Collectormaniaaaaaaaaa!
Ahem.
So, I'm back. And I took notes, because I love you all and wanted to share the Alan and Ron goodness. So you'll find in this post, in the middle of all the fangirly usual stuff, a report of the Sunday talk.
Pictures will come in a few days' time to illustrate everything. For the moment, no time to upload them all.
Friday! Up at 8, we got to the con at 10. ...because we clearly weren't in that much of a hurry. Grabbed tickets to go get our stuff signed by Alan (!!!), then got our tickets for the Firefly talk on Sunday. We pretty much wandered through the stalls until our numbers came up. I bought myself a TARDIS key because I am weak and a fangirl and I couldn't help myself. (It's so pretty!) So much stuff I wish I could've bought - DVDs and merchandising both. Like Lórien leaves, because I'm a hopeless LotR fangirl and they looked cool.
Finally it's our turn to go get our stuff signed. I hadn't eaten anything, don't think I could've. Ron and Alan were set up next to each other and Ron looked so good with glasses. All my pictures of him that day turned out blurry, though. Woe.
So. How did Alan look. Blue gingham shirt, with the sleeves rolled up (yes, B, OMG FOREARMS I did all the staring I could before it was my turn so that I wouldn't then). Blond. And FRECKLES he has so been spending time in sunny California to bring them all out it's so CUTE.
So. It turns out that it's my turn far too quickly. I manage to ask him how he's doing, to which he replies good, how about me, and oh god that SMILE people it's there in his EYES.
So I give him the booklet of my Firefly DVDs, which Nathan and Summer have already signed, and he reads what Nathan wrote (with a little difficulty I might add) and I explain that it's because we helped with the French translation of Serenity. To which he goes "oh, I see," even though it was clear he had no clue. Bless him.
So he signs my stuff, and I pluck up my courage and ask him if I can ask him a bit of a weird question. He says of course, and I ask him about his natural hair colour, completely expecting him to weasel out of answering the question. He didn't. (Kinda made him laugh, though. Heee!) Turns out he actually is a blond and omg did I mention the freckles already? Heee. Heh. God, I don't know how I managed to string two words together. I was all "'cause you're always changing hair colour" and he made a sympathetic face and went "I know, I know," and gestured to his hair and went "this is me." I also had a picture of Wat, and he tapped it above Wat's hair and went, "that's not me," to which I answered that it was a good look, though. (Because redhaired Alan will always be my favourite.)
I know, I know, I should've seen that as the perfect opportunity to ask what about AKT2 and find out if he was still in contact with the AKT guys and girls, but I honestly didn't even think about it, I was just too...you know. Not catatonic, but close. He's just. And his smile, and the FRECKLES. Which I will stop obsessing over pretty much NEVER. So I didn't.
And then I asked the guy with him to take a picture, except obviously that's when the camera decided not to work so I changed the batteries - with trembling frelling hands, might I add - while Lucy got her stuff signed.
She had a picture of him as Wash from Serenity, looking all grave, and he smiled at it and went "this is me contemplating my death." (Little bastard. We all cried so much. Heh.) Also, she asked him if he had a writer's cramp yet, to which he answered he didn't, not yet.
Okay, so, camera's finally working, so we get a picture with all three of us. He put his arm right around me I could've just turned my head and licked his neck but I didn't. Be proud of me, people. I can actually resist.
B, for the record, I thought muchly of the inside of his wrists. You evil, evil woman. Also worth mentioning: FRECKLES! Voice, oh god that voice of his. BROW. His brow fascinates me, I'm sorry, his eyebrows and brow and how much he uses them for each of his expressions. EYES that twinkle at you when he's smiling. FOREARMS and wrists. FRECKLES. Let's not go and forget the freckles.
We shook hands and thanked him and took off and went and had breakfast. I ranted ranted ranted at poor Lucy. With such nonsensical stuff as "he was there, with his voice and his face and his... face!" because that's the kind of state Alan puts me in. We jotted down everything about those five minutes so I did not forget. What came across most was: he's lovely, and kind, and so attentive to you, and it shows that he actually wants to be there, that he likes this. (Oh how I love him.)
Although I was thinking about it, and how attentive he is to the fans is nothing compared to Nathan. Nathan's just a freak in that department. I love my captain. But anyway, Alan still really makes you feel like he's happy to meet you. And he does it with his voice and his face, if you know what I mean.
I'll get over it some time not today.
Less actually happened on Saturday. Aka I didn't meet them any. I still wasn't sure I'd have enough money to afford going in for Ron's autograph, so I refrained. That said, my brain had settled down some from the whirlwind of Friday, and it was doing its damnedest to wrap itself around the prettiness of Alan.
Because. Well. Alan's very pretty, right. But. In real life? Even more so than I remembered/would've thought. I was overwhelmed on Friday. On Saturday, I kinda basked in it.
