Hyperion- con report
Jun. 15th, 2004 06:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beccaelizabeth[broken geocities link]
geocities.com/beccaelizabeth/MyConventions/hyperion/hyperionpictures.htm
Pictures up here, of typically unimpressive quality.
As per usual, more of a me report than a con report. Famous people did things. I'm sure I even saw them. How much my memory retained is the problem...
Also as per usual, a blanket apology (would a rug apology be the kind where you're lying?) for anyone I was rude to this weekend. I don't hear well when there is background noise, and I stutter so getting started on replys takes a bit of a while, and the whole 'with' thing for dancing is like advanced math to me, so I just end up being all only all weekend and only in retrospect noticing when people try to talk to me. It isnt intended as rudeness when I ignore, but it bugs me later because I know it looks rude.
Friday
All the travel parts of the day clicked along nicely. Connections connected, and I didnt even get lost at Heathrow (which is part of my usual routine. I think by now because the part of my brain dedicated to navigating has the wander around aimlessly looking for signs part ingrained in the programming). So of course once I got to the hotel the law of conservation of chaos kicked in, ie the more things go right the bigger they go wrong. Whoever had the brilliant idea of combining hotel check in and convention registration, well done, you just complicated the most complicated part of the weekend. I think it was the hotel not Starfury that decided that. It, um, caused a few problems. The waiting around for hours without any refreshments available kind of problems. Also the becca doing a mini meltdown kind of problems, because I do not cope well with interruptions or changes, and I'm agoraphobic so the whole sitting outside thing really really bugged me. I got stroppy. I mostly kept it under control but it wasnt my most shining moment.
Arrived about 1330, got to hotel room by 1530. Had my badge and reg packet by then though. I hadnt wanted to q more right then but I saw they were doing a whole group photo, which I really wanted, so it was back down to line up. By 1612 I had one group photo ticket and £10 left for the whole weekend. But it was worth it.
Considering that the reg desk was only due to open at 1530 in the original schedule things really went pretty smooth. It was just the hotel making us have nowhere to wait before it opened that made it seem screwed.
The hotel room bathrooms at the Thistle have rubber ducks.
I'm thinking Morrie
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kabukivice said hi. Hi back :-)
The Opening Ceremony started on time by convention standards. Puppet Angel made an appearance :-) Coolness. Clare Kramer did the announcing again.
Friday night party was Back to School night. Mostly there were a lot of school uniforms. I was in my teacher/cheerleader combo, in red this year. The teacher parts didnt stay on long because this is not the weather for velvet. Pompoms are fun. Specially because I discovered my hair doesnt headbang properly no more, just kinda hangs there. So pompoms do all the moving. Nirvana cheerleading :-) Also tonight were people in Monkey costumes, and someone dressed as an ape being led around by chainmail girl in a fur bikini. Yes I know if she isnt currently wearing chainmail she isnt chainmail girl, but I'm bad at names. She borrowed my pompoms. Basically a good investment, even tho they did fall apart by the end of the night. I only lasted until 0200 but had much fun and dancing.
SATURDAY
Got up in time for breakfast. Ate every morning, remembered to grab bread rolls for later. These facts uninteresting to everyone but me, who remembers early conventions when I was too ill to eat. This year hardly ill at all. Go me.
First thing was the q for the group photos. I tried the 'dont q until your number is called' thing but the q was headed for the door to outside, so I joined in. My number was 35 so I rather figured that for first batch anyways. Photo was brilliant. Andy Hallett gives good photo hug. Happy. I bought the spare as well, so now I have a fully signed one and a not signed one both with me and all the guests. Is very very cool.
Episodes in the main hall- Time Bomb looks better on the big screen. TGIQ does not. I only stayed to save the seat. But I found myself hating it less when surrounded by people who laughed. Not all of them laughing, but some did. I think I'm going to hate this less when I get enough perspective to get over the whole thing where I feel cheated out of one of the last few episodes. But I doubt I'll ever like it because the acting was acting.
Mini rant- the main hall during guest talks is not the place to have an in depth conversation with friends. I have trouble hearing, so when someone does that I end up missing bits of the Q&A and I didnt actually pay money to listen to fan people. I end up putting my fingers in my ears to filter the quieter noises out, which kinda works, but looks rude and muffles the guest talks too. If people would just, oh, listen to the people they paid good money to see, would work much better. Rant over.
Guest talks- I'll probably get the answers with the right person, but I might not get them on the right day. Also I had no useful notes, so the quotes are more the impression I was left with than the actual words.
Brody Hutzler
Didn't get his kit off at all this year *sulk*.
Said daytime soap fans and Angel fans not hugely different. Working on daytime soaps is 'the best part time job ever', because he only works a few hours a week, not the huge long hours that weekly shows work. His role is kind of a good guy and kind of a bad guy, which is more fun than being just the one thing. Also American soaps must be very, very different than Brit soaps. His character lately has been- stealing an airplane, flying, crashing in the ocean, shark infested waters, kills baby sharks, going to be attacked by mom shark. I mean Eastenders this is not. Freaky. Sounds like fun actually.
Jenny Mollen
I'm not a big fan of Nina. I dont hate her, but I pretty much cant bring myself to care about her either. So I wasnt initially thrilled when Jenny turned up at this convention. But she won me over. I'm not obsessed fan yet, but I'd be happy if she was at future events.
She came over as sort of nervous but she gave good answers. I think mostly it was the way she ended up curled up with one leg under her and the other drawn up in front that suggested she wasnt easy on stage.
One thing that won me over about her is she seems to see the Nina/Angel relationship the same way I do. She said Nina is rebound girl, and she has a crush on Angel. Which is what I see and why I cant care so much, despite the fact theres nothing wrong with Nina as a potential love interest, she just doesnt have the intensity of emotion about her.
