Deepest greetings to the wonderful people that still venture to this dark and lonely part of the verse. we are definitely in the backwater, but the water still flows.. there is no turn of the tide, but more a stillness that we cannot shake.
the bell is still dead in the water while we try to figure out how to complete the cgi. I wont compromise this fine peice of work, even as the vultures tend to pick at her.

She is still a most beautiful orginal representation of the verse, and the people that live in it.

I am so sorry that she is not out to you all.. She deserves better… Dont fret, the bell aint dead.. she will never die, but she has to be right..

I do love her so..

With the deepest sadness this week on the 27th of Febuary 2010, David “Holden” Crynes passed away, after succuming to cancer.

He was 32.

He was the DOP and editor to the Bellflower. But was much more than that to the film. Holden was involved in construction and character development directing set design, sound; everything really.

He was passionate humorous and definant to the end. A true tragedy.

One of the many lasting impressions holden gave to me was when we had just started contruction of the main set. There was only a basic frame of a ship there.
He sat in the cockpit chair ( there was no cockpit. just a chair in the middle of an empty space) His eye were fixed through the basic wire frame of the bridge window.

You could see the excitment in his imagination of what might be.

Once u met holden, you never forgot him. His excitment for life, echoed in everything he did.

He gave so much and shaped this film. Even in ill health he continued to commit and ensure the filming was completed.

An irreplacable loss to so many; words cannot describe.

And so closes another year. the bellflower streams like an oasis across the media void. Almost in grasp. Clear to the eye but not really there. an illusion. It falls from a clear happening into haze. Can we see her again? Must keep moving. the heat; im so tired; I’ll just rest here. just close my eyes for a second. I wont fall asleep. I wont lose site of her. She is just there. BREATH!! Warm air fills my weary lungs. For a second I forget where I am; the air charges my thoughs. I look around. I remember, I shudder, as I relaise I nearly fell. I look back and there is my Fellow browncoats. My crew. they are weary but are resolute. with a look to all, we turn and push forward. into the heat, the haze. There she is i wisper.

SO many stories we have of the small crew of the bellflower. the day to day struggle with living in the verse. having little but each other. And the ship. The Bellflower. Sandfly class small transport. Built Tough. fast drop and take off. Fast. fitted with Firefly class capessen 38 Atmo engine assembly. Fast in atmo. Hard to lock onto. can get in quick. Re-inforced Titanium carbon compostite frame and hull lining.

Built for one crew.

One person said once. The first time I saw her I thought, what an ugly ship. You know, nothing to look at. dumpy, not flash. But you know, I looked some more. and I looked at other ships. but for some reason I just went back to her. I bought that ship and relaised that she had only a bunk for one. Well that wasnt good enough, IM bringin my family along. so out came some storage and in went a kitchen. I took the shuttle on the roof, gave it a coat of paint and it was a room for the my young girls. Its been 8 years since I came upon that ship. it part of the family. couldnt imagine life without her. (benjamin Campbell)
I have nothing but the greatest thanks for the small crew of the bellflower and the fact that even when things dont go smoothly, they still pul together to get the film done. We are still here, some of the visual effects are great. wonderful. its taking time. more than I thought it would. but we are getting there. maybe if the team will let me, we will put out a new trailer to show you loyal fans, the verse that is coming.

SO please be safe. Be happy and, well pop in from time to time and check up on us.

HI, hi hi hi.

Here we are November, and still moving forward with the film. the resession has hit the team a little with people that were orignally involved in contributing, now having to focus on work and survival. It pains them as much as me. But we are making progress. sound and score are all progressing well as is the cgi. Alot of time has been on the detail that these deicated few are so passionate about. As I have said previously, it makes the difference.

