Monday, August 11, 2008 Vacation Time!

Despite being so close to the finish line with "Dark Ritual", I'm taking a week of vacation for my 30th birthday. Actually, I turned 30 back in April, but my present from my awesome wife was a trip to GenCon Indiana!

On one level, it's very difficult to put everything down and leave for a week. On another level, it's just what I need. Although it would be great to power through non-stop and finish, it probably won't hurt to forget about the world of Spirit Blade and come back with fresh ears after a week off.

FYI, there's no podcast this weekend, which is why there's no "In Search Of Truth" here today. You won't see another post here until the 20th, which will probably be "In Search Of Truth". If you're itching for something in place of our podcast this weekend, don't forget that we've got a TON of free downloadable audio content at www.spiritblade.net.

That's it for me! Thanks for your patience as we count down to the release of "Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual!"

Have a great week!

Friday, August 8, 2008 On Schedule... kinda

This week we enjoyed having Krystofer James VanSlyke over to record some guitar tracks for the songs in "Dark Ritual". After about 3-4 hours of recording on Wednesday, we have some great new elements to add to the music you'll be hearing.

Paeter is currently mixing and recording for the final song of "Dark Ritual" and will likely be finished with it today or on Monday. This will hopefully allow for completion of our first mix before we close things down next week while Paeter goes to GenCon.

Although productivity moves forward with irregularity, subject to both dead-ends and times of inspiration, in the over-all scheme we are right about on schedule!

In the meantime, don't forget to listen to chapter 5 of "Spirit Blade" on the podcast this weekend! Just two more chapters to go before you're up to speed and ready for the "Dark Ritual" experience!

Friday, August 1, 2008 Burning At Both Ends

Paeter's been burning the candle at both ends to meet his personal goal of a finished mix by August 12th.

Today, he'll be finishing up work on scene 30 of "Dark Ritual". This scene has taken more time in the "polishing stage" because much of it was left unfinished until the scoring decisions were finalized. With such a hugely explosive and dramatic sequence, we wanted the score to drive the scene, and it does. Scene 30 will probably contain the most dramatically memorable moment in all of "Dark Ritual".

After scene 30 is finished, we will quickly finish adjustments on scenes 31-36. Paeter will have all of next week to polish the already completed songs and finish mixing two other songs.

It's a tall order, but no one is lounging around. We'll continue to keep you posted!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Not Much Brain Left

Ordinarily, I like to put something here that reflects what I'm feeling or mentally processing, but you may have noticed that for a little while I've mainly been commenting on some aspect of the mixing process for "Dark Ritual".

That's not been intentional, since every Friday we make a point of giving you a recap on our progress. I just haven't had room in my brain for much else. I also post over at "Paeter's Brain" every Wednesday and sometimes find it a struggle to think about what's going on in my non-Spirit Blade life (since I try to keep work out of that blog) for that post, so there's usually not much left that I'm thinking about to put here.

This is especially true now, since I've given myself a goal for finishing my first complete mix of "Dark Ritual". I've been putting in a lot of extra hours to make it happen and I'm just chomping at the bit to hear the finished product. So Dark Ritual is about all I'm thinking about these days, apart from a few other daily essentials.

All that to say that I'm sorry for not having very interesting material in this slot each Wednesday. I'll try to do a little better between now and finishing up "Dark Ritual".

Catcha later!

-Paeter Frandsen

Friday, July 25, 2008 Finishing The Score

Today, Paeter is putting the finishing touches on the score for "Dark Ritual" and moving forward with the prelude for the mastering process. This means that Paeter will now be going through each scene and adjusting the mix for both audio quality and storytelling purposes: raising and lowering EQs when they are hard on the ears or not loud enough to be effective, fading out certain sounds or scoring to give attention to other details, etc.

Paeter is also writing the "script" for the opening and closing credits and will soon be scheduling Randy Hesson to record one or both sets of credits.

