Triskele Press: Issue #2 by Azure Lorica

Interviewing The Stars Remembering Our Beloved Victorian Gentleman FanFilms: A Way of Life Empathetic Easter Manga Reviews

Triskele Press

Best Cinematograhy Winner FanFilm Awards 2016: Gabriel Galand

fanfilmawards.com

Triskele Press

Triskele Press Chief Editor

Publisher

Executive Editor

Art Director

Staff Editors

Designer

Vice President

Sally Duong

Danny Gonzales

Media Manager

Corp. Secretary-Treasurer

Stefanie Warner

Chairman & CEO

Eugene Cordell

Stefanie Warner

President

Stefanie Warner

Nina Reyes

Andrew Avak, Dante Anthony-Gaffield

Staff Writers

Diana Keeler

Andrew Avak, Amy Hall

Contributing Writers Danny Gonzales

Eugene Cordell

Photographers

Elysia Funtiveros, Jeffrey Clark

Contributing Photographers Thomas HP Jerusalem

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Speak up. Nerdcivilwar.com

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Triskele The Nerd Civil War Confessions by Eugene Cordell, hosting all three Nerd Civil War Panels in both Ninja-Con 2014 and 2015, and at BentCon 2014. Interviewing The Stars A two part interview session with Ninja-Con’s Guests of Honor, and the Winners of FanFilm Awards 2016. Remembering Our Beloved Victorian Gentleman Look into the story behind the world’s greatest detective: Sherlock Holmes.

triskelepress.com News and reviews of the independent entertainment industry, and societies. ninja-con.com Annual anime convention, and other programs hosted in certain west coast comic conventions. fanfilmawards.com Annual film and screenplay festival information. azure-lorica.org Business updates and official press releases from the Azure Lorica Foundation.

FanFilms: A Way of Life Dive into the ever growing art form in our geek generation.

driftplume.com Theatrical Ensemble producing radioplays.

FanFilm Awards: The Next FanFic Frontier Fan fiction has progressed on screen. It’s a new society, and it’s here to stay. Viva La Fandom!

nocturnalnotes.com Radioplays by Drift Plume. Romantic-Comedy Radioplays of the year 2007.

Pardon The Expansion Danny Gonzales reveals the challenges of Conmaking.

fatependulum.com Radioplays by Drift Plume. Supernatural-Thriller Radioplays on demons.

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Brief and beautiful, Triskele Press publishes sneak peeks, press releases, and countdowns to all the programs under the Azure Lorica Foundation

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The official events committee of the Azure Lorica Foundation, updating you on the newest festival, party, and gatherings for patrons, volunteers, and fans alike.

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All events hosted by every program under the Azure Lorica Foundation can be found here: Ninja-Con, FanFilm Awards, and deadlines for submissions in art, film, and literature.

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Triskele Press

Interviewing The :

Stars

Interview: Darrel Guilbeau

We ask voice actor, Darrel Guilbeau, a few questions about his nomination for Best Vocal Ensemble, his favorite character, his influences. He appeared at the FanFilm Awards as a guest reader for charity. We hope to see him at Ninja-Con too! In 2010, you were nominated for Best Vocal Ensemble in the Anime: Durarara!! How has your journey been as a Voice Actor? Funny you should ask as ‘DuRaRaRa x2’ has once again been nominated by BTVA for Best Vocal Ensemble. Despite any recognition, I think the journey of being a voice actor is not always an easy one! It is a constant of always looking for your next job. However, I love being on this trek. Am very grateful for every opportunity afforded me to work as an actor. Which is your favorite character you’ve voiced for? That is always a difficult question for a voice actor! I personally have a different affinity for each character I’ve voiced. But I will single out Mikado from ‘Durarara. I’ve really enjoyed inhabiting the character of Mikado and going along on his twisted journey in Ikebukuro and as I answer this question I still have 2 last episodes to record. Has also been a thrill to be a part of an ensemble of so many fantastical characters, talented voice actors and directors. Who were your influences, starting out in your career? As an actor I was heavily influenced by old black and white classic films. Also gritty performances by such actors as Al Pacino &amp; Robert DeNiro. And of course theater from American playwrights to Shakespeare. I never expected I would end up in the world of voice acting! You’ve performed a live reading for the FanFilm Awards. What’s it like to perform for charity? I enjoy being able to use my acting as a means to contribute to worthwhile causes. I’ve also been a part of Read to Kids to encourage literacy in local Los Angeles schools. As well as a staged reading performance to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. As a Voice Actor, what do you recommend people starting out in this industry should expect in their upcoming career? If you really want to do this, you need to expect to be in it for the long haul. It doesn’t happen overnight and there is no guarantee for any actor to have a long term career. Everyone’s path is different. But get as much acting experience and cold reading skills as you can. This will help you to have the confidence you need to get through the difficult times and to be ready when your opportunity does comes. May we ask what other animes you’ll be in next? A sneak peek, perhaps? I do have a series now playing in english on HBO Family throughout Asia called ‘Heroes Legend of the Battle Disks’. I play the arrogant Gaeru. Hope it comes to America soon.In the non anime world, I have a role in the film “LBJ” starring Woody Harrelson due out fall of 2016. Hopefully more to come!

Ninja-Con Interview: Richard Epcar

With Ninja-Con coming up quickly, we decided to interview Richard Epcar, the man of 500 voices and counting. We asked him about his favorite characters, his start in the industry, and his side career as a video producer. He will be appearing at Ninja-Con this year! Keep your eyes peeled and ears up because you never know if he will be right next to you.. How does it feel to be known as the man of 500 voices? It feels great! it would feel better to be the man of a 1000 voices. But the way things are going, that should be soon! Of all the characters you’ve voiced for, which one is your favorite? Well as you said, I’ve done over 500 characters and they all have a place in my heart. But if I had to pick just a few, I’d say Batou in Ghost in the Shell, The Joker, Raiden in Mortal Kombat, Amsem in Kingdom Hearts, Jigen in Lupin the Third and Ziggy in Xenosaga! You’re the only Voice Actor to have played the same character in both the original Japanese language and English dub version (Xenosaga Series). As well as voiced Inspector Koichi Zenigata and Daisuke Jigen in Lupin The 3rd, we’re all dying to know – what’s your secret? I smell really good! No, I’ve been very fortunate and I’m a very hard worker. And I love what I do! How did you get started in the Industry? What was your big break? My wife Ellyn Stern brought me into a voice audition about 30 years ago. I booked it and never stopped working. From that I was cast in Robotech, and the rest is history. Alongside your career as a Voice Actor-Director, you also own a voice production company. Can you tell us more about that? Ellyn and I owe Epcar Entertainment. We’ve been incorporated for 12 years and we direct, write, and produce a bunch of voice projects for all the big studios. We do games, animation and foreign film dubbing. And we’ve worked on a bunch of Academy Award winners! So many people in this new generation want to be where you are now. What advice could you give them to reach such aspirations? Go to medical school. No, seriously if this is something you really want to do, you can do it. But you have to become the best actor you can be. Train like an athlete training for the Olympics.It’s a super competitive business, you want to be sure you’re competitive when you go into audition. You also need to find your own voice. It’s what makes you unique that will make you stand out from the crowd! Be professional, show up on time, be easy to work with and if you have talent, you will get work! Good Luck!

Triskele Press

Ninja -Con Program anD Details

2016 Ninja-Con Event Grid Time

Plaza Stage JACCC Plaza

10am

Opening Ceremony with Miyuki Matsunaga

10:30

The Library Bards Performance

11am 11:30

Nakitora Crying Tiger Performance

12pm 12:30 1pm 1:30

Fashion Show

2pm

Midnight Shinigami Performance

2:30 3pm 3:30

LP1 Garden Room A (JACCC B level Floor)

5pm

Richard Epcar Q&A Panel

Newgrounds + Animation Panel

Chocolate Cover Cosplay Q&A Panel

Dustbunny, Nana Bear & Sarah Strom Q &A Panel

Darrel Guilbeau Q&A Panel

Chibi Cosplay: Children and Family cosplay

Stephanie Nadolny Q&A Panel

FanFilm Awards: Film Screening

Peipei

Jojo’s Bizarre Fan Panel

VKEI 101: A History of Visual Shock

Nerd Civil War

The Library Bards Q&A Panel

DURARARA!! Panel

Makeup 101 (Liner and Lashes)

Richard Epcar’s Famous Out Take Panel (18+)

Midnight Shinigami & Nakitora Crying Tiger Q&A Panel

Looking for Miku: Making an Anime Fan Film

Pro Wrestling

Burai Stand Alone

Cooking with Ashi-Chan

Masquerade Closing stage with Robert Biehn

6:30 7pm

Sokei Tea – authentic Japanese Urasenke Tea Ceremony

7:30

Comedy Hour (18+)

8pm 8:30

10am – Plaza Stage - Opening Ceremony with Miyuki Matsunaga Kicking off 2016 with Geta- Dancer Miyuki Matsunaga. Emcee Miguel Costa and Robert Biehn introduce all of our guests of honor and a few words from the CEO of Azure Lorica and Chairman of Ninja-Con 11am – Plaza Stage - Library Bard Performance The Library Bards are the premiere Nerd Parody Band! Bonnie Gordon (ABC's The Quest, R. Mika) and Xander Jeanneret (TBS' King of the Nerds) join forces to transform Top 40 hits into the nerdy versions they should have been in the first place. 11am – LP1 - Richard Epcar Q&A Panel Open panel discussion with Richard Epcar. Autograph session to follow after Q&A. 11am – LP2 – Newgrounds + Animation Panel Interested in animation or a user of Newgrounds? Chris O'Neill (OneyNG, Sleepy Cabin), Sandra Rivas (Studio Yotta), Jaxamoto (Studio Yotta), Forosha (Studio Yotta), Nicole Rodriguez (Shnikkles), Perry Hull (PBS's Ruff Ruffman) Josh Chambers (MrChambers) will answer your questions concerning art, voice acting, and animation!

