SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 229  - We Interview Richard Dean Anderson (Jack O'Niell from Stargate SG1 and Angus MacGyver from MacGyver)

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, and M

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Richard Dean Anderson

Richard Dean Anderson is probably best known as MacGyver, the clever and inventive nonviolent hero who solved problems in his own unique way for seven successful seasons on ABC. In his roles before and since, this gifted actor has continued to demonstrate his remarkable talent and versatility. Richard was born on January 23, 1950 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father, Stuart Anderson, taught English, drama, and humanities at a local high school, and is an accomplished jazz bassist. His mother, Jocelyn, is an artist, talented in both painting and sculpture. Richard is the eldest of four sons. He and his brothers, Jeffrey Scott, Thomas John, and James Stuart, grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of Roseville, where Richard developed early interests in sports, the arts, music, and acting. Like many boys growing up in Minnesota, Richard dreamed of becoming a professional hockey player. However, at the age of 16, he broke both arms, in separate accidents three weeks apart, while playing in high school hockey games. He put aside his dreams of playing professionally, though he still harbors a deep love for the sport. Richard talks of his restlessness growing up, his early desire to explore, and his adventures hitchhiking and hopping freight trains. At the age of 17, he took a 5641 mile bicycle trip from his home in Minnesota through Canada and Alaska, an experience which was sparked by his sense of adventure and discovery, but which also gave him a more centered sense of direction. He studied drama at St. Cloud State University and at Ohio University, though he left just short of completing his degree. His travels took him briefly to New York City, and he spent some time experiencing the cultural revolution of the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, before finally settling in Los Angeles. There he worked as a street mime and juggler, and as a jester-singer at a Renaissance-style cabaret. He also worked for a time at Marineland, where he wrote, directed, and performed in the marine mammal shows. His job included holding fish in his mouth for the killer whales to leap up and snatch, and he tells of the powerful whack to the face he took while rehearsing his routine with an orca. He appeared in plays and live theater as well, including landing a role in Superman in the Bones at the Pilgrimage Theatre. During his early years he also joined his friend Carl Dante, and for a time sang and played guitar as part of Carl's rock band under the name "Ricky Dean and Dante". Richard came to national attention in 1976 as Dr. Jeff Webber on the popular daytime drama General Hospital. After five years in that role, he felt it was time to move on, and he left to try his hand at prime time television. He appeared in two short-lived television series for CBS, as the eldest brother in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 1982, and as a hot-shot Naval pilot in Emerald Point N.A.S. in 1983, as well as numerous guest appearances in other series. In 1985 Richard was cast in his signature role as MacGyver, on ABC. He has told the story of how he won the role. He had been called in for an audition, and asked to "cold read" an unfamiliar script. Being very nearsighted, he asked to wear his glasses for the reading, and that simple unselfconscious gesture immediately convinced the show's producers that they had found the right man to become their unpretentious hero. MacGyver ran for seven successful years, and continues to enjoy popularity all around the world. He made his TV movie debut in 1986 in Ordinary Heroes, with Valerie Bertinelli. In this remake of the 1945 movie Pride of the Marines, Richard gave a moving performance as a soldier who is blinded three days before returning home from Vietnam. In preparation for the emotional demands of the role, he studied with the late Peggy Feury before shooting began. He demonstrated his incredible talent for a variety of roles when he appeared in several movies for CBS television following the finale of MacGyver. In 1992 he starred as a disillusioned cop opposite Justine Bateman in the movie In the Eyes of a Stranger, and as a psychotic stalker pursuing Marg Helgenberger in Through the Eyes of a Killer. His chilling performance as an abusive husband opposite Susan Dey in the 1994 movie Beyond Betrayal caused Daily Varietyto remark, "...credit Richard Dean Anderson with a performance so creepy that masks of his character could be Halloween bestsellers." In June of 1995 he explored the opposite end of the acting spectrum with a powerful and touching performance as a father grieving the loss of his young son in Past the Bleachers, for ABC. As MacGyver came to an end, Richard and his partner, Michael Greenburg, had signed an overall deal with Paramount Pictures to develop and produce several films and series for television for their own production company, Gekko Film Corp. In their first project, Richard acted as both star and executive producer of two MacGyver movies for television, both of which were filmed in London in 1993. MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis and MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday aired in 1994 to critical acclaim. Their next project for Gekko was the 1995 TV seriesLegend for UPN. In it, Richard portrayed Ernest Pratt, a dime novelist who reluctantly takes on the role of his literary hero, Nicodemus Legend, in a lighthearted blend of western and science fiction. Once again Richard took on the role of executive producer, as well as demonstrating a considerable talent for comedy, in what he has described as his favorite role to date. Following the premature cancellation of Legend, Richard signed an agreement with CBS television, and filmed a pilot episode for a new television series, Firehouse, although the series was not picked up by the network. His next appearance was as the heroic captain of a doomed airliner in the 1996 blockbuster NBC miniseries Pandora's Clock, which received critical acclaim and was an important ratings winner for the network. He followed this success by joining with MGM/UA and Showtime television in a joint deal with Gekko Film Corp to produce and star in the new science fiction series Stargate SG-1, based on the 1994 movie. His new series began production in Vancouver in February of 1997, and debuted to outstanding ratings on Showtime on July 27, 1997. Richard loves to travel, and he has retained his love for music and the arts. He enjoys collecting art, with his tastes running from the French Impressionists to the more modern. He continues to play the guitar, and has even tried his hand at composing, including the original piece,Eau d'Leo, which was used in the series MacGyver. He has expressed his appreciation for both classical music and jazz, as well as the country-rock guitar style of artists such as Steve Earle, and has considered Leo Kottke to be his musical idol for years. An avid sports fan, he indulges his passions for hockey, skiing, baseball, sky diving, cycling, and auto racing whenever possible. He enjoys fast cars and motorcycles, and owns, among others, both a 1000cc Harley-Davidson Sportster and a black Acura NSX. He has participated in the Toyota Celebrity Long Beach Grand Prix twice, as well as various other racing events around the country. He has a passion for skiing, and can often be found on the ski slopes, both in his off time, and for numerous celebrity events for charity. As a huge fan of ice hockey, he is one of the founders of the Celebrity All Star Hockey team, a collection of hockey enthusiasts from the sports and entertainment worlds, who play in NHL cities throughout the country for charity. In 1988 and 1992, Richard was chosen to be the honorary captain of Team USA, the United States Olympic hockey team, and he takes pride in his opportunities to become an ambassador for the sport. Richard actively supports many charities and organizations. For many years he has been on the Board of Trustees for the Challengers Boys and Girls Club, a youth organization founded in 1968 with the help of MacGyver executive producer Stephen Downing, and upon which the Challenger Center of the TV series was based. He is the recipient of the 1995 Celebrity Award from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and his commitment to the Foundation, an organization that grants wishes to terminally ill children, has included many opportunities for his young fans to visit the set. He has supported the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and has done several public service announcements for causes he strongly supports, including the Center for the Prevention of Handgun Violence, and Project Literacy US. For many years he has given his support to the Special Olympics, and was one of the key speakers at the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics games in 1991. In recent years, Richard's focus has been particularly drawn to environmental issues. He has been named to the board of directors of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and he has partnered with members of Earth River Expeditions to produce the "River Project," a series of documentaries about the great rivers of the world. Richard Dean Anderson is 6 feet, 2 inches tall, with naturally dark brown hair and eyes. He has a deep love of dogs, whom he refers to as his "favorite people," and his most constant companion for many years had been Whiskey, the Australian shepherd he had raised from a puppy, and a permanent fixture on the MacGyver set, who passed away in 1989 at the age of 13. In 1996, Richard found himself a new companion in Zoë, yet another Australian shepherd puppy and "best friend." Richard has never married, and although he prefers to keep his private life private, he has been linked in the past with several high-profile women, including Deidre Hall, Sela Ward, Marlee Matlin, Katarina Witt, Teri Hatcher, and Lara Flynn Boyle. In 1996, Richard met Apryl Prose, and together they celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter, on August 2, 1998. Wylie Quinn Annarose Anderson entered the world at 7 lbs. 11 oz. Richard speaks with great enthusiasm about his new adventure of fatherhood, and takes great pride in his reputation as a doting dad. Richard lives both in Vancouver and near Los Angeles, as well as owning a cabin in northern Minnesota. Throughout his career, Richard has made a point of selecting roles that would allow him to stretch and demonstrate the range of his remarkable skill. With additional projects in development from Gekko Film Corp, Richard's fans can look forward to many more appearances from this accomplished and versatile actor. Thanks to Kate R. for compiling this biography.  You can find the original plus many more photos at: www.rdanderson.com.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 228 – Star Wars Rebels premieres, Knight Rider is Back, and Shatner in the Next Star Trek Movie.

