What is Earth-Link Zero?
Earth-Link Zero is a series created by Chris Kroznuski in which the Earth Empire discovers a wormhole linking us to another star system in the galaxy. Due to dwindling resources, the human race looks to colonizing worlds in the new sector, despite the danger of the war like and vicious species known as the Skregg. Earth-Link Zero focuses particularly on the Spitfire, Defender Class Frigate under the command of Captain Zero, as he fights against not only the Skregg, but his own personal failures and beliefs.
Earth-Link Zero was conceived in August of 2008 and didn't begin official production until late 2009.

What do we need?
ELZ has been trudging along slowly, with the sporadic aid of different people around the world. So far, it has been on a simple contract a model basis, but that is a system that is proving to be ineffective and inefficient. So here's what we need. We need a group of people willing to dedicate some time to this project in their off hours. What we need is organization, and like any team, we need team leaders and team members. Many people are afraid to join a project or are unwilling due to the fact of not having enough time, but in our case, any time is good time. If you can only put in one hour a week, then please, do it! One hour a week is more then no hours a week. So if you feel you can contribute, even in the smallest of ways, please, contact me. I don't bite and I don't smell...usually Positions however that would need more time would be positions like Lead Animator, where one hour a week won't be enough.

What Positions Are Available?
Of the lead positions, here's what we need:

Executive Producer
Desc: Someone who oversees all the animation and delegates the tasks. Where this is a complete 3D project, this is essentially the role of Executive Producer. Tasks will include delegating tasks to the animators and making sure things stay on track in the animation department.

Lead Character Animator:
Desc: This position is for the person who can oversee and dedicate their time to doing all of the Character Animation.

Lead FX Animator:
Desc: A person who oversees and does the majority of the special effects animation, ranging from space scenes to laser beams.

Lead Character Modeler
Desc: Someone who is well versed in the art of character modeling and preferably in texturing as well.

Lead Mech Modeler
Desc: This position is for someone to oversee and do the modeling of the mechanical objects including props.

Non-Lead Roles

Landscape Artist(s)
Desc: A position for people who enjoy creating landscapes and terrains, ranging from cities, to mountain ranges, this is the backdrop for most of the planetary scenes in the series.

Character Animators
Desc: People who will be working on character animation

FX Animators
Desc: For those working on animation that isn't character related.

Anyone can apply for a position, but the lead positions would be preferable if it was people who had at least some experience with AM in their area. People learning the program or the specific technique are welcome as well, but they must be dedicated. You can also apply for multiple jobs if you feel you would have the time to do multiple jobs, this includes Lead positions.

If you feel you are able to help the project, but in a way not specified here, please contact me as well as all help is welcome.

Any questions, comments or applications, please contact me at:

cosmic_camera@yahoo.ca

It should be noted that this is a non-profit project. Those who dedicate time will simply be rewarded by the work they do. If somehow money is made off of this project, then discussion about that will arise, for now, it is to be assumed that everyone working on the project is doing it for free and to learn and have fun!

Sincerely
Chris Cameron
Producer: ELZ

(PS, could a moderator please sticky this topic?)

Hi Chris,

Have you given any thought to what tool you may use for collaboration / version control? We use Shotgun - (http://www.shotgunsoftware.com) which may be a little overkill (and expensive) for your needs... but it certainly does everything you'd expect it to.

It would be great if Hash provided the ability to add your own tabs to the community panel in A:M so you could utilize SVN a little more controlled. I'd love it if there was a way to have each participant log into the project database (and schedule) to pull their assigned task list directly from A:M...

I sent you an email to the address you posted above for further info.

Regards,

Rob

I got your e-mail and will get back to you shortly. I am currently spearheading a re-organisation of the project and a tool like this should be a part of it, though we cannot afford to pay anything, but I have some friends with program coding knowledge, and I may be able to get them to whip up a program suitable for our needs

I sent you an e-mail, but I don't know if you got it or not

I can't be a lead anything but I'll do one FX shot if we can find one that aligns with my general interests.

Well, I will keep you posted then. Perhaps I will also use this thread as sort of the contract thread as well. As a task comes up that we don't have someone for, I'll throw it up here and see who grabs

I would be willing to do some modeling of props and vehicles ( and rig them and texture them, too.).

awesome! there's something that'll need modeling soon and I'll throw the designs up shortly

Yuck! Isn't there a better way to deliver them?

....well, there's the other end...

still working on some of the tech stuff, but should have the ELZ archive online in a few days

Ok, we got a steady workflow happening now which is good. Pre-Production on the short films are happening and we hope to have short 1 released in about 2 months. Hopefully with it we can get more people on to the larger project (the movie) The more people that join, the easier it is for everyone!

We're opening up casting in the next few days for Earth-Link Chronicles (the short films) and there are a few specifics we're looking for. Currently, off the top of my head, we need someone in their late thirties-forties to voice a character who is the XO of the Endeavour. Will post audition lines in the morning, but please, if interested, post here or send an email to chrisacameron@ymail.com

Yep - I'm interested in the XO role (late 40's), am an ex Naval Officer and have my own digital recording setup (as you know).

Cheers

So, upon reviewing the scripts, this character doesn't say a whole lot, but nonetheless, here are some lines. We've had multiple people express an interest in this role so could people interested please recorde these lines and send it to me:

Quantum capacitors at 50 percent and rising! Should be ready in 30 seconds!