Someone who hasnt seen season 5 asked her to give a 30 second summary of her character. First thing she said was she plays "a girl who gets bitten by a werewolf", which phrasing I notice because I'm an Oz fan. Nina isnt a werewolf, she got bit by a werewolf. Doesnt define her as a werewolf even with the whole getting furry every month thing.
The other part I probably havent remembered word for word but it went something like "gets rescued by Angel, starts hanging around the office, they go to breakfast, then randomly end up in bed together." I got the clear feeling she was seeing the relationship trajectory the same way I was- not filled out, just jumping in. Which is the other reason I couldnt get in to it. So, like I said, I ended up liking her because we see her character and Nina/Angel the same way.
Sarah Thompson and Clare Kramer
were on stage. I'm sure they made words. I retain none of them.
Auction-
this weekend they sold James Marsters' clothes from Chance (unwashed, and Sean 'can confirm he goes commando'. CK wanted to know, how does he know that? Sean says he heard him say it on stage. Of course.)
also JM's Spike contact lenses
also a bunch of other stuff, but guess where my attention stayed?
Unfortunately my budget doesnt technically stretch to these conventions, let alone that kind of stuff, but it would have been so cool.
Apparently DB's contacts are prescription, but DJ said JM's aren't. Hmmm, so is just reading glasses he needs then...
Julie Benz and Vincent Kartheiser
VK said that if the show hadn't been cancelled then the Connor story probably wouldnt have been wrapped up like that this year. I have to respectfully disagree, the entire year was about Connor, if it hadnt been wrapped this year it would have been all wrong. I think he also said a Connor spin off was unlikely because Connor's story was sort of finished off this year. Again I'm with the disagreeing. It was finished enough to not feel unfinished, but open enough that I can see about a billion places to take it. He joked that a Connor and Darla spin off could happen with the steamy incest plot where they dont find out for years they're really related.
Julie Benz has been making knitwear and thinking of getting in to selling it professionally. She was wearing one of her pieces. Someone asked what it was called and she said it was a poncho (it was sort of off one shoulder and asymetric, so not my idea of a poncho). Then they said they'd seen one just like it at Ikea. Later it turned out they'd been trying to make a joke, but JB was not seeing the funny side on stage. The look on her face... I wouldnt want her looking at me like that. Daggers much, and also open mouth how dare you look. Sort of funny but also not.
Someone said that their wife had asked a question last year but couldnt make it this year because got ill, so could VK sign a get well card. He said sure. (mini rant- the Q&A session is not the time for that kind of request. Q&A is for general interest questions, not telling half your life story or getting the guests to do something just for you.)
So VK was kneeling down on the edge of the stage to sign something, and the next question up was meant to be for him. "Boxers or briefs?" JB said she could answer that, and rearranged his clothing so she could check :-) (I think it was boxers).
Someone asked what they thought of websites. JB said how there are some beautiful sites out there, mentioned amazingjulie.com , then VK started teasing her about how she also really loves the name. VK said how the websites are still going to be there in years when people have forgotten all about him and the stuff on them will come back to haunt him.
Someone asked the 'most embarrassing moment' question, so VK told the same story as at End of Days. About when his leather trousers split completely and he fell out. I'm thinking that one is likely to remain a most embarrassing moment for a very long time.
It might have been for the 'being recognized' question but JB told about one time she was organising a batchelorette party (I cant spell that word. I dont even know if that is a word. I think it means Hen night, but why they cant call it something simple and logical like that I dont know...) She was in a shop called something like 'Pleasure chest', which is a sex toy shop, and someone recognised her and went all fanboy about Darla. You know, omg, loved you on Angel. JB blurted at them 'I'm having a batchelorette party.' And they were like, uh-huh, yeah. And when they left she said she was like following them trying to convince them. :-)
VK knows that shop too. He says they have trolleys. 'Is that for people who are going to buy that many items, or just for one really big dildo'. They have gay guys in there trying items out. And some stuff in there he sees and he's like, 'what fantasy does that fulfil. Like they have these masks, huge hogs heads' and he did an impression of someone seeing someone wearing one of these things and being all wow. I was giggling a lot and missed bits of this.
VK is insane the fun way. Definitely a good con guest.
Amy Acker & Andy Hallett
Andy was great this weekend, but it was kinda scary seeing him when you know he has been so ill. I was like 'Andy, we love you, but GO HOME AND REST!' But of course he had to be there. He missed bits from going to sleep, but he was there for so much of the time.
Andy had brought his mum with him, and she was in the audience watching. I vaguely wondered if it was always the plan to bring his mum or if she just didnt want to let him out of her sight.
He had made a video at End of Days and he showed it to her to prepare her for what to expect. EoD was sort of extra insane, because huge, but a lot of the people at Hyperion had been there. Some of them Andy knows by name and if they featured in the vid his mum knows them too. He wants to put the vid online somewhere, not for money, just to share with the other EoD people. That would be cool, but he said he didnt know how, so it may not happen.
Andy & Lorne are scared of Illyria. He did these little 'arrgh' jump reactions when Illyria did the head tilt or looked round at him. Andy said he's scared even of the still pictures, like the one on the front of every con book.
Amy did the Illyria voice by request from both on and off stage. She stood up and I think did the head tilt too. And it was *freaky*. She went straight from giggly Amy having fun to pure Illyria, just real fast, there and back for one line. "You are not unpleasant to my eyes" I think. Brilliant. I got all 'eek!'. Very cool.
People asked if they had any prop they would want to keep, but they havent been allowed to keep anything. They knew it was all going on ebay. I think they said that most people got their chair backs, the ones with their names on. I know AA had hers stolen, and so did David Bsomething, one of the producers. AA said she thinks whoever stole it saw David B and thought it was Boreanaz.
