SupaNova 2012: Melbourne Recap

April 17, 2012
Castle Co-Op, Event, Feature
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A recap of the 10th annual SupaNova in Melbourne for Castle Co-Op, a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published  17-04-2012

Fresh off my recent expedition into the nerd fandom culture, I was very much looking forward what my home city had to offer. I’ve never attended the SupaNova convention simply because there was never a great enough pull of persuasion. However, despite my annoyance and passive-aggressive arguments with the totalitarian oppressors (a.k.a the volunteer staff) about simple changes that would enhance the otherwise negative impressions I was forming, I truly enjoyed the event. If not simply as a comparison point to remind myself; ‘I’m not that big of a nerd after all.’

SupaNova may boast the decade long pedigree and grandeur of hosting this event, however roaming the convention floor you’d be hard pressed to find any examples of such. There seemed a subliminal sensation of organised chaos, as if their intent of the convention was to piss off as many die-hard fans as possible, that would somehow ensure future patronage. Queues literally spanning the entire convention hall had fans and I involuntarily tempered in the virtue of patience. Let’s just say I am no longer virtuous man.

There are so many wonderful little things happening at these events, yet the majority of fans spend their time in these hour-long queues, only to gain privilege to wait in another ridiculously long queue. Here’s an idea, instead of the many, many volunteers shepherd the queue to shuffle three paces every 5 minutes, why not have them at the front desk selling tokens, to you know, speed the queue along – just a tad. Worst of all the Jayne Cobb Firefly hat I had my eye on sold out whilst I was agonising in line – but the awesome Shepard Fairey inspired Iron Man poster (as seen in Iron Man 2) was a great consolation souvenir.

‘Curse You Back-of-Monitor!’ – Ruining my shot of the stunning Morena Baccarin

The other personal highlights, except for the Serenity Sirens Summer Glau and Morena Baccarin, and a strange ‘hey look, its Wil Wheaton’ moment, were the proud cosplayers roaming the exhibition politely posing toward the dazzling swarm of DSLR, and smart-phone flashes. What was the disheartening aspect were the affectionately starved cosplayers. At least that’s what I assume with their homeless cardboard signs offering ‘Free-Hugs’ (even free kitty hugs!), petitioning the general public to assuage their desire for physical affection. But it was all in vein considering I never saw one person take up the offer, simply because everyone was doing it ironically, or it was some desperate attempt for their efforts to go viral. Newsflash; it’s no longer some quirky internet phenomenon when about a dozen others are doing the same thing, and some originality please – it’s been 5 years since the original viral vid.

Honestly I’d love to provide photos of these aforementioned highlights of the con, but sadly these were just remnants of fleeting encounters as most of my precious-time (I still have an unfinished Public Relations Assignment due yesterday!) was spent in queues, or huddled with the press at the very extremities of the panel theatres. Here’s a tip for SupaNova organisers, a simple adage mind you – ‘don’t bite that hand that feeds you.’ If you wish to elicit a positive re-cap of the event, don’t treat your media relations personnel with such disdain. Especially when I ask a simple question or suggestion that would ensure a positive experience for everyone attending, please don’t patronise me with a dead-pan stare, prefabricated response, and then shun me with a passive-aggressive attitude.

My utmost appreciation and thanks to who I believe is the official SupaNova photographer, for allowing the media to camp in the starkly vacant VIP section, you sir are a champion amongst men. With all the negative impressions I’m forming, contrasted with my previous experience in Adelaide, it seems the SupaNova event is just an abusive affair to the wonderfully loyal geeks of Melbourne. What’s truly amazing is the dedication of fans to endure the pain and storm the Showgrounds in droves for an enchanting weekend to indulge their inner nerd.

One Voice, One Violin; A Hauntingly Beautiful Rendition of the Skyrim Theme

April 12, 2012
Feature
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As a budding video-game reviewer, I have found that the soundtrack associated with the medium is somewhat undervalued. It’s not something I actively note when immersed in critical gameplay, yet attributes its known presence as a keenly intuitive reflex. At its best, the soundtrack underscores and emphasises the raw emotion of the narrative. At its worst, distracts from the overall discourse like a jagged blade protruding from bloodied ear.

