Space Gypsy – a rough guide for series writers and contributors-

 

First and foremost, Space Gypsy is a comedy adventure serial.  Its main aim is to entertain.  That’s it.  If an episode of the radio serial or a strip in the cartoon isn’t making the audience laugh it isn’t doing its job.

 

Secondly, the show is not meant to endorse any political beliefs or be ‘preachy’ in any way.

 

Cartoon strips and drawn contributions -

If you're feeling artistic, please feel free to submit your drawings.  You won't be judged on your artistic prowess.  However, we do ask that you remember that Space Gypsy is family orientated production.

 

Space Gypsy origins -

Space Gypsies were originally a bunch of nomadic foxes and wolves who wandered across the surface of their home planet, Earthburrow, earning their living by buying and selling just about anything they could lay their paws on.  As technology developed, their deeply nomadic drive urged them to leave their home world behind and explore the galaxy.  When Earthburrow was destroyed by a supernova, the whole planet was evacuated, and the Space Gypsy race came into its own.

 

Space Gypsy freighters -

There are three classes of Space Gypsy space freighter – Scoundrel Class, Rogue Class and Rascal Class.

 

Scoundrel Class freighters are the largest of the Space Gypsy vessels.  Each Scoundrel Class freighter has four powerful nacelles (engines), capable of taking the vessel up to point 2 past light speed (although some, including Gemma’s ‘Rapscallion’, have been adapted to hit point 3).

 

Scoundrel Class freighters are family vessels.  They have seven decks.  Each deck is accessed by a series of stairs, corridors and lifts.  The top deck is the flight deck, from which the vessel is piloted.  The next deck down is the living quarters.  Although many Space Gypsies regard their flight deck as their living room, a second living room is also provided on the sixth deck.  Typical living space on a Scoundrel Class freighter comprises of four bedrooms, two living rooms, dining room, galley, reception area, bathroom & separate WC.  The fifth deck comprises of guest living quarters.  Deck four is the engine room, where all ships functions are monitored and maintained.  Decks three and two are cargo holds, where all merchandise and exterior road and space shuttles are kept.  The bottom deck is communal walkthrough, used while the vessel is docked at a stellar encampment.  The vessel can also be piloted from this deck if the crew so choose. 

 

Rogue Class freighters are basically a smaller, less powerful, version of the Scoundrel Class.  They have three nacelles.  They are light speed capable.

 

Rogue Class freighters have five decks.  The top deck encompasses the flight deck and living quarters.  There are no guest quarters.  The fourth deck is the engine room.  From the third deck down the vessels are the same as the Scoundrel Class.

 

Rascal Class freighters are basic runarounds.  They have two nacelles.  Although some have been specially adapted, Rascal Class freighters are not light speed capable.  They are also not capable of performing the Space Gypsy ‘corkscrew manoeuvre’. 

 

Rascal Class vessels only have three decks – A flight deck with minimal living quarters, a cargo hold and a communal area.

 

All space gypsy freighters have three airlocks on their lowest deck to allow them to be linked up on both sides and at the back in a ‘stellar encampment’.  These encampments can be made up of any number of freighters, and allow all the crews concerned to pass freely from one end to the other to meet, trade and generally socialise. 

 

The Space Gypsy ‘Corkscrew Manoeuvre’ -

The ‘Corkscrew Manoeuvre’ was discovered by accident by a Space Gypsy called Dee Evios D. Foxx.  While fleeing The Alliance at light speed in his Rogue Class freighter, his vessel was hit by a hail of blazer bolts.  The blast shook Dee out of his seat, causing him to stumble against the piloting console.  His arm accidentally pressed against the nacelle booster panel, causing all four nacelles to fire in rotation.  This caused his freighter to ‘spin’ as it hurtled through space, confusing the guidance systems on the pursuing neucleonic rockets and making it impossible for the Alliance to gain either a weapons or tractor beam lock on him.

 

The Space Gypsies and The Bitlexian/Federal Alliance War -

Before the war began, The Space Gypsies made their living by travelling between the Bitlexian System and The Federal Alliance Territories, buying and selling their wares.  When hostilities commenced, The Space Gypsies found themselves in the middle, siding with neither one flank nor the other.

 

At first, The Space Gypsies tried to use their trade negotiating skills to act as mediators between the two warring sides.  However, when it became apparent that diplomacy was not going to work, The Space Gypsies sought immunity, offering to supply medical aid and comfort to the respective casualties.

