Professional Courtesy - The First Khoras Movie

[avisarr]

Hello Everyone,

Well, it's been awfully quiet around here lately. Partly my fault. I've been tied up with other projects. But it's time I came back and spent some time in Khoras for awhile.   Last month (November 2005), I uploaded some information on a few wizards schools scattered around the world. This month, I'll be focusing on Ithell. I found some old notes on Ithell that just need to be tidied up a bit and uploaded. So watch for Ithell to slowly grow and take its place as one of the biggest and most interesting cities in Khoras.

If anyone has a suggestion on what they would like to see spotlighted in January, let me know. I haven't decided what January's spotlight should be...

Ok, now on to the point of this posting... Mark Price is my good friend who has served as a sounding board for many Khoras ideas and has helped flesh out many parts of Khoras over coffee with me at 4am. He himself has penned some of the lore of Khoras. Anyway, Mark is an aspiring film director and created a movie based in Khoras back in 2001. The movie is titled "Professional Courtesy". It's a short film and it had a modest budget, but it was exceptionally well made within those limitations. He has been selling those online and at conventions. I'd like to offer up a few free copies to you faithful Khoras fans here on the forum.

So, here it is... this is a special offer that is ONLY for members of the Khoras Forum. I am going to give away free copies of the DVD. (Limit of 1 free DVD per person). Anyone on this forum who wants a free DVD, let me know. Post it publicly here in the forum or send me a private forum message or email me on the web site. Just say "Yes, David, I'd like a free copy of Professional Courtesy" or something to that effect. Make sure you include your Khoras Forum username and your physical mailing address. (I need to know where to mail the DVD).

What is "Professional Courtesy"? Follow this link for full details... http://www.khoras.net/Community/Tales/Films/PC.htm. But instead of a VHS, it's a DVD I'm offering. And instead of $11.95, it's free. You can't beat that price.

So, that's it. Holler if you want a copy. If not, that's cool too.

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season and that 2005 was a good year for you. Here's to making 2006 even better.

David Roomes

[cj]

Hey David,

It must seem awful shallow of me to only post in the forum to get something free.  But oh well, I need to start posting here anyway. I'd like one of those DVDs! If you remember, I inquired a little while back about the movie, but I never got around to buying one.

Also, you might be pleased to know that I have organized a humble gaming group and we now use Khoras at least once a week. They're usually short sessions, since all of us are busy with school, but my fellow gamers and I are having lots of fun playing in an original setting such as Khoras. The DM needs to improvise sometimes - well, actually a lot - but that's just because we're all very picky gamers. As of yet, all of us are either Northern or Borrellian, and since our group is comprised of language-geeks, they have all asked me to start creating a 'lexicon' to use in the game of their language.  If it gets humorous or interesting enough to read, I'll post it herer for the fun of any potentional philologist Khorasians.

I will post my mailing information in a PM for you.

[Kristian]

Wow! Great news. I'd love to own a copy of Profesional Courtesy. I was really excited about the project when you first announced that it had started, way back when. But until now I had given up on the thought of ever getting my hands on a European copy of it. And now it's on DVD too! So I hope you'll send it all the way to Denmark. My mailing information is:

Kristian Juul Rasmussen
Valdemarsgde 33, 5
1665 København V
Denmark

If that O with the line through it gives you trouble you can just write Copenhagen V.

As for the spotlight I'm with Nargaroth.

[avisarr]

Hi Guys,

Ok then, for January, the Spotlight will be aimed at the City of Asylum. That's a fun place.

By the way, Kristian reminded me of something. I should probably mention that the DVD is NTSC (the North American standard). I'm not sure if it will play in most European DVD players. I suppose it depends on the DVD player. So, just a word of caution... that's all. These are NTSC DVDs. So, you might need to get a DVD player that can play more than just the PAL format.

As far as I know, Mark does not have any PAL versions. If anyone gets REALLY desperate, I might be able to take a crack at making a PAL version. I haven't done that yet. But I could try converting it. But for now, I'm just going to send NTSC copies out and we'll see how everyone does with that.

