DragonCon 25th Anniversary Amanda Tapping: Front and Center with Sanctuary For Kids and Once Upon A Cure!

Hello Sanctuary and DragonCon Fans,

The weekend of September 2 to September 4, 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the Dragon Con convention and I was so proud to be apart of it! Thousands of fans came from all over the world to attend the one of biggest fan run conventions in the world. Even though they came from all over the world, and most of them probably did not know each other, they call came to the convention as fans of their own or their common fandoms.

Of course not everyone did not know each other, many people there met up with old friends, or people they have known online but had never met until this convention, so overall it brought people together as one very big community. I had the pleasure of meeting up with some old friends, friends who I have only known online. I was so glad to finally see them in person, and share my first convention experience with them.

The convention was huge, each hotel was unique in its own way, and just how it was designed was amazing and it really helped to the fans because I feel it made them realize just how big Dragon Con is.

After spending days at the convention, I saw the love, passion and dedication that fans of all genres, shows and movies had for their fandoms. They not only showed that by simply attending the convention, a great many fans dressed up in costumes, while others made their own costumes. The detail they put into them to look like the characters was amazing! Also, I would say a bonus to the fans were also having things on display for them to enjoy, things they have only seen on TV. To be able to “see them in the flesh” was a good treat for them.

Day one began with fun and excitement, and of course not knowing made it even more fun. This convention was not only my first ever, but the first time I would meet not one, but three Sanctuary actors, but most of all, Amanda Tapping, a woman who’s not only been an inspiration to me in my life, but to the lives of others!

She had some time before the next set of fan picture, so she actually came out to give them to some fans while she was waiting for Robin Dunne. OMG, hearing her laugh in real life is so much better than seeing it on TV or online!

When it was time to go in, I got some nervous, because I knew that my time was coming up, and I heard her talking as Helen for a little bit to a fan, and that made me grin so much. I wanted a “screaming in excitement” pic, but then I saw a fan ask for a sandwich hugging pic, and that’s what I wanted it. I went up to Amanda and Robin, and I was in another state of mind, I couldn’t believe that something I’d wished for for so long was here, that I was in the moment with Amanda and Robin, and just being in the same room with her was beyond words.

I walked up to her, shook her hand, (she has a firm handshake by the way) I looked into her eyes, and without even thinking, I said 1 word to her, just 1 word, I said… Yo! 😀

And she said it back. I was very happy! I shook Robin Dunne’s hand, and told him it was nice to meet him, and I asked them for a hug pic and AHHHHH! I came cheek to cheek with Amanda and she is so warm, and Robin held me tight. After the picture taking, I shook her hand again, and thanked her for Sanctuary For Kids and she said “thank you, sweetie.” XD Then I shook Robin’s hand again, and I told him he rocks as Will on the show. 😉

The next day was a big day for me, I knew it was going to be a big day, but first I was going to get her autograph and give her the gift I got for her some time back. A little globe of her home town from when she was a kid, and inside it had the CN tower of Toronto, and a little Sanctuary inside, plus it’s a music box. I was walking up to Amanda’s spot to ask her to sign S2 of Sanctuary on DVD for me, and Robin and Chris were sitting beside her at the session. I was walking up to her, and even though this was my second time seeing her, I still could not believe that I was looking at Amanda Tapping, this amazing woman who’s been such an inspiration to me, someone who I told in such high regard.

I felt like I was dreaming, and that there was no way this was happening, but it was. I walked up to her, and I had so many emotions going through my head, oh, man, I felt like I wanted to run. Just run away. :p But got up the courage, and I shook her hand, and told her I was happy to see her again, and she had such a big smile on her face, and her eyes were so blue and bright, they were like stars.

They say the eyes are the windows are to the soul, and I could see she has a bright soul. I gave her my DVD, and she wrote such a sweet message on it, and while she did, I asked told her how some of my Aussie friends are very excited to see her at the Armageddon Expo again, and she said she’s looking forward to it. 🙂

Then came the big moment, when I gave her my gift. I asked her if I could give her a small gift, and she said yes. I reached into my bag, pulled out the box with the globe in it, sat it down, and I was so nervous that I told Amanda I was sorry for my hands being a little shakey, then… she did something I will never forget. She took my hands, and looked me right in the eyes, and she had such a sweet smile on her face. She didn’t say anything, but I know she did that because I was nervous and she wanted to comfort me.

So, I opened the box, and explained to her what it was, and how there was a little Sanctuary inside next to the CN tower, and she was in aww over it, and much to my surprise, Robin and Chris liked it to, and they started playing with it. :p Robin was asking me some questions about it, and Chris even round it up and started humming the music coming from it. 😀 I took a pic of Robin holding it. 😀 Anyway, before I walked away, I asked Amanda if I could have a pic of her holding it, and she said yes, I took the pic, thanked her again, and have her a hug and then I walked away happy feeling on top of the world. 🙂

Later came my solo pic with her, I was so nervous going in, but excited at the same time, because I wanted this so much. My turn came up, I shook her hand again, and said hello again and she was so sweet, and so warm, and this time we did a side by side pic, and when it was over I thanked her again, hugged her and said “Go Season 4” and she grinned.

