"I took two cameras with me," Michael tells the Xenite staff. "My Mini-DV camera and a friend's digital camera."
"As soon as I walked in, I was distracted by my need to get my ticket from the kiosk. After that, I got swept up in the crowd. So, there I was, surrounded by Narnia fans, carrying a stuffed white bear. Only after I dropped the bear in the wrong box did I turn around and behold the huge exhibit Disney had sent to the theater."
Michael managed to fumble with the two cameras for about 30 minutes before finally getting a few good shots. The U.S. Marines patiently waited for our hardware-impaired founder to find the ON button. They posed several times for the Mini-DV camera but by the time Michael brought the digital camera around, they were getting a little thirsty.
It will take a couple of weeks (maybe longer) to get the Mini-DV footage converted to a usable format.
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for designing Xenite.org's graphics
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When people entered the lobby of the Edwards Cinema Marq*E, they saw a huge exhibit erected behind the ticket taker's stand. United States Marines brought their famous Toys for Tots program to the theater. They accepted donations in the form of money and newly-purchased toys (tags still attached).
Movie attendees were treated to a free demonstration of the Narnia computer game. The table was never empty while Xenite.Org founder Michael Martinez was present in the lobby.
The exhibit itself was roped off but there was one entrance which allowed visitors to move freely about inside. The NarniaWeb staff set up their table just outside the exhibit.
In footage captured on our Mini-DV camera, you will see kids lining up to take a whack at the pinata with toy swords. The kids were each given several turns at hitting the pinata, but eventually one of the marines stepped in and helped break out the candy inside. (NOTE: Video footage is forthcoming in a couple of weeks. Sorry for the delay.)
Several people asked about the pinata, which was styled upon the Minotaur featured in the movie. Vivian said the Minotaur proved to be so tough and durable she'll use it again (after a little repair work) at her costume-rich New Year's Party in Pennsylvania.
A few fans showed up in costume, and several families took pictures inside the exhibit. The dryads received several comments and compliments. Set designer Francisco Robledo and his family also posed for pictures.
The movie theater lobby is large enough to hold several hundred people at one time. The crowd swarmed around the exhibit continuously, but most people stayed a respectful distance away as the Lion Party swirled inside.
NarniaWeb staff and volunteers manned a signin table for Lion Party members and they handed out gifts and goodies to children and families alike. The Disney Company generously provided movie posters and other collectibles for attendees. One collectible includes a substantial map of Narnia (no doubt offered for sale at various outlets).
At one point, the staff table was so mobbed with kids and parents you couldn't reach the goodies. The staff members decided to make them a little more available for eager fans (perhaps out of a sense of self-preservation).
After the ceremonies, festivities, speeches, redundancies, treaties, and announcements had been concluded, staff members, volunteers, dryads, and a few passers-by posed for final pictures. And then it was off to see the movie at the official Lion Party viewing time of 3:45 PM in Theater 1 (the large one with the IMAX screen).
Throwing parties and cleaning up leftover goodies is hard work. The NarniaWeb staff and friends celebrated a long two days of movie viewings (the Houston Lion Party was the third showing for some of the fans), parties, and more. NarniaWeb staffers shared a little information about their community with Xenite.Org. Some members participate in a group story in their forum called DittoTown. Members have special characters they control and write for. Plotlines are shared both online and offline as the story evolves.
After a fun fact-and-teaser-filled evening ("There are things we know which we still cannot divulge--muwhahaha!") with the NarniaWebbers, it came time to say good-bye. The ladies threw a great party. And don't try to trip them up on trivia. Their know Narnia inside out. Maybe even better than C.S. Lewis himself. Not quite so well as Aslan, of course.
When people entered the lobby of the Edwards Cinema Marq*E, they saw a huge exhibit erected behind the ticket taker's stand. United States Marines brought their famous Toys for Tots program to the theater. They accepted donations in the form of money and newly-purchased toys (tags still attached).
Movie attendees were treated to a free demonstration of the Narnia computer game. The table was never empty while Xenite.Org founder Michael Martinez was present in the lobby.
The exhibit itself was roped off but there was one entrance which allowed visitors to move freely about inside. The NarniaWeb staff set up their table just outside the exhibit.
In footage captured on our Mini-DV camera, you will see kids lining up to take a whack at the pinata with toy swords. The kids were each given several turns at hitting the pinata, but eventually one of the marines stepped in and helped break out the candy inside. (NOTE: Video footage is forthcoming in a couple of weeks. Sorry for the delay.)
Several people asked about the pinata, which was styled upon the Minotaur featured in the movie. Vivian said the Minotaur proved to be so tough and durable she'll use it again (after a little repair work) at her costume-rich New Year's Party in Pennsylvania.
A few fans showed up in costume, and several families took pictures inside the exhibit. The dryads received several comments and compliments. Set designer Francisco Robledo and his family also posed for pictures.
The movie theater lobby is large enough to hold several hundred people at one time. The crowd swarmed around the exhibit continuously, but most people stayed a respectful distance away as the Lion Party swirled inside.
NarniaWeb staff and volunteers manned a signin table for Lion Party members and they handed out gifts and goodies to children and families alike. The Disney Company generously provided movie posters and other collectibles for attendees. One collectible includes a substantial map of Narnia (no doubt offered for sale at various outlets).
At one point, the staff table was so mobbed with kids and parents you couldn't reach the goodies. The staff members decided to make them a little more available for eager fans (perhaps out of a sense of self-preservation).
After the ceremonies, festivities, speeches, redundancies, treaties, and announcements had been concluded, staff members, volunteers, dryads, and a few passers-by posed for final pictures. And then it was off to see the movie at the official Lion Party viewing time of 3:45 PM in Theater 1 (the large one with the IMAX screen).
Throwing parties and cleaning up leftover goodies is hard work. The NarniaWeb staff and friends celebrated a long two days of movie viewings (the Houston Lion Party was the third showing for some of the fans), parties, and more. NarniaWeb staffers shared a little information about their community with Xenite.Org. Some members participate in a group story in their forum called DittoTown. Members have special characters they control and write for. Plotlines are shared both online and offline as the story evolves.
After a fun fact-and-teaser-filled evening ("There are things we know which we still cannot divulge--muwhahaha!") with the NarniaWebbers, it came time to say good-bye. The ladies threw a great party. And don't try to trip them up on trivia. Their know Narnia inside out. Maybe even better than C.S. Lewis himself. Not quite so well as Aslan, of course.