Steampunk 101 with the Jules Verne Phantastical Society at Hal-Con 2011

Workshop leaders and members of Jules Verne Phantastical Society

Steampunk is an intriguing movement with a rapidly growing number of enthusiasts, which was quite apparent by all the stunning costumes and props at Hal-Con.

The first time I had heard about it in depth was on Fanboy Confessional that Shannon and I discussed at length on an episode of Hexed. As a result, I was very excited to attend the Steampunk 101 Workshop at Hal-Con hosted by the Jules Verne Phantastical Society.

BECOME A "MAKER"


Andrew Aulenback

At the workshop we learned about the writers and minds involved in creating the idea of futuristic Victorians but it went far beyond a history lesson.

The main reason I was immediately drawn to Steampunk was the members' passion to be their own makers and opt out of buying stuff at big box stores. As someone who enjoys making jewellery, the idea of creating pieces with found components of current technology in a look that is reflective of the Victorian era kind of blows my mind.

Above you can see an example of the mixed time period. A contemporary computer hacked to appear very Victorian in style. It is a beautiful lie that is historically impossible. Absolutely fascinating.

STEAMPUNK STYLE


Wanda White

Art made its way into Steampunk and so did fashion. Accessories like goggles and old guns is an easy way to clearly indicate a Steampunk look. The aesthetics are Victorian with a sci-fi influence. Women often wear dresses with bustles and men can don cravats and hats. Yet, as you can see in the photo above, you can play with the period of your look to make it your own.

Steampunk is not just about wearing a costume. Members of the movement go beyond making an outfit by also envisioning a real life character for themselves, complete with specific details, personal story and historical context.

STEAM PUNK IN THE MEDIA


Sarah Brunette

Although Disney was one of the first to put a Steampunk aesthetic on the big screen with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, there have been more recent movies with this style: Van Helsing, Wild Wild West and Sherlock Holmes, to name a few.

Reg and I wondered if Hell Boy and Sanctuary would also count as movies with Steampunk style? During the discussion I had a sudden realization that the recent Three Musketeers movie may be Steampunk and if it is, makes so much more sense now.



Steampunk is supposed to be a Victorian period with a twist on reality. It makes you ask yourself, what if the past was different? Where would that lead me? Who could I be from a time period in the past with some of the modern tools of today? For me, it appears to be a fiction wrapped in impossibility, decorated with a little hat that gets blown away by an old fashioned gun.


Jules Verne Phantastical Society

I have always been drawn to the Victorian aesthetic and the idea of a punk movement with manners and members who drink tea together is intriguing. Living a speculative life as your own fictional character is beyond fascinating. It is Steampunk. I wonder where this movement will go?

Nicholas Brendon Q&A at Hal-Con 2011

Warning: Some of the following clips contain foul language

When I heard that Nicholas Brendon from Buffy was going to be at Hal-Con, I just knew I had to go and represent our supernatural TV podcast Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural.

My sister Shannon and I talk about Buffy all the time even though it has not been on TV for a few years now. You can not talk about this genre without bringing up Buffy and let's face it, I am a huge fan and just HAD to be there!



I took this video moments before Nicholas came on stage. I tried to get as close as possible but the crowd was unbelievable. The anticipation was electric!



What is Nicholas Brendon like? Just like Xander from Buffy but throw in some curse words. He is hysterical, loves getting attention and does not take much seriously. Sound familiar?.

Inner Space host Teddy Wilson asked Nicholas what he had been up to during his stay here on the east coast. His response actually made me laugh, as did his inability to remember the name Prince Edward Island.



This was a great Hexed question for Nicholas. What would he do if he ran into a vampire? I was tempted to stand in the giant lineup and ask if he believed in the paranormal and/or had a personal experience he could share with us. I started to have the feeling that his response to my question would have been very similar to the vampire one. I decided instead just to record as much video for our listeners as possible instead. I think I made the right decision, LOL.



I absolutely love hearing behind-the-scenes stories of shows. It sounds as though things on the Buffy set were quite serious but that did not save Nicholas from getting a practical joke pulled on him while on set. Nicholas said it was the funniest day of filming Buffy but it was clearly at his expense!



One of my favourite episodes of Buffy was Hush and it was fascinating to hear Nicholas talk about what it was like to film that episode and work with "The Gentlemen." His favourite episode is Once More With Feeling. Funny, those are my two favourite episodes!

It tugged on my heart when he said that he has not watched an episode of Buffy since the show went off the air. He equated it to reading an old journal and said, "I'm still mourning it."



