On the Dio Front for Ep3 of THE ISLAND
I'll admit it, I've been procrastinating about Ep3. I guess now that I'm working, my interests are elsewhere. Almost to the point where I'm not that into GI Joe at the moment. But alas, once I get the ball rolling, I'll be back on it. As it stands now, I keep on coming up with ideas and I think I want to do things very differently for Ep3 and Ep4 and maybe Ep5. Part of my dilemna is the fact that there are 2 storylines going on.
I've got the main action w/ Graydon and the crew on the actual island.
Then there's the Serpent's Tail storyline which deals w/ Cobra's new, uhmmmm, ship.
In Ep3, there'll be a situation where the Joes aren't fast enough to take Cobra down. This leads to some catastrophic events. HOWEVER, the Joes don't know what else is up Cobra Commander's sleeve so they really couldn't have been THAT preventative. Either way, things won't quite go right in Ep3 IF I can fit it all in. Part of the problem, again, is that I'm thinking more cinematically. I want to make the story bigger and deeper and more interesting. Like it's a graphic novel.
I've also been working on Samurai Wars (working title) during my lunch break at work. I've been doing a lot of sketches and doodles, trying to get my drawing under control again. I still have the same pencil style and for the most part, inking style. But since I'm doing it all, I'm experimenting with some different coloring styles. Originally, it was gonna be a regular comic book; full color, etc. I'm considering doing it in all gray tones w/ splashes of color here and there. It's not quite like the Metal Gear Solid comic but it's not manga either. I would love to think that it'd be like Lone Wolf And Cub but my art is soooooo different, that's a bad analogy too.
In any case, I'm doing a pin-up for my man Chuck. I promised I'd have a comic for him, but well, I'm months overdue. Whilce Portacio, look out! (Wetworks was years late) I'm hoping a pin-up will be good enough for him and we'll see what he thinks of the style.
Until Next Time
Friday, April 27, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
I'm back.
It's been awhile. Things have been up and down but this blog is catering to GI Joe and dios and toys, while my pathetic myspace.com blog is for other things; like real life. In any case, I'll do it all here this round.
I'm working at Daiso (Of Japan). It is a 100Y store or "coin" store. A few people have called it "the Ikea of Japan". We've had a lot of people come thru who have lived in Japan and are already familiar w/ Daiso. Looking at their website, their stores are bigger than Ikea and apparently, they have the weight of Walmart! Not the worst company to work for, y'know? In any case, Daiso here is a households good store where everything starts at $1.50. ($2 in Canada, heh heh) I'm enjoying working there. There's a dress code and for the 1st time in my life, I enjoy wearing a tie and well, a nice outfit. I feel professional and worthy. Don't mind that I sweat like a pig in there when stocking.
The managers have put me in charge of the "Japanese section". Now, most people are like, "uh, it's a Japanese store w/ Japanese products, what's that mean???" It means that I take care of the tableware and specialty Japanese (funky) products. From hand-carved drinking glasses to chopsticks to wooden toys, calligraphy, mats, baskets and funky dio stuff (clay samurai statues, dollhouse furniture, etc). I was just put in charge of it Thursday so... I'm really enjoying working there. It's a different pace than Trader Joes which is incredibly nice. The management is entirely different (which is nice) and I'll admit it, I was scarred by my experiences at Trader Joes. Over 4 years there!
Yes, I learned a lot from the Channel9Store, PCC and Trader Joes. Each were a stepping stone. I learned how to stock and display items from Ch9 and TJs. I learned the art of hustle and harder work ethic from TJs as well as proper cashier training. It's great to have the retail experience of Ch9 and the hard work ethic of TJs. I believe it sets me apart from the 'kids' who work there who don't have either. I think I understand what is meant by "retail experience". It's not just throwing things on a shelf. It's learning how to display the items, where to display them properly, what looks good, etc. THAT is more important to average retail. TJ's, it's more like, stock it so it looks shoppable. Romaine Salad is Romaine Salad. Slam it in, bam, you're done. Daiso has that slightly, but I try to make sure things are faced so they look attractive. Sure, it takes longer, but when I am in control of my section, I want it to be as pretty as possible.
On the dio front... I've worked a few shots so far. Aerial scenes. I have yet to actually set figures up to shoot. I know I shold but I haven't had much time this last month. I had to work fast to get Episode2 out. But I know what Episode 3 is about (well, most of it). I have plans for the next dio (or Ep4, whichever wraps things up). And I have plans for a Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow dio. :D
That's it for now. I'm glad to be working and am enjoying it since I've had 1.5 yrs off. I didn't think I would, but I love working at Daiso.
Until Next Time...
It's been awhile. Things have been up and down but this blog is catering to GI Joe and dios and toys, while my pathetic myspace.com blog is for other things; like real life. In any case, I'll do it all here this round.
I'm working at Daiso (Of Japan). It is a 100Y store or "coin" store. A few people have called it "the Ikea of Japan". We've had a lot of people come thru who have lived in Japan and are already familiar w/ Daiso. Looking at their website, their stores are bigger than Ikea and apparently, they have the weight of Walmart! Not the worst company to work for, y'know? In any case, Daiso here is a households good store where everything starts at $1.50. ($2 in Canada, heh heh) I'm enjoying working there. There's a dress code and for the 1st time in my life, I enjoy wearing a tie and well, a nice outfit. I feel professional and worthy. Don't mind that I sweat like a pig in there when stocking.
The managers have put me in charge of the "Japanese section". Now, most people are like, "uh, it's a Japanese store w/ Japanese products, what's that mean???" It means that I take care of the tableware and specialty Japanese (funky) products. From hand-carved drinking glasses to chopsticks to wooden toys, calligraphy, mats, baskets and funky dio stuff (clay samurai statues, dollhouse furniture, etc). I was just put in charge of it Thursday so... I'm really enjoying working there. It's a different pace than Trader Joes which is incredibly nice. The management is entirely different (which is nice) and I'll admit it, I was scarred by my experiences at Trader Joes. Over 4 years there!
Yes, I learned a lot from the Channel9Store, PCC and Trader Joes. Each were a stepping stone. I learned how to stock and display items from Ch9 and TJs. I learned the art of hustle and harder work ethic from TJs as well as proper cashier training. It's great to have the retail experience of Ch9 and the hard work ethic of TJs. I believe it sets me apart from the 'kids' who work there who don't have either. I think I understand what is meant by "retail experience". It's not just throwing things on a shelf. It's learning how to display the items, where to display them properly, what looks good, etc. THAT is more important to average retail. TJ's, it's more like, stock it so it looks shoppable. Romaine Salad is Romaine Salad. Slam it in, bam, you're done. Daiso has that slightly, but I try to make sure things are faced so they look attractive. Sure, it takes longer, but when I am in control of my section, I want it to be as pretty as possible.
