I am still groggy as hell

Last Updated on Tuesday, 9 September 2008 02:34 Written by Martin Tuesday, 9 September 2008 02:34

It’s nearly a week since I went in for the operation (nasal polypectomy Simon, not a vasectomy you cheeky ****) and I am still not feeling great. I guess a general anaesthetic just knocks the stuffing out of me, as well as the blood loss.

I have spent my time mainly sleeping but as I have mentioned before, catching up on some old and unwatched DVDs. I have an “Alien” boxset from, I think, 2003 which has new special editions of all four of the films as well as behind the scenes interviews with most of the cast and crew and all of the directors. Well almost all of the directors…

David Fincher (Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac) directed Alien 3 but does not appear in any of the behind the scenes material. Does anyone know why? I can see from the interviews that a hard time was had by all but especially Mr Fincher. He came in as a second choice director at a time when there was no completed final script still as Fox (20th Century) did not like where the first director and his script were going. But I would love to hear his viewpoint on the whole affair too. If anyone knows where I can find an interview with him about it I woud be most grateful!

It is interesting to see how all of the films tie together in their make up though. All were made by Fox but all directed by completely different directors. However, a lot of the “back room” staff actually remain constant, or at least overlap. Especially on the production side and some of the model making teams, and randomly the chief make up supervisor.

Is funny seeing the american guys struggling to work in the “english” conditions at Pinewood studios. With it being “so cold” and such “terrible weather conditions” to work in. But I find the funniest how James Cameron (Aliens (ie Alien 2)) was not happy at all with the english tradition of a tea break in the morning and another in the afternoon. This involved a tea lady walking on set for 15 minutes at a time and all the (english) crew stopping what they were doing to make sure they got what they wanted before she had left.

Was also interesting to note that Ridley Scott commented how, after “Alien” and subsequently “Bladerunner”, he will not make another science fiction film as he feels he has defined what these are now and cannot surpass his own work. Conversely he did also say that this was a good thing, as it would have to be a great story to make him want to do it now. Maybe I should put my story under his nose when it is completed, anyone have his contact details?

I’m off to watch “Alien: Resurrection” (Alien 4) now, catch you later…

ps I have a second interview tomorrow afternoon, have I mentioned that yet?

Meeting with Illustrator

Last Updated on Wednesday, 7 July 2010 02:52 Written by Martin Tuesday, 26 August 2008 02:58

Had a meeting last night with an illustrator friend of mine regarding a graphic novel project that I am working on. Unfortunately he will not be able to help me as his style is not suitable for the story I am wanting to tell, or how I am wanting to tell it He suggested, with my background, that I should have a go at doing the illustrations myself, which I may well do now.

Although disappointed that he will not be able to help me on the illustrating side of the project, I came out of the meeting feeling VERY positive and wanting to discuss this with more people now. I cannot do this until I have something concrete down on paper rather than try to explain the myriad of ideas that are threatening to explode out of my brain and through my ears to totally ruin my shiny MacBook…

So, over the next few days I plan to write a background story for the mythology I am trying to create, with hopefully something concrete by this weekend!

Then next week (Wednesday) I go into hospital for an operation, nothing too serious, but it is the third time I have had the same surgery now. It is only an overnight stay, but the last time I had this they kept me in another night becasue I bled so badly afterwards. This time I hope that it will not be so bad…and hopefully less messy

After this operation I will be out of action for about two weeks, laid up in bed for most of it, plenty of time for me to do some writing I hear you cry…well, we shall see.

I have stopped my blogster blog now too, all blogs from now on will be wordpress, including any Dark Star blogs…so watch this space…

…the Dark Star is coming