AA took a blouse as a momento but she got a letter from Fox saying to give it back or they would send her the bill! So she gave it back.
She said while they were actually filming the last Wesley scene, JW came up to her and said he thought when he was writing it the scene was about Wes being in love with Illyria, but now seeing it he realised it was actually about Illyria being in love with Fred. Which was totally what I got from that scene too. But it was AA (& presumably AD) acting that that made him realise that. Pretty cool.
I said on the s3 board I would ask about the film she is going to be in, but someone else asked (phew). Unfortunately my brain retains none of the answer at all. I just remember she was going to have to be learning lines on the plane.
Sparky
Very few people stayed for this talk so they suspended the stewards seating so I went to sit down the front.
Sparky couldnt bring props because Fox nicked them all back. But his talk was well worth seeing. Personal photos and vids behind the scenes over five years of Angel. Actors being goofy, like David riding a bike with his kid in the basket. Also people you never see in front of the camera, and stories to go with it all.
They took three planes full of people and equipment out to Vegas for Lorne's episode there, and the third plane was delayed. Someone had to send lighting instructions to his assistant via mobile. Helpful. There were bits of Angel stuff all over the place in Vegas, like signs for Lorne's show. The Lornettes were real showgirls who got given a couple of days to come up with a little dance number, and did on their own. After the show wrapped they were supposed to all fly back right early but it was the weekend so a bunch of them just checked in to I think the MGM Grand and stayed for the weekend.
Angel filmed in one of the oldest stages in Hollywood. The Hyperion set was built in it, and you could feel the history. He had some photos of the outsides of these really huge buildings, and also all the really huge trucks full of lights and equipment and catering and everything it takes to go film Angel on location.
He had pictures of the stunt coordinator, Mike Massa, who started as stunt guy for Angel and ended up being in charge of stunts. He said in all the years on Angel there was only one sort of serious accident. It was when the werewolf and Angel are jumping out the window in Unleashed. First take, they went out and fell down, guy asked if they were okay, said they were. Second take they go again, vamp stunt guy is okay, werewolf is a bit slow to answer. Then says he is okay. Asked if he remembers what just happened, says no. Asked if he remembers who the guy asking him the questions is, says no. Asked if he knows his own name says no. Asked if he wants to go again says 'yeah, okay'. *facepalm, shakes head* Stunt people are crazy.
There were five kittens born on the set in season 5 of Angel, and there were lots of other fives involved, like I think 5th episode and 5th day and stuff. the mum cat left them because of all the people, so the Angel crew adopted them and fed them with bottles and stuff. All five are doing well. One kitten goes back to the lot every day still because adopted mum still works there.
'And here is my cat'- big black cat that Gunn talked to in the White Room being
coaxed off the truck :-)
The alley at the end was the same alley where Angel fought Faith in the rain. Only this time the rain was made, so warmer.
It was also where they finished all filming.
The first scene on the first day was in a coffee place and so was the first scene on the last day.
His favourite prop was the puzzle Fred put together for the number demons. It is really tricky and beautiful, a real coffee table piece.
His favourite weapon is Gunn's crossbow.
It was a really good talk, packed full of interesting. The props he brought last year were very cool but the stuff he had to say was also really really interesting.
I think I remember more of this hour than any other hour in the weekend. It was quiet and there were pictures and words to go with them, and a lot of information got packed in. A talk instead of a Q&A. I really like it. I could go for more like that at other conventions. I mean interacting with the actors is great, and writers I have many questions for, but packing in so many stories from the behind the scenes people, who I dont know enough about their work to ask good questions of anyway, that so totally works.
After Sparky there was qing for autographs. The timing worked out real well for me, whenever I got to a q it was just in time to join it. I could q for the guys as soon as I got out of the talks, then go upstairs for the girls, then join Amy's q when I got downstairs again. That in particular was lucky timing because the steward was talking about closing the q and the number was technically only up to 650 and I was 665, but I asked politely and she said I could join. Happy.
VK said with my name (beccaelizabeth) its a good thing I dont do signings. This from the guy who has the really long name I cant spell :-)
Julie Benz recognized me a bit, "havent I seen you before" so I said "a bunch of times now" which was a bit clumsy but okay.
I said to Amy Acker "Fred's still my hero but you actually made me like Illyria, which I didnt think I could after..."
I mean I'm agoraphobic, so Fred is so *totally* my hero, and I've said that to AA before. And when the bad thing happened I was just waiting for them to fix it. But now somehow I've got it sorted in my head so Illyria an Fred arent in competition I actually quite like Illyria. She is interesting. Lots of stories could be told there. So I wanted to say all that to AA really quickly, and I was practicing it in my head, and then I said words.
And even with all the talking to famous people, *at no point did I stutter!!!* Even my name, which usually comes out bububeccaelizabeth. I didnt stutter at all. I said sensible rational things, quickly and without holding up the q, and the famous people smiled. AA in particular did this sweet thankyou smile that just looked like she really appreciated what I said. I mean I know she is an actress, but it made me extra happy to think maybe she was happy. So I was so bouncy.
I got back to my room and wrote up-
I have *every* signature! And I dont feel unwell, just sleepy! Today absolutely rules! Okay, so I ache everywhere and I think I have actual bruises on my shoulders but I went thru every q in orderly fashion, used words aloud and appropriately, and *didn't stutter*, not even my name!!! AND I have EVERY signature including Amy!
I smiled (I think, it doesn't always show), and all the guests smiled, and everyone was nice.
For the upstairs q they had already ticked my name off, but instead of stompy tantrum or whiny incoherence I said simply that I had no signatures so obviously I hadn't been through or I would have. And that sorted it. Also he didnt recognise me even tho the number was ticked so he agreed I hadnt been. I was calm and polite!
