Marschall Lynch "Ghosts" book

[J. Tagliere]

Amazon.com now has the link for the companion book to the film. No price yet, but it says March 25, 2003 is the publishing date, and the film comes out in April.

Ghosts Of The Abyss: A Journey Into The Heart Of The Titanic: Lynch, Don, Marschall, Ken: 9780306812231: Amazon.com: Books

Ghosts Of The Abyss: A Journey Into The Heart Of The Titanic [Lynch, Don, Marschall, Ken] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Ghosts Of The Abyss: A Journey Into The Heart Of The Titanic

www.amazon.com

 

[Parks Stephenson]

Just a note about the cover art...the cover shown on the linked page was a quick mock-up done to sell the concept. An unretouched screen grab was used for illustration. As it is, the picture is unremarkable to those familiar with Titanic. The actual cover will feature a much clearer photograph that Ken composited using several frames of the film...his technique brings out extraordinary detail not before seen. Ken used the same technique throughout the book. You have to see it to believe it.

I wonder when the children's version of the book will be made public.

Parks

 

[J. Tagliere]

Children's version? Do you mean that there are going to be two versions of this book released? And what would the difference be - description/tone?

 

[Parks Stephenson]

As of a week ago, there are plans to publish a children's version of the book that will feature 3-D images, both archival and modern. I don't believe that the adult version will have the 3-D imagery, but I could be wrong about that. The children's version will in addition rely more on illustration than text. I plan on having a copy of both.

Of course, this information is subject to change. The future of the children's version is dependent on the remaining budget, which is pretty tight at the moment. It could be that the children's version of the book hasn't yet been announced because its future is in doubt. We'll just have to wait and see.

Parks

 

[J. Tagliere]

Parks -

What else do you know?! What kind of budget are they on over there that lets them slip this sucker into April 2003. I still remember earthship.tv advertising the DVD's November 2001 release. ;-)

 

[Jason D. Tiller]

Thanks for the information about the cover art Parks! I'm looking forward to seeing it!

If the children's version is out, I'll also make sure that I have a copy of both.

Best regards,

Jason

 

[Parks Stephenson]

What do I know? Not as much as I did when Cameron had the project. Now that the film has been handed over to Walden Media and the book(s) to Madison Press, I don't have much access to what's going on outside my little sphere of interest. I occasionally get glimpses into other areas, like the other day when I got to see some of the 3-D imagery of the Engine and Reception Rooms at CLU while I was advising on a CG model of the Marconi Room, but that's now the exception rather than the rule. Everyone is working furiously in their own areas -- the deadline is less than 2 months away -- and nobody has time to satisfy someone else's idle curiosity.

The budget is tight, and that's all I can say on the subject. I'm actually glad that the release date was pushed to the right, because the original deadline of EOM August did not provide enough time for a lot of the more interesting aspects of the work to be finished. As it is, EOM October is going to be difficult to meet. Quite a few people are working hard to include all new material, both written and visual, into both the film and book, and that takes time. You may be frustrated by the wait, but you would have been extremely disappointed by the result if they hadn't delayed the release. The contributors are striving mightily to keep the "Ghosts" book from being a regurgitation or reinterpretation of old material. Nobody working on this now wants to see the book become "just another Titanic book." the intent is to make the book vibrant, entertaining, illuminating, and a reference for future historians.

This is assuming, of course, that the movie and the book will take the form and content envisioned by the contributors. I won't even speculate on what the editors will do with what they're given. My fingers are crossed in the hope that the final versions of both film and book will be as good as we think they have the potential to be.

Parks

 

[J. Tagliere]

Okay, i do have to ask another question. Is this film still 45 minutes long? With all these additions, I fail to see how it could be. Also, Cameron doesn't have final cut? I find it hard to believe he's allowed other people to edit his film. (Though I must say, I had no idea just how many contributors there were for this project.)

 

[Parks Stephenson]

As far as I know, the theatrical release of "Ghosts" is a one-reeler, meaning 45 minutes in length.

