For a long time, I'd believed that _The Silmarillion_ is actually *_too_* epic to ever be faithfully and adequately filmed. This video gives me a glimmer of hope...
Yeah anyone who ever tries to adapt the Silmarillion at the highest level will have the toughest job ever, but as this video shows, it is indeed possible to do it.
The world was actually flat when it was made. It didn't become spherical until after the second age. The elves were awaken by the kindling of the stars. The lamps were destroyed long before the elves awoke.
+Joshua Hanenburg Was just gonna say the same. The animators made a critical error. Middle Earth was a flat disk in the beginning, not a sphere. It's explained in the Akallabéth that after the Númernorians attempted to invade Valinor, the world was curved so that those who went to sea to seek Valinor sailed in a circle, coming back to where they started out, and Valinor put out everyone's reach but the Elves.
+Joshua Hanenburg In the chapter 'Myths transformed', from 'Morgoth's Ring' it's explained that Tolkien decided later than the idea of the Flat World was rather primitive.
+Parmandil Elendil Doesn't matter, it's still not part of the original story. And personally, starting with a flat earth, later becomes beaten into a globe would be even awesome in animation.
But... the elves first awoke in Middle-Earth, near the bay of Cuiviénen, not in Valinor. The first thing they saw were the stars. Also, at that time Valinor was lit by the two trees.
I know and the two towers were destroyed prior by Melchor before the children of Illuvitar even showed up. In the elves were born under starlight prior to the creation of the two trees.
Yup... lamps were long destroyed, the only light the Elves knew were the stars, and there were no Valar around... Melkor found them first and began kidnapping them, and then Oromë found them alone, accidentally, while hunting.
Look, I'm going to cry. I would PAY to watch your stuff. I have been waiting decades to SEE this story come to life, knowing that if it wasn't done right, it would shatter me. I just can't wait for more!
To me the Ainulindale is one of the most beautifully tragic creation stories ever. Spoiler Alert: Melkor returns to do *terrible* things later, thats why it is tragic to me. A perfect and beautiful world, made purposely ready for life by wise stewards, devastated before mortals can arise on it in any very significant and lasting way. As I recall though I think the awakening of Elves is the last little bit of the Ainulindale.
It's all by design though. Melkor too is part of the thought of Illuvatar. Illuvatar make Melkor the strongest, and he intended him to be a part of Arda like everything else. He even tells Melkor to remember that everything he will ever do will have it's uttermost source in Illuvatar. Arda Healed is the ultimate goal. And Arda Healed cannot exist without Arda Marred. For we all become better when we have something to strive against and necessitate growth. So really, it's not a tragedy. It's just the beginning.
This is completely epic! I am big fan of Tolkien, I readed several times LotR, Hobbi, Silmarillion, Hurin's Children and others. Very good job - Best wishes from Poland!
The children of Iluvatar were born after the lamps. After the trees of Valinor were made their dew drops were used to make the stars in which the elves awoke... In Cuivienen.
+Daniel Valencia Wholly wrong. The first children, the Elves, awoke under starlight by the Water of Awakening, Cuivienen. Additionally, they awoke during the time of the Two Trees, not the lamps. Though this video is gorgeous, but it is filled with errors.
I'm so choked up..tears and just blown away...I love how you used Christopher's reading to do the video...superb job. Saved, downloaded, and shared...thank you for this.
Just want to say no matter how many times I watch this, that ending score is still so moving. Your composers and music crew should be very proud of themselves.
@@Richard_Nickerson Haha yeah. But to be honest, this was the only part of the original piece that was very epic so I'm glad they 'cut the fat' and highlighted this beautiful part.
This is how Silmarillion the movie should start: Girl with a beautiful voice: "Mother, tell me again of the making of the world" Mother, with equally beautiful voice: Tells the story in short, as eye-witnessed. The creation of the world, two lamps, awakening of elves, part of them going west, some staying behind. Then: "Your father also stayed". The story teller is Melian, daughter is Luthien. After the intro, story truly begins with Feanor and Silmarils. We return to Thingol, Melian and Luthien much, much later.
You don't need to pitch it as if you wrote it. You didn't. J R R Tolkien did. Your comment reads like a Hollywood pitch. "Girl with a beautiful voice" just sounds like how every typical male writer writes any female character...
I still won't watch it, Galadriel has always been to me the Divine Feminine personified- why does wisdom need armor? Sophia has no sword. They made her into just some dude.
@@LukeTunkel Of course. The Amazon series sucks as a series, let alone having the LotR name attached, and a Galadriel skinsuit on a pouty child of a character.
I really love the stylism of this- while the special effects may not be the best, the design is very well made to go along with the abstract nature of the Ainulindale.
That is stunning. I adore Tolkien's creation myth, the way he takes influences from various cultures and makes it something new. This is wonderfully done, I can't wait to see more!
That's a solid attempt to build an imagetic representation of the cosmogony described in the Silmarillion! I belive if someday someone decide to make a movie of it, they gotta go from this, improving it. But i think they should try not to representate the gods with such a humanoid appearence, they are gods, creative forces, cosmic beings. But this is trully amazing!
I absolutely agree. I tried to make the Valar as alien looking as possible without going into the weird outer god Lovecraftuian style. Most concept art of the Vala portray them as very human looking, but I was going for something more cosmic and disconnected from humanity. hense the weird mountain sized plazma beings.
Not much different from how Howard Shore did at times for Mordor's/Sauron's theme! Myself and my brother (the ones who composed the score for this) wanted to reflect that to an extent. ^^ Edit: Except for the clip at the very end. That was a clip from a piece by Two Step's From Hell's Thomas Bergersen, called, "Creation of Earth."
This is really good! I would love to see something like this done without voiceover, only with music. Something like Fantasia, just telling the story of the Ainulindale with just music and images... This is definitely a step in that direction. Very well done!
That was actually the original idea before turning it into a more conventional narrative. But we made the instrumental version as well too: ua-cam.com/video/FZTUyslrScI/v-deo.html
This was absolutely awe-inspiring; a superb representation of Tolkein's storytelling. I implore you, please share more! Short projects such as this renew my faith that there is still creativity in this world.
