July Update (Marvel Project revealed + next steps)

 Hoo, so, back to business.

 First of all, I'm so thrilled for all of you to finally know the project I've been dutifully working on since 2021. The Real Thunderbolts Story is an enormous project but one I've spent a long, long time trying to organise and ensure that production runs smoothly. To have everyone know what it is I've been doing after so long is a bit surreal, but also a huge relief. Feels good to have it out there!

 Now, the trailer was always planned to come out this year, but it would have been a little later to coincide with all the voice actors roles being completed- of course, Marvel Studios timetable stepped up and I felt I had to react accordingly and get a trailer out before their own was revealed at SDCC, meaning this month was mostly spent on making sure that would happen. Lots of production assets for the first episode needed to suddenly be prioritised and completed either under budget or between other people's busy schedule in order to get it together, but we got there, and I'm very happy with the result.

 In a way this helps out the first episode's production, with most of the re-enacted scenes audio assembled in the timeline and having taken a quick detour to start tying down some of the visuals to make that trailer at all possible. I've learnt a lot in the process and earned a little confidence to move forward, and I have a feeling we'll have that first episode out long, long before the movie is released. My current aim is to get at least the first two completed before that time, with an eye to have all five finished by the end of next year, and we're in a very good place for that to happen- it just depends on funding. 

 If there's one thing my friends in the animation industry have learnt is that's you either put in the endless training to do it yourself, or you pay someone talented to get it done faster, and frankly there's only so much of the first I can do without releasing any videos and ensuring not only that everyone is paid, but that I too am surviving. The good thing is that most of the Patreon savings and video funds have lead to a nearly completed set of voice recordings for all the episodes- but I'd like to get a little extra funding to improve the visual sequences I have planned as well as keep myself out of the red.

 To this end, I'm putting together a little video to explain some of the project and see if I can secure a little extra support from my fanbase as I did in 2022. This is not going to stop me from completing the project if it doesn't work out, far from it, I'm simply assessing how much of what I want to do is possible, and whether or not it can be done in a decent time-frame, and to the standard I think this deserves. You'll also get a chance to hear what I think of the MCU's plans.

 I have to apologise for being blown way off course from the other drafts I've completed, as well as the rewards I need to deliver, but those are in good shape and I feel like I can get them done and now knuckle down to work on the rest of this series alongside it. In a way having the secret out feels better- you know now i'm still committed to this and that it'll happen, even if I'm putting out other projects to make ends meet. Ideally, I'd be getting paid to focus purely on this, but I just can't afford right now to drop very real videos I've drummed up that I could get out in that time and help increase the odds of this being polished further, and hey, I'm still pretty passionate about those projects, so you'll still be getting the best work I can offer.

 And, one last thing- Usher and ASM patrons now have access to the original cut of the trailer i devised in 2022, which will kick off your opportunity to see all my behind the scenes work on this project as we continue!

 Thank you as always for your continued support and patience. This is such a huge thing to finally talk about, and a small part of me isn't unconvinced that it'll fall flat on its face somehow, but I feel like I've come way, waaay too far to let it go now. We'll see how this works out- my only hope is for it to live up to the hype.

 Til then, my Thundyblaats

 -B