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Downloaded from
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[tense music playing]
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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-[hooves galloping]
-[eerie voice growling]
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[indistinct yelling]
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[dramatic music playing]
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[yelling continues]
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[man grunts]
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[music crescendos]
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[music fades out]
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[Cavill]
My initial interest in The Witcher
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came from a chance experience
with The Witcher games.
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Then I heard that Netflix
were making a show
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and so, I-- I hunted down
the opportunity to play Geralt
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and when I'd spoken to--
had my first meeting with Lauren...
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she had mentioned
that it was based on the books.
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The books, I absolutely loved,
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and they are an extraordinary source
of a wonderful story.
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[Hissrich] So, Andrzej Sapkowski
wrote this series of books.
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Talking to him about it is fascinating.
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He traveled all over the world
as a traveling salesman,
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and he started to write
the original short story of The Witcher
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and submitted it to a magazine
and it got published,
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but he had never intended for--
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for it to take hold the way
that it took hold.
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-[loud crash]
-[shrieking]
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[Cavill] There's something unique
about the way...
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Andrzej Sapkowski wrote...
wrote The Witcher.
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It's a-- a harsh yet relatable world
with some extraordinary characters in it.
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-The south needed reminding who was Queen.
-[cheers]
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[Hissrich] What excited me the most
when I went to pitch Netflix...
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What did you wish for?
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[Hissrich]
...was planting all of the seeds
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of Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer
coming together.
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[whispers] Find Geralt of Rivia.
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[Hissrich] It took me a while.
I went through several versions.
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And then I-- I literally had one of those
"Aha!" moments in the shower.
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"Can I tell all three of these stories
at the same time
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and not have it be too confusing?"
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It's been interesting
because I do think that
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television audiences are really savvy now.
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And as a writer, as a creator,
we have that on our side.
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So, we do jump through time a lot,
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but I think it's an exciting journey
for fans and for, you know,
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even audiences that have never seen
The Witcher before.
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[Duny grunts]
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-[Geralt grunts]
-[knight yelps]
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So, what's really interesting
is digging into these stories,
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and one of the first things that I did
when I sold The Witcher
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is I booked a plane ticket to Poland
because I was really interested
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why this book series
was so important to this nation
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and how it reflected the spirits
of the people
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and that was important to me
for developing the series as a whole.
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[Bagiński]
Witcher is a big part of myself, I think.
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Witcher became part of my...
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brain and body and mind a long time ago.
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But for the rest of the world,
Witcher is a great story,
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it's a great character,
it's a great world.
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For kingdom and glory.
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Tomek Bagiński,
who's one of our Polish producers,
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he's very well-versed on the books
and the lore of The Witcher
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and there are certain things that are
not necessarily described in the scripts.
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We would run those things
by Tomek and his team
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to make sure we were staying
true to the source material.
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[Bagiński] It's a big part
of the pop culture history of Poland,
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which is also, I think, quite important.
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And...
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it's a game, it's a book, it's a TV show,
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it's plenty of things.
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It's very, very hard to just box Witcher
into a very simple explanation.
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And I hope that we can present this world
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to... a much, much wider audience.
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I like to say that, for the series,
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we actually get to find the story
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that's happening between the lines
in the books.
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We're trying to be a really
true representation of the books
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and trying to honor that material,
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but the books also skip over
a lot of things.
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That's my lute. Give that back!
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[Bagiński] There were a lot of new ideas
coming from the writers' room,
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which, eh, some of their--
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some of those ideas were very risky,
but all of them were brilliant.
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In the writers' room for The Witcher,
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we get together
and we bat around ideas for a while
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until we have a clearer picture
of what we're doing for this season,
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and once we do that,
we go into individual episodes
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and draw from the books.
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Like, "What from the books
do we want to bring into this season?"
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Once we decide that,
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Lauren sends us off
and we write our individual scripts
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and we have certain story lines
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that carry through
from one episode to another
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that we keep batting back and forth
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to make sure that we're always giving
new information to the audience.
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When you get assigned a script, it, uh--
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It's very exciting because,
"Oh, I'm dealing with this story, great!"
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When I got Law of Surprise,
people were like,
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[sharp inhale]
"Glad I didn't get that one!"
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because it is tough to explain.
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Asking for payment
with the Law of Surprise
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is as old as mankind itself.
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-Don't lecture me, Eist.
-[Eist] It's an honest gamble...
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as likely to be rewarded
with a... bumper crop,
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as a newborn pup or...
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a child of surprise.
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Trying to get that out,
[chuckles] in a script and in a way
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where the actor doesn't look at you
and just slap you, it was difficult.
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But that's essentially what it is,
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the Law of Surprise, in a nutshell,
is claiming something...
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from the person, em... that is a surprise.
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When they return to that house,
whatever the first thing they encounter
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that they didn't know they had
before they left... that's it.
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Fuck.
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Yeah, it's just--
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it's a lot of different ideas
with a lot of different perspectives,
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which is important, I think,
for The Witcher
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because it is ultimately...
kind of about all these different groups,
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whether it be elves, gnomes, dwarves,
and their perspectives on the world.
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So to have the room also, kind of,
represent that type of diversity
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is-- is very useful for the storytelling.
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[anguished scream]
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What's great about this
and what we've done with the story is
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we've focused on the humanity
and all those human struggles.
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[Hissrich] One thing that most
interested me is the women in the books.
