Reviewerverse Free Press Interviews Jerrid Foiles!

Today’s Interviewee:  Jerrid Foiles of Space Monkey Mafia Studios and TheCinemaSnob.com!

Mehe:  Hello, and welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press, where today we are honored to be joined by Jerrid Foiles!

Jerrid Foiles:  Hi. Thanks for having me.

Mehe:  Tell us a little about yourself and your current projects, Jerrid.

JF:  Alright, well, I’m a member of “Team Snob”,  a name given to me and my group of friends from TheCinemaSnob.com. My status has been downgraded to part time and in the meantime I am working on a solo project through my production company for hire called Foil-Wrapped Productions.

Mehe:  What can you tell us about Foil-Wrapped Productions?

JF:  Well, it’s a video production service for hire located in Springfield, IL. We primarily service Central IL with video services ranging from wedding videos, corporate web videos, commercials, and legal videography (depositions and what not). And like I said, when I’m not doing all that I’m working on a new sketch comedy web series called “Jerrid’s Short Bus.”

Mehe:  A new sketch series? When can we look for that to happen?

JF:  Late spring or early summer. The fans helped me pick that name on my facebook. I love my fans.

Mehe:  You’re also a drummer in a band, aren’t you?

JF:  Yes, just recently, my band Set Piece regrouped after our 8 year hiatus. I actually was not actively drumming during my full time phase at thecinemasnob.com

Mehe:  As a drummer, you have to have a favorite genre of music.

JF:  I do. I love progressive rock. My view of music is since I’m a musician, I have to be impressed by your skill as a musician in order for me to enjoy it. There are some exceptions. You can’t help but enjoy even the simpler party songs.  Bands like Rush, Yes, Dream Theater, King Crimson are all on my favorites list.

Mehe:  What’s your experience as a member of the Reviewerverse been like?

JF:  Well, just like everything else it has it’s ups and downs. An example of the downs would be that sometimes you have to not say what you really want to say because you are in the public eye. And, quite frankly, that’s not my style.

Mehe:  I can imagine it gets tough being recognized and so on.

JF:  Actually, at the risk of sounding like a douche, I love being recognized. I love running into fans taking pics, giving autographs.

Mehe:  You said you’re part time on Cinema Snob now. Can you take us a little through the production of what you’re involved in?

JF:  Well, I guess you could say I run camera when needed and just give cameos also when needed.

Mehe:  What’s Jerrid Foiles’ favorite film genre?

JF:  Gosh that’s a tough one.  I don’t think I really gravitate to one specific genre. I do enjoy comedies and if you ever saw the “Pat” movie (based on the SNL character from the 90s) there’s a line in there where Pat says he/she’s favorite movies are “Good movies.” The joke being that it’s such a vague thing to say, but for me it’s kind of true.

Mehe:  That actually does make a lot of sense though. Then, what’s your favorite movie?

JF:  A good movie.  But if you want me to be specific, I’ll list a few: Back to the Future (all of them), Wall-E, Click, Nightmare on Elm St, Friday the 13th…

Mehe:  Back to the Future is one of the quintessential time travel films!

JF:  Indeed. A friend of mine just showed me the Epic Rap Battle on Youtube between Doctor Who and Dr. Brown. I have to say Brown PWNd that one.

Mehe:  Where can we find you out there on the web, Jerrid? Other than The Cinema Snob, of course.

JF:  Oh, I was also picked up by spacemonkeymafia.com. I hope they don’t fire me for forgetting to mention them until now.

Mehe:  Any advice for people trying to get into reviewing/film making/ et cetera?

JF:  Well, for the reviewers in the making:  The “angry reviewer” angle is played out. Any chance you can come up with something more unique or creative, jump on that before someone else does. When I started doing The Game Re-Port (available on Blip.tv and youtube) I wanted to try and not be a review show, but more of a “Sportscenter for videogames” kind of thing, and the fans have definitely picked up on that and they enjoy it tremendously.  By the way, that’s nothing against the current “angry reviewers,” just that if new ones try to do the same thing, I think they are gonna have a challenge trying to build a fanbase.

Mehe:   As far as reviewing goes, the angry reviewer seems to be a hallmark of many producers. Your thoughts on that?

JF:  Well, again, everyone wants to be the next AVGN, Nostalgia Critic, or Cinema Snob. I say find your own niche.

Mehe:  Thank you so much for your time today, Jerrid. I think we’re going to wind down now, and let you go. Any parting words for our readers?

JF:  Just visit spacemonkeymafiastudios.com, and of course thecinemasnob.com. If you live in the central IL area and want a professional video done, please contact Foil-Wrapped Productions and visit that website as well, which is at foilwrappedproductions.com.

Reviewerverse Free Press Talks With April Von Lon

Sorry about the missed post last week, readers! I was sick and unable to upload an interview!  Today, I bring you an interview with April Von Lon!

Mehe:  Hello, and welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press, where today we’re talking with the wonderful April Von Lon! Welcome, April!

April Von Lon:  Thanks! Glad to be here.

Mehe:  Could you tell us a little bit about your show, April?

AVL:  That’s a difficult question. Basically I do whatever the heck I feel like doing, and sometimes it turns out funny. One day I might do a review of some old cartoon I loved as a kid, the next I put on a wig and give people bad sex tips. I like having a variety.

Mehe:  So you don’t have a set focus?

AVL:  At first I tried to, but my nature is a little too flighty to stick to just one format. I get so many ideas and I want to give them all a try! Plus, I feel like sketch comedy is my strength as opposed to serious, well-thought-out reviews. I’m just doing this for fun.

Mehe:  Well, then, where did your inspiration start from?

AVL:  Definitely from the Nostalgia Critic. He was the first reviewer I ever watched, and he made it seem easy, accessible. Just a guy in a room with a camera, right? I had just bought a laptop with a built-in webcam, and so the thought sort of drifted into my head, “Why can’t I try that, too…?”

Mehe:  So you just jumped right in?

AVL:  Kiiiinda. My first webcam attempts were… not good, to put it mildly. I asked friends to give me a topic and then I just rambled about whatever came to me for like two minutes, then I put it on YouTube on “private”. I think my worst one, I rambled about how much I hate bees. I quote: “They bite you with their butts!”  I deleted those first offerings, but the shame will live forever in my soul.

Mehe:  Are you exclusively on YouTube or can you be found elsewhere?

AVL:  So far the videos are all hosted on YouTube, although I’m also affiliated with a site called Nerdvice.com where I contribute. It’s a cool site and it’s neat to be part of a larger group of producers and fellow nerds.

Mehe:  How long have you been doing reviews?

AVL:  I think it’s been almost two years now. Although I work very slowly so I don’t have a lot to show for that much time.

Mehe:  Can you take us through your planning process?

AVL:  It’s pretty simple. If I’m doing a review, I rewatch the thing I plan to talk about and write down notes– things I want to mention, places where I want to add jokes or snarky comments. Then I start on the script. If I’m just doing a sketch, it usually starts with me getting some stupid idea that makes me snicker to myself, and then I just write the script from there.

Mehe:  About how long does it take, beginning to end?

AVL:  Depends on how busy I am, and how lazy I’m being. If I’m working my butt off, I can write a script and film in a day. If it’s a really short sketch it only takes a few hours to edit; if it’s a 20-minute review it can take more time since I have to find more pictures and clips to edit in too.

Mehe:  Any advice for people looking to start their own shows?

AVL:  Just do it. Seriously. But put some thought into it, you know? Don’t buy the cheapest, shittiest camera you find or anything. But don’t buy some top-of-the-line model either, until you’re sure you’re going to keep doing it. No point having a $2000 camera if you never use it.

Mehe:  Of your own reviews, which one do you recommend for people to start with to get to know you and your style?

AVL:  I’m kinda embarrassed by most of it, honestly. My style still hasn’t really come together yet, and my technical skills are still improving. I have no background in film or acting or editing– I’m absolutely learning it all as I go.  That said, my Silverhawks review seems to be the one that gets the most hits and the most controversy. I had no idea people were so protective of the show when I did it, and people have misinterpreted my joshing of it like I hate it or something. I don’t hate the show, I just acknowledge that to anyone over the age of seven, it’s deeply, deeply silly.

Mehe:  Pardon my ignorance of other peoples’ fanbases here, but I didn’t realize Silverhawks had a fandom…

AVL:  Neither did I! I watched that show when I was four, and I loved it then. I had all the playsets, the Tallyhawk action figure, all of that– but it hasn’t really emerged as a retro symbol the way Thundercats or He-Man has. I’d thought it was a bit on the forgotten side.

Mehe:  Do you have any upcoming projects or anything you’re looking forward to covering?

AVL:  More Sexvice episodes, definitely. They’re so fun to do, although it’s a little weird doing a silly voice. I definitely don’t sound like that normally!

Mehe:  Do you find that it’s a little more difficult for a female reviewer to be taken seriously by the community than a male one?

AVL:  Gods, yes. The sexism is rampant. I get some pretty nasty comments about my body, and a lot of shit like “You’re only popular because of your tits!” or “because of your boyfriend”, as if I didn’t have any viewers until I met him. The worst thing is, there’s no way to win this game. If I wore sober-colored turtlenecks in every video I’d get comments on how uptight and frumpy I was.

Mehe:  If you could say anything to your detractors, what would you say?

