I’m having trouble uploading the video to the Kickstarter page (they’re figuring out what the problem is, hopefully), but meanwhile, here’s a higher-quality version of it on Youtube. I’m not thrilled with audio quality (it sounds sort of like I’m in an echoey lecture hall), but I don’t have a sound studio, just a Sennheiser headset.
[Update a few minutes later]
Oops. Just noticed, it looks like I lost the end credits. Have to look into what happened there.
[Update a while later]
For some reason, I hadn’t included the final credits in the build. Here’s the new version.
[Update a while later]
Sorry transitions are so choppy. I’m sure it has something to do with Youtube’s post-processing.
[Monday-morning update]
@moneyman10k SLS won't achieve Spruce Goose status until it flies at least once. @rocketrepreneur
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) May 31, 2015
Can’t see it at all – “video has been removed by user”.
BTW, I hope it’s OK to credit you with the Mars Roadblock graphic. I forgot to ask.
Yes, check the update.
Needs go go girls, but fine otherwise…
I was going to suggest some soft background music.
I’m guessing the second half of my comment above was written by Rand. Sure, I’m totally ok with you using that roadblock graphic, that’s why I made it.
Well, if you’d suggest some specific public-domain soft background music, I might add it. I have no time to look for it myself.
Adding music to a video is a non-trivial proposition.
Mars needs women!
Rand, with all due respect (and there’s a lot of that, btw), I just don’t see the point. Your video itself beautifully explains the problems, as well as the fact that there are already many studies out there with actually serious (affordable and taking less than 100 years) solutions for getting people to Mars. Yet Another Report won’t do a darned bit of good.
And for the video itself, I do miss the talking bears, or whatever they were. Those pregnant pauses and eye-blinks after something really stupid was pointed out were classic. Now, if you want to propose creating and publicizing a video with GLaDOS explaining the problem, I’d pay for that, and it would probably make a lot more people aware of what’s happening than another paper report.
The problem is preaching to the choir. Somehow SLS supporters need to be publicly ridiculed for wasting 20 times what they’d pay for off the shelf solutions. The problem really isn’t SLS. The problem is unaccountable govt.
Well, it may be more than a paper report — If I raise enough, I could do a video as a stretch goal. Unfortunately, Xtranormal went out of business, and I haven’t found anything equivalent for doing robot theater.
What will be different about this is how explicit it will be in how much more effectively money currently being and planned to be spent on SLS/Orion could be spent on actually getting to Mars. While I don’t really care much about Mars, it would be aimed at people who do (like Bill Nye), and are being sold a bill of goods.
I found this with Google as an Xtranormal replacement:
https://plotagon.com/
Rand, you are a great engineer and analyst, but as a narrator….zzzz
With all respect I’ve rarely heard as monotonic, uninflected narration in my life. Just imagine Morgan Freeman, or even Carl Sagan narrating that…ok, you can’t afford Morgan & Carl is gone, but _imagine_ what people like that would do to putting emphases and a bit of oratorical/acting force behind the script. Then try it again.
Or you could send me the script and I’d read it back to you (and maybe cook up some small modifications) to improve its strength – for a nominal fee. 😉
Even your presentation at SA had more force to it than this, maybe because you felt you were talking to a ‘friendly’ crowd.
Just remember my old byword for changing a public discussion: perception is everything.
Sincerely, Charles
I’ll probably take another cut at it before I finalize. As I noted, I’m not happy with the audio, either in quality or delivery. But I’ve been fighting too much with video issues to have the time to re-record.
[VOICE=”Carl Sagan”]
“Billions and billions of dollars wasted on SLS.”
[/VOICE]
With all due respect, I think I could make a better case for ditching the SLS and I know that the idea is nuts. However, I look forward with keen interest to following your efforts.
It would be very helpful if you would indeed make that case, Mark.
I’m glad you agree that the idea of SLS is nuts.
What do you know is nuts Mark? Funding SLS or ditching SLS at this stage of the program?