New CSTS Site

Hi everyone - just a quick note that we've moved! You can now access CSTS Pittsburgh at...

http://cstspittsburgh.webs.com

CSTS Pittsburgh not-Final Tally & more

After all the bills were paid and accounts settled, Pittsburgh raised $647.98 at the screening for Equality Now! We had lower numbers than previous years, with about 50 in attendance, but the Browncoats who attended brought their enthusiasm and their generosity and the screening was a wonderful success.

Very special thanks to our sponsor, Alterna-tv.com, and the staff of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall. Also, hats off to the group who showed up at 5:30, nervous that they wouldn't get seats. Love you guys!

We have some leftover merchandise and are hoping to raise even more money for EN before we declare our 2008 efforts ended. Stay tuned for updates about our total donation!

If you weren't able to make the screening or just still want to help Equality Now, here's some information on how you can put your money to good use doing what you love to do anyway (buying 'verse merchandise!):

TFAW.com is donating 5% of every sale through September 30, 2008 to Equality Now! Don't forget to enter one of the following codes when you check out:
CSTS1 for free domestic shipping on orders over $25 (more info)
CSTS2 for $5 off international shipping on orders over $25 (more info)

Quantum Mechanix Inc is donating 10% of every sale through September 30, 2008. Don't forget to enter CSTS in the order notes field when you checkout. (Applicable to all merchandise except Artisan products.)

In exciting but non-CSTS news, Adam Baldwin is joining forces with the California Browncoats to auction THE Jayne Hat to benefit the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. The auction will take place via eBay September 24-October 4, 2008. For the latest information, visit the CA Browncoats!

Why We Do What We Do

As if you didn't know already: the screening is TOMORROW, June 21, 2008 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, PA. Doors open to the public at 7pm, movie begins around 8pm. This event is free and open to everyone - however, because our aim is to raise money for charity, we'll have a lot of really great merchandise for sale and for raffle!

See you tomorrow!

And now...a word from Joss.

Program Listings

We're rolling out a new feature this year: listings in the CSTS event program!

Listings are open to all individuals and groups, and can be anything from best wishes and inside jokes to "Happy Birthday!"s and "wish you were here!"s. If you don't want to include a personalized message, pick your favorite cast member and we'll insert a random quote on your behalf.

Pricing:
One line (approx 12-16 words) - $5
1/8 page (approx 75-85 words) - $10
1/4 page (approx 180-190 words) - $20
1/2 page (approx 360-370 words) - $50
Full page (approx 700 words) - $100
Random quote - $3

When planning your listing, please keep in mind that our program is a folded 8 1/2 x 11 booklet.

To place your listing, fill out the form. If you need more room than the form allows or you would like to include non-copyrighted images, email your listing to Cate (honeyloupe@gmail.com). We'll send you a confirmation email and PayPal invoice.

Deadline for listings is Thursday, June 19th. Payment must be received by June 20th or your listing will not be included.

Phantom Screenings

With many of the CSTS screenings approaching, Browncoats across the globe are making ready to head out to theaters and once again view the Big Damn Movie on that big damn screen. But what if you can't attend your local screening? What if there isn't a screening close to you?

Have a Phantom Screening, instead!

Writes Nick...

Well, that time of year is fast approaching once again when Browncoats all over Earth That Is gather together to honour Joss Whedon's birthday by watching the Big Damn Movie on or around the 23rd of June. In the process we also traditionally (look, this is the 3rd year now, that makes it a tradition in fandom terms alright?) we raise money for Equality Now and other charities close to our hearts and have a damn fine shindig doing it as well.

As anyone who listens to any of the Firefly podcasts or frequents any of the Firefly forums, most of you will no doubt be aware that the Can't Stop The Serenity screenings this year are facing a few more challenges than usual. Principal among these challenges is the lack of prints of Serenity that are available for the USA screenings in particular, due to the accidental destruction of all but 12 of the US prints – a story we covered last episode - against the express internal wishes of Universal I might add. Oddly, this is not a challenge that bothers me that much. Universal are doing a lot to put right the situation by shipping in spare prints from elsewhere and also hopefully arranging for DVD performance licences at reduced cost. Making new prints is not an option because theatre quality prints cost around 3000 pounds sterling or around 6000 US dollars. But as I said, this doesn't bother me.

Speaking to Beth Nelson as part of an interview for Sending A Wave, the wholly UK based Firefly and Serenity podcast, she assured us that this situation was not going to result in any US screening being cancelled as far as she was aware. And that it was more of a minor inconvenience than a disaster. With 40 cities around the world signed up and around 10,000 US dollars raised already this year, increases in the number of screenings in Australia and Canada in particular, T shirts and posters already arranged and some great guests and events planned around some of the screenings, things are off to a good start. But we need to do more.

