​As the con craze continues to overtake nerds and geeks alike in our proud state of Colorado, the city of Colorado Springs is quickly becoming a beacon for the constant expansion of new conventions and events to celebrate the things we love. Over the past few years, we've seen one new con after another put down roots south of Denver, and one of them has certainly caught our eye this year...Colorado Cosmic Con. 

Now in its second year, this convention is quickly establishing itself as one of the premier events in the state, bringing together a collection of fun guests and events to keep all of us entertained, and since they're looking to build upon their solid success from year one, Colorado Cosmic Con has already added some awesome guests to their lineup for 2016. This year, you'll able to meet Erin Cahill, Alison MacInnis and Yoshi Sudarso from Power Rangers, and they even managed to book the legendary Sgt. Slaughter of WWE fame.

In addition to those guests, you'll also be able to check out plenty of vendors and artists, including the legendary Frazetta Girls and one of our good friends, Mister Robert Elrod. But in addition to meeting all these guests, a con wouldn't be a con without plenty of activities planned and CCC is no exception to that rule. You'll also be able to see 'Baby' from Supernatural and come Saturday night, you can hit the dance floor and shake the night away at the Saturday dance and enjoy a little Karaoke that evening as well.

Either way, this is just the beginning for what Colorado Cosmic Con has planned for us, since they're currently working on putting together so much more before the con kicks off this October 22nd & 23rd, which means it would be wise to keep an eye on their Facebook page and website (it is under construction at the moment, but that's always a good sign that new things are on the way), and the reason we here at Nerds That Geek are talking about it so early...is because CCC is currently offering one hot deal on their VIP tickets...for a limited time.

That's right, if you want early access to the con by thirty minutes, and priority seating to any panel and the Cosplay Contest, swing by their ticketing site and pickup your VIP pass for only $25. But act quickly, we can't stress enough that this is a limited time offer, so snag your tickets today, and keep checking back with us and CCC's social media feeds for more news about this convention and any new guest announcements, and we will see all of you at the DoubleTree Hotel in Colorado Springs for Colorado Cosmic Con 2 this fall! 

Sound Design and Scoring in J.J. Abrams’ 'Star Trek' Films
Saturday, June 18, 2016 1:30pm-2:20pm
Cali Thrailkill, Mary Odbert, Sebastian DeTemple

Before beginning the presentation, Cali Thrailkill and Mary Odbert, who both studied music and film, explained the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Diegetic sound is any sound that takes place in the world of the narrative. They are sounds “whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film: voices of characters, sounds made by objects in the story, music represented as coming from instruments in the story space” (FilmSound.org). The sounds can be on or off screen, but if it is something that the characters could hear, then it is diegetic. A non-diegetic sound is any “sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action: narrator’s commentary, sound effects which are added for the dramatic effect, mood music”. Some sounds may function as both simultaneously, or morph from one to the other. The great example they gave of this is when a young James T. Kirk steals a car (in the film it seems as though it's his stepfather's car, but according to Imdb, and the novelization, it is his father's car and his stepfather is going to sell it while his mother is off-planet) and turns on the media player. It is clear that the song playing ('Sabotage' by the Beastie Boys) is heard by Kirk, so it is a diegetic sound. As the scene continues, the song continues to be heard by the audience at the same level, even when the car is far off in the distance (and falls off the cliff). This shows that is has crossed over into being a non-diegetic sound.

