Con Report: Supanova 2014
This year Supanova moved to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at Southbank. I thought Oz Comic Con managed the space well, however, Supanova made getting around unnecessarily difficult.
Firstly, the line to get wrist bands was up the other end from the entrance, so it was a long pointless walk just to get inside. There were no signs around to point anyone in the direction to go but for the entry and exit signs to be spotted through the thick crowds.
Things were made more difficult on Saturday, when they decided to reverse the entry and exit for some reason to the opposite ends (helpfully pointed out by the upside down signed as seen here.) I feel this could have been better handled by having each door available for entry or exit after the initial opening, especially for people with mobility issues.
This also goes for seating, there was little space to rest and we were told to move several times because we weren’t allowed to sit in certain areas with no signage or reason to suggest why. (And don’t get me started on con goers being treated like scum if we dared step near the Salvation Army people exiting from their convention across the hall (spoiler alert: no one cared!)
Aside from that, the events of the con were quite good. We went primarily to see Torri Higginson, who was just lovely, and ended up catching a handful of other panels during the weekend too.
I live tweeted the panels here.
Friday:
Nobility Panel, Torri Higginson and James Kyson
We were a few minutes late to the Nobility panel, but got a decent seat as there was hardly anyone there, I think third row maybe? Torri and James were questioning each other to start with. I don’t remember the specifics, but it was about working in the industry in general, their work histories, and such. I don’t remember much of James’ answers to his questions, because I haven’t seen his work before. I feel ridiculously out of touch with all of these fandoms sometimes, but who has the time to watch *all* the things?
Torri was asked about Atlantis of course, and was very subtle in her comments when it came to talking of the behind the scenes goings on. She was asked about ad-libbing lines and said that it depended on the writer, and the mood the writer was in. Some are more accommodating and accepting than others. She also spoke of the differing interpretations of Weir she held compared with the writers, especially when it came to things she personally disagreed with, such as Weir condoning the torture of Kavanagh, and issues surrounding Michael’s autonomy.
There were lighter topics also, such as the question about which Australian animal she would associate with her personality, to which she replied “Drop bear”. Cue audience laughter, and a curious look from James as he had never heard of such a creature!
We were shown the trailer for Nobility, for which the pilot has been shot independently, and they are currently looking for a network or other means of distribution. They spoke of Netflix and Hulu (not sure if they knew those are not available in Australia, yet). It looked pretty good. It will be interesting to see if they get to explore it further, it has the irreverent humour in it that is the success of any sci fi show … in my book. *g*
Jack Gleeson
I admit, I haven’t seen a second of Game of Thrones. strg8g33k filled me in during as to what was being discussed, so forgive me if my info is a little, iffy. Jack was funny, great sense of humour and a very sharp wit to play off the audience. There was talk about how fun it was to play an asshole, but it could also be uncomfortable at times to do things as a character that you personally find abhorrent.
And, there was something about a pie being dry.
Saturday:
We kept Saturday for getting through the photograph and autograph lines, and checking out the exhibition room. strg8g33k and I both went for the photo/auto with Torri, who as previously mentioned was so lovely. Torri came up with a great idea for their photo, which I will let strg8g33k tell, but gosh is was fabulous! I was so happy for her, mine was a daze, Torri did say I was a gorgeous young woman, well shucks! ‘Young’? Bless!
We were first in line for her autograph and had to wait while her second photo session ran overtime. Meanwhile a guy with a VIP ticket jumped in front of us and when Torri did arrive, spent like 10 minutes telling her about a book he wanted to write. Torri was so sweet, she asked about the huge hail storm last Thursday (strg8g33k and I were stranded in a Woolies where the bakery roof caved in), and travel plans. She asked about my name (I know, I know!) and I taught her how to pronounce it and she guessed it was Maori, and I said Native American, but the name has the opposite meaning in Maori, so she wrote something really sweet and lovely about that on my photo. There weren’t too many people in her line, and she seemed very chatty and fun.
