Production Update #6 – Seven Gates – Where Angels Fall.

The first part of Episode 1 is in the editing phase. Each episode is going to be released in parts ( about 10 – 15 minutes episodes roughly). I wanted to update everyone on the progress and to let everyone know that I am working hard to get this first part out by the weekend or early next week. I just want to do my best to give the cast a platform to shine from, without their voices and ( their Music) this project would be a bunch of boring slideshow images and lots of reading.

This will be a short update since editing is not that exciting. The editing phase is where you see what works what doesn’t work and where you made mistakes. So its fix it time and recreate time for some scenes, while others might disappear all together. In a few instances moving and shuffling around of scenes and lines happen.

There is three phases of editing, the story, the sound, and the look. These are not the only ones but I just broke many steps in three phases, you do many more and all three at the same time. I know I’m not completely versed in all the nuances of editing and animation. Camera angles, aperture, when to zoom when not to. When to use this technique and so on. I’m learning though and as each episode is released I hope to have those areas improve in the end.

My goal is not to have have a cinematic or photo real animation or even a pure anime look. I’ve tried to bridge the gap and at the same time create a new look as well. There are lots of people who love computer animation and just as many who hate it. I am convinced there is a middle ground that can be achieved. Not by me but by some one at some point. The key in my mind is don’t try to force it to be something its not.

 

So in closing the time is drawing near for the first half of episode 1 to be released.

Do not take what others say and apply it to your heart. Learn and grow and realize that the way you traveled doesn’t matter once you have arrived.

 

 

 

 

Seven Gates – Where Angels Fall behind the scenes #2

Behind the scenes post time once again.

In this post I’m going to go into some more behind the scenes story and detail surrounding the series. As anyone already following the series knows the basis of the story is seven gates that lead to hell exist and if all seven are opened than the apocalypse begins. The first two gates that have been opened are located in Sleepy hollow New York and York Pennsylvania. Yes Sleepy Hollow is a real town in New York and it was originally called Tarrytown, hence the image of Tarry town’s map above.

The obvious question is why Sleepy hollow and York PA? No there is no headless horseman in the series, I promise. One of the reasons is I live in western New York and I am familiar with the area and felt it was time to bring these areas into the spotlight. All apocalypse type shows take place in New York city or Los Angeles or Tokyo. I felt it was time the little guys got their turn. Yes sleepy hollow has been in the spotlight many times and everyone knows it. So that was the the second reason its the starting town of the series. We all like a sense of familiarity when watching something, it’s subconscious and we dont even know it.  It creates a mental connection to our feelings and stuff like that. Well that was the super scientific explanation, so we can move on now from there.

(Character creation in Daz Studio 4.9 – concept for potential future new character)

One of the biggest reasons I choose small towns and areas to start the story was more of a personal story telling hang up I have. Sometimes I get caught up on the “this wouldn’t happen and if it did this and that would happen and nothing you are creating would matter” dilemma. Example if the events in the series happened in New York city the army and FBI, NSA, etc etc would be all over the scene and none of the story elements could realistically happen. The news would have it broadcast in mere minutes and it would be known worldwide. So change the setting put it in a small area and town, one that could remain off the radar for at least a short time, especially if it was a sudden event that occurred with out warning. Now we have a plausible starting point, a bit far stretched but its fiction, supernatural science fiction fantasy storytelling so how real does it have to be to begin with?

 

Writing, animation, any medium of art today seems to have so many rules, dont do this or that and this technique should only be here and not there. Just join any Facebook group or do a simple google search and you’ll see what I mean. You throw your art out there and suddenly its all about the rules or the craft, creativity is lost and the storytelling is forgotten. It’s easy to get lost in this whirlwind of information and lose site of the story or meaning behind your art and chosen craft.  This is one element I wanted to explore in this series. Just tell the story. I’ll make mistakes not apply the rules correctly, do things that people write blog posts about entitled “The 10 things you should never do” and I’ll hit all ten. I will even probably create 10 more for the blogger to write a follow up article on.So your welcome Mr or Ms blogger.

