Gallifrey 2007 - Con Report
Feb. 19th, 2007 05:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fangrrl_squeesGallifrey One moving to a hotel right by LAX was, I admit, a significant factor in my decision to attend. The previous location, in Van Nuys can be an aggravation to get to, especially when one doesn't drive. The new venue was, of course, simplicity itself to reach, via the hotel's free shuttle. The place was surprisingly nice - I'm used to airport hotels being a bit pokey as space is at a premium and they've got a captive clientèle - and the room rate of $109/night was positively cheap, given where we were. Unfortunately, that almost-cheapness didn't translate to any other in-house costs, ow. I just looked at the hotel bill and realized that we spent three hundred dollars on food and drink - and not very much of either, I might add, as we stuck to two meals a day and cadging booze off the room parties as much as possible... So, anyways, a nice venue and next time, I keep it to one meal a day in-house and walk over to the liquor store around the corner for any boozy needs.
The convention staff and logistics didn't inspire confidence. They managed to misspell their own banner at reg (along with my name badge, grr) and when I had questions of the staff, I got "I don't know, try coming back later and maybe we'll know then" an awful lot of the time. The program book contradicted itself in several places in terms of what was happening when and one of the programming grids for a particular space on Sunday was completely whacked. Oops. One would like to think that with 18 years' experience, the staff would be past those sorts of snafus but, honestly, it wasn't that big a deal. I was more upset over my badge saying britgeekdrrl than I was over the state of the program.
However, I will admit that G1 offers a very nice con suite, featuring snacks with some redeemable nutritional content - veggies, fixings for PB&Js, etc - along with the usual assortment of sugar and sodas. I heard a rumor that most of their budget got blown on soda and, honestly, I'd rather see juice or bottled water, but I suspect I'm in the minority, there.. But that minor quibble aside, it was a notch above several con suites that I've encountered in the past.
***
Weirdly enough, I didn't spend much time at all watching the "big" guests - Colin Baker, Terry Malloy (although I was pissed when I realized I missed his appearances, d'oh), Caroline John, and several others. I was actually much keener on going to the panels concerning Big Finish (much was learned) and assorted writers, of which there were a round dozen or so - ranging from chaps who've written for Doctor Who to hard-working folks who create those incredibly detailed tomes of show-trivia that keep us obsessive fans happily fed.
I only went to, hrm, three or four panels, and would catch guests talking here and there about the con. Friday, my day was fragged by not getting to the hotel until mid-afternoon (had I known the programming started at noon, I would have booked an earlier flight) and then I had promised to help LoEG out, and that pretty much killed the rest of the afternoon, programming-wise. Then the charity auction and the autograph lines on Sunday ate a major chunk out of that day. So, really, making three panels wasn't all that bad.
I think maybe I just identify more with the writerly-folk at these things and so I'm generally keener to hear what they have to say. That and I'm usually totally terrified of looking like a complete goober when meeting media folk. Of course, my natural caution totally let me down when I met Paul Cornell on Friday evening and I gibbered like a maniac at him. Fortunately, he's a good sport and seemed to understand that I meant well. But, really, it was embarrassing, 'cause I went into total squealing "Aaaah! I'm so glad to meet you!" mode. Thank god it was early in the evening, mind, as I was at least still mostly sober... (note: they may charge $10 for it, but the hotel bar martini is a pretty generous pour. Ow.)
Hmm, other high points of Friday - a round of “Just a Minute” with several guests was bloody hilarious. Meeting up with several LJ-folk, including some costumers, some LJ-pals, and, of course, brand new acquaintances.
Saturday night featured a performance of The Ten Doctors by Offstage Productions (I think they were) and it was hilarious, if not entirely unflawed. The show ran long - too much laughter from the audience, apparently - and I thought the second half was just too long in general, and not as funny as the first. However, it was mostly entertaing, just not enough to stop me from bailing out about a half hour before the end and pestering Steven Moffat and Tom MacCrae in the hallway, instead. I think I overdid it with the pestering, oops, but I was tipsy and I think they were plastered, so no harm done, I s'pect. I'm giving serious thought to teetotalling the next Gally, btw... If I'm going to be a goober, I think I'd rather do it sober...
As the show ran late, the Saturday night dance didn't start until midnight or so and, was, frankly, completely dead. I didn't mind, as that meant I got everything I wanted to hear, I danced my little tuchus off for about half an hour, and then went prowling for other entertainment. Fortunately, the brains behind the Bubbleshock party provided it in bucketloads and the next thing I knew, it was 3AM and I was about slide into completely plastered - always a good way to end the evening.
