For some reason this Christmas Card didn't make it to Ender.
Graff, you wouldn't have anything to do with that?
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Finally A "Official" Vision of Ender's Game
At long last it appears that the cogs are starting to turn on the marketing machine for the Ender's Game Movie with Summit Entertainment dropping a still from the upcoming release with an exclusive article with Entertainment Weekly. Bask in it's magnificence.
This scene shows Battle School students in their barracks with Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff giving Asa Butterfield as Ender a stern look and probably some chastisement ala Full Metal Jacket style. I can almost hear the scene now:
This image gives us a better look at the scenery for the movie, and yes, it is not like the book. There are a couple of fan sites that delve into that more deeply into the comparison as to what is described in the book. (EnderNews, Ender's Ansible ).
From my interpretation this is how I envisioned the barracks:
I will say that the colors, structures, and room brightness of the official still reminds me of the layout of Avatar. Which is not surprising since one of the Concept Artists for that movie, Ben Proctor, is also one of the two Production Designers for Ender's Game. In the mean time while we wait for more stills if you want to give yourself some insight to the visual style the movie will take see his Avatar portfolio
Here's a little example below. I chose this image because it had beds, bright lighting, and a color scheme like the still above.
Still if you look through further through his Avatar portfolio you can see some designs that would make great looking battle simulators that Ender and the Jeesh use on Eros. For example:
THIS OR THE OTHER BEN PROCTOR IMAGES I DISPLAY IN THIS POST ARE NOT FROM THE ENDER'S GAME MOVIE. Let me be clear about that because I've gotten a note from Summit about some of my previous speculations about the movie artwork before. Since this type of setup was already used in Avatar, more than likely we will see something different for the immersive combat simulator in Ender's Game.
That's it for this post. Until next time remember....
This scene shows Battle School students in their barracks with Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff giving Asa Butterfield as Ender a stern look and probably some chastisement ala Full Metal Jacket style. I can almost hear the scene now:
This image gives us a better look at the scenery for the movie, and yes, it is not like the book. There are a couple of fan sites that delve into that more deeply into the comparison as to what is described in the book. (EnderNews, Ender's Ansible ).
From my interpretation this is how I envisioned the barracks:
I will say that the colors, structures, and room brightness of the official still reminds me of the layout of Avatar. Which is not surprising since one of the Concept Artists for that movie, Ben Proctor, is also one of the two Production Designers for Ender's Game. In the mean time while we wait for more stills if you want to give yourself some insight to the visual style the movie will take see his Avatar portfolio
Here's a little example below. I chose this image because it had beds, bright lighting, and a color scheme like the still above.
Still if you look through further through his Avatar portfolio you can see some designs that would make great looking battle simulators that Ender and the Jeesh use on Eros. For example:
That's it for this post. Until next time remember....
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Ender's Game Movie Countdown Calendar- Free to Download
The Ender's Game movie is set to release in one year! To commemorate this event and give the fandom a cool way to countdown to the occasion, I have put together a Countdown Calendar featuring my fan art. You can download it for free right by clicking right here: (.pdf file about 4 MB)
These are a couple images conatined in the calendar
In addition to my artwork, it features the birthdays of most of the important cast members and producers, as well as links to popular sites related to Ender's Game. Enjoy, and give me some feedback! Thanks!
These are a couple images conatined in the calendar
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Last Ender's Game Trailer - Direction
My last fan made trailer for the upcoming Ender's Game Movie entitled "Direction". Featuring the song "Ansible" by Stephon Jones http://soundcloud.com/sovarozum. There a few images I, Darian Robbins http://artofdarian.blogspot.com. created specifically the logos of the Battle School and the armies. There is a shot of the Battle Room created by Stephen Sywak twitter.com/boothby171. There are alot of production stills I took from the Ender's Game Production Blog http://endersgameblog.tumblr.com/. I used picture of Asa Butterfield taken by Suraj Partha twitter.com/surajpartha. The Flash suit is taken from a picture of a TRON 2.0 costume made by Quantum Creation FX http://www.quantumcreationfx.com. Other imagery I pulled off the web and will update them accordingly as I find them.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Quantum Creation FX and the Ender's Game Movie
Strolling through the IMDB page for Ender's Game. I came across
and interesting company that is credited for creating "Specialty
Costumes" for the movie. That company is called Quantum Creation FX. Quantum is headed by Christian Beckman and resides in Burbank,
CA. Since 2005 they have specialized in building costumes and special effects for the movie and television industries. They strive to offer an "exceptional product at economical prices" but with a "high degree of excellence" from "award winning artists, constant motivation, and individualized attention."