“K – Missing Kings” Movie Screening & Fan Panel

Captain Savvy Singa-long (18+)

Time

Calling all fans of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure! Come learn about the different parts of this fantastic series, try your hand at answering trivia about the manga, and show off your best poses for the chance to win small prizes. 2pm – LP2 - VKEI 101: A History of Visual Shock Join A-To-J Connections as they dissect the ins and outs of the Visual Kei scene around the world! From X JAPAN, BUCK-TICK, and MALICE MIZER to Mejibray, BugLug, and Dir en grey, we will cover it all and everything in between! This panel will cover topics such as the fandom, the various sub-genres, and the style that goes hand-in-hand with VKei! Expect information, videos, giveaways and lots of fun! This panel will have something for everyone, fan and newcomer alike! 2pm – LP3 – Nerd Civil War Take a stand today! Nerd Civil War is a Discussion Panel against unfair treatment by bullies, sexual harrassers, and overall discrimination within the Convention events nationwide. 2pm – Gaming Room - UMVC3 Tournament Sign up before 2pm 2:30pm – Plaza Stage - Midnight Shinigami Performance Live performance by Guest of Honor Midnight Shinigami

12pm – Plaza Stage - Nakitora Crying Tiger Performance Live performance by Guest of Honor Band Nakitora Crying Tiger

3pm – LP1 – The Library Bards Q&A Panel The Library Bards are a nerd parody band, made up of Bonnie Gordon (ABC's The Quest) and Xander Jeanneret (TBS' King of the Nerds). They take Top 40 hits and transform them into the nerdy versions they should have been in the first place! Come to this Q&A session and find out what it takes to create parody tracks and music videos, and bring any other burning questions you have for the pair!

12pm – LP1 – Dustbunny, Nana Bear and Sarah Storm Cosplay Q&A Panel Open panel discussion with Dustbunny, Nana Bear and Sarah Storm Cosplay 12pm – LP2 - Darrel Guilbeau Q&A Panel Open panel discussion with Darrel Guilbean. Autograph session to follow after Q&A 12pm – LP3 - Chibi Cosplay: Children and Family cosplay Learn how to make children's cosplay on a budget and stay accurate to the character. Family cosplay tips and how to make cosplay comfortable and durable. Also con survival tips for families with small children. Samples of materials for costumes and props are there for you to examine. Questions are encouraged and we will have two kid cosplayers for you to talk to as well. 1pm – Plaza Stage - Fashion Show Ninja-Con is proud to announce its first fashion show event. Ninja-Con is known for it’s love for the independent geek culture and that includes the fashion realm. We are proud to gather a group of indie designers to show off their majesty for all you fashion and geek fanatics! Be there to witness the fashion of the summer! 1pm – LP1 - Stephanie Nadolny Q&A Panel Open panel discussion with Stephanie Nadolny. Autograph session to follow after Q&A 1pm – LP2 - FanFilm Awards: Film Screening Watch the best of FanFilm Awards! These award winning pieces are fanfic masterpieces of popular books, games, and shows wrapped in ten minutes (or less) of solid gold. Beginning with Pirates of the Carribean, Aquaman, and many more! Visit us for more info: fanfilmawards.com 1pm – LP3 - Peipei POC in Comics - This panel focuses on the subject of People of Color in Comics and popular media. This can range from mainstream comics to indie comics as well as webcomics. The panel will discuss prominent characters of color in the mainstream comic book and webcomic scene, the recent boom in independent comic artists today as well as current issues within the comic and geek industry. There will also be an open dialogue, discussions and guest participation are welcome and encouraged

3pm – LP2 - DURARARA!! Panel For fans and those who want to learn more about the popular anime. Darrel Guilbeau the voice of Mikado, will share his experiences of being a part of this anime, as well as behind the scenes info. This is an interactive panel, so bring your Durarara!! questions, opinions and cosplay. There will also be giveaways to a few lucky attendees! 3pm – LP3 - Makeup 101 (Liner and Lashes) Practice your makeup skills and get some fun tips on using liquid eyeliner, applying lashes and coloring eyebrows. Perfect for cosplay, everyday or special occasions. 3:30pm – Plaza Stage – Burai Stand Alone Burai Productions! You will be drawn into the world of the 1850s in Japan by those storytellers. Don’t miss out their breathtaking authentic sword fighting! Also, please like, "burai standing all alone" on facebook for any update! 4pm – LP1 - Cooking with Ashi-Chan Come Join Ashi Chan as she cooks her way through some of your favorite anime food. A Live food demo with samples will teach you how and why food is so important in anime. 4pm – LP2 - Richard Epcar’s Famous Out Take Panel (18+) Outtakes from 3 shows I've worked on, Lupin the Third, Noein, and Bobobo-bobobobo! 4pm – LP3 – Midnight Shinigami and Nakitora Crying Tiger Q&A Panel Open panel discussion with Midnight Shinigami and Nakitora Crying Tiger 4pm – Gaming Room – SF5 Tournament Sign up before 4pm

11am 11:30 12pm 12:30 1pm 1:30

UMVC3 Tournament (Sign ups before 2pm) SF5 Tournament (Sign ups before 4pm)

Smash Bros (Sign ups before 6pm)

The Dub Show (+18)

11am – LP3 – Chocolate Cover Cosplay Q&A Panel Open panel discussion with Chocolate Cover Cosplay

2pm – LP1 - Jojo’s Bizarre Fan Panel

Gaming Garden Room B (JACCC B Level Floor)

10:30

5:30 6pm

LP3 Cultural Room (JACCC 5th Floor)

10am

4pm 4:30

LP2 Dozeki Gallery (JACCC 1st Floor)

2pm 2:30 3pm 3:30 4pm 4:30 5pm 5:30 6pm 6:30 7pm 7:30 8pm 8:30

4:30pm – Plaza Stage – Masquerade Everyone knows the best way to show off a costume is at the masquerade. Contestants will be able to strut their stuff, show off, maybe even do a skit in front of all attendees. There are excellent prizes from our sponsors Anime Jungle, Epic Cosplay Wigs, Cosplay in America and Crunchyroll. 5pm – LP2 - Looking for Miku: Making an Anime Fan Film Come to a screening of “Looking for Miku”, an award-nominated anime fan film, then stay for a Q&A with the filmmakers! Some of the topics to be covered include: developing a script that pays homage to nerd culture yet remains accessible to the general public; finding cast and crew; dealing with the challenges of on-location shooting; editing and other post-production work; and upcoming projects. Convention premiere! 5pm – LP3 - Pro Wrestling JON ALLEN once again gives you a backstage pass to listen and speak to actual pro-wrestlers and learn about life inside the squared circle! Featuring the former "Kizarny" from WWE, the creator of Freakshow Wrestling, SINN BODHI! Returning from last year's pannel will be the legendary BALLARD BROTHERS Shane and Shannon! Also joining the group will be XPW and FUW's SHADY! If you're into epic battles with cutting dialogue, colorful outfits and flashy entrances, come check it out! 6pm – Plaza Stage - Closing stage with Robert Biehn Live performance by emcee Robert Biehn as he sets of our 2016 Ninja-Con Stage 6pm – LP1 - Sokei Tea – authentic Japanese Urasenke Tea Ceremony Come witness one of the most historical tradition that started 100s of years ago in Japan by the honorable tea master Sen Rikyuu. You know all about the pop culture side of Japan, now you'll get to learn about the authentic and historical side of this beautiful country. The renowned tea master Sokei Takahashi Sensei and Rayko of Lolita Dark as in hantou, will entertain you with tranquil and euphoric moments you'll never forget with organic matcha tea and ceremonial sweets! 6pm – Gaming Room – Smash Bros Tournament Sign up before 6pm 6:30pm – LP2 – “K – Missing Kings” Movie Screening & Fan Panel Premiering the K: Missing Kings movie sponsored by VIZ Media. Fan panel after the movie which includes a light description of the series, fanbase, Q & As with the panelists dressed and acting like your favorite [K] characters, games, prizes and more~! 6:30pm – LP3 - Captain Savvy Sing-a-long (18+) Captain’s Savvy Singalong Crew is a professional musical act that prides itself on celebrating the diverse aspects of otaku and nerd pop culture. The group uses music and comedy as a way to share their love for all things geek-chic while engaging their fans and audience. All performances are accompanied by lyrical presentations in order to encourage fans to sing along. 8pm – LP1 - Comedy show (18+) A night of comedy at Ninja con. Not recommended for young audiences 8pm – LP3 - The Dub Show Welcome to a game show panel where you get to put your improv comedy skills to work. Come compete or just enjoy the show as others provide their own original dubs to these anime clips. But be prepared. The Dub Show is known for having wild situations and crazy themes to spice up performances.

