Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Going to be taking some time away....

Dear all,

I won't be updating the Blog for a little while. Things have happened in real life and I need to take a break for a bit. I will return.

Stay shiny,

WoH

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Getting The Message Across - Universal HD Shindig today!

Yep, the Shindigs go on
Over at the Universal HD Firefly Message Boards you will find, on any given Saturday, a likely band of Browncoats gathering 'round to celebrate watching Firefly in glorious HD. Today 'The Message' is being aired so it's a particularly poignant Shindig. Although it isn't the last in the (shamefully short) season, it was the last to be shot, and all the cast and crew knew the series had been cancelled when they were shooting it. There are some great reviews of the episode on Scifi.com, Fireflywiki.org and Slayageonline.com. Being active on this message board it important because it's set up and monitored by UNIVERSAL. This is the studio who made Serenity, the studio who has the rights to any sequels, the studio we need to convince to make more! See here for all the information you need about Operation Full Burn.

There's prizes...!
And to tickle your fancy even more there are even door prizes available for people to win just for showing up on the Message Board. You need to be registered (which is free and takes about 2 minutes) and then join the special Door Prize Thread which opens for 15 mins from 8.00 pm (EDT), when the episode starts to air. This week is a really special prize - a copy of 'Done the Impossible' donated by the DTI team. Done the Impossible is a truly great DVD and on my list of must-haves for this year. In fact, I've just ordered it from the DTI website because, as a Mod on the Uni boards I can't enter the competition and I've been meaning to order this for ages. It's a documentary all about how Serenity came to be made and is full of interviews with all the stars, reviews, games and lots and lots of extras. Super shiny. And there's also another prize up for grabs, so you'd better get over there and find out what....

Jayne's Hat
I never get tired of talking about Jayne's Hat, and 'The Message' is the episode where he gets it in a package from his mom. Jayne is so happy with the hat and so chuffed he wears it there and then. It would make any mom proud. To find out more about this beloved item try Squidoo.com's information and video links. I'll be wearing mine to the CSTS Vancouver Serenity screening tomorrow (if I can pry it off my daughter's head!).

It was never aired by Fox
One of the most amazing things about this episode is that it was never aired by Fox! Imagine that! You go to all the trouble and expense of financing a series then you show episodes out of order and don't even bother to show the last ones! Breathtaking, isn't it? Still, Fox is a changed beast these days so we mustn't keep old grievances alive. But still....they didn't even air it! I just cannot get into the mindset whereby they can effectively write-off such a valuable asset as worthless, not even bothering to pad the schedule with it. I think I'll go put on my Jayne's hat now -it'll help to calm me down....

See you on the Boards
So hopefully you will join us this afternoon at 5.00 pm my time, 8.00 pm (EDT). Say howdy and join in the fun - and maybe win yourself a prize! Sounds like a deal to me.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Thinking Ahead

XKCD - totally Dugg for being very funny - and mentioning Firefly! :)

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Last Chance for Felicia Day and The Guild - Live Improv!

Do you like to hang out in alleys?
Sorry, that's actually none of my business, is it? :) Anyway, there's good news and bad news for fans of The Guild. The good news is that can see Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis and Sandeep Parikh (Codex, Vork and Zaboo from 'The Guild') in the Improv Group called 'Being Humans' TONIGHT in LA! It starts at 10.30 pm and is at the Westside Eclectic Theatre (which is where the alley comes in). Go to 'WatchTheGuild.com' website for full details. The bad news is that it's the last one scheduled so you have to really make the effort and get there or you've missed your chance. Guild fans who have been to previous shows have said how great it was to meet the cast. So what are you waiting for - get ready and go! And please take some photos and share them.

No BSG....but lots of CSTS
The reality is starting to hit but luckily I've been so busy today it's not been too bad. And there's the CSTS screening of Serenity in Vancouver on Sunday to look forward to, and I can't wait for that! The Vancouver official blog has been updated with lots of shiny new information including some fabulous signed items from Jewel Staite (who plays Kaylee in Serenity), so check it out for maps, guides and 11 compelling reasons to attend! This weekend sees a whole host of Serenity screenings and you can find out if there's one near you on the Can't Stop The Serenity website.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

'Fessing up to Plurk!

