Vancouver Creation Con Report 3/4

[riskinghearts]

Part Three

Saturday April 4th

Saturday morning rolled on and we headed out for Bridge Studios. We got to see a re-dressed Stargate and take our pictures with it on the ramp. We also saw the USS George Hammond (had my picture taken next to the plaque as well as in Sam's chair), and we toured Atlantis (which is beautiful). I took enough pictures to fill an album, unfortunately due to the waver we signed, we cannot post them online. However if you run into me at another con, feel free to ask if you can see my con book because a lot of them will be in there!

On to the days talks and here's where things get more detailed as I remembered to write things down afterwards and my memory was functioning as its meant to.

Paul McGillion Panel
Saturday April 4th 2009



I think Paul McGillion needs to be made a national treasure. I don't care for which country, but one of them needs to make him their mascot. He's an incredibly sweet and charming individual.

He started out talking about Atlantis and more specifically his audition for the role of Carson. Interestingly, he was one of the first people to be cast in SGA, and it was pretty instantaneous. His audition was the scene in the Pilot with the antarctic outpost chair, and apprently they wanted him to do an English accent, but Paul - with that noble king's blood that no doubt runs through his veins - really wanted to push for a Scottish accent. The producers were dubious, no way was an audience going to understand that accent! So Paul told them he'd do an "Educated Scottish accent" (of which he did a little demonstration for us). No one knew that Paul would be doing an accent of any kind until the first reading, everyone else was completely thrown.

What I loved about Paul's panel is he wasn't above hamming it up and putting on a bit of 'Beckett' for the audience. So often you hear of actors who sigh or moan because they've been asked to repeat a famous line or do their accent. I'd agree that being stopped on the street and asked to do it is quite rude, but at a convention it really is something that the audience is desperate to hear.

Paul's family is from Scotland and he told us that his parents had 7 kids, and only one of them a girl. Poor lasses boyfriends had no easy time in that house! He got his teaching degree, but really wanted to pursue acting which is something his father didn't quite understand at first, especially when Paul was still looking for work - "You're a teacher! What's with all this acting thing." (all the while Paul is doing his parent's Scottish accents) But Paul landed a small part on the X-Files and he showed his dad how much it paid and suddenly he was like "Yes, good thing, this acting."

When he landed the part of Beckett he called his folks and told them that it was a series called Stargate. So his dad thought Paul was confused and said "You mean StarTrek?" and there was a bit of a back and forth between them about who was right and who was wrong "I know what StarTrek is son" until eventually Paul's mother came on the line and Paul repeated that it was for Stargate, and his mother started with the "StarTrek?" bit. And actually when they were casting for the new Trek film and Paul was auditioning he told his parents that he'd got a part in the new Star Trek and his parents were like "You mean Stargate?"

Ok moving onto other questions:

Q. In "A Dog’s Breakfast” how much did David Hewlett pay you to dress up as a woman?

“Not enough!”

(he actually told David that this movie better be funny after spending the day in the rain dressed as woman with his heels sinking into the mud, while Hewlett lay naked, face down in the mud with soap suds on his butt)

Q. When did they film the Carson's death scene in relation to other bits of Sunday?

The episode was filmed mid season and he was still filming scenes for previous episodes later on. He did not want things to be awkward on set as it is the nature of the job that these things happen, so he went out of his way to enjoy his time on set. He did say that it was strange filming scenes still knowing he was going to die.

Q. When choosing roles and reading comedy or drama, which do you prefer?

Comedy is more difficult because you need a good partner to work with and feed off. He prefers a mixture (not one or the other) but added that he found a good comedy partner in David Hewlett. They “had a good connection.”

Q. How was the ‘death’ of the character planned?

The producerslet him know they were killing off Beckett as they wanted to shake things up a bit (echoes of Janet Fraiser here). He was very surprised to hear they were killing off Beckett.

Q. As far as pranks on set go?

They were filming ‘Phantoms’ on location. It's the scene where Paul and David have to carry a stretcher. He learned that Joe (Flannigan) had set it up so they found the largest and heaviest extra they could to put on it. At the same time Joe kept adding rocks to Paul’s backpack every time they stopped during the day and he had no idea. He just thought he was getting tired. At the end of the day Joe told the prop guys to tell Paul to look in his backpack. Paul pulled a face at us and then voiced his initial reaction - “Cheeky prick!”

