Gollancz Fest 2015: 16th-17th October – Manchester and London, events tbc
Not sure what I’ll be doing yet, but there will be an awesome line-up of talent (and me!), so you’d have to be some sort of weird anti-geek to miss out…
Last year tickets were sold out in three weeks, so to get yours click here.
I was delighted to be interviewed on the UK Scriptwriters’ Podcast this week. I’ve been following this podcast – as far as I know, the only one of its kind in the UK – since the very beginning, and it’s an invaluable resource for any writer. In each episode Danny Stack and Tim Clague bring their considerable industry experience to talk about writing for TV, film and games. They’ll cover the practicalities of writing as a career, and it’s inspirational stuff for any writer; beginner or pro. Seriously, if you want a career in writing and you’re not listening to this, then you’re definitely missing out.
So, to end up as a guest on the podcast is a particular honour, especially on their fifth birthday! You can download it from iTunes, or you can check it out on Podomatic.
And be sure to visit Danny’s blog, which is a treasure trove of good advice.
Oh, AND Danny and Tim did what so many filmmakers just talk about and actually made a film. Off their own backs! Via Kickstarter they raised the funds to make WHO KILLED NELSON NUTMEG?, the kind of British children’s film they really don’t make any more. Here’s the trailer…
So do the subscriby thing and start from the very beginning!
The most common search term that brings people to my blog is currently “How old is Milo Parker?”
Milo, of course, is one of the young stars of ROBOT OVERLORDS, and can currently be seen stealing the scenery from Sir Ian McKellen in MR. HOLMES, and has been filming Tim Burton’s MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN this summer.
Well, I’m delighted to settle this for once and for all. Milo Parker is 57 years old…
And if you don’t believe me, then Google it. Oh, wait…
For regular writing tips, news and other stuff to help a writer get through the day, sign-up to my monthly newsletter, and grab a FREE eBook while you’re at it!
If you’re there too, come and say “Hi”. I’ll be revealing all the secret behind-the-scenes stuff about ROBOT OVERLORDS with a super-whizzy multimedia presentation. I’ll also sign things, including books and posters and naked flesh… okay, maybe not naked flesh…
Here are the where and when details…
Friday 7th August, Nine Worlds and Geekfest:
Friday 7th August, 4-5pm, Room 16: Robot Overlords From Script to Screen. A behind-the-scenes look at how this independent British Sci-Fi movie went from script to screen.
Friday 17th July, London Film and ComicCon YALC:
I’m delighted to be confirmed for a panel at the 2015 YA Lit Con, which is part of the London Film and Comic Con.
Here’s the blurb…
Friday 17th July, 4.30-5.15pm
What are the differences between writing for the page or the screen? Find out in this session bringing together co-creator of Robot Overlords Mark Stay with the team behind Gemini Force One, MG Harris and Jamie Anderson.
Mark Stay will be talking about his experiences of writing both film script and novelisation for Robot Overlords, and sharing some behind the scenes insights; whilst MG Harris and Jamie Anderson will discuss how they collaborated on their new series, originally devised and developed by Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson before his death.
This should be great fun. The Gemini Force project is hugely exciting (especially if you’re a Gerry Anderson fan!), and YALC will be hosting panels with the best names in YA lit, including Charlie Higson, Malorie Blackman and Patrick Ness, so you’re guaranteed to have a great day!
I’m delighted to report that the Polish-language paperback edition of ROBOT OVERLORDS is out on 14th July!
As a huge fan of Google Translate’s butchery of foreign languages, I give you their version of the blurb…
Rise of the Empire robot man (or, Empire Robots: Human Rebellion):
Three years ago the Earth was conquered by an army of robots from a distant world. Bring your right: 1. Do not go out of the house! 2. Command observe robots! If you leave the house, you will get only one warning, then you will take care of a huge block, guard, sniper or flying Dron. You will die turned into a handful of ashes. But Sean Flynn is convinced that his father – RAF pilot who fought in the war with robots – is still alive. When he and his pack discovers a way to break the blockade of robots, begins an adventure that throws them at the mercy of the power of Lords ROBOTS.
Aah, Google… never change.
I can assure you that the good people at Wydawnictwo Amber will have done a much finer job translating my idiosyncrasies into Polish, and they’ll surely be familiar with robots as ‘Robota’ is an old Slav word, usually meaning a serf or slave, and it was first made popular by Karel Čapek’s play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), which is now published in the UK by Gollancz. There, don’t say you won’t ever learn anything educational on this blog!
The film is released in Poland a couple of weeks later by Kinoswiat on 31st July. Here’s the trailer…
Śmierć robotów!
ROBOT OVERLORDS will be available to own in the UK on Digital HD from July 24th and on DVD & Blu-ray August 10th.
The Digital HD will be available across all platforms: Virgin Media, iTunes, Sky, Blinkbox, Talk Talk, Amazon, Xbox and Google.
The DVD and Blu-Ray are available to pre-order now from Amazon.
The Blu-Ray is also available as a beautiful limited edition Steelbook.
