The third week of June has become the established time that Oncers from all over the world gather in Paris, France, for two days of the Fairy Tales Conventions. It was my second time attending this Xivents event and it did not disappoint.
I arrived in Paris two days before Fairy Tales III began, giving me plenty of time to check into the hotel and visit a few locations that have personal meaning to me. The venue for the convention was Les Esselieres in Villejuif, a ten minute walk from the metro station, and a five minute walk from La Ferme des Barmonts, a hotel where many of us stayed. Thus it was easy to trek over to pick up passes on Friday afternoon. Here began the first snag in the event. They were late opening and the line creeped, only letting people in five at a time. Because of the heat and lack of shade in a very long wait, I chose to go back to the hotel and wait until 6pm when it would be cooler. The line-time average was two hours; it was made pleasant though by starting conversations with those around me, introducing ourselves and sharing our love of Once. Many wonderful Oncers also helped me practice my limited French-speaking abilities. I was also thrilled to reconnect here with many of the friends I met last year and to meet in person Twitter friends. The first day of the event, I woke early and was glad that I took the time to pick up my pass the night before. There was quite a long line and many I believe did not make it in for the first panel. And the panels! The Frozen cast opened up the con and it was a great start. The format was Q and A and there were many highlights as they bantered about bringing Frozen to life, the costumes, and their favorite moments. You could tell that they really enjoyed being on OUAT. Seeing them was one of my favorite parts of the con. As much fun as the Frozen panel was, the second, with Jennifer, Meghan and Colin, brought the house down before it even started. For many, myself included, this was the first time seeing the three actors in person, and people were on their feet cheering before they even entered the room. I was right along with them, so thrilled especially to finally see Jennifer, the woman who plays the iconic center of OUAT. Needless to say, Colin got quite a lot of cheers and screams. And I was so happy to see Meghan, much missed from the show. It was like a reunion. Some around me were in tears as the three took the stage and I was nearly with them. It was just so exciting! The later panels with Victoria and Lana were also hilarious. They had us in stitches. Most moving though was when Jennifer told us that the art, web pages, and articles fans create do not go unnoticed. Then she thanked us for all the love that we pour into OUAT. In response, the audience broke out in a lengthy, thunderous applause. For me it was not just in gratitude for her comments, but also thanking her for giving us the same.
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After last weekend’s Spooky Empire event in Orlando, we had a chance to ask a few questions to the heads of Spooky, Gina and Petey Mongelli. This was Once Upon a Fan’s second year covering the event which, in addition to lots of other TV, film and media stars, was attended by Ernie Hudson (Poseidon), Brad Dourif (Zoso, the Dark one) and Lana Parrilla (Regina). Here is what they had to say about putting on such a big event, their staff and fans, and what we can expect in the future.
The Spooky Report By Three Ghouls - Amy (@Amylia403) Ashley (@MitigatedText) and Mauri (@DarkDearieMauri), Mauri: Another year at Spooky Empire’s May-Hem featuring Halloween Extreme down, I had a blast! On Friday I took advantage of the Brad Dourif and Alex Vincent photo op. Even though Alex is always at Spooky, Brad isn’t, so it was a rare opportunity to get a picture of them together. Then Petey Mongelli, owner of Spooky Empire, had brought his Chucky movie replica doll for the photo, so then you had Alex, Brad, and the Chucky doll photo op. I couldn’t pass that up! I love dolls, and I brought my Mr. Gold/ Rumplestiltskin doll with me because I thought it would make a hilarious picture. Chucky makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin to take over Spooky Empire. The Chucky doll was bigger than I expected. Chucky could have stomped on Rumple. I also got a picture of Rumple with Zoso himself, Brad Dourif. When I met Mr. Dourif he was polite, but reserved. He really didn’t comment much, but when I got my photo op I was first in line and they were still getting set up in the photo room. Brad was standing there and I was maybe a couple of feet from him, and as the girl was putting down a tape line to mark where the line was supposed to stop before you got your picture taken, Mr. Dourif looked down at the tape and commented, “That tape is bright.” And the girl said, “Yes, it’s pink.” Then Brad said, still looking at the tape, “It’s hot.” That’s his humor; dry corny puns. He was so funny. After my photo op I got an autograph from Ernie Hudson. I picked out a picture of him as Poseidon on Once Upon a Time, and had him write the quote