Planning has commenced on Episodes 2 and 3.  Finished the outline for Episode 2, and I shall start the outline for Episode 3 tomorrow.

And no.  I still don’t have a name for it.

I hope everyone is having a great summer!   Now off with you, find something better to read.

In the case of this production, it was about a comic book and genre collectibles shop, which, as it turns out, does intrigue me.  If any of you have seen the hilarious video podcast called “Kyle Piccolo: Comic Shop Therapist,” this show is basically on that thread.  I’ve always wanted to do something along those lines in a monthly audio drama, although I wouldn’t ever dare write it because I’m afraid I’m one of those geeks that doesn’t know a thing about comic books.

Nevertheless, I did audition for this show, auditioning for all the male parts, and lo and behold I got one of the lead parts.  I was casted to play Michael, the owner of the comic book and genre collectibles shop.

Now, when I auditioned for this production I noted, with intrigue, that this production was not being undertaken by any of the “big” audio groups, those including Broken Sea, Darker Projects, Pendant, and of course Gnome.  It was being headed by Tuskland Productions, you may google them if you like.  To say they were a new audio group would be quite a large understatement.  Rather, this group was created by the writer of this production, and he’s learning audio drama as he does this project, everything from writing to production or post production.  To the gallant writer, Mark Driscoll, I only have to say Bravo! And if you need help in the matter, you only need to go insofar as your lead actor(me)!

As for the pilot episode’s lines?  Well.  I finished them.  They are recorded.  They just need to be cut up nicely into files each bearing the number of the line, and the character name, per usual instructions.  Well…this is why I hate voice acting.  Too much damn work.

But, at least the episode is hilarious, perhaps even leaving room for some improvisation!  That of course is left for the writer to decide.  As usual, there shall be a link of the show in a post here, and if I get a new theme in a few weeks (wink), there’ll be a link in the projects section there as well.

It’s been a long time in the making.  Planning for Season 2 has been happening for the past few months now: writing of scripts, planning of arcs, bringing on of actors and guest writers.  All of this has left me winded!

One of the greatest additions to our team has been one of our new guest writers.  Yes, one of them will be myself sometime during this season, the other one…I can’t name.  Sorry.  He’s not a novice to Audio Drama or writing for Doctor Who.  I’ve been reading his final draft for the first part of his 3 part arc, and it’s pretty damn amazing.

Ryan’s direction as Head Writer on the series has been wonderful, and everything has been flowing smoothly.  The updates I’m giving here are going to be in the next GnomeCast, so I apologize for the any repeats.

In short: Lines for the first 3 episodes of the series are completely in, the scripts for the next 3 episodes are almost done and ready to be sent to actors, and the Christmas Special will be sent to actors by the end of the month.

Since we’re releasing Season 2 twice a month instead of once a month, it’s been hectic trying to get everything together to make sure everything flows smoothly on our set schedule of releasing on the 10th and then the 20th of every month.  I’m sure if we can get everything out on the Premiere and then the 20th of September, it’ll flow wonderfully for October and November.

Now, because we’re releasing Season 2 twice a month instead of once a month there will be no other arc related episodes during December, only the Christmas Special.  The Christmas Special is going to be an incredibly interesting storyline and personally I can’t wait to have a first read of it.  From what we’ve planned it’s going to be longer than last years christmas special, so it may end up being a small audio movie.

It’s all very exciting as everything is coming together.  In fact, this new season will also have new music written by Matthew McLaren and his guys at S&M Productions.  With that, every single ongoing series on Giant Gnome Productions has original theme music!

Since Dex Trenchcoat actually tweeted one of my last blog posts, I may actually have a few more readers than I expected.  Welcome to these new readers!  I’m glad you’re here to read my inane dribblings and hoogas.  To these new readers, I hope all of you are also listeners of Doctor Who: Legends of a Time Lord and Star Trek: Outpost.

Getting comments and feedback from listeners is said to be like pulling teeth and is likened to alchemy.  If you like our shows please comment.  If you like what we do at Giant Gnome Productions please say something!  There’s a comment box on every episode page, on every show page, and even here on my insane little blog.  Don’t be shy!  We’re making content for you to listen and to enjoy, not only because we love to create, but because we love to entertain, tell us if we’re doing a great job, we’d really appreciate it.

Although if you have a comment about Star Trek: Dimensions, you’re welcome to leave it with the others, but I’m afraid that show will most likely not be coming back anytime soon.

Hip Hip Hoorah for Doctor Who: Legends of a Time Lord Season 2!!

Will we win this year’s Parsec Audio Drama (long form) Award?

While gloating isn’t really my style of exclaiming how much we totally beat out the competition, however this is our first show to become a parsec finalist, and we’re all very proud of Tony, Dan and all the cast of Star Trek: Outpost.

