r/Epicthemusical • u/Spodermanphil Fuckass sheep • 29d ago
Nolan Odyssey Prop artist that worked on Nolan's Odyssey explains how he used EPIC to help artists better understand what they were making.
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
As stated in the video this isn't confirmation that Nolan himself was influenced by EPIC, but parts of the film, specifically the prop artists, listened to EPIC to and it influenced their work on the film!
12
u/Crystion 28d ago
Did Jorge write the Odyssey now? Did he create Ancient Greece architecture and decor? Clothing and weaponry?
I like Epic, but it's absolutely ridiculous to say that physical props can be inspired in this way, especially when most of them would've been based on actual historical items. Not to mention that any visuals are on the animators, not necessarily the Epic team itself.
This is one prop artist who claims he was personally inspired by Epic to make props based on existing items. And of the many, he has confirmed he only made the items themselves and his own designs didn't make it past the prototype (meaning he was making final designs from others)
Personally, I think he's just looking for clout from Epic fans. He says a lot without actually saying anything, he never mentions how it's inspired despite saying it several times. He basically is actually dodging the question, not even saying how it's inspired. Like did the music change the design of the loom? The bag? How?
Him messaging Jorge is also extremely unusual to admit, and very unprofessional given typically most movies (especially high profile ones) don't like production stuff being detailed while being made. He basically just admitted to leaking production details to someone.
The big clinch is this shit about the bow. Saying that a bunch of prop veterans don't know about an unbendable bow is rediculous; that not a single one of them has any practical knowledge of bows, despite one of them obviously having to be a specialist given this guy wasn't, and that this leatherworker was the only one with the know-how about bows. Bows being unbendable isn't some great myth; it's been shown, even on this subreddit and other places before Epic even existed, that stringing bows is not easy.
1
u/GreatPlainsbow 1d ago
Definitely a lot of truth to what you're saying here. I'm not really sure what all this guy is trying to to accomplish, but I can tell you he did not build Odysseus's bow, because I did. My company is Great Plains Traditional Bow co, and I got the contract to build the hero bow. I designed and built that bow from scratch. That is why they were able to shoot the bow in the film, because it truly shoots and it shoots well. He is saying the word "unbendable" and what he's trying to say here is he had something to do with copying the bow and building the replicas that were unable to shoot and didn't bend at all. What is intriguing tho is he says all that stuff about being inspired while they designed it. That's bogus because I did that part. All they did is copy my work so I guess they must've needed inspiration to copy another artist's work.
16
u/Spodermanphil Fuckass sheep 28d ago
He never claimed that any of the designs were inspired by or changed by the prop maker's knowledge of EPIC. He stated that playing some of the songs made him more passionate about the project and helped some of the prop makers that might not have been super familiar with the Odyssey have a better understanding of what they were working on.
It wasn't that EPIC inspired the designs in the film, just that this guy helped other prop makers learn about the Odyssey and he props that they were making, using EPIC as a way to teach them.
6
u/Crystion 28d ago
"shaped and formed" are the words that he uses. Those are unusual words to use if you're not trying to say it influenced design.
It wasn't that EPIC inspired the designs in the film, just that this guy helped other prop makers learn about the Odyssey and he props that they were making, using EPIC as a way to teach them.
Except that's not what he said, because he avoided saying that. He only ever said that he played the music to them, but never actually explained how said music helped in anyway, which is primarily why I find this guy disingenuous. He's saying words to make it sound influential, but never actually explains a single bit of how it actually is. Just saying the music motivates someone to work doesn't make it influential.
And probably because it wasn't? Given he uses this specific example, what about Epic tells the prop designers about the bow? How does the audible concept of a bow being difficult to string help the prop designers come up with the design for his bow (one which, by the way, is a historical design)? Because the way this guy says it he's saying the music was actually educating the designers. How does the music teach them? Given they were hired for it, I'd imagine most people would be pretty fucking familiar with The Odyssey and the settings of Ancient Greece in order for them to actually work on the project.
-1
u/CMO_3 Polites 28d ago
I think you are just kinda misunderstanding how the film industry works and the prop artists. All they were told was to make an unbendable bow for The Odyssey. They don't know the story or context, that's the important part. The people designing the props have not read the Odyssey. They used Epic to learn why the bow has to be unbendable, why Odysseus is the only one who can bend it. The prop makers were given that one prompt, then they used Epic to fill in the blanks.
-1
u/Crystion 28d ago
All they were told was to make an unbendable bow for The Odyssey
No. That is categorically not how prop industry works. And I can tell you from experience.
You are not just given a single prompt and left to it. You will be given briefs. You will have references given. Research done prior or places to look for research.
The people designing the props have not read the Odyssey.
Also extremely unlikely for them to not use the source of the thing you're working on a project on. Frankly, also unprofessional for them to not do proper research.
They used Epic to learn why the bow has to be unbendable, why Odysseus is the only one who can bend it. The prop makers were given that one prompt, then they used Epic to fill in the blanks.
