The writer/director Robbie Fraser has pointed us in the direction of GAMERZ, a fantasy-themed comedy movie which premiered at Interaction in August (www.gamerz-the-movie.com).

He doesn’t know if you managed to catch either of our screenings there, but they have had a very warm response to the film both from within and outside the fan community, and they’re now honoured to have been nominated for the BAFTA Scotland / Cineworld Audience Award.

The Award is decided by text vote, and, while they are at the disadvantage of not having had a general release yet (fingers crossed it will happen early next year), the reaction they’ve had suggests that if they can get the word out to people who may have seen the film, they may be in with a shout, even against the big boys of the Scottish film jungle.

Unfortunately they don’t have a direct means of contacting people who may have been in the audience at Worldcon, Gaelcon or Icon (they reckon around 1100 people will have seen it in Glasgow alone), therefore they want a bit of help with spreading the word to anyone might have seen it.

Robbie continues, ‘The voting system is simple: anyone who wishes to support our film texts ‘FILM GAMERZ’ to 81800 from a UK or European mobile. The texts cost 25p over the odds (which is not too much of a sting, I hope!), and the competition closes on November 7.

Despite our various preview screenings, the film has not been made available for review, pending our final distribution deal’

You can see the official site here, which includes a trailer, cast information and photos.

I suppose it’s hardly suprising, but there is a decline of second hand bookshops, as reported by The Independent.

This is a real sad state of affairs. I mean, nothing can quite match the walking into a bookshop, slightly dusty, with the bell tinkling over the door. Walking around the slightly musty shop, perusing shelves upon shelves of books (and if you’re lucky, and you’re in Sheffield, you get to climb ladders to the top shelf too). Finding a treasure which might have been on the shelf for years, something out of print, or very rare. Picking out a book, maybe opening it to read the first few lines. Finally walking out with bags of books stuck under your arms.

Online books (in particular second hand books) might be cheaper online, but you can’t beat the actual second hand bookshop experience. I, for one, would pay a couple of quid more for a book after finding it in a real, physical, shop with character.

Well, well, well.. it seems that a shift in male/female viewers of SciFi has changed, according to SciFi UK TV. Female Science Fiction viewers now outnumber male for the first time.

It appears this is because there is now a shift in programmes. Long gone are the days of the 60s where the central theme was a robot or machines. Geek girls are latching onto the well written, witty, character driven stories (mostly based around a leather clad central character - Ben Browder or Keanu Reeves).

I liked the quote from Anne McMeekin, a 29 year-old web accessibility officer from North London, “People have an impression of sci-fi fans being small men who sit in the dark watching Star Trek but it’s not like that now.” No,no,no. There are cool sci-fi fans too!

Via Variety and SciFi Wire, it has been announced that Michael Caine has been signed on to the cast of The Prestige. As previously reported, this movie is based on the novel by Christoper Priest, and it seems to be accumulating a commendable cast and crew. Of which I am glad they are bringing on board English actors, as The Prestige is set in England.

Let’s hope he only manages to blow the bloody doors off - being cast as an older magician who teaches magic, this is quite possible.

Norra lorra people know that.

The New Scientist have published results on their ‘World’s Best Space Sci-Fi Ever‘ poll.

I think they’re better off sticking to science. Firefly, overall top? Serenity, overall second? Don’t get me wrong, these are classy science fiction shows, but surely they’re not the first and second best of all time. At a pinch, the new BSG is better than those.

I suppose it’s because Firefly/Serenity are in the forefront of people’s minds after the movie was released recently.

But even so, I’m glad Star Wars IV, V and VI were present in the top 10 films. Though Star Wars IV, in my mind, is the best of the three. And The Day The Earth Stood Still - classic ye olde scifi.

Aha, I always suspected there are more people into SciFi than would like to admit. An article in today’s London Metro (Page 9), which I read on the Underground, states:

“People who read intellectual books are likely to swap them for a Harry Potter or Mills & Boon at the first opportunity, a survey reveals. Readers often have two books on the go at the same time - a public book and an ‘escapist’ private book. One in ten people admits to buying a book just because others are reading it and one in 20 claims to have read a book they have never even opened, the survey by online travel company Expedia and airports operator BAA found.”

