Dragon Con Report by ncbrowncoat

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Dragon Con Report

POSTED BY: NCBROWNCOAT
UPDATED: Monday, September 8, 2008 22:37
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VIEWED: 6210
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Tuesday, September 2, 2008 6:38 AM

I couldn't post this as a blog so here's my Dragon Con (and first con ever) experience.

I had to write all of this down before I forgot the details. Sorry it's long but then it could be MUCH longer!

Whoooo! I'm still excited and it's after 11 Monday night.

Here's what happened in a nutshell. Left Raleigh at 10 am Friday. We spent the night at the Days Inn near the airport. I worked only half a day Thursday, threw my suitcase in the car and headed to Raleigh. Of course I couldn't get much sleep.

The plane ride was uneventful. My daughter, who hadn't been on a plane since she was a baby was more than a bit apprehensive and held my hand the whole hour we were in the air.

When we got to Atlanta we had no trouble finding the Marta station and were whisked downtown. Ran and got our badges. No problem there at about 1:30 p.m.

We were hoping to see the Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk panel at 2:30 but it wasn't to be. Saw a friend at the front of the line. She had been there since 8:30 in the morning and went looking for the end of the line. Followed it outside and round and down the block. We survived about 45 minutes before fatigue and hunger forced us out of the line. When we left it was around the corner and all the way down the next block.

Checked into our nice hotel, the Inn at the Peachtrees, just across the street and half a block down from the Hyatt. Perfect place to stay. Quiet and the best hot breakfast to begin the day with. Saw lots of Alabaama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers fans at the hotel too. They had a game at the Georgia dome scheduled for Saturday.

Also tried to go to Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. Same thing with the wait. It was horrible and we were so tied so we left and got a good nights sleep.

Started Saturday fresh with the Dragon Con parade. There aren't words to describe it. Every fandom and sci fi and fantasy genre was represented. The best represented seemed to be Star Wars (501st and Jedi Warrior groups) , BSG (Colonial Marines) and of course the Browncoats (76th Indepdent
Brigade and lots others).

Spent the rest of the day just gawking at the costumes and the people and also visited all 3 of the dealer rooms. I tried on and bought a beautiful Asian inspired pantsuit. Purple pants and sheer top that goes past the knees. Had a good conversation with Jason Palmer, the artist, and bought one of his Mal prints (he signed it). I had also bought a photo with Nathan Fillion but I couldn't find out where or when the photos were being taken.

Decided to do some regular touristy stuff too. Walked down a tremendous hill (I never knew that Atlanta had such steep hills. Right now my legs are a bit sore from all the walking!) to the Coca-Cola Experience and the Georgia Aquarium.
The Coke Experience seemed to have the shorter line so we went there first.

I have mixed feelings about the Coca-Cola Experience. It's very well done but it seems that they learned a lot of lessons from Disney. The film is very cute and clever. After it's over the screen lifts and you walk into the "experience". There's a Coke polar bear to have your picture taken with and a presentation on the history of Coke and a simulated bottling line.

Then you go to the tasting room where you can taste Coke products from around the world. The ones from Latin America, the Middle East and Africa are almost candy sweet.

Rested and went to "A Mighty Fine Shindig" around 8:30. I wore my new Asian outfit. Quite a few Browncoats were around taking pictures. There were more than a few Inaras, Rivers and Jaynes. Only 1 or 2 Zoe's.

One particular Jayne stands out. I don't know his real name except his handle was Sid from Onatario. He really looked and acted like a young Jayne Cobb. He had the look down perfectly.

The Shindig was awesome and was THE party to attend. For once everyone got in. It was held in the Ball Room of the Sheraton and the BSG group had the other one. Emerald Rose played (I ended up buying 2 of their CD's the next day) and everyone had a great time. I also got to say hello to MSB and every one at her table before I left.

Sunday was the best day every! My daughter went on her own to an anime panel and I went to the DollHouse panel with Tahmoh Penikett. It was standing room only and I was standing at the back of the room but I had an excellent view.

Tahmoh admitted that he had partied a bit the night before (likely at the BSG Colonial party) and had on sun glasses and a hat but he was very responsive to questions about Joss Whendon's new series.

He will be playing Robert Ballard, an FBI agent that's investigating the Doll House. He couldn't be very specific as to plot development since they have only filmed 3 episodes but he really has enjoyed working with Joss. (Doll House will premiere in January on Fox right before 24). He described his audition (required by the network) as a torture scene. He had the script and had studied it and then something happened. He for some reason looked at his junk email at the airport on the way to the audition. It contained an email from Joss with additional dialog and directions. Of course he didn't have a printer handy so here he was sitting and waiting for his plane and scribbling dialog on a scrap sheet of paper.