On addition to that, he kept chewing a piece of gum. Thus working his jaw. A lot. I could not stop staring. Or using the camera. Trigger-happy was me. Hell, trigger-ecstatic! Pictures will eventually be more than available. (And more than pictures, for those of you that adore his jaw as much as me - just ask.)
Also, when he arrived he was in his leather jacket (GUH) and wearing those sunglasses I hate on everybody else... and pulling them off. For the first time I kinda liked them. (And I can't find a picture. Erin, what do you call those sunglasses Brandon has? You know the ones.)
Also, Ron was in a Serenity t-shirt and oh how we love him. Elisa got her picture and autograph with him that day. We walked around a lot, and I always circled back to the boys to stare and take pictures. That was about it. (And, of course, it was Who day, but let's keep this a Collectormania post.)
Sunday was undoubtedly my favourite day. Not only did I get my tattoo done (ouch ouch ouch most painful one yet), but mostly - MOSTLY - there was the Serenity talk. Ron and Alan were ours for half an hour. "Ours," manner of speaking, and half an hour not being near bloody enough!
Right. So the talk was in a cinema. And it was a weird room, with a slope. So our BDH arrive, and since our Cap'n wasn't here to goof around Alan took it upon himself to replace him, clearly. He spent a good twenty to thirty seconds pretending to be falling and trying to prevent stuff from falling off the table and he is brilliant and hilarious and an amazing physical actor, for those of you who had any doubt. I should've filmed this, damnit, but they didn't want us to film any.
So Ron and Alan said a few words about how they were happy to be here and stuff. I was a bit too busy taking pictures to write everything down at first, I'll admit. I do remember Alan eventually going, "...what movie are we watching again? Did somebody say something about Dead Man Walking? Well, that'd be us. ...no, Dead Men Sitting On A Slope."
Then they started going on about how the version of Serenity we were going to be shown might just be an alternate version with them not dying. Book's now the only one to survive Haven - which looks all a bit suspicious - and Wash leans over to grab something from the floor right as the harpoon pierces his chair.
Alan also made this random remark, where he mentioned Al Gore, and then added "that would be who we elected in 2000." Because he can't help himself I love my Big Damn Pilot.
They also said how nice it was to discover Milton Keynes... and sounded very convinced... really... and then asked if anybody in the room was actually from Milton Keynes. "Ah, all three of you."
Also, Alan kept saying "Fantastic," which was, from the way he said it, clearly either some sort of private joke or a reference to Nine. Sadly, I'm afraid it was the former.
Ron seemed very careful not to actually say whether or not he thought there'd be more, and then Alan pretty much astonished me with his belief (yes, belief) that there would be more. He doesn't know what form it'll take, and obviously right now Joss is busy with Wonder Woman and Goners (somebody then said, "yeah, that's what we're waiting for," about Goners, to which he replied with, "yeaaaah. Goners first, Wonder Woman later." and made a face to show how crazy he thought the bloke was), but he's convinced there'll be more. And he's damn ready to be in that "more".
They explained how Joss had said that should there be another film, the whole cast would be in it. Alan was rather insistant on that - and then leaned back to shake his head "not him" and pointing at Ron in his back. They didn't at all mention the possibility of it being a prequel (not seriously anyway), but rather Joss's ability to bring people back from the dead... which we won't have in the Fireflyverse, oh well. And flashbacks and dream sequences. Then Alan explained how actually what he wants in the sequel is Zoe sleeping, zoom in on her and into her dream. A wonderful mind-blowing sex dream sequence with Wash. (To which Ron said something along the lines of, mindblowing? that would be just a dream.) And how he thought the whole movie should be that, actually, Zoe in a coma having those dreams. (So pretty much Alan wants to make porn. Just pointin' it out.)
He also said he thought a spinoff was a very real possibility... and then followed it up with saying how it should be about Wash, of course (so I'm not sure how much of a real possibility it truly is), which would mean they'd have to do it before he met everybody.
Then they agreed that what should actually be shot is Wash and Book : The Early Years.
Someone asked them if they'd ever been headhunted for a movie. To which Alan went, "...........no." And then made sure of what she meant, and imagined the scene, "You don't get a greenlight until I see a Tudyk on the set!" Then he explained that it had happened for theatre (squee!) but not movies. And went on to explain how actually whenever he's told he's got the part, when he shows up on set he half expects the filmmakers to suddenly realise they've made a mistake and they don't want him. (Which sounded very funny the way he put it but how can he doubt himself like that. Honestly.) ...then Ron replied to the same question with a very succinct "No," after Alan's little five-minute-long answer.
The next question was for their favourite Firefly moments. Ron started mentioning letting his hair down (in Jaynestown), which had Alan go "down?" with an up-and-out hand gesture. After he stopped laughing Ron said his favourite moments were actually both in Serenity, when Kaylee calls him Grandpa and he tells her he never married, and when he gives her the strawberries.
