Can't Stop the Signal
Finally saw the pre-release of Serenity last night in Hartford, CT. It was unquestionably worth skipping class, most of an entire tank of gas, and showing up an hour late to work! The only unfortunately part of the entire experience is the fact that I probably won't get to see it again until September. Even as a "work in progress", it was one of the best movies I have seen. And I think I could still say that even if I didn't already love the series.
Megan's friends had been in line since 6:00pm, so we were right up in front when they opened the theater and hour and a half early. Seats were front and center! There were keychains, and pins, and folders, and costumes, and songs, and even a birthday card of Joss. It was a like a Star Trek convention. Or at least I imagine somewhat similar, having never actually been to a Star Trek convention. One difference I imagine there would be between the two, however, is the fact that the people in that theater were not only brought together by a common love of Firefly, but by the battle to keep the Firefly universe alive and make it what it deserves to be - a truely successful series!
Once the lights went down, things started off with a touching introduction
Hi, my name is Joss Whedon. Before we begin the special screening, I have a little story I want to tell you. It's about a TV show called Firefly.
Firefly went on the air a few years ago and was instantly hailed by critics as one of the most canceled shows of the year. It was ignored and abandoned and the story should end there, but it doesn't, because the people who made the show and the people who saw the show (which is...roughly...the same number of people) fell in love with it a little bit...too much to let it go, too much to lay down arms when the battle looked pretty much lost. In Hollywood, people like that are called 'unrealistic' ... 'quixotic' ... 'obsessive'.
In my world, they're called 'Browncoats'.
Whether you've watched the show, or saw the DVD's, or whether you've never set foot in the Firefly universe before tonight, the fact that you're here means that you are part of something...something that is a little bit remarkable. This movie should not exist. Failed TV shows don't get made into major motion pictures unless the creator, the cast, and the fans believe beyond reason.
It's what I've felt. It's what I've seen...in the DVD sales, the booths at the cons run by fans, the websites, the fundraisers... all the work the fans have done to help make this movie. It is, in an unprecedented sense, your movie...which means, if it sucks, it's your fault. You let us down, but let's not dwell on your failures because the work is not done.
I have to finish making it. Obviously not quite the final cut and you will notice some placeholders in music and effects, but we're very close. Once we are finished, we have to get people to see it. Now, obviously the studio is going to do their thing. There will be ads and trailers and all that joy, but this movie doesn't have stars and it doesn't have a giant mega-budget or even a simple salable premise. What it has is us, the people who believed unreasonably.
If this movie matters to you, let somebody know. Let everybody know. Make yourselves heard. If you don't like the movie, this is a time for quiet, silent contemplation. But, when the unfinished credits roll, if you still call yourself a Browncoat, remember the millions of people who don't...who might.
I want us to do this together. The cast is going to be appearing wherever they can. I'm going to be blogging and stumping and whatever I can think of. We've got Can'tStopTheSignal.com up and running...I'm fairly certain. We're all doing everything we can to make this the event that it should be.
Just remember, they tried to kill us...they did kill us...and here we are. We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty. Thank you for helping to get this movie as far as it has gotten.
Welcome to Serenity.
Despite initial trepidation due to absent characters in the trailer, I'm please to report the entire crew was present and accounted for! I laughed, I cried (or at least had my heart leap into my throat) - it was two hours of pure entertainment. There were Reavers, River kicking ass, witty humor, River kicking ass, and stomach wounds. Seemed to be significant number of stomach wounds. It's hard to go on without spoiling things though. I don't want to say too much or even pass too many of my own judgements just yet. This was a pre-release. Meaning things are subject to tweeking. And although the tweeking at this point will probably be mild, Sarah and Crystal did say little things had changed since the last screening that altered the way certain characters came off. There are certainly little things I'd change or adjust, but even as is, it was far too good of a movie to worry about the little stuff. It's going to be a long hard wait for the end of September.
Afterwards, I was quoted as saying, "I have never been as emotionally attached to a set of characters as I am to the crew of Serenity." I was. The man with the clipboard even wrote it down. And it's true. Funny thing was I didn't realize just how attached I was until last night.
