Transformers People News on Seibertron.com

High Moon Studios Transformers Fall of Cybertron Press Release officially announces voice talents

Date: Thursday, June 14th 2012 7:59am CDT
Categories: Game News, Press Releases, People News
Posted by: Dead Metal | Credit(s): High Moon Studios

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


HIGH MOON STUDIOS PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS
WITH LEGENDARY VOICE TALENT IN TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON


Original Voice Actors for OPTIMUS PRIME and GRIMLOCK Headline a Stellar Cast in the Most Epic Transformers Video Game Yet


Santa Monica, CA - June 14, 2012 - High Moon Studios is creating the most authentic TRANSFORMERS game ever with the announcement that fan-favorites Peter Cullen and Gregg Berger, the legendary voices of OPTIMUS PRIME and GRIMLOCK from the original TRANSFORMERS animated TV series, will reprise their roles for the upcoming TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON video game. Set to launch on August 28, 2012 from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON will allow gamers to experience the final, darkest hours of the war between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS as they vie for control of their dying home planet.



TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON will also feature the talents of voice-over veterans Nolan North (BRUTICUS, CLIFFJUMPER and BRAWL), Troy Baker (JAZZ, JETFIRE and KICKBACK), Fred Tatasciore (MEGATRON, RATCHET and METROPLEX), Steve Blum (SHOCKWAVE, SWINDLE and SHARPSHOT), Isaac Singleton (SOUNDWAVE) and more.



"This is the definitive TRANSFORMERS video game, and we absolutely had to have these iconic voices onboard in order tell this story," said Peter Della Penna, Studio Head, High Moon Studios. "Because it's an origins story, we were able to explore some of the coolest characters in the lore for TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON, and then go after the best and most authentic voice talent possible to do the franchise right."



"There is no mistaking the voices of OPTIMUS PRIME and GRIMLOCK, and we are so happy that fans will get to experience a game featuring the distinctive voices of many of the most iconic and popular TRANSFORMERS characters," said Mark Blecher, SVP of Digital Media and Marketing, Hasbro. "The development team at High Moon Studios did a phenomenal job hand-picking the cast for what is by far the most diverse character roster ever in a TRANSFORMERS video game."



TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON challenges fans to fight through both sides of the TRANSFORMERS' most epic battles that culminate in their legendary exodus from their home planet. With the stakes higher and scale bigger than ever, players will embark on an action-packed journey through massive, war-torn environments designed around each character's unique abilities and alternate forms, including GRIMLOCK's nearly indestructible T-Rex form and the legendary COMBATICONS combining into the colossal BRUTICUS. Taking the franchise's competitive multiplayer to all-new heights, the game will allow fans go head-to-head in blistering AUTOBOT vs. DECEPTICON matches after creating their own unique characters with the most in-depth, advanced customization ever before seen in a TRANSFORMERS video game.



TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON is being developed by the acclaimed team at High Moon Studios for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows® PC, and is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB. For more information and exclusive updates, fans can visit http://www.facebook.com/TransformersGame or http://www.TransformersGame.com, and follow the team via Twitter @HighMoonStudios.



About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Hub, Hasbro's multi-platform joint venture with Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) launched on October 10, 2010. The online home of The Hub is http://www.hubworld.com. The Hub logo and name are trademarks of Hub Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.



Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2012 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.



Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, http://www.activision.com.



Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "will," "plans," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "future," "plan," "set to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.



###



HASBRO and its logo, TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2012 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Game © 2012 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.



All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

American Red Cross accepting donations for Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami

Date: Friday, March 11th 2011 11:48pm CST
Categories: Site News, Event News, Press Releases, People News
Posted by: Diem | Credit(s): American Red Cross

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As you know an incredibly violent earthquake hit the north of Japan, killing hundreds and devastating land, houses and crops. Many people have had their friends, families, possessions and property ripped away from them. Right now, aid and support are streaming in from all over the world.



While others are doing their part to help, Transformers fans have an especially strong connection to Japan. Without Diaclone and Microchange toys our hobby wouldn't even exist and many of us have a Masterpiece, Binaltech or United figure on our shelves right now. Red Cross is taking donations and putting it towards relief and support for the survivors. Contributions can be made by credit card or by Amazon payments. Donators can go here to make a contribution. If you're unable to make a donation, that's OK too. We're not posting this to guilt people into donating, we just want to do our part to help and let all of you know that the Red Cross is taking donations.



If you prefer, the Red Cross is accepting donations via text message. Sending the word REDCROSS to 90999 will automatically donate $10 to the fund, with the $10 being added to your next cell phone bill.

American Red Cross wrote:JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND PACIFIC TSUNAMI

Your gift to the American Red Cross will support our disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific. On those rare occasions when donations exceed American Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters.

Financial contributions to the American Red Cross are tax-deductible.

