A New Hope

I've always wanted to sit down and write about my passion for science fiction.  This class was the excuse to do that.  I've learned a lot about myself and my writing.  I have work ahead of me to continue to improve my writing.  My persona was a good choice, however I have room for improvement.

I need to be more bold with my writing.  I tip toe around what I want to say, but I need to dive deeper.  Science Fiction is important to me because it speaks to me.  I have learned to think for myself.  I have learned to look at the world through different perspectives.  Most importantly, I have learned about myself.

Star Wars was a religious experience for me.  I based a lot on that story growing up.  I also looked to other stories to point my moral compass in a particular direction.

One of the reasons this is possible for me, and many others is the bold messages that are formed in these fictional worlds.  There are messages of unyielding temptations, harsh realities, and the message of hope, just to name a few.

There are so many different characters and stories, but the one thing I always gleaned from them was that no matter how bad things might be, there was always an obligation by the hero to do the right thing.  Whether the hero knew what the right thing was, or if he even decided to do right or wrong, the option for good was always there.

I'll leave you with the song below.  A lot of fans argue the best movie in the Star Wars trilogy was The Empire Strikes Back.  I can't argue with that.  However, I think the song that best summarizes the spirit of the story is this one. 

Social Media Campaign

The most striking campaign I've seen in social media is the Old Spice advertisements.  The first portion of that ad campaign was this video.  It became an instant success.  The video went viral and was trending on Twitter and shared on Facebook for weeks.  One of the moves Old Spice did was bring this success to Reddit. 

The actor in the video made a post on Reddit, where he recorded a sound board of sorts for the community's personal voice-mails.  See here. This was a huge leap towards a new type of viral ad campaigning.  It created a direct line of communication between the public and the marketers.

The Netflix Shuffler would focus its advertising power towards the three pillars in social media: Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.  It will also attempt to create a conversation on Reddit as well.  By communicating directly with the consumers via a source such as Reddit, you are showing respect to the consumer.  It also allows for insightful information and suggestions on improving the consumer's experience and your product. 

Short Commercial Script

               INT. - LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

               DREW and JULIE are watching Battlestar Galactica on the
               television using Netflix.  The show is ending and Drew
               reaches for the remote.

                                   DREW
                         What do you want to watch next?

                                   JULIE
                         Uhmm, you choose.

               MARK enters the room.

                                   MARK
                         What are you guys watching?

                                   DREW
                         We were just watching some
                         Battlestar Galactia.  Now we're
                         just browsing.

               MARK pulls out his smartphone and shows DREW.

                                   MARK
                         Check this out.

               DREW and JULIE look at MARK's phone.  MARK shows them an
               application on his phone.  The TITLE reads "Netflix
               Shuffler".  

                                   MARK (CONT'D)
                         I present, the Netflix Shuffler! 
                         It's perfect for when you don't
                         know what you want to watch on
                         Netflix. 

                                   DREW
                         How does it work?

               MARK logs into his Netflix account on their television.  He
               proceeds to show them the program.

                                   MARK
                         Netflix already knows your favorite
                         shows and movies.  So Netflix
                         Shuffler uses that info to
                         automatically play shows for you.  

                                   JULIE
                         Doesn't Netflix automatically play
                         another episode already? 

                                   MARK
                         Yeah, another episode of the SAME
                         show.  This allows you to watch a
                         new episode of a different show
                         automatically.  

                                   DREW
                         So it's like an auto-pilot for
                         Netflix!

                                   MARK
                         Exactly!

                                   JULIE
                         That sounds great, how do we sign
                         up?

                                   MARK
                         Super easy, just go to your Netflix
                         account and sign up.  

                                                         MUSIC FADE UP.



               INT. - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

               DREW and JULIE sit down on the couch and DREW signs up for
               Netflix Shuffler.  MARK sits down with a bowl of popcorn and
               they start watching an episode.

                                                         FADE TO BLACK.

Executive Summary

 Netflix is a great tool for watching your favorite shows and movies.  You can select exactly what you want to watch, and when you want to watch it.  You can binge on a new show that you have fallen in love with, or you can skip ahead to a favorite moment in a movie with ease.