And now I know River's secret...Jayne has a magnificent cock.
P.S. Many thanks to Sarah and Crystal for not only getting the tickets, but letting me crash on their living room floor - and not putting a hit out on me :)
Megan's friends had been in line since 6:00pm, so we were right up in front when they opened the theater and hour and a half early. Seats were front and center! There were keychains, and pins, and folders, and costumes, and songs, and even a birthday card of Joss. It was a like a Star Trek convention. Or at least I imagine somewhat similar, having never actually been to a Star Trek convention. One difference I imagine there would be between the two, however, is the fact that the people in that theater were not only brought together by a common love of Firefly, but by the battle to keep the Firefly universe alive and make it what it deserves to be - a truely successful series!
Once the lights went down, things started off with a touching introduction
Hi, my name is Joss Whedon. Before we begin the special screening, I have a little story I want to tell you. It's about a TV show called Firefly.
Firefly went on the air a few years ago and was instantly hailed by critics as one of the most canceled shows of the year. It was ignored and abandoned and the story should end there, but it doesn't, because the people who made the show and the people who saw the show (which is...roughly...the same number of people) fell in love with it a little bit...too much to let it go, too much to lay down arms when the battle looked pretty much lost. In Hollywood, people like that are called 'unrealistic' ... 'quixotic' ... 'obsessive'.
In my world, they're called 'Browncoats'.
Whether you've watched the show, or saw the DVD's, or whether you've never set foot in the Firefly universe before tonight, the fact that you're here means that you are part of something...something that is a little bit remarkable. This movie should not exist. Failed TV shows don't get made into major motion pictures unless the creator, the cast, and the fans believe beyond reason.
It's what I've felt. It's what I've seen...in the DVD sales, the booths at the cons run by fans, the websites, the fundraisers... all the work the fans have done to help make this movie. It is, in an unprecedented sense, your movie...which means, if it sucks, it's your fault. You let us down, but let's not dwell on your failures because the work is not done.
I have to finish making it. Obviously not quite the final cut and you will notice some placeholders in music and effects, but we're very close. Once we are finished, we have to get people to see it. Now, obviously the studio is going to do their thing. There will be ads and trailers and all that joy, but this movie doesn't have stars and it doesn't have a giant mega-budget or even a simple salable premise. What it has is us, the people who believed unreasonably.
If this movie matters to you, let somebody know. Let everybody know. Make yourselves heard. If you don't like the movie, this is a time for quiet, silent contemplation. But, when the unfinished credits roll, if you still call yourself a Browncoat, remember the millions of people who don't...who might.
I want us to do this together. The cast is going to be appearing wherever they can. I'm going to be blogging and stumping and whatever I can think of. We've got Can'tStopTheSignal.com up and running...I'm fairly certain. We're all doing everything we can to make this the event that it should be.
Just remember, they tried to kill us...they did kill us...and here we are. We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty. Thank you for helping to get this movie as far as it has gotten.
Welcome to Serenity.
Despite initial trepidation due to absent characters in the trailer, I'm please to report the entire crew was present and accounted for! I laughed, I cried (or at least had my heart leap into my throat) - it was two hours of pure entertainment. There were Reavers, River kicking ass, witty humor, River kicking ass, and stomach wounds. Seemed to be significant number of stomach wounds. It's hard to go on without spoiling things though. I don't want to say too much or even pass too many of my own judgements just yet. This was a pre-release. Meaning things are subject to tweeking. And although the tweeking at this point will probably be mild, Sarah and Crystal did say little things had changed since the last screening that altered the way certain characters came off. There are certainly little things I'd change or adjust, but even as is, it was far too good of a movie to worry about the little stuff. It's going to be a long hard wait for the end of September.
Afterwards, I was quoted as saying, "I have never been as emotionally attached to a set of characters as I am to the crew of Serenity." I was. The man with the clipboard even wrote it down. And it's true. Funny thing was I didn't realize just how attached I was until last night.
And now I know River's secret...Jayne has a magnificent cock.
P.S. Many thanks to Sarah and Crystal for not only getting the tickets, but letting me crash on their living room floor - and not putting a hit out on me :)