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I was wondering recently about what a Narnia TV show would really look like, if Netflix puts Narnia in episode format as discussed. Specifically, what do you imagine for the Introduction and opening credits scene/art?
Should it be a flyover of a map or 3D bird's eye view of Narnia, as in the BBC series, or should it be shots of iconic scenes or objects (like the Lamppost, Peter's sword and/or shield, Cair Paravel , the Stone Table, etc.) or perhaps just simple artwork (maybe even Pauline Baynes' illusrations?)
Thoughts, anyone?

I wonder if they will be allowed to use any of the Baynes artwork? I rather think it won't be available to them, as it is part of the copyright material.

Perhaps they can do artwork with a hint of Baynes?

If they have the rights to the books, how would that not include Baynes' artwork?

It would be cool if they could have a different intro for each season. That way they could use illustrations from the books which are specifically being adapted that season. That's probably more elaborate and expensive than they'd like though.

(Plus it sounds like the tv series won't be specifically adapted from the books at all, just the movies. But we can daydream.)

I would like to have a narrator cast as the voice of C.S. Lewis, maybe his voice superimposed over flyby landscape scenes, to open and close each adaptation. We would not see Lewis, just hear him briefly. I know it's old-fashioned, but to have a little touch of Lewis' comforting and witty dialogue would emphasize Narnia's particular warmth and charm. I think many of us found that aspect lacking in the Walden adaptations.

That's an interesting idea, Skilletdude. What do you think the narrator would say? I can't really think of a quote off the top of my head that would work for every episode. Maybe "people who have no been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time?"

fantasia wrote:If they have the rights to the books, how would that not include Baynes' artwork?

That makes a lot of sense when I think about the credits at the end of Walden's Dawn Treader film. They used Bayne's illustrations there. But I think they were changed a bit to be slightly animated, and the colours were a little different.

However I wonder if the rights to the text of the books might be a different thing than the rights to the illustrations? However if that is the case, it does not preclude Netflix to attain the rights to both.
I wish I was an Intellectual Property Lawyer!

Skilletdude wrote:I would like to have a narrator cast as the voice of C.S. Lewis, maybe his voice superimposed over flyby landscape scenes, to open and close each adaptation. I know it's old-fashioned, but to have a little touch of Lewis' comforting and witty dialogue would emphasize Narnia's particular warmth and charm. I think many of us found that aspect lacking in the Walden adaptations.

Do you have someone in mind to be the narrator?
I wonder how John Rhys-Davies would sound as the voice of C.S. Lewis; his deep, rich voice sounds like what I always have imagined Jack sounding like.
They might have to really consult with Douglas Gresham on this one.

I would love to see something similar in concept (although not in execution) to the Game of Thrones intro, spreading across the map. I would love it to look a little like Coriakin's map from Voyage.

Personally, I think if there’s to be a Narnia-show intro, it ought to be similar to the intro of the books: After the opening Narnia-show titles, present the Book’s Title, then a map of Narnia from said book (similar to BBC but more specific) with the actor-credits super imposed on it, perhaps accompanied by a narrator saying the first few paragraphs from the book before going into the actual episode. A lot like the BBC version, except with said actor-credits and different, gentle-but-moody music that changes from book to book. That’s my idea. If someone has already voiced most of the above, apologies.

So do you think the theme music should change from book to book? I was just thinking it would be cool to have different renditions of a central theme, with a different mood and atmosphere for each one; they could add new motifs, but keep a single, central theme in there to remind people that this is still Narnia.

I’d welcome an evolving, iconic Narnia motif(s) at every new story, but I’m not too interested in a Narnia theme-song like BBC and Walden. That’s assuming that the new Narnia TV series & films are as good/better than BBC and Walden.

(I’d like a more Middle-Earth/Howard Shore type of music: No big theme-song, but more simple, hummable music attached to places and peoples. Howard Shore did that brilliantly in the Rings & Hobbit films, also in the movie Hugo.)

For example, if HHB & PC were in chronological order, I’d like to hear a distinctive main theme for HHB and one for PC (like how Rohan and Gondor in LotR have their own themes). I think the Telmarines in PC could have a mighty theme that gets turned into a positive main theme for VDT (Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis comes to mind), while HHB I think could use more Marrice Jarre type of music. (Lawrence of Arabia etc.) But again, I’d love a simple yet wonderful recurring motif for Narnia itself.

JFG II wrote:I’d welcome an evolving, iconic Narnia motif(s) at every new story, but I’m not too interested in a Narnia theme-song like BBC and Walden. That’s assuming that the new Narnia TV series & films are as good/better than BBC and Walden.

I think the Telmarines in PC could have a mighty theme that gets turned into a positive main theme for VDT (Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis comes to mind), while HHB I think could use more Marrice Jarre type of music. (Lawrence of Arabia etc.) But again, I’d love a simple yet wonderful recurring motif for Narnia itself.

As for that recurring motif, something like "Winterspell" comes to mind. Very ethereal and wintry sounding; a good choice for LWW, especially!