Although we're feeling the crunch for time, we're still aiming for the mastering process to begin on August 12th. Ths gives Paeter under three weeks to finish 1 and 1/2 songs and make the adjustments to the mix that he would like to before putting everything under the microscope. 

That's all the latest for now! Have a great weekend and don't forget to tell a friend about "Spirit Blade: Chapter 4" playing on our podcast this weekend!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Getting Epic

I feel just a little behind in scoring. I'm close to the end but still haven't finalized my scoring decisions and purchases. There's some great material to choose from, but in one or two cases I still have to look pretty hard to find that perfect cue to underscore a scene.

The end of "Dark Ritual" is shaping up to sound pretty epic in scale, so I'm also going to be going back and adding a few layers to one of the last songs so that it fits better with the surrounding score.

All things considered, I'm not too far behind, but I'll have to really work hard if I want to have the first mix completed by my goal date of August 12th.

As always, your prayer and encouragement is greatly appreciated. Hope you're having a great week!

- Paeter Frandsen

Friday, July 18, 2008 Final Score Purchases

Today, Paeter is making the final selections for the score of "Dark Ritual" and will be finalizing purchases today and Monday.

It's been a great week of mixing and editing, experimenting with various musical themes and styles. Dark Ritual's score will be a blend of electronic music and epic orchestral/choral sounds that will heighten the experience for our listeners and draw them into the mysterious and sometimes frightening world of "Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual". The adventures of Merikk, Vincent and Raan have never sounded more cinematic and we can't wait for you to hear it!

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Out Of Town

Hey Everybody!

Just FYI, I'll be out of town and our office will be closed tomorrow (the 9th) through next Monday (the 14th). Download purchases are automated and will still work instantly. CD purchases will be processed first thing Tuesday morning.

My wife and I are going to the Frandsen family reunion up in Yellowstone Park, Montana, where I come from. (Well, I don't come specifically from Yellowstone National Park. Although that would be cool if I was born in the wild!)

It's pretty rare for me to see so many of my extended family members, so we're really looking forward to it!

On the "Dark Ritual" front, I'll be working on the "post-credits" epilogue scene today. When that's done I'll start to finalize scoring, finish the two remaining songs and then dive into mastering. OH! And here's a bit of news that might interest you. "Dark Ritual" will actually run LONGER than "Spirit Blade"! So much longer that instead of cutting it down to fit on two discs, we're going to release it as a THREE CD set! It will probably clock in at just under three hours! And with three discs of space, I'll be able to fit a blooper reel onto the CD set again! Woohoo!

Okay, that's all for now. See you next week!

- Paeter Frandsen

Friday, July 4, 2008 Live Cello/ Final Scenes

The first recording session with our Cello player went great and we'll be finishing up her recording early next week.

Paeter is mixing the final scene before the credits and will likely solidify scoring decisions and make purchases for the music next week.

Once this is done, we'll be able to finish scripting the end credits to appropriately include composers, after which Randy Hesson (Vincent) will be coming in to record the end credits for us.

Our office will be closed from July 9th-14th while Paeter and his family are out of town for a family reunion.

The last few days have gone extremely well and we are even feeling ahead of schedule by a day or two. We appreciate your continued prayers and word of mouth support!

Have a wonderful Fourth of July!

Friday, June 27, 2008 The End Is Near!

No, we haven't received notification of the world's destruction, but Paeter IS working on scene 30 out of 36 scenes. (Scene 32 is a song that's already completed, and scene 35 is the end credits sequence. So there's even less work left than it sounds like!) Out of 66 pages, only 6 and 1/2 pages of script remain to be mixed! Two songs also remain, one of which is about 1/3rd complete. After the rough mix on the scenes are finished, we'll be finalizing our musical score purchases and mixing them in as well.

