Christmas is cancelled! The YuleTube collaboration
It was a dark September night, the winter was getting some funny ideas about taking over from Autumn early, the leaves and the trees went their separate ways and a strange new discord invite arrived from Turjan Starstone... Of course I clicked and accepted - Turjan Starstone was pretty much the reason I got into making Elite Dangerous videos, so whatever insanity he had cooking, I wanted in.
The concept was quite simple - get as many Elite Dangerous content creators as possible into a single Discord channel and make something amazing together.
Many video creators signed up as well as Tom Cook who over the course of the project would make a literal shed load of music for us video makers to use. This would prove to be extremely useful for everyone, basically providing the sound track to the entire show. Which not only meant that video makers didn't have to worry about sourcing music, they had top quality, original, thematically consistent music which would help to keep all videos in the series feeling like they belonged together.
Over the next few weeks Ideas were batted around and the member list increased. Ideas ranged from the simple to the insane. After completing my last project "Triple Thargoid" I was a little burned out, the 50+ effects shots in that video nearly killed me; So I was determined to keep any contribution I made as simple as possible.. so that meant No CGI, No lip syncing - I was going to do it old school.
We decided that it'd be a smart idea to partner up with other content creators and work along a common theme.
That should get the old creative juices flowing right?
The theme was Christmas is cancelled. A relatively straight forward idea in which the Mega Corporations of the galaxy had decided to cancel the entire Christmas holiday in order to divert funds to tackle the ever growing Thargoid menace - and make as much money from that as possible; after-all, war makes more money than Christmas.
Pretty soon, Turjan dropped his first episode on us and it was glorious. It set up the scene for the rest of us to work with and I was pretty astounded with how quickly he put it together too.
YuleTube Episode 1 - Elite Christmerous
It featured creepy uncle Gwydian, a recurring character from Turjan's show, The head of the Starstone Industries mega corporation and Turjan's uncle - whom for some reason he holds a warmth in his otherwise cold heart. With a face that could curdle milk while still in the cow and a voice dripping with sinister undertones, Gwydian explained that the holiday was as good as dead, that it needed saving and it would be up to Turjan and whoever he could recruit to save it.
So Turjan turned to Commander Spatula, galactic sleuth extraordinaire - recently back from his work solving the mysteries of the book of the Thargoids and a battle with "The Developers" through space and time.. With Spatula on board, it was certainly going to be a wild ride.
Spatula soon after had his video ready - part one at least.. and boy, we were not disappointed.
YuleTube Episode 2 - The Night Before Dangus Pt 1
A film-noir style detective story where Spatula tried to solve the case of the missing holiday. After failing to recruit Ascorbius to help, he turns to The Yamiks to give him a little assistance.
Following this, everyone was pretty much working full pelt on their own videos and collabs, so I'll talk about each video in the order of release - that way, you can watch them in order as you read this.
YuleTube Episode 3 - Fiesta De Navidad
Commander Shabooka released his video where Shabooka and Cass (One of Turjan's AIs who has a bit of a crush on him) worked out the kinks in his latest screen play while Turjan tries to rally more support - but there's one small problem.
YuleTube Episode 4 - The Chance of a Lifetime Pt 1
Commander Mach1ne was next up with the first part in his 2 part episode. The first victim of ANDRA ( another of Turjan's AIs who used to be a telescope ) - She has a scheme of her own to round up commanders to the cause and Mach1ne responds with this automaton JK and rises to the challenge. Some great moments in this one with some nice lip syncing too. (Come of Frontier, please give us lip syncing)
YuleTube Episode 5 - The Perfect Venue
With the operation to recruit commanders underway, the next job was to find the venue for a massive party. Who best to call? Ghost Giraffe answered with a great Space Tourism episode where Spwrks explains the meaning of Christmas to Mars all while looking for the best possible venue.
YuleTube Episode 6 - The Chance of a Lifetime Pt 2
Mach1ne continued his story next with part 2 of his video where he overhears a conversation which would provide him with the titular Chance of a Lifetime with hilarious results.
YuleTube Episode 7 - Hotbox
With Mach1ne collecting drinks for the party, Turjan figured that perhaps something with a bit more of a kick would be useful too - to enhance the mood. Who to call? None other than the madder than a box of frogs Commander Paroxsym. You want miracles, you contact the guy who flies to Beagle Point in a fer-de-lance for fun.
YuleTube Episode 8 - Gwydion's Hat
There's nothing quite like a needy boss, especially when there's a deadline. Turjan receives a Christmas card from Gwydian, which is actually a barely disguised request for a status report as he decorates his station side apartment in a very festive way. Where did he get that snow globe from though?
YuleTube Episode 9 - Christmas is Cancelled!
Next up it was Yours Truly; and you know when I said, I'd
keep it simple - no CGI, no Lip Syncing?.. well.. that didn't happen. Lots of lip syncing, tonnes of CGI and a full Montage with an original song by Tom Cook. Ascorbius gets snared by ANDRA and is given a mission - can he succeed? Will Jayne kill him before Christmas is saved?
YuleTube Episode 10 - The Night Before Dangus Pt 2
Commander Spatula, Space Detective continued his investigation with a cunning plan. Cancelling Christmas is a bizarre notion indeed, so why shouldn't the solution to the case be any less? Also featuring Commander ToCoSo.
YuleTube Episode 11 - Retrospect
The penultimate episode was The Yamiks who gives his perspective on the run up to Christmas but finds some things are a little strange.
YuleTube Episode 12 - The San Tu Clause
And finally, the erm... Finale. Released on Christmas eve. Everything is in place, items sourced, location found, party started and now to finally save the happiest holiday in history before it becomes relegated to the history books.
With cameos from many other content creators and with the cunning use of Planet Coaster to provide the backdrop for the party.
There were a lot of other people who helped out behind the scenes too.
I can't list everyone but these people deserve special mentions.
TOM COOK for making such great music for so many people and for his great work making the San Tu party.
CMDR GREYTEST for his role of Producer, Handler and Facilitator.
THECOOKIEREBEL for creating some really nice art for everyone to use.
CMDR TIKAS for the trailer.
CMDR OBSIDIAN ANT as Chocolate Santa
CMDR PSYKOKOW as Hutton Orbital ATC
CMDR COLDGLIDER as the announcer voice.
CMDR JOSH HAWKINS as the Previously On voice
CMDR YAMIKS as the San Tu ATC
Special thanks to
Qohen Leth
Moozipan
and Rinzler o7o7o7 for his stunt work in my episode.
It was great working with all of them and I certainly hope to work with all of them again.