HisDarkMaterials.org

Variety.com spoke with Darren Epstein, executive Vice-President of toy company Corgi Intl., about his high expectations for the tie-in toy line for The Golden Compass, which will launch along with the movie in December 2007.

The stakes are just as high for his company as they are for New Line, Epstein says. He also adds that everyone on the set of the movie is very dedicated and that everyone is doing their best to make the franchise work.

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Corgi toys with 'Compass'

If you want to know what's going to be the big family movie next Christmas, ask a toy guy.

Darren Epstein, exec VP, global business development at Corgi Intl., which specializes in movie tie-ins, is hoping it's New Line's "The Golden Compass."

"Nothing else is coming near 'The Golden Compass' in the last three months of this year," he predicts. "'Prince Caspian' was supposed to be there, but it moved because it didn't want to be near 'Golden Compass.' They might tell you otherwise, that it's filmmaking reasons, but whatever they say, 'Golden Compass' has got a clear run."

Epstein, of course, has got a lot invested in being right. Corgi holds the master toy license for the adaptation of the first book in Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy "His Dark Materials."

The Nasdaq-listed company was formed last fall by the three-way merger of classic Brit model car firm Corgi, another Brit merchandising outfit Cards Inc. and American collectibles specialist Master Replicas. Between them, they have decades of experience creating tie-in toys for the likes of "Star Wars," "Star Trek," "The Lord of the Rings," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Harry Potter" and the James Bond movies.

Indeed, Corgi's deal to make Bond cars stret ches back 41 years -- which Epstein believes is the longest uninterrupted toy license.

But as a brand new franchise based on a relatively recent book without a long-established fanbase, "Golden Compass" is as much of a gamble for Corgi as it is for New Line.

In a world where kids are increasing tempted away from traditional games by digital distractions, Corgi clearly believes that the best way to reclaim their imaginations is by delivering toys with an unprecedented level of authenticity and detail.

"We're bringing some ideas that do well in the adult collectible market into the toy area," Epstein says. "We want the boy or girl to immerse themselves in the world of the film, so we're developing and sculpting the best likeness of any toy product there has been."

"Our Daniel Craig figure of Lord Asriel is the best action figure I've ever seen. You put it next to a photo of Daniel Craig, it looks exactly like him," he boasts. "This is also going to be Nicole Kidman's first foray into the world of fandom, and that's going to be very interesting."

Corgi has been in constant dialogue with the studio and the filmmakers throughout production. "In the past few years, the studios have realized that toys are a core part of the marketing for a franchise, and they are really helping to develop the product," Epstein says.

"I was on the 'Golden Compass' set a few weeks ago, talking to the costume designer, the props master. Some of these people are Oscar winners, and yet they are concerning themselves about how a prop looks on set and how that can be transformed into something you can play with."

"Golden Compass" has all the classic elements of a toy-friendly movie -- role play, fantasy worlds and a list of characters as long as your arm. But there's a twist -- its lead character is, gulp, a girl.

"Having a girl as the hero in an action/fantasy franchise hasn't happened that often," admits Epstein. "For girls, it tends to be Barbie and Bratz. That makes it more of a challenge, but she's the hero girls want to be, and boys will easily identify that she's more of a tomboy, so we don't think they will be put off."

Although the first "Harry Potter" was a merchandising gold mine, other fantasy properties like the Chronicles of Narnia were not as successful in the toy biz.

Then there's the question of how far the movie will reach into the adult market, as "Lord of the Rings" did so successfully at the box office and with its collectible toys. Although the "Dark Materials" books appeal to grown-ups with their complex metaphysical themes, they haven't been around long enough to build an adult fanbase that loved them as children.

But since, as Epstein points out, there has never been a James Bond doll, perhaps there will be an unexpected demand for those lifelike Daniel Craig figures from ladies (and gentlemen) who want to cuddle 007 on their pillow.

Playfuls.com reports on the Golden Compass game briefly, but also posts two screenshots: one of Iorek fending off wolves with Lyra on his back and another of Lyra in Arctic gear in a room which may be on a ship. The article also reveals that there is an official website for the game.  Unfortunately, there is very little on the site so far.

The Golden Compass Game Points At Christmas 2007

The Golden Compass is just one of the many new games already announced this week, and this one's coming from Sega. As the title implies, The Golden Compass will be yet another movie-to-game adaptation, based on New Line Cinema's upcoming theatrical release. And in turn the movie itself is based on the first book in Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy - a fantasy adventure set in a parallel world where "giant armoured bears rule a kingdom, beautiful witches fly through the frozen skies, and human beings' deepest essence is manifest as talking animals that remain their faithful companion for life - their daemon".

The game will naturally try to maintain the film's atmosphere, by featuring environments and characters from the movie - such as those played by Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) and by debuting actress Dakota Blue Richards, who plays the protagonist Lyra Belacqua.

"Players can assume the role of Lyra, a young girl, along with her daemon Pantalaimon (Pan), as she travels through the frozen wastes of the North collecting special items in order to explore, evade and deceive her way through confrontations to rescue a friend kidnapped by a mysterious organisation known as The Gobblers. Lyra can also use her daemon and collaborate with in-game characters to journey through an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well."

At times, players will also take on the character of Iorek Byrnison, a great armoured polar bear who joins the quest and battles to protect Lyra during their journey, using a riding mechanic and special attacks to fend off enemies. Additionally, players will be able to unlock secrets and mini-games using a mysterious truth-telling golden compass device called an "alethiometer".

The Golden Compass is being developed by Shiny Entertainment for six platforms (PC, PS2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox 360 and Wii), and by A2M for the Nintendo DS, with a planned release date for late 2007 - "just prior to the opening of the New Line Cinema motion picture on December 7, 2007".

Although Sega wouldn't say so in their press release, we found that the www.goldencompassgame.com website is already online. So go have a look if you wish; just don't expect to find much more than it's already been said above.

