I realise that we have not said anything for 20 days but it’s not easy to post when there is nothing new to add.
We did encounter a few sharks on a social networking site that made out that they are venture capitalists but are really middlemen that charge upwards of 8 thousand dollars and no promises and then hassle you to call them when you firmly tell them you were not born yesterday.
That being said, one of our supporters is coming back from Hong Kong this week and I am speaking to him tomorrow.
Another friend is helping with an executive producer contact.
Another friend is helping with lead ins to other funders.
And we have a potential early development investor looking at a proposal which we sent.
We received a comment today saying advertise advertise advertise. While enthusiastic you only advertise when a film is made or has a green light so we are far from that but are giving it 100% .
I’ve done business in some interesting places recently but none more interesting than the Menzies Hotel.
For once I was meeting a real prospect. A gentleman who has been involved in the Film Finance business for decades. he is known by my mentor and was introduced to me by my agent and friend.
I have met a number of eccentrics recently who talked the talk but when it came to the crunch could not walk the walk. Promises do not make movies folks and these guys can be as nice as pie and on the same page but until they commit you might as well be singing on as sidewalk.
Unlike these amusing individuals, this gentleman has spent nearly a decade putting together a way to bypass all of the government related bullshit associated with film making in Australia. Our “Industry” is not an industry.
To be an industry it must be commercial and there is little commercial focus here.
This chap and I are speaking the same language. He has been very supportive and very helpful. His system kicks ass.
And best of all he likes Spellsinger and can see it’s potential! Finally I have met a kindred spirit. These meeting have been the best yet.
I have rejigged our business plan and have started compiling a list of people who could be the key creatives.
I hope to have some very encouraging news by next week.
In the meantime we are embarking on a very ambitious venture. So ambitious it’s scary!
We have been snowed under since the Gold Coast Film Festival and Supernova. We have had some amazingly great experiences and in the last couple of weeks some meetings and events that are propelling us to another level.
Now we we are calling on you, our fans and supporters.
Now more than ever, we need your help.
We have found an opportunity to put some more money into our development kitty. We really need all the help we can get and while it’s a small amount of cash, it will really help us to move forward.
So please. If you could vote or tweet or facebook please do. People can vote once per day.
Your contribution could just be the what gets Spellsinger over the line.
It’s been a long day and an interesting one. It started at 5am. It’s dark. I went to bed at 11pm and did not sleep. Why? I was excited and anxious.
Excited at the prospect of meeting a man whose books I have been reading for more than 20 years. The man who has trusted me to bring SPELLSINGER to the big screen. Mr Alan Foster!!
Anxious because I have done everything I can to get the ball rolling and my business consultant is on the verge of securing the first investment that we need to get the ball rolling. The first investment is always the hardest! He was going to call me back at 11am. His call would determine our meetings for tomorrow.
I made it to the right train. Ran for the connecting train and arrived at the airport on time. Alan’s flight took a while to get processed at 4 planes arrived at the same time.
I recognised me immediately and all of a sudden I had achieved a life goal. Alan’s writing is just amazing. I truly love his work. An awesome day had begun!
We hopped into the serviced car and the deluge started. The heavens opened and Pitt Street transformed into a river. My poor partner was splashed wet, head to toe by a bus driven tidal wave in George Street. You could ride a surf board down the street!
We spent several hours chatting. I enjoyed listening to his stories. He has many. They are all cool! Alan is the nicest and most relaxed guy you could meet. The things he has seen and done you would never believe even if I told you. He is truly the most interesting person I have met.
11am came and my phone never rang. I dealt with the anxiety quickly and just focussed on this incredible moment.
We took a walk down to the Galaxy Bookshop, Sydney’s ultimate Sci Fi Destination and he presented himself at the counter. He did the coolest thing by autographing a few books and having several pictures taken which are now on their Facebook page . These guys are the true Aussie Battlers and they live eat and breathe Sci Fi and fantasy. They were stoked!!
We met back for dinner with my darling Bec .
The phone rang. Now I have no anxiety. I am feeling exceedingly positive! We had another win today. A direct agency introduction to a man who could hold the key to our success!!!
Alan Bec and I went off to dinner in the drizzling night and had a lovely time.
I got home just before 10pm. Tired exhausted but here I am blogging!!!
Today was getting to know you day. This week is going to be one I will never forget!
The Genre of The Spellsinger series is a Golden Fleece Style film. It’s a fantasy quest myth with Rock and Roll. This genre is the single most successful and popular format in box office history.
It’s a fantasy road trip. A journey taken by diverse characters united against a common enemy. Examples include: Avatar, Paul, The Wizard of Oz, Jason and the Argonauts, Star Wars Episode 4, Back to the Future and Lord of the Rings,.
The main character is pushed into a situation by chance/fate and circumstances. There is no going back. The character goes in search of something and finds something else.
In Spellsinger, Clothahump has brought Jon Tom to a far off world. There is no going back. Jon Tom desperately wants to find a way home even after he discovers that he has a magical gift.
He joins Clothahump’s quest against the plated folk and along the way he develops strong feelings for the beautiful thief Talea.
The film has action, magic, rock music and gritty out there characters.
The mood is dark (We are talking about a threatened world and a race against time to repel an invasion) but the tone mostly is light and liberally laced with humour. Mudge the foul mouthed otter with the cockney accent contrasts with Jon Tom brilliantly. They play off each other. But they really bond as friends.
Spellsinger is not a film for really young children or even young teens. Am I a prude for saying that? People ask me is it worth risking a demographic, 14-17? it’s a vital demographic but my moral fibre questions it’s suitability.
And yet I remember seeing films like the Terminator at 14, Dirty Harry at 11 and the Shining and Game of Death (Same Bill LOVED Drive ins!!!) when I was 10. We watched Cheech and Chong at 14 and Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. I saw Porky’s Revenge at 13 and as an Aussie before I was 16 it was the height of Ozploitation Video and we saw Stone, The Man from Hong Kong, Turkey shoot, Mad Max, Mad Max 2 (Road Warrior). Clint Eastwood’s Tightrope was presented as a double feature for GHOSTBUSTERS that my parents dropped us off at. I guess that things have changed and the world has changed but by how much? Twilight the film loved by Tweenies covered demonic pregnancy and nobody batted an eyelid.