This post was a bit shorter than the last, the render of my scene is almost done so its back to animating for me. I’m hoping to have the first part of episode 1 released in the next two weeks. The planned out production is set for that time frame so either two weeks or maybe earlier if every thing goes smoothly.

 

 

 

 

 

The signs are everywhere.

 

 

“I remember looking up at the night sky when I was a child. The stars and the vast blackness beyond held me transfixed. The moment was frozen in time and nothing else existed but the stars and the wonders that they held. I couldn’t comprehend the idea…”

Noah hit the delete key in disgust and sat back in his chair. He knew what he wanted to write, but the words seemed to fail him. He was frustrated. The gnawing sensation in the pit of his stomach continued to push him. He knew something was driving him and guiding him. The problem was where was it drawing him to.

“Aliens. Seriously?” Noah grumbled as he stood and walked over to the window.

He watched a small squirrel skitter across the backyard. The squirrel stopped and its tail twitched as it looked in Noah’s direction. The small creature looked at him intently and then looked up at the sky above before it ran off to disappear in the nearby hedges. Noah smiled as he felt a calm fall over him for a moment. The squirrel was doing what it did best, being a squirrel.

Noah sighed once again and returned to his desk. He sat staring at the computer screen. He wanted to write about the change that was coming to the world. He wanted to warn people about the dark path they were traveling. The protests and unrest that had been rising over the last few decades was only getting worse. The government response was not quelling it, it was feeding it. The increased control of their lives and even their thoughts was growing each day. The world was spinning out of control.

“And all I can think about is aliens and what’s happening beyond our world.” Noah covered his face with his hands and leaned back in his chair as the frustration he felt intensified.

Even his dreams had been pushing him into this line of thinking. Dreams about lost planets and coming devastation. They haunted him, even during the day. The images never fading from his mind. He had spent hours reading about aliens and conspiracies. None of it made sense to him, but it all seemed to consistently merge into the same message.

“Something was coming. The signs are everywhere.”

The phone rang. The sudden shattering of the rooms silence startled Noah out of his thoughts. He looked at the caller ID on the phone’s screen before answering it.  Judah Corp.

“Hi Tony.”  Noah answered as he went to the window again.

“Hey Noah. Have you seen the news?” Tony’s voice echoed slightly. He was most likely on speaker phone,  either in his car or sitting in his office.

“Not yet. I try to start my day off on a positive note.” Noah answered.

The muffled sound of helicopters flying over head drew his attention to the sky above his house. A large number of military helicopters heading toward the city seemed to blacken out the sun momentarily as they passed.

“Well I think you might want to turn it on.” Tony answered.

“Please tell me its not another press conference of yours. The great Anthony Judah sky rockets Judah Corp to new heights with his latest innovation type thing.” Noah smiled as he turned the television on. He loved getting Tony all worked up.

“No. I would have simply broadcasted that directly to every device in your house, that way you wouldn’t forget to watch it, like you did the last time.” Tony answered with a bit of mirth in his voice.

The news cast was showing what appeared to be the scene of rally of some sort. The scrolling news feed across the screen giving details of what he was watching.

“Dulce, New Mexico. Senator Calvin to hold press release.”

The large armored robots flanking the center stage gleamed in the sun light and created an impressive image of strength. The mech’s as they were being called were the newest military weapon that the government has been parading around. They had turned the tide of the last war in the middle east and proven that the United States was once again one of the only super powers left in the world. That was at least the message the news media wanted you to swallow.

“What am I watching, Tony?” Noah had no interest in the rally for Senator Calvin. Politics as of late was nothing more than a stage act. A show to make the people believe they had a voice, when in reality everything was predetermined before hand. It was a puppet show for the masses.

“Senator Calvin is announcing, or should I say disclosing everything the government knows about alien life.” Tony answered nonchalantly.