Tabz made me do it!
Yes, I've become a Social Media Junkie, it's official. I think it's correlated to the amount of work I have to do and the fact that I'll soon be sort of unemployed as my 'big project' (the one I actually get paid to do) is coming to an end forcing me to face up to the fact that I must get my freelancing butt in gear, and soon. So Plurk was a godsend, really. Tabz (or to give her her full title 'Ms Tabitha Grace Smith: Ruler of the Buffy podcasting airwaves and Social Media Guru') mentioned it on a Twitter recently (o yes, me being on Twitter is also because of Tabz and Felicia Day - another one of those people I can't seem to resist). Where was I? Oh yes, so Tabz mentioned Plurk and wrote an article about it, so I naturally had to check it out (yes, I'm weak).


Confusing much?
At first I was perplexed and bemused. Plurk is a micro-blogging service, so in that way it is like Twitter. But the interface is very different to Twitter and it's quite disorientating at first. It looks a bit messy, but the colour scheme is quite groovy and...well, it kind of grows on you. I know I've following a few people but to be honest, I'm not sure where I check on this (a work in progress!). I also have 4 'friends' I've found since joining. Somehow, it seems more immediate than Twitter. This could be due to the fact you don't have to keep hitting 'refresh' all the time - new posts and responses pop up automatically. I can imagine that with lots of friends it might get a bit cluttered, but for now I'm finding it easy to manage.


So Twitter's out then?
Not exactly. I'm still Tweeting, but I'm finding that I'm Plurking more, and checking my Plurks more. How long it'll last I don't know, but if you want to join in the experiment you can sign up at Plurk.com or try my Plurk homepage. And I've put a link to the RSS feed under my Twitter updates over on the right, there. Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Serenity Screenings: Have you got your tickets?

Serenity: coming to the big screen near you!
Have you ever seen Serenity, the fantastic Joss Whedon film from his short-run TV series Firefly, at the cinema? If not, you don't know what you're missing! But fear not, over the next few weeks cities all over the world will be screening Serenity as part of the 'Can't Stop The Serenity' series of events.

Can't Stop The Serenity?
Started in 2006, this is an annual event around the time of Joss Whedon's birthday where volunteer organisers arrange and screen Serenity to raise money for Equality Now:

"Equality Now was founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support their efforts to stop these human rights abuses."

Joss Whedon is a firm supporter of Equality Now and to find out why please watch his Equality Now Acceptance Speech.

Where can you take part?
There is a full list of screening on the CSTS website so please check it out and see if there is one near you. Denver, CO, USA is already sold out but there are tickets left for many others. This weekend alone there are over 30 screenings, so make sure you are not left out! Apart from seeing Serenity in all it's widescreen glory and supporting Equality Now, all the screenings have great prize draws, entertainment and a chance to mix with some of the 'Verse's most friendly people - the Browncoats. I've got my tickets - have you?

Friday, June 13, 2008

Battlestar Galactica and The Guild Improv...make your choice!

Of course, you could always do both!
Tonight sees the last episode of BSG Season 4 to be shown this year. Think about that for a minute. We're not even half-way through 2008 and after tonight we'll be kept in suspense for at least another 6 months. Cruel? Some would say so! Why has this happened? Well according to Wikipedia only these first 11 episodes were completed before the WGA writer's strike so a decision was made to split the Season. The final 10 episodes are completed, though, so it's hard not to conclude that scheduling plus the desire to keep us all in suspense is the reason. Jane, I thought you were our friend! Can't you get them to reconsider?! And to show it on a Friday the 13th....someone has a very dark sense of humour.

To celebrate/commiserate tonight, there is a special gathering in Vancouver
The 13th Colony is meeting tonight at 5.30 (local time) for the 'Frakkin' Cliffhanger! Season Ender Party'. You'll have a chance to have dinner before the episode airs and can share the joy/pain of what will undoubtedly be a nail-biting cliff-hanger of rollercoaster.

