The Lossen, Short Film, Review And Interview

In wanting to write something about The Lossen I feel like if I go more than what is in the synopsis I will be giving too much away about this insightful short film. I will just leave it that this is a film that can be enjoyed by everyone as I think every adult can find some level of being able to relate to the story.

The Lossen was screened at the 2019 FilmQuest film festival (website). It was nominated for Best Fantasy Short and Best Actor (Sean Knopp).

Synopsis

In the dead of night another-worldly visitor drags its hulking, hooded mass to the front door of 70-year-old successful businesswoman, Sylvia Cappleman, but this mythical Grim Reaper is not all it seems and so appears The Lossen, the Reaper's agent of death. In the final moments of her life The Lossen discovers a complication with Sylvia's passing, she cannot be taken by death because she has not fulfilled her dream. In order to rectify the problem, The Lossen takes Sylvia on a journey to confront her lost dream and the secrets of her past.

The director, Colin Skevington, provided some additional information about the film and their personal journey into film making.

The Lossen won the Grand Prize for Best Fantasy Short at the 2018 Rhode Island International Film Festival, a Gold Remi Award at WorldFest 2019 in Houston and Best Art Direction at the Vienna Independent Film Festival 2019.

 

What was the inspiration for The Lossen

The inspiration for The Lossen came whilst I was researching a documentary about the differences in attitudes towards death in the East and West. Sadly, in the West death is still a taboo subject and most people want to avoid any thought of the inevitable. The opening scene of the The Lossen came to me as a daydream. I could see the imposing figure of the Grim Reaper, scythe in hand, walking down the path of an impressive, old country house. It raps on the door awakening Sylvia, a woman in her 70s and in the final moments of her life, but this Reaper is not what we expect. This dramatic opening scene gave me the perfect opportunity to write a script that would begin a journey to turn our view of death on its head and show us a possibility of what could be, but in an entertaining and gripping way. It reflects one of the key themes of the film; that death is not what we think it is.

What project(s) do you have coming up you're excited about?

The plan is to produce more Lossen films. I am working on the script for the next one. It follows on straight after this one. There's a little insight at the end of The Lossen. I also have a screenplay which is an epic tale with a supernatural undertone, of course. We will be working towards getting that into production and hopefully The Lossen and the follow ups will lead the way.

What was your early inspiration for pursuing a career in film?

I've always been fascinated by how things work. As a child I was always breaking open toys to see what was inside them and made them work. The first film I saw at the cinema was Snow White. I just wanted to know how it got on to the screen and films have fascinated me ever since. As I got older, I realised that film making is all about storytelling and how it's one of the most powerful ways for us to reflect on our own lives.

 

What would be your dream project?

To direct a movie of the screenplay I have written. A supernatural tale set in different times and will lead the audience to question where they come from and why they are here.

What are some of your favorite pastimes when not working on a movie?

For me the greatest thing is tending the garden. It's a place to shut off and escape. I could say I'm a snowboarder and light aircraft pilot but that would be a lie.

What is one of your favorite movies and why?

Pan's Labyrinth. It's the most stunning and engaging film to watch. Magic realism is one of my favourite genres and for me the idea of the natural world and supernatural world co-habiting and influencing each other is inspiring.

You can find more about The Lossen on the on the following sites.

IMDb (link)

Website: www.thelossen.com

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=51&v=Ga3Ya4TKxEI

Facebook: @thelossen

Twitter: @TheLossen

Instagram: @thelossen

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PS5 Vs Gaming Laptops – Who Will Win The Battle For Gamers' Cash? - TechRadar

PS5 vs gaming laptops – who will win the battle for gamers' cash?

UCLan Games Design Graduate Peter Dimitrov Attends BAFTA GURU LIVE

GURU LIVE

BAFTA's annual festival of talks, workshops and masterclasses

We are delighted that our recent Graduate, Peter Dimitrov 

was selected for the BAFTA GURU LIVE event in London, 

13th and 14th Sept 2019.

BAFTA's nationwide festival offering inspiration and advice straight from the experts!

Peter's work is available to see on the ArtStation Competition, 

the Feudal Japan Project, and his Neon Graveyard Project.

Peter has detailed blogs about the making of his projects -
bit.ly/pdJapan and https://www.artstation.com/peterdimitrov/blog

Peter was also commended in @TheRookiesCO competition and his 3D environment work was included in Epic Games Unreal Engine Student Showcase Reel 2019, featured on YouTube.
Peter got to meet a lot of people in video games and film and movies at the BAFTA GURU live event in London.