Artist Alley & Vendor hours: 10am-7pm ♦ Swapmeet hours: 7:30pm-9pm Gaming Room hours: 10am-9pm ♦ Food Truck hours: 10am-9pm

Triskele Press 11

Fan Films:

A Way of Life By: Andrew Avak

nybody who watches films, undoubtedly, has seen or been exposed to FanFilms. Although FanFilms have been in existence since films were invented—the first fanbased film being produced as early as 1926, based on the 1920’s series ‘Our Gang’—it has gained popularity on the web over recent years.

ed and produced a film entitled, Batman Dracula, where the full-length motion picture revolves around the caped crusader and the Transylvanian count who’s out for blood. Oftentimes campy, the films tend to provide homage to the originating subject and aim to follow the persona or theme of the initial protagonist, hero, villain,etc.

FanFilms are simply what the coalesced term states: They are video productions created by fans that follow a certain genre of films influenced by comic books, television programs, films and other mediums. With its fluidity to mold into any genre one’s heart desires, FanFilms can be comprised of a combination of various themes. They can also conjoin two separate iconic figures (e.g. superheroes and horror figures) and compose them into a single film. For example, the American Pop Art master Andy Warhol direct-

Needless to say, there have been countless FanFilms produced, and some of the adapted works are derived from popular films, which include: Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, among several other blockbuster hits. However, the films are not specifically influenced based on other films, where some FanFilms follow the thematic formula of comic book heroes, such as Batman, Spider-Man, or The Green Goblin (not a hero!), whereas, others reproduce video game stars, like Super Mario or Zelda.

Today FanFilms have drawn worldwide attention and are loved by nations around the globe. Our very own Azure Lorica just hosted a Press Night on behalf of the FanFilm Award Ceremony, and here is a list of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winners:

BEST PICTURE: Aquaman: The Cast of the Angler BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Horla BEST ANIMATION: Star Wars: A Toy Story BEST DIRECTOR: Andrew Chamber for The Detectives of Noir Town BEST ACTRESS: Mannette Antill as Margo Lane, in The Shadow BEST ACTOR: Adam Purti as Dr. Watson, in Elemental (Mi Querido Watson) BEST FAN REPRESENTATION: Force-Full Imagination BEST SCREENPLAY (Film): Chuck Steinmann for The Shadow

-BEST SCRIPT (Non-film): Brian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Flaherty for Star Wars: The Redemption of Skywalker

hen it comes to letting your imagination come to life, the possibilities are endless. And what better way to revive imagery than to present our most beloved fictional characters? Join us on our webpage, triskelepress.com, to learn about upcoming events, read up on the latest FanFilm news, follow interviews with Fan Film stars, and learn more about the FanFilm culture. You may also visit the FanFilms web page to get a recap of the 2016 winners, as well as see some of the highlights of the award ceremony. The FanFilm Award demonstrated a promising turnout and we look forward to hosting future ceremonies. We hope to see you at our next event!

Editor: Andrew Avak

ndrew Avak is writer, editor, and proofreader, working out of Los Angeles, California. During his adolescence, he enjoyed reading the twentieth century classics written by Hemingway, Saroyan, Steinbeck, but as he grew into adulthood, he began reading English literature from Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton, all the way to Orwell, Maugham, and Joyce. In September of 2015, he published his debut novella Eyedentify and is currently working on a variation of short stories. He currently lives in Glendale,CA with his wife Alina who works as an editor and proofreader, working in Los Angeles, California. During his adolescence, he enjoyed reading the twentieth century classics written by Hemingway, Saroyan, Steinbeck, but as he grew into adulthood, he began reading English literature from Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton, all the way to Orwell, Maugham, and Joyce. In September of 2015, he published his debut novella Eyedentify and is currently working on a variation of short stories.

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Best Actor Winner 14

FanFilm Awards 2016: Adam Purti as Dr. Watson fanfilmawards.com

Remembering Our Beloved

Victorian Gentleman By: Andrew Avak

“For strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life itself, which is always far more daring than any effort of the imagination.” - arthur Conan Doyle

hen the words ‘detective novels’ are mentioned, most of us think of Sherlock Holmes. And why not? His famous wit, iconic image of wearing a deerstalker hat and calabash pipe and aptitude at solving cases has put detective Sherlock Holmes on the map as one of the great fictional characters and a celebrity in the world of crime fiction. The collective novels of Mr. Holmes are known throughout the world and it’s thanks to the vast literary collection— 10 books, 22 novels, and 204 stories to name a few—of one man: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle had a modest upbringing and was able to receive an established education through his well-off relatives who took care of him after his father’s untimely passing. As a physician and writer growing up in Picardy Place, Sir Conan Doyle had a relentless flair for prose and the written expression. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, under the wing of an Irish Catholic mother and an English father with an Irish Catholic descent. Although his upbringing was rooted in Catholicism, his beliefs are often viewed as agnostic, and he shared no particular religious affiliation. At age seventeen, our future crime novelist attended University of Edinburgh Medical School, while studying botany at the Royal Botanic Garden.

interest in writing led him to complete his first collection of short stories, which were released through such publications as Blackwood’s Magazine and Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal. Although various academic articles were also written, it quickly became evident that he had a zeal for one subject matter, and that was the genre of literature and fiction. With “The Mystery of the Sasassa Valley”, the strategic elements of mystery fiction were beginning to formulate and his passions that would later ensue in crime fiction and detective novels were slowly falling in place. His keen interests in fiction revolved around crime and murder mystery quickly gained notoriety and it was in the year 1886 that the public release of A Study in Scarlet paved the way for his early detective books, which introduced the names Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson that has till this day withstood the test of time. Although his early works introducing Holmes and Watson received rejections from various publications (e.g. A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of The Four), the national press quickly turned his work into a popular detective read at the turn of the century.

Today Sherlock Holmes is one of the most frequently used subject figures in books, film, and media. The PBS British series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes, has been a televised hit and has gained public praise, receiving a 9.3 out of 10 stars During his medical studies, an on IMDB. The film Mr. Holmes with Ian

McKellen is another Sherlockian rendition based on Mitch Cullin’s 2005 novel, “A Slight Trick of the Mind”, which is sold worldwide, along with the film favoring among film festivals in 2015. And let’s not forget Guy Ritchie’s directed 2009 film Sherlock Holmes and the 2011 sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows about the detective duo, brilliantly portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Dr. Watson). March marks the month when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ventured into the imaginative mystery and first created the character that has become a milestone for the ages. Out of the approximate two hundred historical texts, novels, pamphlets, poems, and short stories written, the sixty stories revolved around Sherlock Holmes have become the most revered and popularized works read and adapted by any author, and over the course of 130 years after the birth of our beloved mysterysolver, he still reigns supreme as the greatest detective ever known. To learn more about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, his biography is available online at arthurconandoyle.com. You can also visit the official website, sherlockholmes.com, where the history of detective Holmes is shared, along with memorabilia with his iconic image, adorned in his signature hat and pipe, that are available for sale.

