My First Con
Yaaaaayyyy!!! I went to my first con on the weekend! It was Brasil Comic Con on Saturday and Sunday, but I only went on Sunday because of $$$ reasons. To tell you the truth I wasn't even going to go but then they announced Sylverster McCoy and it was all downhill from there. I faced a period of identity crisis with much chocolate being consumed until I made the decision on Wednesday and decided to send it all to hell and GO. Not only that, but I also ended up clicking on the Photo Op button and my credit card number just typed itself and, er... well...
I went by bus, all alone because people didn't want to go with me because of $$$ reasons. I arrived and there was a line forming but it wasn't all that big and it was going pretty fast. There was much walking, much shopping looking and a little photographing. A little before lunch I found my friend Thais and her bf Freddy, owners of the Doctor Who Brasil website, and we walked a bit together.
But the highlight of the day was the Seventh Doctor himself. He arrived around 2pm while we were waiting for the cosplay contest to start. I realized there was suddenly a commotion, people started screaming and when I looked at the corridor, there he was, walking and going backstage. First impression, he is small. Like, really short.
His panel was pure love. He's just so lovely, fun and nice. He's a cute grandpa you just want to hug forever. He told some stories from his day filming Doctor Who, and filming The Hobbit. I'll write down what I can remember.
He was asked what was like to film back in the day when there wasn't computer special effects. He said they had to do it all real and there was a lot of explosions and they had one take to do it right. He talked about one scene in which here was a massive explosion and he was supposed to walk away from it, he couldn't run and he couldn't blink. When it went off, he sad it was like WWII blowing up behind him, he could feel the heat and he didn't know if his coat was on fire, but he needed to get the shot, so he walked, didn't blink and said that his thought at the time was, I don't care if I burn, I just need to get this shot before I go. It turns out he wasn't on fire and he did get the shot.
Another one he said was the explosion on Waterloo Station. It was on the anniversary of something related to the IRA and the police was expecting something from them, so the production warned them about the filming and the explosion. Problem was the police didn't tell anyone else. When the explosion happened, windows exploded, there was people panicking, sirens and fire trucks arriving and rumors that the IRA attacked Waterloo Station. He said the best part was when the firemen arrived and out from the smoke three Daleks came out. He said the Daleks were speaking in Irish accent though. LOL.
He talked about filming the action scenes in The Hobbit. He said everything was green screen everywhere and people wearing green. The Sled was on a platform a two or three feet above the ground, green padding everywhere and below the padding was either concrete or the controls to make the sled move. Very well, he had to do his takes on top of it all moving like crazy and hold on for dear life so he wouldn't fall. For one of the takes they took out the padding to put a camera on the floor to get a shot from below. They got that shot and went back to the close ups. He had to do a large double take but he went too far and ended up falling onto the floor. Problem was, they forgot to put the padding back and he fell from the top of the raised platform on hard concrete floor. He said he felt his whole body vibrate from the impact, his brain shaking inside his skull, all in slow motion and somehow, someone from the crew threw himself from behind and managed to hold his head before it touched the ground. He said he must have been a rugby player.
He also talked about filming the scene with the hedgehog. He said that set was all real and the only CGI thing was the hedgehog, but he filmed using a stuffed one. He was asked about improp and how much room there was for it while making such a big epic. He said that PJ is very specific about what he wants and that he will do 30 takes to get that, but he got to put in some of his own stuff in that scene. One of them was the part he takes the pulse from the hedgehog and the part some dust blows on his face. He said he was really happy he would get a whole scene just with him alone in a giant movie screen and in 3D of all things so he was acting away putting all he had into that scene. Until he saw WETA's finished product with their beautiful animated hedgehog stealing away all his scene! He repeatedly said how much he hates that hedgehog, lol.
When asked about what was his inspiration when he was young, he said he wanted to be a pope and he studied to be a priest and he wanted to come to South America as a missionary. He had to finish his studies in school first and for his last year he had to go to a co-ed school and decided he preferred to chase away skirts instead of wearing one.
The best moment was when he decided to go down to answer fan questions. He walked in the middle of everyone, talked to us and he stood right in front of me for a while, since I was in one of the front rows (VIP pass really *is* nice - totally worth the debt I now have to pay).
I had my photo op with him *_* and got an autograph! Such a magical moment! He's just so nice! He thanked each and every person who went in, hugged people, he's such a gentleman. There aren't enough words to describe him. I spent more money that I ever did in anything other than my cell phone and my laptop, but it was worth every penny. Christmas bonus, I'm going to need you, because cons are my new addiction.
Well, there is much more I'm forgetting, but you can check my FB album and a small video. I hope the links work.