BusinessWire reports: SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today revealed details regarding the development of the video game adaptation of the highly anticipated theatrical release, The Golden Compass, based on the first book in the award-winning trilogy, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. The game is being developed for multiple platforms and will ship in fall 2007, just prior to the opening of the New Line Cinema motion picture on December 7, 2007. Featuring pivotal environments from the movie, the vivid characters are brought to interactive life, featuring the likenesses of the movie’s impressive cast, which includes Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel and newcomer Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua.

Produced by New Line Cinema and Scholastic Media, The Golden Compass follows the screenplay adaptation of the first book in the acclaimed trilogy, capturing the exciting fantasy adventure set in a parallel world where giant armored bears rule a kingdom, beautiful witches fly through the frozen skies, and human beings’ deepest essence is manifest as talking animals that remain their faithful companion for life – their daemon. Players can assume the role of Lyra, a young girl, along with her daemon Pantalaimon (Pan), as she journeys through the frozen wastes of the North to rescue a friend kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as The Gobblers and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well. Gamers can also take on the character of Iorek Byrnison, a great armoured polar bear who joins the quest.

As Lyra, players will use their daemon and collaborate with in-game characters, collecting special items in order to explore, evade, and deceive their way through confrontations with the Gobblers, the Magisterium, and the horribly dangerous spy fly to find her friend. They can also do battle as Iorek with special attacks and a riding mechanic as he protects Lyra during the journey. Gamers will be able to unlock secrets and mini-games using a mysterious, truth-telling golden compass device called an alethiometer. Players can explore 13 vast locations, including all-new breath-taking environments not seen in the film, on this massive journey of collaboration, exploration and the eternal struggle between good and evil.

This epic tale will be brought to the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ video game system, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the Nintendo DS™, and the PC for holiday 2007.

The Golden Compass video game is being developed by Shiny Entertainment, best known for developing games based on the blockbuster The Matrix film franchise. Shiny was acquired by Foundation 9 Entertainment in October 2006. The Nintendo DS version is being developed by A2M. For more information on The Golden Compass, please visit the official movie site or the SEGA FTP site.

Another set report of the press event that took place in London on the 23^td of January.

UGO writes: While set visits usually keep you within the confines of North America, it's always cool when a flight takes you across the pond. New Line Cinema extended an invitation to the online community to head to London, England, where the studio was filming two upcoming projects, The Golden Compass and Inkheart. As of late, New Line has been reveling in the aftermath of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and, with the hope that fans will love a three-part setup, the studio has taken to adapting the fantasy works of Philip Pullman and Cornelia Funke into two distinct trilogies. After touching down in England, the first set we explored was The Golden Compass, the first movie in the His Dark Materials trilogy by Pullman, starring newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman and the new Bond, Daniel Craig, along with his Casino Royale co-star, Eva Green.

The Golden Compass, based on the bestselling novel by Philip Pullman, chronicles the story of an adolescent girl named Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) who finds herself in a parallel universe where people's souls become physical manifestations known as daemons, children have become the target of a series of kidnappings by a organization called the Gobblers, and where giant bears are a regular sight. After Lyra's best friend, Roger, becomes a victim of the Gobblers' kidnapping plot, she embarks on a quest to find Roger which takes her to the ends of the Earth, literally. After making it to the Arctic, Lyra discovers the secret behind the Gobblers' plans and must set out to save more than just her friend as the stakes become higher than she could have possibly imagined. Nicole Kidman has signed on for the role of Mrs. Coulter, the head of the General Oblation Board, also known as the Gobblers. Daniel Craig takes on the role of Lord Asriel, a strong-willed and spirited adventurer with no particular love for the oppressive Church that dominates the alternate world, while Eva Green portrays Serafina Pekkala, a witch queen who rules over a portion of the Northern lands.

Upon arriving at Shepperton Studios, where the project was almost ready to wrap up its shoot, two things stood out: filming had, for the most part, already wrapped, meaning all of the talent, save for Dakota Blue Richards, had vacated the studio, and this fantasy film obviously wasn't based off of practical sets. In fact, the only bit of shooting on that particular day took place in Studio H, an expansive warehouse-like stage that has been transformed into one of the biggest green screens I've ever seen. Richards shoots a scene with her animated co-star, Iorek, a warrior bear that has traveled the Arctic with her in an effort to end the diabolical plot to kidnap the children. As it's revealed to the group, the scene will later be inserted near the end of the film, as Lyra departs the company of her friends for her next adventure to be picked up in the apparent sequel, The Subtle Knife, assuming New Line decides to produce it.

Along with Dakota Blue Richards, director Chris Weitz huddles over a monitor in bundled Arctic garb, observing each of the four takes. The unfortunate part was that neither Richards nor Weitz was able to say anything to the roving horde of journalists. While shooting continued, the entourage of reporters were herded to an adjacent set, where we were treated to a production presentation. Producer Deborah Forte began by discussing her involvement on the project, as well as her passion for the source material. "This project for me started almost 11 years ago when I read the manuscript for The Northern Lights, which is the name of The Golden Compass in the U.K.," Forte explained. "When I read the manuscript for the book, I thought to myself, 'Who is this extraordinary writer?' I had never read Philip's work before. And wherever he's going, I want to go with him."

After Forte talked up the $150 million New Line Cinema project, production designer Dennis Gassner explored the concept designs and the conceptual art, including the use and utilization of several key images of shockingly vivid color and vibrant symbolic imagery. Gassner then told the flock, "Obviously color is really important but also the architecture of the snow is interesting." Gassner discussed the vivid creation of the Arctic world he was tasked with visualizing, saying, "I wanted a place where a meeting took place so the nature of snow and ice converge and create a massive shard which gave a focal point to that world itself."

As for the London skyline in the parallel universe, Gassman described the time setting he used to create his own London skyline. "It's very, very complicated," he said. "The time period was obviously something that came forward actually quite quickly to me, sort of where are we placing this? This told me that story. I said, 'This will be the turn of the century to the '40s.'" That sort of general time frame allowed for much more freedom than he had expected. "So we're dealing with a generality and that opened things up so it's much more fun for the audience to look at because it is a fantasy even though we're basing it in a reality environment."