James Strong cancelled, which bummed me out, as he was one of the chaps I was really looking forward to seeing. Ah well, maybe they’ll invite him back next year, or something...
All of the guests seemed to have a good time and, from what I observed in the autograph line and such, they all gave good fanservice. Maggie Stables has earned my undying affection simply because she liked the Avon Lady hat. Yep, simple things like that are how fans are won over, forsooth. I didn't hear any of the usual con-guest horror stories - god knows, I've seen a few examples of eyebrow-raising behavior by GOHs at these things - and I'd be surprised if anyone did have a horror story from the past three days.
Naturally, my journal is now stuffed with autographs. I've contemplated an autograph book in the past but, fuckit, I like mixing autographs up with my pervy fic ideas, doodles for costumes and snippets of overheard conversation, so there.
***
I met lots of lovely people - more on that, below - and, of course, spent a bit of money here and there. Not nearly as much as was spent on food, mind you...
I have my new-Who sonic screwdriver. It has an invisible-ink pen built into one end, and the glowy bit at the other end is a (rather weak) UV light. It's fab.
The dealers' room was nice enough, with the only major areas of overlap being with the new series toys, go figure. But there wasn't much there that I really couldn't live without. There were no inflatable Daleks, alas. I decided against any action figures - yes, even Jack Harkness - as, honestly, I think such things would just get lost in my house within minutes of arrival, nor did I succumb to the appeal of a remote-control Dalek, although it was a near thing... I did, however, pick up New Beginnings - the boxset featuring Keeper of Traken, Logopolis and Castrovalva - and the seller threw in a free BFA, as well, so I have something new to listen to.
I was surprised to see several things at the charity auction worth bidding on, so I stuck around for most of that - four hours, ow - and walked off with a magazine I wanted just for the giveaway item that came with it, a present for a friend (ssh, I don't know if she reads this journal) and a piece of art which hath made it mandatory that I can't make fun of the 1996 telemovie ever again. It's a bit hard to describe, but it's basically a matted collection of PR photos and autographs of the principal actors in the TVM, about 24" x 12", all told. The bidding on it was so desultory (PMG was not a favorite with most of the crowd at the auction) that I stepped in and grabbed it for a song. It'll look nice in my sewing room. :) Go figure, another piece by the same donor, featuring Tom Baker, Lalla Ward and various others from that era, went for something close to $300... All in all, the charity auction raised $3400 for the American Heart Association, hooray!
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iamradar has suggested I make something - such as the Harkness wrist computer thingy - and donate it for next year's auction, and I might.
The con was the largest G1 yet with close to 800 attendees, and it showed, as there were times when events were cramped for space, but everyone was - of course - so happy to be there that everyone's tempers seemed to remain pretty calm throughout, even when squeezing into overstuffed panel rooms, or trying to find a seat at the big-draw talks.
***
As mentioned, above, people were by and large not just nice, but very nice - genial and cheerful and tolerant of the fact that my accent went completely haywire as soon as I checked in to the hotel. This is what booze, exhaustion and being surrounded by Brits will do to me, it seems.
I met up withvandonovan, turlough, (I think) bibliophile1887 and someone who’s name eludes me dammit. We were all in costume in the bar on Friday night and having two Jack Harkness at the same table did my chronic plotbunny problem no good whatsoever.
The con is costume light. Really, really costume light. Like I took 13 watches to give to folks as a hall-costume prize and ended up giving four of them con guests, as I didn’t see more than half a dozen costumes the entire weekend - noteworthy or otherwise. And, oh, alright, I suppose I should admit that I sort of hope that Jason Haigh-Ellery gives his to Paul McGann, as Jason looked a bit nonplussed by it when I gave it to him, and I expressly told all recipients to not feel obligated to keep it if they didn't like it. When I go through my pictures (future post, I just don’t have time right now) I’ll have to see if the one of Messrs Moffat and MacCrae brandishing theirs is shareable (ie, in focus, I’m not crosseyed, that sort of thing).
The St. George’s Spirits TAC was quite the hit. Whenkproche, bovil and I went to the packed-out bar on Friday night, in our uniforms, you could hear neck vertebrae popping all through the lobby as people tried to figure out what the hell we were up to. Pictures will, of course, be forthcoming. “We’re so serious about our drinking, we have a uniform for it.” was what I told some folks who clearly didn’t want to hear the full backstory, and that seemed to satisfy their curiosity. We looked moderately fab, I think, but oh my god, I need to lose weight. I really thought those damn pants would fit... They will - when I lose 20 pounds.