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They're very, very strong women,
um, that are surrounding Geralt,
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the protagonist.
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And I asked Andrzej,
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I said, "You know,
for books written during the 80s,
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I'm really surprised
the women are so strong."
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And he said to me, "You know,
you've never met my mother, have you?"
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His point was that for a nation
that was so war-torn,
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um, had so much conflict,
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they-- they lost a lot of their men,
um, in those conflicts,
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and women became quite the centers
of communities
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and even the workplace, not just homes.
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That's the spirit
that Andrzej brought into these books.
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These characters are survivors.
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[indistinct yelling, grunts]
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When I got the audition through,
um, there were two scenes,
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which had been written for the audition,
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and, um, one of them
was between her and Geralt
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and she was kind of very...
feisty and stubborn.
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And then in the other scene, she had...
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She was trying to convince someone
not to stay and die, and she was...
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You could really see,
like, her heart in it,
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and, um, and a more, kind of,
gentle side to her.
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So, I liked the fact
that she had both of those
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just shown through these audition scenes
and it wasn't just like,
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"Oh, she's going to be
a really cool, badass girl,"
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which is brilliant, but it also showed
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another strength, which is--
which is more gentle and kind and soft.
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It must have been such an undertaking
to try and find an actress
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that can really, um,
embody a character like Ciri,
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just because it comes from such lore
but also it's such an important character.
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There's so much that Ciri brings.
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Ciri is this world, you know,
she's the key for almost every character.
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I mean, she's the element
that brings everyone together.
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Every time she's on the screen,
there is something truly
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special about her,
there's something magical,
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there's something in her eyes,
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and I do think that speaks
to the character
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and, you know,
that Ciri's got that thing inside her
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and she's young,
she doesn't quite know what it is yet,
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and I think Freya's done an amazing job
at bringing that character to life.
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So, we went through the books
and we found all of the places
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where Andrzej had talked about
these characters' pasts
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and then we wove those things together
into a sort of new story
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for both Ciri and for Yennefer
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to make sure we're really digging
into their backgrounds,
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because to me, find the character,
learn the character
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and then see how they change
when they meet one another.
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That's the most exciting part.
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Before we met,
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the days were calm...
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and the nights were restless.
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But now...
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you're important to me.
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[fire crackling]
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You get the rough idea
when you're in the room
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of what this is gonna be
and you beat it out.
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"These people are gonna go here,
that's gonna go there."
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Then you have the joyous part
where you get to go home as a writer,
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by yourself, outside the room,
and come up with cool shit.
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And monsters, it's like,
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"This is the greatest thing,
I get to write monsters!"
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Who doesn't want to do that?
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[rapid drumming]
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The world of monsters and men...
in Witcher,
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those worlds are blended
and it's very, very hard to--
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to put a straight line and say,
"Okay, this is where the humans starts,
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this is where monster world starts."
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[Hissrich] The Continent that we know
was actually, um, inhabited by elves.
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And when
the Conjunction of the Spheres happened,
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it really opened the floodgates
for monsters, a lot of monsters.
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[growls]
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One of the very interesting things
about how these...
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species interact...
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is...
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that some aren't from this place,
which we call the Continent,
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and indeed all the monsters
that populate the Continent,
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some are from there,
some are created by magic,
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and others,
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even though they're monsters,
or considered monsters,
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are from a different place
or multiple different places
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and they...
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probably view mankind...
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just as much as monsters as we view them.
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That's all due to something
called the Conjunction of the Spheres.
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It's exactly what it sounds like:
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it is a bunch of different dimensions
smashing into each other
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and-- and changing the world
as we know it.
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[DeMayo]
It's really just a refugee situation.
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All these creatures
and beings from another universe
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got dumped on this Continent
that's not theirs, as refugees,
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and the humans were the ones
who were barbaric enough,
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war hungry enough,
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and also co-opted magic
from the Elder Races,
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to actually take the Continent over
and push the elves out of their lands.
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In a strange way,
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all the inhabitants of this world
are the guests in this world.
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Something was here before.
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We don't know the details,
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but monsters, dwarves, humans,
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they-- they all came later.
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Because we were looking holistically
at the world we were creating,
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I took on the creature concept design
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and for a large number of the creatures,
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got to, kind of,
do the initial concept design for those
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that then was handed off
either to prosthetics,
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uh, to create physical creatures,
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or to VFX, um,
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to then create the three-dimensional
models or the animated versions.
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[man screaming]
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And then, a lot of the creatures
that we were involved with,
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eh, were a combined effort
with the visual effects department
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because, sometimes,
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it was a creature that was entirely drawn
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00:12:35.666 --> 00:12:37.500
by the visual effects department
239
00:12:37.583 --> 00:12:40.750
but certain parts of it were built by us
240
00:12:40.833 --> 00:12:44.875
so that there could be, like,
physical contact, uh, with the actors.
241
00:12:45.333 --> 00:12:48.583
Sometimes it was fully built
as a creature.
242
00:12:49.083 --> 00:12:52.708
One of the most interesting things
about doing some of the creature creation
243
00:12:52.791 --> 00:12:55.791
was working with Tomek Bagiński
and talking back and forth
244
00:12:55.875 --> 00:12:58.166
about Slavic mythology and fairy tales
245
00:12:58.250 --> 00:13:00.916
and bringing certain elements
into the creatures
246
00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:03.375
that are true to those stories.