Even later came my second photo op of the day, this one was with Amanda Tapping and Chris Heyerdahl, and this time when I went up there I said hello to Amanda and she said “hello to you again” in such a cute way, then I when I went up to Chris to shake his hand, I told him he’s a great John Druitt, and he said “thanks brother” and gave me a hug. I got my pic with them, turned to Amanda and thanked her again for S4K, and she said to me “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.” I turned to Chris and shook his hand, and told him I hope to see more of John in S4. 😀

That day I had a day of lots of highs, and I feel that my dreams came true yet again, and as a bonus, a Gabit member came up to me, and told me Julia herself would like to see me there, and that soared my spirit even more. 🙂 Tomorrow is my first Sanctuary panel, and I’m excited to see three members from the best show on TV in a panel giving another hour of their time to the fans. The power of fandom is so huge, that it brings out he best of fans in many ways, and it’s just as much a reflection on them, as shows they follow. 🙂

I was only able to attend one panel at the convention, and that was on Sun, but it was a great time for Amanda, Robin and Chris as when the announcer was calling out their names, they would come out when each others name was called out, and they were as awesome as ever! XD

The crowed was loud and I felt proud as a fan because I loved hearing them cheer that loud and hard for the three of them, because to me it shows just how excited fans are to have them there.

It was a huge honor to be sitting there, listening to those three awesome people talk about Sanctuary, Dragon Con, Sanctuary For Kids, and Once Upon A Cure! You could tell both subjects were close to Amanda Tapping’s heart!

She talked about Once Uopn A Cure with such heart, and I don’t think there’s not one person in there who’s heart Amanda didn’t touch with her warm words of such a noble cause, and how she talked about a little boys story, and how he was the first person to get into clinical trials.

When Amanda said that, the crowed cheered loud and proud, and to me, that was another reason why this show has the fans it does, it is not just another Syfy/Sci-fi show, they use their fame for the right reasons, and they bring fandom together for great causes, and it sorta closes that boundary between the business and the fandom. Amanda brought up something that happened to her when she first got the role of Sam Carter.

They were designing outfits for her to wear on the show, and Amanda didn’t like them at all, because to her, they were not something a female air force officer should wear, and she talked about how she knew the ptb could easily have fired her after the pilot, but she didn’t like her outfits looked, and she wanted them fixed so she could probably portray Carter.

I was VERY proud to hear that, and I’ve heard her talk about it before, but to hear her talk about it LIVE was even better. I’m so thankful Amanda stood up for herself and told them how she wanted Carter to be portrayed. To me just want to play Sam the way she wanted, but wanted to show the right way a female air force officer should be portrayed. Amanda made Sam a role model, someone people and young girls can look up to, she became an inspiration to those who wanted to join the air force.

Amanda knew that she was representing a female air force officer, and she wanted people to see woman in the air force as brave, heroic and with self-respect. That’s why people stayed with her, they watch her for her soldier/scientist skills, they didn’t watch her for her body. Personally, Sam’s looks were they last thing on my mind when I watched her on screen, I mean sure I thought she was very beautiful and I appreciated her looks, but really it was Amanda’s portrayal of Sam I found to be the highlight of the character.

One of the biggest moments for me personally was when I got up the courage to get up out of my seat, and went to the line were people were asking questions. I could not believe what I was doing, I was so nervous! But at the same time I knew this was my first con, and I didn’t know when my next one would be, so I wanted to make this one was memorable as I could. The entire time I was in line, I was rehearsing what I’d say in my head, I did it over and over, and I think I was visually nervous. :p Then my moment came, when I was handed the microphone, and first thing I did was thank them for all their hard work, and I told them fans appreciate all they do, and I even got a few cheers from the crowed, which was nice.

Then I asked Amanda my question, I asked her out of the 3 Sanctuary episodes she’s directed, which one was her favorite, and I got an “oooh” from her. She answered and explained that her favorite episode directing was “One Night” because she had a good support team, and she enjoyed the technical aspect of the directing part. I saw the episode, and I enjoyed it, and I feel she did a great job. 🙂 She also talked about Breach, and how she was hurt during filming, but still said that she loved doing episodes like that, and gave fans a preview of what’s to come in the season 4 premiere episode, Tempus. Her and Chris talked about the fight Helen and Druitt have in the episode, how they worked on it and joked how Amanda busted his nose with a move she pulled on him. :p

Amanda was asked about the “kiss” that’s coming up in season 4, and while she said she ca not tell who it is with, she talked about there actually being a second kiss with someone else in the season, she said they are a recurring character, and that it wasn’t actually supposed to be in the show, but the two of them added it in there for fun. Another question that was asked was one that’s becoming a recurring question now, “Will Ashely be coming back?”

Amanda explained how they actually tried to get her back, but because of her schedule, they couldn’t, and they actually had a story for her, but they wanted it to be done right, and not bring her back in a strange way, and not just feel like they’re just throwing her back in there. One thing that happened, that I think sent shivers down some fans back, was when Chris did an impression of Todd the Wraith, where he hid under the table, and in such a dark and scary voice, did the Todd voice.

Each and every question a fan asked, Amanda, Robin or Chris answered each question with fun and smart answers, and each answer gave the fans a better look at who they really are. I was very luck enough to get to meet them a few times over the weekend, and every time I did, they were beyond my expectations, they were fun, cool, and very generous with the fans, and things like that are rare in celebrities these days. This weekend many fans were able to get the chance to come to Dragon Con and let their passion for fandom and so on come out by dressing up in all sorts of costumes, meeting their idols and for me personally, it was a dream come true on many levels.

Thank to Kenn for staging my news article and thanks to you for reading and visiting Convention Corners at  WormholeRiders News Agency.

As my first news article for WHR I would appreciate if you could leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article.

Also, please visit me on Twitter,  WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and the WHR team look forward to will Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

GateworldRocky (Mike)