19 // An Angel Made Again: Rachael and the Legacy of Memory

In this episode, JM sits down to interview Richard Clegg, Visual Effects Supervisor for The Moving Picture Company—and recent Academy Award nominee for visual effects for Blade Runner 2049. Before that interview, JM, Patrick, and our new cohost, Dan, discuss the character of Rachael from 2019, and what it was like to see her again in 2049.

76 // Nerdgasm

After months of infighting, confusion, and generalized crankiness, the Alien fan community rejoiced as one this past week in the wake of two big announcements: a new video game and a new comic!

In this episode, Ryan, Patrick, Dave, and Mykal have an especially raucous roundtable discussion about the big news. Along the way, they go deep into their personal histories with in-universe video games—the good ones, the bad ones, the weird ones, the ones that got seized as evidence by the FBI when they were children, and much more.

It was great fun to record this episode; we hope it’s just as fun to listen to.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT // Philosophy and Blade Runner

To get your exclusive 20% discount: go to bit.ly/philosophyandbladerunner and enter PM18TWENTY at checkout. Offer expires February 20, 2018.

Palgrave Macmillan, publisher of Timothy Shanahan's amazing Philosophy and Blade Runner, have kindly arranged for our listeners to get an exclusive 20% discount off the cover price of the book (both the physical edition and the e-book). We want to make it as convenient as possible to get this book into your hands, as we've got some related episodes coming up and we would LOVE to have you call in and join the conversation!

We're also planning on launching a little book club around Philosophy and Blade Runner via Fields of Calantha (our Facebook discussion group). More details on that will come shortly.

The discount code will expire on February 20, 2018, so grab a copy ASAP and get ready to read together!

75 // Interview with Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.

As Alien fans, we’ve become used to change. Different directors; different scripts; different planets; different eras; different timelines; even different film studios. With everything so constantly in flux, it’s easy to forget that Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. have been there since nearly the very beginning. From their pioneering work on Aliens, to the foundation of the legendary Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc., Gillis and Woodruff have been at the vanguard of the effects industry for more than three decades.

In this exclusive, unprecedented interview, our very own JM Prater visited Gillis and Woodruff at Studio ADI in Hollywood for a sit-down conversation about their love for the Alien Saga, their relationships with the fans, and much, much more.

18 // Don't You Know What I Am? The Replicant in Us All

A couple of weeks ago, a new listener named Evie wrote in and opened up to us about how she experiences the world of Blade Runner. All of the staff at Shoulder of Orion were collectively heartened and blown away by the contents of her letter—so much so that we invited her as a guest on the podcast. At that point, Evie hadn't seen 2049.

Please join us as we discuss the importance of stories featured in both Blade Runner films, what it means to fit in, to be validated as a human, and live our collective agencies. Joining us in this episode are hosts JM Prater, Patrick Greene, his partner, Micah Greene, and our newly recurring host, Daniele Ferlito. 

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Proximity: Last Stand at Hadley's Hope (Chapter 1)

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Perfect Organism is proud to present a groundbreaking new audio drama set in the Alien universe. The culmination of nearly a year of work, Proximity is a character-driven glimpse into the nightmare that erupted in the Hadley's Hope colony on Acheron in June of 2179.

Written and directed by JM Prater, Proximity is the story of Anne and Aaron Andrews, two young colonists trying to hold it together while the world around them falls apart. With immersive sound design, an orchestral score, and a talented cast of voice actors from around the world, Proximity is a love letter to the Alien Saga created by people who love it madly and truly.

This is for you. We hope you enjoy it.