On the dio front... I've worked a few shots so far. Aerial scenes. I have yet to actually set figures up to shoot. I know I shold but I haven't had much time this last month. I had to work fast to get Episode2 out. But I know what Episode 3 is about (well, most of it). I have plans for the next dio (or Ep4, whichever wraps things up). And I have plans for a Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow dio. :D
That's it for now. I'm glad to be working and am enjoying it since I've had 1.5 yrs off. I didn't think I would, but I love working at Daiso.
Until Next Time...
Monday, March 05, 2007
Ups & Downs
Things aren't going so well for me at the time. I'm having to make some changes and sacrifices.
But I'm still moving forward on the current dio set. The plan is to shoot the sequence when it's done, get Episode 2 of the Island wrapped up and then hopefully take care of Episode 3 very quickly (since the set will have been built). It's a pretty wild set and far better than the "generator room" from the last dio (which didn't quite go the way I wanted). I'm having to recycle my foamboard. And since S6 is no longer on the charts, I can use THOSE walls for fodder.
I hope things go right when it comes time to shoot.
Until Next Time
Things aren't going so well for me at the time. I'm having to make some changes and sacrifices.
But I'm still moving forward on the current dio set. The plan is to shoot the sequence when it's done, get Episode 2 of the Island wrapped up and then hopefully take care of Episode 3 very quickly (since the set will have been built). It's a pretty wild set and far better than the "generator room" from the last dio (which didn't quite go the way I wanted). I'm having to recycle my foamboard. And since S6 is no longer on the charts, I can use THOSE walls for fodder.
I hope things go right when it comes time to shoot.
Until Next Time
Monday, February 26, 2007
Watching the paint dry...
Yup, that's pretty much the case these toys with the dio. Episode2, for the most part, has all been shot. There are 2 scenes that take place outside the story and they both need sets. Now, while the scene where Duke is prepping the troops, I can just throw some walls up and make it work. But the scene w/ Cobra Commander (that's right, CC shows up w/ Commander Vlasko, Interrogator and eventually, Major Bludd as well as Destro and maybe Baroness) is taking forever. I'm building a set right now. It's gonna be several stories tall and well, each level of the set takes paint. In which case, I'm trying to add more detail to it so I'm adding all sorts of little tidbits that's taking up time.
Like... The Death STar isn't entirely smooth, y'know? There are gun towers, and ports and rectangular boxes and just 'stuff'. Now, my set isn't that anal nor am I building a Death Star, per say. But I'm building a tower/bridge for a helicarrier. Ok, secret's out of the bag. ;) But how it's done, you guys will just have to wait. I'm building a 1/18th scale helicarrier. Well, not the whole thing, but in parts that are pertinent to the stories. Kinda like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, the video game. You don't see the whole thing when running around, just parts of it.
I'm working on the 2nd level and prepping the 3rd level. I'm out of foamboard so I'm recycling the old. I'd love to get Ep2 out A WEEK AGO but it just ain't happening. It should be good in the end...
Until next time!
Yup, that's pretty much the case these toys with the dio. Episode2, for the most part, has all been shot. There are 2 scenes that take place outside the story and they both need sets. Now, while the scene where Duke is prepping the troops, I can just throw some walls up and make it work. But the scene w/ Cobra Commander (that's right, CC shows up w/ Commander Vlasko, Interrogator and eventually, Major Bludd as well as Destro and maybe Baroness) is taking forever. I'm building a set right now. It's gonna be several stories tall and well, each level of the set takes paint. In which case, I'm trying to add more detail to it so I'm adding all sorts of little tidbits that's taking up time.
Like... The Death STar isn't entirely smooth, y'know? There are gun towers, and ports and rectangular boxes and just 'stuff'. Now, my set isn't that anal nor am I building a Death Star, per say. But I'm building a tower/bridge for a helicarrier. Ok, secret's out of the bag. ;) But how it's done, you guys will just have to wait. I'm building a 1/18th scale helicarrier. Well, not the whole thing, but in parts that are pertinent to the stories. Kinda like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, the video game. You don't see the whole thing when running around, just parts of it.
I'm working on the 2nd level and prepping the 3rd level. I'm out of foamboard so I'm recycling the old. I'd love to get Ep2 out A WEEK AGO but it just ain't happening. It should be good in the end...
Until next time!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The Island Ep2.
There's more to the storyline that what is happening to Graydon and his crew on the island. I'm working on overlapping stories where the 2nd story is underlying. There's absolutely no hint of it in the Prologue. In Ep1, Ace and Slipstream are checking out the area because intel says that Cobra has 'something' out there. Also, Interrogator leaves the island, telling Major Bludd that "he'll see him on the Serpent's Tail".
The Island storyline should wrap up in Ep3 while the 2ndary story really starts to get moving. I am currently building the set that Ep3 will take place on. The Joes take it to Cobra who end up taking it to the United States. I don't want to give much away yet but Ep2 is taking awhile simply cuz I'm building a set. Well, it's not even a set. It's a tower or ops complex like you'd see on an aircraft carrier. I have a lot of ideas for design and I'm trying to step it up a notch on the actual set.
What this 2ndary story does is open up the, uh, story, for other characters. Namely Cobra Commander and Duke. Details of Ep3 and the 2ndary story aren't quite written but it's close. Give it time. When the set is done for Ep2, the episode should be ready soon after.
Until Next Time.
There's more to the storyline that what is happening to Graydon and his crew on the island. I'm working on overlapping stories where the 2nd story is underlying. There's absolutely no hint of it in the Prologue. In Ep1, Ace and Slipstream are checking out the area because intel says that Cobra has 'something' out there. Also, Interrogator leaves the island, telling Major Bludd that "he'll see him on the Serpent's Tail".
The Island storyline should wrap up in Ep3 while the 2ndary story really starts to get moving. I am currently building the set that Ep3 will take place on. The Joes take it to Cobra who end up taking it to the United States. I don't want to give much away yet but Ep2 is taking awhile simply cuz I'm building a set. Well, it's not even a set. It's a tower or ops complex like you'd see on an aircraft carrier. I have a lot of ideas for design and I'm trying to step it up a notch on the actual set.
What this 2ndary story does is open up the, uh, story, for other characters. Namely Cobra Commander and Duke. Details of Ep3 and the 2ndary story aren't quite written but it's close. Give it time. When the set is done for Ep2, the episode should be ready soon after.
Until Next Time.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Let's talk about the good guys!
So in "The Island" story, we have good guys and bad guys. I've already discussed the Cobras used in Ep1 and for the most part, Ep2. Sure there are a few others that show up but because I haven't shot the sequences yet, I won't add them in yet. I can only assume Destro and Cobra Commander show up but that can always change at the last minute. Also, in Ep3, I'm really gonna switch things up. "The Island" will wrap and the 2ndary storyline will take over w/ a 3rd storyline coming in strong (I hope). Expect to see lots of Firefly doing his thing. And no, not the NINJA thang!
Onto the good guys...
