I'm Bill McCormick, a science fiction writer residing in one of the greatest cities on Earth, Chicago. No, not sarcasm. I love it here. Anyway, I've been taking a break from screenwriting as I am working with my publisher and a production company, trying to get my, humble brag, multi-award-winning debut novel The Brittle Riders to the big screen. To quote the producer, Garrick Dion, "The good news is you've created something unique. The bad news is you've created something unique."
Simply put, getting people to understand what is involved has been a journey unto itself. To that end, I have been working with an AI company to create avatars of the hundred or so life forms I created. If you've got around three minutes to spare, click the link below to get an idea of what I hath wrought.
There is some brief chimeric nudity.
All that aside, I like meeting new people, my wife has trained me not to bite, and I have a cabinet full of hot sauces.
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Hey, Bill McCormick. Hope you're doing great! Guess what I thought about when I saw your post?
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It's been a very long time since I've been to Chicago Bill McCormick but I loved it. Still have friends there. And there's no equal to Chicago's deep dish. Can't do hot sauce though. I had enough acid reflux a while back to last me a lifetime.
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God only knows Maurice Vaughan I'm sorry about your acid reflux Leonardo Ramirez I have GERD but hot sauces don't bother me.
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Sci-Fi and hot sauce, Bill McCormick. That's before reading your post.
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Bill McCormick I did get rid of it. It turned out that it was lactose intolerance so I quit drinking milk and saved $60 a month on meds - advice a doctor never game me. Go figure.
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Maurice Vaughan at least I have my traditions. Leonardo Ramirez I'm glad you're doing better.
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Hi Bill, I also live in Chicago, or as the joke goes, Naperville. Can't say I love it, especially during the cold season which lasts from September to May, but I'm always happy to connect with local creatives. Maybe I'll see you at the WR Pitch Practice on Thursdays here on zoom, if not out in the real world. Best of luck with your sci-fi project!
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Your brands, Bill McCormick. :D
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Happy IYW, Bill McCormick! Incredible drive you have in bringing The Brittle Riders to the big screen, and great work on those lifeforms, creating avatars for a hundred unique species is no small feat. Excited to see how your vision continues to unfold!
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You know what, Dwayne Williams 2 ? I'm kind of interested to see how it goes, too.
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Bill McCormick This is fantastic! Using AI to visualize your hundred life forms is a brilliantly pragmatic solution to a very high-concept problem. The sheer scale of your world-building is incredible. I took a look, and the avatars are a stunning way to bridge that gap from page to screen. Looking forward to seeing where this ambitious journey takes you
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Bill, welcome! That Garrick Dion quote is perfect...and painfully accurate. Unique is powerful, but it requires extra effort to get people to see the vision.
Using AI to create avatars for a hundred life forms is a smart move for communicating scope and world-building visually. Proof-of-concept material can bridge the gap between "what is this?" and "I get it now."
If you want support navigating the adaptation process or connecting with the right people as you move forward, email success@stage32.com. The team and I can help match you with resources tailored to what you're building.
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Sam Rivera & Geoffroy Faugerolas thank you for your encouragement. At this point in our journey, we have an entertainment lawyer, a promoter on loan from a major company (funny story, there), and an agent who cashes large checks. That guarantees nothing, but I feel we're in good hands.
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That sounds so wonderful.
Creating something that feels unique and never seen before is both fascinating and challenging at the same time.
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You had me at hot sauces.... do tell...
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I can’t stop thinking about why you have so many creatures in the movie.
I think it’s either the result of biological or genetic manipulation to create new species within the story,
or maybe none of this is happening on Earth at all — maybe it takes place on another planet, so you’re showing the completely imaginary life-forms of that world.
That’s my best guess.
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Amanda Toney - I like them from 100K Scoville to about 1MIL. I keep four or more bottles on hand at all times.
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Meriem Bouziani The link below is a link to get you started, and it has links to videos, etc. Long story short, a mad scientist tried to rebuild Earth in his image and damn near succeeded.
https://azothkhem.com/tbr1.html
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I see them inside those giant artificial wombs — it looks absolutely fascinating. I can’t wait to see the movie. Bill McCormick
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From your keyboard to God's monitor, may it be so, Meriem Bouziani
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it absolutely must Bill McCormick
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Hi Bill! It's nice too meet you. Hope you are making the most of this IYW and getting all that networking in!
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Elle Bolan nice to meet you, too. I've been here a few years, but find IYW a great way to meet new people every time. This round is no different.
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It's such a cute idea. Monthly digital meet and greets. And seeing how everybody actively takes part is just great. I love it.
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Great to see you and Happy Introduce Yourself Weekend, Bill! I have to say… the line “The good news is you’ve created something unique. The bad news is you’ve created something unique” absolutely made me laugh. That’s the eternal curse and blessing of bold sci-fi worldbuilding — and clearly your universe in The Brittle Riders takes that to a whole other level.
Also, as someone who loves Chicago, I appreciate the hometown pride! I went to Columbia College Chicago, and it will always have a special place in my heart.
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Ashley Renée Smith! A guy I played in bands with is a teacher there. He's the one standing in the back. I'm on the far left in leather.
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big budget unless AI
Jon Shallit Yep. Although a mixture of both has been bandied about. We shall see. I hope you enjoyed the PR materials.
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That's so wild, Bill McCormick!