247
00:13:03.458 --> 00:13:04.625
[basilisk snarling]
248
00:13:04.708 --> 00:13:06.416
-[Geralt grunts]
-[basilisk roars]
249
00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:08.875
We talk about monsters a lot
in Witcher world,
250
00:13:08.958 --> 00:13:11.375
but actually, in the original books,
251
00:13:11.833 --> 00:13:14.625
Witcher is not fighting
with monsters that often
252
00:13:14.708 --> 00:13:17.208
because this is the moment
in the history of the world
253
00:13:17.291 --> 00:13:19.791
where the monsters are
254
00:13:20.333 --> 00:13:23.250
pushed from their natural habitats
by people,
255
00:13:23.750 --> 00:13:26.541
and, at some point, we realized
256
00:13:26.625 --> 00:13:30.125
that maybe the monsters are the ones
who need protecting.
257
00:13:31.041 --> 00:13:33.375
[loud roar]
258
00:13:38.541 --> 00:13:41.708
[Hissrich] The stories take place
in a place called the Continent,
259
00:13:41.791 --> 00:13:43.208
capital C, Continent.
260
00:13:43.291 --> 00:13:46.958
It is a big world that we will continue
to explore all through the series.
261
00:13:47.750 --> 00:13:53.500
I think the thing that was most intriguing
about this project is world-building.
262
00:13:54.333 --> 00:13:57.333
Um, this was a real opportunity
263
00:13:57.416 --> 00:14:00.666
to create an environment
from the ground up.
264
00:14:01.541 --> 00:14:04.958
And for a production designer,
that's, you know, that's gold dust.
265
00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:10.500
We wanted to give the Continent
a slightly more global feel.
266
00:14:12.583 --> 00:14:16.666
In many ways, the Witcher world
has a very European basis
267
00:14:17.291 --> 00:14:18.541
and we felt,
268
00:14:18.875 --> 00:14:21.708
discussing this very early on,
that we wanted to grow that--
269
00:14:22.416 --> 00:14:25.708
that world with influences
from lots of other places,
270
00:14:25.791 --> 00:14:27.666
lots of other cultural references.
271
00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:33.250
We looked to, you know,
Japanese architecture,
272
00:14:33.333 --> 00:14:36.291
Indian architecture,
Middle Eastern architecture,
273
00:14:36.750 --> 00:14:39.166
where we could give the Continent
a sense of scale,
274
00:14:39.250 --> 00:14:42.125
um, so we didn't feel like
it's all happening in one region.
275
00:14:43.625 --> 00:14:47.125
So playing a bit with...
architectural realities,
276
00:14:47.208 --> 00:14:49.666
the architecture, let's say of Aretuza,
277
00:14:49.750 --> 00:14:53.875
like the external visage
of the Thanedd Island is quite elevated.
278
00:14:54.041 --> 00:14:58.166
You know, there's a bit of a question
of like, "Wow, where did that come from?
279
00:14:58.250 --> 00:14:59.541
How was it achieved?"
280
00:14:59.625 --> 00:15:04.041
'Cause we want to juxtapose that
with the more human architecture of-- of,
281
00:15:04.125 --> 00:15:07.125
"Okay, we understand
how a castle gets built,"
282
00:15:07.208 --> 00:15:10.500
um, but I think mixing those two things up
is really important.
283
00:15:13.750 --> 00:15:17.833
It is set in a sort of medieval period,
but having said that,
284
00:15:17.916 --> 00:15:22.750
um, the influences that I chose to use
were gothic influences of all periods.
285
00:15:23.333 --> 00:15:27.125
So, I chose those,
plus a lot of high fashion.
286
00:15:27.208 --> 00:15:29.708
And, um, another sort of idea
287
00:15:29.791 --> 00:15:32.500
that I brought into it
was using fabric manipulation,
288
00:15:32.583 --> 00:15:36.791
which is kind of, at the moment,
quite a high fashion, relevant technique,
289
00:15:36.875 --> 00:15:38.916
but it has actually been used
throughout history,
290
00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:43.375
which relatively means just,
sort of, pleating, draping,
291
00:15:43.458 --> 00:15:49.083
um, smocking, different ways of creating
flat fabric into a textured fabric
292
00:15:49.166 --> 00:15:51.708
without the addition, say,
of like adding trims,
293
00:15:51.791 --> 00:15:55.083
or, sort of, any kind of,
like, an addition.
294
00:15:55.166 --> 00:15:58.041
So, it creates sort of
an architectural shape
295
00:15:58.125 --> 00:16:02.041
and visually creates
an interesting surface to the costume.
296
00:16:02.666 --> 00:16:05.291
As far as the world goes,
with the costumes and the sets,
297
00:16:05.375 --> 00:16:08.166
it-- it feels to me like a found world.
298
00:16:08.250 --> 00:16:11.166
It's not that we're make-believing
or creating,
299
00:16:11.250 --> 00:16:14.375
it feels like we've found this world,
and for a story like The Witcher,
300
00:16:14.458 --> 00:16:17.375
I think that's really important
because it grounds it in reality.
301
00:16:17.458 --> 00:16:19.791
One of the big things
that was discussed was that
302
00:16:19.875 --> 00:16:21.833
this is not an earthbound history;
303
00:16:21.916 --> 00:16:25.541
you know, the Continent is the Continent
and it has its own set of rules.
