Sunday, April 24, 2011

Now Showing Blogfest!

It's finally here! Today is the Now Showing Blogfest hosted by Alexis and Lindz. Click on the blogfest link to visit the other participants. Here are the rules.

1.Choose 4-6 of your lead characters.
2. Let us know a little bit about what each of your characters looks like.
3.Then, pick any actor or actress, they’re all at your disposal.
4.Finally, apart from their appearance, what about this particular performer makes you think they’ll do your baby justice. What’s that special something that makes them perfect for the part? Their attitude? The way the walk? Their voice? Let us know.

Now, without further ado...
Emily Deschanel as Talia Shannon--soft brown hair with gold and copper highlights, loose curls, violet eyes, taller than the average Sendek woman by an inch or two, slender and curvy, high cheekbones. I picked this picture in particular because her eyes are amazing. Can't you picture them tinted violet?

I picked Emily because:
  • She has the facial bone structure of the people on Sendek. Square jaw, strong. Plus she's beautiful, what hero wouldn't want to save her?
  • And no, I didn't pick her because she plays Bones (although I love that show). It's a bonus she's played a scientist, but Talia isn't as stiff and clueless as Bones can be. 
  • I think Emily would be great with the romantic tension, and she's probably ready to be an intelligent woman that understands human emotions, don't you think?


Karl Urban as Commander Landry Sutton (Cousin to Prince Stefan)--"Perfectly proportioned, built of lean muscles, his stance suggested a tightly wound core of strength waiting just beneath his calm exterior. Even though he did not wear the Royalist uniform, it was obvious that he was as comfortable with command and giving orders as the General sitting beside him. "

I picked Karl because:

  • Um, did you look at that first picture?
  • He's played strong men, fighting men, he's got that sultry look down, and I love the scruff.
  • When I saw him in the line up he just FIT.
  • His eyes seem to say, I don't trust you, but I want to trust you because I so want you. (um, apologies to hubby)



Eric Bana as Prince Stefan (cousin and best friend to Landry)--I realize I never really described him in the book, I need to fix that. He looks like most people on Sendek: brown eyes, dark hair, eh, that's about it. He's a minor character, but one of my favorites because he's just so real. Anyway, I picked this picture because he has that small smile playing around his lips, but you can see the weight of ruling the world in his eyes. (His father is in a coma, so he's acting as king although they've not had a formal coronation)
Jude Law as Jaron (A wizard from another world that was destroyed by the Draguman--the world, not the wizard): this is his true form--tall, crystal blue eyes with a cloudy murkiness that sometimes flicks past (the demon that lives within). I just realized that I'm going to need a second actor to his shape shift disguised alter ego.

Anyway, I chose Jude because of this picture. He just looks like Jaron. Can't you see a heart broken man so bent on revenge for the death of his wife that he calls a demon from the depths of his world to prolong his life? The best part is he's not really the bad guy and as he helps Talia and Landry destroy the Draguman he also finds forgiveness and redemption. But he unknowingly leaves something behind...

Ed Harris as Johnathan Fielding, President of the Space Exploration Foundation(SEF) and Talia's boss--"In his mid fifties, with graying hair and laugh lines around his eyes, he exuded the paternal care I associated with his messages. His hands were as warm as his eyes, and I feared he would notice how cold and shaky mine were."

How can you not love Ed Harris? Plus he has a great history with science fiction.
Michael Caine as King Frederick: This is a small part, but this is another actor I have great respect for. He'd be great as the King come out of a coma just to deliver an important message to his son before dying. A message about some forgotten lore from Sendek's ancient past.
Mark Wahlberg as Edmont Ryce: Ok, this is a cheat because Edmont is introduced at the end of the book. He's actually the antagonist for Book 3: Battle for Sendek. He's not shoved in your face though, just described as twenty something, standard brown hair, eyes that are more amber than brown.

I picked Wahlberg because when I wandered past the photo I thought, "Hm, he looks a bit like the Edmont in my mind." Isn't that enough for now?

Ok, you may have noticed that the real threat is missing from the video and the list of actors. The Draguman. Help! Are there any amazing artists that can help me get some images of them prepared?

Just be prepared for a picky back and forth with drawings because I SEE them in my head. And I want what I wants...

Here is a description of them:

“Although they walked on two legs, they were definitely not human. The creatures stood between seven to eight feet tall with elongated noses (I want to blend dragon and dog faces with human shaped cranium for this—alien with very human eyes--the eye area is key), yellow-green eyes and a triangular muscular thickness along the shoulders and up the neck (think Cardassians, but pull the face out, and more ridgelines).”

