DIFICULT TO SEE THE FUTURE IS

after talking to Eric the other day i think that we all need to think about the direction we are headed and what we plan to do to keep the fan force active.

With the release of AOTC we have all had more than enough opportunity to get out there and enjoy star wars. but now that the wait is over and AOTC has come soon (all too soon) every one else will move on and we will be left going to budget cinemas to see grainy worn out footage in empty theaters with over priced popcorn. I think its about time we start talking about what we plan to do if we want to stay together as a group. i applaud Dwayne for getting the ball rolling for a collectors club which is a great idea. I would like to start a film club in hopes of making a fan film, also with the interest in costumes that has been circulating recently it may be fun to hold a costume clinic or club where we can help each other out with our individual projects. I think once we get on are feet we could think about holding a regional fan force party or get together (maybe that?s unrealistic but I?m just thinking out loud) and there are plenty of non star wars events that we can attend as well.

I thought it would be helpful to start brainstorming ideas now so when it comes time to start talking nuts and bolts at Tracie?s we have some ideas to talk about. we need to use all the excitement and energy we have now to help insure that we don't just die out in a month or two along with the rest of the hype.

-mike

 

I agree wholeheartedly. Without direction, any club is doomed to a early death. I'm definitely on-board with you Mike for the film group and costuming "clinics" would be great too - I'd love a costume, but I'm rather inept at any of that stuff. I'm already involved with the Collector's Guild (which I would really like to applaud the Wampas for coming up with) and so far it's worked out really well for me (got my Jorg Saculs and a Carrie Fisher autograph - thanks, Wampas!).

Eric's also mentioned that we write a fanzine (or APA - can't remember what he called it). I think this would be a lot of fun and would keep us involved in Star Wars during the down period between AOTC and Ep.3.

We should also figure out things that we might want to do at conventions down the road. I definitely think Gen Con is too cool to pass up and there are some other smaller cons we could have a more visible presence at (especially FilmCon). I've seen the Klingons at Gen Con doing jail and bail charity stuff, and I say we can't let KLINGONS outdo us.

I will try to brainstorm some stuff and hopefully we can keep this group in motion.

Jeff

 

The movie thing sounds like a great idea to me. I have no experience in this type of thing, but I would like to help out however I can. I have a digital camcorder and some nice computers that could be put to use.

I think I could be a pretty creative guy when it comes to this stuff too, of course I'm not sure about that...

I would not argue if some wanted me to swing around a lightsaber either!!

 

Well, I took Kendo in college for a semester, so I'm practically a master. I'll train y'all in the art of saber fighting...



Jeff

 

Don't forget that there are always opportunities to volunteer our services to non-Star Wars related things...not that I can do it, but getting together to give blood is the first thing that comes to mind. I'm sure that there are volunteer organizations that would be happy to use whatever talents we have and would also get our name out/generate interest.

Just my 2 credits worth.

 

"...You will go to the Brookfield system, there you will learn from Bishop, the Kendo master who instructed me..."

 

ROTFL

 

It came up in another thread, that perhaps we should expend some of our energy doing a "mockumentary" style fan film about a jedi (Luke, Obi-Wan, etc.) in the style of an A&E Biography piece, except treating a character as a real person.

That could be a lot of fun.

Just felt those comments should appear in this thread...

 

i'm all for the movie i've actually had a few ideas for a film myself and maybe they could be used incorperation with other ideas. if a zine was to be started i write fan fiction and other such things(i think that is what a zine is for i could be wrong)
also an idea i had to keep the group going was maybe getting together and playing some of the games that are out maybe like a star wars game night??? hay?? hay?? i dunno it's worth a shot. i have the monopoly episode 1 and i have some cards from the ccg and i have no idea how to use them. so maybe we could put one together for that....*tosses her hat* enjoy if they work!!
Red*

 

I could sense that in you Jeff. That sense of underlying power..like Plo Kloon, where any moment without much effort you could destroy all of us.

I would be willing to help out in a fan film, though I too have no experience, and on film I look like a talking marshmallow with my "never sees the light of day" sun tan. And my last acting experience was playing a tooth named Judge Molar in a second grade play (the lead, mind you. The Tony Award was mentioned). I would especially be willing to help if I get to be in costume with a helmet or mask. Also, I'm working on a royal guard costume, if that will help us at all.

Dan (Mauler) mentioned getting people to play Battlegrounds, and we had mentioned Galaxies when it comes out. Certainly with all the multiplayer games coming out, we can get a FanForce team out there, or get together and play the non-online games. Marcy isn't much for flying games, so I generally play Jedi Starfighter and games like that single player. Plus we could talk strategy for Knights of the Old Republic.

I don't understand the CCG worth a lick, but certainly we could organize games for that, maybe teach people like myself how to play. And the same goes for the RPG. One of the best aspects of the Star Wars universe is the ability for people to walk around in it.

There's also the book club idea that I mentioned a while ago that didn't really seem to take off. I think it would work. People could either trade books, or get together and discuss them. Sort of like Oprah's Book Club without all the weeping. In addition to the published books, people could contribute fanfic, or work on the Star Wars Story game that we have going.

We could also do forums, such as the costume forum that people mentioned. Collectors could also do a diarama forum. My figures are just standing in rows now but eventually I would like to display them in a more realistic scene. Plus it's an excuse to buy more stormtroopers.

I don't think there will be a shortage of things to do. Maybe people won't participate in all of them, but there should be something for everyone.

And after Episode III, I for one am going to need a support group, so I can find a new direction for my life. What will I be waiting for? I'm a Star Wars fan, I have to be waiting for something...

Dwayne

 

Thank you all for coming up with theses great ideas. When I was talking to Mike the other evening it occurred to me that once the hupla is over, what do we do.