304
00:16:27.416 --> 00:16:29.791
It has the Elder Races
and there's a history
305
00:16:29.875 --> 00:16:32.291
and there's the monoliths,
and there's a-- there...
306
00:16:32.375 --> 00:16:35.208
We're sort of peeling away
layers of the onion
307
00:16:35.291 --> 00:16:40.875
and beginning to do so in series one
and there are a lot more layers that come.
308
00:16:40.958 --> 00:16:45.500
So, we wanted to be able to hint at that,
sort of tease a little bit
309
00:16:45.583 --> 00:16:48.541
what might be revealed
as we get further into the story.
310
00:16:49.958 --> 00:16:52.833
It's a world of magic,
and because of that, it's--
311
00:16:53.250 --> 00:16:55.416
it's limitless, you can do anything...
312
00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.708
I did it!
313
00:16:56.791 --> 00:16:59.708
...but with that comes a hell of a lot
of struggle as well, and danger.
314
00:17:00.916 --> 00:17:02.750
It's a very dark...
315
00:17:02.833 --> 00:17:03.666
[man] Now!
316
00:17:03.750 --> 00:17:05.208
[Chalotra] ...violent world.
317
00:17:10.625 --> 00:17:13.750
Where we, sort of, dig into that
on a really practical level is-- is,
318
00:17:13.833 --> 00:17:16.958
uh, how does magic work in our series?
319
00:17:17.375 --> 00:17:19.916
Magic is really interesting;
we call it "chaos."
320
00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.916
And the cool thing
about playing with chaos is that
321
00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:25.000
we always say
there's a give and take to it.
322
00:17:25.083 --> 00:17:28.916
What we didn't want to do is have a show
where our characters could perform magic
323
00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.416
to get in or out of any tricky situation.
324
00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:32.833
There's no, sort of, drama there.
325
00:17:32.916 --> 00:17:34.041
I'm doing it!
326
00:17:34.125 --> 00:17:35.291
Your hand!
327
00:17:35.666 --> 00:17:37.458
[panicked shrieks]
328
00:17:37.541 --> 00:17:40.375
[piercing screams]
329
00:17:40.458 --> 00:17:41.666
[Ndiweni] Chaos is everywhere.
330
00:17:41.750 --> 00:17:45.666
We live in a world where there will be
and there is a lot of chaos,
331
00:17:45.750 --> 00:17:49.041
and there are some people
who have the ability to take chaos
332
00:17:49.125 --> 00:17:51.458
and make it into something positive
333
00:17:51.541 --> 00:17:54.333
or contain it in a way
that it's no longer dangerous.
334
00:17:55.083 --> 00:17:57.333
[Chalotra] Magic is...
335
00:17:58.250 --> 00:18:00.750
It comes to people in different ways,
336
00:18:01.375 --> 00:18:05.208
depending on where it's inherited from,
337
00:18:05.708 --> 00:18:09.125
and the way you channel it,
there's a discipline to it and...
338
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.583
not everyone can do it.
339
00:18:13.708 --> 00:18:16.375
When we started filming, shooting,
340
00:18:16.458 --> 00:18:19.500
you know it says,
"...and Mousesack conjures a wall,"
341
00:18:19.583 --> 00:18:24.833
or conjures something up and, you know,
y-you stand with your director
342
00:18:24.916 --> 00:18:28.125
and, um, Lauren Hissrich, the showrunner,
343
00:18:28.208 --> 00:18:31.416
you say, "Okay, this is how
I think Mousesack should,
344
00:18:31.833 --> 00:18:34.375
um, bring the energy into the room
345
00:18:35.041 --> 00:18:37.083
and, um, what do you think?"
346
00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:40.000
[laughing] And-- and so we try stuff.
347
00:18:40.083 --> 00:18:44.458
Um, it has to be otherworldly
and it should come from something unique
348
00:18:44.791 --> 00:18:47.208
that you feel would give you
a powerful energy
349
00:18:47.958 --> 00:18:49.833
and, um, in the end, you know,
350
00:18:50.666 --> 00:18:55.541
it's very still, and out of the chaos
comes control.
351
00:18:57.375 --> 00:19:00.458
-[people screaming]
-[Yennefer breathing heavily]
352
00:19:00.541 --> 00:19:02.416
[Chalotra] Initially, from the audition...
353
00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:03.541
[Yennefer grunts]
354
00:19:03.625 --> 00:19:05.958
[Chalotra] ...I didn't really know
anything about Yennefer.
355
00:19:06.916 --> 00:19:10.375
It was the power she had in the scene
that I was playing,
356
00:19:11.291 --> 00:19:12.416
and...
357
00:19:13.416 --> 00:19:18.125
then I looked, obviously,
researched the character and...
358
00:19:19.250 --> 00:19:21.000
got to know her from the books.
359
00:19:21.083 --> 00:19:23.416
[Chalotra laughing]
360
00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:27.875
Um, I was curious as to why she was
presenting herself in the way she was
361
00:19:27.958 --> 00:19:29.333
and I was...
362
00:19:29.750 --> 00:19:33.583
and I wanted to figure out
what her struggle was.
363
00:19:33.666 --> 00:19:37.250
And I think for any actor...
364
00:19:37.333 --> 00:19:38.333
um...
365
00:19:38.625 --> 00:19:41.000
that-- the arc that she goes through
366
00:19:41.791 --> 00:19:45.166
is an incredible challenge.
