CRF Chats with Filmmaker Simon Cox

Editor’s Note: Those who follow my show and blog regularly will tell you that occasionally I’ll get involved in promoting “one more” project regardless of how busy I am just because I believe in the concept so strongly. Such was the case with writer/director Simon Cox’s compelling sci-fi yarn “Kaleidoscope Man” (currently in the crowd-funding stage). It boasts a driving plot line, stunning visuals and really talented cast of actors – all of which point to it being one hell of a movie when it’s finished.

I only found out about the project a couple of weeks ago when mutual friend Lynnaire MacDonald suggested that one of the film’s producers, Heidi Hitchcock, get in touch with me. We quickly whipped together a plan where Simon would first answer a couple of questions on my blog during the last days of the campaign and then make an appearance on my show later this summer.

That said, we offer up the following…

CJR
How were you inspired and/or how did you come up with the concept of Kaleidoscope Man?

When I first saw the original Star Wars I knew then that I wanted to make movies and that one day I would make an epic sci-fi adventure that would leave people feeling as I felt when I saw Star Wars. It wasn’t just the great special FXs and action, it was the emotional story about Luke Skywalker’s journey from farm boy to saving the universe from the galactic empire.

I spent a lot of years analyzing this magic element and why some movies leave you elated and not wanting to leave the cinema and why other did not. Kaleidoscope Man came about during this process. I really liked the idea of the ‘unwilling hero’ where a normal man who struggles with his mundane life is thrown into an adventure and ends up being the one to save the human race. 

What will you tell us about the character of Thomas Dunn and how does he become Kaleidoscope Man?

There is no caped crusader in this movie. Kaleidoscope Man is the lead character in an old TV series, which Tom watches when we meet him as a boy. This has a huge impact on the impressionable young boy and deep down all he wants from his life is to be like his hero. However, real life throws him many challenges and he finds himself unable to live up to this high expectation of himself. This, of course, makes him very unhappy and with no ending in sight, his life is going nowhere.

That is, until an alien mother-ship arrives at the planet…

What do you think the audience will take away from seeing Kaleidoscope Man and/or what would you hope they would take away?

I’m hoping they will feel elated, excited and just generally blown away. The thing is, there are a lot of movies out there and more video content than ever before. Throw in social media and people nowadays have very little time to consume things. I believe this movie will feed the soul as it touches on some very deep and moving human issues that a lot of us don’t have time to consider.

Without trying to sound pretentious, I have spent years trying to make this an event movie. Obviously, I don’t have anything near the budget of a Hollywood movie, so my time and effort has gone into the story and I am confident that it will resonate with people and capture their imaginations.

Writer/Director Simon Cox

What are some of the major challenges and what have you learned from this and past projects?

When I made my first movie, Written in Blood, I had a lot of people meddling with the story and the production in general. The money had come from the UK Film Industry and being slightly less experienced, I believed this input would help the film and the process of making it, even though deep down I had a sinking feeling that some of this wasn’t helping me.

The final film ended up being a compromise on what I believed was originally a strong idea and one of the lessons I learnt was that as the writer & director of a movie, you are the one left holding the baby. Therefore, I would say to anyone making their first movie, follow your gut instinct – if you’re going to mess something up, it’s better that you do it rather than let someone else do it for you.

As regards the production of Kaleidoscope Man, I have to say I am enjoying the experience immensely. The biggest challenge over the years has been trying to get the movie funded and I spent a lot of time speaking to people from the industry and private investors. This was incredibly frustrating and always ended the same way – with no movie being made. Therefore, when crowd funding came along, for me it has opened the door to fantastic film making opportunities, not just for me but all creative alike.

What is your favorite part of the film making process and why?

I love the editing of the film. Seeing sections that you have spent years dreaming about coming together and actually working is just magic. I also love the way you can build up the soundtrack with sound FXs and how each small element or subtlety you add enhances the story.

You are currently crowd-funding for your Phase 4, how are you feeling about it?

As I write this we have just under 2 weeks left of our Indiegogo campaign and to be honest, it is a little nerve-racking. On this particular campaign, we still have a long way to go to reach our target but I am optimistic. We have put an awful lot of work into engaging with our audience and providing them with lots of behind the scenes videos of the journey so far, so people really are coming on the journey with us. The last two weeks of a campaign are always the most exciting.

Do take a look: www.igg.me/at/KMan4

What is something interesting about you that you have not mentioned before?

When I was 22, I had an evening job in a pub in the Central London (I was a runner in the day for a film company and the money was terrible). One evening, Oliver Reed (one of the stars of Gladiator) came in; he was as drunk as a skunk. After a little banter behind the bar, he grabbed hold of me, pulled me close to his face and threatened to punch my light bulbs in. This was all because I had served him a drink in a glass that was a little warm. Not a pleasant experience, but one I shall be telling my grandchildren for sure! 

