Emerald City Storytellers http://emeraldcityst.com/blog Sun, 05 Sep 2010 03:05:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 en Aidan’s Really Cool Tales - Chapter One: Formula One Race http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=565 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=565#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 03:02:52 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=565 So, we’re in Florida and Aid turns to me and says, “Dad, we should make a movie together.”

How do you say no to that?

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=565 Episode IV: No New Hope http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=553 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=553#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:49:52 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=553

So, made it out to Celebration V, but didn’t win a bloody thing at the fanfilm awards. It’s hard not to be biased, and to avoid letting poopy pants cloud your opinions. Maybe, take a look here at who won what and tell me what you think.

I thought I’d be able to post some tips about going to the convention or entering the fanfilm awards. Turns out I can’t. The convention felt… I dunno… distant. Maybe I’m not a con guy or a Star Wars guy anymore. As for the awards, well, this is the advice I would have given…

Make sure your film is submitted on time.

Not such a big deal actually. Turns out I didn’t really need to go those last two days without sleep (for a bunch of reasons). Due to mix ups, ours didn’t get submitted until 4 hours after the deadline and still got in. The Solo Adventures, which won an award for Best Animation, was submitted 4 whole days after the deadline. So, I guess, take your time.

Ensure your film is under 10 minutes.

They make it pretty clear in the guidelines that they’re looking for films under 10 minutes, and preferably under 5. And rightly so. Fanfilms over 5 minutes are always kinda iffy. But then they had 4 finalists that were well over ten minutes, and gave awards to two of them. I was worried when Myth & Legends was over 5 minutes. Feel kinda silly now.

Try to make your film fit into previous award categories.

It makes sense that if you look at the winners from previous years you can see vague common trends in award categories. The problem is that some admin guy who was presenting the Cinematography award straight up said that they just made up categories each year to fit the films they want to give awards to. He wasn’t kidding either. The Best Sequel Award was kind of stretching it.

Make sure you show up to the awards.

If they know and cater to who they’re giving the awards to, you figure they’d want to make sure there was someone there to accept it. All of the finalists got offered passes to the convention and were asked to RSVP. Still, three of the seven award recipients weren’t there, and the people they had handing out the awards seemed surprised every time. Bottom line. It’s not a big deal if you don’t go. They’ll mail the award to you if you win one.

They also called the passes they gave out VIP passes, but they were really just passes (which is still kinda cool). The fact that they had Lando on them should have been a big clue.

Become part of the community.

For Whedon’s Evil League of Evil Submission contest, the internet was all abuzz. Folks made their guesses and talked about each others’ entrees non stop. In fact, the most comments I ever got on this blog was in response to my ELE predictions.

Now, that was Dr. Horrible, but this is STAR WARS. Whether you agree with it or not, there really shouldn’t be any comparison. Still, for whatever reason, there was never really a community for the fanfilms or the awards. Comments, either on the Atom.com Contest group page, or on individual film sites were almost nonexistent. And there certainly didn’t seem to be a buzz anywhere else on the net. I don’t get it.

Social Market to get votes for your film.

Specifically for the Audience Choice Award, finalists are let loose to pimp the heck out of their videos. The one who gets the most online votes gets the award. Not sure about this one. At some point it stops being about the quality of the work. Some of the fanfilms actually had marketing teams working towards this goal. The guideline finalists used to attempt to gauge the secret votes was the number of times their video had been viewed. I just can’t pretend to understand how online voting works. The film that won (Renaissance – Redux) only had the same 1,500 – 3,000 views most of us had, compared to the 10,000 for A Light in the Darkness and a whopping 40,000 cranked out for The Impossible Peace.

So, all in all, I have no real advice on how to enter the Star Wars Fanfilm Challenge. I guess the best I can muster is don’t put too much effort into it. Just have fun. If your planning to put that much of your life into something, maybe make it an original production. Create something of your own.

It’s advice I wish I could stick to and remember, but things like the Evil League of Evil Submissions and this Star Wars thing have been powerful and lengthy distractions. Despite the headaches, they’ve been fun. Still, I’ve got two projects that should have been done ages ago, and it’s embarrassing that they aren’t.

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=553 Episode III: Revenge of the Pith http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=545 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=545#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:15:32 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=545  

“This masterpiece is only mine

Entirely guilty by design.”

-Marianas Trench, Masterpiece Theatre I

 

I grew up on Star Wars.

