Comments on: Science Fiction Gets No Respect http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/ Life from a science fiction point of view... Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:00:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Jose http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-273 Jose Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:45:46 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-273 American SF comes from a pulp tradition and the covers you're refering to are simply modern versions of what pulp covers have always been. I really liked pulpy covers when I was in my teens and early twenties. Cool pictures of guys with guns, spaceships and babes. And I still like the classic pulp covers, especialy the Doc Savage ones. Very cheesey I know but it did the trick with me. Nowadays covers don't influence my decision to buy a book much although I'd be disclined to buy a book with a babe holding a gun on the cover out of sheer embarassment. American SF comes from a pulp tradition and the covers you’re refering to are simply modern versions of what pulp covers have always been.

I really liked pulpy covers when I was in my teens and early twenties. Cool pictures of guys with guns, spaceships and babes. And I still like the classic pulp covers, especialy the Doc Savage ones. Very cheesey I know but it did the trick with me. Nowadays covers don’t influence my decision to buy a book much although I’d be disclined to buy a book with a babe holding a gun on the cover out of sheer embarassment.

]]> By: rosieadmin http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-272 rosieadmin Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:17:09 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-272 I've noticed that American editions often have different covers to British editions, and that while the American editions tend towards the Pulp style (y'know dodgy airbrush or guache illustrations, lots of guns, half naked chicks) the British ones tend to be much slicker and more abstract / modern looking, which is a British design tendency anyway. The same thing happens with the German market which tends towards the pulp syle while French covers are usually extremely plain and look like 1970's penguin ripoffs (Not just the sci-fi books either). This must be something to do with the demographics of sci-fi readers in the different countries, not to mention different national tastes when it comes to design. Personally I much prefer the slick British style, but then I would, being well, British. (and an ex art student) I’ve noticed that American editions often have different covers to British editions, and that while the American editions tend towards the Pulp style (y’know dodgy airbrush or guache illustrations, lots of guns, half naked chicks) the British ones tend to be much slicker and more abstract / modern looking, which is a British design tendency anyway.
The same thing happens with the German market which tends towards the pulp syle while French covers are usually extremely plain and look like 1970’s penguin ripoffs (Not just the sci-fi books either).
This must be something to do with the demographics of sci-fi readers in the different countries, not to mention different national tastes when it comes to design.
Personally I much prefer the slick British style, but then I would, being well, British. (and an ex art student)

]]> By: jen http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-270 jen Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:00:08 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-270 I, too, have a problem with the covers. Sad to say, but as much as I love SF, there are some covers that make me hesitate to purchase or check them out. SF has an intellectual appeal, but the covers... I, too, have a problem with the covers. Sad to say, but as much as I love SF, there are some covers that make me hesitate to purchase or check them out.

SF has an intellectual appeal, but the covers…

]]> By: Lou Anders http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-161 Lou Anders Mon, 07 Aug 2006 12:54:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-161 But the point is that stars are not required for SF&F filmmaking, as witness the original STAR WARS or the recent LORD OF THE RINGS. Both films made stars of its cast; they didn't begin with stars. But the point is that stars are not required for SF&F filmmaking, as witness the original STAR WARS or the recent LORD OF THE RINGS. Both films made stars of its cast; they didn’t begin with stars.

]]> By: Jose http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-160 Jose Fri, 04 Aug 2006 02:12:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-160 You still need actors for Machinima, someone has to do the voices. Eventually we will probably see Machinima makers adopting the same techniques employed to animate the faces of Gollum and King Kong which also requires actors. The age of big payouts to actors may very well be over. The skinny in Hollywood is that the studios are dramaticaly slashing the money they are willing to pay. A famous face on the poster isn't making the same difference that it once was. Out of the last 10 biggest Hollywood hits, 8 of them didn't feature A list actors. And if you go beyond Hollywood there's a whole world full of extremely talented actors. You still need actors for Machinima, someone has to do the voices. Eventually we will probably see Machinima makers adopting the same techniques employed to animate the faces of Gollum and King Kong which also requires actors.

