Transformation

So we must be doing something right. The Orlando showing of Repo is almost sold out! If it's sold out by Halloween I'll work it to my advantage:

"Repo sounds amazing doesn't it?!?" *imagine the clapping from the RHPS fans*

"Well I've got bad news, good news, and GREAT news!

"First up, the Orlando Road Tour event is sold out! That's the bad news. The good news is, I hold a certificate in my hands -" *imagine me waving a home-made cert* "-to the LAST TWO TICKETS!! Good luck in the contest tonight!"

*pause for effect*

"Oh, and the great news? If you want to see this flick, all you need to do is TELL SOMEONE. Isn't that great? You tell the theater manager, here, or at the Enzian, wherever, that you MUST see Repo, that all your friends want to see it too, and WTF isn't it playing when it comes out on Nov 7th?!?!? I have details up on the Orlando Army MySpace profile, the Repo message board.... You tell the manager of a theater you want to see it.

"If enough people say they want to see it, the THEATER can email the director and request it DIRECTLY. If you need that information, please see me or one of my team members after the show tonight and we will give you the scoop!"



I can't. Friggin. Wait.

on myspace:

Good Morning Darren, (and darren, and terrance),

I read your blog entry this morning and it convinced me to write my own message. As I said in my comments, I forgot how good praise feels on the receiving end and I didn't consider the stress you all must be under right now.

I'm only 25, but for the last year I've been lost in such a monotonous loop, I was afraid that I was melting into the walls. I am an executive assistant and nothing of my creative talent is used there. I have a 2-year degree in Mass Communications that pretty much takes up space on my wall - and that's all it does.

But then, about six months ago I found out about Repo. It took me a while to wake up and notice what was going on, but after about a month, I was on the boards every day. I was connecting with people. And when the Tour was announced, I jumped in HEAD FIRST and I'm still glad I did. I've made friends, which can be hard for me. I'm getting a chance to be a part of something I think is worth my time and love. Repo is a new experience for me in most corners of my life. I have never been a part of something that is so much fun.

The best part is, though, that I'm finally feeling AWAKE. I'm a part of a community. I'm constantly thinking of ways to do more for Repo. My husband thinks I'm expecting special treatment, but he doesn't understand how special it feels just to have a place where creativity and community is openly accepted and shared. THAT'S what's special to me.

And you guys are working so hard for something you believe in. How can your fans NOT fall in line and agree? You lead an international community, all of you, and you've given a lot of people a gift in the form of Repo.

I'm sorry my letter is so long, but I hope it's lightened your heart. Thanks to Repo, I'm feeling so great, and that is because of you. I hope that LGF finally realizes the potential of Repo and you all get the success you deserve.

So thank you, sirs, from the bottom of my heart.

Kristin

Dlb's reply:

Kristin,

These letters never get old, and every time I read them I feel 'warm'. Who would have thought the SAW guy is a softy on the inside.

This movie is so important. Not only for what it is, but for what it is doing to fans. I wish LGF could see that.

Your words are too kind.

Are you going to one of the CITY TOURS? If so which one!

Can't wait to meet you!

Darren

and my final response:

Aww, only a softy could put so much love into a project going a decade strong! I promise not to flaunt your softness though haha

Yes, I've already secured tickets to the Orlando showing. I'm heading up the Orlando Army Street Team in fact!

We are so excited that you guys are coming to town. And I wanted to ask you about a party in Orlando, but then someone mentioned that you'd probably be super tired so I didn't want to be too demanding. =)

I'm looking forward to meeting you, too. Oh, and THANKS for overnighting the flyer pack last month. They were well received at RHPS!

Cheers,

Kristin

So I've met some amazing people on the boards at repo-opera.com

Mainly, they are in the Orlando area, and we're all working together to promote Repo! The Genetic Opera. We worked the room at an RHPS (Rocky Horror Picture Show for all you unwise peoples) hosted by the Rich Weirdos this past weekend.

It. Was. A. Mazing.

Just saying.

It was.

Pictures (click)

REPO POLO IN UNIVERSAL CITY WALK



We handed out homemade CDs and glow sticks and flyers that were overnighted to me from Mr. Bousman... (Not the CDs and the glow sticks, but the flyers.... and okay, it was probably Mr. Bousman's assistant, but that's besides the point!) We even got mad shout-outs from the emcee, Logan - so cute - and our Criminologist of the night, Steve, had a Repo Flyer up every time the spot light was on him! So COOL!

I've already arranged to show up to the Halloween showing which will be 500 people, guaranteed to sell out (it does every year)! I'm planning a prize pack for one of their Rocky Horror Contests - idk, a costume contest or something. It will have a number of things, but the only items I've decided for sure are two tickets to the screening of Repo! at the Enzian theater in Orlando ('cause it's going on tour).

I'm going to set up a Repo links box ... which... I have no idea why it took me so long to think of that at all. (I know right? *facepalm*)

Check out those places OFTEN. There are constant updates and cool stuff going on, especially on the forums! Come say hi to me - I'm krisb on there. (http://www.repo-opera.com/board)

http://sweetnovicane.livejournal.com/918502.html

I didn't write it, but I loved it, because it's almost exactly what happened to me. Go, read, enjoy.

One of the first things that was posted on Repo's Website. I really love this song - all of the songs I've heard, actually. If you get a chance to troll YouTube or go to Repo-opera.com this weekend, there are quite a few different vids to check out...

