Outpost: Movie and Collectivbles Bazaar Nov4, 2006

OK, let me tell you a secret. I actually can't wait to get back from Sitiawan yesterday so that i can attend this event. Yes, it was tiring driving long into the night and also stayed up until 4am so that I can get my Tricorder, Lightsabre and custom scanner working. Sadly, I did not get into costume because I have gotten fatter since and also, I looked so tired as if I had not slept for days.

The event was organised by Myscififan, Cinema-Online and CineLeisure.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please. We have
a lost child here who is looking for his mother, who is
wearing a matching yellow raincoat


Some of the props on display


Yes, sometimes the propmaker actually use common
parts as it is faster and also inexpensive.


The best part is when you have audience participation


This is The Outpost which is almost complete


And this was the best food evar! I went for twice because
they were so delicious.


Please, sir. Can I have some more?


No, I am not the Empire Recruitment Officer


Captain Picard's deepest secret of wanting to be
"Lord Dark Helmet" from Spaceballs


Starfleet's finest negotiation skills on display
"..and if you still won't bring me my Earl Grey, I
will have to cut you in half with this Lightsabre"


Ever wonder why Darth Vader always uses his
cloak?


Yes, the Vader wears Prada


Preparing for the costume competition


Final check before going out there


Yes, we're all ready now.


The hot and cold of things


Sometimes when you just can't get through to
other people, you cannot make your point


And now, tell me I am handsome or I will
poke your eyes out


Look. For the last time, I am not even half the man
to challenge him to a Lightsabre duel. So, he can
have my Lightsabre. OK?


Sir, in this Police lineup, can you identify the person who
shot your X-Wing fighter to pieces?


Fan photo-taking session


Damn! This is better than my wife's Ginzu Knife


This is the man who puts Gillette out of business with his
retractable Adamantium claws and super mutant healing
You can shave anywhere and still not worry about razor cuts


This is not the way to cut your fingernails


Now you know why Freddy's head looked like that


And he is going blind in the next movie


Captain Picard doing the Lucky Draw
(Plastic bag sponsored by Comics Corner)


And the prize goes to......


This prize is so sweet, even the fairies loved it


Stay away from this guy. He loves Micheal Myers


Darth Vader is going to be Darth Maul soon


This is Cyclops's Visor which I am very very
interested in but they won't let me take it home


A rare scene where Captain Picard tries
to flash at a girl. Anyway, this is THE end.

Too bad my camera was not fast enough.

MixFM's Living in a Box

While I was at CineLeisure, I went to The Curve to get some cash so that I can get a thumbdrive for my Wife and also to pay for the day's parking. As I sauntered to the middle court, there was some noise which caught my attention. Apparently, it was MixFM/CIMB's "Living in a Box" contest. Luckily, that "noise" was not a MixFM DJ because he was so boring, he can't even draw a respectable crowd.

When I was there, the contestants were in the middle of a somthing and not being able to follow the events, from a third person's viewpoint, the contest was boring, and it looked as if the Judges were undecided nor do they have any experience. Anyway,

So, the four of you do a blowjob to get some money to
decorate your invisible room


Which you share in a glass house for seven days


Four rooms and a common lounge with nothing but
a PC and some big pillows. Whether you shit, eat or
wank, everyone can see you. And you have to
apply for a week's leave. All this just to win a
RM50,000 prize. Stupid

How to make a prop in three days

Well, two days, really. Because I bloody ran out of time!

And I just finished this at 330 in the morning. Man, I am so tired. OK, here's the story.

Remember the plastic toy fan I got a few days ago? I decided to make it into something that looks like a scanner from a Sci-Fi movie/TV show.

DAY ONE
Took the fan apart, looked at the spaces inside so that I can determine how much electronics I can put it. Not much, in fact. There is only enough space for a set of LEDs and a microprocessor. So, traditional off-the-shelf electronic chips are out of the question. Moreover, Pasar Road does not open at mid-night

See all the pieces? I had to store them in a box because
Kristine likes to take stuff from my table while I am
away at work

So, once I got the idea on which lighting sequence to use for the LEDs, the idea is set. It is convenient to use a micorprocessor to do this because I can try out a few lighting sequence before deciding on the one I liked. Also, because this microporcessor has its own internal clock, I can further minimise all the electronics to just a few items:

1) The microprocessor
2) The 10-LED array
3) A push-button switch
4) A piezo beeper
5) A flashing blue-red LED

There you go! This is the prototype board I use.
The LEDs are moving towards you as if you're
collecting data. At the same time, you have a
beeping sound to make the prop more
(dis)functional


Once I am happy with the sequence, I program
them into the microprocessor chip

DAY TWO
It took me six hours to wire up all the stuff and also put it inside the small casing. It was not wasy because the thin fragile wires would break or I have to resolder them again, etc. Because its so small, I did not use any circuit boards but rather, solder them wire by wire. I have to be careful so as to not short-circuit anything. I could have used those small SMT chips but they are expensive and also time-consuming as delivery could take weeks. So, for a last minute prop, these would suffice.