from Ghostbusters, the same one that I used for my movie trivia for Once Upon a Time Fans on Facebook. “If someone asks you if you’re a god you say, “YES!” He laughed while he was writing it down. Then I got an autograph from Kathy Najimy, and her handler remembered my purple dress from Enchantacon. After getting my first round of goodies, I spent the rest of the time doing what I like best: taking pictures of everyone in their amazing costumes. I adore all the costumes and there were a lot of great ones this year. My favorites were Seymour and Audrey two because I love Little Shop of Horrors, The Key Master from Ghostbusters, Abraham, from The Walking Dead, and Tucker and Dale from Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. Ashley: I had a very unique point of view at this year’s Spooky May-hem as I was a volunteer, or to be more specific, a Media Guest Assistant in the American Horror Story: Freakshow room. I was often seen by fans this weekend traveling to and from events with Rose Siggins who played Legless Suzy on the show. Working so closely with the media guests made me appreciate all the hard work that goes into an event such as Spooky. I really enjoyed my amazing time with Rose Siggins and find that I am grateful we were paired together since she is a truly inspiring, no-nonsense woman and mother. Our conversations over the weekend are something I will always remember. A Reception Fit for a Queen: Regal Con 2015 by Zach Van Norman Two concerts. Four Q&A’s. Four parties. Seven panels. Eleven guests. Hundreds of attendees.
This was Regal Con 2015. A convention created by Roxy Nazari and her team at REN Entertainment, Regal Con 2015 was geared towards ABC’s hit television series Once Upon A Time. And while some of the attending guests have made appearances at other conventions around the country, Regal Con presented a unique opportunity for die-hard Oncers to connect with actors on their favorite show in a more intimate setting. It all began on Friday morning as attendees arrived at registration to collect their ticket packages, though events weren’t scheduled to begin until the afternoon. I was unable to attend the first panel due to interviews with guests, but was offered the hosting spot for the trivia game, which became a combination of in-depth discussion of Once and a knowledge game about the show; winners were rewarded with autograph tickets. It was a blast hosting the game and guiding a conversation about the show. (Special thanks to Roxy for giving me the opportunity.) The trivia contest was followed by a panel reviewing cosplay, which included an incredible Maleficent costume based on the character’s live-action film appearance. Afterwards were photo ops and autograph sessions, which occupied a few hours of the afternoon. Live Coverage from the Anaheim, California with OUAF's Zach Van Norman By Ashley Benson
Convention season has started early this year. This past weekend fans of all fandoms flocked to Miami for the very first Magic City Comic Con. Even though this was a first year con, it certainly didn’t feel like one. This has to do with the fact that the folks who ran this con are also responsible for Florida Super Con and Animate! Miami. So the convention was in good hands and from where I stood ran very smoothly. For fans of Once Upon a Time, this convention offered the opportunity to get up close and personal with a number of fan favorites, including Sean Maguire, Lee Arenberg, and Robbie Kay. This convention also marked the first appearance of Christie Laing at a fan event. Unfortunately, there were also last minute cancelations. Georgina Haig, our very own Once Upon a Time Elsa, was set to appear and there was much excitement surrounding this considering it would be her first convention. However, she had to cancel at the very last minute due to filming obligations. Very lucky for us fans, the wicked Rebecca Mader stepped up and filled in for her. At this convention I saw very unique set-ups in terms of photo ops and panels. Both were actually in the same room, a large ballroom with the panel seating on one end and the photo ops and attendee registration at the other. I actually enjoyed this set-up because if you had a photo op time that conflicted with a panel, it was possible to listen to the panel while you waited in line. This also allowed for guests to crash each other’s panels, which definitely happened in the case of Once Upon a Time. The panels were also open, so you could come and go as you pleased. There wasn’t any pressure regarding getting seats or missing any of the action that sometimes happens with cons. Aside from the photo ops, our Once Upon a Time guests were available in the autograph area to sign photos and take selfies. But the highlights of the convention for Oncers were the panels. There was one every day which allowed single day attendees to get in on some of the OUaT action. We had a panel with Sean Maguire and Christie Laing, one with just Rebecca Mader, one with the entire cast of attendees, and one that featured Robbie Kay. This final panel was my favorite as it was the final Once Upon a Time event and the panel was crashed by Sean, Rebecca, and Christie, making for some of the funniest and memorable moments at the con, as well as a fantastic finale for us attendees. By Ashley Benson