This video clip is quite hysterical and adorable. What a lucky fan to get a hug from Nicholas and what a costume!

When another fan asked what his biggest fear was it seemed as though Nicholas had no idea how to answer the question. He responded with, "Public restrooms..." followed by, "drowning would suck... There is a lot to be afraid of."



Nicholas ended the Q&A performing the Snoopy Dance for us fans who just ate it up. He truly is quite the funny force of nature.

The topic of the potential new Buffy movie (something Shannon and I have discussed in length on Hexed) came up. Nicholas did not seem to be very interested if Joss was not going to be involved.

On the last day of filming Buffy, Nicholas was not on set because he was away shooting a pilot. He never had a chance to say good-bye. But then, he added, "How do you?"

When asked about how he felt getting the role of Xander he said, "It is an actor's dream to get that role." He loved playing the regular guy. "If that's what I am known for, I'm blessed."

Attending the Q&A with Nicholas Brendon was an absolute highlight at Hal-Con for me. Not only did I get to hear all these funny stories about filming Buffy and be entertained by Nicholas, who was clearly born to be in front of the camera, it felt like I also got to hang out with Xander in the really real world. Lucky me.

Random Favourite Hal-Con 2011 Moments

Note spooky face watching from around the corner, love it!

Now I can not write about my favourite Hal-Con 2011 moments without beginning with their first-ever wedding proposal! I was sitting in the front row for media going, what the heck is that guy doing going up on the stage? As soon as I realized what was happening, I ran forward with the other photographers to get the shot.



It was absolutely adorablel. What a beautiful moment! They both walked off the stage together in a complete and utter daze. The man who proposed had tears in his eyes and I could see he was all choked up.



Of course, I have to share my husband's costume contest performance. He created a Bender costume and even made his own CD for his moment in the spotlight. He looked amazing as Bender, a beloved character from Futurama. Yes, I am biased but I know just how hard he worked on that costume and how long! I will be writing a post about soon.



I just thought this was so existential, I had to share it again. Not only is Bender holding a Bender action figure, it had been sitting besides one of my favourite games I had as a kid. I used to take my Merlin everywhere and played it forever. I have not seen one since my childhood. How weird is it that it was right beside the Bender figure? Spooky Hexed style!



Speaking of our supernatural TV podcast Hexed... I got a thrill checking out a case of True Blood at the con. Check out that robot attacking that doll! One of my favourite weird photos of the weekend.



The sci-fi geek in me was most thrilled to get a photograph with Boba Fett! I mean what could be cooler?!

More coverage to come and I am getting ready to share my Nicholas Brandon post with lots of videos for all you Xander fans. And yes, he is EXACTLY like Xander in real life!

I don't get it? Why Zombies? Q&A at Halcon 2011 with Alex Hall, Lauren Oostveen and Chantal Boudreau

It was clear by the standing-room-only status at the panel discussion "I don't get it? Why Zombies?" that the interest in zombies is not waning. Not even a little.



Here is the panel from left to right: Alex Hall, who also ran the Zombie Survival Workshop at Hal-con. Lauren Oostveen, bi-weekly movie writer of Smash Cut for the Chronicle Herald. Chantal Boudreau, writer/illustrator who likes to delve into the realms of fantasy, dark fantasy and horror.

A ton of movie references were flying around the room but it is interesting to note that most people agreed it was 28 Days Later that changed zombie movies forever. It altered them from being an uninteresting and mindless slow-moving mob to a whole new kind of terrifying creature in the genre of horror.



When Alex is asked about the way zombies move and travel he makes a funny realization about when the Zombie Apocalypse happens here, where they will end up in the HRM. He refers to himself as a zombie purist and does not believe in thinking zombies. In the video he also shares his thoughts about Day of the Dead and Diary of the Dead.



I am grateful during the discussion Alex mention the short film Zombie in a Penguin Suit. He was right, kind of breaks your heart but warning! It is gory and disturbing.



Lauren Oostveen gives us some great heads up on a couple of new zombie stories in the works. One is a a short romantic zombie film called Katrina's New Beau. Then there is also Warm Bodies which is about "a zombie who falls in love with Julie after he eats her boyfriend’s brains and absorbs his memories." It opens in August 2012. Can't wait and thanks for tweeting me the update Lauren!



Chantal Boudreau talks about what it means for a writer of zombie fiction to de-humanize zombies. I love that later on she would not divulge her secret Zombie Apocalypse hideout location. Smart! She did reveal, however, it would be on an island.



