Volume 3 Update - February 23, 2015

Getting Closer...

ABC summer reruns - Thursday, June 16, 1960 - this weeks episode:

WTVK, Channel 26, Knoxville, Tennessee

This is one of the episodes on Volume 3!

Speaking of Volume #3, work continues as fast as I am able. Although I feel better than I have the last two years, I still have daily chronic pain and difficulties, and haven't felt tip-top in a long time. Looking forward to being finished with this final DVD asap.

The latest so far:

I have the revised cover art from Johann finally, updated to reflect the actual copyright year of the DVD release (and several minor corrections it needed). I won't likely be posting the new versions here for anti-piracy reasons. 'Nuff said.

I'm continuing to finish up the two documentaries now. I am also having two 16mm bits of film transferred to digital to replace really POOR versions on the DVDs (that have been bothering me for some time)...they should be finished later this week. The earlier versions were of such poor quality that they really needed to be replaced (even though it's not cheap to do so). I'll talk more about this after Volume 3 is released.

As I said last time, Disc #1 is completely done, still finalizing, fixing, trimming and updating the materials on Disc #2. Though it doesn't look like it'll all be done by the end of the month, it is getting done, is closer and will be out soon enough.

There will be a new post here next weekend or so, depending on what I have to report. It generally takes me an entire day to do a post here, and given the option I'd rather work on finishing than reporting...I'm sure you understand. NINE years on one project is a really LONG time...

I've heard from many of you recently, and have been collecting some of the most interesting Steve Canyon comments for another "From The Mailbag" which I had intended for this post, but isn't ready and will have to wait until the next update. What I'm going to do is put the names of all of the most interesting email/letter writers (that I actually use in the next post) in my Steve Canyon cap, and then Linda will pick the winner, who I will announce AND send a flat copy of the cover to Volume #2 (suitable for framing) that is signed by Abel Fernandez, Peter Kuran, James Farmer, myself, and Sylvia Lewis. Use the email link near the bottom of this post. Will consider all emails/letters prior to my next post (as well as what we've received in the last few months).

GOOD LUCK!

Thanks again for all the well-wishes, and I'll see you all back here before you know it!

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Thanks again, please make sure we have your current shipping information and email address. Be sure to read to the end of this post as it concerns shipping and details important to those who have pre-ordered Volume #3.

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Note again that Pre-Orders on Volume 3 are CLOSED until it is officially released, then those that missed out and want to order will once again be able to do so. Also note that further SHIP-AID donations are unnecessary and are also now CLOSED.

Please be SURE to be subscribed to our mailing list (link below) to keep up with our newest updates, and note that IF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED RECENTLY you MUST RE-SUBSCRIBE.

Subscribe to our mailing list

(Subscribe with confidence...your information will only be used by us to send updates to you concerning Steve Canyon & Milton Caniff Estate Releasing).

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If you haven't done so already recently, please be sure to let us know if your shipping address has changed by emailing us at: 

stevecanyontv@gmail.com

We've heard from many of you with address changes and just wanting to make sure we have the right address to ship V3 to you, and we have answered everyone so far. Doing my best to reply asap. ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THOSE OF YOU THAT SENT IN MONEY ORDERS OR CHECKS TO ORDER VOLUME 3 (to make sure we have your correct shipping information). Please mention CHECK or MONEY-ORDER in your message (so I don't waste time looking through the online orders). There aren't many that did, but it will help us to make sure. I have answered most of the last bunch of emails, but if you are still waiting for a response, I'll get to them, I promise.

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I will continue posting updates EVERY WEEK (or so) until the VERY LAST pre-order is mailed out (by gosh, within the next month, hopefully!) and in your hands…I understand confidence is low with a few of you, and hopefully these regular posts will help. Thanks for all the nice cards and emails and overwhelming support- it is most appreciated!

More in a week or so!

John Ellis

Speedy Ship

SCV3 + Slipcase Pre-Order Speedy Ship
NOTE if you type "REFUND ME" (in the Paypal order form "Instructions to merchant" ), then right after I generate your shipping label I'll gladly send your buck back (it's just NOT about the buck, it's about the ease and speed to get your DVD & Slipcase IN YOUR HANDS!). Sure, we CAN use the buck, but I realize some of you don't want to pay any more or…whatever...

Okay, SO you already pre-ordered Volume 3 (with the slipcase included) years ago, BUT you are worried it's going to take WEEKS to get it in the mail (because I have to laboriously type in all the details for each pre-order from long ago), BUT you don't want to order a 2nd copy just to get it fast…

FEAR NOT!


