“Strike Back,” the new series co-executive produced by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files) and Dan Percival (Dirty Wars), begins August 12 on Cinemax at 10 pm Eastern. Ten episodes will make up season one.
From the press release:
STRIKE BACK is a high-octane action series focusing on a charismatic former U.S. Special Forces operative who teams up with a British military unit to stop an international terrorist group. Sullivan Stapleton (“Animal Kingdom,” “The Hunter”) and Philip Winchester (“Fringe,” “Crusoe”) star, along with Amanda Mealing (“Holby City,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral”) and Eva Birthistle (“Waking the Dead,” “Breakfast on Pluto”).
Executive producers are Andy Harries (HBO’s “Longford”) for Left Bank and Elaine Pyke (“The Runaway”) for Sky; co-executive producers are Dan Percival (HBO’s “Dirty War”) and Frank Spotnitz (“The X-Files”); Michael Casey (“Father & Son”) produces.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited David Duchovny and his wife Tea’ Leoni to join their elite group. Membership is by invitation only, and invitees must have been sponsored by at least two current members. Membership allows Duchovny to vote on The Oscars. There are roughly 6,000 members in the Academy.
Congratulations on this honor!
Calling all writers! X-Files Universe is pleased to present our annual Fanfic Contest!
Fan fiction explores X-Files 3, creates new X-File scenarios, and acts as an extension of the episodes and the mythology. Fan fiction fills in the gaps from the scenes and stories where we wanted more. Do a favor for your fellow phile: Write a story! Fulfill the need for more X-Files stories!
This year we have great prizes, judges, and an easy method to submit your stories. Last year, XFU’s fanfic contest was thwarted by unforeseen technical challenges. Those issues are fixed, and we are excited to read your submissions! If you submitted a story last year, please submit it again.
Awards will be given for the following:
1. The Ultimate Fanfic: The judges will be looking as the best-written and thought through fic from the finalists
2. The Ultimate Character Representation: The judges will be considering if the characters are consistent with their roles on the series
3. The Most Likely to be a Chris Carter Episode: The judges must think, “Chris wrote this.: The judges will be thinking along the lines of: Is this an unscreened episode?
4. The Most Original Fic: Judges will choose this fic for its original content, a new or unknown storyline, and its presentation
Categories
1. Romance – Relationships between the characters
2. Drama – Rooted in angst, conflict or discovery of various character traits and feelings
3. Comedy – Will provide a few laughs or smiles
4. Case File – A story that would have been a good episode
5. Action/Thriller – Keeps the reader on the edge of their seat
6. Alternate Universe – A story set in a historical or unusual setting
Rules
1. The competition is open to all fans and fanfic writers, except the organizers, sponsors and judges.
2. A writer may submit a maximum of two stories for the contest.
3. Each entry is eligible to win only one of the four award categories.
4. The competition closes on September 1, 2011. Award winners will be announced at the end of September.
5. Entries must be longer than 1000 words but less than 20,000 words.
6. Judges decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the decision.
7. Judging will be based on a point system. Final point ratings for each entry will not be disclosed.
8. Prizes will be forwarded by mail. A complete prize list will be posted on the site no later than one month before closing date.
9. Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please provide us with a reliable e-mail address. If we cannot reach you within 72 hours of contact date for winning, the prize will be awarded to the runner-up.
10. Your entry must be submitted by e-mail to xfilesuniverse@hotmail.com, with the words “fanfic contest” in the subject line.
11. By submitting to this contest, the author agrees to 1) allow X-Files Universe to highlight or mention the story in a news article and 2) allow X-Files Universe to make the story accessible to for readers either on the XFU forums or the XFU Fan Fiction Story Archive.
How to Enter the 2011 Ultimate Fanfic Contest
1. Write, write, write! Write a new fic or send in one that you’ve already written.
2. All stories will be posted either on our fanfic forum and/or our Fan Fiction Archive. If your story is already posted with XFU, please let us know. (Note: Winners agree to be highlighted in a news story. See rules for more information on how winning stories will be promoted.