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If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. You Can Download The Episode Here. News: Rebels premieres, It's another big week of TV, including the premiere of Disney's first Star Wars series. Yes, this week we finally get a full hour of Star Wars Rebels, and we can't wait to see how the Rebellion ignites. Plus, The Vampire Diaries returns for its sixth season, Movie News: More Batman v Superman pics suggest anti-Superman movement. More photos from the set of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice seem to indicate that humanity is not happy at all with the man from Krypton. Comic Book Movie has posted a new batch of images -- taken by a Detroit resident named Tim Reinman, who also snapped some photos of what could be Wayne Manor in the movie -- showing what appears to be a demonstration held against Superman (Henry Cavill). Signs bearing slogans like "Super Death" and "Thanks for the 'help'" (the latter with flames underneath it) seem to indicate that there is a lot of ill will toward Kal-El for the carnage caused by his titanic battle with the minions of Zod in Man of Steel. Apparently some extras have been spotted wearing "Superman Survivor" shirts as well. They're even burning a Superman dummy in effigy! Movie News: Justin Bieber lends his voice as Knight Rider talking car KITT in new comedy flick with David Hasselhoff He called me and asked me for a favor and I called him back and said, "Can you do me a favour?" and he said, "Yes,"' David told Yahoo. 'I did his favor first because I love the Bieb. I think he’s a cool kid and he gets a bad rap. He’s a good guy and I like his music, I’ve known him for five years.' Killing Hasselhoff is being directed by Darren (Diary Of A Mad Black Woman) Grant and follows a guy who tries to win a celebrity death pool by hiring a hit man to kill David Hasselhoff. Besides Hasselhoff himself, Jim Jeffries and Jon Lovitz are attached to star. Justin was spotted taking a joyride with the Hoff in the iconic Pontiac Trans Am in Venice Beach, California on Tuesday. Bieber impressed co-star Ken Jeong, who chimed in: 'Justin couldn’t have been more kind or accommodating. He was just so generous with his time, and nailed the scene.' The Baby singer wore a black T-shirt as David was seen channeling his former character Michael Knight wearing a leather jacket and aviator sunglasses. The pair smiled and laughed as they worked. David also sported his trademark tan and dark hair hardly changed from his days as Michael Knight in the hit '80s show. Justin, who was born in 1994, wasn't even alive when the show first aired in 1982, but has no doubt caught repeats of the popular hit. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2770129/Justin-Bieber-lends-voice-Knight-Rider-talking-car-KITT-new-comedy-flick-David-Hasselhoff.html#ixzz3EqDhjCxf   Trek News: Shatner: JJ Abrams Called About Possible Star Trek 2016 Role – Would Be Delighted To Do It Today at Nashville Comic Con, William Shatner revealed that he has spoken to JJ Abrams [who is producing the next Star Trek movie] about how there "might" be "an idea" for him to play a part. We have full transcript of Shatner’s comments and video below. Shatner: JJ Called me about Star Trek 2016 – There ‘might’ be a part Today at his panel at Nashville Wizard World Comic Con, William Shatner talked about the recent rumor about a role for him in the 2016 Star Trek movie. It started when he was asked a question which wasn’t actually directly related to the rumor, but only if he had any interest in reprising the role of Kirk. Here is Shatner’s full answer: Shatner Asked To ‘Keep Quiet’ About Star Trek 2016+ Orci Says Role Must Be ‘Worthy Over the weekend William Shatner confirmed he had been contacted by JJ Abrams about how there "might" be a role for him in the 2016 Star Trek movie. Today Shatner has revealed that he has been contacted again and told to stop talking about Star Trek. Details on that below, plus how the media is covering Bill’s weekend revelation, and there are some new comments from Orci here at TrekMovie and Bill and Orci are also tweeting to each other. Here’s my dilemma, I was cautioned not to speak about this and the next day it was out all over Twitter. ‘So I talked about it and then I get another phone call telling me to keep quiet again! All I can say is that I’m very excited about the film." Orci: Role must ‘be worthy’ The director of the upcoming Star Trek movie Roberto Orci has again engaged fans here at TrekMovie.com and has dropped a couple of interesting comments about Bill over the last day. First was this exchange… Ralph Pinheiro – September 28, 2014 If it is true, I hope it was a very good idea and as Shatner said: “If it is meaningful”. I don´t want Bill or Nimoy coming back just with a good idea for sweep. While the intention is good, It could potentially wreck everything. —————————————————————————– boborci – September 28, 2014 [@Ralph Pinheiro]. exactly. I would never waste my hero’s time. Must be worthy of them if you’re gonna go for it. SCI FI 5 @ 5 Great Dr. Who Quotes 1. “Through crimson stars and silent stars and tumbling nebulas like oceans set on fire; through empires of glass and civilizations of pure thought, and a whole, terrible, wonderful universe of impossibilities. You see these eyes? They’re old eyes. And one thing I can tell you, Alex… Monsters are real.” – The Doctor  (Smith) 2. “It’s like when you’re a kid. The first time they tell you that the world’s turning and you just can’t quite believe it ’cause everything looks like it’s standing still… I can feel it: the turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at 1,000 miles an hour and the entire planet is hurtling around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour, and I can feel it. We’re falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go… That’s who I am.” – The Doctor ( Eccleson) 3. When you wake up… I’ll be a story in your head. But that’s okay. We’re all stories, in the end… just make it a good one, eh? Because it was. It was the best.” – The Doctor (Smith) 4. People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it’s more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff.  (Tenant) 5. Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux? I know: Back to the Future. It’s like Back to the Future. (Tenant)

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 227 – Conversations with Jen from New York

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott and Miles

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Much of the conversation in tonight's show revolves around Jen from New York's e-mails and voicemails.  In this episode we discuss the following: Doctor Who, Falling Skies, Dominion, Under the Dome, Big Bang Theory, Gotham, Once Upon a Time, Defiance, New York Comicon, Sleepy Hollow, Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and More.

What the heck is a Lute anyway?  Well in this episode, David, Scott and Jim not only take a look in the mailbag and read the thoughts of you, the faithful listener, but it seems that Jim will never live down his rant on mistaken musical identity from the Frank Herbert's Dune Miniseries.  A fun show to record.  We love our listener's feedback and urge you to send us yours!