Triskele Press 15

Triskele Press 17

Interviewing The :

Stars

Interview: Andrew Chambers

Best Director of FanFilm Awards 2016 What was your inspiration for Detectives of Noir Town? The original idea came from me and a filmmaking friend and actor (Paul Layton) wanting to make a little video for Youtube and start our own channel. We used our smart phones to film and light it. I was fascinated with old Noir Movies at the time, so I pitched the story idea of a Detective stuck in a film Noir, but his voice over monologue kept on distracting him and getting in the way of solving the case. Paul really liked the idea and minutes later we ran down on the streets and were filming and improvising lines. The film turned out really well for something so indie. I am a huge Jim Henson fan and 2 years later I found myself wanting to make a film with puppets and I searched for puppets on eBay, there was a great puppet-maker in the Philippines that made custom puppets of any design. He designed and sent over 9 puppets that all had an old Hollywood Noir look. They looked amazing. I asked Paul if I could rewrite the script to incorporate puppets and if we could shoot later on the year. With a film festival deadline hanging over us we started organising a film that would be a bit bigger than the one we shot on our iPhones. The quality was amazing for this film. How indie was this production? It was as indie as you can get. Some people say they have a skeleton crew with eight or so people, but with our little puppet film there were some days it was just Paul and I on set and that’s pretty hard when you have a puppet to operate. The most crew we had was 2-3 more members. A DOP on some days and 2 extra puppeteers. We didn’t record sound on location and we just set up lights before shooting. The whole budget of the film was paid for on my bank cards. I knew I had to prove my skills as a director before a producer would invest in me, so I was happy to pay to have the film look how I wanted. Who were the Puppeteers? Throughout filming we all had a go at operating the puppets and the arm rods, but our lead puppeteer is my usual lighting guy Jason Thomas. With no previous experience he did an amazing job. We did all get a masterclass in puppeteering by Sue Wallace, the very talented puppeteer who runs the Sydney Puppet Theatre here in Australia. This was a hilarious piece. Was directing a comedy a challenge? No, not for us. If anything doing drama would be a challenge. Paul and I are massive comedy fans, any time Paul and I are on set we make each other laugh by quoting anything from Monty Python to Danny Kaye. Also we figure the world is glum enough without us adding to it, we thought it best to try to put a smile on people’s faces. There is something so gratifying in making someone laugh uncontrollably and with comedies, an audience will tell you straight away if it works or doesn’t. It’s harder with dramas – people can hide their boredom if it doesn’t work. Were there other challenges in producing Detectives of Noir Town? There are always challenges with every film we make and what’s surprising is that the challenges are always different. We thought we were going to have it much easier this time around, as there was no sound recorded while filming. It was just play-back and the puppeteers would do the dialogue. The big challenge was doing the puppets and making them look convincing. We had never done anything with puppets before and some people study it for years, so we really needed to be on our A game. 18

FanFilm Awards We had to learn to be better filmmakers as well. Normally I could say to an actor, “say that line with an expression of authority on your face,” but with emotionless faces, the camera movement and angles needed to add that information e.g a low angle shot on a puppet to show power or a high angle to make the character come across as inferior. How long did the production take to complete? 12 days. Most directors like to say that they filmed a short in one day. It makes the cast and crew think you’re efficient and quick. But this was very ambitious and we didn’t have the luxury of a large crew to do lots of set-ups in a short amount of time. Also puppets slow things down, everything from continuity, eyeliner lip-sync. So we planned every shot out in advance and got small crew of 1-3 people. We shot for 1-4 hours each day over 12 days. We could only shoot at night as people had to work and we had to be done at 12am as the sound would annoy neighbours. We shot the whole film in and around my house, dressing the location up so it always looked different. The police turned up on one night as my neighbour told them that we were making a blow up doll fetish sex film on the road outside. The police laughed when they arrived and it was just a hooker puppet on them road scene. Is there more coming from Noir Town? We have had some interest from producers to turn Noir Town into a series, either for the web or television, so we are having regular meetings and writing scripts. People seem to love puppets and we’re happy to make more. More about Andrew Chambers – Director, Writer, Producer Andrew (Sydney, Australia) has been a long-time fan of the making of movies nearly as much as watching them. At a young age he fell in love with filmmaking and discovered a strong talent for writing and directing. Andrew attended filmmaking courses at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and AFTRS Melbourne to round out his skill set. This gave him the confidence to write, produce and direct a full season of 25 Frames (a movie review and comedy sketch show) for TVS a community station in Australia. Several short films later, Andrew wrote, produced and directed his stand-out comedy short ‘My Thoughts Exactly’ which was screened at the Sydney Underground Film Festival in 2014 and Andrew is currently working on developing the concept of ‘My Thoughts Exactly’ into a television series and he is also touring his recently completed self-funded puppet short film ‘The Detectives of Noir Town’ around the world. It has played at nearly 70 festivals around the world and won has 13 awards so far.

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best Director Winner

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Fan Representation Winner

Interviewing The :

Stars

Interview: James Eimermann

We interviewed James Eimmerman, winner of the Best Fan Representation Award, we discussed his innovative ideas and the production process of his exciting film. Mr. Eimmerman has been proud to also introduce his daughter into the film. Most Star Wars FanFilms adapted stories from the films and novels, but you took a completely different direction. Can you explain this creative direction? Force-Full Imagination is primarily a story about the wondrous time of childhood when your house is a home and your home is the world. For myself, and now thirty years later for my daughter as well, our primary catalyst and inspiration to imagine comes from the mythology of Star Wars. The toys and imaginary world in the film could have come from numerous other franchises like Marvel or G.I. Joe, but ultimately the film is a lighthearted B-Movie that serves as a love letter to the world that Lucas built.While I could have done a Fan Film taking place within the Star Wars universe, I felt that creating an imaginary world within childhood fandom for Star Wars itself was a story that deserved to be told, especially for those fans who go as far back as the Kenner Star Wars years and remember those times as epic in and of themselves for the hours of play they provided. Where did you find these impressive action figures? Are they your collection? The majority of the toys in the film are from Hasbro’s The Clone Wars Toy line done in the Clone Wars animated style. They are part of my daughter Michelle’s collection. Ironically, we tried to include a “paradox” of styles in the climax of the film with Darth Vader’s figure sculpted in the “realistic” style, yet interacting with Obi-Wan and the Clones from the Clone Wars style/era. The cool thing is in this imaginary world you can have a young Obi-wan interact with Darth Vader with the clones protecting their Jedi General Kenobi! The special effects were great in Force-Full Imagination, especially with the cinematography. May I ask what equipment you used to produce these amazing shots? The film was shot on the Red One Camera using Zeiss Master Prime Lenses. This equipment was made possible to use because of their availability at Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. Other items, such as the J.L. Fischer Dolly and Jib Arm were rented out for the shoot. Each shot was storyboarded in advance. However, you still need a talented eye behind the camera which DP Arden Tse artfully provided. To be brief and in very broad strokes, the visual effects were done by a very talented team of people each covering different areas of VFX. While one person was responsible for lightsabers, flares and glows, another was responsible for texturing, rotoscoping and green screen work with the toys. I am very grateful for everyone’s work and I believe many people fail to realize the amount of time it takes working with key frames and so on to make an effect not only look good, but also right for the cinematography and the tone of the film.

FanFilm Awards How was it like to work with children in your film production? Michelle is actually my daughter, whom I was originally hesitant to cast because of some of the complexities involved with the shoot as well as her inexperience with acting. However, the majority of my classmates involved with the production pushed me to cast Michelle because they have been with her on my other film sets and seen her cameo a few times. My DP especially requested her. I think he thought a redhead would look more cinematic. The easy part was she took direction well and loved having so many people at the house. It also helped that she literally lived on set as it was shot in our apartment. The only difficulties were Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strict rules regarding the presence of a studio teacher on set and the amount of time a minor could be in front of the camera. My wife and I also had a deeper insight into our daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tolerance threshold, when she was done for the day, and when to switch to shooting B-roll. Hunter had a wealth of experience already as an actor so he was great to work with. He was a consummate professional and brought his own sense of youthful imagination to the set. It helped that Michelle and Hunter hit it off. In the end, the greatest hindrance was not working with and directing kids, it was the limit on time to work with them. Is there more of Force-Full Imagination? Force-Full Imagination Pt. 2 and Pt. 3 are already in the can and going through post-production. Part 2 will be coming out in the Summer of 2016 with Part 3 sometime in 2017. Expect the conflict between Michelle and her brother Chris to intensify within the embattled, imaginary world they engage in. There will also be some other fun paradoxes with the toys as the trilogy continues and concludes. Along with may twists and turns, Part 2 will definitely raise the stakes and Part 3 goes down a darker road!

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Interviewing The :

Stars

Interview: Raymond Montemayor

DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, AND WRITER OF STAR WARS: A TOY STORy. We interviewed Raymond Montemayor, electrical engineer turned successful filmmaker, we asked him about his film, Star Wars: A Toy Story, and his experience as he made his film. We learned how he was able to balance the many hats he wore as a one-man production team and even learned about his collection of vintage toys. Could you tell what Star Wars: A Toy Story is about? It’s a story about a Star Wars fanatic, Lucas, who decides to sell his Star Wars toy collection to keep his overbearing girlfriend, Annie, happy. She doesn’t understand his Star Wars fandom and thinks he’s immature. Annie gives him an ultimatum to choose her or Star Wars. An unbelievable adventure with his toys makes Lucas realize that he doesn’t need to change for anyone. This film was produced for the 2015 Star Wars Fan Film Awards, which imposed a five-minute time limit. With such a short film, I wanted to tell a simple story about that feeling many hardcore Star Wars fans (or fans of anything for that matter) get, where we feel like there may not be someone special out there for us who can understand our fandom. The message I wanted to give is that we should all be ourselves and not compromise for anyone. The credit show you wearing several hats in this production. How was the experience in being a one-man production team? It was challenging to say the least! I intentionally took on as many roles as possible to immerse myself in the process of film making from start to finish. I didn’t go to film school, and everything I know about motion graphics and visual effects was self-taught. I wanted to learn the hard way about everything I didn’t know about making a film. I also wanted to minimize the number of people that might be embarrassed if this project turned out to be a bust! Except for acting, I did every job required to produce and promote this short film. The roles I took on were writer, producer, director, casting, director, set design, cinematographer, audio engineer, editor, animator, visual effects artist, colorist, and sound designer. I also coded and maintain our official website, as well as promote our film through social media and film festivals. I had the fortune of getting help from the good folks at Grijalva Films (Carlos Grijalva and Robbie Tharp) filming our shots at Balboa Park. There were a lot of technical things I had to pick up in a short amount of time, and I learned just enough to be able to produce the film in time for the submission deadline. Despite all of my preparation, it was certainly stressful at times as I was figuring things out on the fly. I still have a lot to learn, but it has been a tremendous learning experience so far, and I’m glad I decided to take on so much myself.