You can click on the button below and for $1.00 send me an order that will automatically fill in your shipping instructions so I can ship with just a couple of clicks…this helps me, helps you, solves a problem for both of us. BE WARNED, your order will be checked against our MASTER LIST of who ACTUALLY pre-ordered, and if you aren't on that list, your $1.00 will be unceremoniously refunded. So this is again  ONLY for those that pre-ordered. hope this helps. (This has already come up several times today where people ordered just to get it fast, and I ended up refunding their money...this is a better solution).
Please Note - This button is ONLY for those that Pre-Ordered Volume 3 between 2009 and 2014!

Button Expired - GO TO: SC V3 Pre-Order Shipping Update

(click the above button to order SCV3+Slipcase Pre-Order Speedy Ship)

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Volume 3 Update - February 8, 2015

Very Briefly This Time...

Ingrid Goude and Jerry Paris in the much anticipated VOLUME 3 Steve Canyon Episode OPERATION INTERCEPT.

So I just finally finished the cleaning/restoration work on the unaired pilot about 3 hours ago, preparing to encode the video and author a "check disc" (to make sure there aren't any issues with the pilot). It's been another week with minimal sleep and am just about out of steam at the moment so please note my brevity here.

This means that all that is left is some final work on the two documentaries and am still waiting on the revised cover art from Johann (hi Johann!) which hopefully will be done and in hand any day now. Then the files will be transmitted to the factory. As I said last time, Disc one is all done, just finishing things for Disc two now. It's all about the finishing, the financial part is totally covered.

I feel much better about the unaired pilot…very few people have ever seen it, and I wanted it to look as good as possible. You will see dirt and scratches in it, though not a lot now, I'm not putting any more time into it…it'll have to be good enough. You can read the previous post for more info on the cleaning/restoration.

Still here, still moving forward. I promised a new post every week, so here we are, and a new one will be here next Sunday…see you then!

###

Thanks again, please make sure we have your current shipping information and email address. Be sure to read to the end of this post as it concerns shipping and details important to those who have pre-ordered Volume #3.

###

Note again that Pre-Orders on Volume 3 are CLOSED until it is officially released, then those that missed out and want to order will once again be able to do so. Also note that further SHIP-AID donations are unnecessary and are also now CLOSED.

Please be SURE to be subscribed to our mailing list (link below) to keep up with our newest updates, and note that IF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED RECENTLY you MUST RE-SUBSCRIBE.

Subscribe to our mailing list

(Subscribe with confidence...your information will only be used by us to send updates to you concerning Steve Canyon & Milton Caniff Estate Releasing).

###

If you haven't done so already recently, please be sure to let us know if your shipping address has changed by emailing us at: 

stevecanyontv@gmail.com

We've heard from many of you with address changes and just wanting to make sure we have the right address to ship V3 to you, and we have answered everyone so far. Doing my best to reply asap. ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THOSE OF YOU THAT SENT IN MONEY ORDERS OR CHECKS TO ORDER VOLUME 3 (to make sure we have your correct shipping information). There aren't many that did, but it will help us to make sure. I still have a few emails to answer that were sent to us this past week, I'll get to them, promise.

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I will continue posting updates EVERY WEEK until the VERY LAST pre-order is mailed out (by gosh, this month, February!) and in your hands…I understand confidence is low with a few of you, and hopefully this will help. Thanks for all the nice cards and emails and overwhelming support- it is most appreciated!

More in a week!

John Ellis

Volume 3 Update - February 1, 2015

Yes, I Know It's February...

Publicity shot of Dean Fredericks and Milton Caniff, mid 1958.

Where We Are...

Since my last post on January 7th my work has continued…I just FINALLY got through cleaning to the end credits of the Steve Canyon pilot film two days ago,! I am going through checking that I didn't miss anything MAJOR and finishing cleaning a handful of shots in the middle of the episode that were so riddled with dirt and scratches I opted to abandon and move on (to preserve my good attitude) and return to fix at the end. Milton Caniff must have screened this print so many times…it has taken more time and individual corrections than all 10 of the other episodes on this volume COMBINED! I will say that you will see more dirt and flaws in the pilot than any other episode…this just can't be helped, otherwise it would take months more effort and I'm not going to do that. It still looks pretty good, just not quite as near-spotless as the other episodes turned out. It's just the way it has to be, and I had no way to predict how long it would take!

I'm still having health issues, have struggled all this month just trying to finish the pilot restoration. I've been restoring films since 2001 and my hands and eyes aren't doing so well…new glasses have helped a bit, but staring at specks of dirt thousands (millions?) of film frames on backlit monitors has taken a toll on me. I probably won't be doing this level of restoration ever again.