Hey Dune Saga Podcast fans, and fans of the Dune universe, we are back with an episode you will not want to miss.  In this show, we dissect Frank Herbert's Dune, a three part miniseries that aired on the Sci Fi (now SyFy) way back in December of 2000.  Listen in as David Scott and Jim discuss the macro as well as the micro, even including Jim's rant on the inaccurate identification of one of the props used in the film. 

SciFi Rewind Ep. 226 – Firefly: Ariel, War Stories, and Trash

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, M., and Raul Ybarra from the Babylon Project Podcast

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Welcome to the SciFi Rewind: Firefly

Firefly is an American space western drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as an executive producer, along with Tim Minear. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things". The show explores the lives of a group of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and others who now make a living on the outskirts of society, as part of the pioneer culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In this future, the only two surviving superpowers, the United States and China, fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today"

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 225  - We Interview Kirsten Beyers, Author of Star Trek  Voyager: Acts of Contrition

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott and M

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Star Trek Voyager: Acts of Contrition

An original novel set in the universe of Star Trek: Voyager—and the sequel to theNew York Times bestseller Protectors! Admiral Kathryn Janeway has now taken command of the Full Circle Fleet. Her first mission: return to the Delta Quadrant and open diplomatic relations with the Confederacy of the Worlds of the First Quadrant, a civilization whose power rivals that of the Federation. Captain Chakotay knows that his choices could derail the potential alliance. While grateful to the Confederacy Interstellar Fleet for rescuing the Federation starships from an alien armada, Voyager’s captain cannot forget the horrors upon which the Confederacy was founded. More troubling, it appears that several of Voyager’s old adversaries have formed a separate and unlikely pact that is determined to bring down the Confederacy at all costs. Sins of the past haunt the crew members of the Full Circle Fleet as they attempt to chart a course for the future. Will they learn much too late that some sins can never be forgiven…or forgotten? ™, ®, & © 2014 CBS Studios, Inc. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Kirsten Beyer

Kirsten Beyer is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Star Trek Voyager novels Acts of Contrition, Protectors, The Eternal Tide, Children of the Storm, Unworthy, Full Circle and String Theory: Fusion. She also penned the last Buffy book ever, One Thing or Your Mother, the Alias APO novel, Once, and she contributed the short story "Isabo's Shirt" to the Distant Shores anthology as well as the short story "Widow's Weeds" to Space Grunts. She has also written several articles for Star Trek Magazine. Kirsten appeared in Los Angeles productions of Johnson over Jordan, This Old Planet, and Harold Pinter's The Hothouse, which the L.A. Times called "unmissable." She also appeared in the Geffen Playhouse's world premiere of Quills and has been seen on General Hospital and Passions, among others. Kirsten has undergraduate degrees in English literature and theater arts, and a master of fine arts from UCLA. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, David, and their daughter.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 224 – Guardians of the Galaxy Rocks (Scott's a Slacker), The Last Ship, Doctor Who, and More.

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, and M.

Download the Episode here.

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

In this chat we hear from some of regular friends of the show, Colin H discusses Guardians of the Galaxy as does Jim A. We talk the Last Ship, Doctor Who, The Wheel of Time Series and More.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 223 – Sharing the Shore Leave Love

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

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Tonight’s Diners: Miles, M, and Scott

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Recently we had the pleasure of talking with author Brian Herbert and what an enjoyable conversation we had. During our conversation we talked about a great many things including growing up with the Dune legacy, taking ownership of the legacy by beginning to write in the universe, and Brian's newest book The Little Green Book of Chairman Rahma. We also had the opportunity to ask some of the questions that you listeners sent in for the interview. Whether you're a fan of all things Dune, the expanded universe, or just the original works,  you're going to find something interesting in this talk. So sit back and enjoy what we hope to be the first in many discussions with Brian Herbert. [do_widget "text"]

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 222 – We Interview Michael Welch from the Twilight Movies, Star Trek, Stargate, and Z Nation

A Shore Leave 36 Interview

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

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We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: Miles and M

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Michael Welch

Michael Welch is best known for his role as the popular Mike Newton in The Twilight Saga film series (2008-2011) and Luke Girardi in the beloved TV series Joan of Arcadia (2003-2005).

2014 is shaping up to be an excellent year for Michael with the expected release of 4 films, The Boys of Abu Ghraib, The Well, Boy Meets Girl, and The Grounds, with others potentially on the horizon. In November 2013 and January of this year, he filmed the paranormal thrillers, Cawdor and Until Someone Gets Hurt, respectively.

Films released in 2013 that Welch starred in are: Grace Unplugged, Hansel and Gretel Get Baked, All The Boys Love Mandy Lane and The Demented.

Welch has portrayed intense roles as the leading man in Independent films as Born Bad, Unrequited and Lost Dream.

Michael can be seen in award-winning festival favorites such as Archie's Final Project, An American Crime, United States of Leland, American Son, and The Cover-up.

Welch is familiar to television audiences for his many starring roles on Emmy Award-winning shows, most recently Grimm, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, and Bones. During the past several years he appeared on CSI, an arc on The Riches, CSI: Miami, Numb3rs, Law & Order: SVU, Crossing Jordan, NCIS, Cold Case, and Without a Trace. His earlier years included performances on Stargate: SG-1, Judging Amy, The District, Touched by an Angel, Malcolm in the Middle, The X-Files, The Pretender, 7th Heaven, Chicago Hope, and Frasier.

Welch won best actor at the 2011 First Glance Film Festival in Hollywood for his portrayal of a troubled young man in Unrequited. He is the recipient of two Young Artist Awards, first for his performance in Star Trek: Insurrection at the age of 10 as Artim, and the second for his work as Luke Girardi on the hit television series Joan of Arcadia, which ran for two seasons on CBS.

In spite of his busy schedule, it is essential to Michael to give back. Welch raised $12,000 in 2013 to drill a clean water well for a village of 500 people in Swatziland. He also received the Pioneering Spirit Award from The Thirst Project in 2011 for his outstanding efforts in raising awareness and money to provide clean drinking water. In 2010, Welch was invited to Germany by the USO to support both wounded soldiers and over 600 military youth. Welch was Co-Chair for 4th annual Walk on The Horizon, an event to raise awareness and resources for adults with disabilities. For over 10 years, Welch hosted and entertained less fortunate youth with Kids With A Cause.

 

It is that time again. Time for our Listener Feedback Show!  David, Scott and Jim read and listen to what you have sent in to us and then we give your our comments and observations.  We have a great bunch of listeners who have been sending some very insightful comments to us.  You can send your comments to us at dunesagapodcast@gmail.com, on our Facebook page, or by calling the voicemail number 1-260-577-2428(Chat).  We hope you enjoy hearing from us as much as we do from you.  

Bringing Dune to OSFest by Jim Arrowood My first convention experience was last year, (July, 2013) in Omaha, Nebraska which is about three hours from where I live in Kearney, Nebraska. That was just a couple of months before my co-host for the Dune Saga Podcast, David invited me to be a part of this project. OSFest is a fan operated convention that takes place on the last weekend of July, or the first weekend of August. It is a very diverse event that includes many varied interests of the fans that attend. While looking at the schedule for this year’s event, I noticed an opportunity to introduce the Dune universe to the convention. So I proposed a Dune Book Panel and found myself moderating a panel. I then thought to myself, what am I going to talk about on this panel. Thanks to Scott and David, I did have a model to pattern from because of our DSP panel from last year’s Farpoint Con. I managed to find a partner and prepared a program, and a PowerPoint presentation. In hopes that Shai Hulud would clear the path before me, I plunged into the panel. The PowerPoint didn’t work, and I thought the recording was a disaster, but the discussion was good. There were about thirty people in attendance at the panel and one was there because she was curious about Dune and wanted to learn more about it before perhaps giving it a look. The discussion took several different directions and the hour went by very quickly. So, here is the recording of the Dune Book Panel from OSFest 7, recorded on August 1st at 9:00 PM. You can also read my blog post on OSFest at jimsscifi.blogspot.com where I have also included pictures.  