We can't all stand around and repeat movie line (no jokes)... so we have to stay active. Lets ALL start writing these ideas down, and when we meet again...let's share.

You'll all find it's not just the fun things we do, it's the things we do together that we'll remember the longest!

Eric

 

Next semester I'm taking a Costume Construction class so hopefully I could help out with a costume clinic. I ABSOLUTLY LOVE the idea of a fan film. I've always wanted to do one so you can count me in for that. I'll do whatever is needed. I'm a theatre major with a Radio/TV/Film minor so I'd know what I was doing. I'll do whatever it takes to keep this club going!

 

we should probably discuss a regular meeting place and time. i suppose we could have a signup where people could volunteered to host or organize the next meeting. but it would be nice if we at least found a day that once a month we could meet on a regular bases.

also for those interested in helping out with a fan film if you have some ideas and or like to write let me know now so we can work together. (I?ll bring this up at the next meeting so we can get organized)

I?m all for the fan zine and as of now i think we should start work on the first issue. so if some one who has some experience with organizing a paper/zine and would like to head up this ahhh..."committee" please setep forward and lets get started.

off the top of my head i would say that we should have a cover letter about fan force goings on, at least two unique perspectives on episode 2, fan fiction, a comic, star wars fan art, possibly a spotlighted member of the group for each issue, and I?m sure you can all think of more things than that.

so please volunteer to do something and hopefully we can settle on a due date and get the ball rolling.

As of now I would like to submit my fan film movie poster and perhaps work on a comic.

-mike

 

Movie night is something I think might help carry us through to 2005.

 

I like the ideas brought out here too. Need to write these down. Really like the book club idea, at least the discussion part of it. Sorry, I don't give my books away, but if I have an extras, I'll happily let others have them.
Some of us were discussing this issue, things to do etc. to carry us through to Ep.III and beyond, these are all things that we can discuss and have a list going that will help us through the "quiet times". and to not just do SW stuff but getting together to do as mentioned non-SW stuff too(like Matrix - Reloaded, oh yea, baby)I think we can definately generate some awesome ideas and plans and start them into motion soon.

 

I would totally be up for acting in a fan film.

Possible humorous idea-A pack of bounty hunters is racing to collect a bounty offered by Star Wars fans on Jar jar Binks. Everytime they get close to catching binks though, he does something completely clumsy but effective to escape...Oh, wait, that's starting to sound too close to TPM.

 

yes if only we had the animators to do it. but i agree i think a humorous fan film is diffidently the way to start out. i was hoping to perhaps do something along the lines of a troops or American jedi. I think for are first go around a serious film would be to hard a undertaking and a comedy would probably be just about the right speed for us to get to know one another and see what talent we have to work with.

i also like the idea of a mockumentery. but for starters something basic will do nicely.

 

Doesn't get much more basic than a mockumentary, IMO. Pretty much static shots with some clips edited in (if we're doing a biography of sorts).

Just thoughts.

Jeff

 

can some tell me where and how i can post a pic ever since the fall of geocities and homestead i have had no where to post my work. and after about 2 hours and 7 diffrent registrations i'm still homeless.

please help.

-mike

 

www.20megsfree.com

 

I love the ideas guys, I'm all for a fanfilm - I'd love to help ya out with that. Saber training... Brookfield system eh?? Sounds doable, and fun. I also might be interested in the book club, since I've just started reading all the Star Wars books we have, again. Just lemme know when any or all of this is gonnna happen!

 

ok here is my first go around at a cartoon. tell me what you think:

http://mikesplace.20megsfree.com/jedicartoon02.jpg

-mike

PS keep in mind i did this in 20 min in hopes of drumming up some support for the fan zine so I?m hoping to see some other work popping up soon.

 

The ideas on this thread are great--I don't think we will have trouble keping ourselves occupied until EP3. I've read a lot about Star Wars fan clubs helping out with charities, and I think that' s pretty neat. I personally like the book club idea, and I'm definitely on board with the collector's guild. If everybody can just jot down which ideas/activities/directions they like the best (and perhaps rank them), including things not mentioned here, and bring them with to the next meeting, it may make an easier time of figuring out who can head up certain branches/committies of this council, if it ever comes to it. That could save a lot of time at the meeting (with all the conversation, I'm wondering if we'll get around to watching the movies!

Diversification is the name of the game, I think, so the more ideas the better.

 

Mike- That's a great cartoon! It's already printed and on my door. Thanks and good job!

 

Okay, I have been reading a lot of the threads since C2 and haven't been saying alot. Now I am ready to put in my worthless two cents. I think our main problem is that we are trying to please everyone in everything we do. That will never happen and is already frustrating a number of people and will lead to the demise of our group rather quickly.
First, we do have to have a meeting at a set time and place on a regular basis. If you can't be there and want your viewpoint expressed, talk to someone going or Tom.

Second, everything we do together does not have to be done by group consensus. We can plan to do things as friends and open up the invitation to the group but you do not have to keep rearranging your plans because of some people not being able to come. For example, the moviethon at Tracey's. She is hosting it at her home and should be able to set a date and whoever comes, comes. Sure you want a date when more people can come but it is her home and she should be doing it when it is convenient for her and her family. These type of events should not be official but social opportunities for the group to just have fun together.

Third, the groups like the collectors, book club, film club, etc. allow for people of the same interests to get something out of this group. It is okay to have these groups within the Milwookie council as long as it is open to everyone. It makes the meetings a little more manageable because only some will come.

The most important thing is that we offer a variety of opportunities but they don't have to be something that always appeals to everyone. If you aren't interested, skip that one. I, for instance, love the books and would love to get together to discuss them. I have used copies of all five Zahn books and Vector Prime which are free to whoever wants them. I think, I have the Jedi Academy trilogy available too.
Well there is my two cents.