501st TROOP: 35th Anniv of Star Wars at Mill Valley Film Festival in Corte Madera – October 8, 2012

This event is the 35th anniversary event for Star Wars. It is playing as part of the official programming for the 35th anniversary for the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF). MVFF has had a long history with George Lucas and LucasFilm and is celebrating that history and the double anniversary.

The 501st and RL arrived in Corte Madera to find ample parking at the theater and a hotel suite for suiting up right next door. After changing, everyone walked to the theater to greet the crowds lining up for the theater to open. We interacted with the people in line as well as passing traffic that slowed down to have a look. We spread out throughout the theater to pose for photos with fans. A large green screen was set up by the movie screen for guests to have there pictures taken with us in various backgrounds.
After everybody had arrived in the theater, some members of the RL and 501st judged a costume contest and awarded prizes.

Our duties being completed, we walked back to the hotel and changed before returning to watch Episode IV from our reserved seats in the back row.
All in all it was a great troop and a wonderful opportunity to interact with Star Wars fans young and old.

501st TROOP: UNITED AIRLINES FLEET WEEK EMPLOYEE EVENT – OCTOBER 7, 2012

Every year, United Airlines throws an employee event which the 501st is invited to attend to.  Food, games and exhibitions fill the United Airlines maintenance facilities lot of the San Francisco Airport.

We were invited to lead the parade to start off the festivities.  After the parade, we were taking photographs with the families and kids that were awed by our presence.  In the mid afternoon, the F22 Raptors were performing for the Fleet Week festivities.  In between flights, they invited us to have a photo op with the F22 Raptor Fighter Jets.  It was an awesome troop and a great day with the garrison.  It was probably the biggest troop I’ve done in 2012 and hopefully will be able to do this again in 2013.  It is too bad that current budget cuts will not allow the Blue Angels to perform this year.  We’ll see this fall.

Great pic of me in the hanger suiting up in armor. Thanks to BUI Photography for this shot.

Helmets off…

Helmets on…

The group shot of all the volunteers that day in armor before the parade began

The few of us that got to get pictures in front of the F22 Raptors and crew

501st TROOP: STAR WARS READS DAY – OCTOBER 6, 2012

Ever since Celebration VI, I’ve been too busy running my business to update my blog. I apologize for the delay in coverage and am catching up on all the events in between.

October 6, 2012 marks the first Star Wars Reads Day with over 1000 events planned across the country. Created by Lucasfilm and its publishing partners, including DK Publishing, Dark Horse Comics, and Scholastic, Star Wars Reads Day brings fans of Star Wars together to celebrate literacy at their local libraries and bookstores.

This troop was very fun.  We got to hang out with the kids for Star Wars activities including building paper droids and Boba Fett Masks.  The location we chose to troop was at one of the last Barnes and Noble book stores in San Mateo.

Our group consisted of original trilogy and clones from the prequel and animation.

 

This event was very fun and would do it again if Lucasfilm were to throw the same event next year.

Happy 2013!

It has been a few months since I last updated and I do apologize for the lack of content. I am currently working on coverage from trooping events after Celebration VI last year as well as events already trooped in 2013. 

Also have plans to build new armor this year.  Details to come! Stay tuned!

STAR WARS CELEBRATION VI: PART 3

I remember sometime back in 1983 a few weeks after my parents took me to see Return of the Jedi at the Coronet in San Francisco, I became the hugest fan of the Star Wars franchise.  My favorite character is and still is Darth Vader. All I wanted to be was Darth Vader.

My parents bought me those early 80′s vinyl costumes for Halloween.  It was a half mask of Darth Vader and a long vinyl suit that looked nothing like the character.  It didn’t matter to me, I was Darth Vader! (even though I couldn’t breathe through that mask and I smelled like fresh vinyl and squeaked everywhere I walked.)  I miss those cheesy costumes from the old days.

In 2007, I homemade a Darth Vader costume for Halloween for fun using the Darth Vader voice changer mask and some supplies from JoAnn’s fabrics.  It worked for Halloween but would never be approved for any 501st Legion.

In 2011 I finally had the time and money to actually build a 501st approved costume.  I chose to do the Scout Trooper as it was one of my favorite characters from the Star Wars.  The rest is history.

Im sure most of the 501st Legion attendees for Celebration VI have similar stories.  Here’s the final coverage of Celebration VI from my eyes.  The 501st Legion and friends at Celebration VI.

