Heavy Metal - Kevin Eastman talks about it's progress

Heavy Metal is a new version of the old animated sci-fi anthology based around the cool comic book anthology. Anthology used twice in one sentence. That could be a record.

Movieweb caught up with Kevin Eastman (he of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) who is producing the film with David Fincher and Tim Miller.

Here is what he had to say about it's progress:

Right now, David has a grand plan and he's asked us to sort of keep those cards close to our chest until the right announcement comes out, but what I can tell you is that part of the frustrating part of going through the studio system, which David knows more than Tim (Miller) and I. Guys like Zack Snyder and Gore Verbinski and Mark Osborne have committed to come on board and direct sequences in this. There are three other directors, that I can't tell you yet, but will be jaw-dropping when we can tell you. David has put together a program that is pretty outstanding and it's sort of fascinating for guys like Tim and I, who have worked at the studio level, at a number of levels, but never at a David Fincher level. Whereas we would've probably agreed to the deal seven versions ago, David is still negotiating and it's like, 'Oh my God, we just want to do this movie,' but, all kidding aside, that's why we're working with David. Not only does he have just a brilliant vision, and a great sense of storytelling but he's very committed to doing this right. We don't want to spend $50 million and not blow everybody out of the water with this project. I'd guess within the next 30 days would be the official announcement of what's going on and where it's going, and then we can talk again.

I am itching to hear more about the directors and animators involved in this film.

Neal Asher is one of the writers and you can read more about his involvement in my interview with him.

Are you looking forward to the Heavy Metal film? What do you want to see in it?

Leave a comment on this post below.

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The Goon - First look at the animated feature

Here is the first look at the animated version of The Goon. Eric Powell's excellent comic book brought to CG 3D life by Blur Studios (they are also working on some of the Heavy Metal film - you can check out their Rockfish short in my interview with Neal Asher). AICN had the exclusive.

David Fincher is directing The Goon film along with some of the Heavy Metal anthology film.
I personally love The Goon comic and think this picture of the Goon and Frankie looks brilliant. They look just like the comic book and I love the dead zombie on the right. All in all it is shaping up to be a great looking film.

Very exciting stuff.

Leave a comment on this post below.

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Orbus - Neal Asher's next book. Someone make them into films

Hollywood need to make Neal Asher's books into films. This is the blurb for his next book, Orbus.

Now in charge of an cargo spaceship, the Old Captain Orbus, flees a violent and sadistic past, but he doesn’t know that the lethal war drone, Sniper, is a stowaway, and that past is rapidly catching up with him. His old enemy, the Prador Vrell, mutated by the Spatterjay virus into something powerful and dangerous, has seized control of a Prador dreadnought, slaughting its entire crew, and now seeks to exact vengeance on those who tried to have him killed.

Their courses inexorably converge in the Graveyard, the border realm lying between the Polity and the Prador Kingdom, a place filled with the ruins left by past genocides and interplanetary war. Secure in that same place the Golgoloth, a monster to a race of monsters, is recruited by the terrifying King of the Prador into the long cold war between his kind and the humans. It is imperative that Vrell be hunted down and killed, for what he knows and what he might become.

Meanwhile, something that has annihilated civilizations is stirring from a slumber of five million years, and the cold war is heating up, fast.

Even if you've never read one of his books you know that sounds cool.

Check out Neal's blog, The Skinner and my interview with him.

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Exclusive Interview: Kenny Carpenter - Salvaging Outer Space

I posted the trailer for Salvaging Outer Space a while back. The comments posted for it where both positive and negative. I was intrigued by the thing.

Then I got an email from the Kenny Carpenter, the filmmaker behind Salvaging Outer Space. He provided me with lots of information about the making of the film and was also happy to do an interview for the site.

I think it gives some idea as to what goes into making an independent film. Hopefully this will inspire some budding filmmakers out there to go out there and make that film they always wanted to make.

Have a read about the making of the film followed by my interview with Kenny Carpenter, then whack your thoughts in the comments section. If you have seen the film then let people know about it. Now over to Kenny:

With a sci-fi feel like "Startrek The Motion Picture", "A Scanner Darkly", & "Serenity", this stylish feature film combines live acting & anime to deliver a comic-style universe.

It's a film that's unrated, yet very family friendly!

