My own fantasy film

Two years ago I did a one week summer school course at Forkbeard Fantasy in the Waterslade Studios in Devon.

The first three days were pretty theoretical. Then you had three days to choose to do your own thing. I chose to do lots of theory and to put that in my own fantasy film. It was great fun to do.

They have lots of expertise like film, editing, acting but also animation, animatronics and lots of other things.

I am still proud of what I achieved in 3 days of+ time. So I would love to share the stuff I made if you want to see what I learned this is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/tamarabakx/videos

If you want to know everything about Forkbeard and the Waterslade Studios:

http://www.forkbeardfantasy.co.uk/index.php

  

The Viking-Christian wedding

Photo credit: Jonathan Hession

A couple of days ago I watched Vikings episode 7. I watched it over and over again. In this episode something happened what I already knew from spoilers. But it surprised me although I did know Floki was going to merry his one and only Helga.

The creators of the series from Vikings did a remarkable job. They succeed to put a Christian wedding and a Viking wedding together with both rituals. The music they used only makes it better.

What I like about the scene is how they show the differences in marriage. The rituals are different from each other but both are well shown.

There are myths in the Viking marriage. We know the similarities but on different ways. For example Floki carries his Helga to the spot where they are going to marry. The Christians do this after the ceremony. The broom carries his wife to bed.

Another great ritual by the Vikings is the changing sword this is for protection and is a symbol of tradition the broom will always change the sword from his father and will be given to the next son. The bride will have a new sword to give to the broom. Christianity don’t have that we do that with names.

On the ritual changing the rings it is clear they both have the same ritual here but Vikings put the ring on the swords and exchange in the series.

The music that they used suits perfectly in the theme of the marriages. It has a bit of Celtic sound. I know that sounds funny but it is.

Do you want to know more about Viking or the Christian marriage?

http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/wedding.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_on_marriage

Also to be found:

Twitter @TamaraBakx @tamara_bakx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamara.bakx

Q and A Clive Standen

Tonight there was a Q and A with Clive Standen who plays Rollo in Vikings.He did this because the first season and second episode in the UK was shown there.

I was able to ask him a few questions. He did gave me something to look up and now I know even more about the myth he liked.

Which other character would you like to play?

Clive: “I'm happy with Rollo but I can't wait to see where Michael takes the character of "Ivar the boneless"

Have you ever been in The Netherlands?

Clive: “I have...I did a theatre tour of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein in 2003 to Eindhoven, Utrecht,Gouda,Amsterdam and Rotterdam.loved it”

Which myth do you like most about the Vikings?

Clive: “look up the viking myth of how the phrase "cut your nose off to spite your face" was formed ... #Gruesome”

I then took the time to look it up and found out this:

There where nuns and the Vikings came there and in order to protect them from raping by the Vikings they cut of their noses. To find the full story click below on the link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_off_the_nose_to_spite_the_face

If you want to now more about Vikings and the TV series follow me and others on:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/431157483635596/

Today I want to talk about Vikings episode 6. (WITH SPOILERS)

Photo credit: Jonathan Hession

Today I want to talk about Vikings episode 6. (WITH SPOILERS)

What I like about this episode is the on forehand complots they silently agree on. I will explain later what I mean with this. In this episodes the stories talk a couple of times about revenge, love (dis)loyalty, the game of war and knowledge.

Revenge

King Horik, Ragnar and Rollo seek revenge for different reasons. They want revenge both on Jarl Borg and King Ecbert. Lagertha on her husband. Ragnar because Jarl Borg put his family in danger. Rollo because he hate Jarl Borg although he fought at his side. King Horik because he dislikes him and his tricks.

Knowledge

The difference between the knowledge of art is also explained. In language there is more distance between the Vikings and Britain at that time. In Britain they already wrote and painted in the Viking world it were carvings and runes. Better known as the Anglo Saxon Futhorc.

Faith

In this episode they tell us that Rome’s attacks on Britain where good for the knowledge but when we decided to keep the Christian faith a lot of things got lost. Unfortunately we lost lots of knowledge when we did this. The faith of the Vikings in the gods is much older than the Christian faith. That said you could say that the believes in gods have similarities to our Christian faith explained in this Vikings episode.

Auslaug tells a story about Logi and Loki that I tried to find on the internet. Unfortunately this is not anywhere to find. Loki was also known as Logi. Although they took this story I liked the way it is told.

On forehand conspiracy they silently agree on

Rollo and Floki are allowed to get Jarl Borg and punish him to beat him up and bring him to the great hall. Ragnar tell his faith he will draw the Blood Eagle on Jarl Borg. Thorsten, Rollo and Floki kill the army of Jarl Borg by putting the shed on fire.

The game of war

They did a game of war in this episode a war mind game. If Jarl Borg knew why Rollo did came to get him to go to Kattegat he wouldn’t came. Jarl Borg asked Rollo if Ragnar seeks revenge but Rollo tricked him to say that Ragnar is different than he is. With this he mind gamed Jarl Borg. If Rollo didn’t tell the people in the shed to be quit they did. Then he decided to burn the shed down with the people in it.    

Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon art book

Today I got my art book of Smaug:  Unleashing the Dragon. The one thing with dragons is that they appear as mythical creatures. The book shows us how they created Smaug and how film, drawing, book and myth come together by computer animation.