For Seibertronians outside of America, or for those who want to contribute to a different charity other than the American Red Cross, please Google for the charity service nearest you. As always, please make sure that the organization to which you are donating money is a trustworthy organization. Here are a couple of Google search examples: japan tsunami charity, japan tsunami donations

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who is suffering from this natural disaster.

American Red Cross wrote:American Red Cross Responds to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami

National Headquarters
2025 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
http://www.redcross.org

Contact: Public Affairs Desk
FOR MEDIA ONLY
Phone: (202) 303 5551

WASHINGTON, Friday, March 11, 2011 — The American Red Cross stands ready and willing to assist following a magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan and the resulting tsunami that affected other countries in the Pacific region.

The Japanese Red Cross Society has extraordinary disaster response capabilities, and has mobilized eleven teams to heavily-damaged communities to provide assessments and first aid and prepare to supply emotional support and relief. The American Red Cross is in communication through its global partners with the Pacific nations that sustained the most damage, and stands ready to provide assistance as needed. To date, the Red Cross has not received any requests for blood from the Japanese Red Cross, the Japanese government or the U.S. State Department.

With potential danger headed to the west coast of the United States, Red Cross chapters are on alert and stand ready to provide assistance as needed in their communities in coordination with local and federal response partners. Red Cross warehouses in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), California, Washington and Hawaii are mobilizing resources; and approximately 100 mobile feeding vehicles are on standby. Evacuation shelters are open with additional locations on standby in Oregon, Washington and California.
The Red Cross does not collect blood in Hawaii but has reached out to other blood collection agencies to offer services and is on standby to support any blood needs across the mainland as well.

The best way to contact or locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Japan is to contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has offered to assist Japan with restoring family links.

In addition, with ongoing evacuations in the United States, the Red Cross Safe and Well website is a secure and easy-to-use online tool that helps families connect during emergencies like tsunamis. There are several easy ways to register yourself or search for a loved one on the Safe and Well website: from a computer, visit http://www.redcross.org, from a smartphone visit http://www.redcross.org/safeandwell or from any phone, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) for help registering.

Those who want to help can go to http://www.redcross.org and donate to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. People can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit http://www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Interview with Transformers Prime voice actress Tania Gunadi!

Date: Friday, November 26th 2010 8:10am CST
Categories: Cartoon News, People News, Interviews
Posted by: Dead Metal | Credit(s): Moonbug, Transformers-Prime.com

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Transformers-Prime.com, a sister site of UK based fan-site Transformers at the Moon, has held an interview with the newest voice actress to the vast family of Transformers voice actors we love so very much.

We will post just the first two questions, so if you wish to read the full interview please do so by clicking here.

It is our privilege to be able to bring you an exclusive interview with Transformers Prime voice actress Tania Gunadi. Tania voices Miko Nakadai the female lead human character in the show. We recently had the opportunity to ask Tania some questions regarding her role, the show as well as her acting and background in general.

Q1. You were born in West Java in Indonesia and moved to the United States at a young age, could you tell us more about this and what first impressions when you arrived within the US?

Oh man, moving to the US was one the coolest things ever. It was actually a really big surprise because my sister had submitted my name into the US green card lottery, and I won- along with my Mom and Dad! This might sound a little funny to Los Angelinos bu t when I first walked out of LAX airport, I was blown away at how fresh the air was and how awesome the traffic flowed cause I'd never seen a freeway before. And I liked looking at all the big buildings, the variety of people surrounding me and everyone was speaking English! And while I didn't quite understand what they were saying cause my English was super bad at the time, I was just so excited to be here.

Q2. How did you get into acting and voice acting and what was it that interested you in acting in the first place?

When I grew up in Indonesia, I knew nothing about acting, voice over, or anything involving TV/Film. Then while working at Pizza Hut, my first job in LA, a friend mentioned something about auditioning for a Disneyland commercial. I didn't even know what auditioning was but long story short, I booked it and have been hooked on acting ever since. I remember calling my mom and telling her that I found what I wanted to do in life, and she was pretty much shocked. She was hoping that I would work in a bank or something like that where I have a stable income with my own office and wear like, a nice suit and stuff. She tried convincing me that acting was to be a hobby only, and that I should find a real job, but I told her that it IS the best job for me because I get to have fun and make a living at the same time? Eventually after coming to set and sitting in some acting classes with me, she came around to being very supportive of what I love to do. She even had a small part in an episode of Boston Public with me and enjoyed it very much!

ILM Documentary on Encore on 11 / 14 / 10

Date: Tuesday, October 19th 2010 2:22am CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, People News, Company News
Posted by: Bed Bugs | Credit(s): Fender Bender

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On November 14th, 2010, the Encore Movie Channel will be broadcasting a new Behind-the-scenes Documentary about Industrial Lights & Magic (ILM). Transformer Fans should find this interesting as ILM is the studio that has helped bring the Transformers to life for the Live Action Movie Trilogy. According to the press release below, there's a chance we may even see some "never before seen footage". So if you have Encore, you should definitely check this documentary out!

