WP Platinum Blog
Casimir Effect Novella
About 5 years ago the director wrote a shot story as part of a science fiction convention competition, the story was never finished but the core of it was developed. The story of the first time traveller, as woman as yet unnamed who tried to travel into her own past to give herself advice to stop her life going to hell, she was similar to Alice, but was originally married to Bob and the time travel experiment failed. Rather than travelling through time, the plot revolved around alternate universes and ended up with several different Alice’s? A great story, but possibly not a great movie, I won’t give too much away as not to spoil the better bits which we kept.
We took some of the core elements of the story, and reworked them to make them more filmic and visually interesting. We also brought in other character from the NeuroSys setting, characters we knew well and loved who would add an element of intrigue and subtle hints to clandestine events and activates. This would also bring Casimir Effect into a bigger and more vibrant world which could be used to add depth and substance to the story. This also offers us a bigger world to use should we get the chance to expand or redevelop Casimir Effect for television.
In December 2008 we planned the core plot points or each character using index cards, we shuffled them around until we had a structure and plot development that was interesting and offered an air of mystery. The cards sat on our wall for about 2 months each few days we looked it over added or move something to make the story as interesting as possible. We then told the cards down and left it for a few more months, to give us time to detach ourselves from it so we could come back with fresh ideas.
April 2009 we began the first draft of the treatment, however we realised that to get the most out of the story we had to write it as prose rather than a condensed treatment. This enabled us to dig deeper into the characters and the subtext of the story. So we batted the Novell back and forth until we reached the fourth draft, then we let it out to people we knew and trusted to give us solid feedback about what is wrong and what is right. We then worked hard on the fifth draft to make it tight and keep the characterisation consistent.
By this time it was June and we started to look at turning the story into a script, we know we would have to change things and loose some elements but this is how things go when adapting a story.
In the next instalment, script development, revisions and read throughs.
Posted in Origins, Pre Production, Script Development on December 8th, 2009 by Gabriel Strange | | Comments Off
NeuroSys
We’re going to put together a series of posts for our readers; these will details of the origins of the story, world and characters. We will introduce you to some of the complexities within the back story and give insight into the world without giving the plot away.
NeuroSys was the origin of the original story so it’s only fair to start there, and go more into the world of 2101 and how we came up with this world. NeuroSys was the original idea of our director; many years ago we were sat on a train to Stafford discussing ideas for writing companion books for role playing games. The original concept was a style guide to one of the sub cultures that inhabit the cities of the world. This covered a number of concepts of how society will develop, some of the people in one of the biggest cities, and many of the best shopping and night spots. Needless to say that style guide was never finished; it was left for a while.
A few months later we decided that there was a large amount of stories that could be told in the world that was created. So we started expanding sections, creating new sections and generally playing around in the world seeing how society was constructed and worked together. As we started to build up a model of society, we looked at how the world worked, the companies and political organisation involved and we created Iolanthus and Iolanthe as the new generation of cities designed to protect the important people who work for the Hyper Corporations, the biggest being run by Cromwell Jackson.
Studying the latest scientific developments and keeping a massive folder full of research and information, we started to apply futurist principles to see how the society we created would evolve along with the emerging technology. Simple things like the death of the TV, mobile phones and how the internet morphs into the next generation with quantum computing. We even looked at small things gadgets and gizmos, up to the next generation of personal body armour and defence.
The core concept was that the governments of the world slowly failed, selling off departments and the military saving money where they can. These department were brought out by companies and privately run military took over the old jobs, they were more efficient and better equipped. The inevitable might happen and the Corporations started hostile takeovers and buy outs, leaving a handful of Hyper Corporations and puppet governments. Society back-lashed and formed the World Council a governing body setup to protect the rights of the people and make laws.
The principle components were setup, to start building the small parts that function or dysfunction within this setting. We started creating the people that populate the city of Iolanthus, and numerous other aspects of the world from other AI controlled cities to a lunar base program.
Now we have a file with reams of information on the setting and characters. These were an excellent source for developing the story for Casimir Effect.
Posted in Origins, Script Development on October 29th, 2009 by Gabriel Strange | | Comments Off
Well it feels like the end of an era and we’re going into a new age. The script has been locked, and now the focus is on production rather than the script. We have most of our actors for the key roles, except our female lead who we will look to audition in a few weeks. I won’t give out all the names of the actors just yet, as there might be some shuffling in the next week or so, but the people we have we are happy with. The only name I can post is Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood’s Ianto) who will be playing our male lead, Dr. Robert Cameron.