The Many Angles of Fame: By: Lynette Carrington

Editor’s Note:

Journalist/publicist Lynette Carrington first contributed to this blog back in April with a piece called "Agent. Publicist. That’s the Same Thing. Right?". The article was very well received so, when she volunteered to write a second one, I of course jumped at the chance to run it.

Below you’ll read her thoughts on some of the byproducts of fame that all too often get overlooked by fans (admittedly like yours truly). There are sacrifices that need to be made in conjunction with all the popularity that comes along with being a successful show business figure – some of which can be a lot less pleasant than others.  

On a lighter note, however (and as an added bonus), this time out Lynette told me that I could share this picture of her with one of my all-time favorite boxers, Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield. It was taken by Joe Orr when Lynette interviewed Mr. Holyfield at the “Imagine 100 Faces” event for the Nick Lowery Youth Foundation.

Lynette, the floor is yours…

CJR

 

The Many Angles of Fame          
By: Lynette Carrington

“I would do anything to be famous!” “I would love be famous because then everyone would love me!” “I would have so much money if I were famous!” Sure, being famous has its perks. Think about it: lots of money, getting in to the hottest clubs, being on magazine covers, luxury cars, exotic film location shoots and rubbing elbows with A-Listers and world dignitaries on a regular basis. It all sounds glamorous, promising and exciting. But, there is a personal and emotional cost that comes with fame. And fame can be a slippery slope…or a downright monster.

Let’s consider some of the casualties in the world of entertainment--Chris Farley, River Phoenix, Amy Winehouse, Phil Hartman, Jim Belushi, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Anna Nicole Smith and most recently, “Glee” star Cory Monteith…the list is endless. Whether they met their demise at the hands of drugs, murder or an insane lifestyle, it is hardly arguable that in some shape or another, fame played a supporting role in their death.

Money:

Money is often a catalyst for some people to hop on the fame train (Kris Jenner, I’m talking to you), and money always sounds good. But, let’s take a look at why the bigger stars make outrageous sums of money that they do. Consider someone like Tom Cruise. Personally, I think he’s wackier than a box of frogs, but I have mad respect for him in that he has continually been a top box office draw for decades…not an easy feat. This is only one reason he makes the big bucks.

$25-$50 million dollar paydays. You think it’s crazy? No, it’s not. Tom Cruise puts millions of tooshes in the movie theater seats. Those tooshes are real money. That money has made hundreds if not thousands of people filthy rich. In essence, Cruise’s face and acting are a vehicle that make money not only for himself, but for an entire industry (and Scientology…but that’s another topic entirely).  There is a lot of pressure for him to make a movie successful. It’s not just his career…it’s all those involved with what he does. Look at it another way, if Tom Cruise was attached to a movie and buzz started going, the hype and publicity machine would kick in to nearly guarantee the film would be at least a moderate success. There are thousands of people that will work on that film in some regard, not to mention the geographic location(s) where that film will shoot. They will all benefit from the very fact that it’s Tom Cruise. Would that same film have quite the same economic impact if it starred Rob Schneider? Not so much. (Okay, I don’t know of any film where Tom Cruise would be up for a role where Rob Schneider would be a contender, too. I’m only making a point…)

It really is a lot of pressure when you think about all the millions and millions of dollars at stake for the industry. And not just the big boys; it trickles all the way down to those who rely on the contract for craft services on that Tom Cruise film. In my opinion, A-List actors have to have a strong mind-set and a talented team of legal and management folk to help them with their professional decisions. It’s mind boggling when you think about it. The pressure to make a hit can be astounding and a flop movie can result in changes in artist management, representation, future film contracts and earnings, etc.

Next time Tom Cruise makes a dud and you think, “I could have acted that ten times better at 1/100^th the cost!” I’m sure many actors could have. But there would have been no “toosh” factor. And it’s the toosh factor that really makes a difference most of the time.

Loss of Privacy:

Let’s take look at Harrison Ford. What do you think of when you see Harrison Ford? You probably think Han Solo or Indiana Jones. This is just a person whose job it is to say the words on a page and act onscreen. As a person, Ford often laments the loss of his privacy and talks about it in the media frequently. He’s been a recognized star since the 70’s, so he’s had a lot of time to adjust to his level of fame.

But, put yourself in his shoes (size 12, in case you needed to know). Everywhere you go, people stare at you and do double-takes. Are you having a bad hair day or are you in a bad mood? Not only will people stare, they’ll take photos without your permission. If you’re unlucky enough to get stuck with paparazzi, some of them will shout out mean and unfathomable things at you in order to illicit some kind of a negative response so they can catch it on camera and sell it for their own monetary gain. And this will be nearly everywhere you go. Every day. Every place. You will probably never get away from it. Oh, and you’re expected to behave yourself and be gracious in these situations no matter your mood or what is going on in your private (or not-so-private) life. Don’t screw it up…you’re every misstep will become fodder for the tabloids. Just be perfect, ok. Remember, this is every day. Some towns or cities may be better for celebrities than others. (I understand why celebs like Halle Berry want to get out of Hollywood and move to Europe.)

