So finally due to popular demand, we’re making some t-shirts. Here’s the deal though, we need to figure out which one to make! So please click here and vote on the T-shirts of your liking. Voting a 5 means you’d buy it, voting a 1 means you’d burn someone alive if you saw them wearing it. Click here to vote! And thanks for your help. Pretty much all the proceeds of this shirt will go directly to the season 2 budget, and help make it just that much more kick ass!
LOTS to share today with the finale of this season!
Please check out the last installment in the Guild Season 2 saga, Guild Episode #12 “Collision Course”
“Guild characters collide — literally.”
View it streaming on MSN Video:
Download it in HD or SD off of Xbox Live Video Marketplace under “Independent Videos”
Download it off the Zune Marketplace for your portable needs!
A few people made outstanding contributions to the finale, including special effects guru Doug Luberts (@dougluberts on Twitter) and uber band “The Main Drag” who allowed us to use the last song in the show “Love in Wintertime”. Check out their website.
Thank you so much to all of their time, effort and expertise, we are honored!
Thank you so much for taking this wild ride through Season 2 with us. We really hope you had as much fun as we did! Tune in to our live chat tonight on our Ustream channel, 7:30 pm Pacific!
To celebrate the final episode of Season 2 tomorrow, we’re going to (attempt) to live stream an hour with some cast and crew members!
Tomorrow night, Tuesday the 17th from 7:30 to 8:30pm, we will be in our Ustream channel, chatting and video casting with anyone who’s interested!
On another note, actors Felicia Day, Sandeep Parikh and Jeff Lewis will be performing improv in Los Angeles Wednesday, Feb 18th along with many other funny performers. If you’re in town please come by!
INFO:
Theatre Asylum 6320 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Plenty of Street Parking, meters free after 6
10$ cash only at the door!
Call (323) 463-2942 for reservations!
In the future the number of views equals the number of dollars you get, right? RIGHT? Assuming that is so, I’m a future millionaire because today The Legend of Neil season 1 reached 1,000,031 views on atom.com (technically it does have some tens of thousands of views elsewhere on mydamnchannel.com and xbox live, etc but this is the only count I’ve followed). Anyway, I’m really proud that we were able to reach a million views and my deepest thanks go out to all my cast and crew who made the show million worthy and all the 1,000,000 viewers out there (its a 1-1 ration right?) who’ve taken in Neil‘s exploits.
It was especially gratifying to tabulate that today on my apple calculator, because we just had our first major production meeting for season 2 of The Legend of Neil which we’re shooting in March. Looking forward to bringing you all many more R-rated exploits through Zelda!
Now that I’m a future millionaire I’m going to feel free and build up tons of credit card debt. Forever 21 here I come!
In the near future, man has begun to address the economic and environmental issues plaguing the early 21st century. Rapid technological advancements have changed life dramatically, especially the creation of advanced humanoid robots who have begun to play an integral part in everyday life. Takumi Kenji, the reclusive CEO of Kenji electronics, and father of all things A.I., has announced the first ever “companion” bots, a model of humanoid whose interactive capabilities are remarkably natural. As robots continue to evolve, their place amongst us must evolve as well, and as it does society carries the responsibility of answering the moral questions that come.
Retro sci-fi and steampunk fans, rejoice! Weta, the company best known for creating the sets, costumes, armour, weapons, creatures, and miniatures in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, presents Dr. Grordbort’s Infallible Aether Oscillators & Other Marvelous Contraptions.
Dr. Grordbort’s Infallible Aether Oscillators is a line of 1:1 scale antique styled, sci-fi hand weapon props, conceived by Weta designer Greg Broadmore and meticulously built by master model maker David Tremont. With charming 1900s contraption styling and finish, the Rayguns evoke the nostalgia of a lost age of exploration and discovery, and possess an intentional sense of humour and fun in their design.
Six years ago, Greg started illustrating classic Rayguns, and after creating a series of nine full-size illustrations on canvas, he showed Weta Workshop’s Richard Taylor, who, in turn, asked for a painting of his own. Greg agreed and tentatively suggested launching a range based on these drawings. And the rest is history.
“Dr. Grordbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory plays to all that Sci Fi imagery I love”, grins Broadmore. “It’s full of bizarre inventions and man-melting weaponry. The three Rayguns are featured alongside many others including Servile Automatons, War Wagons and even Mass-mo-trons. Almost all of them are capable of accidentally crippling the user or worse. That’s one of the things I loved about the classic Science Fiction machinery. They all looked like death traps. Just as likely to kill you as your enemy.”
The Rayguns have exploded onto the web, featured in collectors’ Christmas and birthday wish lists, and have been featured on International Directory BoingBoing.net and Gizmodo.com, who dubbed the Rayguns “your weapon of choice… a Raygun that’ll blast away giant monkeys… or evil wizard dudes”. WIRED Magazine recently featured a six page spread on the making of these weapons and New Zealand daily newspaper The Dominion Post dubbed the heaviest of the Rayguns, the Goliathon 83, “Weta’s Alien Buster”.