Only my Grandpa has had more influence on my creative upbringing than George Lucas has (and all his stories were based on Flash Gordon too).

Star Wars is a part of me.  There’s just no getting around it.  

Sure, the prequels were a spiralling descent into disappointment, but I think the prequel argument is inherently flawed.  Like so many far more significant issues (for example abortion, Big G’s existence, or the death penalty), the argument is essentially an emotional one.  Because it’s something that’s so deeply rooted in our feelings, no amount of logic is going to help.  If logic could solve emotional issues, then why don’t all of the academic experts on these issues agree?  Heart trumps head.  Even if you don’t think it’s happening, you can bet your ass it is.

In my heart, there’ll never be a Yoda to compare with the one in Empire, or a space battle as beautiful as the one in Jedi.  I can watch the prequels and I get them.  I get that it’s all sociology, and Joseph Campbell, and classic fantasy, and Flash Gordon serials.  Hell, it would have actually been Flash Gordon if they’d have given George the rights to it back in the 70’s (and count your blessings every day that they didn’t).  Does that mean I’m right?  I dunno.  Probably not.

Just look at Jar’Jar.  No, seriously.  My best friend’s gal sat between us at Episode I, and she laughed and giggled every bloody time Jar-Jar said something.  There was such a hatred of that character, but clearly it wasn’t universal.  I’d also suggest that he was one little slip away from working.  Just like the rest of the prequels, I get Jar-Jar.  He’s the Disney Cinderella mice.  He’s Charlie Chaplin.  What he was missing was a character arc.  If he’d of done something noble or heroic or even vaguely cool at the end of Episode I to warrant any of the attention he was getting, I’m guessing we’d all be okay with his character.

Even now, watching The Clone Wars, my head knows that it shouldn’t care. In a couple of months Anakin’s gonna be killing babies.  But when it comes to Star Wars, my heart’s running the show.

So, when I tell you about the sleepless nights and other self abusive blunders that went into making even a funny little Star Wars fanfilm, you’ll understand why.

  

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=545 But How Does it End? http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=540 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=540#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:36:16 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=540  

If you haven’t been paying attention (and shame on you if you haven’t, there could be a quiz at the end of all this), we got our Star Wars fanfilm done.  After viewing the Star Wars Challenge entry, you can view the conclusion of Myth & Legends HERE.

 

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=540 Interlude - 2010 Star Wars Fanfilm Challenge Predictions http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=525 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=525#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:36:51 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=525 Alright, I did this for the Dr.Horrible Evil League of Evil Contest and was WAY off.  Let’s see how I do here.

The Star Wars Fanfilm Challenge is almost done.  The finalists are chosen, and George will soon be forced to sit down and watch them all (poor bugger).  The awards will take place at the Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando in a few weeks.  Not only will George Lucas himself be at the Celebration, but so will Jon Stewart (yes, the very same Jon Stewart that played the reporter on the Groundhog Day episode of “Jack’s big Music Show”).

What was I talking about again?  Oh yeah.

As it’s clearly on my mind, I’ve scrounged up some predictions.  I’ve tried (and failed) to avoid personal bias, but here’s some educated guesses from what I know about Atom and what I know about Mr. Lucas.

BEST ANIMATED and AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS:

THE SOLO ADVENTURES

This one is a straight up shoe in.  It’s great work.  Well crafted, well written, and the guy they got to do 1977 Harrison Ford’s voice is bloody amazing.  Here’s the problem.  I was all over this video when it showed up on the SW Challenge group.  It’s from an entire CG school.  The credits list over two dozen animators and a handful of instructors.  Then I found out it was entered in the contest and the mixed feelings crept in.  Sure, I hate losing (which has got to have a ton to do with it), but the fact is, if I was any more professional at video production (which is to say at all), I’d be uncomfortable entering things like this.  If it was cool for the high end semi-pro crowd, then why isn’t AT-AT Day Afternoon in the Challenge?  That short would have cleaned up in this thing.

AT-AT DAY AFTERNOON

Anyway, nobody likes a whiner, so moving right along.

BEST ACTION AWARD:

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

A trailer for a full length feature to be shown at the Celebration.  Lots of cool camera work and great effects. It almost beats out my ooginess over serious fanfilm productions.  They spent an awful long time on their feature, and it certainly shows.  The other thing is just the high end semi pro thing, but they’re actually from Orlando, so the whole Celebration should be incredible for them.

