.
[ This is the text of the video conference with Alan Dean Foster during Lucca Comics&Games, a convention in Italy in Oct 29th 2000.
Despite a few connection problems the con visitors were very happy : ADF is a real showman ;)
Unfortunately a lot of questions remained unasked because lack of time :(
But......the video conference was absolutely a great experience for all the participants. ]
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.16.14 Greetings, everyone! And...I have audio from you, also. I will try audio from here.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.16.38 Mr Forster we apologize for the delay but we have some problems with the video connection
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.16.51 I have perfect video from you.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.17.39 now we are going to show you the public
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.17.57 Thanks for the applause...I saw the audience. Not all blondes like your operator, though....
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.18.12 the first question how did you become interested in science fiction
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.18.45 My father and Uncle (who produced Batman for U.S. television) always read it...so it was always around the house. The first book I picked up was Asimov's collection 9 Tomorrows
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.19.59 which author did influence you and who inspired you
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.20.35 In SF, Eric Frank Russell, Murray Leinster, and Robert Sheckley. Outside the field, Herman Melville and Carl Barks. Are you receiving video of me?
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.21.08 yes we do.
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.21.24 Would you like me to pan my camera, to show the fans my study?
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.22.02 how did you get involved in the novelization of star waRS
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.23.12 CN YOU PAN YOUR CAMERA TO SHOW YOUR STUDY TO THE AUDIENCE
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.23.13 I had done the novelization of a terrible Italian film called Luana. On the basis of that, and my knowledge of film, I was asked by Del Rey Books to meet with Lucas's representatives. I then met with George (nice guy) and ended up agreeing to do the novelization, as well as the sequel novel SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.24.52 ould you be interested to write again in the star wars world
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.25.14 I am currently discussing just such a book with Shelly Shapiro, the Star Wars editor at Del Rey.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.25.51 can you have some anticipations about it
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.26.13 Too early...how about Chewbacca's life history?
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.27.21 did you follow the new production of star wars and episode one and did you like it
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.28.02 I live in Arizona, not Hollywood...but I followed it a little. I liked the effects. I thought the story had some holes big enough to drive a train through.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.29.09 and now a question about Star trek
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.29.29 I just received some audio...applause. Too bad you cannot hear me.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.29.52 I would like to know some about the collaboration with Jean ROdenberg? [ Gene Roddenberry ]
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.30.21 could you know what are you drinking?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.30.51 Roddenberry gave me a one-page set of notes for a possible story. I developed it into the story outline that became STAR TREK-THE MOVIE. I'm drinking iced tea...sorry, no cappuccino this early.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.30.54 Your experience with the first movie of Star Trek?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.31.49 Terrible. Roddenberry tried to keep my name off the final film. I had to file for arbitration with the Writer's Guild to get it restored. That's Hollywood for you...the world's biggest collection of used car salesmen.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.32.22 what is the difference between writing a novelization of a movie and of a game?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.33.26 Film scripts have real characters...games generally do not. One of the best things to happen to games in the last couple of years is the beginning of real character development...as with Lara Croft and some of the others. In writing a game novelization, it's very hard to describe the story without giving it all away to the gamers.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.46.19 which is your relation with the world of comics?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.46.19 Hello again...possibly a memory overload or buffering problem.
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.47.04 I've always been a fan of comics...all comics. Some of my stories have been adapted into comic form, and I wrote one graphic novel, Charles Barkley and the Referee Murders. No video here yet.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.47.07 There has been a buffering problem
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.47.19 I thought so.
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.47.38 We could try smoke signals....
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.48.14 we have some question from the audience
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.48.25 Okay...
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.49.37 in a novel written by you Mid World in a part of this novel the inabithants of the planet that was being destroyed by those inabitants do you think that it could be a following......
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.49.53 of the theme dealt with in that novel?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.50.27 Do you mean, is there a sequel? Yes...the book is called MID-FLINX, and has been available here for several years. I will develop it further in the future.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.51.35 excuse us for the typing errors
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.52.03 Pardon my lack of Italian...I can manage only German and Spanish, and a little Russian
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.52.47 do you think you will ever go back Spellsinger Universe?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.53.17 That is entirely up to the publisher. I'm willing. If you want more Spellsinger, complain to Warner Books.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.54.02 which is your relationship with the world of games?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.54.53 I answered this question earlier. Are you starting a game with me now?
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.55.59 we didn\t get your answer unfortunately and now can you talk about GURPS Humanx and how did that come about?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.57.05 Okay...I've done the novelizations of two games, The Dig, and Shadowkeep. I also wrote and directed a new game, The Marexx, but unfortunately, the producers ran out of money, so the game never appeared. The graphics were terrific! As to GURPS, the idea for that came from Steve Jackson.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.58.37 we know of your first heroic fantasy foray. What can you tell about Carnivores of Light and Darkness?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 17.59.47 I wanted (as always) to try and do something a little different. The idea came from people I met and places I saw in the country of Namibia. Ehomba's village is set on the Skeleton Coast of that country. I was also interested in doing a book about a very, very reluctant hero who has an ethical system very different from our own.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 17.59.48 we have made a lot of novelization are there any projects to realise movies on your books , any Commonwealth movie?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.00.32 Sadly, not yet. If you know anyone who has a spare hundred million dollars lying around, I'll make it myself. But there are two other possible projects "in the works".
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.01.46 whichg projects if it is not a secret?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.02.17 A book of mine called THE I INSIDE, and the other I cannot tell about yet because it involves a major director.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.02.57 you also did the novelization of Alien How did it come about? and what do you think about the movies which followe Alien?
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.04.03 you wrote some articles about Disney animation, how do you consider it now?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.05.20 Alien was offered to me because of my previous novelization work. It was very hard to write, because Fox would not release any pictures of the Alien. So...the book has no direct descriptions of it. As to the following films, I thought ALIENS was terrific. Alien is a film of mood, Aliens a film of action. I thought the third film was awful. The fourth was better, but still not nearly as good as the first two. Concerning Disney animation, it varies. Tarzan and Aladdin were excellent, Mulan was just okay, Pochahontas was terrible. The new Fantasia is quite good.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.07.06 The last question from the audience ..... Using your own fantasy......if you will find the magic lamp of Aladin s lamp and the genius will ask you to express three wishes which can your first wish be ?
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.08.24 That human society will catch up to its technological ability, and finally mature a little bit
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.09.50 unfortunately we cannot see you on the video but we send you a very warm tribute from Italy and thank you for answering our questions and taking part in this video conference
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.10.27 It was my pleasure. I've been almost everywhere else in Europe except Italy. I guess what they say is true...one saves the best for last.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.11.41 so if you have never been to Italy on this occasion we would like to invite you to Italy and see us!
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.12.13 Perhaps something can be worked out....see what you can manage at your end.
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.12.58 looking forward to seeing you in Italy
Alan Foster 29/10/00 18.13.09 Grazi...ciao from Arizona
Lucca Comics 29/10/00 18.13.12 bye for the moment from everybody here in Italy
last updated november 2000Links | HOME | Languages
ADFoster info | Bibliography | the U.C. Book | Humanx RPG
© 2000 Riccardo Fregi . Humanx is a trademark of Alan Dean Foster. pictures and interview from Lucca Comics&Games 2000 No infringement of rights is intended. This web site is for entertainment purposes only. If you own a copyright to something presented on this web site, please email me and I will gladly remove it at your insistence.
