Category: Multimedia

“Blackstar Warrior” Trailer

from Outsider Features / Indent Studios:

Our 30th anniversary tribute to The Empire Strikes Back. Created for under $4,000, this not-for-profit fake trailer was made to celebrate 30 years of the best Star Wars film ever made. Many thanks to everyone who volunteered to create this labor of love, especially the men and women of the 501st Legion, Cloud City Garrison.

Directed by Matthew Haley, written by David Walker, produced by Tim Whitcomb, shot by Ryan E. Walters, starring Leonard Roberts of HEROES fame as “Lando”, Star Wars cosplay star Jimmy Siokos as “Han Solo” and Leverage guest star Ire Wardlaw as “Lava Moonblaster”. Music by Fall On Your Sword, edited by Dan Didsbury, finished by Pablo colorist Darren Griffiths. DARTH VADER voice (and trailer voiceover) superbly provided by DR. SMOOV.

J!NX: Win $250 and all “Guild” Seasons + Free Shipping

from J!NX:

Got a favorite Guild quote?
Now, we know that some of you are such big fans of The Guild that you can recite each episode back and forth. Others might have caught just an episode or two. Whatever your level of devotion, tell us your favorite quote and you can win some booty. You know, like pirates and such.

Free Standard Shipping on Orders $40+
Use Promotion Code: INVASION
This offer expires Friday, May 20, 2011 at 11:59PM PST, so don’t wait!
*can’t be combined with any other offers, sale prices, or discounts

MTV’s New Supernatural Drama “Teen Wolf” Premiers June 5

When you first hear the title of the new MTV supernatural drama Teen Wolf premiering on June 5th, Michael J. Fox and Jason Bateman fans probably will fondly recall the comedic film and its sequel about a teenage guy just trying to fit in and have a normal life when he finds out about the family secret… they are werewolves. Not the kind of wolves where you turn into one by getting bit but the kind that are born.

While MTV is using the same title, it’s certainly not borrowing the plot… other than maybe some awkward teenage “out of control” moments that appear in every teen drama or comedy. Teen Wolf promises to be more dark, gritty and sensual, along the lines of Vampire Diaries or Lost Girl, both supernatural dramas that can be taken seriously, unlike the more pop-culture glam versions of classic monsters seen in the Twilight saga of books and films.

“It’s sexy and it’s scary and it pushes the envelope,” says series star Crystal Reed, who plays Allison, a member of a werewolf-hunting family and the love interest of the newly-bitten werewolf Scott. Tyler Posey, who plays Scott, describes his character as “the cool kid that was never accepted into the cool crowd.”

There are some in-depth behind-the-scenes looks at the show on MTV’s website. If the trailer peaked my interest, the BTS videos cemented it. I can’t remember the last time that I watched a series on MTV. With this one, they may just be tapping into the sci-fi and fantasy fan base that keeps hungering for high-quality content as their favorite shows get cancelled from network TV.

Check out the trailer below and decide for yourself.

NBC Adds Modern Fairy Tale “Grimm” to Its Fall Schedule

from NBC:

Remember the fairy tales your parents used to tell you before bedtime? Well, those weren’t stories, they were warnings.

Detective Nick Burkhardt thought he was ready for the grim reality of working homicide in Portland, Oregon. That is, until he started to see things… things he couldn’t quite explain. Like a gorgeous woman suddenly transforming into a hideous hag, or an average Joe turning into a vicious troll. Then, after a panicked visit from his only living relative, Nick discovers the truth about his visions: he’s not like everyone else, he’s a descendant of an elite group of hunters known as “Grimms” who are charged with stopping the proliferation of supernatural creatures in the world. And so begins his new life journey — albeit a reluctant one at first — as he solves crimes with his partner who knows something about Nick has radically changed but can’t quite put his finger on it. Along the way, Nick finds himself unexpectedly getting help on some of the more difficult cases from Monroe, a guy who seems normal at first but is soon revealed to be what you might call a “big bad wolf.” Literally!

While the Brothers Grimm wrote fairy tales that children have adored for generations, imagine if the villains were real, and Nick was the only one who could stop them.