Vintage UNIT, which I wore most of the day on Saturday, went over quite well with some folks and, god help me, I wore it to the fan photo session with the GoHs. Of course, I’ll share that one as soon as I get it off the camera...
Sunday was Avon Lady and enough people had the Long look, followed by a low groan and a shaking of the head reaction to have made it worth wearing. Some folks asked if I was a Paradise Towers reference, which is understandable. However, I need to find some better shoes for that costume, as the ones I wore are not comfortable after the first couple of hours.
I’m probably spoiled by BayCon, but it was a shame that there was so little in the way of hall costuming at the convention and, of course, no masquerade as apparently the interest in costuming at G1 is that low. Bummer.
Oh! I met a woman wearing a black velvet Anthony Ainley’s Master tunic and, naturally, I peppered her with questions about construction and suchlike, only to learn that she was wearing an original costume from the Beeb. Crikey! Naturally, I took a lot of detailed photos for my reference and, btw, Ainley was a skinny lad. But now I have some excellent information to work from for Alex’s gear, should he decide he wants to go along to ‘08 and have a costume.
Yep, I’m going to ‘08. I’ve already pre-reg’d and I’ve even treated myself to the GOH brunch, despite not knowing who the guests are going to be. What the hell, it’s like a lottery ticket and, honestly, if I go meh at the guest list and I have a friend there who is going squeeee!, I can always transfer the ticket to them. I’ve resolved that a) despite the fact that it’s not all that much quicker to fly (thanks to all the aggro at the airport), I still prefer it to a five or six hour car-ride and b) Next year, I fly down Thursday night, and come home late-isih on Monday, as - assuming the traditional rain-on-Monday lets up - I’d like to join in the cricket match...
Obviously, I had a lovely, lovely time, socializing with fellow fans, going to the panels and generally relaxing for a couple of days in a new place - an invigorating change, and all that. But I’ll tell ya, going from the con stuffed with charming, witty, well-spoken fellows full of vim and vigor and other nice things beginning with ‘v’ to LAX airport on a holiday gave me a case of the bends. Ow.
It’s probably going to take me a day or so to sort through the photos and decide which, if any, I want to share. Watch this space, etc, etc. :)
The convention staff and logistics didn't inspire confidence. They managed to misspell their own banner at reg (along with my name badge, grr) and when I had questions of the staff, I got "I don't know, try coming back later and maybe we'll know then" an awful lot of the time. The program book contradicted itself in several places in terms of what was happening when and one of the programming grids for a particular space on Sunday was completely whacked. Oops. One would like to think that with 18 years' experience, the staff would be past those sorts of snafus but, honestly, it wasn't that big a deal. I was more upset over my badge saying britgeekdrrl than I was over the state of the program.
However, I will admit that G1 offers a very nice con suite, featuring snacks with some redeemable nutritional content - veggies, fixings for PB&Js, etc - along with the usual assortment of sugar and sodas. I heard a rumor that most of their budget got blown on soda and, honestly, I'd rather see juice or bottled water, but I suspect I'm in the minority, there.. But that minor quibble aside, it was a notch above several con suites that I've encountered in the past.
***
Weirdly enough, I didn't spend much time at all watching the "big" guests - Colin Baker, Terry Malloy (although I was pissed when I realized I missed his appearances, d'oh), Caroline John, and several others. I was actually much keener on going to the panels concerning Big Finish (much was learned) and assorted writers, of which there were a round dozen or so - ranging from chaps who've written for Doctor Who to hard-working folks who create those incredibly detailed tomes of show-trivia that keep us obsessive fans happily fed.
I only went to, hrm, three or four panels, and would catch guests talking here and there about the con. Friday, my day was fragged by not getting to the hotel until mid-afternoon (had I known the programming started at noon, I would have booked an earlier flight) and then I had promised to help LoEG out, and that pretty much killed the rest of the afternoon, programming-wise. Then the charity auction and the autograph lines on Sunday ate a major chunk out of that day. So, really, making three panels wasn't all that bad.
I think maybe I just identify more with the writerly-folk at these things and so I'm generally keener to hear what they have to say. That and I'm usually totally terrified of looking like a complete goober when meeting media folk. Of course, my natural caution totally let me down when I met Paul Cornell on Friday evening and I gibbered like a maniac at him. Fortunately, he's a good sport and seemed to understand that I meant well. But, really, it was embarrassing, 'cause I went into total squealing "Aaaah! I'm so glad to meet you!" mode. Thank god it was early in the evening, mind, as I was at least still mostly sober... (note: they may charge $10 for it, but the hotel bar martini is a pretty generous pour. Ow.)
