[19:14] <~Dan> When you’re ready, Zach, please introduce yourself and your movie. 🙂
[19:14] <+ZachAmundson> No problem…..my name is Zach Amundson….I am the Co-Writer and Co-Director of “Dwarves of Demrel”
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[19:15] <+ZachAmundson> It realistic fantasy piece….taking place completely inside a mine…that tells the story of three Dwarven miners as they try to escape a mine collapse
[19:17] <+ZachAmundson> They are imprisoned inside the mine….so the story explores their attempts at escape…their bouts with hopelessness and despair…and in general the collaboration and camaraderie between the dwarves
[19:18] <+ZachAmundson> There is also a fourth…human character….that throws a wrench into their plan….but we can get to HER later haha
[19:18] <+ZachAmundson> ok…(done)
[19:18] <~Dan> Thanks, Zach! The floor is open to questions!
[19:19] <~Dan> So let’s see… First of all, is this your first movie?
[19:19] <+ZachAmundson> First Feature
[19:20] <+ZachAmundson> I am working on a short currently as well
[19:20] <+GenoFoxx> do we find out what caused the collapse?
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[19:21] <~Dan> (Howdy, Mostlyjoe!)
[19:21] <+ZachAmundson> Yes and no
[19:21] <+ZachAmundson> The owner of the mine is known as the “Capital”
[19:22] <+ZachAmundson> they are sort of the growing conglomerate in this world
[19:22] <+ZachAmundson> and they have been experimenting with some new technology so to speak
[19:22] <+ZachAmundson> the dwarves speculate it has something to do with that
[19:22] <+ZachAmundson> but it is never for demonstratively found
[19:22] <+ZachAmundson> or said
[19:23] <+ZachAmundson> the story begins just after the collapse…with the opening credits being that of the collapse
[19:23] <~Dan> Speaking of which, I see that the setting is described as “steampunk”. What level of technology are we talking about?
[19:24] <+ZachAmundson> We really wanted to differentiate our dwarves from the typical Tolkienish dwarves
[19:24] <+ZachAmundson> not in their stature and build….but more their culture and where they are at industrial wise
[19:24] <+ZachAmundson> this world is a little more robust in that stand point
[19:25] <+ZachAmundson> so there IS electricity….but it is very primitive
[19:25] <+ZachAmundson> A more crude like Sherlock Holmes would probably be accurate
[19:25] <+ZachAmundson> if that makes any sense? ha!
[19:26] <~Dan> Hmm… So it sounds like late Victorian tech.
[19:26] <+GenoFoxx> so Pre-WW1?
[19:27] <~Dan> Doesn’t sound like we’d see them in the movie, but are there firearms in the setting as well?
[19:29] <+ZachAmundson> Yes….definitely Pre-WW1
[19:29] <+ZachAmundson> No firearms
[19:29] <+GenoFoxx> do we get to see the protag dwarves lives before the cave in?
[19:30] <+GenoFoxx> in other words what they have to live for
[19:30] <+ZachAmundson> Their techonology is much more industrial and robust for economical purposes…weaponery is still very fantasy esk….although there is no weapons really to speak of outside of the mining tools
[19:31] <+ZachAmundson> @GenoFoxx You do not….the story…from beginning to end takes place entirely within in the mine
[19:31] <+ZachAmundson> From a writing standpoint…I really wanted the audience to be as close as they could to feeling how the dwarves woudl feel…meaning..surprised..and shocked…and never out of the dark
[19:32] <~Dan> How much do we learn about Dwarven culture, physiology, etc.?
[19:32] <+ZachAmundson> Quite a bit actually
[19:33] <+ZachAmundson> This is one of the main things we wanted out fo the piece….was for the audience to be able to spend time with these characters
[19:34] <+ZachAmundson> one of my gripes with most modern day fantasy films is that they are all about the spectacle…leaving very little room for time for character development outside of our (typical) budding hero
[19:34] * ~Dan nods
[19:34] <+ZachAmundson> Which is also why there is so few characters….because we really want the audience to get to know them
[19:35] <~Dan> Aside from height, how are your Dwarves distinct from humans?
[19:35] <+ZachAmundson> Their noses are broader
[19:35] <+ZachAmundson> they are stockier
[19:35] <+ZachAmundson> larger feet….larger wider equipment
[19:36] <+ZachAmundson> but the biggest thing is their fortitude
[19:36] <+ZachAmundson> The dwarves are built….and have evolved as mine workers
[19:37] * ~Dan nods
[19:37] <+ZachAmundson> for example…the Humans cannot breath underground…in the mine…without a breathing apparatus….because of the technology…they hav ejust now been able to exploit these resources which before had been completely dominated by the dwarven race
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[19:37] <~Dan> (Howdy, egyptian!)
[19:37] <+ZachAmundson> which….as you can imagine…does not sit well with the dwarves haha
[19:38] * ~Dan chuckles
[19:38] <~Dan> Is there any indication of how much magic there is in this world, and if so, what it’s like?