While Captain Laruge (Kevin G. Cooper) & his crew are in search of a valuable salvage in deep space, armed ships appear out of nowhere & attempt to destroy them. Proper teamwork means success or death. However, in space.......trust is a rare find!

http://www.salvagingouterspace.com/

This is an independent feature that cost less than $20,000 US to produce, but was all that we had and treated it like a million, considering most Hollywood flicks cost 100M+ to make these days. It was done using HD cameras and live acting via greenscreen and almost all the cast were shot separately, eliminating scheduling issues and any cast switches. This is why greenscreen is awesome to use in filming independent features where no unions are involved to protect all parties involved during principal!

CGI was used for backgrounds and blended with live acting into pseudo cartoon using rotoscope type software, which we had to wait a year to catch up with our editing system's compatibility. All dialogue was captured like interviews, using consistent clip-on mics. While one documentary filmmaker was getting genius praise in magazines for using Cineform's Intermediate codecs to efficiently edit High Definition on PC's, we were already doing the same on an effects heavy scale in 1080 resolution. It was the only way at the time to keep resolution pure without noticeable video compression.

Storywise, when I wrote the movie, I wanted to fill a gap in Sci-Fi that was lost. That 70's into 80's space flick feel went out with all these space marine and horror/scifi one-offs. Many Startrek/Star Wars fanmade films were made, but let's face it...they are simply that! Salvaging Outer Space is original as I could get it, with exception to there being a ship in outer space with a captain and crew, albeit.....very small ship...the size of a large yacht, which it kind of looks like. It begged to be a pieced together look.

I wanted paranoia, mutiny, tragedy, love, friendship, greed, dark comedic humour, long-winded tech talk, advanced technology that could exist in the future even when watching the movie a few years from now, a darker time in a semi-post apocalyptic setting, comic book-style look and feel, sequel possible, classic sci-fi feel, getting personal with the characters, having the audience use character interactions to guage the 3D perspective of the background environment in the ship to get acquainted, good mix of music from symphonic keyboards to progressive rock, and honestly...a way to pull the audience away from their everyday lives altogether.

Making independent films is a tough business just to get produced, let alone making money back with hopes of some profit to share with cast/crew. Making a niche market product, like a science fiction piece, can either totally make or break you, I've come to find out.

Live for Films: Salvaging Outer Space makes the most of modern technology on a limited budget. Apart from the money side of things what was the most challenging aspect of the shoot?

Kenny Carpenter: Making the characters converse smoothly, despite most never met each other on shoots. The acting was mostly monologue style or acting off of me. They were all greenscreened. The other part was keeping all the angles matching between acting and virtual set backgrounds. Keeping everything pure High Definition from start to finish was challenging as the whole movie was done using limited computer resources available during HD's infancy! We also had to cartoonize the cast, which wasn't available in batch renderable software until a year after the initial cut.

LFF: What will you do differently when making your next feature?

KC: I always push the envelope, but part of that is increasing quality in image/sound, story continuity, acting, edit flow, budget constraint and allocation, and more. It's not about doing it differently as much as a continual growth and progression towards meeting Hollywood's set quality standards on budgets that they use for production's toilet paper.
It's most independent's dream to make the best movie with no budget, right??? Imagine what we could do WITH a budget!!!!!

LFF: If you could pass on one piece of advice to a novice film maker what would it be?

KC: Be paranoid to complete your art and maintain your own visions. (mostly for indie filmmaking, not large studio productions) Don't trust everyone with your project. A cast member could lose interest after signing on, a fight between actors could break out and they refuse to work together, or any number of problems and times where you rely on others to help. Unless you are unionized and working on a stronger budget that can support/handle dramas, keep as many aspects under your control as possible! I can't stress or say enough about this topic, but there's no time in this to do it justice. That's why I write, direct, edit, partially score, do visual effects....mostly myself!

LFF: What are your top 5 science fiction films of all time?

KC: Aliens, Star Wars episode III (despite some points), Fifth Element, Startrek II, Jason X.

LFF: Your favourite science fiction novel?

KC: Robot City.... it's a spin-off from the original I Robot novels. It's not edgy enough for theatrical, but I'd love to make it for Direct To Home Video.

LFF: What are your views on the current legal wrangling going on between Fox and Warner Bros over the distribution rights for Zack Snyder's Watchmen film?

KC: I only glanced at the controversy, but if 20th Century Fox had purchased rights to DC in the 80's...it would almost seem a shut case! Everyone involved should have been smart about it from the beginning and checked who owned what! Same as getting your cast/crew to sign proper waivers...you just do it!!! Hey...it keeps the giants at each other's throats and from attacking the little guy for a moment, right?

LFF: To the general public science-fiction is often looked on as something a little geeky, yet big budget science-fiction films are often incredibly successful. Why do you think this is?