The Papz:

You want a night out at a restaurant with your family or significant other? See the above paragraph and then add into your evening the extra 30 minutes you’ll probably need for all the fans that will come over and want to chat or get a photo op. Some places are known for their discretion, which I think is fantastic. Other places have doormen, security or management who will tip paparazzi to your location so you get swarmed on your way out the door. You know who gets a cut when that photo sells to the tabloid? Yep, said doorman, security or management. Everyone is in the fame game. In essence, even peripheral people make money off of other’s celebrity status.

And while we’re on the subject of paparazzi (again, I’m talking to you Kris Jenner). We all see the photos. How is it paparazzi happen to be on the beach when LeAnn Rimes is showing off her latest swimsuit? Many celebs (or those hanging on to the bottom rung of the celeb ladder) will tip the papz to whatever they will be doing and the star is contracted to receive a cut of whatever those photos can be sold for to the tabs. No, really. It happens all the time. And the clothes the celeb is wearing in the photos? That designer may have possibly given that star those clothes for the express purpose of being worn in the supposed “candid” photos. A money-maker and publicity for a designer friend?  You bet. So, indeed there is a pressure element that is present in your everyday life, too. Would you play at this level of the fame game? Many do. Again, Jenner/Kardashians…

When you’re out in public, total strangers come up and talk to you like they know you. Or they question you on some film you did 20 years ago. (Would you want to answer questions about a job you had 20 years ago at McDonald’s? I think you see what I’m getting at, here.) Worse yet, they ask you, “In Blade Runner, were you really a replicant?!?” Do you see how ridiculous this sounds when you’re just in Vons trying to pick up a gallon of milk and some bananas? You can never really leave work at work. It becomes part of who you are when you are in the public, because this is how the public knows you.

The loss of privacy is sad in today’s world because everything happens instantly and whenever there is a lawsuit, a squabble, a pending divorce or anything else, the entire world knows your business. Think about everything that has transpired during your own adult life and then try to imagine what that would have been like splashed on television and in the tabs with everyone talking about you and speculating. This is the price that one pays for being a celebrity nowadays and all the more reason that I feel that celebrities should get the paychecks they do. Nearly every portion of their life is violated. Publicized and/or scrutinized on a daily basis.

They Really Are Like the Rest of Us…No They’re Not:

Sure, they are like us. In fact, one of my favorite personal sayings is that, ‘Stars are just like the rest of us…except with more money and a lot more problems.’ They have to eat, they have families, they have to shop, they get tired, etc. What’s not like us is pretty much everything else. Granted, I’m talking about the upper echelon of entertainers who make a lot of money at what they do.

When you are a really big deal, everyone handles your personal and professional business so you can concentrate on your job. Managers, a legal team, accountants, wealth managers, various talent agents for each area of your expertise, publicists, personal assistants, a house staff, trainers, a driver, a chef, multiple personal stylists, several hair and make-up people and business consultants. Big celebs do not exist in the regular world of most of the 9-5 crowd and I’m certain that after time, you get used to having someone fly in your favorite salad dressing from Paris or getting front row tickets to the Lakers Game just because you pick up a phone. Is this being spoiled? I don’t think so. Actors and entertainers give up a lot of the areas of their life that we perhaps don’t think about. They’re entitled to enjoy their wealth since they’ve earned it. Some celebrities don’t choose to have huge staffs or an entourage of people, but if you were a busy celebrity and you could hire people to take care of things for you and that’s what you want, why shouldn’t you? However, when you can and do have a small army of people doing everything for you, you can see how you would really lose touch with the reality of most other people.

Getting back to the cost of fame, it does come at a very high price. Sure celebs are paid well, but they lose key aspects of privacy and the pressures to keep and control a decent public image (some of which you hardly have any control over) and the responsibilities that you have to your projects and others associated with you can be immense. Having a good head on your shoulders would be perhaps one of the most valuable things you could have before becoming famous. Next time you think that famous people have it all, consider the fishbowl world in which most of them live.

Follow Lynette on Twitter:

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A Light in the Dark: A Ballet & Documentary Review

“A Light in the Dark” by Chicago-based choreographers Ann Reinking and Melissa Thodos is a ballet that tells the story of Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan. When filmmaker (and CRF guest) CK Olsen initially approached me about viewing both his filming of the performance and his accompanying short documentary I’ll admit to having been somewhat puzzled by the concept. How would one use an incredibly sensory-driven medium like ballet to tell the story of someone who was both blind and deaf?

Reinking and Thodos not only proved that it could be done but, were able to offer up a beautiful, stirring new take on a classic slice of real-life Americana. This is more than just a dance piece but, a very human drama. At times, the movements of the dancers were so articulate and full of expression that I almost felt as though I were in the same room with the real-life Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan.