Lt. Graydon. Like I mentioned w/ Bludd, Hellfire and Interogator, I wanted to make a link between my dios. I think it's easier to give the reader something to recognize by using a familiar character. Again, Graydon is leading the group but he's leading a squad of Greenshirts this round. While he is in charge of the rescue force, he also has Scarlet and 3 Steel Brigade members to be concerned with. Why doesn't the RRTS1 go in? I wanted to pare down the characters and use other figures. Plus, I thought it'd be more interesting to use underdogs.
Scarlet. I've never worked with her before. I create just about everything in my Joe verse. Sets, stories, characters and situations. Scarlet is the 'handler' for the 3 Steel Brigade members. She is grading them to see if they have what it takes to be full-time GI Joe members.
Redzone, Checkpoint, & Rook : The Steel Brigade. These three members are part of an elite Greenshirt squad. The Steel Brigade are the Joe members between stage of Greenshirt and full-time GI Joe. Some are content to be an elitist back-up force. Others want to move up. These 3 members are testing to become full-time GI Joes.
Gray Wolf. Gray Wolf gives a link to the last story. He's a chopper pilot. He is Native American and was trained by Dart and Spirit in survival and scouting skills & techniques. He is a competent full-time Joe although he doesn't have much experience. He's a survivor.
Gen. Colton. His role in this story is simply a vehicle to use him. I'm not quite willing to part with the figure so I figured I'd find a way to use him. I wanted to set up a dynamic between Hawk and Colton. They have their views on how to deal with Cobra. Thing is, Colton is new to the team and Hawk has been leading the Joes the way he's been doing for a long time. Sometimes, a change is needed. Thing is, did Colton bite off more than he can chew???
Greenshirts. At one time, I had 20+ Sand Vipers. What was I supposed to do w/ pea soup green Beach Heads??? I didn't like the old style GSs and sure as hell didn't like the DD GSs so I figured I'd use the peasoups as GSs. I wanted non-descript, masked, average looking figures and these were, for the most part, perfect. The original plan was to paint their torsos all black (like Navy SEALS, the movie) but I got lazy.
I think that's it! Until next time.
So in "The Island" story, we have good guys and bad guys. I've already discussed the Cobras used in Ep1 and for the most part, Ep2. Sure there are a few others that show up but because I haven't shot the sequences yet, I won't add them in yet. I can only assume Destro and Cobra Commander show up but that can always change at the last minute. Also, in Ep3, I'm really gonna switch things up. "The Island" will wrap and the 2ndary storyline will take over w/ a 3rd storyline coming in strong (I hope). Expect to see lots of Firefly doing his thing. And no, not the NINJA thang!
Onto the good guys...
Lt. Graydon. Like I mentioned w/ Bludd, Hellfire and Interogator, I wanted to make a link between my dios. I think it's easier to give the reader something to recognize by using a familiar character. Again, Graydon is leading the group but he's leading a squad of Greenshirts this round. While he is in charge of the rescue force, he also has Scarlet and 3 Steel Brigade members to be concerned with. Why doesn't the RRTS1 go in? I wanted to pare down the characters and use other figures. Plus, I thought it'd be more interesting to use underdogs.
Scarlet. I've never worked with her before. I create just about everything in my Joe verse. Sets, stories, characters and situations. Scarlet is the 'handler' for the 3 Steel Brigade members. She is grading them to see if they have what it takes to be full-time GI Joe members.
Redzone, Checkpoint, & Rook : The Steel Brigade. These three members are part of an elite Greenshirt squad. The Steel Brigade are the Joe members between stage of Greenshirt and full-time GI Joe. Some are content to be an elitist back-up force. Others want to move up. These 3 members are testing to become full-time GI Joes.
Gray Wolf. Gray Wolf gives a link to the last story. He's a chopper pilot. He is Native American and was trained by Dart and Spirit in survival and scouting skills & techniques. He is a competent full-time Joe although he doesn't have much experience. He's a survivor.
Gen. Colton. His role in this story is simply a vehicle to use him. I'm not quite willing to part with the figure so I figured I'd find a way to use him. I wanted to set up a dynamic between Hawk and Colton. They have their views on how to deal with Cobra. Thing is, Colton is new to the team and Hawk has been leading the Joes the way he's been doing for a long time. Sometimes, a change is needed. Thing is, did Colton bite off more than he can chew???
Greenshirts. At one time, I had 20+ Sand Vipers. What was I supposed to do w/ pea soup green Beach Heads??? I didn't like the old style GSs and sure as hell didn't like the DD GSs so I figured I'd use the peasoups as GSs. I wanted non-descript, masked, average looking figures and these were, for the most part, perfect. The original plan was to paint their torsos all black (like Navy SEALS, the movie) but I got lazy.
I think that's it! Until next time.
Friday, February 16, 2007
I was thinking to myself that when I'm working on my dios, different movies give me different inspirations. For the Sigma6 universe, I tend to rely more on Star Wars than anything else. Certainly with the amount of hand-to-hand fighting and weapon fighting, Star Wars is pretty good. There's also good battle scenes too. But when it comes to 3.75" GI Joe, I tend to take it more seriously. Or rather, the Joes are more serious. I rely on movies like Doom, Aliens, Alien Vs Predator, Predator 1 & 2, Stargate... Certainly more ideas come from a broader range of movies. My dio, "The Island" also pulls from the tv series Lost. I guess I just like horror in my 3.75" verse as compared to the 8" verse.
Today, I think I'll babble about the characters involved.
Interrogator. Not everyone has a huge role. There are cameos, appearances, background chars and then main characters. Some chars are just a vehicle for the story. In terms of Interrogator, he's a great figure. Everyone has built him up to be a badass as well. In War For Territory (or was it Transformations?), Interrogator shows up for a bit part and then leaves. He actually makes a comment that he's needed elswhere and going to the island. In this story, you actually see him again but what he's doing, it's still a mystery. He's a shady character.
Major Bludd. I wanted some sort of continuity from the last dio. I figure, if I'm doing a Joeverse, there needs to be some reptition of chars so it's not a WHOLE new Joe story w/o point of reference. By using Major Bludd (and Interrogator), you get a feel that I didn't suddenly make up another Joeverse. I love the figure too which is why he shows up. In my verse, Major Bludd is a more hands-on leader than Cobra Commander, Destro or Commander Vlasko (custom). I'm also working out his character. What's also fun is the reaction when Lt. Graydon meets him again.
Cobra Troopers. One thing I really wanted to showcase were the Blueshirts running around. I have yet to get them into a real action scene but I decided during these dios that the average foot troop should have the largest population. Not Vipers. And definitely not NeoVipers which are cream of the crop. I, unfortunately, haven't given them much action time, but I figure having them around is good enough.
Cobra Vipers. The step up from Blueshirts is probably how everyone feels about them. I wanted to showcase a lot of these bad boys too. What the reader is getting is that Cobra is full of foot troops, not specialty troops. It's also fun to plug in friend's names as characters too. I have yet to acknowledge Luis (Tone Guns), unfortunately.
