Banquet scene from Do You Want To Date My Avatar

Banquet
Originally uploaded by watchtheguild

Watchtheguild has added some fantastic photos to their Flickr account from the Do You Want To Date My Avatar shoot by Angie Riemersma, including this one showing the Banquet scene. Brilliant work!

The Guild Season 3 launched on Xbox live plus the S3 trailer

Ah, the irony

I flipped the switch on the Xbox today eager to watch Episode 1, Season 3 of The Guild. After suffering from the crippling illness Guild Deficiency Syndrome (GDS) the wait was over and I was ready to step onto the Season 3 roller-coaster. First little wrinkle was having to wait up a system update, but, no problem, it was soon restarted and ready to go. I went to the Marketplace, found S3, Ep 1 and...arseburgers! Only Gold members can download it. Now, I used to have Gold but because our Xbox was registered in the UK (don't ask how that happened because I DO NOT want to relive that), the only way to renew has been to get Points shipped from England. Apparently you can pay online now but after the hassle we've had in the past I just never bothered. Until now.

What to do?

Now $60 might not sound that much but I can't justify that just so I can see S3, Ep1 a week early. Especially when I'll be buying the DVD and have just bought "Do You Want To Date My Avatar" video and MP3.

Kids want to be fed every day and they notice if you substitute sawdust for oatmeal and cardboard for crackers. So I'll wait until next Tuesday 1st September when I can watch it on MSN video. And brood. And fidget with my GDS for a few days longer. Thank goodness that....

The Season 3 trailer was released today!

Yay!

Now it's a trailer that contains scenes from S3, so if you don't want to see anything then don't watch it. Though how you would be able to resist is beyond me. I won't say more than Season 3 looks like it is going to be an absolute corker and (I can't resist this, so if it spoils you, I'm sorry) Wil Wheaton apparently DOES NOT WEAR UNDERWEAR!!! 'Nuff said.

Do You Want To Date My Avatar? is #1 (just like Joss said!)

(The Guild "Do You Want To Date My Avatar" graphic from datemyavatar.com)

Phew - what a day Monday was!

If you were on Twitter yesterday you would have seen that #datemyavatar was on the trending topics most of the day, and with good reason. While the video was available on iTunes in the US and Canada late Sunday night, it rolled over the whole globe yesterday, crushing all in it's path. Twitter was again a-buzz with news and comments about The Guild. And I'd like to point out I started writing this last night but more news came in, then some more and then....well, it didn't get done. So, to make it easy on me (and perhaps you, too) here's a brief list of the highlights.

• Before 9:00 AM I check and "..Avatar.." is #13 in iTunes, Canada for music videos
• 10:08 AM @theguild tweets: "#datemyavatar is #6 in top 100 iTunes pop music videos & #19 in all music videos (US). Let's get #1."
• 10:44 AM @theguild tweets: "Contest time! Please tweet an "avatar pickup line" with#datemyavatar and a link http://bit.ly/datemyavatar" Prizes include shirts, autographed cast photo and SDCC goodies
• 1:17 PM @theguild tweets: "Wow - #datemyavatar is almost #1 on iTunes for all music videos... Guildies rule http://bit.ly/itunesvideo"
• 23:02 CET Joss Whedon posts this comment on a thread about the video on Whedonesque:

"Okay, usually I stay above such matters. But this video must be number one!!! Who is this Taylor Swift? Some evil robot, PROBABLY. (Although an evil robot vid would also potentially be cool.) (But fine! She can be number two!) The point is, I love this video to distraction (and inevitable procrastination). It has Felicia -- and money! Felicia LYING IN money! Combo-ed! Plus Vork, turkey legs, and the Solid Guild dancers! I care!

And I'm hobbled here, peeps. I don't twitter (I occasionally Glitter and Be Gay, but that's it), can't digg, or favorite, or friend... In fact I don't understand why my typewriter has a TV on it. I'M NOT SAVVY. But I really want this to be big. It's indie (which is the most important part), it's awesome, and it's made by people that I friended in the old-fashioned way of being friends with them. (Okay, technically, I brothered Jed before I friended him, but he's still super-talented.) So help me out. Let's go the extra mile here and DESTROY THE SWIFTBOT! Then I can get back to the business of making Dollhouse stranger.

Digg deep, people.

Smoochez! -joss."