While audiences will likely most remember Jessica Miller Tomlinson’s portrayal of Helen Keller, Alissa Tollefson’s performance as Anne Sullivan is quite arguably even more compelling. She was able to dig deep and capture the raw motivation of a teacher with her own hard backstory who wanted nothing more than to find a way to help her student make a breakthrough.

Olsen’s documentary “Shine: Making ‘A Light in the Dark’” will prove to be great preparatory viewing for those that see the ballet and I’m glad that I watched it first. In addition to the standard bases that “making-of” documentaries touch, I was impressed by the extensive background research conducted by the members of the dance company. During a trip to the Helen Keller Foundation, a worker there (who was also deaf and blind) gives a recount of attending a performance of “The Lion King” that is all but guaranteed to put a lump in your throat.  

“Shine: Making ‘A Light in the Dark’” and “A Light in the Dark” both premiere on PBS-WTTW, Channel 11, on Sunday, September 8. For further information, please consult the Thodos Dance Chicago website or follow CK Olsen on Twitter.

Monster Killer: A Film Review

Monster Killer is the latest piece of compelling storytelling from writer/director Edgar Michael Bravo and producer John Paul Rice of No Restrictions Entertainment. It tells the tale of an enigmatic, wizened older man named Andrew James (played brilliantly by Phillip Gay) who is able to travel between parallel universes feeding off the energy of serial killers to stay alive. During one of his many leaps, Andrew saves the life of an unsuspecting 18-year old named Mark Roberts (played equally brilliantly by Marc Maynon) but, in the process of doing so, drags Mark into this terrifying new world with him.

Though much of the movie focuses on the dynamic between Andrew and Mark, the supporting players were also very strong. I found myself wondering why not everybody had heard actress Tammie Smalls' name mentioned before. John Paul Rice was recently interviewed on my show and I complimented him on the fact that he seemed able to compile a completely new grouping of talented actors for each project. He was, however, quick to point out that fans of One Hour Fantasy Girl might remember Philip Gay's brief role as the owner of a diner.

Much like the other projects to come from No Restrictions Entertainment, both the plot line and the character development are so intricately layered that it almost proudly becomes a challenge to write a review of Monster Killer without offering any spoilers. What I can say is that it was fun to see the filmmakers break away from the more “reality-based” themes and tackle a distinctively sci-fi story. That said, Bravo and Rice are still able to find new ways to keep their viewers guessing and asking themselves bigger moral and existential questions.

No Restrictions Entertainment: Main website

unHollywood Casting: Potential Pitfalls of Colorful Casting: By guest: Angelo Bell

Editor’s Note:

Today’s guest post comes to us compliments of writer, director, and award winning producer Angelo Bell. It’s with great pride that I say that Angelo was one of the first few people that I ever interviewed on my podcast. Over three years later, that episode is still among my favorites.

What I like best about Angelo is that he's constantly got so many cool projects going on at once that it’s impossible to keep up with him. Moreover, he’s always got something fun and interesting to say about his adventures. To that end, if his latest project, A Perfect Weapon, gets funded, I have it on good authority that he's promised to shoot an Elvis Presley/Tom Jones inspired music video with a little rap mixed in for good measure!

After you read his editorial below about the fairness of Hollywood casting policies, I invite you to check out his 10-year blog for more great reading.

Angelo, the floor is yours…

CJR

unHollywood Casting: Potential Pitfalls of Colorful Casting:
By: Angelo Bell

When the people behind a very popular Internet investment site for independent films told me that the cast for my film wasn't "international enough" I immediately recognized the stinkin' thinkin’ behind such a concept. With few exceptions, Hollywood doesn't believe international audiences will come out to see movies that don’t have Caucasian stars.

I guess these folks haven't heard of filmmakers like Spike Lee and Tyler Perry, or Anurag Kashyup, Nitin Kakkar, Ava Duvernay, or Guneet Monga. Perhaps they’ve never heard of the “Harold and Kumar” franchise. Have they heard of Bollywood, Nollywood, or the Chinese film market, which may overtake the American market by 2020? I guess they haven’t fully realized that the real world -- the whole wide world -- is essentially non-White.

But let’s not focus on vague impersonal sociological concepts. Let’s look at the reality of my casting choices:

• Ravi Kapoor – a UK-born Indian who starred in the TV series “Crossing Jordan” for several years.

• Alimi Ballard – an African-American, who starred in the hit series “Numb3rs” which played in over 70 countries, and who was recently cast in the international blockbuster hit, “Fast Five”

• Emayatzy Corinealdi – the dynamic Panamanian/African-American actress whose star continues to soar after her role in the Sundance hit and award-winning favorite, “Middle of Nowhere”

• Tehmina Sunny – the UK-born Indian actress who co-starred in the critically acclaimed Hollywood blockbuster hit, “Argo”

• Jessica Duffy – the star of the 2009 indie runaway hit, “Ink” which was reportedly downloaded 500,000 times from file-sharing sites all over the world.