Then somebody went to ask another question and Alan cut in with a nosy Californian accent, "totally haven't answered the question, dude."
Which he then proceeded to do, once the laughter subsided: in Out of Gas, his argument with Mal in the shuttle, and in War Stories, "before we're tortured," he hastened to point out, and then explained that it was when Nathan and he were blindfolded and walking around in this place full of metal hooks and other such dangerous stuff... and those were real blindfolds. By opposition to the fake ones. It was "the kind of leather you couldn't see through."
Ron then remarked how amazed he is each time that the others know the names of the episodes, and added that he didn't even know the names of the episodes when they were shooting them. To which Alan explained that Ron actually didn't know the name of his character when they were shooting. And thought he was called Pamphlet.
Ron reiterated that his own private backstory for Book was that he was a ballet dancer. "...that explains the security clearance," went Alan. (Also, the guy asking the question mentioned Alan's backstory for Wash during the war, of him in a camp doing shadow puppet theatre, and I love that story so I had to mention it again too. Big love to you, Alan.)
Then Alan was asked what his favourite dinosaur was. And he drew a blank. Somebody suggested Washosaurus, which made him laugh quite a bit (love that he remembers!). And then he admitted he'd never given it much thought. And he said that he'd only got five dinosaurs this weekend, which had Ron go "wait until tomorrow, now!"
Also, he made sure to point out that the audition of his that's on the Firefly DVDs isn't the audition that got him the part. I love that he was still all indignant about that, that his audition would be the only one on the DVDs and that it would be the very first one and not him at his finest. "Such bullshit," was his commentary, but with a smile. (Ah, that smile.)
The whole getting killed thing - when asked how they took their deaths, they agreed, "we bought it." Ron compared it to having a relationship with someone that puts you out. And Alan paused, thought about it, and went "...yeah."
Ron explained that at first he wasn't sure he'd sign up for it. Joss had called him to let him know before the script got to him, which was nice, and one of those good news/bad news phone calls. He then imitated Joss (not that badly at all might I add), "The good news is, we're making a film, and you're in it. The bad news is, you die." Then Nathan called him and told him it wouldn't be the same without him and they all wanted him on and so he signed for it anyway. Then Alan said something about who would've played Book if Ron hadn't signed, but I didn't write it down and I can't remember. Help anyone that was there?
Alan also explained at great lengths about why Wash's death was a good thing for the stakes of the movie, etc. Nothing we hadn't heard before, but it was nice to hear it from him.
When asked if it was sad to shoot those death scenes, Alan took the whole of thirty seconds going "sad? ...yeah? ah. yeah... mm. yeah?" sounding ever so uncertain about it. And then actually explained how everybody on set was joking during it, despite the fact that having a big wooden spike sticking out of your chest was hard to ignore. "Zoe? Zoe, I got a splinter. Can I get a needle? Hey, guys, come back, I'm fine! Come back!"
Somebody asked Ron if he was now able to think back on Firefly without crying (apparently he'd once said he couldn't?). There was a bit of an awkward/amused silence, with the two of them looking at each other, and then Ron said yes, actually, and Alan added that otherwise he really should be on meds.
Also priceless was Alan's reaction to someone mentioning the filk song "Mal's song." (Brilliant song.) He went "Mal's song? ... I bet you Nathan wrote it." And that Nathan had probably just hired a couple of guys to sing it. He also mentioned that he'd got a filk CD at Flanvention, where everybody had their song, except River had seven. (Here's me going... I don't have any River songs! Anybody on the flist feels like sharing any?) Then the bloke gave him a paper with the URL to Mal's song and Alan went, "okay, for anybody else that wants it, it's www dot... www dot hotsex..." and shot a funny look at the guy. And then only said the actual URL, which was hella long and he said it quickly and then went "hope you all got it."
They were asked about the first Inara (Rebecca Gayheart I believe) and what it was like shooting with her, and they both BURST OUT LAUGHING it was the best moment ever. Then Ron managed to say "it's illegal! it'd be illegal to tell you." But Alan had no such qualms and went straight on with "it's beautiful that she got fired." (Heee! The boy can be nasty.) He explained that it was clear that she didn't fit in and she wasn't part of the group, she carried her little dog around and sucked on her lollipop during the readthroughs and went "I didn't read the script, I didn't read the script. I'm a prostitute?" "Yes you are, sweetheart," was his answer to that. (So. Much. Love.)
Somebody asked them if Joss had talked to them about a part in Wonder Woman. "I've been practising the lasso," Alan said after a short silence. "I don't have the legs for it," Ron immediately added. Alan looked at him chidingly, "Don't sell yourself short, Ron." (I. LOVE THEM.)