Cobra NeoVipers. Let's get to the point here. Hasbro didn't follow thru on the Cobra Officer and I need someone to lead the Blueshirts. I decided on the NeoVipers since their filecard (as horribly written as it is) says they are officers of some sort. Well, who better to lead the Blueshirts? NeoViper Drew Swenson shows up again! Poor guy still hasn't been promoted.
Overkill Karl. There are several Overkill models. The original Overkill is doing his own thing and was used in Transformations. Overkill Karl is a cyborg whose program is faulty. He's a little nutty and not nearly as smart as the others. But he serves his purpose. He's just fun to have in to showcase a bit of odd humor and vanity.
Hellfire. This guy is the evil version of the GI Joe, Rollbar. Rollbar never had a place in the Joeverse. He was captured and turned into a gnarly SawViper. He and his buddies show up, only to go hunting for the creatures on the island. I thought it'd be fun to link the dios together by these characters. It helps the reader feel that they are in the same universe, that the world is the same as the other stories.
Everything should be answered in Ep2...
I think that's it for Cobra chars of Ep1. I'll discuss the good guys of Ep1 tomorrow if I get a chance.
Until Next Time.
Today, I think I'll babble about the characters involved.
Interrogator. Not everyone has a huge role. There are cameos, appearances, background chars and then main characters. Some chars are just a vehicle for the story. In terms of Interrogator, he's a great figure. Everyone has built him up to be a badass as well. In War For Territory (or was it Transformations?), Interrogator shows up for a bit part and then leaves. He actually makes a comment that he's needed elswhere and going to the island. In this story, you actually see him again but what he's doing, it's still a mystery. He's a shady character.
Major Bludd. I wanted some sort of continuity from the last dio. I figure, if I'm doing a Joeverse, there needs to be some reptition of chars so it's not a WHOLE new Joe story w/o point of reference. By using Major Bludd (and Interrogator), you get a feel that I didn't suddenly make up another Joeverse. I love the figure too which is why he shows up. In my verse, Major Bludd is a more hands-on leader than Cobra Commander, Destro or Commander Vlasko (custom). I'm also working out his character. What's also fun is the reaction when Lt. Graydon meets him again.
Cobra Troopers. One thing I really wanted to showcase were the Blueshirts running around. I have yet to get them into a real action scene but I decided during these dios that the average foot troop should have the largest population. Not Vipers. And definitely not NeoVipers which are cream of the crop. I, unfortunately, haven't given them much action time, but I figure having them around is good enough.
Cobra Vipers. The step up from Blueshirts is probably how everyone feels about them. I wanted to showcase a lot of these bad boys too. What the reader is getting is that Cobra is full of foot troops, not specialty troops. It's also fun to plug in friend's names as characters too. I have yet to acknowledge Luis (Tone Guns), unfortunately.
Cobra NeoVipers. Let's get to the point here. Hasbro didn't follow thru on the Cobra Officer and I need someone to lead the Blueshirts. I decided on the NeoVipers since their filecard (as horribly written as it is) says they are officers of some sort. Well, who better to lead the Blueshirts? NeoViper Drew Swenson shows up again! Poor guy still hasn't been promoted.
Overkill Karl. There are several Overkill models. The original Overkill is doing his own thing and was used in Transformations. Overkill Karl is a cyborg whose program is faulty. He's a little nutty and not nearly as smart as the others. But he serves his purpose. He's just fun to have in to showcase a bit of odd humor and vanity.
Hellfire. This guy is the evil version of the GI Joe, Rollbar. Rollbar never had a place in the Joeverse. He was captured and turned into a gnarly SawViper. He and his buddies show up, only to go hunting for the creatures on the island. I thought it'd be fun to link the dios together by these characters. It helps the reader feel that they are in the same universe, that the world is the same as the other stories.
Everything should be answered in Ep2...
I think that's it for Cobra chars of Ep1. I'll discuss the good guys of Ep1 tomorrow if I get a chance.
Until Next Time.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
ToyFair in the haus!
General Hawk (Justin) of GeneralJoes.com and the boss of Sigma 6 Central (.com) has found a way into Toyfair. Toyfair is basically a big ad for toy companies to show off what's up for the future. It's a chance for businesses to make or break a toyline. New stuff is revealed there and if it gets cool response, it's back to the drawing board. Some toys can be great, but if someone like Walmart shakes their collective heads, the idea is scrapped. Pics are flooding in from figures.com, toynewsi.com and s6c.joebattlelines.com.
2007 is also the 25th Anniversary of GI Joe. Hasbro is bringing back the 3.75" figures (after a bit of a hiatus from B&M (brick & mortar) stores. They are taking 25 characters from 1982-1985 and giving them new articulation and an updated sculpted look. While the initial pics looked great to me, seeing the stuff at ToyFair has me wanting more. Or rather, I'll just stick to what I have. No need to see my stuff!
On the flipside, there is the 8" figures. Sigma 6 was just a theme name and it's time is up. The 8" franchise of GI Joe is splitting 3 directions. Commando. Combat Team. Adventure Team. The latter 2 are nods to the old 70s toys. Adventure Team will be dealing with the Joes (and Cobra) fighting monsters and animals. MONSTERS? Yup. Mummies should show up, y'know? Maybe dinosaurs. We've seen alligators, tigers and snakes! My interest is in the Combat Team. But the best? Snake Eyes and his mech. Oh wow. Talk about neato!!!
Let's get to the gritty!
It took me a long time to get the next 3.75" dio rolling. When doing Transformations and War For Territory, I had grand ideas and the execution was decent at best. It was good in some places, not so hot in others. But the story carried it all thru. That was, I believe, almost a year ago. As I was doing the last chapter of War For Territory, I was already starting the Sigma6 dios. The S6 dios are their own entity and totally fun. The 1/18th Joes have a different feel and is more serious in terms of story and characterization.
Originally, I had wanted to do a sequel to the other 2 episodes. (Don't get me started on the categorizations, it's very confusing). It's pretty vague, but I never actually 'said' the two aliens from another world die. If you read into it enough, one knows that the green duder (forgot his name!) can open portals. So the reality is, they weren't thrown into the energy beam. I had seriously considered making the story so that Cobra goes back in and ends up in the aliens homeworld. Kinda like Mortal Kombat 2. It never got further than that.
Hooking up w/ Netflix, we began to understand just what we could really rent. I got sucked into Lost and watched a few more movies and thought it'd be great to do a GI Joe/Lost story. (then I watched the 1st season of 24 and damn!!!) It took months of thinking. Summer was turning into Fall. Fall was turning into Winter and in the NW, that means it's usually wet and cold. How was I supposed to do tropical landscapes in the winter when everything's dead. I was telling people that it wouldn't be shown until Spring or Summer.
Such would not be the case. I decided to create a whole new set that would act as the underground bunker like in Lost. It's not quite as anal as the other big set I did, but at the same time, it's better designed. ie; there's no map to follow and I won't bother showing off the possiblity of corridors in the Cobra research facility. Sure, I'd love to go all out w/ the sets but money and time (and THomas), it's not possible. What I've done, it works pretty darn well.