3. Submit your entry to xfilesuniverse@hotmail.com with the words “Fanfic Contest” in the subject line.
4. Please make sure your story is submitted in a format that we can access, copy, and post: a Word document, text file or as the content of your submission e-mail.
5. At the beginning of each story, please include the following:
• Title:
• Written By (please provide the your real name):
• Author name (please provide the name you want your fanfic published under).
• E-mail address: (Your e-mail address will not be shared or utilized for any other purpose other than this contest)
• Category: The category of your story will not affect the judge’s opinion.
• Time span or spoiler warning: Provide a time span for your story. Is your story situated during a specific season? If so, please let us know; it helps to give the reader some context. If your story provides spoilers for a particular episode, please list the episode name.
• Rating: Just like any movie rating, select one: G, PG, PG-13, R (no NC-17 please).
• Summary: A sentence summarizing your story.
Judging Criteria
The judges will be using a point system. Points will be awarded for each of the qualities listed below. Each quality may be awarded 0-10 points (with 10 being the highest rating).
• Character Representation
• Best Potential X-Files Scene
• Originality
• Grammar
• Delivery/Story-Telling
The Ultimate Fan Fic Winner will be the highest point total of all categories.
The Ultimate Character Representation Winner will be the story with the highest points in Character Representation.
The Most Likely to be a Chris Carter Fic Winner will be the story with the highest points in Best Potential X-Files Scene.
The Most Original Fic Winner will be the story with the highest points in Originality.
Grammar, delivery and story-telling will be factored into the scoring. Even if a story is exceptionally creative and tops the charts on a particular category, reading difficulty and poor story delivery will be taken into account during the judging.
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny are joining together for an evening chat, courtesy of IBG. July 30th in Los Angeles, philes can indulge in the evening, with all proceeds going to charity.
Because the evening is sure to be a great hit, IBG will offer more tickets than the usual 50. A VIP package that features a meet-and-greet with Gillian Anderson will be available on top of the $5o admission ticket.
There will be wonderful conversation, behind-the-scenes memories shared, and of course Philes will want to know – is there any word on X-Files 3?
Break out the party hats! Today XFilesUniverse.com turns one year old! And Baby, look at us now!
It was just one year ago that XFilesUniverse.com began, and truthfully, the eight of us who were there from the beginning were hoping we wouldn’t be talking to ourselves! But to our surprise, our goals were met and exceeded in a time-frame far sooner than expected. And it is all due to YOU!
Our motto has been from the beginning, “By XFUs, For XFUs.” Thank you for making this site what it is. The input you have had has made this site what it is.
If you would like to offer a Birthday message, you may comment here. Or you can email us and I’ll add your comments and birthday wishes to this article.
“The Tall Man” starring Jessica Biel and co-starring William B. Davis (CSM in The X-Files), Stephen McHattie (Red-Haired Man in Nisei/731 of The X-Files), and Jodelle Ferland finished shooting this week in Saskatchewan. Shooting began in 2010 and producers hope for a fall release of the movie.
Directed by Pascale Laugier, the movie synopsis follows:
Synopsis:
Cold Rock, USA – A darkness hovers upon the town. Children have gone missing over the years, leaving neither a clue nor a witness. Superstitious locals talk of The Tall Man, a legendary, mysterious dark figure who takes children away, never to be seen again.
Julia (Jessica Biel) is a nurse living in Cold Rock who doesn’t believe in legends. Until one night, waking up with an eerie feeling, she goes to her son’s bedroom and finds his bed empty. Rushing downstairs, she stops dead in her tracks: A huge dark figure stands in the entrance holding her son, David. Driven by pure instinct, Julia rushes after them, willing to do whatever it takes to get her son back. The chase is on and with it the quest for answers. Who is The Tall Man? What becomes of the children?
Conceived as a “woman in jeopardy” movie – an outdoor Panic Room, The Tall Man is a suspenseful thriller in the vein of M. Night Shyamalan’s earlier films. Clothed in the myth of the boogeymen and monsters born of the folklore common to all cultures, it’s a story of the haunting secrets that hide behind closed doors.