From executive producers David Greenwalt (Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Jim Kouf (Angel, National Treasure) comes a new world of police work where all cases have a storybook connection… but not always happily ever after.

Grimm features David Giuntoli (The Deep End, Privileged), Russell Hornsby (Lincoln Heights, In Treatment), Bitsie Tulloch (Tyranny, Quarterlife, Lonelygirl15), Silas Weir Mitchell (My Name is Earl, Prison Break) and Sasha Roiz (Caprica).

“Star Wars” Disney Weekends Are Almost Here!

from StarWars.com:

Star Wars Weekends 2011 will be a Tour de “Force” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, celebrating the grand opening of the new Star Tours attraction as the Walt Disney World Resort theme park welcomes Jedi, Sith, Ewoks, Wookiees, galactic bounty hunters and stormtroopers once again for the park’s annual celebration of all-things-Star Wars.

The fun takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 20-June 12, 2011.

Once again, Jedi Mickey and Princess Leia Minnie will be joined by some of the brightest stars from the saga. Celebrity Hosts for the event this year are James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Ashley will host “Clone Wars: Behind the Force,” a closer look inside the popular animated TV series. James will present another event-first: he will star in a one-man show that showcases some of the many voices he has performed throughout his career, including those from The Clone Wars.

Star Wars Weekends will also will feature celebrities from the live-action feature films and voice artists from The Clone Wars. Here is the schedule as it stands. Please note this list and these dates are subject to change.

Weekend I (May 20th-22nd): Opening weekend will kick off the month-long event in grand fashion, as fan favorite Anthony Daniels, who brought C-3PO to life and is the only actor to appear in every theatrical chapter of the Star Wars saga, will make a golden return to the event. Daniel Logan, who played young Boba Fett in Episode II and The Clone Wars animated series will attend. Dave Filoni, the talented artist and supervising director of The Clone Wars, also will be a special celebrity guest for Weekend I.

Weekend II (May 27th-29th): Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) returns, joined by Bruce Spence (Tion Medon from Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith) and Dee Bradley Baker, the voice of Captain Rex and all the clones in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Weekend III (June 3rd-5th): Ray Park (Darth Maul from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace), Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett from Star Wars: Episodes V and VI and Captain Colton from Star Wars: Episode III) and Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker from The Clone Wars).

Weekend IV (June 10th-12th): Ray Park returns, joined by Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca from Star Wars: Episodes III, IV, V and VI) and Tom Kane, the voice of Yoda and Admiral Yularen from Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

And while the stars shine, a galaxy-full of events, shows, parades and activities also take place throughout the park during the month.

An event highlight for many is meeting the Star Wars characters, and this year is no exception. More than 60 Star Wars characters will be roaming the theme park, posing for pictures and signing autographs.

From the special “welcome” Guests receive at the turnstile areas from the stormtroopers and Star Wars trivia contests to Jedi Training Academy and the spectacular Hyperspace Hoopla, Star Wars Weekends 2011 will have more fun than you can shake a gaffi stick at. And of course, throughout the event Star Wars Weekends Guests will have the chance to take a ride aboard Star Tours — The Adventures Continue, when the attraction launches in 3-D on May 20.

Can’t get enough Star Tours and Star Wars Weekends news? Be sure to keep checking the Disney Parks Blogs for more updates, and if you’re on Facebook, be sure to like Star Tours — another source of breaking news, exclusive announcements, and online fun!

“Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology” Exhibition: Join the Adventure Today!

from X3 Productions:

Don’t Wait in Line
Buy Your Tickets Online!

Indiana Jones landed in Montréal! Indeed, the Montréal Science Centre presents the world premiere of the Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibition, from April 28 to September 18, 2011. The exhibition will then embark on a tour of museums in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The exhibition uses the Indiana Jones film series as both a starting point and a backdrop for an exciting and educational introduction to the real science of field archaeology.

