Nerd Nite is fun-yet-informative lectures at a bar. It’s like TED Talks…but with beer.
We all know that learning is more fun when you’re drinking with friends and colleagues. Thus, Nerd Nite is a monthly event held in more than 100 cities across the globe during which several folks give 20-minute fun-yet-informative and easily accessible presentations across all disciplines – while the audience drinks along.
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY DJ LdotAdot
PRESENTATION LINE-UP:
PRESENTATION #1: How Liberty Dies: A Guide to the In-Universe Politics of Star Wars
By Matt Scully
Summary: The Star Wars franchise is famous for its mythic storylines, epic battles, and heroic victories, and yet, beneath all of it is a mostly unexplained labyrinthine tangle of politics and bureaucracy. How did the Sith use the flaws of the Old Republic to achieve victory over the Jedi? Why is the Star Wars galaxy so prone to conflict? Using Legends and Canon expanded universe materials, lifelong fan Matt Scully shall cut through the red tape and unravel the greatest evil of all: politics!
Bio: Matt Scully is a creative coordinator at Marvel Studios Animation and lives in Burbank, California. He studied Sequential and Comic Art at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art. Entranced by the magic of Star Wars at a young age, Matt has consumed Star Wars media for over 25 years. A nonprofessional expert, Matt strikes a healthy and balanced love for the franchise.
PRESENTATION #2: The 1908 New York to Paris Road Race: No Gas, All Brakes
By Nick Schrader
Summary: In 1908, six teams of madmen took their seats and attempted to race from New York City to Paris in cars that barely functioned on a good day without roads or maps. What followed was months of breakdowns, betrayals, and decisions so catastrophically short sighted they must be seen to be believed. Nick Schrader, amateur historian and professional chaos enthusiast, tears through one of the most spectacular stories in motorsport history and proves that the line between triumph and disaster is thinner than you might think.
Bio: Nick Schrader is a VFX Artist and passionate storyteller that has spent an unreasonable amount of time researching events that history would rather forget. He specializes in the moments where human ambition dramatically outpaced human competence, and has made it his personal mission to make sure no catastrophic blunder goes unappreciated.
PRESENTATION #3: “ACTION!”: Fight Scenes Through the Lens of a Stunt Camera Operator
By Caitlin Brown
Summary: Ever watched an action movie and thought, “How did they do that?” Join stunt camera operator and DP Caitlin Brown for a behind-the-scenes tour of action filmmaking complete with never-before-seen footage, live demos, and the secrets behind your favorite action scenes.
Bio: Caitlin Brown specializes in action cinematography, underwater camera work, and controlled chaos. When she’s not framing up an explosion or training with a stunt team, you can find her playing her harp, tearing up the paintball field, making cake pops, or cage fighting at themed festivals – a perfectly balanced lifestyle!