Their torsos are longer proportionally than humans, they have tail buds (I'm considering changing this to full tails because of the fighting advantage it would provide--still undecided), knobby bones at the back where wings would have been, longish necks, arms, legs, feet are human in design with hands that end in long fingers with retractable talons.

Their faces also have unique ridge lines like this dragon:
Drawn by Chris B
Wish I could draw! Email me if you are interested in tackling this project. I can offer some critiques in exchange. :)

18 comments:

  1. I wish I could draw too. They sound fascinating, though. Also, great idea for a blogfest. I will definitely have to participate later today. :)

    ~Tara

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow what a cool sounding story! Great job with your cast! Would love to watch it.

    And nice to meet you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very cool blogfest and post! I love Emily Deschanel and Bones and yeah, um, that first guy. 'Nuf said.

    I can't draw either, sorry.

    Vicki

    ReplyDelete
  4. O...M...G. You book trailer is awesome and you've kicked my butt into doing my own. Also, the female protagonist from my sci-fi WIP, Dreaming of Sleep, is also called Talia. How much of a coincidence is that?!

    Your casting is prefect and I hope you get some to draw The Draguman.

    The Devil’s Song

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ooo, Karl Urban would be perfece for my MC. I wish I thought of it. Nice choice!

    Talia is a beautiful name!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh, cool trailer! Well done! music seemed to fit with it very well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I LOVE BONEEESSSSSSS!!!!

    Tatooine had two suns kinda like Sendek.

    I LOVE BONEEESSSSSSS!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a gorgeous cast! I put Emily's sister, Zooey, in the led of my movie!

    ReplyDelete
  9. :) Thanks everyone. I've enjoyed the casts of all the blogs I've visited so far.

    Meika, heading your way now. I almost used Zooey, but her big eyes make her look so innocent that I couldn't. Love her too though.

    Michael, me too!!!

    Rachel, thanks! The music was so hard to pick and I'm really happy with the outcome.

    Teralyn, Karl Urban is perfect for just about everything. (Once again, apologies to the hubby if he happens to wander by. Hey, you been to the gym yet;) )

    Ellie, making the trailer was tons of fun. I'm using the same format for the actual book trailer but have to tweak a few things. I got the music from Royalty Free Music. cool on your MC's name.

    Vicki, I'm so with you. My poor hubby is going to have a complex by the end of the day.

    PK, Nice to meet you too! Thanks for stopping by.

    Tara, I hope you do. Let me know so I can swing by and see your cast.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I can't draw to save my life, but I think your effort is pretty good! My Uncle John looks just like Mark Wahlberg. So if you're working on a budget, I'm sure we can make arrangements to have him be your Edmont, LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey, great cast. Lots of male-eye-candy :) That's fun.

    I can't draw worth anything, so I can't help you, but if you get anything, I'd love to see it, and hope you'll post it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I know what you mean about wishing you could draw, because my main character has facial scars and I can SORT OF picture it in my head, but I'd love to work with a sketch artist to get the visual just right.

    Hey, I came SOOO close to picking Karl Urban for one of my characters. Very pleased to see him in the line-up. He still cracks me up as Bones in Star Trek, but he pulls it off.

    And the eyes on that picture of Emily really are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. You made a trailer! That is so cool! Super extra brownie points to you!
    Also, your cast is amazing, and your premise is awesome. Thanks you so much for joining in on the fun today (and going the extra mile). Tune into either Alexis' or my blog on Wednesday for the announcement of the winners.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gina, really? Your uncle looks like Mark Wahlberg? That sounds great to me.

    Rosie, got pull the girls into a sci fi flick some way don't we? :)

    Margo, I wonder how much a private consultation with a police sketch artist would cost?

    Lindz, there are winners? Cool, I missed that. Just seeing the trailer makes me giddy and feel like a winner. Thanks for the challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love the trailer! wow ! I wish I had thought of that! lol Thanks for taking part in my blogfest! as man I love your cast! But especially Eric and Karl *drool* love them!

    ReplyDelete
  16. You can't go wrong with Eric Bana. He saved Troy from utter unwatchability. Add Ed Harris and Michael Caine? Hello! I'd watch this in less than a heartbeat. :)

    Thanks for sharing!

    Marie at the Cheetah

    ReplyDelete
  17. Alexis, thanks for hosting! This was a wonderful exercise and as you saw, provided practice for future book trailers. :)

    Marie, LOL I'm so glad you'd watch this. If I never get published I may just try to sell it as a movie script.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Awesome cast, Charity. Only problem? All those good looking men would be far too distracting for me to follow the plot! :-)

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.