I'm even happy!
I'm doing the normal con attendee signed up happy dance
AND
the disabled but coping real well happy dance!
Okay, so everyone who isnt me or hasnt been following my life and problems probably doesnt get the cool of this. I dont leave the house much at all, and I have so many problems just keeping my cool and reacting appropriately in real time with speaking and listening and all that complicated stuff, and the stuttering thing can completely jam up any attempt at communicating. Its like being in prison sometimes, I get so stuck away from the world. But for this weekend I was just right there in the middle of stuff and when I really really needed it I didnt stutter at all. This is new and shiny and extremely cool and so yes I'm going on about it a bit. But it was so excellent. I'm still doing the happy dance. The exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open happy dance, but a happy dance nonetheless.
Saturday night the costume competition was fun. There were two Illyrias, and one puppet Angel, and the law firm- the Wolf the Ram and the Hart, all in suits with those books with the shiny pictures on the cover. nicely done. Also a Merl and a Doyle. And some people from Sailor Moon and Princess Bride. And Jimmy dressed up as Neil (both really distinctive convention regulars) which was funny. Apparently there were little fights in the green room when the guests tried to decide who got the prizes. Everyone was pretty cool. (er yes, that is my way of saying I forget who won. sorry.)
The party was most excellent. I dont have photos of my outfit for the night, just my makeup. Everything else was pretty plain. Well, gothic red and black with shiny sequins, but for me fairly plain. There was no corset anywhere. And I was so regretting that by the end of the night. Achy achy becca. But much dancing and fun was had. Some of the guests joined in. Crowded. But I danced to all the usual songs, and also gave the DJ the CD with the shorter version of Temple of Love. I only lasted until 3am so missed the last hour.
Sunday
Morning. woke up. This is fundamentally wrong for a sunday.
I booked for quartoth then tried to go back to sleep. It didnt really work. I went back to the main hall for when the schedule said the Brody talk would be, but Dayne was still doing his makeup demo. Makeup people have to get up real early all the time anyway so seem like a good choice for starting the day. I know I've liked other demo mornings, I just sit there three quarters asleep and kind of gradually get up to speed as the makeup goes on. This time he was nearly done by the time I got to the hall. Of course by nearly I mean he only had an hour left to go. :-) He had the usual mix of good technical hints and interesting stories but I werent quite with it enough to remember any of them. The worst reaction to makeup was a stuntguy from life of the party, I think he said. I know he said he'd started reacting and then sweated some of the costume off and there ended up being blisters. Thats the kind of detail that stays in the mind.
I've only got up to Sunday morning but my eyes are refusing to focus and the whole sleep thing is becoming a necessity again. You'd think the human body wasnt meant to go without for a whole weekend. So, I'll post this and finish it later.
geocities.com/beccaelizabeth/MyConventions/hyperion/hyperionpictures.htm
Pictures up here, of typically unimpressive quality.
As per usual, more of a me report than a con report. Famous people did things. I'm sure I even saw them. How much my memory retained is the problem...
Also as per usual, a blanket apology (would a rug apology be the kind where you're lying?) for anyone I was rude to this weekend. I don't hear well when there is background noise, and I stutter so getting started on replys takes a bit of a while, and the whole 'with' thing for dancing is like advanced math to me, so I just end up being all only all weekend and only in retrospect noticing when people try to talk to me. It isnt intended as rudeness when I ignore, but it bugs me later because I know it looks rude.
Friday
All the travel parts of the day clicked along nicely. Connections connected, and I didnt even get lost at Heathrow (which is part of my usual routine. I think by now because the part of my brain dedicated to navigating has the wander around aimlessly looking for signs part ingrained in the programming). So of course once I got to the hotel the law of conservation of chaos kicked in, ie the more things go right the bigger they go wrong. Whoever had the brilliant idea of combining hotel check in and convention registration, well done, you just complicated the most complicated part of the weekend. I think it was the hotel not Starfury that decided that. It, um, caused a few problems. The waiting around for hours without any refreshments available kind of problems. Also the becca doing a mini meltdown kind of problems, because I do not cope well with interruptions or changes, and I'm agoraphobic so the whole sitting outside thing really really bugged me. I got stroppy. I mostly kept it under control but it wasnt my most shining moment.
Arrived about 1330, got to hotel room by 1530. Had my badge and reg packet by then though. I hadnt wanted to q more right then but I saw they were doing a whole group photo, which I really wanted, so it was back down to line up. By 1612 I had one group photo ticket and £10 left for the whole weekend. But it was worth it.
Considering that the reg desk was only due to open at 1530 in the original schedule things really went pretty smooth. It was just the hotel making us have nowhere to wait before it opened that made it seem screwed.
The hotel room bathrooms at the Thistle have rubber ducks.
I'm thinking Morrie
kabukivice said hi. Hi back :-)The Opening Ceremony started on time by convention standards. Puppet Angel made an appearance :-) Coolness. Clare Kramer did the announcing again.
Friday night party was Back to School night. Mostly there were a lot of school uniforms. I was in my teacher/cheerleader combo, in red this year. The teacher parts didnt stay on long because this is not the weather for velvet. Pompoms are fun. Specially because I discovered my hair doesnt headbang properly no more, just kinda hangs there. So pompoms do all the moving. Nirvana cheerleading :-) Also tonight were people in Monkey costumes, and someone dressed as an ape being led around by chainmail girl in a fur bikini. Yes I know if she isnt currently wearing chainmail she isnt chainmail girl, but I'm bad at names. She borrowed my pompoms. Basically a good investment, even tho they did fall apart by the end of the night. I only lasted until 0200 but had much fun and dancing.