AVL:  I’d say, Let’s see you do it better. See, the people who give me the most shit are always people who AREN’T putting themselves out on the interwebs the way I am. They don’t make anything. They don’t do anything creative or constructive. They take none of the risks I take. They just put people down. Destruction is easier than creation, and I’d tell them to stop taking the easy path. Do something good with all the free time you obviously have on your hands. Make something interesting or fun. Stand up and be DIFFERENT.

Mehe:  What’s been some of your best experiences as a reviewer?

AVL:  Definitely meeting other people, especially the “internet celebs” if you will. There are some fun, creative, and hilarious people I’m glad to have met, some briefly and some a little more… regularly.

Mehe:  Well, April, we’re certainly glad you stopped by today to chat with us and let us a have a small window into your world.  Before we let you go, any parting words for the readers?

AVL:  My life has been very interesting lately, and no matter what the future holds, I’m glad I decided to give this a try. The only way I could have truly “failed” at this was to not try at all. And then I’d have missed out on a lot of special things, wouldn’t I?

Mehe:  Thank you for allowing us to interview you, April.  We hope to talk to you again soon!

 

 

Reviewerverse Free Press Splatters Blood with The Horror Guru!

In the ongoing quest to bring you interviews from around the Reviewerverse, I tracked down Josh Langland, also known as The Horror Guru, last month.

Mehe:  Hello and welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press! Today, we are glad to be joined by The Horror Guru, host of Blood Splattered Cinema!

Josh Langland:  Heyo everybody! Glad to be here.

Mehe:  We usually start around here by asking a little about you. So tell us about yourself!

JL:  My real name’s Joshua Langland, but I go by the handle Horror Guru for obvious reasons. I’m a film school graduate who spends his days thinking way too much about the horror genre and one day decided to make a show dedicated to those thoughts. Thus, Blood Splattered Cinema was born!

Mehe:  Horror is a genre near and dear to many hearts, not least of all my own. What led you to it?

JL:  When I was but a wee lad – of about eight or nine years of age – I was tricked into watching James Cameron’s Aliens by my Grandfather. If I recall, his exact words were “You think you can handle a REAL movie?” With a challenge like that, how could I resist? Unfortunately for the next few months I found myself ducking under doorways and peaking around corners in fear of the Xenomorphs, but the thrill of that challenge stuck with me. After that I started doing it to myself, seeing just how much I could or couldn’t handle and spend many hours at the local video stores renting whatever it was I could find. The rest, as they say, is history.

Mehe:  So one great movie led to another, and a love was born?

JL:  Pretty much, yeah.

Mehe: What led to video reviews?

JL:  Back in 06 or 07 when I was in college my roommates introduced me to two video producers – The Spoony One and the Nostalgia Critic, in the days when both could be found on YouTube. I honestly can’t remember what my first video was for either, but I do remember that after the first viewing of both I couldn’t get enough of it and would marathon what they each had until I had watched them all. After that because I was too impatient to wait every week for a new entry from either of them, I searched the interwebs for new producers and that is when I found The Angry Video Game Nerd. Between those three I found myself thinking, “You know what, I could totally do this but for horror movies. But if I do, I want to create a slightly more positive environment and celebrate the genre rather than trash it.” However, I was knee-deep in college short film productions at the time so my time was too limited to start the show then. Flash forward to 2011, after I’d graduated and sites like thatguywiththeglasses.com were formed, I found myself having a hard time finding a job and as a result of that I had a lot of free time. So I watched tons of Internet Reviewers and while I was in the middle of one of Kyle Kallgren’s videos – I think it might have been The Man Who Fell to Earth actually – I remembered how I had wanted to make a show like these guys and that’s when I resolved to do so. A couple months later I would release my first episode of Blood Splattered Cinema.

Mehe:  Your show has a slightly more structured flow than many of the reviewers out there. How do you plan out your reviews?

JL:  The first thing I do is I pick a movie I plan on tackling, usually from my own DVD shelf as I have a pretty extensive horror collection. Then I watch the film once allowing myself to get lost in the film, watching it as it should normally be watched. Then I watch it a second time, taking notes – usually simple joke ideas or something specific want to go more in depth about in the review itself. Then I make sure to watch all the special features I can find, and read interviews with the creators online if I can find any. After all that research is done I sit down and start writing, usually going through the movie scene by scene as I do so. After the rough draft is done I let it sit for a day before coming back to it and ironing it out, finding a structure or flow that feels natural or at least as natural as it can be. Sometimes I might do a third or fourth draft if the review is more extensive than usual. I went through about six when I was working on The Mist, for example. As a side note, it should be noted I write all my reviews in Final Draft rather than Word as many other reviewers do as I find with the traditional screenplay format it’s much easier to plan pacing. After the writing’s done I’ll shoot all my on screen footage, and during that time a little mini-rewrite will always occur as I’m shooting because sometimes the words don’t flow out of my mouth as naturally as they felt on the page, so I fix it then. Then I record my voice overs and go through the same process there. After that, I start editing and this is where I feel the final re-write occurs as I put everything together in an extremely rough cut to see if everything’s working. If something obviously isn’t, it’s cut out or replaced. I then iron out a second cut, which usually is paced and feels more like what the final cut would be. Then, if need be, I do my third and usually last cut followed by a balancing of the sound. Then I release video and a fellow contributor watches it and notes an typo or an issue I for some reason didn’t catch, and I upload a fix. Because there’s always something.

Mehe:  That is a fairly in depth process!

JL:  That it is, probably more in depth than it needs to be. But I feel it helps the video out in the end, and I enjoy every bit of that process so no need to streamline it any time soon.

Mehe:  With your focus being horror, is there a subgenre that scares you more than another?

JL:  That is a tough question, as I think when done well most of the horror subgenres can be terrifying. But I think what scares me the most – and I’m not entirely sure there’s a specific subgenre for this, the more I think about it – is when a movie is able to make the audience empathize with an extremely horrible person or when it’s able to have a character make an extremely horrible choice and the audience is right there with them. I discuss this a little bit in my Mist review, how the ending of that movie effected me so much because I was right there with David despite how horrible his final decision is. Two examples of movies in which the creators were able to make the audience feel for horrible people are The Devil’s Rejects and Hard Candy. And I will fight tooth and nail anyone who argues Hard Candy is not a horror movie, because the mere fact it’s able to make the audience for a split second feel bad for a pedophile makes it one of the most horrifying movies of the last decade.

Mehe:  I’m not sure that subgenre has an actual name, now that you mention it.

JL:  Definitely not and that’s most likely because it’s an element of a lot of horror movies from varying subgenres. So, I suppose it’s more a trope of horror than a straight up subgenre.

Mehe:  Has a movie stumped you yet?

JL:  I haven’t been stumped yet, though there have been a couple movies I’ve planned to review where I realized my normal format simply will not do it justice. I’m planning a review of the French horror film Inside, about a pregnant woman dealing with a home invasion. That review will require a little more in-depth analysis than my usual Cinema episodes because it’s a bit more meaty and the trick will be to manage the analysis with the humor. I find it a lot harder to be both humorous and analytical, which is probably why my Adaptations episodes are usually absent humor. But it’s a goal of mine to find the right balance between the two, because I believe my videos would benefit from it.

Mehe:  Recently the horror genre has shifted more towards the use of 3D as a gimmick. As a fan, do you feel this has added or detracted from the movie going experience?

JL:  3D is a tool and as with all other tools it entirely depends on how it’s used. Movies like My Blood Valentine 3D and Piranha 3D were able to accentuate their over the top humor using the technology, while I feel movies like Fright Night suffered because it added nothing to the picture. Then there are films like Texas Chainsaw 3D or My Soul To Take which were just awful regardless of the 3D release. I do not feel horror as suffered too much as a result of the recent 3D boom, because for every bad thing that came from it there was a good thing. Joe Dante’s The Hole, for example, was an excellent 3D picture it’s just too bad it didn’t get a wide enough release for most to see it that way. I will say this though, I am waiting for someone out there to use 3D in a horror movie the way Ang Lee or Martin Scorsese did in their most recent pictures – As I think the more atmospheric approach to 3D would benefit horror more than any genre if someone out there’s able to master it.

Mehe:  What’s the Horror Guru’s favorite film?

JL:  Battle Royale. Hands down. One of my greatest regrets, regarding my own show, is not including it back in Top 10 Horror Films of All Time video simply because I was unwilling to argue with those who feel it’s not a horror movie. But regardless of the argument, it is my favorite film of all time.

Mehe:  Battle Royale is one of the best films I’ve ever seen, but recently The Hunger Games series has called in nicer terms “an homage” and by others “a ripoff”. Any thoughts on that, personally?

JL:  The only similarity The Hunger Games has to Battle Royale is the initial premise of young kids forced to kill one another. Other than that, they’re completely different stories and they both tell them well. Battle Royale is a harsh metaphor for the highly competitive nature of the Japanese school systems, combined with the increased generational tensions between the young and the old. The Hunger Games is more a battle of classes, rich vs. poor, those who have vs. those who have not. They’re different battles, just being presented with a similar premise. People like to act like that idea was created solely by Battle Royale, but it has it’s roots in many past works. The idea of people being forced to kill one another dates all the way back to the Roman Gladiators, and has been featured in many modern works like The Running Man for example. And the idea of it being kids forced to so comes from mixing that history with Lord of the Flies.