The Guild - at ComiCon!
Now I promised myself I would go to a Convention this year, as I have shamefully never been to one (what sort of geek am I? Guess I should be joining Numfar in his dance...). I've read and drooled over the San Diego ComiCon - it's the stuff of geek dreams, I kid you not. The guests, the panels, the oceans of like-minded humanity. But it's so far away and not what you'd call a cheap weekend! And now, as if to rub salt into the wound, The Guild have announced that they are going to be there July 24-27th. And they are going to be sharing a booth with the California Browncoats. The California Browncoats are a magnificent group of shiny Browncoats (Firefly/Serenity supporters) that take fandom and fundraising to the next level. Imagine - Nathan Fillion supporters on a booth with Felicia Day. And Doctor Horrible (which stars them both) is to be released just before then. I have literally had to lock my credit card away so I can't book a place.

The only consolation I can muster is that the pain of not going to ComiCon will hopefully distract me from having to wait for BSG. It's not much of a consolation.....

The Guild - in Improv!
And don't forget that tonight (Friday 13th June) and next Friday (20th June) you can see Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis and Sandeep Parikh (Codex, Vork and Zaboo from 'The Guild') in the Improv Group called 'Being Humans'. Performances start at 10.30 pm. Go to 'WatchTheGuild.com' website for full details. It's not often you get the chance to see talented stars live and any Guilder who goes will get a very warm reception from the cast.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Browncoat Bonanza! - KNTR have all the books....

Thought you could only get your Firefly/Serenity fix via your TV?
Think again! Apart from being able to see 'Serenity' on the big screen at a location near you soon, thanks to 'Can't Stop The Serenity', there are also six official books that can expand your understanding and appreciation of Joss Whedon's 'Verse. Kids Need To Read are now auctioning all six of these books - and every book has Nathan Fillion’s and Alan Tudyk’s signatures inside! Imagine having all those books and each signed by Mal and Wash - incredible! Now, this is going to be a mega-auction so I would strongly suggest you think about how much you are getting. Six books for yourself - or - you could have six Browncoat friends forever in your debt by distributing them has highly-prized Christmas/Birthday presents. There have already been 7 bids, so get over to eBay before 15th June to get your bid in.

The Guild updates
Jeff Lewis (who plays Vork in The Guild) has written a movie called 'For Christ's Sake' that will be premiering at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival this weekend. It has an 8/10 rating at and a good review at Rotten Tomatoes, so it would be well worth checking out. WatchTheGuild.com has full screening information. And Jeff Lewis, along with Felicia Day (Codex) and Sandeep Parikh (Zaboo) will be performing with 'Being Humans', and Improv group for the next two Fridays in LA. A great opportunity to see these rising stars live - go to WatchTheGuild.com for all the details.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Why can't the news be like this?

Don't bother clicking the links. These idyllic headlines only exist in fantasy. But it's nice to dream of a better world....And don't forget to scroll down to read about how 'Serenity Rising' is beating all box-office records....well, that really would be a better world!

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Thursday, June 5, 2008

The Serenity crew as you've never seen them...

I learned a new Japanese word this week!
A new post on the Vancouver Firefly MeetUp site introduced me to 'Amigurumi', and a great collection of....well, we'll get to that in a minute. 'Amigurumi' means crocheted animals and other anthropomorphized objects that has come to mean anything cute and crocheted with a face. And over at Geek Central Station the new creations are the complete cast of Firefly lovingly rendered (with fantastic accessories) in crocheted form. These are amazing, wonderful and have to be seen to be believed. And if that wasn't enough, the GeekCentralStation Flickr site boasts a whole range of figures from The Fellowship of The Rings, Futurama, Star Wars....check them all out.