Netflix has become a great on demand source for television and movies.  However, sometimes I miss the random, hands-free feel of the traditional form of television.  That is why I came up with the Netflix Shuffler.

The Netflix Shuffler is an answer for those who wish to go back to the traditional form of television every now and then.  The Shuffler allows the user to start a show, and have other shows play sequentially, one after the other.  For example, if you are watching an episode of Battlestar Galactica, the next show to auto-play might be an episode of Doctor Who.

Now, the Shuffler won't randomly play any show afterwards.  The shows that play in the Shuffler are based on the selections you have made in the user menu for Netflix Shuffler.

If you're like me, I occasionally want to mix up my favorite shows, instead of watching 4 episodes in a row of an individual show.  The Netflix Shuffler maintains the steady flow of the viewer experience, while allowing for a more diverse viewing option. 

The Doctor

I just recently became a fan of the hit BBC series, Doctor Who.  It follows the adventures of a Time Lord, who travels through space and time in a ship that looks like a British Police box.  He travels with a "companion", typically a human from the UK.  It's a science fiction show that is filled with British humor, and has been running since 1963.

The Doctor is an alien, from the planet Gallifrey, known as a Time Lord.  He travels with his companion through different points in time and to different planets.  They are constantly finding themselves in trouble, where there are people in need.  If you are into British humor or a great science fiction, this is it.  

In the latest season of Doctor Who there was an episode called, "The Rings of Akhaten".  The Doctor takes the latest companion, Clara to a famous location in space, the Rings of Akhaten.  Upon arriving, the people of the area are performing a religious ceremony.  The people are singing to the god who supposedly lives in the pyramid located near the center of the surrounding planets.  One young girl, Merry, is singing a solo to the old god, when something goes wrong.  

The song she sings does not please god and she is sent to the pyramid.  The Doctor and Clara go to rescue her, to find that she is unwilling to escape with them.  She says it's her duty to sacrifice herself, otherwise everyone on the surrounding planets will suffer the old god's wrath.  

The Doctor looks at her and gently says, 

"Hey. Do you mind if I tell you a story? One you might not have heard. All the elements in your body were forged many many millions of years ago in the heart of a faraway star that exploded and died. That explosion scattered those elements across the desolations of deep space. After so, so many millions of years, these elements came together to form new stars and new planets. And on and on it went. The elements came together and burst apart, forming shoes and ships and sealing wax and cabbages and kings. Until, eventually, they came together to make you. You are unique in the universe. There is only one Merry Galel. And there will never be another. Getting rid of that existence isn't a sacrifice, it's a waste!”

That exchange hit me hard.  

See, the people of that area were living in fear of this god.  They sacrificed themselves constantly to this thing who demanded their time, respect, and lives.  The Doctor is a Time Lord.  He has seen all of time and space, he knows this "god" is a fraud.  He sees a group of people being taken advantage of because of their beliefs.  


There is an epic standoff between The Doctor and this false god, who appears to be a large planet or star.  You can watch the exchange here:

Doctor Who is a show that challenges the institution of religion.  There is an obvious parallel between this “parasite god” and some of the religions that are held by many today. 

I’m not trying to conclude that organized religion is negative, or that it is corrupt.  Instead, it opens up the topic of organized religion.  It creates conversations between fans on both sides of the religious fence. 

District 9

The film District 9 is an extra-terrestrial take on the political climate in South Africa.  The government treated the African people there as sub-human.  The same is done in the film, except this time it's aliens who have been stranded on planet Earth and confined to "district 9".

There is an obvious meaning behind this science fiction, but I think there is also a personal meaning in this story.  Wikus Van De Merwe, was one of the lead agents for the government agency that was committing horrible things against the alien, Prawn.  He commanded his men to torch their children, and kick the Prawn from their home, without much sympathy or compassion for them.  Wikus treated them like animals.

Through a series of events Wikus becomes infected by the Prawn and starts changing into one of them.  He is in a panic.  He has also found himself being hunted by the very agency he served.