Noah wasn’t sure if he had heard that right. Alien disclosure from the government?

“What?” was the only word Noah could muster in response.

“That’s the word, full disclosure on what the government has been hiding in regards to alien life outside our planet.” Tony answered.

“Why would a sitting Senator do that?” Noah’s mind was racing. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He had gone down this rabbit hole so many times in his mind, ever since he had started dreaming about alien life and conspiracies.

“I don’t know. The word is its in response to the governments expansion of the mars project. Ever since we colonized mars we have had our eyes on the asteroid belt beyond mars. The minerals and ores are worth a fortune.” Tony knew Noah wasn’t listening anymore. He could tell his friend’s mind was already far off somewhere else.

“This is amazing. I was just reading about that. Some people believe its the remains of a planet. The true fifth planet of our solar system.” Noah answered. The anxious feeling in his gut intensified for a moment as he his mind started reeling with the possibilities.

Tony remained silent for a moment. Noah took notice and forced himself to focus on the conversation.

“There’s more isnt there?” Noah asked.

“Yes.  Senator Calvin will never make it off that stage.” Tony answered.

“What do you mean?” Noah knew exactly what Tony meant, but he asked the question anyway.

“The government will never let him disclose what they know. There is to much at stake for them.” Tony answered.

“Yeah in the form of control and power. Not to mention money.” Noah answered.

“I want you to start exposing it.”

Tony’s last statement shocked Noah. He couldn’t believe Tony was asking him to expose something he knew nothing about.

“What?” Noah’s lack of words frustrated him once again. He wanted to scream “No are you nuts?” and “Why would I risk my life doing that?” but none of that ever came out of his mouth.

“You heard me.” Tony answered.

“I don’t even know anything about this.” Noah answered as he sat down on the couch. He needed to let this all sink in a bit.

“You will. I have a car outside waiting for you.” Tony hung the phone up, leaving Noah with no chance to say no or to argue.

 

 

 

 

Nibiru Nemesis, a miracle or end of a world system?

 

 

The follow up video to Jacob’s  previous video Nibiru and martial law proof?

Nibiru is thought to be a red or brown dwarf star with seven planets orbiting it.  This small mini solar system orbits around ours. Sumerian legends of the Annunaki and other stories from ancient times refer to these planets as being the birth places of many alien civilizations. Each of these civilizations in turn have visited our planet, some people believe they had a hand in our history and creation.

The theories abound and the stories are fascinating. The one thing that can be known for sure is that there is more to this universe than we can imagine.

 

I touch on this concept lightly at first in the first two novels of my Afallon series ( Flashpoint and Incursion). More details and actual references are revealed in the upcoming third installment entitled directive21. Since my novel series is on going, things are not always revealed at once.

I hope you take the time to check out Jacob’s youtube and channel and look in to  his upcoming second edition release of his novel the Calling, which he featured at the end of the above video.

More of Jacob’s Video’s can be found here.

https://www.youtube.cofom/channel/UC3gqIqLwMYyoUFVFCl-I-Kg

Nibiru and Martial Law proof?

Jacob Israel talks Nibiru and the TED talks.

Experience the “Voice in the dead woods.”

Jacob is the inspiration for the character Noah Israel in my Afallon series. In many ways they are actually one and the same – “the voice in the dead woods.”

In the upcoming third installment of the series there is mention of the Epic of Gilgamesh. This particular passage plays a great part in the future story lines. Jacob’s video reminded me of that.

Enkidu, it is your wrong thoughts you must change!
It is Gilgamesh whom Shamhat loves,
and Anu, Enlil, and La have enlarged his mind.”
Even before you came from the mountain
Gilgamesh in Uruk had dreams about you.””