Creator Greg Broadmore, a self-confessed gun nerd, says the contraptions have been a long time coming in his mind. “I clearly and fondly remember watching the old black and white serials on Sunday afternoons as a little kid and the classic Sci Fi imagery has always stuck with me”, says Greg. “The swept shapes, spikes, fins and beautiful forms that are all jammed together with boiler plate and extraneous mechanical detail. That’s how I saw Flash Gordon, Tarzan, King Kong and others. But what I’ve [always been] fascinated by is the macho idiocy of the ‘hero’ in science fiction. The ‘heroic’ attitude of killing anything and everything in sight, especially if it’s jeopardizing the swooning heroine.”
The guns are limited edition pieces. There will be only 500 of each gun made worldwide, except for the Victorious Mongoose, of which there are only 400. All of these are handcrafted and made out of metal with some glass parts. Every Raygun comes with its own Moon-velvet lined pressed tin case, Certificate of Authenticity and an assortment of implements and crafting tools. Not only that, these bad boys will be a decent punch of metal — with each gun weighing in at over 7 pounds, these are no light investment.
“The original three Rayguns were previewed at Comic-Con San Diego 2006, and went on sale the following year at Comic-Con 2007, each limited to an edition size of 500. In under two years, 1000 of those original three high-end collectible Rayguns have sold, and a further three Rayguns have been released,” says Tim Launder, General Manager of Weta Limited. “We sold more than half of the Ray-Blunderbuss guns within the first month of release — including edition Number #1. Since Dr. Grordbort’s launched in 2006, we have had an overwhelming response to Greg Broadmore, the Rayguns, and to the world in general. This includes the Rayguns being voted #1 Best Toy in 2007 by Figures.com; Greg Broadmore being featured as ‘Tomorrow’s People’ on the cover of Idealog [September 2007] and a four-page spread in Wired — all about the Rayguns, Greg and Richard. We’ve even popped up on YouTube in an online ad in Australia.” The online viral campaign for the Rayguns has also been greatly successful, garnering several international awards:
NZ Direct and Interactive Marketing Awards 2008: Winner (Gold)
Caples Awards 2008, in New York: Winner (Gold)
ECHO Award 2008: Winner (arguably the most coveted award in global direct marketing, the presentation takes place in Las Vegas on October 14, hosted by Jay Leno of The Tonight Show)
Cannes Lions Advertising Festival 2008: Product Launches Finalist
Cannes Lions Advertising Festival 2008: Direct Response TV Finalist
Doctor Grordbort's Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory
Doctor Grordbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory cleverly uses the style of old Victorian advertising leaflets to showcase the Dr. Grordbort’s line, all the while maintaining, with a wink and a nudge, that everything within the faux catalogue’s pages is real. The full-page artwork is printed on heavy cardstock, and each page is laden with information and humorous asides about the many types of rayguns and other improbable inventions attributed to Dr. Grordbort and his cohorts, including the rayguns that Weta has already released as props. The Destroxor Labs Pearce 75 Atom Ray Gun, with its glossy red accents and stabilising fin, is the classic image of a Buck Rogers-era weapon, and will hopefully will be next up on Weta’s production roster. The Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory also contains a page of testimonials from “customers” who have tried the catalogue’s products (and survived to tell the tale); a short comic portraying a typical day in the life of the stereotypicallly English, world famous naturalist, Lord Cockswain; and postcard art. It’s pulp fiction at its sly best.
Dr. Grordbort's Satchel
Once you’ve perused the catalogue, you’ll naturally want to set out and explore. Every adventurer needs a pack while out in the field, though, so Weta has thoughtfully provided Dr. Grordbort’s Satchel. It’s the perfect bag to tote your copy of the Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory around in, and, until February 28, it comes pre-stuffed with a Wave Disruptor Gun keychain, Goliathon 83 Infinity Beam Projector pin, four postcards featuring Dr. Grordbort art, and a Dr. Grordbort’s Laboratories Schemes & Schematics notebook, each lined page stamped with the Dr. Grordbort logo. Even with all these bonuses, the bag is roomy enough to hold the rest of your steampunky supplies. For ladies, the canvas satchel also makes a creative alternative to a handbag. This is an accessory that will get noticed, and coveted, by fellow steampunk geeks.