Strg8g33k and I also scored much swag from the vendors, after much searching for elusive Stargate related items. T-shirts, a mug, SG-1 patches, fingerless gloves, as well as the key to 221 Baker St, and some clip on ears, just for fun *g* (We may have watched the Bronies ep of Bob’s Burgers the night before…)
Sunday:
Torri Higginson
Torri’s solo panel was almost exclusively Atlantis… and MC’d by blue fedora guy (star of previous con experiences including belittling of fans, talking about actors behind their backs, and taking a young woman’s wheelchair for a spin with her in it), oi…
We started off with Torri’s leaving Atlantis and she admits that while there could have, or may have been a number of factors behind TPTB’s decision to demote her character, she still does not have a straight answer from then as to why. She agreed to come back for the season 4 episodes because she liked the idea that Weir was evolving into something else and there was an interesting new direction to take the character in, however, she felt that the season five story for Weir was a great disservice to the character, and declined to play her in a way that she saw as a very undignified end. Elizabeth Weir deserved more.
She has mixed feelings about the way women are portrayed in sci fi debate, individual settings vs the industry as a whole. She feels the genre needs to continue to be trend setting and evolving, mentioning a heated discussion she had once with Sylvester McCoy about the possibility of a female Doctor Who. He could not imagine such an occurrence, and she couldn’t imagine why not.
“Feminist seems to be seen as this odd word nowadays, and it shouldn’t because it means the same as humanist.”
She finished the panel by holding a quiz for which she had brought a prize with her. First person with their hand up and the correct answer wins. “What was the original idea for the name of the puddle jumper?” The MC chose the guy sitting next to me, who replied “Gate Ship”, to which some obnoxious fan further back yelled out that he was incorrect and that it was “Gate Ship One”. If I am remembering correctly, Ford suggested Gate Ship in Rising, and Gate Ship One was Rodney’s suggestion in Moebius, a year-ish and alternate universe after Ford’s suggestion? The man won his prize anyway, which turned out to be some kind of jerky that Torri had almost confiscated off her at the airport. Um, ok… :P
Louise Bealey
I have only seen Louise in Sherlock, and had reservations that this panel was going to be fangirls wanting to know all about Benedict Cumberbatch instead. Thankfully, that did not occur. The panel started with the playing of the new Star Wars trailer, during which Louise told the MC to shush, because she hadn’t seen it yet. Ha!
There were questions about her work as an author and journalist, and she spoke about being the kind of person who doesn’t stick with just one thing, instead explores many paths, and is excited by the idea of working in each one.
She spoke of the development of Molly over the three seasons, and admits that at first she believed Molly was meant to be a caricature, a stereotypical joke, and is glad that she was able to go past that and become an instrumental part of the story. She believes that Molly does love Sherlock, and always will, however she most certainly questions the practicality of those feelings, which is why she is in the position she is in come season three.
“The show is fan fiction.”
She was asked if she was a fan of JohnLock, and replied that she thought the idea that the show could inspire fans to write, draw and explore so many creative endeavours was simply amazing, and that she had no problem with whatever incarnation fans chose -however-she sadly could not be a JohnLock fan, because that would be a betrayal to the feelings of her character. *g*
Grant Imahara
Grant came out with a presentation on his early work for Lucus Film, where he played C3PO for public appearances and functions as he fit the suit. He travelled the world and did a multitude of ads, especially in Japan.
He also spoke of the various filmed he had worked on, designing electrical and engineered effects. He got the job on Mythbusters because he knew and had worked with both Adam and Jamie previously. On being fired from Mythbusters, he announced that Tory, Kari and himself were in talks with another network to put together a new show with elements similar to Mythbusters, and that it should be announced soon-ish once it was properly ironed out. The decision to cut them from the Mythbusters team was a financial one as the ratings had suffered in recent years and the studio was looking to save money.
He spoke about working for the most part with an Australian exclusive crew as Mythbusters is an Australian produced show, and did try to do an Australian accent, which was rather Simpsons-ish.
“You don’t get tired of explosions.”