Mehe:  Where would you recommend a newcomer to either the horror genre or your own show start?

JL:  A newcomer to the horror genre is probably better off looking in the familiar places – The Exorcist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween – because those films and ones like them have all stood the test of time and are regarded as classics for a reason. They’re all super effective at what they do, while also being among the safer horror films you could watch if you’re not ready for the truly gnarly stuff. As far as my own show goes, I am not quite sure. I’d probably go with Chopping Mall for Cinema, as that’s one of my favorite riffs, and The Birds for Adaptations as that’s when I feel that show really hit it’s stride. Also if you want the more skit-based humor of Friday Night Fright Flicks, my collaboration with Count Jackula, then I recommend starting with either our review of Resident Evil: Retribution or V/H/S as those are two of our stronger first season episodes.

Mehe:  Have you got any upcoming collaborations or projects you’re looking forward to releasing on an unsuspecting public?

JL:  ALL CRITICS MUST DIE! A feature-length film about an evil cult that worships bad movies trying to kill a rag-tag group of internet credits. The film stars myself, Count Jackula, Stephen Krosecz, Spazzmaster, Some Jerk with a Camera, Il Neige, The Wire, Chris the Nerd, Mikey Insanity and Arthur Knowledge and is coming this summer. Stay tuned.

Mehe:  What advice do you have for up and coming internet reviewers looking to join this crazy world we inhabit?

JL:  I don’t necessarily feel I’ve been at this game long enough to be dishing out advice, but if I were to say anything I’d say trust your gut. If something sounds wrong, or feels wrong, then it most likely is wrong and needs to be reworked. I also recommend reading… Lots and lots of reading, because there’s always more things out there to learn.

Mehe:  What’s been your best experiences as a reviewer?

JL:  I thoroughly enjoy writing and putting together the reviews, but definitely the best part of the whole experience is fan feedback. Hearing that people out there were touched by my work or that it got them through a bad day makes all the hard work and sweat completely worth it.

Mehe:  And which of your reviews do you feel is your best so far?

JL:  Hmm. I try to improve a little bit with each new video, so my natural inclination is to say Silent Night, Deadly Night for Cinema and The Mist for Adaptations. But if I were completely honest, I love my Evil Dead Trap video even if I cringe every time I look at how close I put that camera to my ugly mug in that video. That video feels like such a fun time, and it was one of the few videos where everything clicked immediately and from start to finish I got it out in 4 days.

Mehe:  As a fan, where do you want to see the horror genre head in the next few years?

JL:  I have no clue what direction I want it to go, as I’m actually quite happy with the place it has been the past few years. The big mistake a lot of people make is looking purely at all the main stream releases and thinking that’s all the horror genre is now, when that shit’s merely the tip of the iceberg. The underground and foreign markets are bigger than ever these days, and truly horrifying flicks with unique visions are coming out every year. Occasionally one or two of those flicks will garner mainstream success based on shock value alone – like A Serbian Film or The Human Centipede – but there are others, many others. This year, for example, saw the release of Park Chan Wook’s Stoker which I hope people will check out when it hits DVD because it is truly amazing. I’m also definitely looking forward to the wide release of American Mary, because I’ve heard great things. I guess what I’m trying to say is, the direction I want horror to go is to keep on pushing the boundaries and kicking ass as it has been the last decade.

Mehe:  This has been a very enlightening and interesting interview, and I want to thank you for taking the time out today to talk with us. Before we wind up, any final words for the readers?

JL:  Keep on rockin’, my fellow gorehounds! Til next time!

Mehe:  We’ll catch up with you again soon!

 

Reviewerverse Free Press Talks With Screaming Mantis!

Not too long ago, I was able to catch up with Screaming Mantis and get her to open up to us about her part in the Reviewerverse.  Enjoy!

Mehe: Reviewerverse Free Press is glad to welcome Screaming Mantis into our lair tonight! Welcome, Mantis!

S.M.: Hi! Thanks!

Mehe: So, Mantis, can you tell us a little about your show and where you’re found?

S.M.: My show is…well, it’s kinda this weird hybrid thing that evolved on its own.  I have a lot of liquor stores and gas stations around my home, and they always have the weirdest alcohol on sale.  I got the idea basically from watching Wreckless Eating on Youtube and Brad Tries on Brad Jones’ (thecinemasnob.com) website.  Now, it’s kind of become a bit on the vloggy side, but I’ve been trying to kinda cut that down.  My user for Blip is “ScreamingMantis” so I think if it’s searched, I’ll pop up.

Mehe:  Are you affiliated with any of the reviewer websites?

S.M.:  That’s a yes and a no.  I always considered myself as rogue.  (I like that better than being called “indie”.)  I’ve floated around websites here and there doing different things other than Toxicology Test.  I’ve done some voice overs and just some random podcasts and stuff.  But, I’ve never joined any review site officially.  I never really wanted to, it always seemed like a lot of pressure. That could change though, maybe in the future, I’m not sure.

Mehe:  Since you review alcohol, which would you consider the best and the worst ones you’ve tried?

S.M.:  The best I tried is always videos I don’t air for some reason.  I have like three Tox Test videos I just never aired.  Mostly for editing reasons.  The best I can say was a Smirnoff-like drink that I found out of the blue.  The worst, BY FAR, was the Southern Comfort Tabasco.  I really don’t know what I was thinking with that.  Also, I hated the fuck (I hope you don’t mind me cussing a bit) out of that Alcoholic Whipped Creme.  I think that’s episode 5 or 6, and my God…That’s the only time that I honestly almost threw up on camera.  I plan on cutting down the episode with the Smirnoff-like drink and airing it.  It was stronger than I thought and I ended up chit-chatting my audience for WAY longer than is normal.  I have the worst habit ever of doing that.  I don’t know, I have a hard time just not “chatting up” my audience.  It’s the truth. I stare at the camera and I just feel like I’m having a normal conversation over a drink with everybody.  That’s a really awesome feeling, but I totally understand that Food/Drink review shows really shouldn’t be 38 minutes long.

Mehe:  I’m sure your fans appreciate the camaraderie.  Anything you’d like to tell them before we continue?

S.M.:  Just that they are the best fans that anyone could ever hope to have, and that I’m lucky for that. My audience is the best part of doing anything I do, whether it’s Tox Test, or a VO, or even just something random I throw up because I felt like it. I wouldn’t take that back for anything, and it’s really the reason why I love doing my stuff.  I tend to gush, so I think they know my thoughts.

I’ve met some of the coolest people, I can’t even explain.

Mehe:   What’s some of your best memories as a reviewer?

S.M.:  I remember when I first started out, and I had NO idea what the hell I was going to do or say.  Everything I do, unless it’s a script given TO me, all my stuff so far is unscripted.  I remember when I first put out a few episodes, and I would randomly see people tweeting at me about my show and the alcohol I had bought.  A lot of people tell me that they had the same experience with the same drinks, and that’s super fun because it’s a total conversation starter.

Also, as small of a show it is, it opened SO many doors for me.  I never would have met some of my closest friends that I have now.  Going to conventions (Magfest, especially) is so special to me, and seeing all those people, and doing our own versions of Tox Test up in my room and all that and laughing.  That is the best thing in the world, and I’m shocked that a tiny little idea like Tox Test helped me experience that stuff.

Mehe:  Tell us some of your good memories from Magfest?

S.M.:  Oh Jesus.  Wow, there is SO much.  I always have room parties.  The first Magfest I went to, it was a total accident and it ended up with Jon St. John and like 40 people in my room.  I used to smoke cigs then, so I had a room like all the way in a corner, we could be as loud as we wanted.  My second time, I had way too much fun.  I love doing my cosplay outfits (Harley Quinn) and just being around everyone.  This year was not exactly the same, to be honest, but it was very much worth it in the end, and I don’t regret going at all.  The last night I was there was the best night ever.  Friends I hadn’t seen or talked to in a VERY long time came up and we were all just happy.

OH, oh oh….I have to be a loser and tell you this.  Last Magfest, I had some guys whom I didn’t know come up and bring me something to drink from a friend of mine . It was the most random thing, and I usually am never in my room alone, and I always send someone else to the door.  I am the biggest JonTron fan, like, ever…and when I was talking to those guys, he randomly just walks by.  Out of nowhere.  I went basically to see him, as far as panels went.  I got to hug him, and that was like the best thing ever.

Mehe:  That’s not being a loser! First and foremost, we’re all still fans!

S.M.:  That kinda made everything bad I was feeling just fly right out the door and away forever.  I felt like such an awkward fangirl, if you will.  I got lucky, too, because he had to cancel his panel, so that was by amazingly pure chance. The Gaylord Hotel is freakin’ HUGE and what he was doing walking by, I have no idea.

Mehe:  Can you tell us a little about the process you use to pick the alcohol you review?

S.M.:  My process.  I have no process.  Straight up, I will go into the local liquor store (sometimes gas station, but they rarely have different things at random) and I know the owner and the other guy that works there.  They know about my review show, so I go and buy my normal bottle of wine, and then come to the counter and just ask straight what weird stuff they got recently, or anything that no one really buys.  That’s how I found the Tabasco SoCo, and a ton of other things.  The one dude actually was the reason for the Scorpion eating “video”.  That’s raw footage, and that was when I couldn’t get any editing to work, so I just threw that up there.  He pointed it out and I knew I couldn’t just let it go and say no.  That is still one of the most fun I’ve had throughout the entire run of this crazy ass thing.

