I should point this is my site. Which keeps making Joss go "Huh" I suspect - this update will anyway (there's more than meets the eye).

[ edited by gossi on 2005-12-01 01:03 ]

gossi | December 01, 03:03 CET

Really nice work, Gossi. This is the kind of artwork I wish were more common in movie promotion. Really gets me intrigued. But what's the deal with the not-subliminal f-words??

[ edited by bobster on 2005-12-01 01:04 ]

bobster | December 01, 03:03 CET

bobster - I didn't do those.. I meant to remove them, I'm amazed how many people are finding that site to be honest (it already has an internet buzz).

The lead character is called Mia, for info. Mia meaning 'mine' in terms of names, I think - that's one interpretation.

I remember Joss talking about this website to me, and he had this glint in his eye as if to say "Wow. I can't believe there's already a website up for this - he doesn't know anything". Or possibly "Kevin is clearly insane". Or both.

I want to get the promotion of the ground for this one very early. I did a lot of work on Serenity behind the scenes so I've got the grips on how-much-to-expose now (that took practice).

[ edited by gossi on 2005-12-01 01:11 ]

gossi | December 01, 03:10 CET

"A girl called Mia. Do you see her?"

Wow, that's cryptic. I wonder what it means. I want more info!

electricspacegirl | December 01, 03:11 CET

Mia came from a letter Joss wrote to a fan.

Simon | December 01, 03:13 CET

esg - look under the forums, under general discussion, under introductions. I'm not hotlinking the post as it's personal to somebody, but Joss told them a very small amount about the film. So, yes, the website reflects the very small amount I know (about the film, life, love and EVERYTHING baby).

gossi | December 01, 03:13 CET

Nice site, gossi. Also wish to take this time to thank you for all you've bought to us. You are a whedoner.

Madhatter | December 01, 03:44 CET

Thanks, gossi, I found the post. It sounds like this character will be yet another Joss-penned character that emotionally resonates with me. I'm so excited! I can't wait for Goners!

electricspacegirl | December 01, 03:47 CET

No - please don't thank me. Thank Joss, and the creative people, and the cast and such. Really. They deserve the kudos.

Here's a question. Apparently it's a story set in the present day, that has fantasy (genre?) elements. About a girl, who is shy, aloneness as a kind of theme. In an aspect of the world we don't see. Thriller/horror elements. Heroics (obviously). What does it all mean - anybody got any ideas?

I went looking for books with Mia's in. I came up with a few themes - slavery and abortion for starters - but I doubt these would be correct somehow.

So, heroical journeys with young female shy people.. Debate! So Joss can sit and laugh! Or back away slowly.

[ edited by gossi on 2005-12-01 01:51 ]

gossi | December 01, 03:48 CET

Mia..hmmm. Cool name. Good work on the site, Gossi!

eddy | December 01, 03:54 CET

Well, Mia could mean MIA, as in "missing in action".

Dizzy | December 01, 04:04 CET

Pastor of Muppets: holy amazing nickname

redfern | December 01, 04:05 CET

redfern - I was thinking the same thing.

gossi | December 01, 04:22 CET

Mia was Nate's daughter in Six Feet Under.

Perhaps she grows up to be a badass?

biki | December 01, 04:39 CET

Whats the deal with the catalanic words?

Nice site btw !

Kessie | December 01, 04:44 CET

An idea? I would call it vision. BtVS would mean many things to us. I will not place a handle upon it. I will say this. Joss has an enlighten understanding for human emotions.

Madhatter | December 01, 04:59 CET

Clearly it's a movie about me.

Okay, not really.

Here's what I'm seeing though, because it is a common theme in lots of fantasy work (Harry Potter leaps to mind immediately). You'll also find it in "The Zeppo." And in any fiction I've written (which you won't find much of anywhere, actually, because it's all in notebooks hidden away). And also in "Invisible Girl/Out of Mind, Out of Sight."