367
00:19:46.333 --> 00:19:50.625
And I-I love discovering more about her
368
00:19:51.041 --> 00:19:56.125
the more I read
and the more I play her, I suppose.
369
00:19:58.125 --> 00:20:03.416
Anya has brought a depth to the role
of Yennefer that is extraordinary.
370
00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:09.750
I think fans and newcomers to the story
will absolutely fall in love with her.
371
00:20:10.625 --> 00:20:13.250
It was so important to get a character,
or an actress rather,
372
00:20:13.333 --> 00:20:16.083
who could really go through
the transformation that was needed,
373
00:20:16.166 --> 00:20:17.666
could really play a young girl,
374
00:20:17.750 --> 00:20:18.916
who physically had the chops
375
00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:22.333
to be able to play with a disfigurement
that Yennefer has, um,
376
00:20:22.416 --> 00:20:27.875
and then to go through the transformation
into an incredibly powerful figure,
377
00:20:28.625 --> 00:20:32.583
but also a figure who is torn,
who's absolutely desperately torn.
378
00:20:32.666 --> 00:20:35.541
So you needed somebody
who really had the chops to do that,
379
00:20:35.625 --> 00:20:36.791
and Anya delivers that
380
00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.333
in spades.
381
00:20:38.708 --> 00:20:41.666
[gentle guitar music playing]
382
00:20:41.750 --> 00:20:45.875
At the heart of our series
are Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri.
383
00:20:45.958 --> 00:20:48.333
And what's fun in the first season,
384
00:20:48.416 --> 00:20:51.500
is that they're never all three
in the same place at the same time.
385
00:20:51.583 --> 00:20:55.875
They're kind of on a crash course
to one another.
386
00:20:56.333 --> 00:20:58.916
I think the parallel timelines
387
00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:02.625
I think is a really interesting mechanism
to tell the story
388
00:21:02.708 --> 00:21:05.625
and I think something that's interesting
about those parallel stories
389
00:21:05.708 --> 00:21:10.041
is when you first start to watch this,
you're going to watch it through one lens,
390
00:21:10.125 --> 00:21:13.666
then when you get to a certain point
you realize these stories will converge,
391
00:21:13.750 --> 00:21:16.750
I think it's really interesting
to then go back and to relook
392
00:21:16.833 --> 00:21:20.416
and you can look for moments where
someone's taking a look to somebody else
393
00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:22.750
and you see it
through a completely different...
394
00:21:22.833 --> 00:21:24.791
through a completely different lens.
395
00:21:24.875 --> 00:21:26.291
[indistinct chatter]
396
00:21:28.250 --> 00:21:31.500
[Hissrich] The great thing about Destiny
is Destiny is an end
397
00:21:31.583 --> 00:21:33.583
based on the choices that you make.
398
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.916
So, that's how we kind of see
this first season,
399
00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:38.666
as a series of choices
400
00:21:38.750 --> 00:21:41.083
that lead these characters
toward one another.
401
00:21:41.416 --> 00:21:45.750
And I think that what Lauren
and her team wrote so well
402
00:21:45.833 --> 00:21:50.375
was characters that made sense,
that actually felt like you and me,
403
00:21:50.458 --> 00:21:54.291
that were actually normal people
in the fantasy world,
404
00:21:54.875 --> 00:21:57.958
and I think that's why
the series will be so strong.
405
00:21:58.041 --> 00:22:01.708
So, it's that we feel for these people
because we understand them.
406
00:22:03.250 --> 00:22:05.750
I think everyone likes to see themselves
in stories, don't they?
407
00:22:05.833 --> 00:22:07.583
I mean,
that's why we all watch television,
408
00:22:07.666 --> 00:22:11.791
it's why we all read books
or go to the movies or play video games.
409
00:22:11.958 --> 00:22:15.083
You want to find how you are represented.
410
00:22:15.166 --> 00:22:16.041
[baby cries]
411
00:22:16.125 --> 00:22:18.541
I think that's...
When you're coming into a world like this,
412
00:22:18.625 --> 00:22:20.041
it's finding those metaphors
413
00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:22.083
for, you know, adolescence,
414
00:22:22.166 --> 00:22:24.500
which is what Ciri's journey is
in some cases.
415
00:22:24.625 --> 00:22:27.250
It's, "Oh my gosh,
I have this magical power
416
00:22:27.333 --> 00:22:29.500
and I don't know
what's going on with my body."
417
00:22:29.583 --> 00:22:32.416
That's adolescence for so many people,
male or female,
418
00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:35.833
and it's kind of finding those touchstones
where you can take the fantastical
419
00:22:35.916 --> 00:22:38.875
and root it in something
that everybody can kind of relate to
420
00:22:38.958 --> 00:22:40.791
and has experienced in their own lives.
421
00:22:42.250 --> 00:22:44.875
[Allan] Geralt has being orphaned
as a child as well,
422
00:22:44.958 --> 00:22:47.583
so I think it's a massive thing is, um...
423
00:22:47.666 --> 00:22:48.916
[indistinct chatter]
424
00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:50.291
...is people...
425
00:22:51.083 --> 00:22:53.666
being together
and having people around
426
00:22:53.750 --> 00:22:58.500
that care for you,
and I think that's what they're all after.
