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Okay, the Q & A at comicon: Usually, when we do a Q & A the room isn’t big enough. No matter how many times we tell conventions that we need a big room so that people that want to hear can get into the room, there are always people left outside the room unable to get in, or hear. We hear about it later in e-mails all the time. Well, comicon didn’t do that.
I heard the noise, but couldn’t see through the curtains they had put up between the door I entered by and the stage. I sort of peeked through and saw the crowd. One glance and I knew it was the largest crowd I’d ever had in one place at one time. I asked for a travel microphone so I could move around the stage. They found me one. Jon and Charles walked across the stage, and left me there with my mic. The room was full, with maybe a chair here and there. I saw a few people come in a little late and take chairs near the back. I estimated a thousand people, but was later told if the room was full, it was more like two thousand people. I think everyone was able to get in that wanted in, I think.
The con had a microphone set up in an isle where people could stand in line and ask their questions. They did, and we were off. The crowd was great. The energy was electric. Thank you to everyone that was there, and participated in the most amazing Q & A I’ve ever had. You guys were great.
The one moment that almost threw me early on, was the twenty foot, though Jon says, thirty foot screen, of me. They had me on camera so the people in the back of the room could see me. I had never seen myself that big and right beside me. It was a little distracting, no, a lot intimidating. I can’t imagine how actors feel all the time. Uuh. I ignored the huge gesturing me, and did my thing.
I pace when I do my ‘act’. I pace a lot. I can’t do it any other way. I did not mean to drive the videographer crazy trying to follow me. I’m sorry. I didn’t know I’d be on camera, and even if I had the best I could have done was warn you ahead of time that I was going to move. I use all the stage, or damn close. Sorry, if it made your job difficult.
People showed pictures from it, and I am a blur. An arm waving, my hair flying, me striding across the stage. I don’t know when I started the pacing, the use of the stage, but it has evolved into my style on stage. The energy from the crowd is always interesting, and I have to respond to it. A crowd that large, it felt like I could have flown.
I was pretty impressed with the size of the room and the crowd until I was later informed that either that room opened up, or there was a room that opened up to sit six thousand, or six thousand five hundred. There is also a room in the conference center that sits ten thousand people. Ten-freaking-thousand-people. I can’t imagine. Of course, J. K. Rowling on one of her last visits to the states filled one of our larger sports arenas for a reading of her book. A book reading that filled a stadium, how cool is that? It also puts it in perspective nicely. That no matter how well you think you’re doing, there is always someone doing better. It’s all a matter of perspective, I guess. From my perspective two thousand people, a full room, was pretty damn good. Thanks to everyone who attended. Thanks to comicon for giving me a room big enough to hold everyone. I don’t think we’ll be hearing anyone complaining that they couldn’t get inside the room this time.