It’s been a long time since Star Trek: Outpost started, 17 months plus another 4-5 months, basically puts Star Trek: Outpost at the 2 year anniversary mark soon.  But months before that, I had initially met one of my best friends to date, Tony Raymond.

Back when Giant Gnome Productions was but an inkling, a bad WordPress site, and Perry Whittle’s amazing short series “Public Service Announcements,” Tony did the brave thing of actually joining Giant Gnome Productions through our badly made “Join Us!” page.

Through Tony’s outstanding work, Giant Gnome Productions was created.  From an incredibly terrible WordPress website, he single handedly made Giant Gnome Productions a brand new website.  I wish I had some before and after screenshots of the change,  because it was truly amazing.  From a terribly put together WordPress theme that didn’t make our shows look good, we had a professional looking website that showcased our shows absolutely wonderfully.

And Tony’s work didn’t stop there.  He directed and co-produced the very first episode of the 13th Hour.  Through that experience he learned how to produce and direct shows from yours truly.  It wasn’t long after that, that he pitched Star Trek: Outpost to me, and I heartily helped him create the monthly show that we have now.  It’s truly amazing how far we’ve come.

Since Star Trek: Dimensions never really got off the group, the progress of Giant Gnome Productions can really be tracked through the monthly releases of Star Trek: Outpost.

When Tony and Dan first pitched the idea, I already knew the fatal mistake of Star Trek: Dimensions: not having more than one episode completely produced.  With Star Trek: Outpost I made sure that not one episode was released without at least 3 episodes in the can.  Throughout the production process Tony has kept to this, and we can see how it’s helped keep the ongoing schedule through thick and thin

While Giant Gnome Productions struggled to get more shows up and off the ground, the perfectly designed Star Trek: Outpost was Giant Gnome Productions only ongoing offering, and now because of it’s stolidness it is the highest downloaded and lauded show on our website.

It wasn’t until a few months into Star Trek: Outpost’s release schedule that I turned my attention to Doctor Who with Ryan Cassavaugh who had up to this point only written a few scripts for our 13th Hour Horror Anthology, and with 5 episodes of Star Trek: Outpost released, Giant Gnome Productions unveiled Doctor Who: Legends of a Time Lord Episode 1, Springheel Jack Part 1.

Every single one of our productions, besides Star Trek: Dimensions who led the first full length episode release, can be charted with the Progress of Star Trek: Outpost, our first ongoing series.

And, it seems only fitting that Star Trek: Outpost is also our first show to become a Parsec Finalist.  It’s been an amazing road for me, and I can only imagine how amazing it’s been for Tony and Dan who’ve worked incredibly hard and put in so much time and effort into the show.

Congratulations Tony, Dan, and the entire cast.  You’ve delighted me for almost two years, and listeners for more than a year and a half.  There is only a small bit of wondering left until September, and only a small bit because I know we’ll do great!

Now, I only have 5 scenes to complete, although these are realistic 5 scenes.  The last mention of 7 scenes did not include the 5 scenes I had written since then.  7 new scenes, so it was still 7 to complete with those 7 extra scenes completed.  Now however, realistically, I have completed planning of all that is to be planned and there are only 5 scenes left for me to finish.  I have started many of them, and only some of are completely untouched.  Once those scenes have finished, the Pilot Episode will be finished.  Almost done!

I’m hoping everyone will like this new Star Trek series that Giant Gnome Productions will be presenting.  It will have an original theme, original music, and post production done by Matthew McLaren!

Now, just because I’ve said that I’m almost done with the Pilot doesn’t mean that the series will be ready to unveiled.  Unlike the lessons that we’ve learned from Star Trek: Dimensions, read previous posts if you wish, there will be 3 episodes written and completed before we even release one episode of this production, which means it may not released until the end of the year.  Although, let’s hope it’s before then.  It may be released around November or so, let’s cross our fingers for this magical occurrence.

More updates soon!

Now, the only problem is, I don’t seem to be stopping with the computer.  Today I went out and purchased the Apple Magic Mouse.  Simply put, it is again one of the most amazing pieces of hardware that I’ve ever used, even if it’s a tad uncomfortable for the moment.  Hopefully I shall get used to it.

The magic of Apple products is quite intoxicating at the worst of times, and at the best of times it seems that they have the ability to deposit vast stores of dopamine into the computer pleasure center of my brain.  And if that’s weird enough, I’ve found myself rallying behind the other macheads and arguing against the PC lovers.  I have truly been converted into what can only be called the Cult of Mac.