Hence with almost no correlation to my previous statement – suggesting a poorly constructed segue –  I’m pleased to bring to you The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Theme; this lovely piece of harmonic bliss preformed as a composition of one voice, and one violin; Cinematography by Devin Graham, performed by Peter Hollens (providing the vaguely Gregorian vocals) and Lindsey Stirling (violinist; dubbed ‘the charming and/or multi-talented bard’).

This might be a hotly contested statement, but I’d dare say this tribute cover is on par with another Skyrim fan favourite; ’The Dragonborn Comes’ by Malukah

Not having the luxury to sink hours of my precious time into the world of Tamriel, this video has me wanting to at least indulge in the remainder of the Skyrim official soundtrack.

Sharing this video serves as a mutual cop-out to assuage my conscience and appease my imposed ten day posting frequency, distract from my impeding university essay submissions, and slowly branch my literary interests. That and I am just a sucker for contemporary classical artists. Here’s hoping for a Game of Thrones cover next.

Thus far, Lindsey’s YouTube playlist has successfully thwarted my already waning productivity, providing the perfect whimsical procrastination tool from my otherwise mundane academic affairs. I’m generally slow on the uptake, and not actively perusing the latest trending sensations on YouTube as I should, however I can say unequivocally – Lindsey, you are amazing. That is all.

Among Lindsey’s other work collaborating with cinematographer Devin Graham that rendered me breathless is an  enchanting noir-esque music video ‘Shadows,’ that had me simply entranced for a solid three minutes with its beautifully realised conceptual asymmetry.

I write out of adoration, yet here comes the genuine and un-obligatory plug for a talented composer & artist (performing with choreographed leaps and bounds is truly an impressive feat), but be sure to check out her YouTube Channel and official Blog cataloguing all her work.

I mean a Lord of the Rings and Zelda medley, original dub-step, and a Yiruma cover - what’s not to love?

Oz Comic-Con 2012: Adelaide Recap

April 2, 2012
Castle Co-Op, Event, Feature
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A recap of the inaugural 2012 Oz Comic-Con in Adelaide for Castle Co-Op, a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published  02-04-2012

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And because I like pimping it out – for those who’ve missed it, check out the cosplay parade and my pre-con interview with Jewel Staite (Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis) including some bonus questions answered. 

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Wading through the crowd, thousands deep, as Adelaide prepares to welcome the Comic-Con to Australian shores – crazed fans, fanatical geeks, and obsessive nerds rolled out en masse with a colourful cavalcade of brilliant cosplay  and all others beaming as they adorn their favourite geek-chic tee that possibly outshine the ones on sale at the convention.

The inaugural Oz Comic-Con from the outset had set its sight to encapsulate the entire pop culture. From your classic comic-books, film and television, and games to your favourite guest stars; actors and artists to complete the Comic-Con experience. It was clear by the seemingly endless queue snaking around the pavilion, that there was an overwhelming sense of electric emanating from the crowd. And who wouldn’t with impromptu ‘in-queue entertainment’ provided by a rabid Houndoom being mauled by the Cheshire Cat.

Roaming the convention floor, I seemed to be suffering from intermittent bouts of spontaneity. Immediately drawn to anything shiny, geeky, and yes I’ll admit it – fluffy. Torn between perusing the vendor’s wares of pop culture paraphernalia and the immaculately conceived costumes honouring their assumed personas. Not just in appearance as the man of steel himself displayed true nerve, as he proposed on-stage and in costume for the entire convention to bear witness. Ohh … and did mention ZOMBIES!

Trying to walk through the bustling crowd with my own form of quiet dignity, hiding my surprise and genuine excitement passing each display, all the time thoroughly engaged in a heated internal debate; attempts to assuage myself that my negative income prevents me from indulging with the vendor laden tables full of enticing collectables and memorabilia that I simply must have.