Is there anything that isn’t international about this cast? There isn’t, but perception in Hollywood is a potential pitfall for all indie filmmakers.  As tough as it might be, we must stop adhering to this belief that there is a specific skin color to depict good vs. evil. Heroes and bad guys come in all shades, hues and temperaments. Anyone who routinely decides NOT to see a movie because the lead is something other than Caucasian is not the audience I want to reach out to. Hopefully my fellow indie filmmakers do the same, and continue with their efforts at color-blind casting.

The problem with unHollywood-like casting is that one must deal with the archaic and prejudiced perceptions of skin color. The potential of it is that the audience, which is a diverse melting pot of ethnicities, is exposed to the presence and culture of persons other than themselves. That is a beautiful thing if indeed we all desire to “get along.”

But Hollywood, despite its preachy Public Service Announcements for tolerance, still clings to racially motivated stereotypes and preconceived ideas about sexual preference. I do applaud the adventurous strides the entertainment community has made towards universal acceptance, but we are still a long way off.

We’ve started to accept the that fact that not every female movie star or TV star has to be a size 2, and not every leading man requires big arms and a six-pack. Now let’s look deeper into our own psyche and not focus on skin color as a casting requirement.

Angelo's Links:

1001 Positively True Stories (blog)

A Perfect Weapon (film): Indiegogo Page

Follow Angelo on Twitter

IMDB Page

Brass, Leather, and Ingenuity: A Steampunk primer by guest: Scarlett Flame

Editor’s Note:

One of the highlights of 2013 is definitely having met and worked with Manchester’s enigmatic and charismatic blogger and soon to be first time novelist, Scarlett Flame. Though her area of expertise is erotic stories, she also knows more than her fair share about pop-culture in general.

She’s also a bit of a Steampunk expert – a genre that I have an appreciation for but, know very little about. As such, I thought it would be fun to invite Scarlett to jot down a few thoughts about the wild celebration of vintage-yet-modern art, technology, and eye-candy that is Steampunk. As an added bonus, you’re also going to get a sneak peek into her upcoming novel.

Scarlett, the floor is yours...

CJR  

Brass, Leather, and Ingenuity: A Steampunk primer by guest: Scarlett Flame:

 

Hello everybody. My name is Scarlett Flame and I have been asked to write as a guest blogger for Casey. This is in order to let you know a little more about an interesting genre called Steampunk. Although Steampunk has actually been referred to as a sub-genre of fantasy and Sci Fi, and not a stand-alone genre itself!

Steampunk has been described as modern technology but, powered by steam. Try to think of computers powered by steam or even steam powered cars. This genre is usually set in the late Victorian, early Edwardian era. It often includes clockwork, automatons and fantasy. Within this umbrella there are books, music, clothing, jewellery and much, much more.

The term Steampunk was coined by Kevin Wayne Jeter commonly know as K. W. Jeter the author. He used the word in a letter sent to Locus Magazine In April 1987 as a way to describe a number of works published by Jeter and his friends. This described his retro technological and alternative history that Steampunk now embodies. Jeter wrote Morlock Night and Infernal Devices, Other works include a number of Bladerunner sequels and Star Wars books.

The first written works that are now considered to be Steampunk include the works of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells i.e. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Time Machine. Where we see many extraordinary machines such as the time machine itself, as featured in the book and films of the same name These epitomise this genre. My own writing is considered Steampunk but more of that later. There a number of new written works within this sub-genre such as Steampunk Rat A Boston Metaphysical Story by Madeleine Holly-Rosing , The Warlord of the Air by Michael Moorcock on up to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore.

The timeline for Steampunk is suggested as having arisen due to an alternative timeline occurring, whereby the Industrial Revolution resulted in steam being used as the main source of energy. Steampunk is increasingly becoming an ever more popular genre.

There are a number of films that can be described as being Steampunk including Wild Wild West from 1999 starring Will Smith, Mysterious Island (1961), Metropolis (1927) the Captain Nemo films and the Golden Compass (2007) to name but a few. All of these have elements of Steampunk evident. In them Wild Wild West has a major scene features a large spider like device that the villain uses to chase the main protagonists.

As for Steampunk music a number of artists have been classed as this. These include the likes of Thomas Dolby, Darcy James Argue, The Clockwork Caberet and my own particular favourite Abney Park. Abney Park named themselves after a famous London cemetery and began originally as a Goth band. My favourite track of theirs being Steampunk Revolution. They also market games and books under the Steampunk guise.

Clothing evocative of this genre is usually either late Victorian or early Edwardian, with the addition of cogs, brass, flywheels etc. Of course no outfit would be complete without some goggles. The colours used are commonly neutral colours such as brown, beige, black, gold and bronze -therefore earthy colours. Other popular accessories include parasols,top hats and tail coats. Victoriana and Steampunk have become synonymous.

