In its third year, NOLA Time Fest is a small con with a ton of enthusiasm! In the two days I was at Time Fest, I saw some amazing Doctor Who themed cosplay, found some wonderful vendors, and even made some new friends:
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
NOLA Time Fest Happened, and I Was There
Unlike San Diego, Atlanta, or even New York, New Orleans
isn't known for
a particular convention, but the Gulf Coast is home to
several conventions held throughout the year. It's my goal, here at
She-Geeks, to showcase those smaller (but no less enthusiastic)
conventions. If there is a convention in or around the Gulf Coast that
you'd like to see me cover, please send the convention details to eris.shegeeks@gmail.com.
In its third year, NOLA Time Fest is a small con with a ton of enthusiasm! In the two days I was at Time Fest, I saw some amazing Doctor Who themed cosplay, found some wonderful vendors, and even made some new friends:
In its third year, NOLA Time Fest is a small con with a ton of enthusiasm! In the two days I was at Time Fest, I saw some amazing Doctor Who themed cosplay, found some wonderful vendors, and even made some new friends:
Monday, June 8, 2015
Who DOESN'T Wanna Fight With Lightsabers?!
I honestly don't think I know a single person who watched Star Wars as a child and didn't swing a broomstick or golf club or wrapping paper roll around pretending it was a lightsaber (providing their own sound effects of course). The fact that there are Lightsaber Dueling Clubs all around the Country proves I'm not the only one with such fond, childhood memories. So, when I found out a Club was starting up in my own backyard, it was only natural that I had to go check it out!
I caught up with the Lightsaber Dueling Club of New Orleans at their second get together (appropriately) held under the Dueling Oaks in City Park. After a short safety briefing from organizer Scott Simmons, and a sudden rainstorm that sent everyone scrambling under the cover of a nearby gazebo, the meeting got going under the guidance of Thomas Heller of Shogun Martial Arts. Heller happened upon the Club's first meeting and fell in love with the idea of finally applying his practical knowledge and training in Japanese Sword Fighting to dueling with lightsabers. He was so excited to join in the fun that he brought his family and several of his students with him. Everyone else in attendance was obviously delighted to have Heller there to help guide them, and everyone seemed to have a blast.
I got in touch with Simmons afterward to get a little more information:
She-Geeks: How did the Lightsaber Dueling Club come to be?
Scott Simmons: The Lightsaber Dueling Club was an epiphany for me. Scott Rivet and I are the co-captains of Sith Happens. [Editors Note: Sith Happens is a sub-krewe of the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, a geeky New Orleans parade krewe you can read all about here.] Our original concept was to have an equal number of Old Empire Sith Lords in periodic lightsaber fights with Jedi of the Old Republic (before the rule of two) through the streets of the Marigny. Unfortunately, our twin sister Jedi Krewe never materialized. I realized that if we were going to make this concept work the next year, we really needed to learn to realistically fight with Lightsabers. That was the birth of the Lightsaber Dueling Club of New Orleans. Our first members were all Chewbacchus members of Sith Happens, but we have now attracted many other Star Wars fans. This will only accelerate when the frenzy of the new movies begins.
SG: Do you have any specific goals for the Club?
SS: 1. To learn the 7 forms of lightsaber fighting according to the Star Wars canon and practice them to a level of proficency for each member in at least one form.
2. To be able to realistically duel in front of the Chewbacchus Parade crowd and provide them a spectacle that they will remember. (A third side goal is to create a short dueling film. I have written a script for a 7 to 10 minute film that will capture the essence of the Old Republic/Empire Struggle and an exciting duel between Sith and Jedi. There is a competition every year for the best choreographed light saber dueling film.
SG: What are the details interested people should know?
SS: Interested parties should start by visiting our facebook page "The Lightsaber Dueling Club of New Orleans". There are guides to where to buy or make practice sabers, safety equipment and goals. There are also lots of links to form and practice links. Our first rule is safety. Lightsaber dueling takes a certain level of fitness. No one with a heart, blood or lung condition should participate, but are welcome to join and watch. Safety is our most important precept.