Hmm, other high points of Friday - a round of “Just a Minute” with several guests was bloody hilarious. Meeting up with several LJ-folk, including some costumers, some LJ-pals, and, of course, brand new acquaintances.
Saturday night featured a performance of The Ten Doctors by Offstage Productions (I think they were) and it was hilarious, if not entirely unflawed. The show ran long - too much laughter from the audience, apparently - and I thought the second half was just too long in general, and not as funny as the first. However, it was mostly entertaing, just not enough to stop me from bailing out about a half hour before the end and pestering Steven Moffat and Tom MacCrae in the hallway, instead. I think I overdid it with the pestering, oops, but I was tipsy and I think they were plastered, so no harm done, I s'pect. I'm giving serious thought to teetotalling the next Gally, btw... If I'm going to be a goober, I think I'd rather do it sober...
As the show ran late, the Saturday night dance didn't start until midnight or so and, was, frankly, completely dead. I didn't mind, as that meant I got everything I wanted to hear, I danced my little tuchus off for about half an hour, and then went prowling for other entertainment. Fortunately, the brains behind the Bubbleshock party provided it in bucketloads and the next thing I knew, it was 3AM and I was about slide into completely plastered - always a good way to end the evening.
James Strong cancelled, which bummed me out, as he was one of the chaps I was really looking forward to seeing. Ah well, maybe they’ll invite him back next year, or something...
All of the guests seemed to have a good time and, from what I observed in the autograph line and such, they all gave good fanservice. Maggie Stables has earned my undying affection simply because she liked the Avon Lady hat. Yep, simple things like that are how fans are won over, forsooth. I didn't hear any of the usual con-guest horror stories - god knows, I've seen a few examples of eyebrow-raising behavior by GOHs at these things - and I'd be surprised if anyone did have a horror story from the past three days.
Naturally, my journal is now stuffed with autographs. I've contemplated an autograph book in the past but, fuckit, I like mixing autographs up with my pervy fic ideas, doodles for costumes and snippets of overheard conversation, so there.
***
I met lots of lovely people - more on that, below - and, of course, spent a bit of money here and there. Not nearly as much as was spent on food, mind you...
I have my new-Who sonic screwdriver. It has an invisible-ink pen built into one end, and the glowy bit at the other end is a (rather weak) UV light. It's fab.
The dealers' room was nice enough, with the only major areas of overlap being with the new series toys, go figure. But there wasn't much there that I really couldn't live without. There were no inflatable Daleks, alas. I decided against any action figures - yes, even Jack Harkness - as, honestly, I think such things would just get lost in my house within minutes of arrival, nor did I succumb to the appeal of a remote-control Dalek, although it was a near thing... I did, however, pick up New Beginnings - the boxset featuring Keeper of Traken, Logopolis and Castrovalva - and the seller threw in a free BFA, as well, so I have something new to listen to.
I was surprised to see several things at the charity auction worth bidding on, so I stuck around for most of that - four hours, ow - and walked off with a magazine I wanted just for the giveaway item that came with it, a present for a friend (ssh, I don't know if she reads this journal) and a piece of art which hath made it mandatory that I can't make fun of the 1996 telemovie ever again. It's a bit hard to describe, but it's basically a matted collection of PR photos and autographs of the principal actors in the TVM, about 24" x 12", all told. The bidding on it was so desultory (PMG was not a favorite with most of the crowd at the auction) that I stepped in and grabbed it for a song. It'll look nice in my sewing room. :) Go figure, another piece by the same donor, featuring Tom Baker, Lalla Ward and various others from that era, went for something close to $300... All in all, the charity auction raised $3400 for the American Heart Association, hooray!
iamradar has suggested I make something - such as the Harkness wrist computer thingy - and donate it for next year's auction, and I might. The con was the largest G1 yet with close to 800 attendees, and it showed, as there were times when events were cramped for space, but everyone was - of course - so happy to be there that everyone's tempers seemed to remain pretty calm throughout, even when squeezing into overstuffed panel rooms, or trying to find a seat at the big-draw talks.
***
As mentioned, above, people were by and large not just nice, but very nice - genial and cheerful and tolerant of the fact that my accent went completely haywire as soon as I checked in to the hotel. This is what booze, exhaustion and being surrounded by Brits will do to me, it seems.