I did take some outdoor shots when the weather was nice. They came out well and Episode 1 was released about a week ago. On top of that, I had released a 5-page prologue (w/ bios!) as a teaser of what was to come. I just didn't expect Ep1 to show up as quickly!
I'm working on Ep2 when I can. It's one thing to shoot sequences. It's another to create pics. I've had to create a lot of pics for my dios as of late. Ep2 starts w/ a 4 panel fotoshopp'd sequence. I have more sequences to shoot. What's rather nice is that a lot of stuff that didn't find it's way into Ep1 (it was getting long), was immediately put into Ep2. Ep1, I wanted the team to find the installation and also enter it. I kept the finding and put entering into the next episode. I have to watch the MBs involved. I can't go past 10 mb and Ep1 is just under 9mb. The email systems don't like anything over 10mb being transferred, y'know?
Anyway, I'm working on Ep2 when I can.
Until Next Time.
General Hawk (Justin) of GeneralJoes.com and the boss of Sigma 6 Central (.com) has found a way into Toyfair. Toyfair is basically a big ad for toy companies to show off what's up for the future. It's a chance for businesses to make or break a toyline. New stuff is revealed there and if it gets cool response, it's back to the drawing board. Some toys can be great, but if someone like Walmart shakes their collective heads, the idea is scrapped. Pics are flooding in from figures.com, toynewsi.com and s6c.joebattlelines.com.
2007 is also the 25th Anniversary of GI Joe. Hasbro is bringing back the 3.75" figures (after a bit of a hiatus from B&M (brick & mortar) stores. They are taking 25 characters from 1982-1985 and giving them new articulation and an updated sculpted look. While the initial pics looked great to me, seeing the stuff at ToyFair has me wanting more. Or rather, I'll just stick to what I have. No need to see my stuff!
On the flipside, there is the 8" figures. Sigma 6 was just a theme name and it's time is up. The 8" franchise of GI Joe is splitting 3 directions. Commando. Combat Team. Adventure Team. The latter 2 are nods to the old 70s toys. Adventure Team will be dealing with the Joes (and Cobra) fighting monsters and animals. MONSTERS? Yup. Mummies should show up, y'know? Maybe dinosaurs. We've seen alligators, tigers and snakes! My interest is in the Combat Team. But the best? Snake Eyes and his mech. Oh wow. Talk about neato!!!
Let's get to the gritty!
It took me a long time to get the next 3.75" dio rolling. When doing Transformations and War For Territory, I had grand ideas and the execution was decent at best. It was good in some places, not so hot in others. But the story carried it all thru. That was, I believe, almost a year ago. As I was doing the last chapter of War For Territory, I was already starting the Sigma6 dios. The S6 dios are their own entity and totally fun. The 1/18th Joes have a different feel and is more serious in terms of story and characterization.
Originally, I had wanted to do a sequel to the other 2 episodes. (Don't get me started on the categorizations, it's very confusing). It's pretty vague, but I never actually 'said' the two aliens from another world die. If you read into it enough, one knows that the green duder (forgot his name!) can open portals. So the reality is, they weren't thrown into the energy beam. I had seriously considered making the story so that Cobra goes back in and ends up in the aliens homeworld. Kinda like Mortal Kombat 2. It never got further than that.
Hooking up w/ Netflix, we began to understand just what we could really rent. I got sucked into Lost and watched a few more movies and thought it'd be great to do a GI Joe/Lost story. (then I watched the 1st season of 24 and damn!!!) It took months of thinking. Summer was turning into Fall. Fall was turning into Winter and in the NW, that means it's usually wet and cold. How was I supposed to do tropical landscapes in the winter when everything's dead. I was telling people that it wouldn't be shown until Spring or Summer.
Such would not be the case. I decided to create a whole new set that would act as the underground bunker like in Lost. It's not quite as anal as the other big set I did, but at the same time, it's better designed. ie; there's no map to follow and I won't bother showing off the possiblity of corridors in the Cobra research facility. Sure, I'd love to go all out w/ the sets but money and time (and THomas), it's not possible. What I've done, it works pretty darn well.
I did take some outdoor shots when the weather was nice. They came out well and Episode 1 was released about a week ago. On top of that, I had released a 5-page prologue (w/ bios!) as a teaser of what was to come. I just didn't expect Ep1 to show up as quickly!
I'm working on Ep2 when I can. It's one thing to shoot sequences. It's another to create pics. I've had to create a lot of pics for my dios as of late. Ep2 starts w/ a 4 panel fotoshopp'd sequence. I have more sequences to shoot. What's rather nice is that a lot of stuff that didn't find it's way into Ep1 (it was getting long), was immediately put into Ep2. Ep1, I wanted the team to find the installation and also enter it. I kept the finding and put entering into the next episode. I have to watch the MBs involved. I can't go past 10 mb and Ep1 is just under 9mb. The email systems don't like anything over 10mb being transferred, y'know?
Anyway, I'm working on Ep2 when I can.
Until Next Time.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
OOPS!
Has it really been over a month since the last blog? I suppose not a lot has happened.
Emi and I recently went to the new Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle. I've been dying to go ever since I first heard about it a year ago. We spent the day in Seattle and had lovely weather. Thomas enjoyed himself too. The sculptures are really neat and it's great to see a park in downtown Seattle. It's not quite finished but I'm sure it will be soon.
I've been working hard on my 3.75" dio. It was originally slated for a Spring or Summer release but I pushed ahead. The S6 dios are done for now and put on the backburner. I did a 5-page prologue just to get things rolling and well, things DID keep rolling and Ep1 was created about a week later!
Has it really been over a month since the last blog? I suppose not a lot has happened.
Emi and I recently went to the new Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle. I've been dying to go ever since I first heard about it a year ago. We spent the day in Seattle and had lovely weather. Thomas enjoyed himself too. The sculptures are really neat and it's great to see a park in downtown Seattle. It's not quite finished but I'm sure it will be soon.
I've been working hard on my 3.75" dio. It was originally slated for a Spring or Summer release but I pushed ahead. The S6 dios are done for now and put on the backburner. I did a 5-page prologue just to get things rolling and well, things DID keep rolling and Ep1 was created about a week later!
Friday, December 29, 2006
Time Flies...
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It's been awhile since I've written. Too long, really. I'm not sure where I left off or where I should start.
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The remodel finished up on the 21st! It looks wonderful. I took before and after pics of that day as well as some fun, long video. It's so clean and new and there's still the odor of the paint/glue in there. I moved stuff in right away that day.
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X-mas has come and gone. I received NFS:Carbon and Comic Book Creator; both things I've wanted very badly. I'm learning how to use it now. But when will I have time??? Currently, we are getting the boys bedrooms all fixed up. Kody's new bedroom was done yesterday; tho it was pretty late at nite. We worked till midnite getting things set up and it's still not finished. Kody had a lot of stuff to move over. The plan for the day is to keep moving Kody's stuff and then prime Thomas's new bedroom. He finally gets out of the living room!