Steampunk writing quite often includes automatons, dirigibles, fantasy, dragons, magic and the like. There is usually an antagonist of sorts and an array of minions possibly in the form of a Golum or robotic machine (think the spider in Wild Wild West!)

Currently there are a number of clubs and societies that follow Steampunk fashion and a number of annual events centred on this genre. Recently in Britain there was such an event at Doncaster. Events like these occur all over the world. The Steampunk Chronicle has listings of these events in the United States and Steampunk Canada has listings, for well dare I say Canada. So don't be shy! you just might enjoy these events yourself.

My WIP (work in progress), that is currently in the throes of being edited and proof read is set on one of these Steampunk worlds. The world of Syros. The working title of the first volume is The Prophecy Unfolds (Dragon Queen). This is due to be released later this year, alongside of an anthology of short erotic stories (as yet untitled) The series of books Dragon Queen are set in the genres of paranormal erotic romance, and is set on an amazing Steampunk world. A world that is populated by werewolves, dragons, dragon riders, magicians and many more fantastical creatures. Where dirigibles float over vast canyons and enormous dragonflies (real and mechanical) fly over the mountain tops.

Syros is a planet many galaxies from Earth, and is where my story unfolds. Alex the heroine is kidnapped and taken to this world by three gorgeous werewolves via a magical portal. Once on Syros her adventures begin in earnest. As she is the hinge pin of a 200 year old prophecy. Her character evolves as she learns of her own past and the history of Syros, and how they are inextricably connected. Alex also acquires various magical powers when she follows the path the prophecy offers.

This is an excerpt from the book:

I wasn't sure if I believed they were werewolves but they had already shown me that they were both fast, and strong. I would have to keep them “sweet” until I had a plan to get away, and hopefully find this portal back to earth. Not to mention the strange humming sensation I had felt when they touched me. I wondered whether the same thing would happen should Leon touch me.

Although I was physically attracted to ALL of them, particularly Aston I couldn't see that that was enough to convince me of what he continued to discuss. Therefore I zoned out and thought instead about what I could do to escape. I began to take notice of the conversation again when I was asked not to escape, as they discussed how dangerous this planet could be for me. They emphasized that it was necessary for me to remain within the pack house for my own safety, I thought perhaps this was just said to make sure I stayed where I was, so as to be compliant, and less bother for them to deal with. Therefore I chose to ignore this warning.

Aston paused for a moment looking at me intently, I used this opportunity to ask to use the bathroom (surely they have such things here, and I desperately need to the toilet after all I had been through). He nodded to a door on the far side of the room, saying that they would remain where they were whilst I did.

I stood ( a little unsteadily) and Aston reached out to steady me once again sending a tingling sensation through my entire body. Which was a very pleasant sensation but also a pretty disturbing one too. Once I had steadied myself, I crossed the room and entered the large bathroom. It held a large ornate tub, sink and a toilet (at least it appeared bathrooms were similar here) I relieved myself and looked around the room. It was a bright room as there was a large window opening up to the back of the house, and this immediately attracted my attention.

I looked out and realized that the back of the house was set over a rolling hillside, that dropped away some feet below. Upon closer inspection the window could be opened fairly wide enabling my escape. So, quietly as I could I slowly pried open the window. I decided that in order to escape I would have to drop about five to six foot to the ground. I prayed I could do this, and quietly do it too. So as to not get caught in the act.

I managed to turn myself around, once on the window ledge and was slowly easing myself out. When suddenly, something or someone snatched and lifted my whole body away from the ledge and into the air. I drew in a sharp breath and then began to scream as loud as I could. This was because, it wasn't a somebody, it was a something. That something looked for all the world like a dragon from myths and legends!!

His huge talons had a firm hold of me around my waist and we were rising at speed into the air, higher and higher. I had gone from the frying pan into the fire and could only scream at the top of my voice. As I began to move at speed, away from the building I spotted the three werewolves staring out of the bathroom window toward me. What had I done! Mating werewolves now sounded preferable to what was in store for me now. I had become dragon food!

I had just took another deep breath in order to carry on screaming when I heard a voice in my head say “Alex please calm down and I won't hurt you! You wouldn't make a decent meal anyway-too bony! Now be quiet and we will be at my lair very soon”

Well I hope you enjoyed that little snippet and please bare in mind that this is a rough first draft and has yet to be proofread and edited.

I also produce a blog of my own. The blog is where I present book reviews, hotel reviews and also reviews of some of the live bands I love to watch. There is nothing better than live music. There is a lot more on the blog that may interest you, including guest writers and interviews too. I would love if you came and checked it out. Pull up a chair and stay awhile too.

A number of the reviews appertain to the location of Manchester, England where I live. I also recently began interviewing interesting individuals for my blog, and also on behalf of a site called Skelat. I am now one of their "Team" of interviewers, that includes my good friend Nate Smith. Nate is a scriptwriter, producer, director from Perth, Australian. You will also find there an interview I did with Casey Ryan, as I managed to turn the tables on him. A very interesting and popular interview it is too.