427
00:22:59.625 --> 00:23:04.041
What I like about our adaptation
and about what we are doing here
428
00:23:04.625 --> 00:23:08.166
is a very, very heavy focus on emotions
and the relationships.
429
00:23:08.250 --> 00:23:10.708
I think it's-- it's just beautiful.
430
00:23:11.583 --> 00:23:13.541
And all those things are in the books,
431
00:23:13.625 --> 00:23:16.250
and they are very, very important
in the books,
432
00:23:16.333 --> 00:23:19.583
but I think we are giving it
even more attention
433
00:23:19.666 --> 00:23:22.291
and we are bringing it
into a different level.
434
00:23:24.125 --> 00:23:27.250
One of the great elements,
of course, of this story, which is...
435
00:23:27.333 --> 00:23:29.750
I'm very glad that Lauren
436
00:23:29.833 --> 00:23:32.750
and her team
of incredible writers has kept,
437
00:23:32.833 --> 00:23:36.875
because I think it's a very important
part of this world, is the humor,
438
00:23:37.333 --> 00:23:42.375
and it can be very funny at times,
within the destruction and the darkness.
439
00:23:42.958 --> 00:23:44.791
There's always these pops of humor.
440
00:23:45.375 --> 00:23:49.708
What I love about
what Henry has brought to the character,
441
00:23:49.791 --> 00:23:52.916
and, in fact, the writers have brought
to the whole piece...
442
00:23:53.958 --> 00:23:54.958
it's almost--
443
00:23:55.041 --> 00:23:56.333
I mean, you can say it's modern,
444
00:23:56.416 --> 00:23:58.875
but you can also say, actually,
it's timeless humor.
445
00:23:58.958 --> 00:24:02.625
Why are you dressed
like a sad silk trader?
446
00:24:03.125 --> 00:24:06.583
And also the way Henry does the humor,
447
00:24:07.375 --> 00:24:08.958
uh, brings his humor,
448
00:24:09.041 --> 00:24:12.208
because he has a giggle about him,
he has a tickle about him, very much so.
449
00:24:12.541 --> 00:24:16.291
Everyone loves a white knight,
but a white knight with a dry
450
00:24:16.375 --> 00:24:18.000
and slightly off sense of humor
451
00:24:18.916 --> 00:24:21.291
is-- is more enjoyable to watch
and to play.
452
00:24:21.375 --> 00:24:24.250
I've watched Henry and Joey
do some of their scenes
453
00:24:24.416 --> 00:24:27.166
and I think there's definitely a bit of -
I always say this -
454
00:24:27.250 --> 00:24:30.958
there's definitely a bit of a Shrek
and Donkey relationship going on there.
455
00:24:31.041 --> 00:24:32.791
Come on, Geralt, tell me. Be honest.
456
00:24:33.333 --> 00:24:35.166
How's my singing?
457
00:24:36.250 --> 00:24:37.875
[water splashing]
458
00:24:37.958 --> 00:24:40.666
It's like ordering a pie
and finding it has no filling.
459
00:24:41.250 --> 00:24:45.791
I remember the email coming in
about 24 hours before the audition,
460
00:24:45.875 --> 00:24:49.833
panicking so...
so strongly because I realized
461
00:24:49.916 --> 00:24:52.791
how fantastic
the role of Jaskier really was.
462
00:24:53.583 --> 00:24:56.583
My sister, at the time, she said,
463
00:24:56.666 --> 00:24:59.791
"How are you doing? What's going on?
There's something's different about you."
464
00:24:59.875 --> 00:25:02.833
And I said, "Yeah,
have a read of this character."
465
00:25:03.416 --> 00:25:07.583
And her response was, "Joey,
are we in a dream that you are having?
466
00:25:08.083 --> 00:25:10.541
Because this is so perfect."
467
00:25:10.625 --> 00:25:12.625
You have the most incredible neck.
468
00:25:13.791 --> 00:25:16.375
-It's like a-- a sexy goose.
-[Geralt groans]
469
00:25:16.458 --> 00:25:19.750
And from then on,
throughout the audition process
470
00:25:19.833 --> 00:25:24.666
and also landing the role,
everything felt incredibly exciting
471
00:25:24.750 --> 00:25:26.541
but weirdly normal.
472
00:25:26.625 --> 00:25:29.458
This was... meant to happen.
473
00:25:30.416 --> 00:25:35.166
Every single day has been an exploration
in that natural feeling
474
00:25:35.250 --> 00:25:39.375
and feeling at home,
and finding, creating a new family.
475
00:25:39.458 --> 00:25:41.708
Run away. Run away, Geralt! Oh God!
476
00:25:42.833 --> 00:25:43.666
Geralt!
477
00:25:43.916 --> 00:25:46.541
Had to get it from the inside.
I'll take what I'm owed.
478
00:25:46.625 --> 00:25:50.416
♪ Toss a coin to your Witcher
O, Valley of Plenty ♪
479
00:25:50.791 --> 00:25:52.000
♪ Whoa-ho-ho ♪
480
00:25:52.083 --> 00:25:53.208
[all] ♪ Toss a coin... ♪
481
00:25:53.291 --> 00:25:55.166
[Batey] This song, uh, uh...
482
00:25:55.958 --> 00:25:58.833
was written by our composers,
Sonya and Giona, who are...
483
00:25:58.916 --> 00:26:02.500
uh, who went through
various different versions of it.