Cassie from Live 105 asked the panel excellent questions. Alex shared that he believes zombie stories are all about the survivors. Lauren revealed that when the Zombie Apocalypse happens she will camp out at where she works because it is extremely well fortified. Chantal said the key to success for future generations is to learn how to live off the land and take care of yourself at a young age.



We all could not help but notice the zombie mom and baby in the room. When asked about her baby's zombie genesis she kind of hissed that she was bitten while the baby was in utero.



Where else can you ask if a zombie bites a drunk, does he get drunk? Or discuss that perhaps the obsession with zombies is a result of our realization that the human race is screwed or maybe it is symbolic of the pressure for us to consume?

I think everyone in the room left knowing a little bit more about zombies, probably a little more than they needed to practically speaking but it has got me asking the question, where is my Zombie Apocalypse hiding place? And when I figure it out, no, I am not going to tell you.

Joss Whedon Roundtable Discussion at Hal-Con 2011

I really did not know what to expect exactly at Hal-Con 2011's Joss Whedon Roundtable Discussion. Would there be a panel? Special appearances? Videos???

It turned out to be a fantastic hanging out session with other huge fans of Joss' work. A total gab fest! As a result, instead of taking photographs and notes I captured the event in short video clips instead.

As a representative of our podcast Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural, where my sister Shannon and I talk about supernatural TV shows, I just had to find out what fans thought of Joss. He comes up regularly during our discussions, especially Buffy, so I checked it out and hung out with my TV peeps.



The discussion leader Joni admitted to the room that she was not a big Xander fan at first! Absolutely shocking since he was, at least for me, my main reason for wanting to go to the special appearances at the convention! Nicholas Brendon was there that day and going to be on stage later in the afternoon. I am sure everyone else at this discussion would be sitting with me laughing with Nicolas in just mere hours.



BIG SPOILER ALERT! Do not watch this clip if you have not seen the movie Serenity! Big cathardic reveal in this video that we all felt and processed as a group.

I also thought it was quite cute how everyone there seemed to hate spoilers as much as me and Shannon do.



My husband Reg asked if fans thought Joss had at any time "jumped the shark?" He thought Joss had come close a few times but always reeled the show back in to save it. And I have to admit it was fascinating to hear what fans really thought of Riley.

I wish I had caught the moment where the topic of the new impending movie came up because it was clear most people figured that if Joss was not involved, there was no point. Our listeners will know that I am personally keeping an open mind. More Buffy in the world is just fine with me as long as it is done well.

It was a very fascinating, welcoming and open discussion with people who clearly care about Joss' TV and film worlds as much as Shannon and I do. Although we did not all agree on everything, it was fun to hang out at what felt like a Joss Whedon fan club and talk about our favourite scenes and funniest show moments.

I discovered the episode Hush with the "Gentlemen" was not only my favourite episode but just about every fan's favourite episode. We also found out that there had been a pre-con performance of Once More With Feeling! I still listen to my CD of the soundtrack on a regular basis, thanks to Shannon!

It was a ton of fun to hang out with other fans and geek out about the worlds and characters Joss has created over the years.

My Favourite Costumes at 2011 Hal-Con Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Comic Convention

I will admit to being totally biased here and say that Bender was one of my favourite costumes at Hal-Con. First, because the guy inside is my husband. Second, because I know how hard he worked on that costume. Third, I duct taped his ass back together at the con.

Totally meta that he is it at one of the vendor's tables with a miniature of himself. Love it!



Another robot! You know you are at Hal-Con when you bump into a cylon!

To be honest, there were so many costumes from games I have never played, manga shows I have never watched, comics I have never read... It was a bit weird for me. They were very impressive, and I took photographs of all of them at the costume contest which I will post soon, but these are some of my personal favourite costumes.



After talking about the whole furry phenomenon in our Hexed podcast about the show Fanboy Confessional, I was so excited to see my first real-life furry.



I loved this gentleman's wolf hat so much, I asked him if would put it back on again so I could take a photograph and he was kind enough to do so. I just love that hat and he wears it well.



The con would not be complete without an alien race from Star Wars! Doesn't she look awesome?



A couple more furries! I just love these cute little guys. Oh the work that goes into those costumes and how warm they must have been inside them. That takes dedication.



An absolute crowd favourite, this Ghost Buster worked an entire year on his costume.



He totally deserved to win the props category for the contest. More photos of the contest to come.



Finally, a female superhero that made me feel like a kid again. Wonder Woman was such a powerful influence in my life growing up as a little girl and there were quite a few of them walking around.