I have seen posts from friends who have seen young kids at The Hunger Games and questioned their parents judgement. Would there be a backlash and would it seriously effect the franchise.
While we do not want to attract the R Rating, how young an audience is appropriate?
There is a little weed in Spellsinger (Nothing on the scale of PAUL or Cheech and Chong) and yet Hunger Games has teenage genocide.
PG or not PG that is the Question…
We could easily tone the movie down to a PG rating through implying the psychedelic elements. (Like the Australian Media use story more than image for the news.)
For example when Saddam was hanged, in Australia we just needed to be told. In the UK the entire event was broadcast live. We are a sophisticated audience and using implication rather than use is a reasonable approach.
We also have a much improved rating system which has MA and MA15+ in between PG and R. This makes decision making a lot easier for our Classifications people and for parents to make a more informed decision.
Demographics
Age
15-17: These are the people we want to attract . We know that they make up the biggest attendance. We can nail it with hype and social media just like they have done recently with The Hunger Games and Project X. I know that 14 and 15 fit in this demographic but I am not sure about suitability for a 14 year old. I heard similar feedback about these kids seeing the Hunger Games.
18-24: This audience will love the genre and the action elements.
25-39 People like myself who have read the books since they were teenagers. There will be older patrons who were aged between Eighteen to Twenty-Five in 1985 who bought and read the books and passed their enthusiasm on to their children.
Niche Demographics
1. Hispanic Audience. As there is a strong and attractive female Hispanic Character in the first 2 films, it is reasonable to suggest that the picture could attract an interest from the emerging Hispanic demographic.
2. Fantasy film geeks that love quests and Comicon and probably still play Dungeons and Dragons. The people who saw PAUL.
3. Alan’s existing fans.
What do you think? Have we got it right? Is our approach sound?
You might recall the agency (no names) that I was dealing with last. A month ago this agency wanted a reference from someone they had worked with before. This has been supplied and yet nada. Not a thing from them. So after several unanswered e-mails I rang. This time the assistant sounded different. “I have passed your information on” DUH. I knew that from the last call. I asked for a realistic expectation as to when I might receive a reply. “I have done all I can” was the response. “I have done all I can?” I’m sorry assistant but this not a matter for you to decide. Why this individual could not put me on hold and ask the agent about my reference and its suitability is beyond my comprehension. Instead this individual has decided that my query can stagnate. I don’t understand it. This is the most bizarre approach to business I have seen and I have met an albino Ostrich Salesman who sold African Ostriches to New Zealanders. I am not passing judgement but it’s just out of the ordinary for me.
After this strange encounter and outcome I decided to follow Antony Robbins formula and change my approach. Lets see if that works. it might be unconventional but it might just work.
Here is the new look Lone Ranger and Tonto. I grew up with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels black and white repeats in Australia and had the Lone Ranger action figure and Silver in the early 1970’s. Although unlike Simon Pegg I did not find Tonto sexually attractive with his clothes off…
I own DVD episodes and my mother in law bought me a complete action figure just like the one I had when I was a kid. Mine is probably at the bottom of a sandpit in South Australia somewhere. ..
I cannot relate to a Lone Ranger that does not wear sky blue. Tim Burton kept the mask (which looks like a left over from Batman) and the white hat but made his outfit black. I just don’t get it. I feel angry. He has messed with a brand that I love. He has messed with my memory of that brand.
Bad guys wear black and why does he look so intensely depressed?
Tonto looks like The Crow meets Edward Scissor Hands on a horse. Tonto is not meant to be scary. Simon Pegg won’t fantasise about this Tonto. Marilyn Manson might…
Branding is important from the get go. Lone Ranger is more than a brand. It’s an icon. A tradition.
Imagine years from now when they do a Star Wars remake ( They will…) Chewbacca has Green Fur and Darth Vader is dressed in all white or pink or glowing yellow. Would the fans be just a little bit disillusioned? Their grandparents and great grand parents will have introduced them to the brand just like they were introduced to icons like Mickey Mouse and The Lone Ranger when they were kids.
Brand awareness is permanent. Once you make something that’s popular for the world to see and the world accepts it there is no going back. You can’t change the brand. Imagine purple Smurfs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Wombats, an audible Donald Duck, Micky Mouse with a low pitch voice, A green Spiderman, Homer Simpson thin and smart. A right handed Ned Flanders. It would not work.
What the producers of this remake are not paying attention to is the power of the brand and it’s nostalgic pull. Lone Ranger makes me think of my child hood, of security, of happy times. Mess with the branding and you mess with the association. When I heard it was being remade I was excited. I wanted to go to see the movie in a flash because it reminded me of that magical Christmas in 1976 when Lone Ranger entered my life under the Christmas Tree.
That’s a big part of the attraction, like Star Wars episode 4 in 3d when they get to it. I’ll be there, just like I was there for the anniversary in 1996 and the original as a kid all those years ago.
Last night we watched Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris just hoping that our restaurant might appear. To our surprise it did. We saw The Shakespeare Bookshop and there right next to it was a glimpse. The film went to a lot of places that we had been to over several visits and brought back strong and pleasant nostalgic memories. Midnight in Paris is just like Notting Hill to us because Notting Hill reminds us of 2 years of living in London and all the sights that appear, we have been to or walked past frequently.
Nostalgia is powerful.
So Hollywood remember that when you turn our dramas into comedies and our heroes into dark depressing caricatures, you are messing with the brand and when you mess with the brand, you mess with the fans.
It’s mid February already. It’s dark in the morning and summer is almost gone.
The blog went a bit quiet. But not from laziness. We are just snowed under. But we are and remain committed. I am that committed that I withdrew from a diploma course in animation that I was just accepted for so that I can focus on the project and at the job at hand.