 

The agreement worked well for a few years.  But, as time wore on, and no progress benefiting either side was made, both the Federal Alliance and The Bitlexian Affiliation began to regard their nomadic go-betweens with deep suspicion.  They both began to accuse The Space Gypsies of spying and working for the enemy.  The situation soon became volatile, and came to a dramatic head when The Federal Alliance unilaterally declared war on these peaceful foxes.  They began hunting them down, destroying their freighters and imprisoning their families.

 

The actions of The Alliance began to make the Bitlexian Government view the situation in a different light.  If the Space Gypsies had been working for The Federal Alliance, why had the Alliance declared war on them?  Was it some kind of trick?  Were they picking on these foxes in order to get the Bitlexians to drop their guard?  Whatever the case, the Bitlexians began to reason that they might have judged the Space Gypsies too harshly.  These foxes had no terrestrial home.  They lived in space on board their freighters.  If both sides declared war on them, they would be very quickly annihilated.  So, although an air of suspicion still surrounded their loyalties, The Bitlexian Interplanetary Commission decided to grant the Space Gypsies asylum; a move which was accepted with great gratitude.  In return, the Space Gypsies relinquished their position of neutrality and vowed to help the Bitlexians resist the Federal Alliance by the use of, what they termed as, non-violent offensives. 

 

The Space Gypsies also vowed to return to Federal Alliance space - to liberate their imprisoned families.

 

Zenophon -

Zenophon as a planet is neutral in the war between the Bitlexians and The Federal Alliance Territories.  It is positioned at the far end of the Bitlexian Solar System, but is not part of that Affiliation. 

 

The indigenous population of Zenophon are intelligent collie dogs - descendents from the sheepdogs who first set paw on the planet hundreds of years ago to tend the sheep.

 

The Federal Alliance of Planets -

The Federal Alliance of Planets consists of eight planets in all – Galverts 1 to 7 and Cattfelus.  The Galvert System is quite unique in that all the planets in it, with the exception of Galvert 5, share the same orbit, making each world as inhabitable as the next.

 

Galvert 5 is a totally inhospitable place, with seas of molten lava and storms of acid rain – sulphuric acid, that is.

 

Cattfelus is the beautiful planet of the cats.  The feline population were mainly peaceful and passive, until the Federal Alliance invaded six years ago.  Since then, many of the cats from Cattfelus have sought allegiance with the nomadic Space Gypsies and do whatever they can to make their unwelcome guests feel definitely not at home.

 

Very little detail is given away about Salibistra.  It is assumed that it a quite hospitable planet.  Space Gypsies use it as a trading place.  Reference is also made to a 'hyper market' there.  It is also the planet on which Leah & Randy were married in the original series, although that might be changed in the re-write.

 

Space Gypsy Bioamulets -

Long before Earthburrow was destroyed by the supernova, during mining operations on the planet, it was discovered that certain gemstones from beneath the ground had healing powers, or would react to a person’s body chemistry by changing colour to reflect their mood.  No one really knew why the stones had this power, but the gems were mined extensively for their medicinal purposes.

 

When Earthburrow’s sun went supernova, the whole surface of the planet was vaporised, leaving the gemstone core exposed.  The core was broken up by order of the Higher Echelons of The Space Gypsy Faith.  The gemstones were turned into amulets and each and every true blood Space Gypsy was issued with one.  Each time a new Space Gypsy birth is registered, the baby is issued with his or her own unique amulet, encrusted with their own little piece of the planet where their ancestors originated.

 

When a Space Gypsy reaches the end of his or her life, their bioamulet is buried with them, as this is their unique key to open the gates of Eschaton – Space Gypsy Heaven.

 

Betrothement amulets -

Bethrothement amulets are special two-part bioamulets, which are purchased by a Space Gypsy vixen’s fiancé when he announces his intentions to marry her.  The Vixen wears the left side of the amulet, the dog wears the right.  When clipped together, the two halves make up the shape of a fox’s forepaw.

 

Eschaton -

Put quite simply, Eschaton is the Space Gypsy name for Heaven. 

 

Space Gypsy clans -

Space Gypsies are divided into six clans – The Mogavis, The Talgavis, The Trengavis, The Rusgavis, The Svengavis, and The Redgavis.

 

85% of the original Space Gypsy population were foxes, the rest were wolves.  Other species have since joined after The Space Gypsies were forced to evacuate their home planet.

 

All true blood Mogavis have dark blue eyes and have a brown patch of fur right across their face (their famous face mask).

 

Svengavis have brown eyes, with a brown patch around each eye, but no bridging across the nose. 

 

Talgavis have green eyes, with a brown patch around their left eye only. 

 

Rusgavis have yellow eyes, with a brown patch around their right eye only. 

 

Redgavis also have yellow eyes, but no face markings at all.  They are the original red foxes.