Another big talking point was that many of the sounds (or variations) from the original series and films were used in the reboot. Most importantly was the "sonar ping" sound that so characteristic that most of you probably just heard it in your heads. This sound and other distinct sounds let the viewers know that we are on the bridge of the Enterprise. They also pointed out that almost no scoring is used while they are on the bridge. This use of diegetic sound design could possibly be a way of subtly immersing the viewer in the environment, without "telling them what they should be feeling," which is sometimes the role of the score. There were also alarm noises on the Kelvin which obviously indicated to both the characters and the viewers that there was an emergency. This same alarm sound was used when Vulcan was about to be destroyed. This is a diegetic sound to the characters, but also a non-diegetic signal to the audience saying, "you know what happens when you hear this sound." Nero's Romulan "bad guy" ship, the Narada doesn't have the same type of ambient sounds as the Enterprise. Since it is a mining ship, there are mostly "industrial sounds" and any "beeps" are reactive (only when you push a button). In Star Trek Into Darkness, on Admiral Marcus' ship the Vengeance the sonar ping is lower and slower. On a diegetic level, this could be explained by the fact that it is a much bigger ship than the Enterprise, and bigger things are usually lower in pitch and slower. This is yet another sound that also has a non-diegetic role, and that is as a red flag to the viewer that something is not quite as it seems with this ship and its captain. In many cases, a sound designer has to ask his/herself what is more important for each scene: the practical reality or setting the mood. Fortunately, most of the sounds used in Star Trek serve both purposes.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the discussion about silence. The director of any film that takes place in space has to make the decision between realism and entertainment: silent space or the sounds of weapons, explosions, sound effects, and music. Luckily, Star Trek gives us the "ear candy" that we want during all of the action scenes, because, as the presenters put it, “If you are going to see a science fiction movie, there have to be 'pew pews’.” This isn't to say that there are never moments of silent space, but when it is used, it is very intentional and also serves a dual purpose as both diegetic and non-diegetic "sound." These instances (only four, according to the presenters) are when characters are exposed in space, and the silence is used to highlight the isolation, fear, and tension from the point of view of the character. Imagine a scene where there are the sounds of intense action/battle music, alarms going off, weapons being fired, crew members shouting and screaming, and explosions tearing a ship apart... then imagine the impact of all of that cutting out and being left with only silence as a crew member flies out of a newly made hole, to die alone, floating in the vastness of space.

In addition to sound design, Thrailkill and Odbert also discussed Michael Giacchino's scores for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films. The main purpose of the score is for emotional signaling: to tell the audience what they should be feeling during a scene. The main theme, which was referred to as the "Courage Theme," has a heroic, triumphant quality with a sense of adventure. It gives the broad open feeling of the positive exciting aspects of floating in space, as opposed to the terrifying use of silence to represent dying in space. One of the early significant uses of this theme (after the opening title) is the first time we see the U.S.S. Enterprise. It is also used for moments of triumph. Another significant moment is at the end when they eject the warp core and detonate it so the explosion pushes them out of reach of the black hole that they are being sucked into. If sound effects were used for the sound of the explosion, then that moment would probably have been the climax of the scene. Instead, the explosion is silent (silent space), which creates tension; followed by sound effects from the ship (diegetic sound), which build intensity; and then the climax is when the Courage Theme (non-diegetic sound) is heard as the Enterprise breaks free of the explosion. 

Probably one of the most poignant uses of the Courage Theme is in Into Darkness after Kirk fixes the warp core and is talking to Spock as he is dying. It is a somber treatment for a delicate solo piano, accompanied by strings. The strings take over when Spock tells him that he is feeling and has the realization of how important their friendship is, and the climax of this interlude is when their hands "touch" through the glass. There is an echo of the Courage Theme on piano for Kirk's final moments.

Next up to discuss from Denver Comic Con’s panels: Metaphor and Philosophy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The Origins of the Force
Friday, June 17, 2016 7:25pm-8:15pm
Alexandre Philippe, Ernie Quiroz
  
The panel “The Origins of the Force,” was based on Denver Film Society Programming Manager, Ernie Quiroz’s four-part film series where he shows the films that George Lucas either was inspired/influenced by, referenced, borrowed, or just flat out stole from (I've also had similar discussions about John Williams' music, but more on that later). This is the central discussion point around the four films (Hidden Fortress, Dam Busters, THX 1138, and Metropolis). It was co-presented by Alexandre O. Philippe, the director of the documentary The People vs. George Lucas. There are also comparisons made to Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and especially Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
 