SATURDAY
Got up in time for breakfast. Ate every morning, remembered to grab bread rolls for later. These facts uninteresting to everyone but me, who remembers early conventions when I was too ill to eat. This year hardly ill at all. Go me.
First thing was the q for the group photos. I tried the 'dont q until your number is called' thing but the q was headed for the door to outside, so I joined in. My number was 35 so I rather figured that for first batch anyways. Photo was brilliant. Andy Hallett gives good photo hug. Happy. I bought the spare as well, so now I have a fully signed one and a not signed one both with me and all the guests. Is very very cool.
Episodes in the main hall- Time Bomb looks better on the big screen. TGIQ does not. I only stayed to save the seat. But I found myself hating it less when surrounded by people who laughed. Not all of them laughing, but some did. I think I'm going to hate this less when I get enough perspective to get over the whole thing where I feel cheated out of one of the last few episodes. But I doubt I'll ever like it because the acting was acting.
Mini rant- the main hall during guest talks is not the place to have an in depth conversation with friends. I have trouble hearing, so when someone does that I end up missing bits of the Q&A and I didnt actually pay money to listen to fan people. I end up putting my fingers in my ears to filter the quieter noises out, which kinda works, but looks rude and muffles the guest talks too. If people would just, oh, listen to the people they paid good money to see, would work much better. Rant over.
Guest talks- I'll probably get the answers with the right person, but I might not get them on the right day. Also I had no useful notes, so the quotes are more the impression I was left with than the actual words.
Brody Hutzler
Didn't get his kit off at all this year *sulk*.
Said daytime soap fans and Angel fans not hugely different. Working on daytime soaps is 'the best part time job ever', because he only works a few hours a week, not the huge long hours that weekly shows work. His role is kind of a good guy and kind of a bad guy, which is more fun than being just the one thing. Also American soaps must be very, very different than Brit soaps. His character lately has been- stealing an airplane, flying, crashing in the ocean, shark infested waters, kills baby sharks, going to be attacked by mom shark. I mean Eastenders this is not. Freaky. Sounds like fun actually.
Jenny Mollen
I'm not a big fan of Nina. I dont hate her, but I pretty much cant bring myself to care about her either. So I wasnt initially thrilled when Jenny turned up at this convention. But she won me over. I'm not obsessed fan yet, but I'd be happy if she was at future events.
She came over as sort of nervous but she gave good answers. I think mostly it was the way she ended up curled up with one leg under her and the other drawn up in front that suggested she wasnt easy on stage.
One thing that won me over about her is she seems to see the Nina/Angel relationship the same way I do. She said Nina is rebound girl, and she has a crush on Angel. Which is what I see and why I cant care so much, despite the fact theres nothing wrong with Nina as a potential love interest, she just doesnt have the intensity of emotion about her.
Someone who hasnt seen season 5 asked her to give a 30 second summary of her character. First thing she said was she plays "a girl who gets bitten by a werewolf", which phrasing I notice because I'm an Oz fan. Nina isnt a werewolf, she got bit by a werewolf. Doesnt define her as a werewolf even with the whole getting furry every month thing.
The other part I probably havent remembered word for word but it went something like "gets rescued by Angel, starts hanging around the office, they go to breakfast, then randomly end up in bed together." I got the clear feeling she was seeing the relationship trajectory the same way I was- not filled out, just jumping in. Which is the other reason I couldnt get in to it. So, like I said, I ended up liking her because we see her character and Nina/Angel the same way.
Sarah Thompson and Clare Kramer
were on stage. I'm sure they made words. I retain none of them.
Auction-
this weekend they sold James Marsters' clothes from Chance (unwashed, and Sean 'can confirm he goes commando'. CK wanted to know, how does he know that? Sean says he heard him say it on stage. Of course.)
also JM's Spike contact lenses
also a bunch of other stuff, but guess where my attention stayed?
Unfortunately my budget doesnt technically stretch to these conventions, let alone that kind of stuff, but it would have been so cool.
Apparently DB's contacts are prescription, but DJ said JM's aren't. Hmmm, so is just reading glasses he needs then...
Julie Benz and Vincent Kartheiser
VK said that if the show hadn't been cancelled then the Connor story probably wouldnt have been wrapped up like that this year. I have to respectfully disagree, the entire year was about Connor, if it hadnt been wrapped this year it would have been all wrong. I think he also said a Connor spin off was unlikely because Connor's story was sort of finished off this year. Again I'm with the disagreeing. It was finished enough to not feel unfinished, but open enough that I can see about a billion places to take it. He joked that a Connor and Darla spin off could happen with the steamy incest plot where they dont find out for years they're really related.
Julie Benz has been making knitwear and thinking of getting in to selling it professionally. She was wearing one of her pieces. Someone asked what it was called and she said it was a poncho (it was sort of off one shoulder and asymetric, so not my idea of a poncho). Then they said they'd seen one just like it at Ikea. Later it turned out they'd been trying to make a joke, but JB was not seeing the funny side on stage. The look on her face... I wouldnt want her looking at me like that. Daggers much, and also open mouth how dare you look. Sort of funny but also not.
Someone said that their wife had asked a question last year but couldnt make it this year because got ill, so could VK sign a get well card. He said sure. (mini rant- the Q&A session is not the time for that kind of request. Q&A is for general interest questions, not telling half your life story or getting the guests to do something just for you.)
So VK was kneeling down on the edge of the stage to sign something, and the next question up was meant to be for him. "Boxers or briefs?" JB said she could answer that, and rearranged his clothing so she could check :-) (I think it was boxers).
Someone asked what they thought of websites. JB said how there are some beautiful sites out there, mentioned amazingjulie.com , then VK started teasing her about how she also really loves the name. VK said how the websites are still going to be there in years when people have forgotten all about him and the stuff on them will come back to haunt him.