FanFilm Awards Star Wars: A Toy Story was produced by PixelPlex. Who is PixelPlex? I am PixelPlex! Technically, PixelPlex®, LLC is the company I formed to run my freelance business, through which I provide services in motion graphics, visual effects, 3D animation, and other creative services. It’s a one-man operation which I founded in 2012 after making a change from my previous career as an electrical engineer. The animation was impressive. How was the process? Thanks for the kind words! By the time we completed filming all our shots, I only had three days to complete postproduction, including all the visual effects. The process was quite stressful, and I only slept for a few hours during those three days. Regardless of the time constraint, the animation was challenging. We used two types of animation, computer animation using 3D computer models and stop-motion animation using Star Wars action figures. I used computer animation for the toy ships in the police car chase. I was able to do this fairly efficiently thanks to my experience with computer animation for my client work through PixelPlex. Due to time constraints, I decided to license 3D models of the ships rather than try to model them myself. I used Adobe After Effects and a plug-in from Video Copilot called Element 3D for all the computer animation and compositing with the live-action footage. The stop-motion animation was a completely different story. I had no prior experience with stop-motion animation, so I had to quickly get up to speed, which I was able to do thanks YouTube! The main challenge is that Star Wars action figures are not made for stop-motion animation. Real stop-motion puppets have metallic armatures, which are basically skeletons with ball joints that are highly articulate and poseable, around which the puppets are built up. Toy action figures have no such internal structure. They’re molded pieces of plastic held together by various types of joints, which typically have limited motion and are difficult to move smoothly in small increments. The toys I used in particular had very few points of articulation. Because of this, I stayed away from trying to animate the figures walking; I only shot and animated from the waist up. I also re-used shots as much as possible, in particular the interaction between Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 in front of the computer. Shots with short lines of dialogue were fairly simple to do, such as the exchanges amongst Han Solo, Princess Leia, and C-3PO. A little bit of high-quality stop motion in these cases went a long way. The real magic happened once we married the animations to the voices of our actors.

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Whose action figure and paraphernalia collection was used in this film? All of the Star Wars items in the film are from my personal collection. Most of the items I’ve had for decades, such as the posters, books, comic books, and many of the toys. Whatever Star Wars items I had from my childhood are long gone unfortunately. I started re-collecting in the mid-90’s when the expanded universe novels, comic books, and video games started taking off. When the Special Edition Trilogy was released in theaters in the late 90’s I began collecting action figures once again. Those films led to the Prequels, for which I also collected various items, and it continues from there. I had to purchase a few items specifically for the film to support the story, in particular the TIE Fighter and the Princess Leia action figure. The only Star Wars items in the film that aren’t mine are the clothing. Our lead actor, Edwin Frank Ortiz, happened to have a nice collection of Star Wars themed clothing from Adidas which he wore for the film. I supplemented that by purchasing a Star Wars beanie for him to wear. Our lead actress, Taylor Koster, bought a vintage t-shirt featuring The Empire Strikes Back for the film. Were the voices dubbed by your actors, or did you take snippets from the original Star Wars films? The voices used for the toys were all original recordings by our actors. I wanted viewers to feel a bit of nostalgia for the original Star Wars film, so wherever possible I used lines verbatim from A New Hope that would fit our story. Taylor did double duty voicing Princess Leia (as well as Annie on the phone at the beginning of the film). Our Director of Photography for our shoot at Balboa Park, Rob Tharp, voiced Luke Skywalker’s character. The voiceovers for the rest of the toys were provided by a very talented actor, Robert Nixon. He did the voices for Han Solo, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and C-3PO. He spent a lot of time listening to audio references from A New Hope, and he did a wonderful job mimicking Harrison Ford, James Earl Jones, Alec Guinness, and Anthony Daniels. Where else has your film been screened? So far we have screened at the following film festivals: The Star Wars Fan Film Awards at StarWars.com (March 9 – 27, 2015) The San Diego CityBeat Five Minute Film Festival (September 3, 2015) The ZedFest Film Festival in Burbank, CA (November 5 – 8, 2015) The Rhode Island Comic-Con Film Festival (November 6 – 8, 2015) The San Diego Fall Film Festival (November 13 – 15, 2015) #TheForceAwakens Fan Video Challenge at TentSquare.com (Nov. 23, 2015 – Dec. 28, 2016) The Super Geek Film Festival at Magic City Comic Con in Miami, FL (January 15 – 17, 2016) The Long Beach Comic Expo (February 20 – 21, 2016) The FanFilm Awards in Los Angeles, CA (February 27, 2016) The FirstGlance Film Festival Los Angeles 2016 Shorts Online contest (April 18 – May 17, 2016) We are scheduled to screen at the following film festivals through the end of 2016: MegaCon Orlando (May 26 – 29, 2016) FanExpo Dallas (June 3 – 5, 2016) SuperToyCon in Las Vegas, NV (August 5 – 7, 2016) FanExpo Canada in Toronto (September 1 – 4, 2016) Rose City Comic Con in Portland, OR (September 10 – 11, 2016) Long Beach Comic Con (September 17 – 18, 2016) New York Comic Con (October 6 – 9, 2016) Phoenix Comic Con (October 22 – 23, 2016) Stan Lee’s Comikaze in Los Angeles, CA (October 28 – 30, 2016) Tucson Comic Con (November 4 – 6, 2016) New Jersey Comic Expo (November 19 -20, 2016) We’ve submitted to and are still waiting to hear back from Gen Con in Indianapolis, The ZONE Sci-Fan Film Festival in Houston, and San Diego Comic Con. Where can we find more of your films? Star Wars: A Story was my first short film. I’m currently producing a sequel, Star Wars: The Toys Awaken, which we’re targeting to release this summer just before San Diego Comic Con. You’ll be able to find it at my Star Wars fan film website (http://starwars.pixelplex.com) as well as on my business website (http://www.pixelplex.com). Viewers can subscribe to my YouTube channel for all my latest Star Wars fan films, including trailers, behind the scenes footage, and more (http://bit.ly/1QpAP0d). I’m also in the beginning stages of planning a series of 1-minute stop-motion short films which I’ll be publishing on these same sites. In the long-term I’m planning to develop an original sci-fi / horror feature film. You can stay up-to- date on all the latest projects by following us on social media. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWarsToyStories/ Twitter: @SWToyStories YouTube: http://bit.ly/1QpAP0d 26

Google+: http://bit.ly/1r22IH9 Instagram: @starwarstoystories IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4502192/

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Best Animation Winner

BEst Film Winner

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Interviewing The :

Stars

Interview: Thomas Farr

Best Film of Fanfilm Awards 2016 We’re all begging to know: how did you recreate the 1970s film quality in Aquaman: in the cast of Angler? My earliest memories of a childhood is getting out of bed and running to the television to watch the original Batman series on TV. It was very campy and fun ( I actually still like the original series better than the new Batman movies). Growing up a child of the 70s, watching all the films and TV Shows of the time, they all seemed to be funny and campy with action. CGI wasn’t really around. So, I felt, let’s try and have the audience laugh with us and not at us. I guess, Batman, Buck Rogers in the 25th century, The Six Million Dollar Man and Saturday Morning cartoons like Shazam were my inspiration. I think my childhood memories bleed into the film making style of Aquaman in the Cast of the Angler. I don’t think Jeff Klein (co-writer- producer-director) and I were trying to re-create the 1970s film quality. I think it was just the way we saw the show from living through the 70s. We’re introduced into the film with a cartoon. Why did you choose the style of animation for the film? Originally, we had written a thirty page script that would have probably cost about a million dollars to produce correctly. We were winging the financing. Paying the bills as they hit us. The film eventually cost around 10 grand to finish. We talked to an Artist and described how we wanted to tell the origin of Aquaman through art. He did a really nice job on the art and worked for free. My partner on the film, Jeff Klein, found him at UCLA. The guy was nice but a little off in a funny way. I remember we were at UCLA going over the art work with him. The Artist disappeared and came back dressed like Peter Pan. He was wearing blue contacts. The Artist was obsessed with Peter Pan. He wanted to make a Pan movie before Michael Jackson did. We really just did the animated beginning so we could try and tell a somewhat complete story for basically just the cost of the film. It was a lot cheaper that trying to film the scenes. Where are the original Cast now? Gordon Goodman, is a very successful stage actor. He is also a Doctor. Gordon works a lot with director Ted Lange (Issac from the Love Boat) on his stage plays. The main henchman (the guy that gets grabbed by the groin and thrown off the pier), Tom Deweir, became a very famous Stunt Man and Coordinator. The Dolphins, escaped Sea World, and now live in Hawaii. The Editor of the film, James Melkonian, went on to direct, “The Stoned Age” and The Jerky Boys: The Movie”. The Director of Photography, Dana Dru Evenson, went on to be a famous Stunt Woman. Another Cameraman DP, Dino Parks, went on to work on TV and Film shows in the Camera Dept. What challenges did you experience in making Aquaman: in the cast of Angler? It was an up hill battle trying to make this film. Jeff and I produced the film as our advanced film production project at California State University, Northridge. Jeff and I had worked well together on a film school project just before Aquaman. So, we decided to work together for this class. One day, after valet parking a golf tournament in Pacific Palisades, I went down to the beach and went for a swim. That’s when it came to me “Aquaman”. I told Jeff and he immediately said “YES, we are gonna make “Aquaman”. I remember, I was writing the script in my dorm room and one of the other people in the group called me up and told me that he didn’t want me in the group. I was like “Right dude, I came up with the idea”. I finished the script and the group got an “A” on it. That guy (don’t recall his name) did not go on with the project. It was a two semester class. Writing the script the first semester. And filming the production the next semester. Jeff is unstoppable. The film would have never been completed without him. He wrangled the locations at Sea World and Marineland. The begin30

