From: 'Lil M (Teppic@umist.ac4tag.uk) [Mike?] Date: 03/08/96 12:07pm At 08:54 08/03/96 -0800, Mark Eidemiller wrote: >(hey, even Buck Rogers had some good elements!) Mark Eidemiller I'm sorry, did I blink? <G> Unless you're referring to the ground breaking Buster Crabbe, of course...
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 1996 12:38:25 -0800 From: Mark Eidemiller (Mark_Eidemiller@pgn4tag.com) Subject: STILL OFF TOPIC: Buck Season, Wabbit Season Yes, I'm talking about the most recent Buck Rogers. All others need not apply. The plots weren't the best, but they were fun. And the most fun I found was listening to the background, hearing names of comic book characters and such that only comic fans would spot and appreciate (i.e., in a spaceport terminal, "Katar Hol" was paged to go to Security. Katar Hol is Hawkman, a DC lawman.). And wasn't there a reference made in the Buster Crabbe episode to "Gordon", as in "Flash"....? The fun doesn't always have to be in the foreground. Sometimes spotting the intentional in-jokes gives more entertainment than the show's plotline. Back to you, Pastor Mark Eidemiller Moonbase Chaplain
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 1996 13:55:57 -0800 From: Sfcafeguy@aol4tag.com Subject: Re: OFF TOPIC: Bidi Bidi Bidi, What's up Buck? In a message dated 96-03-08 16:39:43 EST, you write: >Whether it be 1999 or Buck >special effects and models always draw my attention. So what's stopping you, Mike? Take those drawings and your home designed/built models across the Golden Gate to Marin and insist on seeing George Lucas at Industrial Light and Magic. This could be a career for you, and unlike some others, you live in the area. Something to consider. Robert
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 1996 22:46:05 -0800 From: Allen Michael Retodo (ndver@well4tag.com) Subject: Re: OFF TOPIC: Bidi Bidi Bidi, What's up Buck? Hi Robert, I been down that road before. ILM or Lucas Art are the golden eggs around here. Being a film student at SFSU, I tried out for the summer intern program. It was impacted and the competition was fierce just to secure a position during summer. I am determined to try again possibly during the winter. I did enter some of my models at The Marin County Fair Creatures and Model show. It was judged by ILM artists who worked some major pictures. Last year I placed a healthy 2nd place for my Mark-9 Hawk, 3rd place for my USS Voyager and an honorable mention with my USS Enterprise-B. According to the coordinator of the exhibit, the ILM judges were impressed with my models, and to top it off George Lucas did see my work! Well I was on cloud 9 for a while when I heard that. I guess you can say that is my motivation, because I might get lucky sometime. This year My flagship entry is ,well you should know by now, the "Metamorph Eagle Project," and I want gold this year. It is just cool to have a place to exhibit my work. I should be thankful. Oh well we shall see. Mike
Date: Sat, 9 Mar 1996 10:20:06 -0800 From: Sfcafeguy@aol4tag.com That's great, Mike! A word of advice. Don't try for George personally (he won't have time to deal with you), but do try, in any way you can, to develop some kind of relationship with one of those ILM judges if you get the chance. Follow up those awards with letters thanking them, etc., and close your letter with "I would love an opportunity to meet with you to discuss your work further." (Emphasize THEIR work, not YOUR work -- people love to talk about themselves to captive audiences.) You would be surprised at how far some people are willing to go for you if you just present yourself honestly, intelligently, and with enthusiasm. A film student at SFSU, huh? I majored in film with an emphasis in writing at CSU Northridge, and also took some courses at the American Film Institute and interned for a semester on "The Bold and the Beautiful," then worked at Hannah-Barbera (for the worst five weeks of my life [hated that job and finally quit -- that Fred Flintstone and George Jetson are the WORST in real life!]), then went on to Sony Pictures Entertainment (the old MGM lot) and lasted six months before realizing that if I finally had a job I loved and STILL hated L.A. every day in EVERY way, it was time to get out. (Plus I missed San Francisco.) All tolled I was in L.A. for three years and I consider it the blackest period in my existence. Lest you think I didn't like ANYTHING there, I will say I liked the coffee houses open until late with sidewalk seating on warm summer nights, and I liked Rollerblading at Venice Beach after work at Sony. That's about it. If anyone else on the list is contemplating a film career, all I want to say is that you had better NEED it, because you will never work so HARD for so LITTLE in any other choice of profession. You will find yourself doing work that is so demeaning (like pick up your bosses dry cleaning and worse) just to get that foot in the door that it will eventually screw with your mind and your sense of self. And finally, though there are some good people in L.A. and in the film business, the majority of the people you will come into contact with are either bitter because they feel they have all the qualifications but just can't get that first big break, or worse, people who used to feel that way but eventually did get in, but who are still bitter because they want to be even higher on the totem pole, and who almost sadistically feel that if they had to go through shit when they started then you have to go through shit. I just found the cost to my sense of self too high and I refused to play the game. By the time I got the Sony job I was already so burned out I was back in San Francisco looking for apartments and almost told Sony no. (I'm glad I didn't, I had the best boss at Sony I've ever had.) Anyway, didn't mean to get so OFF TOPIC. I just realized that some of you may be aspiring film industry hopefuls as well, and I could say to you what I wish someone would have said to me. Of course, I realize that you won't listen (I wouldn't have), and will need to find out for yourselves. So GOOD LUCK Mike and any others on the list! And Mike, if you want a place to display your Metamorph Eagle, I've got one right here -- in my living room! Robert
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 1996 01:50:03 -0800 From: Allen Michael Retodo (ndver@well4tag.com) Subject: "Metamorph Eagle Project" Hello all, I've been part of this list for about three plus months now. Through that course of time, I have enjoyed the discussions, debates, info and plethora of :1999 collectibles available world wide. It is great to exchange ideas with others interested in :1999. I believe in doing so, we breath life into a TV series we thought long dead. I'm glad :1999 still prospers in '96. All of us that are part of this list bring something special to offer the whole. That is what makes this list successful. Now I believe it is my time to offer my part to the list. I have been mentioning a modeling project I've been working on in some of my messages. It is called the "Metamorph Eagle Project." This project is one of three models I am working on to enter in this years Creature and Models Show held by the Marin County Fair and judged by Industrial Light and Magic modelmakers. The Eagle is my flagship entry this year, and it will measure 22" long. I decided to replicate the Eagle that was used in the episode "Metamorph," because I digg the extra booster rockets on top. What makes this project special is that I decided to document the malking of this model and share it with everyone on the list. If you want to see the documentation just check it out at my webpage. I have already started documenting my progress, and I will continually update my progress. Things to look forward to in the documentation are step by step proceedures and design drawings of the eagle. Look for those to appear in the future. Well I hope you join in this endeavor and take a peek at what I do. Everyone is welcome http://www.well.com/~ndver/ndver.html Please let me know what think, Mike