KC: When you get cool actors to use cool gadgets with cool special effects and plenty of cool television and print promos tied into everything, the nerd factor goes out the door. We all use computers now, but before...it was strictly nerds and businesses. It's all about peoples' comfort levels and perceptions! Look at the Matrix... get rid of K.Reeves, the sunglasses, fancy clothes and unrealistic karate hype and you are left with a very bleak world that almost resembles a horror movie more than a sci-fi. The oracle belongs in horror genre more than sci-fi anyways...with all those predictions. It's all perception!

LFF: What is your favourite piece of science fiction technology in film or TV?

KC: Definitely the lightsaber as you can rob banks at night in 2 minutes! I wouldn't want to pass gas near a saber, though!

LFF: If money was no object and you could have any actor alive or dead to star in it, what film would you make?

KC: Christopher Walken! He's just badass! What he does with voice and attitude is phenomenal! I'd make any movie I could with him in it, but if I had to choose a role.... supernatural twin brothers, one evil and running half of a post-apocalyptic world, the other an outcast sorcerer gathering a team of powerful misfits to take him down. Cliche in many ways, but a good story and movie experience can be made out of it.

LFF: What was the first film you ever watched? Do you think that it has had any influence on your later work?

KC: You know, I've been watching soooo many movies with my folks as a kid that I don't even remember the first. I will say that Ghostbusters and Return of The Jedi were very important to me as a kid. Special and Visual effects are strong with me.

LFF: Star Wars v Star Trek?/span>

KC: If this were about who'd win, I would say Star Wars...only because the jedi and sith could hyperdrive directly to Earth and the federation, seduce and knock up all the women they could with their mind tricks, and with all the children being born, well...the federation would have to collapse.

LFF: If you were going to be killed by any movie villain or monster who or what would it be? What would your last words be?

KC: 20th Century Fox's Aliens..... I wouldn't have words, as I'd be the victim that gets the inner mouth through the skull!

LFF: If you were Supreme Overlord of the Earth what would your first decree be?

KC: Get me a venti cafe mocha and cancel all 90210 style television programming

LFF: Who would you thank in your Oscar acceptance speech?

KC: I would thank George Lucas for creating and pushing the envelope on great digital tools we all use, despite the competition and segregation that also spun off of it in instances such as Avid versus Adobe. Without his contributions, we'd be completely stuck without visual effects and less chances of independents showing off their talent. Also, science fiction would be more drab without his visions.

LFF: Where and when will we be able to see Salvaging Outer Space?

KC: For the moment, www.Createspace.com is home to DVD sales until Salvaging Outer Space gets picked up by distributors. We may just split rights globally and keep control, but we'll see.

LFF: What is your next film as a director going to be?

KC: It depends on people and money! If I don't get stronger industry or financial connections, it will be a tight science fiction flick that will mostly be photo-realistically done in computer with some chromakey live acting mixed in. There are 2 concepts going in separate directions, but feasible on micro-budget. I would like to be brought into a remake or sequel to low-budget horror or sci-fi of popular 80's titles, personally as a step.

LFF: What film are you most looking forward to seeing in 2009?

KC: I think the Terminator IV film or Transformers II. I love robots destroying robots and things like that! It's one thing to watch a person shoot another person, but to watch high tech things whip out lasers or huge machine guns....hand me some popcorn!

LFF: Thanks very much Kenny. Good luck with the film.

Check out my previous interviews with Neal Asher and Will Stotler and Marc Robert who are the creators behind the zombie movie, Able.

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Happy New Year everyone

A belated Happy New Year to you all (yesterdays posts were all prescheduled as I wasn't near a computer).

Did you all have a good time? Drink too much? Make resolutions that you have already broken.

We had a quiet one. Put our 2 year old daughter to bed then Catherine, my son and I watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (I enjoyed it more seeing it the second time now that the anticipation for it had gone - still full of faults but an enjoyable romp) before turning over to Jools Holland on BBC2 and welcomed in the New Year. Then it was in bed for about 00:15!

I just want to thank everyone who has visited this little site since it started back in the middle of last year. It's been a fun few months since Chisholm said to me, "You should do a film blog and post reviews for us to read." Since then people from all over the World have found it and seem to like it. Big thanks to you all and to all the regulars to the site and the forum. I'm also blown away by the fact I've had a couple of proper interviews with some film makers and an favourite author of mine. Hopefully there will be more interviews to come in this year.

What was your film highlight of 2008? What are you looking forward to in 2009? I can't wait to see Zack Snyder's Watchmen (although I have a horrible feeling the court case will just delay it's release). I also want to see Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire and many other things.

