My Grand Vision of the FF-UK

I know Jairen has some big ideas for this community and Stormtrooper 1982 has eluded to his vision of what we should become, I just wanted to share with you all what I see as the future of our community and most importantly our Chapter.

I would like us to have a significant membership, nothing too big but large enough for us to have a presence at all of the major Sci Fi events throughout the year, all three of the Memorabilia events in Birmingham and all of the future events like Signatopia and Collectormainia. I would like us to be able to attend events and have a similar impact and profile as the UK Garrison and bring the whole Star Wars experience to a wider audience.

I would like us to expand our horizons beyond Star Wars to other franchises and fandom as a whole, showing people that there are legitimate and meaningful outlets for their enthusiasm towards movies, TV shows and other media, most of all I would like what we do to mean something in the wider world, to make a difference to people's lives, I've seen childrens faces light up when they've been approached by a Jedi Knight or a Stormtrooper, I've seen grown men smile at the sight of a Darlek, if we can make people feel better about themselves, even for a moment it's thanks enough.

To achieve these grand aims we all need to work and get along together, there will always be friction between people from time to time but we must work though that and see the bigger picture of what we are all trying to do, I consider each and every one of the people that post's on these boards as a friend and a colleague, there are times when opinions and ideas clash it's enevitable but we can't let these things stop us from reaching our goal.

I could rant on for several more pages but I won't, if you're still awake after reading this please tell the rest of us what you see as your Grand Vision.

 

Um, I don't know what to say to this, as this is basically exactly what I outlined to Vez and the others that attended the event at the weekend.

In fact, we had more than Star Wars at the event at the weekend, including some LOTR and some Buffy/Angel stuff. We made it very clear to everyone that we were a multi-genre fan force. It's about being a fan and using that fandom to give back whilst still having fun and enjoyment yourself.

 

Well I dont know if you mean me skywalker_1982 but hey stormtrooper_1982 sounds cool cause afterall I am a trooper

But I understand where you are coming from I personally only like star wars from a sci fi point of view yes boo me lol but it is how I am. I like the idea of not only having star wars but other things such as harry potter and lotr cause in there own right they are brilliant stories. My vision is to have a great fanforce group that functions along the same lines as the americans cause some of the things they do are unbelieveable and thats only just for star wars also I would like to see many uk fanforce tables at conventions alike such as the big target year 2007 is when celebration four swings round I know it can happen but to have our very own table there aswell which all attending if the table happened should be entitled to volunteer badges which not only would you work the table but if you like you can get in contact with other companies such as master replicas and lucasfilm and work their booths which are very fun to do so people start saving money now for celebration 4 cause registration will start next september which will soon come around.

If you want things like this you have to be professional about it and go about it the right ways so any problems that occur with anyone alike then you should deal with them away from the boards. I do not know what steve's thoughts were towards signtopia but it is a great feeling to know that we would not have heard the last of signtopia from him.

 

Having spent so long not having any one to share my fan enthusiasm with, for every thing, not just star wars, I really want to put out there that you arent alone. I want to build up a network and encourage local groups so that if theres a film out, theres some one to see it with, you want to Q at toys r us, theres some one to go with and if you want to get drunk and hit each other with bright sticks, theres some one to abuse. Makes it sound a bit like the samaritans

 

im all for this! you may have noticed that i tried to suggest some sort of big thing about a month ago! we can still do this and i know people who are interested in attending. the idea was to have a marathon sort of thing in a place near me.
i think we should do alot more charity work etc. Phil maybe you could get in comtact with the UKG and we could help out at the convention at the National Space Centre on the 11th November!

I think we could be a group that rivals the UKG and will be a bigger show at all conventions around the UK and elsewhere!

my questions are:-
when do we think we will be ready to do this?
What do we do to begin doing this?

 

A definate costuming arm to the Fan Force would be great, I don't think rivalling the UK Garrison could ever be something that is acheived as they are a completely different structure to us but certainly a separate group with a synergy would be great.

I think the emphasis where costuming is concerned should be ANY cannon film costume or EU costume etc should this go ahead not just restricted to mainly Stormtroopers... if that makes any sense.

I would also like to see some charity fund raising, we all were touched by Katies plight and what the Make a Wish foundation provided for her but there are UK versions (I think it's called starbright or something) which makes terminally ill childrens wishes come true. It would be great to be able to do something worthwhile while enjoying ourselves

I think beyond all the banter and fun that goes on a more professional organised approach which thanks to Phill and V has already started should be fostered, it's nice to have a laugh and a giggle but structure beneath is also something that is needed.

I'm sure I'll think of more eventually

 

Those young David are question that we will address when Mark is back in the fold.

I apologise to Skywalker 1982 for getting your username completly wrong, please forgive me, I am old and going a bit senile.

We all, to quote Martin Luther King have a dream, a dream that can become a reality through hard work, persistance and team work. I find it hard to believe that we've got to where we are from an idea discussed by three people, that had never met before at the midnight screening of a movie. I'm honoured to part of what this chapter stands for and proud to be part of what it will be.

When do we think we'll be ready to do this ? As soon as you like David, you have brought atleast two new members to this board and we hope to have many more follow them, we need to grow as we go, the work everyone put in at Signatopia will have raised the profile of the FF-UK, when Lord Wiz returns from his holiday we'll be discussing the printing and distributing of leaflets in and around the Birmingham area, we have Memorabilia in November to plan for and future events in Rotherham and Manchester to talk about, all of which I hope we can have a presence at, you've mentioned an event in Liecester I suggest that you throw a few achievable ideas around for that, as I'm sure the rest of us will given the oppertunity !