Peter said:

"It all started with a complementary breakfast at 9. There were about 60 people like myself who had been selected to attend. Everyone was talkative and approachable, and an event like this is really cool for networking and making new connections.
An hour after the breakfast, it all kicked off, with a "round table" with a professional. Mine was with Will Byles, I got to meet and ask questions, and he even gave us his email, so I can drop him a message if I have questions for him. 

After that was one-to-one sessions of 15 minutes where we had opportunity to speak to more people. I actually got to speak to an Environment Artist I met over at the Feudal Japan Challenge at ArtStation. He had even had downloaded my CV and made some comments and feedback on it. Extremely useful! His name is John Griffiths. I also spoke to Amanda Allen who is current writer and designer at 'No Man Sky.' Masterclasses and talks were also super useful."

Episode 27: From Sea To Shining Sea Is Live!

Episode 27: From sea to shining sea is live!

I talk with Sam Mustafa about the state of the miniatures wargame hobby and rules and miniature development in the US.

https://soundcloud.com/user-989538417/episode-27-from-sea-to-shining-sea

The Veteran Wargamer is brought to you by Kings Hobbies and Games

http://www.Kingshobbiesandgames.com

https://www.facebook.com/Special-Artizan-Service-Miniatures-1791793644366746/

Join the conversation at https://theveteranwargamer.blogspot.com, email theveteranwargamer@gmail.com, Twitter @veteranwargamer

Follow Sam on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Sam.Mustafa.Publishing/

Buy Sam's games online

https://sammustafa.com/

Other companies we mentioned:

Sam's Google Plus Comment: https://plus.google.com/108356793851029498432/posts/cgFUAK7MnUg

The Episode we reference:

http://theveteranwargamer.blogspot.com/2017/01/episode-8-commands-and-meeples.html

HMGS - https://www.hmgs.org/

PFC-CinC - http://www.pfc-cinc.com/front_page.html

GHQ - http://www.ghqmodels.com/

Brigade Games - http://brigadegames.3dcartstores.com/

Northstar Military FIgures - http://www.northstarfigures.com/

Flames of War - Battlefront - https://www.flamesofwar.com/

GMT Games - http://www.gmtgames.com/

Saga - Studio Tomahawk - http://www.studio-tomahawk.com/en/

Adepticon - http://www.adepticon.org/

Recruits - http://recruitsconvention.com/

Music courtesy bensound.com. Recorded with zencastr.com. Edited with Audacity. Make your town beautiful; get a haircut.

The Lone Wolf

What can I say about Wolf that you haven't heard somewhere before? My relationship with Wolf has almost always been complicated. We grew up together and were friends when we were young. We spent most weekends and holidays together back then and we were practically inseparable. We spent so much time playing and talking about what kind of Pokémon we'd train when we grew up, it's crazy to think how far we'd ultimately drift apart. We were like brothers in those early days. The rift began to grow between us when we entered our teens.
It's safe to say I still don't completely understand what happened to this day. We just began to see things differently and move in different social circles. The kids around us were getting their first Pokémon and heading off on their Pokémon journeys, but not us. I didn't have the means to head out with a Pokémon when I was that young. Wolf, however, did have the means to leave on a Pokémon adventure. Wolf had the means to do whatever he wanted, but by that time he wasn't all that interested  in Pokémon anymore. He was interested in money. We didn't see eye to eye, and as a result we really didn't see each other much at all for quite a few years. But over those years a bitterness grew between us.
As I followed those excited youngsters through the streets of Viridian City, there's no way I could have known I was about to see Wolf again. I would never have even imagined that he was in Kanto. The last I had heard about Wolf was that he was running a small but successful business back home. I believe it was a Pokémon Rental service for people wanting to experience Pokémon battles and training, but without the fuss of leaving home or frankly doing any of the work that comes along with it. When I found out, I was hurt that I hadn't been invited to help start it up. We grew up dreaming about working with Pokémon, and then he went and started without me. I felt so left behind by my childhood friend that I completely distanced myself from him. Speaking honestly, I may have always been a bit jealous that success came so easily to him and that he took his family's generous start up money for granted.

