Airships/Zeppelins as Buses in the Sky

#5

If you need music for the Tv spot, I’m interested to work on it!
You can follow the link to see my work. It’s old works, so if you need more actual examples just e-mail me and I will be glad to send them to you.

Cheers

#6

Hey, thanks so much for your interest. It’s 3:52 in the morning now. Was just passing the PC when I noticed you two had replied. Tomorrow, when I’m cognizant, I’ll figure out why it’s not allowing anyone to e-mail me and why the title page on my site isn’t loading. For now, thanks again and talk to you tomorrow!

#7

don’t know if this helps at all, but this is what it says:

Sorry! That user has specified that they do not wish to receive emails. If you still wish to send an email to this user, please contact the administrator and they may be able to help.

anyway, i’m extremely surprised that so few people have been interested in this enough to post anything. well, hope to hear from you soon! i’m VERY interested :slight_smile:

#8

Fully rested, but still waiting to hear back on why my e-mail link won’t work. In the meantime, if anyone wants to contact me directly (and I know for a fact that this account is working), the address is dwallace@smartbombstudios.com

Okay, so I’ll address the -deferred pay situation…

The project we’re doing isn’t intended for commercial broadcast, it’s for presentation purposes only. No money is meant to be made from either the demonstration video or the example commercials we’ll make. So contribute with the understanding that no money will change hands for work done on it. But at such a time that the Metro Skyline is accepted by the Los Angeles Metro Transit Authority and commercials intended for broadcast are made, I will negotiate on behalf of all CG Talk contributors for some type of deferred pay, the amount to be determined by myself, if and when such a time arises. Details to be determined in privacy with the concerned parties. I would also negotiate for employment on the paying MTA project for any CG Talk contributors that I feel are competent and dependable enough for the job. Again, details to be determined in privacy with the concerned parties.

All that being said, I just want you to keep in mind two major points:

  1. It’s probable that the advertising for the Skyline could be turned over to another entity and that I might be excluded. In such a case, there may not be any negotiations to be made.

  2. The opportunity might present itself to take the Metro Skyline series to a private company. The same rules would apply as if the MTA accepted it, but we’ll cross that bridge if we ever come to it.

Regardless, you can bet that I’ll fight tooth and nail to stay involved in every single aspect of this endeavor and to take with me whomever helps out here on the forum. I guess the way you should look at all this for right now is that you get to create a unique addition to your demo reel and have a potential way to spread your name/further your career. I’m personally treating it as an investment.

Down and Dirty Legalities

I’m sorry, but I have to quickly put on my reading glasses and business suit and get serious for a moment. Because for legalities, I should emphasize that any original posts or replies containting comments, feedback, suggestions, questions, artwork, video, print, attachments or other creations and/or correspondence made in this CG Talk thread with regard to the Metro Skyline can be used at my discretion, without any compensation to the originator. Any future compensation will be determined by myself and the concerned parties in privacy, if and when such a time arises.

End of Boring Legal Stuff

The good news is that this agreement will help keep us on track with the project. The bad news is that this tough talk might scare away potential help. But I sure hope not! Man, I always hate this part of the pitch, because there’s no way to do it without sounding like a total jerk. Anyway, sorry if it seems that way. Just trying to cover my butt is all.

As far as the creative heirarchy goes, I’m project leader and will handle appointing/replacing individuals in key positions. Offhand, it looks like I’ll need a Lead Storyboard Artist and Lead Designer, both of whom can pick a crew that I’ll give final approval on. Since I’m new to these boards and don’t yet know all the relationships, I’ll just have to go off of your current demo reels and forum feedback.

To keep us on track, I’ll set goals and deadlines for us to meet. I’ll also set up review dates, so we can see how much we’ve accomplished and what challenges we have left to deal with. You’ll find that I’m VERY open to suggestions and alternatives. Especially considering that here, you all are the experts. But, if for some reason I veto anything, please understand that it’s nothing personal and that I have made my choice in what I think is the best interest of the project.

BOTTOM LINE?

This forum’s floor is now open!

I see we’ve had over 160 viewers so far. If after all that, any of you are interested in helping out on the project and agree to the terms stated above (with the knowledge that future postings in this thread can act as potential legal documentation), please let me know. A show of hands would be great. (esotericsean, elfling bard, filmcomposer…still interested?)

I think our Metro Skyline Project is going to be a lot of fun and hopefully, as esotericsean said, a “world-changing endeavor”! Can’t wait to hear from you all!

Derek

P.S. Here’s an interesting article about the number of Los Angelenos who choose public transportation over commuting with their own vehicles: http://www.mta.net/press/2004/10_october/mta_171.htm

P.P.S. If for any reason any part of this post is in violation of the CG Talk rules, please let me know so that I can change it accordingly! Thanks again, CG Talk!

NEXT UP: The FAQ…FINALLY !
(Thanks again to everyone sending in private message questions)

#9

I think the title of the thread is probably too boring and stuffy. I tried to change it to reflect the central theme of the project, but it looks like I can’t do that. :frowning:

#10

I also am a composer and would like to help you with your project. You can hear some of my music at www.seanbeeson.com. I work very quickly and efficiently, so anything I can do to help just let me know.