He finished with one of his latest projects, Star Trek Continues, a web series created by a friend of his, which plans to complete the five year mission of the original series, which was cancelled after three years. Grant plays Sulu. Oh myyyyy…
Firstly, the line to get wrist bands was up the other end from the entrance, so it was a long pointless walk just to get inside. There were no signs around to point anyone in the direction to go but for the entry and exit signs to be spotted through the thick crowds.
Things were made more difficult on Saturday, when they decided to reverse the entry and exit for some reason to the opposite ends (helpfully pointed out by the upside down signed as seen here.) I feel this could have been better handled by having each door available for entry or exit after the initial opening, especially for people with mobility issues.
This also goes for seating, there was little space to rest and we were told to move several times because we weren’t allowed to sit in certain areas with no signage or reason to suggest why. (And don’t get me started on con goers being treated like scum if we dared step near the Salvation Army people exiting from their convention across the hall (spoiler alert: no one cared!)
Aside from that, the events of the con were quite good. We went primarily to see Torri Higginson, who was just lovely, and ended up catching a handful of other panels during the weekend too.
I live tweeted the panels here.
Friday:
Nobility Panel, Torri Higginson and James Kyson
We were a few minutes late to the Nobility panel, but got a decent seat as there was hardly anyone there, I think third row maybe? Torri and James were questioning each other to start with. I don’t remember the specifics, but it was about working in the industry in general, their work histories, and such. I don’t remember much of James’ answers to his questions, because I haven’t seen his work before. I feel ridiculously out of touch with all of these fandoms sometimes, but who has the time to watch *all* the things?
Torri was asked about Atlantis of course, and was very subtle in her comments when it came to talking of the behind the scenes goings on. She was asked about ad-libbing lines and said that it depended on the writer, and the mood the writer was in. Some are more accommodating and accepting than others. She also spoke of the differing interpretations of Weir she held compared with the writers, especially when it came to things she personally disagreed with, such as Weir condoning the torture of Kavanagh, and issues surrounding Michael’s autonomy.
There were lighter topics also, such as the question about which Australian animal she would associate with her personality, to which she replied “Drop bear”. Cue audience laughter, and a curious look from James as he had never heard of such a creature!
We were shown the trailer for Nobility, for which the pilot has been shot independently, and they are currently looking for a network or other means of distribution. They spoke of Netflix and Hulu (not sure if they knew those are not available in Australia, yet). It looked pretty good. It will be interesting to see if they get to explore it further, it has the irreverent humour in it that is the success of any sci fi show … in my book. *g*
Jack Gleeson
I admit, I haven’t seen a second of Game of Thrones. strg8g33k filled me in during as to what was being discussed, so forgive me if my info is a little, iffy. Jack was funny, great sense of humour and a very sharp wit to play off the audience. There was talk about how fun it was to play an asshole, but it could also be uncomfortable at times to do things as a character that you personally find abhorrent.
And, there was something about a pie being dry.
Saturday:
We kept Saturday for getting through the photograph and autograph lines, and checking out the exhibition room. strg8g33k and I both went for the photo/auto with Torri, who as previously mentioned was so lovely. Torri came up with a great idea for their photo, which I will let strg8g33k tell, but gosh is was fabulous! I was so happy for her, mine was a daze, Torri did say I was a gorgeous young woman, well shucks! ‘Young’? Bless!
We were first in line for her autograph and had to wait while her second photo session ran overtime. Meanwhile a guy with a VIP ticket jumped in front of us and when Torri did arrive, spent like 10 minutes telling her about a book he wanted to write. Torri was so sweet, she asked about the huge hail storm last Thursday (strg8g33k and I were stranded in a Woolies where the bakery roof caved in), and travel plans. She asked about my name (I know, I know!) and I taught her how to pronounce it and she guessed it was Maori, and I said Native American, but the name has the opposite meaning in Maori, so she wrote something really sweet and lovely about that on my photo. There weren’t too many people in her line, and she seemed very chatty and fun.