Sometimes, I wished my fingers are as small as Kristine's


Power it up and its good to go!

OK, here is a short video clip of it in action. If I had another day, I would have painted it. But instead, the only thing I could do at the moment is to cut two strips of rubber foam and stick it to the sides. Ha ha ha ha

Trip to Sitiawan

Today is was the day I had to go up North to Sitiawan to oversee a PABX installation. Although this system was not sold by us (which by right, should be), we still went ahead to make sure that the installation proceeded without any hiccups because after the hand-over, we are expected to maintain it.

The party responsible who got this system was shaking their heads in total frustrations due to so many changes in the plans until the Main Distributor refused to service them anymore. This was because the site was quite far away from branch their office (about 88Km?) which means increased expenses to send a technician there. So, we decided to do them a favour and came up instead as we're nearer to them (about 170Km, ha ha ha ha ha!)

Anyway, with the job done within hours, I was free to go home and be ready to attend for tomorrow's event.

This lorry was stuck in the middle of the road


And you can also see why the driver is not there
anymore. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!


Trust me. This car is actually going straight


And there were so much stuff behind the driver that
he did not notice me overtaking him


During lunch, we saw a new kind of plastic chair


Which looked more like it was taken from
a Sultan's Palace. The two middle corncobs
are actually Petronas Twin Tower

Battery Fan

I just passed by the petrol station kiosk and saw this battery operated fan. As it was only RM2.50, I could not resist and bought it. It looked like a very good potential for a handheld prop, maybe a medical scanner.

Not only that, once I diassemble it, I would get a free motor as well. And since the battery compartment is nicely moulded, I can either use back the same batteries or retro-fit it with the squarish 9v battery. The circuit must be small enough, using a microprocessor instead of the normal off-the-shelf ICs to save space. Let's see if I can get it up by Saturday or not. But no painting la.

Whoooo! So, if I fart, I can now control its direction!
My very own Biological Weapon of Mass Destruction
Ha ha ha ha ha!

I broke my gun

So, I was doing my Tricorder yesterday and while looking for my cutter
the toy gun fell to the floor and shattered. Yes, shattered.
So, its in two pieces, the gun itself and also the handle
(No, I will not use the UHU glue on it)


Once I opened it, there is the soundboard on the left
which keeps shouting "Police!...Fire! Ratatatatat!"
Then there is the motor to make the whole barrel thing spin


A closer look and after this, it becomes a potential material as
spare parts for models or props. Oh dear.


The LEDs are there but the buld burnt out because
I stupidly used a 9volt battery instead of 6 volts
So, I can smell the fumes coming from it.
After that, everything sort of burnt too. Damn!

The Playmates Tricorder VIII

Tonight was the night where I will put all the electronics together. Previously, I has a dilemma of getting the stickers printed out in the most cost effective way. In the end, I settled for a photo paper for the inkjet and the masking from the laser printer using tracing paper. The printouts were great. Until that is, when I start to touch it. The I realised that if I were to keep touching the so=called stickers, they would be very dirty in no time at all. But I had to push on since time was not on my side.

I had to buy a can of those aerosol glue and after searching everywhere, I decided to go back to my sort of favourite art shop. They're located behind Lim Kok Wing in Taman Mayang and its called Win's Art & Stationery Supplies. And surprise, surprise! Now they have a Colour Laser Printer. So, I had my stickers printed out on the spot! And their business hours are from 0900 to 2100. Its a bit tight in there with all those young girls and boys studying the art of art.

Here is the laser printout


And after much cussing, the electronics are in. Now all I
have to do is to get the hot-melt glue gun back so I can
permanently put them into place. I am disappointed with
the flap as it is not lighting up despite my so-called bright
idea of modifying the hinge. I should've stuck to my
original plan of putting a separate battery and reed switch
into the flap. So, its another trip to Pasar Road on Wednesday