Wikus is forced to befriend Christopher and his young son, some of the Prawns he had wronged earlier in the film.  Wikus' character arc comes full circle when he begins to relate with Christopher and his son, on a personal level.  Wikus realizes that they are not animals and deserve respect.  He discovers that Christopher is very intelligent and is trying to repair the Prawn's ship and go home.

We can learn a lot from Wikus and Christopher's relationship.  They may seem different in terms of culture, language, and species, but ultimately they were not different.  Every individual knows someone or a group of people we don't understand.  It can cause us to fear or look down on a person, instead of take an opportunity to learn about a person and build a friendship.

Netflix Shuffler Executive Summary

The Netflix Shuffler is a program that automatically creates playlists on Netflix for the user, based on their favorite shows.  This program would be useful because it allows the viewer to watch their favorite type of programming with the automatic style of watching traditional television. 

The program is easy to use, and requires little  user interaction.  The program would be a small application that runs as an extension of Chrome or Firefox.  The user would be able to change and alter the input values to change what programming is automatically played.  Netflix Shuffler would take very little resources to run, and would not be noticeable other than a small button in the toolbar section of the browser. 

Elevator Pitch

1. Netflix Shuffler:  It's a program that automatically creates playlists for the user to watch.  The user inputs his top 5 favorite shows, and the program will automatically shuffle shows into a playlist for them to watch. 

2. Convention Calendar:  Is an application that allows the user to see upcoming and nearby sci-fi or comic conventions.  This allows the user to either plan ahead, or last minute to attend one of these events.

A Padawan's Journey

I started this blog as a fan of Star Wars and Science Fiction.  I named my blog Rebel Alliance Report, referencing Star Wars.  After writing and rewriting, I found that, the name of the blog needs to be changed.  I have chosen the rename it, "A Padawan's Journey".  I'm finding that my writing is about the personal stories in science fiction; and how those stories relate to my personal crossroads in life.  

Star Wars had an impact in my life from an early age.  Science Fiction has continued to influence my life. The reason I work in television is because I wanted to be creative.  I wanted to work in the television and movie industry. 

It is easy for me to use science fiction as a way to relate to different world views.  I have changed political stances on issues because of Battlestar Galactica, and my religious beliefs have been altered because of Firefly.   

As my passion for Star Wars grew into a broader love for other science fiction; I realized it was because of the story and character structure.  I am compelled by dynamic characters and story-telling.  It is inspiring to see an ordinary person accomplish something extra-ordinary.  Passion is contagious, and I want to share that inspiration with my viewers.  

Proposal to Geek Insider

I write to those interested in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and those in touch with their inner geek.  I've decided that the best publication submit my articles to is Geek Insider. 

I would submit Wearing a Browncoat and The Inner Moister Farmer.  They require you to fulfill guidelines outlined here.  I think their audience would be a good fit for these articles. 

ESPNU Unite

Unite

_________________________________________________________________________________

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Unite was a program that airs on ESPNU. The show, as targeted at the college demographic.  Recapping the sports news of the day and using social media sites to fuel most of the content and discussion. The show was not cancelled in June of 2013, without finishing a full year of broadcast. 

Social Media

Unite had viewers use Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube to interact with the show.  Viewers would comment on Unite's Facebook pots of funny celebrity athlete photos in a segment called "MEME this". 

Air times

Unite appeared nightly on ESPNU Monday through Friday at midnight.

History

ESPNU's Unite started in September of 2012 and ended on June 13 2013.  The show was targeted at the college age group, and aired at midnight in every time zone across the Continental US.  Unite also had a strong online presence, integrating Facebook and Twitter into the content of the show. 

For reasons not revealed by ESPN an Disney the show was cancelled. 

Personalities

Danny Kanell

Marianela Pereyra

Reese Waters

Wearing a Browncoat

I was a freshman in college.  I heard about a show called Firefly from a friend.  I was warned up front that the show was cancelled after only 14 episodes.  I was hesitate to watch it, until he began to describe the show.  He told me it was a "Space Western", and I was sold. 

