Man at Arms: Reforged

DETAILS OF PROJECT

  •  Client: Man at Arms: Reforged
  •  Used Tools: Sony PMW F3, RED Epic-X Cinema Kit, Adobe Premiere
  •  Link to Project: Visit Site

OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED

  • Film six episodes of Man at Arms over a 10-day span.
  • Capture cinematic footage of forges, CNC machines, and casting molds.
  • Coordinate with LA-based media company on local production and smooth transition of footage.

Man at Arms is a web series featuring well-known blacksmiths and armorers making real versions of fantasy weapons. For several seasons, blacksmith and gemcutter Tony Swatton was the series’ host. In 2013, Swatton retired from Man at Arms, and brothers Kerry and Matt Stagmer of Baltimore Knife and Sword were selected to replace him.  Along with their team of armorers, fabricators, goldsmiths, and fellow blacksmiths, the Stagmer brothers were ready to step up and create fantastical weapons that you’ve never seen before.

The Stagmer brothers’ shop is in Marriottsville, Maryland, 20 miles Northwest of Baltimore. Defy Media, the digital media company that created Man at Arms, is based in Los Angeles, and needed a local production crew for the first 6 episodes of the rebooted series. Defy Media reached out to Mark Leisher Productions, and we were excited to be part of such a popular and beloved series. MLP provided all gear for the shoot, as well as 1st AC, D.I.T., Gaffer, Swing, PA, Runner, and Set Medic. Over the course of the 10-day shoot our crew worked closely with Defy Media and Baltimore Knife and Sword as they made 6 mashup weapons from beloved franchises, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ninja Turtles, and My Little Pony. Meanwhile, our D.I.T was hard at work managing, transferring, and securing all the digital footage for post-production.

The hard work paid off – the shoot wrapped July 1st and one week later the preview for the new seasonwas released on YouTube. For two and a half months, we watched the reboot gain in popularity, regularly getting over half a million views on YouTube. Despite some initial sadness over Tony’s departure, Man At Arms fans have embraced the Stagmer brothers of Baltimore Knife and Sword, and the series is going strong with 2.45 million subscribers. Watch a few of the early episodes below, and view the rest on YouTube.

 

Back To Case Studies