Yes, I've missed another deadline…sorry, but am pushing as hard as I possibly can here. Also I am aware it has been 3 weeks since my last post…I wanted to be able to announce the finishing of restoring the pilot film, so have been driving towards that, figuring it was more important than posting at this stage. It takes me about a DAY to compose a post here, and deal with getting the emails out, and sometimes it seems like my time is better spent finishing the DVDs. I am now switching to posts every week (instead of every few days) which is more manageable and realistic…I hope you agree.

I am pushing to finish and ship this month. I am still waiting on corrections on the inside and outside cover art (to reflect the new year 2015) from Johann Mitchell, who's daughter Holly has been in the hospital and Johann has had her own health issues… hopefully she'll have the corrections to me this coming week.

Disc 1 corrections have all been made and I have re-authored it, so it is completely re-done and ready to transmit to the factory over our new high-speed connection to their new ftp server…instead of many hours it will only take a couple of hours now to send. One thing I should mention is I finally was able to figure out and fix the issue that caused such a major problem before, which involves math…apparently my head is clearer now as last year I couldn't get the numbers to add up, and now the formula works. Those of you tech savvy people will understand that if you don't get the layer-break point on a dual layer disc to be in exactly the right place…the latter episodes on each disc won't play! So that was a big deal and I am TOTALLY RELIEVED!

Note that it sometimes takes some time for me to respond to emails, but I do respond as I have time. I appreciate all the personal anecdotes regarding Steve Canyon and your kindness keeps me going. I've been working on this project for 8 years, and although I want it to be finished, I have to make sure it is good enough…ready for primetime as it were. I don't give up…ever. It's almost ready.

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Thanks again, please make sure we have your current shipping information and email address. Be sure to read to the end of this post as it concerns shipping and details important to those who have pre-ordered Volume #3.

Sorry for so many words here…my intent was to keep it brief. See you back here within the week, and thanks for keeping the' faith.

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Here's the last two videos (on YouTube) for those that couldn't view them on Vimeo before…am also including the link for each one for those that still have problems viewing them here!

Here's a taste of some of the documentary
content on Volume 3:

http://youtu.be/zMFf-M5JCOY?list=UUCwmLMHXOT-elVQIwLTJFVw

Preview Promo for the Steve Canyon Documentary on the upcoming final 3rd volume of The Complete Steve Canyon On TV DVD set, includes selected interview segments with Lance Hickman, A. Love, Bob Burns, Abel Fernandez, Patrick McClung, Arthur Marks, Jan Paulshus, James Farmer, Dean Hess and Stephen Hickman. More appear on the final DVD than this (which is a sampling of some of the comments and people). Includes photography by Michael McMaster, Laura Lozano and Thomas Swyden.

Hope you enjoy the clips in this, getting to see the faces and hear the voices of some of the people you been reading about for the last 8 years!

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A little about the restoration/cleanup process for the 
34 regular Steve Canyon episodes 
(plus original unaired pilot)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJs12GhVfKQ

Between 37,000 and 40,000 individual film frames are ineach episode, and nearly each frame has been carefully examined and many retouched by hand after undergoing a light digital non-destructive propriety process (developed by John Ellis).

Each episode has taken between one to two months to restore by John Ellis, with the exception of the film in this demo (the original unaired pilot film) which has taken nearly a year due to the poor condition of the original print.

Most digital Noise Reduction actually blurs the image to remove the dirt and defects, resulting in a lack of sharpness associated with poor quality. Our technique doesn't do any blurring to preserve as much quality as possible of the original film.

###

Note again that Pre-Orders on Volume 3 are CLOSED until it is officially released, then those that missed out and want to order will once again be able to do so. Also note that further SHIP-AID donations are unnecessary and are also now CLOSED.

Please be SURE to be subscribed to our mailing list (link below) to keep up with our newest updates, and note that IF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED RECENTLY you MUST RE-SUBSCRIBE.

Subscribe to our mailing list

(Subscribe with confidence...your information will only be used by us to send updates to you concerning Steve Canyon & Milton Caniff Estate Releasing).

###

Also be sure to let us know if your shipping address has changed by emailing us at: 

stevecanyontv@gmail.com

We've heard from many of you with address changes and just wanting to make sure we have the right address to ship V3 to you, and we have answered everyone so far. Doing my best to reply asap. ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THOSE OF YOU THAT SENT IN MONEY ORDERS OR CHECKS TO ORDER VOLUME 3 (to make sure we have your correct shipping information). There aren't many that did, but it will help us to make sure.

###

I will continue posting updates EVERY WEEK until the VERY LAST pre-order is mailed out (by gosh, this month, February!) and in your hands…I understand confidence is low with a few of you, and hopefully this will help. Thanks for all the nice cards and emails and overwhelming support- it is most appreciated!

More in a week!

John Ellis