Jason Eaton

Here’s a little post showing my progress so far on the Blade Runner Blimp, a 1/2 studio scale project I started three years ago. I have always loved the film, and the technology it presents. Naturally, the blimp was something I always gravitated towards – mysterious, full of lights, and organic in shape. Getting reference on the blimp was always tricky, and the project has been able to happen only because of the generosity of a few key individuals who provided me with the materials that I needed, to make the model as accurate as possible. It will have hundreds of lights, what seems like miles of fiber optics, and two LCD screens showing the original source footage from the film, including the Offworld ad and Geisha B-Roll. I have recreated the “sound” of the blimp, with engine rumble, fog horn, echo filters on the narration, and the vaguely creepy song as heard during the blimp sequence. I’ve also worked with a talented 3D artist, a stellar vac-former, and Dan from Lightbenders – the wizard responsible for the lights and motors in this model. Motors you say? Yes – each of the four spotlights on the bottom of this blimp will have two small servos responsible for moving the LEDs in random sweeping arcs, as seen in the film!!

Our last day in LA was no less epic than the days before. We started off going to a great little diner called Dinah’s, where we all enjoyed a hearty breakfast. From there, we traveled to Van Nuys to Grant McCune’s shop and the former site of ILM! It was truly amazing to stand in the same parking lot that bore witness to the Death Star explosions, the water slide, and countless ILM photos over the years. Next stop? Vasquez Rocks! Kirk fought the Gorn there, among it’s many many appearances over the years. We had a lot of fun there.

We then returned to some Blade Runner filming locations, Doc Brown’s house from Back To The Future (gorgeous, even the garage was a beautiful gift shop), and we ended the night at Gene’s, who hosted many people for what he has called “Geek Night”. We whiled away our evening chatting with such friendly and amazingly talented and influential people. Ted Rae, Van Ling, Bill Creber, Pat McClung, Greg Jein, Nathan, Rob, Gene, Sean, Sean, Ryan… my mind is still reeling from all of the fun we had. Thank you all for making this trip one for the ages!

And yes, it took 22 hours to get back home, with a cancelled flight, a drop off at Dulles at midnight, a missing bag that took 48 hours to make it to my hands, and a $185 cab ride home. All totally worth it (even though I might not have agreed the following morning, at work). Modern day air travel is horrendous. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

The next day was a whirlwind of sightseeing at Warner Bros. Studios, Culver City, Hollywood, and Blade Runner Land (night time). We ate amazing food and saw amazing things, all of which you can experience below.

Last Wednesday, I traveled to Denver Colorado to meet up with Sean Sides, Sean Corsini, and Ryan Comer – three of the most talented and friendly model makers that I am honored to count among my friends.  Sean S and his kind and patient wife opened their home to us, and we hung out, caught up, ate some unique-to-me local fare, and got a little tipsy on Ryan’s home made Limoncello. That stuff is dangerous. That night, we got a hotel room by the airport, and in the morning flew to Los Angeles, where we met up with Gene Kozicki, Visual Effects Mover and Shaker™ and our GUIDE TO THE STARRRRS™! We of course made a beeline for IN-N-Out Burger, which by god, is amazing. Then a quick stop at Gene’s home (which is a shrine to refined geekiness), and then to the office of a certain Richard Edlund (!!!) who regaled us with tales of Leica before letting us gawk at his Oscars, Emmy, and filming artifacts! We were then whisked away to meet up with Rob McFarlane, as guests at the Visual Effects Society “Bake Off”, where the group gathers, screens 2 hours of the best visual effects from last year’s films, and then picks the five to be nominated for the Oscars. It was a who’s who if visual effects artists. John Dykstra, Lorne Peterson, John Knoll, Dennis Muren (!!), Greg Jein, and so many more ILMers from those Topps cards, books, and posters. Greg Jein told me that he had some spare McKinley Station parts I could have used in the restoration – can you imagine my surprise? Guess I should have asked, lol! It was a hell of a way to start the trip!

Here are the things I am thankful for, as the year 2011 draws to a close.

• Every day, I look forward to greeting my wife Lisa with an excitement that is usually only felt during initial courtship. We’ve been together for near nine years, and it still feels fresh and exciting, every day.

• I have a job that (for my field) is about as stable as you could hope for, in an economy that continues to be extremely challenging. I love the people I work with, and I don’t dread going to work. I’ve been in that situation before, and it was unhealthy.

• My friends. Our dinners, conversations, and shared experiences are always thought of with a shit-eating grin by yours truly. Thanks for hanging out and sharing your lives with me.

• I have a hobby that generates as much freelance as I choose to take on, and that I have a talent that can directly translate into money.

• The people I meet, connect with, and respect all over this world. Though I know it probably wears thin on Lisa conceptually, I can travel almost anywhere and at the other end of the plane ride awaits a like-minded friend who will happily while away the evening, sharing stories and experiences.

• That we made it to the end of the year with an intact house. The past eighteen months have been brutal, with every scrap of freelance being poured into a new roof, whole house fan, more roof, a washer, a dryer, a hot water heater, insulation, etc. The house asked a lot from us, and we somehow gave. It’s warmer, stronger, and dryer in our home now. I’m sure there is more lurking, as we celebrate the house’s 86th birthday. There’s still those galvanized pipes in the front room wall, after all….

• My new found appreciation for Bourbon and Irish Whiskey. I have discovered a new world for my palate, and I am very pleased.

• My health. I’m not the picture of health, and I have had my share of health problems either genetic or born from bad habits, but I am still here, and I am grateful.

• Our new Outback. Without sounding like an asshole, I love the heated seats, the all wheel drive, and the dependable transportation. Sure, we have a car payment again, but I can stop tensing up like I did when the Mazda’s transmission failed, or when the tire blew out on that 80 foot overpass.

Cheers to 2012. May you bring happiness, prosperity, success, and a kick ass Blade Runner Blimp to my home. I’ll be hanging with Visual Effects luminaries and good friends in LA in January, the most talented modelers you ever met in KY in May, and Lisa and I are earnest about traveling to Iceland before the year is out. If my wife wants to eat a puffin, then by god she will eat a puffin! Beak first! I have firmed up my goals, but I’m not dumb enough to post them here. That’s like joining a gym in January.

Another port from the old site – 2004′s greatest hits!

Here’s a timelapse video I made in March.

A 1/20th scale Maschinen Krieger Lunar Diorama I made over the past year, for a client.

Well, Halloween was fun as always, though we did miss the Wynn’s, who traditionally spend the evening with us. We passed out candy, and I made chili the night before, which we ate with the neighbors!