Purchasing Lithographs

Please Note: I am having a great deal of difficulty with the computer I am using for the internet work. Generally speaking it is out of date and can no longer handle the processing demands. So please bear with any errors you might see, as I don't seem to be able to correct them when working in this blog. For most other work it is fine but accessing Google, Facebook and other forums with an unknown number of cookies is causing problems with my system. I am using OSX 10.4.11 and this is no longer supported on the internet. I expect to change that as soon as I can, but basically I need a new system.

I've included a PayPal Cart Button in the post below 

for those of you wishing to purchase the

Signed & Numbered

 Limited Edition Lithographs

Traveling Gallery Exhibition

  In discussing the next step of advancing "The Gnomes of New Hope", it became clear that setting up a Gallery Exhibition was a good direction to pursue. Since I am working to set up the scene shop facility in a 10K sq ft space (see the floor plan below) it seems only right to build the exhibition and set it up there. The game plan has been for the sales office to maintain a gallery for display of our products, so the Image of the Mind Studios Traveling Galley Exhibition is being installed adjacent to those offices and will be open to the general public at some point in time.

  The Exhibition will be available to travel to other Galleries, Museums and Theaters as part of our overall presentation scheme. This exhibition will stand on its own as an attraction for visitors and will be designed to have an entrance fee.  We are working out the budget for this, but I expect that from our end of things there will be a flat fee to bring it in, set it up and come back to remove it. There will be an additional percentage cut of any profits derived. If any organization is interested in participating in this scenario, then I would advise you to contact me. 

  The exhibition will be comprised of a mixture of 2D flat artwork and 3D Cycloramas with an audio component, possibly using headphones at certain stations or a hand held devise. 

   It will essentially be a presentation of the story and be structured around the stage play, using sketches and illustrations which we will be using for the Illustrated Storybook and for the Animated film. We do anticipate that this exhibition will accompany the sales of the Illustrated Storybook, Audio CD, and/or the coloring book.

  The 3D cycloramas (in the initial presentation) will be the actual models of the stage sets which we will be using as a guide to build the stage show. With that in mind there may be a version of the exhibition that explains how the show is being prepared for Broadway and show some of the set construction/rehearsals. If that is the case, there may be different exhibitions that are available, each interchangeable with the basic set-up shown below. I am considering some design alterations so the show can be changed.

   This exhibition layout is also available for purchase to any gallery/museum which might like to have it for their own purposes. I expect that by the time the electrical elements are calculated into it that the cost will be approximately $10-12K depending on the design variations that one may want.  If you are interested in having one built for you let me know.

  I am designing the first edition of The Gnomes of New Hope Exhibition  for the benefit of our financial partners, as a means to reveal the core information of the project we are working on. 

   The application of this exhibition as a traveling show will only come into play once the final exhibition is refined enough for release to the public, however, exhibition venues will need to be in place, so I do invite inquiry in that regard. I expect that I will create a PowerPoint and/or video to convey this exhibition to potential presenters.

   The exhibition will change as the show progresses, as we hope to be doing a stop action film and those miniatures and puppets might be applicable to this exhibition as well.

   At some future point Animatronics will come into play, as we have been anticipating going in this direction with the story presentation and we have the tools to do this. Of course this is under the assumption that this show is very well suited for a theme park environment. It is possible that we may very well move to set this up in New Hope Pennsylvania, but we will most certainly need partners to achieve this.

  All of this is also in anticipation of the show being presented on Broadway at some point in time, but in the meanwhile, we are directing our resources toward other more practical and cost effective means of presenting versions of this show which can operate with the lowest possible overhead and the highest practical return.

   In addition our resources are being directed toward Product R&D, for it is very clear that there is a wide market for products that are coming out of this production.

   As you may have seen elsewhere, we are also inviting people to consider investment, although we are not making a public offering at this time. 

   We have some people who have contribute small amounts on a regular basis and this helps us to be able to move forward with development and prepare to the Illustrated Storybook for publication.  

  If you are interested in considering becoming a partner, I would suggest opening up a dialogue with me so that you can be kept informed of how that can happen, I am currently publishing our business plan and that will be made available to our existing partners to review. Release of this information is only being made to people who are familiar to us and who clearly have a genuine interest in partnering with us to make this a success.This information will be posted on the subscriber web site IMS Producing Partners when either I have more time to do that, or I assign a manager to those duties.

  As it stand now we have 35 songs finished for this show, large portfolio of illustrations, and numerous products in the works...  so we are in the home stretch.