I found the mysterious newcomer to town quite near the open field where I caught Nibbles. From a distance I could see him gazing up at Indigo Plateau. I rushed across the field to challenge him. The two city kids were just behind me eager to see a Pokémon battle with their own eyes. When my footfalls came into earshot, the trainer turned around and when I saw the face of my former friend I was completely stunned. My feet faltered to a complete stop. The children behind me almost slammed into my backpack because I stopped so abruptly. The expression on Wolf's face was also one of surprise, but it quickly melted into a sneer.
"What are you doing here, Fox?" I remember him asking.
"I heard there was a trainer out here. I didn't know it was you." I felt my words coming out as a stutter. "I came out here to challenge you."
"Oh. No." His tone was sympathetic. "I mean, what are you doing in Kanto?" I felt stupid that I misunderstood him.
"I'm here to start the Sanctuary. You remember my idea, right? I want to start a Pokémon preservation park. I'm still working out the details, but Professor Oak agreed to help me get started."
"Right. Yeah. I remember." He laughed a little. "It's a cute idea, but I thought you'd have given up on that by now." I remember his tone felt so condescending at the time. I felt flush with anger. He either didn't notice or didn't care. Wolf turned to look back up into the mountains. "I'm here to challenge the champion of Indigo Plateau," he announced smugly.
"I thought you were running some company back home," I asked through clenched teeth. I didn't really want to talk about it, but I also didn't want Wolf to be here right now.
"Yeah. I am." He spoke without looking at me. "I hired some managers, which gives me a bit more free time. It practically runs itself. So instead I'm here to challenge the Kanto Pokémon League." He turned back to look me in the eye. I felt he was mocking me when he asked, "Did you say you wanted to challenge me?" He looked as though the thought was delightfully amusing. He looked as though fighting me was beneath him.
I had a newfound conviction in my voice when I answered. "Yeah. I do. Are you ready or do you need a minute to collect yourself?" I took Kiwi's ball from its holster on my backpack strap.
Wolf looked me straight in the eyes and laughed. "You're so serious, man. I'm ready. I'll fight you with the junkémon I just got." We both tossed out our Pokéballs and both our Pidgeys faced off against one another.

The fight was absolutely nerve wracking. Not only was this my first competitive battle ever, but it was against someone I couldn't bear to lose against. It was an understatement to say I was determined to win. Not to mention, I simply couldn't afford to fail. I needed that money I'd get from a victory over Wolf to support myself in the future. Meanwhile, the look on Wolf's face appeared as if he couldn't care less.
Kiwi and his Pidgey circled each other overhead sizing each other up. Kiwi dove down into the grass and buffeted some dirt and soil up into his opponents face. I stifled a small smile that some of the dirt and grass found its way into Wolf's face as well. The attack was a complete success, for both of Wolf's Pidgey's next couple attacks missed Kiwi outright. Although Kiwi had the advantage, Kiwi only managed to lightly wound his opponent before it landed a very lucky strike on Kiwi knocking him from the sky and into the grass.
I remember my heart leapt into my throat seeing Kiwi hit so hard. I immediately withdrew him and tossed out Rascal. Wolf's Pidgey was significantly weakened now and still couldn't see clearly. Rascal had done most of his training against other Pidgey, so I was confident he would win. He did not disappoint me. Landing a decisive quick attack on Wolf's Pidgey put the bird completely out of commission. I watched as it fell defeated into the grass and I was flooded with a mixture of emotions. I was elated that I was now winning against my former friend, but I was sad that his Pokémon had gotten so badly hurt in the process. This battle marked the beginning of many conflicting feelings about caring for Pokémon and also battling with them.
Wolf withdrew his fainted Pidgey and tossed out the only other Pokémon he had with him. I was surprised to see him with such a rare Pokémon as Squirtle - one that Professor Oak had promised he would track down for me if I could help him test the Pokédex. Then I remembered Wolf came from a wealthy family. It probably was not that big of a deal to him to have this fairly uncommon Pokémon rounding out his team. Wolf made me so angry, so frustrated. He made it all look so easy. I think Rascal could feel how heated I was, because he was also worked up into a frenzy. After distracting the Squirtle with a series of mesmerizing tail whips, he devastated it with a well placed tackle to its exposed head. Wolf was utterly defeated, but I was still angry.
Wolf laughed as he withdrew his Pokémon. He laughed!
"You're really worked up over this, huh?" he asked me.
I denied it even though he could see right through me.
"Well, good match. I'll transfer you the winning credits." He shrugged. "It was good to see you, Fox. Keep training. Maybe we can have a rematch some time."
"Don't you even care?" I demanded as he turned to walk away from me. "You lost! Your Pokémon are completely knocked out." I honestly have no idea what I wanted from him. I don't know what he could have said to make me feel better. Even in defeat his arrogance and his self-entitlement defeated my spirit. My grand victory over my rival felt like a complete failure, in part because he didn't even care.
"Fainting is part of the training process, Fox." He said nonchalantly. "I can afford to help them heal and get back into the fight. It's no big deal. Next time I see you, we'll do it all again." With that our first encounter in Kanto was over as he casually strolled back into Viridian City. The children rushed up to me to congratulate me. Their happy, smiling faces beaming with pride at their new friend's victory made me feel just a bit better. But my eyes kept drifting to Wolf's back as it slowly disappeared into the city.

