That Geek Podcast Episode 2: The Joss Whedon Celebration Part 2 of 2

In the second and final part of the Joss Whedon celebration we look at his more recent work, look at people who have worked with him and done extremely well since and finally, we get excited about what we can expect from our big damn hero.

Here's the list of topics: Firefly, the Whedon-less years on TV, Dollhouse, the writer's strike, Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog, Cabin in the Woods, Avengers, Much Ado About Nothing, Geek and Sundry, Once Upon A Time, and other critical geeky sub-topics.

 We answer our very first listener question and it becomes the topic of our next episode: Comic books that have been adapted to the silver screen!

Our music is provided by Steve Everett, who can be found on www.SteveEverett.net. I play West Coast Time, and wonder why he's not massively famous.

Please leave comments and questions wherever you found this episode, or email us at thatgeekpodcast@gmail.com and we also have a voicemail at 509-203-4347 or Skype using the name: crewcastradio. I dare you to leave a message!

Thank you for listening!

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That Geek Podcast Episode 1: The Joss Whedon Celebration!

We (Sylvie, Stephanie and Randy), celebrate Joss Whedon’s career, starting with a recap of his early work as a writer, then going into Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly. It’s time to delve into the whimsy and awesomeness of one of the greatest storytellers of our time, so dust off your crossbow and put on your brown coat!

Our music this week is provided by Bif Naked, we play I Love Myself Today, one of my personal favourites. Don’t forget to look for her new single if you’re a Bif fan.
 
P.S.
We’re going to explore more of the Whedonverse next week, so don’t worry, we’ll get to the more recent shiny work in due time!

Thank you for listening!

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John Carter: Science Fiction Adventure Lives?

When George Lucas made Star Wars: A New Hope, he was partially motivated by a void in the entertainment industry. Those high flying Science Fiction adventures from his childhood had failed to evolve into something that matched what was in his mind's eye. Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and other icons from early movie making were long gone, or had suffered bad remakes.

Star Wars brought about a short-lived era during the late 70's and early 80's that featured a glut of Science Fiction adventure films that attempted to imitate the energy and spirit of George Lucas' vision. Everyone from Sean Connery to David Hasselhoff starred in films that studios hoped would capture the imaginations of audiences like Star Wars did. A few efforts did lead to some good entertainment (example: Battlestar Galactica), but that wasn't the norm.

When I saw previews for John Carter (of Mars), I was hoping that it would be successful, and infuse television and movie studios with the desire to start making more science fiction adventure movies. The critics and many loud-mouths of the Internet gleefully attacked the film based on the trailer alone, which is common these days, I realize. Normally that sort of thing doesn't hurt a film very much, people aren't stupid, most of us pan pre-emptive negativity.

The over-zealous critics and eager social media mavens of the Internet did do some damage in this case, however. John Carter suffered from ineffective advertising, and it's been released in the action movie dead season, too far before the summer blockbuster window. The guerrilla marketing was mismanaged as well. You can find it if you look for it, but that's not the point of guerrilla marketing, it should be everywhere, and people should be talking about it in a positive sense before the movie arrives. People should be excited, even if they're not entirely sure why yet. That didn't happen. The razzle dazzle fizzled in grand fashion, especially after one or more name changes.

I've seen the film, and I can tell you that it's a great adventure movie. The special effects are spectacular, the story is solid, and there are some interesting twists. The book will be better for some, but if you're looking to have a fun, adventure filled night out at the movies, it's a great flick. I really did feel like I was watching an old 1936 episode of Flash Gordon with new special effects, a more sophisticated story and slightly better acting. The high-flying-adventure feeling was there for long stretches.

I forgot it was in 3D by the end, but that's my average experience with 3D films. It's a good adventure romp with or without it.

It seems that, between Disney's poor advertising effort and misrepresenting this film, perhaps event trying to sell it to the wrong audience, John Carter (of Mars) won't even earn it's budget back. $250,000,000.00 is a lot to gamble on anything. I suppose John Carter may earn its cost back after Blu-Ray and PPV release, but studios don't consider that a success. A loss like that will most likely discourage other film makers and studios from investing in Science Fiction Adventure films.

