Yesterday I returned home from Dragon*Con. I've never been to a convention quite like it, the ones we get over here are tiny and pretty dull in comparison.



The flight over seemed to go on forever, the book I was reading didn't help either, there was this whole section dedicated to some characters on this long endless journey through space and they eventually got old. Towards the end of the flight, the girl sitting next to me (Jen) in a window seat wanted to get up. I had been thinking of doing the same. Unfortunately the guy sitting next to us was asleep so deeply that we could not wake him and ended up having to call one of the air hostesses. Even she had a hard time.

After that little adventure, I discover Jen was also going to Dragon*Con, so we chatted about our interests for the rest of the trip.

After landing, escaping from the airport (which is probably one of the worst designed airports I've ever been to) and checking in to the hotel. The next thing to do was get my membership (tickets to go in). tears_of_nienna had told me to expect very long lines but once I got there it took about 15 minutes to find the place, fill out the forms, pay and wait for the pass to be made. Must have been lucky :)

The first day of Dragon*Con came, not entirely sure where to go so ended up wandering into the overspill room for the Shatner/Nimoy panel. They were very funny together and I'm sure that will end up on YouTube, if it isn't already. After that, the Torchwood panel, although I left half way through that to get to the Walk of Fame which was going to open. Outside the room that panel took place in was a Tardis, just as I was walking by I spotted The Doctor and he came and posed for a photo (Note: I'm not as short as the photo makes me look, this guy towered over everyone).



At the Walk of Fame, the first person I went to see was Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh in Battlestar Galactica), he was great fun. I asked "Do you still hear that frakking music?" to which he laughed and said the line just like he did in the show. Then he said how he still talks to Bear McCreary about that.



Also went to meet Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari in Babylon 5), he was great fun too. Didn't get a picture but enjoyed talking to him. While walking around that room, also ran into Tracy Scoggins (Captain Lochley, Babylon 5), Thomas Dekker (John Connor, TSCC) and Julie Caitlin Brown (Na'Toth, B5). Chatting to each of them and Julie remembered me from when we've met a few times before over here.

I then went to find Felicia Day. She was so pleased to see me again, gave me a big hug and we talked for a few minutes.

That evening was the first Machinima screening. Met up with tears_of_nienna, gave her a Galaxy in Darkness poster (since she was in that and CoH) and we watched the Chronicles of Humanity trailer, followed by a selection of other machinima work. While there met Christina who was running the three machinima evenings. Also met up with Ben Grussi, who I didn't expect to find there.



The next morning, I decided to go back to show Michael Hogan the BSG: Toasters machinima I made a while back. He enjoyed that and so did the people in the queue behind me.

Ran into Felicia Day again on my way out. They had moved her table to somewhere she wasn't happy with and I talked to her while they were putting her back where she had been the day before.

After that, the BSG panel was the next thing I wanted to see. Got into a seat near the front. Someone stood up and shouted "So say we all!" to which everyone else in the room replied.

I was then joined by the most impressive Six I saw at the whole event.



I showed her the BSG Toasters video, heard the people behind talking about it so showed them as well.

When the panel started, it was great to see the cast joking and messing around with each other. Aaron Douglas had been hiding in the audience, so half way through he got up and asked a question. He then joined the others on the stage. I'm sure this panel will appear on YouTube at some point as well.

Six (known as Rita by this point) interviewed me for the BSG fansite she is involved with after the panel. I'll link to that when it's up.

Did some roaming after that before meeting up with tears_of_nienna again to go meet Felicia Day but she was gone by the time we got into the Walk of Fame :(

Met Timothy Zahn and he signed my first edition copy of Dark Force Rising.

That evening I went to the second machinima screening, this time for Stolen Life. An excellent film that I hadn't had the chance to see before. There was a machinima Q&A afterwards, Christina and I answered questions about the film, our own work and ways to start making machinima. I think we helped them out.

The final day involved seeing Felicia again and being told off for not coming to say hello to her while she was setting up that morning. Running into Rita (who was this time dressed as Aeon Flux), a writers panel and finally talking to Luciana Carro (Kat from BSG), who was walking around the Walk of Fame.



I also ended up signing a few autographs for people who recognised me and my work. That was fun :)

More pictures can be found here.



Had a great trip, met lots of interesting people and hope to go back next year.