The Fanstastic Ms. Fox

Cats is playing is Maple Ridge Aug 16th-19th, 1pm & 7:30 pm.
I am planning on going. Anyone else?

This Cyberpunk Noir thing will be a for of Broken Reality Theatre, or "BRC," pronounced "brick." It is distingushed from a "larp" in that there it contains surprisingly low levels of math, goth, suck, and other things that bother people about larps, plus it it will be run as a business.

The main event will be once a month, or pehaps twice. It will be a on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, depending on which day looks best for the demographic (Thursday is the leading contender).

The question I'm working on is where it should lie on a continuum of cabaret vs ARG (i.e. majestic). In the former case, it's open doors, with members playing characters needing to pass a short interview. The latter is a bit more select: people who want to join have to answer some questions to see if the BRC fits what they want. Both will involve a monthly or twice-monthly fixed-location event where there will be vending of food, beverages (no liquor for safety and personal reasons), and merchandise, and possibly some live music too. The latter case probably involves more meet-ups around Vancouver, with stories set on the waterfront at night, or in an old warehouse or a park or something (and possibly shadowy emails and threatening phonecalls). The former mode will be cheaper; the latter, more costly.

The setting will be near future social speculative film noir melodrama set exactly 28 year in the future Why 28? the calendar cycles every 28 years from March 1st, 1900 to February 28th, 2100. 28 years hence is more intimate that 56 or 84.

I think I will start in January of '07, but will run a test event or two prior to then, which will be open to people who are willing to provide feedback.

So then. The set-up process... and YOU (from most likely to involve you to least)
1. I will be hosting weekly evening things, where I will be asking questions, and having movies or short films, and there will be food.
2. If you'd like to make or do something that you'd like to sell or get paid for at the BRC (food, costumes, hats, posters, fiction, facepainting, live music, DJ-ing, cyberpunk-themed buckets of fish), give me a shout.
3. If you are starting a service business, especially one with a similar product or demographic, we should get together and talk, because we probably can share useful information, maybe buddy up on some costs, or at least freak out together.
4. There will be a need for volunteers to help market the cabaret, set up and clean up shop, and play some "high-planning" characters. Volunteers will get discounted and/or free stuff.
5. I may need a staff person or two, but this is a ways down the line

Comments?

So I'm all gung-ho on my business plans, and I like having people over, and I like watching  movies, and I like asking questions, so I'm gonna do something about it... every Wednesday I think.

The trial run went well, so it's gonna be dinner and movie and discussion every Wednesday (Tuesday and Thursday are also an option. I can't remember what works best for y'all) . Show up at 7:00, movie at 8:30, I go to sleep some time a bit after midnight.

"What movies?" you ask.
(this is not a choice, you must ask it... go on, I'm listening through the bugs in your computer)

"Why movies to do with the stupendous neo-reality event which I am concocting: movies to do with cyberpunk, the near-future, film noir, moodyness, Bollywood, colourful costumes and so on." I sagely answer.

"And how does this tie in to your event?" you dutifully ask.

"I'm gonna ask you a bunch of questions about genre, theme, visual elements and what you'd like to see, or would certainly despise, in such an astoundingly magnificent event as I am planning. It should be a lively and humorous conversation." I respond.

So there you go. I think I'm gonna go with Blade Runner next week, but I'm not 100% certain. It might be Tetsuo, or well... I'm not sure, but it won't suck. That's right folks: it won't suck. So I'd appreciate RSVP's, but don't insist on them unless you either want to be a part of the food (if you don't RSVP and don't bring food, there may not be enough to go around), or plan to bring a guest.

Despite the website, I want to go to the Night Market. Preferably Friday the 21st at 7, when there will be Chinese opera.
I suggest facepaint, and perhaps T-shirts with amusing hanzi.

In other news, I have student tickets to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival which I bought by accident. Since I got the in-advance bulk deal, I got them for cheap. I'd like to break even and will sell them for $20 for Friday night and $25 for Saturday or Sunday (instead of the usual $35 and  $40). You need student ID to use them

The Coalition of Progressive Electors will hold an Annual General Meeting at 1 pm, on Sun, April 23, 2006 at the St James Square Hall at 3214 W 10 Ave, Vancouver.

I am looking to see if anyone wants to come out to the meeting, or get a membership. I'm a little concerned about how this AGM is going to turn out, because we got trounced pretty bad in the last election and there's a sizable contingent who'd like to see COPE "become more competitive" by stepping to the right. I'm hoping to show up and demonstrate that there're people who like having a serious left-wing party around.

Here is why I like a left-wing COPE:

- Advocating for municpal campaign spending limits (1 million spent in 1999; 4.4 million in 2006)

- Bike lanes on the burrard bridge

- Not the bitch of provincial or federal political parties

- Livable region transportation plan

- Social housing

- Seems pretty interested in attracting younger members
- Avoids public-private partnerships
- Harm reduction approach to drug use
- Peace conference
- Open to public scrutiny
- First ethical purchasing policy in North America
- Refused building rights to Wal-Mart
- Fiscally responsible
- (most importantly) Actually elects people to office