A Limited Edition Interview With Toy Break
George Gaspar, Ayleen Gaspar and Matt Aylward - the trio behind October Toys, are also behind the successful TOYBREAK podcasts and after watching and listening to them for 8 episodes, i decided to bug them for my first-ever three-way-(or is that "four-way"?)-interview!... and if i'd make a fool of myself in the process, tis for the entertainment of my readers (*shifts uncomfortably in chair*) *LOL*
*onward after the JUMP*
TOYSREVIL: how did TOYBREAK come about and whose bright idea was it?
AYLEEN: I guess it was my idea. I was really getting into watching various podcasts last year and there simply weren't any dealing with toys, specifically vinyl. So I thought "Hey, we know about that." Matt took to the idea pretty quickly, but it took a few episodes for George to really get into it.
MATT: I have a lot to complain about and I needed a forum for my nay-saying.
TRE: "nay-saying" is good - becoz it can't be all sunshine and rainbows innit? LOL - i've always wanted to ask this: is there anyone behind the camera, when you guys are recording the show? or is there a person there with a stack of cue-cards? :p
Nixon Scratches is our main camera man and cue cards are for wussies who don't have an original thought in their head. (im just gonna assume tis Matt who answered this :p)
TRE: what are you guys actually facing instead?
MATT: Certain death.
GEORGE: And a camera.
TRE: how long (on average) does each episode take to complete? from research to script, to recording to editing and upload online? and how different was it from Episode One til the current?
GEORGE: First off, you think there is way more going on in this podcast then there really is.
MATT: It takes less time to do the research, filming, and editing than it does to watch one.
AYLEEN: Well I start collecting info right after each show for the next episode. George and Matt send me ideas and info on toys they want to talk about as they come across them so it can be compiled in one place. As for script, we just have a few scattered notes. Editing, rendering, and uploading take at least a couple days.
TRE: i enjoyed it when the camera was brought out of the "studio" ... will there be more of that in the future?
GEORGE: Absolutely!
MATT: Yup.
AYLEEN: Totally!
TRE: DV or digi-beta?
AYLEEN: We are currently using DV tapes, but we are investigating other options to upgrade to (hopefully in the sooner than later future).
TRE: clip-on or cam-mics?
AYLEEN: We actually started out with crappy clip-on mics that didn't work very well. Then we upgraded to a professional mic which has helped out a lot (except with the bathroom echo). We may look into more expensive clip-on mic type situations in the future, but we don't exactly have an equipment budget, so there ya go.
TRE: *sponsors take note* ;p... was Matt's rant a planned segment from the start?
GEORGE: No, it was not a planned thing from episode one, but Matt has been ranting since the day he could talk, so it was a perfect fit.
TRE: how has the Toy Break Experience been so far?
GEORGE: Excruciatingly hot and not in a Paris Hilton way, but in an actual heat way.
MATT: I hear the Toy Break Experience is playing with Tony Danza at the Chuck Mangione theater this April and I'm gonna be there!
AYLEEN: A mix between super fun and migraine inducing.
TRE: a panadol for your thoughts ... any plans to do an episode using sock puppets (or even toys) instead of "seeing" you guys? (:p)
MATT: No, although that does sound like a really stupid idea!
TRE: well, it seemed "clever" at the time (bleh) ... any plans to collect all the episodes into a collectible DVD-box set with free "exclusive collectible" toy?
MATT: They have these things called iPod's that you can put as many of these on as you want for free and you can go buy your own goddamn toy.
GEORGE: That's a cool idea to put it out on DVD with a toy, but we all do this for free and we're not bringing in any money with it right now, so that's a little bit out of reach. But if you find us at Comic-Con I'll give ya a free button.
AYLEEN: I don't know about a boxed set, but we're working on something like that for Comic-Con. Probably not DVD's for standard DVD players, but something. What would the toy be anyway? A limited edition collectible bobble head Matt?
TRE: a bobble-head Matt that rants at you non-stop when you press a button? (heh) i'll take you up on the free button, George, if ever i attend a con that is (yes, i is that sad) ... anyways, where (or what) exactly is the room you guys record in?
MATT: It's on top of a large disc on the back of four elephants perched on the shell of an enormous tortoise flying through space.
TRE: horkaaaay, but does it breathe fire? nix that ... would you ever be expecting any "guest review"-videos from folks all over the world?
GEORGE: Yeah! That would be great!
MATT: As long as they're naked. the toys I mean.
TRE: nekkid-toy collectors ... hhhmmm ... will there ever be a season cliff-hanger to Toy Break, or would it go on indefinitely?
GEORGE: As long as there's time and we're still interested in toys I guess we'll keep doing it.
AYLEEN: I'll go with indefinitely. As long as we keep looking forward to doing each episode, at least.
MATT: We don't really film in season, nor are we trapped on an island, however, if you have watched our podcast you will know there is no such thing as indefinitely, everything is limited edition.
TOYSREVIL: yes, but would it be "signed and numbered"? muahahahaha - my thanks for all the trouble guys! ... the "weird thing" is, i could literally "hear" their voices as i edited+read the interview, hhhmmm...
- for more of George, Ayleen and Matt, and of coz toys, Toys, TOYS = go subscribe to TOYBREAK here :)