• 3:09 PM @feliciaday tweets: "LOL Joss Whedon just posted a hilarious comment in this thread http://bit.ly/10jDv9 supporting us getting to #1 iTunes. #datemyavatar"
• 3:17 PM @feliciaday tweets: "Whoops, I just broke Whedonesque. Eep? AMAZON MP3:http://bit.ly/avatarsong ITUNES VIDEO:http://bit.ly/itunesvideo #datemyavatar"
• 3:37 PM @feliciaday tweets: "OMG you guys we're #1 in US (and Canada) now!http://bit.ly/itunesvideo Joss' call to arms against the "Swiftbot" worked, LOL! #datemyavatar"
• 4:09 PM @theguild tweets:"iTunes screen shot #datemyavatar hitting no. 1 - thanks Guildies for the support http://www.twitpic.com/eagb1"
• 7:33 PM @sandeepparikh tweets: "just watched it again and am SO DAMN proud of @feliciaday@kimevey @drhorrible & @theguild so i'm posting it again:http://bit.ly/avatarsong"
• 8:42 PM @feliciaday tweets: "Thx you guys, what a day, I'm blown away by all the support. Still can't believe we got to #1 over all the mainstream stuff :)#datemyavatar"

Now, I could go on. Seriously, yesterday was a real shift in paradigms and we were part of it. Those paradigms - all changed (and one day I'll learn what that word actually means!). Dani tweeted yesterday: "Is it weird that I, being just a fan, am so so so SO proud of @theguild right now? @feliciadayshould rule the world. Really. #datemyavatar" If it's weird then I'm weird too, because that's how I felt - proud.

And as a consequence of The Guild conquering all there is a metric crapload of blog posts from all over the interwebs. Luckily there's a neat way to view them all by looking at Friendfeed.

So many great posts...but I'll leave the last word to the one true b!x who posted this lovely little video this evening. The future is here, and you saw it first on an iPhone:

Breaking News: Do You Want To Date My Avatar? - Now on iTunes!

Sweet!

I've just downloaded the "Do You Want To Date My Avatar" video on iTunes and I'm listening it while I'm writing this! AND I LOVE IT! I blogged about how great the video is before, and very soon everyone will have the chance to find out for themselves. Felicia Day has confirmed via Twitter that we will be hearing all about when/why/how you buy it:

- but for now you can try this link to iTunes.

A word of caution

Since I've been writing this it appears that it might not be available in all iTunes, so we'll have to see what the news is about this tomorrow. Also - check what else is ticked on your playlist otherwise you might end up listening to "The Final Countdown', too.....:(

EDIT: More Breaking News!

Since I first published this (oh - 5 mins ago!) Felicia has confirmed what the availability will be for everyone:

Knights of The Guild at Comic-Con: The Panel, Booth and More!

Want to hear the inside story of The Guild at Comic-Con?

The Guild cast signing at Comic-Con 2009 (thanks to Kenny for the pic)

Then you need to head over to The Knights of The Guild (KOTG) website at knightsoftheguild.podbean.com and listen to the latest microcast. Kenny does a great rundown of all his adventures during Comic-Con, and there's lots of juicy tidbits in there! And not only all about the parties, panels and signings, but also what the fans thought. This is the great thing about KOTG - it gives the inside track on all The Guild info and lets the Guildies literally have their say! And it's a great defense against Guild Deficiency Syndrome. There are some familiar names talking about Comic-Con. And if you listen to the end you'll hear me talk about how the pain of not being at Comic-Con was mitigated by following it all on Twitter. And then seeing that video...

Do you want to watch "Do You Want To Date My Avatar?"?

Of COURSE you do! And the good news is that if you have an Xbox you get to see it on 10th August and a week later it will be on MSN Video and elsewhere. As all the Guildies who have seen it will attest - this is a brilliant song and it won't be a surprise if it charts. If you want to share your opinions about Comic-Con and the video you can email KOTG at knightsoftheguild@gmail.com with either written or audio comments (if you have a microphone on your computer you can record a comment and attach it to your message). And congratulations to Kenny for doing the microcast solo - you did a great job. Jenni was apparently MIA but will return! You can also follow KOTG on Twitter - you know it makes sense :)

Another podcast?

And Omnibus 8 (Chapters 36-40) of my novel "Turning Left at Albuquerque" is now up on turningleft.podbean.com. Each omnibus is about 21 mins long and follows the fortunes of Jason, a geek in crisis since losing his job. We've had some great feedback so if you listen and have something to share - let's have it!

Do You Want To Date My Avatar? The Guild Triumphs at Comic-Con!

The Guild dressed for success for "Do You Want To Date My Avatar?"

