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NaNoWriMo 2020: Day Eleven

Peter Germany Cat, Editing, Horror, Horror Writer, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Nanowrimo, Planning, Preparation, TV, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re at day eleven already. In some ways the last eleven days have flown by but in others it feels like its dragged out. I’ve been off from work as well, which I think plays a part in that weird time displacement that’s been going on the last eleven days.

One of my guest appearances on Stefan’s Daily Gaming 🙂

I’ve written 2002 words for a total of 21423 words. I was aiming for 1667 words every day, regardless of what I wrote the day before. I’ve failed at that. I’ve had three days where I got under that target, and that’s not good enough when I look at the why I haven’t written 1667 each day. I know the why, and I’ve got to figure out how to stop it from happening again. I’m looking at trying a few things in the next few weeks to see to it that it doesn’t happen again. My biggest hindrance is I’m not as disciplined as I could be. That’s what I need to get a handle of. I can’t let my wondering mind destroy my concentration. I need to focus better and make the most of the resources that I have in place to get these stories done.

Today, I feel like I did good. I wrote those 2002 words and then made some red pen edits on a short story (only a couple of thousand words), and I prepared for a Zoom appointment this evening and did a little gaming.

Dizzy wasn’t interested in gaming, but made herself comfy.

After the Zoom call I’ve put my feet up, had some dinner and am now watching Daybreak on Netflix. Tomorrow I’m going to (try) to get up at about 8am like I did today, and get some words done nice and early because you know what? I’ve had a productive day. I’ve felt more relaxed today than I have done in a few weeks. I know that’s not just the writing, but that is a good percentage of it. If I can keep being productive, I have better days.

TV Review: Love, Death + Robots 3/3

Peter Germany Horror, Sci-Fi, Short Fiction, TV , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Love, Death + Robots is an anthology series from David Fincher and Tim Miller that is available on Netflix.

Lucky 13

Directed by Jerome Chen

Animation Studio: Sony Pictures Imageworks

Based on the Short Story by Marko Kloos

Adapted Script by Philip Gelatt

Lucky 13 is about a military transport that is considered jinxed and given to a rookie pilot who quickly bonds with the vehicle.

This is another favourite of mine. Again, fantastic visuals here. The character’s are all but photo realistic. I quickly recognised the main character by voice as well as looks. It was like watching Samira Wiley on screen! That’s how good the animation is in this episode. I’d be interested to see if they used motion capture on her face as it is that good. But that’s not just why I like this episode. The story is told at a solid pace and has some fantastic action keep the episode really interesting. I got invested in the bond the protagonist, ‘Cutter’ Colby has with Lucky 13 pretty quickly. You feel the emotion of this episode pretty heavily as it comes to its conclusion.

Definitely one of the strongest episodes for me.

Zima Blue

Directed by Robert Valley

Animation Studio: Passion Animation Studios

Based on the Short Story by Alistair Reynolds

Adapted Script by Philip Gelatt

Zima Blue is the story of an experimental artist. It is also the one in the entire anthology that doesn’t really do anything for me. It’s beautifully animated, although the character designs weren’t my cup of tea. The story was way but never grabbed my attention. I did like the overall message of the story, but as a whole it didn’t do a lot for me.

Blindspot

Written and Directed by Vitaliy Shushko

Animation Producer: Elena Volk

This one is a super fun heist movie with robots. What more do you need to know folks?!? It is a fast paced, action filled thrill ride with ups and downs, entertaining characters and like the rest of this series, beautiful animation. It’s a really nice change of pace and just good fun!

Ice Age

Directed by Tim Miller

Animation by: Digic Pictures, Blur Studio, and Atomic Fiction

Based on the short story by Michael Swanwick

Script Adapted by Phillip Gelatt

This is the only episode which isn’t fully animated. It stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Topher Grace as a young couple who move into a new apartment which has a very old fridge in it. They soon discover there’s a civilisation living in the ice box.

It’s a fun story that has a good pace and Grace and Winstead are good on screen. The animation is good and the story zips by at a decent pace.

It’s an interesting episode, but doesn’t stand out a lot. The change of visual styles, like having actual humans in it, does change it up a little from the rest of the anthology.

