Scrapping My Battlestar Galactica project ????

[Merlin]

This is a bit of a heartbreaker for me ..

I'm debating about scrapping my Battlestar Galactica project ...And really need some opinions ..

My original idea was to do my own version of the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica
I'm not a writer so I thought I would make a web site that would be used to explain my version.
In the site would be excerpts of the story along with images and fan films , all combined to help tell my version ...

Creating this is the main reason I've been learning lightwave.... Even though it may not look like I've produced much, I've spent countless man hours on this .. developing the story working on the concepts, and building some of the models ...

I'm debating now .. if I should scrap the Battlestar Galactica elements and just make it an original story ...

I would have to drop some of designs all together, The Battlestar and the Super Viper ..
However I think I could get away with using some of the other models ..

The story would have to altered, but quite a bit of the elements could remain ...

The bummer in this is my heart is in this and I would be, not only, scrapping some of my favorite designs but some of my dreams too ...

Some feed back would be great .. I've attached images of the work I've done so far ...

Also see .. https://www.colonialfleets.com/forums...ad.php?t=14745

Don't do it, hang in there. the designs of your ships have got there own
uniqueness. I like that heavy lifter there's something familiar about it.
Take a break from the project rather than dump it. come back to it later.
maybe a little time off might help with ideas from a fresh angle.

[Merlin]

Thank you for your comment ... This is a bit hard to explain .. but I will do my best ...

What I would be doing is converting it into an original story ... and dropping the Battlestar Galactica parts ..

While the Battlestar Galactica premise would be dropped .. many of the details that I've envisioned would remain ..

It's not a lack of Idea thing ...

I know this is going to sound really really dumb .. but the problem is, the dream or the fantasy of it is gone ... As things stand right now, Battlestar Galactica is going to be made into a feature film .. Once that was established ... know matter how cool or amazing my Ideas or concepts could turn out to be .. they can't be looked at or even listened too .. even if anyone associated with that project wanted to .. they can't ..

So .. with that .. and I know it's dumb .. The fantasy or the dream part of my project is gone !!!



Please understand : I know this sounds really dumb and I know it's a pipe dream .. but .. it was my dream .. and dreams are what get me through life ...

And today I'm losing a dream I've had ever since the 1978 Battlestar Galactica was canceled ...

[starbucko]

You could make it into an original if you wanted. But don't scrap the BSG parts simply because there's a new movie planned. Good grief, fanfic writers don's stop writing because there's a new show or a movie or a remake or a book or - well, you get the point. So go ahead with your dream - give credit where credit is due to the originals involved and just enjoy it, along with others who'll take a gander along the way.

[Merlin]

Starbucko .. what you wrote is very true and this is the debate I'm having...

Should I just continue .. Knowing that it will never be more than a fan project .. which essentially ends my dream or fantasy

Or .. save as much of it as I can in a story conversion .. and still sustain my dream/fantasy ????

I know this all sounds weird .. But , giving up on a dream I've had since the 1978 series was canceled .. is devastating .. I'm really crushed ...

[maudib]

Merlin, you have set your sights very high indeed. What you are describing is a huge undertaking even for an entire team of professionals, let alone a single amateur CGI artist. I am also doing something along the same lines as you on a much smaller scale... creating a BSG-style storyline. I've had this project of mine outlined for 12 years, and it has not changed with time. My advice to you is to put on blinders, forget about what everyone else is doing in the world, and follow YOUR creative vision, that is what being an artist is all about. There is no time limit to dreams, no rush, no deadlines to meet. The job get done in good time, when YOU and your inner muse decide it's done.

Maudib, well put.

There have been a few times I have wanted to dump my project, because of
the flak I've copped over my website, sometimes also a lack of time, aging
hardware and how much i have spent in $ doing it, it has at times been very
disheartening.

I'll watch what someone has done with there fan films then get a rush of
inspiration then tackle my project again. I've had my idea for eons too
and the idea of a new movie being planned, makes me want to try and get
my next little fan flick out there.

I still think keep at it, hang in there, keep those ideas rolling, perhaps you
could do both, keep as much of your ideas and story as possible and develop
a BSG story arc. Something that ties in closely with BSG before during or after
or maybe even parralell.