These following pics were all taken in the 501st Legion Room at Celebration VI. All the awesome buckets that are all fan made and used by the 501st Legion

My next build is found in one of these buckets

Lifesize Dewback with trooper! Mind blown!

Scout and Speeder!

Amongst the awesome armor, the 501st from all around the world also build awesome props!

I was fortunate enough to take a pic on the speeder bike!

A few of my friends in Season 4 Clone armor with Padme!

The Scout Trooper group pic

 

 

 

 

 

 

With an awesome AT-AT Driver

Some future members!

Our newest member to the GGG!

This scout seems to have lost some armor during the battle of Endor

Prepping for the huge 501st Group shot with troopers from all around the world!

The final shot!

 

STAR WARS CELEBRATION VI: PART 2

Usually when I attend conventions, I have a set plan of what to do so I can cover most of the floor and exhibits.  At Celebration VI, I lost all control.  So many cool things to see I just went all over the place.  ALL OVER THE PLACE!  Geeking out hardcore never hurt so much, especially the feet after a long day of just endless roaming and having a wide eye face.  I wanted to see everything twice, or maybe three times!  There’s not enough hours in the show to do such, I wished they opened it for 4 days straight, 24/7.

Anyways, here’s what I organized in the 600+ pics I took of the Legos and custom Lego sets that were at CVI.  Enjoy!!!

These were official sets that were offered by LEGO themselves…

Xwing set, you can never go wrong with this, no matter how many variations they had

Classic Tie Fighter

AT-ST and driver

These aren’t the droids you’re looking for!

Jabba’s Palace!

I need to get a bunch of those Scouts and Speeder Bikes!!

 

These next sets are custom built LEGOs.  Pictures don’t do justice at all.  Some of them are huge scaled sets that took the entire convention week to build.

This was pretty cool, Stormtroopers building the sign

Motorized Snowspeeder flying around the ATAT

The Executor Star Destroyer

Huge scale!

Hoth battle scene!!!  with details!!!

Star Destroyer!

Battle on Naboo!

Death Star Trench Battle!

Mos Eisley!!!

Tatooine Pod Race!!! Motorized with a working Pod Racer!

Coruscant!

Endor Bunker and Base!!

 

Mind is blown.  Stay tuned for part 3….. the 501st LEGION!

 

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STAR WARS CELEBRATION VI: PART 1

Words cannot describe the experience focused on a galaxy far, far away.  Celebration VI was held at Orlando, Florida this year. Celebration VI is a gathering for both hardcore and casual fans of all things STAR WARS!   Four days of fun filled activities, exhibits, celebrity signings, screenings and exclusive merchandise and activities.

My journey started the day before the show.  5.5 hour flight from San Francisco, California to Orlando, Florida.  When we arrived, the weather was 30 degrees warmer and 50% more humid. Time difference is about 3 hours ahead.  We were ready for what was in store the first day.

The convention passes were varied with characters, depending on day, and type of pass. I wished I had them all! My media pass is of Emperor Palpatine and my regular pass is of Yoda in celebration gear.

When our shuttle from the hotel arrived to the convention center, we were greeted with some awesome light/traffic posts decorated in R2-D2 gear!

The excitement and crowds were gathering.  We were handed lanyards for our passes and a program of the show.

The line queue was crazy.  The crowd was ready to go 2 hours before the show started.  Everyone was either in Star Wars related apparel or in costume. Families were decked out in everything Star Wars. Little kids were watching Clone Wars or the movies on their electronic devices.  Everyone was ready to celebrate our passion of Star Wars!

Once inside, we were greeted with life size prop replicas of some famous scenes from the Star Wars universe!  More of this will be seen in my later coverage with the 501st Legion!

Life size Snow Speeder built by the Belgium Garrison 501st Legion Prop Builders! (http://www.troopers.be/index.html)  They came all they way with almost 6-7 full sized props from the movies!

I had to get into the speeder and do our Maverick and Goose pose for the camera!

The E-Web Repeating Blaster with Snow Trooper!

Oh wait….

 

what is this?….

 

…..

 

…its Roxy the Rancor!

 

…Stand back…I GOT THIS!!!

 

…that battle took a lot from me, I need to refresh and heal in the Bacta Tank

 

….stay tuned for PART 2!