Mehe:  Tabasco SoCo?

S.M.:  Tabasco flavored Southern Comfort. Worst thing in the world.

Mehe:  Sounds nasty.

S.M.:  I stalled SO hard on that video.  I didn’t even mean to, I just stalled as hard as possible.  I actually burned the back of my throat due to taking the shot.  I honestly don’t know what use it could possibly have. Bloody Mary’s have vodka, NOT SoCo, so much of a difference.  I have no idea.  What I’ve learned is I think most alcohol companies make this random stuff just for show, and they know people will buy it to be hard ass about it, or just for a party thing.  I bought something small today, and it’s Maple flavored Crown Royal. I bought it for the show because I have no idea what else it could possibly taste good in, other than just doing a shot.

Mehe:  So, tell us about your filming process for Tox Test?

S.M.:  I have the worst filming routine I think there ever was.  First of all, I do all this alone, with the very rare occurrence that I need help, like the Scorpion video.  Fuck, I was not about to eat that thing alone.  Basically, I was lucky enough to be gifted a brand new tripod, which I use now and things are SO much easier.  The last tripod I had, the screw on the top was missing, so I had to gently sit the camera on top, it was always lopsided, so I had to take one of my hair ties (not kidding…) and tie the camera TO the tripod.   How I got it even, I’ll never know. I used to shoot with me being on my bed, I recently moved to the floor, it’s much easier.  When I first started, it would take me at least a full hour to just position everything, and still I wouldn’t have it right.  Now, I just put in the camera and it’s so much easier.  I didn’t realize how hard it was to film yourself, and I tend to be very OCD about everything being level and straight and whatever.

Mehe:  That sounds like a ton of work!

S.M.:  It was, and sometimes it still can be. I never know how much lighting to use, so I just kinda guess. It still takes me at the very most 25 minutes to get the camera at the right level, zoom, and distance.   I did a cameo once for one of Welshy’s videos, and I had to tie the camera with like 6 hair ties. I felt like the biggest amateur in the world.

Mehe:  Got any upcoming projects you’re excited about?

S.M.:  Yes!  One of my very good friends just started up his own gaming review site.  We have talked about reviewing some games together in the future.  I have A LOT to say about some certain games…trust me.  Also, I know my one friend is on a comic podcast a lot and when the topic of Harley Quinn ( My favorite fictional character EVER …forever ever) comes around, I’m the first guest in.  I also plan on doing another show, which I planned since last year, and just couldn’t because of having no editing software.  I plan to review the 90’s, but not in a general sense.  I want to do things that only I, as a child, enjoyed the most.  This includes things that aren’t even reviewable, such as note passing before there were cell phones in school and things like that.  I’m taking that slow, I need that to be perfect.  That’s more or less my dream review show that I want to do.

Mehe:  Well, when that gets started, you’ll have to touch base with us again!

S.M.:  Absolutely! I’m waiting for the snow to melt, the first thing I plan for that 90’s show is something I need to use outside.

Mehe:  As far as your reviews, which do you consider your best one?

S.M.:  Okay, I like the Scorpion video.  It’s not a review, it’s just me eating a scorpion out of a tequila bottle…..I don’t know, I like that one.  Made me feel kinda badass for a few minutes.   But, I think my favorite one might be a few movie reviews I did last year that was for another site.  That was fun, and the only time I actually felt like I was “professional”.  I tend to do my own stuff as I call it and whatever I want to do, so those were a really great experience, and made me feel really good.  I think my best review was probably the very last one I did, with the Tabasco SoCo and all that, or even the Whipped Creme shit, because that one has a huge amount of views.  I think people just laugh because of how sick it made me, and how I totally did not expect to get that horrified by it.  Otherwise, it’s hard to say.  The video I have that is out right now, I have received a huge amount of fanmail about, and that shocked the shit out of me.  A lot of people really clung to that one, and I think it’s because it was goofy drinking with silly terrible drinks, but also had a sharp edge of some hard honesty as well.

Mehe:  Switching gears a little, tell us about Kelley, the person behind Mantis.

S.M.:  Well, I’m 26 years old.  I’m planning on having a career in Entomology, so I’m taking some online courses to boost my GPA and hopefully get into Rutgers in Jersey.  They have a great program.  Otherwise, I’m a part time waitress at a chain restaurant which I do not like so much, but I don’t hate.  I spend most of my time in my room, and that’s fine with me.  I have everything I need in here, my consoles (just not the 360) are all in here hooked up, I have my collections of manga, anime, comics, my Harley Quinn stuff, it’s all here.  I love my computer.  It brings me trouble sometimes, but the people I meet and the videos I love to watch are totally worth it.  I love keeping in touch with my friends.  I’m a rodent trainer (seriously) and I always have hamsters living here with me.  (Today, I lost my 3 year old Syrian long hair, Rumble, love him.  Still got my baby Dwarf hamster, Loki,) I have a very sick and elderly grandfather who I help look after, and I love to just sit in my bed and watch South Park til dawn.  My family is very important to me, my mother and I are extremely close.  I’m single now, and that’s pretty cool.  I don’t mind the peace and all that, it’s nice for me, and I think anyone to be able to concentrate on themselves and their passions for a while.  Oh…and I love Skyrim.

Also, I do have to say that Entomology is the best, but my dream is acting.  So, I’ve done 2 or 3 auditions for some “art film”  college student movie type things.  You gotta start somewhere.  My only credit in an actual movie is a voice over, but I fucking love that.  I plan to continue my acting, along with my Ento studies.

Mehe:  Your credit in The Cinema Snob Movie?

S.M.:  Yes! I did a voice over in Italian for that.  Recording it was one thing, but once I watched it, I was overjoyed.  When you really want to act, or do whatever, even the smallest part can seem like the whole world to you.  I’m so lucky and very happy to be in there, even just for a minute.

Mehe:  Do you have any advice for aspiring reviewers?

S.M.:  Do what you WANT to do, and how YOU want to do it.  It’s so easy to carbon copy an idea.  Don’t do that.  Put your own spin on something, regardless of whether it’s “the thing to do” or not.  I have winged everything I’ve ever done.  Do what you feel you want.   If you get some negative, or even cruel shit said to you, ignore it. Trust me, ignore it.  Don’t even look at it and keep going.  You can’t let a bunch of “haters” aka nitpickers or people who don’t like anything new whatsoever, mess up your plans.  I almost let that happen, and some things really DID get to me.  But, you learn to ignore it.  Trolls are always going to be trolls, and even irrationally angry people (I have two of those right now, so stupid), they really don’t matter.  You will find your way of speaking to your audience, and doing what you love, and I say very honestly, FUCK all the rest.  A lot of people don’t think they are “good enough” or they may be afraid of backlash, I say stop that crazy thinking right now.  It’s true that just because someone owns a camera, doesn’t mean they are good using it, but how will you ever know unless you try?  The biggest thing ever is when you watch your playback, if you like it, post it.  If others don’t…well, that’s too fucking bad for them, isn’t it?

Mehe:  Thank you for stopping by and talking with us, Kelley!  Any parting words for the readers?

S.M.:  Thank you, my dear!  This was so much fun, I love doing stuff like this.  Basically, I just want everyone to try to be content with themselves.  I know how hard that can be, and I touch on that sometimes in my videos and twitter or whatever.  I welcome you to visit my twitter “ScreamngMantis” and I do have a fanpage on facebook facebook.com/ScreamingMantis. A lot of times I friend almost everyone from there, so if anyone ever wants to get in touch, just to talk or anything along the lines, feel free, or email me at “PlatinumBlondeRage@yahoo.com”.  I love talking with my audience, or taking about projects or anything.

Reviewerverse Free Press Sits Down With LadySpaz!

A special bonus interview for today!

Mehe: Hello, and welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press! Today, LadySpaz is having a seat in our chair!

LadySpaz: Hey!

Mehe: We always start with asking our interviewee to tell us a little about themselves and their show. Care to share?

LadySpaz: Well, I’m 26 and living in New York. I have a BA in European History from University of Albany and I work at Staples for the time being. I aspire to be in film and/or theatre and that’s worked out well so far. I just helped out Oancitizen with his SAG thesis film. As for my show, it’s called Fool’s Gold: The Mediocrity of the Golden Age of Hollywood and I review all the terrible movies released by Hollywood from the birth of film through 1964. I also review some good things too.

Mehe: What made you focus on the Golden Age rather than taking the route most reviews choose of looking at today’s entertainment?

LadySpaz: I think that “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” also applies to Hollywood. I think that if you don’t take a look at the pioneers of film, you don’t really understand where today’s filmmakers get their influences. I am also a huge Chaplin fan.

Mehe: It’s truly a different approach. What got you into doing video reviews?

LadySpaz: Honestly? I’m a huge fan of Linkara and of The Cinema Snob. A friend of mine actually introduced me to ThatGuyWithTheGlasses.com with Nostalgia Critic’s Top 11 Hottest Animated Women. I frequented the site a lot after that and I decided to do something that no one had really done before. I poked around, did some research and saw no one really did Classic Hollywood. There was old vs. new, but it still had today’s entertainment. While I put references from today in my videos, I don’t really talk about today’s entertainment unless it pertains to Hollywood Classics.

