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'Here is where the nerdyness begins...' LordAcoustic Has TRONGasms At Flynn's Arcade!!
Merrick here...
An AICN reader named LordAcoustic went on a grand, TRON-related adventure at this year's Comic-Con - culminating in a badass shindig at Flynn's Arcade. The joyous enthusiasm you can feel in his writing and see on his face is priceless - we really wanted to share his story with you.
Here's the tale of LordAcoustic, in his own words...
After getting up at 2:30 in the morning to get in line for Hall H events, my friend, my wife, and I got to experience the Tron: Legacy panel in all its glory. We got wicked awesome seats and had a blast with all of the events the Tron people had planned for us (Quint’s review sums it up better than I ever could). After all the excitement of Tron, we all leave Hall H, sit down, relax and plan our next event. When suddenly I receive a tweet from OperationTron.
Before I go on, let me go back a bit. I’ve been following this viral marketing campaign like crazy. I’ve gotten pins, badges, postcards and other swag that have all come as a result of participating in this viral marketing campaign. If I understand it correctly, the company running the viral marketing for Tron, 42E, is the same company that ran the viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight. Whenever 42E is marketing a movie, I lose sleep, lose friends, and become one of the least productive people on earth. Needless to say, I love this shit.
With that being said, OperationTron is a username on Twitter used by the people doing the Tron Viral Marketing and I have their tweets sent directly to my phone as a text message.
So I receive this tweet “4 – Rendezvous with the Flynn Lives operative waiting at the second location.” We had no earthly idea what it meant. All of a sudden, my phone gets 4 more tweets. “1 – We wil be sending our location pairs via twitter” ; “2 – When directed proceed safely to the first designated location and photograph yourself next to the Tron artifact you will find there” ; “3 – IMPORTANT: Photos must only have 1 person in them to qualify. Photos must clearly show your face” ; “5 – Those who complete the mission, earn access to an exclusive event.”
After receiving these notifications, we all run out of the convention center and into the streets of San Diego waiting for our next text message. And then it comes: “Photograph Yellow Light Cycle @ 4th and J then proceed to 2nd and J. 32 packets available.” The race was on and I’m not kidding when I say race. All of a sudden, portions of the crowd break free from the “nerd herd” inhabiting the front of the convention center and sprint towards and unknown destination. We break away as well and run toward the location that we put into my iPhone.
We reach 4th and J and take pictures of ourselves with the Light Cycle.
We then proceed to run down the addition two blocks and receive and awesome package. We got a Disk with wristbands and a secret memory stick that contains the new Tron: Legacy Trailer on it. The wrist bands said “7.22 10PM 6th Street BTWN J&K.”
The Tron people did at least 6 more iterations of this, giving around 200 more wristbands to the event. Seeing as Hall H was filled to capacity (6500) and they were only giving out 200 or so of these wristbands, we were excited beyond belief.
After our last official event on Thursday, listening to Penn talk about how all of the skin on his scrotum came off, we headed down to the location around 9PM. As expected, there was already a pretty decent line there, but we were decently early, got in line, and waited. We got inside Flynn’s Arcade around 10:30. And here is where the nerdyness begins, especially for me. Right as we are being let inside, a bus arrives from what I suspect was the press bus from the Scott Pilgrim screening. I saw Drew McWeeny and others get off the bus and head in with us. Inside was fucking incredible. It. Was. Flynn’s. Arcade.
When you walked in they gave you coins for each of the games in this awesome little Tron plastic coin purse. On either side you had these old arcade games from Tron: Kraz-Bot!, Vice Squad, D-Con 4, Astro Gunner, Arc Wars, Space Paranoids, and, of course, Tron. After about 5 minutes of perusing, audio from the movie came on and the Tron arcade moved out of the way to reveal a hallway. At the end of this hallway, we find Flynn’s office. Once everyone was inside his office, more voiceover and let into the the main room.
This room was fucking incredible. Disney outdid themselves. It was like we entered the Tron universe. We were surrounded by "programs" serving beverages to everyone. The entire place was lit up and synced with the music. The music, it seemed, was from the OST. I LOVE DAFT PUNK and listening their new music was one of the highlights of the evening. Both Joseph Kosinski (Director)...
...and Bruce Boxleitner (Alan Bradley/Tron) were there. And when I mean there, I mean talking to people in the audience.
It was mind blowing. I barely had any energy to get up this morning because of how much I nerdgasmed last night.