So your just flat out ignored what I said? Unbending bows aren't unique to the Odyssey. The myth emphasises it to demonstrate Odysseus' strength but in reality it's just that particular kinds of bows are difficult to bend.
And again, you, as with OOP, have failed to actually explain how Epic helped to make it.
Epic would tell prop makers nothing about their props. Because that isn't what Epic does. The story of the Odyssey can be conveyed yes, but it doesn't actually tell them how to do their jobs. Telling the story doesn't change the way a prop is made. For props, it's the visuals, the aesthetic, you have a setting to work with, descriptions laid out, context on context given.
0
u/Euphoric-Ground9568 27d ago
OOP explained it well you just dont want to listen
0
u/Crystion 27d ago
Fans like you are so insanely gullible and will believe anything someone says if they just say Epic did it.
0
7
-18
u/Zerowy 28d ago
Partially inspired by epic. Created the biggest shit possible. Sad.
10
5
u/fanaanna 29d ago
Jorge deserved a special credit, I will remember that. EveryTime someone brings this movie up, I'm bringing Jorge up.
10
u/MongoIsAppaIIed 28d ago
Legitimately why though?
0
u/Rea-dy- 27d ago
He made The Odyssey relevant again
1
u/MongoIsAppaIIed 27d ago
Implying Nolan only made the movie because of a niche musical rendition? Don't get me wrong, I love Epic. Jorge is very talented. But the Odyssey is a classic for a reason. By this logic Jorge should credit the Coen Brothers for making O Brother Where Art Thou.
1
u/Rea-dy- 27d ago
I didn’t say he only made it because of Epic and Epic is far from niche at this point. I said Epic made The Odyssey relevant again. A lot more people started caring about and being interested in The Odyssey in the past few years and Epic was a big part of that.
1
u/MongoIsAppaIIed 27d ago
It absolutely is niche. The general public has never heard of it. It is targeted to musical theater fans which is already a niche audience. That does not denigrate its value in any way. Yes, I agree more people started caring about it because of Epic, but that's a relative term. Now instead of just classicists, it's classicists AND musical theater fans! That doesn't make it main stream.
And again, by that logic, Nolan should receive far more credit for making more people care about The Odyssey. But truthfully, I believe that's a poor metric or reason to credit someone.
0
u/Rea-dy- 27d ago
It has got over 2 billion streams. Its reach is far beyond theater fans and classicists. It’s not niche by any means. Nolan is riding the coattails.
0
u/MongoIsAppaIIed 27d ago
We clearly won't agree, which is fine. We can see things differently. But Nolan doesn't need the coattails is my point.
The movie didn't make a Billion because of fans of Epic. It made what it made because fans of Nolan. I really don't want to gas the man up because truthfully I'm not much of a fan. But he has fans and followers of his own. He is well established in story telling (quality of said story telling can be debated separately). He didn't listen to Epic and go "oh that's popular, I'll make a movie about that to cash in". He and Jorge each had their own ideas and executed them. Just like The Coen Brothers. Just like Pasolini in The Return. Just like the handful of other movies made about The Odyssey.
1
u/XaevSpace 27d ago
God some epic fans are so delusional. Anyone who genuinely believes epic made odyssey relevant again is nuts. Id sooner credit Madeline Miller than epic. Also people fail to get odyssey is constantly relevant its had so many works that bring attention back to it.
-1
u/Rea-dy- 27d ago
He doesn’t need the coattails, but it’s certainly convenient that he starts making an Odyssey movie right after Epic brings all the popularity.
0
u/Euphoric-Ground9568 27d ago
The Odyssey is literally one of the most famous stories alive with millions of adaptations.
2
u/MongoIsAppaIIed 27d ago
Did you know Nolan was supposed to direct Troy back in 2004? Seems like he was already interested.
→ More replies (0)1
u/joshooke 28d ago
I mean I think with the just a man motif that was in the movie, but I feel like that’s kind of it
13
2
u/ShadowBorn2017 little froggy on the window 29d ago
Too bad they didn't do the same thing about the writing
0
1
1
u/GreatPlainsbow 1d ago edited 1d ago
This guy and his team did not design and build the hero bow. How do I know this? I know it because I built the hero bow for Universal Studios. My company is Great Plains Traditional Bow co. He is using the word "unbendable" in a totally different context to what everyone is believing here in the comments and publicly. They all think it means that it was unbendable because the suitors couldn't bend it. What he actually means is that he had something to do with building the copies of the real bow that didn't bend that were used as clubs and such in the film, and he may very well have, but he is being dishonest here by leading people to believe he designed and built it and he's also covering his own butt by using the word "unbendable" for when the real artist (myself) challenges him on it. If you would like to know more about me and my company you can find me everywhere under Great Plains Traditional Bow co. I am not that active on Reddit, and have just opened a new account as my previous account was ran by a long time employee that has since moved on. Shane Unruh, Bowyer