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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 20h

Delighted to share the first trailer for Narnia: The Magician's Nephew. Very excited to be heading up the VFX team for this wonderful movie. A Universe Begins. See how Narnia was created in The Magician's Nephew, a film by Greta Gerwig - only in theaters February 12.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

I thought the VFX work in The Dog Stars was excellent - seamless

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

We did work nutty hours on those games, tis true :-)

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Correction l, the *LK* (the lunar lander part) was flown three times in earth orbit. The LK3 was the name for whole stack, including the Soyuz-derived equivalent of the Apollo CSM.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

I discovered William Stout 40 years ago when I picked this up on a family holiday in the USA. Perhaps my all time favourite illustrated book.

An illustrated book cover showing a green dinosaur against a stylised prehistoric background

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Not quite as old, but this one is just round the corner from me in London

A mature tree growing in the middle of a road, bordered by trees and bushes

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

As the years have gone by, more and more info about the Soviet moon programme has come to light. The LK3 was actually flown in earth orbit and eventually cleared for crewed flight, presumably down to the lunar surface. They just couldn’t get the big N1 booster to work. Close, but no cigar…

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Here’s Leonov with the LK3 lunar lander engineering prototype that he helped to design.

Legendary cosmonaut Alexei Leonov stands in front of the prototype Russian LK3 lunar lander on display at the London Science Museum.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Yes, I noticed that. And they *really* had to amp up the drama to top the reality 🤣 It was a brilliant episode - edge of the seat stuff!

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

His style is exemplary of a kind of 1970s airbrush luminism that I love - dreamlike.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Leonov was a tremendous character - he gave an absolutely compelling talk about his spacewalk and the crazy end of the mission when they landed 100s of km off target in the snowy forest. There’s a highly entertaining, and somewhat fictionalised, film about him, called Spacewalk/The Age of Pioneers

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

I know - how awesome is that? I think he was friends with Arthur C. Clarke for a long time.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The Leonov is a classic piece of Syd Mead-derived sci-fi hardware.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

I was lucky enough to meet Alexei Leonov a couple of times. The first time we met he told me about attending the premiere of 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968 :-)

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The Charing Cross Station binbot has had a makeover with a smiley face to humanise it, I guess.

A robot floor cleaner in a london train station, a grinning robot face can be seen on its front

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Breakfast finished - very tasty, Lamonte on Driggs Ave. - pining for London recommenced 🤣

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Hard agree - writing from Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Though I must say the absolutely lush breakfast that’s just been served up to me is making me waver slightly…

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I had a wonderful time on the @everyscififilm.bsky.social podcast talking with the brilliant Julie Turnock and amazing host Ayesha Khan about the ground breaking effects work of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Check it out! youtu.be/k6wnldkUujA?...

youtu.be

2001: Special Effects That Changed Cinema

YouTube video by Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*

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Reposted by Paul Franklin

eastlondongroup.bsky.social @eastlondongroup.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Another #SundayMorning has arrived so here's our traditional "opener" for the day! This is "Sunday Morning, Farringdon Road" by Cecil Osborne from the first Group show at Alex. Reid & Lefevre at 1a, King Street in Mayfair. It is in the collection at Brighton & Hove Museums. #CecilOsborne

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I wonder if Bob Peak's style was in any way influenced by the development of slit-scan visual effects in movies through the late 60s and into the 70s? That last Excalibur image - and the ones he created for Star Trek in the late 70s - always gives me slit-scan vibes. Love it!

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I think the image is mostly about creating opportunities for Mr Frazetta's ongoing heroic study of the female gluteus maximus

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I guess it might still be in the possession of Jim or perhaps whatever remains of Psygnosis within the Sony Computer Entertainment empire - last time I saw it was in late 1993 or very early 1994.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Stop it - that can't be right... I'm sure I'm not that old...

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Reposted by Paul Franklin

Empire Magazine @empiremagazine.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Greta Gerwig opens the doors to Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew in the new issue of Empire – detailing her revolutionary rock’n’roll adaptation. Here’s your first look at Aslan – and he’s voiced by legend Meryl Streep. On sale Thurs September 24. Read more: www.empireonline.com/movies/news/...

