Roger Dean Animated Feature Film Now In Development. |
|
Flights of Icarus, one of the images from the worlds of
Roger Deans Floating Islands
|
BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT AND THE FILM
Yes and Roger
Dean have had a creative relationship that has been evolving and developing for
over 33 years, making for some of the most iconic interactions of music and art
for the last half century.
There is a
secret story embedded in the art that Roger has painted for the Yes album
covers. Millions of people have figured
out that there is something going on, thousands have written and asked what,
some people have come to their own conclusions, speculating about some of the
different elements and others have made up their own stories but until now,
although Roger has confirmed that there is a whole world and a complete story
he has only given the briefest hints of what it might be.
The story is of a boy Loki, growing up, his imagination
fired by the myths and legends his uncle had read to him as a child. One story
in particular, about a tiny planet that breaks up and is rescued by a hero who
builds a space ark, inspires him. As a young man, visiting his uncle, Loki
tells him that he wants look for the missing space ark and asks his uncle for
help. His uncle at first refuses, telling him of the incredible difficulties,
the very real dangers, the immense scale of the task. Eventually his uncle relents but will only help if Loki takes
very seriously his preparations for the journey. The film is about a coming of
age, a quest and a love story.
Many people
have been intrigued by the worlds created in Rogers art and architecture and
have dreamed about what it might be like to journey through these worlds. In
addition to Yes supporters, over 100 million people have acquired Roger Deans
images either directly through the sale of prints, books calendars cards and
posters or indirectly via covers for other bands and computer games. The
audience for this film is likely to include any one who read or saw Lord of the
Rings, Star Wars or even Princess Mononoke, and covers an age range from seven
to seventy.
Floating Islands will be a full 90-minute feature
film, a dramatic adventure with stunning 3D animation produced under the
direction of Roger Dean,
featuring
the Music of YES.
General news
and Images for the film and later on, an outline of the story for the will be
available at www.rogerdean.com/floatingislands/update
There is a great deal of interest in the
project from a number of film studios, but to ensure that the Producers can maintain
artistic control and create the vision without diluting or sidetracking the
concept, there is a need to independently fund the development work.
Accordingly $500K is being raised to:
· Develop and commission and the
screenplay. · Complete all the storyboards
· Complete sample animation
sequences to demonstrate the visual style of the film.
· Fund detailed production
budget, legal and professional fees.
There has been an excellent start in
raising finance for the development process, and the story outline, treatment
and design work are now underway but it is now essential to raise the balance
to complete the development process.
Securing funding ($17million) for the
production of the film is also making good progress. Offers are in negotiation
subject to the completion of the script, tests, storyboard and budget.
Over the next
few months Roger Dean will make special limited edition prints, (combination
serigraph, digital with etching or engraving), based on his painting ‘Flights
of Icarus’, the net revenues from the sale of these editions will be used to
directly fund the final development stage of Floating Islands.
Including
proofs there will be 110 signed limited edition prints that be available
at $US 5,000, and 15 prints that will
be available at $US 25,000, these higher value prints will be individually
modified and hand finished by Roger. It is intended
that those providing the development funding for the project will have
exclusive access to a special area of the production’s web site, with regular
updates, storyboard, music and script developments. In addition,
each purchaser of an etching or engraving will be listed in the screen credits
for the film, under the category “ with special thanks to”.
The current
substantial development funding for this production is being provided by a
number of people who have a long standing interest in the music of Yes and the
art of Roger Dean. For
updated information on this Development funding offer please visit Roger's
"Floating
Islands" webspace.
To order a print and to participate in this exciting
production,
http://www.rogerdean.com/floatingislands
And complete the order form and payment options.
Or for more information, contact the producers
Roger Dean and David Mousley
|
