THE PRODUCTION TEAM

Creating a web series about Science Fiction doesn't happen by itself. So in 2019 a devoted team of people with a vested interest in both Science Fiction media and video production produced a show which all fans of Sci-Fi movies and TV shows could enjoy.

With the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 shutting down the studio based version of the show whilst keeping everyone in isolation, the Sci-Fi Zone team began producing a number of new online shows - mostly broadcast live - which appeared on Facebook, YouTube and Twitch.

Meet the Presenters

Peter 'MPS' Sims
- Sci-Fi Zone: Season 1
- Talk Nerdy To Me
- Mos Eisley Monthly
- Video Emporium

MPS, as he prefers to be known, has a long and successful history working within the creative arts. Chief among his achievements include a significant number of movie projects including fan films, short films and professional productions where he has worked both in front of the camera and behind.

Being a member of the Sci-Fi fan community since the early 2000s, MPS was once the president of his local Star Trek fan club as well as deputy director of his local Star Wars fan club - which included producing the monthly podcast Star Talking.

In the past few years he has served a pivotal committee role on three successful science fiction conventions. all whilst indulging in his other creative passion which is the ability to build highly detailed and imaginative models in Lego.

Geoff Tilley
- Talk Nerdy To Me

Geoff, or Geoffro as he is more commonly known, joined the Sci-Fi community back in 1978 after signing up to a number of Space: 1999 fan clubs.

In the mid 1980s he became socially active by joining various committees for fan clubs and upcoming conventions where his enthusiasm and organisational skill set was in high demand.

After a decade of ongoing participation within numerous committees, Geoffro eventually retired from active fandom and turned his attention to the online community. From here his wealth of Sci-Fi knowledge became invaluable during 2020 when Talk Nerdy To Me was in production.

Clare McDonald
- Sci-Fi Zone: Season 1, 3

Clare became a part of the Sci-Fi fan community in the late 1990s when she joined her local Star Trek fan club.

From there her involvement as an active participant of fandom saw her not only becoming the President of this club, but also an important committee member for a number of other local Sci-Fi clubs including three recent science fiction conventions.

Among these successes, perhaps Clare's biggest achievement was not only being on the committee for the World Science Fiction Convention in 2010 - in the crucial role of membership secretary - but she was also the winner of the prestigious DUFF (Down Under Fan Fund) in 2016 which saw her travel to the USA to meet American Science Fiction fans.

Aron Challinger
- Rip It Off The Card
- D'N'A Reviews

Aron has been a Doctor Who and Star Wars fan all his life. All his earliest memories are related to the show and the movies!

He became involved with his local fan community in the mid-80's and first started selling toys at fan club meetings when he was just 14! He initially sold toys and collectables to help fund buying his own collection, when he was offered the job of managing a record store which he did for nearly 10 years.

After leaving the record store he was an online trader for a number of years, before being asked to manage Lobos Collectables. He did that for 10 years, taking it from a small local collectable shop to one of the biggest collectable stores on the planet!

He left Lobos in 2019 to work on personal endeavours, which included opening his own collectables store in December 2020 and launching a Horror Podcast, along with a couple of other secret projects.

H Gibbens
- Sci-Fi Zone: Season 1, (Episodes 8-13)

H joined his local Sci-Fi fan community in the early 1990s and quickly gained a reputation as a virtual walking encyclopedia of Science Fiction film and TV knowledge.

Although his main specialty is British produced Sci-Fi, H's other area of expertise is in 'hardware', particularly space ships which stems from his keen interest in digital modelling.

Having been at the forefront of computer generated modelling from as far back as 1991, H has a highly regarded reputation in the field having worked on many hi quality award winning fan films spanning the world.

For Sci-Fi Zone H's talents have become an invaluable asset both in front and behind the camera as it was he who designed and created the show's opening title sequence.

Sarah Cooper
- Fan View

Sarah has been an active member of the pop culture scene since she moved to Melbourne in 2010 to study games design.