F.M.O.M. Wave Disrupter Gun, Miniature Version
Now that you’ve got your field guide and a kit, you need to invest in some self-protection. If you don’t have the pocket change to expend on a full-scale raygun, then the F.M.O.M. Industries Wave Disrupter Gun, Miniature Version, is the firearm for you. Released in a Limited Edition of 900, it’s an itty bitty clone of the standard Wave Disrupter Gun. As the package describes it, “You cradle in your limp mitts a marvel of modern miniaturisation; Dr. Grordbort’s F.M.O.M. Wave Disrupter Gun, impoverished in scale by one of his ingenious contraptions. Golly!” It may be small, but this raygun is crafted with every bit of the care put into its bigger sibling, down to the weathered aging. (It’s also more concealable at this size.) In another nice touch, the gun separates from the base it rests on, so you have a choice of displaying the raygun with or without its stand. The attention to details is simply tremendous, an example being the tiny, amusing notice on both the model’s base and box which reads:
Made on Venus*
*not actually
The sturdy cardboard case the mini Wave Disrupter Gun comes in is numbered to match the collector’s model it houses. Shaped like a book, it’s coated entirely with glossy paper and printed with sepia-toned art and photos of the enclosed figurine. The hinged lid fastens shut with a concealed magnet, so once the flocked tray and other padding materials are removed, the box makes an ideal storage place for Dr. Grordbort pins, keychains, and other small treasures.
Fans of Dr. Horrible‘s Evil League of Evil will thrill to the upcoming Goliathon 800 Moon Hater Death Ray, as nothing quite says “mad genius” like a lair equipped with an old-school weapon of mass destruction. Order one, and you’ll be the envy of all the other supervillians.
Once you’ve stocked up from Dr. Grordbort’s catalogue, head on over to the official website to leave a testimonial and assert your bragging rights in the forums. The site carries full descriptions of all the raygun collectibles currently on the market, an image archive, and web comics, as well as a bestiary that describes and illustrates the many alien creatures you’ll be chasing down with your new raygun. According to Weta, there’s much more in the works for Dr. Grordbort fans to look forward to, such as designer t-shirts, pins, key-rings, postcards, limited edition art prints, and, one would assume, brass goggles. New pieces will be launched every few months.
For product details and purchasing, please visit WetaNZ.com and Dr. Grordbort’s. Select items are available through the Dark Horse Comics website (search keyword: “weta”).
Amanda Tapping of Stargate SG-1 and Sanctuary will be raising funds for charity this weekend on eBay
Actor/Executive Producer Amanda Tapping of Sanctuary and Stargate fame is sponsoring a very special online auction to help raise funds for North Star Montessori Elementary School in Vancouver, BC.
Amanda has always been a champion of charitable and good causes. She has a particular interest in lesser known causes which ordinarily have no access to mainstream fundraising. This is a small local school that could really use the support.
This auction will serve as a template for a larger fundraising initiative that Amanda plans to launch later this year, which will support children’s charities and not-for-profit organizations.
Date: Friday, February 6th – Monday, February 16th, 2009
Time: Auction opens at 9pm (PST) and closes at 9pm (PST)
2. Arm sling worn by Samantha Carter, in Stargate SG-1. Amanda wore this for a number of episodes. This piece is signed by Amanda and other cast members.
3. Behind the scenes set visit and lunch with Amanda during the filming of her new series, Sanctuary, in Vancouver, BC
Philip Morris is co-creator and star of the new scifi television series Emissary
All those attending New York Comic Con are invited to a special panel presentation of Emissary the new series starring Philip Morris. The panel takes place Friday, February 6th at 6pm and will include the first look at Emissary’s teaser footage and a Q&A with the stars.
Emissary is the story of anthropologist Campbell Essex discovering his destiny as the latest in a line of “Emissaries” or peak humans. Constantly pursued by ancient enemies who seek his power, Campbell struggles to overcome his own limitations before it’s too late. The series, created by Philip Morris and Dekker Dreyer, spans several hundred years and touches on serious issues of what it means to be human while bringing a new level of brutal realism to the sci-fi/fantasy genre.
“As an actor, I have had wonderful experiences in the sci-fi/action-adventure world. With Emissary, I get a chance to bring my own sense of expression to this vital genre, as an actor, producer, and writer. I also get the chance to use skills that the audience may not know that I truly possess, like the martial arts. In meeting Dekker Dreyer and collaborating with him, it has all come together, and I’m very grateful. I am excited to bring this to the fans, and hope that they appreciate what we’re doing. Being a comic book geek myself, it’s important to me to honor the fans with this material. We’re a picky bunch, and if they like it, I will be happy.”
— Philip Morris, co-creator
With New York City being the primary backdrop for the first leg of the series, the creative team hopes to craft a rich bed to the action.
“I live in NYC and there are plenty of strange things that happen there every day. We wanted danger to be around every corner. Old buildings, old mysteries… strange people, those things excite me. At its core Emissary is a fantastic story and it’s easy for a show to stretch too far from a believable, grounded universe. Phil and I are both big fans of hiding the extraordinary inside the everyday. Here we have elements of a dark real-world story, but ultimately it’s a hopeful fantasy.”