When I walked into the Marriot hotel the Thursday night before DragonCon, I thought I had gotten my dates mixed up. Everywhere you looked there were fantastic, intricate costumes, intense conversations about the latest episodes of several TV shows, and just general merry making, all before the con even started. My introduction to DragonCon, to seeing the joy in all these attendees, truly showed me the heart of what this convention is all about and that’s the fans. DragonCon has become a staple of the Atlanta Labor Day weekend for about 28 years now and in that time it’s grown, attendance topping out at about 62,000 people this year. DragonCon is very unique in that it is held between five different host hotels, with programming and vendors in each hotel. I will admit it, I got lost. A lot. Even after attending the media tour, I often would get turned around in crowds and find myself in the Hilton with the gamers when I meant to be in the Hyatt with the comic book artists. However, by the third day I was navigating the skybridges between hotels like a pro. There was a strong Once Upon a Time presence at this year’s DragonCon, from both cast members and fans, which was fantastic to see. Aside from Rebecca Mader, Robbie Kay, Giancarlo Esposito, Lee Arenburg, Sean Maguire, and Beverley Elliott, who all participated in the numerous OUaT-centric panels, Amy Acker, Emma Caulfield and Kristen Bauer were also in attendance. It was a full house! Each actor was available in the Walk of Fame, which is an autograph area that was open throughout the con. Most fans could walk right up to their favorites’ table and have a little chat while getting a picture signed. There was virtually no wait and the actors were able to be generous with their time, which allowed for many special moments with fans. It was very nice to walk up and say hi or get an autograph and have a quick word without being rushed away. I was fortunate to be able do a few interviews while on site as well, one with Beverley Elliott and the other with Rebecca Mader. Both interviews can be found here and here . It was very nice to take about ten minutes, slow down the day, and talk about the show with two of its actors. Besides the Walk of Fame, our Once Upon a Time team could be found chatting it up on stage during four different panels that were brought to us fans by the American SciFi and Fantasy Media fantrack. With one panel a day during the length of the convention, there was naturally going to be some repeat questions, but for the most part the fans ran the show, stepping up to the microphone and asking questions ranging from inquiries of characters’ theme songs, to heartfelt reminders of how hugely this show has affected the viewers for the good. The best advantage to having a panel a day was accessibility. I didn’t feel the anxiety I normally do when I try to get into a panel at a con. I knew that here, there would be a seat for me with my fellow Oncers. In addition to these panels with the cast, there were two fan panels that occurred during the week. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to conflicts in my schedule, but from what I heard spirited debate and conversation arose from both. Another huge part of DragonCon is the parade, a showcase for the city of Atlanta of the ingenuity and creativity fans have when it comes to costuming. We Oncers had our own cosplay meet up, and the level of detail and care put into these costumes was astounding. Pictures of DragonCon OUaT costumes can be found here. Cosplay is an essential part of the culture of DragonCon and the parade is the ultimate celebration of that. I actually walked in the parade, dressed as Granny, and was rewarded with a unique perspective. It’s one thing to just say that a community supports a con and another entirely to see that support in the faces of families standing ten rows deep along the city streets, waving at Elsa or Snow White. To look up and see every single level of a parking garage bursting with people hanging over the edge, cheering at the cosplayers below. That image has stayed with me. The thing that many veteran DragonCon goers stressed to me again and again was that this is a con for fans, by fans. And that showed in my experience in Atlanta. Sure, we were all tired by the end of the holiday weekend, but we were all happy, Oncer and actor alike. This is a convention that actors want to attend and it shows in the positivity and celebration that occurs within those five hotels during those four crazy days. And you better believe I will be back next year. Ashley is a professional event planner, OUaF Forum Administrator, convention enthusiast, and resident sass master. When she's not tweeting up a storm, Ashley also finds the time to write reviews for Once Upon a Time atSpoilerTV.com. Feel free to contact her at @mitigatedtext |
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