Before the Roll - The People of Critical Role

Hey guys!!
After 4 months of working on this video I have finally finished it! This is another short documentary on the cast of Critical Role and how they came to be who they are today! To note I did not add any campaign 3 items in as that is still moving forward and didnt want to add spoilers! I also did use footage from the previously posted video series of 'Between the Sheets'.
Thank you ‪@criticalrole‬ for being such an awesome cast and there are a few hidden messages for you! Thank you for inspiring me to create such a piece! And if you want something more official, let me know ; )
#criticalrole #criticalrolehighlights #matthewmercer #marisharay #ashleyjohnson #liamobrien #samriegel #taliesinjaffe #laurabailey #traviswillingham #shortdocumentary #dungeonsanddragons
I DO NOT OWN ANY TITLES OR CONTENT THAT WAS USED IN THIS VIDEO. THIS IS A FAN EDIT.

[@robertdavis5693]

I'm glad someone put effort into preserving these interviews. I was hoping that if CR didn't do it, some one would.

[@StandProductions]

Haha is it wrong that I hoped to be the first before Critical Role could do it? 🤣

[@johnnikyecole9114]

@@StandProductions nahhh

[@mightytoothpick]

@@StandProductions do you have the full interviews of the cast saved? i would love to be able to watch them in full if you could share the files

[@StandProductions]

@@mightytoothpick Hey! Personally I would love too, but first it is not my content and I dont have any rights to post it, as well as wanting to respect the cast and their decision to remove the videos. (In the end I have a feeling the company may ask that I remove them if I did)

[@Ozgarthefighter]

​@StandProductions Just the fact that the content is out there still is some comfort. Regardless of how things turned out with BF, those interviews were really special. Hopefully, CR will find a way to re-release them.

[@5764rich]

Sam started as an umpa loompa and ended up as a real life chaos goblin

[@digitaldude22]

dear god this is so well done. Felt very much like a professional documentary.

[@StandProductions]

I achieved the goal!! Thanks so much!

[@ShuntKrunt]

Its insane how even before CR these guys were in our media without us really knowing them. Awesome video!

[@StandProductions]

Totally agree, was so fun to learn that as I went!

[@JayAllenftw]

I know FOR SURE that I have at least one Les Mis playbill with Sam in it. I just can’t find it. What’s amazing is that his performance blew me away back then. Crazy to think his performances are still blowing me away every week.

[@standingdoor7077]

I first heard Laura Bailey's voice about seventeen years ago in BloodRayne and have been hooked ever since. It is UNREAL that, after all these years, I have the privilege to watch Laura create chaos in a D&D game. Like wtf?🤯🫡😭✌️❤️

[@StefKomGeekru]

It feels like a 4 hour video, but it was only 25 min. I just felt so cozy.

[@StandProductions]

Haha I hope that is a good thing : )

[@StefKomGeekru]

@@StandProductions It is. It just means that you packed a lot in a very short amount of time and I still felt like it was consistent.

[@lighterknot4385]

You read my mind. Awesome video

[@billbishop6109]

Wonderful video! And thank you for saving some of the best stuff from Between the Sheets, some of that is very important to see.

[@StandProductions]

I definitely agree :)

[@JayAllenftw]

Really beautifully done, Monique. You did a pretty masterful editing job keeping he who shall not be named out of it and seamlessly letting each interviewee keep the story flowing.

[@StandProductions]

@@JayAllenftw Thanks : ) I wish I could add more but there was only so much content 😅

[@megelizaegg]

Yes thank you!! Listening to their personal stories really adds so much more depth to my whole love of CR. I definitely agree and understand the need to remove the original content, but was absolutely heartbroken I didn’t have time to get through the interviews with each of them like I wanted to. Thanks so much for putting this together.

[@ArkhCel]

This is an incredible piece of work, the intro is a masterpiece. They trully need to see this

[@StandProductions]

Thanks so much! and means a lot to hear that about the intro, went through like 4 versions of it 😅 and I hope they do!!

[@rhiaxtra7926]

Thank you or preserving this. Between the Sheets were some of my favourite stories told by the cast; the ones that made me fall in love with them as people, not just their characters. You have revived an integral part of CR history, and- me personally- I think the community owes you a debt.

