Last Call

Closing time. One last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer

No, not that kind of Last Call! This is a plea for The Thorin Project! get those quotes in pronto (like within the next 2 days) so that I can send the last batch off to Guylty, she can work her pretty magic, and we can send this book on it’s merry way.

Update: The Thorin Project

Hello! I just wanted to give you an update on the progress of our little project.

First of all, let me say that I have been pleasantly pleased with the quote submissions that we’ve received thus far, both in number and substance. It’s gratifying to see that the character of Thorin has touched so many of you in meaningful ways, and that you’re willing to share those thoughts with us to include in this book for Richard. I’ve enjoyed conversing with each of you as you’ve submitted your quotes, whether in “meeting” you for the first time, or getting to know you a bit better through one-on-one messages that we’ve traded in relation to your quotes; it’s been fun!

 

I’ve collected all of the quotes received so far and passed them on to Guylty, who has started to plug them into the beautiful pages that she is custom designing for this 10×8 inch photo book. Currently we are in the “tweaking” phase: experimenting with font sizes, gauging space, deciding in what ways some of the larger quotes might be split, arranging by main idea and photo theme, etc.

so exactly like this

 

Nothing is set in stone at this point but we wanted to give you a peek, nonetheless, and let you know how it’s all coming along. So below are screen shots of two different pages from the book (these are too small to read but just meant to give you a general idea of what the pages will look like)

If you haven’t submitted a quote but would like to do so, information can be found on The Thorin Project page. Please get those quotes in soon so that we can arrange them all in a pleasing manner and send it off to Richard in time for the movie premiere! Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm and encouragement.

we less than three you!

 

sorry to be cheeky…

It seems I may not have been clear on the direction Guylty & I want to take with The Thorin Project quote submissions. after reading back through my posts, I can see where the confusion may have happened. I might have waxed a bit too lyrical about Richard (I do that *blushes*) and not emphasized the Thorin aspect enough. Let me try to clarify what we had in mind:

 

We want this book to be a celebration of Thorin for Richard. something that he can read, as a fan of Thorin, to look back on and remember what this character encompasses; how he (Thorin) inspires, as we share our thoughts about him with Richard. We’re all on the same level, us and Richard, as fans of Thorin. I originally stressed the “Richard’s Thorin” because I wanted to focus on the Thorin we’ve gotten to know through the movies, not the original book Thorin. Some of your comments are mentioning what Richard has brought to Thorin, to differentiate between book and movie, and I’m not discouraging praise for Richard in this area; just try to word it in a way that doesn’t call Richard out by name.

 

If Richard is reading along and shaking his head yes in agreement with the different aspects of Thorin that we’ve shared, and then comes to a comment with his name in it…that’s going to pull him out of the “fan of Thorin” place and force him into a different place, apart from us, as “actor”; we don’t want him to feel that way with this book. So, for example, if your quote was something like: “the way Richard commands attention with his body while comforting with his eyes draws me to Thorin.” say instead: “I find myself drawn to Thorin because of the way he is able to command attention with his body while comforting with his eyes.” you’re still giving Richard praise, because the Thorin we see is due to Richard, yet you’re attributing those traits to the fictional character. it is something that Richard saw in Thorin and wanted to convey, through his acting.

 

This book isn’t meant to be about Richard. We want to celebrate Thorin with Richard.

 

The Thorin Project

Hello all! I’ve been thinking… (my husband dreads hearing that sentence from me!) so I thought out loud to Guylty, because that’s what friends do (listen politely to each other’s insane ramblings). instead of running away though, she actually took my thoughts seriously! not only that but she built upon them, and after a few e-mails back and forth, a legitimate idea was formed between us. We’d like to share that idea with you today.

The end of an era is nearly upon us. The premiere of the final installment of the Hobbit trilogy is only two and a half months away. Most of us are looking forward to it with one eye laughing, and one eye crying. Another film with Mr A in it, that is surely a reason to be happy! But at the same time, we can anticipate not only Thorin’s fate in the film but also the end of three (or more) years immersion in Middle-Earth. It will be sad to reach the end of this long journey.

 

And if that makes us sad, then how sad will that be for the man who lived Thorin and acted in Middle-Earth? Is there a way of thanking him, who provided us with many hours of entertainment, who delighted us with his talent, who made Thorin come alive and who drew so many new fans to Tolkien’s world? How can we mark this end of an era in a meaningful way? With something that goes beyond the usual feedback that he receives for everything he does, and expresses the deep impact his work has had on us; hopefully brightening his day at the same time.

Guylty and I thought it might be a neat idea for us to share with Richard a celebration of Thorin, and what he has meant to us. We would like to ask for submissions of fan quotes for a coffee table type book that we will compile, print, and send off to Richard in time for the premiere of BOTFA. Our thought is for it to be a keepsake, a special memento for him. It is our intent for it to be a gift from the fans; not bringing attention to what any one of us might say but to express our gratitude as a collective whole, for his great work in the Hobbit trilogy.

 

We would like the contributions to be in your words, focusing on what it is about Richard’s Thorin that resonates with you, inspires you, touches you in a meaningful way. This does not exclude lightheartedness but will hopefully go beyond the mere extolling of Richard’s (admittedly) attractive exterior! The plan is to compile the fan quotes in a book, illustrated with photography that fits the themes/quotes. These thoughts can be as long or as short, as personal or as general, as polished or spontaneous, as passionate or reserved as you see fit. (for variety we might break up the longer quotes and sprinkle them through-out the book.) all fans can participate, no matter which platform you are active on or whether you actively blog or not.

This proposed book is about the message and not about the messengers, and therefore we would like to keep the spotlight on the quotes and credit them only in a list of contributors at the back of the book. credits on this list can be by real name, internet handle or anonymously. some examples:

 

“I admire Thorin’s dedication to his people and upholding the legacy of his family. He shouldered the responsibility of carving out a life for them in the Iron Hills but couldn’t rest until he tried to get back their good name. What lay ahead of him was perilous in the extreme, not only physically but also mentally for the affliction that destroyed his grandfather’s mind. That level of honor, to sacrifice what is already known, or safe, for something that is so much bigger than yourself, is something of Thorin that will always stay with me.”

“Thorin’s sassiness with Elrond, ‘Indeed? he made no mention of you’, always makes me laugh! It’s a perfect mix of dwarfish haughtiness and endearing charm.”

 

If you like this idea of ours and would like to contribute thoughts to be included in the book, I have set up a tab at the top of this blog which will take you to a page dedicated to this endeavor. There is a contact form there that you can use to send me an e-mail with your submission. you can reply with general thoughts about the project in the comment section on that page as well. we hope to hear from you soon! ~Kelbel75 & Guylty

 

p.s. I think it goes without saying that we would like this to be a surprise for Richard. so while we welcome and hope you help us spread the word throughout the fandom, please remember not to tag Richard directly about this in any tweets you might post on Twitter.

 

ETA: submissions for The Thorin Project are no longer being accepted. The book is completed and has been sent off to Richard.