 

The Trengavis are albinos.  They are completely white with pale blue eyes.  They are also known as the snow foxes/wolves

 

The Space Gypsy Adventures – The Characters -

Gemma and Damien Mildury -

Gemma and Damien are two young foxes from the Mogavis clan.  They are sister and brother.  Gemma’s age is not defined in the series, although is it hinted that she is somewhere between 19 – 23 years old.  It is known that she lied about her age in order to escape being sold off by The Federal Alliance in a Bridal Auction.  (All captive Space Gypsy vixens between the ages of 18 and 30 are married off to the highest bidder by The Alliance, who have no regard at all for Space Gypsies beliefs).

 

Damien is 8 – 9 years old, depending on which story you are listening to (in one story Damien celebrates his 9^th birthday).  He is mischievous, but not bad.  He has a good sense of fun and his favourite catchphrase is, ‘Bloomin’ Mega!’

 

Damien and Gemma’s parents, Donovar and Redmain Mildury are still held captive by The Alliance.  They were arrested on a trumped up charge of supplying weapons to the Bitlexian fleet.  What they were actually doing was issuing them with medical supplies.  The whole Mildury family were imprisoned approximately six years ago.  However, after four years in prison, Damien and Gemma were rescued by their space freighter, The Rapscallion, which had been programmed by Donovar to latch on to the signals given off by implants in the fox’s ears.  The siblings have spent the past two years trying to track their parents’ implant signatures, but to no avail.

 

In order to survive, Gemma and Damien have been forced to live off their wits.  They quite openly steal from their oppressors and have made trade alliances with their allies.

 

They have formed firm relationships with several kindred spirits, and Gemma has intentions to marry…

 

Damien’s main hobby is collecting freighter numbers.  Although not stated in the series, he enters the numbers into the Rapscallion’s computer and uses it to keep tabs on the movements of certain vessels.

 

Damien has a penchant for the theatrical, and has been known to slip into the guise of his gangster persona ‘Tha Cubfather’ Damien Dogfoxioli whenever he wishes to put (playful) pressure on people.

 

Damien purports to hate school and homework (just like all kids), but Gemma makes sure he attends Drakester Academy on a very regular basis.

 

Damien has many adult and child friends.  Not much is given away about his schoolmates in the serial, although he often mentions ‘Cedric Squirrel’ and ‘Robbie Dogg’. 

 

He has a little lady friend too, in the shape of Jehlise Mossus, a beautiful little pink kitten.

 

Duke and Leah Rosenly -

Duke and Leah are the brother and sister collie dog partnership running the café and coffee shop at the spaceport at Drakester, Capital city of the planet of Zenophon.  Duke also runs a new and used space vehicle business and is an accomplished stellar mechanic.

 

Duke came to the aid of Damien and Gemma just over two years ago after they had crashed landed on the planet Galvert 3.  They had been shot down during a skirmish with the Federal Alliance Military Police.

 

For Gemma it was love at first sight.  Duke is gradually getting used to the idea.  In later episodes the two are engaged to be married.

 

Leah runs her café and coffee shop with a firm paw and a warm heart.  Although it has to be said that she is no push over.  Leah does not suffer fools gladly.  As for her café and coffee shop, it is often said that ‘the place would fall apart without her’.  Leah’s is the smiling face all space freighter pilots look forward to seeing after a long voyage.  In later episodes Leah is married to radio presenter and DJ, Rekki G. Dini and has a baby daughter, Leandra.

 

Leah and Duke’s parents receive an occasional mention in the series.  No names are used, but it is hinted that Leah and Duke inherited their business when their parents took early retirement.  The only other hints we are given about them is that their father was a freighter mechanic (like Duke) and that their mother gets on well with Gemma.

 

Fluff Catt -

A leather-clad pussycat from the planet Cattfelus.  Fluff Catt earns her living by trading in new and used space shuttles.  She is one of Duke’s regular suppliers and is a some time business acquaintance of Gemma’s.  Fluff hates the Alliance as much as Gemma does, but has the occasional dangerous liaison with a certain Detective Constable Bones.

 

Little is known about Fluff’s interests except that she likes rock music.  She also always has a bag of sweeties for Damien whenever she meets up with him.

 

We are told that Fluff’s father was also a transporter pilot, and that Fluff has followed in her father’s paw steps.  We are also told that Fluff is the youngest of a litter of seven kittens.

 

Rekki G. Dini -

Rekkie G. is a radio presenter on the galaxy’s top radio station, Stellar One.  His original choice in life was to be a freighter mechanic.  In fact, it was while he was studying stellar mechanics at Drakester University that he became friends with Duke.  However, while there, he also worked on the student radio station.  Bitten by the bug, he decided to pursue a career in the music business instead.