I come back to this short film every so often. It was such a pleasure to be able to help with the music (I'm Aaron of the duo that made up Far West Method Music). 😁
As a long-time fan of Tolkien and worshipper of "Silmarillion" I must say, I'm impressed- this is really well made, in a spirit of Tolkien's story-telling, with good music in the background (Two steps from hell? :)). Anyway, I will proceed with your other works- keep them coming! ^_^
Just want you to know that I found this so moving I had chills and started to cry. The animation was beautiful, the music was great and the use of Martin Shaw's reading was awesome. The Silmarillion is my absolute favourite book and has been since I was 13 (I'm 28 now), I relate to it so much that I call myself an Elf and in a way believe these stories because they explain my love for nature, animals, stars and sea. For this reason though I would hate to see The Silmarillion made into a big Hollywood film, like they did with The Hobbit and LOTR, they didn't present them in the right way and would ruin this story if they made a film of it and the stories are so personal and a part of me. I'd rather they be adapted for a series of art films or anime, something that would display the full beauty of these stories in the best way, and not just be cgi fests to make money from.
Holy Moley!! Here how I look at this masterpiece: Hardcore fans didn't have all the Hollywood resources -- but they pulled it off anyway. Super detailed. And the sound track!! I feel like I just saw a Double Rainbow. :)
This video was wonderful to watch. I'm not concerned with inaccuracies, but rather expressing my thanks for the time you invested into creating a vision of the Ainulindale.
This is beautiful. The love and work you all put into this is humbling and inspiring, and your respect for Tolkien's work is absolutely apparent. You should all be proud of this fantastic bit of media. But...a couple things. (1) Didn't the elves rise with the stars, long after the lamps were destroyed? (2) The Ainur had to transubstantiate to physical forms in order to enter Arda. This made them finite and more specifically defined, and...well, physical. That's the whole reason Tulkas the Strong was able to overpower and subdue Melkor in martial combat. (3) It's touched on here briefly, but Melkor didn't just go wonkybonkers "GUESS I'M EVIL GUYS WHOOPS," the whole first chunk of the Ainulindalë deals with how Melkor developed his private thoughts, how he swayed many other ainur to his side, and his full blown existential crisis which is WHY he's committed to perverting and twisting Illuvatar's creation.
I liked it but I thought that if someone would do something like this, they would actually know what happened or how it was described. If it were an actual TV series this would have been enough to not take it serious and ignoring must of the info they tell and show, until I get to upset about the changes that is haha. Not being 100% close to the book is one thing but changing that much just in the start, urks... Best example Arda was not round and it was flat with "tiny" bit of water in the middle and the two lights on each end, until they fought with Melkor destroying the earth underneath which created mountains. Beleriand wasn't destroyed before the elves appeared and them having one of the biggest cities protected by a Maiar (later on each son of Feanor claimed land near Angband too) oh and not to forget Valinor which was created to separate themselves from Melkor before the first elves awoke at Cuiviénen having just the stars as a light source for a long time until Oromë stumbled upon them by accident. The Elves never saw the light of the Lamps... SO MUCH elven history has happened before Beleriand was destroyed and here it was eradicated Same for making Melkor evil from the beginning. He was rebellious yes, but not 100% evil so a bit of red that would have expanded more and more ans the story progressed would have been a better way. If he had been evil from the start than Manwe is a complete fool in this scenario to believe there was still good in him, doubtful if he should be the leader the others should listen too But once again, fan project to it was nice to watch but not accurate...
that was awesome!!!! few mistakes there (the world was turning spherical in second age , and elves woke up in complete darkness, after Ungoliant incident, that's why Morgoth got elves turned into orcs) But i loved it , seriously great job :D
In addition, the Firstborn were born during the years of the Trees after Varda had made stars. Hence the reason many of the Firstborn still hold Elbereth(Varda) in such high esteem.
I feel amazed by this. I've watched it continuously about ten times now, and still can't have enough of the musical version. I'm afraid that I have fallen in love with this movie, and now feel the urge to use it as a fanbase. There are many things I can imagine myself writing and drawing about this movie... Both transformative, curative and continuation fanwork. Transformative, to resolve some details, like the spherical Endor because it's impossible to make two Lamps appear like you showed them on a globe. Then the absence of Maiar: not seeing Eonwë fight feels like there is a little tiny flame missing in my heart. The design for Manwe's crown, identica to the rebellious Melkor's doesn't seem much probable, and neither does the architectural style of the Lamps; these designs ressembling more something Morgith would built. The Valië in the video sometimes move like males because of how they hold their arms (don't you even think telling me that Yavanna and Varda weren't there, by Manwë and Ulmo's side to help creating the atmosphere of the planet 🧐). Tulkas arrives too soon, before the fight and looks to slim and elegant for a wrestler who only value brute force and loyalty. The elves wake too early, before the two Trees in Aman. And who are the three Valar who look at them from afar: Oromë and two Maiar? If it is Manwë, then it's too early, because Melkor is supposed to have terrorised them first, teaching them to fear the Ainur before they meet the others. 🤓 Also who is the Vala who fought with a lance, if Manwe was the one with the crown? Curative, because from my comfortable couching, watching youtube, I can only see the beauty, the love, the artistic genius of it all and be amazed. The result is neither too masculine nor too feminine, it is just wonderful...and some passages in the Timeless Halls seem to beg me to develop them further. 🥺 And continuation, because I itch to write the first meeting between Ainur and Elves. I can't bring myself to think that they only met just Orome. I can't Imagive Nienna and the Feanturi no teleporting themselves by Oromë's side on the roads.
@Jan-Ola Ellingsen Nowhere does Tolkien ever describe Sauron as taking the form of a giant. In the books, when Elendil and Gil-Galad duel with Sauron, the dark lord is the size of a regular man. But you are correct that Sauron was never again able to take on a fair form after the fall of Numenor.
OMG I was'nt expecting to see melkor in this but I wish you did the part where he's all icy with a crown of ice is well along with some flashing eyes. But still you did something that alot of tolkien fans been looking for even if its just a little. Bravo 👏👏👏
Uploaded 7 years ago and UA-cam thought I should watch this. So good! I love the lore. Just saying I could watch a fight between Tulkas and Melkor all day.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for producing such an amazing flilm! The soundtrack sent so many thrills up my spine I wanted to scream! It's amazing and breathtaking and incredible and uplifting! THANK YOU SO MUCH! God bless! :D
well it did summarize the beginning of not a little inaccurate but there is so much potential in Tolkien’s work and yet even we tried to attempt it we probably couldn’t get it right until we have the necessary technology
This is beautifully done. I love the visual, music, and narrations. Unfortunately it's inaccurate. It would be epic for true Tolkien fans if the story was presented exactly like the book.