The presentation started out strong with a video (Star Wars Rip-Offs: The Dam Busters - Side by Side Scene Comparison, featured below) of a side-by-side comparison of the 1955 film Dam Busters and the attack on the Death Star at the end of A New Hope. At first it shows a few scenes that do look similar, like schematics of the dam/Death Star and targeting systems, then shots of the pilots inside the cockpits. The point is really hit home when we hear comparisons of some of the dialogue (”How many guns do you think there are, Trevor?”/“How many guns do you think, Gold 5?” and “I reckon you should be able to see it by now.”/“We should be able to see it by now.”). Ernie did admit however, that if you watch the whole scene from Dam Busters, it is much longer because the pilots make many more attempts, so the pacing is incredibly different.
 
Next they discussed Akira Kurosawa's film Hidden Fortress (also with a video, Star Wars vs. Hidden Fortress Mashup, also featured below). The most easily identifiable comparison is that of the Samurai to Jedi. Both films also have characters that parallel each other. In Hidden Fortress there are two peasants (a tall one and a short one) who at one point are walking through a desert together, get in an argument, and split up, only to be reunited later on (C-3PO and R2-D2). There is an evil general who has a scarred face (Darth Vader), a good and wise general (Obi Wan Kenobi), and a princess (Princess Leia). One thing that didn't quite translate culturally is that in Japan, most people are probably at least somewhat familiar or aware of the samurai code, so it does not have to be explained in Hidden Fortress. The Jedi and the Force, however, were not a well-known part of American culture (like they are now), yet Lucas didn't explain much about them, so they remained mostly a mystery. This would have made watching Star Wars in America a very different experience from watching Hidden Fortress in Japan. This aspect of the comparison then led to a side discussion about how Lucas attempted to explain the Force in the Prequels with midi-chlorians. Some preferred the inclusion of midi-chlorians because they said it added a scientific explanation for how the Force worked, solidifying Star Wars as science fiction, while others preferred not having an explanation and leaving the Force as a mystical element, which some believe makes Star Wars fall into the fantasy genre. The conclusion that everyone could agree upon, however, was that when George Lucas made the Prequels, he was a very different person than when he made the original trilogy.
 
The next film that was discussed for comparison was THX 1138. Since it is his own film, the discussion obviously wasn't about whether or not he stole from someone else, but how much this was a stepping-stone to Star Wars. This gave him his start by creating a grim, dystopian world. Quiroz believed that, had he made Star Wars next, it would have been a very different film. Next he made American Graffiti, which allowed him to focus on human relationships in a more coming-of-age story. This gave his storytelling more balance, making him the creator that would bring us Star Wars. Only a brief time was spent comparing Metropolis, and it was limited to the more obvious similarities like the robot being an inspiration for C-3PO, and the two levels of society manifesting as the Empire and the Rebellion.
 
 There was more discussion on Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces and the concept of the “hero’s journey” which is a distillation of core events that Campbell discovered in myths from cultures all over the world. The basic idea is that there is a normal person, and the call to adventure takes them out of the ordinary world on a quest. Sometimes there is a sidekick (or sidekicks), sometimes there is a princess, and sometimes, the hero will spend time in the abyss. Comparisons were also made between the original trilogy and The Force Awakens, showing that the same basic elements are there, but sometimes varied or in a different order. For example, both Luke and Rey hear the call to adventure, but while Luke seeks it, Rey tries as hard as she can to refuse it.
 
The discussion was eventually steered to the music that John Williams either was inspired/influenced by, referenced, borrowed, or just flat out stole from. In the discussion, the Imperial March was said to have been inspired by music from Stravinsky’s Firebird. There are also many other similarities to classical masterworks, such as Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Holst’s Planets Suite. One explanation for this could be that George Lucas used a temp score that included these works, and John Williams was trying to create the same mood. This notion related to another question we can ask ourselves, did Vanilla Ice steal the bass line from “Under Presssure” by Queen and David Bowie, or is it a different bass line because it has one more note?