There will be Comic Con Experience in December and I already bought my ticket, but I'll only go on Sunday, because I'm already way -waaaaay- poorer from this one. RICHARD ARMITAGE WILL BE THERE ON SUNDAY FOR THE BRAZILIAN PREMIERE OF BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES!!! OMG!!! Wish me luck!
I went by bus, all alone because people didn't want to go with me because of $$$ reasons. I arrived and there was a line forming but it wasn't all that big and it was going pretty fast. There was much walking, much shopping looking and a little photographing. A little before lunch I found my friend Thais and her bf Freddy, owners of the Doctor Who Brasil website, and we walked a bit together.
But the highlight of the day was the Seventh Doctor himself. He arrived around 2pm while we were waiting for the cosplay contest to start. I realized there was suddenly a commotion, people started screaming and when I looked at the corridor, there he was, walking and going backstage. First impression, he is small. Like, really short.
His panel was pure love. He's just so lovely, fun and nice. He's a cute grandpa you just want to hug forever. He told some stories from his day filming Doctor Who, and filming The Hobbit. I'll write down what I can remember.
He was asked what was like to film back in the day when there wasn't computer special effects. He said they had to do it all real and there was a lot of explosions and they had one take to do it right. He talked about one scene in which here was a massive explosion and he was supposed to walk away from it, he couldn't run and he couldn't blink. When it went off, he sad it was like WWII blowing up behind him, he could feel the heat and he didn't know if his coat was on fire, but he needed to get the shot, so he walked, didn't blink and said that his thought at the time was, I don't care if I burn, I just need to get this shot before I go. It turns out he wasn't on fire and he did get the shot.
Another one he said was the explosion on Waterloo Station. It was on the anniversary of something related to the IRA and the police was expecting something from them, so the production warned them about the filming and the explosion. Problem was the police didn't tell anyone else. When the explosion happened, windows exploded, there was people panicking, sirens and fire trucks arriving and rumors that the IRA attacked Waterloo Station. He said the best part was when the firemen arrived and out from the smoke three Daleks came out. He said the Daleks were speaking in Irish accent though. LOL.
He talked about filming the action scenes in The Hobbit. He said everything was green screen everywhere and people wearing green. The Sled was on a platform a two or three feet above the ground, green padding everywhere and below the padding was either concrete or the controls to make the sled move. Very well, he had to do his takes on top of it all moving like crazy and hold on for dear life so he wouldn't fall. For one of the takes they took out the padding to put a camera on the floor to get a shot from below. They got that shot and went back to the close ups. He had to do a large double take but he went too far and ended up falling onto the floor. Problem was, they forgot to put the padding back and he fell from the top of the raised platform on hard concrete floor. He said he felt his whole body vibrate from the impact, his brain shaking inside his skull, all in slow motion and somehow, someone from the crew threw himself from behind and managed to hold his head before it touched the ground. He said he must have been a rugby player.
He also talked about filming the scene with the hedgehog. He said that set was all real and the only CGI thing was the hedgehog, but he filmed using a stuffed one. He was asked about improp and how much room there was for it while making such a big epic. He said that PJ is very specific about what he wants and that he will do 30 takes to get that, but he got to put in some of his own stuff in that scene. One of them was the part he takes the pulse from the hedgehog and the part some dust blows on his face. He said he was really happy he would get a whole scene just with him alone in a giant movie screen and in 3D of all things so he was acting away putting all he had into that scene. Until he saw WETA's finished product with their beautiful animated hedgehog stealing away all his scene! He repeatedly said how much he hates that hedgehog, lol.
When asked about what was his inspiration when he was young, he said he wanted to be a pope and he studied to be a priest and he wanted to come to South America as a missionary. He had to finish his studies in school first and for his last year he had to go to a co-ed school and decided he preferred to chase away skirts instead of wearing one.
The best moment was when he decided to go down to answer fan questions. He walked in the middle of everyone, talked to us and he stood right in front of me for a while, since I was in one of the front rows (VIP pass really *is* nice - totally worth the debt I now have to pay).
I had my photo op with him *_* and got an autograph! Such a magical moment! He's just so nice! He thanked each and every person who went in, hugged people, he's such a gentleman. There aren't enough words to describe him. I spent more money that I ever did in anything other than my cell phone and my laptop, but it was worth every penny. Christmas bonus, I'm going to need you, because cons are my new addiction.
Well, there is much more I'm forgetting, but you can check my FB album and a small video. I hope the links work.
There will be Comic Con Experience in December and I already bought my ticket, but I'll only go on Sunday, because I'm already way -waaaaay- poorer from this one. RICHARD ARMITAGE WILL BE THERE ON SUNDAY FOR THE BRAZILIAN PREMIERE OF BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES!!! OMG!!! Wish me luck!