Since the start of February (in fact since September) We have done nothing but work work and work and it’s paying off. Our goal this year is not massive. It’s definitely do-able and I have established a few in roads.
Over the last two weeks we had a few rejections from a few US Producers and a well known Aussie Producer but it’s not an issue and when you are in this game, rejection is a big part of your day. Believe me it’s not negative and if you can’t deal with a couple of thousand no’s then this business is not for you.
Besides, when it comes down to it, we are only interested in working with people who can see the potential in our project. If they don’t then it’s just a waste of time for everyone.
This week we moved it up a notch and have several groups of potential investors looking at material. The weeks ahead are very important.
Two weeks ago I asked Chris Wahl the amazingly talented illustrator to help us rebrand the image of Spellsinger. We researched influential guitarists from Slash to Jimmy Page, Hendrix, Keith Richards, Ritchie Sambora, and Van Halen.
We also looked at the Duar and the whole image of the series. Chris originally stuck faithfully to the book but the problem was that it never resonated with people. Thankfully Alan is not one of those authors that is precious. He has been very good to work with!
The new picture looks amazing.
We were so pleased that we nearly shared it with you tonight.
But we’re not. The first time that people will see the new picture will be at The Gold Coast Film Festival and Supernova. We will print off a couple of hundred and the first Gold Coaster that enters our Competition (see previous blog entries) will get a big signed poster!
Maybe we jumped off the mark too quickly. Social Networking does take up a lot of time and when you don’t have time or anything much to say about your project because you are just having meetings with people and are waiting for responses. I’ve found about 5 hours a week that I could put into other aspects of the project is being used for social networking. We are going to make a decision this weekend because maybe just maybe we are wasting time. Not just our time but the time of the people that we are trying to connect to. When We decided to share our journey a while back perhaps we were just too excited. Maybe we should leave it until we have a solid commitment and just stick with showing you preproduction stuff then production etc… When there is nothing to say why say it at all. Sometimes silence is better than thousands of words. Action is definitely better. What do you think?
Now that you know that there is going to be a Spellsinger film, we want you to know about our competition.
We want your support!!!
Could you use a spare $100?
All we want you to do is tell us why you like Spellsinger. It can be a single word, a sentence whatever you are comfortable with. It can be a voice recording , a video recording, using your phone, your webcam, whatever you want to use to get your message across . It could be you in your furry costume with a placard as a jpeg.
Pretty easy huh?
The winner with the most creative , daring, unusual or unique entry will win the grand prize of $100. We know it’s not much but that’s all we have at the moment. I’m sure we can throw in some cool stuff as well. You tell us what you want and if we can do it we will . We are meeting with Alan in April so an autographed copy of Spell singer might be a possibility. Or a T-shirt with one of our drawn by our artist Chris Wahl. These could make great runner up prizes.
All of the entries will get used to create awareness with the Fandom and fans of Spellsinger, so everything you give us is valued and won’t just sit in a drawer!
Alan Dean Foster told the world about Spellsinger being adapted into a movie at at Rainfurrest 2011, which had 1420 Attendees.
I had no idea what a Furry was.
Wikifur suggests that Furries “particularly enjoy media that includes fictional anthropomorphicanimal characters with human personalities and characteristics.”
Then I realized that as a fan of Spellsinger, Blacksad, Chewbacca, the Muppets and those cute little Ewoks I was a furry fan. I just had no idea that there were lots of groups of people around the world that felt the same way.
When I discovered that there are legions of people out there that are fans of anthromorphic characters I was stoked beyond belief.
Here is a niche fan base for Spellsinger. There are only three main human characters in SPELLSINGER and THE HOUR AT THE GATE. The majority of the characters are Anthromorphic!
A whole world of them.
And what a cool world it is. There are such a variety of Anthromorphic Animals from gibbons to otters to raccoons, beavers, Koalas, she wolves, ocelots, rats, possums, rabbits, bats turtles and I have not even got to the dragon yet!
With each book come more characters, a tiger warrioress, A rune casting Koala, A demonic Kangaroo and a wily cuscus!
Best of all, the characters all have unique personalities. They are interesting to read about and have been well researched by an Author who loves animals and their habitats.
When I ask for something and I don’t get what I need, I change my approach and keep changing until I get the desired outcome.
We really need the support of our fans to drive this project forward.
We have an opportunity in eight weeks time to show just how popular Spellsinger is to the world, when Alan Dean Foster and I do a presentation at The Gold Coast Film Festival.
Two Weeks ago I posted the following:
“This is a terrific opportunity for us to promote the film to potential fans and investors and it would be amazingly cool to have something from the legions of fans to show their support on the big screen, so we are asking you to send it a video starring yourselves or holding a placard in your furry suit saying what Spellsinger means to you and why . It can be a wav file, done on a mobile, anyway you can!!!
All we need to do is show people your support.
There will be a $100 AU prize for the best video sent to us!!!
Despite offering a prize there has not been a response. Not a cracker. Not one of the 500+ people out there following the FB Page and the Twitter account and the blog took action. Not a solitary fun loving furry in sight!
I have to ask myself: Why?
We must have done something completely wrong to not get one single response.
So we are going to ask you guys what you want?
How would you like us to connect with you and with others?
All replies and comments are gratefully appreciated.
Variants of the Muppets have been on Television since 1955 when Jim Henson created Sam and Friends.
The Muppets moved into guest stars on The Jimmy Dean Show, Saturday Night Live and The Johnny Carson Show, before Jim Henson got Lord Lew Grade to commit to THE MUPPET SHOW.
From 1976-1981, the Muppets ruled television and have been a part of my life since childhood.
Then came the movies. The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, Muppets take Manhattan. The world knew who the Muppets were.
Kids loved the Muppets.
Henson moved on. He had other worlds to make and other achievements to pursue.
Other than The Muppets celebration of 30 years (1986) The Muppet Family Christmas (1987) and The Muppets at Walt Disney World (1990) , a few video shorts and the Cartoon Muppet Babies (1984-1991).
That was all the world had to remember the franchise other than lots of repeats and videos.
