We’re excited to share another meaningful milestone in the journey of Legends of Adventure: The Story of Sierra On-Line, as well as a first look at some of our rewards and a sneak peek at the doc's official soundtrack!
The Music of Legends of Adventure
Music was always an integral part of the games that Sierra On-Line produced. In fact, you can probably hear that iconic Sierra fanfare in your head as you read this!
Given the company’s strong musical identity and the memories that so many gamers associate with the sounds of Sierra, we knew that the score for the Legends of Adventure documentary would be an incredibly important piece of the puzzle.
It’s one of the reasons we approached Castle If, also known as Jess Forrest, an amazingly talented Toronto-based composer known for her retro futuristic electronic music. Forrest, who favours a Moog Voyager synthesizer, frequently utilizes vintage production techniques and other analog sources in her compositions. This throwback approach to music composition is not unlike the way that some of the original Sierra game music was created and produced in the 1980s and 90s, so we knew that Forrest’s music would be able to help us evoke a certain time and place that lives in the hearts of adventure game fans.
We recently chatted with Forrest about her experience working on Legends of Adventure and how she approached composing music for the documentary.
What’s been something that’s surprised you about working on this project?
Forrest: “My introduction to the Sierra On-Line fanbase has been, hands down, the best part about working on Legends of Adventure!”
Castle If's original track for our first-look teaser trailer
Tell us about your approach to composing a score for a documentary about Sierra and its games.
Forrest: “My main goal with the soundtrack is to create something that feels fresh and exciting while also tapping into a subconscious nostalgia for the original games. Of course, the score needs to support Ken and Roberta's story, but I also wanted to write music that would resonate with the fans who helped build the Sierra empire in the first place.”
We’re so excited to be collaborating with Forrest on this project. She has already composed more than a dozen tracks for the film and will continue her work in the months to come as we inch closer to completion.
Backers: Visit the “Backer-Only” update section below to hear an exclusive sneak preview of the first track from the Legends of Adventure OST before anyone else!
Rewards Update: Pins
While finishing the film has obviously been our biggest priority, we’ve also been hard at work on producing some of the many rewards that our backers will receive once the project is completed.
Here’s a sneak peek at the exclusive commemorative enamel pin set that all backers who supported at the Blu-Ray Quest Plus level and above will be receiving, as well as those who purchased the standalone 10 Pin Ultimate Fan Collection add-on.
We’re really happy with how these pins turned out and we can’t wait to start seeing them out in the wild.
We will be sending out backer surveys in the coming months to confirm pledge levels and shipping info, so that we can start sending all of these goodies out as soon as possible.
Post-Production Progress
A sneak peek at the film's editing timeline – please note the footage has not yet been color corrected.
We’re happy to report that the four hour plus rough cut of Legends of Adventurethat we told you about a few months ago is now closer to the feature length goal of around two hours. It’s now really feeling like the movie that we originally envisioned – and that we've been able to produce with your support.
Editing the documentary has been a long but exciting process with new insights and story beats emerging as we continue to shape the film. We deeply appreciate the community’s patience with this process as we all want to make the best film possible. We remain on track to complete the film in 2026 with official release plans to be announced soon.
We have recently added another professional archivist to the team to help us make the most of all the incredible archive materials we have and maximize their impact within the film. This is an important step towards making this the rich, material-filled story that we all want to see.
We’re also adding another award-winning editor to begin work on a trailer for the doc. We’re hoping to be able to privately share that with our backers as soon as that’s ready!
Thanks!
Once again, we’re thankful to our amazing backers for your continued support and patience as we work hard to bring this important story to life. Things are progressing very quickly now, so stay tuned for more frequent updates throughout the remainder of the year!
It's been a busy past few months, so we’re excited to share another meaningful update about the journey of Legends of Adventure: The Story of Sierra On-Line with you and reveal what's coming next.
We're still targeting a 2026 release for the documentary – and as you'll read below we've made a lot of progress towards that goal!
