Geek Girls Sunday

The Nerd Machine Slave Leias

Serendipitously, after I posted the rant about geek girls v.s. faux geek girls, that very same weekend turned itself into a Geek Girl Weekend.

Thursday

A friend of mine forwarded me a tweet: a call of arms for any L.A. Slave Leia costume owners for a web video shoot for The Nerd Machine.  (For those who didn’t know, The Nerd Machine is a brainchild of Zachary Levi a.k.a. Chuck from the TV show Chuck…or the voice of Flynn Rider from Tangled.)  I replied to that call with a couple of photos including the Zombie Slave Leia with Darth Vader.

Friday

Folks with The Nerd Machine asked if I would be available for a shoot on Sunday night in Sherman Oaks.  Since I’ve got nothing planned for Monday morning, what else is this unemployed girl going to do but say yes!

Saturday

I was given the call sheet for Sunday night shoot.  I was one of about 15 Slave Leias on the call sheet. Along with the famous Team Unicorn ladies. And Nathan Fillion.

Captain Tight-fucking-pants himself will be there?!?! Dear gods, please let me be the one Slave Leia that fell into his lap. Or something!

Alas, the gods weren’t THAT kind.  Nathan was in the earlier shoot for a different PSA in “The More You Nerd” series.

*snap* *sigh*

Anyhoo.  Later on in the afternoon, we went to watch my friend Pam performed her storytelling piece for the Hollywood Fringe Festival.  “Death 40 Feet Tall” was fantastic. She touched on all the points of a life of a geek girl that even non-geeks would understand.  And praises be Michael Bay!  My cheeks were tired from smiling so much.

After the show, we continued to nerd out at a nearby restaurants with her friends.  And I told Pam about my upcoming big geek moment.  And of course, she’d threaten to kill me out of jealousy if I get to meet Nathan.  This must be how other girls feel when they came across a pair of Manolo for only $50, or something.  Getting to share my nerdy joy with fellow geeks is elating!

Sunday (Father’s Day…appropriately)

Much. Excitement! I gave myself a full hour to get my hair and make-up ready for this.  LOL.  A lot of weirdness I had to adjust too.  First, I only wear my contact lenses as needed, and obviously this was needed. That was weird #1.

Then, I have only donned the Slave Leia outfit as an actual Slave Leia twice before.  Usually, I’d be done up as Zombie Slave Leia. Weird #2 is to not have my face all dead-blue and there was no blood spattered anywhere on my body.

Weird #3 I figured I’d feel once I’m surrounded by the real cosplay girls as my outfit, despite the modified top, was store-bought.  And I would be right. Almost everyone there came through the list of Slavemaster, crafter of Leia’s Metal Bikini‘s accurately made Slave Leia cosplay gitups.  A few came through casting.  Three of us came in via Twitter.

To my relief, there are a few who put on the same store-bought ones I have. I’m not the only one after all!

The cosplayers seem to know each other well and were hanging out together.  I clung on to Cristina who made her own outfit and made acquaintances with Lauren the Closet Geek and fellow Asian Leia Gigi.

ETA 2013: At the time I failed to mention Emily Ruth. Of all the girls I mentioned here, I’m most in touch with her. So, hi Miss Em!

The Nerd Machine Slave Leias

It was so refreshing to be among the real geek girls. I mean, I was happy to be one of the weak geekling of the bunch as I have never been to a convention of any kind, and maybe the only one there who doesn’t read comic books.

We were held in the garage where we got to have some fun with other characters for the shoot. Even Zach Levi came by to schmooze for a bit.

2011-06-19 20.44.30

The surprise of the evening was that we were supposed to have a second outfit to change into.

WHAT?!

Apparently, NONE of us were told about bringing a second costume.  ALL of us have our own cosplay costumes we could have brought!  But instead, they had to don the store-bought stuff the crew had laying around.  So there were a few classic Star Trek mini skirts and other cheesier variety of Halloween costumes.  At least one get to keep her Slave Leia outfit.

Some of us just came up with something we had on hand.  Ginny happened to have on hand her R2D2 swimsuit…which kicked ass. I brought my Jedi robe for warmth, so I just threw that over my street clothes and *voila*, instant Jawa!

Best part of the evening?  Zach asked for my name…since I was the girl who would be crossing in front of the camera.  And he called me by name for the rest of the shoot.

Star struck? Oh yeah. “Chuck” knows my name. Well, at least for that few hours.  And he gave me a hug later…so that made up for it.

All in all, the evening was magical. And a tad surreal.

I’ll definitely post the video when it comes out. You’d probably catch a glimpse of the back of my head.  Or my arm.  Or something.

[ETA: The video is out–and I’m TOTALLY prophetic. I’m in it just as I predicted.]

P.S.

To add to the surrealism of it all was what appeared to be a hello from my dearly departed Gregg.  Last summer, Gregg took me to see James Taylor and Carole King at the Hollywood Bowl.  As I was driving by the Bowl on my way home from the shoot, out of my random playlist crooned Carole King’s “Home Again”.  I took it as a sign that Gregg approved of the evening’s adventure.

6 Comments

  1. Ken C.   •  

    Wow! What an experience! I think this should count towards your Screen Actors Guild card [though it probably doesn’t, officially].

    Now, I’ll be able to tell everyone on Facebook that I was reading your blog well BEFORE you hit the “bigtime.”

    Thanks for another great post.

    Regards from Ken C., southern California

  2. oakmonster   •  

    Hah! If only I was trying to break into acting, Ken. If only! I went to do this not because it was an “acting” gig but because it’s geeky and they didn’t ask for someone with acting experience…just someone who has a Slave Leia costume, lucky me. 🙂

  3. Cristina   •  

    Zombie Leia is great!

    Thanks for sharing the pics. My sis loved the one where Zac is talking to her.

  4. oakmonster   •  

    Cristina, you were fabulous! And your sister was so awesome for coming up to support you.

  5. somsarin   •  

    ??????????? 555555 ???????????????????

  6. Annette @daNanner   •  

    And then I touched Nathan Captain Tightpants Fillion the next weekend. Yes, I am still not over it 😀

    Can’t wait to see the video. Hank still wants me to get that Slave Leia outfit, I’m aiming for Zoe’s tight brown vest.

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