Updated… 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 it’s happening this weekend, right now.
Or it would be. The organizers cancelled it. On Thursday.
There were some worries this would happen, after Nathan (“Mal”) Fillion idly mentioned on his MySpace page a few weeks ago that he had yet to hear from the organizers about it. There was a brief outcry from fans, things were seemingly cleared up, all was shakily well. Then about two weeks ago the organizers announced the con might not go on due to financial difficulties. To the 500 people who paid hundreds of dollars for tickets (and, in some cases, thousands of dollars for lifetime memberships, since Booster Events does other cons throughout the year for other cult-favorite franchises) 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 this week, after people around the world were already on their planes and in their cars and on their way. To say that the Firefly fan community (known as Browncoats) was 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 of 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 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 Edmondson (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, none of whom were 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.
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…
Head here for the ongoing reports and links to photo galleries
As a resident of Daytona Beach, I made the trip to Burbank for the convention. After the repeated cancellation scares, I checked the web boards on Thursday to see if it was still a go. All I saw were green lights, but in the next couple of hours it took me to get to the hotel something went awry and the convention was cancelled. What happened to our money? What happened to our convention? The stress and tension were building with every excited fan who walked into the hotel lobby only to hear bad news.
Needless to say, the Browncoats came together under a great team of leaders (aptly labeled the “big heroes” of the weekend) and we had a backup convention that appears to have blown last year’s con out of the water. The California Browncoats (from all over the state including much of So-Cal and San Francisco) literally worked day and night, despite the fact that all of them were in the same boat as the non-locals. They paid to have a con, just the same. The California Browncoats chose to turn the weekend into a mission, and I am pleased to say they were successful; above and beyond belief.
Yes, I am sad I didn’t get my solo 8×10 photo with Nathan Fillion (a $60 value paid last January via credit card), but he gave me his Harry Potter book instead (most likely grabbed right off his bookshelf in a hurry to find things to give to fans as a peace offering, or perhaps for a good laugh). “Nothing special about it; just that it belongs to me,” he said. I am both exhilarated and ashamed to say that I will cherish it forever (book six though, and I haven’t read a single one before it). It sits on my bookshelf, and I am already fantasizing about getting it autographed some day; maybe even have him highlight his favorite parts.
Nathan, as well as a solid chunk of the rest of the cast, showed up to support not just the show, but the fans. There was energy at the “Backup Bash” that no one can really put words to. It’s a little overwhelming to know that although we all may be a little odd in our obsessions with a cancelled TV program – so are the actors and crew. The program was enchanting. It still lives inside of everyone who was a part of its production. If it didn’t, no one would have shown up, let alone fly in for a few hours just to say hello only to get back on a plane and back to a new set the next day (Alan Tudyk).
The convention had panels, parties, games, and more – miracles performed over night due to the kindness and integrity of strangers. A thousand thank you’s would never be enough for what the volunteers, actors, and fans have given to all of us who made the trip. The unofficial closing ceremonies on Sunday included an emotional standing ovation for the CA locals who did so much work. I’ll admit I cried along with many others, grateful that there are people in this world who are willing to give of themselves purely for the sake of others.
The worst thing about the weekend was watching it end… and maybe the cost of bottled water in the hotel. Yikes.
This is why we fans love Firefly. The cast and all those people who so olvingly gave their time to us should be praised. They know we love them and in turn they love us and keep us going. I only wish I could have been there to see it. This is what makes this show so special and why we love it so.
This canceled convention was one of the more profound experiences of my life, for two reasons. One, I stood in dumbfounded awe when I saw what a dedicated and determined group of people can do when they put their minds to it. Two, the cast and crew of the best canceled show on television gave so freely of themselves that they confirmed once and for all that they are worthy of our fandom.
I wish I had better words to explain it, but I can only say huge thank-yous to the California Browncoats, the rest of my fellow Browncoats, and the cast and crew members who give so much back to their fans.
If you want to check out a 6 minute video segment I shot and edited on the backup bash, go to blog.quantummechanix.com