  Do communicate with me via email if you care to.  AG

Recent thoughts

A good amount of this blog has been taken up, lately, with postings about "The Gnomes of New Hope". It is my intention create a separate blog for the Gnomes and return this blog to the issues of IMS and not any specific project.  Bear with me until that happens. As it stands now my energy is largely taken up with life in Gnomeville. If you are interested in being involved in the development of a Theme Park version of Gnomeville, let me know. AG

Sculpting The Gnomes of New Hope

I am very interested in locating a sculptor who is able to form the faces of our characters.

 I have a number of products that we will be producing and it is time to start 

creating the three dimensional characters.

 
Here's is an early sketch of Zebby, one of the main characters from

The Gnomes of New Hope         

Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure                                   

Of course these drawings are all painted now,

 but this give you an idea of what Zebby looks like.

 We will be constructing puppets for use in concert presentations  and animatronics

and we'd like to consider preparing to produce the stop action film

possibly using full sized puppets in conjunction with our stage sets. 

We are advancing with the Illustrated Storybook 

and with releasing a series of Limited Edition Lithographs.

Details and ordering information on the LE Litho Series will be posted shortly.

That being said, we are looking to begin sculpting the faces of our characters.

I invite artists who think they may be able to do this

and who are living in the Philadelphia area

   to contact me.

I am looking for all work to take place out of my studio in Southampton.

Video Game/ Internet Adventure

I would like to consider developing a video game for The Gnomes of New Hope. If anyone specializes in this type of programming, please touch base with me. We have a good portfolio of graphics to use and we are on our way to creating an animated film. So I would like to develop this genre as a parallel project.

Images from the Illustrated Storybook

Here is an image from 

The Gnomes of New Hope: Illustrated Storybook

This image was created by 

Arthur Greisiger & Jency Latta

It is one of the Illustrations from the Storybook Edition of 

The Gnomes of New Hope

Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure

     Zach & Zebby have been exploring in the forest when to their surprise they run into a couple of human boys. Well, these humans had never seen a Gnome before and they just had to capture one of them. So a chase ensued and Zach & Zebby ran for their lives. When Zebby turned around to make sure Zach was right behind him, he was horrified to find that they were all gone!  Had the humans captured Zach? Well Zebby wasn't going to get captured himself, so he  ran as fast as he could to tell to Constable Warren to tell him the terrible news... and so with Zebby turning everything upside down in Gnomeville, The Mayor called a meeting in The Squirrel's Nest to decide what to do. Everyone was there as the whole village was in a tizzy about the latest threat to Gnomeville.

Here for you enjoyment is a scene depicting the whole village coming to that Meeting.

We are currently using this artwork to illustrate the Libretto for the Stage Musical.

At this point, we have 32 songs composed for this Two Act Musical,

which consists of nineteen scenes.

The Original Artwork is much higher quality that that which is displayed here 

and it is our expectation that this style will be the essence of the Animated film.

The Illustrated Storybook will include a companion CD of the music

and we are in a search for the singers to portray that music.

Early versions of some of that music may be found by going to the IMS Music Studio.

I do hope you enjoy this material and remind you that we are in a search 

also for financial partners to implement these plans.

We are offering signed lithographic prints of this artwork.
The details are not worked out yet, 
but if you are interested
please contact me.

I will be posting this information on a Gallery page I am developing. 

As listed below the first release will be an eBook edition of 

"The Gnomes of New Hope:

Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure"

AG

The Gnomes of New Hope Current Staus

Update 8/29/12

 "The Gnomes of New Hope:

 Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure"

Recent thoughts are to make the first release of the Illustrated Storybook an eBook,  since preparations for that are virtually (no pun intended) the same as those for a hard copy edition.

Anyone purchasing the eBook will receive special offers on all other materials, an invitation to the official release party of the hard copy book and tickets to the show.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the eBook when it is ready for release, please send me an email so I can put you name on the list for mailing





AG


Archive

 Update 7/23/12

 I am intending on transferring all the production materials for "The Gnomes of New Hope" to it's own web page. There, I hope to post our extensive illustration portfolio, once I can lock the files against copying.  I invite interested participants to review the materials at our studio location.

We have been quite focused on preparing the illustrations for the Illustrated Storybook, but have found that illustrating the Libretto is working very nicely.  We are debating whether or not to release the Libretto as a published document and may do so to industry insiders as a means to advance the production.