After Jim Henson passed away, there was a revival of the franchise
A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Muppet Break Out (1993)
Muppet Classic Theatre (1994)
It’s not easy being green (1994)
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Muppets Tonight (1997-1998)
Muppets from Space (1999)
The Muppets were bought for $680m in 2000 by the German media company EM.TV
EM TV sold them back to Henson’s family for $89m in 2003.
These were produced during this time.
Kermit’s Swamp Years (2002)
It’s a very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
The Walt Disney Company bought The Muppets in 2004. Under Disney there has been:
The Muppets Wizard of Oz (2005)
Statler and Waldorf from the Balcony (2005)
A Muppets Christmas letters to Santa 2008
After four long years, The Muppets came back in a movie simply titled “The Muppets”.
At first I was a little skeptical. The storyline sounded a lot like “It’s a very Merry Muppet Christmas movie”, which I must say was terrible. It was worse than terrible it was without soul. It was a nasty little movie
But nevertheless I was curious. This time there have been viral campaigns being muppet videos like Bohemian rhapsody since 2009, which have been crazy and designed to create awareness to the adult audience, a reminder that the Muppets had not left the building and to attract the same crowd that they did on Sam and Friends all those years ago.
Here is a link to a very good article with some of the videos
When we went to the cinema yesterday, I saw giant muppets in vending machines and muppet movie deals with drink holders and Kermit keychain clips. All sold out. We kept the popcorn holder…
As the lights went down we saw that there were lots of children in the audience and secretly hoped that a new generation would be interested in the muppets.
The movie was perfect. It was very cleverly designed.
The Muppets are a faded old brand. They knew it and pointed this out a lot in the film visually (Dilapidated theatre, characters separated for years, dissention, and a chart from a TV network showing how off the chart they were in terms of relevance/pop culture)
However what separates this old brand from others is their message. The Muppets brand message is strong. Family, Hope, Togetherness, Friendship.
Then finally the Muppets were being Muppets and their unique craziness and violence reigned supreme from the Swedish Chef to Gonzo and Marvin and the Muppetones. There were many scenes paying homage to The Muppet Movie including Rainbow Connection and even Sweetums at the same used car lot!
There were lots of songs including a flock of Chickens singing Forget You (Cee Lo)
There was also star alignment from Whoopi Goldberg (A stalwart supporter) to Jack Black, Selena Gomez, Emily Blunt, Neil Patrick Harris , Judd Hirsch, David Grohl, and Rico Rodriguez.
Having Stars on the Muppets and brand association is a part of their original success
Kids loved it.
This movie was a lot stronger than anything the Muppets have done since Muppets from Space. It has brought the brand back into the public eye.
The reason that I have taken the time to write this is that we are facing a similar challenge with Spellsinger. And the Muppet case study gave us quite a valuable insight into rebranding and reconnecting with our audience.
We have been planning, having meetings and also results.
The first piece of good news is that we have managed to bring ALAN DEAN FOSTER to Australia to talk about SPELLSINGER with us an an audience at the Gold Coast film Festival! He shall also be appearing at Supernova which is on at the same time.
This is a terrific opportunity for us to promote the film to potential fans and investors and it would be amazingly cool to have something from the legions of fans to show their support on the big screen, so we are asking you to send it a video starring yourselves or holding a placard in your furry suit saying what Spellsinger means to you and why . It can be a wav file, done on a mobile, anyway you can!!!
All we need to do is show people your support.
There will be a $100 AU prize for the best video sent to us!!!
Please send your video to spellsingerthemovie@gmail.com
I’d like to bring the following article to your attention.
“According to French newspaper L’Express, burger chain Quick will promote the 3D release of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” by way of a commemoration fit for Jabba the Hutt: with character-themed, double-decker burgers.
The ad campaign, wielding the slogan “choisis ton côté de la Force” (choose your side of the force), will begin on January 31 and end on March 5.
Much like the Galactic Senate itself, Quick seeks to broker peaceful compromise by offering three galactic-themed sandwiches for Chewies everywhere: the Dark Burger, the Jedi Burger and the Dark Vador Burger (whose spelling was seemingly lost in translation).
For those drawn to the “quicker, easier, more seductive” lure of the Dark Side, the Dark Vador [sic] Burger sports a fittingly black-hued bun.
If the Jedi burger is your chosen one, the bun unfortunately lacks a Yoda-esque green dye job. And for those feeling more Sith-like, there’s the Dark Burger fashioned for Darth Maul – because nothing says evil like a sprinkling of poppy seeds.”
Seeing this new agreement between French fast Food company Quick and the Star Wars Franchise for the 3d release of return of the Jedi, I began to think about Fast food and Spellsinger movie. Who will we align with?
How far will we let the food kings take their creativity?
A Double Mudge Burger, Clothahump shake and a side of Pog fries?
That just doesn’t sound right.
A Free plastic cup with every order? (Collect all 12)
I know that it happens all the time and I know that there are food stores that are in the toy making business. I have also read about the misery of the factory workers in the third world that work tirelessly to churn out this stuff.
I know that brand alignment is big business and does help with spreading the success of your film but it is almost like selling your soul and then there is the environmental impact of such decisions.
25 minutes of fame and 24 ovals of plastic rubbish?
It just does not feel right to me.
You might think I’m crazy but this series is more important to me than anything and there are more opportunities out there for the true fans than fast food outlets
If we were going to align with a restaurant chain it would have to meet our branding and not be tacky. It would have to compliment the movie and provide a true experience for the fans to enjoy and remember and be more than plastic cups and gimmick food!
The first truly inspiring phrase that ever struck me in life came not from a politician, a famous figure of history or an athlete.
The words were uttered by a wise science fiction character called Yoda on Empire Strikes Back.
Do or do not. There is no try.
These words gave me confidence and have given me confidence my entire life.
So I’m not usually the nervous type. Granted there are people who get jittery at the drop of a hat before an interview or if they think they’re being followed or they worry and worry and become nervous wrecks about something they believe they cannot fix or achieve.