Gilgamesh got up and revealed the dream, saying to his mother:
“Mother, I had a dream last night.
Stars of the sky appeared,
and some kind of meteorite(?) of Anu fell next to me.
I tried to lift it but it was too mighty for me,
I tried to turn it over but I could not budge it.
The Land of Uruk was standing around it,
the whole land had assembled about it,
the populace was thronging around it,
the Men clustered about it,” – The epic of Gilgamesh – Tablet I

 

 

What if?

“What if?”

Those were the last words the old man had spoken to Thedra before the guards had taken him away. She wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement.  She vividly remembered his eyes, void of any expression, looking directly at her as the guards dragged him across the detention yard . She recalled wondering about what he may have been thinking before his execution later that day.

Was he thinking on those two words?

Was he pleading with his God?

That was nine years ago. The words though still haunted her. She  had never understood what he had been trying to say to her. In the still moments when she was alone with her thoughts, those words would echo in her mind. A bell ringing in the darkness pointing the way to somewhere.

Movement on the street below pulled her back to the moment and focused her thoughts on the present. A routine patrol unit was passing by. It was one of the human enforcement units, otherwise known as the Earth Security Force or ESF.

Thedra crept  into the shadows of a nearby ruined building. She remained motionless and waited. The large hover tank slowly rumbled by with two guards following behind. They would look around occasionally but otherwise seemed only partially attentive to what was around them. They were just following orders and going through the motions.

As long as she remained hidden they wouldn’t see her, they were a nuisance more than anything. The real threat was the Valderann patrols. They wouldn’t hesitate to kill her on the spot. The patrol drones accompanying them would also be scanning and surveying the area, making it harder to hide.

Thedra put her swords away as the patrol rounded the corner into the next street. The weapons were crude, but elegant. She was a trained assassin and in her hands they were just as deadly as a laser rifle, maybe even more so. She had found them in an old abandoned shop, just hanging there in a shattered display case. Her escape from the slave pens had left her with nothing but the clothes on her back, and the swords had been a welcomed sight. They also had given her a quiet sense of security and comfort just having them on her.

She had several hours before curfew was enacted and it was best to find somewhere to hide out till then. She would use the cover of darkness to access the portal gate and hopefully get the parts she needed. The plan was simple. She would use parts from the gates to equip a shuttle with a cloak, then fly off the planet. Once she accomplished that she would find the nearest working gate and leave this all behind.  The data she had stolen would also guarantee that someone out there would give her safe harbor. The Valderanns had more enemies than friends so she wasn’t too concerned about finding a buyer.

The top of the ruined building was the perfect spot. It had only taken her a few minutes to scale the shattered shell and make it to an intact  segment of the roof. She had the perfect view of the portal gate and the surrounding city. All that she had to do was settle in and wait.

The large digital billboards around the city all went dark at the same time. The advertisements and Valderann propaganda slogans all disappeared.  The boards flickered back to life seconds later, but this time they all were displaying the same image. A large man standing in the shadows of a dead and fog filled forest. He was wearing a hood that obscured his facial features. The image flickered a few times once more before the image settled in. The black and white image was mirrored a thousand times all across the city.

“Hello. My name is Israel. I am the voice in the dead woods.” The hooded cloak’s voice was distorted slightly and the delayed timing from each billboard gave the audio an eerie and haunting sound that echoed each word all across the city.

“What if there was a better way? What if we could live in peace with those who would oppress us. Would you listen? Would you entertain the thought of setting aside our petty differences in a unified effort to bring peace and love to this dark world?”  The hooded figure paused as he waited for his words to settle upon the ears of those listening.

Thedra wasn’t sure what to think or how to react to the sudden reinforcement of the old man’s words from so long ago. Was this the old man’s message? Was this what he was trying to say to her?

Thedra leaned forward as she waited in anticipation for the hooded figure’s next words. Never in her life had see felt anything like this. She was anxious and excited at the same time, she could feel her own heart pounding as she waited for the man to speak once more.