Current Team:
No Change from Episode 2

Cyber Monday Cha'alt

"If you're really into over-the-top gonzo dungeons full of weird and interesting encounters, then Cha'alt is a must-have." ~ Shyberkryst

Order a fancy hardcover of Cha'alt and get either $5 off the price (that's good worldwide) or a second Cha'alt hardcover for only an additional $10 (domestic USA shipping only, sorry).

This amazing offer is good until Wednesday at midnight (12/4/19).

Ordering information here. 

Remember, you get the PDF FREE after purchasing the gorgeous, full-color print version.  Check it out!

VS

p.s. Some high-profile reviews and media coverage coming soon, along with a brand-new Cha'alt-themed Kickstarter launching Friday.

Suzy Is Going To PAX East 2019!

#SuzyCube #gamedev #indiedev #madewithunity #PAXEast #IMBPAXEast19 @NoodlecakeGames @IndieMEGABOOTH

I know it's been quite a while, but I'm back with big news! Suzy Cube has been accepted into the Indie MEGABOOTH at PAX East 2019! Suzy will be showcased as part of the MINIBOOTH on Thursday and Friday. 

Read more »

Louard's game design sounding board and home of the Pro's and Con's reviews.

Brave Browser the Best privacy-focused Browser of 2020

Out of all the privacy-focused products and apps available on the market, Brave has been voted the best. Other winners of Product Hunt's Golden Kitty awards showed that there was a huge interest in privacy-enhancing products and apps such as chats, maps, and other collaboration tools.

An extremely productive year for Brave

Last year has been a pivotal one for the crypto industry, but few companies managed to see the kind of success Brave did. Almost every day of the year has been packed witch action, as the company managed to officially launch its browser, get its Basic Attention Token out, and onboard hundreds of thousands of verified publishers on its rewards platform.

Luckily, the effort Brave has been putting into its product hasn't gone unnoticed.

The company's revolutionary browser has been voted the best privacy-focused product of 2019, for which it received a Golden Kitty award. The awards, hosted by Product Hunt, were given to the most popular products across 23 different product categories.

Ryan Hoover, the founder of Product Hunt said:

"Our annual Golden Kitty awards celebrate all the great products that makers have launched throughout the year"

Brave's win is important for the company—with this year seeing the most user votes ever, it's a clear indicator of the browser's rapidly rising popularity.

Privacy and blockchain are the strongest forces in tech right now

If reaching 10 million monthly active users in December was Brave's crown achievement, then the Product Hunt award was the cherry on top.

The recognition Brave got from Product Hunt users shows that a market for privacy-focused apps is thriving. All of the apps and products that got a Golden Kitty award from Product Hunt users focused heavily on data protection. Everything from automatic investment apps and remote collaboration tools to smart home products emphasized their privacy.

AI and machine learning rose as another note-worthy trend, but blockchain seemed to be the most dominating force in app development. Blockchain-based messaging apps and maps were hugely popular with Product Hunt users, who seem to value innovation and security.

For those users, Brave is a perfect platform. The company's research and development team has recently debuted its privacy-preserving distributed VPN, which could potentially bring even more security to the user than its already existing Tor extension.

Brave's effort to revolutionize the advertising industry has also been recognized by some of the biggest names in publishing—major publications such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, NDTV, NPR, and Qz have all joined the platform. Some of the highest-ranking websites in the world, including Wikipedia, WikiHow, Vimeo, Internet Archive, and DuckDuckGo, are also among Brave's 390,000 verified publishers.

Earn Basic Attention Token (BAT) with Brave Web Browser

Try Brave Browser

Get $5 in free BAT to donate to the websites of your choice.