About The Hyacinth Disaster
My name is David Carlson, and I made this. Not alone, of course, but I made it. That's really important to me, because for years I've had dozens of creative ideas for projects large and small, and I'd never actually finished any of the large ones. This was especially frustrating because I'm a Christian, and I believe that God put creativity into people so that - among other reasons - we could make things and be a little more like Him. I believe I was made that way on purpose, but I never had anything to point at and say, "I made that!"
Now I do! And while I hope you really, really like it, ultimately, I'm just proud to have made it. And I'm so grateful to everyone who got excited about it along the way and helped it happen!
(Update!) Check out this announcement for some more recent news!
So, what's next?
Well, I think this story is a good standalone tale, but I do have ideas for how to explore the world through other ships. If a LOT of people REALLY like The Hyacinth Disaster, I will probably return to the Jovian neighborhood, if only to let you know what the heck is up with that asteroid!
In the meantime, I have some personal career development to do for the sake of my family, so we can eat and stuff. If you want to fast-track the next story, here's a few things you can do:
1) Share the heck out of this! Tell everyone about it!
2) Ask me questions! Leave feedback on Facebook or Reddit, whether good or bad! I love hearing what people think of this project. And,
3) Consider donating! You even get some stuff in return! It would be awesome if the months I put into this fun project produced a little cash for my household. And for website costs. Just click the button below! Read below it for info on the perks.
So what do you get for donating? Great question! I've got two things right off the bat which will be fun for you if you liked the series. If you didn't...I'm not sure why you're donating, but thanks! (If you decide to donate, make sure to leave your email address in the notes section so I can send your reward!)
For donating $1 or more
I will send you my very first test recording. I made it a few days after having the idea for the project (almost two years ago), and it's really fun to hear now. There's a couple of familiar moments, and Grimm is...not named Grimm. It's pretty weird. ALSO, I did all the voices myself, to hilarious/awful results, so enjoy it.
For donating $5 or more
I will send you the "novelization" of the first episode from Argus' perspective! I was originally going to write some simple character direction for Teague, since we thought our schedules would conflict too much for a live recording. But it ballooned into a full-blown chapter of prose, with character info and back-story that is not even kinda in the finished audiodrama! Wonder why Argus and Grimm work for Con even though he's soft-spoken and not very commanding? Donate $5 and find out!
For donating $10 or more
You get both previous rewards, plus I'll send you some high-quality tracks featuring the ambient sounds of the Hyacinth and the shuttle! Relax to the thrum of giant engines, life support, and navigation thrusters!
Want to give more?
I'm in the process of designing "Crew of the Hyacinth" shirts with a silhouette of the ship. Contact me and I'll keep you updated. It'll be around $40.
I also designed and built a 10" LEGO set of the ship, which I could make for you if you want! Again, email me if you're interested and I'll let you know: I buy my parts from hobbyists so I can't guarantee inexhaustible pieces. This would be about $100.
There are a few posters and such that I would like to make, so stay tuned!
LEGO Hyacinth with engines in towing configuration (facing toward cargo)
Acknowledgements and Credits
The Hyacinth Disaster was written by me, David Carlson, but many others contributed their talents to the project. Check them out below:
NON-CAST CONTRIBUTORS
Sébastien Fraud made the trailer on the front page of this website. (!!!)
The Heersche Family and Adam Bringer helped with a full-cast reading of the first script.
Several friends of mine in CT who (aside from being generally supportive) surprised me with studio speakers after I started losing hearing in one ear and couldn't mix sound with headphones.
And thanks to my family for their support and love through some really tough times.
CAST
Argus
Was voiced by Teague Chrystie, a VFX artist in LA. Teague also designed the Hyacinth model you see in various places around this site. You can find him online at friendsinyourhead.com, the site of his movie commentary podcast from which I learned how to write a decent script.
Blue
Was voiced by Laurie Carlson, an artist in Richmond, VA. She happens to be my sister, which made writing for the Blue/Con dynamic easier, and gave much encouragement throughout.
Con
Was voiced by me, David Carlson, the writer and producer of the series. I live in Trumbull, CT, and hope to continue creative pursuits.
Dreadnought
Was voiced by Andrew "Boter" Bugenis, a photographer, film-maker, and YouTube personality in New York. Find him online at youtube.com/boterbug
Ember
Was voiced by Joanna Newton, who is not a starship captain, but who totally could be. A businesswoman and mother in Pittsburgh, PA, she - and her husband, Dan - helped me become a much better person.
Finch
Was voiced by Amanda Carlson, an amazing businesswoman, student, and wife. She did many, many things behind the scenes so that I could finish the project.
Grimm
Was voiced also by me, which made last-minute changes to the script pretty easy since Con and Grimm could talk to each other!
Station
Was voiced by Sgt 1st Class Matthew Gomes, who is currently stationed in CT. He loves cigars and skiing.
Temple
Was voiced by Chris Walker, an artist and film-maker in Alberta, Canada. You can find him online at zangrethordigital.ca.
“At the end of the day, you count yourself lucky that you had something worth taking risks for.”