My guess:

Mia is another invisible girl, much like Marcie in "OoM, OoS." People just don't notice her. She is shy and alone. And then it turns out that she is actually incredibly important. Special. What happens next? I don't know. Possibility A: She discovers she's not so alone as she thought. (This certainly has precedent in Joss's work.) Possibility B: She comes to terms with being alone. Possibility C: I am full of crap. (Okay that is a certainty, but uh... yeah.)

Still, I like to pretend that this movie (and actually all of Joss's work) is about me.

As for the name Mia, I think the Missing In Action connection is well-considered. I did a Joss interview for jossisahottie.com that involved a webcam and I was holding up signs for my friends in it, and one said "I ♥ Mia" and Joss's immediate response was "your heart is Missing In Action?"

ETA: Interesting to note - Mia is also (according to babynames.com) a shortened form of Miranda.

[ edited by Kiba on 2005-12-01 04:55 ]

Kiba | December 01, 06:54 CET

Kiba, you are brilliant. I love the connections you are making.

TamaraC | December 01, 07:24 CET

Thank you, Tamara.

Sometimes I wonder if Joss sits around reading speculation and does a Mr. Burns impression.

Kiba | December 01, 07:38 CET

I can just hear and see Joss saying "Eeeeeeeeeeexcellent" while twiddling his fingers and wearing a Gentlemen costume from Hush.

SpikeBad | December 01, 07:43 CET

Okay, that's just wrong.

Willowy | December 01, 08:43 CET

My Spider Whedon sense tells me that Mia is an anagram of I Am. Ummm that's all I got.

Simon | December 01, 11:17 CET

Looking at tagline, "Will you notice her?", plus the graphic on the site's front page (Mia's image/outline drifting off at the edges), I was thinking there might be a Marcie Ross "Invisible Girl/Out of Mind, Out of Sight" feel to whatever condition the character has as well. Cool to see others picked up on that. Would love to see that condition followed up on (even though it was an effect of living on the Hellmouth and I doubt Goners will be set in the Buffyverse. I think Joss implied as much when he pointed to this as a project not related to either of his 'verses. His first wholly original, non-series-continuing big screen film).

Considering Wonder Woman will probably take priority, this is killing me that we'll probably have to wait another two to three years before seeing this, yet the appetite's been whet big-time. I mean I know he's said he's writing the script for WW currently, but he'll probably also decide to get the project in motion and direct it first as well--at the very least out of fairness to Warner Brothers, but also to build up his credit with moviegoers and cinephiles to help Goners at the box office and with garnering attention from the media.

[ edited by Kris on 2005-12-01 10:22 ]

Kris | December 01, 12:21 CET

ETA: Interesting to note - Mia is also (according to babynames.com) a shortened form of Miranda.

Oh my.

Kris - again, to point out GonersMovie.com is my site and for a large part I'm currently guessing about styling. At the moment, I'm just concerned about it having a web presence of some sort (sticking Goners into MSN search takes you to that site now, Goners Movie into google takes you to that site etc).

I do know the script for Goners has already been finished, and was written pretty much straight after Serenity.

From the little we know about this role, I'm hoping Ms Glau gets a call.

[ edited by gossi on 2005-12-01 12:12 ]

gossi | December 01, 14:08 CET

Going by the above description, I bet the role would be right up her alley.

electricspacegirl | December 01, 14:21 CET

ETA: Interesting to note - Mia is also (according to babynames.com) a shortened form of Miranda.

Aha! It’s a movie about me. I hope Joss remembers to come round my house and discuss royalties.

Also thanks, Kiba. I feel special now :)

Mia btw is aim spelled backwards. I confidently predict the girl will be handy with a weapon or two.

miranda | December 01, 16:01 CET

Or use AOL Instant Messenger.

gossi | December 01, 16:09 CET

But Mia is also an anagram of “I am”, so maybe she is the message. Or the messenger. Or just simply quite good at playing Scrabble.