I hope that they are inferring that an ‘escapist’ private book is the hidden Philip K Dick or Greg Egan novel in someone’s pocket. Although, ‘intellectual’ could mean SciFi too, though maybe not from people who only read mainstream.

(I’ve reproduced it because there doesn’t appear to be an online version. Please feel free to correct me if I’m mistaken.)

Come on people, ditch the Mills & Boon (you can get that in real life - just about), and pick up some real reading.

John over at Big Dumb Object has mirrored my thoughts on the current Bird Flu (aka Avian Flu) scare and post-apocalyptic SF (POS) stories. He raises the subject of POS stories worth reading. One of the last books I read was Earth Abides (George R. Stewart), so this springs to mind first.

Funnily enough, it seems that there are way more POS movies than books. I guess that’s because Hollywood (et al) thrive on that kind of storyline.

I wonder if there are any movies or novels which mention a similar sort of predicament. There must be, but my mind is blank. Actually, 12 Monkeys and 28 Days Later spring to mind, but I was thinking more in the way of interesting stories.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this Bird Flu H5N1 scare develops…

The British Science Fiction magazine Interzone has been mentioned in The Guardian.

I say mentioned rather than reviewed for good reason. Even though extra publicity is highly valued, especially for a publication such as Interzone, I can’t help but think that this particular reviewer doesn’t know how to do an all round review.

Firstly, he only mentioned one story in issue 200 of the magazine, but didn’t say whether he liked it or not (he called it interesting). Maybe it’s space constraints which led to the sparse text. He could quite easily have ditched the last couple of sentences and focused on the amazing artwork, or on more of the stories. The story he picks is, to me, the worst of the issue (though, it’s still a pleasing read).

Secondly, the contact details for Interzone were missed. (In case you’re wondering, there’s contact details here.)

Thirdly, he goes on to verbally abuse the prolific author Richard Calder - Quote: ‘[His picture] screams “here is a man who had his lunch money pinched as a child”‘.

Come on, surely that’s uncalled for.

A Multithreaded, Thought Provoking, SciFi Thriller.

Published by UKA Press, Déjà Vu is Ian Hocking’s debut novel.

The premise, at first glance, looks quite simple. It is 2023. Scientist David Proctor is running for his life. On his trail is Saskia Brandt, a detective with the European FIB. She has questions. Questions about a bomb that exploded back in 2002. But someone is hunting her too. The clues are in the shattered memories of her previous life. She has only hours to decipher them.

From the on in, it becomes a mesh of time lines which you really need to concentrate on - which is actually part of the fun of reading it. It is nicely written and has many suprises, especially in the first half and right at the end. It encompasses classic time travel with other SF ingredients (which I won’t mention specifically) - but which work together very well.

It is action packed, much like a (dare I say it) Bond story, in so much as it encompasses many countries, includes fast vehicles (sprinkled with technology), has some pretty cool weapons (though, not over the top so), fight scenes and some neat gadgets. Scene structure is pulled off well, with each flowing nicely into the next.

The story balances technology and people nicely, having the right mixture of both - the character building doesn’t overshadow the technology, and visa versa. There are some well thought out uses for technology, some of which I think are unique. Interaction between the characters is well thought out. I feel a prequel could easily be expanded using the character which is Saskia - especially in the context of her earlier life.

It is always a nice suprise to see a debut novel such as Déjà Vu. Thoroughly recommended.

“Who am i?” /”Come and play with me” / “What if we have made a mistake?” / “I long to kill him” / “To overcome that bond” / “Where are you going?” / “Look at you. You are prefect” / “Help me…”

An unknown foreign city.
A young woman is thrown from the back of a van.
A few miles away, a man, wakes floating face down in a cold river.

Experiment is a dark psychological thriller from first-time feature film director Dan Turner. Principally filmed in Prague during 2004, Experiment is a dark and atmospheric thriller, evocativley shot using the latest High Definition technology for $250,000. A Magician Picture Ltd production.