I have not worried like that since the last time I sat university entrance exams. And I only worried because I knew that I had misplaced my priorities and that now I was going to pay for my lack of foresight.
I barely improved my score from the previous attempt.
But I did get into university. I found a way. You see while my academic scores may not have been the highest; I had 2 things going in my favor.
I was determined to go to university and I would do anything I could to get there.
I was a fine actor and had starred in a lead role that year in the local Theatre circuit. You didn’t need a tertiary score for acting, you only needed ability.
So I auditioned.
I went to one local university and failed to impress.
I went all the way to Toowoomba and still failed to impress.
Then I found out about James Cook University. I rang and discovered that they had already been down to Brisbane that week. So I asked if I could send a video audition and they accepted my proposal.
I worked out my pieces, hired a camera and got a good friend to film me.
I got in.
I’m not sure whether it was based on my talent or my appearance (As I later discovered was the reason I got the lead role at the Theatre) or whether it was my passionate enthusiasm and drive. I would like to think it were all reasons.
Most importantly, in the end I achieved my goal. I did this through knowing exactly what I wanted, changing my approach and being determined.
These three skills coupled with my unbridled enthusiasm are really going to help us to get SPELLSINGER up.
Hope you all had a very Happy New Year and thanks for reading!
Gawd, my readers must be thinking. It sounds like a high school composition, like What I did on my Christmas Break. And it may do but it’s important for you guys to understand where my passion for SPELLSINGER came from. It’s not something that happened yesterday. And if you think I’m some suit in LaLa land that’s been pitched a book to make a movie then you’d better read on.
About 23 years ago I was in my local library in Ipswich Queensland and was starting to expand my reading horizons by looking at more adult fiction.
I had discovered Don Pendleton and his one man war against the Mafia Mack Bolan when I was about 14 but that was as far as I had gone.
My parents were into Wilbur Smith and James Clavell but I just couldn’t relate to them. Their writing did not resonate with me.
At 16, It took me 15 attempts to read Shogun. And to my developing adolescent mind ,God it was boring.
I’d tried reading Lord of the Rings but the language did not connect with me. I found it stifling but I liked the fantasy elements. I’m not a scholar and I don’t pretend to be. I like being entertained when I read. I much preferred Alice in Wonderland, The Phantom Tollbooth and The Narnia series by CS Lewis. I loved to escape into other worlds and completely immerse myself these fantasies.
From an early age I preferred non fiction accounts because I could relate more to real stories than the stories that adults tried to tell to each other.
I have had copies of The Great Escape and Colditz Castle since I was 10. After I read the Wooden horse my brother and I started to dig a tunnel under the house which was discovered by my father when he stood on the entrance and promptly sunk up to his navel. Mum reckons you could hear him screaming down the street. Poor bastard was a Vietnam vet and probably thought there were pungi sticks waiting at the bottom.
I digress.
Forward wind back to the library and I’m looking at the Adult Fiction section and I see a book called SPELLSINGER. I liked the title immediately and picked it up to have a look but the cover tells me nothing.
So I turn to the back and start reading.
Here’s this stoned Uni Student brought to this world that’s totally under threat from a strange alien source. I read quickly and as Jon Tom arrived at Clothahumps for the first time, I was hooked.
It was brilliant like a dark adult Alice in Wonderland without the old English and with quirky Characters that spoke right at you through the pages. I loved the vividness of the world and like my favourite children’s books it connected me with the fantasy immediately and I hadn’t even arrived at the Spellsinging!
It was the only book I borrowed that day. And by the end of the week I’d read it twice!
Now at the time I was 17 going on 18. I loved Rock Music and lived in what I feel was the best time for music since the 60’s. The 80’s! ACDC, Bon Jovi, The Choir Boys, Van Halen, Def Leopard, Iron Maiden Wasp, I liked all of them, much to the chagrin of my mates who could not believe that I liked The Cure as well.
The Spellsinging and Flor and Talea (Ie Girls and Rock and Roll)Really resonated. I liked both.
I was a huge fan of Minder (UK TV Series) and Mudge reminded me of Terry with a bit of Arthur mixed in. I loved the little fuzzball. His deviousness made me laugh. I have an Uncle that’s a bit like Mudge. He’s a stand up guy and always looking for a way to make a quid. When I was 9 we met my Uncle outside a topless bar where he gave a dog that I had for the next 25 years (Chihuahua’s live forever. They must have inspired the ever ready bunny)
The Spellsinging was another thing entirely. Thank You Alan. You introduced me to Jimi Hendrix. My folks were more into The Beatles, The Stones, Deep Purple, Cliff Richard and Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd. By the 80’s The Beach Boys had done Kokomo and I think that might have just come out because a lot of their classics were being played on the radio as well. Mind you like the Stones, The Beach Boys Music was also used in countless adds as well. So the music even though it was before my time, was universal. It was timeless in a way because it still stands up, even today. Have a look at The Beach Boys. They are reuniting (How peacefully I have no idea) after 50 years. I watched Mick Jagger dance and entertain for 2 hours and he’s over 60! Amazing man and better than a lot of people younger than him too.
The coolest thing was that Jon Tom made the music into magic. It was this spiritual connection with his music that I liked and the Gneechees and the fact that he had no idea what the results were going to be!
Action, Music, Strong Females, A Devious Otter, Magic and a Socialist Dragon in this amazing wonderlandscape. You cannot ask for more.
To my delight, The Hour at the Gate was like a roller coaster ride which I did not want to get off!
In a few short months I read all of the books at the time and followed Jon Tom and Mudge’s adventures with interest.
My favourite book in the entire series is The Day of the Dissonance. I love all of the Aussie Elements ACDC, The huge demonic Kangaroo, The Koala landlady. But I love the story and especially the irony of the Aspirin and Jon Tom surfing on Roseroar!
