Whedonesque : Comments on 8985 : '11th Hour' offers alternate 'Serenity' DVD cover.

Where did the Llama go?

zz9 | December 15, 23:47 CET

Does someone have a copy of this that I can mirror? Hate having dead links on the front page.

zeitgeist | December 15, 23:48 CET

Well, I'll offer up a mirror right here if you need it.

HudsonVC | December 15, 23:53 CET

Well, that's just... shiny.

binkaboo | December 15, 23:56 CET

Is there a hi-res version available? This won't look that hot once it's printed out.

pjalne | December 15, 23:58 CET

This art is amazing. I'm definitely replacing my cover with this one if there's a hi-res version available.

BlindHawkeyes | December 16, 00:10 CET

Oh, yes.

lycoming | December 16, 00:12 CET

I believe 11th said she would make a high resolution version available, along with the hi-larious version with the llama.

[ edited by vampirefan on 2005-12-15 22:14 ]

vampirefan | December 16, 00:14 CET

On a sidenote, this showed up in potential covers for the Netherlands linked here. Linked a mirror that I know can withstand way more hits than the homepages. Thanks for the copy that allowed me to do so, HudsonVC.

zeitgeist | December 16, 00:15 CET

I sent an e-mail to "11th" pointing him/her to this thread and asking about a high-rez version.

HudsonVC | December 16, 00:18 CET

I rather miss the llama. I may have to print both versions. Maybe we can get hi-res versions of both?

Lioness | December 16, 00:32 CET

There are more great ones in this thread on the browncoats board (reg reqd.).
Some of the same are collected here.

jam2 | December 16, 00:33 CET

I'd say this new cover is much better,and more reflective on what the film is all about.
Now if only there were more TV spots for it, including Mr. Universe's classic line, "You guys always bring me the very best violence."

impalergeneral | December 16, 00:45 CET

MY DVD will sport 11ths cover for sure!!

rivergirl | December 16, 00:48 CET

I think it looks too crowded at the bottom with pictures of The Operative, Mal, and River (and what's up with her fake arm?). If they made the images gel a little bit better, I'd love the hell out of it.

The Dark Shape | December 16, 01:15 CET

The best artwork, bar none. I've said it before and I'll say it again, 11th hour has really captured Serenity in a way the artists at Universal never could.

Happy to help mirror as well: Mirror Site Link

Shakespeare | December 16, 01:17 CET

and what's up with her fake arm?

River is pointing to the planet Miranda.

Shakespeare | December 16, 01:19 CET

I'll be able to host a hi-res regardless of size.

pjalne | December 16, 01:46 CET

Quote 11th from the OB "When the design can be called "done", I'll be able to offer a hi-res printable version. I just want it to be as authentic as possible. There will probably be more updates on the DVD, maybe some awesome new still, or whatever, and I might need to revise the design again.

But it will certainly be availble by the time the official one is out, so that anyone who wants to can swap out the covers."

From this thread

danregal | December 16, 01:57 CET

This copy of the cover will be to low-res to produce a high quality print. 11th hour was going to put up a high-res version of the cover once she was happy with all the details on the cover. Hopfully that version will be available soon.

[ edited by Zoic_Fan on 2005-12-16 02:00 ]

Zoic_Fan | December 16, 02:29 CET

I like the cover, on the whole, but the shot of the Operative should be more menacing. As it stands, he looks hopeful.

MattM | December 16, 02:41 CET

I cannot begin to tell how much better I like this art than the official cover.

MattM, the Operative is hopeful, hopeful of a better world...better worlds...all of them. I like the way he looks on the cover. Will make a newcomer to the movie really amazed when he pulls out his sword...but he really is a hopeful person. Not for himself, but for the future of all people. Which is what makes him all the more terrifying.

Chris inVirginia | December 16, 02:57 CET

Zoic, it's a gurl ;)

gossi | December 16, 03:04 CET

Awesome, really awesome cover!
Waiting for the hi-res version.

Angel TheVampire | December 16, 03:49 CET

shiny indeed :)
can't wait to see the hi-res version

Blacklodge | December 16, 05:05 CET

All of her work is amazing. Her art will be the cover for my DVD. The dvd cover is sublime, but I think my favorite art by her is the Kaylee poster, "Ever sail in a firefly?"

Dizzy | December 16, 05:26 CET

This is infinitely better than the R1 version. *Sigh.* Count me in on those waiting eagerly for the hi-res version. Thank you, 11th Hour person, for your shiny art.

phlebotinin | December 16, 07:09 CET

OMG. That is so good. When the HiRes version hits, make sure you post a link. It will be mine....oh yes....it will be mine.

DarenG | December 16, 10:03 CET

Yes. Gimme the hi res. This woman rocks.

RBB | December 16, 10:26 CET

Pretty

Apocalypse | December 16, 11:08 CET

The Dark Shape, can we bribe you for a printable version of yours?

teradia | December 16, 18:23 CET

I agree that this is a good-looking cover, and it's a hell of a lot better than the current R1 version. I think this would sell nicely.