Joss Whedon's Firefly, follows a group of 9 main characters on a Firefly-class cargo ship called Serenity.  The 9 characters could not be more different from one another.  There is the former soldiers, the educated doctor, his mentally disturbed sister, a prostitute, a mechanic, a pastor, a pilot, and a mercenary.  All of these various characters, for one reason or another have decided to become a part of the crew.  The world has just gone through a civil war between the Alliance and the Independence.  The Alliance won, instating a corporate, authortiarian government across the galaxy.

The captain of Serenity, Malcom Reynolds, once fought for the Independence.  The Independent soldiers all were known as "The Browncoats" because of the long, brown jackets they wore.  Malcolm or Mal is a man who has found himself on the losing side of war.  Not only has he lost the war, but he has lost his faith in God. 

Firefly delves headfirst into religion.  Shepherd Book, is the equivalent to the protestant pastors we know today.  Inara is a "companion", essentially a prostitute with Buddhist-like beliefs.  Simon Tam is the A+ medical student, who is an atheist.  Mal encounters all of these beliefs at once, which makes for some interesting clashes between characters.

 I grew up in a small, conservative town in the desert.  I was raised believing in God, and that Christianity was the truth.  I left for college and made a lot of friends, with various backgrounds.  I encountered situations, and traveled to countries that tested my beliefs. 

After my freshman year, I took a trip to study abroad in Egypt.  During my stay in Egypt I saw my religious views change.  I saw similarities in Christianity and Islam, and I saw how they affect society and government policy.  More importantly, I saw how it played a role in my Egyptian friends.

One of my Egyptian friend's, Memo, was affected the most.  Memo is gay.  That was when I started to ask the tough questions.  Is God real?  Is the correct religion Christianity?  What about Memo?  What about my other friends? 

 Years later, I was going to watch a fan screening of Serenity at a small theatre.  The week before my roommate and I decided to re watch the Firefly series.  I related to Mal.  I felt an inner pain.  I was at conflict with my parents, just like he was at conflict with Shepherd.  Mal's bitterness toward God was obvious in this exchange between Shepherd Book and Mal:

Shepherd: Captain, do you mind if I say grace? Mal: Only if you say it out loud. 

I hate that the show was cancelled.  It had the potential to dive deeper into religion and God.  Regardless of what could have happened, Firefly helped me look deeper into my faith. 

How to watch your favorite Sci-Fi movie or show on Netflix

Watching a movie or television show is easy, now that everyone is online.  There are numerous streaming sites, the most popular being Netflix.  I have a Netflix, HBOGo, and an AmazonPrime account.  Hulu, and the rental section of Youtube is also available.  Not all movies and shows are online, but enough to make subscriptions to these sites more cost effective than cable and DVDs.  I will cover how to utilize Netflix to watch a movie or show.

First, you have to create an account on the site.  On Netflix you fill out your information, and SIGN UP for a monthly subscription of $7.99.  Once you are signed up and paid for, you can BROWSE for something to watch, based on the genre, by clicking WATCH INSTANTLY.  The top of the Watch Instantly page, displays your RECENTLY WATCHED section.  This allows you to see a viewing history, and go back to a show you were previously watching.  

If you are looking for a specific title you can search for it, via the search bar in the top right corner of the page.  There are other utilities Netflix provides to discover content.  Click on the TASTE PROFILE, you will see a  list of movies, with a "5 star rating" system underneath each movie.  Rate each movie by clicking on the star buttons. 

The more videos you rate, the better Netflix is able to suggest videos to watch.  The updated list, of suggested videos, is displayed in the TOP 10 FOR USERNAME section of the WATCH INSTANTLY page.  

Did I mention all of these features are available via the Netflix mobile application?  That's right, you can watch all of this content from your smartphone.  

Now that you know how to use Netflix, you can watch an old favorite, or binge on that television series you never got around to watching.  

The Inner Moister Farmer

When you hear Star Wars you might think of Darth Vader, Yoda, or a lightsaber duel.  When I hear Star Wars I think of the a lot of things, but one of the ideas that comes to mind is choices.  Afterall that is what the trilogy is all about. 