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Until Next Time
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Annoyances
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I released Ep5 of the S6 dio last nite. Unfortunately, there are some glitches with it that can be easily resolved. I admit, I didn't quite understand how zipped files work and it was brought to my attention that stuff was out of order. Which seemed wrong to me cuz the original folder it's in, everything's numbered right. But alas, any photo labeled 100+ gets shoved after #9! Literally, these damn computers read it as 8, 9, 100, 101, 102, 103+ and THEN back to 10, 11, 12... Dumb. But I fixed both Episodes 1 & 5 since they go over the 100 mark!
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I released Ep5 of the S6 dio last nite. Unfortunately, there are some glitches with it that can be easily resolved. I admit, I didn't quite understand how zipped files work and it was brought to my attention that stuff was out of order. Which seemed wrong to me cuz the original folder it's in, everything's numbered right. But alas, any photo labeled 100+ gets shoved after #9! Literally, these damn computers read it as 8, 9, 100, 101, 102, 103+ and THEN back to 10, 11, 12... Dumb. But I fixed both Episodes 1 & 5 since they go over the 100 mark!
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While on the subject of Ep5, I couldn't quite do everything I would have liked. I won't spoil y'all with what I had planned, tho a few people I talk to regularly on MSN KNOW what I've been bitching about. For those in the know, I skipped it. Had to do with lack of patience and my own storytelling w/ fotos ability.
While on the subject of Ep5, I couldn't quite do everything I would have liked. I won't spoil y'all with what I had planned, tho a few people I talk to regularly on MSN KNOW what I've been bitching about. For those in the know, I skipped it. Had to do with lack of patience and my own storytelling w/ fotos ability.
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Episode 5 introduces Shadow Walker. There's probably some confusion over just what the HELL he is doing. He IS a clone of Snake Eyes, that much is obvious. But when did this happen? I'll reveal that later on. Shadow Walker was sent in to succeed where Zartan failed. If you remember, Zartan handed the data on the Sigma suits, the energy source for them and the access codes to the Seattle outpost to Storm Shadow. In Ep4, Storm Shadow is defeated by Snake Eyes and SE 'steals' the data back.
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I'll admit it. I skipped the sequence of SW downloading the data to his wrist unit. Sure, it would have made more sense but the lack of flow in the story wouldn't have made it any smoother. I guess I just ask people to assume that SW is running around the installation and only certain times are highlited. Particularly the SW vs Tunnel Rat, SW vs Stone and SW vs Spirit.
Episode 5 introduces Shadow Walker. There's probably some confusion over just what the HELL he is doing. He IS a clone of Snake Eyes, that much is obvious. But when did this happen? I'll reveal that later on. Shadow Walker was sent in to succeed where Zartan failed. If you remember, Zartan handed the data on the Sigma suits, the energy source for them and the access codes to the Seattle outpost to Storm Shadow. In Ep4, Storm Shadow is defeated by Snake Eyes and SE 'steals' the data back.
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I'll admit it. I skipped the sequence of SW downloading the data to his wrist unit. Sure, it would have made more sense but the lack of flow in the story wouldn't have made it any smoother. I guess I just ask people to assume that SW is running around the installation and only certain times are highlited. Particularly the SW vs Tunnel Rat, SW vs Stone and SW vs Spirit.
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And onto real life... The remodel should be done in a couple weeks. Great Floors will be installing the Marmoleum on the 11th. It will go in the bathroom and the office space. Art has asked us to give him a week before having the carpet installed. According to Great Floors, it could be a 1-day turn around. So on the 12th or so, I'll go in and order the carpet. Then it should pretty much be done. After Emi and I move ourselves in, it's time to start taking care of the boys' bedrooms.
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Until Next Time
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Until Next Time
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
I’m just gonna babble on here about my S6 universe. It’s obvious that my 3.75” and my 8” universes aren’t very Hasbro-canon-like. Or comic. Or cartoon. Or filecard. Let’s face it, Hasbro is doing a great job w/ S6 but at the same time, it also leaves the small base of fans wanting more. It’s more than just characters, but other elements. Anyway, for those who have been reading the dio, allow me to clue you in on some things that might leave ‘you’ wondering about things.
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If you wonder why some of the ‘descriptions’ are short, I haven’t done much with the characters yet. Which is also why they don’t have a prominent role in the dios.
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1. Storm Shadow is a Cobra. He isn’t a brainwashed duder who goes from team to team and he sure as hell isn’t anything like his 3.75” counter part. He was hired as Cobra Commander’s bodyguard but also serves as assassin and saboteur. Storm Shadow also is the head of the Arashikage, a clan of ninja that he trains. The average warrior can be promoted to Nite Creeper.
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2. Nite Creepers are genetically and artificially enhanced. They have intense surgery on their brains and are “wet-wired” so info (missions, training, etc) can be directly downloaded into them. They have heightened strength, better eyesight, better reflexes and are impervious to weather conditions. However, all the work on their brain leaves their heads w/ a corpse-like complexion and glowing green eyes. Their primary weapons are the claws on their fists and the long blades on their forearms.
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3. Snake Eyes was adopted by Storm Shadow’s parents at a young age. Snake Eyes’ parents died in a horrific car crash on a mountain. Having no other family and a target of becoming of spending a troubled life as an orphan, the Arashikage adopted him. Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow would later move back to Japan. SE returned to the US for college but ended up in the military and eventually, GI Joe.
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4. Destro is the “mad scientist” of Cobra. He creates the weapons and armor that Cobra uses. He is a not a battlefield technician, preferring to stay in the background. He’s also content being nowhere near the battlefield. Destro is always working on something and trying to perfect his technology. He came up with the cybernetic systems for the Nite Creepers as well as the ‘brains’ for the 2 Ninja BATs. His next step is to create suits for a team of Cobra that can counter GI Joe’s every move.
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5. Cobra Commander is better at barking out commands and orders than he is fighting on the battleground. He prefers to stay far behind his forces and lets the BATs do his work for him. He is evil and ruthless. He believes that technology will defeat the Joes and that he will rule the world. Cobra Commander believes that cloning the Sigma6 members will hand him an assured victory.
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6. Firefly is a GI Joe and quite hardcore. Firefly has had to make some complex decisions in his life. Not one to reflect on his life (past & present), he hides his anxiety and stress behind off-color remarks. He has become a superstar on the Joe team, much to the others disgust.
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7. Long Range is a long-time Joe who can never seem to get the limelight.
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8. Tunnel Rat, the youngest of the team, is the best at what he does. He tends to be the most competent on the field, enjoys the heat of battle and is the most optimistic. However, he isn’t like Firefly who hides behind snide remarks and comments.