 

Rekki kept in touch with Duke after leaving the university and it was through him that he met his sister, Leah.  In later episodes Leah and Rekki are married.  They have a baby daughter, Leandra.

 

Rekki’s full name is Rekkinard Dini.  He added the letter G on the advise of a show buisness agent who said that it would give him a 'sexier stage name'!

 

Jehlise Mossus -

Although you will never get him to admit it, Jehlise is Damien's love interest.

 

Jehlise in a pretty little pink kitten.  Damien first met up with her while on a daytrip with his sister to Tower City.  Whenever she gets the chance, Jehlise sticks to Damien like glue.

 

Felisky Mossus -

Jehlise's mother, is a beautiful all-white lady cat.  Not a great deal is given away about Felisky except that her husband is a warder with the Bitlexian fleet.  It is also hinted that Felisky hails originally from Cattfelus.

 

Gemma has high hopes that Felisky's husband will be able to use his contacts to find out what has happened to her and Damien's parents.

 

Detective Inspector Spiker -

D.I. Spiker is a large black alsatian originating from Galvert 4.  He is Gemma’s arch-nemesis from the Intergalactic Federal Alliance Military Police.  Not a lot is known about Spiker’s personal life.  We are told that he has a 12 year old son.

 

Spiker tries so hard to catch Gemma, but never seems to be able to.  She always slips out of his paws.

 

Detective Constable Bones -

Bones is a fox from Galvert 6.  He has a very strong Pengalin Galvert 6 accent.  Bones is descended from a tribe of Space Gypsies who colonised Galvert 6 some 150 years ago.  As the traditions still run deep on the planet, Bones is sometimes torn between his duties to The Alliance and an empathy for The Space Gypsies.

 

Most recently, Bones has started catching the eye of a certain young lady cat called Fluff.  Although this should cause no real problems for a fox in his position – after all, Fluff is from the Federal Alliance affiliate planet, Cattfelus – Fluff is also a known Space Gypsy sympathiser.  Their attraction to each other has not yet been fully acted upon, but has been noticed by Bones’ superior officer.

 

Jimmy DaWeasel -

A nefarious and not-to-be trusted trader from Salibistra.  Jimmy (as his names suggests) is a weasel – a very shifty weasel.  Although Fluff is well aware of his dodgy background, she still has dealings with him, causing her more problems than enough.  Gemma also trades with Jimmy.  However, Jimmy knows better than to try and pull a fast one on Gemma.

 

During friendly banter, Jimmy often refers to Damien as ‘The Larl Ankle Biter’!

 

Detective Constables Fusky, Souarster & Towser -

Three of Spiker’s guard foxes from Galvert 2.  Fusky, like Bones, is also part Space Gypsy.  He too is rather sympathetic to Gemma’s situation.  However, this doesn’t stop him trying to trap her in ‘The Great Chocolate Biscuit Caper’.

 

Very little is known about Towser or Souarster.  These characters are not fully defined, although it is hinted in ‘Biscuit Caper’ that Towser might be a cadet.

 

The Rapscallion & Fluff One -

To all intents and purposes Gemma’s freighter, ‘The Rapscallion’ and the computer on board Fluff’s transporter ‘Fluff One’ are characters in their own right.

 

The Rapscallion vessel itself is generally accepted to be ‘alive’.  It is self aware and is fully capable of protecting both itself and its crew.  Gemma and Damien both hold conversations with it as they walk about its corridors.

 

The ‘Fluff One’ transporter itself not regarded as being alive, although the on-board computer ‘T.W.I.T.’ is.  The letters stand for ‘The Terminal of Wavelength Interception and Transmission’.  However, Fluff just calls it ‘Twit’ because she finds its apologetic and whining terms phrase rather annoying.

 

21^st Century Space Gypsy vs the 1980’s original

The updated version of Space Gypsy is different from the original in many ways.  To begin with, the original series was called ‘The Adventures of Leah, Duke, Gemma & Friends’, with the 1987 serial having the even longer title of, ‘The Further Mis-Adventures of Leah, Duke, Gemma & Friends’.  The shorter ‘Space Gypsy Adventures’ title was adopted for the BBC Radio Cumbria version of the serial in August 1987.

 

The name of Gemma’s freighter has been changed from ‘Space Gypsy’ (or The Mark Two) to ‘Rapscallion’ – a much better and rather more ‘piratey’ sounding name (in my humble opinion).

 

Two main characters have been replaced.  Leah’s husband in the original was Randy the marmot.  He has been replaced by Rekki the raccoon.  Squeeks the rat has been replaced by Jimmy DaWeasel.