Then they were asked about what they had planned next. Ron explained that he was looking for a job, and that actually he'd just had a fallout with his agent, who'd insisted he go for the part of a man in his mid 70s losing his memory. "It's where I'm headed, why would I wanna play that?" To which Alan replied, very comfortingly, "You shouldn't take a part a day over 70."
Alan then announced that he'd actually only just got a job, right before flying over. It's for the next Frank Oz film, called "Death at a Funeral," and it'll be shot in London. It's an ensemble piece, and there's only two Americans in it.
(Edit: Something I'd forgotten about until uploading the pictures. Alan also mentioned a gift he'd received from someone, a photo album with pictures from everything he'd been in, like his first plays in NYC and stuff, and he seemed really touched by it and it was lovely and what I wouldn't give to have a look at that album. That's it.)
That was it for Sunday. Then we went and saw Serenity again and I almost didn't tear up. (Yeah, right. It still cuts me inside to see Serenity being torn apart as he glides her in, especially knowing what's coming.)
Also worth mentioning, Tony Head was there and after seeing him being so very creeptastic in Who, it was good to see him casual and natural, even though only from a distance. He looked good. My lovely twins were back to being redheaded, yay, but the hair was still tragically short. I didn't manage to get any good pictures of them or Robert Pattinson, sadly, who also looked very cool.
On Monday, it turned out that I did have enough money left to buy a couple Serenity patches (yay!) and get Ron's autograph, so I did that. And he was. Amazing.
He asked what my name was to sign the booklet, and I told him "Fan'," and spelled it out complete with the apostrophe. He started writing, stopped, and went "did you say - what did you say?" And so I explained how the name was actually Fanny but it was a bit unfortunate in English-speaking countries and so I went by Fan'. And he laughed that delicious warm-wax-y laugh of his. I did that! I just wanted to ask him to keep laughing. He just gives you everything when he's laughing, it's all for you, and it's gorgeous and brilliant and like warm wax being spilled down your spine.
Then I asked him about the t-shirt he was wearing on Sunday, because it's a t-shirt Jayne wears in Serenity (the yellow one with the Chinese and the gun), and he went, in his Ron way, "it's a t-shirt we both wear." And then explained how Jayne got to wear his on screen, but they all have one.
We took a picture and I walked away and he called me back to go "Jayne thinks it's his, though." To which I replied, "Of course he would, he's Jayne," and he laughed again and I'm sorry, I adore Alan, but can I marry Ron already? Pretty please?
Ron, if ever you're looking for a way to get the French nationality, for whatever reason, think of me. I'd be more than happy to have a (fake?) marriage with you.
And then I wanted to stick around (especially since Rosie and I missed each other!), but I had a plane to catch and so we all went. Sadness.
I took pictures of several other guests - Ian wasn't there, twixou, terribly sorry darling! And there is much more to be said about what we did/watched/did while we watched, but I'll keep almost everything for a friends-locked post later. There's only one more thing that ought to be made public, really, and that is...
The A Knight's Tale drinking game.
- one drink for every reference to Chaucer's works.
- one drink for every occurrence of boykissing.
- one drink each time Wat hits/kicks someone.
- one drink for each time Chaucer's voice cracks, and/or he does a boxer-type announcement of William.
- one drink to salute each one of Chaucer's speeches. (Hey, they deserve more than just the one.)
- one drink for each time they use the verb "fong".
- one drink for each time we hear a crappy French accent. (Christiana's does not count, it is an actual French accent, thank you.)
- one drink each time Chaucer's naked.
- one drink for each Roland/Christiana sick-puppies-in-love look.
- one drink each time Germaine shows that he is really on the side of our guys.
- one drink for Germaine trying to pull off a Chaucer.
- one drink for each of Jocelyne's impossible hair-dos.
- one drink for each Puresex smile. (Aka each smile with which James Purefoy seems to be saying "come and shag me.")
- one drink for each item of leather (coats, pants, chaps, everything's game).
- one drink for each pop song.
- one drink for each time Geoff takes the piss out of Wat.
- one drink for each football song.
- one drink each time some French is heard.
- one drink for each visor shot before a joust.
- one drink each time Kate blacksmiths (hey, if Wash can say that Inara Companions, I can say that Kate blacksmiths).
- one drink for each broken lance, three drinks for somebody being unhorsed.
- one drink for each Mexican wave.
- one drink each time somebody drinks.
- one drink each time Wat mentions food.
- one drink for spotting Wat's pillow.
- one drink each time somebody mentions the bloody stars.
Some advice: either make a selection from the above suggestions, and don't drink to them all, or plan for a lot of booze. Seriously.
Also, on a more personal note: don't try it with Baccardi Breezer. A full bottle each, and no buzz whatsoever, and a semi-hangover the next day. Brilliant. Next time I'm going for a real alcohol.
