Memories of Auckland

While I was up for Armageddon, thought I would stay a bit and take in the sights. Now, a useful tip when touristing around:
a) remember to take your camera,
b) remember to check the batteries,
c) remember to check to see if the damn camera actually works.
Failed a), then b) and then c). Yeah, that worked well.

While here to see Auckland, clearly the thing to do was go underneath it, hence I went to Kelly Tarlton's. Saw penguins, manta rays, fish, sharks... While in the (being worked on) shark tube bit, there was a manta that passed right over head, skimming the top of the tube. That was neat.

Keeping the nautical theme, I also took in a harbour cruise. At one point I was thinking of walking around Rangitoto Island, but feet proved to be too sore for that to work. Still, nice to get some sea air.

The museum was a draw. Reminded me of Te Papa, but then hardly surprising that a museum would have a large Maori focus. While Te Papa has a "wacky shake", the War Museum has a "volcano house". If a volcano does happen in Auckland, the luckiest thing would be just to get covered in ash...

Even checked out the Denny's (and the site hasn't worked for days). Can't say I was that impressed by it.

Hardly a conclusive tour of the sights, but it got me out of the hotel and now I have my memories of the times. (Photos would help, but...)

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Got me questions answered

So yeah, Armageddon happened. Announcements were made about McGann's new costume, and McCoy's new job wherever Hobbit ends up being made. And there were question and answer sessions. While Saturday was a one hour bit with the three of them on stage in the main room, on Sunday there were more intimate one hour blocks with each of them and more in a smaller room. Now that's more fun. And I got to ask each of them a question (more or less).

(No, there are no photos, see tomorrow for why.)

First up, Lloyd Kaufman. Yes, the Troma man himself. Got an interesting wee movie, Poultrygiest, coming out soon, mad cap as ever. And he told us about the fun of making film, and what happens when you don't get proper permits.
My question: what is his stance on meat? Answer: He just doesn't eat meat (aside from human flesh of course), as he doesn't see it as fair to the animals.

Next up, time with Claudia Christian. She's still working, been in Starhyke (must watch some time) and now in Look. Just as much fun as ever.
My question: a few years ago she was writing a B5 novel with Susan Ivanova in it. What happened to that? Answer: Got declared as "non-canon" by JMS, so now only a short run as "fanfiction". (Novel is Baptism of Fire.)

Then the Doctor Who-ness started with Sylvester McCoy. Started off with discussing putting ferrets down his trousers (good question there Wade), and discussed his name origins and repeated a lot of answers from yesterday.
(I didn't have a question for him, was going to ask if he got asked to tone down or increase his accent during DW, he answered that (with a "tone down") before I got to ask.)

Onto companion Sophie Aldred. Spent a lot of time discussing her non-DW work. (Never ask for the Dennis the Menace voice, nearly as annoying as Katy Mannings' baby voice. Urgh.) And mentioned, at the end of Survival, how Ace and the Doctor walked off into the bushes... even writing that makes me chuckle.
My question: how does she see Ace's leaving moment? Answer: didn't really give one, discussed a few possibilities, but can't recall anything definite.

Paul McGann returned in costume for the last Q&A. Mainly DW, but also roamed over many different parts he had, relating a few amusing stories. Had some very odd times over the years. Also had a Barbara Streisand song stuck in his head.
My question: In Lesbian Vampire Killers, he played his role straight, the others didn't. His choice, director's choice, or...? Answer: that's just the way he played the role. He's a straight actor.
My question 2 ('cos I got chance to ask another): Any word on Fish coming out on DVD? Answer: After remembering he was in Fish, no, no word.

I got for the talking sessions. Not to say I didn't buy stuff as well, but I prefer the q&a sessions. I can't say that I would have been sorry if I hadn't come... I did enjoy the parts I attended.

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NOT Team Xero

Even big companies use the same software I do. It also sounds like they used the same voice for Broccoliser (the actual name of the character) that i did. I have yet to reveal Zzz Girl in my series...

Although they put more than 15 minutes into it, and edited it outside of the actual software...


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SJA: The Vault of Secrets

Hey, it's Rani's wacky parents... and they are wacky! In particular Gita is, and she's joined up with BURPSS... yeah... they go there. Oh, and there are creations that do things with their hands and their weapons are revealed... oh boy, I bet all the kids will be saying that catch phrase on the playground "You will be incinerated."