I met up with
vandonovan, turlough, (I think) bibliophile1887 and someone who’s name eludes me dammit. We were all in costume in the bar on Friday night and having two Jack Harkness at the same table did my chronic plotbunny problem no good whatsoever.The con is costume light. Really, really costume light. Like I took 13 watches to give to folks as a hall-costume prize and ended up giving four of them con guests, as I didn’t see more than half a dozen costumes the entire weekend - noteworthy or otherwise. And, oh, alright, I suppose I should admit that I sort of hope that Jason Haigh-Ellery gives his to Paul McGann, as Jason looked a bit nonplussed by it when I gave it to him, and I expressly told all recipients to not feel obligated to keep it if they didn't like it. When I go through my pictures (future post, I just don’t have time right now) I’ll have to see if the one of Messrs Moffat and MacCrae brandishing theirs is shareable (ie, in focus, I’m not crosseyed, that sort of thing).
The St. George’s Spirits TAC was quite the hit. When
kproche, bovil and I went to the packed-out bar on Friday night, in our uniforms, you could hear neck vertebrae popping all through the lobby as people tried to figure out what the hell we were up to. Pictures will, of course, be forthcoming. “We’re so serious about our drinking, we have a uniform for it.” was what I told some folks who clearly didn’t want to hear the full backstory, and that seemed to satisfy their curiosity. We looked moderately fab, I think, but oh my god, I need to lose weight. I really thought those damn pants would fit... They will - when I lose 20 pounds.Vintage UNIT, which I wore most of the day on Saturday, went over quite well with some folks and, god help me, I wore it to the fan photo session with the GoHs. Of course, I’ll share that one as soon as I get it off the camera...
Sunday was Avon Lady and enough people had the Long look, followed by a low groan and a shaking of the head reaction to have made it worth wearing. Some folks asked if I was a Paradise Towers reference, which is understandable. However, I need to find some better shoes for that costume, as the ones I wore are not comfortable after the first couple of hours.
I’m probably spoiled by BayCon, but it was a shame that there was so little in the way of hall costuming at the convention and, of course, no masquerade as apparently the interest in costuming at G1 is that low. Bummer.
Oh! I met a woman wearing a black velvet Anthony Ainley’s Master tunic and, naturally, I peppered her with questions about construction and suchlike, only to learn that she was wearing an original costume from the Beeb. Crikey! Naturally, I took a lot of detailed photos for my reference and, btw, Ainley was a skinny lad. But now I have some excellent information to work from for Alex’s gear, should he decide he wants to go along to ‘08 and have a costume.
Yep, I’m going to ‘08. I’ve already pre-reg’d and I’ve even treated myself to the GOH brunch, despite not knowing who the guests are going to be. What the hell, it’s like a lottery ticket and, honestly, if I go meh at the guest list and I have a friend there who is going squeeee!, I can always transfer the ticket to them. I’ve resolved that a) despite the fact that it’s not all that much quicker to fly (thanks to all the aggro at the airport), I still prefer it to a five or six hour car-ride and b) Next year, I fly down Thursday night, and come home late-isih on Monday, as - assuming the traditional rain-on-Monday lets up - I’d like to join in the cricket match...
Obviously, I had a lovely, lovely time, socializing with fellow fans, going to the panels and generally relaxing for a couple of days in a new place - an invigorating change, and all that. But I’ll tell ya, going from the con stuffed with charming, witty, well-spoken fellows full of vim and vigor and other nice things beginning with ‘v’ to LAX airport on a holiday gave me a case of the bends. Ow.
It’s probably going to take me a day or so to sort through the photos and decide which, if any, I want to share. Watch this space, etc, etc. :)
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 02:36 am (UTC)Pictures when you've recovered enough.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 04:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 05:54 am (UTC)Next time you write a con report, send it to us good people at Science Fiction/San Francisco so we can publish it! We'd love to have more reports like this!
sfinsf@gmail.com
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 06:07 am (UTC)Time ScoopBlack Triangle is in our garage now.no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 02:31 pm (UTC)I ran into a couple of the Offstage folks when I was checking out and they were appropriately amused (and a bit flattered) that we thought it worth looting.
I think it'll make an appearance at Pancho's Crosstime Cantina this year (or whatever Radar & I do for a party at Baycon - we've been kicking around ideas for a cocktail party aboard the TARDIS...)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 02:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 12:19 pm (UTC)