Hi everybody;
My name is Simon Bogojevic Narath. I am visual artist & filmmaker from Zagreb/Croatia.
I am developnig a script for hystorical live- action feature set up in September, 35.BC. in Dalmatia.
The plot is about eight Roman legionares on mission in Dalmatian (Velebit, Gorski Kotar) mountains, inhabited by Illyrian tribes (Dalmati, Iapydes, Liburnians) emphasising everyday lives, spiritual beliefs anda moral/ethical patterns of conduct. The film should be as hystorycally accurate as posible, concerning even smallest detail ; for instance protagonists speak on Latin and „re-constructed“ Illyrian „dialects“ etc, etc . The film is focused on personal drammas of characters much more then on „action“ or „spectacle“.
As fan of Rome and roman history, this is sort of film that I would like to watch myself but putting up an hystorically accurate script is high task as I am not hystorian, nor very knowledgable in the subject. With all research I did i cannot cover all the details I would like to cover.
So for the start – before I post more specific questions - if enyone can suggest some reliable written or visual resources for mentioned period (35.BC) and region (Dalmatia), concerning Illyrian military and Roman Legions stationed there.
Thanx in advance.
Simon Aurelius
i wish you all the best with this project. It sounds very interesting.
At the moment i although work on a film project about an auxiliary unit set on 125 AD in Germany.
king regards
Herod Agrippa
[attachment=6071]screen_01.png[/attachment]
Simon: Your film project sounds extremely interesting. I love the idea of focusing on the personal lives more so than the big events. I'm sorry I can't think of any immediate sources to help you but I wish you the best with the script and hope it receives English subtitling!
Herod Agrippa: I love your screenshots, especially the second one! Do you have another thread or website on this film project at all?
Ancient sources would include Strabo's Georgraphy - which describes Illyria in Book VII, Chapter 5. He wrote during Augustus' reign (27 BC - AD 14), thus his writing will describe the region as it was understood near to the year you wish to cover. Cassius Dio is one source for Octavian's (Augustus) campaign in Illyria and Pannonia which began in 35 BC. For his writings the information is in Book 49, Chapters 34-37. This period is the Roman army before the permanently established legions of the principate. Cassius Dio mentions that one of the legions Octavian took with him to the war was one composed of reenlisted soldiers who had previous mutinied and been discharged.
Both of these can be accessed (in English) through the Lacus Curtius website.
Quinton Johansen
Marcus Quintius Clavus, Optio Secundae Pili Prioris Legionis III Cyrenaicae
Dear Herod,
Thnx for the support. I am very glad to know that there are more european film projects about Rome going on. I wish You every luck with the film – hoping that the Your budget is already big enough . As for me – I am only developing a script (as I mentoned ) and the production budget issue is postponed for future nasty period . I try not to think about it right now !
Your snapshots look really good – I have just one question about wall stone structure in the first frame: did the wals on fortifications (I suppose its fortification wall) really looked that precise and tidy - considering weather conditions and on-going active purpose (defence)?
Very best,
Simon
Robert: Thanx for the support. Considering subtitling – its enavitable to subtitle the film once its (hopefully) finished. But for instance, dubbing the dialogues in various modern languages would certanly ruin the „feel“ of the epoque, and that is something I would like to avoid.
Very best,
Simon
These are two of my production design sketches. First sketch represnts Dalmatian warrior, Yapode noblewoman and Liburnian ordinary fellow.
[attachment=6091]Illyricvm_Concept_Design_01.jpg[/attachment]
Second represents beginning of sacrificing ritual (actual scene from Illyricum) to Neptun (Bindus).
[attachment=6092]Illyricvm_Concept_Design_02.jpg[/attachment]
I know the sketches are un-accurate enough, so experts, please do not hesitate to throw fire
Ofcourse, I have questions: did the Augurs and/or Haruspex used some kind of face masks? On engravings and reliefs I didnt find any evidence for that, but in one of the texts from the web (I canno remember where) I stumbled on information that they did.
Thank You all
best
Simon
Simon - those pictures are excellent! Certainly of graphic novel quality. Do you have experience in this area?
Minor nitpick for the first image: that brooch looks like it's on back to front (sorry).
In the second: Does the square plate around the neck of the man holding the plate signify that he is a slave? That was a convention used in the HBO series 'Rome' but I don't think that had any basis in reality. Apologies if that's not the case obviously. I'm also not sure the altar was used in that way but I am likely wrong there. I do love the use of colour in this scene though!
Pavel : Thnx!
Robert: Thnx! „brooch“ supposed to be Dalmatian/Japod fibula. As I draw quickly „by feel“ there are lot of incorrect stuff on those drawings. They are not ment to be studies – just sketches for the feel and atmosphere. It helps me writting down the script for the film.
And yes, You are absolutely right, brooch it is on back (upside –down).
Square plate should assign the character as a slave. Considering this I am aware its HBO „Rome“
„costimography style“. If its historycally accurate kind of „slave sign“ – I am not shure. I am still researching this subject – aswell as possible small altar usage (in exteriors – not in the temples).
Herod: Thnx , i graduated classical painting long time ago at fine arts accademy, but I am profesionaly involved in (mostly) short film (SFX, animation, etc). But I hope I can still remember few drawing tricks :wink:
Your screenshots looks really good – I like collor correction, „making of“ photo, and the set ofcourse.
Its huge amount of work You are doing, and I really wish You every luck.
Do you plan to go to DCP or/and 35 mm for final distribution?
And and next question for all of You guys: Is it reliable information that the best material for use in scorpio torsion components (those big fat ropes which lounch an arrow or stone) were horse and/or woman hair?
Hi guys,
work on the script goes on, - I have several new questions for the experts here;
To put it as shortly as i can: characters in the film (small band of eight roman legionares) end up in remote watchtower in the Gorski Kotar mountains, as the reinforcement to the
eight legionares already holding the post. The watchtower is outpost - deep in territory inhabited by various Illyrian tribes.
Avarage landscapes in these parts are; http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gorski...atia08.JPG and/or http://apartments-dumanic.com/gorski-kotar/
watchtower is something like this; http://www.livius.org/a/germany/rainau/r...model1.JPG
My questions are:
Did the Romans bulid walls and ditches around watchtowers? It seems perfectly logical to me. If they did, what was the distance between the walls and watchtower itself?
Any additional buildings within the walls (for cattle, workshop, toilet etc)?
Were they built on top of the hills? If they did, how did the Romans solved out the water issue? Did they dug and made wells?
Or did the wachtowers had to be built near the streams, rivers etc?
What was the average distance to the other nearest wachtowers? (For communication and transport?)
I have just being informed that "Illyricvm" draft script has been accepted by Croatian Audiovisual Centre in category "script development". That means that we have official budget support (small but helpful anyway) for further working on the script and doing additional research. So, if Jupiter is benevolent we might actually wacth the film in cinemas in the future...and ofcourse, ill have to make some offerings :wink:
I just wanted to share happy news with You.
but putting up an hystorically accurate script is high task as I am not hystorian, nor very knowledgable in the subject. With all research I did i cannot cover all the details I would like to cover.