484
00:26:02.583 --> 00:26:05.916
Eventually, what we found was, em...
485
00:26:06.708 --> 00:26:11.833
was a folk-like quality to this song
that we really wanted it to...
486
00:26:12.166 --> 00:26:14.208
to travel across this land,
487
00:26:14.291 --> 00:26:15.750
to be...
488
00:26:16.291 --> 00:26:19.500
reminiscent of those folk songs
of the days of yore
489
00:26:19.583 --> 00:26:21.500
where there's a Celtic twang to it.
490
00:26:21.583 --> 00:26:24.791
But also there's a slightly "Pop-y" catch.
491
00:26:24.875 --> 00:26:28.083
It's a fantastic thing
for Jaskier to be able to bring to...
492
00:26:28.791 --> 00:26:31.875
to the Continent, and for the composers
to bring to the show,
493
00:26:31.958 --> 00:26:34.458
is that it is an exercise in PR.
494
00:26:34.541 --> 00:26:36.500
He starts to come up with this song
495
00:26:36.583 --> 00:26:40.041
and Geralt of Rivia immediately notices
that he says...
496
00:26:40.125 --> 00:26:41.833
That's not how it happened.
497
00:26:42.708 --> 00:26:44.291
Where's your new-found respect?
498
00:26:46.666 --> 00:26:48.333
Respect doesn't make history.
499
00:26:49.250 --> 00:26:51.000
[Batey] And I think he understands...
500
00:26:51.875 --> 00:26:53.000
hu-- people...
501
00:26:53.666 --> 00:26:56.250
in a-- in a different way to Geralt.
502
00:26:56.333 --> 00:26:59.000
He understands that in order
to make your way in this world,
503
00:26:59.458 --> 00:27:02.125
sometimes you've got
to fudge the edges a little bit.
504
00:27:02.791 --> 00:27:09.208
♪ Toss a coin to your Witcher
Oh, valley of plenty ♪
505
00:27:09.291 --> 00:27:14.000
♪ Hee ♪
506
00:27:17.416 --> 00:27:20.208
[indistinct shouting]
507
00:27:20.291 --> 00:27:22.625
There's a huge amount of action
in the series,
508
00:27:22.708 --> 00:27:26.041
and to reflect
the diversity of the stories,
509
00:27:26.125 --> 00:27:30.458
um, we've had a stunt coordinator
who's overseeing the entire season,
510
00:27:30.541 --> 00:27:31.375
Franklin Henson,
511
00:27:31.833 --> 00:27:34.250
um, who's done a phenomenal job,
512
00:27:34.333 --> 00:27:40.458
uh, at just constantly creating
and managing action through the season.
513
00:27:40.791 --> 00:27:45.166
Um, but then to help reflect
the diversity of the different stories,
514
00:27:45.375 --> 00:27:46.833
we've also brought people in
515
00:27:46.916 --> 00:27:50.125
to come and bring different flavors
in the action.
516
00:27:51.125 --> 00:27:53.750
We brought on a fight coordinator,
517
00:27:54.375 --> 00:27:55.208
Wolfgang,
518
00:27:55.791 --> 00:27:57.375
who has come to help us
519
00:27:57.458 --> 00:28:00.583
um, with some of the fights
that are early on in the season.
520
00:28:02.083 --> 00:28:04.500
-Everything is A-okay.
-[Wolfgang laughing]
521
00:28:04.791 --> 00:28:06.500
It's... He's a positive Witcher.
522
00:28:06.583 --> 00:28:10.000
[Emanuel] The moment
where Geralt is faced with,
523
00:28:10.083 --> 00:28:12.500
uh, these brigands with Renfri's gang.
524
00:28:12.583 --> 00:28:16.000
And I think it's interesting
because we've teased at what Geralt can do
525
00:28:16.083 --> 00:28:18.708
but, at this moment,
we haven't seen what he can do,
526
00:28:19.125 --> 00:28:21.583
and you end up in a Mexican standoff
in this town,
527
00:28:21.666 --> 00:28:24.375
where he's faced with
these seven bad guys.
528
00:28:24.875 --> 00:28:27.458
[Cavill grunting]
529
00:28:27.750 --> 00:28:28.666
[man 1 groans]
530
00:28:28.750 --> 00:28:30.333
[man 2 chuckling]
531
00:28:30.416 --> 00:28:31.833
[man 3] Cameras cut, thank you.
532
00:28:31.916 --> 00:28:34.250
[people laughing]
533
00:28:34.333 --> 00:28:38.083
[Emanuel] We're incredibly lucky
to have Henry as our, uh, as our Geralt.
534
00:28:38.750 --> 00:28:42.000
He brings that quiet resolve
and that natural strength,
535
00:28:42.083 --> 00:28:44.083
obviously, that he has.
536
00:28:44.166 --> 00:28:48.083
He does all his own stunts,
which is a producer's worst nightmare.
537
00:28:48.166 --> 00:28:51.083
If it's Geralt on the screen,
that's Henry...
538
00:28:51.916 --> 00:28:55.791
and he will probably have
ten days of training to do those fights
539
00:28:55.875 --> 00:28:59.208
and it's interesting
because what the fight team will do
540
00:28:59.291 --> 00:29:01.916
is to really lean into Henry's strengths.
541
00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:05.958
I mean, he is a, you know,
he is a huge strong person,
542
00:29:06.041 --> 00:29:07.583
um, and, uh...
