MSTF

Phil, Doug and Sipher in DIGITALLY ENHANCED WIDESCREEN.

MSTF is an annual BotCon event at which various Transformers episodes and videos are ridiculed (lovingly (mostly)) in the vein of Mystery Science Theater 3000 by a trio of fans. Just like the television show, comedy skits are intercut between the video segments. Also like the television show, the production must make the best of a limited budget. Pre-recorded video segments have also become a regular feature (such as Casey Kasem's infamous curse-laden backstage rant layered over animation of Cliffjumper, just to name one of the cheaper shots.) Productions are painstakingly rehearsed to achieve perfect comedic polish, with the actors even going so far as to read the scripts before the event. Sometimes. Now that's dedication, folks!

The core actor/roaster group began as Doug Dlin, Greg "M Sipher" Sepelak, and Rob "I can't believe it's not butter" Jung. Starting in 2001, Rob disappeared and Phil "SkyJammer" Zeman mysteriously appeared in his place. We're not suggesting anything about this, though, honest.

Other participants have included Dave "Hex" Tashjian (1999 only), various walk-on guests (David "Walky" Willis prominent among them), and miscellaneous props/cameras/lights assistants. They even collared Vince DiCola to play a number alongside Phil Zeman in 2003. Numerous fans have contributed to the scripts over the years; in 2008, many got in on the festivities in a rotating "third performer" slot when Phil mysteriously vanished. In 2009, Doug also mysteriously disappeared, possibly in an attempt to locate Phil, and the two were replaced by S. Trent Troop and that Walky person.

List of MSTF panels

"We survived that."
"Yeah, but will we survive this?"
      "Will they survive this?!
      Tune in next time, when
      Galvatron says—"
"Cyclonus. Transform and attack!"

"Die... DIE!"
     "Duhhhhh... okay!"

"I am MEGATRON! LEADER of the DECEPTICONS!"
      "Not Batman!"

"On Cybertron I will merely be a Predacon criminal. But on this planet I have no equal."
      "...just some Sweet-n-Low."

"Wherever there is trouble, we'll be there!"
      "CAUSING IT."

"You... underestimate me."
      "I've been drinking milk. You see, Galvatron... one glass of milk... contains more than a quarter... of the calcium I need each day... Milk, Galvatron... it does a body good!"

BotCon 1997 Mystery Science Transformers 3000

• The Transformers: The Movie

BotCon 1998 Transformers: The MSTing 2: The Wrath of 'Con

• The Transformers: The Movie (again)

BotCon 1999 Transformers: The MSTing 3: The Search For Spark

• "Dark Voyage"
• "Fire on the Mountain"
• "The God Gambit"
• "Carnage in C-Minor"

BotCon 2000 Transformers: The MSTing 4: A New Joke

• "Victory"
• "Forbidden Fruit"
• "City of Steel"
• "The Dweller in the Depths"

BotCon 2001 Transformers: The MSTing 5: The Foolish Frontier

• "Aerial Assault"
• "Dark Awakening"
• "Cutting Edge"
• "A Wolf in the Fold"
• The music video for Stan Bush's "The Touch"

OTFCC 2003 MSTF 6: The Musical

• "Cosmic Rust"
• "Gorilla Warfare"
• "The Decepticons"
• "Satellite of Doom"
• "When Continents Collide"

("Satellite of Doom" and "When Continents Collide" were both "animated"—and we use that term loosely—video versions of the See & Read storybooks of the same names. After "Satellite" was finished, audible groans from the audience greeted the announcement that a second such torture session was beginning.)

OTFCC 2004 MSTF 7: Generation Why

• "Typhoon Twister"
• "Arctic Oil Spill"
• "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1"
• "More than Meets the Eye, Part 2"
• "More than Meets the Eye, Part 3"

(The version of "More than Meets the Eye" shown featured Tommy Kennedy bumpers.)

BotCon 2005 MSTF 8: With Kung-Fu Quip

In honor of Fun Publications coming on board as the new producers of BotCon, a quartet of G.I. Joe-themed episodes:

• "Prime Target"
• "Auto-Bop"
• "The Killing Jar"
• "Only Human"

BotCon 2006 MSTF 9: Anniversary Faults

• "Reptron's Rampage"
• "Racer-Bot Road Rally"
• "B.O.T."
• "Beast Wars (Part 1)"
• "Beast Wars (Part 2)"

BotCon 2007 MSTF 10: Ruining Transformers Forever

• The Transformers: The Movie (completely rescripted)

BotCon 2008 MSTF 11: Giant F***ing Robots

• Transformers (About 3 minutes, anyway)
• "War Dawn"
• "Transform and Roll Out"

BotCon 2009 MSTF 12: Sacred Hamburger

• "Heavy Metal War"
• "Code of Hero"
• "The Thrill of the Hunt"
• "Action Blast 1"
• "Fight for Energon"

BotCon 2012 MSTF 13

• "Masquerade"
• "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1"
• "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2"
• "Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime"

(The version of "The Return of Optimus Prime" shown featured Tommy Kennedy bumpers. "Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime" used the Omni Productions dub audio track)

BotCon 2013 MSTF 14

• "Call of the Wild"
• "A Prime Problem"
• "Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike"
• "Nightmare Planet"

External links

• Official MSTF site
• Archive of additional MSTF Scripts