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I saw this a couple of years ago at the Magnetic Field festival - I think people were playing Jet Set Willy on it, or maybe Manic Miner :-)

A man in a grey shirt wearing black shorts contemplates a huge oversized ZX Spectrum computer in a green field, in the background a small tent shields a TV that is connected to the computer

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I dunno - maybe the BBC still saw him as a rival in the home computer wars of the 1980s?

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Part Steve Jobs, part Branestawm eccentric - totally British. So many of us a lot to Sir Clive. Apparently he didn’t even like computers! I shall watch Micro Men again!

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

For those interested in VFX history, here's a link to a clear transfer of "Universe", the short film that impressed Kubrick so much that he hired the VFX team to work on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Some of the science is out of date (1962) but it's still a lovely thing www.youtube.com/watch?v=48gI...

youtube.com

UNIVERSE | Full Documentary | National Film Board of Canada

YouTube video by NFB

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

It's a great adaptation of Clarke's novel, a solid hard SF adventure - if it was a standalone movie I think it's reputation would be much stronger, but it is rather overshadowed by the colossus of Kubrick's film, as are all other "big issues in space" sci fi movies (including the one I worked on 😂)

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I mean, there is rather more gunplay and Mad Maxy stuff than in Train Dreams, but still, I liked it.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I really liked The Dog Stars. It’s beautiful and meditative, often moving, with moments of visceral action and some genuine weirdness. Train Dreams meets the post apocalypse. I don’t get all the hate from the critics - maybe it’s fashionable now to dunk on Ridley Scott.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

The guy in the room next to mine in my first year at uni in the 80s was one of the all time top “gold run” scorers, apparently.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I think I bought my first telly from Dixons. Or possibly Argos

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I blame it on the Toho movies - Godzilla’s scale was already set by the time Kong showed up in the series, so he had to be the same size. And the “suitimation” approach to the SFX really only allows one size: ginormous. But even the RKO original had a variable scale Kong if you watch carefully.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

I’m fascinated by the tendency in sci-fi art and movies to exaggerate the size of the statue - in reality the face is only about 10 feet across, but in sci-fi it’s humungous!

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

That looks lush. I’m sure the local chippy in my Psygnosis days served that.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Wasn’t the new theme down, in large part, to Gene Roddenberry’s antipathy towards Alexander Courage? But I agree, it was a bit strange at first to have it on TNG - these days I’m always surprised to hear it on the front of The Motion Picture.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Going to see At The Earth's Core as a birthday treat at the Macclesfield Majestic in 1976 cemented it as my favourite Peter Cushing film (though it's far from the best). He was great in everything.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

If you like the Beatles, are interested in 1960s British culture, and are into good writing, then Samira's book about the background and making of A Hard Day's Night is essential - loved it!

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Reposted by Paul Franklin

Caltech @caltech.edu · 05/08/2026

Happy 14 Years on Mars, Curiosity!

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Purchased! Very much looking forward to wandering through the pages of Hookland.

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Reposted by Paul Franklin

Mitch Benn @mitchbenn.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

PLEASE SHARE THIS To the young person (longish dark hair, patterned waistcoat, chinos & DM boots) who left this scroll of papers on the Piccadilly Line train at South Kensington station at about 4.25pm today, I’ve handed it to the station staff at Hammersmith.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

He was excellent in the Out of the Unknown episode “The Man in My Head”

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

About 99 out of 100 posters will go completely silent until it’s back up again. Enjoy it while it lasts.

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Excluding all else until he’s done. Interesting to note that one of Chris’s most loved films started out as one of Steven Spielberg’s “parallel development” projects :-)

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Paul Franklin @paulfranklin.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

To be fair, they’re very different directors in process. I’ve not worked with Spielberg, but my friends who have tell me he has around six shows in development at any time, taking them up to the point where any of them could be green lighted, and he chooses one. Chris is a one show at a time guy 1/

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