543
00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:11.916
And it's really interesting when you lean
into people's, you know, natural skills
544
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:14.000
how much more believable something looks.
545
00:29:14.083 --> 00:29:16.291
But, yeah,
it's about ten days of rehearsals
546
00:29:16.375 --> 00:29:18.208
for a fight that we'll shoot in two days,
547
00:29:18.666 --> 00:29:20.416
that will be on screen
for about two minutes.
548
00:29:22.583 --> 00:29:26.166
And the idea is that, it's to really have,
like, great set pieces,
549
00:29:26.250 --> 00:29:29.000
um, that reflect the diversity
of the stories.
550
00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:32.541
And I think it's really exciting
that you can watch a whole season
551
00:29:32.625 --> 00:29:35.291
and it's never gonna feel
like "same-y" action,
552
00:29:35.416 --> 00:29:36.750
it's all very different.
553
00:29:37.333 --> 00:29:40.125
-[rumbling]
-[swooshing]
554
00:29:44.250 --> 00:29:48.125
The Witcher stories, I mean, it touches on
everything we're dealing with now:
555
00:29:48.208 --> 00:29:50.541
the fallout of colonialism,
556
00:29:50.958 --> 00:29:53.750
class disparity with the haves
and the have-nots,
557
00:29:53.916 --> 00:29:56.250
indigenous cultures getting fucked over,
558
00:29:56.541 --> 00:29:58.458
racism, sexism.
559
00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:00.166
The world gone mad.
560
00:30:00.250 --> 00:30:02.083
People having power
that shouldn't have power,
561
00:30:02.166 --> 00:30:05.375
people rising up, constant flux.
562
00:30:05.958 --> 00:30:09.958
This world is an ocean and is a tempest
and that's what The Witcher is.
563
00:30:12.333 --> 00:30:16.375
If I had to boil it down,
I would say that the themes...
564
00:30:16.458 --> 00:30:18.875
the theme that resonates
with me most is, sort of,
565
00:30:18.958 --> 00:30:20.791
blurring the lines of good and evil.
566
00:30:20.875 --> 00:30:24.458
And it's my goal that that's what people
talk about after they watch the show,
567
00:30:24.541 --> 00:30:27.875
is that we've worked really hard
to make sure there's not really good guys
568
00:30:27.958 --> 00:30:29.458
or bad guys in our world.
569
00:30:29.750 --> 00:30:33.208
If you start watching episode one,
the person that you think is good
570
00:30:33.291 --> 00:30:35.291
that you think is the hero of the story,
571
00:30:35.375 --> 00:30:37.500
by the end, you may feel
very differently about
572
00:30:37.583 --> 00:30:40.541
because, suddenly,
you have a different perspective.
573
00:30:42.416 --> 00:30:45.166
But love... is one of the strong themes...
574
00:30:46.125 --> 00:30:47.041
and...
575
00:30:47.958 --> 00:30:49.583
its ability to change a person.
576
00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:55.916
And I think something that's interesting
is as we've gone along we've all learnt
577
00:30:56.333 --> 00:30:57.458
kind of what the...
578
00:30:57.958 --> 00:31:01.208
what the tone of the show is
and who these characters are,
579
00:31:01.333 --> 00:31:04.750
and it's really interesting as we go on
to continue to develop that.
580
00:31:06.458 --> 00:31:10.166
Again, I think it's really exciting
to see where the show will go to next.
581
00:31:10.250 --> 00:31:14.625
[somber violin music playing]
582
00:31:15.291 --> 00:31:16.666
[Bagiński] It's a dream come true.
583
00:31:16.750 --> 00:31:20.333
It's one of those situations where
you're really fighting for something
584
00:31:20.416 --> 00:31:23.791
for so long that you stop believing that
it will happen and suddenly it happens.
585
00:31:24.208 --> 00:31:25.125
Excited?
586
00:31:25.208 --> 00:31:26.750
I am, all the time.
587
00:31:27.166 --> 00:31:29.000
It's just a great adventure.
588
00:31:29.458 --> 00:31:33.166
[Hissrich] I wanted to introduce the world
to the three of them at the same time
589
00:31:33.250 --> 00:31:36.750
and allow them each to really flourish
as characters on their own.
590
00:31:37.416 --> 00:31:40.375
And it's really fun
to sort of track each of them
591
00:31:40.458 --> 00:31:44.083
and see that they do need each other,
they really do need family.
592
00:31:44.166 --> 00:31:46.750
["The Song Of The White Wolf"
by Declan de Barra playing]
593
00:31:46.833 --> 00:31:48.083
Above all of that,
594
00:31:48.250 --> 00:31:53.250
how are Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer
going to factor into this Continent
595
00:31:53.333 --> 00:31:57.375
that is at war
and appears to be at war over Ciri?
596
00:31:57.458 --> 00:31:59.250
[music continues]
597
00:31:59.333 --> 00:32:01.083
So, there's so much set up.
598
00:32:02.166 --> 00:32:04.333
Stick with us, there's much more to come.
599
00:32:04.416 --> 00:32:06.000
[music continues]
600
00:32:06.083 --> 00:32:10.416
♪ The Song of the White Wolf ♪
601
00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:14.958
♪ Is cold as driven snow ♪
602
00:32:17.250 --> 00:32:21.875
♪ Bear not your eyes upon him ♪