Someone asked the 'most embarrassing moment' question, so VK told the same story as at End of Days. About when his leather trousers split completely and he fell out. I'm thinking that one is likely to remain a most embarrassing moment for a very long time.
It might have been for the 'being recognized' question but JB told about one time she was organising a batchelorette party (I cant spell that word. I dont even know if that is a word. I think it means Hen night, but why they cant call it something simple and logical like that I dont know...) She was in a shop called something like 'Pleasure chest', which is a sex toy shop, and someone recognised her and went all fanboy about Darla. You know, omg, loved you on Angel. JB blurted at them 'I'm having a batchelorette party.' And they were like, uh-huh, yeah. And when they left she said she was like following them trying to convince them. :-)
VK knows that shop too. He says they have trolleys. 'Is that for people who are going to buy that many items, or just for one really big dildo'. They have gay guys in there trying items out. And some stuff in there he sees and he's like, 'what fantasy does that fulfil. Like they have these masks, huge hogs heads' and he did an impression of someone seeing someone wearing one of these things and being all wow. I was giggling a lot and missed bits of this.
VK is insane the fun way. Definitely a good con guest.
Amy Acker & Andy Hallett
Andy was great this weekend, but it was kinda scary seeing him when you know he has been so ill. I was like 'Andy, we love you, but GO HOME AND REST!' But of course he had to be there. He missed bits from going to sleep, but he was there for so much of the time.
Andy had brought his mum with him, and she was in the audience watching. I vaguely wondered if it was always the plan to bring his mum or if she just didnt want to let him out of her sight.
He had made a video at End of Days and he showed it to her to prepare her for what to expect. EoD was sort of extra insane, because huge, but a lot of the people at Hyperion had been there. Some of them Andy knows by name and if they featured in the vid his mum knows them too. He wants to put the vid online somewhere, not for money, just to share with the other EoD people. That would be cool, but he said he didnt know how, so it may not happen.
Andy & Lorne are scared of Illyria. He did these little 'arrgh' jump reactions when Illyria did the head tilt or looked round at him. Andy said he's scared even of the still pictures, like the one on the front of every con book.
Amy did the Illyria voice by request from both on and off stage. She stood up and I think did the head tilt too. And it was *freaky*. She went straight from giggly Amy having fun to pure Illyria, just real fast, there and back for one line. "You are not unpleasant to my eyes" I think. Brilliant. I got all 'eek!'. Very cool.
People asked if they had any prop they would want to keep, but they havent been allowed to keep anything. They knew it was all going on ebay. I think they said that most people got their chair backs, the ones with their names on. I know AA had hers stolen, and so did David Bsomething, one of the producers. AA said she thinks whoever stole it saw David B and thought it was Boreanaz.
AA took a blouse as a momento but she got a letter from Fox saying to give it back or they would send her the bill! So she gave it back.
She said while they were actually filming the last Wesley scene, JW came up to her and said he thought when he was writing it the scene was about Wes being in love with Illyria, but now seeing it he realised it was actually about Illyria being in love with Fred. Which was totally what I got from that scene too. But it was AA (& presumably AD) acting that that made him realise that. Pretty cool.
I said on the s3 board I would ask about the film she is going to be in, but someone else asked (phew). Unfortunately my brain retains none of the answer at all. I just remember she was going to have to be learning lines on the plane.
Sparky
Very few people stayed for this talk so they suspended the stewards seating so I went to sit down the front.
Sparky couldnt bring props because Fox nicked them all back. But his talk was well worth seeing. Personal photos and vids behind the scenes over five years of Angel. Actors being goofy, like David riding a bike with his kid in the basket. Also people you never see in front of the camera, and stories to go with it all.
They took three planes full of people and equipment out to Vegas for Lorne's episode there, and the third plane was delayed. Someone had to send lighting instructions to his assistant via mobile. Helpful. There were bits of Angel stuff all over the place in Vegas, like signs for Lorne's show. The Lornettes were real showgirls who got given a couple of days to come up with a little dance number, and did on their own. After the show wrapped they were supposed to all fly back right early but it was the weekend so a bunch of them just checked in to I think the MGM Grand and stayed for the weekend.
Angel filmed in one of the oldest stages in Hollywood. The Hyperion set was built in it, and you could feel the history. He had some photos of the outsides of these really huge buildings, and also all the really huge trucks full of lights and equipment and catering and everything it takes to go film Angel on location.
He had pictures of the stunt coordinator, Mike Massa, who started as stunt guy for Angel and ended up being in charge of stunts. He said in all the years on Angel there was only one sort of serious accident. It was when the werewolf and Angel are jumping out the window in Unleashed. First take, they went out and fell down, guy asked if they were okay, said they were. Second take they go again, vamp stunt guy is okay, werewolf is a bit slow to answer. Then says he is okay. Asked if he remembers what just happened, says no. Asked if he remembers who the guy asking him the questions is, says no. Asked if he knows his own name says no. Asked if he wants to go again says 'yeah, okay'. *facepalm, shakes head* Stunt people are crazy.
There were five kittens born on the set in season 5 of Angel, and there were lots of other fives involved, like I think 5th episode and 5th day and stuff. the mum cat left them because of all the people, so the Angel crew adopted them and fed them with bottles and stuff. All five are doing well. One kitten goes back to the lot every day still because adopted mum still works there.
'And here is my cat'- big black cat that Gunn talked to in the White Room being
coaxed off the truck :-)
The alley at the end was the same alley where Angel fought Faith in the rain. Only this time the rain was made, so warmer.
It was also where they finished all filming.
The first scene on the first day was in a coffee place and so was the first scene on the last day.
His favourite prop was the puzzle Fred put together for the number demons. It is really tricky and beautiful, a real coffee table piece.
His favourite weapon is Gunn's crossbow.