So there you have it. Now I have been reading this series every year sometimes twice a year for most of my life over the past 23 years and yet I find something new in it every time I read. The experience is awesome. I can’t think of another fictional book that has had this much effect on my life. Other than the non fictional account of The Great Escape which I devoted Four years of my life to to make a documentary, only to be pipped at the post, SPELLSINGER is the only fictional work that I am truly passionate about.
That’s why I like SPELLSINGER.
Now tell me, what is it about SPELLSINGER that you really like?
Yesterday was amazing. I woke up and started working at 6:30am. The first thing I did was check the blog because this is the first time that I have blogged twice in a day. I was surprised to see that the counter was crawling towards our best visiting day which was 3 months ago. We were 16 people off that record and something in me said “We can beat this!” And for three hours I hit facebook and twitter. We climbed and climbed and so many people read our blog that in an hour we had passed our record and by the third hour had more than doubled it. We really tripled it but the stats carried into another timezone for some reason and cut us off! It didn’t matter. We were stoked beyond belief.
Because we connected.
Yesterday was a record for tweets and retweets and twitter traffics.
Twitter blitzed Facebook by a country mile. But how can this be? Sure ,We have 400 people connecting with us on Twitter and only 152 on Facebook and yet in the past Tweeting had really minimal results.
But somehow we connected and when I saw one person retweet to over 200 friends I realised that it’s people like this that love SPELLSINGER enough to hit a button to recommend it to their friends that are truly the people that we want to connect with and create an experience for.
As most of you know this blog and our Twitter account and Facebook page is our way of starting to spread the word about SPELLSINGER and more importantly to prove to the people that we are pitching to and the Studios that SPELLSINGER still has social relevance and interest. With your help we are going to prove this beyond a doubt!
We are going to do everything that we can to connect with the people that truly matter to us. The Fans. So the first thing that we are doing is getting you guys involved. Now what you need to understand is that we are offering an opportunity THAT NEVER EVER HAPPENS. Nobody gets fans involved this early. It is not done.
The approach that is usually taken is insulated and films created from books are then forced upon the fan to accept.
The most popular and successful book series in history have had a lot of creative license. Plots added, scenes dumped and changed and it leaves the true fan, the people that read the book left angry. Yes they have paid to see it and I suppose that their patronage is the aim of the studios but at what cost to the brand? I have seen fans smoulder in anger, cry in anguish and howl in frustration. They have been made to accept a product fashioned by hollywood to their own purposes and it’s not a good experience. It’s not our aim at all.
Our approach with SPELLSINGER must be different. And it must be different from the outset.
We have been told that there is no current commercial interest. It’s a poor comment considering the interest in older books in Hollywood.
Spellsinger might have been last printed in 1994 and even though it was recently re released electronically with much success, the feedback has not credited the electronic release nor has taken it into account.
We know that this is not the case. There is current commercial interest.
We know that there are thousands of fans out there and that these people share our passion.
So our goal is to connect. Truly connect with our Audience and create an experience from the outset.
We will do Whatever it takes to connect with our audience. And we need to take massive action.
What are your thoughts reader?
What can we do today to get out there and connect with our fans and show the studios that this awesome fantasy has a lot more life in it that they could possibly imagine.
We have decided to improve the whole experience of the FB presence while we are looking for support to get the movie made. So we are starting a Make The Spellsinger Movie Campaign. We ask all of our true fans, the people who have connected with SPELLSINGER, remember the story well, know all of the characters and want it on the screen more badly than I wanted C3PO from Santa when I was Eight! We want these true diehard fans to connect with us by posting videos of themselves on our page and telling us WHY SPELLSINGER SHOULD BE MADE INTO A MOVIE!
We fully intend to use these interactions to promote our film in every way that we can, to show people that SPELLSINGER has what it takes to be a hugely successful franchise.
It starts with you. We have made our commitment and now we need one from you.
Spellsinger has all of the qualities that encapsulates the Rolling Stone Magazine EXPERIENCE
It’s Adventurous. The world, the fighting, the performances, the magic and of course riding down the river on a Dragons back!
Jon Tom, Flor and Talea are Hip and have real attitude and personality.
There are elements that irreverent
All of the fantasy elements are Funky and so is the magic of Spellsinging. I mean the first song is Purple Haze. How much funkier can it get? This film is a real fantasy performance experience, not just another blase quest that have been done to death. What makes it tick is the spiritual connection between reverent popular culture and magic. Music is magic as we know it. Performance by nature can be magical but creating magic from music? THAT’S COOL.
This man’s connection with his music and he ain’t no Hendrix to begin with, is all that stands between this world being taken over by an evil with a secret weapon from Earth.
So we are moving forward by incorporating all of these thoughts into our branding from today. We are creating an experience that will reconnect people with this amazing story that held our fascination and will continue to.
Have you ever felt like you were really close to nailing a presentation only to have it blown out of the water by an experienced Hollywood executive?
This happened to us this week when we presented our SPELLSINGER pitch to a very prominent executive in LA who has been around for years.
Thankfully we saw this person before we went anywhere else.
The executive was scathing and attacked everything from the pitch to the illustrations and the whole concept. Nothing was spared. Not one good thing was said about months and months of hard work,done by a heap of people.
At first I was really angry. I felt that they just didn’t even care about the project. It was like fronting up to a talent show unprepared with a terrible act and getting gonged. And a score of minus one as an afterthought.
But then I realised that there might be some truth to what had been said. After all, this person had experience and they have had their own fair share of rejection. Was I being precious? Of course I was.
This experience was an amazing wake up call for us. We decided to go back to the root of Spellsinger and what it was that really attracted us to the franchise from the moment that I read it. I looked beyond the cool story and the unlikely group and the elements that the executive called cliché and daggy.
Then I found the music and it dawned on me that.
Spellsinger is MORE than just another fantasy adventure. It’s a roving Rock and Roll concert. The music of this creature is it’s life blood. Its Soul. Music is what makes it work, so it must be embraced, grabbed, nurtured and adored. It’s a spiritual baby. Music makes SPELLSINGER a performance.