There’s a couple of other really nice serious dramatic entries, but they’re far too long.  They’ve been pretty clear that they want under 10 minutes on these things, and I’m betting George prefers under five.

BEST COMEDY AWARD:

EMPIRE TRADE

I know there’s that Rock Trooper short in there, but it’s CG is far too professional, and it’s just not as funny as this short and sweet little number.  This one gets a smile out of me.  The mix of Look Who’s Talking and the Robot Chicken “Aluminum Falcon” sketch totally works.

BEST PARODY AWARD:

HANGOVER STRIKES BACK

This funny little cartoon is pretty good.  The District 9 and Wacky Races spoofs are pretty clever too, but I think this one edges into the lead.  IG-88 taking a leak.  A naked Gungan in a trunk.  It’s all there.

SPIRIT OF FANDOM AWARD:

STAR WARS: MYTH & LEGENDS

Why should my video win?  Well, because I seriously want me one of those 3PO and R2 trophies, and I’ve got a shark obsessed little guy who basically needs to see Sea World.

Seriously though, I’m not sure.  While ours is entertaining enough while poking subtle fun at the expanded universe, doesn’t really fit into any other category (hence, I assume, the creation of this one), and goes all Flash Gordon serials at the end, it’s not without it’s faults.  It’s a little long at nearly eight minutes, and without the fight scene that’s part of the conclusion, it’s three characters trading witty banter on the holonet. I sure do like it though, and am awful proud of everyone involved.  It shows some real love and respect for this fantasy world we grew up in.

GEORGE LUCAS SELECTS AWARD:

AN UNCONSCIOUS SITH

This charming as all get out and skillfully crafted short deserves to take it.  The CG artwork in comic form is great and the whole thing comes together really well.  To be fair to the others I’ve mentioned, I should draw attention to my problems with this short, but I don’t have any.  It’s gold.  Go watch it.

So, lemme know what you think.  I know there’s lots of other good stuff in the Challenge.  Maybe you’ve got something else in mind.  G’won.  Prove me wrong.

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=525 Episode Two: Attack of the Colds http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=515 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=515#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:59:59 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=515  

“I’m not tired in the least

Five more minutes please…”

-Meaghan Smith, Five More Minutes Please

 

I’m jealous of actors.

I really am.

They always seem like they’re having so much fun.  Ever since high school, I’ve been envious of their damn exclusive cast parties that always sound like the very best time in the entire world.  You might say I could have joined the drama productions, but you see I suffer from cantsingordanceitis, a tragic affliction that predominately targets very white, soulless gingers.

 

Anyway, actors.

In any project I’ve ever done, they always seem to be having so much fun (certainly more than me). I tried to tap into that by giving myself the lead role in Meridian (the ego on that guy), but without letting go of the reigns, it kinda backfired.

 

Alyssa, Mike, and Kel took me from my dark world of jealousy and bitterness and into the light.  I know I said I’d be sharing a tale of woe regarding this Star Wars production, but I gotta say, those three knocked it out of the park acting-wise.  I can’t actually remember them needing more than two takes (though they must have, right?), and (like I said before) had no trouble at all pushing imaginary buttons,  talking to make believe robots, hitting the jokes, and otherwise selling a location that wasn’t there.

 

The first night of shooting, which was pretty much everything in the contest entry, went super smooth. I found myself having just as much fun watching those guys act as I did with the whole moulding a creative story thing (that just makes my heart sing).

 

The second night was all lightsabers and crash mats.  It was pretty physical stuff, and Mike and Kel had colds so bad they thought they were gonna die.  Mike even suggested rescheduling, and I did something I never have before.  I browbeat them all into getting it done.  It just seemed like everyone was tired and grouchy, but I bulldozed through it. I’ll admit I didn’t know how messed up Mike and Kel really were til later.  They were swinging faulty lightsabers at each others’ heads and flipping in the air.  Hell, without her glasses, Lissa beaned me in the elbow with her first baton throw, and nearly tagged the camera with a bad bounce on the second.  It was a hectic, seat of the pants mess, and a couple of shots were almost forgotten.

 

The point is, I don’t think the cast and crew had a ton of fun that second night.  They did an incredible job, and the end result certainly eases a retcon into that memory, but I suspect that day my bitterness towards hedonistic actors caused me to drag them down to my level.

