See, last year a group called Booster Events held this massive Firefly/Serenity convention in California last year called “Flanvention.” A lot of the cast shows up, there were panels and dinners and photo shoots and whatnot, membership was limited, and it was a lot of fun, a way for fans of the cancelled-too-soon show and because-we-demanded-it movie to talk to their favorite stars. This year’s hotly anticipated event sold out months ago and everybody was psyched.
Or would have been. The organizers cancelled it. The day before it was scheduled to happen.
There were some worries this would happen, after Nathan mentioned he hadn’t been approached yet and vague warnings of financial troubles popped up on the Booster Event forums. To the 500 people who paid hundreds of dollars for tickets (and, in some cases, thousands of dollars for lifetime memberships, since BE does other cult-favorite cons throughout the year) this was a huge slap in the face. Outraged fans made their voices heard before the organizers came back a few days later to say they got a loan and all was, again, well.
Then they cancelled it after people around the world were already on their planes and in their cars and on their way. To say that the Browncoats were staggered would be an understatement.
As stunned and betrayed fans began to arrive the California Browncoats jumped up to meet the frantic challenge of organizing a convention during, you know, the actual convention. Fans settled in to party among themselves anyway, mutter dark things about Booster Events, and make the best of it with the newly formed Browncoat Backup Bash.
Then the stars started showing up.
Adam “Jayne” Baldwin showed up Thursday night, knowing the con was cancelled and fans were left hanging. He hung around chatting with fans for hours and he mentioned others would probably show up.
Friday Nathan “Mal” Fillion, Alan “Wash” Tudyk, Mark “Badger” Sheppard, Jonathan “Dead Guy From ‘The Message'” Woodward, and Christina “Saffron” Hendricks came by for autographs and pictures and mainly just to say hi. Without appearance fees or the autograph cash that usually get stars to show up, they came anyway. Alan Tudyk wan’t even supposed to be at the event due to prior commitments, and he came anyway. They knew their fans had been shafted and they stepped up to make it worthwhile. Fillion brought a box full of Firefly memorabilia and other personal loot and started passing it out to fans who had come from Australia, the UK and other far-off places
By Saturday morning the emergency organizers had received $4500 in PayPal donations from fans around the world who had donated to help out their less-fortunate compatriots. Multiverse, an MMORPG gaming platform company that announced last week they had the license to create a multi-player Firefly game, paid for buses to move the fans and crew to a secret, undisclosed location to convene in private. There were Q and As from various companies announcing new merchandise, a talk from Greg Edmunson (the man responsible for the music from the show), a musical performance from fan favorite group The Bedlam Bards, and appearances by many of the stars already mentioned plus Michael “Niska” Fairman, Ron “Book” Glass, and Morena “Inara” Baccarin, who wasn’t originally scheduled. Even Michael Muhney from “Veronica Mars,” who was supposed to run the charity auction planned for Sunday, showed up to hang.
Saturday night the whole mess moved to the new restaurant owned by Claire (“Glorificus” from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) and her husband, which isn’t due to open for another couple of weeks, and for a time this betrayed, ripped-off, and let-down group of fans who had come hoping to get a few autographs and a fleeting word were suddenly partying with the stars at the hottest secret nightspot in Hollywood. If they liked these actors before it’s going to border on worship now, deservedly so.
Sunday Tim Minnear dropped by with his own fan video to show, and as the episode “Ariel” was displayed he turned down the volume and provided commentary.
Me, over the last few days I’ve cycled from “Wish I could go” to “Whew, glad I didn’t go” to “Man! I wish I’d went!” Just shows you shouldn’t underestimate a group of people defined by their ability to pull victory out of crushing defeat…
Ongoing reports: http://whedonesque.com/comments/12002
Huge, huge props to the various California Browncoats who worked their butts off making this happen, Jonathan Woodward for his nonstop efforts, all of the stars who devoted their time to helping out their fans, and to all the companies and Browncoats who donated. It’s good to be a Browncoat.