Once again thanks. Now go out and tell a couple of friends about the site. Let's spread the word people.

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Heavy Metal - Video interview with Neal Asher on Sci-Fi London

Neal Asher has emailed me the news that he has recently had a video interview with Sci-Fi-London.

It can be found here if you care to take a look.

SCI-FI-LONDON was lucky enough to meet Neal Asher at his Essex home to talk about his latest book, The Gabble & Other Stories, about writing and about 15 years of the Polity universe, David Fincher, Heavy Metal and the internet as a distraction from real work.

It's a great interview about parasites, politics and the Polity. The Heavy Metal stuff starts round about the 26:30 mark and questions about adapting his own works into film and TV at the 30:41 mark.

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Good to be back - What did you get for Christmas?

Hi all. Did you all have a good Christmas? What did you get up to and what movie related cool stuff did you get as presents from Father Christmas?

We had a lovely Christmas. The kids loved everything they got and Christmas dinner went off without a hitch which was great. Plus I got to see my son sing in the Metropolitan Liverpool Cathedral which was fantastic (he has recently become a Chorister there).

I also got some great gifts from my Wife and family and I am made up with all of them. Here are just a few.

Classic Sci-Fi Collection : Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers / Thing From Another World / Incredible Shrinking Man / This Island Earth / Creature From The Black Lagoon / It Came From Outer Space

Mongol - The Rise To Power Of Genghis Khan - Director Sergei Bodrov's sweeping MONGOL focuses on battles physical and emotional as it follows the early ascent of the 'Great King' Genghis Khan in the 12th and 13th centuries. Born Temudgin to a kingly father, the film introduces the nine-year-old (Odnyam Odsuren) making his first fateful decision: going against his father's wishes and choosing the lesser-born Borte as his future wife. When his father is poisoned, Temudgin flees from his father's rivals. Temudgin is saved by a young prince, Jamukha, and the two become blood brothers. That bond of friendship is tested, though, when the grown Temudgin (Tadanobu Asano) wages war--against the Mongol code--to win back the captive Borte. As Temudgin asserts his own power, he must also face Jamukha in all-out battle if he is to secure the safety of his family and his own kingly destiny. Gorgeously shot on location in Kazakhstan and Inner Mongolia, MONGOL represents the first in a proposed trilogy of films that will chronicle the full impact of Genghis Khan's reign. As ambitious in scope as its subject was in life, MONGOL--a 2008 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film--offers a unique look at the influence of love and loyalty to the life and times of one of history's most enigmatic rulers.

The Mist (2 Disc Edition) - Frank Darabont (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE GREEN MILE) serves as director, writer, and producer of THE MIST, an adaptation of Stephen King's classic novella. After a vicious storm wreaks havoc in their small town in Maine, artist David Drayton (Thomas Jane) heads out to the town supermarket for some much-needed supplies with his young son, Billy (Nathan Gamble), and his neighbour, Norton (Andre Braugher), in tow. Their trip soon turns to terror when a menacing white mist settles in, leaving this group of locals and out-of-towners fighting for survival against an unknown, bloodthirsty enemy. When the local religious zealot (Marcia Gay Harden) begins to convince the group that the mist is punishment from God, Drayton and his cohorts realize that they may be trapped inside with an enemy just as dangerous as whatever is lurking outside.

Tension runs high in this tale as the trapped group faces difficult moral decisions. Should they stay and wait out the terror, or make a break for it and risk suffering a terrible fate? Is the eerie mist the will of God, an experiment from the local military base gone awry, or, maybe, a freak natural disaster? Without modern conveniences and the normal conventions and rules to guide them, the group is easily swayed by the loudest opinion. Will they save themselves at the expense of each other, or work as a team to save everyone? There is a decent amount of blood and gore for horror fans, some deadpan humour and just a hint of politics thrown in for good measure. Thomas Jane is a stoic leading man, but Frances Sternhagen and Toby Jones are more fun as unlikely heroes. Laurie Holden, Alexa Davalos, Bill Sadler and Jeffrey Demunn also star in this creepy tale.