I recently returned from from a ten day humanitarian trip in Montrouis, Haiti.  I will share some of my thoughts in a future episode regarding my experience in Haiti, but first I wanted to share an interview I did with Ostane Odvylles IT Assistent  for Life Connection Missions. The audio quality of the interview is not great due to the recording conditions I had to work with, but I hope you gather the essence of who Ostane is and his heart for his people. You can find out more about the work of the Life Connection Mission here.

I am glad when my truths and understandings are challenged. When my assumptions, based on my limited experience, are reworked.  Like many podcasters, when I started podcasting, I began with using the onboard microphone to my computer.  Then I graduated to the Blue Snowball Microphone. Because of my less than favorable experience with the Blue Snowball Microphone, I swore off all condenser microphones and all products from the Blue company. I'm so glad that I was proven wrong.

My enlightenment started when one of my co-host for the Sci-fi Diner Podcast showed up at a convention with a Blue Yeti. When she plugged it into the mixing board, I was amazed at how crystal clear and beautiful it sounded.  Then Bob DeGrande from the Dexter Cast came on the Podcasting Gear Show and talked about the Blue NESSIE Microphone. In a lot of ways, he and my co-host for the Sci-fi Diner helped redeem my perception of the microphones that Blue puts out.

"Designed to combat the most common pitfalls of recording, Blue NESSIE Microphone automatically adapts to whatever you’re recording, applying professional studio processing combined with a built-in pop filter and internal shockmount, to produce expertly finished sound, without the need for additional mixing or editing. Just as the latest point-and-shoot cameras will reduce redeye and automatically adjust focus and exposure for improved photos, Blue NESSIE Microphone professionally enhances audio so that you get polished music demos, podcasts, interviews, YouTube broadcasts and more, instantly!"

If you'd like to try out the Blue NESSIE Microphone for yourself, you can do so by clicking here. If you are ready use the Blue Nessie Microphone, please let me know what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 221 – We Interview New York Times Best-Selling Author Michael Jan Friedman (Star Trek Novelist)

A Shore Leave 36 Interview

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Tonight’s Diners: Scott

Download the Episode here.

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Michael Jan Friedman

Michael Jan Friedman is the author of nearly 70 books of fiction and non-fiction, about half of them set somewhere in the wilds of the Star Trek universe. In 1992 Friedman wrote Reunion, the first Star Trek: The Next Generation hardcover, which introduced the crew of the Stargazer, Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s first command. Over the years, the popularity of Reunion has spawned a number ofStargazer stories in both prose and comic book formats, including a six-novel original series. Friedman has also written for the Aliens, Predator, Wolf Man, Lois and Clark, DC Super Hero, Marvel Super Hero, and Wishbonelicensed book universes. Eleven of his book titles, including the autobiography Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Ghost Hunting (written with SciFi’s Ghost Hunters), have appeared on the prestigious New York Times primary bestseller list, and his novel adaptation of the Batman & Robin movie was for a time the #1 bestselling book in Poland (really). Friedman has worked at one time or another in network and cable television, radio, business magazines, and the comic book industry, in the process producing scripts for nearly 180 comic stories. Among his comic book credits is the Darkstars series from DC Comics, which he created with artist Larry Stroman, and the Outlaws limited series, which he created with artist Luke McDonnell. He also co-wrote the story for the acclaimed second-season Star Trek: Voyager episode “Resistance,” which guest-starred Joel Grey. Currently, Friedman is working on a variety of projects, including a contemporary fantasy novel featuring characters and themes from mythology tentatively called Blood of the Gods, a young adult fantasy novel set in Renaissance times, the true story of an extraordinary Little League team in 1955, and an epic-scale science fiction adventure. As always, he advises readers that no matter how many Friedmans they know, he is probably not related to any of them. For more on Michael Jan Friedman and his fiction, visit his personal website, follow him on Twitter@FriedmanMJ, and like him on Facebook.

 

In between Frank Herbert's classic Dune and his next book in the series, Dune Messiah, we get Paul's story in Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's novel Paul of Dune.  In this episode of the Dune Saga Podcast, David, Scott and Jim take a close look at this interim story that deals with how Paul handles being Emperor of the known universe as well as a look into his younger life.  

Dune in Ten is back.  Listen as David gives his summary of Paul of Dune in ten minutes or less.  Perhaps you have already read the book and are in need of a refresher, or maybe you haven't gotten to it yet.  Either way, here is another amazing summary of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's Paul of Dune  

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 220 – We Interview author Dale Bailey, Winner of the International Horror Guild Award and twice nominated for the Nebula Award. 

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

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We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: Scott

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

We were lucky to have Jodorowsky’s Dune showing in our area during it’s run and thanks to the wonderful people at Zoetropolis Art House we were able to host a discussion after a screening. It was great to see so many fans of Dune and film alike stick around to dig into some of the interesting parts of this documentary. We know a lot of you wanted to join us for this event, so we recorded the discussion just for you. Enjoy and we hope to see you at one of our events in the future! - See more at: http://dunesagapodcast.com/special-coverage-3/#sthash.XbdmKnpB.dpuf

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 219 – We Interview James Cawley,  from Star Trek Phase 2, Along with two members of his team: Jaimie Sanchez and Dennis Hotson.

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

And check out our YouTube channel.

We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, and M.

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Join us as we have the pleasure to talk with James Cawley; founder and executive producer of  the independent fan film group; Star Trek Phase 2.  Along with two members of his team Jaimie Sanchez and Dennis Hotson we talk about Star Trek Phase 2, James Cawley's very interesting day job some more Star Trek goodness.

Dune Saga Podcast: Special Coverage: Audience Discussion On Jodorowsky's Dune

We were lucky to have Jodorowsky's Dune showing in our area during it's run and thanks to the wonderful people at Zoetropolis Art House we were able to host a discussion after a screening. It was great to see so many fans of Dune and film alike stick around to dig into some of the interesting parts of this documentary. We know a lot of you wanted to join us for this event, so we recorded the discussion just for you. Enjoy and we hope to see you at one of our events in the future!

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 218 – Conversations: M Dissects Transformers 4; Getting Miles Through Season 6 of Doctor Who, How Marvel Spoiled Captain America; and More.

Please call the listener line at 1(260) 577-2428, Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page.

And check out our YouTube channel.

We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, and M.

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

In this chat we here from some of regular freinds of the show, Jen M chats about the Long Island ComicCon, Colin H serves up his point of viewon the Batman Superhero/Not a Superhero debate and Robert helps Scott and M convince Miles to hang on tight to the TARDIS door because it’s a great ride.  We chat about Defiance, Extent, Last Ship and along with some interesting TV we’ve got this summer.  A nod to our favorite Marvel Captain and listen to M transform at the mention of Michael Bay’s latest.

I recently returned from from a ten day humanitarian trip in Montrouis, Haiti.  I will share some of my thoughts in a future episode regarding my experience in Haiti, but first I wanted to share an interview I did with Lubin Charles-Fils Administrator of Education for Life Connection Missions. The audio quality of the interview is not great due to the recording conditions I had to work with, but I hope you gather the essence of who Lubin is and his heart for his people. You can find out more about the work of the Life Connection Mission here.