A full press release has been posted below:


ENCORE PAYS VISUAL TRIBUTE TO OSCAR®-WINNING
VISUAL EFFECTS GIANT ILM IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR 35TH ANNIVERSARY
WITH ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY
“INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC: CREATING THE IMPOSSIBLE”

Tom Cruise Narrates Doc Premiering November 14, 2010
Marathon of Five ILM-Effects Films on Encore

Beverly Hills, CA., September 14, 2010 – Since its founding 35 years ago, Industrial Light & Magic has been the movie industry’s undisputed leader in groundbreaking visual effects, thrilling audiences and making hits into blockbusters. On Sunday, November 14 at 8:00 p.m. (et/pt), Encore presents an original documentary celebrating that legacy. “Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible” is directed by Academy Award® and Emmy® nominated director Leslie Iwerks and is narrated by Tom Cruise. Encore will also present five ILM-effects films starting at 2:00 p.m. with Jumanji, followed by Hook, Jurassic Park III, Twister and Starship Troopers.

The hour-long special has interviews with filmmakers George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau, actors Samuel L. Jackson and Robin Williams, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and John Lasseter, the chief creative officer at Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. Film and television shows featured in the special include The Abyss, Avatar, Forrest Gump, Jumanji, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Robot Chicken, Star Trek (2009), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Transformers, Twister, Young Sherlock Holmes and The War of the Worlds (2005), which starred narrator Cruise.

Leslie Iwerks’ documentary takes audiences behind the scenes at ILM with in depth interviews with some of the company’s top talent and showcases never before seen footage highlighting many of their pioneering milestones. From creating the first ever computer generated character in a feature film to the latest advancements in visual effects for film franchises like Transformers and Iron Man, ILM has created some of the most memorable movie moments in recent history.
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is a division of Lucasfilm Ltd. and was founded by George Lucas in 1975 to create the visual effects for his space epic Star Wars. The studio originated in Van Nuys, California but moved to San Rafael, California to work on The Empire Strikes Back and is now headquartered at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio of San Francisco with a sister studio in Singapore.

ILM has worked on nearly 300 films in its 35 year history and has largely been the driving force behind the evolution of modern visual effects. From the liquid metal man in Terminator 2: Judgment Day to the lifelike digital dinosaurs in Jurassic park, ILM has created some of the most iconic moments in cinematic history.

ILM has received 15 Best Visual Effects Oscars® and 25 additional nominations. It has also received 23 Scientific and Technical Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in recognition of the critical role the company's advances in technology have played in the filmmaking process. ILM is also the only entertainment company to be recognized with the National Medal of Technology.


Leslie Iwerks Productions, Inc., is based in Santa Monica, CA. and over the last twelve years the company has produced award winning documentaries, television specials and films for Disney, Pixar, HBO, Starz, Bravo, National Geographic, Babelgum, among others. Leslie Iwerks comes from a family of film and visual effects pioneers that began with her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, the original designer/co-creator of Mickey Mouse and Academy Award® winning visual effects innovator (The Birds, Mary Poppins, among others). Leslie’s short documentary Recycled Life was nominated for an Academy Award® in 2007, and The Pixar Story a feature documentary about Pixar Animation Studios, was nominated for an Emmy® in 2008. For more information, please visit. http://www.leslieiwerks.com.

Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 16 premium channels including the flagship Starz® and Encore® brands with approximately 17.3 million and 31.9 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its Starz, Encore and MoviePlex brands. Starz Entertainment (http://www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and is attributed to Liberty Starz (NASDAQ: LSTZA), a tracking stock group of Liberty Media Corporation.

Transformers 3 - Megan Fox and Bumblebee Spotted!

Date: Monday, May 3rd 2010 10:47pm CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, People News
Posted by: Blurrz | Credit(s): Celebrity-Gossip

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Views: 46,421

The Transformers live action movie starlet Megan Fox has been spotted on the set of Transformers 3. We'll leave it to Celebrity-Gossip.net to take it away...

Getting started on her blockbuster film series, Megan Fox was spotted on the set of "Transformers 3" in Los Angeles, California on Sunday (May 2).

Clad in a tight little dress, the brunette beauty was spotted by Starzlife photos as she reunited with her car 'Bumblebee' as she chatted with set workers while the film gets underway.

Seibertron.com - The Ultimate Transformers Resource!