The music, the spellsinging is what captured my imagination, the ability to create magic through music. Through performance. Think about all the incredible guitar performances from the likes of Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Van Halen, Angus Young, Kurt Cobain and of course Hendrix and how their souls connected to us through the music. Add magic to the equation and that’s what really makes it for me.
“It’s as if his brain knew which of the words that catalysed the strange elements…”
So folks we are on our way back from the drawing board. We have started with the Duar and have done some basic designs that make it look like the mother of all guitars, a living instrument which is what sets it apart from the rest of the guitar family!
I would like to thank everyone for their unbridled enthusiasm!!! In the 3 weeks that we have had the Face book page we have over 100 followers and 350 on twitter. Our blog has had numerous hits.
This is a great achievement for a film which has not even reached preproduction.
I have received a number of comments regarding updates and I will say that when we have news, our supporters will be the first to know, through all three media.
If there is something that you would like to know or see , mae a comment and we will do our best.
Right now we need your help to continue to build awareness.
If you could share the page with your friends on your facebook profiles or twitter that would be awesome.
Undoubtedly we would like to reward support and will do so when we can make promises that we feel can be met.
If anyone has any ideas about what they would like as a prize (please not too crazy!!!) feel free to make a comment.
I realise that there are a few of you who have never read the SPELLSINGER series before and so I ‘d like to give you a concise rundown on the series and a longer synopsis on the first book so that you get a complete picture of what to expect.
SPELLSINGER is my favourite fantasy book series. The reason that I like the series is because it has resonated for me for the last 23 years. In other words it doesn’t get old, it stays fresh and I get something new everytime I read it and I read it religiously every year.
There are eight books in the series. The first two books SPELLSINGER and the HOUR OF THE GATE are a two part adventure, originally written to be one book.
The movie that we are making is based on the first book .
Short Sentence
If Rolling Stone Magazine made a fantasy movie this would be it!
Long Sentence
Can an amateur musician connect with the magic in his music before it’s too late?
Short Synopsis
Jonathon Thomas Meriweather is a University student and amateur musician from LA. He is magically summoned to another world in error and discovers that he is a Spellsinger, a musician who is able to use the power of music to conjure magic with unpredictable results. He must harness this new ability if he is going to save the world from destruction and chaos.
Here is the long synopsis:
The feared Plated Folk, armed with an technology from the US military decimate a warmlander town and kill all of the inhabitants in a feast of gore.
The presence of their newfound technology has not gone unnoticed. Clothahump, an elderly wizard has been troubled by it for some time and tries to summon an engineer from Earth to help them.
One minute Jonathon Thomas Meriweather is smoking a joint in his dorm room and the next he is lying in the Bellwoods and accidentally trips Mudge a five foot fully clothed otter who is hunting a lizard with a bow and arrow.
Mudge is unimpressed at losing his dinner and Jon Tom’s weird behaviour and stabs Jon Tom who thinks he is dreaming on a high from the pot.
When he realises he is not dreaming and is shocked by the gaping wound, he implores Mudge for help before collapsing.
When he awakes he discovers that Mudge has patched him up. Jon Tom accepts that he is in another place. Mudge knows Jon Tom has been “majiked” there and he knows it is Clothahump’s doing.
Mudge takes Jon Tom to Clothahump. They are met by POG, a giant bat. POG is Clothahumps famulus. Clothahump fixes Jon Tom’s wounds. He tells Jon Tom about the world being in danger and how he tried to call up an engineer.
Jon Tom is a sanitation engineer. This greatly disappoints Clothahump. Jon Tom wants to go home and Clothahump tells him that it could take several months. He gives Jon Tom some silver coins and makes the reluctant Mudge his guardian.
Mudge takes Jon Tom to Lynchbany Towne where he is fitted with new clothes and a weapon, a staff with a spring-loaded blade. Mudge takes Jon Tom to the Pearl Possum club for a meal and entertainment, being an erotic dancing Ermine. Mudge asks Jon Tom what he could do to make a living and Jon Tom suggests busking. His singing however incites a full-scale riot.
Talea, a beautiful but firey human thief, aids Mudge and Jon Tom. She enlists them to help her out of a jam, namely a mugging that went violent.
After helping Talea, the three flee Lynchbany to the safety of the nearest Thieves Guild.
His new friends desert him and Jon Tom finds himself playing in a game of chance.
Trouble looms when he wins a sexual favour from a she-wolf and he declines. This creates an uneasy situation, much to his friend’s annoyance and the three leave the safety of the Thieves Guild. When they leave they discover that their wagon has been stolen. They decide to walk back to Clothahump’s.
On their journey back to Clothahump’s tree, Jon Tom finds a Duar, which is like a guitar. Jon Tom plays around with the Duar and sings. Talea asks Jon Tom if he is a Spellsinger. After tuning the instrument Jon Tom sings the classic Jimmy Hendrix song Purple Haze. Then Talea shakes him. Mudge is now convinced that his new friend is a Spellsinger. Jon Tom sees the last vestiges of a powerful luminescence slowly fading from the edges of the instrument, slower still from the lambent metal strings.
Inspired by his last rendition, Jon Tom sings for transportation. He chooses Little Deuce Coupe and 409 by The Beach Boys. The duar begins to vibrate and glow mightily. This time the luminescence spreads from the strings to encompass the whole instrument. Instead of a vehicle from his own world he conjures up a L’borean riding snake. His friends are suitably impressed.
Despite his new powers, Jon Tom is reluctant to stay and asks Clothahump to help him depart for home. Clothahump and Jon Tom do a ritual to replace him, with Jon Tom singing California Dreaming but instead of leaving Jon Tom stays.
He recognises the woman that he has conjured up to replace him. Flores Quintera, a beautiful athletic Hispanic student from his University. Unlike Jon Tom, Flor is excited to be there. This is what she has always dreamed about.
Clothahump tells all of them about the impending danger from the Plated Folk. Jon Tom and Flor volunteer to come with Clothahump to warn the biggest city in the land, Polastrindu and make their way up the River Tailaroam to enlist their support. Mudge and Talea are sceptical but join them when they are informed that they will be rewarded.