After the workshop sessions this weeks, we are all confident this will be an engaging story. Most of the tough scenes have been worked out and the changes were mostly action based, to give the scenes more impact. We have some footage from this workshop and I hope to get it edited into a video diary in the next week or so, then you can see some of the work. Gareth has also come on board and an Executive Producer, to help us find funding, crew and for other elements of publicity.
We have a number of exclusive items we will be auctioning off, so watch this space. Some of these include limited print illustrations from Comic-Con 2009, these feature Ianto and Captain Jack, they are signed by Gareth and John Barrowman, as well as the artist. We will also have ‘Torchwood: Children of Earth’ Blu-Ray signed by all the cast and crew we can find in the next few months. This will probably be one of a few discs to have a full set of signatures, so come back often. We have a number of other ideas, including a day on the set, photo shoot with Gareth, lunch with Gareth, exclusive Blue Gillespie and S.J. Tucker songs, and limited edition prints to be given away at the fund raiser and one exclusive print only available online. After the fund raiser is over all remaining unsold or claimed prints will be destroyed to keep these items in the collector’s arena, and something special for those who are willing to support us.
Back to reality, we have the script to take to pieces, we have started it and need to get it finished in the next week or so, then we can send lists to each department of what is needed for props, CGI, costume and Set dressing. This is where Philum Scheduling comes into its own as it enable me to keep track of what status every item is in. Rather than hoping and praying everything is ready, I’ll know what isn’t and what to give priority to. I hope I get the chance to finish the software by Christmas so we can get the schedule fully planned.
We should have our own piece of the web up soon, where much of this will be transferred to, we will keep these site up-to-date, but our site will have a lot more content to offer. We will also have a sponsorship section, which will have all of our auctions, and items for sale.
Anyway time to get back to the script breakdown and my cuppa tea.
Posted in Casting, Music, Pre Production, Script Development, eBay on September 17th, 2009 by Gabriel Strange | | Comments Off
We have spent the last five days working on the director’s notebook, we have written up all the acting notes we have for the entire script, these range from ideas of what the characters are feeling to their individual thoughts. We don’t expect this to be a Black and White rulebook, but it will be handy and used as a starting point for the actors, unless they nail it right off the bat. This is more about the inner thoughts and story of each character. More what you see behind the eyes, the subtle expressions and movements that go into bringing a character to life.
We have also been working on the ARG we have set up a number of foundation blogs, each will have a number of stories that lead into the ARG. They will give readers more of an insight in to the world and the events before and after the film. It will be a chance for people to ask questions and interact with the characters. We are still looking for writers for the main ARG characters.
We have read-through’s on Monday and Tuesday so we can solidify everything in the script and tweak it to take it to final draft. It will feel so good to type Final Draft on the front of the script. Then it’s on to the massive task of pre-production, first on the table is Locations and Actors for me, the art department will start to wind up to.
I’m two layouts off finishing the Pre-Production software I should have that finished by the end of tomorrow as I need it for Saturday. And providing it works I’ll start the Scheduling section next month. I guess when you can’t afford the thousands for scheduling software it’s best to just make your own. At least this way it can be Dynamic and I can adapt it to suit the needs of the production.
Casimir Effect is still talking up most of my life, as early casting has started and hopefully we will have contracts signed and big announcements soon. Read-through’s will take place the second week of September, to iron out the last bits of the script.
I am so, so happy with the work on the theme song so far by the lovely Nina Barnfather! Been humming the song for several weeks now, can’t wait to get the final recording done. We have another band doing a song for us, but not much can be said about that yet! But I am very happy with how things are moving along.
Render tests and art department stuff is looking good, colour palettes and a few props are being worked on. I think the footage from the 4D camera we will be using is more convincing than the AVATAR preview, plus no one has to wear silly glasses!
We have several options for multi award winning Cinematographers and a sound studio with engineers for the final mix arranged.
For the next few weeks I will be organising and writing for what I am provisionally calling ‘Iolanthus Online’, which will be a multiplatform interactive blog/social networking ARG (Artificial Reality Game). We are currently recruiting actors/writers; the story will be the lead up to Casimir Effect.
Full on pre-production is now on the event horizon and down the wormhole we go!