That's the opposite of the effect Star Wars had in 1977, and there was a time when I would say the glut of SciFi B-Movies was a bad thing, but these days I find myself in the opposite camp. Special effects and movie making isn't as expensive as it once was. Serenity (Joss Whedon, based on the Firefly television series), cost $35,000,000.00 and, while it didn't have as many special effect shots as John Carter, it certainly was enjoyable. I would put it above John Carter or Avatar any day in terms of how much I enjoyed the movie.

In fact, I would rather see seven $35,000,000.00 Science Fiction Adventure movies in the place of one $250,000,000.00 any time. Some may say that the comparison between films like Serenity and Avatar is unfair, but I believe the days of depending on special effects selling a movie instead of story craft and great filmmaking are coming to a close.

Perhaps the failure of John Carter will lead studios to the same conclusion, and we'll see better writing combined with an appropriate budget for special effects. Someone get Joss Whedon on the phone, I hear he's finished making that Avenger movie.

RL

[What did you think of John Carter?]

Spinward Fringe: Awakening

Spinward Fringe Awakening is the second book in the unlimited science fiction series I'm writing. It continues where Resurrection left off and I have to say I've never written anything more fast paced, fun or challenging in my life.

I worked it like it was three hundred pages only the ideas, scenes and dialog fit in about two hundred. Reduced down to a smaller font size to save paper, it comes out to about one hundred forty pages, and after doing my last editorial sweep on it I have to say even I had a lot of fun reading it.

Now it's with my Editor, whose critical eye and a nose that can smell bad cheese like a fart in a car will not spare me if anything is out of line or a little hokey. It's this kind of safety net that most authors can't live without, and I'm greatful. I honestly don't think she'll find any problems with this book, however, and after the final edit, it looks like this book will be out before September seventh.

Talk about a quick roll out. I started the first science fiction novel, Freeground, on January 1, 2008, and here we are almost nine months later with four novels ready to read and a fifth due out in just another couple of weeks. I have to say I'm pleased with the stories I'm telling, with the reception I'm getting and with the tales that have not yet been told.

Thanks to everyone for their support, there's so much more to come.

RL

Spinward Fringe Resurrection: Selling in Europe!

On August 1, 2008, I launched all the EBooks currently available with over 30 different electronic retailers, so people all across the globe could purchase the First Light Chronicles and Fate Cycle: Dead of Winter.

That didn't really result in much, which is fine, since I didn't expect an immediate reaction. Some of these retailers take a little while to list the books and it takes some time for people to realize they're there.

Then I launched Spinward Fringe with the same retailers (commonly called Etailers in some circles). It's been less than a week and I'm proud to announce that it's selling. Not "I was just on Oprah's book club" selling, but copies are being read, a solid number of copies.

I just got an email from a reader in Budapest saying; "...started reading and did not put it down until I was finished. Am bying all other books on ur list."

Broken english aside, I see this as a massively good review. If the momentum continues to build I might actually be able to make a lving at this before 2010. Here's hoping. If that were to happen all my readers (and they are starting to increase in number), would have more literature to look forward to on a regular basis.

Thank you to everyone who has been watching, reading, and investing in my success. I really do appreciate your time and money.

I aim to entertain.

RL

The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening, is well on it's way and I'm immensely pleased with how it's turning out so far.

Spinward Fringe Resurrection: Selling in Europe!

On August 1, 2008, I launched all the EBooks currently available with over 30 different electronic retailers, so people all across the globe could purchase the First Light Chronicles and Fate Cycle: Dead of Winter.

That didn't really result in much, which is fine, since I didn't expect an immediate reaction. Some of these retailers take a little while to list the books and it takes some time for people to realize they're there.

Then I launched Spinward Fringe with the same retailers (commonly called Etailers in some circles). It's been less than a week and I'm proud to announce that it's selling. Not "I was just on Oprah's book club" selling, but copies are being read, a solid number of copies.

