DECEMBER 09, 2006 SATURDAY

Criminey! There has been so much news since my last post, but my old computer (on which i have built this site) is ill and only functions occasionally... anyway here goes...

PROBOT TWICE FEATURED ON MYSPACE!!!!!!!! On Nov 16 I noticed a big spike in the views on myspace/probotmovies, and fan emails started pouring in, but I had no clue where all the traffic was coming from. Then a kind fan told me that my STAR WARS - A New Hope (in 3 min) was a featured video!!

In that week alone we had over a quarter of a million views on MySpace and about 300,000 hits here at probotproductions.com, where fans downloaded over 46 GIGABYTES of movies! Thanks to Tom and everyone at MySpace for the honor! In fact we were twice blessed by the Gods of MySpace and they featured the same StarWars vid again this past week!

PROBOT IN PRE-PRODUCTION ON THE GIBBON

I am so pleased to report that the momentum is starting to build on our newest and biggest project yet, an all original HD feature length movie starring a cast of all original action figure characters. It's called THE GIBBON and it's an original story and screenplay written by Probot co-founder Sebastian O'Brien. Talented sculptors are currently creating our prototypes, we are assembling voice talent and crew, shooting HD camera tests, and polishing the script. We are scheduled to start shooting in early 2007!!! I wish I could show you the amazing prototypes, but it's too early yet, but check back for more Gibbon updates...

NEW EPISODES OF PREQUEL ONLINE NOW

I have just posted the lastest episodes of PREQUEL (Special Edition), our Star Wars parody series. Episode 5 features some of the latest Hasbro toys, including Darth Vader's Sith Starfighter, so SW collectors should enjoy it!

This has been an incredible year for us and I wanted to thank all the people out there who have visited us this past 12 months! Thanks so much for your continued support of Probot Toy Cinema! Have a happy and safe holiday and don't forget to OPEN YOUR TOYS!

Happy New Year and we'll see you in 200-frickin-7 !!!

Well, I just visited Boston, my old stomping ground, for the first time in years and walked many smoots to the Cambridge side of the Charles River to stop in at the M.I.T. library of the Humanities. I looked up the essay and found it was published in a textbook called Rethinking Media Change - The Aesthetics of Transition
Edited by David Thorburn and Henry Jenkins. I ran over to the M.I.T. bookstore and bought the book, and also found another book, Convergence Culture, also by Prof. Jenkins, with an edited version of the same essay. After all these years of making Toy Cinema, it was nice to get this kind of validation!

A little online research and i discovered that the essay is included on the cirriculum of many major US campuses including Stanford and Cornell, and we already knew about M.I.T. and the University of Wisconsin, where we ware included as part of the final exam. Funny, these are all better schools than the one i dropped out of.

I started a MySpace Group called Film School Dropouts Gone Bad:

http://groups.myspace.com/fsdgb

This group is for people who want to make (or participate in making) movies but don't want to get dragged down by the Industry. A place to share ideas, tricks, tips, assemble a crew or cast, ask or answer a question, give and get advice from other indie fimmakers, and help each other create art... or at least entertainment. The old system is dying and desperate to save itself, and new artists don't need to follow the same old paths. We're here to blaze new trails into the digital frontier and let the Industry try to keep up!

You don't need to be an official dropout to join. You just have to find that inner dropout and gather the strength to challenge conventional ideas to get your movie done and seen at all costs. Moviemakers of all kinds and positions welcome!

Please join today!

	First, Dan Milano (co-creator, voice of Greg and Warren) discusses his humble beginnings on public access TV, and jumping to IFC... then to Fox... and now back to IFC. He shares his feelings on the digital revolution and offers advice to the next generation of indie moviemakers.
	Sean Baker (co-creator) tells us what to expect next season and why this new incarnation is the GtheB show they "always wanted to make."
	Warren "The Ape" Demontague talks about his early days in the theater, what little he can remember, at least. Also he gives us the dirt on his romantic life and tension behind the scenes...
	Greg The Bunny talks about Comic-Con, Star Wars, and the joys of fame, but also touches on deeper topics: the dark side of Hollywood, his cosmetic surgery, and even Puppet Theology.

These interviews were a lot of fun for me and i'd like to thank Dan Milano, Sean Baker, Warren, Greg, Dan Glasser, Hadrian Belove, Sebastian O'Brien, David Fairbanks, and Shout Factory for making it all come together!