It was a really good talk, packed full of interesting. The props he brought last year were very cool but the stuff he had to say was also really really interesting.
I think I remember more of this hour than any other hour in the weekend. It was quiet and there were pictures and words to go with them, and a lot of information got packed in. A talk instead of a Q&A. I really like it. I could go for more like that at other conventions. I mean interacting with the actors is great, and writers I have many questions for, but packing in so many stories from the behind the scenes people, who I dont know enough about their work to ask good questions of anyway, that so totally works.
After Sparky there was qing for autographs. The timing worked out real well for me, whenever I got to a q it was just in time to join it. I could q for the guys as soon as I got out of the talks, then go upstairs for the girls, then join Amy's q when I got downstairs again. That in particular was lucky timing because the steward was talking about closing the q and the number was technically only up to 650 and I was 665, but I asked politely and she said I could join. Happy.
VK said with my name (beccaelizabeth) its a good thing I dont do signings. This from the guy who has the really long name I cant spell :-)
Julie Benz recognized me a bit, "havent I seen you before" so I said "a bunch of times now" which was a bit clumsy but okay.
I said to Amy Acker "Fred's still my hero but you actually made me like Illyria, which I didnt think I could after..."
I mean I'm agoraphobic, so Fred is so *totally* my hero, and I've said that to AA before. And when the bad thing happened I was just waiting for them to fix it. But now somehow I've got it sorted in my head so Illyria an Fred arent in competition I actually quite like Illyria. She is interesting. Lots of stories could be told there. So I wanted to say all that to AA really quickly, and I was practicing it in my head, and then I said words.
And even with all the talking to famous people, *at no point did I stutter!!!* Even my name, which usually comes out bububeccaelizabeth. I didnt stutter at all. I said sensible rational things, quickly and without holding up the q, and the famous people smiled. AA in particular did this sweet thankyou smile that just looked like she really appreciated what I said. I mean I know she is an actress, but it made me extra happy to think maybe she was happy. So I was so bouncy.
I got back to my room and wrote up-
I have *every* signature! And I dont feel unwell, just sleepy! Today absolutely rules! Okay, so I ache everywhere and I think I have actual bruises on my shoulders but I went thru every q in orderly fashion, used words aloud and appropriately, and *didn't stutter*, not even my name!!! AND I have EVERY signature including Amy!
I smiled (I think, it doesn't always show), and all the guests smiled, and everyone was nice.
For the upstairs q they had already ticked my name off, but instead of stompy tantrum or whiny incoherence I said simply that I had no signatures so obviously I hadn't been through or I would have. And that sorted it. Also he didnt recognise me even tho the number was ticked so he agreed I hadnt been. I was calm and polite!
I'm even happy!
I'm doing the normal con attendee signed up happy dance
AND
the disabled but coping real well happy dance!
Okay, so everyone who isnt me or hasnt been following my life and problems probably doesnt get the cool of this. I dont leave the house much at all, and I have so many problems just keeping my cool and reacting appropriately in real time with speaking and listening and all that complicated stuff, and the stuttering thing can completely jam up any attempt at communicating. Its like being in prison sometimes, I get so stuck away from the world. But for this weekend I was just right there in the middle of stuff and when I really really needed it I didnt stutter at all. This is new and shiny and extremely cool and so yes I'm going on about it a bit. But it was so excellent. I'm still doing the happy dance. The exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open happy dance, but a happy dance nonetheless.
Saturday night the costume competition was fun. There were two Illyrias, and one puppet Angel, and the law firm- the Wolf the Ram and the Hart, all in suits with those books with the shiny pictures on the cover. nicely done. Also a Merl and a Doyle. And some people from Sailor Moon and Princess Bride. And Jimmy dressed up as Neil (both really distinctive convention regulars) which was funny. Apparently there were little fights in the green room when the guests tried to decide who got the prizes. Everyone was pretty cool. (er yes, that is my way of saying I forget who won. sorry.)
The party was most excellent. I dont have photos of my outfit for the night, just my makeup. Everything else was pretty plain. Well, gothic red and black with shiny sequins, but for me fairly plain. There was no corset anywhere. And I was so regretting that by the end of the night. Achy achy becca. But much dancing and fun was had. Some of the guests joined in. Crowded. But I danced to all the usual songs, and also gave the DJ the CD with the shorter version of Temple of Love. I only lasted until 3am so missed the last hour.
Sunday
Morning. woke up. This is fundamentally wrong for a sunday.
I booked for quartoth then tried to go back to sleep. It didnt really work. I went back to the main hall for when the schedule said the Brody talk would be, but Dayne was still doing his makeup demo. Makeup people have to get up real early all the time anyway so seem like a good choice for starting the day. I know I've liked other demo mornings, I just sit there three quarters asleep and kind of gradually get up to speed as the makeup goes on. This time he was nearly done by the time I got to the hall. Of course by nearly I mean he only had an hour left to go. :-) He had the usual mix of good technical hints and interesting stories but I werent quite with it enough to remember any of them. The worst reaction to makeup was a stuntguy from life of the party, I think he said. I know he said he'd started reacting and then sweated some of the costume off and there ended up being blisters. Thats the kind of detail that stays in the mind.
I've only got up to Sunday morning but my eyes are refusing to focus and the whole sleep thing is becoming a necessity again. You'd think the human body wasnt meant to go without for a whole weekend. So, I'll post this and finish it later.
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Lola stopping by ....
Date: 2004-06-15 02:40 pm (UTC)Your description of seeing Amy A turn into Illyria in front of you sounds so cool - scary cool, but cool. I'm not surprised to hear she was very nice and appreciated what you said. I think it's important that she knows there are so many fans who love the character of Fred and know what a good job she has done presenting Fred to the world. And I'm glad to know that you are liking Illyria more. I found by the end of the last show I was rooting almost as much for Illyria as I have done for Fred. One thing that I would really love to have seen in a season 6 is the development of Fred/Illyria.