I just got an email from a reader in Budapest saying; "...started reading and did not put it down until I was finished. Am bying all other books on ur list."

Broken english aside, I see this as a massively good review. If the momentum continues to build I might actually be able to make a lving at this before 2010. Here's hoping. If that were to happen all my readers (and they are starting to increase in number), would have more literature to look forward to on a regular basis.

Thank you to everyone who has been watching, reading, and investing in my success. I really do appreciate your time and money.

I aim to entertain.

RL

The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening, is well on it's way and I'm immensely pleased with how it's turning out so far.

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection Is Released!

It's here. I love this book, my editor loves this book, and as I've said before my solitary test reader has finished it and started over from the beginning three times now.

This series will have a long future. It's an unlimited series unlike it's predecessor. Here's the synopsis for the first of the lot!

Captain Jacob Valance has no memory of his past.
Left on a strange ship in an unfamiliar sector of the galaxy, he was forced to begin a new life.
Years pass and through great hardship he's earned
a reputation as a man who can recover lost property,
hunt down hardened criminals and go where others fear to tread.
All the while he's been searching for clues to his past
and looking for a better method of making his way through the galaxy for himself and his ragtag crew.
The Spinward Fringe series follows the three volumes
of the First Light books, continuing the adventures
of characters connected to Freeground Station.

I'm proud to present this to everyone who has read the First Light Chronicles and even to anyone who hasn't. I suggest reading the books preceding this, but you don't absolutely have to. They are only back story after all. Thank you to everyone with an interest, I promise you won't be disappointed with the taste between the pages.

If you look to the right of this posting you'll see it's available as a download for $2.99 or in trade paperback for $9.99 US.

I aim to entertain.

RL

P.S.
The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening is well on it's way to completion and the third is in late planning stages with some parts already penned.

DIGG

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection

It's here. I love this book, my editor loves this book, and as I've said before my solitary test reader has finished it and started over from the beginning three times now.

This series will have a long future. It's an unlimited series unlike it's predecessor. Here's the synopsis for the first of the lot!

Captain Jacob Valance has no memory of his past.
Left on a strange ship in an unfamiliar sector of the galaxy, he was forced to begin a new life.
Years pass and through great hardship he's earned
a reputation as a man who can recover lost property,
hunt down hardened criminals and go where others fear to tread.
All the while he's been searching for clues to his past
and looking for a better method of making his way through the galaxy for himself and his ragtag crew.
The Spinward Fringe series follows the three volumes
of the First Light books, continuing the adventures
of characters connected to Freeground Station.

I'm proud to present this to everyone who has read the First Light Chronicles and even to anyone who hasn't. I suggest reading the books preceding this, but you don't absolutely have to. They are only back story after all. Thank you to everyone with an interest, I promise you won't be disappointed with the taste between the pages.

If you look to the right of this posting you'll see it's available as a download for $2.99 or in trade paperback for $9.99 US.

I aim to entertain.

RL

P.S.
The next book: Spinward Fringe Awakening is well on it's way to completion and the third is in late planning stages with some parts already penned.

DIGG

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection

I've been relatively tight lipped about the latest book: Spinward Fringe: Ressurection, but after my editor has gone through it I'm very proud to announce that this book has gotten a big thumbs up.

This book features several of the same characters as the First Light Chronicles and DOES answer questions left wide open by that series. I'll warn you that it doesn't answer them all, however, it would take a lot more time to get to them all. That's something I'm continuing do with Spinward Fringe: Awakening.

This is a darker, more character oriented book. I feel I've really delivered my first real Space Opera Adventure Novella. After hearing my only other test reader tell me she finished it then started over at page 1 to read it again I was positively floored. I'm overjoyed that I took this new turn with the style of the book, this a more personal story, where there are fewer characters who each have a much more significant impact on the plot line. It shows, my Editor and the test reader both found themselves investing personally in one or two of the characters.