Fans of Annabeth Gish should set aside June 14 for the season premiere of “Pretty Little Liars.” This is the first of six episodes where Annabeth portrays a counselor working with the girls, who begin to discuss Alison’s death.
You can catch a glimpse of Gish, known to X-Files fans as Agent Monica Reyes, in this shot from the premiere.
X-Files Universe brings you an exclusive interview with Lamia, author of “The Lambs.”
“The Lambs” is an epic, unfinished work rooted in X-Files canon. Fans might also know the author as “So Kiss Me Goodbye.” Lamia is actively writing the story and keeping readers on the edge of their seat as each installment is released.
X-Files Universe (XFU) asked Lamia for a synopsis. She replied, “Mulder and Scully kidnap William.”
Lamia explains, “Mulder and Scully kidnap William. Only, it was never going to be as easy as that. William has parents, nice parents, and I wanted that to be respected.
This is not a simple case of wanting William back however. ”Personally, I think my Scully is obsessed with proving to herself that she made the right decision to give William up for adoption. That means protecting his sense of innocence and ultimately protecting his parents. The van de Kamps (William’s adoptive parents) don’t know it, but Scully has appointed herself their guardian angel. Like it or not, they hold a significant role in the happiness and well-being of her son – and that’s what she is protecting.”
I liked the idea of Mulder and Scully “kidnapping” their son. I knew as soon as the thought popped into my head, I knew it was the story I wanted to write. It’s a theme that goes right back to the start of the series; it seemed like nice symmetry to turn it on its head.
I’m a firm believer that given the right circumstances people are capable of doing anything – be it killing, theft, kidnapping, whatever. In what circumstances, then, would I accept that Mulder and Scully might kidnap their son? I chose the most obvious solution – William’s life or happiness would have to be on the line. What would be the biggest threat to his life or sense of security in the world? It had to be a colonization story.
The story grew from there.”
From an early age, Lamia has always been obsessed with writing a book. After teaching English in Japan for four years, she made her way back home where she has been working as a journalist for the past five years.
Despite personal and natural tragedies, Lamia is still driven to finish this creative work. Consider it a quest or a destiny.
“I’ve had wonderful, wonderful feedback for the story. Whenever anybody takes time out of their day to say something, I’m always struck by the absolute kindness and generosity of the action. It doesn’t matter if a comment is kind or contains advice/criticism – that’s someone else’s time and they gave it to you… What I’ve come to appreciate more is the sense of support that people are willing to give (and that I can give in return). That support has helped me through some really tough, frustrating times. People can be a great force of inspiration!”
Again, the story is still in progress. If you’d like to be kept on the edge of your seat, you need to check out this story. Remember watching the X-Files with the cliffhanger episodes? “The Lambs” is your chance to re-live that tension and excitement.
You can find “The Lambs” at the following links:
http://www.xfilesuniverse.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=295
http://xfilesuniverse.com/fanfic/viewstory.php?sid=64&chapter=1
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4495648/1/The_Lambs
XFU hopes that you enjoy the story as much as we do. If you do read it, let us and the author know!
Musings of an X-Phile’s “Snowed by Mark Snow” contest launched Sunday, but there’s still time to enter! Salome explains:
“This month La-La Land Records released The X-Files: Volume One, a limited edition 4 CD box set showcasing some of the best music Mark Snow created over 9 seasons of The X-Files. There were only 3,000 copies produced but it’s not too late. So if you haven’t grabbed one yet, get yourself over to their website. They even ship internationally!
The extra special part is that the first 400 of those 3,000 units sold were signed by Mr. Man Mark Snow himself! Perhaps you ordered your copy but just a few minutes too late and missed out on a signed copy, or maybe your budget for the month of May wouldn’t allow you to both feed your family and your X-Files habit and you’re just hoping that they don’t sell out completely before you’re able to afford a copy… I know how you feel. And that’s why I’m excited to announce that the prize for this month’s contest is… one of the signed copies of The X-Files Box Set!”
Here’s the link to enter:
