Author: Eppu

Visual Inspiration: Ostrich Carts

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Ostrich pulling a cart at the Los Angeles Ostrich Farm. Via William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.
Ostrich pulling a cart at the Los Angeles Ostrich Farm. Via William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

 

Ostrich pulling a cart at the Los Angeles Ostrich Farm. Postcard by unknown; Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, California, 1919. From the Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection; Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University. In public domain.

Why do fantasy stories so often employ equines as beasts of burden, when you could breed large birds for the task? In our world, humans do have a long history with the horse family, but who’s to say that in another, more SFFnal one you couldn’t find giant versions of armadillos, capybaras, or rats used for transportation? Or faster, large-scale chameleons?

The Visual Inspiration occasional feature pulls the unusual from our world to inspire design, story-telling, and worldbuilding. If stuff like this already exists, what else could we imagine?

Ancient African Trees Look Alien at Night

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Photographer Beth Moon‘s new series Diamond Nights documents baobabs and quiver trees against moonless, starry night skies with breathtaking results. For a Nordic city dweller like me, the images might as well be from a different planet.

Beth Moon: Aquila, 2015.
Beth Moon: Aquila, 2015.
Beth Moon: Serpens, 2015.
Beth Moon: Serpens, 2015.

In her artist’s statement, Moon writes of the technical aspects of shooting:

“The majority of these photographs were created during moonless nights, shot with a wide angle lens and ISO of 3200 – 6400. […] Exposures up to 30 seconds allowed enough light to enter the lens without noticeable star movement. Each location required a lot of experimenting. and different lighting techniques. Sometimes a short burst of diffused light from a flashlight was sufficient, or bounced light from multiple flashlights was used for a softer more natural glow.”

Beth Moon: Ara, 2015.
Beth Moon: Ara, 2015.

Photos like these remind me of the incredible diversity of our planet, and how much more of the world we can see and share through the power of Internet than even our parents. Love it!

Found via Colossal.

Out There is an occasional feature highlighting intriguing art, spaces, places, phenomena, flora, and fauna.

2016 Tolkien Calendar Illustrated by Tove Jansson

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According to The Tolkien Society, the Official Tolkien Calendar for 2016 will be released tomorrow, July 30, 2015. The calendar is illustrated by Tove Jansson, a Finnish visual artist and author.

Tolkien Calendar 2016. HarperCollins.
Tolkien Calendar 2016. HarperCollins.

Jansson (1914-2001) is best known as the creator of Moomins. However, she also illustrated Swedish translations of The Hobbit and Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Some of these illustrations were later used in Finnish translations.

Jansson's illustrations for early Swedish and Finnish translations of The Hobbit. The estate of Tove Jansson, via Tolkien Library.
Jansson’s illustrations for early Swedish and Finnish translations of The Hobbit. The estate of Tove Jansson, via Tolkien Library.

The publisher’s description of the calendar reads:

“Jansson illustrated The Hobbit in 1961 for the Swedish and Finnish editions, creating a dozen enchanting full page drawings plus many smaller vignette pieces. Never before published in an English-language edition, the 2016 calendar contains all twelve of these illustrations, many of the vignettes, and a full-colour centrefold featuring her dramatic cover painting of Smaug attacking the Dwarves. The calendar is introduced by Tolkien expert and author Brian Sibley, who corresponded with the artist and provides insightful commentary regarding the genesis of the illustrations and Jansson’s tireless work continuing to build the world of The Moomins. The Official Tolkien Calendar has been an established publishing event for Tolkien fans and Hobbit collectors for the last four decades, and the 2016 edition will continue to delight and surprise.”

 

Parody Movie Trailer: The Greenlighter

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This trailer for the imaginary superhero movie The Greenlighter by Above Average is definitely onto something:

Marvel’s First Female Superhero Movie: The Greenlighter by Above Average

Agreed – it shouldn’t be hard at all to write a superhero movie starring a woman. Except, you know, while you’re at it, have more than one. Mad Max: Fury Road did it just fine.

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

Q&A: Which Starship Would You Command

Eppu

Quiz time! We took the Which Starship Would You Command quiz. Here are the results:

1) What do you think is the most important quality or feature for a starship?

Erik: Ability to withstand powerful forces [‘Cause, you know, I bet there’s a lot of those in space.]

Eppu: A good collection of scientific instruments, weapons, and engineering tools. [Be prepared! Things are going to break, and in space you want to be very, very prepared when something breaks.]

2) What kind of crew would you want to have on your starship?

Eppu: I’d like a well-balanced crew on my ship; diplomats, security experts, scientists, doctors, etc. [Again, be prepared!]

Erik: A family of versatile and multi-talented members with a strong purpose. [I figure being versatile with a strong sense of purpose is important if you’re in danger of being stranded millions of light years out in space.]

3) Pick a vehicle.

Green compact carErik: Green compact car. [It’s cute!]

Eppu: Same [A good-enough compromise between looks and utility; also, I don’t need that question answered.]

 

4) You’re out exploring space, when you come across a ship belonging to a new alien species you’ve never encountered before. What would you do?

Eppu: Stealthily observe them from afar to determine if they’re hostile before opening communications. [I guess one of these days I’ll find myself in a “bath” that’s getting hotter in minute increments… 😉 ]

Erik: Same [I don’t like talking to people to begin with. Even more so if they’re hostile.]

5) You’re out patrolling the stars when you get a distress call from a civilian freighter that has been damaged somehow and drifted into the territory of a hostile, angry alien race. They’re asking for help. What do you do?

