Discussion Point 02-09 Part I

I am happy to welcome back Cello to the Process Diary, for a brainstorming session. As you can tell from the podcast, we are pretty excited by the new direction we're taking the story. We've parred back the elements to the bare bones.

This discussion point was so good, and we covered so much ground, I want to share as much of it with you as possible. There is a third of it that won't be possible to share until a few episodes are "in the bag". The information we discuss is way too spoiler-y. I will be releasing the two sections I can share with you over two weeks here.

In this first part, we solidify some of the facts and factions surrounding the story. You might have heard some time last year that I attempted to pitch this idea to a Hollywood film financier. his main criticism was that "movies based on an act of chance don't do well". He was focused on the reason for the story, as this is usually the point at which the audience either buys into your premise, or rejects it like a bad organ donation.

I took this on board. I still think the idea of a world with a shattered moon is a pretty neat idea, so I did extensive research into the science of the moon, impact catastrophes and generally, how to make the event plausible and believable. I got some help over at the Bad Astronomy and the Universe Today forum. I eventually discovered that in reality, there was a much cooler way to destroy the moon than just hitting it or blowing it up. Here is a wikipedia article on "Roche limits" and another on the near-earth asteroid, 99942 Apophis

Hopefully, the research pays off, and I am able to make an audience believe my premise.

I will also add links to other inspirations I have discovered recently: Phil Plait, Dr Fraser Cain (publisher of Universe Today) and Dr Pamela Gay. Anyone interested in astronomy, or space physics, go subscribe to their blogs, or the Astronomy Cast.

Finally, just to see what would happen, some boffins put together this video: 500KM diameter object impacts Earth which I found pretty neat. (Cheers, Cello, for that). And one more, just so you guys can have a play around with gravity yourselves, check out the gravity simulator.

Cello and I then begin to discuss the factions which populate the world of the future. We wanted to construct these factions around their relationship to the desert, and what is in the desert. The simplest conflict is one where there is one group trying to take a source of power for personal gain, and another protecting it. Each do not understand the power. We're taking the bent that if there was any form or "worship" or religious viewpoint, it would be in relation to an ancient science of days gone past.

It was perhaps one of the most productive sessions I have had to date. I think you'll agree Marcello brings a new energy to the story, and it is fantastic to be able to bounce the ideas off of someone, and have them said back to me.

From Public Album

Next week, I shall release the second part of our discussion. In that one, we will talk more about the characters (in particular, Marcus Blair, and David Winfield) which will drive the story.

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