COMIC-CON 2006 UPDATE! Just got back from an amazing weekend at Comic-Con! I had never been before, so it was great to finally experience the madness first hand! PROBOT NEWS has some EXCLUSIVE footage of the event and will be uploading all the video asap. Check back here for updates...

EXCLUSIVE GREG the BUNNY INTERVIEWS:
I was granted an interview with Dan Milano and Sean Baker, 2 of the co-creators of Greg The Bunny, one of my all time favorite TV shows! The original cast are back on IFC with some hilarious movie parodies, and PROBOT NEWS got the scoop on next season! We discuss everything from their humble beginnings on Public access TV, their breif stint on Fox, to the fun they're having now back on IFC. Dan shares his feelings on the digital revolution and offers advice to the next generation of indie moviemakers. Sean tells us what to expect next season and why this new incarnation is the GtheB show they "awlays wanted to make".

I also had the incredible opportunity to sit down with the stars of the show, WARREN "THE APE" DEMONTAGUE, and GREG THE BUNNY himself!!! Warren talks about his early days in the theater, what little he can remember, at least. Also he gives us the dirt on his romantic life and tension behind the scenes...
Greg talks about Comic-Con, Star Wars, and the joys of fame, but also touches on deeper topics: the dark side of Hollywood, his cosmetic surgery, and even Puppet Theology.

These are videotaped interviews you won't want to miss. I will be posting the video just as soon as i can. Check back here for the latest...

COMIC-CON 2006 UPDATE! We have just received word that Probot News will be getting some amazing exclusive coverage of Comic-Con, including an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with one of my biggest heroes from television... But this is SOOOO exciting that i don't want to jinx it by boasting about it before it happens. But if all goes according to plan you will find some extra special exclusive coverage of Comic-Con 2006 RIGHT HERE at Probot News! For the latest updates check our MySpace Blog: http://www.myspace.com/probotmovies

I am thrilled to announce that Probot News will be providing exclusive coverage of Comic-Con 2006 in San Diego next weekend! We have recieved our press credentials and will be covering as much of the excitement as possible. Two of my favorite TV shows of all time, Greg the Bunny and Robot Chicken are having panels as well as Spidey 3!!! Plus all the action figure makers will be showing off their new toys and Probot News will have the scoop! Check back here next week for more info...

PREQUEL Episode 3 is ONLINE NOW!
The latest episode of our Star Wars Action-Figure-Epic Parody, PREQUEL, is up now.

Here are a few grabs from the episode:





For more info click here, or to subscribe to the Vodcast click here.

"STAR WARS: MINI MOVIE AWARDS EPISODE 3 3/4 INCHES

It seems the Star Wars saga is not necessarily complete, as toy company Hasbro are calling on all budding film directors to create their own mini movie. This is your big chance to direct your very own Star Wars movie using the iconic Hasbro Star Wars action figures.

Have fun with Star Wars by re-enacting a scene from one of the movies, or spoofing the films. Your cast of plastic actors will do anything you ask and you needn’t worry about equity charges, big strops or who has the biggest Winnebago.

Entries will be divided into the following categories:
• Best Creativity
• Best Storyline
• Best Use of Characters
• One film will be selected as an overall winner – crowned the Best Star Wars Mini Movie.

The competition is open to all and there will be two winners in each category – a Padawan (15 and under) and a Jedi (16 and over). Ten finalists in each category will be chosen and invited to premiere their films in central London in May at The Artoos – the official award ceremony for the competition.

The winner in each category will receive £250 plus a collection of Star Wars toys. The winner of the Best Movie will receive £1000 plus a home entertainment system.

Movies must contain at least one Hasbro Star Wars action figure, be no larger than 5mb and must be in one of the following formats; AVI, MPG, MPEG, WMV or MOV. Entries can be submitted online at www.swminimovies.com or via post at STAR WARS: MINI MOVIE AWARDS, PO BOX 42, South East Delivery Office, Manchester, M12 6AY. Closing date for entries is 30.05.06.

For further information and full terms and conditions please log onto www.swminimovies.com.

To celebrate the conclusion of the Star Wars saga Hasbro are releasing action figure characters from all six movies in brand new packaging. The characters will include new figures of Han Solo (complete with Carbonite), Boba Fett, Darth Vader, C-3PO, Yoda and Princess Leia.