This company has a pretty impressive resume. They have made the suits for TRON: LEGACY
....They made Suits for the STAR TREK reboot
To me only make sense that "Specialty Costumes" = Ender's Game Flash Suits! So look on the images above with some expectation of the quality we will see when they appear in the movie.
Now take a look at a image of a battle suit I made up from one of their previous designs from TRON: LEGACY!
This company has a pretty impressive resume. They have made the suits for TRON: LEGACY
....They made Suits for the STAR TREK reboot
To me only make sense that "Specialty Costumes" = Ender's Game Flash Suits! So look on the images above with some expectation of the quality we will see when they appear in the movie.
Now take a look at a image of a battle suit I made up from one of their previous designs from TRON: LEGACY!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
More old Ender's Game Work-Formics and Marines
As I clean out old files from my computers and portfolios, I keep running across old Ender's Game artwork. I drew these pictures probably around 2001.
I always pictured the Formics to be insect looking, but walking upright with strong ant features. The Hive Queen I pictured her having a complex antenna array on her head that looked like a crown but functioned to broadcast her commands to her workers.
The IF Marines were pretty basic I just channeled what I saw from the SPace Marines in Aliens.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Ender's Game Movie behind the scenes. Khylin Rhambo and 3D capture
For those of us who have been following the developments of the upcoming Ender's Game Movie. We spend alot of time trying to what is going on in decipher pictures that comes from the actors, crew, or production members in order to get some idea of how they will work movie magic to translate the story on screen
At the beginning of production one cast member Khylin Rhambo, who plays Dink Meeker in the film, posted this picture to his Facebook account showing him in a room of light. According to an article on Ender's Ansible he states that the "the technology in the picture was used to scan his face, take costume measurements, 'and other stuff.'” There was not much known about the technology until now.
In my recent internet travels, I encountered a Huffington Post science column called "Talk Nerdy to Me" run by their senior science correspondent Cara Santa Maria. In May she posted a video report called "How to make a Digital Human" which features the technology you see in Khylin's picture called Light Stage X. Light Stage X is globed network of lights and cameras that was developed by the Graphics Lab at University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Studies, it's purpose, as one of it's creators and lab directors Paul Debevec, Ph.d states is a way of "digitizing people's faces to turn a real person in to a digital person that would be just as realistic as the real thing."
I can spend another 500 words or so giving you an overview about how this thing works, or you can watch the video (WATCH THE VIDEO). It gives a good overview about how it works, how they used it for facial captures for actors in movies and video games, and a example of how they generate a digital version of Cara. Awesome tech.
At the beginning of production one cast member Khylin Rhambo, who plays Dink Meeker in the film, posted this picture to his Facebook account showing him in a room of light. According to an article on Ender's Ansible he states that the "the technology in the picture was used to scan his face, take costume measurements, 'and other stuff.'” There was not much known about the technology until now.
In my recent internet travels, I encountered a Huffington Post science column called "Talk Nerdy to Me" run by their senior science correspondent Cara Santa Maria. In May she posted a video report called "How to make a Digital Human" which features the technology you see in Khylin's picture called Light Stage X. Light Stage X is globed network of lights and cameras that was developed by the Graphics Lab at University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Studies, it's purpose, as one of it's creators and lab directors Paul Debevec, Ph.d states is a way of "digitizing people's faces to turn a real person in to a digital person that would be just as realistic as the real thing."
I can spend another 500 words or so giving you an overview about how this thing works, or you can watch the video (WATCH THE VIDEO). It gives a good overview about how it works, how they used it for facial captures for actors in movies and video games, and a example of how they generate a digital version of Cara. Awesome tech.
I can imagine that Digital Domain would be using this capture technology to generate 3D versions of all the kids for integration into CGI effects for the Battle Room sequences. It will be exciting to see how it comes out. This should give you some better understanding into how Digital Domain is spending their money on the Movie!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Community Alert!
Community Alert! Somebody is mutilating squirrels in the neighborhood.#Endersgame @JimmyJaxPinchak #peter #wiggin
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Perfect Season! Undefeated!
Let's Congratulate Ender and the rest of Dragon Army on their PERFECT SEASON!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Ender's World Technology
Did you ever read Ender's Game wonder how the things like the Battle School and the Ansible would work in real life? I know I did when I read it. Well wonder no further, Steve Sywak, a master engineer with backgrounds in the aerospace and entertainment industry can explain it all to you!
A fan of the novel, he has spent the last decade or more applying his knowledge to make plausible designs and explanations about how the technology in the book could work. That's one of the things I love about Sci-Fiction is that you can use it as an inspiration to foster participation and advancements in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics careers!