Mehe: Could you take us through your process a little? Choosing a movie to review and so on?

LadySpaz: Well, I went through a book that had most Golden Age movies and did the research, made a schedule and so on. I have taken fan suggestions: Seven Doors to Death was one of them. When I choose a movie, it has to be something that intrigues me, whether for better or for worse, then I sit down and I do the research. My editor, Joe, and I sit through the movie and script after that. We usually shoot for 2 days, then editing takes 4-7 days depending on how busy we both are with our day jobs.

Mehe: Where can we find you on the web?

LadySpaz: blip.tv/ladyspaz and foolsgoldenage.blogspot.com as well as Nerdvice.com.

Mehe: How has being a reviewer affected how you look at films from the Golden Age now?

LadySpaz: I’m much more analytical with all the movies I see. I can actually break things down and see where the director was going, even if sometimes it doesn’t translate to screen. I also do that when I see today’s entertainment as well.

Mehe: How does the Golden Age compare to today’s entertainment in your opinion?

LadySpaz: Honestly, it’s apples and oranges. But I will say that for every movie that sucks today, you can find a movie that sucks from then. I think that most of the tropes of today can be traced to Classic Hollywood. Movie stars becoming household names really started with Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. Child stars started then as well: Jackie Coogan and Shirley Temple. Most of the Golden Age set precedents for today until some of today’s filmmakers shattered some of the classic expectations.

Mehe: You mentioned earlier that you’d worked on Oancitizen’s SAG thesis film What, if anything, can you tell us about that?

LadySpaz: I was originally hired as his script supervisor, but I apparently helped him quite a bit with it. I was promoted to assistant director and was essentially his right hand. I helped find him space, budgeting, SAG, and the like. But what I can tell you is that it’s a political satire involving time travel and that it’s a really fun script. He’s currently editing a rough cut. The actors were a joy to work with and Kyle is probably the second nicest director I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.

Mehe: It sounds like it was quite the experience!

LadySpaz: It was. Exhausting to go to set every day and get everything ready to. Plus I got sick halfway through, so I had to drink a lot of tea.

Mehe: I know a lot of people can’t wait to see it.

LadySpaz: So I’ve heard. I’m actually really excited to see what he does with it. We got a lot of footage and everyone on set was spot on. We had a professional, but causal atmosphere.

Mehe: Any advice for up and coming reviewers?

LadySpaz: Just do it. The hardest hurdle is doing it. I know it sounds cliche but it’s true. Also, take risks. You never know what will happen.

Mehe: If someone were looking to start watching your reviews, where would you recommend they start?

LadySpaz: My review of Bride of the Gorilla is actually a pretty good place to start.

Mehe: And which would you term your best?

LadySpaz: Murder By Television is probably the best one I’ve put out so far.

Mehe: Other than movie reviews, what do you enjoy doing?

LadySpaz: Oh, I love to play video games! I’m also a huge Pathfinder gamer. I am currently in a really geeky Pathfinder game that fuses Pokemon and Pathfinder together. It’s really fun. I am also a huge professional wrestling fan. I love AJ Lee and I can’t stop talking about her on Twitter.

Mehe: AJ is adorable!

LadySpaz: Right? I would love to meet her in real life. My favorite wrestlers are AJ, CM Punk, Kane, the Undertaker, and Damien Sandow at the moment.

Mehe: Would you call AJ your favorite wrestler? Or someone else?

LadySpaz: AJ is my favorite Diva by far. Sorry, Trish Stratus. And she’s also my favorite current wrestler. But my favorite wrestlers of all time are tied. Undertaker and Edge. I cried when Edge retired. I was in England, studying abroad when it was announced.

Mehe: What’s been your best experience as a reviewer?

LadySpaz: MAGFest for the first time. It was an amazing experience

Mehe: MAGFest has been called Reviewer Christmas.

LadySpaz: I can see why.

Mehe: So, as we wind this interview to a close, any final thoughts or parting words?

LadySpaz: I think that everyone should at least do what they love, rather than be in it for the money. I don’t do it for the money or the recognition, though it is nice, I do it because it’s fun.

Mehe: Truer words are hard to find. We thank you so much for taking some time out of your day to speak with us!

Reviewerverse Free Press Returns From An Unscheduled Absence with ZenithWillRule!

Hello, all!  I’d like to apologize for the delay in getting interviews up.  I hate schedule slippage as much as the rest of the world, but sometimes life interrupts.  Anyway,  here’s ZenithWillRule!

Mehe:   Hello and Welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press!  Today, we’re talking with Zenith Will Rule!

Zenith:  Hi everybody! Happy to join you today.  This is the first time I’ve ever been interviewed for my work.

Mehe:  Well, we here at Reviewerverse Free Press are glad to do it!  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Zenith: Well, I’m known around the Reviewaverse as Zenith and I am really a jack of all trades in many aspects.  It took me a while to come up with what I even wanted to review because I do so many things.  I am a writer, photographer, film student, and so much more.  It’s somewhat hard to choose what I love more because I love media so much really.

Zenith: In the end I decided to let that be my strength and become a Media reviewer. You could say its a bit like an anti-Spoony concept in a way.  He tears apart numerous different childhood memories where I talk about stuff that I like and try to showcase why Media either works or doesn’t work.

Mehe: Have you found that works a little better?

Zenith: ell, yes and not works better for me because I’m not shoehorned into one category.  You won’t find people asking me why I’m not reviewing horror or comics anymore because I just don’t have a category.  I make several different series based on things I like but I’m free and open to do whatever I want.

Zenith:  However, the main caveat to that is it is insanely hard to build an audience with this kind of subject.  People want to see the game reviewer or the movie buff or the anime specialist.  That’s what they generally gravitate towards and it took quite a long time to get the audience that I have now.

Mehe: But you have built a loyal fanbase with your approach.

Zenith: As of right now, I would say yes.  I have a steadily increasing view count and people who follow me on twitter to ask me questions about my next review subject. It’s not on a major scale but I’m rather blown away that I have a fanbase really.  It’s quite humbling.

Mehe:  So with no major focus how do you decide what to review?

Zenith:  Well, this wasn’t always the case.  When I started out I wanted to just review movies and I took a very Nostalgia Critic approach.  Needless to say, I hate that first video.  It’s the only one that I have set to private because I can’t watch it anymore.  However,  the negative reaction to my review of All Dogs Go To Heaven did give me an idea to branch out and try different things.  I went to a couple of movie premieres and interviewed people there.  Did reaction videos and recaps.  After that, I tried to do book reviews like Derek The Bard but I found that books are generally too long for a decent review on my part.  I transitioned to anime and manga from there because I know a lot more about that genre. From there, I just decided to do everything.  It can be kind of confusing trail to follow but I think once I made the transition to anime I had gotten the hang of video making enough to really figure out what I wanted and the approach that I was taking.

Mehe:  Where can people unfamiliar to you find you?

Zenith:  Well, recently I have become affiliated with numerous different websites.  I originated on Comic Book Therapy.com and they have been with me since the beginning.  I can’t thank them enough for hosting my work for this long.  After that I joined One Piece At A Time Blog and DVD20 Productions, the latter of which gave me my website. However, the main sites I am with right now are Nerdvice.com, Space Monkey Mafia Studios, Channel Zero, and Rosenhacker.com.  It’s a lot of support really but I have to say my two main are Nerdvice and Channel Zero.  They have really embraced me and my videos and have supported me the entire time.

Mehe:  We’ve been told that you have a pretty important project coming up, Those Who Fight!. Care to share a little bit about that?

Zenith: Ah, Those Who Fight!.  This is my favorite project that I am working on and simultaneously the most hated by those who bash on reviewers.  Those Who Fight! is a feature-length film that involves just about every review site and reviewer that I could get in contact with.  The trailers make it out to be a bit like the TGWTG anniversary films with more people but I assure you, these trailers are lies.  I wanted to get people interested in the project but the main thing that I want to stress about this is that it is a bit different.  I’m not going about this project in a normal way.  I guess you could call it a pastiche approach.  Every single cast member has complete creative control over their lines, their character, and the way they are represented in the film.  I just gave them a template of what the scene was about and they went from there.  It’s very much a community film and I’m trying to make my part as minimal as I can.  Another major inspiration for this project is the film Memento.  There will be some big twists in this and it will not, and I stress that not, be presented in a normal movie fashion.

Zenith:  I’m hoping to release it January of next year.  If all goes according to plan, it will be premiered at Magfest for all those attending the con.

Mehe:  So, of all your reviews, where would you recommend a new person start watching?

Zenith:  Well, I think where I first became watchable was in the Game Of The Week episodes.  That’s where Media Meltdown 2.0 officially begins for me.  However, I’m still not too big a fan of those because of the editing and my camera mic.  I would personally recommend watching at the beginning of History Of One Piece.  That was when I got my new mic and started my new approach.  Everything from that point on (Weekly Dose Of Awesome, Anime Observations) I consider MM 3.0 and my best work to date.  I have much better stage presence, better audio, and all around better confidence in my work.

Mehe:  What equipment do you use?

Zenith:   I use a Blue Yeti usb microphone and a Canon T3I video camera.  I generally find that on-board camera mics are rather sub-par  so I got the best quality video/picture camera that I could afford.  I capture audio and video at the same time and sync them up later in editing.  I used to suck at that but it gets much easier once you know how to zoom in and match the waveform.