The age of big payouts to actors may very well be over. The skinny in Hollywood is that the studios are dramaticaly slashing the money they are willing to pay. A famous face on the poster isn’t making the same difference that it once was. Out of the last 10 biggest Hollywood hits, 8 of them didn’t feature A list actors.

And if you go beyond Hollywood there’s a whole world full of extremely talented actors.

]]> By: Lou Anders http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-159 Lou Anders Thu, 03 Aug 2006 20:19:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-159 Films like Primer, Cube, Gattacca, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind already show what can be done on a low budget, and while superstar actors command big salaries, they aren't necessary for the type of "art house" SF project you describe. Only good actors are, and Hollywood is full of thousands of unknowns who will work at any scale. Besides, in machinima and it's equivalents, actors aren't really necessary. The age of true SF filmmaking is just beginning. But man, piracy is piracy. I don't go around shooting people to hasten the reform of gun control laws. Films like Primer, Cube, Gattacca, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind already show what can be done on a low budget, and while superstar actors command big salaries, they aren’t necessary for the type of “art house” SF project you describe. Only good actors are, and Hollywood is full of thousands of unknowns who will work at any scale. Besides, in machinima and it’s equivalents, actors aren’t really necessary. The age of true SF filmmaking is just beginning. But man, piracy is piracy. I don’t go around shooting people to hasten the reform of gun control laws.

]]> By: Jose http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-158 Jose Tue, 01 Aug 2006 08:28:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-158 The next revolution in filmaking is already here (although in purely embryonic form) http://www.machinima.com/ Right now the graphics are pretty crude (think Half Life 2) but the next generation of graphics engines are near photo real and the next ones after that will be even better. The next revolution in filmaking is already here (although in purely embryonic form) http://www.machinima.com/

Right now the graphics are pretty crude (think Half Life 2) but the next generation of graphics engines are near photo real and the next ones after that will be even better.

]]> By: Jeff Patterson http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-157 Jeff Patterson Tue, 01 Aug 2006 08:23:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-157 Gotta disagree with you there, Jose. The cost of movies will not go down. The insane amounts spent on actors, not to mention publicity, will see to that. I don't think we are going to see major rethink in the industry until Hollywood suffers a major industry-wide scale back. This is one of the reasons I fully support movie piracy. Anything to hasten the demise of business-as-usual can only be a good thing. Gotta disagree with you there, Jose. The cost of movies will not go down. The insane amounts spent on actors, not to mention publicity, will see to that.
I don’t think we are going to see major rethink in the industry until Hollywood suffers a major industry-wide scale back.
This is one of the reasons I fully support movie piracy. Anything to hasten the demise of business-as-usual can only be a good thing.

]]> By: Jose http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-156 Jose Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:53:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-156 Jeff, The cost of making such movies is only going to go down over time. Think of the filmaking behind Sin City, how long before a few amateurs can start producing movies employing similiar techniques on a shoestring? I suspect we'll see a lot of indie SF flicks within the next ten years. Some will make a profit and some won't but as long as such projects don't ential certain financial ruin lots of people will make them. Most of those projects will be original SF scripts. Indie filmakers starting out don't tend to adapt novels, they usually work from their own scripts. Jeff,

The cost of making such movies is only going to go down over time. Think of the filmaking behind Sin City, how long before a few amateurs can start producing movies employing similiar techniques on a shoestring?

I suspect we’ll see a lot of indie SF flicks within the next ten years. Some will make a profit and some won’t but as long as such projects don’t ential certain financial ruin lots of people will make them.

Most of those projects will be original SF scripts. Indie filmakers starting out don’t tend to adapt novels, they usually work from their own scripts.

]]> By: A.R.Yngve http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-155 A.R.Yngve Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:44:00 +0000 http://memetherapy.net/29/brain-parade-science-ficton-gets-no-respect/#comment-155 Why not? I'd buy the DVD... :) Why not? I’d buy the DVD… :)

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