Paeter is aiming to have a version completed by August 13th. At this time, the mastering process will begin and will hopefully not last more than 2-4 weeks. Although we had once hoped for a summer release, things are shaping up for an early fall release instead. As always, we'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, tell a friend about our podcast! Chapter 2 of "Spirit Blade" is playing this weekend, and by the time we've played all chapters of "Spirit Blade", we'll probably have just a few weeks before "Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual" is released! And if you haven't done so yet, remember to come back here after listening to each Chapter of "Spirit Blade". Each Monday before a chapter airs on the podcast, we're highlighting the philosophical and Biblical truth from the story in our "In Search Of Truth" weekly post! Bring a friend and join the discussion!

Have a great weekend!

Friday, June 20, 2008 Progress Report

This week, Paeter is working on scene 29 out of 36, as well as the song "Silence". We're excited to be using a live Cello for this song and think it will create a unique flavor within the context of the largely electronic music in "Dark Ritual".

Scene 29 is the second part of our climax which, as a whole, takes place over the course of four scenes. Huge revelations, shocking events, explosive action and soon, the reason we keep saying "no one is safe". It's all coming to a high point, but not without some devestating lows.

Some new scoring options have presented themselves that we will be looking into. Although we're using temporary scoring during the mixing process, we've decided to wait on final purchases of music until all other elements in "Dark Ritual" are finished being mixed. We will then choose the options that sound the best and try to save some money by purchasing them all at once. We've got some great music to choose from and believe that the result will be a cinematic quality that considerably raises the standard for our productions.

That's all for now!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 "Silence"

That's the name of the song I'm currently developing for "Dark Ritual". And no, it's not 3 minutes of nothing.

It's actually a departure from anything I've ever done before. The entire song will be made up almost entirely of vocal sounds. Most will be layers that are clearly voices, but a few will be "instrumental" material created by disguising vocal material with a multitude of effects until it sounds nothing like a human voice.

I've just arranged to have a Cello player record some material for an instrumental bridge, but that will likely be the only non-vocal sound in the song.

The composition is a different process as well. Usually, I create the melody first, inventing the chord structure after the melody has been completely established. Then I record once I have the chord structure figured out. But now I'm recording and mixing the melody before I know what the chord structure will be.

I'm also recording some vocal loops in the same key as the song, but without knowing yet where I may use them. So the recording process is very different for me since I'm basically needing to create all of my "loops" and "synth pads" with my own voice.

So it all feels just a little backward, but it's an enjoyable change of method for me. Speaking of which, I'd better get back to work. See ya!

-Paeter Frandsen

Friday, June 13, 2008 "Spirit Blade" Begins This Weekend!

Later today we'll be playing the first chapter of "Spirit Blade" on our podcast! Paeter will also have a few other brief items to bring up, so be sure to tune in even if you've already listened to our first audio production.

And if you know someone that would enjoy listening to Spirit Blade, but doesn't quite have the change available to purchase the download, this is a great opportunity for them to check it out! We'll be alternating between our normal podcast format and chapters of "Spirit Bade" for the rest of the summer in anticipation of releasing "Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual", so this is a great time to jump on board!

As always, you can buy the complete "Spirit Blade" audio drama in high quality audio in either CD format ($7.99 w/ free shipping in the US) or the digital download for $5.99! That's 2 hours and 25 minutes of high quality audio-cinematic action for an unbelievable price!

And once again, if you'd like to play one or all chapters of "Spirit Blade" on your podcast, send an e-mail request to Paeter Frandsen, at paeter@spiritblade.net

Thanks for continuing to help us spread the word about "Spirit Blade" all over the web!

We can't move forward without your prayer and involvement, and your support is never taken for granted!

Have a great weekend!

Friday, June 6, 2008 Spirit Blade On YOUR Podcast!!

This week, Paeter began work on the climactic scenes of "Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual". From here it's a roller coaster to the finish!

Also, the final part of Paeter's commentary for "Spirit Blade" is available for free download at www.spiritblade.net. So if you've been waiting for the entire commentary to be done before listening, wait no longer!