Mehe: That sounds… tedious!

Zenith:  It can be but a little extra time can mean the difference between a good review and a great one.  That’s why I don’t generally set a schedule for myself.  I could make five reviews a week but they wouldn’t be up to my standard.  I make videos at my own pace and it works out better for me.

Mehe:  Sounds like you’ve got yourself a plan worked out.  Other than Those Who Fight!, have you got any upcoming projects planned that you’re excited about?

Zenith: Well, there are three major projects that I’m focused on that I’m rather excited about.  The first is a complete retrospective of Final Fantasy.  This includes the numbered entries, the side games, the games that aren’t technically Final Fantasy but have the FF name.  I’m covering it all from beginning to end as best I can.  I’ve been working on this idea since last november and I finally have everything set up for it.  Title cards, props, t-shirts, etcetera.  So I’m really pushing this one.

The second project is a continuation project based on popular demand.  See, I used to do podcasts in addition to my reviews and I hosted them on blip.  However, since blip refused to give producers with audio content advanced features, I had to remove my podcasts and other audio work.  Of these podcasts, my favorite (and the one with an actual legit fanbase) was the Disney Debate, where my friend and I would watch each Disney film in order (from live action to animated films) and discuss them.  Since podcasts are no longer feasible and my co-host left to pursue her own video work, I’m bringing this back as a video series called Project Disney.  Every Disney tv show, film, and product will be covered eventually.

The last is another I’ve been working on for a while but didn’t have enough knowledge to do.  I’m going to start doing Doctor Who reviews from the first doctor to the 11th, going serial by serial.  I tried this once before but the first episode was not my best work.  I didn’t know enough about the mythos or Britain in general to do such a project.  However, now that I’ve seen all of modern Doctor Who, I’m ready to begin again.

Mehe:  Speaking of Doctor Who, what fandoms would you place yourself in?

Zenith: I have so many it’s hard to name them all. I love Pokemon, Digimon, Power Rangers, Doctor Who, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic among others.

Mehe:  Another Brony! That begs the question: Who is best pony?

Zenith:  Yeah, I’m a bit of a brony.  I have a few favorites actually.  I love Pinkie Pie because there has never been an episode where she has failed to make me laugh.  She is random, unpredictable, and simply fun.  I like Rainbow Dash a lot too because she is a strong role model for young women.  She’s strong, brave, and 20% cooler than what girls have to look up to normally.  Last but not least, I love the Wonderbolts.  Their design is just plain cool (points to Wonderbolts hoodie featured in a review). The are basically Pegasus kings of the sky and I think that’s cool.

I do think that the fans blow the show out of proportion a lot but from my standpoint, Lauren Faust (creator of Foster’s Home and Powerpuff Girls) can do no wrong.  She made millions of kids love Powerpuff and that’s girly as hell.  She just makes gender blind creations that work because they’re great character pieces.  Nothing more, nothing less.  It’s not the best thing out there but for a kids show it’s damn good.

Mehe:  There’s been a lot of controversy as of the show direction starting with season three, can you comment on your opinion about that?

Zenith: Well, since Lauren left the show, the changes are very apparent.  There are fewer musical numbers and much more focus on the overarching plots than before.  I honestly think this is a good thing though.  The musical numbers are still generally good (on par with Phineas and Ferb) and the characters are advancing along the same path.  I’ve only seen half of the 3rd season at this point but what I saw is the same quality as before.  Now, I know about the whole Alicorn controversy too and I will say this. It’s been hinted at since season one.  It’s a natural evolution of the character and it’s not because they need a princess.  I think it’s a great development and people like to just hate on it for arbitrary reasons. The same reason why people hate Celestia.  Racism?  Really?  If you squint at it maybe.  People read to much into things.  I would say more but I may review the show at some point.  Well, I still like the show. If people want to complain about the growing pains, tell it to the original MLP which is unwatchable.

Mehe:  Well, Zenith, it’s been really awesome of you to allow us to spend some time with you tonight, but alas, all good interviews must come to an end.  Any parting words for the readers?

Zenith:  Thank you for reading this interview guys.  It’s been a pleasure and I hope you take a look at my little review show when you get a chance.  You may see something quite awesome if you take a look.  This is Zenithwillrule signing off.

Reviewerverse Free Press Wrestles Matty Jay To The Mat

Reviewerverse Free Press grabbed hold of Matty Jay and got him to talk to us!  As always, Mehe checks in with her results!

 

Mehe:  Hello and welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press!  Today, we’re welcoming Matty Jay of RVTentertainment.com to sit down with us!

Matty:  Hello! Glad to be here!

Mehe:  And we’re glad to have you!  Tell us a little about yourself, Matty!

Matty:  Well, in a few words, I’m a podcaster, wrestling analyst, and geek of all trades.  I’ve been podcasting for three years, and with RVT for two years.  I have to admit, it’s kind of weird describing myself.  I’ve always been kind of shy in that respect.

Mehe:  This coming from a guy with a sworn legion of fan-girls?

Matty:  I’m STILL flattered by that, by the way.  When I started the Wrestle-Cast, I really wanted to join Channel Awesome at the time, but i didn’t expect much.  So I was just happy with the little audience the show had garnered, and I was happy with the experience.  I didn’t think I would get the ladies squeeing.

Mehe:  How did you get involved with all this, anyway?

Matty:  Well, I just so happen to have a College Diploma in Media Arts, and, having just graduated from college, i was burnt out and thought “I don’t need to go to University to talk on the Radio!”  So I set out to try to find a job in radio. It didn’t pan out at all, so a year out of college and recently unemployed, I watched a few TGWTG videos, particularly HopeWithinChaos’ Epic Fail and Still Gaming, would make references to wrestling, and Spoony and Linkara had just reviewed Warrior #1.  I saw that and I was surprised there were no wrestling-centric shows on that site.  So in August, I went to the (then) blogs section of the site, got together with Zmikesner and DiamondIce56, and off to the races we went.

Mehe:  Where’d your love for wrestling start?

Matty:  I had knee surgery as a teen, and I saw a late December 2000 RAW while recovering, and back from the hospital, we just got TSN (WWE’s Canadian broadcaster at the time) so i just started watching.  The “Invasion” angle started and when the (then) WWF won at Survivor Series, that such a high, I never missed a RAW since.

Mehe:  You came in at one of the best times!  Who is your favorite wrestler?

Matty:  Hoo boy, do you want a list?

Mehe:  Give us your shortlist.

Matty:  If you ask me “Of all time?”:  Triple H, the guy has a had some great matches, always knew what to do to the crowd invested, and with his first quadriceps tear, I kind of had a personal connection when he came back.  If you ask “To watch now?”:  CM Punk.  Great in the ring, and the promos.  OH GOD, THE PROMOS.  Also, I’ll add my favorite indy wrestler, Kevin Steen.  Same as Punk, and again, THE PROMOS!  Guy is fun to watch live, too.

Mehe:  Punk is certainly one of the best on the microphone and in the ring today.  Care to make a call on Punk vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania?

Matty:  Wow.  To me, it’s a tougher call then people want to admit.  Bill Moody‘s death did add a level of intrigue into the match that’s getting people to go “‘TAKER WINS!”  But I don’t want to make that call.  Personally, I’m still split!  Undertaker doesn’t have too many matches left, and if he wanted to retire undefeated at WrestleMania, he would’ve stopped after last year’s End of an Era” Match with HHH.  If you we’re to corner me and ask me “PICK ONE, NOW!” I’d go with Punk.  Something about this year is different.  Knowing Vince, everyone expects ‘Taker to win after the last couple of weeks, and Punk could use a BIG boost after losing twice to The Rock.

Mehe:  It’s going to be a match for the record books, that’s for sure.  I don’t think I’ve been this invested in a Taker Streak match for a few years.  As a wrestling fan, if there were anything you could change about the business, what would it be?

Matty:  Personally, I’d change how the business gets its women wrestlers.  A LOT of talented, beautiful women are toiling in the indy circuit, and the major companies are going for models.  Minor nit pick for me, but a lot of what’s wrong with WWE in particular, HHH is trying to fix. However, we’re still going with no talent STICKS who really don’t care for wrestling other that the spotlight it gives them.

Mehe:  Let’s get back to you, because I know we could go on about wrestling all day long.  How did Wrestle-Cast come into being and where can readers find it?

Matty:  Well as I said earlier, it started with ZMikesner, DiamondIce56 and myself on the Community Section of TGWTG, but the show is now hosted by myself and TWK, and we can be found at RVTentertainment.com.  Like i said, it started as an ill-fated attempt to get into the fold at Channel Awesome.  After that, it was just a way to talk about wrestling and for me to stay sharp as an editor.

Mehe:  What else do you do besides Wrestle-Cast?

Matty:  Well, I do a stream on Wednesdays (which as of the time we’re talking, is on hiatus because a technical problems).  I also co-host RVT’s Ranger Recap with The Shades and EZ Rider, where we talk about Power Rangers Megaforce.

Mehe:  Ah, yes, Power Rangers!  Tell us a little about how your love for that got started!

Matty:  I was seven when it started!  I was in the demographic for it!  It was just awesome, and Canadian TV had to have it removed.  When I first got to watch it again, it was “In Space” and that was awesome too. I don’t know what it was about it that I liked, but i liked it!