On this edition of our Listener Feedback show, it gets a little 'spicy' as our hosts, David, Scott, and Jim are called out by a listener on what is a very valid point.  We had a lot of very high quality feedback this month and continue to look forward to your comments in the future.  Please feel free to continue to send feedback on ANY things you think we are doing right, wrong, or otherwise. The feedback has been very intelligent and helpful to your hosts. Links mentioned during the show: Dune: The Alternative Edition Redux by Spicediver Download Link Maxwell Nolan's Artwork  

Thanks to the great people at Penn Cinema we were able to host a special screening of the 1984's Dune by David Lynch. Not only were we able to show the movie, but we also had the fun opportunity to host a discussion immediately following the film for those who wanted to stay around. We know a lot of you wanted to join us for this event, so we recorded the discussion just for you. Enjoy and we hope to see you at one of our events in the future!

SciFi Rewind Ep. 217 – Firefly: Safe; Our Mrs. Reynolds; Out of Gas; Jaynestown

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Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com

or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner.

Facebook Fan Page.

And check out our YouTube channel.

We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, M., and Christopher Jones from Trek FM

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Welcome to the SciFi Rewind: Firefly

Firefly is an American space western drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as an executive producer, along with Tim Minear. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things". The show explores the lives of a group of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and others who now make a living on the outskirts of society, as part of the pioneer culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In this future, the only two surviving superpowers, the United States and China, fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today"

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 216 – A Guardians of the Galaxy Sneak Peek

Welcome to the Diner.

Join the Conversation: (260) 577-2428

Your Hosts: Scott, Miles, and M

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Amazon

If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. You Can Download The Episode Here.

Guardians of the Galaxy is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is intended to be the tenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is directed by James Gunn, who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman, and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro. In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are on the run after stealing a coveted orb. Producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film in 2010, and Marvel Studios announced that the film was in active development at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2012. Gunn was hired to write and direct the film that September. In February 2013, Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and the supporting cast was filled out over the next several months. Filming began in July 2013 at Shepperton Studios, England with filming continuing in London before wrapping up in October 2013. Post-production completed on July 7, 2014. The film is scheduled to be released on August 1, 2014 in the United States, and will be released in 3D and IMAX 3D.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 215 - Is Batman a Superhero?

Welcome to the Diner.

Join the Conversation: (260) 577-2428

Your Hosts: Scott, Miles, Jim Arrowood, Jim Beard, and John S. Drew

Support the Diner

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If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. You Can Download The Episode Here.

  Trivia: Luke Skywalker's uncle Owen has just purchased two droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO. Luke has been assigned to clean and maintain them. In the process of working on R2-D2, Luke discovers that his 'little friend' is carrying a secret message, delivered by a beautiful holographic woman. When Luke asks C-3PO if he recognizes this woman, does C-3PO specifically identify her?

Is Batman a Superhero?

Join this roundtable discussion as we discuss whether the Caped Crusader belongs among the legion of Super Heroes. Guest Panelists: Jim Beard A native Toledoan, Jim Beard was introduced to comic books at an early age by his father, who passed on to him a love for the medium and the pulp characters who preceded it. After decades of reading, collecting and dissecting comics, Jim became a published writer when he sold a story to DC Comics in 2002. Since that time he's written official Star Wars and Ghostbusters comic stories and contributed articles and essays to several volumes of comic book history. His work includes GOTHAM CITY 14 MILES, a book of essays on the 1966 Batman TV series, SGT. JANUS, SPIRIT-BREAKER, a collection of pulp ghost stories featuring an Edwardian occult detective, a giant monster anthology called MONSTER EARTH, and CAPTAIN ACTION: RIDDLE OF THE GLOWING MEN, the first pulp prose novel based on the classic 1960s action figure. Currently, Jim provides regular content for Marvel.com, the official Marvel Comics website, is a regular columnist for Toledo Free Press and has forthcoming comic and prose work from Bluewater, TwoMorrows, Airship 27 and Pro Se. Please visit him at http://sgtjanus.blogspot.com and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/thebeardjimbeard John S. Drew: The God-Father of the SciFi Diner Podcast, John helms the long running Chromic Rift podcast and network.  He also runs the the Batcave Podcast and the Cyborgs: A Bionic Podcast. Jim Arrowood:  Hosts the Dune Saga Podcast and the Babylon Project Podcast.  

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 214 - Our Interview with Simon R. Green, the New York Times–bestselling author of Blue Moon Rising, Beyond the Blue Moon, the Adventures of Hawk & Fisher, the Novels of the Nightside, the Secret Histories Novels, and the Ghost Finders Novels

Welcome to the Diner.

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If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. You Can Download The Episode Here.

  Trivia: Luke Skywalker's uncle Owen has just purchased two droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO. Luke has been assigned to clean and maintain them. In the process of working on R2-D2, Luke discovers that his 'little friend' is carrying a secret message, delivered by a beautiful holographic woman. When Luke asks C-3PO if he recognizes this woman, does C-3PO specifically identify her?

Simon R. Green

Simon R. Green is the New York Times–bestselling author of Blue Moon Rising, Beyond the Blue Moon, the Adventures of Hawk & Fisher, the Novels of the Nightside, the Secret Histories Novels, and the Ghost Finders Novels. He is a resident of Bradford-on-Avon in England.

• “[In] a Simon R. Green book, everything is larger than life—the heroes extremely heroic, the villains astonishingly villainous, the choices between good and evil very clear-cut. Still, if the ultimate outcome is never really in doubt, there’s plenty of entertainment in the journey, and the engagingly-drawn characters.”—SFF.net
• “If they’re making fantasy adventure much better than this, I don’t know about it.”—Science Fiction Chronicle on Beyond the Blue Moon

 

Tales of the Hidden World

 by Simon R. Green

 

Seventeen delightfully unexpected stories from Simon R. Green-including a brand-new adventure of the Droods-take us deep into the Darkside, embroil us in the Secret Histories, and lead us into the shadowy places where monsters and demons roam Welcome to the worlds of Simon R. Green. In this wide-ranging collection, the New York Times-bestselling urban fantasist opens doors into hidden places: strange realms bordering our own mundane existence and prowled by creatures of fancy and nightmare. Here are the strange, frequently deadly-and sometimes even dead-things that lurk in garbage-strewn city alleyways and grimy subway stations after midnight, visible only to the most perceptive human or inhuman eye. In these tales, Green revisits the ingenious worlds within worlds that he created for his wildly popular novels. Take a stroll on the Darkside with a jaded street wizard, an underpaid government functionary responsible for keeping demons, vamps, and aliens in line. Enter the hidden recesses of Drood Hall, where the aging family member who creates powerful weapons that protect humankind recalls his long and bloody career. Join a squad of no-longer-human soldiers dispatched to combat the all-consuming jungle on a distant planet. Visit a house at the intesection of two realities that serves as a sanctuary from the evil of all worlds. Confront the unstoppable zombie army of General Kurtz in a brilliant homage to Apocalypse Now. And whatever you do, never forget that there are monsters out there. Really. Each story includes a new afterword by the author. You can buy the book here.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 213 - Michael Schilling on Why You Should Take Shore Leave at Shore Leave 36

Welcome to the Diner.

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If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. You Can Download The Episode Here.

