinevere enters.

              GUINEVERE

              Father? Why do you not sleep?

LEODAGRANCE, smiles

Oh, my dear Guinevere.

GUINEVERE

What troubles you?

LEODAGRANCE

King Reynce approaches from the north, and my armies are not fit to meet him. I know not what to do.

Guinevere

Why do you not send to King Arthur for aid, sire? Surely he will help.

Leodagrance

Thou speakest well, but what if he should not come?

Guinevere                                                                                        

Then we are sore beset; but I think he will come. Send for him, my father. You have nothing to lose.

Leodagrance

That is true. Very well, I will send out messengers.

Scene 8

Messenger sneaks past enemy lines, is chased, comes running into Arthur’s court, falls to his knees.

Messenger

My lord! Your majesty!

King Arthur

What have we here? Where are you come from, my good man?

Messenger

I bring a message from King Leodagrance.

Arthur

What does your noble master desire?

Messenger

His lands have been attacked by the wild King Reynce of Wales, who ravages the countryside with fire and sword. My master’s castle is under siege, and he and his knights are sore pressed. He beseeches your majesty to send aid, lest he be destroyed.

Arthur

Tell your master that I will come to his aid at once. Gawain, Lancelot, Pellinore, let us gird ourselves for battle!

Messenger leaves. Arthur gathers knights, travels to Leodagrance’s castle, battles with King Reynce, who retreats with his army. Leodagrance and Arthur and co. sit down together.

Leodagrance

My deepest thanks to you, sire. May I ever be ready to come to your aid even as you have come to mine. In gratitude for your service, please accept the hand of my daughter Guinevere in marriage.

              ARTHUR

              If the lady is willing, I shall be in your debt, sir.

              GUINEVERE smiles, hands Arthur a cup of wine.

              I am willing, my lord.

              Leodagrance

              So be it! What shall I give you for dowry, lord Arthur?

             

Arthur

Merlin, what shall I ask of my friend for dowry?

Merlin

King Leodagrance has in his possession your father’s ancient Round Table, where there are seats for forty-nine men, for the fiftieth is called Seat Perilous, and those who sit in it either die a sudden and violent death, or great misfortune befalls them. Uther bequeathed it to Leodagrance but the splendor of your reign shall outshine both Leodagrance and your noble father and if you should possess it, great glory and honor shall be yours.

King Arthur

That would indeed be a dower fit for a king.

Leodagrance

You shall have it, and your glory shall be mine, for is not Guinevere to be your wife?

Arthur

Thou sayest well and wisely.

MERLIN

Behold, the Round Table and the worthy knights thereof shall henceforth serve as a symbol of valor, honor and order in this new kingdom of Britain, for as long as you shall live.

Adapted by A.J from Howard Pyle's King Arthur and His Knights.