All editions feature the same cool extras:
Cast and creator interviews at the MCM London Comic Con (featuring Gillian Anderson, James Tarpey and Craig Johnson)
A Making of…
A VFX special…
The cast reading an extract from the book at Pinewood Studios…
Matt Zo – Robots Never Lie Official Video…
The Comic Con extra is especially brilliant as poor lovestruck James pursues Gillian for an interview throughout the con.
So pre-order your copy now! But don’t just take my word for it…
“A British sci-fi blockbuster, a must-see for all the family.”
— Henry Fitzherbert, Sunday Express
“Robot Overlords includes lots of things it’s impossible not to love, especially in the context of British cinema: hovering robot menaces, standing stones, a dour seaside location, a Spitfire in flight… while Gillian Anderson gives Paddington’s Sally Hawkins stiff competition for the title of Britain’s Best Mum.”
— Kim Newman, Sight & Sound Magazine
“These are the droids you’re looking for…Robot Overlords proves, like Monsters before it, what can be achieved when you’re short of cash but rich in imagination. It’s also brimming with charm, and has a game supporting cast.”
— Neil Smith, Total Film
“As with Jon Wright’s excellent last film,Grabbers, the pace never really lets up…Robot Overlords displays knowing intelligence, a sense of fun and a deep-rooted love for post-‘70s genre film. Unlike its titular villains, it’s sleek and it never malfunctions.”
— Owen Williams, Empire Magazine
“The SFX are nothing short of incredible… What’s really astounding about this movie – not that fact that the team had this vision, but they managed to deliver it on a tiny budget, and deliver it well.”
— Richmond Clements, Forbidden Planet
“Wright’s pleasingly pacy direction is infused with a palpable sense of fun and the film makes strong use of its various picturesque locations… Frankly, Michael Bay should watch this for tips and save himself a few quid on the nextTransformers movie.”
— Matthew Turner, WOW 24-7
“Director Jon Wright makes the most of his resources, imbuing the action with an oddly endearing sense of string-and-glue DIY youthfulness.”
— Mark Kermode, The Observer
“He may not have the Hollywood buzz of Christopher Nolan or the hyper-kinetic style of the similar-surnamed Edgar, but the director has a voice (and confidence of tone) that knows exactly who he is, whether he’s working with drunken aliens or giant robots.”
— Ivan Radford, i-Flicks
“A surprisingly slick and stylish British sci-fi… An entertaining action adventure with impressive special effects.”
— Maria Duarte, Morning Star
“Director Jon Wright – who co-wrote the script with Mark Stay – has come up with a brilliant concept that really works on a small budget… A rip-roaring adventure that harks back to the ‘80s. Perhaps they domake them like they used to.”
— Kate Lloyd, MyM Magazine
“Robot Overlords doesn’t outstay its welcome, it doesn’t rehash boring things seen in bigger blockbusters, it plays within a world with established rules and a history, it plays with characters who have clear goals and chemistry, and it has a lot of fun in the process… A really enjoyable slice of cinema.”
— Andrew Jones, HeyUGuys
“Doing away with the massive spectacle set pieces and never-ending explosions, Jon Wright instead shifts the focus to the human side of the story. It’s all about the characters. This is where Robot Overlordsreally shines… An action-packed romp through ’80s sci-fi classics, taking the over-the-top spectacle of Transformers and flipping it on its head.”
— Ryan Leston, Total Geeks
“Robot Overlords is a fun entry in an increasingly neglected genre: the family-friendly sci-fi movie… A charming throwback to the adventure films of the 70s and 80s.”
— Ryan Lambie, Den Of Geek
“A Children’s Film Foundation offering updated for the JJ Abrams era: we now get better VFX, lashings of lens flare and Roy Hudd as a kindly grandpa… More spirited and nonconformist than the Transformersmovies: the strategic deployment of a second world war Spitfire suggests this one may hold symbolic value for our newly confident industry.”
— Mike McCahill, The Guardian
“A joy to watch, fun as anything, genuinely funny, tense, brilliantly made and with such grand spectacle at times it is hard to believe it is a British film, a proper British film. Your next big family favourite film.”
— Andrew Jones, Box Office Buz
“Prepare to kneel before the Robot Overlords because this is one hell of a good film. Five stars.”
— Paul Metcalf, Pissed Off Geek
“Giant Robots and Gillian… What’s not to like?”
— James Mottram, Metro
UPDATE: Just to add that ROBOT OVERLORDS is now available on DVD, including from your digital overlords at Amazon.com. A big thank you to everyone who has bought it so far, and a big, metallic robot hug to the wonderful people who left us ratings and reviews. The good ones really help us!
And ROBOT OVERLORDS is available for VOD online streaming across all the major platforms, including Amazon Prime, Google Play and iTunes,
It’ll be awesome, but don’t just take my word for it…
“A British sci-fi blockbuster, a must-see for all the family.”
— Henry Fitzherbert, Sunday Express
“Robot Overlords includes lots of things it’s impossible not to love, especially in the context of British cinema: hovering robot menaces, standing stones, a dour seaside location, a Spitfire in flight… while Gillian Anderson gives Paddington’s Sally Hawkins stiff competition for the title of Britain’s Best Mum.”