Sourdough Girl it’s literally the audiobook being read. It just cuts a lot for time. Although it would have been great seeing the part where the Ainur are modeling their shape on the visions they had of elves and men
Well, it's read as it's written, that goes correctly - but it's true some things in the animation are a bit off. The Elves came toa night time world, they saw the stars. I think the 2 lamps were not yet lit. Or rather, I think it was after the lamps were extinguished. And also, the Arda, their world, was first flat. It was rounded only later, was it after Númenorean rebellion. Maybe you should have checked these with someone who's very well read with the book. Because you did amazing job. Would be easy to correct those few problems.
O how I agree with you. The movie should follow the book faithfully, I care not how long it would take, for the beauty for the majesty and splendor of Ainulindalë, LOR, and other examples of Tolkien's work deserves no less. I cannot imagine a greater, more concise and poetic work explaining the great beginning of the world. It never matters how often I've heard it before, this work's recital never fails to give me chills I get when I see in humankind's work Great Truth. Eru, how I love this man's life's work.. I immerse myself therein every day and have for 20 years.. it gives my dreams beautiful paths to tread as I drift off to sleep. Bless you John Ronald, wherever you are.You saw and recorded the way it truly was, and is. I give thanks for your presence on this plane.
1) Excellent animation. 2) Too few Ainur. They likely numbered in the Millions or even Billions during the Ainulindalë. And likely they numbered in well into the six to seven digits within Ëa and Arda itself (aside from the 14 Valar - 15 with Melkor/Morgoth Bauglir). 3) Arda, as originally "formed" was a world "Globed" only in terms of its Metaphysical Shape. The Ekkai was the Globe of Arda, within which was the Lands of Arda (Aman/Valinorë, Endor/Middle-earth, and Hither Lands). It was not until near the end of the Second Age that the Land was bent into a Globe (I can give you a specific topology that gives rise to uniform gravity on the surface, yet produces a Flat, or Spherical Cap-shaped - depending upon taste, really - surface for "Arda" prior to the Akallabêth). I am aware of the "Myths Transformed" section of The History of Middle-earth, Vol X: Morgoth's Ring. Tolkien seemed to be very conflicted with this version of events, as it would have resulted in the total obliteration of his earlier Cosmology and Events (He rightly abandoned it). 4) Beleriand, Eriador, and Rhovanion make up an area that is entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, covering an area roughly from Stavanger, Norway (in the North) to Syracuse, Sicily in the south (The Mouth of the Anduin is roughly near the Mouth of the Nile - the former pointing south, the latter pointing north). 5) I am not sure what the visualization of Melkor fighting another Ainu (whom I suppose you intend to be Manwë?) is about. Melkor at first worked with the other Ainur. His violent rebellion was not immediate. This is made clear in Morgoth's Ring, where we learn that what we probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years passed as the Ainur lived in Almaren prior to Melkor openly laying claim to all of Arda, and being rejected by Manwë, after which he fled into the Void. It was then many years (Tolkien states roughly 15,000 years - he does not say whether these are equivalent to the "Years of the Trees" or whether he is speaking of "Years of the Sun") before Melkor returned and then constructing Utumno in the far north, prior to his destruction of the Lamps of the Valar (Illuin and Ormal). I am working on a set of Screenplays for a similar project, which would set out Middle-earth's History from the Ainulindalë to the Return of the Shadow. But it is likely to be years before we are ready to do anything (We would like to see an actual license from the Tolkien Estate, but that is doubtful at this point). But seeing others working in the same genre shows that a more honest portrayal of his work is much in demand.
Exotic - Truth - Seeker - Artist “Ainur” includes the Maiar. While Wikipedia isn’t the best source for this, the article is well sourced, and I won’t have to wait six hours before I can get the varied Referenced from “The History of Middle-earth” and “The Silmarillion.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainur_(Middle-earth) The “VALAR,” as I mentioned, numbered only “14” (15 with Melkor - Also know as “The Morgoth Bauglir”).
Stefan I. Knezovic I had initially been pretty hopeful about The Amazon Project, but the departure of Tom Shippey has me a bit worried. Having seen the demands that The Tolkien Estate placed on any future Licenses, I remain hopeful that these demands remain intact, and that Amazon will abide by them (rather than ignoring them, and just pushing through the project, and then paying any lawsuit from the Estate when it inevitably comes for Breach-of-Contact/Violation of the Terms of the License). Given that the area they are working in is largely “blank space” (with only two works set within the Second Age, and a fairly open narrative outside of the existence of stated Kings and Events from the “Chronicle of Arda”), my expectations at this point are simply that they straighten the F-ing Swords of the Elves (giving them two edges, like they are supposed to have). If I see this go uncorrected, I will likely not even bother with the series.
I have no words to describe the feeling it made me experience! It totally took me to my teenager years when i read The Silmarillion for the first time. Thank! Thank you! Thank you so much! Greetings from a peruvian!
the animation was fantastic! I just hope Peter Jackson would reconsider and adopt the style for SILAMARILLON. No offense to the animators, you guys are fantastic. the animation was and should have been for the SILMARILLON. ALL THE BEST!
A magnificent depiction of the Silmarillion!?! this is what I call a loyal adaption, not that rings of power crap. And I love how you use the audio book for its narration. Martin Shaw reads it so well.
That was really really awesome. The only two inconsistencies I noticed were that the world was originally flat and that the first of the Eldar awoke by a lake under starlight... But whatever, the visuals and the music were breathtaking and the narration was perfect for me. Have you made / will you make more? Again, I loved this.
Wow !! Beautiful ! You showed a very close approx. to my own thought..... Just a fantastic production all around the music was perfect and mainly the piece was not rushed. Thanx !!
This is top notch. Really good conceptualization of the beginning. Food for thought for any would be film directors actually thinking of tackling the Silmarillion one day. That is if the world can pressure the Tolkien estate enough to actually release the rights for it. Hope you make more of these!!
awesome! big problem though. the elves did not awake until after melkor destroyed the lamps! the awoke under the stars which varda made after the valar retreated to aman, and to see the stars again is a major reason the sindar elves never completed the journey westward and why the noldor left valinor in pursuit of morgoth.