CAST (in order of appearance)
Introduction: Richard 'Spanners' Ready of Missed Apex Podcast
Narrator: Kevin Kordis
Aaron Andrews: Patrick Greene
Anne Andrews: Micah Greene
Radio: JM Prater
Brad Lydecker: Bradford Eckhart
Woman on Transmission: JoAnne Greene
Child on Transmission: Jude Greene
Medlab Voices: Ryan Zeid
Radio Commercial: Ryan Zeid
Ooge: Mykal McCulloch
Robbie: Kevin Duffield

SOUND DESIGN
JM Prater and Patrick Greene

MUSIC
Patrick Greene (see patrickgreenemusic.com for full list of performers)

TELEPLAY
JM Prater

DIRECTOR
JM Prater

Based on original characters by Dan O'Bannon, Ron Shusett, and James Cameron

www.perfectorganism.com

74 // Stay Frosty, We're All in Strung Out Shape

Recent events—the announcement of the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by the Walt Disney Company; controversial proclamations by Ridley Scott on the future of the franchise; a surprise Instagram post by Neill Blomkamp offering never-before-seen conceptual art for his Alien 5 project; among others—have Alien fandom whipped into a frenzy.

Hoping to make some sense of these late-breaking developments, JM, Ryan, Patrick, and Mykal assembled for a very impassioned late-night roundtable discussion.

Where do you stand on all this? What are your thoughts? Tell us at Building Better Worlds—we’d love to keep this conversation going.

***BONUS*** Stay tuned at the end of the episode for an exclusive preview of Proximity: Last Stand at Hadley's Hope! And be sure to refresh your podcatchers on January 1, when we’ll be dropping the first chapter of this groundbreaking audio drama.

73 // Disney and the Alien

With the news of the recent acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney, Jaimeand Ryan convene to discuss the implications of the sale, and what it means for the series. They go on to discuss Ridley Scott's role in the franchise and whether or not Alien should leave the creature behind and explore artificial intelligence. We hope you enjoy this episode.

17 // Sapper's Tree: Unicorn Totems & The Importance of Memory

Patrick and Jaime are joined by special guest Dan Ferlito as they dive into the significance of memory, unicorn totems, and what it means to be human. This episode continues the deeper exploration of Blade Runner 2049, and how it continues to sit with us as the film leaves theaters and awaits a home video release. 

16 // I'm Here for Mr. Wallace: Interviews with Dr. Robin Bunce

Dr. Robin Bunce, a historian of political ideas at the University of Cambridge, published a thought-provoking article in the New Statesman in October on how Blade Runner 2049's dystopian setting feels unsettlingly close to our own current cultural-political moment. We reached out to him for an interview, and it was so fascinating we called him back for a follow-up! In the first half, Patrick talks to Robin about geopolitics, architecture, slaves, distribution of wealth, and more; in the second half, JM focuses on why Dr. Bunce thinks Luv is the most fascinating character in the whole film.

Be sure to read Dr. Bunce's article, and let us know your thoughts! We look forward to having him back on the show.

If you'd like to purchase Owen Hatherley's A New Kind of Bleak (referenced in the first half), you can find it here.

15 // A Dangerous Day: Interviewing Director Charles de Lauzirika: The Man Behind The Final Cut

JM brings you an exclusive interview with Charles de Lauzirika, the director behind Blade Runner: The Final Cut, and director of Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner. Charles spends a good amount of time, discussing his love for Blade Runner, and his involvement with the restoration of what is now widely known as Ridley Scott's definitive edit of his 1982 masterpiece, Blade Runner. It's important to note that without Charles, there would be no Final Cut. We talk about all of that and more. Please join us for a listen. 

72 // Tales Of the Body Thief: Interviewing Director Charles de Lauzirika

I've been attempting to track down Charles de Lauzirika for many many years. Charles is an award winning film director, and one of very few people who have been privy to the innerworkings of the worlds that legendary film director Ridley Scott has created over the course of several decades. After what felt like the impossible, Charles kindly granted Perfect Organism an interview. I am honored and pleased to share that conversation with you now.