I hope you enjoyed some of my favourite costumes! There were many more artistic, crafty, esoteric and over-the-top costumes which I will share on my costume contest post. These win my contest for the category of fan favourite.

Food-Inspired Crafters & the Quest for Food at 2011 Hal-Con Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Comic Convention

Zombie egg cup by mixed media collage artist Isabelle Pineau

I love talking about supernatural TV with my sister Shannon on our podcast Hexed: Sisterhood of the Supernatural. What you may not know is I am actually not just a freak about the paranormal and all things spooky, I am also a very passionate foodie.

So zombie egg cups?! I was absolutely in my element at Hal-Con! Some of the work was so exceptional and downright genius, I just had to share these brilliant people and their work with you. I also try to unsuccessfully strangle Bender at Boston Pizza!

Digital Artist and Miniaturist Erin Glidden



I immediately gravitated to Erin Glidden's crafty table. When I saw these super adorable foodie charms, I wanted them! They were intricate, adorable and absolutely fabulous. I just had to buy some and I did! Right away! They were one of the first things I bought that day and for only $1 each?! I bought six. Not only does she make the most adorable charms, Erin is also an incredibly talented graphic artist.

Pretty soon you will be able to find more charms in her and her partner's Etsy shop Geeksahoy. They did warn me that they had removed all their items so they could sell them at Hal-Con so make sure to come back in a week or so when they restock their store because you are going to want to check them out.



Once I had paid for my merchandise I had a chance to really speak with Erin and discovered she is also wonderfully charming. It made me all the happier to buy her pieces and showcase her here.



I spoke to a woman who had been wearing one of Erin's glitter charm bottle pendants and she had broken it open by accident. She went back to Erin who replaced it for her which was so kind. It was clear from how she spoke to me the woman truly adored her blue sparkly pendant bottle. They really are little treasures.



The detail work is so well done. If you thought decorated cookies was challenging, try making foodie miniatures. There is no way I have the time or patience so now I am going to make my own necklace with Erin's beauties. I bought five food-related pieces and one bottle of vampire blood!

Mixed Media Collage Artist Isabelle Pineau 



Isabelle Pineau made these astounding, scary and super-cool egg cup holders. She told me she ended up doing them completely by hand, just going with it and seeing what happens. As a result, every single one is absolutely unique and I adore them!



Looks like Isabelle also brought all her wares to Hal-Con but make sure to go check out her Etsy store An Oddity or Two in a little while. According to her bio on Etsy, she also makes collage and mixed media "curiosities." I love the sound of that!

Lily Meadows of Rustic Revolution Pottery



I can not tell you how excited I was when I saw these cauldron mugs! Could there be a more perfect mug for my Halloween foodie posts?! As tempted as I was to purchase one of these handmade beauties by Lily Meadows, I could see myself breaking it before I even got it home. We had so much gear and I was so tired, I just could not take the risk. Check out the "Cauldron Ware" on her site!



I laughed with wicked glee when I saw this "Sookie is Mine!" mug with dripping vampire wounds on it. I could hear Eric Northman's voice from True Blood say the phrase in my head as I read it.

Shannon and I are huge fans of True Blood and one of these days we are going to catch up with the latest season for Hexed!



As a huge Dr. Who fan, ever since I was a little kid, I could not get over the craftsmanship involved in the making of these stunning shiny Daleks! These were so eye-catching and beautiful, I loved them. But Daleks still kind of freak me out. They scared the crap out of me when I was a kid! Still, these are amazing!

OMG, WE ARE STARVING!



Our second night at Hal-Con was a tad challenging. I should have done like the sign said and grabbed some of these candies when I had the chance:

"Seriously, take some! They aren't poisoned. (Even if these signs looks like they were written by a serial killer...)"


Hanging out in the car with Bender's head eating the trail mix and dried apricots I bought

Instead we walked to the car for a snack which gave me a chance to sit down. On Saturday we had been so thirsty because there were no working vending machines so we brought a water bottle on Sunday, thinking we were so smart. What we did not realize is how few restaurants were open Sunday evenings!



We walked everywhere and finally someone mentioned that Boston Pizza was an official sponsor of the con and was open. My costume for the day was Kenzi from Lost Girl. A kick-ass Torontonian goth thief who was so hungry at this moment she could eat her own head!



Reg was still carrying Bender's head with him to the restaurant. He had been mobbed all day when he was in the costume and must have had his photograph taken a thousand times.


"Not everything is always about you Bender!"