The next meeting of the Club will be on Sunday, June 28th from 1-4pm at Audubon Park in New Orleans.
I caught up with the Lightsaber Dueling Club of New Orleans at their second get together (appropriately) held under the Dueling Oaks in City Park. After a short safety briefing from organizer Scott Simmons, and a sudden rainstorm that sent everyone scrambling under the cover of a nearby gazebo, the meeting got going under the guidance of Thomas Heller of Shogun Martial Arts. Heller happened upon the Club's first meeting and fell in love with the idea of finally applying his practical knowledge and training in Japanese Sword Fighting to dueling with lightsabers. He was so excited to join in the fun that he brought his family and several of his students with him. Everyone else in attendance was obviously delighted to have Heller there to help guide them, and everyone seemed to have a blast.
Lightsaber Dueling Club
I got in touch with Simmons afterward to get a little more information:
She-Geeks: How did the Lightsaber Dueling Club come to be?
Scott Simmons: The Lightsaber Dueling Club was an epiphany for me. Scott Rivet and I are the co-captains of Sith Happens. [Editors Note: Sith Happens is a sub-krewe of the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus, a geeky New Orleans parade krewe you can read all about here.] Our original concept was to have an equal number of Old Empire Sith Lords in periodic lightsaber fights with Jedi of the Old Republic (before the rule of two) through the streets of the Marigny. Unfortunately, our twin sister Jedi Krewe never materialized. I realized that if we were going to make this concept work the next year, we really needed to learn to realistically fight with Lightsabers. That was the birth of the Lightsaber Dueling Club of New Orleans. Our first members were all Chewbacchus members of Sith Happens, but we have now attracted many other Star Wars fans. This will only accelerate when the frenzy of the new movies begins.
SG: Do you have any specific goals for the Club?
SS: 1. To learn the 7 forms of lightsaber fighting according to the Star Wars canon and practice them to a level of proficency for each member in at least one form.
2. To be able to realistically duel in front of the Chewbacchus Parade crowd and provide them a spectacle that they will remember. (A third side goal is to create a short dueling film. I have written a script for a 7 to 10 minute film that will capture the essence of the Old Republic/Empire Struggle and an exciting duel between Sith and Jedi. There is a competition every year for the best choreographed light saber dueling film.
SG: What are the details interested people should know?
SS: Interested parties should start by visiting our facebook page "The Lightsaber Dueling Club of New Orleans". There are guides to where to buy or make practice sabers, safety equipment and goals. There are also lots of links to form and practice links. Our first rule is safety. Lightsaber dueling takes a certain level of fitness. No one with a heart, blood or lung condition should participate, but are welcome to join and watch. Safety is our most important precept.
The next meeting of the Club will be on Sunday, June 28th from 1-4pm at Audubon Park in New Orleans.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Harassment is Alive and Well at MomoCon
"From parents bringing their curious “young’uns” to the most dedicated old-skoolers, everyone is welcome. Based out of Atlanta, extending Southern Hospitality is important to us. We would like everyone to enjoy what we do best: having fun!"For many attendees, however, the harassment they experienced at MomoCon made the convention far from hospitable. One cosplayer in particular, Luna Lanie, took to YouTube to share her experience and the reaction she received from security and the convention organizers:
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Movie Remakes: They Hurt Me in the Childhood
There have been a lot of remakes and reboots happening in the film industry lately. Between children's shows like Jem and the Holograms & The Power Rangers, traditional movie reboots like Godzilla & Spider-Man, or more controversial titles like The Crow and (the recently announced) The Craft remakes, it can certainly feel like nothing is "safe" from being given another go on the big screen (do not even get me started on the $200million Navy reruitment abomination that was Battleship). In 2014 there were 47 remakes and sequels released*, not counting stage or novel adaptations. As of May 2015, we've already had 15 with at least another 30 scheduled to be released.