[Merlin]

I've posted all this on 2 other sites seeking feed back ... I wrote this as a response to comments I received about the dilemma I'm having ...

Posting it on here may help explain my problem ...



" Has anyone ever had a lifelong dream about writing a novel .. Over the years, it's always in your head .. you work on it, refine it -- re-think it .. and get to the point were you have worked out most of the problems and details.. you love what your ideas are. The only problem is your not a writer .. you have notes every where , sketches, drawing ... it's all there in your head ...but because your not a writer .. you struggle to get it down on paper .. it's all there .. just not yet on paper.

Then your told that the book you have in your head can never be looked at by the publishers .. never ... even if they were fans of the subject you wrote about and they wanted to see it .. they can't ..

These publishers turned out to be very nice, understanding and thoughtful people .. thoughtful enough to actually .. make you that one in a million person and return a phone call you made to them ...

They explain the problems and all the issues of doing something based on a pre-existing piece .. know matter how good it turned out .. they can't see it !!!!

The encourage you to continue... but make you aware.. that although getting published is a one and a million chance .. your project could never ever get that one in a million chance ... not because it's content wasn't worth considering .. but because it's based on a pre-existing piece ...

Now... if it's something original .. than that is a whole different story .. that new original project .. can be looked at ...

It may never make it (getting looked at) .. because, it's a one in a million chance .. but that hope and dream is possible ...

Now the big question .. would you keep working on the book based on the pre-existing thing .. or take the best parts of your story and re-work them into something original ???

This happened to me yesterday .. and it wasn't publishers that returned my call ..
In a way I'm overwhelmed that I actually got this call ..
I was amazed at how nice and understanding these people were .. they understood my dream .. they understood it enough to make that one and a million phone call ... and explain the reality of the situation ..."

[Merlin]

maudib, your reply is great .. Thank you .. I can't tell you how nice it is to find someone who is trying to do something similar ..

Your comments about the work involved are right on .. please read my last post .. It may help you understand my problem ..


The work ahead is huge .. Do I continue knowing it . knowing what I know now .. or change it ???

That's what i'm stuck on ..

Believe me removing the Battlestar Galactica element is a huge heartbreaker .. but it's very hard doing all the work I have to do and knowing what I know now ..



Also everyone else who has commented ... thank you ... if you read more of this and have some more thoughts please post them ...

Figuring out what to do is pretty tough !!!

[mikala]

I would make the changes as it has been made clear the chances have been greatly reduced if you continue on this course.
What is greater, the chance to write and get a book published or writing something that won't see the light of day on all but a few peoples computer screens?
Once published the chances of getting something else published rise dramatically based on book sales. Who says that you won't at some point be able to make your dream come true but a little further down the road than you would like.

Merlin, had no idea of the scope of your situation, after reading your post
(#8) now it is more clear. Getting a phone call and knowing the odds must
have been a big thrill and sounds like you've got your foot in the door and a
chance to seize the opportunity.

Mikala has already written what i wanted to write.

Originally Posted by mikala

Once published the chances of getting something else published rise
dramatically based on book sales. Who says that you won't at some point be
able to make your dream come true but a little further down the road than
you would like.

Maybe its a blessing in disguise, at the same time tantalizing. I think you should go for it. best of luck

[Merlin]

The writing a book reference is an analogy .. It wasn't a publisher who called me .. it was something else ..
I really wish I could say who called, but I can't ... That's the reason I needed to use an analogy .. I can not say who called ..
The very fact that I received the call .. itself is amazing .. and I will never forget how nice those people were for actually taking the time to do it ...

I have very little written .. .. It's tons of notes and pages, sketches, drawings , some CGI models .. all brought together in my head .. It's been refined to the point that .. for me it's all there .. I just need to figure out .. how to get it out there for people to see ... i'm not a writer .. I've tried .. really tried .. but .. i'm not ...

So, I thought the best way that I could get my story out there was by trying to illustrate as much of it as I could ... through CGI images and hopefully a fan film or two of key scenes ... then fill it all in with excerpts of the story ... Then putting it all on a web site , for people see .. progress was very slow .. but I kept plugging away ...