— Dekker Dreyer, co-creator
The Emissary cast includes Philip Morris (Smallville), Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Brian Thompson (The X-Files, Star Trek: Enterprise) and Emmy nominee Thaao Penghlis with additional cast members Yuri Lowenthal and J LaRose in attendance at the NYCC panel. The series, produced by Mnemosyne LLC and the Emissary Partners, is scheduled to begin production in late 2009 currently slated for IPTV distribution.
Mnemosyne develops and manages products for fans of genre entertainment. Founded in 2004, Mnemosyne runs the massively-multiplayer game Rubies of Eventide, and builds geek-chic brands and intellectual properties.
Twitter is a social networking site that is becoming all the rage lately with its easy way to keep up to date on people you are interested in. Happily, a lot of Guild crew/cast have Twitter accounts, and if you choose, you can follow them! We thought we’d provide a handy list for easy following. Happy Twittering! 🙂
We are pleased and privileged to announce that The Guild has an Official Fan Podcast! The “Knights of the Guild” will be a monthly look at the show, and any news surrounding its cast and crew! Kenny and Jenni (our behind the scenes master and key PA and production right-hand-lady) are the hosts and have just posted a preview, so check it out!
To top it off, Matthew Brackney, who redid our credits for season 2, designed them a kick butt logo! Very cool! We look forward to their first podcast launching February 15th on their website. Thanks Kenny and Jenni!
A never-before-seen ice planet is the setting for “Trespass,” an all-new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars premiering at 9 p.m. ET/PT Friday, Jan. 30, on Cartoon Network
Anthony Daniels and his alter ego C-3PO play a pivotal role in “Trespass,” an all-new episode of the hit animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, premiering at 9 p.m. ET/PT Friday, Jan. 30, on Cartoon Network.
While investigating the disappearance of a clone security force on a fiercely inhospitable ice world, Anakin and Obi-Wan are caught in the middle of a conflict between the planet’s natives and the greedy representatives of a nearby moon. In an effort to broker a tentative peace, Anakin turns to C-3PO for help — and finds his fluency in more than 6 million forms of communication to be most useful.
Daniels has played C-3PO on screen in all six Star Wars movies, and has continued in the role since the inception of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. With the animated series, Daniels becomes the only actor to play the same role in every on-screen incarnation of the Saga. He has also become a spokesman and host for the popular Art and Science of Star Wars exhibition around the world, and has written extensively about his experiences as a part of the Star Wars phenomenon.
“I’ve never left the character or, rather, he’s never left me,” says Daniels. “I put him in the cupboard for a while, but people call and I take him out again. There was a time many years ago when I thought I should move on to other things, but then I thought that was stupid. I’m very fond of Threepio.”
Daniels says the voiceover performance of Threepio is a welcome respite from the rigors of bringing Threepio to the screen in live-action productions. He finds the animation process offers “quite a lot of freedom.”
“When you’re reading lines by yourself, it’s not always as easy to ad-lib,” Daniels says. “But what Dave (Filoni) and I do is to go over my lines before we start because, sadly, I am the world’s greatest expert. And I say that with a kind of wry fun, because Threepio is kind of like my best friend, and you know your best friend better than anyone.”
Filoni says, “It was important to have Anthony as Threepio because I wanted to learn as much from him as I could. Anthony has incredible insight into every word and phrase that he says. There’s rarely a line that he won’t adapt to Threepio’s cadence, so we’ve developed a good vocabulary. We’re both excited to do new things with Threepio, and hopefully in the future, viewers will see us expand our view of the character. After all, Threepio is as much an icon of Star Wars as Darth Vader.”
In “Trespass,” Threepio presents his most proper, most effective side — that of translator. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t provide a moment or two of levity, as is usually the case with the protocol droid.
“The thing I always liked about Threepio is that he wasn’t a hero — he was somebody who had no sense of humor and no sense of irony,” Daniels says. “He doesn’t know that he’s funny. We think he’s funny because he’s ridiculous, he’s uptight and a bit critical and it makes us laugh at him. But his saving grace and the reason that we like him is that he’s very thoughtful and very loyal. If he’s on your side, you would have a friend to the end of your existence. Or probably to the end of his existence, because he’s loyal to a fault, to his last nut and his last bolt.”
Daniels has a clear memory of the original reference to the Clone Wars, and the curious impression it had on the cast — though, he admits, nobody had any idea it would grow to the proportions it has achieved within the Star Wars universe.
“I was amused the other day to remember Mark Hamill going through his lines with me one day, and we both kind of looked at each other regarding this casual one-liner about ‘the Clone Wars,’” Daniels recalls. “And then of course, it got picked up in the prequels and now it’s its own TV series. Animation has grown up. It’s become very, very honorable, and I think Clone Wars has taken the next step.”