And for those of you who are scratching your heads over all these acronyms - NTSC is the North American Television Standards Committe. It's the American standard for video. And PAL is Phase Alternating Line. It's the European standard for video. I'm not sure about the northern European countries. Does Denmark use PAL as well? I'd have to look that up.

Ok. I'll get these into the mail as soon as I can.

David

[Kristian]

Yeah, we all use PAL over here. My DVD player propably won't be able to play it, but I'll either watch it at a friend's house or on my computer. I'll be fine, no need to convert it, but thanks.  I'm looking forward to finally watching this film!

[avisarr]

To everyone who requested a copy of Professional Courtesy on DVD, it's in the mail. Those of you in the US should be getting it in the next couple of days. Those of you over in Europe, it'll take a bit longer. Give it a week or two. If it hasn't arrived within 2 weeks, let me know.

And please do post here on the Forum and let everyone know what you think of the movie. Better yet, go to www.imdb.com and write a comment about the movie. It's listed on IMDB. I know Mark would appreciate it and so would I.

(Don't post spoilers about the movie unless you mark them as such, so people who haven't seen the movie can stop reading  ).

Thanks.

[cj]

Thanks for the DVD! I received it today in the mail, and watched it this evening.

First off, the quality was excellent for a first-ever made movie, from the music, photography, and especially the dialogue. The dialogue was exceptionally good for a short film. I think both main actors did a great job, and the writing was superb (kudos to you David), not to mention the good, though short, roles of the two supporting actors.

I even watched the documentary, it was cool hearing Mark talk about the production of the movie. I have a new appreciation for Zero Films and a new appreciation for Khoras, and felt very pleased that what I was watching all related in some way to Khoras. This Friday it will be shown to three other fellow Khoras-gamers, and I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as I did.

I also really enjoyed the opening scene, and I immediately recognized it from David's unfinished short story, which I also really like. I thought the fact that Mark was inspired by this scene in particular to make the movie was great. What a nice Christmas gift. Again, thank you.

(For those of you who didn't request it, I HIGHLY recommend you go right now and buy it from the web site. It is not some amateurish attempt at film-making, it's definitely worth whatever it's priced!)

[Kristian]

Wow. I'm really looking forward to this. Can't wait 

[Kristian]

Got it today and watched a little while ago.    I really like it. Nice twists in the story, good acting by all. Really well done all round. Thanks again for sending it, David.

The Making-Of was interesting to watch too (man Mr. Price can talk!), and we even got to see David's head

Really cool short film. I shall be showing it to everyone I know very soon.

[Kristian]

I know I do 

[avisarr]

Well, thank you all for the kind comments. I'm glad everyone likes it.

You'll find lots of connections between this film and the Khoras web site. The lyrics to the song that Gedron sings is in the Tales section, the two guilds and the character of Gedron are on the site in the city of Aerith, there's a reference to rothka and you'll also find reference to the Eye of Kaedin in the Magic section. It was a lot of fun seeing actors talk about places and things in Khoras on film. And Mark talks a lot about Khoras in the Audio Commentary.

Anyway, enough of that. Glad everyone likes it. And yes, I also hope that there is another Khoras film in the future. Hopefully something with a much bigger budget.   Mark has expressed an interest in that and he and I have talked about it. But he's currently got his next two films lined up, so another Khoras film wouldn't be for a few years.

I plan on doing a 3D animated short film in Khoras. But that also is a VERY long term project and it would be at least a year before I could even start production on it. But that's definitely on the drawing board.

I still have more free copies of the DVD if anyone else is interested in getting their free copy. And yes, Cruzan, your copy is in the mail. (As of this morning).

[Carius]

well i just registered with the forums and am looking at the game so far it looks cool.

[sid6.7]

watched the movie today..liked the ending...

i give it a 2.75 outa 4 stars...

the blind guy was good in his banter
the thief wasnt at first too me...but
at the end he was better...

[Delbareth]

Ok I receipt the DVD yesterday and I watch it.
It's quite good! 
In fact I had to view it multiple time to understand what character said (gosh! I should have listen to my english teachers). 
But it's interesting. And I like this artifact 

[Phendar]

Guess I am sorta biased! (well... really) but I have seen the move prolly 10 times, and each time, there is something new I notice.

As for a short, I love it!

When is the next one coming from Mark and you?