Asa Butterfield, age 17, was honored at the Savannah Film Festival in Georgia on Saturday with the “Rising Star Award.”
In an interview Morning Star News, Butterfield admitted that ‘Ender’s Game’ is his favorite film he’s worked on. He goes on to say that he liked that he got to do many things that he would never have been able to do in real in the real world, such has use harnesses to fly in the battle room.
“‘Ender’s Game’ had a cast around my age,” said Butterfield.. “I’ve been really fortunate in working with actors who have all taught me something different. Ben Kingsley is one of the best actors I ever saw or worked with. Watching what he did was the best. It’s one of the perks of the business.”
Ash Throp, a self-described “big fan” of ‘Ender’s Game’, worked on the ‘Ender’s Game’ as a freelance motion graphics designer. In an interview, Throp talks about how he worked his way onto the film and his role in bringing the adaptation to the big screen.
“I’m a big fan of the genre, and so this was a lot of fun for m,” Throp told ART OF VFX. ” I read the series of books and really enjoyed the story and its underlying meanings. It was a challenge to try and put forth all my crazy ideas into the film, but I’m really happy with the end result.”
In the interview, Throp said that his curiosity drove him to introduce himself to the art directors. He was later hired to work on the film’s user interfaces.
“Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to boldly introduce myself to [the art directors] one day,” said Throp. “We bonded in conversations over our common love for creating. In our talk, I mentioned to Ben that I would love to work on ENDER’S GAME, if there was any help needed on designing the user interface for the film. I put together a quick concept and pitched it to Ben and Sean. I think they appreciated my enthusiasm and excitement for the project, and before I knew it, I was hired onto the film”
Throp also describes how he carefully selected font and graphic choices for each frame.
“I proposed over 40 different font families at the beginning of the project,” said Throp. “Eventually, I decided on a clean, modern, structured base font that I thought would be used for the military UI, and then some more utilitarian fonts for the civilian world.”
To read Throp’s entire interview and see sketches of his early user interface concept art visit ART OF VFX.
A theater company in Finland has produced a a play based on ‘Ender’s Game’.
The play premiered on September 27 and runs through December 20. It runs for 3 hours and 15 minutes, including two intermissions. For tickets and showtime information, visit their Facebook page.
For readers who would like a taste of the experience, but do not live near Finland, check out production photos from their Instagram account.
Lionsgate and Tribeca Enterprises have collaborated to create an online video streaming service, called the Tribeca Short List, for their films and films by other studios.
Not much is known about the price of the services or other specifics, but the service is expected to launch during the first half of 2015.
‘Ender’s Game’, which was produced by Lionsgate, is likely to be among the films available for streaming.
“The launch of the Tribeca Short List service unites two powerful brands and underscores our commitment to collaborate with blue-chip partners around the world to deliver premium content to online audiences,” said Lionsgate chief executive Jon Feltheimer.
A new video from Digital Domain explains how 3D models were used make the ‘Ender’s Game’ film.
Digital Domain is the visual special effects company that worked on the ‘Ender’s Game’ movie.
Mårten Larsson, a visual effects supervisor for Digital Domain, explains in the video below the process of developing 3D models into fluid battle room scenes.
He gives fans a look into how pre-production concepts and Digital Domain came together to develop key differences between human and formic designs.
“It was very easy to add too much,” said Larsson. “It would be a big visual clutter, so another big challenge for us was, ‘Now we’ve added all the ships we wanted in there. It’s completely crazy. I don’t know where to look. How do subtract ships or move ships around?'”
“It’s a really great feeling to know that you can make anything happen. If you can dream it, you can make it.”
This video was produced by Future Engerineers. Those interested can submit a 3D model to futureengineers.org for a chance to win a day at Digital Domain and a VIP Tour of SpaceX or the grand prize of a 3D print on the International Space Station.
According to Centipede Press, the illustrated edition of ‘Ender’s Game’ by Orson Scott Card is nearly sold out.
Centipede press said in an email Sunday that about 30 copies remain available for preorder. This special edition is limited to only 300 prints. Fans and collectors can still preorder the set for $295.
The set includes two color-illustrated books. The first book will be the 1990s revised version of ‘Ender’s Game’. The second book will contain Card’s original typed manuscript of the ‘Ender’s Game’ novella from 1975.
Each print will be signed by Card, Brandon Mull, who wrote the preface, and illustrator David Ho.
For more information about this edition, click here.
If you have already ordered your copy, Centipede Press expects to ship out orders this week.
Centipede Press will publish a signed, special limited edition version of ‘Ender’s Game’ in October.
According to Centipede’s website, this edition will include two color-illustrated books. The first book will be the 1990s revised version of ‘Ender’s Game’. The second book will contain Card’s original typed manuscript of the ‘Ender’s Game’ novella from 1975. This novella was later published for the first time in the August 1977 issue of Analog. The original typed manuscript likely contains minor differences from the published version which first appeared in the August 1977 issue of Analog.