I was honestly worried this book would never see the light of day because it is so different, each character has a lot more to worry about and there are personal problems between them. Suffice it to say, out of all the science fiction I've written this year this book was by far the most enjoyable to pen. That made the fear of experimentation and change far more acute, however, and everyone is in line with thinking it paid off. I think this is a fantastic first foot forward into a new series that isn't limited to a set of three books or six books or whatever.

We're into true serialization and my plot lines will no longer be limited by how many books I can write in the series. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that there won't be endings to different plot lines. My definition of an ending doesn't match that of Hollywood or Disney classics, however. When there's an ending for a character or plot line it's generally more like an explosion or head on collision. There are a number of those in this series already and I'm only 100 pages into Spinward Fringe: Awakening, the second book in the series.

I'm also continuing to think of this as the base for a television or web series. I love the episodic format and am enjoying the challenge of putting new, quality material out on a regular basis.

Keep your eyes on that right hand side of this page as I do my final pass with my Editor's notes and make the book available for sale. I'm very excited to hear what everyone has to say about this book.

RL

Spinward Fringe: Resurrection

I've been relatively tight lipped about the latest book: Spinward Fringe: Ressurection, but after my editor has gone through it I'm very proud to announce that this book has gotten a big thumbs up.

This book features several of the same characters as the First Light Chronicles and DOES answer questions left wide open by that series. I'll warn you that it doesn't answer them all, however, it would take a lot more time to get to them all. That's something I'm continuing do with Spinward Fringe: Awakening.

This is a darker, more character oriented book. I feel I've really delivered my first real Space Opera Adventure Novella. After hearing my only other test reader tell me she finished it then started over at page 1 to read it again I was positively floored. I'm overjoyed that I took this new turn with the style of the book, this a more personal story, where there are fewer characters who each have a much more significant impact on the plot line. It shows, my Editor and the test reader both found themselves investing personally in one or two of the characters.

I was honestly worried this book would never see the light of day because it is so different, each character has a lot more to worry about and there are personal problems between them. Suffice it to say, out of all the science fiction I've written this year this book was by far the most enjoyable to pen. That made the fear of experimentation and change far more acute, however, and everyone is in line with thinking it paid off. I think this is a fantastic first foot forward into a new series that isn't limited to a set of three books or six books or whatever.

We're into true serialization and my plot lines will no longer be limited by how many books I can write in the series. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that there won't be endings to different plot lines. My definition of an ending doesn't match that of Hollywood or Disney classics, however. When there's an ending for a character or plot line it's generally more like an explosion or head on collision. There are a number of those in this series already and I'm only 100 pages into Spinward Fringe: Awakening, the second book in the series.

I'm also continuing to think of this as the base for a television or web series. I love the episodic format and am enjoying the challenge of putting new, quality material out on a regular basis.

Keep your eyes on that right hand side of this page as I do my final pass with my Editor's notes and make the book available for sale. I'm very excited to hear what everyone has to say about this book.

RL

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog: The Master Plan!

Some of us follow the beat of our own drummer, we walk alone for long distances, we even eat differently. Sadly, we need entertainment from time to time too and that's when I turn to people like Joss Whedon who is far greater than I.

Some time ago I discovered that Mr. Whedon was working on a musical. It was my hope that I wouldn't have to fly to New York or LA to see it on stage (do they have stages in sections of LA where you won't get mugged for your wallet, watch, belt and chewing gum?). To my absolute glee, he's going to be releasing it on line in at least one format and I think he'll be offering it on DVD.

Recently the Master Plan was unveiled: to release the whole thing in three parts online for FREE! Here's a quote from the Master Plan that goes into some detail:

ONE WEEK ONLY! AN INTERNET MINISERIES EVENT! "Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog" will be streamed, LIVE (that part’s not true), FREE (sadly, that part is) right on Drhorrible.com, in mid-July. Specifically: ACT ONE (Wheee!) will go up Tuesday July 15th. ACT TWO (OMG!) will go up Thursday July 17th. ACT THREE (Denouement!) will go up Saturday July 19th. All acts will stay up until midnight Sunday July 20th. Then they will vanish into the night, like a phantom (but not THE Phantom – that’s still playing. Like, everywhere.)