The fire breathing dragon Smaug looked very different at first then the one we meet in the film. The one we meet in the film is fierce and sound like thunder and isn’t the one you would like two meet in real life.

If you see the first drawings of Smaug it has a snake head and it looked like Loch Ness. After a while it get the shapes of a real dragon. Especially when you see how they played with light.

As king under the mountain Smaug is scary and loves to kill by fire breathing. He hates everyone who come into the mountain. The treasure is his and he earned it by killing.

What I like about art books is the explanation on how they choose to make a creature like that and how they make the whole dragon work. It explains a lot why they choose to do it like that and how the result will be afterwards.

As we know they took Benedict Cumberbatch to do the voice of Smaug. Some people say he did only the voice but that isn’t the real case. They took his face by motion capture and let them do the facial expressions of Smaug.

The textures they made to create Smaug are wonderful and very detailed. Even if he breathe fire the texture changed.

There is even an explanation if you could fight with fire against this dragon. It is a great book if you like to know how things get created this time Smaug.

Weta Workshop announced a new art book about Cloaks and Daggers pre orders are available now. 

The things I like about the Vikings season 2 the journey so far

Photo credit: Jonathan Hession

This Sunday episode 5 of Vikings season 2 arrived. We are a bit behind, I know. What I would like to tell you is that everyone worked so hard to give us a great season. I found it hard to admit that I know already what is going to happen although I haven’t seen it yet.

I like it I can visualize it for myself first and then the surprise will be when the episode is finally there. The funny thing about that is that you can create your own opinion. I am happy to tell you I try not to spoil anything but fans who have already seen the episodes I will tell you this. I like the whole idea of Vikings and how they are in the old age. The point is based on facts and on creation everything is possible.

When I tell you I like the way they choose to get each character explain its own story. In every fight we see how they choose to fight. From beginning until episode 5 I got surprised every time I watched. The switching between characters. How they believe to be. Their denial, their fears, their fight with inner self most remarkable explained. I actually love these things. Each and every character in its own way have their love, fight, struggle and obstacles. The thing is they have it both in mind and on the battlefield.

I like the relationship between Bjorn and Floki that is extra ordinary and strange in a way. Floki has a kind of relationship with all of the sons of Ragnar.

The sight from Ragnar and Aslaug is also great to see. In episode 5 we switch from the one to another and into the battlefield it is something quite extraordinary I love the way they did that.

The anger Bjorn created in season 1 is still there in season 2 but different in many ways. I love the way we went from Nathan o’ Toole to Alexander Ludwig. Alexander did a great job the way he plays Bjorn you get to see where Bjorn now capable of. Support in battle. His kindness is one of the things I like about Bjorn.

Speaking of Rollo from warrior to drunken nobody to hero? I like the character Rollo in many ways he tried too hard and got disappointed in himself. Most of the people don’t like Rollo in a way. I like Rollo’s character in many ways. He took many steps and he could kill himself and his brother multiple times but he didn’t. If anyone could identify with him you wouldn’t unlike him at all. Is that a weakness I don’t think so. Sometimes we do things in an blink of the eye and then we regret that our whole life, Rollo is one of them who does exactly the same.

 

 

    

Viking news

Hail Vikings,

It is hard to believe but the tv ratings from Vikings went down. The last episode of season 2 where lower than the last episode of season one. I didn’t expect that to happen. Although I can’t judge how it will be in The Netherlands a couple of months later it scared me. Although we already knew there is going to be a new season. What will the network do if the ratings start dropping again in season 3. Will we ever know what is going to happen to our beloved characters? Hopefully we love the Vikings so much that they see the ratings up again.

The premier of season 3 will be in 2015.

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-80085854/

Season 3 Vikings What to expect

Season 3

We do know more about season 3. In a recent interview creator Michael Hirst told a bit about season 3. They are going to invade France. With hundreds of boats they will set sail to raid. With lots of armies and men.

If you watch the historical facts then we know that Ragnar is famous of invading Paris. Rollo we know that he is going to marry Poppa the daughter of count Berenger and start a live as duke in Normandy. But these are historical facts and historical facts can be broken in TV.

Bjorn will also be sailing to the Mediterranean he invades Spain but only if Hirst allowed to. At the end of the interview he says: ” but on the other hand, you never know.”

We will never know what Hirst will do because it starts filming in June. The only fact we can know from this interview is that they going to France. Goodbye beloved Vikings we see you in season 3. Then we will know where Hirst was up to.

http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/87827807.html

Photo: History Channel

Sherlock Fans did you know what happened at 4 May 1891?

Did you know what happened at 4 May 1891?

Tomorrow 122 years ago Sherlock Holmes died his fake dead in the fight with Moriarty in the book we know as Reichenbach Falls. Still up to today the different local Sherlock Holmes society have titled this day as Reichenbach day.

What do they do on Reichenbach day? They mourn about the loss of their beloved book character Sherlock Holmes. How do they do that they gather in Victorian style clothes black. Where you might ask it is in  Multnomah Falls (53000 E. Historic Columbia River Hwy.) Oregon. Admission is free. If you would like to go. It is on 3 May 2014.

http://www.oregonlive.com/events/index.ssf/2014/05/mourn_the_death_of_sherlock_holmes_this_weekend_on.html