Team Unicorn: The Nerd Appropriate Interview
The topic of gender in gaming has been a hot one this month at Nerd Appropriate, so we figured we’d end March with a bang. A wise old wizard once told me that it is quite rare to see a unicorn in the wild. We here at NerdAppropriate.com are incredibly pleased to bring you not a single unicorn, but an entire “team” of unicorns sent to dazzle and amaze. In case you were not aware Team Unicorn is a group of lady nerds based out of Los Angeles, California. In recent years their YouTube videos (Geek and Gamer Girls, A Very Zombie Holiday, and Super Harmony) have gotten over 1 million hits on YouTube alone. Much like Nerd Appropriate, Team Unicorn exists due to their love and passion for all things nerdy. For this we tip our hats. Sit back, grab a beverage, and hear what these ladies have to say!
Team Unicorn Is (left to right): Milynn Sarley, Michele Boyd, Rileah Vanderbilt, and Clare Grant.
NA-Ash: I should start off by saying that all of us at NerdAppropriate.com are huge fans of Team Unicorn. Did you ever think this project was going to have such broad appeal?
Team Unicorn: Thank you guys!!! We knew we were making something special to us, and we hoped that other people would feel the same way, but we had no idea Team Unicorn would become so beloved so fast.
NA-Ash: At Comic Con 2010 you all dressed up as the sailor scouts and caused a series of mini-riots wherever you went. What sort of mayhem do you ladies have planned for Comic Con 2011?
Team Unicorn: We could tell you but then we’d have to kill you;) . Actually we have a lot of awesome stuff planned for Comic-con this year! Such as the release of our super top-secret project, merchandise, and signings! Hopefully we’ll be on some panels as well. Will we be cosplaying this year?? That all just depends on if the four of us have time. We do have a kick ass group costume in mind already though! You’ll just have to wait and see.
NA-Ash: Rileah, you are oddly the inspiration for the character of Riley in Felicia Day’s series The Guild (who was played by Michele). Is there any chance we’ll ever see a crossover between both projects? (Marvel Team Up style)
Rileah: Do you mean a Team Unicorn/THE GUILD project?? We’ve been pretty vocal about how shiny we think Felicia Day and THE GUILD is! We would love to collaborate with her if the project is right and it makes sense. We are big fans of collaborating with other creative like-minded people and she’s at the top of that list:)
NA-Ash: Awesome! We’d love to see that. Now Milynn, you kicked ass co-hosting G4’s Attack of The Show. Is hosting a similar show something you can see yourself doing in the future? What about a Team Unicorn show?
Milynn: I had a great time on AOTS, and I’m currently doing some things with Machinima. My main focus has always been on acting though. However, I am always open to new opportunities should they come up. A Team Unicorn show would definitely have to be the right kind of project, but could be a TON of fun!
NA-Ash: Michele, having met you at a few conventions while you were promoting The Guild, I know you’ve seen some crazy convention action. What are some of your most memorable convention experiences?
Michele: Amazingly, I missed the stabby pen-action at Hall H last year, so I don’t think that counts. I think doing the signings for The Guild at the Browncoats booth was fantastic, because I got to see a crossover of fans that loved both things I’m so passionate about. Really fun!!
Michele Boyd
NA-Ash: Clare, your husband stated in an interview recently that you both met while comic book shopping. I’m incredibly curious if you all remember what comics you picked up that day? Do they hold a special place in your heart?
Clare: Actually, we were both at Golden Apple for their grand re-opening sale. We are both friends of the family who own the store and were there to show our support when the ribbon was cut…by none other than, Stan Lee!
NA-Ash: Out of nothing but total curiosity, what games and films are you all looking forward to the most this year?
Clare: Arkam Asylum 2 & Dead Island-that trailer is to die for. The girls finally got me in to WoW-it’s awesome. I had been holding back because I know how easily I can turn my life over to RPGs, but I love it and can’t wait to explore it more. And for films-Harry Potter and the HBO series, Game of Thrones.