Finally, we're announcing a special summer event as we count down to the release of Dark Ritual. Paeter has re-edited "Spirit Blade" into an episodic format so that it can be more easily broadcast or used on podcasts. (If you'd like to play all six chapters of "Spirit Blade" on YOUR podcast, just let us know!)  After this weekend, we will be using the podcast every other week to play a chapter from "Spirit Blade", while continuing our normal podcast format on the alternating weeks until the last chapter has been played.

So if you know someone that might enjoy listening to "Spirit Blade" for free, tell them to start checking out our podcast starting on June 13th!

Paeter has also been preparing notes for a philosophical and biblical discussion of "Spirit Blade" that he will be sharing here on the weblog for the "In Search Of Truth" segemnts on the weeks leading up to an episode of "Spirit Blade". So have no fear. Whether we're having a normal podcast episode or a "Spirit Blade" episode this summer, we'll be in the Bible and applying it to our lives together!

Have a great weekend!

Friday, May 30, 2008 Back In The Mix

This week, Paeter has gone back to mixing scenes and is now just 18(out of 66) pages from the end!

You may have also noticed that parts 8 and 9 of Paeter's audio commentary for "Spirit Blade" are available for free download on the "Media" page of www.spiritblade.net ! The commentary will finish with Part 10, which is in the can and will be released in the next week or so. If you think you know the world of "Spirit Blade", think again! In this detailed commentary, Paeter talks about the philosophy AND mistakes behind the making of "Spirit Blade". He also periodically highlights the seeds of "Dark Ritual" planted throughout "Spirit Blade" and even drops hints now and then of where we're going with that story!

We've also got a big event coming this summer on our podcast leading up to the release of "Dark Ritual", but you'll have to wait for the details to be spelled out here another time.

Have a great weekend!

Friday, May 23, 2008 Songs, Commentary and Comics!

This week has seen a lot of progress made on the music of "Dark Ritual". The final, climactic song is now finished and Paeter is polishing up another that will likely be finished today.

After that, two songs remain that haven't even been started yet. However, both songs are by nature more "vacant" or "empty" sounding, requiring much less in the mixing process.

Paeter has also nearly finished work on the remaining 3 commentary tracks for "Spirit Blade". Part 8 should be posted on the "media" page this weekend with the others soon to follow!

Lastly, you don't want to miss the podcast this weekend. Paeter interviews J.S. Earls, the Christian comic book creator behind the official adaptations of some of Ted Dekker's work, as well as the creator behind a great looking series called "Pistolfist", which will be released this summer! So be sure to check out part one of this interview!

Have a great weekend!

Friday, May 16, 2008 Duel Of The Wizards!

"Dark Ritual" has a group of characters that have a few things in common with "wizards". They don't use "magic" in the traditional sense, but what they are capable of amounts to about the same.

This week, Paeter has arrived at a scene where two powerful "wizards" take each other on in an all out fight to the finish! Scenes like these contain multiple layers of sound effects. They take longer to mix than most other scenes and the work can be tedious at times. We're confidant, however, that everyone will be pleased with the action packed results.

We're kickin' it into high gear as the summer takes off, so stay with us for the ride!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Picking Up Speed

As I anticipated, I'm picking up speed and momentum with the mixing for "Dark Ritual". I've now passed a major turning point in the story that I've been so used to looking forward to. Now that I've passed it, it feels like the end is just around the corner. It's not really that simple, but it still feels pretty cool.

I've noticed that "Dark Ritual" has a different pace from "Spirit Blade". Before, the characters were on the run in some way for nearly the entire story. This time, there's very little running, but a lot of confrontation.

"Dark Ritual" is also considerably more dark than "Spirit Blade" was. Characters get put through the ringer and the theme of "torture/pain" becomes a significant plot element. Thematically, I'm representing a truth about becoming a Christian: The next life is promised to us, but tomorrow is not. Life isn't magically "fixed" when we trust in Jesus. A few things even get harder! For much of the story, things do not look good at all for the heroes, and not everything is rosy by the end, either.