Finally, costume designer Ruth Myers walked the crowd through an extensive collection of wardrobes, props, paintings and other fixtures within the Golden Compass universe. A large mock zeppelin stood to one side of the set. Myers discussed her works, saying, "My department has made something like 600 costumes. We've painted, we've manufactured, we've done all sorts of extraordinary things. We've taken modern things and played with them. We made period things, and we moved them around." In a slight nod to the concerns of animal activists, Myers discussed her attempt to avoid fur even though it was specifically referenced in the novels. "I was very interested with the idea of not using very much real fur. I like the idea that I could play with other furs and again create a fur that we didn't know."

After the presentations had wrapped up, New Line Cinema offered reporters a true gem. Roughly 10 minutes of rough-cut footage had been edited together to show some of the film's post-production work. The scenes, not nearly completed by any stretch of the imagination, reveal the chemistry between the actors and CGI characters, with the first scene focused on Richards having a conversation with her yet-to-be-rendered daemon, Pantalaimon. The next scene showcased Nicole Kidman in an elegant, alluring dress that really brought out her beauty. Set in a dining hall, the scene allows Kidman to give Mrs. Coulter life as a charming and regal woman, but one who is also hiding more than she lets on up front. Next, Daniel Craig looks nothing like James Bond in Casino Royale. A bearded, accented Craig still develops his character's backstory, as Lord Asriel doesn't yet play a prominent part in the trilogy. For that, fans will have to wait until at least the second film, as his role grows throughout His Dark Materials, culminating in a spell-binding finale, The Amber Spyglass.

The rough cut footage also included some of the close-to-complete CGI, as scenes with Richards riding the computer-animated Iorek across the frozen tundra look on par with the upper tier projects in the digital realm of animation. But with the amount of work required to turn this rough cut into a final product, it would be unfair to pass any judgment, other than to say the actors have done a marvellous job discovering their characters, though that, coupled with a large enough budget, is still not enough to guarantee an outstanding film. With the rough cut footage in mind, the gaggle of reporters flocked over to another adjacent set, where an elaborate stunt demonstration had been arranged.

A diverse group of men and women, young and old, armed and unarmed, gave an example of the stunt coordination for one particular fight scene. While the sequence was performed at half-speed, resembling a well-choreographed ballet, the full speed execution created a much more violent and frantic fight. Undoubtedly, the on-screen result will make for a more high-octane cut, but as the fight demonstration wrapped, the "flight" demonstration began. Since Eva Green plays a witch queen, a rigging setup needed to be constructed to allow the actress to fly around while being able to fire arrows. In a cool move from New Line, two lucky journalists were fitted for flight and took off over the stage.

The last demonstration of the day focused on the custom-made weapons. Most of the guns (some modified antiques, others disguised as modern weapons) were fired one at a time, sending a shockwave throughout the stage. While most of the guns seemed rather ordinary and unimpressive, a seven-barreled death-gun was hauled out and fired, which resulted in laughable shrieks from some of the ladies of the group. And with the earth-rattling blast, the experience of the set of The Golden Compass was complete.

The real question facing The Golden Compass is simple: Can New Line Cinema repeat the success The Lord of the Rings trilogy? New Line is gambling that the answer is yes, and that the Chris Weitz adaptation of the Philip Pullman novels will strike a chord with audiences of all ages. As opposed to LOTR, these films are not being shot concurrently, as New Line held off on giving the green light to the sequel, The Subtle Knife. While a script is supposedly in development, there has been no commitment to finish out the series should The Golden Compass fail to live up to expectations.

Having locked down top-notch actors, along with some incredible visual effects artists, it seems unlikely that the movie won't hit a chord with the general movie going crowd. Where The Golden Compass does run the risk of going astray is with the fans of the original books. The alternate world created so masterfully by Philip Pullman is one that could seemingly only exist in one's imagination, with the details of the storyline not, let's say, lending themselves to a practical recreation. As well, the anti-Church sentiment expressed throughout the trilogy, revealed through Pullman's fictional Magesterium, has been toned down significantly in order to make it marketable to the United States. While these questions linger, and with a huge investment on the part of New Line Cinema on the line, everything will be decided on December 7, 2007 when the film hits theaters everywhere.

Scholastic has informed us that they'll be publishing two new editions of the His Dark Materials books.

The left one features identical content but sports a cover which will supposedly appeal to the younger readers.

The second new edition is a refreshed version of the classic British edition, this time with updated (foil) cover art; these books also contain the appendix added in the 10^th anniversary editions.

View the new editions in Photograms.

Philip Pullman and producer Deborah Forte will be discussing the transition of The Golden Compass from book to film. The discussion will be chaired by Mark Lawson, a presenter for BBC Arts.

The event will take place on Saturday the 24^th of March, in the Town Hall; starting at 2PM. Tickets are £16,00 for adults and £10,00 for children.

For more information please see the official website.

London Theatre Guide reports: The National [Theatre] has appointed author Philip Pullman and director of the British Museum Neil MacGregor to the board. Pullman, whose His Dark Materials trilogy was adapted for the National stage in 2003, commented: “I am very happy to have been invited to join the Board of the National Theatre, a place where I have had some of the most profound and the most enjoyable experiences of my theatre-going life. It’s a great privilege to be able to contribute to the working of one of the great national cultural treasures, and I look forward very much to learning more about it.”

The Guardian asked Philip Pullman why he began writing, and why he still does.

What made you want to write when you were starting out?
The desire to have a story in which I liked everything and not just parts of it.

What makes you write now?
Habit.

Philip Pullman - Why I Write

What was your favourite book as a child?
I used to like the Moomin books of Tove Jansson, and another favourite was 'The Magic Pudding', by the Australian author Norman Lindsay.

When you were growing up did you have books in your home?
Yes. My mother used to read a lot, and so did my grandparents. I found a lot of books that interested me on their shelves; not just children's books (the ones they used to have when they were children) but adult novels, too. I remember reading the Don Camillo stories by Giovanni Guareschi, which were popular in the 50s when I was young. I don't suppose anyone reads them any more, but they were tales of a genial and amusing sort, in which the decent country priest Don Camillo confronts and defeats the communist mayor Peppone, who is himself fundamentally decent anyway, when cornered. It was right-wing cold war propaganda (to put it very crudely) showing the goodness and honesty of ordinary simple Christian villagers, the generous wisdom of Don Camillo's Christ, the wiliness and untrustworthiness of the communists. Well, a lot of people liked that sort of thing, and so did I, when I was about 10.