This time last week I was glued to Twitter

Comic-Con was on and the 'Left-Behind' Guildies were desperate to hear anything and everything about what 'the lucky ones' were up to. Comic-Con ended on Sunday but it's taken that long to get around to blogging about it. (Plus we're having the hottest weather in 200 years here at the moment so I had to spend the day by a friend's pool yesterday up near Indian Arm. It's a hard job but someone has to do it!)

Where were you when The Guild Panel was on?

Last Friday at 10:30 The Guild took the stage to rapturous applause, decked out in full Avatar Costumes including weaponry! The Left-Behind were scanning Twitter for information and during the Panel Twitter went into overload. It was a real event for us Left-Behind and we couldn't believe what we were reading: a music video, cos-play, a Dark Horse comic penned by Felicia for The Guild.....? Wowowow! And there was another thing...what was it now...? Oh yes! WIL WHEATON IS IN SEASON 3!!!!! Tubefilter was first off the mark with their coverage that included pictures, links to interviews and a chance to win download codes for the "Date My Avatar" video!

The Panel (without the music video or Season 3, Ep 1) has been uploaded by magicinthenumbers on YouTube:

And luckily my fears about @seanbecker and @feliciaday having a big bust-up on stage were unfounded! Plus for an insider's view of Comic-Con, Felicia has blogged about the whole, wonderful experience. i09 rates Felicia as a "Top 10 Buzz" of Comic-Con (and they're not wrong!).

Secrets and lies

How had they managed to keep all that under wraps? Obviously Felicia's fearsome reputation (the threats, the kidnapping, the violence...) must have been enough to ensure everyone toed the line because no-one blabbed at all. @WilW was given very firm instructions by Felicia. So @WilW even lied to everyone on Twitter about why he was going to Comic-Con:

Today Wil has blogged about his experiences on the set of The Guild and he didn't even apologise for his web of lies. But he did say he was going to talk about each episode after it had been released. So....I guess we're even. (That 'Deadbeat' thing? All forgotten. I never thought he was a deadbeat, anyway).

And that video?

As soon as I heard about the "Do You Want To Date My Avatar" I wanted to see it. I mean, I really, REALLY wanted to see it. And thanks to a very kind friend I got a code, downloaded the video onto my Xbox and....OMG! You are going to freak when you see it! It has everything: a great song, a hook that you'll keep singing, lyrics that'll make you LOL and then....the video. All the cast are there (plus Mo Tancharoen, who choreographed, as a backing dancer) and they look amazing in their outfits. Felicia, as you would expect, looks sexy, playful and stunningly beautiful. Jeff Lewis (Vork) wields his massive weapon with all the grace and precision you would expect from a man so at-ease in his own skin.

Sandeep Parikh (Zaboo), in a very fetching outfit that puts me in mind of the good ole Union Flag (no, not *that* union - the British one), even does some acrobatics. I'm sure Felicia didn't make him do it to get back for all the pain she went through as the naughty fairy on Legend of Neil! Amy Okuda (Tink) struts her stuff in a most stimulating way that will undoubtably bring more calls for her to do more. Robin Thorsen (Clara) plays her part with conviction and is having far too much fun! And poor Vince....! I wonder if Vince Caso (Bladezz) has recovered yet? It must have been really gruelling for him, poor lad...

Yeah, rub it in why don't you?

But fear not if you haven't seen it yet because "Do You Want To Date My Avatar" will be available on general release soon. It'll be on Xbox Live (without needing a code) on 10th August and a week later it will be on MSN Video and elsewhere. Plans are that it will be available to buy from various sources. As soon as more details are revealed I will let you know.

Have YOU seen it yet?

If you have, my good friends Kenny and Jenni from the "Knights of the Guild" podcast would like to hear from you! Just email them at knightsoftheguild@gmail.com with a comment - and if you can do an audio one that would be even better. I'm going to record mine tonight. If I can. Because this week has been a bit of a FAIL where audio is concerned

"Turning Left at Albuquerque" not updated this week

We've had a few technical issues this week, not helped by the massively excessive heat (40 degrees C is *not* compatible with my English constitution. England, in typical summer style, has had non-stop rain and flooding. I miss that). The next episode is done but we'll release it next Monday because there's not time now to do another one before then. I tweeted this news earlier and asked people to @reply to me if they were angry about it. Thanks to everyone who took the time to register their dissatisfaction :)

The good news is that it gives you time to catch up on any episodes you've missed! And if you're enjoying it so far please leave a comment here or on the podcast website to let us know. Thanks for listening.