Strg8g33k and I also scored much swag from the vendors, after much searching for elusive Stargate related items. T-shirts, a mug, SG-1 patches, fingerless gloves, as well as the key to 221 Baker St, and some clip on ears, just for fun *g* (We may have watched the Bronies ep of Bob’s Burgers the night before…)
Sunday:
Torri Higginson
Torri’s solo panel was almost exclusively Atlantis… and MC’d by blue fedora guy (star of previous con experiences including belittling of fans, talking about actors behind their backs, and taking a young woman’s wheelchair for a spin with her in it), oi…
We started off with Torri’s leaving Atlantis and she admits that while there could have, or may have been a number of factors behind TPTB’s decision to demote her character, she still does not have a straight answer from then as to why. She agreed to come back for the season 4 episodes because she liked the idea that Weir was evolving into something else and there was an interesting new direction to take the character in, however, she felt that the season five story for Weir was a great disservice to the character, and declined to play her in a way that she saw as a very undignified end. Elizabeth Weir deserved more.
She has mixed feelings about the way women are portrayed in sci fi debate, individual settings vs the industry as a whole. She feels the genre needs to continue to be trend setting and evolving, mentioning a heated discussion she had once with Sylvester McCoy about the possibility of a female Doctor Who. He could not imagine such an occurrence, and she couldn’t imagine why not.
“Feminist seems to be seen as this odd word nowadays, and it shouldn’t because it means the same as humanist.”
She finished the panel by holding a quiz for which she had brought a prize with her. First person with their hand up and the correct answer wins. “What was the original idea for the name of the puddle jumper?” The MC chose the guy sitting next to me, who replied “Gate Ship”, to which some obnoxious fan further back yelled out that he was incorrect and that it was “Gate Ship One”. If I am remembering correctly, Ford suggested Gate Ship in Rising, and Gate Ship One was Rodney’s suggestion in Moebius, a year-ish and alternate universe after Ford’s suggestion? The man won his prize anyway, which turned out to be some kind of jerky that Torri had almost confiscated off her at the airport. Um, ok… :P
Louise Bealey
I have only seen Louise in Sherlock, and had reservations that this panel was going to be fangirls wanting to know all about Benedict Cumberbatch instead. Thankfully, that did not occur. The panel started with the playing of the new Star Wars trailer, during which Louise told the MC to shush, because she hadn’t seen it yet. Ha!
There were questions about her work as an author and journalist, and she spoke about being the kind of person who doesn’t stick with just one thing, instead explores many paths, and is excited by the idea of working in each one.
She spoke of the development of Molly over the three seasons, and admits that at first she believed Molly was meant to be a caricature, a stereotypical joke, and is glad that she was able to go past that and become an instrumental part of the story. She believes that Molly does love Sherlock, and always will, however she most certainly questions the practicality of those feelings, which is why she is in the position she is in come season three.
“The show is fan fiction.”
She was asked if she was a fan of JohnLock, and replied that she thought the idea that the show could inspire fans to write, draw and explore so many creative endeavours was simply amazing, and that she had no problem with whatever incarnation fans chose -however-she sadly could not be a JohnLock fan, because that would be a betrayal to the feelings of her character. *g*
Grant Imahara
Grant came out with a presentation on his early work for Lucus Film, where he played C3PO for public appearances and functions as he fit the suit. He travelled the world and did a multitude of ads, especially in Japan.
He also spoke of the various filmed he had worked on, designing electrical and engineered effects. He got the job on Mythbusters because he knew and had worked with both Adam and Jamie previously. On being fired from Mythbusters, he announced that Tory, Kari and himself were in talks with another network to put together a new show with elements similar to Mythbusters, and that it should be announced soon-ish once it was properly ironed out. The decision to cut them from the Mythbusters team was a financial one as the ratings had suffered in recent years and the studio was looking to save money.
He spoke about working for the most part with an Australian exclusive crew as Mythbusters is an Australian produced show, and did try to do an Australian accent, which was rather Simpsons-ish.
“You don’t get tired of explosions.”
He finished with one of his latest projects, Star Trek Continues, a web series created by a friend of his, which plans to complete the five year mission of the original series, which was cancelled after three years. Grant plays Sulu. Oh myyyyy…