Now some of you may be aware of the Affiliate Event programme that is coordinated via the Can't Stop The Serenity folks, information on which can be found at www.cantstoptheserenity.com . Basically this is all about holding a shindig in association with an existing screening, but not necessarily in the same city, in order to have fun and increase the money raised. This is a truly excellent idea. But I want to go further than this.

I have spoken on earlier episodes about shindiggery, conversion season and maximising your "hit rate". This is all connected to the idea I'm about to present to you, but it didn't all come together until a discussion in a pub, appropriately enough, between myself, Jill Arroway and Odile Thomas while we were all attending Serenity Complete.

It couldn't be simpler.

Have "Phantom Screenings". What in the name of god and all her wacky nephews is that? I hear you ask.
Easy. On or around the 23rd, or indeed whenever the hell you damn well like, you sit down at home and watch Serenity. You can do this alone or with friends or with potential converts, but you watch the film at home. Then you go to the pub or have a picnic, barbecue, or shindig to celebrate the fact. Doesn't have to be on the same day as you watch the film, though it would be more fun that way. The main point is that everyone who watches the film or attends a shindig or whatever, sticks a donation in the pot that will be sent to Equality Now via CSTS.

That's it.

The beauty of this is that ANYONE can do this. It also does not require direct input from Can't Stop The Serenity, though I can assure you that this idea does have the blessing of Beth Nelson and her dedicated crew. All it needs is for any number of Browncoats from 1 to…well however many the hell there are of us now to a) watch Serenity and b) send a donation big or small. Doesn't matter if it's equivalent to a few bucks or hundreds or more. It all helps…which is kind of the whole damn point.

Now clearly you can take it a bit further than this…and this is where the simplicity of the idea comes in again…of course you can. You can organise a raffle, have a quiz with a small entry fee…whatever you like, it's entirely up to you. All that matters is that as an individual or as part of a group, you watch the film and you make a donation so more money is raised. Simple.

I'd suggest a sensible minimal donation might be what you might pay to go see a movie, but again, it's entirely up to you. Anything from doing this on your own all the way up to organising a full scale screening is fine. Of course, once you get beyond a certain stage, this is when you should contact Beth Nelson and bring in the CSTS expertise and support and another official screening is born. It is certainly not too late in the day to do this and the period of time during which screenings can be considered part of CSTS 2008 has been extended.
Beth indeed has offered to hook people up with organisers of official screenings if you'd like to be partnered up and send your donations via them to boost their take. I personally plan to try and hook up with the screening organised by Sheila in Toronto, who I met at Serenity Complete and who has the only other copy of the Badgers Word CD signed by Mark Sheppard, which will be up for auction.

So. It's all up to you now. Support a local screening by being involved or attending, run an Affiliate event in support if you can, but if all else fails, hold a Phantom Screening. In fact strike that. Hold a Phantom Screening anyway. Hold 2 or 5 or more over the year…the only limit on these is your willingness to do it and your imagination. We're Browncoats and that makes us mighty and there is no excuse NOT to do this and help this year's Can't Stop The Serenity be the most successful yet.

Over at the Signal, we would love to hear about how you get on with this. This is Fanac at a grass roots level and I hope to be able to read many reports of events of ANY size on the forums so that we can share them with our listeners in the same way as we have with the What's Your Serenity? segments.

So it's over to you. Make us proud.

-Nick Edwards of The Signal

CSTS Pittsburgh thinks this idea is a shiny one! We support Browncoats far and wide who are unable to attend a CSTS screening and welcome their contributions. As such, if you're holding a Phantom Screening, you can use the "Donate" button below to donate to Equality Now via CSTS Pittsburgh. That means your donation will be included in our total, final donation to EN.

If you'd prefer not to go through Pittsburgh, check out the CSTS site - many of the other cities have similar donation systems set up. You can also donate directly to Equality Now.

Short CSTS Hiatus

Just a note that I will be away May 9-27. I may have a chance to check email, but if you do try to get in touch with me about CSTS please be patient. I promise I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Shirt and poster orders will continue, remember that deadline is May 15.

T-shirt and Poster Preorders OPEN

It's that time of year again: time to order your CSTS shirts and posters! There will be a limited number of shirts and posters on sale at the screening, but if you want to make sure you get one it's best to preorder.

We're offering a range of shirts sizes this year, as well as two poster options.


Shirts
Sizes run in unisex S-4XL and women's S-3XL (not junior's) sizes. Those of you who bought shirts last year will remember they ran a little bit small, so if you like your shirts to fit loosely, you might want to order a size up.

Posters
Once again we're offering the traditional 24x36 poster size. Posters will also be available in a smaller "handbill" size measuring 11x17.

To Order
To place your order for shirts and posters, please fill out this form. Make sure you use the email address associated with your PayPal account! You will then be sent an invoice for your order.

Due to limitations in the form, if you are ordering more than one shirt of any size (ie, a unisex M and a unisex XL), you will need to fill out the form more than once.

All orders and payment must be received by May 15th.