(groaning softly)
I'm okay. My son's gonna kill me when he finds out what trouble I've been in...

Thank you. There will be a bunch more roles to fill shortly once I have them organized and listed.

Might help if we know the situation! What are the Quantum capacitors for? Is it just routine or are they under attack?

under attack. It's part of a charging device for a weapon of the Endeavour's I believe. The second line is from a different ep all together where Lance has just finished an attack run and left quite a mess of things or something, I kinda forget, it's a little difficult for me to remember things if I've not written them.

OK - I've uploaded a ZIP file with a few variations on the dialogue (only small variations):

http://www.david-higgins.com/sound/Lines.zip (8mb)

Cheers

wow, haven't showed that to the other Chris yet, but in my opinion, that voice is too good for the small role of Lance, though he does get a bit of a spotlight episode with short number 4

We are now currently looking for a secondary concept designer, mostly for tech items, ships, weapons, sets etc. Our primary designer doesn't have the time to pump out designs for everything as quickly as is needed. Requirements for this job are art and design skills essentially. Someone who draws stick figures just won't cut it. If interested, please post or e-mail, and include some previous designs you may have done in the past, just so we can see your skill and creativity level. It can be free hand or digital or whatever means you work in.

I second that opinion

In that particular scene where the quantum capacitors are mentioned, the Endeavour engineers just finish installing a beam cannon to help fight against their enemy. Ill spare the techno-babble, but the quantum capacitors are used to help it fire properly.

Assuming those kind comments were about me - did you want me to read something else?

Cheers

no no, the problem we're having is that your voice is so good, that we feel that role is too small. It's basically yes sir no sir stuff. Except for Ep 4 which is more about that character. We want you, just in a larger capacity, we're toying with several options, ranging from dual roles, to making the role of that character larger and other things. Essentially, you got the job, we just need to make it bigger now!

It's weird - I've never thought of my voice as anything other than dull and nasally - maybe it's the semi pro (Audiophile) recording gear!

Cheers

I've yet to meet someone to say "oh yeah, love my voice, sounds great recorded!"

What I find weird, is that a few weeks ago, I began toying with this star trek fan fic idea, about a group of mercenaries/guns for hire (probably won't do it, not enough hours in the day to do both it and Earth Link) but anyways, the main character for this fan fic idea (Dante was his working name) I had envisioned sounding a particular way, then I heard your voice and was like "holy crap, that's almost identical to the voice I was imagining for Dante!" Anyways, I have too many ideas sometimes. The scripts for Chronicles are now being edited anyways and no doubt we'll make your part larger

I'm really having fun with my Zoom recorder. I have a real time effect set up to give a me a deep resonating VO style voice to

I had an idear! We'll have you as the role of Lance, but could you also read me this, it's the narration the opens Episode 1, basically giving the history in brief:

Two millenia ago, humanity formed the Earth Empire.
We had a dark beginning, but turned those beginnings into noble goals.
The Sol System, where we first started, was nearly stripped of its natural resources after a long, bloody civil war. Humans fought humans on all nine of her planets.

But we cast the rebels out, banished them from the Sol System, and emerged victorious. The surviving rebels relocated to the far-off Raxis System, where they were not heard from again for hundreds of years.

In that time of peace, we expanded our borders beyond the Sol System. Alpha-Centauri was the first system we colonized outside Sol. And we quickly learned after that we weren't alone in the universe.

The Terra Novans were the first to join our spacefaring Empire. We gave them our technology to travel faster than light, Visper Drive as we called it, and in turn they gave us much needed resources to not just survive, but also to expand our Empire to even greater lengths.

But hundreds of years later, when we least expected it, they returned.

They called themselves the Morningstar Pirates of Raxis Prime. Their purpose was clear: avenge those that were outcast by the Empire, and silence their enemy forever.

We still have three roles available for ELC. We need someone to play the engineer of the Endeavour (male, no younger then late 20s I say), we need a female for a fighter pilot (kind of brass, strong, fast etc) and we need an older person to play Admiral Hanar. Hanar is an alien, male. For any auditions for the role, simply record you saying:

Hi, my name's _____________ and this is my voice audition for Earth Link Chronicles.

Thank you.

OK - my reading for the narration is up http://www.david-higgins.com/sound/Lines1.zip (14mb) I broke it down to 6 'lines' and did a couple of minor changes to the text to make it read better/clearer (at least for me).

Cheers

I hope that I am not too late... here is my test. Click to view attachment

that's a very good voice, we shall ponder a role for you (probably Admiral Hanar)

ok Tony, you have the role of Admiral Hanar. Scripts will be forwarded shortly to all participating in voice acting

I would ask that you and David register at our site
http://earthlinkzero.motionsforum.com/forum.htm

it is easier for us to coordinate everyone from one location

OK done I have registered.

By the way, my last name is spelled IVERSEN not iverson

Thank you.

Tony Iversen

ah, thank you

New concept design hot off the presses! Looking for someone interested in building this beast, rotos will most likely be ready by tonight. Please post if interested, we are on a tight schedule now and the more help we can get, the better. I can only do so many things at a time

Click to view attachment

here's a couple rotos, image needs to be rotated 90degrees clockwise though:

anybody? could really use a hand here on this project. please?