Seibertron.com interview with Simon Plumbe of Auto Assembly 2010 (exclusive info inside)

Date: Tuesday, March 23rd 2010 5:35pm CDT
Categories: Event News, People News, Interviews
Posted by: Delicon | Credit(s): Simon Plumbe, Auto Assembly 2010

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If you're a frequent visitor to Seibertron.com (as we hope you all are), you'll already know that we offer the most comprehensive coverage on the various Transformers conventions, both domsetically and abroad. While BotCon is easily the largest Transformers convention in the United States and TFCon can say the same for Canada, they are hardly the only TF conventions out there. "Across the pond" in the UK there is one annual Transformers event that has grown to the point that it has broken records and become Europe's largest Transformers convention, having pulled in just over 500 attendees last year. Recently, we caught up with Simon Plumbe, organizer of that convention which he has named Auto Assembly.

Delicon: On behalf of myself and the rest of the staff here at Seibertron.com, I'd like to say how privileged we are to have a special guest today in Simon Plumbe. Simon is the founder and the organizer of Auto Assembly, Europe's largest Transformers convention. Simon, we humbly thank you for your time today.

Simon Plumbe: It's my pleasure - thanks for being interested in us and for all your support over the last few years!

Delicon: There are obviously millions of Transformers fans all over the globe, but only a select few have been involved in putting together a Tf-themed event on the scale of Auto Assembly. What inspired you to take on such a venture and did you have any idea years ago how big it would eventually become?

Simon Plumbe: Well, I've been active in science fiction fandom for 21 years now and obviously involved with Auto Assembly for the last 10 years, and Auto Assembly's origin started then. Back in 1989 I founded Infinite Frontiers, Auto Assembly's "parent" organisation which is a non-profit making sci-fi group. Originally, it started as a Doctor Who fan club, but quickly evolved into a sci-fi organisation. A Star Trek fanzine soon followed, then a Star Trek convention in 1996, followed by a Star Trek club with regular monthly meetings. It was from these meetings that former team member Sven Harvey suggested doing a one-off Transformers meeting similar to our Star Trek ones. The event was planned, publicised on a limited basis and had a fairly decent turnout of 30 people - Auto Assembly was born! Another followed about 6 months later with 61 people, a bit more elaborate and ambitious and it seemed as if we were obviously onto something.

Delicon: Was there a particular year when you got a first real glimpse of just how big Auto Assembly could actually be?

Simon Plumbe: Things really took shape in 2003 when the UK's other Transformers convention Transforce took a gap year. We expanded quite a lot, hired a large hall, invited a couple of guests and had over 230 people attend from all over the UK. Auto Assembly had arrived!! Things just grew from there really. Since then there have been some behind the scenes changes and for reasons I won't go into here, I took sole charge of the convention for Auto Assembly 2009 and I'm now driving it with a new vision and it's grown into the sort of scale that I envisioned a few years ago making it into the sort of sci-fi conventions I used to attend and I think the attendees have responded really well to it. I brought in a new committee late in the day last year and they really rallied around me and helped save the convention and they have done a fantastic job. I've pulled talent in from a lot of the major UK forums and websites and fan groups and I think it really has added a lot to the convention and we've got a great team to really take the convention forward for the next 10 years and beyond!

Delicon: Last year it was well publicized that AA broke the magical 500 attendee mark. How many attendees have registered so far this year and is there any kind of limit as to how many guests you could possibly accommodate?

Simon Plumbe: This year it has been incredible! At this point last year we had about 120 pre-registrants but so far we are already up to just under 200! Going by that number, we are well on track to not only beat 500 but shatter that total. In fact, I think we're on course to have this year being the first total sell out so we will have to turn people away so I'd seriously suggest that people don't leave it too late to book their tickets! We have set an attendance cut off point of 550 people per day for the convention to keep things comfortable and within the hotel safety limits. As we are using four function rooms in the hotel we don't think any part of the convention will get too crowded at any time and we think that 550 will keep things nice and friendly and informal for everyone, including the guests. As I said, that figure is each day though, so the total figure could be a lot higher taking into consideration that some people may only be there for a single day.



Delicon: That brings me to my next question. Although there was some speculation otherwise, is it safe to say from your last statement that you will again be offering single day passes for the convention?

Simon Plumbe: We have had people asking us for a while whether or not we are going to be offering one day tickets again for Auto Assembly 2010. Well I can now exclusively reveal that not only are we doing this, but they will be going on sale in the next couple of days! We are doing things slightly differently to last year though. Last time we set an allocation for one-day passes then released them slowly over several months. This time we are limiting it to just 75 one day tickets for Saturday and the same for Sunday and that is it. All the remaining tickets are weekend passes only so once those 75 have sold out on your chosen, the only way you will be able to attend is to book for the other day, or the full weekend. Price wise, we are freezing the ticket price from 2009 and one day tickets will be £25 for adults, £18 for children, students and senior citizens, and free for under 5s.

Delicon: Can you let our readers know the time and place for Auto Assembly 2010, as well as the rest of the pricing structure?

