SerenityMovie.net

[Jack Ward]

Hi There,
Jack Ward here- one of the folks who will be bringing out the new Firefly Audio drama, "Old Wounds" to a Verse near you.

I've sent in an email or two to the Signal, as has my good friend and Producer Andrew Dorfman.

We're excited to know there is some interest in our little mini-series and I'm here to answer any questions I can about it. Tease you a little with some of the things we're going to be exploring, and hopefully get you a little more excited for its release.
With three episodes recorded after a marathon session in the studio from 11:30 AM until 8:30 PM on Sunday, I can certainly speak to the dire-hard testiment of our Sonic Cinema actors.

We wanted to try our hand for the first time at a fan fiction, and decided on Firefly... for a couple of reasons.
a. We love it. First and foremost.
b. We're hoping Joss won't sue us... when he realizes "A" from above, and that we're not going to make a dime on this.
c. We're so used to writing anthology audio cinema, its great to work a continual story of five parts.

So please, if you have questions, I would be happy to answer what I can.
Just be prepared that I'm not really going to spoil the plot too much. I wrote the gorram thing.

Always Flyin',
Jack
P.S. Those who want to hear what I sound like, are welcome to check out my regular podcast on Audio drama at www.sonicsociety.org
We have a weekly radio show where we get an eclectic mix of brand spanking new Audio drama out there (only stuff from the aughts - that's 2000 on) and interview the makers.

P.S.S. Moved this ruttin' topic here on the advice of a Companion. Always.. always... always take the advice of a Companion.
At least while she's there.

[Companion Kate]

Do you have a promo?
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[Jack Ward]

The Promo I am afraid, will have to wait until the show is put together.
One of the most difficult elements of doing so, is getting together our original music.
We're most fortunate to have the experience and creativity of Sharon Bee as our composer.
She has done a phenomenal job for the last three years in producing music for The Sonic Society, the Shadowlands audio drama series, and our most recent endevour "The Dead Line".

We will release the promo first, and then each of the five episodes one week at a time.

Old Wounds is set in a time between Firefly the TV series and Serenity. In fact, it occurs before the Comic book series as well.
And without revealing too much, leads a bit into the comic as well.

I'm a huge fan of backstory... so I went into writing this with one thing solidly in my head:

"What stories do I want to tell about the characters that would add to the mystery and also reveal some interesting elements about who they are?"

Doing so without interrupting canon, as most people can guess, is the most difficult of lines to tred. In the end, I'm very pleased with how they've turned out- and you've already noted at least one of our actors reads this board regularly.

We're very fortunate that the actors that weren't fans, ARE fans now. In fact, here in Halifax, the DVD series of Firefly were being sold for 26 dollars CDN. That's right. Just over twenty bucks USD. I bought a set for myself, and one for my father. Our "Zoe" was the one who told us about the sale, and she wasn't a convert when she came on board.

Jack

[Kaylee_J]

Weee linkies! ^_^ Haha

Oh man, am I ever excited to get these last episodes recorded! I've loved working on this so much! ^_^

Oh Jack! Promo! Ok, AWESOME idea. Want help cutting a promo together?? ^_~ tee hee
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[Kaylee_J]

An interesting little tidbit is that I will be going over to Andrew's tomorrow, where Andrew, Jack and I will begin the editing! ^_^ I'll see about a promo.

Stay tuned! ^_^

Kaylee_J (Jennie)
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[Kaylee_J]

Hi all! Just taking a little break in the thick of all the editing! ^_^

We're sorry to say that there's a good chance there won't be a promo, just because we want to make sure to do the very best we can on the actual episodes before we start on the last two episodes next week. With time constraints like this, every moment is precious, and there is a LOT of raw feed we have to sift through, so I'm sure you all understand. ^_^

Stay tuned!

~ J
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[browncoat4187]

Bummer. I am really looking forward to hearing the team's work!
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"Dear Buddha, I would like a pony and a plastic rocket....."

[Kaylee_J]

We're working as hard as we can to get it to you asap! ^_^
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[audioaddict]

Hi all- I posted a comment about Firefly:Old Wounds in the episode 15 comments, but I thought I would make an announcement here as well.

I'm Dani, podcast princess for The Sonic Society, and I am very VERY happy to announce that FireFly: Old Wounds premiered in the podcast feed on August 10th! Yay! Here is a direct link:

http://sonic.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=Firefly

And here is the podcast feed because I know you're gonna want more!

http://sonic.libsyn.com/rss

There has been an awesome reaction to the series so far, including a shout out by the folks at Escape Pod, SFF Audio, and a wonderful review written in the Audio Addicts blog by Gregg Taylor of Decoder Ring Theatre:

http://societyfans.blogspot.com/2006/08/firefly-notes-from-foreign.html

So keep following that signal and get on over to listen for yourself! I just know you will all love it- it's like the season two that never was!

