IMS Publishing

Here is a link to posts that were made on another blog;

IMS Publishing

On that blog there are significant thoughts that never made it onto The Gnomes of New Hope blog.

This is a composite sketch 

before it was painted with watercolor

titled 

"Ferny Reading to the Little Ones"

If you look below, you will find some photos of 

the sculpture that is underway of Ferny Reading. 

These Sculptures are part of our Garden Gnome Project,

which is also tied to the smaller figurines, puppets, stop-action film work

and 

Cyclorama Project.

The Cyclorama Project will be directly tied to the model work on

 Set-Design and Animatronics.

But all of these concepts are contingent upon 

finishing, distributing & selling

 the

Illustrated Storybook Series

We are discussing producing some of the individual musical pieces, 

which have catchy themes

starting with;

The Stone of Wisdom

sung to Zach & Zebby by

The Master Gnome

Cover of Volume Three/Book Five

Cycloramas

   Interestingly enough, I realized that I need to be building models for the different set designs, so they will be integrated into the art exhibition and represent rather miniature Cycloramas. Start small and grow from there. (ie: "It's a Small World After All) Gno pun intended.

I like the idea of Animatronics Cycloramas, but if we get to that point, the puppets will be somewhere around two feet tall, making it a much bigger presentation.

Little by little, we'll get there. AG

Cycloramas

A Gnome Home

I've decided that we will build 

"The Gnomes of New Hope; 
Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure"

as a walk-through cyclorama. 

I have been thinking about this type of show for years. 

That being said I will be looking for model makers.

send me an email.

    As you might have seen in other posts, I have been working (sporadically) on the puppetry aspect of the project. I have been him'n and haw'n about how to approach this. There are at least a half a dozen approaches, which amount to as many different shows. Each of these shows can (effectively) be promotional for the full (live) musical. Of course, all based on the Illustrated Storybooks.

   What it gets down to is this; I need to build the show that can be done most effectively in my studio, with the resources available to me. Doing that will also allow us to do a documentary film about the process.

   Yes, I am working toward setting up a sound stage with a green screen. I have the HDV, for a three camera shoot, to go with the sound stage. It has been my intention to build the puppets on a three foot chassis and for them to be both stick puppets or marionettes. I figure the stick puppets would be used for shooting against the green screen, but we could also do that with marionettes. I do have more that one bridge.

   So now I am working out a smaller representation of the show as cycloramas that can travel. I'm thinking of puppets that are 6-8 inches in height. Doing that can also turn into figurines that can be sold.

   That is the direction if things right now. I would be interested in discussing this with anyone who is a model-maker and may like some employment, working out of our shop in Southampton. We have 20 scenes (at least) to create.

An Invitation

 Here is an Invitation I found in my files. 
It was composed years ago 

when I was working on Business Structure

and I didn't realize just how much energy 

the Illustrated Storybooks would involve.

I see that I will be returning to the Business Documentation, 

as the publishing is nearing completion.

So, I updated this some and figured 

I might as well Post it here.

I can send it to you as an attachment,

without the decor.

PRODUCTION BREAKDOWN: Act One - Musical Numbers

 Here is my analysis of the 
Act One: Timing and Musical Numbers

I'll add more later, 

AG

Status Report

   We are making progress in completing the artwork. I am focusing on completing Book Four, while Jency continues to watercolor and refine the sketches into line drawings. Some of the material needs to be done over again, because the drawings do not actually match the requirements of the text. But that's just part of the process. It's rather like the way I needed to create backstory to reach the objective of the current storyline. There's a divergence of conception that naturally occurs, so in order to reach the right balance some material is created in order to get to the right place. It costs more to have to do that, but that's the price that needs to be paid.

   I'm somewhat stunned by just how much work is required to complete this project and I am anxious to be finished with the publishing stage of things, but it cannot be pushed beyond it's natural flow. I supposed that if I had more funds to work with, we could hire more people to work on it, but I'm not really set up yet to be distracted by trying to supervise other operations. As it is, I need to set up the book binding in a more productive fashion. I'm looking at manufacturing from a new perspective and if things work out the way I hope, the Hand-Stitched binding will become viable with the changes in the production line.

