Mr. Coat

Rough Beginnings:
Creating the First Episode

A Behind the Scenes Essay by Morgan Leger

It all began with a simple idea. One year ago, I was chatting with Logan and he was a tad annoyed with the movie Return to Oz getting a brief mention on Doug's Top 11 Underrated Classics List and that not many people got a full understanding what that movie was or how important it stands out in the public. So, it was requested for me to do a Vaulting episode on it. Later the night, I thought about it and the more I kept thinking, I thought that it wasn't the right type of film for me to review. Basically, I was going after the more forgettable nostalgia and this was more suited to a different series. So, I brainstormed and this idea for a new series came out of my head.

The next day, I pitched to him this idea to do a completly retorspective series on films we saw in our time as kids or later adults. It would just be us as ourselves talking about things we liked about the feature from the story, characters, moments in the tale being told, production stories/secrets that we knew and had to tell, and the legacy it held. Originally, it was called Movie Memories, a look at films from every genre. However, Logan had different plans. Instead, he suggested it to be more based around fantasy films considering how we were mostly influenced by the genere when we were young. I was unsure about it at the time, but thought that it wasn't a bad choice considering the heavy interest one has in the genere and it was thus retitled Fantasy Movie Memories.

It took six times to creatre an opening montage for the series. Clips from Raiders from the Lost Ark to King Kong to the Wizard of Oz were rejected off the bat at the first try. Apparently, the type of fantasy Logan was looking into was more underrated and less rememerable. Debate on removing Bruce's "Groovy" was debated for hours, clip suggestions went left and right, and questions on what was "fantasy" went on and on. The problem was that we oursevles didn't know what was truly fantasy material and what wasn't. There were many oppertunites to what you could do and what you couldn't find acceptable to the genere and that was were I got lost.

The Dark Crystal was chosen because it was not only what was considered by many as the best of Jim's work, but we felt that if we were to launch this series, it was best to begin with a film that almost everyone saw when they were young. Sure it could have been the NeverEnding Story or Gremlins, but we wanted to begin with a bang. It was a film I saw as a kid and never stopped loving to this day. It was a perfect pick to opening our show. It was original, different and reflected the never ending battle of good and evil.

At the time in October, all the interview footage was collected and I thought I could handle the job of editing this creation. I never got around to it. I felt that my basic vision for what wasn't set and it was during a point where I was questioning the continuation of my shows. I saw this as a serious version of I Love the 80s without a narration and creating a chliched documentry out of it. But my co-creator thought other wise. He saw this as a documentry retrospective and less of the typical webshows that were normally on at the time. When it came time to hire a narratior, I was unkeen about it. I felt that my creation was becoming someone else's idea and it didn't share the same vision I had. But as I thought about it, there are times were a story must be told with some help. Pictures and images can help, but having a guiding voice was more helpful to understand what was going on and it added to a more in-depth feel then what was thought of when approached.

However, as time passed, I began to loose the motivation to begin creating the pilot. Work was getting in the way, I was constantly asked how the editing process was, and college was hammering me down. It was by then I wanted the project either cancelled or sheleved until I had the right time to take care of it. Looking back on it, I think the reason was that I loved the Dark Crystal and I wanted to edit the first episode because of how important the film was to me. But it was prooved that there was no absloulte way I could do it. The editing software I had was at some points slow and wasn't working and the only closest I got to working on it was a rough edit on the the first segment of interviews.

It was by then that me and Logan realized that there was a small possibility that this would likely be finished. It wasn't long until Logan begin recieving help from another eidtor because of how he was having problems with his. He worked on the Freddie review and the Sad Songs Countdown and I admit, he did a great job on it. So, it was then that me and Logan thought that the only way this thing could be finished was by someone who had a better handling on production work. I wasn't the type of guy that could wow an audience with simple tricks. If that was to be pulled off right, it would be done right. So, editorial work was handed over to Sam and the rest is history. A few days after, we recieved an edit of the first 12 minutes. It was perfect. From that point on, I knew that this show would finally get off the ground. It's more then a retrospective, it's a in-depth look into our memories of what we remembered in our times when we watching movies like this.

Looking back on it, had I have the chance to completely edit this the way I precived it, it would have been a tad different and wouldn't have that wow and amazement that it had in the end. It would just look like another typical documentry. When hears the term webseries, they think of something comical and entertaining. Logan and I wanted to do something different. We want to break away from the mold and stand out with something no one has done before. And by the end of the day and a one year long production work on this, I'm please with what was turned out. In order to create something this grand and epic, it doesn't take one hand. It tends to take many. You need to know when to cooperate, be open to ideas, know when this is will work or when to experiment, and just work with what you got. From the start, I thought I could handle this with my eyes closed. In actuallity, it takes two to give life to something this big. After all that many of us have been through, I'm glad to say it's finally out and we can take this to the next level and continue with it. Everytime I make a new episode of my show, I see it as an experience of learning how to cope with new things. This was different. This was much more that words can't describe it. All I have left to say that is it's good to finally have a audience that see this. Every little bit counts on working something this grand. Without it, it will be on a treadmil going nowhere. But when you know the right people to help you achive completing something like this, you truly know at last that you have ones that look out for you...

That was beautiful, Morgan. Thanks for saying all those nice things.

Hewylewis wrote:That was beautiful, Morgan. Thanks for saying all those nice things.

What he said.

Thank you for sharing this insight into how Fantasy Movie Memories came to be. It certainly is a unique series and one that will get better with each passing episode, I'm sure.

It was great to edit the review for you guys. I'm glad that there has been good response for the review. It's a great internet series idea and it worked well.

Wow, so you've been going at this for a VERY long time. Glad to see it finally came together and I can't wait to see where you go with this.

It's certainly good to see that the series has finally emerged. I'll wager this could be the next best thing.