I'm rather chuffed to announce that I had the great opportunity of writing for Urban Times on Earth 2 Hub's continuing development and exciting new work.
The article is here - and I must say, it was a pleasure and super easy to get the post written via Urban Times platform. While writing, you even get the chance to pick out 'pull out quotes', like so:
I know this might seem really unexciting but my serotonin levels spiked when I realised I could do it, that I had that kind of control. So there. And Urban Times gets major kudos for being super accessible and inclusive. I look forward to penning more stuff for them. I encourage writers to check it out, there's all manner of cool content on there.
Anyway, it was a good to get back to catching up with all things E2Hub, especially they are setting up some fab partnerships and working with the likes of Jason Silva and Dr. Rachel Armstrong, who is part of the team leading on 'Project Persephone' which is about designing a 'living' world-ship. Officially: Project Persephone is charged with the design and implementation of a giant natural computer that will form the ‘living’ interior to the Icarus Interstellar worldship, which constitutes a kind of ‘space’ Nature.' Oh my, how cool is that? Something reminiscent of a sci-fi film fo'sho! And of course, with names like Icarus and Persephone, I'm already loving it. Though I get the reference to Icarus, I'm intrigued by the selection of Persephone.
Anyhow, do feel free to check out the post, like and share if you feel so compelled, merci!
Hello reader, I hope you don't mind me mentioning this but I've recently got involved with an amazing group of people - namely the team at Earth 2 Hub which is all about giving a platform to new/futurist science and tech, which explores ways to bring nature and humanity back into harmony.
They've just launched a Kickstarter campaign for the development of their new app, which looks amazing. I helped to do some of the filming for the video and am really looking forward to seeing how the campaign comes along. If it takes your fancy, or you're interested, please do check it out here.
There are some really awesome rewards in it for backers, and having backed a few Kickstarter campaigns already, I can honestly say the rewards really work here in terms of giving back in kind. While campaigns offer up 'thank you, you're amazing, you get a digital copy of xx', (which I'm not knocking by the way, each to their own capabilities), as a backer, we kind of want cool, worthy stuff in return and this campaign won't disappoint. Major kudos always goes to Frank and Melissa, the co-founders behind E2Hub and Mark Raimondeau who never ceases to amaze with all the visuals and graphics around E2Hub.
Ok, so on a less 'selfish' note:
At the moment, Earth 2 Hub are generating some amazing content but the whole platform - and the entire vision of bringing earth and humanity together through sustainable means - is produced entirely voluntarily. I've had the pleasure of writing for them and attending some exciting, futurist events. What's more, they embrace new tech entirely and I think it's such an amazing space to be in. It would be great to back such thoughtful and inspiring ventures - and yes, I essentially write all this because the whole concept behind it all is very dear to me.
Also the APP looks like it's going to be a real corker - while the details won't be finalised or known yet as it's yet to be developed, you can definitely see that it's being thoroughly thought out. (You only have to visit the E2Hub website to see how good it looks and how much it's followed). As an Android phone owner myself, E2Hub can surpass the initial funding so we mere mortals that do not own an iPhone can enjoy it. But for now, it'll be great for the target goal to be reached! Lastly, there's hardly any futurist apps out there, so it will be cool to get behind something so unique and pioneering and that will fill the gap.
I was most graciously invited to the opening night of Sci-Fi London 2013 by Frank of E2Hub fame to see Byzantium. I'd been holed up for the last few weeks making sure I was writing everyday after work, so I guess I didn't mind breaking the routine. So I dragged myself out to remedy my deprived social quota (like when you play The Sims and your sim's social meter is in the red?)
I have good hair* and also I'm having fun...right?
(*colour tones may differ from actual hair colour)
Obligatory Storm Troopers at a Sci-Fi event
So, about the movie: Byzantium. It's brought to us by the director of 'Interview with a Vampire' which I can't really remember, other than realising that little girl in there was Kristen Dunst. Byzantium benefits from having a strong cast, (if you disregard how utterly ridiculous our Gemma Arterton was in Prince of Persia) but alas, the union of good director and cast does not a strong film make.
Obligatory Red Riding Hood hood needed to denote alternative gothicness
Courtesy of http://theartsyfilmblog.com/
You are now entering the domain of *SPOILER ALERTS* Sam
WINNINGS:
1. I appreciate that it was a completely different take on the vampire story and mythos and it focused on a mother-daughter dynamic. So, it's not what you expect at all, which is so refreshing because let's face it, vamp stuff is so overdone right now; we're continually force-fed blackened and charred fodder and forced to nod our heads. (Also, it wasn't what I would call your typical sci-fi - if it hadn't been screened at the Sci-Fi London, I wouldn't have tagged it sci-fi. But then the genre is hard to pin, sort of gothic-esque? - good or no? Not sure...)
2. The opening chase scene was pretty riveting - this wasn't Daniel Craig leaping about doing parkour shit or whatever but a prozzie running through buildings, in her trainers! +10 points.
3. The cast - everyone played their parts very solidly.
4. Pretty scenery and sets - I know I should elaborate here also but yeh...
FAILS:
1. It was tres slow and lacked any real sense of pacing. It was as if the movie was a dying a slow death after that one chase scene. There were too many lingering shots of Saoirse Ronan - she's got that interessant face but please, there's only so much of her vacant stares you can handle.
2. Confusing jumps between times - this essentially just makes you realise it's a movie about unveiling the origin of our MCs' predicament, slowly and achingly drip fed. It did relay the sense of elongated time as vampires who now live 'forever' - unless someone machetes your head off with a Byzantium blade - or wire/floss?
3. Over cooked moments - the blood waterfalls for example and the 'telling' of how becoming a vamp gives you a new vision through new eyes but not really showing that? I think the filmmakers thought mystery and prolonged anticipation (and heavy handed voice over) makes up for lack of clear story and motivations of characters.
4. General plot or character choices... leading to:
What the hay..?! moment:
Why, if you were a prozzie all your 'mortal' life til the point of near death, would you choose to remain in said profession after being given the gift of eternal life? Really, truly, there has to be a better way.
Why I'll never get vamp flicks:
When are people, sorry badly written characters going to GET over themselves? The end, in which lanky dying boy is taken to Isla de Muerta (I've named it that because so many questions are just gleaned over in the movie) to become a 'sucrient' - why does everyone relinquish humanity?!! You're going to need to drink blood - one drink, one drink - for the rest of endless time. Reconsider my friend, reconsider. (sure I get it's like drinking water after an insane thirst but still...after 100 years, it'll get old...) Also, think about your parents!
And why don't modern vampires just raid some blood banks? Or do they need it warm, 'fresh'? They can warm it up themselves, non? Have mulled blood? *shudder* Just got an image of a flamboyant vamp swirling a wine glass filled with blood, sniffing it. "Vintage blood from the Bordeaux region? Excellent."Or perhaps to break from the mundanity of how he consumes his 'aqua vitae', he makes a blood sorbet?
VERDICT: 5/10
Lesson to be learned: Don't go out to fill up your social quota, chose writing every time :P