Libretto and Score:

We are facing the need to create the piano reductions, as the music for this show has been composed for a 24 piece orchestra (an assortment of 24 pieces, with numbers using as little as six or eight instruments and as many as the the 16 tracks available to us in our MIDI program). We have limited ourselves to an ensemble setting and a maximum of 24 instruments.  In our attempts to score the music we ran into a programming glitch that has wreaked havoc to our process. Fortunately, I discovered that the glitch (apparently) exists only in the Grand Staff function of Digital Performer. So we will be able to get around that with some additional effort. Of course this has caused as certain amount of tension about how to proceed. The net effect is that we have a few piano reductions and some earlier versions of the score, but since we have changed our method of mastering the music, the bulk of the completed 29 pieces, in fact all of the work done thus-far for the first Act will need to be scored.  I am expecting that there will be at least nine more pieces in the second act, maybe more. Some of these pieces are merely bridges between scenes that are very brief.  So the actual length of the show music is more determined by the essential songs, not the number of pieces that have been composed.

We have had a few heated discussions about the length of the show and I am firm that the story needs to be told, but I am also aware of the audience's span of attention.  Additionally, we have debated whether this show is a show for kids or adults.  My position is that it is for adults & kids and Shawn is under the opinion that it is for kids & adults.  So...

Since I am involved in conforming the Libretto so that it matches the Storybook and Audio Scripts and Shawn is focusing on the Mastering process, the scoring will have to wait. We stop occasionally from working on these aspects, to compose new music, which we do together. Since I write the lyrics, I also play the melody lines with the flute. Once this is done, Shawn takes charge and puts down the accompanying parts, while I go back to writing and designing the Illustrations.

Early in our process, for almost all of Act One, we both did the arrangements and established the instrumental relationships, but moving into the Second Act, I have found that leaving the arrangements up to Shawn is a perfectly good thing to do, since we've gotten to the point where we think alike and more often than not we both have the same notes in our heads.  So we basically check in with each other before anything gets confirmed and if we have a difference of opinion we work that out before we more on. It works quite well.

Illustrations:

The illustrations are moving ahead very nicely. We are moving into structuring the scenes, now that we have a portfolio of at least 25 characters and numerous backgrounds to use. We have been experimenting some with animation, not that we have done any film work, but we have been building character positions by using components. An example would be switching heads or appendages on a character to achieve variations in body expressions.  This has saved us a good amount of time and I am working to develop a collection of files for scenes and characters. It is becoming quite large and it is clear that I will need to upgrade my Mac to accommodate the magnitude of this becoming an animated film.

I am looking a Poser as a possible program we should be using, but it is clear that the production value that we want to achieve must be retained and we will need to animate our drawings.  I do not want a slick computer generated look to occur, or otherwise it will just end up as another one of the standard fare computer films that are now being produced.  That is unacceptable to me, I still consider this as an art form that stands on it's own merits and needs to remain stylized as we have conceived it, not what happens to be the most conveniently current fad... unless someone wants to pay big bucks to change my mind. I don't see that happening.

Studio

The 10K warehouse space I am currently in charge of restoring/maintaining, would be a most suitable space to set-up operations and although I am part owner in the building, I cannot set-up without generating the appropriate income that the property requires. This is a goal I am pursuing, but without investors willing to support the larger operations, this will not happen (easily). My intention is to convert Image of the Mind Studios into a Closely Held Corporation and I am striving to build a Board of Directors for that purpose. Those of you who have been aware of this and find interest in being involved in some way should engage me in conversation about this. As you may read in some of the other posts, my intention is to build a Theatrical Development Centre which would initially be under the purview of this IMS operation. Of course that would ultimately occur in a different location with a great deal more land and facilities, but this scene shop would service the urban environment north of Philadelphia and the Gnomes of New Hope production requirements.  Even without the advantage of capitalizing the rapid development in this direction I am prodding along in that direction, however.

The Ultimate Goal

Mounting a full stage production is the ultimate goal, but my method of getting there is to produce results in the arenas that will require less effort, expense and personnel. I am perfectly willing and desirous of associating in a Joint Venture with other organizations/individuals who are capable and dedicated to this cause. So I invite dialogue in this regard.

AG

5/12/13

The focus of attention has been building a new studio facility and restoring some of the equipment needed for advancing "The Gnomes of New Hope". We are engaged in developing the prototypes of a number of product lines and producing the illustrations for the Illustrated Storybook and the animated film.  We are nearing completion of the first volume of the instrumental music for the stage show and expect to move into recording the lyrics to this segment of the music. The CD album is in preparation for a Limited Edition Release to our Vested Partners. We are working on upgrading our film/video equipment to accommodate our work in animation/stop action film-making.  We hope to begin constructing the miniature sets for the film work and I am moving forward to construct a green screen at the stage facility.