The pervasiveness of remakes and sequels is undeniable. Some stories and characters are so popular on film that it's difficult to get an accurate count of how many have been produced. The story of the Greek demi-god, Hercules in particular has been made into at least 37 films (though not all of those graced the big screen), and no less than 4 television series. In 2014 alone we saw the release of not one, but two Hercules movies:
Now, chances are the sheer number of remakes, reboots, and even sequels would be better received if more of them were, well, good. If you're going to produce a remake or sequel, it should either accurately portray its source material, or actually manage to improve upon it. More often than not, however, what we end up getting is either a dumbed-down version of a story with about as much substance as an episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, an unnecessarily "gritty" version of a story, or something that resembles the original in name only. As an example, the trailer for the upcoming Jem and the Holograms movie (or as I like to call it, Josie and the Pussycats 2: All of the Cliches, None of the Fun!) was met with a tidal wave of criticism for how far removed from the original it appears to be. (I could go on for hours about all the reasons the trailer caused such an internet stir, but Cat Conway already summed it up brilliantly for The Mary Sue, so save us both some time and go check out her piece.)
So, why are we seeing so many remakes and sequels, and why do they so often stray from their source material? These are questions that plague me every time a new remake is announced, so I decided to turn to an insider for some answers by reaching out to writer/director/general badass Lexi Alexander. In addition to a reputation for openly speaking her mind, with titles like Green Street Hooligans and Punisher: War Zone on her resume, Alexander has personal experience with original stories and remakes alike, so I reached out to her for some answers:
She-Geeks: Why do you think reboots and remakes are so popular in the film industry, especially in the last decade or so?
Alexander: Because the studios have lost their ability to market to the masses. This is not necessarily their fault, people have simply evolved from looking in the newspaper to see what movie is playing to having 500 million choices of sources for movie times and locations. Technology has provides us with an information jungle. There are lot of advantages because of it, but the fact that we don’t know how to make sure everybody knows a certain movie is playing is a disadvantage. You can’t even buy enough time on TV to air trailers, because there are 500 TV channels and 500 ways to watch TV, so that too has become a jungle. To successfully market a movie to America for example, you have to spend at least 100 Million dollars to make the country semi aware that there’s a movie out there. So studios won’t pick up a great 2 Million dollar original movie and give it a wide theatrical release if it costs them 100 Million to market it. Even on a high budget level they don’t want to take the risk unless it’s a “recognizable” name. So remakes are popular because they provide brand awareness.
SG: From a film making stand-point, is it easier to retell/reboot an established story than to try and tell a new one?
Alexander: No, creative people function better when they can create freely. I think every writer/director would prefer to tell an original story, something that can surprise people and something that can’t be measured up against a predecessor.
SG: The recent trailer for Jem and the Holograms garnered instant backlash for having little in common with the original cartoon except the character names and the use of music. Why do you feel some reboots stray wildly from their source material?
Alexander: Because they don’t want to be reboots. Somebody probably told the writer or director “okay, we’ll finance you a (add genre) movie, but it has to somewhat relate to Jem and the Holograms.
SG: In your opinion as a movie-goer (not as a director), are remakes fun or cringe-worthy?
Alexander: There are very, very few movies that called for a remake or were made better with a reboot. The fact that we’re producing them en masse right now kills the appetitive for those few.
The logic is strong with this one. It's not exactly shocking that this all comes down to money, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating to those of us who crave original content.
*Criteria: Not an original story/title/character - Based on a game or TV show - National release
The pervasiveness of remakes and sequels is undeniable. Some stories and characters are so popular on film that it's difficult to get an accurate count of how many have been produced. The story of the Greek demi-god, Hercules in particular has been made into at least 37 films (though not all of those graced the big screen), and no less than 4 television series. In 2014 alone we saw the release of not one, but two Hercules movies:
 |
| Both of which apparently involved some serious shit happening to Hercules' left. |
 |
| Zero fun is being had by the Holograms. |
She-Geeks: Why do you think reboots and remakes are so popular in the film industry, especially in the last decade or so?