Not quite a prank but during the filming of "Irresistible" Beckett is crying in the puddle jumper because he's so in awe of Lucius, but he's handcuffed and his nose starts to run. He asks Joe to wipe his nose which he does! The scene didn't make it to the final cut.

You can really imagine this bunch of little boys on set, poor Rachel Luttrell didn't stand a chance! She was doing a scene where she hiding in a tree, and Joe, Jason (Mamoa), and Paul were throwing sticks up at her from behind while she was trying to say her lines! She was getting fed up and tried to scold them which only made their antics worse.

PAUL MCGILLION PHOTO GALLERY


And that folks is all I can rememeber from Paul's panel!


Robert Picardo Panel
Saturday April 4th



It's The Doctor *runs around flailing*. Honestly. Your favourite Voyager character is standing a few feet away, you'd flail too!

Robert walks out onto stage announcing that he'd just been back there reading some Beckett fan fiction. Pause. "Riveting".

He gets right to the crux of the matter - "Richard Woolsey. The man, the mystery, and the methane." He admits right out that his character wasn't cut out to be a leader. He was a real dick in name and nature. The producers really liked the character so they ended up with "a dick that means well", " a dick with a conscience". He thought Joe Mallozzi was joking when he called him and asked him to be Atlantis' new leader.

Questions!

Q. Was there a reason why Woolsey never sang?

He laughs and pictures how the steps in the Atlantis control room cried out for a Busby Berkley musical number. Woolsey dancing down the steps with a top hat and cane!

Q. How different was it to play Woolsey as not so good but not so bad in the end?

He likes playing characters that are mean to begin with but redeem themselves, characters that are flawed such as the holographic doctor on Star Trek Voyager. The Doctor didn’t have a back story, had some pre programmed sub-routines but they didn’t work. He was arrogant, cranky and cowardly but did rise to the occasion when the chips were down. It's more fun to work towards a conclusion with a character, build it up and gradually reveal the psychology of the character until they become likeable. He loved the scene in SGA where Woolsey is off duty and relaxing and he's is still wearing a shirt and tie!

Q. What are your priorities when choosing a role?

He looks for roles where he can work with people he likes. Since he has to work with others as it’s all a very collaborative process it helps when everyone gets along. He likes to look for at least one big challenge every year. He’s been working with the ‘ACME Comedy Theatre’. He found roles on stage more frightening but was still drawn to them because of the emotional hook and that theatre was more immediate. He ended up as the lead in a musical for the first time in 25years straight out of Trek. At that point he said that his kids only knew him as the ‘Trek doctor” and that all he said was… “please state the nature of the medical emergency?” *insert fangurl squeee!! at this point*

Q. When Woolsey had all the problems with Atlantis not recognizing him, how did that come about?

He loved the bit in ‘Broken Ties’ where Wolsey couldn’t get out of the briefing room, it just captured in that moment the strange fish out of water situation the character found himself in. Part of the scene where he had gone to the crack in the door and called out a “lame, castrated hello” was cut. He loves playing those serious moments of great gravity and then undercutting them with comedy.

He had moments like that in Voyager’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ and worked well with Andy Dick who played the mark II medical hologram and they interacted well as a comedy double act. He kept making fun of Robert’s last name, saying it sounded like Picard, Robert responded by saying.. “hang on, your name is Dick and you’re making fun of my name?!”

Q. Have you ever pulled any pranks on set?

He changed his lines in Voyager once. He was filming with Seven of Nine where his line was, “Your implants are a mystery to me.” Instead he said, “Your body is something of a miracle to me.”

ROBERT PICARDO PHOTO GALLERY

And - uh - that's all I have to say about that!


Joe Flannigan Panel
Saturday April 4th



I have to say, Joe F in person, pretty much as yummy as on tv. The biggest contrast is that where John Sheppard is cocky, Joe Flannigan is almost shy. I say almost because he can still entertain a crowd and make 'em laugh.

On to questions:

Q. Paul McGillion told us the ‘rocks in the backpack’ story. Can we have your version?

Joe appeared incredibly thoughtful at this, he looked like he was mulling it over and then suddenly a wicked grin spread over his face. “What a sucker!” he says. He said it was his revenge from having to listen to Paul and David (Hewlett) bitching louder and louder as the day wore on over having to lug the damn stretcher.