[@StandProductions]

So glad you liked it! I did my best to capture their lives and make sure it shows that they had struggles too! It helped me watch it to remember to keep moving forward and my hope is that I have showed my abilities in creating a great story :)

[@janwynn8971]

Thank you for this. I hadn't watched all of the Between the Sheets content before it was removed, so I'm very glad to have the chance to see this wonderful compilation.

[@StandProductions]

Glad it was helpful! and I understand why they did it and I wanted to be respectful so I did my best!

[@hotshot104]

You did great we still have the content to hear their stories but respectfully edited out the negative influence that had tainted the videos for the crew.

[@janwynn8971]

​@@StandProductions I absolutely understand and support why they did it, but I'm still glad to be able to see these bits of the interviews. You did a great job!

[@Vauxedaux]

@@janwynn8971weit they are down? Did i Miss smth?

[@janwynn8971]

@@Vauxedaux Critical Role has removed all of their content that directly involved Brian Foster.

[@CaseyWilkesmusic]

What could have just been a series of interviews is this amazing window into these people. Matt’s final thought was so emotional, passionate. You can tell that the cast and crew treat this project with so much love

[@Luneowl]

That was my favorite part, Matt’s voice breaking as he talks about the community.

[@StandProductions]

I really wanted to share some more of Critter created content but there is just so much 😅

[@sombrashadow0013]

"I met Taliesin through cosplay. I was cosplaying as Kingdom Hearts Sephiroth, and he was the Mad Hatter from Batman. " Of course, Taliesin was dressed as the Mad Hatter😂😂😂😂😂

[@Spider-Man_234]

And of course matt is sephiroth 😂

[@emt561]

The last Matt quote just really brings it home,, there's so much love here in the cast and what they do. I'm not a person who uses the term "blessing" but yet I think that's always how I've considered CR

[@StandProductions]

I thought so too, watching these interviews really showed the care that each put into their work!

[@jackstone8286]

The way he struggled to even finish his sentence broke me. I started to listen to Critical Role seriously last year and am current with campaign 3 as of now, and I have not found, nor will I look for anyone else. The stories he sets up and the way they play out... simply perfection.

[@phoenixdzk]

Wow! This was so well done! Also might be the only way for Critters to see Between the Sheets now

[@PoobahDaDoink]

This made me happy cry in the best of ways. Their found family is everything I could ever want. Not a lot makes me happy, but this little bunch of nerdy people do. Wish this was longer.

[@StandProductions]

Haha Im glad you enjoyed : ) This is technically a second video to 'Behind the Roll' that I made last year, but meant to be a part 1, though might have to rethink that first one again 😅

[@teramarhauer]

From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU for putting this together. Between the Sheets was something that I replayed quite often. The stories struck a chord, and the vulnerability of the cast members had inspired me many times in my life. I understand why they were taken from the CR account. I hope you make more of these 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@StandProductions]

You're very welcome! and hoping to build something new but it all depends : )

[@ZenDoggie]

Over and over, I heard them talk about a teacher, particularly an English teacher, who was passionate and encouraging and got them to step up and outside of their comfort zones. Teachers!! You are the ones who mold these amazing people into the amazing people they are today! Take your jobs seriously, please!

[@StandProductions]

That is so true!

[@taylorpinkblob5140]

it’s so nice that hatsune miku took the time to talk to the cast of critical role and she wanted to be respectful and stay off screen so that she wouldn’t take away their protagonism :D

[@louismuir9485]

ooft that got me right in the feels, every member of the cast are such dynamic and important role models and heroes for so many people - myself included - and its always so great to see these kind of appreciation videos

[@StandProductions]

Couldn't agree more!

[@jonrogers1497]

You're doing some real service to the community doing this.

[@StandProductions]

Its thanks to the critters that I was able to make this : )

[@bornmotionless13]

Bro this is really fucking good this what I was looking for I’m getting a friend into crit role and she loves learning who the people are AND THIS CAME OUT WITH PERFECT TIMING

[@StandProductions]

So glad it did! Hope she enjoys it :D and crit role is a great world build to get into!