Wouldn’t it be cool if this movie turned into a version of Jumanji? But instead of a board game, Mia gets missing in action in a magical world of word games. There’ll be smackdowns with vowels. Attacks of the witty putdowns. Rhyming for survival. Palindrome snakes and ladders.

Pfft – scriptwriting, not as hard as it looks. Or possibly I have just lost the plot

Nice effort btw gossi.

miranda | December 01, 17:32 CET

Isn't this The Phantom Tollbooth? Now I find myself curious about whether Joss has read/likes that book.

I see no reason why Mia can't have multiple meanings, anagram of I Am, acronym for Missing In Action, secret code for Kiba, shortened version of Miranda... I think it's all in there.

and miranda, you ARE special. You are a subliminal message to us all that we need to buy fruity oaty bars. Mmmmm, fruity oaty bars.

Kiba | December 01, 19:02 CET

Damn. Mia is the name of my old boss that I hate muchly...*sigh*
Hopefully the name is where the similarities end. I'm assuming Joss' Mia isn't a evil snake-woman from hell. And if she is...maybe I'll watch to see if she gets her comeuppance.

ION, I could go for an fruity oaty bar. So long as an octopus doesn't pop out of my blouse...

Rogue Slayer | December 01, 19:20 CET

Shouldn't a fan site state more clearly that it is a fan made site? And maybe I'm overly cautious, but I make and have made sites for artists both as a fan and as part of the artist's team, and I would hold (and have held) back on designing/styling until there was an official look/feel to base it on, even when the artist told me he trusts my judgement.

Caroline | December 01, 20:10 CET

Shouldn't a fan site state more clearly that it is a fan made site?

To be honest, I don't see how it's relevant at this stage in the game (it's so early, not in production yada).

And maybe I'm overly cautious, but I make and have made sites for artists both as a fan and as part of the artist's team, and I would hold (and have held) back on designing/styling until there was an official look/feel to base it on, even when the artist told me he trusts my judgement.

Well, this is obviously more of an issue, and it's something I'm concious of. Joss and/or Universal can get ahold of me if they need.. If I was asked to remove or restyle it, pretty obviously I would.

Really, it's just a place holder (and a free one at that) for the movie for another year or so.

gossi | December 01, 20:31 CET

Missing In Action? Also it's gonna be dark he says. Hmmmm...Interesting. *strokes mock beard*

nixygirl | December 01, 20:47 CET

I still like the angle of Mia meaning 'mine'. How can you be owned by somebody and be alone?

I have to say, I can see where that 'Fans petition for Joss Whedon's shopping list' article came from now.

gossi | December 01, 20:51 CET

You could be a slave? Or married to a tyrant? Or be connected to some international espionage or mafia thingy? Or...I dunno. I'm imagining, that whole 1984 aspect of being owned by a totalitarian state and yet being completely isolated in your emotions and mind. I think it's that militant looking art you have on there Gossi, that has me thinking like that. Joss has gone Orwell on us ;)

Or you could be invisi-girl?

nixygirl | December 01, 21:44 CET

When I heard "Mia" I thought of two things. Mia Farrow, and Uma Thurman's character's name in "Pulp Fiction." Mrs. Mia Wallace.

Now, considering that Joss lifted a shot (in comics they'd call it a "swipe") featuring Uma from "Kill Bill" in the opening sequence of "Serenity" (River on the ceiling), I guess in some bizarre way this bodes well for a Summer Glau casting and for an eventually very bizarred Joss-Quentin Tarentino collaboration at some point. Okay, probably not that. Too many geeks spoil the soup.

bobster | December 01, 21:45 CET

gossi, the site design/artwork looks great to me. Maybe Mia Farrow and Mia Wallace get lost in MIA (Miami Int'l Airport)?

bobster, I'm almost sure that girl-on-ceiling shot, featuring Jennifer Garner, was used in Alias before Kill Bill came out.

jaynelovesvera | December 02, 02:53 CET