[19:40] <+ZachAmundson> There is magic….but it mostly revolves around items
[19:40] <+ZachAmundson> I guess….it would be the equivalent to an enchantment or soemthing of the like from…say….Elder Scrolls
[19:41] <~Dan> Is that the magic that we see, or does that apply to magic in the wider world?
[19:41] <+ZachAmundson> But we have taken….predominantly…a very realistic, gritty take to the film
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[19:41] <+ZachAmundson> Just the magic we see….there is a lot still undiscovered outside of the mine
[19:41] * ~Dan nods
[19:42] <+ZachAmundson> this is just a very….very tiny microcosm of the world
[19:42] <+ZachAmundson> Although we do have sequels and prequels that we hope to produce after DoD
[19:43] <+ZachAmundson> but let’s not get ahead of ourselves ha!
[19:43] * ~Dan chuckles
[19:43] <~Dan> So would it be fair to say that this is more of a drama than an action film?
[19:44] <+ZachAmundson> Yes….very much so…although there is till plenty of action and thriller caliber moments 🙂
[19:46] <~Dan> This would seem to be something fairly unique. I can’t think of a movie setting with high fantasy trappings (like Dwarves) that is primarily a drama.
[19:46] <+ZachAmundson> Yeah that was the main inspiration for the script
[19:47] <+ZachAmundson> I really wanted to tell a simpler….not end-of-the-world story that would allow, again, the audience to a lot of time with the characters
[19:47] * ~Dan nods
[19:47] <+ZachAmundson> because it is character driven
[19:48] <+ZachAmundson> and naturally….it just turns into more of a drama/thirller….if that makes sense haha
[19:48] <~Dan> It does. 🙂
[19:49] <~Dan> How familiar were the actors with the tropes of fantasy Dwarves?
[19:50] <+ZachAmundson> not very unfortunately
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[19:50] <~Dan> How difficult was that to get across?
[19:50] <+ZachAmundson> they are bout the only people maybe on the planet who aren’t familiar with ATLEAST LOTR
[19:50] <+ZachAmundson> haha
[19:50] * ~Dan chuckles
[19:51] <+ZachAmundson> not very….although they are dwarves…they are still people at heart
[19:51] <+ZachAmundson> and luckily our costumes force them to move like dwarves haha
[19:51] <~Dan> Heh. 🙂
[19:51] <+ZachAmundson> You can’t walk normal in dwarf boots even if you tried lol
[19:52] <~Dan> Well, I have to say that the actor in the trailer on your website ((Link: http://www.dwarvesofdemrel.com/)http://www.dwarvesofdemrel.com/) seems very Dwarven to me.
[19:52] <~Dan> And I appreciate the fact that you didn’t give him a Scottish accent. 🙂
[19:53] <+ZachAmundson> hahaha yeah….another way to differentiate our dwarves haha….they are American lol
[19:53] <+ZachAmundson> Yeah…we wanted natural lumberjack types for 2 of the parts
[19:55] <~Dan> You mentioned a human character… Did you use the same type of camera trick used in LotR to make the Dwarves look shorter than humans?
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[19:56] <+ZachAmundson> Yes and no
[19:56] <+ZachAmundson> there is some of that
[19:57] <+ZachAmundson> but we were mindful to cast our female tall…she is around 6’0″
[19:57] <+ZachAmundson> So all but one of the dwarves is significantly shorter than her
[19:57] * ~Dan nods
[19:57] <+ZachAmundson> and since they are dwarves…and not hobbits or halflings….being close to her height but now quite is fine
[19:57] <~Dan> Right.
[19:58] <+ZachAmundson> after all…dwarves are around 5-5’5″
[19:58] <+ZachAmundson> and considering that is the same height as much of female population…. 🙂
[19:58] * ~Dan chuckles
[19:59] <~Dan> How do you anticipate distributing the movie?
[20:01] <+ZachAmundson> Hit the festival circuit to begin with….and then try and work out some kind of limited Theatrical release….and then go from there
[20:02] <~Dan> Arthouse theaters and such?
[20:02] <+ZachAmundson> I don’t know if we would hav ethe horsepower to obtain DVD distribution
[20:02] <+ZachAmundson> but I think NetFlix Amazon…and the like are well within reach
[20:03] <~Dan> That sounds promising.
[20:03] <+ZachAmundson> as well as syndication on genre related Cable TV programs….such as Sci-Fi channel
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[20:04] <~Dan> (Howdy, Abstruse!)
[20:05] <+ZachAmundson> Well hey everyone….thanks for your time
[20:05] <+ZachAmundson> I appreciate it immensely
[20:05] <~Dan> You’re very welcome, Zach!
[20:05] <~Dan> Sorry you have to run! Please feel free to come by any time.
The Hardboiled GMshoe's Office 