“I’m not talking about surrender. To surrender would simply be to give in to the darkness and the demands of those that strive to control us. I am talking about opening your eyes to the truth…”

The image froze and the billboards shutoff. The Valderanns had cut the transmission short. All the billboards flashed the same words written in Valderann.

Illegal transmission aborted. Please stand by.

 The advertisements and various  slogans all returned once again. The hooded man was gone and Thedra sat there wondering about those two words once again.

“What if.”

 

 

 

The First Wave Has Arrived.

The first day of the Valderann invasion is nothing more than a distant memory. The nine years of occupation has changed us, hardened us and molded us. We see the universe and our place in it differently now. We no longer fear the darkness, instead we defy it.  We are no longer asleep. We have awoken and  our awakening has given us a new sense of purpose. The universe may rise against us and try to extinguish our flame but we will not go silently.

Our world now faces a new threat and even our occupiers are unable to resist. Undaunted by the long dark night we  will continue on.  Survival is all that we have left, and survive we will.

 

The second installment of the Afallon series is on it’s way.  The release date is set for early April. Once the editing is finalized I will post more details.

I know it has been a while since the blog has seen updates and that is due to a busy and hectic schedule. I have been running events and working on the next installments as well as more animations.

Check out the news and announcement sections for upcoming events.

The following images are a few screen shoots from the new animation that I hope will draw you deeper into the evolving story of Afallon.

Ushering in the future

The Marshall Kaine Journals –  Encounter at Dulce Part II

“They tell us it doesn’t matter what we think or do. In the end it is out of our control. I’ll be the first to admit I have felt this way as well. Everyday it seems another nail is driven into the coffin we call society.”

I sigh and put the pen down. I cannot find the right words to express what I feel. I’m frustrated, not for myself but for the world and for others. I know what’s coming, but no one will listen. They rather  believe the lies they have been told and live in blissful ignorance. They do not even bother to seek the truth, they simply hunker down in their own beliefs. Anyone that believes or thinks differently than them are labeled as the problem.

The train arrives in Dulce and I can see the city is already under lock down. The streets are lined with soldiers standing guard and several large mechs walk up and down the streets. The message is clear, any  protest will be dealt with swiftly and with force. I’m not surprised. The government has long since become an iron fist ruling by force. The old idea of by the people and for the people has been abandoned. The new motto is for the state and by the state at all costs.

The large digital billboards floating above the city all flash the same logo.

“Ushering in the Future”

What future are they referring  to? The Utopian ideal that the government keeps feeding us? The one where they claim everyone will be equal as long as we believe and embrace whatever they tell us to? Something tells me that future they are referring to isn’t what everyone thinks it will be.

We wait for our turn to go through the security check point. We do not speak nor  do we look around as is required. I can feel Sasha tremble slightly as we approach the scanners. We have nothing to hide. Why is she nervous?

“ID please.”

The guard holds out his hand. You can tell he is bored and just going through the motions. We hand him our ID chips and wait as he scans them through the system. The system seems to be taking longer than usual to process our chips. The guard looks up at us and then down at the terminal again. I’m starting to get nervous as well. He frowns and then bangs the edge of the terminal.

“I hate these things.” He grunts as he turns to the guard next to him.

“Shut this one down and move everyone to the next one. I’ll process these two myself.”

The other guard nods and starts directing those behind us to move to the next terminal. Something doesn’t feel right and I can feel myself tensing, my instincts tell me to get ready for what ever comes next. The guard hands our chips back to us and shuts the terminal down.

“Follow me please.” He turns and starts to walk off.

We follow him with out saying anything. Sasha seems to be relaxed now and she smirks at me when I look at her. Was this planned? I have a feeling I’m not being told everything.

***

I have an upcoming event on January 22nd. Anyone who lives in the area should stop on out. Details are listed in the news and announcement section.

Forgotten Worlds

 

There are worlds long forgotten, lost and submerged within the unconscious mind of the awakened dreamer.

