east of byzatium

[Stark Evade]

Re: east of byzatium

I don't have a shred of doubt that it will be a train wreck. I've seen enough to be upset that they made it.

[Haykakan]

Re: east of byzatium

East of Byzantium looks so incredibly bad I'm actually embarrassed that was produced.

"Hey let's make a very obvious and terrible Armenian-themed mash-up of Lord of the Rings and 300 with no real experience and no real budget! Wouldn't that be cool!"

Umm... No.

How do you know its not gona be good? I am reserving judgement untill i see it.

[Stark Evade]

Re: east of byzatium

East of Byzantium looks so incredibly bad I'm actually embarrassed that was produced.

"Hey let's make a very obvious and terrible Armenian-themed mash-up of Lord of the Rings and 300 with no real experience and no real budget! Wouldn't that be cool!"

Umm... No.

[KanadaHye]

Re: east of byzatium

Armenia, the 4th Century, AD.

From the pages of history comes the powerful story of King Tiridates and Saint Gregory; friends as children, betrayed by traitors, and cast out by the murder of their respective families. Both are exiled to separate parts of Rome, where Tiridates is raised to be a great warrior, and Gregory is trained to be a healer and a man of God. Gregory joins Tiridates on his quest to retake his homeland, while hiding his true identity. From the ashes of Persian conquest, and with the power of Rome behind them, they forge a new Armenian homeland.

Yet in the midst of their success, old secrets are revealed, and Tiridates is
forced to punish his best friend in the pit of Khor Virab. This pushes him over
the edge and into madness, where even the enduring love of his beloved sister Chosro can't save him. Their kingdom begins to disintegrate.

As their enemies begin to march, it is Chosro who must don the armor and free Gregory, so that Gregory would in turn free Tiridates from the prison of his mind - in time to once again fight for their people.

FAQ

East of Byzantium: Fugitives and Warriors has been, with its exposure, interpreted a number of different ways. The following will hopefully answer some of the questions people have been asking lately.

1) What does East of Byzantium mean?

Byzantium was the latter part of the Roman empire, when its Eastern half became more wealthy and powerful than the decaying West. Beyond it was the mighty and resurgent Persian empire. Between those two superpowers were ancient peoples fighting for their survival. This saga covers that story.

2) What exactly is EOB? A miniseries, a feature? A graphic novel?

The project was started with a feature in mind. It went from feature to miniseries based on a few meetings with international networks who thought that format was more workable at the time. Currently the interest has been back to a feature version involving one or both of the two major arcs in this saga (the Gregory/Tiridates story and the Vartan Mamigonian story, which takes place 150 years later). A documentary version was even entertained but that is not being pursued currently.

3) What is the history the project is based on and how accurate to details will EOB be (whatever its final form)?

The EOB saga is an historic fantasy based on real events and real people. It pulls upon the mythological and legendary aspects and the meaning behind those stories, rather than a step-by-step documentary retelling of history. People who are attracted to the historic aspects can no doubt pick up a history book after wards and delve into the facts a bit more, but the purpose here is entertainment, not a lecture. That said, very detailed research has gone into the fabric and layering of the world of these characters.

4) Will Roger Kupelian be directing the feature version of either of the EOB stories?

Undecided as yet. Kupelian, who owns the project and known for his visual effects and design work, is directing its development and look, and creating its ancillary products, such as the graphic novel. Major studio funding will obviously require that an A-list director and talent is attached. A number of such entities are being approached. It is always the tug of war between private investment and studio commitment.

5) What is the footage we are seeing now? Was that not part of the final movie?

Fantastic as it is, that footage was produced as proof of concept, both for the pitch reel and the fundraisers that occurred in 2008. There are a few more pieces which will be released strategically, along with animated online graphic novels building the universe surrounding the core stories. The footage also served to imprint a visual style which will set it apart from similar projects and its further use is being explored.

6) Is this a project primarily for an Armenian or religious audience in mind?

We get this question a lot. It's true that religion and identity play a part in the fabric of the events in EOB. But the story and the resulting releases are intended for a universal audience. It was a pivotal era in world history where the question of identity and what is worth fighting for resonated just as loudly as it does today. We did not have to be Greek to like "3oo", Highland Scots to love "Braveheart", nor high elves to watch "Lord of the Rings" umpteen times, so everyone's welcome. Even Byzantines.

7)Which part of the EOB saga is likely to be made into a film first?

Screenplays and development exist for both parts - part 1 being the Tiridates/Gregory story and part 2, the Vartan epic, and both have gotten considerable interest. So it is difficult to say at this point.

8) Has there been a lot of support in the Armenian community?

Interesting question. The short answer is yes. But again, the goal is not to primarily target an Armenian audience and make this an "Armenian project". It's far too big for that. There is obviously a lot of excitement from anyone who likes period pieces and also from those who are more familiar with the role of new media in entertainment. There are a number of "unofficial" promos floating around youtube, for example.

9) What does the Graphic Novel you mentioned focus on?

It primarily focuses on the major confrontation that occurred in Asia Minor right in 451 A.d. right about the time Attilla the Hun was rampaging through what was left of the Roman Empire. The Persian Shah sought to limit Western influence among the nations of his realm, and at that point in history religion was almost synonymous with cultural identity. Much like the Maccabees of the Old Testament, the Armenians (and their allies) refused to give up their ancestral faith (Christianity in this case) knowing it was cultural suicide. There were of course those that thought differently. The resulting civil war and eventual military intervention by a mighty Persian force was met with extreme bravery and sacrifice, arguably changing the course of Western Civilization itself.

The Graphic novel tells their stories in chapters, each from the point of view of different characters surrounding these events, which in the chronology of the EOB saga would be considered Story #2.

10) Is EOB:FAW supported by a major studio?

Meetings are ongoing, and new interest from various studios and production companies is frequent. "It's making the rounds" as they say. It's only a matter of time.

11 )How can I support EOB?

One way is to join the facebook page dedicated to Vartan Mamigonian himself
run by EOB artists:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1007083719&ref=name

as well as becoming a fan for project itself:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/East-of-Byzantium/28209607862

Some have even started fan sites on their own.
The most important thing is that fans keep coming back and enjoying the story and the visuals, and of course, spread the word and excitement. This is an out of the box approach for a very unique and engaging subject.

[KanadaHye]

Re: east of byzatium

http://www.eastofbyzantium.com/

Who we are is worth fighting for......



There is a good teaser/preview here:

http://yernazian.blogspot.com/2009/0...byzantium.html

And here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1pimiIkjJ8&feature=fvw
________________________________________________

I hope Jivan Gasparyan is also involved in the soundtrack.

[Haykakan]

This is a movie based on the Avareair battle. I think it will be talked about much so i started a thread on it. Here is some info about it.

FILM ABOUT VARDAN MAMIKONYAN AND AVARAYR BATTLE BEING SHOT IN HOLLYWOOD

Noyan Tapan
Oct 27, 2009

HOLLYWOOD, OCTOBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. Director Roger
Kupelian's film "East of Buzantium or Mamikonyan's Battle for Faith"
is being shot in Hollywood. The film about the Avarayr Battle, one of
the most important fights in the history of Armenians. The Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) has already expressed willingness to
assist in film shooting, and System of a Down soloist Serj Tankian
has agreed to write a soundtrack, panarmenian.net reported.

Roger Kupelian has participated in shooting of such Hollywood films as
Charlie Wilson's War, the Lord of the Rings, and Terminator Salvation.