But the elves didn't awaken to the light of the two lamps. It wasn't until way after their destruction that Varda made the stars with the dew from Telperion and Laurelin and that caused the elves to awaken.
Woah! You guys should have consulted the Rings of Power crew for the prologue to season one. That last horrifying clip of Morgoth and Ungoliant is a thing from which nightmares are made. Great project overall. I'm really impressed.
Didn't Iluvatar hollow Arda (the world) and make it round after the breaking of Beleriand? I thought originally the world was supposed to be disc shaped. Also the elves didn't awaken until long after the destruction of the lamps.
Fishhunter2014 Eru made the world round after the fall of Numenor, when Men tried to invade Valinor and claim Immortality. The Valar forsook their right to Arda and pleaded to Eru. Numenor was sunk beneath the sea, and the world was made round.
It is as beautifull as incorrect. At first, Arda was not an sphere, but a flat disk contained in a bubble. It was not until the fall of numenor that Iluvatar changed the shape of Arda to make Aman unreachable for men. At first, there were no galaxies, stars or anything, just Arda sitting in the void. When created, Stars were not even the sun-like-but-further things we know. It is implied in some of tolkien writting that out actual universe is the same as the one created by Iluvatar, but it has never been clear for me how the simplistic empty universe got to become a universe full of planets and stars that are what we actually know as stars. Also, no elf ever saw the light of the two lamps. They woke up at the years of the trees. By that time, the valar had already adopted anthropomorphous shapes (in fact, they did as soon as they entered into Arda, if I'm not mistaken) Anyway, the first part of it was very pleasing, and gets the essence of the ainulindale pretty well. All things considered, the video is good and worth watching
Wow - constantly gives me the chills and thrills. I love the rising theme towards the end when the Valar raise the two lamps. A beautiful and evocative animation with such a fantastic score. Well done. Well done. I salute you.
For a long time, I'd believed that _The Silmarillion_ is actually *_too_* epic to ever be faithfully and adequately filmed. This video gives me a glimmer of hope...
That music was a big help considering music plays a huge part in all of Tolkien’s works. It was epic AF at the end.
If it's a movie your gonna need like an mcu style franchise to complete all of or instead you could make a series but movies would be much better
Yeah anyone who ever tries to adapt the Silmarillion at the highest level will have the toughest job ever, but as this video shows, it is indeed possible to do it.
Hey, they ssid the same thing about the Lord of the Rings movies, and that worked out well. I have hope
thank you for your kind words
The world was actually flat when it was made. It didn't become spherical until after the second age. The elves were awaken by the kindling of the stars. The lamps were destroyed long before the elves awoke.
+Joshua Hanenburg
Was just gonna say the same.
The animators made a critical error. Middle Earth was a flat disk in the beginning, not a sphere. It's explained in the Akallabéth that after the Númernorians attempted to invade Valinor, the world was curved so that those who went to sea to seek Valinor sailed in a circle, coming back to where they started out, and Valinor put out everyone's reach but the Elves.
very true
I too, was going to comment on these two points.
+Joshua Hanenburg
In the chapter 'Myths transformed', from 'Morgoth's Ring' it's explained that Tolkien decided later than the idea of the Flat World was rather primitive.
+Parmandil Elendil Doesn't matter, it's still not part of the original story.
And personally, starting with a flat earth, later becomes beaten into a globe would be even awesome in animation.
But... the elves first awoke in Middle-Earth, near the bay of Cuiviénen, not in Valinor. The first thing they saw were the stars. Also, at that time Valinor was lit by the two trees.
I know and the two towers were destroyed prior by Melchor before the children of Illuvitar even showed up. In the elves were born under starlight prior to the creation of the two trees.
Lyrog also the pillars were already destroyed when the elves awoken.
Cuivienen was near the island of valinor where the two lamps were stood. There, the elves, the firstborns were awakened under the stars.
That’s correct
Yup... lamps were long destroyed, the only light the Elves knew were the stars, and there were no Valar around... Melkor found them first and began kidnapping them, and then Oromë found them alone, accidentally, while hunting.
Look, I'm going to cry. I would PAY to watch your stuff. I have been waiting decades to SEE this story come to life, knowing that if it wasn't done right, it would shatter me. I just can't wait for more!
My god this is amazing. A masterpiece!!!! Amazon with it's millions cannot compete with you.
To me the Ainulindale is one of the most beautifully tragic creation stories ever. Spoiler Alert: Melkor returns to do *terrible* things later, thats why it is tragic to me. A perfect and beautiful world, made purposely ready for life by wise stewards, devastated before mortals can arise on it in any very significant and lasting way. As I recall though I think the awakening of Elves is the last little bit of the Ainulindale.
It's all by design though. Melkor too is part of the thought of Illuvatar. Illuvatar make Melkor the strongest, and he intended him to be a part of Arda like everything else. He even tells Melkor to remember that everything he will ever do will have it's uttermost source in Illuvatar. Arda Healed is the ultimate goal. And Arda Healed cannot exist without Arda Marred. For we all become better when we have something to strive against and necessitate growth. So really, it's not a tragedy. It's just the beginning.
@@BN13-h9c This might mean Melkor is simply inimical to human life and not a villain but an essential cog in the machine of reality.
Not too different from our own.
This is completely epic!
I am big fan of Tolkien, I readed several times LotR, Hobbi, Silmarillion, Hurin's Children and others.
Very good job - Best wishes from Poland!
+bartek5207 Wszyscy fani Tolkiena z Polski przyłączają się do tych życzeń i trzymają kciuki! :-D
bartek5207 jestem na tak ;)
Co prawda ten komentarz był napisany 7 lat temu, ale to nie przeszkadza mi się dołączyć 😂
@@sweet_maggie8104 Nic nie szkodzi xD
This is, quite literally, breathtaking. I'm lost for words. Thank you so much for sharing it with the world. :)
It’s beautiful, I’ve stared at this for five hours now.
The children of Iluvatar were born after the lamps. After the trees of Valinor were made their dew drops were used to make the stars in which the elves awoke... In Cuivienen.