It has been difficult, our crew is small, we are not funded, most of us run busy busy lives. But one thing that binds us is our love for firefly and this little film we have all worked so hard on for so many years. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned this, but this crew, of so few people have put several thousand of hours of building, acting, re acting, cold heat. the effects crew are developing effects that they have never attempted. I really find it hard to convey the contribution, the committment these modest people have put into thsi film. It kills me every day seriously that I havent got this film out to you guys. Kills me. I watch it, review it, its like having the bestest first car sitting in the drive way, with no licence to drive it, A crush on a girl but you cant talk to her. Every day. I prey over and over, that one day I will get to sit in a theatre full of people listen to their reactions, look for the laughs and scares, int he right places, collapse with exhaution at the end.

This film. this film made by people all around the world, all around it. People. all the same different races, all thinking and enjoying a short run sci fi show ( whats its name?): this film touching upon normal people’s lives, in a world set in space. there are no super heroes, no violence; but people in the verse, getting by. I wanted to make that clear. Sure there are a few little sticky things that MAY occur along the way, but its about people. I still believe thats what Joss focused upon, and thats why firefly is timeless. People.

Due to the large size of the film, its complexity and detail, I have decided to split the film into two separate episodes. Both around 50 mins in length, the first ep will be around 55 and the second around 50. I am doing this cause I want to get the story out there and started. where we split it is a pretty good place and both halves can stand on their own.

I cant give you a date, but as soon as I know you will.

thanks for reading and still being in cvolved you bellflower visitor fans you .

Yes it is a first. First time since ever I haven’t wrote a monthly Blog. I suck. SO whats happening. Months go by, You all may be thinking “where is this film?”, ” I though it would be out by now, why wasnt it at dragon Con”….

And you would be right to think these things. No one more sad that the Bell isnt out there, flying in everyones home around the world. Is Bell Dead? Will this part of the Verse ever see the light of day? Will she fall like so many others?
Sure the site is pretty quiet. Sure it doesnt look to be any more firelfy any time ever. Why bother?

ARE U NUTS!!! The verse for the bell is bigger and better than it ever was! Basically we are developing and improving all al the animations. We have had some new animtors come in to the fold, and with this, new fredoms and new ideas. We have soem amazing works happening at the front half of the film…

OH, ok… I pause.

The whole film is edited. It has been re – edited, tightened, with alot of material dropped, which the film is better for. I wrote recently on a browncoat forum, how Myself as a creator/ director, can watch the film and see on the screen, what I invisioned. I watch some scenes nd am so proud of what we have put together. Bell is the film I wanted to make. And for me that is the best feeling. And I want to share it with you guys!! The one thing with art is to be able to express feelings and ideas. We have done that with Bell. But One more exciting thing, is that what I see is just the basic raw version. The cgi team under Sean Kennedy with Gordon Robb, Peter sussi Adam and many more; are perfectionists, who are putting so much care and detail into the city of new Melbourne, creating new ships; Its bigger than ever! more ships ( both new and ones you know) birds, wild life, people… I have seen some of the roughs and let me tell you, just you guys wait.

We are putting alot of effort into the sound production under Mark Zelmer whose sound production slills are really lifting things to scary levels. And, you have already heard Bentley’s scores.

So after all that. When will the bloody film be released!!?

Answer = Dont KNow. the cgi si alot of work, and these guys are doing great great thigns with it. great thinjgs. but like anything, it takes time. I have a funny feelings in my waters that things will be quiet and BAM!! big leaps forward.
I ahave been thinking lately that I may release the bell in chapters. break the filminto bits and relaese a bit at a time.

What do yawl wreckon? maybe four lots?

If I get feedback then I will go with that.

From the bottom of my heart, thansk to all that still after all these years, still visit the site and show and interest.

ALSO: I may want people for ADR souond voice overs and the like, so my skype is APV237614. drop me a line.

So in summary, we are still flying, things are moving along better ( in my opinion) than they ever have,it is taking along time, but when you se the final result ( irrespective of the actual fim, but what has gone into it) you will see why. … I Hope.

I will endeavour to keep up with the blogs. Sorry about that.