Westworld - Welcome to Westworld, where nothing can go wrong...go wrong...go wrong....Writer/director Michael Crichton has concocted a futuristic "Disneyland for adults", a remote resort island where, for a hefty fee, one can indulge in one's wildest fantasies. Businessmen James Brolin and Richard Benjamin are just crazy about the old west, thus they head to the section of Westworld populated by robot desperadoes, robot lawmen, robot dance-hall gals, and the like. Benjamin's first inkling that something is amiss occurs when, during a mock showdown with robot gunslinger Yul Brynner, Brolin is shot and killed for real. It seems that the "nerve center" of Westworld has developed several serious technical glitches: the human staff is dead, and the robots are running amok. Suddenly promoted to the film's hero, Benjamin (who seems as surprised and shocked as the audience) must first avoid, then face down the relentless Brynner. Much of Westworld was lensed on the expansive grounds of the old Harold Lloyd estate in Beverly Hills, so it's no surprise that there's something Lloydlike about Dick Benjamin's instinct for self-preservation.

The Art of Ray Harryhausen - A great looking book which takes you into the ideas and processes that Harryhausen has used throughout the years. Plus it is signed by the great man himself.

Watching the Watchmen - Acclaimed as one of "Time Magazine's" 100 Best Novels, "Watchmen" is widely considered to be the greatest graphic novel of all time. "In Watching The Watchmen", artist Dave Gibbons gives his own account of the genesis of "Watchmen", opening his archives to reveal excised pages, early versions of the script original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more, including posters covers and rare portfolio art.Featuring the breathtaking design of Chip Kidd and Mike Essl, "Watching The Watchmen" is both a major art book in its own right, and the definitive companion to the graphic novel that changed an industry.

The Gabble and Other Stories - Neal Asher. Can't wait to read this.

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life - Steve Martin - Steve Martin has been an international star for over thirty years. Here, for the first time, he looks back to the beginning of his career and charmingly evokes the young man he once was. Born in Texas but raised in California, Steve was seduced early by the comedy shows that played on the radio when the family travelled back and forth to visit relatives. When Disneyland opened just a couple of miles away from home, an enchanted Steve was given his first chance to learn magic and entertain an audience. He describes how he noted the reaction to each joke in a ledger - 'big laugh' or 'quiet' - and assiduously studied the acts of colleagues, stealing jokes when needed. With superb detail, Steve recreates the world of small, dark clubs and the fear and exhilaration of standing in the spotlight. While a philosophy student at UCLA, he worked hard at local clubs honing his comedy and slowly attracting a following until he was picked up to write for TV. From here on, Steve Martin became an acclaimed comedian, packing out venues nationwide. One night, however, he noticed empty seats and realised he had 'reached the top of the rollercoaster'.B ORN STANDING UP is a funny and riveting chronicle of how Steve Martin became the comedy genius we now know and is also a fascinating portrait of an era.

Just some of the bits I got (having some problems with uploading images, but I'll get it sorted so you can see what they all look like). Let me know what you got. Take it easy and enjoy the rest of the holiday.

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Fincher talks Heavy Metal

As you all know I chatted to Neal Asher about his work on the new Heavy Metal film and now MTV have spoken to David Fincher about what is happening with it.

According to Fincher, the undoubtedly awesome film has yet to move on from the development stage.

“We’re still trying to get that made,” Fincher told MTV News.

Even so, does the director, hot off the critical success of his new film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, have any particular “Heavy Metal” stories that he would like to adapt to the screen?

“I’m ready to bat clean-up. I’m ready to do whatever story no one else wants to do. We have like twenty-four stories and artwork for it. Zack Snyder is picking one and I think Verbinski has one that he likes. We’re seeing where it ends up. I have time to do one or two and I have dibs on eight or nine, so somewhere in there we’ll figure it out if we can ever get the money together.”

The new “Heavy Metal” movie would be the second animated feature based on the long-running comic magazine of the same name. The original film, which debuted in 1981, is a cult classic that pushed the limits of adult-themed animation with its nudity, sexuality, and violence.

Fincher is quick to point out the magazine and movie’s influence on some of the most beloved sci-fi films of all time.

“There’s no ‘Blade Runner’ without ‘Heavy Metal.’ There’s probably no ‘Alien.’ It was such a fertile breeding ground,” explained the director, noting the magazine’s influence on today’s digital animators. “Wherever you go in the world you go to any computer animation company and there lying around is ‘Heavy Metal’ magazine.”

He’s also hopeful that a revamped, R-rated “Heavy Metal” film can push digital animation into the future.

“The world will at some point be ready for something other than singing, furry f–king animals,” Fincher told MTV.

I do hope that it does get made. Sounds as if they have plenty of tales to tell.

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A Gentlemen's Duel - Short Film by Blur Studios (the people working on Heavy Metal with Neal Asher).

Saw this over on The Skinner. Pretty cool. 7m46s in length.