In IB History, we learned about the Cult of Personality that Stalin imbued on dead Lenin and upon himself.  Apple Computers seem to be have the exact same ability on their users, that these computers can do absolutely no wrong.  From the always calculating and always changing apple battery calculator, to the amazing backlit LED screen, these computers are amazing.  And this new Magic Mouse that I bought today is exactly the same, although I would have liked the tracking speed to have been a tad bit faster.

But, thinking back on the wonders of the Apple Computer, is it truly wonderful, magical, and life changing in comparison to the PC users who are mere slaves to their overbearing un-intuitive machines that they boast as being their messiahs in life?  Is it all that it’s “cracked up” to be?

I’m neither expert enough to answer that question, nor am I prepared to answer that question as I’ve only had this machine a mere week and a day.  While I am prepared to say that I love it, this may only be a honeymoon phase in this relationship.  As with many Windows machines in the past, the honeymoon phase fades into the long tumultuous phase that leads to my growing anger as the computer slows down exponentially every week.  If this happens with this expensive, shiny, and dreamlike computer, the only conclusion that can be made is that all of the agony was due only to operator error.

For the few readers that I have, I’m sorry to say that I have been converted to the Cult of Mac.  It has drawn my attention for years, ever since I saw a lit apple on the front of a computer many years ago, I’ve wanted to experiment with the awesomeness that is Macintosh Computers.

Hear ye! Hear ye! I am now an Apple Fanboy!

The GnomeCast was always designed to be just an update show. “Just” an update show.  Through the 2 years that it’s been around, it’s evolved from  “just” an update show, to a funny, dare I say punny, update show that never ever met the self imposed time constraints we tried to put on it.

Over the years, it’s been a revolving door of hosts for the GnomeCast.  Started with…well…I believe it started as an idea between myself and Nick Wold.  Man. Nick Wold, now that’s a name bringing back some memories.  When Giant Gnome first started as an inkling in my head, I started a show called “Of Kings and Time Travelers,” which after many rewrites is the show that is once again in production today.  He was one of the first voice actors to audition for my first show, and after many emails and whatnot, he helped me start what would become Giant Gnome Productions.  He actually made up the name for the GnomeCast as well as composed the original music.

Alright, back on topic.  The revolving door of hosts for the GnomeCast is over.  Ryan and myself have had a great time hosting the GnomeCast, and for the most part this probably won’t change over the course of the new GnomeCast.  Unless Tony, Dan, or others would like to guest host, for the most part it’ll be Ryan and myself.  And as always, the rest of the wonderful Gnome Board is invited to come host the GnomeCast.

Unfortunately, since the new inkling in my head for the GnomeCast is different than what has been previously released, it’s time for some new theme music and a new format.

Why is all that necessary?  Because The GnomeCast is Boring.  It’s time to make a little more upbeat, a little more interesting, and a little more…fun.  Ryan Cassavaugh and I have been hosting the GnomeCast for the past few episodes, and it’s time to rethink the format.

It’s time for GnomeCast 3.0.  This time it’s going to be following 3 simple rules:  1.) Updates 2.) Interviews with GGP stars 3.) Funny!  Yup, “Funny” is a rule.

Makes sense?  Let it written, let it be done.

I say it was a fury and hailstorm, but perhaps I’m just being dramatic.  However, there have been more than a few fans that I have cried out on random forums, that I never knew existed, about Star Trek: Dimensions untimely demise.

The only thing that I can possibly say is that I’m…flattered.  As one of the original show creators, Nick Armstrong being the other one, I’m flattered at the response.  I’m excited that we had fans that would actually email us and tell us about how much they hoped for more episodes of Star Trek: Dimensions.

But, on the other hand…there seem to have been some bold faced lies, I mean rumors, that have been spread about on the internet.  And here I thought that the internet was holy or something.  Oh well.  It seems that some fans believed that there were actually 1.) episodes that we finished and just decided not to release and 2.) episodes in production that quite frankly were never even written such as episodes 4, 5, 6, and 7.

To the first part, I swear if I had episodes finished, I would have released them just to keep some of our more rabid fans from speaking out ugly nasty things in our comments about our insubordination and dereliction of duty regarding our upside down, topsy turvy release schedule.  To the second, the only thing I can say is that I’m sorry, but we only had 3 episodes written, and the only one that was ever fully produced was Episode 1.  Episode 2 was broken up into many pieces and some of those pieces are on the websites as a multi part mini series that never really finished.  And Episode 3 just didn’t quite happen even though we had a script.