So, I'm back. And I took notes, because I love you all and wanted to share the Alan and Ron goodness. So you'll find in this post, in the middle of all the fangirly usual stuff, a report of the Sunday talk.
Pictures will come in a few days' time to illustrate everything. For the moment, no time to upload them all.
Friday! Up at 8, we got to the con at 10. ...because we clearly weren't in that much of a hurry. Grabbed tickets to go get our stuff signed by Alan (!!!), then got our tickets for the Firefly talk on Sunday. We pretty much wandered through the stalls until our numbers came up. I bought myself a TARDIS key because I am weak and a fangirl and I couldn't help myself. (It's so pretty!) So much stuff I wish I could've bought - DVDs and merchandising both. Like Lórien leaves, because I'm a hopeless LotR fangirl and they looked cool.
Finally it's our turn to go get our stuff signed. I hadn't eaten anything, don't think I could've. Ron and Alan were set up next to each other and Ron looked so good with glasses. All my pictures of him that day turned out blurry, though. Woe.
So. How did Alan look. Blue gingham shirt, with the sleeves rolled up (yes, B, OMG FOREARMS I did all the staring I could before it was my turn so that I wouldn't then). Blond. And FRECKLES he has so been spending time in sunny California to bring them all out it's so CUTE.
So. It turns out that it's my turn far too quickly. I manage to ask him how he's doing, to which he replies good, how about me, and oh god that SMILE people it's there in his EYES.
So I give him the booklet of my Firefly DVDs, which Nathan and Summer have already signed, and he reads what Nathan wrote (with a little difficulty I might add) and I explain that it's because we helped with the French translation of Serenity. To which he goes "oh, I see," even though it was clear he had no clue. Bless him.
So he signs my stuff, and I pluck up my courage and ask him if I can ask him a bit of a weird question. He says of course, and I ask him about his natural hair colour, completely expecting him to weasel out of answering the question. He didn't. (Kinda made him laugh, though. Heee!) Turns out he actually is a blond and omg did I mention the freckles already? Heee. Heh. God, I don't know how I managed to string two words together. I was all "'cause you're always changing hair colour" and he made a sympathetic face and went "I know, I know," and gestured to his hair and went "this is me." I also had a picture of Wat, and he tapped it above Wat's hair and went, "that's not me," to which I answered that it was a good look, though. (Because redhaired Alan will always be my favourite.)
I know, I know, I should've seen that as the perfect opportunity to ask what about AKT2 and find out if he was still in contact with the AKT guys and girls, but I honestly didn't even think about it, I was just too...you know. Not catatonic, but close. He's just. And his smile, and the FRECKLES. Which I will stop obsessing over pretty much NEVER. So I didn't.
And then I asked the guy with him to take a picture, except obviously that's when the camera decided not to work so I changed the batteries - with trembling frelling hands, might I add - while Lucy got her stuff signed.
She had a picture of him as Wash from Serenity, looking all grave, and he smiled at it and went "this is me contemplating my death." (Little bastard. We all cried so much. Heh.) Also, she asked him if he had a writer's cramp yet, to which he answered he didn't, not yet.
Okay, so, camera's finally working, so we get a picture with all three of us. He put his arm right around me I could've just turned my head and licked his neck but I didn't. Be proud of me, people. I can actually resist.
B, for the record, I thought muchly of the inside of his wrists. You evil, evil woman. Also worth mentioning: FRECKLES! Voice, oh god that voice of his. BROW. His brow fascinates me, I'm sorry, his eyebrows and brow and how much he uses them for each of his expressions. EYES that twinkle at you when he's smiling. FOREARMS and wrists. FRECKLES. Let's not go and forget the freckles.
We shook hands and thanked him and took off and went and had breakfast. I ranted ranted ranted at poor Lucy. With such nonsensical stuff as "he was there, with his voice and his face and his... face!" because that's the kind of state Alan puts me in. We jotted down everything about those five minutes so I did not forget. What came across most was: he's lovely, and kind, and so attentive to you, and it shows that he actually wants to be there, that he likes this. (Oh how I love him.)
Although I was thinking about it, and how attentive he is to the fans is nothing compared to Nathan. Nathan's just a freak in that department. I love my captain. But anyway, Alan still really makes you feel like he's happy to meet you. And he does it with his voice and his face, if you know what I mean.
I'll get over it some time not today.
Less actually happened on Saturday. Aka I didn't meet them any. I still wasn't sure I'd have enough money to afford going in for Ron's autograph, so I refrained. That said, my brain had settled down some from the whirlwind of Friday, and it was doing its damnedest to wrap itself around the prettiness of Alan.
Because. Well. Alan's very pretty, right. But. In real life? Even more so than I remembered/would've thought. I was overwhelmed on Friday. On Saturday, I kinda basked in it.