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Gridlinked - Fan made poster

Neal Asher has been commenting on the casting call in the comments under his interview. Clive Owen is his current favourite and I could see that. Neal also emailed me with the link for a fan made poster for his first Ian Cormac book, Gridlinked. It was created by Carlo and it is pretty cool. Similar to the covers of some of the books in the series.

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Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Vin Diesel has done some truly dreadful things. I'm not talking about killing puppies, or stabbing old people in the eye with a zimmer frame. No, I'm talking much, much worse - he's made some very naff films. The Pacifier, Babylon A.D., xXx, and the Fast and the Furious.

However, he has done some good stuff. Namely the character of Riddick in Pitch Black which is a blinder of a movie. Riddick is a very cool anti-hero (I even have a soft spot for The Chronicles of Riddick film - just always felt they had so much to tell that it all got splodged into one big glorious sci-fi mess) and he appears again in the new Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena video game. The trailer is below and it looks amazing. Think I will be picking this up when it comes out. What about you?

Interestingly it looks as if good old Vin may be doing something else good, namely lend his voice to the CGI feature length version of Rockfish. It is written and directed by Tim Miller of Blur Studios and is due out in 2010. Spooky as Neal Asher mentioned the short film of Rockfish in the interview I did with him this week. You can see the short there.

Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, players will not only be challenged to survive Butcher Bay, but will also engage in a new single-player experience and, for the first time in the Riddick universe, take action in intense multi-player combat. The game introduces the ominous Merc-ship Dark Athena, which sits silent like a marauding spider, awaiting helpless prey in the dark reaches of the galaxy. Players must face a large, bloodthirsty operation led by the dreaded Captain Revas and her slaves-turned-controllable combat drones, storm though death-defying events and fight fierce enemies in a battle of malice and gore.

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Exclusive: Neal Asher interview - his work on the new Heavy Metal film and what he would do if he was Supreme Overlord of the Earth

I recently got in touch with Neal Asher, author of many wonderful books such as Gridlinked, Cowl, Brass Man, The Skinner, Prador Moon and his new book, The Gabble - and Other Stories. They are top quality science fiction tales full of tough heroes, murderous wildlife, sarcastic war drones, immortal pirates, massive aliens, and lots of mad, crazy violence. I highly recommend them (start with Gridlinked and follow the exploits of secret agent Ian Cormac).

Neal is also a fan of the Libertarian Party, not a big fan of the current British Government, hates all the kerfuffle caused by scientists going on about global warming, but most importantly for this site, he has been working on a screenplay for a segment in David Fincher's and Kevin Eastman's new Heavy Metal anthology movie. Neal is also a top bloke and very kindly agreed to the following interview with me.

What did you think of the original Heavy Metal film?

Neal: Since the likes of Led Zeppelin was the only Heavy Metal I’d heard about until I was contacted about this, I can’t give an answer to that.

How did you get involved with the new anthology?

Neal: A couple of years back someone in the comments section of my blog directed me towards a short video on You Tube. This turned out to be a thing called Rockfish,(see it below - LFF) produced by Blur Studios. It was a short CGI animation of a fisherman on an alien world, using some very high-tech equipment to go after a creature resembling either a Dune sandworm or one of those big worms in the film Tremors. I really enjoyed it and, even though I saw the first ‘Final Fantasy’ film, realised just how much closer had come that time when actors would be competing for parts with computer programs.

I emailed Tim Miller, who is the head honcho at Blur studios, just to say how much I enjoyed Rockfish. He emailed me back, glad of that opinion from a ‘professional’ writer, also adding he had books of mine on his shelf. We had further intermittent contact after that, like when I saw Blur’s excellent short cartoon Gopher Broke and clips from The Duel then, whilst me and the wife were in Crete last February, I got an email from him telling me that he, along with Hollywood heavyweight David Fincher, and Ninja Turtles creator and owner of Heavy Metal magazine, Kevin Eastman, were developing a project I might be interested in: a Heavy Metal movie. After laying out what it was all about he pointed out one story of mine that would be just right and asked if I had anything else that would fit. I loaded a load of my stories to a pen drive, went down the Internet café and sent them, later sending many of the rest.

What are the different challenges with writing a screenplay as opposed to a novel or short story?

Neal: This started with short stories. I had to amalgamate three into one, chop one down, one was virtually untouched and on request for certain material, wrote two more. I’ve since turned a few of these into screen plays which requires a whole new layout and conversion from text-to-brain to film-to-brain i.e. what a character is thinking or feeling must be displayed – all that internal action must be made external, authorial narrative cannot sit separately (unless you want a bodge job with a voice-over), also had to think about viewpoints for scenes etc etc. Not easy, but not impossible when I run stories like a films in my head anyway.