Hasbro have now produced over 500 different Star Wars Action Figures celebrating the saga and all the characters.

For further information and full terms and conditions log onto www.swminimovies.com."

Hey, what the heck is a strop?

The second episode of PREQUEL is online now!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ProbotStarWarsAction-figure-theater

Here are some grabs:

Probot Productions is pleased to announce the return of our Star Wars
Action-Figure Epic Parody: PREQUEL

Originally released on CCTV, cable access television in Cambridge, Mass in 1999, PREQUEL soon found a cult audience online. This movie led to Probot making Star Wars Action Figure shorts for StarWars/Hasbro’s official website.

To avoid confusion with the shorts approved by Luasfilm, PREQUEL has been locked away in the Probot Vault for the past 5 years. The newly restored and re-edited Special Edition of PREQUEL features enhanced effects and deleted scenes.

However, don't look for the movie here on the site. The "series" is being
released exclusively through Probot’s new Vodcast. The movie files are M4V format, playable in iTunes and new video iPods.

Episode One of at least 10 scheduled episodes is online NOW!
Running time: 6 minutes
Size: 21.7MB

PREQUEL tells a few stories...
[SPOILERS BELOW]

HIGHLIGHT TEXT BELOW TO READ

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

The Emperor commands that Vader crack down on spice smuggling....
Lando and the Modal Nodes are busted, and Davross (of
Dr.Who fame) launches a droid rebellion for not being allowed in the Cantina.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As always, Probot likes to mix it up, so look for lots of cameos of other
toys and action figures and custom figures as well…

Gosh, things have gotten so busy here that i haven't had time to update...

Our iTunes Vodcasts have been a big success and we have been posting new episodes weekly, or at least as often as possible.

I am putting the final touches on the first of many episodes of PREQUEL, our Star Wars Action-Figure Epic, which has been in the Probot Vault for 5 years. This new "Special Edition" has been restored and re-edited [including deleted scenes] and is the highest quality we have ever been able to offer for download.

PREQUEL will be available exclusively through our VODCAST, so subscribe now!

In other Probot news...
We are developing the script for our new super-secret project about which i still can't reveal any details yet, but it's going very well.
I can't really tell you what it is... but i can tell you what it's not:
It's not going to be AvP or Star Trek or any other kind of direct parody that people keep suggesting we do. This project is an all new, all original story by Sebastian O'Brien featuring characters he created. It's going to be a funny, comic-style action-adventure story with Probot's unique blend of in camera and digital effects. We will be recruiting designers to help us sculpt original action-figure style puppets and build sets. The production will likely last over a year, but we are aiming for a feature length movie. This is without a doubt the biggest project we've ever embarked upon, but it's really what we've been building up to from the beginning.

This will be a labor of love for all involved, as our budget only covers materials. Toy designers, puppet makers, puppeteers, digital animators, miniature set builders and scenic artists in the Los Angeles area who are interested in this project and are WILLING TO WORK FOR FREE should contact me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
This week we are CELEBRATING 7 YEARS ON THE WEB! WWW.PROBOTPRODUCTIONS.COM was launched on Jan 7th 1999, and quickly found an international cult fanbase that continues to grow... Now that more and more people are going online looking for video entertainment on demand, it seems that technology has finally caught up with us!

PROBOT VODCASTs
Subscribe now to our new Probot Vodcasts!
We are currently in the middle of upgrading all of our videos to the new Hi-Res m4v format, playable on itunes and new video ipods!

Subscribe and have Probot videos download automatically.
Copy and paste URLs below into itunes [Advanced menu/ Subscribe to podcast...]
We have 3 different feeds online NOW!

[the following has been updated with corrected info... sorry for any inconvenience]

VODCAST #1: PROBOT WORLD OF AMAZING ACTION-FIGURE ADVENTURE!
Starting with our 3 minute version of A New Hope, we will show all our movies here, including from the Probot Vault... PREQUEL! Updated weekly with all our videos. Subscribe to this and you'll get everything PROBOT!

VODCAST #2: PROBOT TOYCINEMA - ALIEN 5²
ALIEN 5² (in 5 parts)

VODCAST #3: FARRAH!
This Vodcast is Farrah only! Starting with Farrah! Episode 1, "Farrah Shares A Smile" (in 3 parts) Updated weekly. New episodes in production now!

Tell your friends!