[@infeenit]

they are amazing life changing people

[@digitalskill]

This needs to BLOW UP. This is on par with professionally done documentaries!

[@StandProductions]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@KadiaGray]

Honestly, I had opened this to save and watch later - I was tired, ready to sleep... I watched the whole thing then and there. I never got a chance to watch the interviews while they were up, as I was on a mission to catch up to the "Live" show for 2.5 years. I finally did as of two weeks ago. This... this takes all my love of the cast to a new level. I've always known them through one show or another, but this presentation of them holds all the pieces that make up the heart of who they are. How they got here. Why we feel so much watching them play a game together. Thank you for this. It's beautiful.

[@StandProductions]

That is an accomplishment! and thank you for your kind words and I agree, I found CR through Ashley and Laura by The Last of Us 2 and wanted to watch more, I know it was a spoiler, but i started watching CR with the epic cupcake clip and no turning back, I had no clue what was going on but their reactions to that moment got me hooked immediately :D

[@TheEthanEdge]

I think a lot of the success of CR is also the genuine friendship. A lot of people consume media to move away from what's happening in their own lives and I just think that, well, it just makes us happy to see it.

[@StandProductions]

Totally agree!

[@xhopsalong]

Oh, fantastic! This is some next-level editing! Musical cues, cuts to other shows when you referenced them, carefully editing the BtS clips, just - wow. Professional level for sure, the love that went into it really shows. If film is your passion I'd think this would go great in that portfolio. Thanks for making this :D

[@StandProductions]

It definitely is and I hope to one day make an official one!

[@barbarnyak]

I can definitely see that this video was made with love. ❤️

[@Slugger1990]

this was so good. without between the sheets available, I'm glad people are preserving these interviews.

[@StandProductions]

Glad I was able to get as much as I could from them : )

[@angelstar05]

wow! This is so beautifully well produced, thank you for putting in the time to edit these interviews, to turn them into this wonderful documentary. I hope that this masterpiece can be released on the official critical role channel, so more people can see it and you get the recognition you deserve.

[@StandProductions]

Glad you like it! Thanks so much for your support and yes that would be truly epic!

[@horses26noodles]

Just WOW! Thank you so much for doing this. I loved Between the Sheets but understood why it was taken down. This is beautiful and so well done. You’re so talented!

[@StandProductions]

Thank you for your encouragement : )

[@Hanibaltherogue]

I dont play D&D because i have no one around but i like to watch Critical Role and i am so glad to be able to see such amazing persons come together on a game so many dont even know. When i watched this, i couldnt stop thinking these seem to be ppl i would like to be friends with and maybe even could. But some where on the road i left the train that goes to my dreams and now im just like every body else. I hope that the "younger" gens will be able to persue their dreams with the help of these awesome great people! God Bless all of you

[@StandProductions]

So true! I feel the same when watching these peoples bonds, it really gives me hope that I will make friends like this :D

[@lou_dawg]

Thank you for preserving some of the amazing stories told in BtS while respecting and supporting the cast and crew in doing so. Well done. It really is a fantastic cut!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Lrbearclaw]

12:40 - The wild part is: I have been a fan of Matt's since TWBB. That's how I learned of him because I would go to their website and wait every week for it. Came across Laura with Bloodrayne and was instantly a fan of hers in 2003... What? I fell in love with her voice. It was funny because her characters would be my favorite in the various games before I learned her name.

[@StandProductions]

That's awesome and totally agree! I had the same experience with Ashley and Laura, its thanks to them I got into CR : )

[@Ansemguy]

Remember the long waits on the later episodes? I was on the official forum they made, we had quite the community going for a long time even after the series ended. What a great way to end up here.

[@THadeTani]

Wow, turned what would otherwise have been a compilation into a full-on professional documentary masterpiece. Really nice choices and editing.

[@StandProductions]

Thanks glad I was able to make something professional 😅😂

[@chanelmarlene7199]

So well done - your ability to showcase a story and edit with your personal touch is a gift. Proud of you !!! 🤸🏻‍♀️

[@StandProductions]

Thanks best friend : )

[@arcticfoxinsox]

You’re an actual legend for compiling this

[@StandProductions]

Haha glad it hit the spot! : )

[@Orcaaaan]

I would give everything up that i have right now to suddenly have an amazing friend group like those guys, sometimes you gotta wonder if they know how blessed they are.