But, as far as personal taste goes, this still isn't my favorite fancover. I probably wouldn't even have mentioned this if this hád been the official cover, but with all the different fan interpretations around I guess I got overly nitpicky:

The angle of River's arm freaks me out (I'm weird) and I still think Mal's face looks odd. Also, I feel this cover has got just a touch too much of an epic 'Star Wars'/LotR-type movieposter going on. And also: I'd put quotes on the front, not just the back.

But other than those minor points of critisism, this is obviously still a professional, good-looking cover. Way, way better than anything I could produce, that's for sure. And I love the back of the cover to bits.

GVH | December 16, 18:44 CET

this is much, much, much better!

polo | December 16, 19:20 CET

The angle of River's arm freaks me out (I'm weird)

Yeah it freaks me out too. It doesn't look right. I would probably have her just looking up at Miranda too, instead of looking up and pointing. It's not the best composition, but I still like this cover the best of the fan covers I've seen.

electricspacegirl | December 16, 19:37 CET

I liked that one with Serenity in the Ion Cloud...that was neat.

nixygirl | December 16, 19:52 CET

The shot of River pointing is from the movie I believe, where she is pointing the gun at Mal in the bar.

gossi | December 16, 20:13 CET

ESG, the arm might not entirely right, but I'd say it really helps the composition instead of damaging it. If you follow the line from her index finger... ah screw it, I'm drawing it up.

link

Here you can see that the primary lines (bright red) help giving the image balance, while slight deviations from the lines help avoiding a static result. In addition to this, supporting secondary lines (dim red) contribute by boxing in Mal's face, making him a secondary focal point (Serenity/the planet being the primary).

A more complex example is the Return of the King cover:

link

Here, the primary lines give structure to a composition where the scales are all over the place. Again, secondary lines help narrowing the focal point down to the light in Frodo's hand (the fact that it's so shiny also helps, of course). Note that the lines also box in Frodo as well as the faces of Aragorn and Gandalf.

[ edited by pjalne on 2005-12-16 18:33 ]

pjalne | December 16, 20:30 CET

Well, I'm not an art major or anything so it's just my uneducated opinion that the arm just looks off somehow. shrug. It's not a big deal.

electricspacegirl | December 16, 20:38 CET

No, no, not at all. Sorry if I came across as hostile, I'm just waiting for a bus and had some time to kill. It DOES look slightly wonky, though.

pjalne | December 16, 20:42 CET

I didn't think you were being hostile, pjaine. No worries.

electricspacegirl | December 16, 20:53 CET

Didn't 11th say this was unfinished anyway?

Grounded | December 16, 20:58 CET

pjalne, your analysis of the composition is interesting (and not hostile at all). I think what bugs me and others is that the subtle effect on the composition is overshadowed by the more evident weirdness of the arm position.

I like the cover, I just think I'd like it even more without the arm. (This coming from someone who has no artistic background/talent, just knows what he likes. =)

jam2 | December 16, 22:00 CET

Can I just mention that I actually have the actual DVD in my hand as I type? And the cover does look better than the photos suggested. It's a very "3-D" ish effect, very shiny, pun intended.

Big thanks to Play.com for managing to ship it to the UK this fast.

I suppose I'd better watch it now...

zz9 | December 16, 22:13 CET

I think what bugs me about the arm is that River's eyes are not focused on where she is pointing: they're focused a little to the the left of where she is pointing. It's subtle, but enough to make it look a bit wonky. Other then that, though, I love it.

Dizzy | December 16, 23:46 CET

I agree, this is beautiful looking, and much more reflective of the film. It conveys the sense of character and story instead of going for all out action and hordes of monsters, but it still has that sense of danger and excitement.

What kind of paper are y'all going to print the hi-res version on? What size will fit a DVD case?

Razor | December 17, 01:19 CET

Okay, I've now watched the movie, then watched it again with Joss's commentary, spotted Inara's bow and arrow, watched the deleted scenes and the outtakes.

But... The cover are is the suprise. It is way better then the photos suggested. I am a convert. Now here comes the funny... Trying to work out why I came to the conclusion it's printed, as I've said above, very "Shiny", as in printed on foil or something. Because my copy was ordered from Canada it has a reversable cover with the inside version being in French. Now that one is not shiny, it's just printed on paper and it looks just like the photos of the cover we've seen. It does make a difference.

zz9 | December 17, 03:15 CET

Can I just mention that I actually have the actual DVD in my hand as I type? And the cover does look better than the photos suggested. It's a very "3-D" ish effect, very shiny, pun intended.

You really think so? I got it today and I think it looks even worse in person. The foil or whatever it is is ridiculous.

Grounded | December 17, 04:08 CET

Grounded, do you have the inside cover to compare? I think it looks good.

zz9 | December 17, 16:41 CET

Haven't tried it yet, although I did notice the reversibility.

Grounded | December 17, 18:37 CET

December 15 2005