As with other low budget features, Experiment does not rely on star talent or big budget special effects. Instead it has been made as a tense and gripping experience, packed with shocking twists and suprises.

From the very start this movie has promise simply from it’s premise. Two people wake up in a strange city, no memories, confused, tired and scared. Each scene is beautifully rendered, which comes across moreso because of the high definition. The beginning is slow but gradually builds up until it reaches boiling point.

It reminds me distinctly of the way Alfred Hitchcock worked his films. He almost bored his audience for a while, then wham, he hits you with that special suprise he was keeping up his sleeve. I have to admit, too, that I actually jumped in a couple of places - which shows the movie’s shockability, as I’m a hardened movie viewer of the shock genre.

Georgina French’s (Anna) relative acting inexperience made her come across perfectly as the innocent childlike young woman lost and alone. John Hopkins (Morgan) is a strong actor who came across as very realistic and powerful. On screen together they complimented each other as they learned to trust themselves.

Nick Simons (Joseph) plays an old man plagued by memories of his family’s death. This sways his decision to be involved in work he otherwise might not have participated in. He is under certain apprehensions which utimately are proved to be wrong. Nick’s character changes as the movie progresses and thus his acting changes. A very diverse character and actor.

The other players are pretty sterotypical although each are played well. Clive Ashborn (Goran) is just plain scary. He has reduced dialogue which is a plus. His intentions and thoughts come across through what he doesn’t say and how his face fills in the blanks. David Grant (Walker) is a smooth, calculating guy. It is his ‘little baby’ which everyone is involved in. Andrew Byron (Stefan) was originally a much smaller part on printed paper, but once Andrew took hold of the character he became more and more. And hence the director found himself using him much more.

Directed by Dan Turner - “I want people to leave the cinema feeling emotionally and mentally exhausted, like they have been on a very dark roller coaster ride.”

Produced by Clare Deacon - She met the challenge of co-ordinating and producing the film on a relatively low budget, across two countries with a multi-language cast and crew.

Prague was a first class choice for the location shooting. It is a mixture of old and new buildings. The old buildings being almost gothic in appearance as Prague wasn’t really a target during World War II, so the older building are still standing. I don’t believe that during the movie they actually mention that it is Prague, so it’s 50/50 as to whether the actual place in the movie is supposed to be Prague or a ‘generic city’. With it’s small alleys, beautiful buildings, the river and ornate bridges they add atmosphere. The play on light and dark is subtley used too. One minute it will be bright sunshine the next we are taken into gloom.

It goes to show a low budget film can be worth more than a multi million pound / cgi infested film. It is the script, dialogue, acting and locations that propel this movie along. In summary: A Hitchcockian type suspense film (with a sprinkling of sci-fi) for the 21st century. Brilliant.

Experiment the movie has been shown around the world at various Film Festivals. It has racked up some impressive (and justified) awards: Winner Best Sci-Fi Feature / Shriekfest Film Festival 2005, Winner Best Sci-Fi Feature / Shockerfest Film Festival 2005, Winner Best Sci-Fi Feature / Winnipeg International Film Festival 2005. At the time of writing I am unsure of whether this movie is Festival Only. I would hope that it will be distributed to the general public.

See the Experiment Movie Official Site for news, trailers, movie information and a weblog from the director.

Online Radio Station Geared Around Science Fiction Fans.

A new online streaming radio station for scifi fans has been set up. Entitled area 51 radio station (AF1RS) it will include all manner of content such as live outside broadcasts from large events. The next big events are the California SciFi Convention and The London Expo (broadcasting to 30,000 people). There will be SciFi roundups and music from the 70s through until the present day.

There will also be guest appearences, including John Billingsley who plays Dr. Phlox in Star Trek Enterprise. John will officially open the station at 12:00 Midday on Saturday October 22 2005 - and it will run for 24/7.

At the time or writing, the radio station is being tested from October 15th, with the golive October 22nd. Therefore, until it is actually live, there may not be a stream available. Keep coming back to check.

Click on the logo to tune into world’s first SciFi Radio Station now! It will start up a popular media streaming program such as iTunes, WinAmp or RealMedia (depending on which you have installed). You can download winamp from here.