Recently Completed Interviews
We are pleased to announce that our most recent round of interviews included conversations with:
Josh Mandel,a designer and producer at Sierra On-Line and the voice of King Graham, who helped craft the tone and humour of some of the company's most beloved games. Josh spoke from the heart about his experience at Sierra, calling it "the best four years of his life."
Mark Seibert, a composer, director, and producer at Sierra, who helped establish the sound that set Sierra's adventures apart. His vantage point revealed how Sierra stayed on the cutting edge of multimedia storytelling, and we're so happy to have interviewed him!
Laine Nooney, an Associate Professor of Media Industries at NYU and one of the foremost scholars on the history of the early computer and games industries in the United States. Laine has researched and written about Sierra On-Line extensively, and will help the viewer understand why Sierra mattered, how it succeeded, and why it still resonates so strongly today.
Marcus Mera, theco-producer of Ken and Roberta Williams' recently released remake of Colossal Cave, which brought them out of retirement. As a fan and collector of Sierra On-Line games himself, he gives us a window into why the Williams' returned to gaming after decades away from the industry.
Each interview subject brought thoughtful perspectives and their own unique personal experiences to the story, and we are grateful for their participation.
Post-Production Progress
A behind-the-scenes shot of our editor's desk – where the magic happens!
We are now deep into post-production and have nearly completed an assembly cut of the film. This is the first rough version of the film where every scene, interview, and story beat is placed in order from start to finish.
For the first time, we are able to watch the story unfold from beginning to end. It's been an incredible experience seeing the tale of Sierra On-Line – as well as years of work by our team – finally take shape on screen. This has been a long journey and though there is much more work to be done, we're so thrilled to see it starting to come together.
Next Steps: Final Interviews
A very dedicated collector recently showed us some classic On-Line Systems computer games in person
With the assembly cut nearly completed, we're still working to schedule a few very exciting final interview subjects and we're working diligently to make these conversations happen. We're excited to reveal who these people are when we're able to confirm their participation!
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Thank you again for your continued support, enthusiasm, and patience as we work to tell the story of Sierra On-Line and the remarkable people behind it. We look forward to sharing more soon, including an exclusive backer-only look behind the scenes as the film continues to take shape. Be sure to follow us on Blueskyand Instagram for day-to-day updates on the doc and more!
We're here today with a very special update marking one year since Legends of Adventure: The Story of Sierra On-Line was successfully 100% funded on BackerKit!
With the generous support of our backers, we went on to exceed our original goal and our own expectations. It was an important day for the team because it was the day we officially knew that we were going to get to tell this incredible story and do it in a way that was worthy of the subject matter. So thank you again for making this possible!
Documentary Progress Report
It's been a year full of progress on the project – almost two dozen amazing interviews, over 40 hours of footage, hundreds of pieces of archival material sourced, and almost a month spent on the road by our team – and there's so much more to come.
Interviews continue (more on that in the "Backer Only" section below) and we're now deep in post-production with work on a first assembly cut well underway, as well as the film's score and main title design.
We're excited to share more news on this front in the coming months, but for now we want to give you a sneak peek at one of the highlights of our last production road trip...
Inside the Williams' Oakhurst Home
As mentioned in our last update, the previous production leg brought the LOA team to Oakhurst, California – home of Sierra On-Line's headquarters from the early 1980s until 1993. The majority of the Sierra team lived in and around the area during this time, including co-founders Ken and Roberta Williams.
After some early successes at Sierra and around the time that development on the original King's Quest began, Ken and Roberta decided to build a home in Oakhurst. With six bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, two kitchens, a bar and game room, and indoor volleyball court, the palatial house was unlike anything else in the region and a tribute to what they'd built at Sierra so far.
Home to the Williams' young family, more than a few wild company parties, and the development of some of Sierra's most beloved games, today the house remains largely the same as when it was first built, complete with stained glass referencing early Sierra titles like Mystery House, The Wizard and the Princess, and The Dark Crystal.