Rileah: Film wise I’m really looking forward to the last Harry Potter movie. My fingers are crossed that THOR AND SUCKER PUNCH turn out awesome as well:) As far as games go, Dragon Age 2! The first one was so epic that I can’t wait to see what they do with this one too. Also on my list is Batman : Arkham City and Star Wars The Old Republic.
Milynn: I have been playing Dragon Age 2 like mad! I know they won’t be out this year but I cant wait to see what Joss Whedon does with the Avengers. And then I am also really looking forward to The Hobbit!
Michele: Arkham City for sure. I’ve been waiting for more Batman action ever since finishing off the last one. I’m also dying to play Dead Island after seeing the amazing trailer for it online!! More zombies please. Also am really excited about all the superhero movies coming out. Dying to see what Andrew Garfield does with the new Spiderman reboot and am really interested in Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle in the newest Batman. Heath shocked me with his awesomeness as The Joker, I want to see if Anne can pull off the same trick.
NA-Ash: Michele once said “Like a Unicorn, gamer girls are not supposed to exist”. Do you find that people question your legitimacy as gamers who just happen to be female?
Clare: I stopped paying attention what people think of me as a gamer. No one who actually knew me ever questioned it. Games have been a priority in my life since the original NES came out on the shelves. It wasn’t until our first Team Unicorn video that people began questioning my legitimacy.
Michele: I think we’re finding less and less incredulity as time goes on. It’s becoming more mainstream that female gamers and geeks are here to stay, and we’re becoming less timid about proclaiming our status as such.
Milynn: Some people do, but here’s the thing….i’ve been gaming since I was 4. I’ve got nothing to prove. Talk to me for 5 min or do 10 secs of research on the web and my legitimacy speaks for itself.
NA-Ash: Clare, I know your favorite series of all time is Final Fantasy. How did you feel about Final Fantasy 13, and which game in the series would you like to see remade on a modern system?
Clare: Well, they named the main character in FF13 Clare. I loved that. It wasn’t my favorite FF game, but I didn’t hate it. I fell in love with FF when FF2 came out on the Super NES. I loved that game. It sold me on the series and I still remember details of that game like they happened to me in my real life, so that is the FF game I would like to see remade on a modern system.
NA- Ash: Milynn and Michele, do you think you’ll always be WOW players? Do upcoming MMOs (SWTOR) threaten to eclipse your love for all things WOW?
Milynn: Who knows what the future holds? I don’t plan on quitting anytime soon. I will definitely give other MMO’s a try, but WoW has my heart.
Michele: You know, I could see myself taking a break from WoW at some point. But Azeroth is a bit of a second home, and I’ll probably always find my way back there. I doubt any MMO is going to have the hold over my life that WoW has, but I do want to focus back on my other non-RPG games.
NA-Ash: If Team Unicorn had an unlimited budget, what sort of craziness do you think you all would create?
Clare: Epic Awesomeness.
Milynn: Weaponized Bunnies.
Michele: Oh my god. A DragonAge theme park? Superhero training camp? The possibilities are endless.
NA-Ash: While recording the next Team Unicorn video a rogue satellite rockets through orbit and crashes through the ceiling bathing you all in cosmic radiation. You all pass out, only to awaken with the following amazing abilities….
Clare: Telekinesis and super-strength.
Milynn: Shapeshifting and Animal Empathy.
Michele: Teleportation! Just BAMF in and out of any situation.
Rileah: Flight and Omniscience.
NA-Ash: Five years from now where do you see the Team Unicorn project? Do you think that you’ll continue to make web videos or perhaps something far more nefarious? (world domination)
Team Unicorn: Definitely world domination. With rainbows, of course. Stay tuned! xoxo!!!
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Thanks for reading our exclusive interview with Team Unicorn! Check out the other 2011 Nerd Appropriate Interviews!
ALSO
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