FanFilm Awards ning of the film making was a disaster. We had filmed at Scripps Pier in La Jolla. All our footage was ruined by a camera leak (we shot 16MM). This was before the digital age. We had to go back and re-shoot everything. The Sound Man was just a student and the quality was awful. We ended up doing ADR for almost every line in the short film. The students in class would laugh at our dailies and were real haters. Our professor, brought Jeff and I into his office and told us to give up on the film. Well, thank goodness we didn’t quit. About three years later, CSUN had a film festival of all the films ever produced at the school. The Top Five were chosen. Aquaman was in the Top Five and was the last film shown at the festival. The response was amazing. We also won Best Fantasy Film from the Los Angeles Teachers Association. And by the way, the Professor that told us to quit, gave us an “A” on the film and introduced the film at the festival. This looks like an episode. Are there more? We would love to make a sequel. I wrote the sequel script last year. Jeff and Gordon are down to do it. It really comes down to time and finding the money to make the show happen. Maybe a kickstarter campaign could work? What do you think? Jeff is a wiz at CGI (nowadays), so I know we can produce something really cool for not too much money. But not too much money is still a lot of money. Probably need 25k to 50k to pull off something worth going for. I hope it happens. It would be one of the best fan film ever. I think at least. DC Comics actually gave us permission to shoot the film (Thanks Jenette Kahn DC Comics 1979-2002) The movie was pirated and sold as a TV pilot. I accidentally found it at a comic book convention in the 90’s (as a double feature with another super hero pilot). After the film was screened we had a few Hollywood companies approach us wanting to make Aquaman into a show. New World Pictures brought us into meeting, optioned the material, and basically didn’t talk to us afterwards. The show never happened. Jeff and I will always be proud of the film. Subscribe Today! And support FanFilm Awards!

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How to builD a...

FanFic Society By: Eugene Cordell

It was on writing an article in triskelepress.com that I learned the industry behind fanfilms. Comicons across the U.S. had their own festivals and other geek festivals had their own to encourage this artform. None of the films could gain profit through monetizing or other, but they were willing to go bigger and flashier every following production. I felt almost as though we could have helped this industry grow with our own program someday. And for the sake of dipping our feet in the idea, we premiered it at Ninja-Con 2015. The room was small, private, but the enthusiasm was sincere. As humbling as the experience was, it did not do justice for the filmmakers. Thousands of dollars were spent, quality cast and crew, sincere animators, and so well dressed for just a side event in Ninja-Con 2015 – oh how unprepared we were for this level of class! They deserved better. Months later, I made a promise to give a little more than just a panel for these fan filmmakers. And that remedy was to go European.

Name Calling Festivals nowadays are seen as large congregations of exclusive business and parties and mingling for people of all sorts to join in on all the fun. This mainly results in an immense gathering of loud music, and people dressing in offensive costumes, per32

petuating a subculture that wasn’t meant to be mainstream to begin with. Call it a convention, a conference, or festival – the name does not suite its title anymore, but an idea for cultivating niches. This, of course, was worrisome for me, as actual festivals have reached a point of either elite or complete public access in Los Angeles, California. Book events are free, while videogame events are expensive, film events keep growing either too big, or too small – private society or no, the business was taboo; and if I were to take on the challenge, it would need something classier than a box office.

Center (JACCC), where Ninja-Con annually premiered. Personally, it was suppose to redeem the original panel event, so to bring the filmmakers back for something better, but fate had other plans…

To begin, the venue had reconstruction scheduled on the exact month. Secondly, rescheduling for the same venue during wedding season, I knew, was a nightmare. I couldn’t blame the coordinators for the mishap, so much happens in the background of the JACCC that my optimism for the event, without a hiccup may as well have been mine own fault to blame. I’m sure I received note of it somewhere online, but In Europe, people fight to keep what can I have done? I can list the exthe arts alive. When the recession hap- cuses, but the truth of the matter was, pened, actors resolved their dilemmas as they say, “the show must go on!” by using their own apartments as a stage for their shows. Patrons were more than If not a garden to impress the happy to become intimate and congre- guests with, then a gallery to welcome gate for something new and stimulating. them as artists! As European as I can Film was no different: lofts were common try to make the experience, the fact places for screenings, parks were avail- of the matter is we still needed to be able for old film shows, and the list goes found as an apparent event. A loft or on. So as long as it was respected as an park would take an aware society to art form, the flare and extravagance of a gather for this festival. The FanFilm big show became irrelevant. Awards was new, unknown, and without such a group. Gamers, Otakus, and other Geeks have so many other prettier places to spend their time at, and wouldn’t care much for an artistic November 2015 was suppose to endeavor such as this. Bring the thebe the red carpet rolled out for the Fan- atre geeks, bibliophiles, art collectors Film Awards. It was to be at the Japa- – perhaps we would stand a chance, nese American Cultural and Community as a serious curated gala. But maybe I

Bad Timing

was being too harsh, even pretentious for admitting such cynicism to myself, at the time, but optimism had defeated my will. Hence, I became a Prick, and pricked away for better or worse. No detail was left unfurnished. If the venue had gone amiss, I took it upon myself to micromanage the rest of the operations in judging films, updating the site, inviting special guests, and chatting it up with the Nominees on twitter. I cannot recommend anyone to produce a show like this. Not like this…

Peer Pressure When I had completed even just half of the production, more complications had occurred: producing the awards, printing, red carpet rituals, you name it, and it maimed me. Now, you might ask, isn’t the Azure Lorica Foundation filled with Staff and Board members to manage these details? The answer clearly is yes, but the deal about the organization is that until the program is earning a sustainable income, the organization cannot guarantee support. And that’s not to say that projects are snubbed, but that many other projects have had their failures, and it all stemmed from one main source: finance. If there is no income,

then how do you produce? Will there be revenue, and where is it going to? Does the quality of the production match the quantity of traffic? Rent, insurance, etc. – all the terrible details we all wish we could do without! Danny Gonzales, our Vice President, had to deal with the same, when he began in Azure Lorica, to produce Ninja-Con. The struggle is real. And truth be told, the FanFilm Awards was fueled only by my faith in the project, and my resources were being exhausted. A financial report was in order. Stefanie Warner, is the founder, CEO-President of Azure Lorica, it was thanks to her designs, organization, and influence that led to the Foundation to becoming a solid company. But unlike Danny, whose influence spreads to crowds, Stefanie is strategic for pinpoint connections. Both stepped in, when I placed all my cards in the table. I had invested in managing IRS forms, sponsorship and donations from corporations and government programs, but manning the corporation was not the same as manning the operations. But with one report, one phone call, and one meeting, the CEO-President and the VP cleared the road. The awards were being hand carved by Stefanie’s father, the logistics covered by Danny and his crew, and

soon the festival was moved to The Brewery – the largest art colony in the world! All that was left were the filmmakers to be welcomed as the great artists they deserved to be.