In A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Mark Twain wrote, "she...knew more than one way to skin a cat." This phrase might seem gruesome to our modern sensibilities, but the essence of it rings true, especially when podcasters talk about recording Skype calls when co-hosting or conducting interviews. It seems that you can't go a week without hearing some way or someone talk about alternatives to recording Skype on your computer.

Many of podcasters rely on recording Skype using using programs are plug-ins, appliactaions, and programs that work with the Skype program. Audio Hijack Pro, which we talked about in this show, is one such program. While many podcast is find such programs to be satisfactory, the reality is that such programs can be very CPU intensive. Not only do you have Skype running in the background, but you've also have GarageBand, Audacity, or Adobe Audition. And then you have the program using the capture the call. This can use a lot of system resources and becomes a real big problem when fans kick it in on your computer. There are many ways around this.

Rob Walch, from the 411 Podcast, Today In iOS Podcast, and The Feed Podcast as well as a representative for Libsyn.com, a  really well-known podcast file hosting service, talks about his Skype set up and how you can record Skype calls without ever recording on your computer. While there are many alternatives to the equipment he uses to complete such a feat, it is the way it is set up that is important to note. I've included a diagram below of his detup that he graciously said I could share on this website. I encourage you to listen to the show. Let me know what you think of this set up. Do you use a similar setup? My setup is quite similar to Rob's although I use different equipment to accomplish the same purpose.

Join David, Scott and Jim as they pick apart the David Lynch version of Dune.  You might love it, hate it, or be somewhere in between.  We take a look at how the movie has impacted our lives as Dune fans.  We compare it to the original text penned by Frank Herbert.  We ferret out the inconsistencies.  And finally, we try to find the spice in this film.  Thanks for listening and here's to hoping that Shai Hulud clears your path.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 212 – Han Solo: The Bane of Star Wars VII

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If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. 

Scott was making the rounds again.

Hosted by Remi Lavictoire, Scott Hertzog and Jonathan Colbon

Podcast length: 1:01:01

This time on The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast, we’re very pleased to welcome Scott Hertzog from The Scifi Diner Podcast,and he’s helping us discuss Firefly, the one season wonder from Joss Whedon.

On this episode we talk about how Firefly was launched, then botched by Fox, adopted by loyal fans and became the first TV show to inspire a full length movie after the TV series was cancelled.

The Positive Though it ran less than one full season, Firefly has cemented itself into the hearts of Sci-Fi Fans. With strong character development, exceptional dialogue and a unique Sci-Fi Cowboys in Space premise, Firefly showed us a very different and very plausible vision of the future. Even though the series was aired out of sequence and the full season was not shown, Firefly capture the imagination of Sci-Fi fans and will long be remember as one of the best Sci-Fi shows ever created.

The Negative It’s difficult to find anything significantly wrong with Firefly. We nitpicked a spell about how the Reavers could be insane cannibal monsters and still pilot spacecraft. There was a general consensus that the series (with the original cast) won’t come back, but there may be more story to tell through comics, books and even a new series with a new cast set in the future…but we won’t hold our breath.

The Verdict It’s difficult to be completely objective about Firefly, but if one were to step back and look at the show on a whole, they’d likely conclude that Firefly is one the best Sci-Fi TV programs to every grace the airwaves. Were it not for the poor treatment by Fox, Firefly could have last many more seasons and reached a much wider audience. As it stands, there’s a certain perfection about one great season and one great movie. Buy them both and be prepared to loan them out and buy more, Firefly is that good.

Storyline A defeated rebel and his rag tag band of misfits take to the stars to earn a living, criminal or otherwise, while avoiding interference from the overpowering Alliance. When they take on two new crew members who turn out to be fugitives from the Alliance, it become ever more difficult to eek out a living in the ‘verse.

Cast Nathan Fillion – Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds Gina Torres – Zoe Washburn Alan Tudyk – Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne Morena Baccarin – Inara Serra Adam Baldwin – Jayne Cobb Jewel Staite – Kaylee Fye Ron Glass – Shepherd Book Sean Maher – Dr. Simon Tam Summer Glau – River Tam

To inquire about becoming a Correspondent for The Scifi Diner Podcast, click here.

Here’s the IMDB link to ‘Done The Impossible‘, a documentary on the amazing story of Firefly and Serenity.

The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast is partially funded by Patreon. You can help make the Sci-Fi Movie Podcast even better by becoming a support. Go to our Patreon page and show your support!

Please share your comments and thoughts on The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast Facebook page or send us Email and we’ll add your feedback to the show!

SciFi Diner Conversations 103 What's the Big Deal with the Hunger Games?, Take a Ride in a Delorean Limo, and Can't Stop The Serenity.

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If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching. You Can Download The Episode Here.  

Podcasters are a varied breed.  There are those who don't mind talking for a half an hour or an hour by themselves on a show.  They do it week after week, show after show, and think nothing of it. I laud them.  I don't think I could ever do it.

I love the Dune Saga Podcast and the SciFi Diner Podcast because I have co-hosts and do not have to rely on just myself to carry the conversation.  And one of the many reasons I love this show, the Podcasting Gear Show, is because I get to connect with many of you, and the interviews help carry the conversation.  Plus, my gear experience is limited to what I know and what I have encountered on my podcasting journey.  I learn so much for all of you and feel more connected to the podcasting community as a whole.

I have always recorded my interviews and co-hosts using Skype.  In the past year, I experimented with live streaming my podcasts using Google Hangouts.  For us, that worked as good as, perhaps better than Skype at times. But Christopher Jones from Trek.fm provides an alternate solution with way more functionally.

He uses GoToMeeting from Citrix to record his podcasts and loves the ease of use factor as well as its awesome capabilities. As the Citrix site states: "Citrix GoToMeeting makes it simple and cost-effective to meet online with colleagues and customers. Best of all, meeting participants can share their webcams in high definition, so you can enjoy more personal interactions – without needing a complicated setup. You can meet from anywhere on any device – no training needed. Start a meeting and share your screen, video and audio with just a click. Show your screen, share your webcam and speak your mind. GoToMeeting integrates everything – VoIP, telephone, HD video – for a clear and professional web conference. It’s the next best thing to sitting at the same table. Your online meetings are always a tap away with GoToMeeting for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone. Join or start sessions easily on the go and see the presenter’s desktop right on your mobile device."

Clearly it is a viable, perhaps underused alternative, when podcasting. Are you using GoToMeeting to record your podcasts? Have you used it before and then decided not to? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please e-mail me at podcastingguru@gmail.com.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 211 - Our Interview with Star Trek Equinox

Please call the listener line at 1.888.508.4343, Support us through: Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page. And check out our YouTube channel. We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts. Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, M., and Jim Arrowood

Download the Episode here.

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Star Trek Equinox

Samantha Lockwood (Shoot the Hero and Mexican Gold), Cindy Pickett (Ferris Bueller's Day Off and St. Elsewhere), Camren T. Burton, Quintus McDonald (Pro Football player with the Indianapolis Colts), Parris Mayhew (Director of Onyx's 'Slam" and Founder of the Cro-mags), and Jason Genser join us to talk about Star Trek Equinox. Star Trek Equinox: The Night of Time is a story told by actor John Savage to a room filled with lucky Star Trek fans turns out a script that some Star Trek veteran cast and crew have called “The best script we have read in 10 years!”. With Executive Producers in place, this INDEPENDENT production will be shot in 2014 in order to show the Star Trek community what episodes of Star Trek Equinox will look like. Star Trek Equinox: The Night of Time stars acting veteran John Savage, reprising his role as Captain Rudy Ransom, iconic actor Gary Lockwood reprising his popular role of Gary Mitchell, best friend of James T. Kirk, in the classic Star Trek episode, “Where No Man Has Gone Before“, and introduces Blanca Blanco as Lieutenant Commander T’Lexa. Fifteen years after the destruction of the USS Equinox (approximate star date 2393) Captain Rudy Ransom, who was beamed from his doomed ship by the Krotownans, is held prisoner in the Delta Quadrant for crimes against the race including trespassing in Krowtownan space and the deaths of Krowtownan starship crew members. Captain Ransom has very few choices but one chance to return to the Alpha Quadrant some 30,000 light years away. If you'd like to help out Star Trek Equinox, go here. If you have questions about the show, about ideas we are discussing, or about ideas you would like us to discuss, or even if you just want to share your thoughts and comments about what we are discussing, please call us at toll free at 1.888.508.4343 or e-mail us scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com. We love to play listener calls and e-mails and use them to spark discussion.

