If I can swing it I'd like to do a good guy/bad guy set again. It depends on how much other stuff gets in the way. Also, I'm gonna try to match the set to Millsy's if it is at all possible. I have a few ideas I've been tinkering with, so we'll see what materializes and what fizzles between now and then. I'll post updates as I go and ask for input as well.

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Sounds great on the exclusives!!

I honestly have to sit down with you, Frost, and hammer out just what exactly I am doing incorrectly in customizing figs - mainly the painting. You and I shall have to sit and talk over a couple beers. lol

I originally posted this as a response in the Aegis question thread and I am just copying it here for better visibility:
I've been thinking about this. And here is my thought for this year...besides Chuckle's mini-movie. As far as customs they need not be, but I was thinking we could pick a scene from the GI Joe cartoon or the comic books and we could all bring a figure or vehicle to set that scene up as a diarama. And that would be our theme this year. It's a thought that shouldn't be alot of effort for everyone this late in the going.
Or we can say to heck with it (which is fine with me) and just stick with the mini-movie.
Thoughts ? Comments ?
-Flint

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Sure, that sounds like a great idea Flint.

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Added the finalized info! See you all May 30th.

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Awesome!

I shall be there!!

I also posted a thread over on TriStateVipers with links to the threads here on the meet...looks like we will see some new faces at this meet!!

I am so planning to be there! This woul d be my first!

So, since it seems pretty realistic that I'm gonna show up this time, I've been wondering if someone can fill me in on what actually goes on. What kind of things typically happen, what does everyone bring...and anything else I should know. I'm pretty sure it'll just be me...hubby's tractor show's the same weekend.

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Well, if you have trade/sale stuff, bring it. Everyone usually brings customs and wip's to show off, too. Last year, we had a pretty sweet family feud style trivia contest. I'm gonna be doing a rit dye tutorial. Basically, we just hang out and shoot the bull and enjoy being around fellow customizers and joe fans.

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What typically happens and this is how it's been everytime... we initially had a sort of set schedule for events we wanted to do...
-meet and greet
-set up
-trivia
-custom contest
-trade time
-work shops
-planning
-set up diorama for photos

Everytime it seems we have run out of time and we don't get to half the stuff we intended to. 5-6 hours will seem like 2 if that.
Honestly it ends up being that we spend the majority of the time looking at each others work and trading ...lots of trading ! Usually we are all looking to dump stuff for a song, and it seems we do quite a bit of it. We've done the trivia contest every time with the last bunch of times Blitzkrieg setting that up and doing a fantastic job with it.
In the past we've had it under a pavillion and we basically all just took a picnic table or tables and put out our wares/ both display and stuff for trade/sale. So far anyone and everyone thats been a part has been super easy to work with and aren't hawking over you to make sure you aren't stealing from each other. At the time of the first one of these I don't think any one of us had ever done something like the "meet" or convention before so we had no idea what to expect and were quite a bit wary as to what everyone was going to be like. To say we all click pretty good together and are comfortable with each other and each others stuff is an understatement. Alot of the time is spent looking at everyone elses work and that usually then involves "How did you make that ? or What parts are those ?" and then devolves into "I think I have that part. " "I have these " and trades are swung deals made and on the spot tutorals are given...it's a fun chaos. We bring potluck and have tried to kind of set down to eat...and I don't think it's ever happened. In fact we have actually forgotten to eat !!
We do the trivia contest and then trade/look some more then it's time to go we throw together a dio shot...then everyone has a fire sale of stuff they don't want to take back with them... then we all try to go out to eat at like Smoky Bones or Fridays or some such place together for supper. Hopefully we develop a plan or theme for next times picnic, sometimes we have sometimes we haven't. It sounds kinda choatic and lame when in reality it's so much fun and goes so quick you can't believe hours have gone by.
Ok my rambling is over.

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Awesome guys! That was exactly what I was looking for! Doesn't sound lame at all...sounds like I'm gonna really enjoy it. I'm probly a lot more excited about it than I have any right to be...

So, looks like I'm gonna have to actually organize my fodder. LOL...in other words, decide what I'll use or not. I don't really have much 1/6 stuff, but I'll bring what I have. I have a BUTTLOAD of Sigma stuff, most of which is unsorted. Lemme know if anyone is interested in seeing some of that, otherwise there's not much point in bringing it. Takes up a lot more space than little stuff... and a lot more time to sort.

If anyone is remotely interested I'd be willing to bring stuff to show how I do eyes. I'm no expert, but a lot of people ask me how I do it and I've tried organizing a tutorial to post, but that's almost harder than actually painting the eyes!

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PoetFlint/Chuckles,

With the picnic less than two months away and my availability to post more limited than previous years, I'd like to slowly start constructing a rough itinerary for the picnic to use as a guideline, just like last year. With that being said, how much time do you think we'll need to shoot the mini-movie from beginning-to-end? And do you want to shoot it in the morning or the afternoon (in case lighting is an issue)?

Feel free to brainstorm your ideas in this thread. Hopefully that will encourage others to chime in as well.

Blitzkrieg

I looked up the Brewery's tour times on Saturdays, which are at 11 AM, Noon, and 1 PM. Although the idea of a field trip sounds pretty cool, I believe the purpose of the picnic is to bring JoeCustoms members together rather than split them up into expeditions... especially if we have attendees potentially traveling from as far away as Connecticut. These tours are also right in the middle of the day, rather than at the beginning or the end, which could disrupt our socializing. Even if everyone wanted to go on the tour, I think it defeats the purpose of booking a hall, a luxury that we have not had in previous meets. In addition, if we all go on the tour, do we really want to leave our stuff behind unattended?

I also thought that perhaps we could set up the field trip tour for Sunday, especially since a couple of us are staying overnight and others are local to the area. However, (but not surprising) there are no Yuengling tours on Sunday.

Blitzkrieg

I tend to agree with Blitz here. People usually show up, what, 10ish? There doesn't seem to be an ideal time for the tour that doesn't interrupt anything going on. Admittedly I don't have much interest in touring a brewery...tho the "oldest" part intrigues my inner historic building geek...

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If we wanted to consider extending our picnic to Sunday, the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train Tour seems like the most logistic choice. The mine is located in Ashland, PA, approximately 30 minutes from the hall that Millsy booked. Based on my interpretation of their Web site schedule, mine tours/train rides are continuous on weekends (i.e., including Sundays) from 10 AM to 6 PM with the last train ride and mine tour occurring at 5 PM and 5:30 PM, respectively. It would also tie in well with our exclusives. We could even perhaps take pictures of the exclusive figures at the mine/train and post them online along with pictures from the picnic itself.

Here's a link to the site, in case anyone is interested: http://www.pioneertunnel.com/schedules.html

Although there is a tour/ride at the end of the day (5 PM/5:30 PM) on Saturday, in order to reach the mine in time, we'd need to pack up prematurely (3:30 PM-ish), which would defeat the purpose of booking a hall.

Let me know what y'all think.

Blitzkrieg

I'll make sure to include time towards the end of the picnic to discuss possible locations/dates for the next meet in the itinerary.

Blitzkrieg