+Daniel Valencia Wholly wrong. The first children, the Elves, awoke under starlight by the Water of Awakening, Cuivienen. Additionally, they awoke during the time of the Two Trees, not the lamps. Though this video is gorgeous, but it is filled with errors.
@@valentinomiller2227
You told him he's "wholly wrong" and then agreed with pretty much everything he said...
@@Richard_Nickerson he sure did
@@valentinomiller2227 >"wholly wrong"
>restates exactly what he said
lolwut
Anyone else got chills at the end, when you saw the shadow of Ungoliant?
I'm so choked up..tears and just blown away...I love how you used Christopher's reading to do the video...superb job. Saved, downloaded, and shared...thank you for this.
Just want to say no matter how many times I watch this, that ending score is still so moving. Your composers and music crew should be very proud of themselves.
That ending score was composed by Thomas Bergersen from ''Two steps from hell'' and is named ''Creation of Earth''
the end may be beautiful but in reference to the creation of arda it is in so many ways incorrect
They should be proud of stealing music from others? Weird opinion.
@@Richard_Nickerson Haha yeah. But to be honest, this was the only part of the original piece that was very epic so I'm glad they 'cut the fat' and highlighted this beautiful part.
@Salvo Hatteras
🙄
You are also here, watching this extremely nerdy thing, reacting to a comment that is over 2 years old...
This is how Silmarillion the movie should start:
Girl with a beautiful voice: "Mother, tell me again of the making of the world"
Mother, with equally beautiful voice: Tells the story in short, as eye-witnessed. The creation of the world, two lamps, awakening of elves, part of them going west, some staying behind. Then: "Your father also stayed". The story teller is Melian, daughter is Luthien.
After the intro, story truly begins with Feanor and Silmarils. We return to Thingol, Melian and Luthien much, much later.
Is too less a movie
Deserves a long long series
Uhm.... doesn’t this seem to imply there’s a gigantic war going on by the very galaxies and star clusters in which we all live?
nope, that would look like a cheap American films
Awesome description, and it fits Melian considering she was part of the Ainulindalë
You don't need to pitch it as if you wrote it. You didn't. J R R Tolkien did. Your comment reads like a Hollywood pitch. "Girl with a beautiful voice" just sounds like how every typical male writer writes any female character...
Inaccuaries have been pounted out but still STUNNING! Very unreal - just great! Love this!
Wow! Very impressive!! Great animation, fittingly epic music, and also I like the choices for the visual depictions!
Better than the Amazon series
Yes. I found this quite moving.
I know you mean well, but a cow patty is better than that.
@@scottclark1839 I do mean well, but I now see the ambiguity of my comment and so have edited it to be clearer.
I still won't watch it, Galadriel has always been to me the Divine Feminine personified- why does wisdom need armor? Sophia has no sword. They made her into just some dude.
@@LukeTunkel Of course. The Amazon series sucks as a series, let alone having the LotR name attached, and a Galadriel skinsuit on a pouty child of a character.
I really love the stylism of this- while the special effects may not be the best, the design is very well made to go along with the abstract nature of the Ainulindale.
That is stunning. I adore Tolkien's creation myth, the way he takes influences from various cultures and makes it something new.
This is wonderfully done, I can't wait to see more!
That's a solid attempt to build an imagetic representation of the cosmogony described in the Silmarillion! I belive if someday someone decide to make a movie of it, they gotta go from this, improving it. But i think they should try not to representate the gods with such a humanoid appearence, they are gods, creative forces, cosmic beings. But this is trully amazing!
Well Tolkien actually wrote them in the style of ancient European gods, Tulkas the Valar god of physical power for example has blond hair.
They can take shape and usually take the shape of the children of illuvatar only fairer.
They can take any shape I guess.
I absolutely agree. I tried to make the Valar as alien looking as possible without going into the weird outer god Lovecraftuian style.
Most concept art of the Vala portray them as very human looking, but I was going for something more cosmic and disconnected from humanity. hense the weird mountain sized plazma beings.
I have watched this so many times over the years, apologies for only thanking you now
This is so good! Using the Dies Irae as Melkor's theme is genius!
Not much different from how Howard Shore did at times for Mordor's/Sauron's theme! Myself and my brother (the ones who composed the score for this) wanted to reflect that to an extent. ^^
Edit: Except for the clip at the very end. That was a clip from a piece by Two Step's From Hell's Thomas Bergersen, called, "Creation of Earth."
Stop Quibbling!!! Do you know how beautiful this is???????????? It was wonderfully done! Thank you so much Willow Productions!
This is one of my all-time favorite videos on UA-cam it truly is a magnificent work of art.
This is so incredibly well made, so freaking good. I can't stop watching this.
This is so gorgeous. Beautifully made, my friend.
Thank you :)
@@WillowProductions you're welcome
@@WillowProductions ficou muito bom..de arrepiar pra quem gosta da obra de Tolkien...saudações desde Brasil-Uruguay!
This is really good! I would love to see something like this done without voiceover, only with music. Something like Fantasia, just telling the story of the Ainulindale with just music and images... This is definitely a step in that direction. Very well done!
That was actually the original idea before turning it into a more conventional narrative.
But we made the instrumental version as well too: ua-cam.com/video/FZTUyslrScI/v-deo.html
4:52 good guy Sauron!
This was absolutely awe-inspiring; a superb representation of Tolkein's storytelling. I implore you, please share more! Short projects such as this renew my faith that there is still creativity in this world.
Extraordinario !!!!! Muchas gracias !!
Quizás la animación, porque la narración tiene muchas imprecisiones y errores para hacer este video valioso o extraordinario.
This is how I envisioned this story in my head. I never thought anyone could come close to that. Absolutely breathtaking!
wow.
like wow, dude!
this is totally awesomeness!
Beautiful make r cry for a world that feels like home
Still 97% more canon that RoP, great job❤️
97%? You do realise the narration is directly from the Silmarilion? Read by Martin Shaw?
So that would make it 100% more accurate 😂
@@wilde33, didn't realise that it was Martin Shawn... Im a dork 👀
I come back to this short film every so often. It was such a pleasure to be able to help with the music (I'm Aaron of the duo that made up Far West Method Music). 😁
You guys are absolute legends!
@@WillowProductions It was an honor, truly!