Mehe:  Canadian TV had it removed?

Matty:  Yeah, someone complained to the CRTC.  It’s a long story, and most of it is on Wikipedia.  It cut off just after the second season ended.

Mehe:  Do you enjoy the other Sentai based shows such as Big Bad Beetleborgs or is it Power Rangers or nothing?

Matty:  I liked BeetleBorgs, I only watched a bit of VR Troopers but I did like what I saw, Mystic Knights for me was fun to watch as well.

Mehe:  What’s been your best experience as a member of the Reviewerverse?

Matty:  It’s tough to say.  I’ve had a lot of fun just being around a great group of people.  This alone makes it a great moment.  I always have a good time when I join in on Game Night, or Monday Night Riffs.  At the end of the day, to me, all I want to do is laugh and make others laugh.

Mehe:  You do a great job with that!

Matty:  Thank you!  I just have fun with it.  To me, if I make any money off of any of this, great, but I’ve gotten a lot more out of this than I thought I would and success wise, it’s been great!

Mehe:  Any words for your loyal fans, followers, and fan-girls?

Matty:  THANK YOU! ….THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It wouldn’t be be half as fun or rewarding without you! … Did i mention THANK YOU?

Mehe:  I think you might have mentioned it… Once or twice! We’re going to let you out of the chair now, and we hope to catch up to you again soon!

Reviewerverse Free Press Scratches The Post with Ash Pregler!

I laid out a bunch of cat treats and was pleased to find that they attracted a true miracle in the personage of Ash Pregler, the pet of Obsurus Lupa!  Let’s see what the Reviewerverse’s second favorite cat has to say!

Mehe:  Hello and welcome to Reviewerverse Free Press, Ash!

Ash:  Hey, eeshole.

Mehe:  What’s it like being Amy’s cat?

Ash:  Amy doesn’t like me very much.  I don’t know if it’s because I insult her a lot on Twitter or if it’s because she’s an eeshole.  I try to speak my mind, and she usually deletes it.  What kind of an eeshole does that?  I’m a meeeeracle for obvious reasons, and if she were like everyone else, she would bow to the meeracle.  Luckily, if I make a nice tweet about here, hen she gets me kat food.  So it’s 50/50, but sometimes I scratch her face?

Mehe:  Do you harbor any jealousy towards @CatPhelous?

Ash:  Cat Phelous is a bigger eeshole than real Phelous, because Amy made a sandwich for me, and she gave it to a stupid cat!  What an eeshole!  Cat Phelous didn’t even turn back into Phelous, he just sort of split into two.  Waste of a sandwich, much?

Mehe:  What’s the word on Phelous himself?

Ash:  I like to give advice to him, like when I told him to call Amy an eeshole.  Ehhhhhhhh, I know he works for a site named after a guy named Dog, and unless it’s a kool kat in disguise, I have more reason to dislike him.  Also, he keeps mentioning metal and using my catchphrase.  Last time I scratched his face, I was put in time out.  Ever since then, I’ve held the opinion that Phelous and Amy are eeeeeeesholes!

Mehe:  Have you attacked Radu yet for regularly invading your home?

Ash:  No, because Radu reminds me of Halloween, and for Halloween, kats are the most popular animals.  Though, I did attack Radu because he reminded me of Amy, and I have to scratch all the eesholes that I can.

Mehe:  What’s your favorite type of kibble?

Ash:  Meow Mix, but ever since Cat Phelous reviewed it, I just steal people-food.

Mehe:  How do you spend your day?

Ash:

1. I get up.
2. I try to move, but I can’t because I’m a poor animation, and tired.
3. Amy kicks me away from her face, and I scratch her.
4. I get on Twitter.
5. I start arguments with the eesholes on Twitter, such as Bra Jodes
6. I get in the kitchen, open the fridge, and eat all leftover food.
7. I’m punished.
8. I run away from home for an hour.
9. I come back and go to bed.

Mehe:  What can we expect from Ash in the future?

Ash:  I found out what MS Paint was and began making a show about yellow people and their misadventures, so expect that in April or May.  I’m thinking of becoming a professional actor before I retires, and spend the rest of my life complaining to Amy to feed me.  My alias is “Tom Cruise Jr.”, so when I become a 100% awesome professional actor, people will know to hire me.

Mehe:  Any parting words?

Ash:  Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I’m so hungry and Amy is late.  Call 911.

Reviewerverse Free Press Throws The Ball At Matthew Iannone!

Every so often, Reviewerverse Free Press likes to get out of the office and toss a ball around with the staff.  Today, we were able to tackle one Matthew Iannone and get him to answer some burning questions we had.  Mehe checks in with her results!

Mehe:  Reviewerverse Free Press is pleased to welcome Matthew Iannone to the interview chair today!

Matthew:  Hey, thanks for having me!

Mehe:  Let’s take a little time to get to know you and your projects!  Where can you be found on the web?

Matthew:  I post my videos with blip, and can be found at blip.tv/iannone. I’m also featured on spacemonkeymafiastudios.com, reviewersunknown.com, and nerdvice.com.

Mehe:  What’s your main focus for your show?

Matthew:  I do reviews of sports films, such as Rudy, Slap Shot, and Crossover. I’ll review any sports film, be it good or bad.

Mehe:  Can you tell us about your main inspiration for doing video reviews?

Matthew:  Well, it was around August of 2009 when I discovered The Nostalgia Critic. The first video of his I saw was his review of the Captain N TV series, and I was hooked right away. I also had a degree from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, so I had experience in video editing and camera work, so after awhile, I said to myself,  ‘Why don’t you give this a try?’

Mehe:  And you just jumped right in?

Matthew:  Not right away, no.  I sat on the idea of doing a show for about a year, trying to come up with an idea that seemed original enough.  Then, in January of 2011, I started a show called Over/Under Rated, where I decided if a movie was overrated or underrated. It wasn’t that great of a show, but it helped me get my foot in the door, and got me a small level of recognition in the reviewing community.  I was picked up by Space Monkey Mafia Studios shortly after I started the show. But after a few months, the idea was getting stale for me.  Then, when I did a review of the movie Rudy, it struck me that no one in the community did reviews of sports movies.  So I made one final episode of Over/Under Rated before I started The Sports Reel.

Mehe:  Any interesting projects coming up?

Matthew:  I recently posted a review of Slap Shot, and will soon be reviewing it’s direct to video sequels. I also have a plan for a review of Summer Catch, a baseball romantic comedy. Plus, there are a few possible crossovers in the future, but I’ll be keeping mum on those.

Mehe:  Where should someone start with your show if they’re unfamiliar with it?

Matthew:  Well, because my show has no story line, I would say that you can start with any episode. There’s no running gags or anything like that, it’s just me making jokes about the movie. I think it’s an easy show to just jump into.

Mehe:  As a reviewer, what do you hope to accomplish?

Matthew:  Well, because I review a genre that is often overlooked in our community, I hope to get viewers interested in sports movie.  Just because you don’t like sports doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy these movies.  Not to mention there are some really bad sports movies, like Matilda, a movie about a boxing kangaroo, which I reviewed along with The Media Hunter.  So, I hope to bring attention to these movies.

Mehe:  Could you tell us a little bit about your process for choosing a movie?

Matthew:  Well, I do both positive and negative reviews, so I’ll review pretty much anything.  Basically, I’ll just watch a movie and decide if it gives me material.  If a movie is too sad or serious, I might leave it alone, so you’ll probably never see me review Million Dollar Baby.  Also, I don’t review any sports documentaries.

Mehe:  What do you considered the best film you’ve reviewed so far?

Matthew:  Slap Shot. It’s a hilarious movie, and so when I reviewed it, I didn’t do a breakdown of the plot, but more of an analytical video, because I want people to see it for themselves.

Mehe:  And your worst?

Matthew:  Probably Crossover, a street basketball movie.  Here Come The Tigers and Gym Teacher: The Movie were both terrible, but they had some moments I could enjoy. Crossover was just terrible, and there was nothing fun about it.

Mehe:  What’s been your best experience as a reviewer?

Matthew:  I reviewed Coach Carter, a movie based on the story of a man named Coach Ken Carter, became famous for stressing the importance of education to his high school basketball team. Awhile after the review was posted, Coach Carter himself got in touch with me, letting me know he enjoyed it. That made my day.

Mehe:  That’s amazing!

Matthew:  Yes, he’s a very nice man.

Mehe:  Any parting words for the readers?

Matthew:  First off, thank you for the opportunity. I’d just like to thank all the people who watch my show and have invited me into this wonderful community, and for those of you who haven’t seen my show, I hope you’ll give it a look.

Mehe:  And we thank you for your time!

 

The Block Buster Chick Busts Into Our Studio!

We recently installed a really nice chair in our Skype studio for our guests to sit in while we conduct our interviews.  The first person we strapped into it was Suzie McGinney, The Blockbuster Chick!

Mehe:  Reviewerverse Free Press welcomes Suzie McGinney!  We’d like to get to know you a little today, Suzie.  How did you break into the Reviewerverse?

