Post by Jen-Ru Balon on May 19, 2005 12:57:11 GMT -5
I have been in the spotlight the last week due to the fact that I have been caping out at the theater to be the first through the doors. Of course it is all about the experience. On Monday we started the campout after I got off work. A local 501st trooper, Phil, had made arrangments to meet a newspaper reporter at the theater to talk fandom. They interviewed both of us. Then Phil packed up to go to Vegas thanks to Burger King needing more troopers. The reporter told us she was working on 2 different stories. The next day this article was in the paper with a picture of me in costume showing off our tent. I will hae to scan the picture later since they don't show them on the web.
The next morning a camera man from our local news station decided to drive by and get some footage of us. He had seen the paper and came straight out before even talking to one of the reporters. He took down my number and at lunch time they called asking me to return to the line (I was clocking in some hours at work) to meet with the reporter. I got there early and put on one of my costumes. They filmed and interviewed me for an hour. My mom got in on some of it too. Admiting that she helps watch the campsite during the day and then brings us dinner. She also said that we call her 'Jedi Mom." That evening at dinner the camera man returned and shoed us the almost complete copy of the segment. He needed some more footage of my cell phone playing the main title music. AT 10:00 the segment aired. It was very good. Serious, but with enough goffieness.....I sang the ewok song "Yub Nub"
Earlier that afternoon I met the newspaper reporter and photographer back at my house to see my Star Wars den. They took a lot of pics and asked me about everything.
That night as our small group was watching RotJ on a laptop, the manager came out and offered us a chance to get in onthe night before the release pre screening that theaters have to do. We of course immediatly threw all valuables int he cars and ran inside the theater. It was so hard to keep all the details to myself the next day when the others began to arrive. We still camped out and continued to act like we hadn't seen it.
The next morning one of the radio stations showed up. They had been talking about us since they saw us on the news. They sent one of the guys over with two boxes of donuts. He was surprised to find that we were the only ones in line. It is a lot different when the sell tickets in advance. I was interviewed on the radio over his cell phone.
As people began showing up to get in line during the day I had several people recognizing me. Several wanted pics with me. I lost count of the number of pictures that were taken. We were able to track down the person who bought the first ticket and trade them for our #6 ticket and a spot at the front of the line to get in. So I now have the first ticket sold in my town for all 3 prequals.
This morning the other newspaper article came out. The section is titled "Force Fanatics" There is a huge picture of me in my ANakin styled costume in my room with a wall full of Star Wars stuff behind me. Then there is a pic half that size that was a close up of Phil's face. You can barely see any of his costume. We each had our own articles. Phil's focuses a lot on the 501st and costuming. Mine is more general about all the types of fan stuff I am in to. You can read Phil's here and my article here.
I have had several people at work asking me about it all. My mom said I should carry a pen in case anyone wants my autograph. lol
My scanner is currently acting up, but once I get it working I will post the pics.
The next morning a camera man from our local news station decided to drive by and get some footage of us. He had seen the paper and came straight out before even talking to one of the reporters. He took down my number and at lunch time they called asking me to return to the line (I was clocking in some hours at work) to meet with the reporter. I got there early and put on one of my costumes. They filmed and interviewed me for an hour. My mom got in on some of it too. Admiting that she helps watch the campsite during the day and then brings us dinner. She also said that we call her 'Jedi Mom." That evening at dinner the camera man returned and shoed us the almost complete copy of the segment. He needed some more footage of my cell phone playing the main title music. AT 10:00 the segment aired. It was very good. Serious, but with enough goffieness.....I sang the ewok song "Yub Nub"
Earlier that afternoon I met the newspaper reporter and photographer back at my house to see my Star Wars den. They took a lot of pics and asked me about everything.
That night as our small group was watching RotJ on a laptop, the manager came out and offered us a chance to get in onthe night before the release pre screening that theaters have to do. We of course immediatly threw all valuables int he cars and ran inside the theater. It was so hard to keep all the details to myself the next day when the others began to arrive. We still camped out and continued to act like we hadn't seen it.
The next morning one of the radio stations showed up. They had been talking about us since they saw us on the news. They sent one of the guys over with two boxes of donuts. He was surprised to find that we were the only ones in line. It is a lot different when the sell tickets in advance. I was interviewed on the radio over his cell phone.
As people began showing up to get in line during the day I had several people recognizing me. Several wanted pics with me. I lost count of the number of pictures that were taken. We were able to track down the person who bought the first ticket and trade them for our #6 ticket and a spot at the front of the line to get in. So I now have the first ticket sold in my town for all 3 prequals.
This morning the other newspaper article came out. The section is titled "Force Fanatics" There is a huge picture of me in my ANakin styled costume in my room with a wall full of Star Wars stuff behind me. Then there is a pic half that size that was a close up of Phil's face. You can barely see any of his costume. We each had our own articles. Phil's focuses a lot on the 501st and costuming. Mine is more general about all the types of fan stuff I am in to. You can read Phil's here and my article here.
I have had several people at work asking me about it all. My mom said I should carry a pen in case anyone wants my autograph. lol
My scanner is currently acting up, but once I get it working I will post the pics.