He also plugged the last half of the final season of BSG that begins in January also. Again he wasn't specific as to plot but promised that there would be big developments. He also mentioned that Helo is the direct opposite of Robert and that Helo clicked from the beginning and he's still struggling with Robert, mainly because Robert has lost everything and is searching (sound familiar Joss fans?).

I thought that I wouldn't be able to get my picture with Nathan Fillion, but thanks to Jaynesgal it all happened. I was "persuaded" by the Froggy Pictures people to get a "sandwich" with Nathan and Alan Tudyk. How could I say no?

It happened really fast. We are all in line and suddenly it was my turn. Shook Alan's and Nathan's hands. They posed on either side of me with my hands ON THEIR BACKS! and suddenly it was over.

Nathan's picture took a bit longer. He said "hey angel" (he does that to everyone) I shook his hand again. He put held me close and then.....the photographer (who already had lost his voice) suddenly takes his finger off the shutter, plunges his hand into a bucket of ice water at his side and when he took it out and shook it he almost got Nathan. Nathan made a quip that I didn't get, shutter clicks then it's time to go.

I do have a cute Nathan story though. The first lady had a baby girl that was barely walking. When Nathan sees the baby he squats down to her level and calls her over. The baby had absolutley no fear of him and walked right into his arms. He jostles her for a bit as everyone gets ready and holds the little girl as the picture is taken. I saw it later and it was soooo cute.

He also put a small boy on his shoulder when it was obvious that Nathan and the boys father were both about 3 feet taller.

I do have a Jaynesgirl report (JG please correct me if I'm wrong). She came out of her picture with Nathan and Alan saying "Nathan is a god' with a big smile on her face. I wonder what happened? BTW Alan is a saint.

Later that afternoon I went to the Walk of Fame and bought a photo with both Jewel and Moreana. They weren't doing professional photos and mine were taken by the assistants with my camera.

Moreana was interrupted by Jason Palmer the artist. He was delivering No. 1 prints to both Moreana and Jewel of them as Inaara and Kaylee. When it was my turn for a photo I think I made an inane remark about how I liked her hair short. With Jewel I was just speechless.

While I was waiting for Moreana and Jewel to come to the Walk of Fame I had a few good conversations with fellow Browncoats. One couple in particular were from the New Orleans area and knew they couldn't get back as the NO airport was already closed, so they called relatives who got their dogs and secured the house. All they could do was hope they didn't have any damage.

Then I spied both Nathan and Alan signing across the room. By then I had my photos and got the "sandwich" one signed by both before they had to leave at 6. I did thank Nathan for starting KNTR and he replied that it was mostly PJ's idea. Then of course I said something inane to Alan.

Both are Nathan and Alan are so nice and put you at ease but I still had butterflies the whole time.

My daughter wanted to try a LARP (Live Action Role Play game). I was back at the hotel and she only lasted about an hour into it. We both slept like logs Sunday night.

Left on Marta Monday morning and had a bit of delay on the plane before we took off from Atlanta. Nothing serious, just a warning light and then there were weight problems. The plane was overweight for landing in Raleigh so they had to make some adjustments to the cargo and fuel load. Ended up being about an hour late getting back and then drove the 2 hours home still in complete exhusted bliss.

Will there be a Dragon Con next year for me? Not really sure but if I was offered the opportunity to go next year, right now, I'd sign up in a minute.

Here's a link to all my photos of Dragon Con. http://s78.photobucket.com/albums/j87/martyd_photos/Dragon%20Con%20200
8/. I have a few videos of various groups that I'll post tomorrow. Now I have to get some sleep for work tomorow and back to rhe real world!
http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Tuesday, September 2, 2008 9:47 AM

RAYCHEETAH

Sounds like you had a shiny D*C experience!

It is an unfortunate fact of life that Dragon*Queue is full of event lines. There are just so many folks all wanting to do the same things that it is inevitable. Best thing to do, if you really want to go to a Firefly panel, is to plan on camping out. The silver lining is that you'll be sitting with a couple thousand like-minded folks, and, if you play your cards right, the wait can be like a mini-shindig.

It's great that you actually got to see our BDHs in person! They are all so very good to the flans. If he can ever get to Dragon again without being called away, Adam is just as shiny. He really loves hanging out with Browncoats, and absolutely hates missing the event. But, work is work, and it seems that, often as not, he doesn't get to come.

