CONVENTIONS
Wolf SG-7
"Report from SG7 from a con newbie" by Anne
My first Stargate SG-1 convention was SG-7 in London, February 6-9 2004, arranged by Wolf Events
There were 7 guests invited for the convention: Teryl Rothery(dr Janet Fraiser), Ronny Cox (senator Kinsey), Alex Zahara (Michael, several different unas and other aliens), Dion Johnstone (lt.Tyler, Captain Nelson, Chaka and other aliens), David Palffy (Sokar, Anubis), Steve Bacic (major Coburn), Jill Teed (Yolanda Reese/Stacy Monroe)
Some of them had been conventions guests before, but David, Steve and Jill were new to conventions, so they were a bit nerevous.
Friday evening started with a short introduction of the guests and then the "Meet and Greet " ran for about four hours. All attendees were seated in a big hall, at 10-person tables, and the seven guests went around the room and said hello to EVERYONE!
Some guests were so comfortable and sat down to chat frequently, so that’s why it took so long. Fortunately, the guests started at different tables, so it didn’t take forever until someone came to say hello. Of course everyone was very nice and charming.
The next morning things started at 8:30.
Well, actually, it started a couple of hours earlier - if you wanted seats at the front row, you had to get up early to get a low ticket number. In reality, no matter how early you queued, the best you could get was the fourth row as the three first rows had been allocated to the volunteers.
All the actors talked for 30 minutes each. While one actor talked, the other actors were doing autographs and photo shoots. So the three newbies got a nasty surprise the first time 50 people just got up and walked out on them. The actor on-stage could not see the message on the screen behind them, callling for people to come get their autographs from this or that actor.
Alex Zahara started the show - and fortunately, he was no newbie.
A faulty squidge exploded in Michael Shanks’ hand and everyone was very concerned whether he had hurt his fingers.
Meanwhile, Alex and Dion in unas makeup were chained while a fire closed in on them - Hey Guys - Fire! But it was a choice between two fried unas and Michael’s fingers and the fingers won...
Fortunately, someone DID put out the fire in time.
Favorite SG-1 performance : Hippie Michael
David Palffy
The first newbie up, and he was very interested in getting questions from the audience - but he still managed an mausing little story from home.
Asked in kindergarten what his daddy did, Palffy junior responded "He’s terrorist".
When David came to pick him up, he got some strange looks from the new kindergarten teacher. Of course, David was playing a terrorist in a movie.
The problem with Anubis is that he thinks he is Darth Vader.
Jill Teed
Second day, Jill entered stage with a bottle of whiskey in one hand:
"I ripped this out of Steve’s dead hand" - except a few moments later, Steve crawled on stage and stole it back.
Confessed that all her answers were silly.
After a night of parting, she had concocted a most oultandish script in the shower where she was to play a princess, Cox was to play all the handsome actors were to play poolboys and Teryl was to be her love puppet.
Teryl looked forward to being a love puppet - as long as it’s on a string and not with a stick up the bum.
Steve Bacic
Says he’s a horrible singer - ties daughter to her bed in the evening before singing Angel. Tried to get the audience to sing Robbie Williams’ Angel - with minor success. But he sang along with everyone else during Ronny Cox’s audience participation song.
Q Which comedy would you like to be in?
A Friends - but that’s coming to an end. Will & Grace.
Q Would you play Will’s boyfriend?
A I know Erick McCormack, and he would say I’m not his type.
Ronny Cox
He has never taken a role for the money.
"That’s not to say I don’t do crap - I just don’t do it on purpose.
Cox has played senator Kinsey for six years, and he is always willing to do Stargate - he almost begged to do it. The set is like a family - everybody brings their dog to the set, and there is such a feeling of love and cameraderie on the show.
Working with Rick is like volunteering to be ugly, he joked.
The Stargate fans in Vancouver get to be on Stargate as crowds in the background.
Q Was Captain Jellico a tyrant - or just misunderstood?
A (in Captain Jellico mode) I straightened that ship out. I didn’t back down to the Cardassians and I got rid of the fish in the ready-room!
Teryl Rothery
"I am SO not like Janet"
Very emotional - cried during some of Ronny Cox’s songs.
She is grateful that she is working in the only genre on tv that gives her the opportunity to thank the fans.
Q Hey, Teryl, have you read any fanfic?
A I’m computer illiterate, but someone sent me a hardcopy - the shower scene with general Hammond blew me away!
Q Funniest moment on Stargate?
A Amanda and I were doing a scene in the war room with Don S. Davis - waiting for our cue from him, and then we realised that he had fallen asleep.
Dion Johnstone
Falls asleep during his Unas makeup application, so the assistant has to hold his head up. Explained that unas movement is like moving through water.
Told a moving story about how his role as Marcus Griffith on Hope Island paralleled his own life. He’s adopted too and was only reunited with his birth family as an adult.
After a break of one and a half hour for dinner and a rest, the evening started with a costume contest. Winner single adult was someone in an impressive unas costume - the prize was awarded by Dion and Alex who have both played unasses. Group winner was a group dressed as the team of Wormhole Express. Winning child was someone dressed as Skaara.
And then it was time for Ronny Cox musical performance with his trio.
Teryl cried and we all sang - including Steve. He was called back three times for more songs and got standing ovations, and the next day, everyone were clamoring for his CDs. I bet many people now have a little difficulty seeing him only as the nasty Kinsey.
Afterwards the actors went back to their hotel, and the party started for the rest of us. The party was western themed, so there were a few cowboys in between all the camouflage suits.
Sunday started mercifully one hour later sunday than saturday - everyone was more relaxed - or hung over ;-)
Special event sunday once all the talks, autographs and photo sessions were done was a charity auction where the actors helped sell the items. One of the items up for auction was a genuine RAF flight suit - worn by Teryl and autographed with her in it - across the bum of course.
After the auction, there was a surprise - the actors had been making a short and funny movie about senator Kinsey’s presidential campaign.
And that was the end - except for the party sunday evening.
Practical advice in case you want to go:
Find a roommate to halve hotel room costs.
If you are on a budget, bring a big mug and a bowl and spoon and live on potnoodles and fruit.
There will be a dealers room to tempt you to part with your money, and you might want to buy official photos for signing. Again - if you are on a budget, you can have the poster (or booklet) Wolf Events gve you signed instead.
Even though you get numbers for everything instead of standing in line, you still have to stand in line early to get a nice low number - but since you have your number, you don’t have to stay in the queue anymore.
See you at SG8 - but hurry, it’s soon sold out.
Anne runs an excellent Steve Bacic page with gorgeous high quality images & wallpapers. It's well worth a visit or two.