Before I go on, let me go back a bit. I’ve been following this viral marketing campaign like crazy. I’ve gotten pins, badges, postcards and other swag that have all come as a result of participating in this viral marketing campaign. If I understand it correctly, the company running the viral marketing for Tron, 42E, is the same company that ran the viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight. Whenever 42E is marketing a movie, I lose sleep, lose friends, and become one of the least productive people on earth. Needless to say, I love this shit.
With that being said, OperationTron is a username on Twitter used by the people doing the Tron Viral Marketing and I have their tweets sent directly to my phone as a text message.
So I receive this tweet “4 – Rendezvous with the Flynn Lives operative waiting at the second location.” We had no earthly idea what it meant. All of a sudden, my phone gets 4 more tweets. “1 – We wil be sending our location pairs via twitter” ; “2 – When directed proceed safely to the first designated location and photograph yourself next to the Tron artifact you will find there” ; “3 – IMPORTANT: Photos must only have 1 person in them to qualify. Photos must clearly show your face” ; “5 – Those who complete the mission, earn access to an exclusive event.”
After receiving these notifications, we all run out of the convention center and into the streets of San Diego waiting for our next text message. And then it comes: “Photograph Yellow Light Cycle @ 4th and J then proceed to 2nd and J. 32 packets available.” The race was on and I’m not kidding when I say race. All of a sudden, portions of the crowd break free from the “nerd herd” inhabiting the front of the convention center and sprint towards and unknown destination. We break away as well and run toward the location that we put into my iPhone.
We reach 4th and J and take pictures of ourselves with the Light Cycle.
We then proceed to run down the addition two blocks and receive and awesome package. We got a Disk with wristbands and a secret memory stick that contains the new Tron: Legacy Trailer on it. The wrist bands said “7.22 10PM 6th Street BTWN J&K.”
The Tron people did at least 6 more iterations of this, giving around 200 more wristbands to the event. Seeing as Hall H was filled to capacity (6500) and they were only giving out 200 or so of these wristbands, we were excited beyond belief.
After our last official event on Thursday, listening to Penn talk about how all of the skin on his scrotum came off, we headed down to the location around 9PM. As expected, there was already a pretty decent line there, but we were decently early, got in line, and waited. We got inside Flynn’s Arcade around 10:30. And here is where the nerdyness begins, especially for me. Right as we are being let inside, a bus arrives from what I suspect was the press bus from the Scott Pilgrim screening. I saw Drew McWeeny and others get off the bus and head in with us. Inside was fucking incredible. It. Was. Flynn’s. Arcade.
When you walked in they gave you coins for each of the games in this awesome little Tron plastic coin purse. On either side you had these old arcade games from Tron: Kraz-Bot!, Vice Squad, D-Con 4, Astro Gunner, Arc Wars, Space Paranoids, and, of course, Tron. After about 5 minutes of perusing, audio from the movie came on and the Tron arcade moved out of the way to reveal a hallway. At the end of this hallway, we find Flynn’s office. Once everyone was inside his office, more voiceover and let into the the main room.
This room was fucking incredible. Disney outdid themselves. It was like we entered the Tron universe. We were surrounded by "programs" serving beverages to everyone. The entire place was lit up and synced with the music. The music, it seemed, was from the OST. I LOVE DAFT PUNK and listening their new music was one of the highlights of the evening. Both Joseph Kosinski (Director)...
...and Bruce Boxleitner (Alan Bradley/Tron) were there. And when I mean there, I mean talking to people in the audience.
It was mind blowing. I barely had any energy to get up this morning because of how much I nerdgasmed last night.
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+ Expand All
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Probably the only movie this year I want to see in 3-D.
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so jealous
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Well done man. Well done.
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Is what LordAcoustic looks like throughout that whole thing? Big smiley face? Can't blame him! I'd have a big smile on my face like that too if I was there! Thanks for sharing, dude! Awesome!
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I HAVE JEALOUSY.Seriously, that's rad. Your commitment is impressive.
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Considering how he blows off showing up @ DragonCon w/ his fellow B5 stars, for "work" which noone ever sees in the following 12 months. But cool to hear he's TRON again as well as Alan.
Is it December yet? -
Jul 23, 2010 10:41:34 PM CDT
When Viral Marketing works well, like this obviously did...
by conspiracy
you get a huge return on what in the larger scheme of things is a small investment. Incredible marketing.
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And this is seriously cool! I can't wait for this movie!
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let's hope the film lives up to the expectations it all creates by hyping up people..
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That guy has a wife?
