The Empire needs you! (At Celebration VI)

A look over the Celebration site shows they are now accepting applications to be a volunteer at CVI!  Go to the site, click on About SWC at the top, then choose Crew to access the information (or use the link prior).

A few important details:

  1. You are committing to working Thursday – Sunday, some will be asked to work on Wednesday.
  2. You will be paid for your efforts.
  3. You must be 21.

There is an application linked at the bottom of the page.  The questions are basic information, asking what experience you have and what you bring to the team.  Be honest!

Various Club Jaders have volunteered at Celebration since II in Indy.  We’ve worked the lines, ran stages, wrangled guests, helped fans, answered questions, fetched food and drinks, and even helped slice, plate, and serve 5000 pieces of cake. (Celebration IV).  Volunteering is work but it can be fun and exciting to be part of the show in a small way.  Many of us do it because we get to meet so many other fans who love Star Wars and also help make the event special for everyone we encounter.  Others are motivated because you never know what might happen and it makes for an adventurous week.  Some of us do it because it is our way of contributing back to the Star Wars community.

A short list of unusual things some of us have done:

  • I mentioned the cake. 5000 pieces sliced, plated and served. You may catch a Team Cake Never Again t-shirt or two at CVI.
  • Played trivia and gave away prizes to random fans in line.
  • Helped StarWarsShop.com unpack and sell Boba Fetts.  Two of us were stopped all weekend and at the airport by fans who came through the line.
  • Watched model makers, effects people, and other behinds the scenes types be amazed at how interested the fans were in how and what they did, and be knowledgeable about their career outside of Star Wars.
  • Putting together gift bags for a fan breakfast- we got to see items we’d never seen for sale before or had not seen in years.
  • Found Wampa fur pillows to decorate a couch.

If you are thinking of volunteering:

  1. Ask yourself if you are okay with not seeing/doing everything. Work will come first.
  2. Are you a people person?  Most jobs involve interacting with lots of strangers.
  3. Will you be professional and keep your inner fanboy/fangirl in check?

If you’ve said yes to the above, can think fast and creatively on your feet, sign up!  Volunteering is a great experience and can introduce you to areas of the fandom you’ve not experienced before.  For example, I never did life sized origami until CIII!

Celebration VI adds sound, model guests, asks for Orlando tips

We’ve had a few editions to the Celebration VI guest list in these past few days: Repping for the sound team are Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood and David Acord, while Jon Berg and Lorne Peterson represent the model makers.

Reed is also looking for Orlando fan tips on Twitter. Somehow I doubt my suggestions of ‘stay inside’ and ‘curse Florida’ will make the final cut. Feel free to let loose with your Florida-centric snark: This is a safe space, my fellow Florida-haters!

Ashley Eckstein joins Chris Hardwick to host Course of the Force

This summer’s inaugural Course of the Force, the five-day lightsaber relay from Santa Monica to Comic-Con to raise money for Make-a-Wish, just announced that The Clone Wars star and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein will be joining as co-host, joining veteran TV nerd Chris Hardwick. Not only will she be co-hosting the event, she’ll also be running one leg of the relay.

Hardwick says of Eckstein:

“Ashley is a glorious addition to the Course of the Force. She is not just an important character on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, she is also a true follower of the Saga. I am but a mere Padawan in comparison to her Jedi mastery,” states Nerdist Industries founder and Course of the Force host Chris Hardwick.

Now there are two of them! There is still room to register for a quarter-mile leg of the lightsaber torch relay, as it winds its way down the coast from Santa Monica to downtown San Diego, with nightly parties in cities along the route from July 7 to July 11.

Ian McDiarmid is coming to Celebration VI

Ian McDiarmid, aka Emperor Palpatine, will be making his first appearance at a U.S. Celebration in Orlando this August. He’ll appear on stage and, yes, in the autograph farm.

In other recent Celebration news, there will be a special focus on the Mos Eisley Cantina with professional sculptor and effects artist Tom Spina, who will join Pablo Hidalgo for a panel. Also: Star Tours’ Visual Effects Supervisor Bill George, a Collector’s Showcase, and, apparently, maybe, kids birthday parties? Alrighty then.

Carrie Fisher returns for Celebration VI

Well, they promised us Celebration announcements, are here they are: Carrie Fisher will be back for her third appearance at the con. Also confirmed: Jeremy Bulloch and Daniel Logan, along with the news that this year’s art helmet will be Fett’s. And another Clone Wars guest, CG Supervisor Joel Aron, who will teach “master class sessions” in the lecture hall.

And, of course, to bring us the ‘no duh’ component, the family room will return.

Of a bit more interest is the fan table lineup. I’m not surprised by the amount of costume clubs, but I am a little sad that Wookieepedia is the only straight-up fansite. But then again, all us fansite folks are going to way too busy covering stuff to sit around manning tables..