Alternate Histories

Directed by Victor Maldonado and Alfredo Torres

Animation Studio: Sun Creature Studio

Based on the Short Story by John Scalzi

This one is a series of examples of what would have happened to the world if Adolf Hitler had died earlier in life than he did.

This one was okay, albeit a little long. Like all of these episodes, the animation is great and the design suits the story well.

The Secret War

Directed by István Zorkóczy

Animation Studio: Digic Pictures,

Based on the Short Story by David W. Amendola

Adapted Script by Philip Gelatt

The Secret War is a World War 2 era story that is set in a Soviet wilderness. Soviet soldiers are fighting an enemy that is revealed as the story goes on. It’s a very sombre piece that has some fantastic action and an animation style and design that fits the era it’s et in as well as the tone of the film.

The big bad in this story I really liked. The design they had really got my imagination going. The final confrontation is epic. It gave me what I wanted from the and finishes the anthology off on a high note.

 

23th of December 2018

Peter Germany Audiobooks, Books, Comic Books, Horror, Movies, Reading, Sci-Fi, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’ve had a few busy days between work, our works Christmas Party and a few bits and pieces that needed to get done today.

I have written a few words in the last few days though, not many but a few. Friday I didn’t write anything, but I did watch Bird Box on Netflix which is based on the book by Josh Malerman. I listened to the book a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it, and I think the film is a good adaptation of the book. The odd change felt a little unnecessary but it still worked overall, and it stayed loyal to the ending of the book.

Yesterday I managed to get 260 words written, god knows when because it was a damn busy day and then the Christmas Party. I’m not much of a drinker but did have a fair few last night, but no hangover today! So that’s a win if you ask me.

Today I had a bit of running around to do so didn’t really have a lot of time to spend at the keyboard but have managed 386 words for the day. I probably added another hundred or so but did some editing which meant a few words were deleted but I’m happy with what I did today.

I tried to read a DC Rebirth comic the other day, and I just couldn’t get into it. I was only a few pages in but it just didn’t hook me. I’m a comic book latecomer and I’ve liked some of the Marvel and DC stuff  I’ve read but the last few pieces I’ve not been gripped by. This is something I’ve been thinking for a while, that Marvel and DC comics really aren’t for me. I’ve got a few on my to-read shelf so I will check those out, and I really want to re-read DCs Hush again next year.

I’m not giving up on comics though, I’ve really enjoyed the 2000AD ones I’ve read, mainly Judge Dredd ones so far but I’ve begun Insurrection by Dan Abnett and Colin MacNeil. I’m a huge fan of Dan Abnett and I like that this one is set in the Judge Dredd universe but I don’t believe he appears in it. So far I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to really getting stuck in over the next couple of days.

18-5-17 (2)

Peter Germany Editing, Outlining, Planning, TV, Writing , , , , , ,

A little wrap up for the day. I’ve followed the routine I mentioned in my post earlier and done some work on outlining at lunch time and then this evening another chapter on The Space Watch. I did it a little differently tonight though; I watched some TV and then started work at about nine this evening. I’ve wondered for a while that if I have a time restraint that I’ll be more productive. Tonight it has proved to be the case, but I’m also on a high from wrapping up season two of Sense 8. This show really blows my mind away. It’s so beautifully written, acted, directed, and produced that it’s a true emotional commitment to the show. There have been times during this season that I have been on the edge of my seat, that I have been jumping up and down and fist pumping and cheering the characters on. It’s very few shows or movie that get this response out of me, and Sense 8 is absolutely one of the ones that does and it’s near the top of my favourite all time shows. I cannot wait to see where they take the show from here on out.

I’m calling it a night now, I’m going to read a little before bed and then hopefully do it again tomorrow.

Sense8:Season Two

Peter Germany TV , , , ,

I am five episodes(including the Christmas special) into the new season of Sense8 on Netflix, and its good. Very good.

I loved the first series. In my opinion in one of the best series of TV I’ve ever seen. It’s beautifully written, directed, and acted. There are very few shows that have the balls to spend most of their first season on character development while only drip-feeding you the overall plot. They pulled it off though, it made the events in the rest of the season more hard-hitting because you knew the characters.

