Long time readers of this blog will know that I’ve been looking back at my diaries from ten years ago, during the filming of Robot Overlords. From now on the diary entries you’ll see are the ones featured in the back of the film’s novelisation (and if you want a signed and dedicated copy of the paperback, then please step this way and click here).
The film wrapped principle photography on 25th July 2013, which was also the day I finished my second pass on the novelisation. Around that time I started my sabbatical from Orion and began adjusting to working as a full time author for six months. Jon and I were exchanging ideas for a possible sequel (one that sadly won’t ever happen now) and other projects while he was working on the edit of the film. Then I got a call…
Tuesday 6th August, 2013
Jon called to soften me up before I see the first assembly tomorrow. He still thinks it’s a good film, but he’s got a mountain to climb during the edit. We agreed that there’s no way we can go toe-to-toe with the mega-blockbusters, but we will have one of the most ambitious British films out there. Can’t wait.
Wednesday 7th August, 2013
Saw the rough assembly of Robots today. No VFX, no sound design, a temporary score from others movies etc, just a very rough cut, but I’m delighted to report that it’s going to be a belter. It starts lo-fi and indie and then just gets bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s quite extraordinary, the performances are great, and I can’t think of another film to compare it to.
What’s clear is that Jon, Matt and Vicki (Webbley – assistant editor) have a huge task ahead of them. At least 10-12 weeks of editing. Also at the screening today were Christian Henson (composer), Jeremy Price (sound designer), and Dan Johnson (dubbing). By the end they look googly-eyed at the prospect of all the work ahead of them. Again, it’s an ambitious film and people have been befuddled by it (in meetings when we were trying to raise the money, people were sometimes sceptical that we could pull it off) but once they get their heads around it, they’re cool. Nvizible now step-up. They’ve designed shots of the Sentry powering up that are so cool, we might use it for the opening titles*.
*We didn’t!
Seeing this for the first time was an out of body experience. I’d seen a few clips, and I’d been on set of course, but seeing it all put together was unreal and very exciting. And you learn so much. I soon realised there was far too much grown-up chit-chat/exposition for a kids’ film, and that the things you cut that you think are essential so often strengthen what’s left behind. Big learning curve and an absolute treat.
That comment about not knowing what film to compare it to will come back to haunt me. One of the problems we had with robot overlords is there really wasn’t anything like it out there in cinemas… which made it difficult to sell.
Oh, and I also spotted this in my diary from Monday 12th August:
Also had a good idea this evening. MAGIPOCALYPSE — fantasy where magic disappears and former wizards go on the run without their powers… Watch this space.
That became The End of Magic. More about that an its sequel soon…
Mark Stay Writes 