Well all there is is to say is good bye from Manchester and I hope you will come and visit me on my blog soon and listen to the podcast I have promised Casey after my first book is published later this year.

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Let's Get to Work ... On Remakes! A guest post by: Gerard Marzilli

Editor’s Note:

Today’s guest article comes to us compliments of Gerard Marzilli – one of the wittiest and most astute observers that you’re likely to meet in the indie community. Needless to say, these are traits that have served him well in his roles as both an actor and producer.

After having appeared on my show twice to promote a couple of projects he’d done with 8 Sided Films, Gerard offered to throw together an opinion piece for my blog as well. Little did I know, he was about to touch on a subject that strikes a raw nerve with a lot of film fans – remakes!

Below you’ll read what he has to say about remakes of horror films specifically and why some work and some don’t. I’d also encourage anyone reading this to please leave your own suggestions as to what they feel are the best and worst horror remakes. I’m always looking for something cool to watch – or for that matter vent about here.

Gerard, the floor is yours…

CJR 

Lets Get To Work … On Remakes!!
By Gerard Marzilli

Remakes, remakes, so many remakes! Remakes, sequels, prequels are something I've heard a lot of grumbling from fans of science-fiction, horror or other genre films. But for the purposes of this article let's examine remakes, what makes a good remake and why there are so many bad and/or lazy ones.

Every time I hear about a new remake these days, which is about once every five minutes, I roll my eyes. This is unfortunate because there was once a time that news that a favorite story of mine was going to be told again got me excited. Those days seem to be long gone. This was back in the 80s. This was the decade that brought us (starting in the 70s) "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"(1978) "John Carpenters' The Thing" (1982) David Cronenberg's "The Fly" (1986) and numerous other remake gems. In fact, one might say it was the golden age of remakes.

What made these films so great was how bold they were with their source material. "Body Snatchers" abandoned the Red Scare tropes of its predecessor and focused on all the fears of the 70's from mysterious all consuming cults (playing on fears of The Manson Family and Jonestown) to social isolation brought on by massive societal shifts post Vietnam.

"The Thing" actually returned to its original source material, the short story "Who Goes There?" that inspired the 1951 Howard Hawkes Original, "Thing from Another World". In the Hawkes film the Thing, while creepy and murderous, can easily be spotted and ferreted out, he is an obvious alien and not like us. In the short story and 1982 remake, the Thing is a shape shifter, able to perfectly mimic its victims. This gives the film a bleak, "shoot first and trust no one" feel that again evokes the paranoia of the post Vietnam era - and one that holds up well post 9/11.

The Fly (1986) is less a remake of the 1958 original and more of a complete re-think. Seth Brundle's transformation into "Brundle-fly" cannot help but evoke the gut wrenching fear of the then new and vastly misunderstood AIDS.

All three of the aforementioned films used older, well loved stories as a tool to mirror current events and teach society something new about itself as well as entertain, fulfilling the highest purposes of art in the sneakiest and most subversive way possible.

To be sure there are notable modern examples of a fantastic remake. Rob Zombie's "Halloween" films come to mind. The original 1978 John Carpenter film showed us that monsters could strike us at random at any time and we will die never knowing why. Rob Zombie, realizing his audience was far more savvy in the ways of deviant psychology, chose to show us exactly what kind of environment produces these monsters and what the after affects of their violence are. Many would disagree with me, but I feel both of Rob Zombie's "Halloween" films are powerful pieces of cinema. However as amazing as they are, I can't watch them more than once every year and a half or so. They are just too painful.

The works of Mr. Zombie aside, a disturbing trend has emerged starting at the dawn of the millennium. 60's, 70's and 80's TV shows and movies were being remade at a breakneck, industrial like pace. So many of them are tepid and lazy, remaking their source films virtually shot by shot. Others try to show us how much "better" the originals would have been with massive amounts of CGI. Still others grossly misunderstand the original film and how it can be made truly relevant to a modern audience. Some remakes make all three of these mistakes.

These films are cash cows. They rely on name recognition and a loyal fan base in order to make a quick buck. One of these films does not amount to much in the way of box office. For instance one can expect a successful horror film to make about 20 to 40 million domestically, anything else is pure fluke, zeitgeist if you will. However: put out 10 of these per year, with three successful ones in the mix, you got yourself an empire! Better yet, one built with very little original thought involved! Hire a gaggle of controllable young commercial or Music Video directors on their way up and you've got it made!

Keep in mind, I get this business model. It's safe and most major studios are now corporations who are responsible for their shareholders for results. That is why they make safe, middle-of-the-road, films when it comes to remakes. As any actor will tell you, the reason you see the same 10 people in films consistently is because the work is already done for everyone else. I get that. I enjoy a certain amount of controllability in the projects I produce. What I will not cotton to is inferior product. I feel we are doing a great disservice to our audiences by putting out films like this. We are lowering general audience expectations and squandering the goodwill of longtime fans of the franchises being remade. Studios are putting out substandard products for more money.