From there, she became a mainstay in the local Harry Potter fan scene, quickly becoming a Prefect of the local fan club, The Melbourne Muggles.

She also has a history of acting in fan projects, getting way too into the lore of games, and has a special interest in the ethics and broader cultural context of media.

In her free time she is an avid cosplayer, gamer, collector and all around nerd.

Rod Fletcher
- Toys on Trial

Rod has been a member of Melbourne’s Sci-Fi, pop culture and collectables scene since the 1990's where he often frequented various Star Wars social events and toy fairs across Malvern, Prahran and Camberwell.

It wasn’t until the 2000’s when Rod began to embrace his passions on a social level, particularly in the local cosplay scene which not only culminated in him taking first place in numerous cosplay competitions, but also saw him appear at charity fundraisers, film premieres and event parades.

From 2015 Rod decided to focus more on his vintage toy passion where he made a name for himself across Australia’s toy community as a consultant, seller, broker and valuation expert on several vintage toylines – notably Mattel’s ‘Masters of the Universe’.

As a key member of the team at Aron’s Collectables, Rod is always happy to talk old toys and collectables.

Michael Briarwood
- Toys on Trial

Bio coming soon

Dags

As Dags likes to say, '"I'm just a dude."

Meet the Crew (Sci-Fi Zone Production Team 2019)

David Barker

Director of Photography

David joined the Sci-Fi community in the late 1980s due to his interest in Star Trek. Within a short period of time he was editing high quality newsletters for not one but two Star Trek fan clubs.

However, his passion was always in visual media so in the 2000s he turned his attention to film making where his talents as a Director of Photography came into play.

As a result David has amassed a sizable body of work which, along with his easy going nature, has made him an invaluable asset when it comes to filming episodes of Sci-Fi Zone.

Ange Kene

Media Coordinator

Ange joined his local Star Trek fan club in 1993 and though it took him a few years to become actively involved on a social level, once he did his involvement in other fandom groups began to increase.

Aside from becoming Vice President, then later President, of the Star Trek club mentioned above, Ange quickly lent his talents in working at numerous pop culture expos and conventions where his easy going nature made him many friends very quickly.

In recent years Ange has ventured into the business of making high quality pop culture badges (buttons), fridge magnets and vinyl stickers, which fans have come to love.

He has also become involved in a number of newly created board gaming social groups and has lent his time and talents to help get these going.

Adam Gill

Sound

Adam (or Ads) has been a part of the Sci-Fi community since the mid 1990s and in that time has gained a well deserved reputation as the P&S guy, ie the builder of ''Props and Stuff'.

With his vast array of skills in using both hand tools and electronics, Adam has been involved in many short film productions which required the creation of unique and varied props and sets.

Among his proudest achievements include a realistic World War II sten gun, a rocket launcher, a military checkpoint (complete with boom gate), a number of futuristic control panels, a retractable wrist mounted computer and even a 1-1 scale Jedi star fighter, among many others,

In recent years Adam has focused much of his attention on landscape photography.

Lynne Brack

Production Assistant

Lynne has been a part of the Sci-Fi community since 2007 which saw her become a committee member of her local Star Trek fan club.

One of Lynne's talents is being a virtual knowledge base regarding actors and their careers. With this talent Lynne is able to identify stars of the past and can tell you what other films they've been in.

Aside from being a Star Trek fan, Lynne also loves Dr Who, Stargate SG1 and ... teddy bears.

Rich Johnson

Music Composer

Rich, or Richie, is a native of New York who spent 3 years pursuing his music composition degrees at Melbourne University in the early 2000's. Whilst there he got to know a lot of wonderful people in the Australian Sci-Fi community and is glad to be friends with them nearly 20 years later.

Besides composing music, Rich teaches theatre arts and film making to students ages 11-18 and is the resident expert at his school for all things Sci-Fi, where conversations and debates with students, faculty, and parents happen daily.

Rich is ecstatic to be a part of Sci-Fi Zone which has grown out of the thriving and welcoming Sci-Fi community he is proud to be a part of.

Geoff Tilley

Facebook Administrator