On the way to the river Clothahump stops at a mystical place and summons a powerful spirit, M’nemaxa who appears in the form of a fiery winged horse. M’nemaxa cannot tell him anything. He leaves them with the terrifying vision of a towering ten-foot preying mantis talking to someone out of view. It turns and sees them. A huge vibrating shriek filled the glade. It is the Empress Skrritch, the queen of the plated folk. Their nemesis.
The party travel to the River Tailaroam and find a place to flag down a vessel bound for Polastrindu. They are joined by Caz, a tall foppish rabbit who immediately has eyes for Flor.
Impatient with their lack of progress, Clothahump wants to conjure transport for them but does not have the spell with him. Jon Tom volunteers and attracts the attention of Falameezar-Aziz-Sulmonee, a powerful fire breathing socialist dragon. Jon Tom saves the group and Falameezar offers to take them to Polastrindu.
When they arrive at Polastrindu they are met with a corrupt captain of the gate and get nowhere until Jon Tom calls Falameezar. Safely in the city, the party is kept in a barracks and decide to break out and explore. Clothahump is left with Falameezar while the others go out.
A sect of Humans, who have signed a pact with the plated folk, kidnaps Jon Tom. They want him to join them. A plated folk disguised as a human is with them. Jon Tom’s friends rescue him before the humans can murder him.
When they arrive back at the barracks, Falameezar has learnt that Jon Tom has deceived him and is wreaking havoc on the city. In a powerful climax Jon Tom confronts Falameezar.
Well I hope that this post gives you a reasonable idea about the SPELLSINGER movie that we want to make.
If you would like to read the book, here is a link to the official download in the USA!
Today at Rainfurrest 2011 in Seattle, Alan Dean Foster gave Spellsinger fans the news that they have been eagerly awaiting for. Spellsinger has been optioned to be made into a movie. By us! He eagerly reports that there was great enthusiasm from the fans that were present. Then he shared with them these beautiful concept drawings by ever talented Chris Wahl, for Mudge and Clothahump. Stay tuned for more images and news!
My partner Bec and I have started a film production company called Vincero Productions.
Vincero means “I will win” and is an apt name for the task ahead of us because you see, we have recently optioned the rights to produce SPELLSINGER by the prolific Author Alan Dean Foster.
SPELLSINGER is my favourite fantasy series and has been since I was a teenager.
In a nutshell this is what SPELLSINGER is about:
Short Sentence
If Rolling Stone Magazine made a fantasy movie, this would be it!
Long Sentence
Can an amateur musician connect with the magic in his music before it’s too late?
Short Synopsis
Jonathon Thomas Meriweather is a University student and amateur musician from LA. He is magically summoned to another world in error and discovers that he is a Spellsinger, a musician who is able to use the power of music to conjure magic with unpredictable results. He must harness this new ability if he is going to save the world from destruction and chaos.
SPELLSINGER is my favourite fantasy series of all time. I discovered it by accident in the local library in the late 80’s and have read it every year religiously for most of my adult life. It has a timeless quality and universal appeal about it that I and many others find hugely entertaining.
To be given the opportunity to turn this brilliant book into a film is just mind blowing to me but not as mind blowing as being given the opportunity to able to work closely with my favourite author and my mentor to make this film a reality.
The purpose of this blog is to create widespread awareness that we are going to be producing this awesome film and keep the true fans up to date every step of the way.
Today I experienced my first taste of dealing with US agents from a producers viewpoint. To say it’s not easy is an understatement.
The day was a roller coaster as it was; and it was almost like a Hollywood screenplay with highs and lows.
It started when I received an e-mail from a powerful financier who decided that their company slate was full but at least gave me the option to re approach when we have a screenplay. That’s fine by me. Early development funding for SPELLSINGER was always going to be the challenge and traditionally the small money is the hardest to come by.
Besides this company was only one possible piece of my puzzle but I have lots of other options.
We know that we have to get ahead and the only way to do that is to start packaging the project even to make it attractive for the early investors.
Now I have heard so much about “Packaging” and read so much about it. The idea is to get a director involved and piece it together from there. We want the director involved from the get go. I have read about Pay or Play and scoured the internet looking at all sorts of stories and ideas and ways to go about development. I have a library of books that all have very different ideas. This is not rocket science.
All roads led to the directors agency.
If the director liked it we might get the agency to package it.
I asked a few rather prominent producers if they would go to an agency before money or distribution was attached. “Sure” they said. This was a relief. A little bit of homework is always a good way to prepare beforehand.
Sweet.
Time to make the call.
I was immediately directed to a very friendly assistant.
Everything seemed to be going well until I learned something.
Unfortunately the agency had a policy that loomed up like an iceberg.
Unless I had a track record with dealing with them, they would not deal with me. I had to know someone who had that record and they had to refer me personally.
AAARRRRGGHHH!
But I completely understand why they have such a policy rather than look at the merit of the story.
After all they have a right to protect their clients. It’s not just a chicken and an egg scenario. it’s about protecting clients from an army of time wasters. Time is so important in this game it’s like gold. It’s valuable.
I was just caught off guard. I knew about unsolicited scripts.
It’s the same principle. So I played it cool and ended the call on a very positive note.
I was glad that we were not alone. If I had no leads or contacts I would be in a worse position.
I would be in no position.
But I have a good lead who is not just entertainment royalty in Australia but a consultant on the film.
I e-mailed my consultant and the response was immediate. If the consultant dealt me a hand in poker it would be 5 aces. BAM!!
So I called back and the assistant was even more receptive but asked if my consultant could call personally.
I told the assistant that my consultant (Who is doing everything with the flu) could not call today but I had a rather lengthy e-mail from them.
The assistant asked if forward the e-mail.
When I sent the e-mail I felt great. It’s like making it to another level of a video game!!!
Looking forward to that follow up call on Monday!!!
I learnt a few valuable things. It’s an exhilarating experience. Highs and lows. But determination and changing your approach must be a part of the plan when facing what are seemingly insurmountable obstacles!
spellsingerthemovie 