Jamie Anderson, the son of Gerry Anderson, has released a light-hearted video that explains just why he and author MG Harris decided not to go the traditional route when it came to publishing Gemini Force One – and turned to the crowdfunding site Kickstarter to try and raise funds to complete one of his father’s last projects.
Gerry Anderson’s concepts for his shows were, on occasion, ideas that met with opposition from producers in his life time, but it’s clear that his ideas for Gemini Force One, a new science fiction series created by him shortly before his death, were too broad a church for today’s publishing industry.
Instead of embracing the Gemini Force One idea as adventue for the young at heart, Jamie and MG Harris found themselves battling to keep Gerry’s vision for the rescue series intact as publishers tired to pigenhole it as Young Adventure or turn the whole idea on its head entirely in bizarre ways.
“It’s lighthearted,” Jamie emphasizes, “but explains the main reason we are doing this on Kickstarter.”
Gemini Force One follows the story of a secret organisation involved in rescues and averting disasters and terrorist events – exciting stories for both the young and young at heart.
Initially to be a series of books, the concept and story of which were originally written by Gerry Anderson, his Estate’s long term aim for Gemini Force One is to publish the book series, and then turn it into a film or television series, which was Gerry’s ultimate goal for the concept.
Gerry began writing Gemini Force One in 2008, but was unable to complete the first book due to rapidly worsening Alzheimer’s Disease, which stopped him working in 2012, before his untimely death in December 2012. Gerry’s younger son, Jamie, has enlisted best-selling author MG Harris to complete the first book in the way that his father would have wanted, and will be raising money to selfpublish GF1 using the crowd funding platform Kickstarter.
If the funding campaign is succsessful – and, as of this morning it has acheived over £19,000 of its £24,000 goal – the first GF1 book will be released to Kickstarter backers in April 2014, with a full launch in August 2014 – to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Anderson’s iconic Thunderbirds TV series, which entered production in August 1964.
Explaining the reasons for using Kickstarter, Jamie says he feels that it is vital to be absolutely faithful to his father’s vision of GF1. He understands that Gerry Anderson fans know and love the great man’s work, and that they will want him to keep GF1 as true as possible to the original vision – and that this can only be achieved if they reach their funding goal.
The money raised will be used to cover editorial costs, record an audio version and pay for marketing and advertising to make people aware of the book’s existence.
Jamie also has a number of longer-term goals in mind, which will allow for things like translation of the book into other languages; vehicles to be designed by Andrew Probert (whose credits include Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica) and Dominic Lavery (New Captain Scarlet, James Bond, Event Horizon); and the beginning of serious development towards a film or TV series.
Best-selling author MG Harris, whose works include the highly acclaimed The Joshua Files series, will be using Gerry Anderson’s notes and audio recordings to help to complete the book in the way Gerry wanted, the concept – developed and written by him between 2008 and 2011, with some additions in 2012. As his Alzheimer’s disease worsened, he was less and less able to make solid progress on the first book.
As this was one of Gerry’s final projects, Jamie feels the project is an important one and wants to see it reach both his numerous existing fans, and a whole new generation of young fans.
“There are many thousands of fans who will enjoy this fantastic new Anderson creation, and a successful Kickstarter funding campaign will enable us to make GF1 a brilliant and fitting tribute to my father’s memory.”
• To back the project, visit: www.kickstarter.com/projects/1717674777/gerry-andersons-gemini-force-one
• For more about this project, visit www.anderson-entertainment.co.uk; and www.gerryanderson.co.uk/GF1; or follow the project on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GerryAndersonOfficial or on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GerryAndersonTV
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics - Books, Crowd Funding Projects, Featured News, Television