As one of those on their way to CA tomorrow for the Not-Flan, I really want to thank everyone who is stepping up to minimize the suckage of this. It’s been a hell of a week and I’m looking forward to having a drink (or eight) with my fellow Browncoats at the Hilton. It’s too late for us to cancel our trip plans so we’re gonna go ahead and try to make the best of it. I know it will be a weekend to remember if for no other reason than the amazingness of this flandom! 🙂
Adam (Jayne) Baldwin just showed up at the ”FLANVENTION” Hotel!
Adam knew FLAN was cancelled and he showed up anyways. theonetruebix’s pic of Adam at the hotel:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theonetruebix/316810346/
theonetruebix wrote on December 08, 04:32 CET
http://whedonesque.com/comments/11988
“We love our Big Da*n Heroes. Guess who just showed up at the hotel, to a resounding chorus of, well, you know, his song? “
Since I just got home from a trip to NYC, I wasn’t able to allocate time or cash to go to Flan, but you have to love the spirit of the Browncoats in this – they can cancel our show, cancel our conventions, but that’s not gonna stop us!
My heart goes out to all those who were going to Flan, and I hope you have a good time regardless.
Simply staggered at the dedication of the flans and the BDH – renewed my feelings for the ‘verse.
Well done to all concerned in turning a disaster into a triumph.
In the history of fandom, I don’t believe there is another group that could have or would have pulled this off. The best word to describe my feelings for my association with the show and other fans is ‘pride.’ And honestly, I wish I’d gone now that its been cancelled more than I wanted to go when the Flan was still on.
This is a bless your heart to the CA Browncoats, stars and organizers; I love reading good news and I hope tonight is great too!
I was there Thursday night and Friday but had to leave before the Backup Bash — gorramnit!
The BDHs were amazing, though. What a lemons-to-lemonade story it turned out to be for the BE-screwed Flans!
Minor corrections: Greg Edmonson spells his name without a ‘d’. Took me a long time to figure that out, my own self. Also, Ron Glass, Edmonson and Fairman were scheduled as “official” guests. Morena wasn’t. Of course, all of them appeared with no hope of compensation, so they’re equally awesome in my book.
Man, that sounded like it was so awesome! Wish I was there! Major props for the actors for stopping by, too. Just goes to show you how truly amazing this fandom is!
I attended the Browncoat Backup Bash and it was everything a convention should be and more. Super shiny thanks to the California Browncoats for putting together an amazing event in less than 48 hours. Super shiny thanks to all the BDH that showed, and those wonderful cameo appearances by other Whedonverse people. Super shiny thanks to everyone who donated money to make this possible. It was a weekend of memories I will always treasure, compared to something I wish I could forget.
I only hope the convention in Glasgow next year is cancelled as well….ok so maybe not but I wish I had been there for this!!
My sister gave me this non-event to me as b-day/Christmas gift and we had a blast. She always blows me away with her gifts.
We made the most of our oppurtunities with the BDHs, I wish I could remember everthing I said to Nathan because my sister said I was cracking him up.
I realized the next day I just held on to his hand and arm after we shook hands, too much fun!
I BYOLed all weekend, I wanted good beer (Lost Coast Amber Ale), reasonable prices and good service.
My sister and I offered to carpool folks over to the secret location on Sat, once the secret was photocopied and distributed. I ran out to move everything into the trunk of the rent a car.
My sister arrives with Jen, and Jessi, ya that Jessi.
I was so excited to meet the woman who made our crew dogtags, special order, and all the other 5 star jewelry.
It was too coincidental/on purose…
Jen was great, she had to fly home and go straight to work…
:o(
Thanx to one and all for pulling together like a good crew does and got our little event/ship off the ground!
smgglr*
The CA Browncoats get the ‘Big Da’mn Hero’ award for pulling this off. Right up there with all the cast and crew who came in on their own to make sure no one went away disappointed. Way to go, ladies and gents!