What, if any, information can you divulge about your story for the segment? Will it feature any of your characters and technology or is it all new creations?

Neal: I can’t divulge too much but, yes to the technology and no to the characters found in my books, and of course plenty of the gratuitous violence you’ll find in my stories too.

As Heavy Metal is going to be animated do you have carte blanche with the story or have you been given specific guidelines to follow? Will your segment have to tie in with the others? If so how difficult has that been to co-ordinate with the other writers?

Neal: Not Carte Blanche – I provided stories and a few were selected. As for guidelines, well, as I mentioned above, I was given guidelines for two new stories and produced them. How it will tie together I just don’t know.

Following on from the animated Heavy Metal world would you like to see Blur do some proper adult sci-fi? Would you let them, or another animation studio do something with your novels instead of going down the live-action route?

Neal: Who’s to say this isn’t adult science fiction? I’ve seen the superb artwork that’s been produced for this project, from artists in Blur Studio and scattered about the world, and I’ve seen the kind of CGI Blur produces (just check out www.blur.com) so know it won’t be cartoonish. I know that my own stuff has adult themes and assume the same applies to the stuff from the other writers involved. But of course, this being Heavy Metal, there’ll certainly be lashings of sex and violence.

As for Blur or another animation studio doing something with my novels, why not? Certainly I’d like to see them live action, but them being animated doesn’t discount them from that. Quite the reverse in fact – the more visible they are the better.

Which of your books would you like to see made into a film first? If it was to be live action who would be your ideal director?

Neal: Frankly, I don’t know. I would love to see The Skinner turned into a film, but of course I wouldn’t want it turned into a bad film. I’d love to see Cowl on screen because I know for sure that there’s some pretty convincing CGI dinosaurs out there! But I tell you something; I would much rather see the Cormac books turned into five-season TV series since so much would be lost by chopping those books down to fit the film medium. Don’t ask for much do I? As for directors? I just don’t know enough about film land to comment, other than to say I’d want an enthusiast who actually gets it (like Jackson with Lord of the Rings), rather than film by committee.

Who would you like to see play Cormac and who would be the voice of Dragon?

Neal: Before now, while immersed in 24, I’ve said Keifer Sutherland for Cormac, but in the end, just a good actor. Maybe Kevin Mckidd from Rome … I’m just stumbling in the dark here. I visualise Cormac as someone, perhaps, a bit like Steve McQueen. The voice of Dragon? Maybe John Hurt?

Could you let another writer adapt it for the big screen if there was no other way for it to be made or are you a totally hands-on kinda guy?

Neal: I’m a take the money and run kind of guy. Given the chance I’d do the adaptation myself, but I’m not so daft as to think anything I adapt will reach the end of the scripting process un-mauled.

Did Blade Runner influence your universe? Blade Runner could almost be set in the Polity universe during the Quiet War.

Neal: Yeah, Blade Runner had its influence, along with just about any other SF film you could name, or book.

Your Polity novels are all intertwined and the Cormac ones especially are almost like one long (riveting) story. How do you stay on top of everything thats gone beforehand and have you made any slip ups in continuity that have gone to print? Do you get super-geek fans pulling you up on tiny inconsequential details that slip through the net?

Neal: I keep on top of it all by dint of the fact that when a book goes to press I’ve probably reread it between 5 and 10 times. The ‘find’ function in Word comes in mighty handy too. What can I say? This is my job and mistakes like that are only down to me. I read and reread and check until I reach a point where I can’t see anything that needs changing and to continue working at it might lead me to driving a Biro in through my earhole. Yes, the occasional super-geek has come out of the woodwork, but I find a pen through his earhole generally solves that one.

Do you think the Libertarian policy of increasing VAT on non-essential goods and scrapping income tax completely and VAT on essential goods would cut it in the current economic climate?

Neal: I don’t really know for sure. All I do know is that government tax is simply theft with menaces. However, tax of some kind is necessary to run essential services. I question whether nigh on 50% of income is fair (direct and indirect taxes) and just what services are essential. Do we really need a ‘Diversity Progression Manager’ on 40 grand, no, not really.

How would you go about solving the economic crisis and making the UK a better place to live?

Neal: Take a hatchet to thousands of stupid laws and pieces of legislation introduced in this country over the last fifty years, then use it on bureaucracy and the vast army of bureaucrats, use it to chop us away from the EU and the 55 billion we waft its way every year, then finally bury it in Gordon Brown’s head. That would be a good start anyway.

