I was a little late for Armageddon 2012 on Saturday morning.  I didn’t get to bed until after 1am because of converting and uploading interviews, sending emails to the interviewees and sharing interview links as they became available.  I woke early – I had about 5 hours sleep – but first on my agenda was to finish getting Bruce Boxleitner’s interview online.  The minion worked on that while I wrote up the post to go with the interview, then I started the upload to YouTube and scheduled the post.  With the computer handling the upload and post, we left for Armageddon.

Upon arrival at shortly after 10am, I was pleased to see people wandering around and sitting in groups both outside and in the foyer.  No-one seemed to be queuing, everyone had their tickets and were doing their thing.  After picking up the media passes, I wandered down Artists’ Alley, taking a bit of video and chatting to some of the creators.

NOTE: this is a write-up with links to videos where they are available.  Some videos aren’t up yet – they’ll take a bit longer – but I’ll update this post as we get them finished and online. 

Karl Urban

At 12 noon the minion and I set up for Karl Urban’s panel.  Unfortunately there was a media blackout on this panel, which is why I have a few still photos but no video.

Karl’s big scoop – the little fact he let slip about the next Star Trek movie: It’s called STAR TREK TWO.  Really.  Also, Star Trek: Into the Darkness.  Apart from that, it was just the Neutron Cream story…  If only Karl had allowed video recording, I’d put it up for you, dear reader.

We filed out of the room after Karl Urban’s panel then turned around and filed back in again for Chris Judge’s solo panel.  This was my first experience of seeing Chris live.

Chris Judge

Chris Judge at Armageddon 2012 in his solo panel at 1pm on Saturday 13 October, his birthday!  Happy Birthday Chris!  I know this photo is blurry – Chris is moving too much for the exposure – but he looks so relaxed and natural, this is my favourite of the photos I took during this panel.

Chris is probably best known for his role as Teal’C in Stargate SG1.  MGM, the company responsible for the TV series, may have gone under but the official Stargate website is still running at the moment.  When I first saw Stargate SG1 I thought Chris was wooden, but in later re-watches I realised he’s actually quite expressive and often suppressing a smile.  It’s amazing how much more detail I pick up with a large TV.  During this panel I heard about how, in some episodes, Teal’C isn’t seen much because other actors’ antics meant he couldn’t keep a straight face.

Today I assumed that Chris, like Karl, would have a total media blackout, so I set up for still photos.  Luckily the minion made no assumptions and found Mr Expo, the Armageddon organiser in a cape.  Mr Expo walked on stage, whispered to Chris after pushing the microphone away, Chris replied, then Mr Expo walked over to the minion, who returned to my side in the way that loyal side-kicks do, and told me that THERE WAS NO MEDIA BLACKOUT.  I set up for video in a few minutes flat and got the rest of Chris’ panel on video.

Animation Panel

Next up on the main stage was an animation panel (video here) featuring Kristi Reed (voice director) and several voice artists from animation and games: Mela Lee (Vampire Knight, Betty Boop), Charles Martinet (Mario & Luigi), Johnny Yong Bosch (Trigun, Bleach), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), Sandy Fox (Bleach, Naruto, Ghost in the Shell), Lex Lang (Avatar, Neo Cortex, Doctor Doom), Marianne Miller (Full Metal Alchemist, Snow Queen) and Martin Billany (Yu-Gi-Oh)

This was an entertaining and informative panel that brought rousing cheers from the fans in the audience.  The panel talked about their careers, having day jobs, their current work and answered a range of questions.  Often voice actors responded ‘in voice’.  This panel is interesting for fans of anime and for people wanting to get into the industry.

Chris Heyerdahl and Chris Judge

Chris Heyerdahl and Chris Judge were on a panel together, video here.

Chris Heyerdahl was Todd the Wraith from Stargate Atlantis and Chris Judge is best known as Teal’C from Stargate SG1.  They talk about their experiences working on Stargate both together and separately.  Chris Judge obviously has a thing for fart jokes as this comes up in this panel as well as his solo panel.  Chris Heyerdahl talks about working on True Blood recently, rubbing it in – literally – while Chris Judge slumps in his seat.  Chris Judge talked about pranks in the workplace, including repeating the story of his last prank on the set of SG1, being a ‘turd burglar’ (I kid you not!) and glad-wrapping the toilet seat for tired people first thing in the morning.  An audience member pranks Chris Judge though: when he became energised at the thought of working on Star Trek, he’s given a tribble to hold.  The owner failed to mention …  Chris’ reaction is worth watching.

Chris Heyerdahl realised how much fans wanted to hear him say ‘John Sheppard’ in Todd’s voice, so he kept dropping it in all the way through.  Chris Heyerdahl doesn’t prank his colleagues endlessly, but he talked about his work, his favourite scenes, JOHN SHEPPARD, what he’s doing now, JOHN SHEPPARD, Hell on Wheels, JOHN SHEPPARD…

Saturday wrap-up and Sunday begins

The minion and I wandered around a bit, chatted to some of the creators, took photos of some of the amazing costumes and then rushed home to process video and put it online as soon as possible.  We went to bed after midnight again, leaving the computers both running, the minion’s computer converting from HD to MP4 for YouTube while my computer was uploading to YouTube.  After a really late night we dragged ourselves out of bed on Sunday morning, set the last upload running and left for Armageddon.