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9. Kamakura is a ninja trained by Snake Eyes. He has trained heavily in an array of weapons and can use just about anything to his advantage. Kamakura steps up when needed, but doesn’t prefer the role of leadership. He is Firefly’s best friend, despite them butting heads over issues. Kamakura trained Firefly in the martial arts.
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10. Hi-Tech is the technology and weapons guy. He is Destro’s counterpart and perhaps, just as weird.
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11. Duke is the leader of the Sigma6 team.
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12. Spirit is the tracker of the Sigma6 team.
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13. Heavy Duty is the heavy weapons expert of the Sigma6 team. He’s fairly laid back but his anger can often get the best of him. The kinetic plasma gloves he wears give him incredible power. Heavy Duty is an expert of all weapons and can cook quite well.
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14. Lt. Stone is Duke’s right hand man. Stone primary role is as a spy but he’s adept at flying the Dragonhawk transport aircraft.
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15. Zartan is the master of disguise for Cobra. He is also adept at espionage and likes to play mind games with the Joes. He has a sick sense of humor and is a fair fighter.
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16. Aleph is the Nite Creeper leader. Brother Shane was promoted and given the name Aleph after capturing Firefly.
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17. BurnOut is a clone of Heavy Duty. He specializes in energy flame weapons. He sees life as one big game. He would like to take the Joes on himself but knows that he needs someone to watch his back. Powerfully built, he has all the technology that the Nite Creepers have.
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18. Sonneilon & Asmodeus are two unique Ninja BATs. They are too expensive to reproduce. They are Destro’s creations and can fight as well as any human. Their ‘soft’ brains are ‘wet-wired’ so data can be downloaded directly. They are constantly learning and they consider themselves “Alive”.
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19. This currently nameless character is a clone of (left blank intentionally). He will play a large role in Ep5.
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Until Next Time...
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Episode 2 is wrapped up!
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I'm having a lot of fun with the Sigma6 dio. It's episodic so the story will be longer and more involved than the other dios I've done. The 3.75" dios come off more like a movie to me. The S6 stuff would be like a cable-only tv show or movie. Certainly, there's more swearing with the S6 characters. It's hard to explain why, I think it's just the mix of characters. I don't exactly equate a character like Firefly being quiet and reserved liked the Transformer, Prowl, y'know?
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I'm having a lot of fun with the Sigma6 dio. It's episodic so the story will be longer and more involved than the other dios I've done. The 3.75" dios come off more like a movie to me. The S6 stuff would be like a cable-only tv show or movie. Certainly, there's more swearing with the S6 characters. It's hard to explain why, I think it's just the mix of characters. I don't exactly equate a character like Firefly being quiet and reserved liked the Transformer, Prowl, y'know?
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The 1st 3 episodes flow quickly and are probably a tad hard to follow. It's just the way I'm visioning it. Everything is in small vignettes that somehow flow together. The 1st episode was very large; the folder was 11mb! Episode2 is 8mb but it's not like there are that many LESS pictures.
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Anyway, the 3 episodes were pretty much shot all together. I'd get the idea, shoot and figure out where it should fit. I had to fix the ending to Episode 2 because it moved too far into the future. Errrrr, timeline. So by adding a section and making the dates different, it works out. It's hard not to give everything away, I have to admit that. I have constant ideas. Episode 3 will be coming, hopefully, in less than a month.
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Then it's on to Episode4 which is still being mapped out.
Then it's on to Episode4 which is still being mapped out.
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Until Next Time
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Dio Sets
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I gotta admit, doing that 3.75" dio (Transformations and War For Territory) took a lot of time, thinking, effort and probably some blood. It took a lot of money too. Maybe not as much as some people or the pros who do sets for a living, but I do what I can with what I have. But after doing set after set, I'm finally in a position where I can reuse the stuff. That's what I really wanted in the end. I'm not George Lucas. I don't create a set from scratch every time I need it. I'm more like the guys from Star Trek who reuse the same set over and over w/ small changes. Like Star Trek II and Star Trek III. At the same time, Luke Ellison may be the George Lucas of GI Joe dios, but I am the self-proclaimed Paul Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Soldier, Alien vs Predator)!!! It's ok, laugh and roll your eyes.
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So for the Sigma6 dio, it wasn't going to be wild, gnarly, eye popping sets. It's about story. And this time 'round, I'm doing it in episodes as opposed to chapters. It's hard to say why. It seems like things are better told in episodes. The way I do things, you have an overal story. Then it's broken down into episodes which is again broken down into chapters (then parts/sequences). With the S6 story, I'm thinking bigger in terms of the story so it is easier to write it as an episode and shoot in specific sequences. Of course, Ep2 and Ep3 are being shot at the same time because honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just doing.
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In fact, Episode 2 is incredibly close to being done. I need to finish a set for a sequence, shoot it, do all the work, shoot a cover and it's ready to be emailed out to friends and fans. Ep3 won't be too far behind, hopefully.
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So the point of today's rambling is that I am chopping up and reusing what I have. Sure, the scale is slightly larger (ok, a LOT larger) but I'm using the walls from the last set (the power room set from the 3.75" dio) which is saving me time and $$$. Does it all look the same? Probably but I do make slight changes and hopefully the S6 base and the Cobra base look different enough for people to remember where they are.
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Until Next Time
Friday, October 20, 2006
WOW
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As most people know, the garage was scheduled to be turned into a master bedroom. It would be complete w/ bath, a small office and a sitting area. Terpsma Construction began 10/12 and while a few days, things seemed to be slow, we are seeing real movement. After the walls of the garage had come down (they were unfinished) and the new studs were put in for walls, it looked like we were getting somewhere. The last few days, Phil and Brent have been building the frame of the floor! Next Monday, an inspector should come out to check the plumbing to make sure things look kosher.
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As most people know, the garage was scheduled to be turned into a master bedroom. It would be complete w/ bath, a small office and a sitting area. Terpsma Construction began 10/12 and while a few days, things seemed to be slow, we are seeing real movement. After the walls of the garage had come down (they were unfinished) and the new studs were put in for walls, it looked like we were getting somewhere. The last few days, Phil and Brent have been building the frame of the floor! Next Monday, an inspector should come out to check the plumbing to make sure things look kosher.
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Tomorrow, I'm 32. I didn't think much about turning 30, it was no big deal. 31, never even thought about it. But turning 32, I've been more reflective. I'm appreciating what I have; from my loving relationship with my wife to Kody to Thomas the toddler. I consider myself extremely lucky in all ways possible. Well, give or take the goofy head scratching tick I seem to have.
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Until Next Time.
Until Next Time.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
FUTUREAL
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For anyone keeping score, it has to be noticed that the end of my 3.75" dio and the emergence of the Sigma6 dio were ultra close to each other. How is that possible when the 3.75" dio was taking months and the S6 popped up in a week?