The CGI models are just a small bit .. but it seems quite a few people (I've posted this all on two other sites) seem to focus on those, which just shows the power of an image, The work .. the love .. my heart .. are all in the story .. the Models ... drawing .. etc are just a means of getting that story out ...

[TwoBrainedCylon]

My suggestion is to take your material and rework it to be something totally original and pitch the concept.

You got these folks to contact you and they told you they might be interested.

THAT IS HUGE!!!!

Writers all over the planet beg for a chance like this.

If the material is good (and it seems to be enough that someone is at least willing to take a look at it) then it will be good whether its linked to an existing property or not.

I say do your best with it, make it original, and blow their socks off!


Russell

[Merlin]

Originally Posted by TwoBrainedCylon

You got these folks to contact you and they told you they might be interested.

It wasn't like that ... The sad part is they couldn't hear anything about my work ... It was all Battlestar Galactica based stuff ..

What they explained to me was the problems associated with pre-exisisting stuff ( franchises ) .. And explained the huge difference in trying to do something thats an original piece of work ..

I think they responded to me .. because I think they understood the passion I have ... It's a passion I think we all have here !!! And I just got lucky enough to get through and explain that passion ... I think that's why they called me back ...

They did try help out with suggestions ...

[ernie90125]

Merlin,

I'm sorry you're feeling down about the project.....but at times I'm sure George Lucas, Gene Roddenberry, JRR Tolkien (etc) and your fellow BSG fans have all felt down mid-way through a project. Its when you break through the other side that makes it all worthwhile.

Don't scrap the BSG parts altogether. Perhaps turn the scenes you have into a project of its own right ? Even if its just a 1 minute BSG space battle scene, get something out there.....

In the music industry, I've seen young kids be given advice by big rock names to join any band, get on stage and play, not matter how bad it sounds, get up there and play.

That's my advice to you, don't give up, get something out there....

[gmd3d]

do your own thing Merlin ... the original and see where it takes you .. and I wish you all the success in the world ,,

if its a new idea go for it .. we need some new ideas out there ,,

BSG in your dreams will still be there if you succeed or not ..

the BSG one will be appreciated by all fans every were but if your original one goes well as you would like it to be. it could have fans of its own and a following of its own.

do you own thing ..... BSG will still be here

[monolith21]

Ya know, at first I wanted to say stick with the Galactica elements but I have to say that bringing something new to science fiction is always great. Its not like you can't do something Galactica releated and an original both.

If you're feeling the pull toward an original concept...go for it! Creativity is needed in the world! Heck, you could always pull a "Soldier" and do a sort of unofficially related story. I always loved that it was supposed to somehow related to Blade Runner.

[Merlin]

I decided to return to this .. here is an update on My Battlestar, plus My Heavy Cruiser.

[mikala]

Rock on!
Great to see you building again.

[gmd3d]

What Mikala said...... looking forward to seen more.....

[Matador]

Nice job... Keep going. Looks really good.

[Titon]

Looks pretty cool....

Do not know if it was intentional but you left a "C" out of your Galactica nameplate...

[peter noble]

That's really cool, it's like a step from the original Enterprise to the one in the motion picture.

Yeah, and has Titon said, Galactica is missing a 'C'.

[gmd3d]

he is testing you all.. muha ha ha

[Merlin]

Originally Posted by peter noble

That's really cool, it's like a step from the original Enterprise to the one in the motion picture.

Yeah, and has Titon said, Galactica is missing a 'C'.

Thank you, to me that's quite a compliment ! And, yes I spelled Galactica wrong. I noticed it just after I posted the images. I was working all day on it, and was a bit burned out.

[Senmut]

Keep 'er flying.

[Dawg]

Always good to see more of the old girl. You're doing good.

I am
Dawg

[David Kerin]

I really like that take on the Galactica... even the round engines in back! It has that heavy machine look of a battlestar, as it should.

Please share more as it goes!!!

[Merlin]

A bit of an update.

[Senmut]

Thruster bells.......an earlier version of the design? Earlier in the war?