There were ideas passed back and forth between Nick and I on how to exactly revive our dying show.  I knew it was dying, Nick knew it was dying, and over the past 2 years since the first episode premiered, we’ve moved onto other projects, Nick got married a few weeks ago, I’m going to college now, and everything truly has changed.  Our failure in Star Trek: Dimensions reflects our lack of commitment to it, and truly nothing else.  However, I’m going to put all the blame on my shoulders.  It was truly my fault that Episode 2 never got put together, and Episode 3 never really happened.  The problems and lack of solutions, that bombarded me during the production of Star Trek: Dimensions has only helped me in producing Doctor Who: Legends of a Time Lord, and of course in advising Star Trek: Outpost to now be a Parsec Finalist.  We’re doing an amazing job with many of our other shows…those that come out on a regular schedule, if there can be a testament, a memorial, or even a lasting impression that is Star Trek: Dimensions at Giant Gnome Productions it is that, through the lessons learned doing that wonderful, potential filled show, we learned how to manage and run now an award winning (Parsec Finalist!) production group.

To those who were worried about just how lacking Giant Gnome Productions was with only 1 Star Trek show, and how we truly needed another Star Trek show to round our hoards of regularly released shows, I have good news for all those people.

I don’t have a name for it, but I’m 43 pages into writing it at the time of this post…6 AM Thursday Morning.  43 pages of what I believe to be gold for a pilot episode of a new Star Trek show.  And just like my original idea for Dimensions, it shall be, partially, held within the mirror universe.  It will not be called Dimensions, it will not be called anything along those lines, nor will the story line have anything to do with Dimensions.  My great friend Matthew McLaren will be post producing and creating original music for it, and I thank him for his wonderful work.  He has also been a wonderful sounding board for the creation of the pilot episode.  I still have seven scenes to finish at the time of writing this post.  I’ll keep those who read this blog, I don’t expect many of you still bother to read my drivel, but it’s here for your consumption.

When I purchased it, I had this feeling of awe inspiring wonder as to the product that I would be receiving.  The feeling of a giddy child as he viewed the prospects of that perfect toy train in the story window, was just about my feeling.  Fortunately, I was not disappointed.

Up to the point of when I opened the box, I had been viewing un-boxing videos from various Youtube personalities as they meticulously, or rather un-meticulously, described their brand new Macbook Pro Laptop Computer in front of their High Definition video cameras.  These videos prepared me well for my own un-boxing, and I was not surprised when I opened the box to find the gleaming silver aluminum computer sitting snugly within a smaller than expected box.

Now, skipping forward a tiny bit, I’m going to have to describe what I believed would happen when I purchased this computer.  For the past few years I have been experiencing this excruciating pain known as writer’s block.  This bitingly horrid sensation of not being to pump out the pages of writing that I knew lay within me was enough for me to consult books on the subject and even pine for a new computer, specifically an Apple Computer, in the hopes of becoming like my writing Idols, all of whom utilized this particular brand to create their intensely creative ideas.

However, to say that my writing, or lack thereof, was the only reason that I bought this computer, would leave out one important detail.  That being, I am a film student attending one of the best film schools in the country, American University, and this brand of computer is what is needed to accomplish great things in that field.

Back to the writing aspect.  The inexplicable sensation that I tried, multiple times, to attribute to the insane workload of the International Baccalaureate Program, has it appears finally begun to wear off.  Whether it can be attributed to the purchase of this brand of computer, or simply that my educational pursuits have splintered past the horrors of the IB Program, I may never know.

But, to what extent is my writing prowess back?  The malcontent within me is always ready to point out the good, the bad, and the ugly of any situation, even the gloriousness of the one that lays before me: the unhindered writing landscape of, in my mind, a whole new world.  Personally, seeing as I’ve written at least 30 audio script pages within the last couple of days is enough to say that something has been rekindled within my cerebrum, but is this just a honeymoon period before the terror comes flooding back?

Perhaps.

All I know for the moment is that my welcome to the Apple Family of Computer Products has been a hearty one, and the experiences therein have been, for the past week, quite amazing.

A more detailed review, as well as a possible rant on my dislike of having both a “command” and “control” button are forthcoming shortly.  But as usual, don’t hold your breath, because you may die.

Me.

Yes folks, you heard it here first! I’m actually taking the blame for this lateness, not because they’re my late lines, or that I’m the voice actor who’s supposed to do them, but because I wasn’t on the ball and emailing people to get their lines in on March 21st.  Actually, I started emailing on April 4.  That’s right, I started emailing with less than 16 days before the episode is supposed to air! I’m a bum, I know. Don’t blame me, blame…I dunno…something else.  Oh. Let’s blame Arizona. Yea. It’s all Arizona’s fault I was being lazy.  Damn Arizona.

So that’s why this episode may be late. In a feat of Audio Engineering, perhaps our nimble and capable John Noble will be able to fantastically will the episode to life.  Who knows.

Well, that’s my production update for today!