 

In the original, Gemma and Fluff were forever arguing.  They had been enemies at school and, as adults, they had found themselves in competition with each other.  In the updated version it isn’t possible for Fluff to have known Gemma at school.  Gemma has taken Fluff under her wing as a kindred spirit and has looked after her.  It is generally regarded that Fluff is slightly younger than Gemma.  Gemma treats her like a younger sister.

 

Spiker and Bones only appeared in one episode of the original series.  They are now an integral part of the whole story.

 

Felisky and Jehlise are brand new characters.  They did not appear in the 1980’s version.

 

In the 1980’s version Leah and Duke own the whole spaceport.  As this would make them incredibly wealthy, it was decided in the updated version that they should be part of a business co-operative, taking joint ownership with a number of other traders.

 

In the 1980's version none of the Space Gypsy vessels bore weapons.  The characters relied on cunning and a series of episodes where they would 'dump their cargo' in order to escape.  This was also done to enforce the notion that Space Gypsies were generally non-aggressive.

 

However, this approach proved to be quite limiting, and when we brought Gemma and Damien back in 2004 they returned with all guns blazing.  Having said this, the updated version is less violent than the 80's original.

 

In the 80's original, The Alliance had the death sentence waiting for Gemma and Damien.  When the series returned, this punishment was regarded as being too drastic and possibly a little frightening for the younger members of our audience.  In the current version Damien faces being thrown into a child labour camp and Gemma could be sold off in a bridal auction if they are caught.

 

Gemma and Damien’s language (Gemma especially) was slightly more terse in the 80’s version.  Edits had to be made for the 1990's repeats and in the 2000’s updates Gemma exercises a bit more control.  Despite the recent development of children’s cartoons using mild expletives, Space Gypsy has been purposefully toned down.

 

The 1980’s originals were introduced by ‘Hi-de-Hi’ star Jeffrey Holland, ‘Dr. Who’ Colin Baker and ‘Blue Peter’ presenter Mark Curry.  However, more recently it has been decided that these openings were sometimes a bit too long winded.  The updated versions go straight into the story.

 

The 1980’s version used the music soundtrack from ‘The Secret of NIMH’ as it’s opening piece.  The updated version uses dance track ‘Destination Eschaton’ by The Shamen, although the ‘NIMH’ soundtrack album is still used occasionally to enhance certain scenes.

 

The 1980’s version was literally edited together using ‘scissors and sellotape’.  John Leeson’s original voice track would be recorded on to a spool of tape and sent to the Radio Cumbria studios.  The sound effects were then added along with the music.  All sound effects and music were on vinyl LP records.  The only way we had of changing the sound effects in any way was by speeding up or slowing down the records.  It was that basic.

 

2004’s ‘Biscuit Caper’ and 2005’s ‘Tower City’ still had John's voice on tape, albeit Digital Audio Tape.  For the 2007 season we have moved fully to digital recording.  Some of the sound effects are still from those original LPs.  However, these are all loaded into a computer.  Here the sounds can be changed around to make them sound like something completely different.

 

Sound Effects –

Many of the sound effects we use are quite standard.  They have either been downloaded from the internet or we have them available on CDs or LPs.  However, sometimes the script will call for something that we haven’t got in the sound effects library, which means we’ve got to be creative.  What we haven’t got we have to create.  Here is a list of effects that aren’t quite what they seemed….

 

The hammer and anvil sound in Duke’s hangar is actually the sound of a grass strimmer catching a metal post.  The sound is fed through a repeating loop to give the 'hammering' effect. 

 

The metal claws grabbing Gemma’s freighter are the sound of some roller doors locking into place.

 

The same roller door effect is also used for the rollercoaster cars climbing the track on ‘Tower City’. 

 

That roller door effect is also used as….a roller door!  It’s the door to Gemma’s cargo hold.

 

Gemma and Damien’s seat braces are the latches on a suitcase.

 

The sound of 'pellets whistling past Damien's ears' on 'Tower City' are actually the sound of e-mails arriving on Yahoo Instant Messenger!!

 

Damien’s bathwater is the sound of water being swirled around in a ‘Quality Street’ tin!

 

His shower curtain rail is the sound of coat hangers on a rack.

 

The famous Space Gypsy ‘corkscrew manoeuvre’ is the sound of an aeroplane’s engines combined with the rotors of a helicopter being played backwards through a synthesizer.

 

The sound of Spiker smashing Big Al’s door in is part of a sound effect of a gas cooker being dropped down a lift shaft!!!

 

The wheels of Leandra’s buggy is the sound of a CD being rolled along on the end of a pen across a formica topped table!

 

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