Terra Nova

I've been looking forward to the new tv series, Terra Nova, for a while now because...well....I'm a nerd.

Terra Nova
Synopsis;
"An epic family adventure 85 million years in the making, TERRA NOVA follows an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a daring experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. With no known way to reverse the damage to the planet, scientists discover a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…a second chance to rebuild civilization and get it right this time.

The series centers on the Shannon family as they join the Tenth Pilgrimage of settlers to TERRA NOVA, the first colony established in this beautiful yet forbidding land led by its founder COMMANDER NATHANIEL TAYLOR (Stephen Lang, “Avatar”). JIM SHANNON (Jason O’Mara, “Life on Mars”), a devoted father with a checkered past, guides his family – wife ELISABETH (Shelley Conn, “Mistresses”); and children JOSH (Landon Liboiron, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”), MADDY (Naomi Scott, “Life Bites”) and ZOE (newcomer Alana Mansour) – through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror. In addition to blue skies, towering waterfalls and lush vegetation, TERRA NOVA offers new opportunities and fresh beginnings to its recent arrivals, but the Shannons have brought with them a familial secret that may threaten their citizenship in this utopia. These adventurers soon discover that this healthy, vibrant world is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The areas surrounding TERRA NOVA are teeming with danger – and not just of the man-eating dinosaur variety. The Shannons will come to suspect that not everyone on this mission has the same idea of how to best save mankind; in fact, there may be forces intent on destroying this new world before it even begins."

Last night I finally got to see the premiere and I have to say I really liked it. I'm no reviewer, I would only ramble on and on while trying to discuss what I saw. But while there were moments where the FX work didn't quite make it, overall the pilot worked very well as a setup for a series. I'm looking forward to where things go and I will definately be tuning in for as long as the series is on the aire.

If you have even the most remote interest in the series please give it a look.

Casting; or how to learn from a semi-failure...

It's taken a while but I'm finally posting on my first attempt at casting. I suppose I could best sum up the experience with a few words; COLD, WET, and DARK. Yep, that sums it up alright. I should say now that not only was this my first experience in casting, but it was the first experience in casting for my sister who helped me. I've been watching, and learning, and research the subject for a while now but she hasn't. So I really have to give her all the credit in the world for not only doing a great job for her first time, but also for making sure I stayed alive.

This was something I have been building up to for some time now. I had put it off for a while, but finally decided to just do it already. And all the research in the world aside, I'm a firm believer that people only really learn by doing. So after getting the necessary materials and ignoring my nerves the time was now.

It started out simple enough, I sat on a chair, plastic on the floor and garbage bag around my shoulders. Vaseline in my eyebrows to prevent anything from sticking and a bald cap holding tightly to my scalp. I mixed the alginate as quick I could and my sister began spreading it across my head. The alginate is what picks up the details of your face in the casting process. And added plaster bandages for some support.

From there more plaster bandages were added to create the outer shell.

Because this was my first time out I really didn't want to make a casting that was too involved, or rather too large, so I focused on my face and the top and sides of my head. After a bit of time the plaster dried and we began to take everything off.

I was fine through the whole process, like I said it was cold, dark, and wet. But I was actually quite relaxed. The thing was as we were taking it off my breathing changed, I don't know what it why. I started breathing harder and faster, it felt almost like I was about to start hyperventilating. But we got everything off after a minute. The unfortunate thing was, while the plaster was fine, the alginate layer tore apart so easily it was ruined.

But the entire thing wasn't for nothing, I learned quite a bit. For one thing the next time I try I'll make the alginate layer much thicker. And try to add as many plaster elements to support it as possible. I'm still very hopeful that I'll have a cast ready to work with quite soon. And when I do, I'll be able to begin experimenting with creature makeup and FX in a serious way.

Till next time.

Melt Ponds, Petermann Ice Island

Melt Ponds, Petermann Ice Island

Absolutely amazing.

I have a new sister-in-law

The happy couple.

On Saturday little brother got married. I now have a new sister-in-law. While getting married may not be for me I am very, very, happy for them both. And I was fortunate enough for them to ask me to be a part of the wedding party. I wan honored. It was a beautiful and very much needed happy day.


I like the tux i got to wear, very nice.

Little sister.

Cutting the cake, notice the rubber duckies on top.



First dance.