Take a look inside the Williams' Oakhurst home below:
So if you're planning a trip to the Yosemite area in the near future or want to relive the glory days of Sierra On-Line with a big group of friends, the owners of the property have provided us with a discount code – SIERRADOC10 – that can be used until the end of 2027 to book the house on loveyosemite.comfor 10% off.
Once again, we're incredibly grateful to all the backers for their support and for coming along with us on this wild journey. Follow us on Blueskyand Instagram for updates on the documentary and more!
First, thank you. You’ve been patient, and continued to believe in a world we all love. We know the updates have been few and far between lately, and we understand how hard it is to wait for news on something you care about this much. We’re glad to finally have a lot to share.
Today we'll go over 3 things: 1. Why the wait 2. Where the products stand 3. The survey and shipping 1. Why the wait
The main reason product updates have been so sparse is manufacturing timelines. Product design took some time, but the bulk of the delay happened when we had to switch manufacturing partners. Things have now been worked out, and product samples are freely flowing.
From here until delivery, we’ll post a monthly update on how the products are coming along. If a product is ever delayed, we’ll let you know right away.
2. Where the products stand
The short of it is, our long awaited merchandise samples came in this month! There are lots of kinds of samples here, and we love the direction they're headed. None of these designs are final, and some need more work than others.
Sample photo - Designs not final
On each of the products pictured we are testing fabrics, inks, colors, threads, metals, and more! You can expect the highest quality materials and top notch design when we're finished.
We're grateful to all the artists and designers we get to work with. Especially Jeremy Palmer our creative director over merchandise, graphic design, and branding. He's putting all of these products together. Here are a few highlights:
Keys by Joe Larson — Hopefully finalized next week!
Apparel by Jeremy Palmer — Final revisions: perfecting color and quality.
Plushie by CreatureKin — Lots of progress, still refining.
Book by Thibault Prugne — Artwork still coming in before we finalize the layout. (Not pictured)
Games by Rocket Pop Games — Mechanics mostly complete; moving into design phase. (Not pictured)
Next we'll be taking a closer look at a few of the products. Apparel and Keys will likely be the first to have a dedicated update. Until then, which piece are you most excited to get your hands on? Let us know in the comments!
3. The survey and shipping
Your backer survey is coming soon! We’re aiming to send it at the end of October, though it may be slightly later. Keep an eye on your inbox.
As our products get closer to final, we can better estimate their size and weight, which is what we need to calculate shipping costs. Once we know shipping costs, surveys will be sent.
The survey is where you will:
Confirm your shipping address
Enter the name you want in the film’s credits (for backers with the name-in-credits bundle)
Adjust your order and provide any additional info
Add any add-ons you missed. This is one of your last chances!
Here’s what happens next:
Surveys go out - end of October
Products are finalized and manufactured
Orders ship - April next year
Our goal is to speed things up, and deliver physical products before April 2027. We feel good about it, and we’ll keep you posted every step of the way.
Until next time, Caretakers, keep a glass of milk handy. You’ll want to see what’s coming!
Is there any update on when we will know who the giveaway winners are? With all the recent updates I am very eager to find out who won the journal and the day on set💗
🧚🏼♀️🥛🧚🏼♀️🥛🧚🏼♀️🥛🧚🏼♀️
BackerKit surveys will begin going out to backers today, so keep an eye on your inbox.
We'll be sending them in small batches to make sure everything is working correctly. If you don't receive yours right away, don't worry! The remaining surveys will follow shortly.
When your survey arrives, you'll be able to: ✅ Confirm your shipping information ✅ Review your pledge selections ✅ Add any available extras or upgrades ✅ Make sure everything looks correct before fulfillment moves forward
Behind the scenes vibes
🎬 What's Been Happening Behind the Scenes?
We've been working HARD on the movie, and we have some exciting things to report!
We've hired a lot of our crew, including some of our most important hires for Alan's sanity: our 1st Assistant Director, Director of Photography, and Production Designer!