Thanks,
Sean R. Beeson

#11

hello again, this is my “official” post saying that i’m interested and want to help. My name is Sean Duran, and i’ve been working with 3d modelling/animating for over 5 years now. I’m 19, and a college student at cal state long beach (in southern california) and having to go to LA for any reason shouldn’t be any problem. I’m currently majoring in computer science, but I now know that I am going to drop that and start working on my greatest interest, film. I just started a film group with 2 of my best friends, who are also both interested in helping out with this project (plus it could give us a chance to see some real filming in action and might help us get started). This is going to be a great project, and will most definitely be a great learning experience. :slight_smile:

#12

When is this bad boy project gonna start?! I am ready to WRITE music like a mad man!

Sean R. Beeson
sbeeson@capital.edu

#13

I am also interested in helping out. I’m new to this field and am still in the learning process but if you need help I’d like to give it a try…

#14

Well, first we need a storyboard artist so that the CG team can have some kind of a template to work from. Over 300 views now…where are all the adventurous spirits at?!?

Just hang in there, Beeson. Soon enough we’ll be hearing “I’ll go with you!”, “You have my bow!”, “And my axe!”, etc.

Esoteric, if I post some dimensions and attributes that I think the crafts would need, do you think you could throw together some simple models? Some kind of foundation that we can start modifying from?

For inspiration, here’s a photo I found online many moons ago.

#15

sure, i’d start throwing some things together. some estimated dimensions and stuff would be very helpful. and i can’t quite see the picture… did you forget to upload it or didn’t post a link?

#16

Sorry :slight_smile: I got a little excited, and I guess I am just kind of a work horse. Just drop me a line when the time is near sbeeson@capital.edu

Thanks,
Sean R. Beeson

#17

esoteric, can you see the image yet? It’s loading up fine on my PC.

I’m out of town until Monday, but on my plane trips I’m going to polish the FAQ and make an agenda for the project.

Chicago, here I come! Whoot!

#18

hey, it works now. that was weird. have fun in chicago! i’ll keep an eye on the thread for the agenda and stuff. want me to just play around with ideas for now, or should i wait until you give me attributes and dimensions?

#19

Only forum Moderators can change the thread titles. I’ve done that for you. For future reference … just PM a Mod. :smiley:

Interesting project. Best of luck to you.

#20

Kirt, MUCH OBLIGED!

And duly noted.

esoteric: GO FOR IT! You crank out whatever you want in the meantime. Think of it as warming up before your big workout. :slight_smile:

By the way, Chicago is SOOOOO dope. I had the best pizza today at a place called Giordano’s in the Edgewater district. I’ve ridden all around the town on the elevated train with my friends and lemme tell ya, took my breath away!

Oh wow! It’s passing outside right now as I type this!

#21

This is almost unbelievable!

On the plane ride back to Los Angeles, I sat next to a civil engineering student AND a venture capitalist! Both expressed keen interest in the Metro Skyline and passed on their business cards! We must’ve talked non-stop from takeoff to landing…a full THREE HOURS.

Needless to say, they gave me a TON of great leads and ideas, as did my trip to Chicago. Riding the elevated train and visiting their stations helped fill in some gaps I had. My next post is going to be the FAQ, which I will constantly edit as I receive or think of new questions.

Lastly, the head of the MTA’s pubilc relations department is on-board to do lunch. But I’m going to hold off until we have some kind of basic video to show him.

Esoteric, if needed, could you make an airship model like the one I posted previously, and add it to some simple backgrounds/buildings? I could storyboard something out for you.

On to the FAQ!

#22

hehe, wow, that’s pretty lucky :slight_smile: always good to talk to people.

a little story board might help out a little, but sure! i’ll get on it right away :slight_smile:

#23

You need to read the history of lighter then air ships. The world abandoned airships for a reason, they were impractical. To be able to carry 100 passengers your talking about a ship that is extremely hard to manuver, with the winds coming off the ocean the problem only gets worse. Too hard to manuver, too expensive, too dangerous. Helium just doesn’t have much lifting capacity, so your forced to make large air cells which result in something that is extremely hard to manuver.

I’m not some artist, I’m a scientist. And I’m telling you, as cool as airships are they just wouldn’t work for what your proposing. They MIGHT work as super-heavy lifters for carrying special cargo around the world, but being used to allieviate rush hour traffic? No way. Have you seen how the goodair blimp lands? I have, up close. It takes about 20 people with ropes to pull it down. Are you going to have 20 people with ropes waiting at each depot?

Theres a german blimp company that you might want to contact, they are making spheroid blimps for sight seeing. I don’t have the name off-hand, but google should find them.

My 2 cents on the traffic problem? They probably need to bite the bullet and build a subway, just like almost every other metropolitan city.

If you wanted another idea to persue, look into the moving sidewalks the french have. They have several different moving sidewalks, each at a different speed. You walk on the first one, 5mph, then the next 10 mph, then 15mph, etc. Its a great way to move alot of people very fast(25 mph). I’d say build giant parking complexes around the city, highspeed rail(above or below ground) taking the commuters to downtown where a network of moving sidewalks are build just below the surface. Rather then tunnel to build a subway beneath the city, just dig 15 feet, and have a network of the super-fast moving sidewalks to get around downtown.

But the blimp idea? If you don’t believe me its impractical, please go check out why they were abandoned in the first place.

#24

[CA]cerberus
“Theres a german blimp company that you might want to contact, they are making spheroid blimps for sight seeing. I don’t have the name off-hand, but google should find them.”

I have read that a german company, might be the one you are referring to [CA]cerberus, makes a blimp that can carry 50 tons of cargo (or more)- my first thought was what a way to get fresh produce into a large city - farmers markets to farmers markets - don’t know why but didn’t think about it for transporting people.
Something to think about