-JM

14 // Building a Physical World: The Miniature Team of Blade Runner: 2049

In this exclusive interview episode, Jaime sits down with the minature artists behind Blade Runner: 2049: Weta Workshop's Steven Saunders, Chris Menges, and Joaquin Loyzaga. Learn the secrets behind expansive worlds like the Trash Mesa, and that incredible and amazing cityscape we have loved since our affair with the original film. This conversation was informative and surreal. Thanks to Steven, Chris and Joaquin for their time and efforts, and lifting the veil for all of us fans.

13 // We Shall Storm Eden and Retake Her: Listener Feedback

Patrick and Jaime discuss listener letters and voicemails from the past few episodes. The topic of Joi comes up again, as the character continues to be a source of fascination and controversy. Thank you to everyone who called and wrote us. This podcast means so much to us, and it's wonderful to hear that it means so much to you.

71 // Defending Alien: covenant (part 2)

In what is our longest show ever, clocking in at over 2.5 hours, JM, Ryan, and Patrick are joined by our roundtable hosts Mykal and Dave, and special guest Clara Fei-Fei. This is a really special episode as we talk to Clara about her entry into the world of Alien, her first memories, favorite scenes, and her opinion on Alien: Covenant. This episode is a second chapter in an ongoing and heated discussion over Alien: Covenant, and Ridley Scott's latest comments that have proven incredibly divisive among the fans. The last hour of the show, Ryan, Patrick and JM read our user feedback and comments. Enjoy!

70 // Has the Beast Run Out?

JM and Patrick sit down for an impromptu discussion surrounding Ridley Scott's latest comments that the alien has run its course. These words have sent a shockwave through a VERY fractured and broken fandom, leaving many of us enraged, and scratching our heads. Patrick and JM upack this revelation. Let us know your opinion! 

12 // The Controversy of Blade Runner 2049

In what is our longest episode yet, clocking in at around two hours, Jaime and Patrick are joined by Micah Greene, fan of Blade Runner, and coincidentally, Patrick's spouse and partner. Hold on to your hats, this episode is intense, as Jaime, Patrick and Micah breakdown the role and portrayal of women in Blade Runner 2049, while briefly discussing the visibility of people of color. The best science fiction asks hard questions, it shows us a mirror of ourselves, pushing us to explore, understand more. This is exactly what this amazing conversation turns into. We hope you enjoy. 

11 // Home Again, Home Again: 2049 Spoiler Roundtable Part 2

It's been a few weeks since Blade Runner 2049 had its wide theatrical release, and the reverberations of this amazing film have been felt in all corners of Blade Runner fandom. JM, Ryan, and Patrick decided it was time to gather together for another freewheeling roundtable discussion episode to unpack what's on our minds.

What are the images, ideas, sound cues, etc. we can't stop thinking about? What are fans delving into on social media? How has our relationship with this film and its characters changed as we've seen it again and again over the past month?

And as you're listening, think about what you'd like to contribute to our show! We want to get your thoughts. Your reviews. Your ideas. Your arguments. We want to feature your voice on Shoulder of Orion. So call our voice message number at (213) 787-7894 this week, and we'll feature your call on an upcoming episode!

Ep. 69: Ghosts of Arceon: Tales from a Wooden World (In Defense of Alien 3: Part 5)

In this in-depth episode, Patrick sets out to create the definitive account of his favorite unfilmed script: Vincent Ward and John Fasano's legendary Alien III, set on the wood-paneled planetoid of Arceon.

You'll hear firsthand accounts by some of the creative forces behind this fascinating story, as well as extensive analysis of what might've worked, what might've flopped, and what ultimately survived into David Fincher's film. You'll also get the full background on how Ward was brought into the picture, where his unique ideas might've come from, and why he was ultimately ejected from the project.

Patrick also goes through the script in detail, providing his own dramatic synopsis alongside tightly integrated music cues—hopefully giving some sense of what it might've felt like to watch the film, had it been made.

NB: If you'd like to read the script while you listen, you can get it here for free!