Showcasing items from four different collections, Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology is far more than a static display of movie props. The entire experience is enhanced with the handheld interactive video companion that informs visitors about what they see with audio, text and video, and it gives all a chance to create their own “quest” through the exhibition. An interactive treasure hunt lets children, young and old, experience the science of archaeology while having fun.

Made possible by Lucasfilm Ltd., presented by the National Geographic Society and produced by Montreal’s X3 Productions, the exhibition is aimed at kids of all ages, Indy fans, history buffs and budding adventurers and explorers.

CONTEST!
Join the adventure on a special Indiana Jones evening June 15 at the Science Center!
Win a pair of tickets to the exhibition and attend a lecture on archaeology in the company of Fredrik Hiebert, Archaeologist and Associate Professor at the National Geographic Society and scientific advisor to the exhibition.

To participate click here.
Winners will be drawn on June 6th!
Contest rules are available at the main office of X3 Productions:
400, Maisonneuve Blvd West, 9th floor, Montréal (Québec), H3A 1L4

Exhibitions Inc. is not a sponsor of this Sweepstakes.
All Sweepstakes winners must release Exhibitions Inc. and its subsidiary, affiliated or related entities and divisions and their respective officers, employees, directors, shareholders, successors, licensees, agents or assigns.

montrealsciencecentre.com
indianajonestheexhibition.com
Montreal Science Centre Box Office
2, De la Commune Street West

New Japanese Pop Group Supercell Releases First Single “THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku” in U.S.

Supercell: THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku

from VIZ Media:

Sony Music Direct (Japan) Inc., a division of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. has announced the U.S. release of the first single — “THE WORLD IS MINE feat. Hatsune Miku” — by the Japanese pop group Supercell. The track is available now on Amazon (Amazon.com) and iTunes (iTunes.com).

Supercell is composed of a group of innovative multimedia creators for the 21st Century that blends catchy pop sensibilities, technology-inspired vocals, and captivating anime-influenced imagery. For the new single, “THE WORLD IS MINE,” the group employs the electronic vocals of Hatsune Miku, the world’s first virtual pop idol. Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create synthesized vocal tracks.

In Japan, the popularity of Hatsune Miku has become a national phenomenon. She has appeared in several video games and music videos and has also performed several sellout “concerts,” where she appeared on stage as a 3D hologram, backed by a live band. Most recently she also appears in a new commercial for the U.S. market for the 2011 Toyota Corolla. The spot is also available on YouTube, and since its debut on May 4th, the segment has received more than 700,000 hits.

Supercell is a league of creators led by composer/lyricist Ryo, who produces the music and writes the lyrics. Ryo tapped other creators to provide an array of vivid illustrations, animation, design, and photography for album booklets, CD cases and music videos. On “THE WORLD IS MINE,” artwork features illustrations by Redjuice, a member of the league. Led by composer Ryo, Supercell’s songs were initially posted on the Nico Nico Douga video sharing service in Japan and quickly garnered more than 20 million views, feeding a frenzied interest in the group that is now spreading to new overseas markets.

The self entitled album, supercell, debuted in Japan from Sony Music Direct in 2009, selling more than 150,000 copies. Same year, the group performed the ending theme song for the 2009 anime series Bakemonogatari. In March 2010, Supercell received the award for “The Best 5 New Artists” at the 2010 Japan Gold Disc Awards, a major record industry awards event. The Supercell track, “Kocchi Muite Baby,” created by Ryo and featuring vocals by Hatsune Miku, peaked at No. 11 on Billboard Japan’s Hot Singles Chart last July.

J!NX: Introducing Minecraftopia.com

from J!NX:

A New Resource Site from the Minds of J!NX
We’re proud to unveil our latest creation! The J!NX dev crew (skydog, brolo, three11 and fooknasty) made this as 4 Minecraft fans. Take a look and let us know what you think. 🙂

Minecraftopia provides a world of information about Minecraft items and crafting recipes. We focused on delivering the essential data players are looking for, packed into a fun, fast and easy to use website.

New to Minecraft? Check out our handy dandy Quick Start Guide to get a little acclimated to the game, as well as successfully survive your first night.

Never played Minecraft before? You can try it here for free!

