Sanctuary Discussion (Spoilers for the most recent episode)

[Purpleyin]

Not wanting to rain on your parade or anything, but you won't be taking any toy pistols with you as props will you?

There's this little thing called the Violent Crimes Reduction Act that became law at the start of last month.

The bare bones of it is, if a member of Joe Q. Public sees you with anything that even remotely looks like a real firearm from a distance, then the Police Armed Response Unit has the authority to shoot first and ask questions later.
Much later. Like when you're lying on a slab in the mortuary-type later.

I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but just consider it a friendly warning.

Thanks for the heads up, though I did indeed know of this - I thought it'd been around for longer than since last month though! Was why I didn't go for a Ronon gun for P2 in Feb, because I wasn't sure if it was allowed/wise.

[BruTak]

Well, you didn't get this from me, but...

The Heathrow Armed Response Unit came within a hairsbreadth of getting called to Pegasus 2 when Neil D. of the Jedi Chefs let rip with his airsoft Vulcan Cannon in the hotel car park...

Brian Cooney had to do some pretty fast talking that night, believe me.

[tagger]

Neat article with new pictures and an interview with Ron Martin.

http://www.softimage.com/community/c...y/default.aspx

[Pitry]

Having fianlly got to watch it... I'll be honest, I'm not much impressed. True, the computer animation is really cool - but I do have a problem with watching somethnig that looks liek a cmoputer game. Also, I'm well aware it's only 17 minutes, but the fact I've turned first to the CGI.... well, the story doesn't seem to be my complete cup of tea, as I felt when details were publish. But, hey, it's only 17 minutes, I won't be writing it off yet.

Loved David Hewlett, tho. The man's brilliant.

[ForeverSg1]

Having fianlly got to watch it... I'll be honest, I'm not much impressed. True, the computer animation is really cool - but I do have a problem with watching somethnig that looks liek a cmoputer game. Also, I'm well aware it's only 17 minutes, but the fact I've turned first to the CGI.... well, the story doesn't seem to be my complete cup of tea, as I felt when details were publish. But, hey, it's only 17 minutes, I won't be writing it off yet.

Loved David Hewlett, tho. The man's brilliant.

Totally understandable, but I think that was really the concept they have been trying to achieve -- the look and feel of a live computer game or comic book almost. I mean they have said all along that it's like Sin City or 300. Honestly, that's the part that has been most intriguing for me -- the idea that Sanctuary was going to have such a different look and feel from anything we currently see on television. It's also one of the biggest draws for my husband who's a huge comic book fan. But I have a feeling that won't be the case in a year. I can almost guarantee you by the end of next season there will be at least one television show with the same kind of concept.

But I would definitely give it a few more weeks and then make your final decision, because it may actually grow on you over time and I'm sure the storyline will become much more exciting as we learn more about the characters.

In the end, it's inevitable that there will be some viewers who just don't like the concept and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't think the crew at Stage-3 expect that everyone will love the show, but I can see it generating a lot of interest simply because the look of the show is so different.

[jckfan55]

Totally understandable, but I think that was really the concept they have been trying to achieve -- the look and feel of a live computer game or comic book almost. I mean they have said all along that it's like Sin City or 300. Honestly, that's the part that has been most intriguing for me -- the idea that Sanctuary was going to have such a different look and feel from anything we currently see on television. It's also one of the biggest draws for my husband who's a huge comic book fan. But I have a feeling that won't be the case in a year. I can almost guarantee you by the end of next season there will be at least one television show with the same kind of concept.

Yes, I think you're right that that's the look they're going for. Personally I'm not a particular fan of that style, but from what I've seen it's "mainstream" enough for me. It looks enough like a regular show so I'm not put off by the cgi. The style is a little film noir-ish, which I do like. If the stories are good, that's the key to me. So I hope they remember to do some good writing along with the "cool" style. I have high hopes for that, though, with AT playing a key role behind the camera.

[the dancer of spaz]

Considering the first hour was written several years ago, with I'm assuming updates and tweaking within the past year or so, I wonder if the second set of episodes will have a different feel or tempo to them.

[RealmOfX]

Having fianlly got to watch it... I'll be honest, I'm not much impressed. True, the computer animation is really cool - but I do have a problem with watching somethnig that looks liek a cmoputer game. Also, I'm well aware it's only 17 minutes, but the fact I've turned first to the CGI.... well, the story doesn't seem to be my complete cup of tea, as I felt when details were publish. But, hey, it's only 17 minutes, I won't be writing it off yet.

Loved David Hewlett, tho. The man's brilliant.

May I ask what parts you thought were looking like a computer game? And which version (HD, SD, loRes) you were looking at? I'm asking because I'm curious at how people perceive things visually.

If you have an eye for detail it is always easy to spot a blue / green screen effect but I have found that even though I'll spot it, so long as the story is good and the effect is good, it won't jar me out of the story and therefore it fits.

In the first webisode I felt the backgrounds were good and kept me in the story. However in the 5 minute preview there were several instances where I was jarred out of the story and went "Computer game!" Those instances were inside Sanctuary with the mermaid and the rock monster and then outside with the car chase. Oh yeah, and a minor one for in the elevator with Will and Helen, at one point the back wall of the elevator was really noticeable and may have been a perspective thing with Will because it changed when he moved forward.

I'm hoping when we get to see the actual complete webisode that they are in that I'll be immersed enough in the story that I won't notice it and that maybe it was because we were looking at a loRes image.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the look of Sanctuary, it's my cup of tea but I am interested in how other people see things. Anyone else care to comment?

Considering the first hour was written several years ago, with I'm assuming updates and tweaking within the past year or so, I wonder if the second set of episodes will have a different feel or tempo to them.