Simon Plumbe: It's taking place over the weekend of Friday 13th(!)-Sunday 15th August 2010 in the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre hotel, Birmingham, England. To avoid confusion, there are two Holiday Inn hotels in the centre of Birmingham but the one we are using is specifically called the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre. We've got varying ticket prices dependent on age and discounts for families.Adult (16+) full weekend tickets are £45, Children, students and senior citizens are £35 for the weekend, and under 5s are free. We also do a family pass which is £145 which covers two adults and two children All of those are rates are for the full weekend. The Friday starts from about 6:00 pm until about 10:00 pm (really just as "starter" for the weekend) and the main convention is from around 9:30-5:30 on Saturday and 9:30-6:00 on Sunday. There is also a special evening programme on the Saturday from 7:30 until around 1:00 am that is exclusive for weekend attendees only (as is the Friday evening programme)

Delicon: What can you tell us about the Friday and Saturday evening programs that might make a prospective attendee consider registering for the entire weekend?

Simon Plumbe: Friday is very much a pre-convention social gathering - the dealers will be setting up and we'll still be doing some of the pre-convention setting up, but we're opening up the Main Hall and bar to attendees. We'll have some videos running, possibly a quiz or two, most of our guests will be around and we will no doubt have another one of our live fan dubs on the big video screen but really it's a pretty informal fun night. Last year we finished the night off with a group trip to the cinema to see Revenge Of The Fallen and we are still talking to the same cinema about trying to do something again this year.

Delicon: Wow, those are just the Friday activities?

Simon Plumbe: Yeah, that's just Friday night! Saturday night is another exclusive night for weekend attendees and this is probably the highlight of the weekend for me personally, because Saturday is party night! The main convention will end at about 5:30 pm and will re-open at 7:30 pm and the night is going to be running on until around 1:00 am. We're going to have two concerts by rock band Next Of Kin (one will be a set featuring covers of songs from the 1986 animated Transformers movie and the set later in the night will be a general mix of stuff into the early hours), we'll have a cosplay fashion show/competition, our script reading featuring Garry Chalk, our second voice actor and several fans performing a brand new script written by Simon Furman (see our Youtube channel for all three parts of last year's script) and maybe a few more surprises that we're working on...all this and a bar that will be open all night long! Most importantly though, ALL of this - the Friday night, the Saturday night mparty, the workshops, autograph sessions... EVERYTHING is included in the ticket price! Apart from your travel, hotel bill, food and whatever you spend in the dealers room, you won't have to pay for anything that takes part at Auto Assembly 2010. Well, obviously, apart from the raffle and auction!



Delicon: That sounds awesome! I imagine that beyond the parties, many many other things will be going on as well. Is it possible to explain in words to someone what Auto Assembly is all about and do it justice if they have never been to one?

Simon Plumbe: I'll try. We hope that from the minute people arrive at the convention, until the time they leave they'll find plenty to do and have a weekend that they will never forget! I don't think there's any one thing that I could single out about the convention, but over the years it's definitely changed, even more so in the last 18 months with our change of committee since I took sole charge of the
convention backed up by a new team... the main thing I would say is that it is a weekend long social event, a chance to spend a few days mixing with fellow Transformers fans One way I like to think of it is that you could go to the convention alone and go home with several hundred new friends! Last year, almost everyone said that they felt that meeting friends, and the social aspect of the convention was the hightlight for them so in a way, you could look upon the convention as a three day party! Obviously, there's a lot more to Auto Assembly than just a place for people to meet though. There will be dealers from all over the UK and further afield with toys for sale ranging from G1 to RotF and beyond, video screenings, rare toy and art displays, quizzes, competitions, workshops, games, a costume competition, a live band, guest talks including 8 comic guests, and 2 voice actors, a live script performance with our voice actors on stage...and that's not even half of it!!



Delicon: You didn't mention it just now but I've heard that AA has also become a haven for video gaming. Do tell!

Simon Plumbe: Most years we've tried to have a video games area at the convention and several times we've worked closed with games publishers to have their support - thanks to Atari one year we had Playstation 2 in-store units sent along to showcase their game, along with demo discs to give away to all our attendees and one fan went home with a PS2. This year we wanted to do something a little different. It's been 25 years since the first Transformers game was released on any format and we wanted to showcase the best (and worst) of these and give people a chance to play as many of these as possible and expand our games area as we could so we're getting as many old computers and games consoles as we can and the games to go with them, and setting up a dedicated Games Zone. We're going to have everything from the Commodore 64 right up to the Playstation 3 and everything in between and while a lot of games will be familiar to those attending, we're sure most people will see games they have never played before and we're pretty excited about it.

Delicon: Something very enticing to fans at a large convention such as this is always the guest roster. You mentioned 8 comic guests as well as 2 voice actor guests. Now in past years, I know Auto Assembly has featured such "names" as Dan Gilvezan (he even mentioned Auto Assembly on the Shout! Factory Transformers cartoon DVD set), Ian James Corlett, Gregg Berger and Simon Furman. What special guests have been announced so far for Auto Assembly 2010?