Loss of Sleep Everything is easier said than done, when help arrives. Confidence and morale is raised, and soon one forgets that wars are won with pens not swords. Three days right before the festival, I gave up on sleep. Emails took over my life, blog posts were not published on time, and the magazine project I simultaneously took on during the rescheduling of the festival was meeting it’s deadline later than expected. The rush took over my days, the sun and moon were nothing more than just another reminder that decisions were not made one time, and that being employed was just another word for hindrance to this labor of love. Calling in sick was no lie. But rest was not something I was ready to welcome. Not just yet. After seventy two hours of editing, replies, blogging, and second

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guessing the schedule, nomination list, and so on, I napped. It seemed like forever, but the sunset had already come when I laid down, and it wasn’t too far from the horizon when I awoke for the festival.

wit and connections. I would like to mention that Amanda Martin, Miss California of the Royal International, was a godsend. Her countenance and manners made for a gorgeous hostess and guest for the Press Night. Her presence gave the When I arrived, people came event such an ambiance! gradually in small numbers. This evening shindig was our Press Night. Vain The volunteerism of Elysia Funas it sounds, I believed I was the only tiveros’s photography, and the Press one losing sleep over this, but at the support from Datafist had built such a event, there the Staff were with bags magnificent presentation that I cannot under their eyes, looking as fabulous as thank them enough for such a wonderful they could for the party. Diana Keeler, contribution. one of the judges for the script nominees had read over twenty scripts over- Lock/Jaw, a nerd punk band had night, Danny had accounted the equip- played that evening, and after a set of ment and volunteers through the night, three songs, the party had to silence. losing sleep throughout the dawn til day, The police came to inspect the noise and Stefanie made time, juggling work, control, and we returned to chatting over inspecting her father’s sword’s quality, cocktails and dessert. The party ended and my incessant obsessions with the slowly, and the night soon closed with magazine and festival. We were tired. anticipation. But we all knew that the hardest part of show business is never the struggle of the show, but making it look easy. So, like magic, the dreary slump of insomnia had transformed instantaneously to Coming too early, we attempted ecstatic greetings, enthusiastic conver- to setup for the festival and ceremony. sations, and improvises exchanges of It looked like a very casual hang out,

Experiencing the “itis”

screening movies all day long with friends – in which we mean really friendly guests from the industry: actors, cinematographers, and amazing celebrities (like, The Library Bards, America Young, and many more). One could get star struck by just walking in the screening room. If not by their fame, then by their enthusiasm as artists being with like minded creatives. It was a sight to see. Hugs all around! I was on alert all day, manning the projector, introducing fanfilms from local and foreign production groups, and greeting whomever joined us in the room next for each screening. Famished described me best. I horded food in my mouth, as if it were my last, when at last I had eaten lunch. Vince Vecino, one of the new Board Members, whose contributions as a performer in the company, made sure that neither Stefanie or I neglect our stomachs, which sadly has become a habit since our first theatre productions in NoHo, in 2007. I call this odd symptom “Produceritis” – where productions take precedents over everything, and the addiction only grows as you perpetuate more productions.

In fact, as the day went on, I felt my body ready to collapse from the lack of sleep and regular nutrition, that by the time the awards were being distributed, I had to ask volunteers to manage it for me by the second half of the session to take a momentary break. My pride needed a rest, and the festival glowed as a luminous star thanks to the Library Bards – Bonnie Gordon and Xander Jeaneret were magnificent hosts! Their songs and dance gave us the brilliance of the moon for that one night. Brava!

Episodes of Nostalgia After the screenwriters had their interviews, and all our winners made their speeches, I was invited to make mine. I barely remember what I had said, except: “…you make life so much better!” And closing with “To the FanFilm Awards 2016…Goodnight!” A roar from the audience blasted that evening, lasting hours of congratulations and hugs and so many photos and new friendships made. It was like a dream, and I wish it never had to end. By the next morning, I was in disbelief that what I had experienced was real at all. It was a magnificent show, with whose careers the Azure Lorica Foundation helped boost. After all the mayhem of producing such a beast, we were then responsible to keep our

end of the bargain. For taking part in the FanFilm Awards, all winners are rewarded with a full year of marketing support. This included the support from our other events, blogs, magazine – all of it! Our programs have ways of advertising and promoting these films, and being on YouTube, the challenge wouldn’t be half as hard as building the festival. Call our bluff, but graphics, blogging, and word of mouth is second nature to us already in this organization. We use our talents at our day jobs, but in Azure Lorica we are free to practice it the way we want to direct it. Not a bad trade when it doesn’t feel like work at all. As a Producer, I must say, I had a lot of fun making this project happen. I felt loved by the foundation, and am thankful for the sensibility of its members in managing the appropriate steps to create such a beautiful service for those working hard in the Entertainment Industry. Not everyone can be so fortunate to be recognized for being another Kardashian. Many of them get stuck in the office for fourteen hours a day, just to pay the rent, and then some. Producing these films tax them with late hours and extra sources of funding, and sometimes will never be congratulated for their hard work – no validation, thankless, and unrecognized. And for everyone who entered the festival – screenwriter and filmmakers – I toast to your marvelous films! It ain’t easy, but it is well worth the labor. You have my deepest respect. Thank you.

I’m looking forward to making next year’s even better. The thought of going through it again sounds scary, but I think it’s worth the insomnia. I get to feel like an artist again, fulfilled to the brim with inspiration and creativity, surrounded by like minded people. Which in the end is what we love about LA, right? We don’t live here for the traffic or freeway accidents, nor do we work here for the Beer or Sushi. No. We all return and stay in this busy city of broken dreams because we know it’s where we can be who we are: the bibliophiles, the cinephiles, the gamers, the writers, the dreamers – experimental and exotic, extreme and strange – whatever the oddity it takes to be that artist, we are and will be. There is no such thing as testing the waters here. The minute I tried, it sucked me into a torrent of opportunities. And that is why we do what we do. And the FanFilm Awards is just the beginning.

Editor: Eugene Cordell (Eugene Cordell)

ditor, Script Writer, Producer, and Founder of the Azure Lorica Foundation, Eugene has produced a number of theatrical plays in Los Angeles County, many he had written in collaboration with Stefanie Warner. Currently as an Administrator for the Azure Lorica Foundation, his success in building the organization’s repertoire online has brought his interest in publishing, bringing a light to the matters of social issues and arts advocacy. He currently is freelancing as a Publicist, and using his connections to build up the geek community through journalism and discussion panels at local festivals. He hopes to continue uplifting the community through the arts, and looks forward to enjoying tea with his wife, dog, and extensive collection of various Beowulf translations by authors like JRR Tolkein, Seamus Heaney, and RK Gordon.

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Magazine:

Empathetic Easter Concept: Easter, conceptual Storyline/Description: Empathetic Easter Growing up was never easy for me. I was always the different one. I was always an outsider. Home was hard to bare. After a long day at school of bullying and loneliness, I would come home to an imperfect family. Father would drink while Mother exploded with mental illness. Most nights I would cry myself to sleep. Mother had a tendency to lash out at me and Father. She blamed us for her problems and wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be satisfied unless she got a rise out of one of us. She loved to degrade me, call me fat, ugly, and a terrible person. She loved to tell me how low she thought of me and how I had no goodness inside me. I felt the anger grow inside me each day. It was one Easter morning that she had made her last mistake. I was abruptly awoken by her screams of anger in my face. Suddenly the years of locked away anger emerged as I felt myself lose control. The next thing I knew I was standing over a corpse that was my mother. Once father had seen he abandoned me. I never saw him again. Years later, I am all grown up and still living in this very house. I set up an Easter dinner every year in Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memory. Every night I hide from her screams. I am haunted by her memory and I miss her. I never realized what it meant to be truly alone, with no one empathetic toward my actions but myself. 38

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Title: Empathetic Easter Credits: Model: Melissa Koenig Designer: C. Rinella Designs Photographer: Thomas H P Jerusalem, A-MOMENT-IN-TIME.COM Photography Photographer’s Bio: Thomas H.P. Jerusalem (AKA Jerry) is a German photographer living and working in the Western suburbs of Chicago. After living in London, England for 4 years, he relocated to Chicago, IL in 2004. Thomas H.P. Jerusalem is specialized in fashion and conceptual photography. His work has been published on numerous occasions in US and international magazines, and several photographs have won awards. He is listed in the ONE LIFE 2012 Catalog and has a portfolio at Italian VOGUE/PhotoVogue and Art+Commerce/VOGUE NYC. Jerry combines his background with his photography and style, creating vintage and surrealistic portraits of models in conceptual environments, devastated, displaced, out of the world, eerie and edgy with rebel and punk influences. Often with a touch of irony and sarcasm. But always with a strong meaning or statement. His photographs are strong and are telling stories. Every single one of it. His work includes dark romantic and vintage space-age photography. Growing up during the Cold War in West Germany and reading his dad’s over-sized NY Photo Academy books from the sixties influenced his style. Since he didn’t speak English back then, the descriptive words to the pictures didn’t make too much sense, so he focused on the images instead. Images that are still blurry somewhere in his mind and that he now uses for inspirations of his work. Jerry started with Street Photography and Photojournalism, both very strong and expressive ways of photography.