If you have any difficulties, please let us know on the contact form.

You can see the current agenda, programmes, news and extra info on the official radio site here.

The Decades To Filter On For SciFi.

• 5. 1890s (the true birth of SF)
• 4. 1980s (nostalgic)
• 3. 1950s (written ideas)
• 2. 2000s (computer generated effects began to match author’s visions)
• 1. 2010s (you’ll see)

365 Visions Of The Future.

365 Tomorrows is an interesting writing project dreamed up by Kathy Kachelries (pictured), comprising also of J. Loseth, J. R. Blackwell, B. York and Jared Axelrod.

They introduce the project on their site as: “365 tomorrows is a collaborative project designed to present readers with one new piece of short speculative fiction each day for one year. Utilizing the broad palate of science fiction, our vision of the future creates a diverse pool of stories with something for everyone to enjoy. 365 launched August 1, 2005 and will continue until July 31, 2006.”

That’s certainly an immense task. One short SF story a day, even for five authors would mean writing one roughly every five days. Luckily, as Kathy explained, “When we launched, we had a backlog of about 4 months of stories, and each of us tries to write another two per week. It’s definitely a lot of work, though. When I started the project I had no idea how difficult it would be to come up with so many different visions of the future. ”

The stories themselves are well written and given their sizes, they pack a lot into a small area. I am guessing that a lot of people will say something along the lines of, “Well, what about character build up and setting up the story?” If we want to be realistic, true SF doesn’t need any of that, true SF is an idea, an exploration of an idea, not a lead character. And this certainly shines through in these stories.

Take, for example, Who Forever Belongs To by Jarod Axelrod. A guy just happens to find a time machine in a yard sale. There’s no explanation of the science behind the machine, it really doesn’t describe the machine either. But, it explores the idea of how time works and what effect it has on a human time traveller.

Another example is the most haunting of stories, Normal by J. Loseth. This explores life seen through the eyes of a small girl and the effect of (I presume) radiation poisoning or some genetic mishap. Of course, what caused the effects on her doesn’t really matter, it’s how the girl sees herself in the eyes of others, how she feels towards them and her wants and desires.

Because We Can by B. York is a concise example of how to take a law of the universe and completely ditch it. I won’t say any more, but it is cleverly written.

I have picked these three as examples as they typify my view of SF and are examples of top notch SF - the others are just as intriguing and thought provoking.

Also on the site is a forum for feedback on the stories, general discussions and also a place to post any artwork or fan fiction based on the stories they have posted. This is an excellent way of using their SF for your inspiration.

The size of the stories makes them ideal for your coffee break reading; it’s nice to have something like these to look forward to. And I bet that one, if not more, of these stories will keep coming back because you’ll not be able to get them out of your mind.

Christoper Priest, At Last, Gets The Movie Treatment.

If there is one under rated British SF author that comes to mind, it’s Christoper Priest. Being one of my favourite authors since reading The Affirmation, I have since collected all his books - A Dream Of Wessex, The Space Machine, The Glamour, The Extremes, Dream Archipelago, The Quiet Woman etc, numerous short stories and of course, The Prestige (some of the older and out of print ones which were suprisingly difficult to track down).

I particularly like the way his novels are cross-linked, where one story will link to another story. For example, The Dream Archipelago references The Affirmation which was read by a soldier, The Affirmation is a novel about a novel being written, which appears to be The Affirmation too. A very clever writing style.

So, I am pleased to find that at last one of his novels has been chosen to be produced as a movie. Let’s hope they pull it off. It is due out sometime in 2007. Pencilled in details are as follows: Director: Christopher Nolan. Cast: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman. Production Company: Disney/Warner Bros. Written By Jonathan Nolan.

You can read and catch up on the specifics on IMDB and The Z Review.

Photo credit unknown.

Read Classic SF Novels In Under A Minute!

A Book A Minute contains over 100 ultra condensed novels. You know what it’s like, trying to find time for all those books you want to read. This site is an ideal time saver.

Here’s an example, using The Time Traveller by HG Wells.