As a long-time fan of Tolkien and worshipper of "Silmarillion" I must say, I'm impressed- this is really well made, in a spirit of Tolkien's story-telling, with good music in the background (Two steps from hell? :)). Anyway, I will proceed with your other works- keep them coming! ^_^
I loved this so much... chills... might go cry now.
Just want you to know that I found this so moving I had chills and started to cry. The animation was beautiful, the music was great and the use of Martin Shaw's reading was awesome. The Silmarillion is my absolute favourite book and has been since I was 13 (I'm 28 now), I relate to it so much that I call myself an Elf and in a way believe these stories because they explain my love for nature, animals, stars and sea. For this reason though I would hate to see The Silmarillion made into a big Hollywood film, like they did with The Hobbit and LOTR, they didn't present them in the right way and would ruin this story if they made a film of it and the stories are so personal and a part of me. I'd rather they be adapted for a series of art films or anime, something that would display the full beauty of these stories in the best way, and not just be cgi fests to make money from.
Holy Moley!! Here how I look at this masterpiece: Hardcore fans didn't have all the Hollywood resources -- but they pulled it off anyway. Super detailed. And the sound track!! I feel like I just saw a Double Rainbow. :)
4:51 was that Sauron? aka Mairon
This video was wonderful to watch. I'm not concerned with inaccuracies, but rather expressing my thanks for the time you invested into creating a vision of the Ainulindale.
4:39 - So Melkor's fighting created Ireland... haha, jokes! Great animation!
Omg😂
This is beautiful! As well visually as in the music. Great job!!!
A child of Illuvatar thou art....
That was actually pretty damn good.
Well done.
This is beautiful. The love and work you all put into this is humbling and inspiring, and your respect for Tolkien's work is absolutely apparent. You should all be proud of this fantastic bit of media.
But...a couple things.
(1) Didn't the elves rise with the stars, long after the lamps were destroyed?
(2) The Ainur had to transubstantiate to physical forms in order to enter Arda. This made them finite and more specifically defined, and...well, physical. That's the whole reason Tulkas the Strong was able to overpower and subdue Melkor in martial combat.
(3) It's touched on here briefly, but Melkor didn't just go wonkybonkers "GUESS I'M EVIL GUYS WHOOPS," the whole first chunk of the Ainulindalë deals with how Melkor developed his private thoughts, how he swayed many other ainur to his side, and his full blown existential crisis which is WHY he's committed to perverting and twisting Illuvatar's creation.
Half of the comments are people being upset by the inaccuracies and the other half are people being blown away by the animation as a whole.
I liked it but I thought that if someone would do something like this, they would actually know what happened or how it was described. If it were an actual TV series this would have been enough to not take it serious and ignoring must of the info they tell and show, until I get to upset about the changes that is haha.
Not being 100% close to the book is one thing but changing that much just in the start, urks...
Best example Arda was not round and it was flat with "tiny" bit of water in the middle and the two lights on each end, until they fought with Melkor destroying the earth underneath which created mountains. Beleriand wasn't destroyed before the elves appeared and them having one of the biggest cities protected by a Maiar (later on each son of Feanor claimed land near Angband too) oh and not to forget Valinor which was created to separate themselves from Melkor before the first elves awoke at Cuiviénen having just the stars as a light source for a long time until Oromë stumbled upon them by accident. The Elves never saw the light of the Lamps...
SO MUCH elven history has happened before Beleriand was destroyed and here it was eradicated
Same for making Melkor evil from the beginning. He was rebellious yes, but not 100% evil so a bit of red that would have expanded more and more ans the story progressed would have been a better way. If he had been evil from the start than Manwe is a complete fool in this scenario to believe there was still good in him, doubtful if he should be the leader the others should listen too
But once again, fan project to it was nice to watch but not accurate...
Fëanor who cares?? this is awesome fan made depiction obviously not super accurate but great nonetheless
what was changed?
Fëanor why did you try to kill your half-brother, Fingolfin?
I agree, but some of these suggestions are also petty. Like Melkor turning red? This is 8 minutes long including credits...
Magnificent. Few would capture Tolkien’s vision so precisely. Wonderful!!!!
that was awesome!!!!
few mistakes there (the world was turning spherical in second age , and elves woke up in complete darkness, after Ungoliant incident, that's why Morgoth got elves turned into orcs)
But i loved it , seriously great job :D
srry Ungoliant didnt attack the lamps , Melkor did.
+Willow Productions Already seen it, and i dont know what am i going to do to get over the wait :D
In addition, the Firstborn were born during the years of the Trees after Varda had made stars. Hence the reason many of the Firstborn still hold Elbereth(Varda) in such high esteem.
Great job. don't let the inaccuracy lessen your passion to bring Tolkiens world to life. killer job.
I feel amazed by this. I've watched it continuously about ten times now, and still can't have enough of the musical version.
I'm afraid that I have fallen in love with this movie, and now feel the urge to use it as a fanbase. There are many things I can imagine myself writing and drawing about this movie...
Both transformative, curative and continuation fanwork.
Transformative, to resolve some details, like the spherical Endor because it's impossible to make two Lamps appear like you showed them on a globe. Then the absence of Maiar: not seeing Eonwë fight feels like there is a little tiny flame missing in my heart. The design for Manwe's crown, identica to the rebellious Melkor's doesn't seem much probable, and neither does the architectural style of the Lamps; these designs ressembling more something Morgith would built. The Valië in the video sometimes move like males because of how they hold their arms (don't you even think telling me that Yavanna and Varda weren't there, by Manwë and Ulmo's side to help creating the atmosphere of the planet 🧐). Tulkas arrives too soon, before the fight and looks to slim and elegant for a wrestler who only value brute force and loyalty. The elves wake too early, before the two Trees in Aman. And who are the three Valar who look at them from afar: Oromë and two Maiar? If it is Manwë, then it's too early, because Melkor is supposed to have terrorised them first, teaching them to fear the Ainur before they meet the others. 🤓
Also who is the Vala who fought with a lance, if Manwe was the one with the crown?
Curative, because from my comfortable couching, watching youtube, I can only see the beauty, the love, the artistic genius of it all and be amazed. The result is neither too masculine nor too feminine, it is just wonderful...and some passages in the Timeless Halls seem to beg me to develop them further. 🥺
And continuation, because I itch to write the first meeting between Ainur and Elves. I can't bring myself to think that they only met just Orome. I can't Imagive Nienna and the Feanturi no teleporting themselves by Oromë's side on the roads.