Luke Skywalker grew up on Tatooine, an oridnary planet, the similarities to New Mexico (my home state) uncanny.  Skywalker lived an ordinary life.  Nothing exciting really happened to him, but he craved a excitement and the unknown. 

When he was confronted with the loss of his aunt and uncle and the familiar, he made a choice to save Princess Leia.  As the story progresses he continually is faced with decisions, that become more difficult.  Until the conclusion of the story when he is faced with two options:  good and evil. 

As a child, I viewed this decision as easy.  Luke should obviously know not to join the Dark Side, let go of the anger, and defeat the Emporer.  As I got older, I realized that this decision is a difficult one.  It's an internal struggle that all of us can relate to in some way.  Whether we are struggling with something serious or an everday choice. 

There are a lot of these Golden Fleece stories that convey this idea, such as Lord of the Rings.  Essentially Frodo and Luke have to make similar decisions.  They both are tempted by a darker side of themselves that they overcome.  Both Luke and Frodo understand what is at stake, they have seen what happened to Vader and Smeagol.

Another thing the padawan and the hobbit have in common is their support system.  Luke has Han Solo and Princess Leia, and Frodo has Sam.  Having friends that will support you is important.  This is a piece of advice that can be applied to all ages.  Without a support group, it makes it difficult to over come your struggles.

  At the climax of the film, Luke is faced with a huge decision, to give into his hate and destroy his astranged father or to let go of his hate and defeat evil.  No one else can step in for Luke and help him.  It is his choice. 

That internal struggle, whatever it might be, it is yours to make.Will you be a Luke or a Vader?

"New" Resume

Hann Sollo
http://hansolod.blogspot.com/
The Rebel Alliance Report a blog by Hann Sollo discussing science fiction, and it’s relation to reality.

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Hann Sollo (born Along time ago, in a galaxy far far away…) a blogger by day, a smuggler by night.  Sollo’s blog tackles issues of science fiction, politics, and social issues.

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Smuggler turned Blogger

Darth's Advocate

Rewritten 

Science fiction fans are out of touch with reality.  They are obsessed with fantasy worlds, full of aliens and robots.  They are concerned with characters more than people, spaceships more than their job or a story more than reality.

A person who spends that much time talking about a story is escaping from reality.  They are trying to avoid the real world problems they need to face.  They use this obsession as a way to ignore the fact that they have no job, or social life.  It is a way to prevent from facing reality.  

Obsessing over science fiction creates a person who is socially handicapped.  They are unable to have meaningful discussions with others.  They are wrapped up in a world full of fictional people, and can no longer associate with people that are in their lives.  

Typically, one of these geeks is living with his parents, overweight, and a basement dweller.  They are overweight because they don’t leave the house to exercise, and they live off of a diet of Mountain Dew and Hot Pockets.  As a result, it is assumed they do not have a girlfriend or a job.   

An obsession of science fiction and fantasy worlds is something that prevents a person from going outside into the real world and having new experiences.  They are content with the familiarity of staying home and watching television and movies.  Their time is spent in a fictional world.    

Science fiction is a genre, nothing more.  It's okay to be a fan of a movie, but let's dial back the hyperdrive.  

Original

Science fiction fans are out of touch with reality.  They are obsessed with fantasy worlds, full of aliens and robots.  They are concerned with characters more than people, spaceships more than their job or a story more than reality.

A person who spends that much time talking about a story is escaping from reality.  They are trying to avoid the real world problems they need to face.  They use this obsession as a way to ignore the fact that they have no job, or no social life.  This “hobby” is a way to prevent from facing reality.  

Obsessing over science fiction creates a person who is socially handicapped.  They are unable to have meaningful discussions with others.  They are wrapped up in a world full of fictional people, and can no longer associate with people that are in their lives.  

Typically, one of these geeks is living with his parents, bonus points if it’s the basement.  Because of this, it is assumed they do not have a girlfriend or a job.  They are overweight because they don’t leave the house to exercise, and they live off of a diet of Mountain Dew and Hot Pockets.  