“This stunning new edition of Ender’s Game is enclosed in a capped cloth slipcase, full color artwork by David Ho, a new introduction by Brandon Mull, Card’s introduction from 1991, an afterword by Orson Scott Card, and a separate book of the author’s original typed manuscript from 1975 which was submitted to Analog magazine. The book sizes are 6½ × 10 inches. Both books are printed in two and four colors throughout and are cloth bound. . . . Each copy is signed by Orson Scott Card, Brandon Mull, and David Ho.”
Examples of this edition’s artwork can be seen above (Chapter 1) or below (Chapter 6). Visit Centipede Press for a couple more artwork previews.
This new edition of ‘Ender’s Game’ is being sold for $295 in a limited print of 300 copies. You can purchase a copy here. According to Centipede’s website the books will ship near October 3.
I first read ‘Ender’s Game’ in 1998 at the age of 14. I was hooked and Orson Scott Card quickly became my favorite author. I’m also a lifelong book collector, but collecting the works of Card didn’t cross my mind until nearly a decade after I first encountered the Enderverse. Why’d I wait so long?
The answer is because there is surprisingly little information about the different versions of Card’s work. You can find an internet resource for nearly every bestselling author. Stephen King, for example, has dozens of sites dedicated to his works, but not Card.
What you see below is a summary of the collectible versions of ‘Ender’s Game’ as well as the other stories in the Enderverse.
I welcome additions and corrections. Most of the material below is based on Card’s bibliography and what I’ve seen on the market. I’ve also received assistance from the Philotic Web and Hatrack River message boards.
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The Four Versions of Ender’s Game
There are at least four written versions of ‘Ender’s Game’:
The story was first published as a novella in the August 1977 issue of the Analog.
The story first appeared as a standalone novel in 1985. This version went on to win the Hugo and Nebula awards, yet comparatively few people have read (or own) this version of the book.
The version most familiar to readers today is the 1991 revised version. Card made several minor changes to reflect the changed political climate after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The final version has yet to be published, but Card claims to have already written it. In the afterward to ‘Ender in Exile’, Card said he rewrote Chapter 15 and posted it on Intergalactic Medicine Show. To my knowledge, he never actually did so. (If he did and if you have a copy, please contact me ASAP!) Card said in the afterward that he hoped to publish this fourth version of ‘Ender’s Game’ in the future.
The Prop Store will hold an auction for several ‘Ender’s Game’ film props later this summer in partnership with Odd Lot Entertainment.
At San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) last weekend, the Prop Store booth promoted an ‘Ender’s Game’ film prop auction which will be held later this summer. The date of the auction has yet to be announced, but the date is expected to be shortly after August 25 when the site will hold a ‘Pacific Rim’ auction.
A catalog of props has not been made public, but the Prop Store is promoting the ‘Ender’s Game’ sale with the following highlights: “Flash suits with helmets” (Want!), “Cyclotron blasters” AKA flash guns (Want!), and “Hero props and set decorations.” The last highlight is vague, but it will be interesting to see what gets put on sale.
At SDCC, the Prop Store booth displayed Colonel Graff’s I.F. jacket worn by Harrison Ford, two flash suit helmets- one orange (Dragon Army) and one green (Salamander Army), two flash guns, various patches- Dragon Army, Salamander Army, Bobcat Army, and the I.F., a battle school “desk”/ tablet, and a formic egg.
Side note: One flash gun was in this glass case, another was attached to a wall.
One lucky person won the formic egg and a Salamander Army Patch during the Prop Store’s SDCC promotion.
According to the Prop Store, the ‘Ender’s Game’ auction is in partnership with Odd Lot Entertainment. The ‘Ender’s Game’ film was produced by several production companies so it’s possible that some of the film’s props were distributed among some or all of the production companies. Therefore, some fan-favorite props may not be for sale at this auction.
Registering for the ‘Ender’s Game’ auction requires a credit card, if you’re interested click here.
Today Cryptozoic Entertainment released their ‘Ender’s Game’ trading cards.
Fans can purchase the cards via their online store or likely comic shops which sell DC Comics. They cost about $3.50 per pack with 5 cards per pack.
There are a total of 129 trading cards for fans to collect, which includes 69 base cards and many chase and insert cards which feature cast autographs and costume swatches. Not all of the cards can be collected via the card packs; some of the cards are exclusive via other offers.
We have compiled a list and pictures of all 129 trading cards. The list is a work in progress. It’s currently missing pictures of the base set and two dual wardrobe cards. The pictures of the base set are expected to be added to the list in about two weeks, but if any readers have pictures of cards #DM03 and #DM05 please send them to us!
EDIT: Scans of #DM03 and #DM05 have been added to the list. Thanks!
Asa Butterfield, age 17, was honored at the Savannah Film Festival in Georgia on Saturday with the “Rising Star Award.”