What was the first film you ever watched?

Neal: Shit, I don’t know. I’m old you know. I vaguely recollect seeing the old Journey to the Centre of the Earth when I was very young and shouting, “Look, there’s Freddy Frog!” when one of the plasticine dinosaurs appeared, but don’t know if that was the first.

What are your top 5 films of all time?

Neal: I get asked the same sort of question about books and, as always, the list is ever subject to change. Right now? Terminator, The Last Samurai, Aliens, Schindler’s List, Predator … but ask me the same question tomorrow and you’ll probably get a different answer.

What is your favourite piece of science fiction technology?

Neal: Well, if someone could inject me with a suite of medical nanomachines to repair all the present damage in my body, returning it to that of a twenty-year-old, and then manage to maintain it in that state for the next billion or so years, that’d do.

Who'd win the fight between a Polity Dreadnought and a Contact GSV from the Culture?

Neal: A GSV would dwarf even the largest Polity dreadnoughts, like the Cable Hogue, so I’m guessing the Polity dreadnough would get fried. Unfortunately, while it was getting fried, some sneaky Polity war drone would nip inside the GSV with a sack of CTDs.

If you were Supreme Overlord of the Earth what would your first decree be?

Neal: “Global warming is cancelled, now get a proper job.”

Finally, what books, films and gadgets would you like to get for Christmas?

Neal: I’d love a printer that last a few years beyond its guarantee and doesn’t require ridiculously expensive ink cartridges, but since that’s something you’ll only find in the most far-out science fiction, I guess its unlikely. But really? A few DVDs of things I’ve missed, some catch-up on the latest SF books, a bottle of scotch and no relatives in sight.

Thanks very much for your time Neal. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

There you go. My interview with Neal Asher ladies and gentlemen. Check out Neal's own blog, The Skinner, if you can. The Cormac books as a TV series would be great. Who do you think would make a good Ian Cormac? The Heavy Metal tale sounds intriguing. Can't wait to see more on that. For those of you interested in reading some his work here are more of Neal Asher's Books.

Will you be going to see the new Heavy Metal movie? Have you seen the original? What did you think of the interview? Which is your favourite Asher book? What is the nastiest alien critter that he has created? I'd have to pick the Hooder.

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Don't the news people keep telling us the ice is disappearing?

The excellent author, Neal Asher over on The Skinner posted this interesting article about the effects of global warming and the supposed loss of the ice caps...Quick, quick need to tie this into something to do with films...ah here is some of the concept art from the forthcoming film Wynter Dark (that's got nothing to do with Neal Asher and his books but it features ice and polar bears getting their own back).

Let me juxtapose a section each of two articles from the same website, The Daily Tech. The first one is here, dated June 30th 2008:

Now scientists are predicting that a major milestone will be reached this summer or next -- the disappearance of the North Pole's ice cover during the Arctic Summer.The prediction comes from the U.S.'s top climate researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado. They predict that in September, there is a good chance that the ice will be gone on the pole.

The next article is from September 3rd, yes, the September referred to above:

Data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has indicated a dramatic increase in sea ice extent in the Arctic regions. The growth over the past year covers an area of 700,000 square kilometers: an amount twice the size the nation of Germany.

Is there any point in belabouring this?

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Neal Asher writing story for new Heavy Metal movie?

Neal Asher is one of my fave Sci-Fi authors of the moment. Check out Gridlinked and follow it up with the rest of the Cormac saga. They are all high concept, mega violent stories with lots of cool war droids, AI spaceships, Terminator like Golem, Mr Crane, secret agents, immortal pirates, nasty aliens called Hooders, Gabbleducks, and a giant alien thing called Dragon. I have long wanted to see some of his work on the big screen. Cheers to Andy D for sending me this little snippet.

This from an interview back in March:

John Markley: Have anyone expressed interest in adapting your work for television or film?

Neal Asher: A company called Blue Train Entertainment expressed an interest in Gridlinked (they were involved in The Tuxedo along with Dreamworks) but nothing came of that, then recently I got a query from a story editor at Twentieth Century Fox about Hilldiggers, which again came to nothing. However, another query/request has come up through my own internet connection, y’know, all that compulsive communicating. It’s presently turning into something very interesting about which I am only allowed to say that "I’ve been working on some ideas for a ‘Heavy Metal’ feature". I’m afraid that if I said any more I’d have to shoot you. More about this, possibly, in a month or so.

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