 

It’s a guilt that I’m living with…

and I more than paid for it in post…

 

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=515 Episode One: The Fanfilm Menace http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=509 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=509#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:14:36 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=509

 

So many links and parenthesises… It’s madness.

First off, if you haven’t seen Inception yet, quit reading this nonsense and go do so.

I’ll wait.

Now, this is gonna sound a little silly (and when I say “silly” I actually mean “hypocritical”), but I’m not that crazy about fan films. I know the thing I’ve done that still gets the most attention is Mosquito, and I know this appears to be the first of six posts telling the tale of making a Star Wars fanfilm. Like I said. Silly.

I think it might be just the ones that take themselves seriously. I love light-hearted fan films like the classic Troops and the Power Girl and other DC hero skits from Blinky Productions (it’s not about the boobies, I swear). Weird Al’s The Saga Begins (youtube it, okay.  I’m at work) is still one of my favourite music videos. Projects that celebrate a love for the subject material in a fun way feel more like praise than… I dunno… unnecessary replication. Fan films like Dead End and this new Aragorn thing are fantastically pretty and extremely well done, but something about them just feels off.

So, after Mosquito, I kinda unsuccessfully swore off fan films. I fell hard and fast in love with Firefly and wanted to tell the world. I also wanted to shake Whedon’s hand, but the bugger jammed on DragonCon that year. Then the controversial character slaughter in Serenity (which I’ve discussed on this thing more than any sane person should), Whedon’s last bit of his X-men run (which I can’t help but call “Kitty Pryde: #1 With a Bullet”), and my on going double whammy of sour grapes and poopy pants at Vagabond not making the Dr. Horrible cut (I really thought John and I had the stuff on that one) left me cold and masterless in the depths of space.

Then came the realization that I’m not much of a self promoter. Sorry, Bachelder, I’ve taken your teachings to heart, but I might just not have that sure and swift a pimp hand. I’ve got two original (or as original as things can ever be in this day and age) projects slowly churning their way through post production, and I want more people to see them. Enter the Atom.com Star Wars Fanfilm Challenge - a contest where Lucas picks the winner each year. What’s more, my best friend Kel always said he wanted me to make a Star Wars fanfilm (I eventually repaid him by all but cutting him from the contest entry, but more on that later). As cool as Firefly was, Star Wars will always be STAR WARS. A solid fanfilm would certainly generate new interest in my other projects.

It was already dangerously close to the contest deadline (I started Mosquito five weeks before its deadline. What the hell is the matter with me?), but I wrote up an easy to shoot script (though one that dangerously straddled the line of playful parody and seriousness) with a handful of friends in mind. Natalie Portman (who is a fantastic actress) said that acting in front of a green screen was so hard that it aught to be taught in acting school, so I was a little worried about my gang. It turned out they could act in front of a bluescreen better than most of the actors in the prequels (except Ewan McGregor. Nobody does anything better than Ewan McGregor), and things got rolling pretty quick…

 

 

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=509 I Not Dead… http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=507 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=507#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:56:11 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=507 …if I may so bold as to quote the title of Graham Roumieu’s poignant and soul achingly profound book about Bigfoot.

Close call though.

So, I’ve been out of touch with the interwebs for over a year now. It was a time of moving and renovations and family stuff and frame by frame covering up Emilie’s goddamn tan lines for Magellan. I learned alot about the wonders of After Effects and the unfortunate reality of limitations.

I made a Star Wars fanfilm.

I knew it’d be fun and I’d kinda like more than just the folks on my Facelurk friends list to see the upcoming chapters of Magellan and Meridian. As it turned out, entering the George Lucas Fanfilm Challenge (the winner of which is chosen by George hisself), became a true homage to Lucas. He nearly died making A New Hope, and so did I making just a ten minute fanfilm. Like most of my stories, this one has lots of amusing bits at my own expense. Over the next week, I’ll share the sorrid tale. Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned. I dunno.

So, I’m back at it and have a good deal of stuff to share with you over the next little while. Stuff like…

Star Wars: Myth & Legends

A slicer and her droid companion find themselves on a holonet run gone all kinds of wrong.  The first 7 or so minutes became our entry into the 2010 Fanfilm Challenge. The action sequence conclusion is done and will appear here on this site, and maybe Atom.com. I’m not sure.

The Magellan Affair

Our retro sci-fi noir. More Bogart than Blade Runner, and more Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid than anything else. Did some changes to Part One and have Part Two ready to go (damn tan lines). I promised myself I wouldn’t shoot any other projects until Parts Three through Seven were finished.