Simon Plumbe: Well, we had more guests than ever last year but being honest we felt that we probably had too many and not only was the guest area too crowded but it didn't give the guests enough time on stage either, so we thought that this year we're focusing on fewer guests but choosing guests we know people want to see either returning or to see for the first time. So bearing that in mind, comic wise we have the return of Auto Assembly regulars Simon Williams, Liam Shalloo, Kat Nicholson, Jason Cardy and Kris Carter. Returning after a one year break is the legendary Simon Furman and making a welcome return after his Auto Assembly debut in 2006 is Guido Guidi. With our guests of honour, we have our first two confirmed - Garry Chalk who needs no introductions, and Transformers Animated lead character designer Derrick J Wyatt, who is being brought to the convention thanks to sponsorship from the guys over at http://www.transformertoys.co.uk and http://www.transformersanimated.com We are still in talks with our final guest of honour (who is our second voice actor for the convention) but we DO have another guest to announce right now and right here!!!

Delicon: By all means, don't you let me hold you up! I'm sure our loyal Seibertron.com viewers are eager to know!

Simon Plumbe: Well, he was such a hit last year that we couldn't resist inviting him back. We are proud to announce that once again we are going to be joined by IDW Publishing's artist/writer Nick Roche!



Delicon: That sounds like a pretty star-packed lineup to me. I understand that many of your guests will have items such as prints, original comic art, commissions, pre-signed comic issues and more for sale. Is it also true that they will sign all of these items for free?

Simon Plumbe: We always insist that our guests don't charge for autographs. If they bring things along with them to sell then that's fine with us, but if fans bring their own things then we don't allow guests to charge for these things to be signed. Artists will be selling prints and charging for sketches, and all our attendees will have postcards in their goodie bags with characters that the actors will have played so they have something that they can get signed, but
if they want to buy a photo from the actors then they can. Obviously, we want people to be sensible and not abuse it though. If people take a pile of comics to Simon Furman and ask him to sign all of them, then they have to expect him to say no at some point as it's not fair to expect our guests to sign hundreds of items for every attendee! However, our autograph and guest system is handled VERY informally so all attendees have the chance for autographs all weekend and our guests have plenty of time for themselves too!

Delicon: That's a really nice thing that you are able to do. Speaking of "doing nice things," I've heard that Auto Assembly has in the past used a portion of the proceeds to raise money for charity. Can you elaborate on that and will that continue this year?

Simon Plumbe: Yeah, that's something that we've always tried to do. We're a non-profit making event (ever since I set up Auto Assembly's "parent" organisation, Infinite Frontiers, back in 1989 it's been non-profit making) but for conventions at least, we've had some form of charity fund-raising element added to it. We tend to have a charity auction and raffle as part of the programme and - if we are in the position to afterwards - put some of the excess funds from the convention to charity as well. This year's auction is already looking quite impressive with a lot of signed photos of various voice actors from G1 onwards, original comic artwork, signed comics, and lots more besides! Last year Gregg Berger got involved in the auction and became a guest auctioneer for part of it, which really helped raise more money but really made it an entertaining part of the weekend as well and we hope to get one of our guests to do the same again this year.



Delicon: Earlier on, you mentioned that Auto Assembly now has its own Youtube channel. What sort of content is provided there and roughly how often is it updated?

Simon Plumbe: We're trying to use the channel in two ways - first as a news/information channel to give people as many updates on the convention as possible and all the breaking news and developments and go into the sort of detail that we couldn't go into anywhere else. Secondly, we have a massive archive of material that we have recorded since the first event back in 2000 and we wanted to share it with everyone so we're slowly going to be editing it and releasing it on there. Originally, we were looking into releasing a DVD from Auto Assembly 2009 and we had about 14 hours worth of footage to use, but as this plan has been shelved, a lot of this will be uploaded to Youtube in time but we decided to start with the interviews with Gregg Berger, Ian Corlett and Andrew Wildman along with the script reading. In terms of updates, we'll aim to upload at least one video a week, possibly more including our news bulletins.

Delicon: A lot of colletcors attending conventions are more and more interested in collecting exclusive items that are either only given away or put up for sale there. However, I understand it's a pretty difficult process to get exclusives produced. Where does AA stand when it comes to offering exclusives and where do you WANT to stand?

Simon Plumbe: We have been trying to arrange for an exclusive toy for a LONG time but it's difficult. Not being an official convention takes away a lot of power from us to be able to do something like that, and even if we were, the cost would be astronomical and we would need a business partner to take on the cost risk. We have been approached several times now by companies who manufacture the
unlicensed accessories such as Powered Commander, but that's not a route I want to go down - either we get something official, or not at all. That's why I was so excited last year when we had the convention exclusive cover variant of All Hail Megatron #13 and I'd like to do something similar again this year.