An obsession of science fiction and fantasy worlds is something that prevents a person from going outside into the real world and having new experiences.  They are content with the familiarity of staying home and watching television and movies.  They put all their energy into immersing themselves into a fictional world.  

How can a person disconnected be able to contribute to society?  They don’t understand all the complexities of the social issues in the world, and how those issues affect various groups or the individual.  It’s nearly impossible for them to relate to others with differing perspectives.   

They might have an imagination, but that reaps no benefit as an adult.  This hobby prevents someone from growing up.  They are immature and never learned how to let go of the stories and move on.  They need to mature, set aside the children stories, and grow up.

There is no way they can apply ideals from science fiction into real world political or religious beliefs.  No one can make an important decision such as a belief in God based on a movie.  You can’t decide who to vote for based on a television series. 

Having an interest in science fiction cannot help you live a balanced life.  There is no way to relate all the elements and principles in science fiction to your life. There is also no way having this interest can help you excel in anything other than a science fiction trivia.  Having a hobby is one thing, but letting it have an impact on your life is not healthy.

About the Author

Star Wars had a huge impact on my life.  When I was young, I was introduced to the original trilogy by my father.  I fell in love with the Star Wars universe.  The Stormtrooper you see is me.  The hobby, turned obsession is what influenced a lot of my life and career choices.  

The love was not exclusive to Star Wars, but other science fiction and fantasy:  Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who, Firefly, Lord of the Rings, and others.  All of these stories and worlds spoke to me.  

Star Wars again became an influence in college.  I was always a curious person, so I majored in journalism.  I took a film class and on the first day we watched a scene from Star Wars.  It was obvious I had found another major.  I focused on editing and animation, so I could learn how to reproduce the lightsaber effect.  Now I work for Disney, who owns the Star Wars franchise!  

Science Fiction also influenced my personal beliefs. Many of my political decision making was influenced by Battlestar Galactica.  Religious views altered because of the short lived Firefly series.  The journalistic side of me, enjoys viewing ideas and beliefs from different perspectives.  Science Fiction forced me to look at social issues differently than I did before.

Biography

I first started my career in the television business in New Mexico working for a small market local news station as a Producer/Director role.  I moved to Connecticut in 2011 to take a job as a Operations Technician at ESPN, in Bristol, CT.  I'm currently an Associate Operator at ESPN, working in the Content Edit Department of Production Operations.  I work with the Editing software Quantel and AfterEffects. 

During my spare time, I dabble in web design and social media, as well as pursuing my Master's degree in Interactive Media.  I fancy myself a film maker after receiving my undergrad degrees in film making and broadcast journalism.  Whenever there is a chance to create a short film or tinker with a new film toy I'm there.  My hobbies bleed into my professional life, but mainly include computer gaming, and photography.

Why Science Fiction?

It's funny how a set of movies or a television show can influence so many people so dramatically.  For me it started when I was a kid, watching Star Wars: A New Hope for the first time with my dad.  I don't think he realized he was introducing me to a world of toy collecting, forum posting, and convention trips stumbling around in a very uncomfortable Stormtrooper outfit.

As I got older, it wasn't just Star Wars, but all sorts of Science Fiction shows and movies that had a huge impact on my life.  Besides all the crazy aliens, lightsabers, sonic screwdrivers, or cylons, there was great story telling.  Story telling that allowed for important discussions about life, politics, and religion, with my friends and other fans.

The thing about Science Fiction in general is that it allows for those discussions about issues that are often controversial and hard to understand.  It was able to take issues that are very polarizing to people and bring it into a fantasy world, making it easier to talk about openly and honestly.

Maybe the most important part about a lot of these stories were the characters.  The characters who didn't seem special or worthy, but they rise to the occasion and do incredible things.  In Star Wars the idea that the young farm boy would be one the to save the entire galaxy is a powerful message.  Even at a young age it showed me that even the most ordinary of people can do incredible things, given the opportunity.

For me, the reason I choose to cover Science Fiction, is because it's such an enfluence in my life.  It's what I really know and am passionate about.