OMG!!! Amazingly beautiful!!!!! Please more, make more videos like this!!
It's gorgeous!
wow, that singing at the end is beautiful! another great video!
4:50 Mairon aka Sauron, future Lord of the Rings.
@Jan-Ola Ellingsen Nowhere does Tolkien ever describe Sauron as taking the form of a giant. In the books, when Elendil and Gil-Galad duel with Sauron, the dark lord is the size of a regular man. But you are correct that Sauron was never again able to take on a fair form after the fall of Numenor.
This was beautiful, thank you.
Amazing....I'm in tears
Well, I think this production is breathtakingly beautiful.. partly due to the story line of course. Nearly brings me to tears.. thank you!
OMG I was'nt expecting to see melkor in this but I wish you did the part where he's all icy with a crown of ice is well along with some flashing eyes. But still you did something that alot of tolkien fans been looking for even if its just a little. Bravo 👏👏👏
Uploaded 7 years ago and UA-cam thought I should watch this. So good! I love the lore. Just saying I could watch a fight between Tulkas and Melkor all day.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for producing such an amazing flilm! The soundtrack sent so many thrills up my spine I wanted to scream! It's amazing and breathtaking and incredible and uplifting! THANK YOU SO MUCH! God bless! :D
this was truly an epic masterpiece. twice I got chills. I'd love to see more but this was absolutely beautiful
SO EPIC AT 6:10 WOW THAT WAS AN AMAZING CLIMAX TO THE SHORT FILM. PLEASE MAKE ANOTHER STARTING FROM THIS POINT ON?
There is another part to this on my channel as well called Dagor Dagorath.
Much better than Amazon's TV show.
This isn't the ainulindalë, but it's the only one who have balls to do something.
well it did summarize the beginning of not a little inaccurate but there is so much potential in Tolkien’s work and yet even we tried to attempt it we probably couldn’t get it right until we have the necessary technology
Awesome visualization my friend! Thank you
This is beautifully done. I love the visual, music, and narrations. Unfortunately it's inaccurate. It would be epic for true Tolkien fans if the story was presented exactly like the book.
Sourdough Girl it’s literally the audiobook being read. It just cuts a lot for time. Although it would have been great seeing the part where the Ainur are modeling their shape on the visions they had of elves and men
Sourdough Girl the spherical Earth was weird though I admit bc it was flat
Who gives a shit, this version's plenty cool.
Well, it's read as it's written, that goes correctly - but it's true some things in the animation are a bit off.
The Elves came toa night time world, they saw the stars. I think the 2 lamps were not yet lit. Or rather, I think it was after the lamps were extinguished. And also, the Arda, their world, was first flat. It was rounded only later, was it after Númenorean rebellion.
Maybe you should have checked these with someone who's very well read with the book.
Because you did amazing job. Would be easy to correct those few problems.
O how I agree with you. The movie should follow the book faithfully, I care not how long it would take, for the beauty for the majesty and splendor of Ainulindalë, LOR, and other examples of Tolkien's work deserves no less. I cannot imagine a greater, more concise and poetic work explaining the great beginning of the world. It never matters how often I've heard it before, this work's recital never fails to give me chills I get when I see in humankind's work Great Truth. Eru, how I love this man's life's work.. I immerse myself therein every day and have for 20 years.. it gives my dreams beautiful paths to tread as I drift off to sleep. Bless you John Ronald, wherever you are.You saw and recorded the way it truly was, and is. I give thanks for your presence on this plane.
I wept to see this, one of my Favorite Tales, Brought to Life. I cannot thank you enough!
Very artistic! I loved it!
Willow Productions I will! Thank you! :)
absolutely beautiful, what an amazing way of visualizing the Silmarillion
1) Excellent animation.
2) Too few Ainur. They likely numbered in the Millions or even Billions during the Ainulindalë. And likely they numbered in well into the six to seven digits within Ëa and Arda itself (aside from the 14 Valar - 15 with Melkor/Morgoth Bauglir).
3) Arda, as originally "formed" was a world "Globed" only in terms of its Metaphysical Shape. The Ekkai was the Globe of Arda, within which was the Lands of Arda (Aman/Valinorë, Endor/Middle-earth, and Hither Lands). It was not until near the end of the Second Age that the Land was bent into a Globe (I can give you a specific topology that gives rise to uniform gravity on the surface, yet produces a Flat, or Spherical Cap-shaped - depending upon taste, really - surface for "Arda" prior to the Akallabêth). I am aware of the "Myths Transformed" section of The History of Middle-earth, Vol X: Morgoth's Ring. Tolkien seemed to be very conflicted with this version of events, as it would have resulted in the total obliteration of his earlier Cosmology and Events (He rightly abandoned it).
4) Beleriand, Eriador, and Rhovanion make up an area that is entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, covering an area roughly from Stavanger, Norway (in the North) to Syracuse, Sicily in the south (The Mouth of the Anduin is roughly near the Mouth of the Nile - the former pointing south, the latter pointing north).
5) I am not sure what the visualization of Melkor fighting another Ainu (whom I suppose you intend to be Manwë?) is about. Melkor at first worked with the other Ainur. His violent rebellion was not immediate. This is made clear in Morgoth's Ring, where we learn that what we probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years passed as the Ainur lived in Almaren prior to Melkor openly laying claim to all of Arda, and being rejected by Manwë, after which he fled into the Void. It was then many years (Tolkien states roughly 15,000 years - he does not say whether these are equivalent to the "Years of the Trees" or whether he is speaking of "Years of the Sun") before Melkor returned and then constructing Utumno in the far north, prior to his destruction of the Lamps of the Valar (Illuin and Ormal).
I am working on a set of Screenplays for a similar project, which would set out Middle-earth's History from the Ainulindalë to the Return of the Shadow. But it is likely to be years before we are ready to do anything (We would like to see an actual license from the Tolkien Estate, but that is doubtful at this point).
But seeing others working in the same genre shows that a more honest portrayal of his work is much in demand.
The ainur number was correct it was 14 ainur or Minor Gods and One Major God Eru
Exotic - Truth - Seeker - Artist “Ainur” includes the Maiar.