Delicon: Well, while it may not be a special edition figure, Auto Assembly does still give out something called "goodie bags." Can you explain the kinds of items that are included in those?

Simon Plumbe: The goodie bags are something we have been doing since 2003 and it's just something we wanted to do as a "thank you" to all our attendees for coming along to the convention. We know that for some people, the cost of attending the convention can be quite high so even if someone doesn't have enough money to buy a lot, we wanted EVERYONE to be able to go home with something so the goodie bag was born. We don't know exactly what will be in this years yet apart from 2-3 postcards, a keyring, comics, stickers, pin badges, but what you get will vary depending on when you register - the earlier you book, the more you get! We're also going to have some more exclusive postcards in our goodie bag - we're looking at either two or three new postcards and a keyring in the bag for everyone, and we may have more keyring designs on sale. As always, I am constantly going to be talking to companies to get more items donated right up until the last possible minute to give everyone the best bag of gifts we can!

Delicon: What can you tell us about the workshops that will be held this year?

Simon Plumbe: Last year we ran a number of workshops over the course of the weekend and we know they were all a hit with the attendees and we are hoping to run all of these again. We have already confirmed that we will be runing a comic colouring workshop with IDW colourists Liam Shalloo and Kris Carter, we are hoping to have another children's art workshop as part of our dedicated children's programme of activities and if we can persuade him again(!), we would hope that Nick Roche will do another art workshop. As well as that, we are hoping to run another kitbash workshop over the weekend so there will be plenty of hands-on activities for people to get involved in. If anyone else wants to run workshops, activities or events of their own over the weekend, we do have our Alternative Programme Room that is bookable by attendees so it's completely open-ended. Right up until the convention itself, we have no idea what extra programme items could be taking place!!

Delicon: In the past, UK transformers fansite Transformers @ The Moon has been on hand to show off some ultra rare figures, notably their massive Lucky Draw display last year. Will TFTM be participating in a similar fashion this year?

Simon Plumbe: Well, Steve and Dave Mapes from Transformers @ The Moon are now official sponsors of the convention - they're bringing Derrick Wyatt over - but they are also members of my new committee and they are in charge of the toy display! They do have an idea for something special this year. It won't be lucky draws this time as they wouldn't be able to top last year when they showcased their entire collection, but they have got some pretty good ideas lined up, some of which are still in the works.



Delicon: We're just about out of time today. Simon, is there anything you'd like to say in closing, either to returning AA attendees or those who are reading this and possibly still on the fence?

Simon Plumbe: I just want to thank everyone who has registered so far for AutoAssmbly 2010 and to thank everyone for their support last year in helping make Auto Assembly 2009 the biggest Transformers convention in Europe and smashing the 500 barrier that we've wanted to break for so long, especially after the problems I had in the run-up to the convention making sure it actually still went ahead. If you are planning on coming this year, all I will say is hurry and book up while we do still have places available as you won't regret it, especially as we make more announcements over the coming weeks and if you're not sure about coming just check out the videos on Youtube -
ours and ones other people have recorded - and see what you missed last time and maybe that will change your mind!

Delicon: Can you give everyone one last quick reminder of the time and place of Auto Assembly 2010?

Simon Plumbe: Yeah, it's 13th - 15th August 2010 at the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England. Auto Assembly will start at around 6:00 pm on Friday for weekend attendees only and at around 9:30 am on Saturday / Sunday for single day attendees.

Delicon: Thanks so much, Simon! For more information on Auto Assemby 2010 and further updates as they become available, please visit http://www.autoassembly.org.uk. You can also find AA2010 on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/auto_assembly) and Youtube
(https://www.youtube.com/autoassembly) Of course, Seibertron.com will continue to have extensive AA2010 updates, also. Simon is also a registered member of our Energon Pub forums so he is accessible there
as well.

Episode Guide and Voice Cast info for Japanese Transformers: Animated cartoon

Date: Saturday, March 20th 2010 6:59pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, People News
Posted by: Delicon | Credit(s): DrillBit of TFW2005

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For those interested in the upcoming Japanese cartoon version of Animated, TFW2005 member DrillBit has scanned and translated the latest edition of Figure-Oh magazine. You can see his original post by clicking here but we've provided you with some highlights.

The first four episodes have been announced. The first three are the original three part miniseries known in the United States as "Transform and Roll Out" but these episodes are now known as "New Chapter! Transformers," "Hero, The name is Autobot" and "Secret of the Allspark," respectively. The fourth episode to be shown will be "Operation Soundwave," which was titled "Sound and Fury" in the US and actually was the tenth episode shown here. The placement of this episode fourth would seem to raise some continuity issues, especially involving Megatron's status at that point so it will be interesting to see if any editing is done to ease that.