📢 Ryan Pederson (Ped), 1st Assistant Director
Ped will be building our shooting schedule with the rest of the crew and running the set so Alan can focus on working with the actors. A good 1st AD is critical to making sure a good movie gets made, especially on our limited budget and timeline!
🎬 Oscar Ignacio Jiménez, Director of Photography
Alan's super-excited to work with Oscar! He's won a bunch of awards and has a brilliant eye.
The keen-eyed among you will notice we've made a change at DP. Paul Taylor was originally planned to shoot the film, but he had another amazing opportunity he couldn't pass up. We wish him the best, and we'll be working with him again someday. In the meantime, we're thrilled to have Oscar on board. Honestly, he's a huge get for the film.
🏚️ Amy Leah Nelson-Smith, Production Designer
Amy's already got tons of ideas for making Fugelsang Manor as creepy and silly as it can possibly be!
This will be Alan's first time working with Amy, but we're all excited to have her on the team. She immediately got the tone of the film and started pitching perfect ideas for decorating rooms and building color palettes. Between her and Oscar, this film is going to look amazing!
✨ Thomas Giles, VFX Supervisor
Alan and Thomas worked together more than 10 years ago. While Alan totally bailed on the VFX industry, Thomas went on to become a skilled compositor, animator, and VFX artist.
Now, Thomas will help make sure we're doing the most we possibly can with our limited budget and number of VFX shots!
📝 The Script is Ready!
We've also finished the production draft of the script!
We'll be making slight changes here and there throughout production and post, but we're as close to a "locked" script as we're ever going to get.
It's taken a long time and many revisions to get here, but we're all feeling quite confident that this script is funny, touching, spooky... all the things we need this movie to be!
Gandalf worked really hard on this version.
🎥 A Little Sneak Peek
Alan's also been working on getting a vital shot for the film, mostly so he can go play with cameras and very cool lenses.
It's the sunset shot that starts all the insanity. You'll have to see the movie to understand that, but in the meantime, here's a little sneak peek!
Getting the perfect shot
❤️ Thank you for being part of this journey with us!
We're so grateful you've helped make The Vessel possible, and we can't wait to get your rewards to you. Keep an eye on your inbox for your BackerKit survey, and we'll keep you updated as production continues!
Now, let me preface this with I'm likely not the MOST in the loop about things since I've been cutting back on internet and socials lately... but I just SUPER hope that the Fablehaven film prioritizes practical SFX over CGI whenever possible!
Now, about the background magical creatures:
1. There are so so many magical creatures in Fablehaven and I really hope we see that represented! (As opposed to having only the creatures that are the bare bones necessity for the story—I don't want Fablehaven to feel sparse.)
2. Actors in prosthetics would be epic for the magical creatures (...and I for one would be thrilled to be cast as one of those in the background!) :)
3. Puppets are also the coolest and I would be ELATED to see those on the big screen too!
4. For fairies, since I know there was a casting call for those and therefore the plan is actors, I REALLY hope we see a wide diversity in the actors. All body types, all ethnicities, and disability rep—while certain things are viewed as "lesser" in our society, that's really a societal construct, and fairies have a different societal build than any group of humans. I think it would be AWESOME to have these really self-absorbed and prideful fairies have pride in themselves and their bodies all across a spectrum!
As someone relatively unfamiliar with the budget and money side of filmmaking, I don't know whether it's more budget-savvy to go the puppet route or the extras-in-lots-of-prosthetic route (possibly it depends on the creature in question), but either way, here's to practical effects in the Fablehaven film!
I feel like, while CGI has its place, you lose a lot of touch with it, especially with CGI living things. Something about it feels less real, and something I've noticed is that when films lean too much on CGI the whole movie starts to feel disconnected from the audience and more of a painted light show than an engaging story.
Honestly I do think that utilizing more practical effects over CGI when possible is the way to go and would be very fitting with the themes and genre. And I'm really hoping to see a ton of awesome and diverse magical creatures throughout the Fablehaven film!
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