Okay, there's more to the Master Plan, and you should check it out (link to follow). But I have a proposal to make first. No, I'm not going to ask the Interwebs to marry me, I know we spend a lot of time together, but I just don't see things that way. I propose that once you've watched Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, gotten at least one tune stuck in your head, set your hair on fire and have gone running through your neighborhood nude while making love to a picture of Neil Patrick Harris, go buy something. If you enjoyed it at all you should buy a copy of the Digital Download (he says it'll be cheap anyway), or a T-Shirt, a coffee mug, lunch box or maybe even just Hire Nathan Fillion for a weekend, I hear he's great at parties.

Now, take this part seriously: For interesting, cutting edge entertainment like this to be produced in the future we have to support what's coming out now. Just imagine if this project gets massive support from the audience who downloads it, and this feature will be pirated I'm sure. Just think, if the thousands of people who download it or view it on line and enjoy it actually contribute something then Joss will be able to recover his expenses, maybe even put something in the bank for another feature. If we support him well enough we might even do something online again. Here's a stretch, but imagine a Big Damn Sequel (I'm talking Firefly people), born on the Internet and sold on DVD. That's the kind of Hollywood shattering revolution we're talking here, but we have to show our support. Nicely typed, purple scented letters in pretty envelopes won't do it (did ya get mine Joss?), but a few bucks from everyone who can't afford the DVD just now, and DVD or T-Shirt purchases from people who can afford the DVD just might show him that his audience is big enough, that we're ready for him to take a big risk and put on another real show. We need to show him that he has support in a way that is universally understood, the all mighty dollar.

As an artist really just starting out again who needs the support of his thirty or so fans so people can hear about his work and experience it for themselves, I can relate. I'm also an independent and in my own small way understand why Joss wants to do a few things on his own without a studio looking over his shoulder or making final decisions about his work. I know I'll have a copy of the DVD, T-Shirt and I absolutely NEED one of the Coffee Mugs, even if it doesn't exist yet. I'll find a way, there's a spot for it on my desk and everything.

Now go see the Doctor: www.drhorrible.com
Go now.

Nathan's pic above appears thanks to www.jedichefs.com who somehow got him in a very compromising position.

Every Tea Party Album I've Ever Owned Was Stolen

You know, I was looking through my old CD collection while I was taking a break from writing, and found that the only two albums I have left from The Tea Party have been liberated. True, I haven't so much as looked at my Tea Party CD's in years, I have them on MP3 and have no need of ye olde plastic disks, but there's something about owning music in it's intended form. It says; "I'm a legit fanboy who gave the record company my cash so they would produce another one of their albums, oh, and maybe the artist got a buck or two in the deal."

I've owned almost every Tea Party CD they've come out with and one bootleg over the last eleven or so years, and every one of them has gone missing. I'm not bitter, it's good that this three piece band got a little further than my neglected CD collection, maybe made it into another person's, and hopefully got stolen from them as well, so they could go even further.

I'm not saying; 'hey, come on over and take my stuff!' I'm just saying that I hope these mobile CD's didn't get stolen only to roast in someone's sun visor.

On the note of supporting what we like, I'll be buying the Tea Party's live DVD tomorrow along with the collector's edition of Serenity, that movie that should have never happened based on the show Fox Television didn't want; Firefly. Everyone should buy a copy of that movie, and if you haven't seen the TV series, buy the DVD set too. Why? It's simple: if we buy enough, creator Joss Whedon may just be able to make another movie or two. If I win the lotto tomorrow, I'll give Joss half if it were enough to make another film. Okay, more than half, I don't need much.


So, what's this post really saying?
The Tea Party is still a great band.
I hope the folks who walked off with my CD's are still enjoying them.
We all have to buy a copy of Serenity, because doing the impossible is worth celebrating, and so are Cowboys in Space!
Get your own damn copies and stop eying mine. Seriously, as if I weren't paranoid enough!

RL

Back to writing....