This new season has started at a full speed and kicks the nitrous in when it needs to. I literally jumped at the end of the first episode and have been moved to the edge of my seat on a number of occasions throughout this second season so far.

Now that we know all of the main characters the focus is on the bigger picture, but we’re still seeing the difficulties of the characters lives outside of the main story arc. They’re not fighting these problems alone though, despite the fact that these eight people are spread all over the globe, only two of them are physically together, but with how they can control each others bodies they help each other in difficult situations. Whether it’s the actor having to cause a scene to be a distraction, or the gangster beating the crap out of a threat to a cluster mate, or the bus driver needing help from the martial arts fighter, they can all move into each others bodies and help them out whenever they need them. How they shoot those scenes is fantastic to, it’s very smoothly done.

Once I’ve finished writing for the day I’ll be diving back in again. I’d like to say I’m going to be restrained and not binge watch the rest of the second season today but I’m not sure I’d be being honest with myself if I said that.

Daredevil: Season 2

Peter Germany Comic Books, TV , , , , ,

I am a big fan of the first season of Daredevil by Marvel and Netflix. I think it’s one of the best seasons of television I’ve ever seen. From the gritty action scenes and just how unapologetically violent it is to the actors and how they portray the characters to the writing and the pacing. I’m struggling to think of an element to it that felt slapped together. All in all its a beautifully crafted show, and we’re about to get a second season.

This is where I’m getting excited. As I’ve said, I loved the first season, but in season two we’re getting  Frank Castle, aka The Punisher. The Punisher is one of my favourite all time characters and I am itching to see how Jon Bernthal portrays him.

A couple of trailers and some images have been released and I’m even more looking forward to it now. Bernthal really does look the part.

Only about a month to go now.

NaNoWriMo 2015: Day Nineteen

Peter Germany Writing , , ,

Today I managed to knock out 1632 words before my brain stuck up the white flag and shut down for the day. Those words give me a total of 33,023 words for the month.

The world I’m working in is coming together nicely but I’m not really settled on an overall storyline. I’ve got lots to play with here but as I’ve said in other posts, it’s all over the place. It really is going to be interesting to look it over and see what I can do with after NaNo.

I’ve really made the most of having the iPad today. I wrote before work, during my lunch break and in the car to and from the hospital (no, I wasn’t driving). This is the sort of mindset that I need to nurture. Even with this story, which I’m a long way from loving, I’ve found it very easy to get the words down. My typing speed on my Logitech Bluetooth keyboard is getting quicker too.

I was hoping to get a decent word count this weekend but I have a relative in hospital at the moment and Jessica Jones goes live on Netflix tomorrow and I’m pretty sure I’m going to have it watched by the end of Sunday, Monday at the latest. But I’m determined to have at least the minimum daily amount written before I start in on it each day until I’ve seen all thirteen episodes.

Oh and I have dinner out Sunday evening, so I’ll probably won’t get Jessica Jones watched by the end of the weekend, but it’s not going anywhere.

As normal, if you’d like to add me as a buddy over at nanowrimo.org I’m PeterJReaper there. There are also links to my Facebook and Twitter on the right of this page.
Have fun everyone 🙂 

The Punisher Is Returning! 

Peter Germany Comic Books, TV , , , , ,

I was flicking through Facebook last night, as one does, and I saw a post from one of the various comic book pages I follow, announcing that not only would The Punisher be coming to the second season of Daredevil but they had cast Jon Bernthal as Marvels notorious vigilante.

When I read this I was sitting in my car waiting for someone, I hit my head on the roof lining of my car as I jump from the sheer joy of seeing this news. I am a huge fan of The Punisher, I think he is one of the most interesting characters that Marvel has created and I’ve been itching to see him appear in a Marvel Studios production. I’ve been seeing rumours that Netflix are going to have a Punisher series and I really hope that is the case. Casting Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher to me is a statement of intent to do just that.

I think Bernthal is a natural for this role. We’ve seen his acting ability in The Walking Dead and I think he’s going to be able to pull off that tormented nature The Punisher has. He’s also got the physicality that is needed as well.  In his time in The Walking Dead he also should that he could be brutal and that is something that an actor playing The Punisher needs.

Needless to say, I’m a tad excited about this and I think Daredevil had better watch out because he won’t have come up against anyone like The Punisher before.