The dreamer awakens and the wonders they have seen fade away. The lives they have lived are forgotten. The fears and worries of the day over take them and the worlds they have traveled are but fleeting memories fading with the mist.

There is always hope. It lingers in the back of the mind, speaking softly. It wants you to return to the forgotten worlds that await you once again. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for your journey will begin again. See the worlds and wonders once again renewed. Live the thousands of lives laid out before you.

Dream.

Sleep and dream forever more.

Awaken if you must dreamer. The forgotten world will still remain awaiting your return.

Encounter at Dulce.

The Marshall Kaine Journals – Encounter at Dulce – Part 1

“I am only one man, the single watch at the gate.”

I struggled for years, endlessly trying to awaken the sleeping masses to the larger truth.  I wanted people to see and awaken to the truth that we needed change.  Our universal view was petty and self centered. We saw only ourselves and our desires, ignoring the pain and misery of those around us. We did all this in the name of power and glory. The greater good was sacrificed at the altar of greed.

 In time I came to the point where I realized it was not my mission to enact the change that we needed.  My mission was to reveal the truth, prevent and expose what I could. I am the one who will prepare those already awakened for that one defining event. The event that will forever change our world.

Is this event fixed? A point in time and history that no matter what we do will still happen? If so who or what ordained it? What is this event? Why must we endure it? Why can we not stop it?

They say the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting a  different result each time.  I must be insane. I keep trying, day in and day out. I think maybe if I say things just the right way or present the correct evidence I can move them into action. The reality is I am simply moving myself into action, for this path is my path. The road before me is mine to travel. I thought I was the guide, the one to point the way. I was in the end the traveler not the traveler’s guide.

I close my eyes and let my head rest against the cushion of the seat. Sasha stirs slightly in her sleep. She sighs in contentment and pulls closer to me as she sleeps on my shoulder. We are on the train to New Mexico.  Senator Calvin is holding a press conference in Dulce at the MECH construction plant and military facility there. The large armored robotic sentry tanks, that we now rely on daily for  our protection have been manufactured there for the last thirty years.  I tried to convince her that I should go alone on this trip but she wouldn’t hear it. So here we are on the train to Dulce New Mexico. 

The trip itself wasn’t dangerous and I couldn’t stand being away from Sasha any longer than necessary. The problem was I couldn’t shake the images of my dreams as of late out of my mind. I would close my eyes each night and I would see the images of  Sasha and myself in danger. The closer we got to our trip to Dulce the stronger the recurrences of these images flooding into my mind became. Maybe it’s because Dulce has always been the center of secrets and conspiracies.

Nathan had an expansive collection of data and research on Dulce, dating back to the early twentieth century. Nathan’s theory centered around alien underground bases and alien hybrid experimentation. The government he believed was in collusion with aliens in an attempt to subvert and fundamentally change the human race.  He had a compelling argument but very little proof. Second hand testimonies and whispered stories  from military bases wasn’t enough to convince me. The idea of the government working with aliens to create hybrids seemed a bit far fetched to me. What would be the reason behind such a thing?  Nathan’s theory suggested the aliens were a dying race. They could no longer breed and reproduce so the only answer was through hybridization with human DNA. The idea didn’t sit well with me.

The human race is selfish and greedy. We still let our own die in the name of profit and power. I couldn’t grasp the idea of our leaders helping an alien race survive. We still had issues over race among our own kind. How could we step past that and not apply it to an alien race? Nathan always said it was all by design, instigated and fostered by the governments to keep us distracted and unaware. I still wanted to know for what reason. Who was ultimately pulling the strings and why? I would never settle for half answers and conjecture. I needed solid proof and tangible evidence.

I will admit that when the government seized all the land in Dulce and built the entire area into one of the largest military research complexes, it did raise suspicions.  Dulce may or may not be an alien underground base where they perform nefarious experimentation and breed hybrids. However,  there is definitely something that the government wants to keep secret at Dulce. I have a feeling the Senator knows what it is and he plans on revealing it.