[@StandProductions]

Haha I think they have a slight idea : ) but I agree!

[@ShadyJ012]

So well done, congratulations and thank you!

[@StandProductions]

Many thanks!

[@meggyrichard]

Thank you so much. You took all the best parts so we can still have them. Very grateful to you!

[@rav4208]

This deserves more than a simple Like... This was AMAZING!

[@itwasidio1736]

Damn this is a lot. Thanks for making this. For everyone else watching, you don't have to be the next Critical Role. Just have the same positive mental attitude with your tabletop group and see where it takes you.

[@StandProductions]

Totally agree!

[@sage_justice1383]

Very well done and I would like to echo the thankful words others have had for saving those pieces of Between the Sheets. Those were such wholesome, emotional, and almost cathartic moments for the cast and fans and it would be a shame for them not to be preserved in some way. I hope, if they haven’t already, that the cast sees this someday and is able to enjoy it.

[@StandProductions]

Totally agree! So happy it came out well and that you all are enjoying it!

[@carolhoward4923]

Excellent job editing this!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@beaumose]

So this is what the equivalent of a remixed song is! Great work, I saw the original interviews, but remixing them like this tells a great new narrative. Well done, love it!

[@StandProductions]

That is a great way to explain the video : )

[@mustang1888]

As a fairly new critter, this is AMAZING. Thanks for doing this. Learned a lot and realized I am a bit like them irl. Side note : Thanks for the great edits of Beyond the Sheets.

[@StandProductions]

Glad it was helpful! And I agree, it was nice to learn that I am not alone and had some similar experiences growing up! And I believe that may be someone else for Beyond the Sheets, I did do 'Behind the Roll' though :)

[@logank9177]

Incredibly well made! Made me so emotional, excellent work!

[@Joannapomeroy]

Thank you so much for putting all that together.... It was truly wonderful.

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ands1983]

They are just an amazing crowd and I love so much how they share their fears and successes with us. There is no praise in this world that is enough to comfort them that they are doing an incredible job of producing entertainment for us. This video is really well made and like previously mentioned, it feels extremely professional. Well done!

[@StandProductions]

I agree, it helped to watch these videos, it gives great inspiration : )

[@jamessanders6676]

This was so beautifully done! If I wasn't in public listening to this I would've cried several times.

[@StandProductions]

That is impressive : ) Thank so much for watching and glad you enjoyed!

[@nenybuns]

That was cut and put together wonderfully!! Really enjoyed this documentary!

[@ronin7997]

Fantastic documentary! You captured the heart, chemistry, and passion of these actors perfectly. I hope you will continue documenting their journey, and that each and every one of them and their fans are able to appreciate the hard work behind this video.

[@StandProductions]

I hope so too!

[@cyansparkle]

Wow, to echo the rest of the comments here, this is incredibly done, thank you

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it : )

[@poakcastle]

Incredible work editing this video and piecing all these interviews together! Had I not seen the original interviews myself, I would have thought they were made for this documentary.

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it! and glad to see it came out well : )

[@kaizen5023]

Great editing, solid piece of fan work!! The editing and the music choice really makes the interviewees shine like a gem with all their facets. Huzzah!

[@StandProductions]

Thanks, friend!

[@davidparkes7741]

Thank you for this, i'm falling for these dorks all over again. Oh & thank you for keeping you know who out.

[@danalou_who7765]

They way this was all cut together is just magic. 💙😁✨

[@Noots121]

this really is a service to the interviews, great job

[@jeroen92]

Very well done. They should post this on the main CR channel to replace the removed interviews!

[@StandProductions]

Haha really hoping it can lead to that : )

[@ReflectingFaith]

Holy crap! This needs more views! This was beautiful! The best documentary medley!

[@StandProductions]

Wow, thank you!

[@the0other]

That was so GOOD!!! Wonderful job editing all this, so amazing

[@StandProductions]

Thank you so much!!

[@yannic8086]

Loved every second! Hopefully someone of them will see this.