 

 I'm working on the Gallery Exhibition of the Artwork for the Storybook Collection.  This panel setup needs to be finished to accommodate a presentation of the material. I've decided to use wall paper to cover the panels. You can see from this one panel (in the front) that staining the panel looks rather mediocre. I wanted to apply cork to the panels, but the cost is prohibitive, more so because for that cost, I can't achieve the effect I want. But, after putting wall paper in my kitchen, I find that the old barn wood design I used works very well on these exhibition panels. So I will be looking into other wallpaper designs.

  On another front; I have been thinking about the sound-stage. I can't set that up so soon. I have a number of vehicles that need to be completed and parked inside Building Four for the winter. I will need to secure another facility in order to remove machinery from the space (which I want to set up as the sound stage). So there will be a delay, until I find a solution, or finish putting those vehicles back together. It's a drag, but working on "The Gnomes of New Hope" has distracted me from other things that have needed tending. Now it's getting out of hand and I need to shift my attention to other things, as soon as it is possible. That being said, I would like to pass off certain Gnome projects, so I can be free to address other matters.

That's all for now. AG

The Libretto/Score

I guess I have to prove that we actual do have a Libretto and a Score,
so here's a shot of those materials.

Both the Libretto and Score are divided into 

Act One & Act Two

Even though Act One Score looks pretty beefy there,

that doesn't include the score for individual Instruments.

It is designed for a 24 piece Pit Orchestra

and what you see there are drafts of the final score

and not all numbers are printed out there.

Below is a long shot of the Production breakdown 

that outlines the timing of the show,

including production numbers and set changes,

assuming the sets are along the lines of the ones I have designed,

which may not be the case, since things have expanded since then.

It doesn't really tell you much, except that 

this degree of Production Breakdown 

is done and hanging on the back of my door.

It's really only a timing document,

 outlining the musical numbers, their timing, length of dialogue, 

scene timing, bridges and set change timing.

Oh, and there is some blocking in there too.

The Libretto has Technical, Operational and Directorial notes included.

In the larger scheme of things, there's way more work to do. 

For now I'm focused on publishing the Illustrated Storybooks.

After that I will publish the Libretto and continue working on the score.

There's still more Arrangements that need to be done,

but there's a lot of numbers that I can do the final score on.

I have to go back and redo the Divisi and the time signatures

(that I lost due to a hard drive failure)

as well as other aspects of the score that need to be addressed.

But I'm not going to touch the music until 

the Illustrated Storybooks are finished and are being published.

Mainly, because I don't want to overburden my computer 

and end up with more hard drive failures.

Truth be told, 

I lost ten years worth of work with numerous hard drive failures, 

work that I had to rebuild or recreate.

That is why it has taken me so long to do this.

Gadzooks!

"Never Been So Near"

 Well, while I'm at it I guess I'll post this song again.
This is the First Song in the show
(other than the Overture)

"Never Been So Near"

I made this as a animation almost ten years ago

using the Artwork we had at the time.

We have not recorded anyone singing it yet,

so I just put the lyrics up as a scroll up the screen.

I think you can get the gist of it.

I don't think I need a bouncing ball.

The email at the end if this film is no longer valid. 

use the gmail one on the sidebar.

AG

A Promotional Powerpoint

 A Sample of the e-Storybook Format

As I was working on posting the "Talking head" video below,

I found this sample powerpoint presentation I made

as a test for how the e-Storybook might look.

I was experimenting with what I could do with PowerPoint.

It's a little stiff, the narration,

 because I was worried about slurring the words

and I tried to narrate it at a reasonable speed 

that one might casually read the material.

I did not want to read it too fast.

You know how it is,

 sometimes you just take things too seriously.

The narration from this is published in

 Volume/Book: One Introduction to 

Oh well, take it for what it is.

I am about to actively seek Agency Representation, 

so this might help.

Also, I hope to locate Theatre & Film Producers 

who may like to be involved as well.

I expect that this gives a good picture of the project.

I think I probably posted this years ago when I made it.

I've been totally engaged in the publishing end of things

and I didn't realize that finishing that would take years.

AG

The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture

"Bezaliel becomes a Master Gnome "

The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture

Advancement into the First Class Theatre & First Run Cinema Productions,

in addition to the numerous other Ancillary Markets, including Television,

is contingent upon establishment of the Joint Venture.

Advancement in the Limited Edition Publishing Arena is the Purview of 

Image of the Mind Studios

while the Unlimited Editions will belong to the Joint Venture.