Was there someone, a relative or teacher who got you interested in reading and writing?
Not especially. They had the best attitude, which was to take no interest whatever: neither encourage nor forbid. Consequently I thought I'd discovered the world of books for myself, and it was my own big secret.

What made you want to write when you were starting out?
The desire to have a story in which I liked everything and not just parts of it.

Do you find writing easy?
It gets harder and harder. Every day is a turning point. Every day I have to force myself to go and write, and every day (more or less) I still do.

What makes you write now?
Habit.

How do you write?
I go to my table and sit down and pick up my pen, and write three sides of narrow-lined A4 paper - and then I stop.

How do you survive being alone in your work so much of the time?
It's not a question of survival. I welcome it. I like being on my own for that time. As a matter of fact I think I'd go mad if I didn't have that time of solitude.

What good advice was given to you when you were starting out?
"Don't. You'll never make it. You'll never earn a living. Get a decent job and forget all about it. It's a silly idea. There's no future in it."

What advice would you give to new writers?
"Don't. You'll never make it. You'll never earn a living. Get a decent job and forget all about it. It's a silly idea. There's no future in it."

What are you working on at the moment?
A sequel to His Dark Materials. But I can't say more than that. It's going to be a long book, and I'm only part way through it.

Playthings has an extensive review online of the American International Toy Fair. Here's what they had to say about the His Dark Materials related merchandise.

Corgi also is previewing its extensive launch of product tied to The Golden Compass, the first chapter in Philip Pullman's sophisticated young-adult fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. The much-awaited film from New Line and Scholastic about 12-year-old Lyra Belacqua's journey to the Northern Lights to rescue a kidnapped friend features shape- shifting animal familiars, talking armored polar bears, and dozens of intriguing characters, which will be represented in products for both kids and adults, Allen says.

"This is a huge deal for us on a number of levels," he adds. "We're really, really excited about it--it has the most beautiful style guide I've ever seen." New products for kids in 2007 will include character action figures; a battle-bear figure set; a digital pet that incorporates the idea of animal familiars inside a toy compass; large talking plush, smaller bean-bag plush and inside-out "shape-shifting" animal plush; role-play costumes; a board game and collectible trading cards. For adults, expect high-end prop replicas of the spy flies used in the film and the alethiometer itself, the titular "compass,” as well as detailed character statues and die-casts that feature "stunning likenesses," Allen says.

Also timed to the December 7 release of the film will be a host of tie- in books from Scholastic, the licensing agent for the property as well as producer of the film, and other items from its partners. "It's a really nice marriage and it's been really interesting for us," Leslye Schaefer, senior vice president of marketing and consumer products for Scholastic Media, tells Playthings. The Golden Compass is the first film that Scholastic has been involved with that has a budget anything near its size, some $150 million plus, she says, noting, "We're launching a huge campaign."

Random House, the book's publisher, will rejacket the books in the series with movie-themed artwork, and summer-reading promotional programs with Barnes and Noble and Borders are also in the works to drive kids' interest ahead of the film, Schaefer says. Additional deals include games and puzzles from Mega Brands and Sababa Toys.

Figures.com has posted a series of images of the forthcoming The Golden Compass action figures and toys. In this article we take a look at the most interesting pictures.

First of all it worthy to note how accurately the toys match the movie material that we've already seen. Lee Scoresby's balloon looks just like the actual model that we saw at Shepperton. If you look closely you'll notice the circular designs on the balloon, in line with what production designer Dennis Gassner's told us at the set visit:

“The simplicity for me was actually the sphere which became the golden compass. The protagonist and the antagonist of our films, you need symbols, simply become that. The symbol for purity [the circle] for Lyra and then the antithesis of that would be for me the oval, which is the extension or manifestation of that symbol. So it's nice to have a contrast, and you can start to build the world from there..

Some other object we instantly recognise are the ship that takes Lyra and the Gyptians to the North, the Noorderlicht, the car that featured in one of the concept art images, and of course a zeppelin.

Another discussion that existed for a while now was the question what Iorek's armour would look like, as the promotional booklet contained an image of a polar bear with horns on his armour. We can now confirm that that is in fact Iofur, or Ragnar Sturlusson as he is known in the movies; Iorek's armour features a much more sober look.

It does seem like Iorek is the most prominently featured character, with such toys as an 18" talking Iorek, an Iorek mask, or even Iorek Byrnison slashing paws — the box reassures us that it's simply a 'roleplay electronic'.

There will also be (as predicted) transforming dæmon plushies. For those of you who who always wanted an alethiometer, here's your chance. It even comes with an authentic carrying pouch.

For those of you who are rooting for the Magisterium you might wish to invest in a couple of spy flies.

In my opinion most of the merchandise really looks interesting. The only thing that I disagree with is the smile on the golden monkey's face.

This article contains a great deal of previously posted material, but also several new quotes.

About.com reports: Production designer Dennis Gassner is used to working on big films, with movies such as Bugsy, Road to Perdition, Big Fish, and Jarhead dotting his impressive resume. But Gassner admits that bringing to life the world of The Golden Compass – the first of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy to make its way onto the big screen – was a special challenge. On the London set of New Line’s The Golden Compass the 20+ year veteran of films led the online media through his part in the process of bringing to life The Golden Compass.

Behind the Scenes of "The Golden Compass" with Dennis Gassner

Production Designer Gassner Provides an Inside Look at "The Golden Compass"

Production designer Dennis Gassner is used to working on big films, with movies such as Bugsy, Road to Perdition, Big Fish, and Jarhead dotting his impressive resume. But Gassner admits that bringing to life the world of The Golden Compass – the first of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy to make its way onto the big screen – was a special challenge. On the London set of New Line’s The Golden Compass the 20+ year veteran of films led the online media through his part in the process of bringing to life The Golden Compass.