Here is the official voice cast roster for the Japanese version of the cartoon. You might recall that Ironhide is simply Bulkhead's Japanese name. Longtime TF cartoon fans will recognize a few of these names because of their roles in past series such as the Japanese dubs of Beast Wars, Armada and Energon.

Optimus Prime: Takahashi Hiroki
Bumblebee: Kishio Daisuke
Ratchet: Okawa Toru
Ironhide: Miyake Kenta
Prowl: Yusa Kouji
Ultramagnus: Ginga Banjo
Sentinel: Suwabe Junichi
Teletraan I: Takagaki Ayahi

Megatron: Wakamoto Norio
Starscream: Yamanoi Jin
Blitzwing: Cho (Nagashima Shigeru)
Lugnut: Itou Kentaro
Blackarachnia: Uzuki Ryoka

Sari: Akesaka Satomi
Professor Sumdac: Nagasako Takashi
Captain Fanzone: Tobita Nobuo

Stay tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest coverage of Japan's TF: Animated cartoon and toyline and of course everything else Transformers related!

Gregg Berger - The King of Conventions?

Date: Thursday, August 6th 2009 9:49pm CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Event News, Site Articles, People News, Interviews
Posted by: Delicon | Credit(s): Auto Assembly 2009, Newsarama.com

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There are many famous voice actors in the Transformers universe. Obviously, Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime and Ironhide), Frank Welker (Megatron, Soundwave, Galvatron and the cassettes), and Chris Latta (Starscream, Sparkplug and Wheeljack) are nothing less than iconic but for many fans Gregg Berger is just as legendary. Gregg has a very extensive resume but he's best known to Transformers fans as the voice of Skyfire, Outback, Long Haul and of course GRIMLOCK from the G1 Sunbow cartoon.

Gregg has been a very busy man in 2009, headlining at not one but THREE major conventions this year. The first was at Botcon 2009 in Pasadena, CA this May. I had the honor of being granted an interview with Mr. Berger at that time and he was a true class act. The topics included the most unusual items he has ever autographed, a breakdown of some of his current projects and of course some reminiscing about the old Sunbow cartoon among other things. You may read that interview here.

Roughly 2 weeks ago, Gregg was also one of the featured guests at the world famous San Diego Comic Con. While at SDCC, Gregg again took some extra time out for an interview, this time with newsarama.com. Gregg kindly voices his opinions on the Shout Factory! G1 boxset and the live action Transformers movies, and of course a lot more. You may view the entire interview here.

Headlining at those 2 conventions would be impressive enough but Mr. Berger's appearance schedule still has one major stop ahead. This time, he will be heading to the United Kingdom for Europe's largest Transformers Convention, Auto Assembly 2009. The staff here at Seibertron.com would like to applaud Gregg for everything he has done and continues to do for the many Transformers fans all over the world. Those of us who have been lucky enough to meet him feel very honored for that opportunity. The fans attending AA2009 are in for a treat, to say the least!

For more information on Gregg Berger, you may visit his official website and his myspace page. For serious booking inquiries, you may contact his representative Emily Danyel of Tri-Booking Management at emily@tribooking.com and at 1 (310) 497-7994.

Seibertron.com - If you like Transformers, you'll love us!

A Message from Transformers ROTF Director Michael Bay

Date: Friday, June 26th 2009 8:02pm CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, People News
Posted by: First Gen | Credit(s): Michael Bay

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No sense in me adding to it, so here it is from the man himself:

The 400 critics around the globe spoke. Then fans around the world spoke.

Transformers made $60.6 million dollars in the United States for a total of around $100 million from the world on opening day! One of the biggest single days in movie history.

[They] never seem to understand that I make movies for people to take a ride and escape.

To all the Transformer Fans - Thank You

Michael

And from Seibertron.com, THANK YOU, Mr. Bay.

"The Touch - Sam's Theme" is up on iTunes!

Date: Wednesday, June 24th 2009 11:02am CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, Press Releases, People News, Digital Media News
Posted by: Seibertron | Credit(s): Stan Bush

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Views: 33,311

"The Touch - Sam's Theme" is up on iTunes!

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt ... 9&s=143441

The music video of this song has gotten over 150,000 plays! A lot of
people have been asking if the song is available on iTunes. Since
Transformers 2 ROTF is just released, the timing is perfect!

Praised as a world-class rock singer, Stan Bush is best known for his
song "The Touch" featured in the Transformers Movie. An anthem for
Transformers fans around the world, "The Touch" has just been released
as a download for Guitar Hero WT on May 29, 2009! Stan was the
featured performer at the Transformers convention (BOTCON 09) at
Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. Also Hasbro has just released two
new Transformers 2 ROTF toys featuring "The Touch".

"The Touch" is available on Stan's latest album, "In This Life," named
'Album of the Year' for 2007 (Rockunited.com).