MUTT

Hello! Firstly, did anybody like part 4 of Blackout??? I hope it wasent too depressing. I kinda wrapped it up a tad quicker than i originally intended to, as i was starting to make myself miserable. I guess thats kinda the point though: bearing the weight of it. I wanted to write something that enabled people to understand (or maybe just myself) what the unification was truely like, that it wasent all balls and bravado but Kids dying and families without homes. The true cost of it hurts the weakest the most. Anyways im going to take a little break from writing the next section, insted focus on writing out the rest of the Du-Khang parts as its definately where my head is at the moment. Hopefully it wont be long until i can get back to the nasty, blackout zone business of Presaria city. Part 6 will take place during and very shortly after the events shown at the start of 'The Message', including Capt Vitelli (mentioned in the episode), a seeker-injured Tracey Smith, Mal and Zoe's decision to 'Join up with the 22nd' and the Battle of the School System, which im going to contrast against the Battle of Sihang (Between Chinese and Japanese forces, 1937). I've watched the episode a few times to get a taste for it, as well as Band of Brothers and a few others to add some gritty battle realism (hopefully). Im trying to bring the battle of Du-Khang across as a very World War two Urban battle. Ive always imagined Alliance Rollers and vechicles as Nazi Panzers and Half tracks. Im basing the "Rover" on a German Leichter Panzerspahwagen armoured scout car thing, and the Pig skiff on a Russian Hind Helicopter Gunship. For me, Firefly was very much a mixing of science fiction conventions, from the Massing Dystopian cityscapes Cyberpunk (Ariel) to the anachronisms of Spaceships breaking up bar brawls (train job), the giant cogs and flywheels of the Bar in question screaming Steampunk. And on top of that the historical context, political/social statement. Love it. Newhos, I wanted to place my war in an historical context, and i came out in WWII. Catch

GYPSYBORIS

Early in 2002 I booked myself to work on the pilot episode of a show called, "Firefly". They specifically wanted people with their own Middle Eastern clothing. I showed up wearing my formal Gypsy outfit and they loved it. I was sent to make-up where a huge Oriental tattoo was applied to my neck. I was then given the biggest rifle Man has had the nerve to manufacture and was told to act as a lovely lady's escort. We worked all day on the shoot - the scene was an open air marketplace / spaceport - and at the end of the day I went home and forgot about it. In September of 2002 I was cast in "Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl" as one of Jack Sparrow's crew. Between shooting dates for "Pirates" I continued to book myself on other shows. In November or December, I found myself working on "Firefly" once again. The episode was called, "The Message" but I believe it never aired. This time it was a two-day shoot and it was at the Fox studio. It was a strange atmosphere as everyone knew the show was cancelled but we had to finish the episode. I say strange because some people were somber or tense, but some were still making with the jokes and pranks. One that stands out was when Morena Baccarin (Inara) gave Nathan Fillion (Mal) an "Aw, we're not gonna work together anymore" hug, she stuck a sign on his back that read, "Kick Me. We're Cancelled!" The bit where you can see me most clearly is when Jayne is reading the letter from his mother (and wearing his new hat!). I'm the only other person in that scene. I'm in the background, doing some shopping. I'm bald this time, thanks to my working on "Pirates", and this time the tattoo they gave me was a huge tribal one that covered half of my head. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I was just an uncredited extra but I did notice that Joss framed the scene so that Jayne was on one side of the screen and I was on the other to give it a kind of visual balance. At the time I had no idea he was doing that, but when I saw it, I thought it was damned decent of him. It made me feel like I was "more" a part of the show. In a way, I feel like I'm a part of the Firefly "family" because I was there at the beginning and I was there at the end but I didn't do any of the episodes in between. I mentioned this to Ron Glass (Book) and he was nice enough to say, "Well that's probably why we were cancelled."

YINYANG

So, my mom and I were watching "Safe" tonight (nice coming home to Firefly after I've been away for so long :smile:), and my mom noticed something odd about halfway through. "How did they know Simon was a doctor?" was her question. And, that is the question I pose to you: How did the hill folk know that Simon was a doctor? I apologize if this question has been answered before, and is archived somewhere in a thread from long ago; but, trying to look through all the threads made me sad, and... well, it's late, and I'm lazy. So :tongue: :wink: Any answer would be appreciated! Thank you! :biggrin:

FEI

My school is burying a time capsule soon to be buried and dug up in 50 (or was it 15) years, anyways... they said something small but meaningful... well I plan to put something firefly/serenity... I can't come up with anything, but if anyone is feeling creative... something serenity with meaning... then i'll laminate it. Something for the future...