What do we need to do to begin this ? Well use these boards as a means to throw ideas and thoughts around, ask other members for their opinions, make reasonable suggestions that enthuse and excite our membership but you need to remember that everything costs and there some things that just aren't possible with the resourses we have available, your idea of a Marathon type event is one such suggestion, to do it properly would be a massive outlay of cash and take a great deal of time to sort out, I'm not saying it's a bad idea just a little out of our reach at the moment but in the future, who knows ?

We all have real life stuff to deal with, me included it makes things that bit tougher but I'm sure we can come up with ideas between us.

 

We will never get as big as the Uk garrison as stormtrooper fan we just have to run alongside them cause they do their own thing like we would do ours.

 

I just want to point out something because I keep seeing UKG mentioned.

The 501st is a COSTUMING group. Fan Force is not.
The same goes for the Rebel Legion.

It doesn't make sense to compare your group to theirs or try to be like them. I recommend joining them if you have the costumes (I'm a member of both). It's okay to emulate the way they do certain things, but it seems like a waste of energy to reinvent the wheel. Also, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COSTUME ONLY FOR STAR WARS. There's plenty of stuff out there.

Just my two pence.

 

Joe makes an interesting point. Our aim as fan force is not to be a Costuming Group, but to be a place where fans, of all genres, can come together and have a good time.

For some of us, that means a social gathering with good friends, for others it means getting together in costume and having a great time.

When impact and profile are talked about with regards to the UKG, I don't think we should be looking to compete with them, but to compliment them. We are fans, first and foremost, and as fans we can choose to have an impact on those around us. That impact, through charity, through the smiles on kids faces as seen at Signatopia, through the friendships we all form in this community, is what fan force should be about.

However, offering a home to those fans that have costumes that are unsuitable for the 501st or Rebel Legion is also not a bad thing. Some people who costume cannot afford complete accuracy for "canon" costumes, or want to go EU (at least in the Star Wars universe). We would love to see them, at events, having a good time.

You'll note that FF-UK South appears to be building momentum on the main forums, and from what I see, costuming will not be a major part of their group, but that makes them no less a part of FF-UK than anyone else. It is that camraderie and shared love of both SW and other genres that makes them a part of the rest of us.

It's early, so some of this probably won't make sense.

 

we arent here to compete with the UKG , we should have a symbiotic relationship where each group and compliment each other.

 

Exactly, and part of that relationship will appear soon in the upcoming return to the Leicester space centre by the UKG.

 

I did actually say "I don't think rivalling the UK Garrison could ever be something that is acheived"

 

hello? anybody listening to me?I hope you are
i think we should definately make an apperence at the NSC! its a friday so i dont know if i can go yet! i hope i can! and the stars at the next event are:
Warwick David
jerome Blake
Guy who played Admiral Motti
Jeremy bulloch

and people to be signed up soon are Christopher Lee and Ray Parks!

come on guys let this be our first official thing as a group!

 

sorry but first group 'thing' already done, and the event is the 12th, which is a saturday

 

hurray!!!!
me and isy can go! (isy's costume is almost done and i got my FX lightsaber today) we have to make an apprearence!

Phil, i think it may be nice if we ring em up and ask if we can attend as a group. that means free entry and private facilities like the UKG get.

 

Ok I agree that going into direct competition with the UKG would be a pointless exercise, having a friendly relationship with the UKG I feel would benifit both groups. Perhaps my use of the phrases 'Impact' and 'Profile' were a bad choice and I should have used the phrase 'Presence'.

The UKG are the best at what they do, I just want us to be the best at what we do, which is getting fans of whatever franchise together for social and charitable events. If that involves costuming then so be it, I'm all for freedom of expression.

Guy's please excuse the poor spelling and Grammer on this post, I've just spent four hours trying to get back from Weston with the wife and kids.

 

The only thing for me to say is "here, here"
I agree with everything said by all the previous posters so there's no point adding my own 2p worth. As I'm in the other corner of the E.Midlands triangle (Derby), I'd be happy to help out with events etc. where I can. Unfortunately I've just booked a family trip to Ireland for that weekend in November (its my birthday) so the space centre event is out. Maybe next time...

 

I might take you up on that offer! After getting beaten by little 6 year olds at Signatopia, I think I need practice

 

One thing I have noticed with the american kids in armour is they just try and rip your leg pieces off from behind so you have to keep checking your all there every 5 minutes but as for the uk kids they are brutal I have noticed, god when that woman took a photo of me in trooper armour at signtopia with I suppose her kids hitting me with lightsabers I felt one poke me just between the armour where my black undersuit god I felt that I think the uk is too dangerous for armour cause hey they have watched the films and know that troopers are bad so I think they have kill on their brains. Its alright next time I will get the buggers back when I take my parks saber to the next convention.

 

Unfortunately I've just booked a family trip to Ireland for that weekend in November (its my birthday)


Its my b'day then to ! the 11th .
And Derbys not far from me (Sandiacre) good. Soon we may be able to arrange a meet in the east midlands.

 

got to agree with Martin on this one. the FF and the UKG (and/or the entire 501st) are and should remain (IMHO) two seperate entities. its great that we can bounce ideas off each other, and help each other out when needed etc, but at the end of the day, we are two different groups, with two not so different ideals and goals. if we both end up serving the same purpose then all is well and good, but we should remain seperate. just my 2p, and it`s a bit far fetched to expect many people to agree.

 

no. i do agree! in some ways the UKG is stuck up etc so i do agree.

Ill see you there Ves and probably izzy too when i get in touch with her about this

 

Just what do you agree to Dave, I'm a little confused, do you agree that we are a seperate entity to the UKG or do you agree that we should have a reciprocal relationship with them. You can see my point, I hope !

 

i agree to the fact that we should be separate but still compare notes