Thomas H.P. Jerusalem Thomas H.P. Jerusalem Photography Inc. A-MOMENT-IN-TIME.COM Photography 630-983-1547 http://www.a-moment-in-time.com jerry@a-moment-in-time.com

Photographer’s Story: The Sound of Silence (by Brian Thornton, Modern Model Magazine, June 2015) One of the strongest arguments against photography as an art form is the ability of a viewer to simply and quickly take in all of the aspects of a photo, and move on. No back story. Nothing left to the imagination, as some would say. I challenge these people to dismiss the works of Thomas H.P. Jerusalem so quickly. These are images that haunt you by being both familiar, and strange. They raise more questions than answers, and the longer you study them, more mysteries some to light. You wonder what happened to the old dance hall [The old Dance Hall, Model: Natalie Lowden]? You wonder why the woman in white is walking the dog so late at night, and what is holding the dog’s attention [Black Ice, Model: Danielle Bateman, VOGUE Italia]? You wonder why the model’s dress matches the wallpaper [Tapetenwechsel, Model: Alicia Jerusalem, VOGUE Italia]? You wonder why Hallie looks so dismayed [Hallie, Model: Hallie Marie]? They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but Thomas’ photos amplify that, as his silent images send our minds racing. As we search for answers, perhaps the reality is as simple as the quote at the top of his photography page. “It’s all about the power to freeze a Moment in Time for Eternity,” he explains – and that is exactly what he has done. “It was probably the many hours I spent with my dad, an amateur photographer, in his dark room watching him turning plain white paper into wonderful pictures using a ‘light machine’ and some fluids in colored trays,” he explained. “There was magic in this room behind the always closed door. I remember the dimmed red light, the film rolls, the developed negative films hanging on clothespins and the many wet photos posted on the tile walls until dry.” Thomas said he would hold his breath, and watch as the white paper in the trays transformed into wonderful black and white photos that captured a moment in time, adding that this experience led him to his current passion for photography. “I can’t recall any specific one, there are too many that were ‘best’ to me,” he said as he tried to decide on a favorite photo experience, adding that all of his shoots have been uniquely memorable. “Maybe the one when I was paparazzi shooting Heath Ledger during the Dark Knight filming.”

Sucess Stories Founded January 26, 2010 North Hollywood | May 6, 2010 Theatrical World Premiere of Journey Seekers: A Steampunk Adventure, by Eugene Cordell and Stefanie Warner Pasadena | Dec. 9, 2011 Theatrical World Premiere of Fate Pendulum: Project Italy, by Eugene Cordell and Stefanie Warner North Hollywood | Apr. 6, 2012 Theatrical World Premiere of Captain Clay, by Lauren Bauer Downtown Los Angeles | Jun. 4, 2013 Exposition World Premiere of Ninja-Con, by Danny Gonzales Downtown Los Angeles | Jun. 5, 2014 Exposition Returning Premiere of Ninja-Con, by Danny Gonzales Glendale | Oct. 19, 2014 Online World Premiere of Triskele Press, by Eugene Cordell Downtown Los Angeles | Jun. 6, 2015 Exposition Returning Premiere of Ninja-Con, by Danny Gonzales Yumpu.com & Magzter.com | Apr. 4, 2016 Distribution World Premiere of Triskele Press, by Eugene Cordell

Aug. 13, 2011 | North Hollywood World Premiere of Press Program, covering Feel Good Film Festival Mar. 9, 2012 | Downtown Los Angeles First Fiscal Sponsored Production: Big Laughs In Little Tokyo,by Danny Gonzales Sep. 25, 2012 | Pasadena Theatrical Local Premiere of Captain Clay, by Lauren Bauer Nov. 16, 2013 | Long Beach Exposition Local Premiere of Ninja-Con: Skullgirls FanExpo, by Danny Gonzales Sep. 5, 2014 | Long Beach Theatrical Local Premiere of Fate Pendulum: Project Italy, by Eugene Cordell and Stefanie Warner Aug. 5, 2015 | Long Beach Online World Premiere of Nocturnal Notes Radioplay, by Stefanie Warner Feb. 27, 2016 | Downtown Los Angeles Festival World Premiere of FanFilm Awards, by Eugene Cordell June 4, 2016 | Downtown Los Angeles Exposition Returning Premiere of NinjaCon, by Danny Gonzales

Today, February 2016 Triskele Press 41

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Manga

Reviews

Dispair Trigger: Hijihara Erubo

espair Trigger has to be one of the most sorrowful stories I’ve read in awhile. And I absolutely loved it.

Art: 3/5 The art is simplistic and generic. It didn’t have much to offer There really isn’t much else to say. It’s simply the generic style we all expect when reading Shoujo manga. Big, expressive Overall: 4.5/5 eyes, slender bodies, and sparkles evThis is a manga if you want something erywhere. Not terrible, but definitely not to cry over at 1am. It’s really a sweet amazing either. story about a boy wanting to stay by his sister’s side and that’s something most of us relate to. Story: 3/5 I don’t have much to say here either. The main female protagonist is dumped every year on Christmas day and goes to church to confess and be comforted. There, she meets Sei, who is a cocky priest. She dresses up as a slutty Santa. At every time, the two tease each other. The two fall in love. That’s it, that’s the story. It’s a bit bland and predictable. your sibling a little tighter. My only issue is that the ending feels rushed and the plot has no structured climax. Everything seems to occur all at once.

Art: 3/5 The art on the humans isn’t something noteworthy, and the monsters all look the same with nothing individualizing them. It’s a real shame because this is a really interesting manga in the story department, I just wished that the art had a tad more variety. The backgrounds are very detailed, though, so his manga is Christmas themed that’s a plus I suppose. and I have no clue why I was reading it in April. But I was reading manga on my phone while waiting for the line to move Story: 4/5 Without giving too much away, the story forward in Walmart and I thought it would is about two kids stuck in a post-apoca- be interesting. Like, a demon seducing a lyptic future after their parents were nun or something fun like that.

A Holy night to the lost lamb

killed. There is a massive plot twist in Corrupting holy things is always the middle that I won’t spoil and another fun. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much near the end that really kicks you right corruption. But it’s still pretty cute. in the feels and makes you want to hug

Overall: ZzZz/5 It is cute, but there’s nothing groundbreaking or hype worthy about it. It would be a nice read during winter when you have nothing to do after stuffing your face with food and unwrapping presents.

twisted gnarled limbs of his monsters, to the hairy tongue of the mosquito mothers, Ito knows when to add just the right amount of detail. He pulls no punches on the design of the monsters, or showing the effects of the curse on the inhabit ave you found that your boy- ants. I love it! friend is mumbling to himself that the town is ‘contaminated’? Have you seen the screaming faces of the damned Story: 4/5 in your father’s pottery? Has an eerie The main storyline chronicles the downsmoke cloud formed over your city? If fall of the town as the spiral’s curse gets you answered yes to any of the above stronger and stronger. It’s the obsession questions, you’re probably living in of the spiral and how it slowly blurs the Kurôzu-cho, the town cursed by spi- line between human and monster that makes it a compelling read. More and rals. Before I continue on with the more grotesque things begin to happen review, I should mention how I came as the plot thickens. Soon, you’ll realize across this manga. While surfing its one a.m., you haven’t sleep but you through numerous horror-oriented cir- want to keep going to see where this cles, I begged for new content to disturb ends. me. Lately, nothing has worked. I’ve Development-wise, I actually watched The Human Centipede trilogy got attached to the two main characthree times, I’d mowed my way through ters. I started to care about them, their ‘disturbing’ YouTube videos, and horror lives, and whether or not they’d make it stories weren’t doing it for me. out alive. The relationship between Kirie So, one anonymous reddi- and Shuichi is actually quite sweet and tor suggested I read Junji Ito’s work. I it’s clear that the two care about each other. picked one at random.

Uzumaki, Junji Ito

to ignore these plotholes by saying “It’s just the spiral curse!” Then we get another organic monster shoved into our faces. I found the “lost chapter” to be a bit bland and unnecessary, especially with the ending we got. (Which, stupid I know, legitimately made me sad for a while after I read it.) Ito does a very good job forming the formerly disjointed stories together to form an underlying plot that is just barely visible. It’s as though he doesn’t want us to see what he has up his sleeve and jangles keys in front of our faces to distract us from the next big surprise. Overall: 5/5 I loved this manga. It made me sick, it made my skin crawl, and it made me question the futility of my own existence. If you love horror, this is a must read. If you don’t have a strong stomach, you should stay away. It’s dark and poetic in its own demented way and I’m glad I read it. Why not join us in the Spiral?

Ito knows when to tone it down I think I have found a new male with a few comical mini comics here and waifu. there about him researching the spiral. They’re endearing; even in a hellish manga such as this one, we’re treated to Art: 5/5 I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m some form of normalcy. not an artist myself, but when I saw other reviews labeling the art of Uzumaki as ‘bland,’ I got confused. The art is a bit simplistic, but it’s not lacking. From Shuichi’s gaunt cheekbones to the

However, there are some glaring plot holes. Where is Keiko during the last volume? Where did the spiral curse come from? Ito tries to get his readers

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Photography by Elysia Funtiveros

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