Here's what happened, from my perspective. I may oversimplify the process and some things I have to extrapolate, so don't take this as gospel truth. It should though, give you an idea of how this movie is being made. Cameron has several projects in the works with different production companies. Before he left to explore the Bismarck, he gave his producer and staff at Earthship Productions guidelines for what he envisioned for "Ghosts" (actually, Cameron had already completed quite a bit of the initial cut). While he was away, Earthship completed a rough cut of the film. Cameron came back, gave his input, which Earthship incorporated into the cut. Cameron's producer, Chuck Comisky, leads the effort when Jim is involved elsewhere and he's a great guy. Ed Marsh, documentarian for Earthship, ties it all together...how he keeps so much information in his head, I'll never know. Ken Marschall has gone through every minute of the wreck video (over 30 hours' worth) to search out and catalogue all the information that can be wrung out of the ROVs' explorations. There's a whole host of characters who provide vital contributions that I just don't have time to acknowledge here. Some scenes are blocked out for further development as work continues...visual effects and the like. Walden Media is supplying the budget for the film, so they have people involved with the editing. People at Westerngate and Creative Logik Universe are building CG recreations. Those are just the ones I know...I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there's many more that I don't. I would expect that Cameron will have the final cut, but I couldn't tell you when that will happen. Sometime between Halloween and Christmas, I would guestimate.

Will there be a companion home release on DVD? I hope so. I have heard talk of it, but have seen no definite plans as yet. Everyone is busy trying to get the theatrical release finished, so no news is not necessarily bad news. I can confidently say that there's enough good wreck footage to fill a 2-DVD set, especially if it's coupled with some of the then-and-now segments. That, however, may be entirely Walden Media's call, not Cameron's.

Parks

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Thanks for your excellent postes Parks! Count me as first in line to get the book, and as someone who will be a regular attendee at the Imax film. Perhaps fellow Titanic buffs on ET could group up in their respective cities and see the IMAX film together...
I really am keen on the 'then and now' images, as first introduced in the Ballard books. I hope we could get some then and now shots of the private promanades, and the B deck cabins photographed by Harland and Wolff...

thanks

Tarn Stephanos

 

[Michael H. Standart]

FWIW, I've already pre-ordered this book. A pity it's only going to be 144 pages. I'm hoping the film will be released locally as well. The trouble is, I don't know of any theatres locally which are equipped for IMAX.

 

[J. Tagliere]

Parks - Sven over at earthship.tv had posted that they were going to be doing something new "very soon" (back when the website actually seemed active). Any news on earthship endeavors, or are they just moving fast to get 'Ghosts' done? Cameron was at the Microsoft rollout party yesterday for their new digital entertainment projects, promoting what earthship had done.

Michael - maybe you should plan a vacation to the Washington DC/Baltimore area! In addition to all the sightseeing you can do, we have several IMAX theatres, courtesy of the Air & SPace Museum, National Museum of Natural History, Maryland Science Center, etc.. At least one of them will be showing the movie. I mean, you can still see Everest around here. The Maryland Science Center had a Titanic exhibit a little while ago and was showing Titanica again.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I may just do that...when I've been with Lowe's long enough to qualify for three weeks holiday time. At the moment, I only rate two, and one of them I save for shopping around Christmas. The other for Titanic gatherings.

 

[Parks Stephenson]

I don't know what Sven is referring to.

Parks

 

[Eric Sauder]

Hi, Parks:

A few days ago, you wrote: "This is assuming, of course, that the movie and the book will take the form and content envisioned by the contributors."

Sorry to say that I've never seen an ocean liner book produced by Madison Press that did. It's a shame, really, because the people who are hired to consult always have superb ideas but are rarely listened to.

And then you said: "I won't even speculate on what the editors will do with what they're given."

I will. They'll hack it to death. One thing I'm fairly certain about is that the final version of the book will be a disappointment compared to what it could have been if the contributors had been given more of a free hand. I truly hope I'm wrong, though, because the information Cameron brought back really needs be shared in one form or another.

And finally: "My fingers are crossed in the hope that the final versions of both film and book will be as good as we think they have the potential to be."

I can't speak for the movie, but as for the book, don't count on it, Parks. I've seen Madison Press hack superb ideas to mulch. The editors have no clue about what would make this an interesting book to Titanic enthusiasts. Ken and Don obviously do, but if past experience is any indication, a good portion of their ideas will simply be politely listened to and then discarded.

I have been involved with the production of or watched the evolution of every ocean liner book that Madison Press has produced ever since the Discovery of the Titanic. The sad fact is that no matter how good the book *could* be, it doesn't matter. Good or bad, it will sell and make the publisher money. Why put money and effort into producing a superb book if, in the end, a mediocre book will sell just as well?

Sorry to inject a little reality in all of this, but I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

Eric Sauder