But roaming the convention floor doesn’t compare to the interactive Q & A panels with the actors, personally excited to attend the Sean Schemmel (Voice of Goku from Dragon Ball Series), Jewel Staite (Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis), and the last-minute addition of Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings) panels. There was even the chance for fans to test their mettle and mental faculties with a Pop-Culture Quiz that proved fortuitous for some, yet became a glaring realisation for myself.

The questions posed during the quiz seemed relatively easy to the hundreds of true fanatics surrounding me – besides the gaming related questions, I could barely answer most questions asked. My lack of knowledge sorely resonated as correct answers whisper all around me leaving me perplexed in a stupor. My favourite question that left the audience and myself shamefully stymied was; “what was the name of the mechanic on ship Serenity before Kaylee?” – To wit the crowd responded with an exuberant, “No one cares!”

The pop quiz topics varied from gaming, television, animation and film to whittle down the contestants to culminate in a sudden-death face-off for first prize. All eyes were transfixed on the final two competitors until uproarious laughter broke the stand-off. Five simple words were projected on the draping screen; the final showdown was to be decided by ‘Rock-Paper-Scissor-Lizard-Spock’ – a variation on the classic Rochambeau made famous in The Big Bang Theory and had Dr. Sheldon Cooper recite those insidiously difficult rules. 

From the interactive panels, Sean Schemells Voice-Over Masterclass provided immeasurable advice for the up-and-coming voice over actors and artist, answered the fan favourite question; his opinion on the live-action film Dragon Ball Evolution with the best two part answer. One; he hadn’t seen it and two; Justin Chatwin’s take on the classic Kamehameha has got nothing on his, ending the session by proving his prowess and delighting fans with a true ‘Kamehameha wave.’ (Dance Monkey, Dance!) Ohh, and make sure if you ever get the opportunity to ask him about the yellow kazoo, it’s a pretty good story.

The packed house for Sean Astin’s panel began with a rousing video montage to the tune of The Proclaimers ‘500 Miles’ that epitomised Peter Jacksons’ unchecked fetish for filming Sam and Frodo wandering the desolate pains of Middle Earth. Astin enlightening fans about his two year experience in New Zealand as a hobbit, segueing into his dismay at not being in The Hobbit prequel, and just chatting to fans about The Encino Men, Toy Soldiers and pondering the possibilities of a Goonies sequel or even a remake.

Out of all the panels I attended, it seemed Jewel Staite’s was the highlight of the con purely based on the number of people denied access. Enlightening fans about the Firefly effect, the tragic drawback to the ‘frou-frou dress,’ and the intimate experience shared between Jewel and Morena Baccarin in a bathroom stall. Chatting to fans a bit of Stargate: Atlantis, and Supernatural and entertaining Jewel’s desire to possibly guest on Spartacus. Stating her desperate attempts to be written into an episode of Castle with intents of the murderous kind – so long as she doesn’t have to make-out with Nathan Fillion. I’m still a little peeved with myself and the crowd for that matter, that I didn’t get my final question in, “any plans for Firefly’s 10 year anniversary?” – Common people, it could be Fillion is planning a Kickstarter to fund a Serenity sequel!

The only disappointing factor of the event came down to capacity and facilities – there was nowhere near enough space to wander the convention floor, or accommodate the masses of adoring fans queuing for an autograph, a photo or attend the popular panels. Employing some sort of convention strategy would be best – ignoring the impulse to immediately line up for the autograph and photo tokens (unless scheduling is an issue) as guest stars are often on the floor all day to meet, greet, and sign autographs. There’s so much splendour to explore and indulge, so why waste time in a queue. Know the schedule and organise your time to ensure you make it to the panel, and get there early enough to secure your spot. It is unfortunate but also the nature of the beast that these conventions can be ruthless.

So for a first time attendee at a comic book or pop culture convention, consider my innate observations virgin. I even decided to pursue my own shockingly unoriginal life-time goal of having my Blu-Ray copy of Firefly autographed by the entire cast of actors and the man himself, Joss Whedon. Never have I been so determined until now to have this mundane goal realised – I’m more of a gamer, so sue me.