This past weekend I watched David Lynch's movie "Dune" on the big screen. One part that particularly stands out is the "thumper", a device that repetitively beats the ground in a rhythmic pattern. The protagonists of the movie use it to call these huge sandworms that they ride. In podcasting, especially here on the Podcasting Gear Show, my repetitive thumper is time efficiency in podcasting.  How can a podcaster put out the best product in the least amount of time?  This show is a continuation of that beating drum. Christopher Jones from the Ready Room Podcast joins me again to talk about an app that he uses to streamline and more efficiently edit his podcasts in Adobe Audition. The Actions App, which is available on the iPad, allows you to control your most used functions in your editing software at the click of a button on your iPad. You no longer have to drop a menu to carry out normalization of some other function you are trying to carry out. Instead, you simply click a button on your iPad and it is done. And the Actions App is not just for adito editing.  You can use it with e-mail, photo editing, and many more applications. Want to try it out for yourself? Listen to the show and find out how you can win one of three codes to download the Actions App for free.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 210 - Firefly: Serenity, The Train Job, Bushwacked, and Shindig

Please call the listener line at 1.888.508.4343, Support us through: Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner. Facebook Fan Page. And check out our YouTube channel. We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts. Tonight’s Diners: Scott, Miles, M., and Jim Arrowood

Download the Episode here.

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Welcome to the SciFi Rewind: Firefly

Firefly is an American space western drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as an executive producer, along with Tim Minear. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things". The show explores the lives of a group of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and others who now make a living on the outskirts of society, as part of the pioneer culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In this future, the only two surviving superpowers, the United States and China, fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today"

Our fifth episode of the DSP Listener Feedback Show features our first audio comments and the winner of the Dune edition.  Also featured is David's "Bad Reviews" segment that features a rather interesting negative review of what is considered to be one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 209 - Changes and an Invitation

Changes

Show Monthly format:

SciFi Rewind

Interview

Listener Feedback

SciFi Diner Review

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An Invitation

We are looking for those of you who are interested in becoming SciFi Diner Correspondents for the SciFi Diner Podcast. We are looking for people who can give us Science Fiction Convention reports, do interviews, and give us book and movie reviews. The perks of this is that we can get you into conventions as press and that means in many cases free. Once the form has been filled out, give us a week to look over it. We’ll have a code of Con-duct (spelling intentional) we’ll need you to agree to since you’ll be representing the Diner. It’s not too strenuous. And we’ll probably want to chat with you too. We look forward to having you on board. - See more at: http://scifidinerpodcast.com/correspondents/#sthash.Wl79gwYy.dpuf

SciFi Dinette Podcast Ep. 208 - The Real Nerd Girl Problem M. Sieiro Garcia, Ann Carey, and Sarah Boyle Take Over The Diner

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Please call the listener line at 1.888.508.4343,

Support us through:

Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com

or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner.

Facebook Fan Page.

And check out our YouTube channel.

We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: M. Sieiro Garcia, Ann Carey, and Sarah Boyle

Welcome to the Diner.

The SciFi Dinette: The Girls Take Over

You know, it's about time the women took charge.  Sieiro Garcia, Ann Carey, and Sarah Boyle take over the Diner and give you a taste of everything. Some of the items on the menu are:

Dresden by Jim Butcher

Temeraire by Naomi Novik

The Joco Cruise

Artemis

Maleficent

Midichlorian Rhapsody

Batman: Hush

Knights of Bad Assdom

Charlaine Harris

Lois McMaster Bujold

Grover Gardner

THundercats,

Ultron

Power Rangers

Jack Kurby

The Flash

Arrow

Buffy (movie and tv show)

Recording has certain adages that have become well known over the past decade of podcasting.  One of these rules is that for every minute of recording, you can expect to spend 3 to 4 minutes editing, creating show notes, and promoting your show.  While for newer podcasters this might take more time and more seasoned podcasters it might take less, anything we can do to make out editing more enjoyable is bonus.

My editing software journey started with four track cassette recorder in the early 1990s.  I eventually moved onto to Logic Pro.  Because I had a Mac, when I started podcasting I began using Garageband.  It was simple, intuitive, and did most of the things I wanted to do.  But in the fall of 2013, Apple decided it would no longer support the exporting of files from Garageband as an mp3s (They recently reversed this decision.)  I made the jump to Adobe Audition and have never looked back.

Christopher Jones from Trek FM and the Ready Room, like many other podcasters, swear by Adobe Audition.  What sells him on it is that Adobe allows an editor to see the wave form, to voice matching (voice leveling), and much more. What many podcasters accomplish with multiple programs, Adobe Audition does all in one program.

Adobe Audition is not perfect.  You'll hear us discuss some of those in the show.  If you use Adobe Audition, let me know why you use it.  If you have considered using it and decided not to,  let me know that as well.

I started out podcasting with the USB Blue Snowball microphone, something I would never recommend knowing what I know now.  I can still remember sitting in my classroom and podcasting behind the big white orb in front of me.  Some of you know what I am talking about.  I made the decision through a series of events to start podcasting without recording directly into my computer.  When I did this, my Snowball became obsolete.  In most cases you can't plug a USB microphone into a regular mixing board. If the Audio-Technica ATR2100 would have been around when I started podcasting, I could've saved myself a little bit of expense, plus I would have sounded a little bit better. I would not have had to buy a completely new microphone when switching from a USB recording setup to an XLR recording setup.  The Audio-Technica ATR2100 hooks up to both a USB port and an XLR port making it the ultimate versatile microphone. And perfect for the portable studio. John Wilkerson from The Wired Homeschool Podcast is back with me this week to talk about how he uses the Audio-Technica ATR2100 Microphone for his portable studio.  He uses it as an XLR microphone in my studio and you can clearly hear how awesome it sounds. And the price is right. If you want to find out more about the Audio-Technica ATR2100 and perhaps pick one up for your self, you can do so here.

On this, our seventh episode of The Dune Saga Podcast, we look at the one, the only, the story that launched the entire universe, Frank Herbert’s Dune.  Join us as we analyze and offer out views on this story that tells of the rise of Paul-Muad’Dib and the fall of House Harkonnen and House Corrino.  This is one you won’t want to miss. Get tickets to our hosted Screenings! Dune @ Penn Cinema, June 15th Jodorowsky’s Dune @ Zoetropolis, June 18th - See more at: http://dunesagapodcast.com/dune/#sthash.DapsRgBr.dpuf

Perhaps it has been a long time since you have read Frank Herbert’s masterpiece, or maybe you read it along with us and are in need of a refresher.  Either way, listen as our very own David Moulton sums up the complete volume in ten minutes or less. - See more at: http://dunesagapodcast.com/dit-dune/#sthash.zPbrgtXB.dpuf

Bitrate, as the name implies, describes the rate at which bits are transferred from one location to another. In other words, it measures how much data is transmitted in a given amount of time. Bitrate is commonly measured in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (Kbps), or megabits per second (Mbps). For example, a DSL connection may be able to download data at 768 kbps, while a Firewire 800 connection can transfer data up to 800 Mbps.