Putting Together the World of The Golden Compass: “The question that I had for everybody was what is The Golden Compass? And to me, I deal in symbols, I'm the architect of the film.  How do you get into a world like this which is a very unusual world, one that I haven't created and nobody has? So you start with that, something simple,” explained Gassner. “The simplicity for me was actually the sphere which became the golden compass. The protagonist and the antagonist of our films, you need symbols, simply become that. The symbol for purity for Lyra and then the antithesis of that would be for me the oval, which is the extension or manifestation of that symbol. So it's nice to have a contrast, and you can start to build the world from there. That's how I started, very simply and very direct.

"I started with, obviously, Oxford, the parallel world of Oxford exists but in Jordan College which doesn't exist. What does that look like? There was a word that I came up with on a film called Waterworld which was again the same futuristic type of world, an alternate world, and that word is called cludging. It's taking one element that exists and another element that exists and putting them together, combining into something else.”

Creating the Snow Scenes: How will the snowy setting of The Golden Compass differentiate itself from other fantasy films? “Obviously color is really important but also the architecture of the snow is interesting,” answered Gassner. “I've taken basically one crystal of snow and manifested it into a very large element. It's a fusion. I wanted a place where a meeting took place so the nature of snow and ice converge and create a massive shard, which gave a focal point to that world itself.”

The Design of London in The Golden Compass: “London was particularly fun to do because you don't get to redesign London very often. I wanted to do that in an homage to Christopher Wren who redesigned London but never really got to realize it, except for St. Paul's and some churches. I've kind of taken the symbol of St. Paul's as the keystone and developed around that a more glass world.”

Deciding on what period of history to pull from in the design, as well as figuring out what to leave in and what could be left out, was a complicated process. “Yes, it's very, very complicated. The time period was obviously something that came forward actually quite quickly to me. Sort of where are we placing this? This told me that story. I said, 'This will be the turn of the century to the '40s. We have that window of 40 years to say…' For costume, for props, everybody needed to have a window in time to deal with. But it's a broad window of time. We're dealing with a generality and that opened things up. It's much more fun for the audience to look at because it is a fantasy, even though we're basing it in a reality environment. We're saying, 'This is a real time, real place that you're in now.' But it gave me the scope to play with a lot of elements of time. And that accumulation is the exciting part about getting to do something like this.”

The choice of what sort of buildings to add to the set came down to what looked good. “That's all - it's what looks good,” said Gassner. “For me, it's the emotional content of the pieces. I react emotionally to material. 'Oh, that feels about the right size and the right shape and the right proportion because emotionally that should be happening at this point in the script.' The environment is just really the backdrop. Like any piece of architecture, any environment that we all go through, it's how it feels in space. A film envelopes you into an environment that the story works, and the characters in the story then manifest themselves as they do from the novel. That's why we're all doing this, because everybody enjoyed the book and we have to start somewhere, so we start with a good piece of material.

I remember when I first met Philip [Pullman, the author]. He reinforced exactly the thing that I talked about with Deborah. I said, 'What is The Golden Compass?' We went out to Oxford and we walked through some of the areas that he had imagined these scenes taking place, because that's exactly what he had done. He had wandered and thought of these ideas. He took us to a small museum of timepieces and I went in. He would show me, 'Well, this is an interesting piece and this is an interesting piece.' And I said, 'Yes, but here's something that's actually more interesting to me.' I looked up and on the shelf there was a concave mirror. It was encased in a beautiful piece of wood and I looked at it. I said, 'Philip, to me that's the most interesting thing in this room because I can see both of us in that.' He was kind of standing away from me. What it did, it brought both of us together. And I said, 'This is a really key element of the film for some reason.”

CGI versus Practical Effects: Gassner said there are more practical effects than CGI in The Golden Compass. “Everything here is practical and extensions in CGI. When you have a long, long journey in how to make this movie, there's push and pull in all films so you say, 'What can we build physically? What does CGI have to take over?' But it's a practical element of dealing with the financials of the film. You divide it up, you have so much money and you say, 'Where is it going to go? What's the best use of it?'”

* * * *

New Line Cinema's The Golden Compass hits theaters on December 7, 2007.

Empire asks: And you’ve since chosen a role in what is set to be another huge film, The Golden Compass – what attracted you to playing Serafina?

Eva Green: I read the Philip Pullman trilogy and really liked the role – she's strong and hundreds of years old. She is a witch who is a guide, philosopher and friend to Lyra. It is quite a mysterious role which I found attractive.

On The Golden Compass, Bond and her Orange Rising Star nomination

Empire: Congratulations on your nomination for the Orange Rising Star Award. How's that feel?
Eva Green: So exciting! I really am thrilled to be nominated for this one. It's incredible to be nominated for a BAFTA - I'm French, after all!! I moved here last year so this really is the best welcome!

Empire: You're in good company, have you seen the work of the other nominees?
Eva Green: Yes - wonderful company. I am very honoured to be among such a high calibre. I really liked Emily Blunt in My Summer of Love, especially.

Empire: We know you're generally not one for the spotlight, so what's your opinion of awards in general?
Eva Green: I think it's very important to recognize talent in all facets of filmmaking. Making a movie is such a lengthy and intense experience, so it's wonderful to honour actors, directors, producers and all crew members who put so much hard work and passion into a project. It's true that I'm not competitive and that I am rather shy, but I'm also rather proud of being nominated for this!

Empire: It's also voted for by the public - the people who have paid to see your work. Is there a comfort in that?
Eva Green: Yes, I'm really pleased that the public vote, because if they have enjoyed my work and vote for me then I am extremely honoured. However, I don't think many people know me in England, so I don't expect to get many votes!

Empire: You’re also a musician – which instruments do you play?
Eva Green: I play the piano. I bought an upright piano that is actually electric so I can practice my scales with headphones on and not make my neighbours' lives hell!

Empire: The Orange Rising Star recognises a body of work, but you're certainly in the public’s consciousness at the moment for Vespa – was there ever a time when you were worried about taking that role?
Eva Green: Initially, when I heard that they were interested, I was a little cautious. I had not read the script and the words "Bond Girl" were swimming in my conscience. My first role was with Bertolucci and I'm inclined towards independent movies, so I worried about the stigma of the female role in a Bond movie, and thought that I would just be pouting and wearing a bikini. However, when I read the script, I fell in love with the role and also the way that Bond was portrayed. I saw a whole new Bond, and a role that was simply magnificent. So many layers - a character that had a strong facade but that was very vulnerable at the same time.