I have often discussed with my 8 Sided Films producing partner and cofounder, Tennyson Stead, a number of films we would love to see made. But I would only ever think of agreeing to work on a project unless it brought something entirely fresh to the table. Our audiences need not be subjected to my personal boyhood fantasies of how "really cool" it would've been to direct "Raiders of the lost Ark", nor my own personal laziness. They deserve the best folks and they deserve to have the movies they see entertain them and make them better.

Let's get to work!

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What? No Sex? A Blog About The Disappearing Sex Scene: By guest: Casey Sheridan

Editor’s Note:

I’ve often said that getting to work with erotica author Casey Sheridan was some of the most fun that I’ve had on either end of an interview. After appearing on my show about a year and a half ago, she graciously invited me to join the fun on her blog as the subject of one of her playful “Pajama Party” interviews a short time later.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when I was presented with the opportunity to work with her again. The timing worked out extremely well and we agreed to each run guest posts by the other on the exact same day. As Casey will be talking about sex on my blog, I whipped together one of my signature rant pieces for hers which will also (hopefully) raise an eyebrow or two.

Ergo and without further ado, let the “Casey Crossover” begin.

Casey, the floor is yours…

CJR   

 

What? No Sex? A Blog About The Disappearing Sex Scene:
By: Casey Sheridan

Casey is a wonderful supporter of indie artists, authors, musicians–you name it. He's a great guy that I have a lot of respect for, so when he put up a call for guest bloggers, I jumped at the chance. What woman wouldn't want to hang out with such hot guy, right? J

Since I write erotica, Casey presented me with an article that appeared in Entertainment Weekly about the lack of sex scenes in movies. No sex? Really? I hadn't noticed, and considering what I write, you'd think I'd be one of the first people to notice that. But I didn't. I guess I was too busy being entertained by a good story.

Is it a bad thing that Hollywood has left their sex scenes by the wayside? Not necessarily. I can see your eyes bugging out of your head in disbelief. You're thinking, "How can she say that? She's an author, an author of EROTICA! She's supposed to be all about the sex. And the boobies! We want boobies!"

Look, I'm the last person to deny a grown, adult person their required boobie fix, but you can't just through a pair of tits onto the screen for no reason. Honest. If Hollywood's marketing is aimed at teenagers, well, let's say it's aimed at thirteen years of age on up, you're going to get more people into theatres, more people paying out hard earned cash to see a movie, so the boobies are going to stay covered. You're going to see battle scenes on other planets, high-tech explosions, car chases, fast moving action, demons and ghosts, robots going haywire and beating the shit out of each other. Some of that is damn good stuff.

So where's the sex? In writing, if your story can't stand on its own without the sex, you had better rewrite that story. It's all about the story. The sex is great, but you can't throw it into a story thinking it will make the story good. You do that, all you have is a bad story with sex. Sex needs to be part of the plot. It can't just be thrown in to spice things up.

Hollywood is about money, understandably so. They invest big bucks in settings, costumes, actors, F/X, etc. The more people that can see a film the better the chance Hollywood gets back some of the money, and then some, they invested. They want a good story.

Also, since it's the younger people, the 13 to 21 year olds (approximately), that have the most disposable income, that's what the target market is. That's why you have sparkly vampires and angst-driven teenage girls falling in love, or superheroes charging across the big screen.

I may not get into the sparkly vampires, but I do love the superheroes, although, they could be a bit sexier, in my humble opinion. Then again, I wouldn't exactly say no to Thor, Captain American, or Ironman just as they are.

Even my favorite character hasn't gone untouched by the lack of Hollywood sex scenes. "Bond. James Bond," Daniel Craig smoothly utters in his deep, sexy voice. 007 movies used to be a mix of action, gadgets, and sex with every beautiful woman that cast a glance his way. But starting with Casino Royale, they have had fewer beauties and gadgets, more story, more action, more Bond. I'm not complaining.

So, again, is it a bad thing that Hollywood has let the sex scene go to the wayside? As long as Hollywood is giving us good stories (for the most part), without sex scenes, I don't think it's a bad thing. I like a good story, good characters, whether it's in sci-fi, action, comedy, on-screen or in a book. If the story has sex included, that's great. If the story is good without it, that's okay too.

What do you think? Should Hollywood bring back the sex scene? Did you even miss it?

Bio:

Casey Sheridan is the author of playful erotic fiction. Like most authors, she began writing when she was very young. It was later in life when she read her first piece of erotica and it was on a dare that she wrote her first erotic story. Casey’s work has been published by CecilCat Productions, Breathless Press, and Cobblestone Press, and her short fiction has appeared on various erotic web­sites.

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