My daughter, a 12 year old fifth grader, just got into vinyl.  Its my fault.  The English department I work for was tossing a perfectly good record player, so I brought it home, and she, upon hearing and seeing it, commandeered it.  I grabbed my dad’s country western, gospel, and sixties LPs I had stashed in the attic and picked up a copy of the Go Gos at a local flea market; she’s had the beat ever since.

I have a radio DJ friend who only buys vinyl with the sheer belief that the sound heard from vinyl is more pure and more pristine.   And compared to current digital counterparts, he’s right.  And most of us don’t care.

Typical Bit Rates

So how does this translate for podcasting?  And what does this mean for podcasters? Podcasters are really concerned about two things when it comes to bit rate: the sound quality and the file size. These are the things that matter at least to me.

The higher the bit rate, the better quality the sound.  This might make a podcaster be tempted to go for the highest quality mp3 possible.  Who doesn’t want to sound good? But there is  a catch.  High quality come with a price; in this case the price is in file size.  And file size matters for two reasons.

First, larger file sizes take longer for a listener to download.  That means it is using more of their bandwidth and taking them longer to get to your content. Not a good thing.  That means it is also taking longer for you to upload the file to your file hosting service. For those of us with time poverty in our lives, this is time we do not have.

Second, most of us pay a podcast hosting service like Libsyn or Podbean to host our media files.  We pay for a certain amount of virtual storage space for our mp3 files. The larger our files, the quicker our hosting space will be used up and the more we will pay to host our files.  Not good for the economically minded podcasters.

The thing you must ask yourself is what listeners really care about and what they are willing to tolerate when it comes to bit rate. This really depends on what type of podcast you are running.

If you are releasing a music podcast, most listeners will be ok with a 128 kbps. It is a tolerable quality for music that most listeners have gotten used to from burning their own Cds. If you create an hour long podcast of music, that will take up about 56 MBs of space.  If you truly want to release near CD quality music in your podcast, you’ll be exporting your files at around 320 kbps, using 141 mBs of space for an hour long podcast.  That's a heck of big podcast and a heck of a big download. That seems a bit overkill.

A majority of podcasts, however, are spoken word podcasts and need only 64 kbps to produce a good sounding podcast.  That only use 28 MBs for an hour long podcast. Most listeners as they are traveling on their commute, running along the road, or mowing their lawn will not know a difference.

So when thinking of bit rate, consider file size, the quality of file you're ok with, and your audience expectations. For more information of bit rate, please visit here. 

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 207 - Our Interview with "George Lucas in Love" Creator, Writer, and Director Joe Nussbaum

The SciFi Diner Podcast

A 2012 Parsec Finalist

Please call the listener line at 1.888.508.4343,

Support us through:

Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com

or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner.

Facebook Fan Page.

And check out our YouTube channel.

We are apart of the Chronic Rift Network of podcasts.

Tonight’s Diners: Scott Hertzog

Welcome to the Diner.

George Lucas In Love

George Lucas in Love is an independent, live action, parodical short film that started attracting notice in June 1999 when it was passed around Hollywood offices as a filmmaker's "calling card". The film was directed by Joe Nussbaum, a University of Southern California graduate

In the film, George Lucas is a USC college student in 1967, and he's suffering from writer's block as he tries to write a movie about a young space farmer with a bad crop of "space wheat". Everywhere he goes, viewers see classmates and teachers that either resemble, or will influence the creation of, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Jabba the Hutt, R2-D2, and C-3PO. Lucas is surrounded by inspiration, but he sees nothing. Not even his advisor, who looks and speaks suspiciously like Yoda, is able to help him.

Eventually, young Lucas meets his muse, a young woman (with a very unusual hairdo) named Marion who is "kind of leading a student rebellion". After they meet, everything falls into place for Lucas, as she urges him to "write what you know." His writer's block dissipates and he quickly finishes his masterpiece. However, his shot at romance with the girl is blown when he discovers she's his sister.

In a post-credits scene, a depressed Lucas gets a new idea when his neighbor introduces Lucas to his new pet... a duck named Howard.

Joe Nussbaum is an American film director. A graduate of the University of Southern California, he got his break into the movie industry by passing around Hollywood offices his short film George Lucas in Love. The success of the film eventually got him a deal with Dreamworks, and he has since directed films such as the 2004 production Sleepover, the 2006 film American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile and the 2007 film Sydney White starring Amanda Bynes. His latest project was the Walt Disney Pictures film Prom, starring Aimee Teegarden and Nicholas Braun. He currently is working at MTV writing for and occasionally directing "Awkward."

Joe grew up in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota—a suburb of Minneapolis—through junior high school. At the age of twelve he received a camcorder and proceeded to write and make films without an editing machine. When he started high school the family moved to Brighton, New York—a suburb of Rochester. While in high school, he turned the morning announcements into a closed circuit television program. He also acted in high school plays and one at Nazareth College. His parents are Daniel II a retired developmental pediatrician and Alice née Rosenthal, a Jewish educator and internationally known Judaic needlework designer. His paternal grandfather was born in Germany. His maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother were born in Ukraine. His maternal grandmother's family probably came from northeastern Europe, but they have lost all their immigration data. As a youth, Joe was active in haBonim, the labor Zionist youth movement. He spent many summers at their Camp Tavor in Three Rivers, Michigan, and a year on Kibbutz Urim in Israel.

There are three things that every podcaster is looking for when it comes to equipment in their studio.  For one, they want quality. Nothing screams amateur like poorly recorded audio, especially when it is the fault of the equipment. The second thing they are looking for is affordability without sacrificing that quality. So if we can use the tools we already have, then dollars remain in our bank accounts and podcasters, and their wives, remain happy. And lastly, many podcasters are looking for some portability.  Yes, we like our studios, but we also like the ability to take our studios out and about for a bit. Bossjock Studio answers this need.  John Wilkerson from the Wired Homeschool Podcast literally dropped by my studio the other week to chat about how this app has transformed his podcasting. He already owned an iPad and an Audio-Technica ATR2100. He purchased a Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit and walah he had his studio.  Now granted if you don't have an iPhone or iPad, this studio setup will get pricey.  And you do need a USB microphone.  But barring those hurdles, it is possible, as John demonstrated in the Wired Homeschool Podcast to put out quality content with simplicity. Podcast ready with no need for post production, Bossjock allows a podcaster to record a podcast while triggering intros/outros, bumpers and background music all on-the-fly. It allows you to encodes to all your favorite formats – mp3, m4a, wav, aiff and then export the files to FTP, Dropbox, Soundcloud, iTunes, Wifi, iTunes Share, AudioCopy and Email.  It even works with the  iRig PRE that Troy Heinritz talked about the other week.  It is seriously worth the $9.99 price tag. If you already using Bossjock Studio, I would love to know how you are using it.  Drop me a voicemail using the Speakpipe widget to the right.

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 205 - Ender's Game: A Morality Tale and the Development of a Innocent Killer

SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 198b - Breakfast with Jim Krut, the Helicopter Zombie from Dawn of the Dead

001 - Inside the Studio of the Podcast - An Introduction to the Show and Your Host