Empire: For our money, you’re the best Bond girl yet – was it all there on the page when you started, or did you have to work on bringing out a lot of the strength and intelligence that we see in Vespa onscreen?
Eva Green: It was a really well-written role on the page. I worked a lot with Lindy Hemming (the costume designer) to make her feminine but strong. I really didn't want the character to be just one big cleavage and so we worked on finding sharply tailored suits. I wanted to make her like Ingrid Bergman in the 1940's - strong and witty but also fragile and warm. Vesper Lynd was the first female role that Ian Fleming ever wrote so it was a great responsibility to make her fabulous - I just hope I pulled it off!

Empire: And you’ve since chosen a role in what is set to be another huge film, The Golden Compass – what attracted you to playing Serafina?
Eva Green: I read the Philip Pullman trilogy and really liked the role – she's strong and hundreds of years old. She is a witch who is a guide, philosopher and friend to Lyra. It is quite a mysterious role which I found attractive.

Empire: Obviously without giving too much away, what are some of the choices you've made so far in bringing the character to life?
Eva Green: I wanted to make her sound quite other worldly and yet from another age. I worked with my voice coach, Roisin Carty to create a sort of medieval Scandinavian drawl.

Empire: Do you have any other roles lined up?
Eva Green: I'm superstitious so will be jinxed if I mention anything - and am touching wood right now!

Empire: And finally, we've noticed that you’ve studied as a theatre director. Do you have any plans to step behind the camera in the future?
Eva Green: I feel that I'm still very young and so need to acquire a lot more confidence. When I do and learn more, then perhaps I will be able, but for the moment I am going to stick to being in front of the camera as I have to prove more there.

Oxford Mail reports: A new exhibition highlighting Oxford's literary connections is being staged at the Museum of Oxford.

Children's writer Philip Pullman will open The A-Z of Literary Oxford at 12.30pm on Saturday at the museum in Blue Boar Street.

After the official opening with Lord Mayor Jim Campbell, Mr Pullman will be meeting children and signing books from 1pm to 2pm.

Literary exhibition opens

A new exhibition highlighting Oxford's literary connections is being staged at the Museum of Oxford.

Children's writer Philip Pullman will open The A-Z of Literary Oxford at 12.30pm on Saturday at the museum in Blue Boar Street.

The exhibition takes visitors on an alphabetical trail from 'A' for Alice in Wonderland, past 'H' for Hobbit, right through to 'Z' for Zuleika Dobson.

Elizabeth Sleight, a spokesman for the Story Museum, which is hoping to build a £4m centre for children's books, said: "The literary treasures and quirky items on display will include the real Alice's dress and pocket watch, some manuscript pages from Mr Pullman's Northern Lights, original printing blocks and copper plates from Oxford University Press and a letter from JRR Tolkien."

After the official opening with Lord Mayor Jim Campbell, Mr Pullman will be meeting children and signing books from 1pm to 2pm.

To round off the day, the Story Museum is joining forces with the museum to present illustrator Ted Dewan's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, at 2pm.

Youngsters can enjoy an updated version of the classic tale, using slides and music before joining Mr Dewan for a workshop on how to make robots.

Tickets to meet Mr Pullman are free but limited in number, while tickets for The Sorcerer's Apprentice and robot-making workshop are £5 for children and £3 for accompanying adults.

For further information, call the museum on 01865 252761.

A is for Alice - heroine of Lewis Carroll's books

B is for booksellers - Blackwells etc

C is for contemporary authors - Mark Haddon, Val Biro, John Wain, Geraldine McCaughrean, Joanne Trollope ...

D is for dictionaries

E is for encyclopaedias

F is for films based on books - Brideshead Revisited ...

G is for gardens and meadows - Jerome K Jerome, Kenneth Grahame, Lewis Carroll ...

H is for Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

I is for Inklings - JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Charles Williams

J is for journals and journalists

K is for Kelmscott - William Morris

L is for libraries

M is for murder and mystery - Colin Dexter, Dorothy L Sayers, John Le Carre, Veronica Stallwood ...

N is Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

O is for Oxford

P is for printing and the Oxford University Press

Q is for quotes

R is for religion and rebellion

S is for students in literature

T is for theatre

U is for universities - authors who studied or taught in Oxford: Richard Adams, Rev WV Awdry, TE Lawrence, Graham Greene ...

V is for verse - poets, Percy Byshe Shelley, WB Yeats, TS Eliot, Philip Larkin, WH Auden ...

W is for women authors - including Iris Murdoch, Virginia Woolf, Barbara Pym, Penelope Lively and Vera Brittain

X is for Xmas - Christmas Stories and Poems by JRR Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, John Donne and Christmas Carols printed by OUP

Y is for 'your turn' - a chance for visitors take the chance to tell the museum about their own favourite book

Z for Zuleika - Zuleika Dobson or An Oxford Love Story by Max Beerbohm

In this article Drew takes a look at why The Golden Compass might be harder to sell than some might think; a much debated topic during the set visit.

AICN writes: And now that I’ve been to the set, I’m still skeptical of the film as a commercial property. Seriously... what’s the thirty-second version of THE GOLDEN COMPASS? Or even the sixty-second version?

LONDON PART I! Moriarty Visits The Set Of THE GOLDEN COMPASS, The First HIS DARK MATERIALS Movie!!

It’s been just over a decade since Philip Pullman started publishing the HIS DARK MATERIALS series, and I’d certainly say there’s a passionate cult audience that has embraced the books. HIS DARK MATERIALS is an ambitious and difficult fantasy trilogy that features any number of pitfalls for someone trying to adapt it. Which isn’t to say that I think it’s wrong to try. Far from it... I admire the sort of obsessive vision it takes to try and turn something so literary into a film experience.

I’m just not sure I believe this is going to be New Line’s new LORD OF THE RINGS, which it needs to be based on the amount of money the studio is putting into the first film, THE GOLDEN COMPASS.