I find that I am quite busy with all this and spending time on the internet is not the best use of my time. So although I do believe that keeping these blogs updated is a good thing, doing so on a consistent basis is not the best use of time and resources. If you want to be involved or find out more, contact me directly. I will update this from time to time, but this is not my priority at this time.  I am assembling a package which will be made available to our vested partners and we are pursuing funding to the tune of 2.5M for facilities and establishment funds.

The ancillary rights to an assortment of markets are available and will be posted on IMS Producing Partners (a subscription site).

Do contact me if you think you want to partner on any aspect of this project so we can all make a few bucks.  AG

Illustrations for The Gnomes of New Hope

This post is in preparation of me placing a few of the scenes from the storybook here for you to review. They are still in the computer at the studio, but shortly I will move them to this workstation.

In the meanwhile, if you scroll down further on the page (past the discussions below) you will find some images of Constable Warren. We now have over thirty characters, of which, many of them can become Garden Gnomes. We are working on sculpting more of these gnomes and expect that these sculptures will be used for the puppetry and for ancillary markets. I am even thinking now in terms of candy.

Keep watch, I will try to upgrade the information on this show as best as I can. We are now up to thirty-two songs and closing in on the end of Act II. Whew! What a journey! AG

Illustrations and Sculpture

Refer to the

Production Approach Summary 

Current Status 

for the most recent management and Creative update

Here are some images of the materials we are working on. 

There is quite a bit more, but I hesitate to post it on-line for obvious reasons.

 We have advanced a great deal in our graphics 

and now have at least 20 full color characters developed

as well as with many scenes from the story.

 Well, here's the full color version of Constable Warren. 
This is the look we are seeking to achieve for the animated film.

 Here is the sculpture done by Elsa Acton

(

We hope to be producing a collection of all of our characters as 

Garden Gnomes

Presented by

The Gnomeville Arts & Crafts Guild

and I expect our puppets to be based on these designs as well.

(I am looking for a distributor for these products)

I am now working on assembling a wonderful Graphic from "The Gnomes of New Hope".  Jency & I work together to develop the material and then I assemble it into the appropriate scenes to go with the script.

The one that is being worked on now is a full color version of  Scene Three - it is the meeting which has been called by The Mayor, Moss Lichen, in The Squirrel's Nest high above Constable Warren's office in the centre of Gnomeville. The graphic contains a wide selection of our characters as well as a view of the centre of Gnomeville.  I think you will be as delighted by it as we are.  We are getting ready to record the lyrics to  The Diva's Lament which is a prelude to this scene.

I will be posting the scene here as a way of wetting your appetite for the stage show and the animated film. We are preparing the first volume of the music for release and I will be including as an extra to that volume - copies of the stage script attached to the songs.

I have discovered that I can do this in iTunes.  So if you use iTunes to view artwork, I will be attaching the story as a bonus for you.  This album will be a limited release to our business partners and associates and will not be a general release to the public.  So if you would like to have a copy, then become an investor, business or creative partner.

As it stands now I am looking for (an undetermined number of) people who are able and willing to provide anywhere from $100 to $1,000 per week as an accumulating investment in "The Gnomes of New Hope".  We have a few people doing this and it seems to work quite well.  The advantages are that you can invest gradually according to your ability and derive the benefits of a Front Money investment.  Everything up to $250K is considered Front Money and is used for pre-production expenses.

 The Front Money Investment returns 300% on the back end and has other benefits. Further details of that will be provided to you on request.  This investment will be used to support the development of the facility and to employ people to do the work we need to do in order to prepare for the full production effort. The funds can be earmarked as you see fit in the context of the project and the needs which we seek to fulfill.

If you are interested in joining our effort, speak to me directly or email me- imagemindag@verizon.net.

IMS Studio Compound

Although we have had other plans for a Theatrical Development Centre Compound, we now have the opportunity to expand into a larger facility which is attached to the current offices in Southampton, Pennsylvania.

The existing offices will remain intact and expanded upon if purchase of this building becomes a factor.

Other locations nearby are also available, which are under consideration for different aspects of the Theatrical Development Centre.   Initially anticipated in a more remote rural location, it now seems viable in this suburban environment, if the cash flow can be increased sufficiently to support the facilities.

The Recycling Centre would be located nearby, as would The Alpha & Omega Society which includes The Creative Archive, Exhibition Spaces, and Adjacent Services Office Compound.