Enjoy!
~Dani
_________________
Embrace your inner audio addict at
http://www.theaudioaddicts.com
Embrace your Firefly Audio Addiction at
http://sonic.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=Firefly

[Companion Kate]

[audioaddict]

That would be absolutely fabulous- please email me!

tsdiva@gmail.com

Libsyn makes it so easy, I don't get around to learning cool things like how to make your own feed.. LOL!

~Dani
_________________
Embrace your inner audio addict at
http://www.theaudioaddicts.com
Embrace your Firefly Audio Addiction at
http://sonic.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=Firefly

[Jack Ward]

Dearest Companion Kate,
There's some really good stuff in the Sonic Society... give us a listen!
After all, you can always pick and choose what you like to podcatch with your favourite podcatching software (at least I can with Juice... I'm assuming that iTunes has the same opportunity).

One of the great values of having Firefly attached to the Sonic Society is that it gives people the opportunity to listen to stuff they've maybe never heard before.

After all, how many people came to Firefly only after being fans of Buffy?
And how many more will want more Audio Firefly, once they've become fans of audio drama as a whole?

I'm all for inclusivity myself. But then, that's what I'm about... having people appreciate and LOVE this medium called Audio Drama!
Jack

[Companion Kate]

The deed is done. Subscribe your podcatcher to:
http://serenityfirefly.com/firefly_old_wounds_rss.php

and you will get Firefly: Old Wounds and nothing else. This script works! I know, because I just subscribed to it myself using Juice.

Sonic Society people, this script works by searching your original script for episodes whose filename begins with "ff". Therefore, in order to keep this script working, it is important that

(1) Every Firefly: Old Wounds episode (including the "extras" like cast interviews, etc.) must have a filename starting with "ff", and

(2) No other file on your feed may have a filename starting with "ff".

Now everyone can subscribe to it!

If you would prefer not to have the script running on the serenityfirefly domain, that's OK. It will run anywhere. I can send you the script and all you have to do is re-upload it to any server of your choice that supports PHP. (That said, serenityfirefly is a cool domain, and in any case, the domain of RSS feed is unrelated to the domain of the content).

In order to qualify for the Signal's feed offer, there's just one more thing you need to do. You need put instructions on your own website telling people that if they want Firefly: Old Wounds only, they need to subscribe to http://serenityfirefly.com/firefly_old_wounds_rss.php. (Or if you copy it, to wherever it moves to). Once that's done, let me know, and we'll put your first episode on our feed.

And to everyone else: Sonic Society's regular feed still works just fine, and that if you like their work and would also like to hear their non-Firefly stuff, then of course you should subscribe to that.
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[Companion Kate]

[Jack Ward]

thanks for the clarification Kate
Is there a place where I can read these rules?
Jack

[Companion Kate]

Sure thing.
http://signal.serenityfirefly.com/feedoffer.html

I should probably make these clearer, but we define a Firefly podcast as a podcast containing only Firefly related content.
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[Jack Ward]

thanks again Kate,
I would recommend that if this is where you want to go, you amend your policy to being "EXCLUSIVELY" Firefly material.

I'd like to say again, that I think that's probably not a good idea. After all, you'd want the Signal put on shows that weren't exclusively Firefly to get people to listen to what you guys are doing.

One of the best segments you guys do is your marketing campaigns. In it you recognise that going hard core Firefly on new people will just scare them off.
I would personally recommend that the reverse is true. To let people recognise that Signal/Firefly folks are interested in ALL kinds of stories, that a more opened policy be established.

Our policy is inclusivity in the Sonic Society. We've found its been especially effective.
You're of course welcome to do whatever you think is best.. I'm just giving you my thoughts on it

Can't stop the Signal!
Jack

[Companion Kate]

Like I said, we are more than willing to plug you to the stars. Rest assured, we will rave about you. We will tell people how great your stuff is and tell people to go listen to it. But a feed is a feed is a feed. If you subscribe to "Slice of Sci-Fi", you don't expect to find Celtic music coming down your feed. People who subscribe to the Signal expect to receive the Signal. That's why they subscribed.

No other podcast, of which I am aware, offers to put episodes of other podcasts on their feed. The only exception I can think of it that, once upon a time, "Geek Fu Action Grip" put the first episode of "I Should be Writing" on their feed, but given that both podcasts are made by the same person, that's understandable. It just isn't normal practice to do that.