Alexander: Because the studios have lost their ability to market to the masses. This is not necessarily their fault, people have simply evolved from looking in the newspaper to see what movie is playing to having 500 million choices of sources for movie times and locations. Technology has provides us with an information jungle. There are lot of advantages because of it, but the fact that we don’t know how to make sure everybody knows a certain movie is playing is a disadvantage. You can’t even buy enough time on TV to air trailers, because there are 500 TV channels and 500 ways to watch TV, so that too has become a jungle. To successfully market a movie to America for example, you have to spend at least 100 Million dollars to make the country semi aware that there’s a movie out there. So studios won’t pick up a great 2 Million dollar original movie and give it a wide theatrical release if it costs them 100 Million to market it. Even on a high budget level they don’t want to take the risk unless it’s a “recognizable” name. So remakes are popular because they provide brand awareness.
SG: From a film making stand-point, is it easier to retell/reboot an established story than to try and tell a new one?
Alexander: No, creative people function better when they can create freely. I think every writer/director would prefer to tell an original story, something that can surprise people and something that can’t be measured up against a predecessor.
SG: The recent trailer for Jem and the Holograms garnered instant backlash for having little in common with the original cartoon except the character names and the use of music. Why do you feel some reboots stray wildly from their source material?
Alexander: Because they don’t want to be reboots. Somebody probably told the writer or director “okay, we’ll finance you a (add genre) movie, but it has to somewhat relate to Jem and the Holograms.
SG: In your opinion as a movie-goer (not as a director), are remakes fun or cringe-worthy?
Alexander: There are very, very few movies that called for a remake or were made better with a reboot. The fact that we’re producing them en masse right now kills the appetitive for those few.
The logic is strong with this one. It's not exactly shocking that this all comes down to money, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating to those of us who crave original content.
*Criteria: Not an original story/title/character - Based on a game or TV show - National release
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Mobicon Happened, and I Was There
Unlike San Diego, Atlanta, or even New York, New Orleans
isn't known for
a particular convention, but the Gulf Coast is home to
several conventions held throughout the year. It's my goal, here at
She-Geeks, to showcase those smaller (but no less enthusiastic)
conventions. If there is a convention in or around the Gulf Coast that
you'd like to see me cover, please send the convention details to eris.shegeeks@gmail.com.
When you review conventions for a living, you find yourself at all kinds of cons that likely wouldn't have hit your radar otherwise. Most cons you look forward to, some not so much. There is always one, however, that you almost want to avoid. I had never been to Mobicon before, and the stories of harassment from previous years didn't exactly paint a sunshiny picture of this Alabama con, so I was a bit apprehensive about going. Then, there was a social media kerfuffle just days before the convention opened about one of the con's most popular events, and I found myself considering cancelling. Clearly, I didn't cancel. The point of this series is to shine a spotlight on these conventions, and it would be a disservice to my work, my readers, and to the convention itself if I allowed rumors to sway me rather than experiencing Mobicon for myself. So, I pulled on my big girl panties, made the decision to be as neutral as possible, and headed out to Mobile, AL.
When you review conventions for a living, you find yourself at all kinds of cons that likely wouldn't have hit your radar otherwise. Most cons you look forward to, some not so much. There is always one, however, that you almost want to avoid. I had never been to Mobicon before, and the stories of harassment from previous years didn't exactly paint a sunshiny picture of this Alabama con, so I was a bit apprehensive about going. Then, there was a social media kerfuffle just days before the convention opened about one of the con's most popular events, and I found myself considering cancelling. Clearly, I didn't cancel. The point of this series is to shine a spotlight on these conventions, and it would be a disservice to my work, my readers, and to the convention itself if I allowed rumors to sway me rather than experiencing Mobicon for myself. So, I pulled on my big girl panties, made the decision to be as neutral as possible, and headed out to Mobile, AL.
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