As for attending next year, now that you have an inkling how things work, you can plan on refining your experience, next time.

I do strongly recommend, should you make it in 2009, that you consider preregistering for 2010 while you're picking up your badge. I hardly takes any more time, and it means you only pay $50 for the whole weekend the next time around. And, if it turns out you can't go, there is provision for transferring your membership to another person (there's a place for it on the D*C website, if I am informed correctly) for what you paid, which means someone will jump on it with both feet.

Thanks for sharing your experience, NCBrowncoat! Hope to seeya there, next year!

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
The enjoyment of any good thing is only enhanced by sharing it with others.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=30176

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Friday, September 5, 2008 3:59 PM

FLORALBUNNY

Thanks for the report and the photos, ncb.
Most of us will never get a chance to go to
a Con, so the opportunity to experience it
second-hand is most welcome.

bun
a/k/a Vi Carious

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Friday, September 5, 2008 5:11 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

Thanks Bun!

I think this photo shows the best of two fandoms. I have to admit I laughed when I saw it. This guy was beside the Conoooga (Chatanooga, TN con) table.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Friday, September 5, 2008 5:31 PM

FLORALBUNNY

That should be titled "When Fandoms Collide"
shouldn't it?
Fantastic.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
when in doubt -- um -- i'm not real sure

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 1:33 AM

KATESFRIEND

Glad you had such a good time. Did you get any sense that the Browncoat presence is increasing over time at DC? I know the Firefly panel was moved to a largest room, and the Firefly lines were very long. But how could we find out if the growing fan presence is catching the attention of the PTB in SciFi or elsewhere?

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 3:50 AM

NCBROWNCOAT

I really can't say because this was my first con ever. But Browncoats were every where.

Not only was the first panel moved to the largest room but the other two also produced lines around the block. Also, the lines for Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite and Moreana Baccaran at the Walk of Fame were the longest. And the ballroom at the Sheraton (1500 capacity)for "A Mighty Fine Shindig" was packed on Saturday night.

And from what I observed people are into more than one fandom. I know of one person that brought 5 costumes from 3 different fandoms.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 7:49 AM

SISTER

Hi - This was my third year at D*C and it was obvious that there were more browncoats there than EVER before. Now, that coulda been because in the three consecutive years I've attended - there were more BDH's there than in the past three years - but I don't know. I did hear, quite often, members of the crowd saying things like, "This Firefly thing is HUGE," - and I'd discussed with several the fact that, while other fandoms seem to be on the wane - (again, that could just be because some of their stars weren't in attendance) Firefly and Serenity continues to GROW - years after the series and film. Don't know if anyone (PTB or not) notices. It was a blast, though and I'm hoping to get there next year as well.

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 9:47 AM

EARTHGIRL

I'd estimate that a good 25% of the crowd was browncoats (judging from the shirts, costumes or lanyards that the people who passed our booth all weekend). I know that several other fandoms were griping that "the Whedonverse Track is taking over the whole con! They keep giving them the largest rooms and Firefly is dead!" (and actual quote from a tolkien fan next to me)

I think that's because A) 4 out of 9 BDHs were tehre and B) the whedonverse track people lined up some AWESOME programing!

I had a blast and got to see Nathan and Alan (waited only an hour) and got into the shindig (although people were turned away at the door, but after the first hour it emptied a lot so anyone could come in then) and saw the amazing job they did with the Dr Horrible show (again, only waited an hour). I had a blast!

My full report is here (I have yet to finish blogging about Sunday and Monday, but those will be added soon, so check back)
http://fireflycargobay.blogspot.com/
naturally, the posts are inverted order, so start at the bottom of the page :)

Shiny stuff for not a lot o coin:
www.cafepress.com/FireflyCargoBay
and www.FireflyCargoBay.com

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 9:52 AM

CALIFORNIAKAYLEE

Quote:
Originally posted by earthgirl:
I know that several other fandoms were griping that "the Whedonverse Track is taking over the whole con! They keep giving them the largest rooms and Firefly is dead!" (and actual quote from a tolkien fan next to me)

Lol, highly ironic considering that Tolkien actually is dead.

Does anyone know if there's been any talk of splitting Firefly/Serenity into its own track, separate from the rest of the Whedonverse? I've never been to D*C, but I'm hoping to go next year, so I'm trying to get a handle on how things work out there. Maybe more panels on Firefly, running concurrently with Buffy or Dollhouse tracks, might clear up a bit of the congestion?

~CK

You can't take the sky from me...