Update on Vancouver Serenity Screening
Unfortunately, Jewel Staite will not now be able to attend in person to do a Q&A before the screening, but she is going to record a message and answer some questions and this will be screened before the main show. It's a bit disappointing but the day is still packed with great activities and a great time is assured for everyone. And some people will get their questions answered in an exclusive video, and that is very special. Check out the official blog for a list of all the great prizes on the silent auction plus door prizes, costume competition, songs from Cindy Turner and Brandon Klassen....it will be a great day and tickets cost only $15.

More Guild Improv - 3 Fridays starting tomorrow!

'Being Humans' is Improvising again
Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis and Sandeep Parikh (Codex, Vork and Zaboo from 'The Guild') are in an Improv Group called 'Being Humans' and they have confirmed three new dates: Friday June 6th, 13th, and 20th. Performances start at 10.30 pm. Go to 'The Guild' website for full details and if you are in the LA area at all, this is the place to be! The cast will be sure to say hello to any Guild fans who make the journey and you could get some photos and memories that will have you envy of your friends for years to come.

Wil Wheaton is Gorgeous and not-so-Tiny...
You know when you've not seen someone for a while and then you do and then you think - Wow! Well, Episode 11 of 'Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show' - a manic, multi-coloured 'Banzai-meets-TisWas' web series has been released and it stars Wil as 'Moshi Swartz' (or is that Mushy Shorts?). 'Gorgeous Tiny...' is frantically funny and is written by Kim Evey (producer on The Guild) and directed by Greg Benson (Director/Editor of The Guild). This episode does not disappoint. And Will sports a very fetching beard. Hmmm. Guess he's completely recovered from his surgery now because he is great fun.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Supernatural Season 1: Signed and Ready plus Ernest Borgnine!

Do you do Supernatural?
Well I've not seen it yet, but it's one of those shows that I keep meaning to check out. Sylvia Bond over at Pink Raygun is a big fan and I love her reviews of the episodes but so far I've never actually seen one. In the new Kids Need To Read auction Season 1 is up for grabs - here's the details:

This 6-DVD set is a collector’s dream signed by the show’s creator and four of its cast members. The front cover is signed by Eric Kripke (writer, producer and director), Chad Lindberg (Ash) and the versatile actor Frederic Lehne (Yellow-eyed Demon). The inside cover is signed by series stars Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester) and Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester). In addition to the DVDs, the package includes Team Winchester stickers, postcards and a Team Winchester hat!

This sounds like a great opportunity to get your collection going, so head over to eBay and get bidding!

Did you see The Poseiden Adventure the other night?
Well, me and Hubby watched the first bit, reminiscing about the Bank Holiday weekends of our youth when blockbusters such as Poseiden, 20, 000 Leagues Under The Sea, Ghost of Flight 401 and all the Sinbad films would trotted out in TV...Good times. It also lead to a debate about how great Ernest Borgnine was (Ghost of Flight 401 had me hiding as a kid!) and how he must have died years ago. Yet today I read on Whedonesque that Amber Benson (who played Tara from Buffy) is in a new film "Another Harvest Moon" starring none other than Ernest Borgnine, who is still acting at aged 91! One look at his IMDb record and you can see that he has been working steadily all the time - he was even the voice of 'Mermaid man' in Spongebob (you gotta love that little yellow square dude!). I'm thrilled Amber Benson has a new role (she is a fine actress), and even more thrilled to find out Mr Borgnine is still with us and acting. Fair made my day.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Buy Serenity: Better Days #2 - signed by Book (Ron Glass)!

Ever wanted to read the untold stories of Firefly?
Then the Dark Horse Comic series 'Serenity: Better Days' is a must for you. These are stunningly drawn comics written by Joss Whedon himself along with Brett Matthews. And Kids Need To Read are offering a limited number of Issue #2 signed by Ron Glass (Shepard Book from Firefly and Serenity) for sale on eBay at the moment. Anyone lucky enough to buy Issue #1 signed by Nathan Fillion could continue their collection with this wonderful item, or start here and work backwards!

Light-hearted PSA to Save Dollhouse!
Over at Remote Viewing, Elroyonline.com has posted a funny PSA video in support of Dollhouse. I'm sure Eliza and Joss appreciate the sentiments....