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Easy. I was shooting the S6 dio last summer when I had no cash to build the sets for the 3.75". Originally, I was going to wait but decided to go ahead with shooting. In fact, ALL the flashback scenes (the grayscale missions where Firefly is the man), were done MONTHS before Ch 3 of the 3.75"! Interesting too is the fact that many of the sequences were already shot. The last things I had to do was chop 'em up, add dialogue and well, the VERY last thing was shoot a cover. Principal fotography was actually finished the same time as the 3.75" shooting.
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Easy. I was shooting the S6 dio last summer when I had no cash to build the sets for the 3.75". Originally, I was going to wait but decided to go ahead with shooting. In fact, ALL the flashback scenes (the grayscale missions where Firefly is the man), were done MONTHS before Ch 3 of the 3.75"! Interesting too is the fact that many of the sequences were already shot. The last things I had to do was chop 'em up, add dialogue and well, the VERY last thing was shoot a cover. Principal fotography was actually finished the same time as the 3.75" shooting.
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What else... I have a few pages of notes and this Sigma6 universe is one I'm building myself. There might be some things mirrored from the cartoon, but as I have not WATCHED the cartoon, I don't really know what's going on over there. I AM making some very pointed differences between my S6 and Hasbro's. The main point in question would be the fact that MY Firefly is a Joe operative. Period. He is NOT a Cobra agent infiltrating. I like the idea of a man falling from grace far more than an infiltration story. Well, at least for the beginning. Yeah, go ahead. Think Star Wars. Think Anakin Skywalker.
What else... I have a few pages of notes and this Sigma6 universe is one I'm building myself. There might be some things mirrored from the cartoon, but as I have not WATCHED the cartoon, I don't really know what's going on over there. I AM making some very pointed differences between my S6 and Hasbro's. The main point in question would be the fact that MY Firefly is a Joe operative. Period. He is NOT a Cobra agent infiltrating. I like the idea of a man falling from grace far more than an infiltration story. Well, at least for the beginning. Yeah, go ahead. Think Star Wars. Think Anakin Skywalker.
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But copying SW is not my plan. I'm pulling from other movies too. I think it has a good story and it will only get gnarlier as it goes on. By Episode 2, some HUGE things happen and Episode 3, well...
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Until next time...
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Saturday, October 14, 2006
The Beginning!
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The remodel on our garage started on 10/12! We've been waiting many months for this. Art came over w/ his 2-man crew and started hacking away at the concrete. He needs to cut a hole to set up the water pipes for the bathroom and then create a ditch to pour a new footing. It was loud, messy and way loud.
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The remodel on our garage started on 10/12! We've been waiting many months for this. Art came over w/ his 2-man crew and started hacking away at the concrete. He needs to cut a hole to set up the water pipes for the bathroom and then create a ditch to pour a new footing. It was loud, messy and way loud.
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As well, the parking regulations are rather nutty and we will be redoing just about the whole backyard to accomodate the city's 18'x18' parking area. Emi is down with my parents today helping with yardwork while I'm sick at home with the sick baby. She will discuss ideas of how to make things better int he backyard. The parking also has to be 10' off the sidewalk which shoves it, technically, in the middle of our backyard. I started moving my plants into the bed out front as well as a few into Emi's part of the yard.
As well, the parking regulations are rather nutty and we will be redoing just about the whole backyard to accomodate the city's 18'x18' parking area. Emi is down with my parents today helping with yardwork while I'm sick at home with the sick baby. She will discuss ideas of how to make things better int he backyard. The parking also has to be 10' off the sidewalk which shoves it, technically, in the middle of our backyard. I started moving my plants into the bed out front as well as a few into Emi's part of the yard.
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This also means that I can't build any dio sets. Good thing I did a lot of shots for the S6 dio before this all started.
This also means that I can't build any dio sets. Good thing I did a lot of shots for the S6 dio before this all started.
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I have to admit, the end fight sequence of my dio feels pretty half-assed. The limited articulation of 3.75" Joes drives me batty and I can't achieve what I really want. Yes, I can try and manipulate the shots as much as I can, but there is a point where it won't work. A Star Wars like fight scene, I was NOT going to get. But that's ok cuz the S6 dio should work out better in that regards.
I have to admit, the end fight sequence of my dio feels pretty half-assed. The limited articulation of 3.75" Joes drives me batty and I can't achieve what I really want. Yes, I can try and manipulate the shots as much as I can, but there is a point where it won't work. A Star Wars like fight scene, I was NOT going to get. But that's ok cuz the S6 dio should work out better in that regards.
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Until Next Time
Until Next Time
Monday, October 09, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
These Colors Don't Run
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Looks like it has been a while since I've been here! I'll make this fast or at least, try to.
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As most people know, Emi and I will be having our garage remodeled into a master bedroom w/ bath. The house will become a 3 bed/2 bath which will help it a ton. There will also be a small sitting area and an office space for me as well. What that also means is I'll lose space to build my dios.
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By the by, I got promoted to Administrator on JoeDios.com and I've been putting my foot down lately. Not sure what the malfunction is, but people seem to think that it's a free place to post pics of whatever they want. No... This is a GI Joe fansite; a hub for those who love to take pictures of their stuff.
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Principal fotography has been finished for both the 3rd chapter of War For Territory and the 1st Chapter of the S6 dio, When Darkness Falls. Actually, the S6 dio doesn't have a name yet but When Darkness Falls will probably be the story title while the chapter title will be something else. Hard to say which band's tunes I'll use. Slayer? Fear Factory?
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I am neck deep in post-production for the 3rd chapter. It's a very fx heavy chapter, more than I've ever done. The last 2 chapters, I didn't have to crop all that much but I've been slimming the fotos down hella. On top of that, I had my man Chuck make an energy beam which I've been using religiously. Also, the amount of layers and erasing is nutty. I'm using the eraser tool 3-4x per shot cuz there's THAT much added on top! Totally crazy and hopefully, it'll look decent when it's all said and done.
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Got the new Maiden album. It's been something like, 4 years since Dance of Death. Hard to believe it's been that long. The album is taking me longer to get into; A Matter of Life and Death. It's like a culimination of all their work BUT it also sounds like an extension of the albums done with Blaze Bailey. Not sure if that's a good thing yet.
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That should be about it. Until next time.
That should be about it. Until next time.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Underground Power Plant
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I don't know what they call it in Star Wars Episode 1, but the end of Chapter 3, Episode 2 will take place in the equivalent. Generator Room. Power Room. Whatever it's called, it's big.
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I started w/ these long cork/particle boards from Lowes. I had them cut 'em in half, painted them up and well, the base is 4'x4'. Then I started cutting out the walkways, in which there'll be 2 levels of 'em. I have other pics including test shots.
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I don't know what they call it in Star Wars Episode 1, but the end of Chapter 3, Episode 2 will take place in the equivalent. Generator Room. Power Room. Whatever it's called, it's big.
*
I started w/ these long cork/particle boards from Lowes. I had them cut 'em in half, painted them up and well, the base is 4'x4'. Then I started cutting out the walkways, in which there'll be 2 levels of 'em. I have other pics including test shots.
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Until Next Time...
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