Suzie:  Well, first of all, I’d just like to thank you for having me be part of this and I think you guys are doing an awesome job with the Free Press.  Anyway, how I got started is a very interesting story.  About three years ago my dad bought a movie for me, him and my mum all to watch as it’s a usual occurrence  in our family to buy random DVD’s if we’re out grocery shopping and see something that looks interesting, we’ll buy it and watch it on a Friday night or when we’re having dinner etc.  So this particular time, my dad brought in a film I’d seen the trailer for and thought sounded quite interesting….that movie was 2012!  Little did I know then that movie would be the kick-start for me getting into movie reviewing….but it did!I hated that movie so much I had to find some sort of outlet to tell people exactly what I thought of it, and whilst looking up some videos on YouTube, I came across this reviewer by the name of Confused Matthew who happened to do a kind of V-log type review of the movie.  He didn’t pick up the points that I felt needed to be mentioned and as it was a usual occurrence as well for me and my parents to joke all the way through movies, I thought…..why don’t I try making my own review series!  I watch blockbuster movies all the time so I have a lot of knowledge in that area and I find that I can be very funny when I’m acting outraged and over the top, so I came up with the character of  The Blockbuster Chick .  I didn’t want my first video to just be a review…no…I wanted people to notice me and remember me.  And as I’m a huge musical theatre fan I decided I wanted to do a musical parody to introduce this character.  So on a drive in to my job as a hotel receptionist at the time, I put on the soundtrack to 1 of my favourite musicals The Producers in the car.  The song “I Wanna Be a Producer” came on and it hit me like a ton of bricks….change producer to reviewer, change the lyrics and there’s the song parody!!  So I made the video and right away I had people starting to pay attention, so from there I did my first review video 2012, followed by Wild Wild West, The Fifth Element and more and more people started to notice the show and like it!  So if it wasn’t for my dad buying that crappy 2012 movie, I wouldn’t be making the reviews that I am today.  Also along the way I came across Doug Walker as The Nostalgia Critic, immediately got addicted to it and then came across ThatGuyWithTheGlasses, checked out everybody from Linkara to Pushing Up Roses and loved their stuff.  I got to know the forum community and ended up making a lot of friends from this hobby!

Mehe:  So you’d call Doug and Linkara your major inspirations?

Suzie:  Well, Doug is definitely a huge inspiration into me doing the reviews that I do but I consider my main inspiration Confused Matthew.  He’s very satirical and cynical with his reviews and I loved the approach he took with the movies he looked at, plus the fact that you don’t see him on-screen at all- I thought was so clever.  But since I wanted people to see a caricature of myself I decided to combine both the on-screen work with narration too and people seemed to love it so I just kept going and going.  Sometimes life gets in the way when I’m trying to get a review ready but I am proud of the work I’ve managed to do since starting with these reviews.  Definitely, Confused Matthew and Doug are my main inspirations.  Linkara’s reviews I love too, particularly with the fact that he never curses in his reviews….if I didn’t keep picking such terrible movies to watch, maybe I’d swear a little less!

Mehe:  Where can we find you on the web?

Suzie:  Well I’m scattered all over the place, really.  You can find me on these websites: Reviewers Unknown, RVT, Channel Zero & The Agony Booth.

Mehe:  As far as your reviews go, where would you tell a new viewer to start?

Suzie:  I’d say if there’s one to get you started in my series, it would be my second episode of The Blockbuster Chick where I looked at Wild Wild West.  I’m so proud of this review as it was picked on TGWTG as an Awesome Blog of the Week!  For it being my second review ever, I was so pleased that it got picked by the guys at TGWTG as a great video.  I even kept the recording of Transmission Awesome that was featured on!  Start with Wild Wild West, then maybe go back to 2012 to see how I started, then carry on from Fifth Element onwards as I like to follow storylines with the episodes onwards.

Mehe:  So you have storylines in your reviews?

Suzie:  Yes I do, they started from The Fifth Element episode – basically another reviewer at the time decided to gate crash my review because I gate crashed a Dungeons and Dragons review of his and he pretty much seeks revenge as I kick him out of my video.  These have progressed throughout the reviews and in a few episodes time it’ll be the Season 1 Finale that will be an entire storyline episode, no review involved.  It’s going to be veeeeeeeeery interesting and suspenseful so I can wait to get it edited and for people to see it!

Mehe:  We’ll be looking for that soon!  Which of your reviews would you consider your very best?

Suzie:  It’s weird, the episode I consider my personal best is my Snakes on a Plane review, but that seemed to get a lot of backlash from some fans over at The Agony Booth!  Because I tried something different in my approach for reviewing, as in not knowing ANYTHING about that movie and just going into it with an outsiders point of view and taking it from there, I felt it worked really well and was really funny and most of my fans agreed.  It’s one of my highest viewed reviews, the highest still being Wild Wild West, but my favourite I loved working on was Snakes on a Plane.

Mehe:  Do you have any other projects other than your Season One Finale that you’re excited about?

Suzie:  Well, I’ve already got my Season Two opening episode already filmed & I just have to edit it, it’ll be my first Top Twelve list looking at my favourite animated blockbuster movies.  Animation is an area I know so much about but because at the time when I was starting my series I noticed a LOT of animation reviewers out there, I felt I wanted to choose and area not many people looked at so hence another reason why I review blockbusters.  But this list is 100% my own true & honest opinion and it’ll be interesting to see what people think of it.  Again- stressing its my own personal opinion.

Mehe:  What fandoms, if any, do you consider yourself a part of?

Suzie:  Well, thanks to my fiance I’m now a huge fan-girl of the actor Bruce Campbell!  I mean it, ANYTHING he’s in I tend to go a little nuts over now.  Also the new Thundercats show that was on we both loved watching, particularly one character who’s become a staple in my life – Snarf.  This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!  Now my friends and family have gotten used to me having this Snarf obsession, my fiance even gave me a Snarf t-shirt for our one year anniversary last year!

Mehe:  That brings us to you, personally.  Tell us a little about Suzie outside of being The BlockBuster Chick, if you would.

Suzie:  I can tell you this….Suzie is a HELL of a lot more crazy than The Blockbuster Chick!  I have to be crazy to put myself through some of the crap I watch.  Basically I’m a 29 (30 in a couple of months) year old lassie from Scotland; I live with my parents who are both insane as well, and our almost 6 month old Golden Lab puppy Boo who keeps us very busy!  I’m engaged to LC (whom some of you guys will know from his Saturday stream Sinner Radio he presents every week on RVT & Channel Zero).  I’m a huge musical theatre & Disney fan and have an insanely good memory capacity which allows me to quote entire films or tv shows like Toy Story (yes, I know every single word of that film by heart!) and The Simpsons.

Mehe:  What’s been the best experience you’ve had as a reviewer?

Suzie:  The best experience I’ve had as a reviewer, strange to say, is receiving feedback & comments for my reviews.  Especially when I joined The Agony Booth.  I had no idea the audience that website received before I started, but my numbers for views went up by leaps and bounds when I started posting on there, and getting comments for videos that you take time to create is one of the best things you can get.  Yes, you will get some trolls posting on to try to get a reaction out of you, but they don’t last very long as I’ve learned.  It’s the comments that make you smile and can change a bad mood to a great mood in a day that make me keep doing this.  I’ve even had people leaving comments like I should be a member of TGWTG or they liked me better than the Nostalgia Chick which I still can’t believe!  So, its little things like that are the best experiences I’ve had as a reviewer….also getting Brad Jones aka The Cinema Snob to narrate my intro on my video!! That’s just insane that I managed to get that.

Mehe:  Can you take us through the process you go through for the choices of a movie and planning a review?

Suzie:  Sure.  Most of the time it’s really random.  I started out by compiling a list of all the blockbuster movies that I either disliked a little, really disliked, or just down right hated and put them together in a list, changed them around into an order I felt would work best from episode to episode and took it from there.  My list is full of about 50 movies, 10 of which I’ve now done.  So, I’ve got a LOT more to get through.  When I started out with 2012 I didn’t have a clue how to go about writing a script or the editing process, which is why it took me so long to get that review ready.  The 2012 review is about 50 minutes in length and I had to put it out in 2 parts!  And it took me about a month to put together!  But, as the reviews progressed, I started learning little tricks to make the process faster.  So now my editing progress can take anything from 2-5 days (life likes to get in the way sometimes).  I start out by taking the movie next on my list, buy the DVD cheap off of eBay and sit with a notepad and watch it.  I get the main bulk of my jokes written and then when I’m putting the movie into my computer for editing, I watch it again about another 2 or 3 times and script whilst I watch.  When I’ve got the script done, I immediately get the narration recorded since this always seems to be the main bulk of my video.  Once that’s recorded I transfer it to the computer and the next day I usually film the on camera footage.  Once this is done, I transfer that and then I start piecing together the on camera footage & the narration until I’ve created a kind of skeleton of the review.  Once that’s all done, I get the cut away clips I use put in, I put the movie itself in, check over it a few times to make sure the jokes work then once I’m satisfied it’s a decent length of video, the jokes included I feel are funny and will work I get it rendered then put online.

Mehe:  Suzie, we really appreciate your time today.  Any parting words for our readers or your fans?

Suzie:  Thanks so much for having me be a part of this, and parting words to the readers:  Make sure you guys look out for my latest review Cars 2 which should be coming out either by the weekend or early next week….it’s totally worth it!  And also, make sure you check out my amazing fiancé LC’s stream Sinner Radio every Saturday starting from 6pm EST.