One thing we can’t deny is that everyone is influenced by everything that they come in contact with. Anything that everyone creates is some kind of amalgamation of the things that shaped their set of aesthetics and is passing through them with varying levels of intention. Many people have done “rip-offs” of what came before them, but what we have to ask ourselves is, “are they any good?” Many are not. Creating a patchwork of other peoples’ work usually doesn’t create a cohesive work of art. Why not? Maybe because they don’t have the core mythology that Star Wars does. Maybe their creators haven’t honed their craft like George Lucas has. Maybe they wanted to take the easy way out and make something quick by standing on the shoulders of other, better artists. George Lucas wanted to create a galaxy, and he did, and that’s what is important, and that is the point of Quiroz’s film series and of this panel. Whatever you want to call it, if he hadn't been influenced by, referenced, borrowed, or stolen, then we wouldn't have Star Wars. 

Next up to discuss from Denver Comic Con’s panels: The Sounds of Star Trek.

The Dark Side of Fandom
Sunday, June 19, 2016 1:30pm-2:20pm
Allison Ching, Curtis Sullivan, Moriah Hummer, Nathan Morimitsu, Nathan Scott, Shane Gomes

Nerds and geeks are by definition fanatics. We have an inexhaustible enthusiasm for characters, stories, and other worlds that defines how we interact with reality. Fandoms are our communities, our family units that share the fervor, the obsession, the genuine love we feel towards content. We don’t just passively watch Game of Thrones play out on our TV screens and we don’t just turn the pages of Goblet of Fire with a critical detachment; we live in Westeros and we know that winter is indeed coming; we feel the excitement of the Quidditch World Cup as it plays out in our imagination. The Fandom Phenomenon provides fans with a community of peers that, at its best, fosters healthy discussion, speculation, communal support, and creativity. Organizations like the 501st Legion and Aurora Rise show the power of fans contributing to community outreach, charity, and recovery from tragedy.

Unfortunately, the positive impact that organizations like the 501st and Aurora Rise have on the community can be overshadowed by the Dark Side of Fandom. Whether it’s the anonymity of the online comments section or the misguided presumptions of individual fans that turns the potential good a fan community can do into the harmful reality we see all too often, a Fandom can be quite destructive. Death threats, Geek Girl shaming, and Nerd Elitism are the most extreme examples of patterns of behavior that all Fans exhibit, however innocently, at some point. It can be as simple as the tone of voice used when saying, “Actually,” when correcting a fellow fan in a discussion of Superman’s powers in the New 52 Universe, championing the book series over the television adaptation of The Shannara Chronicles, or a subtle roll of the eyes at a cosplay costume that was bought at a store.

The panelists at Denver Comic Con discussed several instances of more extreme examples of the Dark Side of Fandom, specifically the debate over the legitimacy of the new Ghostbusters film and the critical backlash received by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While I agree with the points that were made about the validity of an all-female cast for Ghostbusters and Zack Snyder’s humanity, I was more curious about what it is that Fan Culture permits that leads to such extreme and damaging arguments, and what we can do to change it. Now there is nothing wrong with correcting a fellow fan in a discussion or informing a fellow fan of something that they may not have read, but too often there is an assumption within the Nerd Community that a Fan with a particular lack of knowledge or a new fan is somehow lower and lesser than older fans who meet some unwritten criteria (i.e. If you haven’t read X, you can’t have an opinion, or if you like the TV series better you don’t understand the novels and so on).

This response could be said to come out of a shared history of bullying among “older nerds.” As a member of a generation where nerds were bullied and shamed by more athletic or “cool” kids in grade, middle, and high school it is not difficult for me to understand the “oppressed nerd” mentality. I do not mean to equate nerd bullying with race, gender, or LGBT injustices by using the word oppressed, (as some nerd elitists would); however, I do believe it is an appropriate word for how it felt to be bullied as a nerd. The posture of the older nerd or nerd elitist is that of, “Fans, geeks, or nerds today did not have to and do not have to suffer as a result of their interests, therefore they have not earned the right to the title of Fan, Geek, or Nerd.” This is absurd. Too often we forget that the wedgies we endured, the bullying we experienced, and the shame we were made to feel, all for the sake of something unique and creative, something that captured our imaginations, and our endurance to stay true to our passions despite such actions, paid off in the end. What we loved, what we were bruised and hurt and shamed for, now rules the marketplace. Popular Culture bends over backward to please the nerds! Our opinions and our ticket sales impact what sinks or swims at the cinema, on TV, or in print.  It’s not fair to hold our having been bullied against someone discovering what we’ve loved for the very first time.