So our feed offer is exceptional, and unusual. And we have to be strict about the rules, because if we make an exception, that sets a precedent, and the next thing you know A-N-Other-Sci-Fi-Podcast is saying "Hey, We've got some Firefly related episodes. Put one of them on your feed!". Where should we draw the line? Is six Firefly episodes enough? Is five? What about three?

When people subscribe to the Signal, they give us license to pipe absolutely anything we want down our feed at them. That gives us a tremendous responsibility not to abuse that privilege, and it's not one we take lightly. Even so, we feel that the feed offer does benefit our listeners, so we set up the conditions to represent a balance. And so, the line is drawn at Firefly podcasts.

You accuse us of not being "inclusive", but that's not fair. The Signal doesn't exist to give people "anything we think they might be interested in". We make people aware of stuff, and then it's up to them to get get it if they want it. Anything else would be an abuse of the trust which our subscribers have placed in us.

But I am bending over backwards to include you in this offer. I wrote a script that generates a Firefly RSS feed for you, and honestly, I wouldn't do that for everybody. I did it for you because I really want Old Wounds to go on our feed - but in such a way that it does not set a precedent that can be abused by others. And honestly, we do have listeners who only want the Firefly stuff, who are not interested in the Oscar Wilde episode or all the other stuff you have available. So I really don't think I'm being unfair. In fact, like I said, I'm trying to be helpful. I want you to accept the offer. I hope that you do. We are so close to that now, and the only thing I'm asking is that you mention the magic Firefly-only feed that I just made, on your website, so that when Signal listeners hear your first episode as it comes down our feed, and they think "Hmmm, I'd like to pick up the rest of the episodes", when they go to your website they'll find a way to do that. Is that really so terrible?
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[audioaddict]

[Jack Ward]

You misunderstand me Kate. I said the Sonic Society has a policy of inclusivity. We're a showcase for great audio drama. I wasn't saying that The Signal was not inclusive.
I was giving a suggestion, not a criticism. Everyone has to feel good with what they are doing, and you have your own path to forge... so great!

No slight intended I assure you.
You were saying that you were unaware of other podcasts having other podcasts on their feed though. I can give you one example I can think of off the top of my head. Scott Siglar put one of Escape Pod's episodes on his own feed. Of course it was one of his short stories, but it was an Escape Pod episode. So the thread is there.

That being said, again, like I've said I completely understand your desire to be selective. It's where your focus is and where your listener base is. We're absolutely thrilled to be included, and appreciate all the extra steps you've done to make us a part of the Signal family.

I bring these ideas up because I think that being a part of the greater podcast family, its good we work together to let new people know about podcasting and get the medium out there as a fantastic opportunity!

Thanks so much again for your part in helping us acheive that!
All the best,
Jack

[audioaddict]

BTW.. the separate feed link is now up on the Sonic Society podcast site:

http://sonic.libsyn.com/


I can't thank you enough for doing the feed for us.

~Dani
_________________
Embrace your inner audio addict at
http://www.theaudioaddicts.com
Embrace your Firefly Audio Addiction at
http://sonic.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=Firefly

[Companion Kate]

Thank you so much for that. The episode is now on our feed. Hopefully all Signal listeners should be downloading it in the next 24 hours.

So would you guys be up for an interview? (After DragonCon)
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[Jack Ward]

Absolutely Kate,
I know Andrew and I would be happy to have an interview.... I'm sure Danielle would be thrilled to (if I may make that assumption) just after her Michael And Evo's interview for "Slice of Sci Fi".

Just email me at jack.ward at soniccinema dot com for schedules:)

THANKS SO MUCH for getting us in your feed! Hooray!
J

[audioaddict]

[Volo]

[Companion Kate]

[audioaddict]

[Jack Ward]

Thanks so much for your feedback everyone. We really appreciate it!
Keep it coming

Just a little teaser for you. We would have had episode #2 out by this time of course, but our resident master of engineering (Andrew Dorfman) is out on an annual Improv Camping trip down somewhere near Boston.

He'll be back Monday.

Now on with the teaser.

Episode Two is called "All Alone in the Black"
And it picks up where we left off last episode.
Expect the following:
- More of Mal's past is revealed with this stow-away named "Timber."
- Simon continues to make a mess of things with Kaylee while the woman from his past, Derona, continues to play her cards close to her chest.
- All this and a classic styled sci-fi plot device that's just a whole lot more than anyone's bargained for.

And yes... another cliff hanger ending!

Keep 'er Flying!
Jack

[Companion Kate]

[Jack Ward]

Yea! Another B5 fan
That's EXACTLY the reference.
Thanks, I'm looking forward to getting this done to.
We just finished a couple last rerecordings.. mostly of me.
I am sooooo very self-conscious of my work as Simon Tam
J