On addition to that, he kept chewing a piece of gum. Thus working his jaw. A lot. I could not stop staring. Or using the camera. Trigger-happy was me. Hell, trigger-ecstatic! Pictures will eventually be more than available. (And more than pictures, for those of you that adore his jaw as much as me - just ask.)
Also, when he arrived he was in his leather jacket (GUH) and wearing those sunglasses I hate on everybody else... and pulling them off. For the first time I kinda liked them. (And I can't find a picture. Erin, what do you call those sunglasses Brandon has? You know the ones.)
Also, Ron was in a Serenity t-shirt and oh how we love him. Elisa got her picture and autograph with him that day. We walked around a lot, and I always circled back to the boys to stare and take pictures. That was about it. (And, of course, it was Who day, but let's keep this a Collectormania post.)
Sunday was undoubtedly my favourite day. Not only did I get my tattoo done (ouch ouch ouch most painful one yet), but mostly - MOSTLY - there was the Serenity talk. Ron and Alan were ours for half an hour. "Ours," manner of speaking, and half an hour not being near bloody enough!
Right. So the talk was in a cinema. And it was a weird room, with a slope. So our BDH arrive, and since our Cap'n wasn't here to goof around Alan took it upon himself to replace him, clearly. He spent a good twenty to thirty seconds pretending to be falling and trying to prevent stuff from falling off the table and he is brilliant and hilarious and an amazing physical actor, for those of you who had any doubt. I should've filmed this, damnit, but they didn't want us to film any.
So Ron and Alan said a few words about how they were happy to be here and stuff. I was a bit too busy taking pictures to write everything down at first, I'll admit. I do remember Alan eventually going, "...what movie are we watching again? Did somebody say something about Dead Man Walking? Well, that'd be us. ...no, Dead Men Sitting On A Slope."
Then they started going on about how the version of Serenity we were going to be shown might just be an alternate version with them not dying. Book's now the only one to survive Haven - which looks all a bit suspicious - and Wash leans over to grab something from the floor right as the harpoon pierces his chair.
Alan also made this random remark, where he mentioned Al Gore, and then added "that would be who we elected in 2000." Because he can't help himself I love my Big Damn Pilot.
They also said how nice it was to discover Milton Keynes... and sounded very convinced... really... and then asked if anybody in the room was actually from Milton Keynes. "Ah, all three of you."
Also, Alan kept saying "Fantastic," which was, from the way he said it, clearly either some sort of private joke or a reference to Nine. Sadly, I'm afraid it was the former.
Ron seemed very careful not to actually say whether or not he thought there'd be more, and then Alan pretty much astonished me with his belief (yes, belief) that there would be more. He doesn't know what form it'll take, and obviously right now Joss is busy with Wonder Woman and Goners (somebody then said, "yeah, that's what we're waiting for," about Goners, to which he replied with, "yeaaaah. Goners first, Wonder Woman later." and made a face to show how crazy he thought the bloke was), but he's convinced there'll be more. And he's damn ready to be in that "more".
They explained how Joss had said that should there be another film, the whole cast would be in it. Alan was rather insistant on that - and then leaned back to shake his head "not him" and pointing at Ron in his back. They didn't at all mention the possibility of it being a prequel (not seriously anyway), but rather Joss's ability to bring people back from the dead... which we won't have in the Fireflyverse, oh well. And flashbacks and dream sequences. Then Alan explained how actually what he wants in the sequel is Zoe sleeping, zoom in on her and into her dream. A wonderful mind-blowing sex dream sequence with Wash. (To which Ron said something along the lines of, mindblowing? that would be just a dream.) And how he thought the whole movie should be that, actually, Zoe in a coma having those dreams. (So pretty much Alan wants to make porn. Just pointin' it out.)
He also said he thought a spinoff was a very real possibility... and then followed it up with saying how it should be about Wash, of course (so I'm not sure how much of a real possibility it truly is), which would mean they'd have to do it before he met everybody.
Then they agreed that what should actually be shot is Wash and Book : The Early Years.
Someone asked them if they'd ever been headhunted for a movie. To which Alan went, "...........no." And then made sure of what she meant, and imagined the scene, "You don't get a greenlight until I see a Tudyk on the set!" Then he explained that it had happened for theatre (squee!) but not movies. And went on to explain how actually whenever he's told he's got the part, when he shows up on set he half expects the filmmakers to suddenly realise they've made a mistake and they don't want him. (Which sounded very funny the way he put it but how can he doubt himself like that. Honestly.) ...then Ron replied to the same question with a very succinct "No," after Alan's little five-minute-long answer.
The next question was for their favourite Firefly moments. Ron started mentioning letting his hair down (in Jaynestown), which had Alan go "down?" with an up-and-out hand gesture. After he stopped laughing Ron said his favourite moments were actually both in Serenity, when Kaylee calls him Grandpa and he tells her he never married, and when he gives her the strawberries.