In his panel, Paul said that he'd got his own back and said we should ask Joe about it, which we did.

They challenged each other to a wrestling match late one night, and after a few drinks. Paul managed to get Joe into a headlock.

"Don't wrestle Paul McGillion," Joe warns us, "It must be a weird Scottish thing!"

He joked that Paul didn't technically win because Joe wouldn't 'tap out'. He was pretty much choking to death but still managed to gasp out "go to hell", he wasn't going to let Paul have the satisfaction of winning.

So, Paul McGillion pops his head round the door and says that no one should believe any of this, Joe lost.

Q. With regards to the Atlantis movie, where would you like your character to head?

With trademark boyish grin he announces he’d like to see Sheppard and Ronon end up as bounty hunters in space, chasing Wraith ‘Men in Black’ style, wearing dark suits and sunglasses.

Q. In the episode ’38 Minutes’ during the scene with the bug and the water being poured on it you gave the ‘sexiest’ scream. Can you re enact that scream?

Joe looked horrified. “I’d rather have Paul put me in a head lock!”

He mumbled something about finding his inner misery. After a pause he gave us this weird scream, and the guy who asked the question also asked for a hug to comfort him. It was at this point that I gagged because the guy had become a majoy nuisance at question time and yet Creation did not see fit to stopper him. Joe then said he ruined the moment and that he should be sent to Paul McGillion (for a head lock).

Q. How did you find out about Atlantis' cancellation?

“When you see the guillotine in the trailer!”

Basically Joe was chatting to the producers one day saying that he felt that SGA would be a good complimentary companion to Stargate Universe. He was met with shrugs and non-commitals and knew something was up. It wasn't much longer before they knew they were not renewing.Joe felt that there was at least another 2 years left in Atlantis. I have to say, the audience agreed!

Q. When you all run through the gate as a group how do you stop falling into each other at the end of those scenes?

“The key is to get out of Jason’s way!”

Q. What was your earliest childhood memory?

“There was a doctor and it was all slippery!”

Q. If you could be another character on SGA who would it be?

He wanted to do a body swap with McKay or play McKay. He changed his mind quite quickly though when he recalled the kiss in "Duet"

JOE FLANNIGAN PHOTO GALLERY


And that folks is all I can remember from Joe's panel!

Me and teh boyz *grins*



Later in the day were autographs. The Atlantis boys were joined by Michael Shanks and Amanda Tapping who were also signing on Saturday. When we reached Michael's table I was telling his handler that I was the end of H and geekysamwas the beginning of I, and Micheal looked up and said "Well you know what happens at the end of H and the beginning of I right?" We shook our heads, and he cries "Hi!" We laugh and he says "Yeah that was a bit of a disappointment huh? I'll do better next time". We joked for a bit and moved on towards AT. I thought she was still busy with EH-T and samjackshiplove(who she'd hugged with glee at seeing them again) so I said to geekysam"Dude are you copying me?" 'cause we had the same picture to sign and she said "No dude, you're copying me." So AT yells over at us "Dude!" and we laughed. She stood up and leant over the table saying "Hey baby" and gave me a squishy hug and said she hoped we had a good time on the Sanctuary set. I told her we were still processing. That it was unbelievably amazing, and that we still couldn't find words right now."

When we moved on and reached Paul McGillion, he looks up at me and I'm wearing this -



- except with my green Vancouver t-shirt (the ones in the photo ops). And he says to me "Well you're just as cute as a button aren't you?" Well I just grinned like a damn idiot, and went as pink as Teryl's jacket. He personalised his autograph in my book which was really good of him.

I would say Saturday night's dessert party was the biggest disappointment.



I think we were all in agreement when we say we'd have rather gone to bed if we'd known that Robert Picardo and Paul McGillion would spend a combined total of a minute at our table. Particularly as it was past one in the morning and we were one of the last tables left. However the Nubbins that geekysammade for us served as our center pieces ("Oops, wrong fandom" was our title) and they were a big hit amongst the attendees. Between them and the Squeee!! t-shirts we donned the following day (people kept staring at our chests!), I think we were pretty memorable.


Vancouver Creation Con Report Part 4