I anticipate this being about as dark as we go here at SBP. At least in a project being marketed as "sci-fi/fantasy/action" and not "horror/suspense". It's been a good opportunity for me to decide where I want to draw our lines.

Well, that's it for now. Vincent Craft is getting a little ticked off with me. He wants to start the fight scene I'm working on, but I told him to wait while I post today's blog. Better get back to his scene before he becomes... impatient with me.

-Paeter Frandsen

Friday, May 9, 2008 Dark Ritual, Act 3

This week, mixing began on the third and final act of Dark Ritual. If you're tracking along at home, we are on pages 43-45 out of 66 pages.

We're sneaking up on the final climactic scenes of Dark Ritual and can't wait to get there! But Paeter is also determined to make each individual scene special, so we're not rushing in our excitement.

Paeter spent two days this week sifting through music, trying to find just the right pieces to include in our musical score. Although Paeter did alot of the scoring for "Spirit Blade" we're purchasing most of the score this time, resulting in a shorter production time and higher quality product. If you liked the music near the end of our trailer, we think you'll be pleased with the results in "Dark Ritual" as well!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Plans For The Pilgrim's Progress

I had a lengthy conversation with my wife the other night about our plans for "The Pilgrim's Progress". For those of you who don't know, after "Dark Ritual" is released I will immediately begin development on what we are currently calling "Similitude Of A Dream", based on The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.

What I'm struggling with is deciding who my audience is for this project. Of course, we're still trying to find much of our audience for "Spirit Blade", too!

As a small company trying to be noticed, producing an adaptation of The Pilgrim's Progress has several advantages.

1. It's public domain material, so I can basically do whatever I want with it and don't have to pay anyone a dime.

2. The outline for the story is already in place, so I don't have to create an entirely new work from scratch.

3. The material presents truth that is scriptural and potentially life-altering.

4. It's a recognizable name. Christians who may not be so sure about this weird "Spirit Blade" stuff might be willing to try a cinematically produced audio version of The Pilgrim's Progress.

The main question in front of me is: How close should I stick to the source material?

In the realm of fandom, straying from the source material can be close to blasphemy. We've seen plenty of comic book movies fail for their lack of fidelity to the source material. But in this case, the source material is archaic sounding and only vaguely lends itself to the fantasy genre.

It's written in the literary style of allegory. Every character is overtly symbolic of something. They have names like Obstinate and Pliable and behave in direct accordance with their names. "Progress" is meant to be read with an openness to learning life lessons and morality. But I'm not interested in beating people over the head with super-obvious lessons. So my inclination is to change the names but keep most of the story. I may even go so far as to split the single character, Christian(and yes, I'll change his name, too.), into a a group of people. A sort "adventuring party" for the fantasy epic I hope to create. However, once I do that, the potential for change becomes dramatic and while telling a really cool fantasy story I may stray so far from the source material that it would be misleading to advertise it as "based on The Pilgrim's Progress". It may be better to devise my own "party based" fantasy later on and keep this a mostly "solo" adventure. (That's where I'm currently leaning.)

The conflict ultimately comes from wanting to attract two very different groups to this project: (a)The sci-fi/fantasy/action geek, like me, and (b) the person who isn't a die hard fantasy fan or audio drama listener, but who would be willing to take a risk if they saw that the project is based on trusted Christian material.

My hope is that people will be willing to check us out based on our adaptation of "Progress" and then stick around for all the original material we will continue to produce in the future. But while I'm doing that, I want to be sure I'm also utilizing my creative strengths and still creating a story with "Progress" that you, our faithful supporters, will love and be excited about.

I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on this topic, and your prayer support would be very appreciated as I look at making a decision on this sometime in July or August.

That's all for now, folks!

-Paeter Frandsen