The Great Tree Forum Index The Great Tree
still kickin'
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   Poster ListPoster List   Member ListMember List  UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 
 Links:   great tree   uru live   uru obsession   drc site  

 Documentaries:    learn the story of the great tree

Episode Zero - "The Beginning"
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Great Tree Forum Index -> The Story of The Great Tree
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Professor Askew
Great Tree Member
Great Tree Member


Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 2532
Location: Bloomfield, CT

PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:53 am    Post subject: Episode Zero - "The Beginning" Reply with quote

Gadren has written up a brief story telling of the earliest days of D'ni, its subsequent fall, and its discovery by the DRC and Explorers. He and Marten have also provided links to various artwork that will support this story. (I'll try to get those posts over here).

This first film will more than likely be a collection of supporting visuals with a music background and "narration".

Once everything is assembled here, we'll ask for volunteers if needed, and continue the process.....if that makes any kind of sense. Rolling Eyes
_________________
Professor Daniel Askew - Securing our reality from the machinations of the Station Masters.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Durin Mephit
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 3119
Location: Tigard, OR

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I took Gadren's last draft and came up with this. It is as concise as I could make it... sorry if it runs a bit long.

Quote:
At the dawn of the Agricultural age, while mankind established the first human settlements on the Earth, beneath the surface there thrived already a grand pinnacle of civilization.

Exiles from a dying world, the Ronay, had arrived beneath the Earth within a great cavern they christened D'ni, or "New Beginning." Under the guidance of Ri'neref, their leader, the citizens of D'ni began a new way of life. They developed an ordered system of laws to protect their freedoms. They constructed massive machinery with which to excavate the stone around them. And most important of all, they perfected the method by which they arrived on Earth: the Art of Writing, creating books to forge links across the vast infinity of possibilities that they called The Great Tree.

For nearly one hundred centuries, the D'ni civilization grew and thrived. And then, D'ni fell. At the hands of a traitor, six million D'ni lives were exterminated by a foul poison spread through the cavern air. The few survivors of this tragedy took shelter in other worlds. Years later, a D'ni descendant by the name of Atrus returned to D'ni. He gathered those survivors he could find from their hidden worlds, and together they sought to rebuild the cavern... but their gathering was too small, and the task at hand too great. Atrus and his followers decided instead to start over once more, and wrote Releeshahn, "The Whole." To that Age, they departed. And after that, the once august cavern languished and fell into disrepair.

But today, D'ni lives once more. Twenty years ago, a man by the name of John Loftin discovered the cavern. In the following months and years, he returned with friends, one of whom established the D'ni Restoration Foundation (which in turn birthed the D'ni Restoration Council, or DRC). At first a trickle, then a steady stream of surface-dwellers have journeyed to the ruins of D'ni, hoping to restore what once was. Feeling "called" to the cavern, these people have formed a community passionate about D'ni -- both its history, and its future.

But what history should be restored, and what shape should D'ni's future take? The DRC, a self-proclaimed group of archeologists and researchers, has taken on the responsibility for studying and rebuilding D'ni and its Ages. Their methods are meticulous and cautious; but some suggest that the DRC is ignoring or whitewashing the history of D'ni, and with it, important lessons that we should learn. Persons like Jeff Zandi, Douglas Sharper, and Phil Henderson advocate foremost the dogma and knowledge of Yeesha.

Yeesha, a descendant of D'ni's survivors and the daughter of Atrus, also wants D'ni restored, but her goals differ in some points with those of the DRC. Advocating a "spiritual" restoration to go with the physical restoration of the DRC, Yeesha puts forth a quest to modern-day explorers. This "Journey," feared and rejected by some, embraced and defended by others, highlights the flaws and corruption that destroyed D'ni, in the hope that history will not be repeated.

_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768


Last edited by Durin Mephit on Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:11 pm; edited 9 times in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ashtar
Friend of The Great Tree
Friend of The Great Tree


Joined: 14 Jan 2004
Posts: 320
Location: Spokane, WA.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That looks very good Marten and Gadren. I can't see where it needs any improvements, but I will give it more thought tomorrow. Good job!

Ashtar
_________________
Uru Live KI #: 69208
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Durin Mephit
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 3119
Location: Tigard, OR

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any suggested refinements would be more than welcome. I still feel that the beginning is slightly awkward, but cannot find a concise way to express it otherwise.

