>Hi to all POV-Ray users!
Hi Johannes (and everybody else)

>I have read first the "POV-Ray is free..." thread and then the following
>"Group Movie Project" thread with growing interest, and while I don't have
>too much time myself (between my job, my TreeDesigner-project and my other
>hobbies :-) I think I can find some, so here comes my proposition:
>
>I would be willing to coordinate the following project:
>(This is a rough outline only)
[snip]

>The project is purely non-profit oriented. All profit that may be generated
>by selling the finished movie (or license or I don't know) - that is,
>everything beyond paying for actually producing the stuff (like preparing
>the distribution media etc.) - will go to a cause yet to be determined.
This
>could be:
>- the povray.org site
>- charity
>- the next movie project

I'd recommend a split between  1) and 3)  -- mainly because one man's
charity is not necessarily another's.  

But that may be getting ahead of ourselves a bit.

I have a national broadcast TV production & administration background (Now a
semi-retired, stay at home Dad.  (No, that does not mean I have loads of
spare time --quite the opposite :)    )  I have written a screenplay that
was independently produced (read: lost in obscurity)  and I will be happy to
help with this project, within my time limitations.

Let me make a few comments on what has gone before.
1)Distribution- If you make it, they will come.  I'd recommend rendering to
NTSC standards and time it to a 22 minute runtime on DV tape, for starters. 
This would make it extremely attractive to cable outlets such as SCI-FI, 
Discovery, TLC, etc.  This would lend itself nicely to a three act format.  
If this raises international interest, we could re-render to PAL, SECAM,
HDTV--- once the basic scene files and organization are in place, it
shouldn't be a big deal to re-render "to order".  There are tech issues
involved in all formats-- let's minimize the headaches by focusing on one
format/distribution at a time.

2) Subject matter- Again, let's focus on a market.  Computer animation is of
greatest interest  to those also interested in Science Fiction and
technology.... and CGI isn't well suited for Romantic Comedy :).
Eye candy isn't enough, though.  There has to be a good story(s)... and it
should be accessible to a reasonably broad market.  S-F comedy?  An
adaptation of some kind?

3) Coordination- Rather than try and run a web server, news server, web
chat,FTP etc.  let me recommend Hotline <http://www.hotlinesw.com>  It's
available for Win 95 and Macs in both client and server form, integrates
news, chat, resumable file transfers and operates on a non-crowded port.  As
a shareware product that provides a vehicle for group coordination, it's
worth a look.  
Regrettably, I don't think it comes in a Linux flavor yet.  (I appreciate
Linux users a lot.  You guys are more devoted than even we Mac folk) 

This is an exciting project!  Imagine users of all computer platforms in
many countries contributing to a single purpose!  Very cool.

On a quasi related note (or not), Richard Hatch is looking for CGI
volunteers to help him put together a presentation to revive Battlestar
Galactica as a series....seriously!

(Ok. I confess.  I'm a fanboy.  But it might not be a bad practice stepping
stone...)


Ian
<ian### [at] bellsouthnetwork>  
(remove "work" from above to email me)

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