While Wikipedia isn’t the best source for this, the article is well sourced, and I won’t have to wait six hours before I can get the varied Referenced from “The History of Middle-earth” and “The Silmarillion.”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainur_(Middle-earth)
The “VALAR,” as I mentioned, numbered only “14” (15 with Melkor - Also know as “The Morgoth Bauglir”).
Stefan I. Knezovic I had initially been pretty hopeful about The Amazon Project, but the departure of Tom Shippey has me a bit worried.
Having seen the demands that The Tolkien Estate placed on any future Licenses, I remain hopeful that these demands remain intact, and that Amazon will abide by them (rather than ignoring them, and just pushing through the project, and then paying any lawsuit from the Estate when it inevitably comes for Breach-of-Contact/Violation of the Terms of the License).
Given that the area they are working in is largely “blank space” (with only two works set within the Second Age, and a fairly open narrative outside of the existence of stated Kings and Events from the “Chronicle of Arda”), my expectations at this point are simply that they straighten the F-ing Swords of the Elves (giving them two edges, like they are supposed to have). If I see this go uncorrected, I will likely not even bother with the series.
@@MatthewBaileyBeAfraid Valar included from the ainur.
I read silmarilion even though you didnt i will tell you ters 14 ainur total
I have no words to describe the feeling it made me experience! It totally took me to my teenager years when i read The Silmarillion for the first time. Thank! Thank you! Thank you so much! Greetings from a peruvian!
the animation was fantastic! I just hope Peter Jackson would reconsider and adopt the style for SILAMARILLON. No offense to the animators, you guys are fantastic. the animation was and should have been for the SILMARILLON. ALL THE BEST!
the artistic concept was incredible, it was very original, you are very creative hope to see more work from you.
Beautiful! Although I agree with others that this storyline doesn't fully agree with Tolkien's writing :)
Criminally underrated piece of art. All the best
5:03, i spotted Mairon, later known as SAURON.
He's the only person on the screen for like 10 seconds lol
Such a beautiful story thank you Tolkien & thank you Willow.
I am inspired by your work. But please make one that is completely accurate.
A magnificent depiction of the Silmarillion!?! this is what I call a loyal adaption, not that rings of power crap. And I love how you use the audio book for its narration. Martin Shaw reads it so well.
That was really really awesome.
The only two inconsistencies I noticed were that the world was originally flat and that the first of the Eldar awoke by a lake under starlight... But whatever, the visuals and the music were breathtaking and the narration was perfect for me.
Have you made / will you make more?
Again, I loved this.
Willow Productions I would love to see one of the war of wrath. would be incredible!
Wow !! Beautiful ! You showed a very close approx. to my own thought..... Just a fantastic production all around the music was perfect and mainly the piece was not rushed.
Thanx !!
how do you have just that few subs? your skill and effort is just amazing o.O
This is top notch. Really good conceptualization of the beginning. Food for thought for any would be film directors actually thinking of tackling the Silmarillion one day. That is if the world can pressure the Tolkien estate enough to actually release the rights for it. Hope you make more of these!!
Nice work!But, where is the citation in your credits for Martin Shaw's narration (from The Silmarillion Audiobook)?
Nice closing song selection. That's one of my all-time favorites!
Jednym słowem: "Zajebiste".
AMAZING!!! THANKS FOR DOING THIS!!! SALUTE FROM MEXICO!! THE INTERPRETATION, THE NARRATOR, THE FIGHT! THE MUSIC!!!!! O MY!!!!!!!!! THANKSSSSS!!
awesome! big problem though. the elves did not awake until after melkor destroyed the lamps! the awoke under the stars which varda made after the valar retreated to aman, and to see the stars again is a major reason the sindar elves never completed the journey westward and why the noldor left valinor in pursuit of morgoth.
This has been around for 5 years, but don't think I was ever aware of it until now. That is a lovely score.
This is better than Amazon Rings of Power.
beautiful and awe-inspiring! You did an amazing job!!
But the elves didn't awaken to the light of the two lamps. It wasn't until way after their destruction that Varda made the stars with the dew from Telperion and Laurelin and that caused the elves to awaken.
Woah! You guys should have consulted the Rings of Power crew for the prologue to season one. That last horrifying clip of Morgoth and Ungoliant is a thing from which nightmares are made. Great project overall. I'm really impressed.
One thing that film adaptions of Tolkien often fail at is capturing that horror of darkness and shadow in Tolkien's writings.
Didn't Iluvatar hollow Arda (the world) and make it round after the breaking of Beleriand? I thought originally the world was supposed to be disc shaped. Also the elves didn't awaken until long after the destruction of the lamps.
Fishhunter2014 Eru made the world round after the fall of Numenor, when Men tried to invade Valinor and claim Immortality. The Valar forsook their right to Arda and pleaded to Eru. Numenor was sunk beneath the sea, and the world was made round.
Outstanding I wish I could see the whole Silmarillion, keep this great work and go till the end of the 3rd age :D
It is as beautifull as incorrect. At first, Arda was not an sphere, but a flat disk contained in a bubble. It was not until the fall of numenor that Iluvatar changed the shape of Arda to make Aman unreachable for men. At first, there were no galaxies, stars or anything, just Arda sitting in the void. When created, Stars were not even the sun-like-but-further things we know. It is implied in some of tolkien writting that out actual universe is the same as the one created by Iluvatar, but it has never been clear for me how the simplistic empty universe got to become a universe full of planets and stars that are what we actually know as stars.
Also, no elf ever saw the light of the two lamps. They woke up at the years of the trees. By that time, the valar had already adopted anthropomorphous shapes (in fact, they did as soon as they entered into Arda, if I'm not mistaken)
Anyway, the first part of it was very pleasing, and gets the essence of the ainulindale pretty well. All things considered, the video is good and worth watching
Wow - constantly gives me the chills and thrills. I love the rising theme towards the end when the Valar raise the two lamps. A beautiful and evocative animation with such a fantastic score. Well done. Well done. I salute you.
Can I put lyrics in portuguese in the video?........Amazing job, I cryed when I whatch.
+Juan Patrick queres ajuda? =)
+Juan Patrick "The worship of the eyes is weeping, the worship of the ears is listening."
Love the use if Dies Irae in this soundtrack! It's kinda on the nose, but it fits the theme really well.