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http://tinyurl.com/22rz52q
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Dude, that guy's plastered smile of nerd glee is exactly how I would look, if I had gotten to be at this event. This is awesome marketing, great for the fans and just 100% cool. Unapologetically nerdy and very awesome.
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Nice coverage of SDCC. Thanks.
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He's one lucky bastard.
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i wouldnt stand within 10 feet of the freak
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SCOTTPILGRIM SUCKS MY BALLS!
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the expression on your face is priceless, I mean you represent, you are the face of Comic Con.
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nothing cool happens here
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I like people who are obsessive like this...I can relate.
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Ya know, I'm pretty impressed with what they are doing to promote this movie. Very cool, LordAcoustic is lucky, I wants me some glowy stuff too! Keep it up Disney, please, let some of us get in on the fun too, that CAN'T make it to the conventions!
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I can't believe I'm excited by awesome marketing!!!!
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I live too damned far from these things!
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I can't go until Sunday! Arrrrrgh...I hope Flynn's Arcade will be open each day. (Including Sunday!) Anyone know?
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Regardless of whether you like the Tron movie or not, you have to admit that Disney have played a spectacular card here and pulled out all of the stops! Congrats to all that managed to bag themselves a place at thgis event- YOU LUCKY SONS OF BITCHES!!!! ;)
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Says who? Where is the confirmation? All this after we have catagorically been told he will NOT be back as Hulk? Sorry mate, I don't believe you.
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review
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Jul 24, 2010 5:00:36 AM CDT
Why do nerds always do the "ironic enthusiasm!" face?
by industrykiller!
That self conscious just being normal?
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Funny though, well done dude.
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I'm geeking out over this stuff! Love what they're doing with the marketing and the trailers have me optimistic that TL will be at the very least a visual stunner.
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Jul 24, 2010 5:33:07 AM CDT
It isnt strange that Disney is investing so much in this movie
by killik
and has created such a phenomenal marketing.For years Disney was trying to establish their own star wars franchise but failed.Now it seems that they strongly believe that with Tron Legacy they finally have the wild card to achieve their goal.thats why they advertise it so much.
but i am almost sure that the movie will bomb hard when it is released.Unfortunately it isnt a property of broad appeal,and the interest that this project generates seems to be only among the geeks.pity. -
@VAWitch:
Bruce already HAD a career when he signed on to film TRON. That was the whole point - Disney was trying to get established movie stars into the film to increase it's marketability because they were nervous (and, in hindsight, rightfully so) that people wouldn't relate to the subject material. Furthermore, Bruce didn't get an immediate boost from TRON; That came from his role in the TV series "Scarecrow and Mrs. King" which was much more popular and visible at the time then TRON was.
@ No one in particular:
Am I too old for viral marketing because I just don't get it. What's the point? 99.9% of us can't go to these exclusive set-ups, parties, or other gatherings. It seems like Disney is spending a lot of money on redundant marketing; Marketing establishes that your film exists. So, yes, mission accomplished: We know your film exists. Why not spend that money on a better script? Heck, why not just spend that money on releasing the SDK for the TRON 2.0 video game that Disney never bothered to support? With all of the money spent on non-movie budget for this movie, what must be the break-even point for this movie be in order for it to be profitable? -
Money simply can't buy a good script. But it usually doesn't matter financially. Ask James Cameron.
And wow, Scarecrow & Mrs. King? Damn...now let's pull out some Remmington Steele, Manimal, and Cagney & Lacey. :) -
Tron, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs King... I hope Tron: Legacy does nothing but good for him. He's a class act.
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Nobody writes genre scripts better than James Cameron.
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I would add Babylon 5. Boxleitner's Sheridan is a remarkable example of a noble and good-natured man. I've gotten the impression over the years that he seems to distance himself from B5, or maybe wasn't entirely happy with the show's resolution. In any case, his portrayals in B5 and TRON were inspiring to me.
It has always been interesting to me that he has the title role, but Jeff Bridge's Flynn is more the on-screen protagonist. -
Marketing establishes more than mere existence. Sure, these events are exclusive -- but getting everyone in isn't the point. Getting everyone talking is. Our boy Lord here is one of two hundred other people who return to their communities with stories of a very cool experience related to TRON LEGACY. Especially with this kind of film, where Disney is deeply invested in creating an epic, enduring and very easily monetized franchise, the purpose is to strengthen the emotional attachment people have to the idea of this film before they ever see it -- and through their advocacy, spread good word so more and more people get interested.
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If I wasn't married to a total non-geek, non-nerd, practical spend-our-money-on-what? type of woman, I would have been so there.