Steve devised a working engineering design for the Battle School that used book descriptions as constraints. This design included rotating and non-rotating elements As he proceeded further in the design he pioneered a unique way to shuttle people between the two and even wrote a research paper that he presented at an engineering conference. Steve also wrote the "Technology" section included in the Authorized Ender's Game Companion.
Steve has recently published via Slideshare his presentation about Ender's Game Technology at EnderCon. A convention created by Orson Scott Card in 2002 to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ender Game short story publication. It's very interesting you should check it out!
A fan of the novel, he has spent the last decade or more applying his knowledge to make plausible designs and explanations about how the technology in the book could work. That's one of the things I love about Sci-Fiction is that you can use it as an inspiration to foster participation and advancements in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics careers!
Steve devised a working engineering design for the Battle School that used book descriptions as constraints. This design included rotating and non-rotating elements As he proceeded further in the design he pioneered a unique way to shuttle people between the two and even wrote a research paper that he presented at an engineering conference. Steve also wrote the "Technology" section included in the Authorized Ender's Game Companion.
Steve has recently published via Slideshare his presentation about Ender's Game Technology at EnderCon. A convention created by Orson Scott Card in 2002 to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ender Game short story publication. It's very interesting you should check it out!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Ender's Game Movie Battle School Exterior Up Close!
Recently our friends over at Ender's Ansible published an image of a framed storyboard that was a gift to Jimmy Pinchak (Peter Wiggin) from the movie's director, Gavin Hood.
The storyboard appears to show the exterior of the Battle School. I've known for sometime that the look was not going to reflect the design outlined by Steve Sywak in the Authorized Ender's Game Companion, so it is interesting to see what the Movie Art Department cooked up.
Here is a close up:
From that image I was able to create a 3D model to help clarify the design. Take a look:
It looks to me that there is one Battle Room in the center, not nine as they outline in the book Ender's Game. Aside from that there appears to be three other major parts to this design. I used the image below and some color coding in a couple sections to show you how I interpreted the design.
1. Habitation Ring (Not Colored)
The doughnut to the left of the picture where all those arrows are going around. I assume that this is a rotating structure.
2. Power Plant or Propulsion Section: (Not Colored)
The rectangular structure on the far right end. I am speculating that this where they might put the power source to run the Battle School or house the propulsion system that would move this thing around in orbit.
3. Equatorial Ring: (Red)
The large structure in red that I estimate that see that it connects the Doughnut to the Powerplant Section. I have no idea if it rotates or not, but I don't believe it connects to the Battle Room directly. I do believe this ring connects at two endpoints to a ring that is connected to the Battle Room.
4. The Battle Room Ring (Green)
The green structure that wraps around the circumference of a equator of the Battle Room. It has a common point at each end that connects to the Equatorial Ring at a circular hub that the Habitation ring rotates about. This hub is the access way to transfer between rings.
In the image below you can see how the sections correspond to my model. Click the image to enlarge it.
You will also notice that I have attached some dimensions to this model. Since I had no clue as to what size the designer was making this version of the Battle School. I scaled the model to reflect the long side length of the Battle School outlined in the Authorized Companion which was approximately 550m (1,804 ft) This meant that the Habitation Section is approximately 474 ft in diameter and the Battle Room is approximatel 578 ft in diameter.
I also sized the "Movie" Battle School model to reflect dimensions my friend and "First Battle School Engineer", Steve Sywak was able to deduce given his great knowledge and experience in physics, and engineering science calculations. I refer you back to comments at Ender's Ansible to understand what real world forces and calculations would make this version of teh Battle School to work in reality.
Doing a side by side comparison of the two Battle Schools.
Well, that's an overview of my model. Give me some feed back what do you think of the proposed designs for the upcoming Movie. How do you think it will work?
Until then, since this is my blog...enjoy my Battle School Art!
Picture taken down at request from Summit PR
The storyboard appears to show the exterior of the Battle School. I've known for sometime that the look was not going to reflect the design outlined by Steve Sywak in the Authorized Ender's Game Companion, so it is interesting to see what the Movie Art Department cooked up.
Here is a close up:
Picture taken down at request from Summit PR
From that image I was able to create a 3D model to help clarify the design. Take a look:
It looks to me that there is one Battle Room in the center, not nine as they outline in the book Ender's Game. Aside from that there appears to be three other major parts to this design. I used the image below and some color coding in a couple sections to show you how I interpreted the design.
Picture taken down at request from Summit PR
1. Habitation Ring (Not Colored)
The doughnut to the left of the picture where all those arrows are going around. I assume that this is a rotating structure.
