Archive for June, 2009

So NYCMidnight.com is holding a contest for writers to craft Twitter-sized stories of 140 characters or less, which must include a supplied word.

So all of the entrants were split into 20 groups, with a different word for each group, and we all wrote (my word was "heaven").

So the first round now has been judged, and the best 15 stories of each group have been chosen, and now everyone gets to vote on their favorites out of each group.

And of the 15 chosen in my group, 2 of them are mine.

And now it's time for you to vote. I'd appreciate it if you voted for mine (although there are some excellent competitors there). You can even vote for both of mine, if you've a mind to.

Go to the first round page and click on Group 1. Mine are the top two stories in the list, the ones by Chris Bridges. Vote!

Voting goes on till next Monday night. The writers of the 5 top stories of each group will go on to the finals, and I'd sure like to be there. I hear it's nice. Thanks!

Something I get asked fairly often. Where are the Serenity models? It's such a funky, unique looking, iconic ship, there are people begging for the opportunity to spend days painting it just right. Yes, there's the inexpensive Dark Horse ornament (prepainted, 6 1/2" long, one piece), and the massive one that QMx is working up (insanely detailed, pre-assembled, prepainted, with lights), but where's the midsize, low price point, just-right-for-an-afternoon-of-glueing model?

Sadly, there isn't one. Not officially. But there are a variety of unofficial ones out there if you look hard enough. For example, if you hit the right convention or stumble across one on eBay, you can pick up this gorgeous little number by "Tony," which includes instructions and decals.

It is all made of resin and all the parts need little clean up. This kit is for the advanced modeler and some experience with resin kits is recommended. It has about 70 parts and all the smaller parts are still sealed in their bags. It comes with an instructional CD and for those without a computer a paper copy of the instructions.  [...] The kit is about 14.5" long when finally assembled.

Tony's Serenity resin models sell from $220 – $300.

Read the rest of this entry »

PaleyFest 2009 was this year's annual 10-day event honoring the best of the small screen, held at the Paley Center for Media in L.A. Creators and stars of many of your favorite shows got up on stage and talked about, well, everything, unscripted and unsupervised. iTunes now has those panels for sale at $1.99 a pop, and the crew from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is one of the funnest.

Gathered together onstage was Joss, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day, Zack Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Marissa Tancharoen, which was almost everybody. "I'm so happy, I can't even tell you guys," Nathan said, emotion welling in his voice, "how much joy it brings to my heart… that Neil couldn't make it."

Behind the scenes details, where they found inspiration, and plans for the future make this an excellent companion for your Dr. Horrible DVD, which hits stores today, hint hint. One hour, eight minutes.

I also highly recommend the star-studded, hilarious panels for "Pushing Daisies, "House," "Dollhouse," "How I Met Your Mother," and "Monk," but they're all pretty good.

"Pushing Daisies," the brilliantly wacky show from Brian Fuller about a piemaker who can (temporarily) raise the dead, was canceled by ABC last year before all of the existing episodes were seen. There are three left, which will be on the second season DVD coming soon, but "Daisies" fans wanted them now, and ABC finally said they'd be broadcast over the summer. Summer's here!

The first one, episode 11, "Window Dressed to Kill," aired last Saturday but with the lack of advertising on ABC's part you might have missed it. No worries! It's now available for free viewing at abc.com's "Pushing Daisies" site (you can also find it by searching at Hulu), and for sale at iTunes.

What do you get? Olive brooding over the Piemaker's revelation from the previous episode that he might have feelings for her, or not. Cherry hanging. Ned renouncing his abilities. The resurgence of Randy Mann the taxidermist. Reappearing kidnappers. Emerson solving a case without Ned's magic finger, but with the help of the Alive Again Avenger. And more!

And be sure to preorder the second season DVD, coming July 21, for a better price!

Read the rest of this entry »

Showtime may have figured out how to advertise a TV show on the Kindle.

Give everybody the first script for free.

Right now, and until August 31, you can download the script to the pilot episode of their new show "Nurse Jackie," starring former "Sopranos" star Edie Falco, to your Kindle e-book reader. You'll also get (free!) schedule information and nags to watch the show when it premieres on Monday, June 8th.