Then somebody went to ask another question and Alan cut in with a nosy Californian accent, "totally haven't answered the question, dude."
Which he then proceeded to do, once the laughter subsided: in Out of Gas, his argument with Mal in the shuttle, and in War Stories, "before we're tortured," he hastened to point out, and then explained that it was when Nathan and he were blindfolded and walking around in this place full of metal hooks and other such dangerous stuff... and those were real blindfolds. By opposition to the fake ones. It was "the kind of leather you couldn't see through."
Ron then remarked how amazed he is each time that the others know the names of the episodes, and added that he didn't even know the names of the episodes when they were shooting them. To which Alan explained that Ron actually didn't know the name of his character when they were shooting. And thought he was called Pamphlet.
Ron reiterated that his own private backstory for Book was that he was a ballet dancer. "...that explains the security clearance," went Alan. (Also, the guy asking the question mentioned Alan's backstory for Wash during the war, of him in a camp doing shadow puppet theatre, and I love that story so I had to mention it again too. Big love to you, Alan.)
Then Alan was asked what his favourite dinosaur was. And he drew a blank. Somebody suggested Washosaurus, which made him laugh quite a bit (love that he remembers!). And then he admitted he'd never given it much thought. And he said that he'd only got five dinosaurs this weekend, which had Ron go "wait until tomorrow, now!"
Also, he made sure to point out that the audition of his that's on the Firefly DVDs isn't the audition that got him the part. I love that he was still all indignant about that, that his audition would be the only one on the DVDs and that it would be the very first one and not him at his finest. "Such bullshit," was his commentary, but with a smile. (Ah, that smile.)
The whole getting killed thing - when asked how they took their deaths, they agreed, "we bought it." Ron compared it to having a relationship with someone that puts you out. And Alan paused, thought about it, and went "...yeah."
Ron explained that at first he wasn't sure he'd sign up for it. Joss had called him to let him know before the script got to him, which was nice, and one of those good news/bad news phone calls. He then imitated Joss (not that badly at all might I add), "The good news is, we're making a film, and you're in it. The bad news is, you die." Then Nathan called him and told him it wouldn't be the same without him and they all wanted him on and so he signed for it anyway. Then Alan said something about who would've played Book if Ron hadn't signed, but I didn't write it down and I can't remember. Help anyone that was there?
Alan also explained at great lengths about why Wash's death was a good thing for the stakes of the movie, etc. Nothing we hadn't heard before, but it was nice to hear it from him.
When asked if it was sad to shoot those death scenes, Alan took the whole of thirty seconds going "sad? ...yeah? ah. yeah... mm. yeah?" sounding ever so uncertain about it. And then actually explained how everybody on set was joking during it, despite the fact that having a big wooden spike sticking out of your chest was hard to ignore. "Zoe? Zoe, I got a splinter. Can I get a needle? Hey, guys, come back, I'm fine! Come back!"
Somebody asked Ron if he was now able to think back on Firefly without crying (apparently he'd once said he couldn't?). There was a bit of an awkward/amused silence, with the two of them looking at each other, and then Ron said yes, actually, and Alan added that otherwise he really should be on meds.
Also priceless was Alan's reaction to someone mentioning the filk song "Mal's song." (Brilliant song.) He went "Mal's song? ... I bet you Nathan wrote it." And that Nathan had probably just hired a couple of guys to sing it. He also mentioned that he'd got a filk CD at Flanvention, where everybody had their song, except River had seven. (Here's me going... I don't have any River songs! Anybody on the flist feels like sharing any?) Then the bloke gave him a paper with the URL to Mal's song and Alan went, "okay, for anybody else that wants it, it's www dot... www dot hotsex..." and shot a funny look at the guy. And then only said the actual URL, which was hella long and he said it quickly and then went "hope you all got it."
They were asked about the first Inara (Rebecca Gayheart I believe) and what it was like shooting with her, and they both BURST OUT LAUGHING it was the best moment ever. Then Ron managed to say "it's illegal! it'd be illegal to tell you." But Alan had no such qualms and went straight on with "it's beautiful that she got fired." (Heee! The boy can be nasty.) He explained that it was clear that she didn't fit in and she wasn't part of the group, she carried her little dog around and sucked on her lollipop during the readthroughs and went "I didn't read the script, I didn't read the script. I'm a prostitute?" "Yes you are, sweetheart," was his answer to that. (So. Much. Love.)
Somebody asked them if Joss had talked to them about a part in Wonder Woman. "I've been practising the lasso," Alan said after a short silence. "I don't have the legs for it," Ron immediately added. Alan looked at him chidingly, "Don't sell yourself short, Ron." (I. LOVE THEM.)