"Mark it Up" - both the actual film clip and the featurette
"Zydrate Anatomy" film clip
"Legal Assassin" Featurette (this one is actually my favorite - because ASH is my fav, duh)
and then there's the "17" film clip (embedded below)

Here's the YouTube Vid for "17":



the Lyrics:
SHILO
Seventeen! Mama drama's got to go, dad
Seventeen! Nothing's gonna bring her back
Seventeen! Experiment with something living
Seventeen! 'Cos I'm sweeter than 16

ALL
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey (x2)

(CHORUS) SHILO
(Seventeen!) I've always longed for true affection
(Seventeen!) But you compare me to a corpse!
(Seventeen!) Stay with the dead, I'm joining the living
'Cos I'm freer than sixteen!

ALL
Hey hey hey hey!
Hey hey hey hey! (x2)

[Joan Jett solo]

SHILO
Something's changing...
I can feel it...
I'm seventeen now
Why can't you see it?
Seventeen and you can't stop me
Seventeen and you won't boss me!
You cannot control me father,
Daddy's girl's a fucking monster!

... I won't do anything to you, except maybe beg.

So this is my first photoshop posting. Just a few notes up-front:

1. I use a wacom tablet to create almost everything I do in photoshop. If you attempt to perform the following task without a tablet - no matter the brand - you may just lose your mind.
   Get with the times.
   Get a tablet if you're going to use photoshop.
2. I'm using Photoshop CS3 to make these, and am providing the steps I used in that program. The steps you use may vary depending on the version and/or brand of program you're currently using.
3. I hope you enjoyed the tip. I'll be posting more - at least two a week if I try really really hard.

What gave me the idea for this posting was a tutorial I saw on one of the photoshop blogs I'm subscribed to through Google Reader (which is an AWESOME little webapp, by the way. If you don't have Google Reader, and you enjoy reading other people's blogs, you should get it. nuff said).

The tutorial was talking about the rising popularity of the hand-drawn or hand-written designs sweeping across the web. I think it's an amazing look, and anyone who would like to incorporate a similar look should also consider what I'm about to show you.

What this all boils down to is your Layer Blending Options. These will become your friends in times of great strife. Well, great strife when you're using Photoshop, anyways.

Layer Blending Options are accessible through right-clicking the layer you wish to toy with and clicking - *gasp* - Blending Options. The best way to get to know this handy feature is to play with it. Today, we're focusing on the inner shadow option (screenshot shown below).



Check out the difference Inner Shadow makes with a simple, handwritten message - Flat 2D Handwriting vs. Not-flat 3D Handwriting:


So play with your options, like the light angle, contour options, depth, size, jitter... all of it. Also, look at the screenshot of the Layer Blending Options again (above). I used the inner shadow, tweaked to the look I wanted, and voila! A nifty screenshot that blends into my background.

Easy, but useful (I hope).

K

And before you question me on the seemingly contradictory term of "funny nightmare", let me explain: I had a dream that was scary during the actual dream, but it was so funny when I woke up from it.

We on the same page? Good. 'Cause here's what happened...

I've been doing a mighty fine lot of surfing on the net these last coupla weeks, seeing what other people have to say about Repo! The Genetic Opera. I've also seen and read interviews from different actors/actresses regarding their thoughts on the fans (of all different stuff, but mainly BTVS).

In particular, I was laughing and shaking my head because Anthony Stewart Head (below) was talking about being held subject to a mob of fans at one of the Comic Cons, as well as various experiences with people trying to sneak a picture of him on the train, or approaching him when he's trying to have dinner with his family, etc etc etc.

I was thinking about that last night - about how ridiculous people can get when it comes to a celebrity. There is no way I'd do that to somebody. I just couldn't be that rude to someone who was obviously trying to spend time with their family, you know?

Well, here's where the nightmare part comes in. (Are you ready for this?)

I dreamt that I met ASH and I acted like a total idiot. I couldn't stop myself. It was like an out-of-body experience. I could see myself gibbering and doing every stupid thing a fan does - everything I've mentally spurned.

I had absolutely no will of my own.

And he had to call the police on me! I went to jail for harassment!! Can you believe it? ME?

I had to laugh at myself this morning. I mean, really, who dreams about that? Most people who dream about meeting their favorite celebrity often have a very different, pleasing outcome. Not that I would know about that sort of thing.

My brain spits crap like this at me instead of the fun stuff other people report.

Which is entirely unfair. Completely and entirely unfair.

So... I forgot to post an update on the fanfic front. I've been approved and posted as an author on Dusty's Of Demons and Destiny Giles site (under Giles/Buffy Authors, of course). Yeah, I had such a good day when I found out she was finally updating her website!

You can visit my author page here: KrisB on ODD

I am very proud of my story Family Fun, which I wrote a post about a few months back. It's a fun little piece where Xander and Willow are turned into little kids. Of course, it's up to Buffy and Giles to take care of the mini-scoobies until they can figure out how to fix 'em. And, as a matter of my own craziness, there is the beginnings of a relationship between Buffy and Giles. Hah!

Oops, dinner's done. Gotta go. Later!
K

So I've been checking out some different boards regarding my fav actor, Anthony Stewart Head (click for imdb listing), and I found out that he's going to be in a major role (not that piddly one-liner crap like with Sweeney Todd) AND it's a musical (ABSOLUTE SQUEE MOMENT in and of itself!) AND it's going to be a ROCK MUSICAL!

Can you tell I'm super excited?

If not, let me just say - I'm super excited.

Here's the place to go to see the trailer: Repo-opera.com

Here's a link to one of the Blog posts by the filmmaker (same guy responsible for the SAW movies): blog posting

Here's a link to the MySpace profile that has 3 songs from the soundtrack posted (it sounds pretty cool!): Repo-opera on MySpace

And finally, here is a picture that I found on google (whom I really really love).

So he might look a tad maniacal right there, but that's ASH playing THE REPO MAN. His job is to repossess organs from people who fail to make their payments. hehe, twisted, isn't it?

I CANNOT wait.

Still super excited.

Thought I'd tell ya, just in case you thought I'd calmed down. =)