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 10:20 AM

SIMONWHO

To be fair, there's been new Tolkien more recently than there has been new Firefly/Serenity (at least in their respective original mediums).

I think what we really want is just something new to watch.

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 10:27 AM

EARTHGIRL

oh, I'm not saying I agreed with the guy, I'm just saying that's the kind of grumblings I heard throughout the weekend and I was using that as an example. Mainly because I remembered it so clearly- especially the part where I sat there quietly because he was bigger and drunker than I was! LOL

and I'm all for the new stuff to watch- Dr Horrible helped, but I'd love to see anything in the Firefly verse again. I will never give up hope! I'll hold! :)

Shiny stuff for not a lot o coin:
www.cafepress.com/FireflyCargoBay
and www.FireflyCargoBay.com

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 12:22 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by CaliforniaKaylee:
Quote:
Originally posted by earthgirl:
I know that several other fandoms were griping that "the Whedonverse Track is taking over the whole con! They keep giving them the largest rooms and Firefly is dead!" (and actual quote from a tolkien fan next to me)
Lol, highly ironic considering that Tolkien actually is dead.

Does anyone know if there's been any talk of splitting Firefly/Serenity into its own track, separate from the rest of the Whedonverse? I've never been to D*C, but I'm hoping to go next year, so I'm trying to get a handle on how things work out there. Maybe more panels on Firefly, running concurrently with Buffy or Dollhouse tracks, might clear up a bit of the congestion?

~CK

You can't take the sky from me...

I don't think that'll happen. The Whedon Verse track staff worked very hard this year and came up with some really good panels that weren't specific to any Whedon show. I didn't get to any because of several reasons (timing really) there were panels on Joss's use of family, the 10 best Whedon deaths.

You might also want to go over to the Whedon Track Live Journal page, and mayve leave some ideas. http://community.livejournal.com/whedontrack_dc/

BTW it used to be called the "Buffy Track" so things have changed.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Sunday, September 7, 2008 8:49 AM

CANTTAKESKY

I was fortunate enough to have made it to the Firefly panels on both Friday and Saturday. I couldn't make the Sunday one, but watched it all on DragonCon TV at at the Hyatt. They were all awesome, and definitely worth the wait.

The cool info I got from this year was all of Alan Tudyk's ideas for future Firefly episodes that were never made.

Here are some photos of Browncoats at the DragonCon street parade. It gave me so much pride to see fans walking down the streets of Downtown Atlanta with traffic blocked off and everything!

http://davenelson.smugmug.com/gallery/5872466_Rm8t9#365186566_x4n3B

The link may be subject to change because the photographer adds pictures. But just scroll backwards and forwards and you'll see photos of all Firefly panels, the street parade, and the costume contests.

--------------------------
Dr. Horrible Karaoke

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Monday, September 8, 2008 1:56 PM

RAYCHEETAH

Quote:
Originally posted by earthgirl:
I'd estimate that a good 25% of the crowd was browncoats (judging from the shirts, costumes or lanyards that the people who passed our booth all weekend). I know that several other fandoms were griping that "the Whedonverse Track is taking over the whole con! They keep giving them the largest rooms and Firefly is dead!" (and actual quote from a tolkien fan next to me)

To be fair to everbody concerned, no fandom is dead till all the fans are dead. It's just that Browncoats tend to find as much to enjoy in one another's company *waves to Sister!* as they do in the show/books/movie they happen to be fans of.

Browncoats are shiny that way.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
The enjoyment of any good thing is only enhanced by sharing it with others.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=30176

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Monday, September 8, 2008 3:13 PM

FLORALBUNNY

Thank you, thank you, cts!!!
The other thread which had links is so full
that it won't load on my machine in a usefully
short time.
Great to see the strength of the 76th. I
think there were only two or three in the
first (what year??) D*C photos I looked at.

bun
Frisky Browncoat
That hat makes you look like an idiot

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Monday, September 8, 2008 10:37 PM

NE0VEN0M

I had a fantastic time at D*C. I learned my lesson on Friday that waiting in line an hour early won't quite cut it. However, I figured that since all the fans were waiting for the Nathan/Alan panel, none of them would be in the Walk of Fame. Sure enough, I was right, and I was one of the first to meet them when they returned from the Q&A.

Saturday, I got to meet Jewel and Morena, take a photo-op with Nathan and Alan, and attend the first Firefly panel with all 4 members. Same thing for Sunday. Even bought myself one of those Browncoat t-shirts to show my pride to the general public.

I hope a good bit of the cast can return to Dragon*Con in '09. I would just FLIP OUT if Summer Glau could make it

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