When I was invited to visit the London set of the film, I was happy to take New Line up on the opportunity. Normally, I try not to schedule things at the exact same time as other outlets, but in a case like this, everything came together at the last minute, and it was either join a fistful of other journalists for the tour or skip the production entirely. I’ve been interested in how this was going to work as a film ever since my first conversations with Chris Weitz way back when he was first announced as a possible director.

I like that he walked away from the project for a while because he was intimidated by the size of the production. Chris Weitz loves HIS DARK MATERIALS. I can tell you that I believe the book is in good hands in terms of respect for the source material. Chris strikes me as a director with taste. ABOUT A BOY didn’t have to be as good as it was. Even with the same cast in place, I’m willing to be that they could have made a shitty studio version of that film that would have made a lot more money, but it wouldn’t be as good as it is. Chris saw something in that material, brought just the right touch to it. I’m willing to bet he’s going to do just as well with THE GOLDEN COMPASS. And the special effects stuff will be excellent because Chris has hired some exceptional talent. Same with the stunts and the production design and the costumes and the cast. This is what $150 million buys you.

It buys you giant names at the head of every department. It buys you time to get your effects work finished right. It buys you a dream cast and the right to give an unknown the lead. After spending a day meeting the heads of those departments and walking through a fairly well-mounted presentation by New Line, I can say that everyone onboard is giving this film everything you’d expect, every bit of the expertise that $150 million is buying.

But can $150 million buy you an audience?

That’s a real question, and the most important one for New Line right now. Before I went to the set, I was skeptical of the film as a commercial property. It’s a fundamental thing... I’m just not sure I see this dense metaphysical fantasy story that is about the nature of free will and the value of our souls as something that any studio can sell to the public in thirty seconds.

And now that I’ve been to the set, I’m still skeptical of the film as a commercial property. Seriously... what’s the thirty-second version of THE GOLDEN COMPASS? Or even the sixty-second version?

I asked this question of “Lord Asriel,” the webmaster for the biggest HDM fansite in the Netherlands, and he tried to sum up the themes of the book for me or he tried to explain daemons to me or he tried to somehow convey that this is good because people like it already. But he couldn’t do it. And, look... I think New Line’s run some great campaigns (LORD OF THE RINGS being the playbook for the new millennium blockbuster, as far as I’m concerned) and they’ve run some campaigns that just plain never worked (no matter how much they loved LITTLE CHILDREN, they never managed to open it)... just like most other studios.

This is a challenge. This is a huge, crazy challenge.

My suggestion is this: “Lyra is special. Here’s the Alethiometer that she uses. It tells her what to do. Here’s her daemon shifting shapes. It helps her. They’re on a journey. Where? North! Why? Save some kids! Polar bear! Daniel Craig! Cowboy! Lyra in the machine in danger! Nicole Kidman! TITLE UP.”

And then pray. It’s your best bet.

And I’m not being negative just to be negative, either. Like I said, I think the film might turn out to be very good. And I certainly think it’s faithful to the book.

But I think Brad Silberling’s A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS was a faithful adaptation that was stylish and well-cast, also, and the Lemony Snicket books are huge, commercial in a way that HIS DARK MATERIALS isn’t. The Snicket books are “dark,” but they’re also comfortable and franchise-minded. If the film got as close to the mark as it did, starring Jim Carrey, a bigger star than anyone who is appearing in THE GOLDEN COMPASS, and that film didn’t manage to connect with the public, then what chance does this series have?

If you’re not familiar with it, it is the story of a girl named Lyra who lives in a world that’s very similar to ours, at least on the surface. There are some notable differences. Airships and dirigibles seem to be a favored mode of transportation. Magic and witches are accepted as part of the natural order. And most significantly, every person has a daemon, a sort of external extension of their soul, an animal spirit that is attached to them and that follows them everywhere they go. Bringing those daemons to visual life and explaining them to the audience is one of the trickiest tasks that Chris Weitz and his team face. When people are still young, their daemons can change shape into several different animals, but as people age, their daemons shapeshifting powers fade, so that by the time they reach adulthood, the daemons have chosen one form and that’s how they appear all the time. I think that’s actually a lovely metaphor for the way our natures change as we “mature,” as we gradually close ourselves off to possibility and wonder. Children are potential, and so are their daemons. Looking at the design work for all the daemons, it’s obvious that THE GOLDEN COMPASS is trying to make them look like photorealistic animals. Nothing exaggerated or cartoony or fantasy about them. The daemons aren’t meant to look fantastic or wild, and they don’t. Neither do the polar bears, which also play a big role in the film. Iorek Byrnison is a down on his luck “panserbjorne,” living in shame because he’s managed to lose his armor. See, all of the polar bears in this world are warriors, and they all wear armor. Lyra meets Iorek and helps him regain his self-respect, and in return, he becomes her most ferocious defender. Their interaction is a big part of the film’s success... or failure.

When we walked onto the greenscreen stage, which looked a lot like every other greenscreen stage, three walls of towering green panels with the occasional reference X, it was just as cold inside as it was outside, so we could all see our breath. And when I say “all,” allow me to point out again that there were more of us than there were of crew members. It was a small army being herded around. There were an absurd number of people representing all sorts of print and online outlets present, and I’m sure by now, you’ve been able to read lots of good coverage, like the stuff at Collider or CHUD. New Line knows that the battle now is getting the word out, making sure that the title itself... THE GOLDEN COMPASS... becomes omnipresent in the next year, so that by the time it comes out, everyone will already have seen enough material to feel invested, fully acclimated to the world. There was nothing like a set on view. Dakota Blue Richards, the unknown who was chosen to play Lyra Belacqua, was the only actor onset. She was playing her scene with a large foam sculpture shaped basically like a polar bear, but with no detail work done to it. And, to her credit, she was acting her ass off. It was the best tearful farewell played to a vaguely polar-bear-shaped piece of foam that I’ve ever seen.