Despite everything – I come away from the Adelaide Con purportedly light-handed yet eager to succumb to temptation when the next Oz Comic-Con hits Melbourne in June/July.

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A final personal aside – a special shout-out to all the guest stars who attended the event and held the interactive panels, the organisers at HUB productions (Rand Ratinac and Carissa Avenhouse), Maggie Scardfield for being very accommodating to media personnel, the volunteers who actively tried to deny my inquisitive videos and photographs – but still let my sit in the VIP section citing my ‘press pass.’ Finally to all the amazing crazed fanatics I had the pleasure of meeting over the weekend, to wit I’ve already forgotten most of your names – my bad.

Teenage Mutant Ninja ALIENS!?

March 31, 2012
Castle Co-Op, Film, News
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A review article written for Castle Co-Op, a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published  30-03-2012

No exact details can be elicited from the groggy haze that obscures my childhood memories; however most can be pieced together thanks to a few distinct artefacts that have collated as the remnants of the good ol’ toy box. Amongst these relics of a lost generation full of 90’s pop culture nostalgia, three distinct franchises are immediately bought to the foray – Transformers (and the spin-off series Beast Wars), The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and the lean, mean, and green heroes in a half-shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Over the past week, there has been quite a discussion amongst the online community commenting on the stream of information regarding Michael Bay’s live-action venture to reboot the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (TMNT) franchise for a contemporary audience.

In a statement made by Bay, he claims when they’re done with this movie (slated for 2013 release), kids will find the turtles to be tough, edgy, funny, and completely loveable. This isn’t necessarily news until Bay drops the bomb – “these turtles are from an alien race” – that causes the surging uproar from fans. And to cap it all off, the turtles may not even be teenagers.

I don’t know about you, but a little part me just died.

For the pedantic fans among us, this concept actually doesn’t stray too far from the original creators’ vision (seeing as Bay has enlisted one of the co-creators Kevin Eastman to develop the script), as the infamous TCRI retromutagen ooze that mutated our reptilian quartet was alien technology manufactured by the Utroms – an interesting revelation for the ignorant masses clamouring to burn Bay at the stake for his heinous crimes.

Criticism has spread wide as Robbie Rist, the voice of Michelangelo in the original trilogy, posted a letter to Bay claiming the filmmakers was “sodomizing” the much beloved franchise with his alien approach. On the other hand, Rist’s co-star Brian Tochi who voiced Leonardo is outspokenly supportive of Bay taking creative reign on the turtles’ origins.

Personally, this axiomatic indifference has not changed my opinion about altering the very foundations of the turtles’ source material deemed sacrosanct by devout fans (the same opinion on the Mass Effect 3’s ending furore). The same fans who’d cry blasphemy at any alteration to turtles’ origins, pure and simple.

Perhaps this criticism is a bit unwarranted as nothing palpable has emerged from this project, so who knows. I’m now very much invested in this new project and eager to see what becomes of the franchise. Michael Bay has already tackled one of my cherished childhood memories with a live-action screen adaptation to some degree of success – perhaps he can do it again.

Personally from a development standpoint, I’m fond of the idea to transition back to live-action turtles like in the original trilogy. Enough of this stylised CGI nonsense and revert back to the old school costume design from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.  If not for my own selfish nostalgic previsions of reliving the second live-action TMNT film, The Secret of the Ooze – to wit I still have major logistical gripes about the ending to lament.

However if we are to take internet rumour as gospel, development is poised to take the live-action as cue for turtle-suits with post-production digital faces ala Where the Wild Things Are. However with the somewhat overused CGI dominating feature films, I’d find it refreshing to see more practical costume design and consideration at play, similar to the likes of the Iron Man, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy and the previous live-action TMNT films.

With all the script alterations aggravating devout fans, this redux has been meagrely dubbed Ninja Turtles, immediately loosing half of its iconicity in the title alone. Considering the current climate of our film culture – for the purpose of updating for a contemporary audience – is this deviation from established fiction acceptable practice or are we merely victim of Bay’s creative vanity as a vice?