It's not a bad way to build some buzz, and I'd love to get scripts for other shows the same way (Dr. Horrible? The Guild? Are you listening?) Look for more Kindle-based promotions to come along, as long as its still the latest sexy thing.

You know that huge painting in Adm. Adama's office in BSG? The one you never get a good look at?

QMx did, and the licensed reproduction of it is coming soon.

Through special arrangement with Universal Studios, QMx has acquired the only digital image of the painting taken directly from the canvas, after the propmaster aged it, but before it hung on Adama's wall. This extremely high-resolution source file documents every brush stroke, faithfully reproducing the color image exactly as it looked the day it was placed on the set.

Illustrating the epic battle between machines and Humans in the First Cylon War, the massive painting has been faithfully reproduce in a plate-printed 17" x 22" lithograph, printed on 100-pound, art-quality paper.

Available now for preorder from QMx for $14.95 or from TFAW for their discounted preorder price of $11.96.

That's not strictly accurate; QMx's Stargate replicas will not transport you to other worlds. For one thing, they're scale replicas, so not much of you would fit.

Get your own Stargate mirror, 10" across, for just $59.95. Scrupulously accurate:

Taken from the CGI files used on the show, the mirror has a removable clear blue overlay – so you can display it either in mirror mode or with the "event horizon" effect in place – and is hand painted with all 39 chevrons in their proper positions around the ring. The integrated wall hanger on the back of the mirror makes it easy to display at home, in your office or in your SGC ready room.

Or get a set of 4 Stargate coasters, $29.95:

The Stargate Coaster Set comes with four (4) mini-stargates each measuring 4.57" (11.6cm) across. The stargate design is exactly screen-accurate and was taken from the CGI files used to create the visual effects for Stargate SG-1. Each glyph and chevron is perfectly reproduced, hand-cast in resin and hand-painted with a detailed paint job and weathering. The event horizon is semi-transparent blue with a rippled surface, just like the big 'gates.

The mirrors are limited editions — not sure about the coasters yet — so order quick before they sell out. Available now! (If you don't mind waiting, you can preorder the coasters at TFAW.com for just $23.99)

Remember this, from the end of the classic rockumentary This is Spinal Tap?

Derek Smalls: Remember at Luton Palace we were talking about writing a rock musical based on the life of Jack the Ripper.
David St. Hubbins: Yeah!
[singing]
David St. Hubbins: You're a naughty one…
Derek Smalls, David St. Hubbins: Saucy Jack…
David St. Hubbins: You're a haughty one, saucy Jack.

Now, only 25 years later, the title track "Saucy Jack" from that fateful, unproduced rock musical by the world's greatest fake* heavy metal band has finally been released as a free download to help celebrate (and, obviously, promote out the wazoo) Spinal Tap's 25th Anniversary CD, "Back from the Dead", which comes out June 16th.

And they're going all out for the CD:

Back From The Dead is a deluxe CD/DVD package containing 19 original Spinal Tap songs, a one-hour DVD and unique pop-up diorama package that unveils three 12-inch action figures (courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles) of the band along with a proportionally sized Stonehenge. Back From The Dead is destined to be a collector's item, especially among collectors.

* If they've released a documentary, go on tour, and release three albums, are they still a fake band? They've already outlasted Big Country, Twisted Sister and Flock of Seagulls.

The Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog DVD is almost here!

Well, actually you've been able to get one for months now through Amazon's own DVD publishing system. But tomorrow it'll be available in other online stores, and even in real, physical, walk-in-and-buy-one shops! As far as I know it's the same DVD, with the same contents and extras (crew and cast commentary, original musical "Commentary!" commentary, various making-of videos, the 10 best fan-submitted Evil League of Evil video submissions, some Easter eggs, etc), but now if you've avoided buying it from Amazon for whatever reason, you have no more excuse.

Get it at Barnes & Noble ($13.49) or Best Buy (just #9.99)

Or sign up to be notified when the Blu-Ray version will be available! Evil has never been so high-def!

While you're waiting, don't forget the soundtrack or the many fine shirts and other merchandise available:

Shirts and accessories available from the Dr. Horrible store (the Dr. Horrible cartoon shirts and the Team Hammer tees are also currently nearly half price at TFAW.com)