Erik: Approach the border cautiously, broadcasting to the hostile alien empire that we come on a mission of mercy. [But if I have to deal with hostile folks I’m going to let them know that I’m not here to cause trouble.]

Eppu: See if there’s any way I can quietly and sneakily cross the border to try and reach the freighter. [Quick, before the hyena come!]

6) Pick which uniform you’d like your crew to wear.

Han Solo's outfitEppu: Han Solo’s outfit [‘Cause pockets! This is a pet peeve of mine. We’ll need pockets in the future, too. So many sci-fi outfits are ridiculously lacking in practical details.]

 

 

 

 

Battlestar Galactica uniformErik: Battlestar Galactica uniform. [Eh. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a nice sash.]

 

 

 

 

7) What kind of captain would you like to be?

Erik: Wait, lead? I’m in charge? Whose idea was that? [I’m like the guy who sits three chairs down from the navigator in the staff meeting and has one line explaining why the people on this planet are offended by the color orange. Don’t put me in charge of nothin’.]

Eppu: Same [Uhh…]

8) Pick a color scheme for your ship’s hull.

Grey, subtly pixelatedEppu: Grey, subtly pixelated [In space, no-one can hear you complain about hull color.]

 

 

 

Grey with bright stripeErik: Grey with bright stripe [Ooh, it’s so shiny and spacey!]

 

 

9) Pick a bridge.

Traditional Far-Eastern bridgeErik: Traditional Chinese bridge. [It’s elegant and tranquil. I go for that.]

 

 

 

Gracefully curved bridgeEppu: Graceful curves and loop at one end [Loop-de-doo!]

 

 

 

10) You receive a communication from an off-world colony, which says they’ve encountered a new life form and would like you to assist. What would you do?

Eppu: I’d bring a science team to investigate the new life form. [No word on danger, so study it is!]

Erik: Same. [Because that’s what I do: I investigate the heck out of things.]

So, apparently we both would command…

USS Enterprise D

USS Enterprise D. “Let’s see what’s out there.”

Q&A is an occasional feature in which we share our responses to quizzes, questions, and quirky ideas for your entertainment.

Fan-Made Boba Fett Short

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Can’t wait for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to come out? Apart from the material shared at San Diego Comic Con, the short fan film Boba Fett – The Twelve Parsec Stare should help.

The story, produced and filmed entirely in Helsinki, Finland, has Boba Fett tracking down a specific bounty on Tatooine. There is no (human) dialogue, but oodles of Italo-Western action shots and scruffy Mos-Eisley crud. Director Eric Raunio surely knows his stuff. Also composer Juho Pakkasvirta does a fantastic job, not forgetting to spoof the “Imperial March” or “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” theme. 🙂

Raunio tells Nyt1 [NB. Finnish only] that the two-day shoot at Kaapelitehdas in February 2015 followed a few months’ intense pre-production. Sets, costumes, and props were built from everyday items and thrifted / upcycled finds under the direction of producer Teemu Vainio. Boba Fett fans may also be interested in the two behind-the-scenes production diaries (1, 2).

The indie company behind the short, Ruined Films, is headed by Raunio, and produces not only their own films but also promotional videos and provides post-production for outside projects.

1 Nyt is the weekly supplement of Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, the largest daily newspaper in Finland.

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.

Fantastic Worlds Exhibit at The Smithsonian

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The Smithsonian’s new exhibit Fantastic Worlds: Science and Fiction, 1780-1910 opened on July 01, 2015. In addition to the physical exhibit, the Smithsonian Libraries provide an online version.

The Smithsonian Libraries online exhibit Fantastic Worlds.
The Smithsonian Libraries online exhibit Fantastic Worlds.

From the online exhibit description:

“Travel with us to the surface of the moon, the center of the earth, and the depths of the ocean — to the fantastic worlds of fiction inspired by 19th-century discovery and invention.

“New frontiers of science were emerging. We took to the air, charted remote corners of the earth, and harnessed the power of steam and electricity. We began unlocking the secrets of the natural world. The growing literate middle class gave science a new and avid public audience. Writers explored the farther reaches of the new scientific landscape to craft novels, hoaxes, and satires.”

The online exhibit reveals a new thematic component (or chapter) each Tuesday. So far we’ve seen “Terra Incognita” and The Age of the Aeronaut”. The chapters include images, maps, and videos, plus intriguing curator’s notes. Sounds great for early science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts, as well as people interested in the history of exploration or late 1700s to 1800s.

Found via Smithsonian Libraries on Tumblr.

Out There is an occasional feature highlighting intriguing art, spaces, places, phenomena, flora, and fauna.

Lionsgate to Adapt The Odyssey

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Flickr Robert The Odyssey of Homer Easton Press

The first great European adventure story, The Odyssey by Homer, is being adapted again to the big screen, this time by Lionsgate. So far the project includes director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson (of the Hunger Games movie adaptation fame), and writer Peter Craig (known for co-screenwriting The Town and Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2). According to Deadline Hollywood, production is planned to begin early in 2016.

With the advances in visual effects technology, this adaptation will surely look grander and more epic than any preceding ones. I hope that the screenwriting will be great, too.

Image: The Odyssey of Homer – Easton Press edition by Robert on Flickr (Creative Commons license CC BY 2.0)

Hey, look! We found a thing on the internet! We thought it was cool, and wanted to share it with you.