— Kim Newman, Sight & Sound Magazine
“These are the droids you’re looking for…Robot Overlords proves, like Monsters before it, what can be achieved when you’re short of cash but rich in imagination. It’s also brimming with charm, and has a game supporting cast.”
— Neil Smith, Total Film
“As with Jon Wright’s excellent last film,Grabbers, the pace never really lets up…Robot Overlords displays knowing intelligence, a sense of fun and a deep-rooted love for post-‘70s genre film. Unlike its titular villains, it’s sleek and it never malfunctions.”
— Owen Williams, Empire Magazine
“The SFX are nothing short of incredible… What’s really astounding about this movie – not that fact that the team had this vision, but they managed to deliver it on a tiny budget, and deliver it well.”
— Richmond Clements, Forbidden Planet
“Wright’s pleasingly pacy direction is infused with a palpable sense of fun and the film makes strong use of its various picturesque locations… Frankly, Michael Bay should watch this for tips and save himself a few quid on the nextTransformers movie.”
— Matthew Turner, WOW 24-7
“Director Jon Wright makes the most of his resources, imbuing the action with an oddly endearing sense of string-and-glue DIY youthfulness.”
— Mark Kermode, The Observer
“He may not have the Hollywood buzz of Christopher Nolan or the hyper-kinetic style of the similar-surnamed Edgar, but the director has a voice (and confidence of tone) that knows exactly who he is, whether he’s working with drunken aliens or giant robots.”
— Ivan Radford, i-Flicks
“A surprisingly slick and stylish British sci-fi… An entertaining action adventure with impressive special effects.”
— Maria Duarte, Morning Star
“Director Jon Wright – who co-wrote the script with Mark Stay – has come up with a brilliant concept that really works on a small budget… A rip-roaring adventure that harks back to the ‘80s. Perhaps they domake them like they used to.”
— Kate Lloyd, MyM Magazine
“Robot Overlords doesn’t outstay its welcome, it doesn’t rehash boring things seen in bigger blockbusters, it plays within a world with established rules and a history, it plays with characters who have clear goals and chemistry, and it has a lot of fun in the process… A really enjoyable slice of cinema.”
— Andrew Jones, HeyUGuys
“Doing away with the massive spectacle set pieces and never-ending explosions, Jon Wright instead shifts the focus to the human side of the story. It’s all about the characters. This is where Robot Overlordsreally shines… An action-packed romp through ’80s sci-fi classics, taking the over-the-top spectacle of Transformers and flipping it on its head.”
— Ryan Leston, Total Geeks
“Robot Overlords is a fun entry in an increasingly neglected genre: the family-friendly sci-fi movie… A charming throwback to the adventure films of the 70s and 80s.”
— Ryan Lambie, Den Of Geek
“A Children’s Film Foundation offering updated for the JJ Abrams era: we now get better VFX, lashings of lens flare and Roy Hudd as a kindly grandpa… More spirited and nonconformist than the Transformersmovies: the strategic deployment of a second world war Spitfire suggests this one may hold symbolic value for our newly confident industry.”
— Mike McCahill, The Guardian
“A joy to watch, fun as anything, genuinely funny, tense, brilliantly made and with such grand spectacle at times it is hard to believe it is a British film, a proper British film. Your next big family favourite film.”
— Andrew Jones, Box Office Buz
“Prepare to kneel before the Robot Overlords because this is one hell of a good film. Five stars.”
— Paul Metcalf, Pissed Off Geek
“Giant Robots and Gillian… What’s not to like?”
— James Mottram, Metro
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the release of JAWS, a film that arguably launched the summer blockbuster phenomenon, sent the career of Steven Spielberg into overdrive, and had us all fleeing from the water.
It was such a shocking film that even the headteacher at our school was moved to make it the topic of assembly the morning after a TV screening. And I would join my friends in the playground recollections of the best gory bits.
It was one of a holy trinity of films I would watch on VHS when returning home from school (well, it was preferable to doing my homework), along with Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark (the latter shared a 240 min tape with two-thirds of The Spy Who Loved Me, a movie featuring a different kind of Jaws. The tape ran out just after the Lotus launched itself into the sea…).
At first I was thrilled by the shark and the bloody deaths and the explosive finale, but the more I watched it, the more I realised that I really liked these guys: the landlubber cop, the cocky oceanographer, the old sea dog. That, of course, is the real secret to the film’s success; these characters are so rich and layered for a monster movie. This is famously put down to the delays in filming caused either by the weather or the faulty shark. These setbacks gave Spielberg and the actors added time to develop their characters. There’s never been a better argument for rehearsal time, something often lacking in the hectic schedules of film making.
It all inspired this fledgling 11 year-old filmmaker who had ambitious plans to remake it: all I needed was a film camera, a few willing classmates as cast and crew, and a papier mâché shark… You can see the flaw in my scheme already, can’t you?
Thankfully, those plans came to nothing but a few enthusiastic storyboards, but sooner or later some idiot will try to remake it. In the meantime, today’s celebrations have reminded me of this excellent documentary by super fan Jamie Benning.
Enjoy, and farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies…
Mark Stay Writes 