SIRI

It's election day and there was a much bigger turnout where I vote than I've ever seen. Most times I just walk in and vote. There was an option of either using touch screens or voting by ballot. I selected the ballot bc there was no lines for manual balloting. They are different this time - in that you have to black out the circles, can't vote for one whole party but rather must vote for each person individually, and they use optical scanning. Not sure if that's safer or not. I've heard more people voted absentee bc of distrust of the new machines. Questions arise as to our trust or mistrust of government of which we are supposedly a part. I've always leaned left somewhere between liberal and anarchist but occasionlly swing between. I hate being put into a box anyway. I think I have always voted and try to stay informed but lately I'm not sure if that matters or not. Shows like FF and people like Joss and Orson Scott Card who write about people and systems of government, control and power issues that play out always fascinate me. I don't think I'm someone who normamlly buys into paranoia - plots and the like. But I've become more and more cynical about what I see and hear. "Things aren't always as they seem" and "More to be revealed..." tend to play out in my head. I'm fairly smart and quite well educated - not brillant but I've been around enough years to have seen many different scenarios play out, ideas and schemes come into and out of popularity. So my questioning as to why I've become so infatuated with FF is as much about challenging authority, maintaining independence, loyality and yes, love, for what is truly important in life. Standing up and fighting for autonomy in the face of sacrifice for the "so called greater good."

HOBBLEIT

I seriously hate this module. Today the lecturer put us in groups (well mine was only a pair) and we had to answer questions. My question was identify the methodological and historiographical issues in the book and relate them to other modules you have studied. I had absolutely no idea what the hell to do. I am seriously dreading having to write the final essay, I'll probably fail at this rate. On a happier note, I bought the new Ross Noble DVD yesterday. It's extremely funny, Iwould recommend everyone to see it. Ross Noble is one of the funniest comedians ever!!!! TTFN Jennifer -x-

PINBALLWIZARD

Horray!

BROWNCOATJIM

I haven't posted much in recent days, i honestly really haven't had it in me, which isn't good. A few of you asked for a follow-up to "Annabelle" and here it is: "Reconsider Me." It's an old Warren Zevon song title, one I played about 800 times I think in a short and un-fun period. Anyhow, hope it's the follow up you asked for, and I promise a good action story sometime soon.

REGINAROADIE

Hey all Well, today has been another long day that will be followed by other long days and light up till Nov 30th. As a Film Production student, I am up to my eyeballs in projects and assignments. Thank God I recently discovered BitTorrents, because now I don't have to worry about missing my TV shows. The topper for my day today was having to re-schedule my portrait time with Trixie, my subject matter. Wednesday night was the only time I had to take her portrait for my B&W class. Turns out the studio is booked for that time. The next time she's available is Sunday afternoon. So I go to book studio time for that. Lo and behold, my good buddy Todd has the entire studio booked for the long weekend. I had been fairly cool the whole day. But it was at that time I actually lost it, ripped up the forms and gave a slight Hulk roar. At this point, I no longer care. I'm just going to bring my Pentax with me to school, and when I see Trixie in the halls or whenever, I'm just going to snap her pics then and there. Fuck artistry. I just want a fuckin mark. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to write the second half of my script for my final project, do my multimedia lab that's due tomorrow, do some long overdue reading responses, and mess around with Photoshop to create 11 experimental shots. Photoshop, BTW, is a system I have no idea how to use, even after a previous semester and a tutorial that went over my head. And all in the comfort of a claustrophobic room on campus affectionately known as "The Fishbowl."

BROWNCOATJIM

I have gone through a really complicated and horrifically painful period in my life, complicated way beyond description, and you all who read "Annabelle" and "Reconsider Me" probably have an inkling as to what I am talking about. I have received a good deal of supportive notes out here, and it's appreciated. Things are begining to resolve themselves. Not to where I'd like them to be, but we were together the other day, and that's not nothing. Thanks to all of my fellow Browncoats!