We will also need someone to record this speech. It will not be me! I hate my voice.
_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Professor Askew
Great Tree Member
Great Tree Member


Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 2532
Location: Bloomfield, CT

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As I mentioned in the Structure thread, Marten, I'll be happy to take this on. Voice and all.



I better get cracking.
_________________
Professor Daniel Askew - Securing our reality from the machinations of the Station Masters.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Durin Mephit
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 3119
Location: Tigard, OR

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent.

I've made a few more minor changes just now. Time to take a break, and, er, pay attention to work.
_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rils
Great Tree Member
Great Tree Member


Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 815
Location: Screw Ballard, I live in Edmonds now

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the last paragraph you mention Atrus as though he is an important piece of the story (which of course he is), but he isn't mentioned elsewhere. Maybe it would be worth throwing in a line explaining the significance of that family.

Just thinking that, as a newbie to Uru and hearing this history for the first time, I wouldn't have any idea why Yeesha and Atrus are important.

~Rils
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Professor Askew
Great Tree Member
Great Tree Member


Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 2532
Location: Bloomfield, CT

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the input, Rils. I'll keep it in mind as I go over Gadren's and Marten's writing and prepare for production.
_________________
Professor Daniel Askew - Securing our reality from the machinations of the Station Masters.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Durin Mephit
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 3119
Location: Tigard, OR

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rils:

How about now? I've added some additional explanation. All of the changes are in paragraph 3.

Observation: By my slow tongue, the current opening is roughly 4 minutes long.
_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rils
Great Tree Member
Great Tree Member


Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 815
Location: Screw Ballard, I live in Edmonds now

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

woah, very nice! I like it mucho grande!! It's a very good inclusion - succinct, to the point, and lays out why we should pay attention to Atrus' legacy.

I'm getting more and more excited about this all the time, can't wait for it to become reality. Mr. Green

~Rils
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Cycreim
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Posts: 1274
Location: Toronto, ON

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice. This is a great episode to have, we can refer back to it pretty often for filling in the background gaps.

Would you guys like some artwork to go along with the narration? I can do colour doodles in Photoshop really fast these days and come up with some pretty okay-looking stuff.

I might even be able to do a bit of simple stylized animation.
_________________
KI: 34353
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address MSN Messenger
Professor Askew
Great Tree Member
Great Tree Member


Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 2532
Location: Bloomfield, CT

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cycreim, I will definitely be in touch with you about that tomorrow. I would say I'd get back to you tonight but unfortunately I'm trapped in the bedroom due to 100 degree temperatures and plenty of humidity. It's ridiculously hot. Murderously hot. Anyway, I'm sure I'll take you up on that art offer. I'll be spending some of my work day tomorrow gathering images off the various sites. I'll let you know what art I need.
_________________
Professor Daniel Askew - Securing our reality from the machinations of the Station Masters.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Cycreim
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Posts: 1274
Location: Toronto, ON

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I won't have my tablet before this Friday but if you give me a little bit of something I can do a quick proof of concept, possibly by Monday, though you know how these things go. Smile
_________________
KI: 34353
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address MSN Messenger
brian
Fearless Leader
Fearless Leader


Joined: 24 Jun 2003
Posts: 1372
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Professor Askew wrote:
... due to 100 degree temperatures ...


Move to Seattle
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Durin Mephit
Great Tree Officer
Great Tree Officer


Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 3119
Location: Tigard, OR

PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just as one little piece of this... I'd love to have a picture of a desk, and fade in one Polaroid of Zandi, then another Polaroid of Sharper, and finally, a third Polaroid of Henderson, arranged tastefully but somewhat scattered at the end of the shot.

For Yeesha, I'd want a shot of her facing away from the camera... never show her face, but show her standing overlooking the cleft, an over-the-shoulder type shot.

These are just some vague ideas I have on how to arrange things, towards the end of this video. Some of you probably have even better ideas... but by pooling our talents I think we can make this start really shine.

And I agree with Brian: Move to this coast, Prof! It's better out here. Bring the wife! We'd love to meet her. Smile
_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Great Tree Forum Index -> The Story of The Great Tree All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  Next
Page 1 of 9

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



RescueTime
Offering Time Management Software for Individuals &
Employee Time Tracking Software for Businesses