Actually I can't wait to get all 8 webisodes and put them onto DVD so I can watch it all through at once.

I too am interested what the second half will be like, though I'm not sure it will change much, didn't Martin Wood write that with Damian and wasn't he the one to insist on keeping to Damian's original script?

I actually like the look of Sanctuary so far but then I am a fan of the Batman gothic look and I love graphic novels. I also loved 300 from a visual perspective.

[RealmOfX]

There's a short article over on Slice Of SciFi about Sanctuary at the London Expo

"May 22, 2007 — Stage 3 Media Inc., an independent production company specializing in new media entertainment, today announced that Amanda Tapping and Damian Kindler will provide an early premiere of Sanctuary webisode 2 during the upcoming MCM Expo, London’s biggest two-day movie, comic and media show. Tapping and Kindler will also be available for autograph signings and discussions about Sanctuary throughout the event."

For the complete article go here

[Tracy Jane]

In the first webisode I felt the backgrounds were good and kept me in the story. However in the 5 minute preview there were several instances where I was jarred out of the story and went "Computer game!" Those instances were inside Sanctuary with the mermaid and the rock monster and then outside with the car chase. Oh yeah, and a minor one for in the elevator with Will and Helen, at one point the back wall of the elevator was really noticeable and may have been a perspective thing with Will because it changed when he moved forward.

I agree with the things that jarred in the trailer. The other thing that jarred slightly for me is the shot where they pan over the city and the subway towards the Sanctuary. It just doesn't sit right with me.

But that'sone shot, and it was a lot better in the webisode than it was in the trailer, so it's all good.

[Myrth]

I have, worked a treat.

I setup a DVD off the downloaded file using NeroVision and added Amanda's greeting to the front of it for the launch party I had here.

Fair enough. Just thought someone might have tried as a "proof of concept" kind of thing.

[Pitry]

May I ask what parts you thought were looking like a computer game? And which version (HD, SD, loRes) you were looking at? I'm asking because I'm curious at how people perceive things visually.

If you have an eye for detail it is always easy to spot a blue / green screen effect but I have found that even though I'll spot it, so long as the story is good and the effect is good, it won't jar me out of the story and therefore it fits.

In the first webisode I felt the backgrounds were good and kept me in the story. However in the 5 minute preview there were several instances where I was jarred out of the story and went "Computer game!" Those instances were inside Sanctuary with the mermaid and the rock monster and then outside with the car chase. Oh yeah, and a minor one for in the elevator with Will and Helen, at one point the back wall of the elevator was really noticeable and may have been a perspective thing with Will because it changed when he moved forward.

I'm hoping when we get to see the actual complete webisode that they are in that I'll be immersed enough in the story that I won't notice it and that maybe it was because we were looking at a loRes image.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the look of Sanctuary, it's my cup of tea but I am interested in how other people see things. Anyone else care to comment?

Completely understandable

I watched the HD version, not the low-res youtube in the end.
You're right in that it's fnuny, because every time the had an exterior background shot, the kind that are quite often are done in CGI - or at least invovle some computer graphics, a-la mat paintings - felt like a computer game to me. I'll be honest, I don't know how what they're doing with the big backgrounds is differnet from mat paintings, but it felt different.
Another bit was one of the rooms... I can't remember which scene, the nightmare one or the cops one, but one of them had a coach and a wall behind it and somewhere there, perhaps the contrast, or the setting, or I dunno.... it really really bothered me visually. Again, I'll have to rewatch to tell you exactly why.
Some of the backgrounds were just fine - the hospital scenes were no problem whatsoever, with perhaps the exception of the morgue scene. Generally the insides were alright. But as I said, all the exteriors felt computer-gamish. - Againas FroeverSG1 rightly said, they were aiming at that and never tried to hide it

You're right in saying that the majority (I have seen some incredible blue/green screen shots that the onyl thing hinting they're done with computers is the fact you jsut can't achieve that in real life... butt hat's a very small minority) of the scene can be spotted rpetty easily - as I said, the first 17 minutes for me lacked in story, but that's alright, it's just 17 minutes. I would say that knowing they're cutting downt he story for 17-minute-webisodes I feel they shuodl have went for a different introduction and a differnet way to approach the story - it really feels like the first 17 minutes of an hour long episode, not something that stands on its own - and it's a problem if you pre-release just that. Just like regular two/three/arc parters in a regular television shows do have the "this is the beginning, this is the story we're telling, this is the (partial) end" pointers for the different parts, I think they should have gone for that route in Sanctuary - and I dunno, maybe they feel they have I just dind't feel that way - it felt the beginning and end pointers were fine, but everything in between begged to be a part of a longer episode.
And of course, added is the fact that, what can I do, I'm not a big fan of fantasy. Usually my tolerance for the genre is for the very, very best - Tolkien, Zelazny, Pratchett, and their peers, and I find myself having very little patience to any fantasy that isn't top quality.... but as I said, that's up to differnet tastes and it's definitely not their fault, rather my problem!

[Purpleyin]

Got my Dr. Magnus costume together today thanks to my mum (go charity shops and impromptu home sewing). Sadly lacking the hat but I think the costume looks decent enough without that or the coat, besides the wig will make my head bouil enough as it is. Will post some photos up, might take a few tomorrow before the con as I'll be showing it to my friend who I'm going with.

The badges arrived at my work today too but it was my day off, so my friend has them and don't know quite how they turned out but at last they are existant in some form now.

[BruTak]

Yay! Go Purpleyin!

[dipsofjazz]

I can't wait to see the pics Purpleyin. Have a great time at the con.