The rest of the cast is pretty impressive, which is why I think Weitz was able to cast the right girl, no matter who she is. Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig are going to become a familiar duo on theater screens this year, while this film also features a reunion between Craig and Eva Green. So far, the single most impressive thing I’ve seen from the entire production was a short scene played between Richards and Craig, who is Lord Asriel in the film, Lyra’s uncle. He’s been away for a while, leaving her to fend for herself. It’s what she’s used to. Lyra’s an orphan, and she was essentially raised by Jordan College, where her uncle is a scholar. He’s doing important work on something called Dust, which is the thing that sort of drives the plot of the film overall. It’s complicated stuff, and the nature of what it does and where it came from is some of the most provocative material in Pullman’s books. Lyra wants to be like him, and although he’s not in a lot of THE GOLDEN COMPASS, they’re casting him in the hopes that they’re going to make it to the third movie, where his role really explodes.

Nicole Kidman’s got the adult lead in the film. She is a mysterious benefactor to Lyra, but she’s got shady motives, and by the end of the film, Kidman gets to play a lot of different faces for Mrs. Coulter. I think she’s got the craziest of the daemons, a golden monkey with a disturbingly aware face. There’s something unnerving about it, even in the production art. Coulter’s connected to the larger mystery that Lord Asriel’s been pursuing, and she’s also connected to The Magisterium, which is Pullman’s metaphorical amalgam of both Church and State into one totalitarian controlling body. The big Kidman scene we saw was her first big scene at dinner with Lyra, and Kidman was in fine eccentric form. What I like about Kidman is the way she sometimes makes horribly embarrassing choices as an actor. Her baby doll performance in BEWITCHED is a nightmare, but I give her credit for making a strong choice and going for it. She really throws herself at roles in strange ways, and when it pays off, it can be riveting. I hope the scene we saw is indicative of how she’s playing Mrs. Coulter. She could be a memorable monster, which is great since the character’s got such a terrifying last name already.

We didn’t see any real footage of Eva Green as Serafina Pekkala, but we did see behind-the-scenes material of her learning to fly for her role as the queen of the witches of the lake, and I am prepared to go on the record as saying she is hot.

There’s a fair amount of magic at the conclusion of the film, it looks like, and some little flurries of action here and there earlier in the film, but I’m guessing this is not going to be a typical adventure film. The books have more on their mind, just like NARNIA did. As pro-Christian as those books are, and as much as they were a reflection of C.S. Lewis and his philosophy, Pullman’s books are almost a refutation of Lewis and his work. Pullman is a big proponent of choice and how free will is the single defining thing about us as people. It’s no accidental irony that Lyra spends much of the film following the direction of the Alethiometer, a device that looks like a big crazy compass/pocketwatch. By reading the way the device vibrates between small symbols, Lyra learns things, hints and clues about the fate of her friend Roger and the nature of Dust and the real agenda of Mrs. Coulter.

She’s able to follow what she learns from the Alethiometer and depends on it during her adventure. The question the books raise is whether or not that faith she places in the device is a good thing. Free will and the condition of your soul are the things driving these characters, not treasure or “ruling the world” or any of the conventional motivations of movie bad guys. And I’m all for that, of course. I just wonder if audiences will be able to get their heads around it. It’s like when we were watching the presentation by Dennis Gassner, the film’s production designer. He was excitedly explaining to us how the challenge of the film is creating a slightly different version of our world. “The Oxford in our film is not the Oxford everyone’s familiar with,” he said at one point. I think there’s one problem with that... not everyone knows Oxford. And even those who do might not know what it looks like... at least not well enough to know that they’ve altered this building or that one, but not the ones around it. Same thing with the Londong Gassner’s creating in the movie. It’s really beautiful production art, no question about it, and Gassner’s one of those guys who has more than proven himself, leaving in his wake a pretty fascinating roadmap across the last 20 years of film: THE HITCHER, EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY, FIELD OF DREAMS, MILLER’S CROSSING, THE GRIFTERS, BARTON FINK, BUGSY, THE HUDSUCKER PROXY, WATERWORLD, THE TRUMAN SHOW, O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?, THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE, ROAD TO PERDITION, BIG FISH, and JARHEAD. He works with strong visual artists, making possible some truly amazing things. I love the landscapes in his films, the spaces he creates. And as he talked about the way he works, it’s seductive. I get why Gassner is who he is. He thinks about every corner of the world you’re going to see in the film. He has an amazing art department turning out some remarkable things for Weitz to try and bring to life, and much of what we saw looked like it was shot directly out of Gassner’s production art.

I am glad to see New Line try to make this film. I think no matter what happens, there’s a lot of genuine love going into this one. The people who really click with Pullman’s books become a little evangelical about them, and if there’s anything I can say for sure after visiting the set, it is that fans are involved at every level with this film.

New Line’s sticking pretty close to their LORD OF THE RINGS marketing plan so far. If you haven’t done so, spend some time poking around their official site, which is still sort of basic. It reminds me a lot of that first LOTR site in terms of layout and design. The Alethiometer thing is interesting and does a nice job of explaining what it is. It feels like Weitz and the people supporting him are people who love the source material and they are doing their stone-cold best to honor it.

I want to think the audience is there for it. I’m just not sure they like their beliefs challenged or their faith questioned by what claims to be a fantasy adventure. You’re asking a lot of audiences, and I guess that’s to be commended. I’m glad you’re making this one, and I cross my fingers that you get the chance to actually finish what you’ve begun.

BELVEDERE COLLEGE, DUBLIN will present Nicholas Wright's two Play adaptation of Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS in the O'REILLY THEATRE at the College from March 5th to March 11th 2007.

Performances are at 7.30pm each evening (except for Sunday 11th March when PART ONE will be presented at 3pm and PART TWO will be presented at 7.30pm)
ADMISSION per performance is € 5

PART ONE: MONDAY 5th / WEDNESDAY 7th / FRIDAY 9th at 7.30pm / SUNDAY 11th (3pm)
PART TWO: TUESDAY 6th / THURSDAY 8th / SATURDAY 10th / SUNDAY 11th (all at 7.30pm)

The stage play uses the original music from the National Theatre's stage production, as well as using authentic Armoured Bear and Harpy costumes.

Visit their website or download the booking form.