[@StandProductions]

So glad you did! and I really hope so too : )

[@MK_2023.]

It's crazy how you can love and care for a group of people you've never met before. This was such a heartwarming video, thank you 💙

[@StandProductions]

You are so welcome! and I agree it is that strange place of you feel like you know them even when you dont 😂

[@iregi]

Amazingly well done. Good that these clips have been archived in such a well done video. Cheers!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mxace8834]

Wow, this was beautiful. Thank you so much for this

[@StandProductions]

You're so welcome!

[@isa382]

amazing work!!!

[@RndOrc]

Fantastic work!

[@Khaleesi_Tess]

This is beautifully made, start to finish. The ending with quotes from each of them made me tear up, and the whole thing was wonderfully paced and you did an awesome job curating the clips and content included.

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it! and yes I loved how i got the ending to sit!

[@mattlewis9261]

Lovely work. Thank you.

[@emilierobichaud1685]

This was beautifully done

[@michaelpodvin2216]

This was great!

[@TerraBarlow]

Wow, this is really well done! Great work :)

[@phoebica]

Thank you. This is great!

[@VoiceNerd]

Extremely well edited. Damn good stuff sir

[@Scorcherer]

That was incredible! Thanks for this.

[@zosocolossus]

This is very well done and I love it!

[@KitastropheKat]

This was wonderful 🥹

[@SCBJQ]

Wonderful video!

[@tonyr.546]

Wow! This was fantastic! The best unofficial CR documentary I've seen yet. It does them all so much justice and it's very professionally put together too. I sincerely hope you get the credit you have due for this excellent work. Thank you for sharing!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it! and so glad it came out well : )

[@iwanjones5344]

Like honestly you did such an amazing job on this!!!

[@holly6725]

This is so lovely! thank you for all the hard work that must have gone into this, and for sharing it :)

[@shanegallant9018]

Beautifully done!!!

[@StandProductions]

Thank you so much!

[@brads2041]

Awesome. Thank you

[@TimoXL]

Amazing job! Incredible editing ❤

[@StandProductions]

Thank you so much! Glad you liked it!

[@isbammoi3358]

This is beautiful, thank you for all the effort of putting it together.

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@E-Lykos]

Very well made, thank you for putting this together.

[@StandProductions]

My pleasure!

[@gibbousmoon35]

Wow! Great work!

[@StandProductions]

Thanks a lot!

[@blutwulf666]

I loved this! A truly awesome piece of work and obviously a labor of love. Kudos!

[@ezmusicsync]

Such an amazing video! Thank you for taking the time to make this

[@StandProductions]

You are so welcome!

[@scottdean185]

Fantastic quality so glad these aren't forgotten I'm a serial procrastinator and never got around to several of these.

[@EternalLightFilm]

Dude! Really well done! Good job!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you like it!

[@thatmayday]

This was put together so well!! Thank you for this!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sgoorhuis]

Awesome job! Really nice to watch even though I saw the most already. Thanks 😊

[@jordinmclachlan9613]

Thank you for this. Between the sheets meant so much to me. I understand why it was taken down but seeing some of the things that inspire me so much just disappear hurt. So that you for this preservation and inspiration thay we wouldnt get otherwise.

[@StandProductions]

So glad it came out well! I wanted to make sure it still hit the spot! :)

[@bskye8]

Amazing video, so professional with fantastic editing. There was no ask for it but definitely worth a Like and Subscribe

[@StandProductions]

Thanks for the sub! and so glad you enjoyed it : )

[@sjprice80]

So tastefully done, thank you 💫

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Savazhe]

Awesome work! I really enjoyed this - you truly did a great job.

[@StandProductions]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@tuna_tune]

It's perfect! Thank you for that piece of documentary art

[@StandProductions]

Glad you like it! Thank you too!

[@RuizSteven]

Well done! Critical Role is one of a kind in so many ways.

[@FNugget]

Nice edit, good clean cut to save material from Between the Sheets.

[@StandProductions]

Thanks glad it came across well :)

[@delaneyjones]

This was incredible. You did a great job.

[@StandProductions]

I'm glad you like it : )

[@Cordelia53]

This was very well done and very enjoyable!!

[@StandProductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!