It's great that Andy H was having fun, but I know what you mean. I would have been seeing him and just thinking "you should be in bed taking care of yourself!".
Like you, I would probably find myself enjoying the more technical talk, about props and sets and lighting and stuff to be just as, if not more, interesting than hearing the actors answer questions. I know that is my favorite "extra" stuff on the Lord of the Rings DVDs I have (the "extra geeky" 4 disc ones). I love hearing all about how they made the swords or the chainmail, built the cities and Hobbit holes and so on. That kind of stuff just fascinates me.
Wow, becca. You can be so proud of yourself, getting there and handling all the problems getting in and speaking up with the famous and not famous people. I'm very impressed. Ya done good, kid! (And some of them remember you - that is so amazing.)
Lola
Re: Lola stopping by ....
Date: 2004-06-16 12:00 pm (UTC)I love the technical stuff. The actor talks are fascinating, but I like hearing about more facets of the process. I wouldnt want to not see actors and only see tech people, but I like it that lately people like props and wardrobe people are getting con invites. Gives interesting viewpoints. And the makeup guys have been being invited for a while and they both know all the good gossip and all the coolest how to look like demons stuff.
Yeah, I'm pretty much proud. Some days it rules to be me. Very seldom, but it does.
And the coolest part about being disabled is when I got home all exhausted, my cleaning lady took my con clothes to be washed and my other helpful lady did the grocery shopping. I mean okay, it would be cooler to just not be disabled and not need them, but having servants kind of rules ;-)
no subject
Date: 2004-06-15 09:12 pm (UTC)Get the impression that VK is fun! He seems a terrific lad.
How's Andy? Is he really resting....?
no subject
Date: 2004-06-16 11:56 am (UTC)VK is *insane* but in the good way. And he'll be rambling on about tentacles and porn and then drop in some comments about Russian literature I cant spell the authors of. Its kinda brain breaking. Strange interesting guy.
The Hyperion
Date: 2004-06-16 01:27 pm (UTC)Sounds like you had a good time. *envy, envy* ;D
Re: The Hyperion
Date: 2004-06-16 01:43 pm (UTC)but dont envy, find one you can sign up for. conventions cool.
Hyperion stuff
Date: 2004-06-18 02:48 am (UTC)I was dressed as the Mistress of 'discipline' on Friday, to much masculine approval . In the costume competition, my daughter Rachel and I did Princess Cordy (her) and Groosalugg (me). According to Mattia (her boyfriend), we was robbed .
Photos at my site soon-ish [www.philippa.me.uk]
:::Hugs:::
Philippa
Re: Hyperion stuff
Date: 2004-06-20 04:08 pm (UTC)hi
think I saw you but my ability to make words is inversely proportional to the number of people around, so I not big with the talking until like the early hours once the parties let out.
Cordy costume was shiny. Too many good costumes to all get prizes.
no subject
Date: 2004-06-26 05:30 am (UTC)Hi, that was me. I found your report through the Yahoo mailing list. The following may read as being a bit snippy, but I hope you'll appreciate my point of view.
I'm sorry I wasted 3 minutes of precious Q & A time with my request. My wife had been looking forward to Hyperion for 13 months - she paid for her ticket like everyone else and got nothing for it as Sean refused to give a refund or exchange the ticket for a future event. She was distraught at not being able to attend. Going on last year's experience at End of Days, I didn't want to take the chance of not getting the card signed by VK. In fact, the autograph sessions were a lot smoother this year and I did get to see him but I had no way of knowing this.
As you say above, JB continued to take questions while VK was signing so I don't feel I unfairly deprived the other 849 attendees.
no subject
Date: 2004-06-26 07:26 am (UTC)Everyone had been looking forward to Hyperion for that long, as it was sold out. Tickets are always non refundable. That close to the event the money was probably already spent.
I'm not saying it was evil to want a particular autograph. But it is precisely what the autograph sessions are for. If everyone who couldnt be sure of getting a signature by qing stood up in a Q&A to ask for one, that would be all 850 of us, because autographs are never quite a sure thing. But people do not do this.
I think the reason can be best expressed in man hours- if you spend time in the autograph q, that is only your time, and you get moved on if you take more than your time, so it works out. If you spend time in a Q&A session it is 3 minutes of everyones time. In front of around 849 other people that is 849*3 minutes, or somewhat in excess of 42 people hours. Which is quite a lot.
I dont have the leaflet for this one to hand but quite a lot of cons expressly forbid using Q&A sessions to go give things to guests, or ask for hugs or whatever. So I think of it as The Rule, and have a deep psychological attatchment to Rules. But I think this one is pretty logical. If a guest is talking, everyone gets a little something from them. When the guest is signing, only one person does. It feels like that one is taking away from the others. And yes JB answered questions in that time- at least one of which was meant for VK. So I stand by my opinion.
But I dont think you're bad people or anything, just that you maybe havent thought it through. Or if you have thought of it this way you decided your wife was more important than the other 849 people. Understandable, but I'll still have to disagree.
no subject
Date: 2004-06-26 08:13 am (UTC)I don't begrudge the other guy who got a signature in one of the Q & A sessions because it clearly meant a lot to him - nor would I complain about the "what's your favourite episode?" questions we hear con after con and consume quite a bit more than 49 person hours.
no subject
Date: 2004-06-26 08:42 am (UTC)and I have the exact same objections to the actions of the other guy at this con, or the people at other cons who do the same thing, as to your action. Is not personal, is meant to be logical.
no subject
Date: 2004-06-26 10:04 am (UTC)I think I'll leave it there.