Then they were asked about what they had planned next. Ron explained that he was looking for a job, and that actually he'd just had a fallout with his agent, who'd insisted he go for the part of a man in his mid 70s losing his memory. "It's where I'm headed, why would I wanna play that?" To which Alan replied, very comfortingly, "You shouldn't take a part a day over 70."
Alan then announced that he'd actually only just got a job, right before flying over. It's for the next Frank Oz film, called "Death at a Funeral," and it'll be shot in London. It's an ensemble piece, and there's only two Americans in it.
(Edit: Something I'd forgotten about until uploading the pictures. Alan also mentioned a gift he'd received from someone, a photo album with pictures from everything he'd been in, like his first plays in NYC and stuff, and he seemed really touched by it and it was lovely and what I wouldn't give to have a look at that album. That's it.)
That was it for Sunday. Then we went and saw Serenity again and I almost didn't tear up. (Yeah, right. It still cuts me inside to see Serenity being torn apart as he glides her in, especially knowing what's coming.)
Also worth mentioning, Tony Head was there and after seeing him being so very creeptastic in Who, it was good to see him casual and natural, even though only from a distance. He looked good. My lovely twins were back to being redheaded, yay, but the hair was still tragically short. I didn't manage to get any good pictures of them or Robert Pattinson, sadly, who also looked very cool.
On Monday, it turned out that I did have enough money left to buy a couple Serenity patches (yay!) and get Ron's autograph, so I did that. And he was. Amazing.
He asked what my name was to sign the booklet, and I told him "Fan'," and spelled it out complete with the apostrophe. He started writing, stopped, and went "did you say - what did you say?" And so I explained how the name was actually Fanny but it was a bit unfortunate in English-speaking countries and so I went by Fan'. And he laughed that delicious warm-wax-y laugh of his. I did that! I just wanted to ask him to keep laughing. He just gives you everything when he's laughing, it's all for you, and it's gorgeous and brilliant and like warm wax being spilled down your spine.
Then I asked him about the t-shirt he was wearing on Sunday, because it's a t-shirt Jayne wears in Serenity (the yellow one with the Chinese and the gun), and he went, in his Ron way, "it's a t-shirt we both wear." And then explained how Jayne got to wear his on screen, but they all have one.
We took a picture and I walked away and he called me back to go "Jayne thinks it's his, though." To which I replied, "Of course he would, he's Jayne," and he laughed again and I'm sorry, I adore Alan, but can I marry Ron already? Pretty please?
Ron, if ever you're looking for a way to get the French nationality, for whatever reason, think of me. I'd be more than happy to have a (fake?) marriage with you.
And then I wanted to stick around (especially since Rosie and I missed each other!), but I had a plane to catch and so we all went. Sadness.
I took pictures of several other guests - Ian wasn't there, twixou, terribly sorry darling! And there is much more to be said about what we did/watched/did while we watched, but I'll keep almost everything for a friends-locked post later. There's only one more thing that ought to be made public, really, and that is...
The A Knight's Tale drinking game.
- one drink for every reference to Chaucer's works.
- one drink for every occurrence of boykissing.
- one drink each time Wat hits/kicks someone.
- one drink for each time Chaucer's voice cracks, and/or he does a boxer-type announcement of William.
- one drink to salute each one of Chaucer's speeches. (Hey, they deserve more than just the one.)
- one drink for each time they use the verb "fong".
- one drink for each time we hear a crappy French accent. (Christiana's does not count, it is an actual French accent, thank you.)
- one drink each time Chaucer's naked.
- one drink for each Roland/Christiana sick-puppies-in-love look.
- one drink each time Germaine shows that he is really on the side of our guys.
- one drink for Germaine trying to pull off a Chaucer.
- one drink for each of Jocelyne's impossible hair-dos.
- one drink for each Puresex smile. (Aka each smile with which James Purefoy seems to be saying "come and shag me.")
- one drink for each item of leather (coats, pants, chaps, everything's game).
- one drink for each pop song.
- one drink for each time Geoff takes the piss out of Wat.
- one drink for each football song.
- one drink each time some French is heard.
- one drink for each visor shot before a joust.
- one drink each time Kate blacksmiths (hey, if Wash can say that Inara Companions, I can say that Kate blacksmiths).
- one drink for each broken lance, three drinks for somebody being unhorsed.
- one drink for each Mexican wave.
- one drink each time somebody drinks.
- one drink each time Wat mentions food.
- one drink for spotting Wat's pillow.
- one drink each time somebody mentions the bloody stars.
Some advice: either make a selection from the above suggestions, and don't drink to them all, or plan for a lot of booze. Seriously.
Also, on a more personal note: don't try it with Baccardi Breezer. A full bottle each, and no buzz whatsoever, and a semi-hangover the next day. Brilliant. Next time I'm going for a real alcohol.