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That should have been me! You stole my life and I want it baaaaaccckkkkkk!
[shakes fist at lighning-filled sky] -
lmao
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Holy fucking shit.
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Getting psyched up for this!
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but reading something like this just makes me happy. And I'm not even a Tron fan. Glad you enjoyed your time there!
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no offense dude, but why did you marry that? you are supposed to link up with people of similar interests.
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Equicon/Starcon was at the El Cortez, and so many people were dressed as Sandmen (with uber-cool working guns) and lifeclocks were all the rage for everyone else, they had a "run" in the streets around the hotel.
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Even if CGI Bridges looks a little uncanny looking. I don't think even by release date he's going to look much more realistic, but that can be rationalized quite simply in this universe, he's not supposed to be human
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Took me a minute to figure out what you were talking about. I used to love/hate that show. I liked it for being sci fi, but the themes (like Carousel) were a little scary for me as a kid.
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Awesome story bro. When I saw the alias on the front page I knew it was going to be you. So damn jealous.
P! -
I appreciated what they were trying to do with effects but to me they weren't that successful. Liked Boxleitner's performance thought Bridge's was just Disney adequate. Really liked Cindy Morgan's backside when she was stretched out on the steps near Barnard Hughes. But I might actually go see Legacy. Bridges has matured the effects look worth it.Much better looking helmuts than the first. Haven't been to a 3-D yet. For me in the honor of innovative tradition this would be the one to see. Some questions that may illicit spoilers. Will Tron be in Tron Legacy? Is the woman in black his programmming offspring/ offshoot? I noticed on IMDB a group of actresses play Siren- a shapeshifting evil entity?
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it thinks its happening.
at least they kept my favorite line from the first movie. -
Please tell us you made sure she had a Nerdgasm before you had one.
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Damn, I was addicted to that show.
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bring it on, fuckers!
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Glad to see Disney is pulling out all stops on this one for the fans. Maybe Steve Jobs is helping those folks to cultivate the fans first, then the general public.
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I listened for it, but he didn't say "it only thinks its happening" did he?
Other than the obvious "why would he have clothes in the game world?" Why are those white programs so... stupid? In the original Tron world, even the small programs could communicate on a human interaction type of level. Some of the dialog is odd... the guard programs seem surprised that flynn Jr has no disc, yet it's expected that all new programs have no disc.. this is why they get instructed when they come to the games. I gotta stop watching this stuff or I'll go in knowing far too much about the story and just be disappointed.
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What if the guards knew Flynn was coming, or the recognized his name?
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Our website is: http://www.shoes2.us/
We also sell a variety of brand-name items: The following is our best-selling items. I hope you like it
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ON SHOES???!!?
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Any comics? No?
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@PhilipMarlowe - I went to IMDB.com and they list Bridges as playing "Kevin Flyn/CLU 2.0" but Boxleitner as only playing "Alan Bradley"...so I don't think that TRON himself makes an appearance, and it would stand to reason as well because the film takes place on Flynn's private server. @Lord Acoustic - Good job on reporting this event. I'm not jealous, as that involves spite...but I sure am hugely ENVIOUS that you got to attend. I have been a Tron fan since I was a kid. My family had to buy the Intellivision system because it had Tron Deadly Discs and I NEEDED to have that game. I wore out a VHS copy of the film too. Then when Tron 2.0 came out I had to buy a new PC because again, I NEEDED to have that game. I'm dying for Tron on Blu Ray and when I heard that they were making a sequel and that both Jeff AND Bruce were going to be in it I lost my mind. And the totally hot Olivia Wilde is present. Hell yeah! I wish I could buy my tickets now.
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Tron is in the movie.He is the guy with the black mask in the trailer fighting Sam at some point.This has been revealed in the Tron the Game trailer.here is a pic:
http://bit.ly/bQy0LT
now in the pic,Tron looks to me to be a younger version of Alan Bradley like in the original movie and not a program made by Sam as some other fans say. -
I know you said "Spoilers" but man,I wish I hadn't read your post.
I thought you were going to say something smartass like: Kevin Flynn is Sam Flynn's FATHER!!! -
He was one of the most generous-to-the-fans people I'd ever seen.
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You self righteous douche-bag! I am just kidding... That is so totally fucking awesome!! I wish I lived near Whales Vagina (San Diego), I would have loved to go to a CC. I wish they would do like a rotation of 4 or 5 cities to do that so maybe other people in the country could go. Looks like an awesome time. Congrats homeslice!
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