Capture Digital “Dragon Ball” Manga for 20% Off with New VIZ Manga App Promotion

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media announces a special invitation to manga fans and followers of the popular Dragon Ball series with news of a brand new VIZ Manga App promotion that offers digital versions of the classic action adventure story for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for only $3.99 — 20% off the normal MSRP. The promotion starts today for a limited time only and ends on Monday, May 16th at midnight PST.

Creator Akira Toriyama’s classic manga series, Dragon Ball (rated ‘T’ for Teens), introduces a young monkey-tailed boy named Goku (a wry update of the classic Chinese “Monkey King” legend), whose quiet life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma who is on a quest to collect seven “Dragon Balls.” If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. She’s on a mission to find the seven orbs, but first she must convince young Goku to join her on her quest. With a monkey tail, super-human strength, and a magic staff for a weapon, Goku’s ready to set out on the adventure of a lifetime…

Renowned worldwide for his playful, innovative storytelling and humorous, distinctive art style, Akira Toriyama burst onto the manga scene in 1980 with the wildly popular Dr. Slump. His hit series Dragon Ball (published in the U.S. as Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z) ran from 1984 to 1995 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and is published in North America by VIZ Media. Toriyama is also known for his design work on video games such as Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, Tobal No. 1, and most recently, Blue Dragon. His recent manga works include Cowa! (also published by VIZ Media), Kajika, Sand Land, Neko Majin, and a children’s book, Toccio the Angel.

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The app is free to download through the iTunes store, and volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada for only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. An extensive library of almost 200 volumes is available now, including popular series such as Bleach, Blue Exorcist, Death Note, Naruto, One Piece and many more. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

VIZ Media Celebrates 25th Anniversary

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, the largest distributor of anime and manga in the North America, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on July 7th, 2011.  Over its 25 year history, VIZ Media has led the transformation of manga and anime from a niche category sold only at specialty retailers into a mass media phenomenon popularized on Cartoon Network, Hulu and iTunes, and available at Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Today, VIZ Media is North America’s largest distributor of anime and manga, and is leading the global anime and manga industries to their digital futures. To celebrate 25 years of pioneering new paths in global entertainment and publishing, later this year VIZ Media will be unveiling new properties, marketing programs, and distribution partnerships.

Since 1986, VIZ Media has primarily distributed titles exclusively owned by its parent companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd.. In 2011, VIZ Media will diversify its award-winning library further by licensing properties from other global content creators as well as creating its own content. On the digital front, VIZ Media has created partnerships with Apple, Hulu, Netflix, Google and more, leading the way to new paths for distribution of manga and anime.

“For 25 years, VIZ Media has been telling stories that resonate with audiences and fans all over North America,” said Hidemi Fukuhara, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Even after two-and-a-half decades of explosive growth, we still see tremendous potential to adapt, grow and leverage our library of world-renowned and beloved characters. With a full slate of new anime and manga releases planned this year, VIZ Media has something for everyone.”

The VIZ Media library includes global blockbuster franchises like Naruto, InuYasha, Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Bleach, Vampire Knight, and Death Note. VIZ Media’s manga titles are available at mass retailers everywhere, and through VIZ Media’s free VIZ Manga App for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, the first manga-dedicated app in North America. VIZ Media anime titles can be seen on Disney XD, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, is available for Download-to-Own/Download-to-Rent via iTunes, PlayStation Network, Amazon Instant Video and Zune on Xbox LIVE, and for streaming on the company’s own VIZAnime.com, Hulu and Netflix, and is available for purchase on DVD at mass DVD retailers.

TIE Fighter Pilot MIMOBOT Now Available

from Mimoco:

NEW! Star Wars MIMOBOT! The limited-edition TIE Fighter character joins fellow Star Wars MIMOBOT USB character flash drives in honor of the unofficial May 4th Star Wars holiday! Shop Now!

Video Premiere: TIE Fighter Pilot Premiere! Watch our latest animation — Join the Empire with MIMOBOT — Recruitment video now!

STUFF WE LIKE! Android Mini Collectible Series 02! Shop Now!