The Secondary Markets: Festival & Environmental Theatre, 

Independent Animated Film,

Puppetry, Animatronics,  

and Garden Gnomes & Figurines

are the purview of Image of the Mind Studios

All the rights to this project, 

with the exception of those retained by Image of the Mind Studios,

 will be turned over to the Joint Venture 

once the Structure is firmly established 

and the appropriate number of Board Members 

buys into the project.

There is a fixed number of shares in the project

47% of which will be sold to

active members of the JointVenture,

the Balance of which belong to Image of the Mind Studios

ad infinitum.

The ratio of shares will always remain the same in the event of a stock split.

Acquisition of 100% of the project

can only be achieved by purchase of 

Image of the Mind Studios

The Industry Review Package 

makes reference to this Joint Venture

and the Business Plan outlines the basic terms.

The Business Plan

is developing and takes into account a larger operation than just

"The Gnomes of New Hope; Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure"

this Business Plan defines an Operating Structure 

that incorporates multiple divisions

that in current terms, represents separate business entities,

but are linked to effect the production

of this and other projects of a similar nature.

This multi-faceted Business Operation is to be Founded and Supervised by 

The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture

and

Image of the Mind Studios.

Accommodation is also made 

for the outright Sale of 

The Gnomes of New Hope Franchise

along with 

Image of the Mind Studios

and other projects in various stages of development.

AG

Producing/Selling the Books

 

The Hand-Stitched Binding affects the appeal of the books at first glance.

Yes, the artwork is phenomenal as well and the fact that 

the books are based on

A Stage Musical

makes the project unique and, if we are lucky, enduring. 

Hand-stitched Books will be produced exclusively by

 Image of the Mind Studios

in our own shop, 

as oppose to being jobbed out to a third party printer/binder.

That means that inventory (of Hand-stitched Books) will be limited 

to whatever we decide to, or can,  keep on the shelf. 

Production time for Hand-Stitched Books is considerably longer 

than Machine Bound Books.

So availability of the Hand-Stitched Books 

will depend upon current inventory.

That being said, 

there may be a wait if inventory is depleted.

DIRECT SALES

Individual books can be ordered, at MSRP, directly from our sales office.

There will be an additional $15 charge for signed and numbered editions.

There will be no discount for books 

(not purchased under the wholesale terms for retailers).

The Story of 

spans a collection of Seven Books, also published as Three Volumes.

All Hand-Stitched Books, One thru Seven, have an MSRP of $34.95.

Some books have more pages than others.

The Three Volume Set is not being released at this time. 

WHOLESALE

For retailers, we have a wholesale structure. 

Minimum purchase for wholesale pricing is 36 books.

However, a full keystone on the Hand-Stitched Books will not be achieved 

on any less than 1k quantity purchases, per book.

The Wholesale pricing schedule for 

both Hand-Stitched and Machine Bound books,

 will be released after 

IMS Inventory of Hand-Stitched Books is built up

and after the first production run 

of Machine Bound Books takes place.

MSRP of Machine Bound books is likely to be $24.95.

Exclusive Distribution Rights of Machine Bound Books is available.

More Later... AG

Watercolors

    So, we have begun transferring the sketches over to watercolor paper. In the previous artwork, I would take the scanned B&W line drawings, which are enhanced sketches, and process them in Photoshop.  Once I cleaned the line drawings up, I would print them out on watercolor paper.  Well, this time around, I have concluded that it is more cost effective just to have the sketches transferred directly to watercolor paper via pencil. The time I had to spend preparing and printing the watercolor line drawings actually cost me more than paying Jency to redraw the artwork onto watercolor paper.  

   The other advantage of drawing, as opposed to printing, is that corrections and adjustments can be made before applying the watercolor.  I like the time to consider whether or not a drawing needs adjustment and having the pencil drawings rather than a printed blank makes corrections possible. At this stage,  corrections are a very good option to have.

   I'm inclined to proceed with animation using classic methods, simply because I can't see how CGI can maintain the aesthetics that we have achieved with these watercolors. I could be wrong, but I was trained in early techniques using 16mm and I find the early animation work to be enthralling. I do have sufficient computer technology and programs to pursue CGI, but I am not certain about the best way to proceed. I'm inclined to do some sample animations and to see how it all can be merged. We are looking at puppetry as an element and with the green-screen, we can do live action and convert that into animation using various techniques.

    I guess we'll see how it pans out. I'm always open to discussing this with other producers experienced in these arenas, as well as distribution.

AG