Meridian

A supernatural comedy set in the Canadian prairies. Corner Gas meets X-files. Filmed as a 22 minute pilot to be released in three bite sized chunks.

There’s other stuff (although there really shouldn’t be). Maybe a new script for a full length feature once Magellan’s done. Maybe a webcomic based on the Teen Titans comics of the 80s. Maybe even some more Mosquito. I sure did appreciate the few kind words I got asking for more when I kinda crapped out there.

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=507 Scary Stuff http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=500 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=500#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 17:54:36 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=500 And I was worried about somebody coming up with something like “The Magellan Affair” AFTER we started to get it out there…

So, I’m sitting at my cushy government job surfing for any mention of “The Magellan Affair” like a needy puppy and come across this. I’ve kept myself from looking at much, but it seems like there’s a 90’s videogame that bears a scary retro sci-fi resemblance to what we did. It’s creepy, and to a copyright nazi like myself, a little disturbing. To show that I’m not just a copyright nazi but also a hypocrite, here’s a pic of the game I lifted off the net.

It’s strange. I’ve dabbled in PC games in the past.  Sam & Max Hit the Road and Grim Fandango were pretty awesome. Later on, I played the hell out of Freedom Force and Battle for Middle-Earth. Now, I’ve got Bob’s copy of Sam & Max: Season One that’s been sitting on my bookshelf for over a year. Not having the time to play it burns at my soul like a thousand packs of matches. On top of which, almost all of my friends are video game junkies. How the hell had I never heard of Tex Murphy?

I came up with The Magellan Affair during a party at Adrian’s (which I may or may not have named The House of Sin). It was just after Mosquito, and a drunken Adrian, Bob, and myself were leaning on the same wall hold us up. Bob (a CG wizard and sci-fi super freak) says, “what’s the next project?” Fedora wearing Adrian pipes in with, “Yeah, man, but it’s gotta have some blues in there!” In my drunken stupor I put both of those comments in a bowl with the fact that I’m an absolute nut for Bogart movies and Flash Gordon serials, mixed well, and served. The script was written in less than a week, and without any knowledge of Tex Murphy.

Odd? You bet. Maybe there is a collective consciousness and there really aren’t any new ideas.

I’m gonna go out of my way to not learn any more about Tex Murphy (other than an eventual post on that message board) and carry on with Magellan as is, just to see how close the end results end up being.

]]> http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=500 Star Trek Movie Review http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=493 http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=493#comments Tue, 12 May 2009 14:21:27 +0000 Pinto http://emeraldcityst.com/blog/?p=493

Holy crap, that was fun!

Now, I’ve been an over the top Trek fan since The Next Generation: Season Three. I even submitted some scripts way back when (an anger inducing and embarrassing story for another time). I lived and breathed that world.  I understood the technobabble. I choked a little when they started breaking rules the second after Roddenberry checked out. I loved TNG and liked DS9 right up til that Klingon War stuff when they fleshed out Garrek. I preferred the mystery around that character by far, and it felt kinda strange when it turned out he wasn’t gay. I couldn’t watch Voyager and hear Janeway without seeing Jane Curtin in her Conehead get up yelling, “Unacceptable! Unacceptable!” Enterprise was briefly interesting and soft-core pornish. All in all, the franchise needed new blood.

So, I’m watching this new movie and it feels fresh and reminiscent and charming as all get out. I ignore the prancing through Black Holes like it’s 1979, the supernova that catches everyone off guard and sneaks up on a planet unawares, and the whack-a-doo cadet cruise promotion to Captain. I ignore this all because it’s fun, and it’s make believe. I used to like reality in my sci-fi/fantasy as much (or more) than the next guy, but let’s face it, the late Ricardo Montalban never managed to take over a quarter of the Earth as emperor in the 90’s, so… you know… you gotta let it go.

I was never a huge fan of the original series, but it’s really hard not to love these new cast as the old characters. It was a well scripted, wonderfully paced, and fun adventure. It’s great escapism and surprisingly clean. I’m very glad Star Trek is kicking Wolverine’s ass (95% approval vs. 36% on Rotten Tomatoes). It gives me a little more faith in humanity. A little.

All in all, I’d give Star Trek 6 ridiculous promotions out of a possible 7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCARADb9asE

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