2. Power Plant or Propulsion Section: (Not Colored)
The rectangular structure on the far right end. I am speculating that this where they might put the power source to run the Battle School or house the propulsion system that would move this thing around in orbit.
3. Equatorial Ring: (Red)
The large structure in red that I estimate that see that it connects the Doughnut to the Powerplant Section. I have no idea if it rotates or not, but I don't believe it connects to the Battle Room directly. I do believe this ring connects at two endpoints to a ring that is connected to the Battle Room.
4. The Battle Room Ring (Green)
The green structure that wraps around the circumference of a equator of the Battle Room. It has a common point at each end that connects to the Equatorial Ring at a circular hub that the Habitation ring rotates about. This hub is the access way to transfer between rings.
Picture taken down at request from Summit PR
In the image below you can see how the sections correspond to my model. Click the image to enlarge it.
I also sized the "Movie" Battle School model to reflect dimensions my friend and "First Battle School Engineer", Steve Sywak was able to deduce given his great knowledge and experience in physics, and engineering science calculations. I refer you back to comments at Ender's Ansible to understand what real world forces and calculations would make this version of teh Battle School to work in reality.
Doing a side by side comparison of the two Battle Schools.
Now let's look at the Battle Room. 
The Battle Room Ring in green is the place where armies would travel through to get to their respective gates. I hope they have some motorized transport, this room is huge, and I would hate to be the army that would have to travel to the far gate for a battle. If you look in the room I have place 2 40 person armies. Each of those person's in that rectangular formation are at least 5 ft in height. So you can see how vast that room would be in relation to an individual.
Well, that's an overview of my model. Give me some feed back what do you think of the proposed designs for the upcoming Movie. How do you think it will work?
Until then, since this is my blog...enjoy my Battle School Art!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Ender's Game Trailer - "At Game's End...The Truth Begins
On Earth...
Kids play games for fun
In Space...
kids are made to play games for survival
AT GAME'S END....
THE TRUTH BEGINS.
My latest fan trailer for the Ender's Game movie. Featuring the song "M.D Device" by Stephon Jones http://soundcloud.com/sovarozum. There a few images I, Darian Robbins http://artofdarian.blogspot.com. created specifically the logos of the Battle School and the armies. The Battle School model is based off the design by Steve Sywak http://www.youtube.com/Boothby171 There are alot of production stills I took from the Ender's Game Production Blog http://endersgameblog.tumblr.com/. I used picture of Asa Butterfield taken by Suraj Partha twitter.com/surajpartha. Other imagery I pulled off the web and will update them accordingly as I find them.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Kids Eat First at Helga's Kitchen
Monday, July 2, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Buggers Vs. Astronauts! Reserve Your Copy Today!
The only International Fleet Approved game that let's you replay the events of the First and Second Formic (Bugger) Invasions! Play either side. WILL YOU DEFEND HUMANITY OR CRUSH IT! The choice is yours. Reserve your copy today!
Astronaut Artwork created by David Vyle Levy
Bugger Artwork created by Pascal Ferry
I remember from the book Ender's Game that "Formics vs. Astronauts" was one of the games that kids would play with one another. Although in the book it describes it more as a physical game to be played outdoors, In my own mind and comparing it to what we see in real life, given kid's (and grown ups) love of video games I imagine it would be transitioned into that format as well.
I also think it would be something developed by the Fleet to help recruit kids or adults kind of like the U.S. Army uses the America's Army game....
or like The Rylan Star League uses the Starfighter game to recruit....Last Star Fighter, anyone?
anyone?
Well here's a 3D version of Gunstar anyway made by Angel Moore
Astronaut Artwork created by David Vyle Levy
Bugger Artwork created by Pascal Ferry
I remember from the book Ender's Game that "Formics vs. Astronauts" was one of the games that kids would play with one another. Although in the book it describes it more as a physical game to be played outdoors, In my own mind and comparing it to what we see in real life, given kid's (and grown ups) love of video games I imagine it would be transitioned into that format as well.
I also think it would be something developed by the Fleet to help recruit kids or adults kind of like the U.S. Army uses the America's Army game....
or like The Rylan Star League uses the Starfighter game to recruit....Last Star Fighter, anyone?
anyone?
Well here's a 3D version of Gunstar anyway made by Angel Moore
Monday, June 25, 2012
ONE CAN TURN THE TIDE! MAZER RACKHAM!
This PROFILE IN COURAGE featuring MAZER RACKHAM is brought to your by the International Fleet. ONE CAN TURN THE TIDE. ARE YOU THE ONE?