How to be a voice actor

The panel ‘How to become a voice actor’ is here.

Kristi Reed (voice director) and Mela Lee (voice actor from Vampire Knight, Betty Boop etc) started off Sunday for us with a panel on how to be a voice actor.  Although the minion and I don’t plan to be voice actors, this panel was still interesting and informative.  Kristi and Mela answered questions, most of which were about how to get into the industry.

Kristi ran a short advert for a DVD on how to become a voice actor (volume 1).   When asked are there more volumes to be released, Kristi explained that’s all they’ve made at the moment.  There is even a promo code to get $10 off for this DVD; Kristi was happy for me to run the full video without editing out the code.

Terry Molloy: Davros on Doctor Who

Terry Molloy was Davros in Doctor Who: I interviewed Terry here and his panel on Davros is here.

I got side-tracked so I was late to this session.  After starting video-recording I discovered that I was almost out of memory because I’d forgotten to reformat the memory card after downloading yesterday’s panels.  Unfortunately I missed a lot of this panel, but I got some good stuff in.  One of my favourite moments – apart from the Davros voice – was the guy in the wheelchair asking how Terry managed Davros’ wheelchair.  Terry is an energetic, enthusiastic speaker who probably knows as much as anyone about Davros.  Shame on the BBC for not bringing Terry back as Davros in the new series!

Terry Molloy was the voice of Davros in Doctor Who on TV, radio and in a number of Big Finish audio productions as well as voicing many other characters.  Terry talked about his wide-ranging roles, especially the appeal of radio and audio shows, which allow him much more diversity.  He mentioned the role he would have loved to play that he’s never actually played; sadly he says he’s too old now, but I wonder if he could contribute to an audio production?

Wikipedia says the following about Terry:

On television, Molloy is perhaps best known for his role in the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who as the mad scientist Davros, the creator of the Daleks, in the stories Resurrection of the Daleks,Revelation of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks. Molloy also appeared in the Doctor Who story Attack of the Cybermen as an undercover policeman named Russell. In recent years, Molloy has reprised the role of Davros in the Big Finish Productions audio dramasDavros, The Juggernauts, Terror Firma, Masters of War, The Davros Mission and the four-part miniseries I, Davros. He also played Davros in a 2005 stage production, The Trial of Davros.

Molloy regularly attends Doctor Who conventions and events, where he meets fans and speaks about his time on the programme.

(Note: after leaving Terry’s panel, the minion figured out how to select individual files for deletion so we had memory again.)

Bruce Boxleitner on Babylon 5

Bruce Boxleitner Babylon 5 panel is here.

I interviewed Bruce Boxleitner on Friday – which was great – but my one disappointment was not having more time to talk about Babylon 5.  Babylon 5 is probably my all-time favourite TV show, or at least in the top 5 along with Firefly, Buffy and Angel.  I couldn’t miss this panel with Bruce Boxleitner on Babylon 5, which could only have been improved with Mira Furlan here.  Bruce impersonated Mira at one stage; I wish I could see Mira watch that segment then pay Bruce out 🙂

During this panel Bruce talked about the men from Babylon 5 who’ve died and the near-misses other people have had.  Bruce explained why Mira Furlan didn’t make it (next time!).  When asked about the storyline involving Sheridan’s son, Bruce couldn’t remember what happened but he explained that he thought the series shouldn’t have ended when it did.

The final question from the audience came from Yours Truly, who asked about Star Wreck In the Pirkinning.  Bruce apparently has NEVER been asked about Star Wreck and their spoof of Sheridan as Sherrypie before, but he was really enthusiastic when he heard that it was a war between Babylon 5 and Star Trek.

Note: there are books, folks!

The Centauri storyline is effectively wrapped up in the Legions of Fire trilogy by Peter David: The Long Night of Centauri Prime, Armies of Light and Dark and Out of the Darkness.

The Psi Corps trilogy by J. Gregory Keyes tells more of the story of the rise of Psi Corps and Bester: Dark Genesis: Birth of the Psi Corps, Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendant, Final Reckoning: The Fate of Bester.

The Techno-mage trilogy The Passing of the Techno-Mages by Jeanne Cavelos is great: Casting Shadows, Summoning Light and Invoking Darkness.

Jeanne Cavelos has also written some excellent stand-alone B5 novels, and other authors have written some enjoyable books to add to this expanded universe.  I don’t have all the B5 books but I have a small collection – I’d love to see ALL the books re-released.  [pointed look at J. Michael Straczynski]

Cosplay

One of the features of Armageddon are the colourful and creative costumes that are often made by the wearer.  The amount of creativity, skill, time and effort that goes into making a costume is amazing.  Wearing a costume based on a character in movies, TV, games etc is called ‘Cosplay’.

These ladies (above) entered the cosplay competition with a set, props and all, performing a skit.  It was really funny, showcasing their costumes brilliantly.

Chris Heyerdahl and Sailor Moon (Caroline Slocombe)

Armageddon offers people – in costume and civvies – the opportunity to have their photos taken with stars.  This photo of Chris Heyerdahl (Stargate, Sanctuary, True Blood, Hell on Wheels) with my friend Caz is my all-time favourite.  The look on Chris’ face, isn’t he hilarious?!

The highlights of the costume competition prize giving ceremony will be up soon – as soon as the video is edited, converted to MP3, uploaded and processed by YouTube.  I’ll add the link as an update as soon as it’s online.