When I described scenarios where there was nothing wrong with correcting or informing another member of your Fandom I used a phrase which I believe captures the spirit of my argument here: Fellow Fan. Fellow means a person in the same position, involved in the same activity, or otherwise associated with another and that’s Fandom to a T. If we can treat fans old and new with the same level of respect, without unfair criteria for inclusion in our Fandoms, if we consider all fans to be fellow fans, perhaps the Dark Side of Fandom will fade and allow the light to shine more brightly.

Denver Comic Con 2016 was my first ever convention. Never before had I been to a comic con, a gaming convention, an anime convention, or even seen cosplay in person. (Halloween doesn’t count, does it?) In fact, I’m pretty sure it was my first time inside a convention center. I spent most of my time upstairs on the main show floor, and although I explored the entire downstairs, I did not attend any panels. However, I’ve come to a conclusion: the real staying power of a con is in its panels, and, to a lesser extent, its guest appearances.

You see, I arrived on Friday at 9am to meet John and get my media pass. We entered and wandered around the floor a bit, and I began shooting at 10 when the doors opened. I spent most of the rest of the day on that floor, both shooting pictures and just enjoying the con. I even bought some things for my wall. When I left sometime between 6 and 7 that evening, my day had been long and fulfilling.

However, when I arrived on Saturday, this time when the doors opened at 10, and began to take more pictures, I found myself facing a bit of a conundrum. Whereas on Friday I had spent my time alternating between working and just enjoying the con, I found myself experiencing a little bit of déjà vu and well, the excitement faded for me just a little bit. Not that the con was boring, by any means, but simply because all the same shops, merchants, artists, and materials were on display. And I realized that they wouldn’t change during the entire con. No matter what time it was or which day, the only thing that would change were the people filling in the aisles.

For this con that wasn’t a problem; my chief goal was to take pictures of interesting, cool, or otherwise appealing cosplay, so the new dearth of people each day provided plenty of material. But for my own personal enjoyment as a con-goer, this was a bit troubling. Although I did make a few purchases on my second day, I could have bought those things on my first. I simply waited because I knew I’d be back. Really, nothing had changed. I could see no reason to do anything other than show up one day, see everything, and leave. It made me wonder: why would I want to spend money, at any con, on coming more than one day?

It took me an embarrassingly long time to find my answer: panels. Every day, every minute, there was another panel beginning in one of the many meeting rooms scattered amongst the labyrinthine halls of the lower floor. And what a range of topics they covered! Sound in film, gaming marketing, creative writing; anything you could think of for any kind of interest in any part of geek culture had at least one panel. I didn’t really want to attend any panels this time; I felt my time was better spent on the floor. But if I had been trying to attend panels, I might have had an existential crisis as I realized there simply weren’t enough hours in the day to attend everything that sounded interesting.

Even a cursory glance at the panel schedule revealed a multitude of tempting, tantalizing options. It was here, I realized, that the value in a multi-day pass was undeniable. And, on top of that, attending on multiple days also gave multiple opportunities to attend celebrity appearances. Meanwhile, the merchants and artists provided a sort of connective tissue, filling in the gaps between celebrity appearances and panel start times. But now I know for the future, in order to truly experience everything that Denver Comic Con has to offer, one has to spend time in panels because that is where our minds are fed with fresh ideas and discussions about the things we love and discovering this, and the wealth of programming that DCC has to offer made my first convention experience a fulfilling one.