Addressing the current expansion possibilities:

The available space comprises two buildings each is 5K and both buildings are available.

Here is the anticipated layout for this facility;

Building 3 

construction & fabrication

 

Building 4

design & management

Acquisition and set-up of this space is contingent upon funding and the operation requires a cash flow of approximately $300 per day (without the factor of equipment, personnel or supply expenses). We are seeking funding to support this operation for a minimum period of one year (preferably two), based on a five day week and a 50 week year.  Budget materials and discussions on this subject will be posted on IMS Producing Partners and is available to our Vested Partners.  

We are expecting to pursue the management structure of a Closely Held Corporation for certain aspects of the operation, others  require a Joint Venture Agreement, in addition to the Licensing and Limited Partnerships. We are open to dialogue in this regard.

A Summary of IMS Producing Partners

Introduction

• This essay/outline is intended to convey the IMS Financial Approach to producing work of various types by using the internet to disseminate the necessary information.

• The information outlined here can be construed to apply to any number of projects although in this instance reference may be made to The Gnomes of New Hope, since that is the principle project which is being pursued at the time of this writing.

IMS Producing Partners - an investment website, overview

• The current philosophy is to manage the dissemination of investment information and the relative updates thereto by way of the web site IMS Producing Partners. 

• This web site is intended to provide all the relative contract, budget & management information to our partners, whether they be investors, creative/managerial, or licensing participants. 

• IMS Producing Partners is designed to encourage investment in any number of projects through progressive levels of access to information depending upon the degree of investment and/or level of membership.

• The premise is that greater levels of investment deserve a greater degree of access and benefits for that investment and as such membership in IMS Producing Partners provides not only the foundational capital for further development as a whole, but is the basis for a developing network of people who are partnering to help IMS achieve the goals outlined.

• In today's world of international engagement, there ought to be a way for interested people of sufficient means to become part of the production activity thru the use of the internet and so IMS Producing Partners is being developed as a vehicle for that to happen, to some degree via the internet,  and to disseminate the required information for that to happen by use of more traditional and direct methods of fund raising.

• All investment procured by this means (internet) shall be controlled by the terms outlined on the website.  

• In all instances, hard copy confirmation must exist prior to investment for amounts larger than one thousand dollars.  Larger investment amounts via the internet may be possible, once the contractual agreements are in place which confirms the suitability of the investor and the relationship is established.  These terms may be altered as the implementation of this web site progresses.

• Other means of procuring investment exist and will continue to be pursued.

• Access to this web site is by membership only and the cost of membership is $120 per year, on the assumption that a person who is capable and willing to become a member of the investment group will not find that unreasonable.  Such membership funds are not considered an investment and therefore would not be returned.

• Membership is contingent upon  specific terms and conditions which must be adhered to and as such will be considered a binding contract enforceable by law.

Contents

• The structure of IMS Producing Partners is being developed as it is being conceived.

• Therefore the initial membership will include access to this process and the external structure elements which are generally accepted operating procedures for a membership oriented organization.

• Aspects of this membership structure will be applicable to The Shakespeareans of Tamanend Park and The Alpha & Omega Society as well.

• The structure of IMS Producing Partners is tiered so as to allow greater degrees of information to be available to members, partners and employees.

• Licensing information and management operations for the Ancillary Markets will be provided via this web site and therefore membership is required  for all licensees as well.

• IMS Producing Partners will be developed to a certain degree on this site and then converted to an internal server where it will be further developed and maintained.

• There will be benefits offered to members which will not be available to the general public, those benefits pertain to both Individual Productions and the overall IMS Studio Operation.

• Investment opportunities will be presented on IMS Producing Partners.

• IMS Producing Partners, at a certain level will contain the IMS Operations Manual and therefore all employees of IMS must be a member of IMS Producing Partners in good standing.

• Al new partners or employees functioning in the upper level operation, including creative and management, will be derived from the membership roles of IMS Producing Partners. 

• In addition to more detailed discussions about IMS Operations & Investment in the Studio Compound, the first level of membership will provide access to Individual Production Approach Summaries, containing: Budget elements, discussions about licensing, the Front Money Agreement.

• Certain elements of the production management system will be provided to partners on request off-line and not all elements will be posted. Those items not posted will be referred to, so that members in good standing may request those elements, if they are part of the benefits of their membership level.

 

This entire operational system is currently being reviewed 
and revised for the present situation

  Therefore,  in terms of it's presentation on the web,
it is in development and may seem incomplete.