Sigh.

Phil Ford clearly pulled out all the stops, and did his best RTD impression with this script. I can just imagine RTD laughing uproariously as he wrote the script.

...it's not that it's bad. There are some nice character moments (again with Rani, as per last time), but... it just isn't a good story. Did we really need the Men in Black, with all the references to (it wasn't like Rani said "Where Will Smith when you need him?" (and she does say that), and then they get on with a different take on the MIBs, no it could easily have been generic MiBs from that universe).

And the return of Androvax wasn't that exciting either. SJA is now getting to the point of wallowing in its own continuity. We get a (fortunately brief) repeat of Elizabeth Sladen's "possessed" acting, and yet other possessions are more realistically done.

In some ways, the point of it can be easily seen in that you completely forget about it as soon as you see next week's trailer...

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A Font of Information

From an off-hand reference to this, I vaguely remembered there was such a movie, so hunted it down. A documentary about a typeface? Not the first subject matter that leaps to mind.

And yet, hey, a documentary, I'll give it a go! (I need to find a good list of documentaries that interest me so I can find yet more to watch. Anyone know of one?)

This movie is more a celebration of Helvetica, and its place in society, only lightly touching on how it was created and developed. Interesting, yes, but could have been more. Helvetica is now presented as being the typeface of the age, with everyone using it for the most common of signs. (That said, this isn't in Helvetica... then again, this might all depend on the font the browser is set to.)

We get many talking heads, and lots of shots of signs. A little of graphical design in practice, and while mention is made of "how this looks", there isn't actual analysis of what makes a type face work, which I would like to have seen.

While there is talk about people coming up with other options, there doesn't seem to be a common standard against Helvetica. I was thinking that this is the IBM of the typeface world... so where's Apple?

Overall, a halfway decent movie, with missed opportunities that could have made it a whole way...

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Team Xero #002

Another exciting new video from Team Xero! Again as part of the High Concept Challenge, as they all will be for now. This High Concept: A... lesser animal based super hero. The big problem is that I'm limited by what characters I have in the Superxeros pack... fortunately for me, there is one in particular they have...


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Zombiegeddon: 10th Bite!

As Dox, Blinky and myself came out of the main library room, we found the lobby area void of our companions, although there was a suggestion of movement in the floor. A little playing with Blobby by Dox later revealed a set of stairs leading down. Clearly more gnomes had come out of there and killed our companions. When we heard a "Hello!" from down there, we were ready for the new Gnome-ish attack!

Which came in the form of a Half-Elf Battlemind named Jason Quicksilver. After the standard "PC vs PC" stand off, and the appearance of the two others, we joined forces... or, at least, put off killing each other, and headed down to where Raziel heard voices. Entering the water room (based on water elemental magic, not it being made of water), we found a priest dude of the Dark Sun doing something strange with a portal. He jumped through, and left behind some fire elementals to deal with us.

Ha! The first thing I did was activated the water-based defense magic inherent in this room... yep, I turned on the sprinklers. Not as useful as I hoped, but it seemed like a cool thing to do at the time. Much like jumping in and fighting the beasts, which we all did. The new guy seemed somewhat useful, getting in and beating them up hand-to-hand, but we overwhelmed them without me getting hurt, so that's always good.

Quickly we set about re-establishing the portal. Since there was magic already in the room from the water sprinklers, I channeled that into the portal to stabilise it, and the others helped. Dox, as usual, jumped straight in, and so since that seemed to be the thing to do, so did I, and the others.

On the other side, [Note: we hadn't rested since the fire fight above, so we were out of encounter type powers.] there was a room of zombies. Well, been a while since we fought them. There was one giant zombie, usual zombies, and some less than impressive ones. While trying to concentrate on the big one, the smaller ones got to me, and, ow!, I got hurt! No fair! So a slightly tougher fight... and yet, still not really a huge issue...

Afterward, we got treated to a slow clap of some lieutenant chap named Berrin or something, who said we'd be joining his team. Not if Seaian's in the same team, I say. But we'll see about that... after a quick catching of breath, that is...

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