Like Bo, Kenzi was starting to get a little tired of being the sidekick nobody noticed! She discovered that strangling a robot with no neck in public was not as easy as she thought it would be.



Reg ordered the chicken fingers and I got the individual Bacon Double Cheeseburger Pizza and an iced tea. Normally I never get anything with caffeine but I was desperate and thank the foodie gods that Boston Pizza allows free refills! Reg enjoyed his chicken fingers and my pizza was super tasty with lots of sauce, just the way this foodie likes it.

One of the highlights of the dinner for me was seeing a guy wearing a bullet proof vest with the word, "WRITER" written across it. Reg and I immediately shouted out, "Castle!!!" It was one of the only contemporary television costumes at the con next to mine. Very cool.



Oh to have full bellies and no longer be dehydrated. Next year? I am bringing a ton of my own food and beverages and staying in a hotel somewhere so I can collapse a few times during the day.

This year we got so lucky with the weather which was sunny and quite mild for November. A weather miracle for Halifax in November. Still, next year, more food and a big cozy bed! Oh and more shopping, lots more shopping...

Robert Maillet Q&A at Hal-Con 2011 Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Comic Convention

You may not recognize Robert Maillet right away. A lot of the time he is covered in scary makeup and wears wild costumes. If you have seen Sherlock Holmes and 300 (who hasn't?) then you have seen this larger-than-life actor perform in some of the biggest movies around.

He was the first Q&A at the 2011 Hal-Con Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Comic Convention. For a horror geek, it was absolutely amazing to get to know the man behind the makeup.



He began his career in wrestling in the W.W.F. and demonstrated his signature move "The Claw" on Inner Space host Teddy Wilson, which was quite hysterical and the crowd loved it.



Robert plays chokehold specialist Frankenstein in the film Monster Brawl which aired at the Toronto After Dark Festival this past fall.

"The legendary undead giant is resurrected once more to awkwardly lumber his way to victory and reclaim the monster throne." 



His character takes on werewolf, "A vengeful and ferocious combatant, Werewolf was once a man who willingly transformed himself into a monster in order to eradicate evil."

To find out more about the film, my sister Shannon and Hexed podcast cohost wrote about how the film came to the Toronto After Dark Festival. So check it out!



I was so excited that after all this talk about supernatural creatures fighting each other, Robert took a moment to talk a little about how he feels about monsters in general.



One of the biggest benefits of going to a con is hearing people's behind-the-scenes stories when filming a movie. We found out while Robert was doing a scene in Sherlock Holmes he accidentally knocked down Iron Man Robert Downey Junior. Maillet was absolutely mortified, worried he had actually broken something.

Robert Downey Junior eased his mind by sending him some champagne. I got the sense that Robert Downey Junior misspelling Robert Maillet's last name on the card made him feel a bit better about the incident.



When they opened the floor up to questions, I had the opportunity to ask a Hexed-oriented one! I asked him since he plays so many supernatural characters, did he believe in the paranormal? He answered that although he has not had a personal experience himself, he does like believing in the possibility of the supernatural.

You can hear me laughing throughout his answer quite a bit. I was thrilled he talked about the movie Paranormal Activity! As someone who sits for hours in a makeup chair for the majority of his movies, he was impressed that they made such a scary horror film with no gore.



You know Shannon and I love CanCon so I was excited to hear that Robert's new movie A Little Bit Zombie was filmed in Sudbury:

"Infected by a virus during his bachelor party, a mild mannered HR manager attempts to fulfill his overwhelming desire for brains and avoid Max, the obsessed Zombie Hunter hot on his trail."

Zombie humour seems to be a genre that is growing and growing these days! I wonder if this is one my co-host Shannon the Movie Moxie will get to review?



I love the story Robert shared that occurred during the filming of 300. To save time, instead of sitting in a makeup chair for hours it was suggested he sleep in full body makeup on his back. In the morning he had to have someone escort him through the hotel to help prevent him from accidentally terrifying the guests. What a life!

Although he spoke about how much fun it is to play bad guys and that it is "fun to be decapitated," Robert was very charming. When I found out he named his greyhound in homage to Ripley from Alien, one of my favourite characters ever, I just could not stop smiling. When asked about the looming Zombie Apocalypse he answered, "Might as well join them." I laughed my ass off.

Most of all, his speech about not letting anyone tell you what to do or who to be was very moving for me. He said to believe in yourself and dare to be different. Wise inspiring words from a man who successfully plays some of the scariest monsters around, who has always loved genre films and is now living the dream and acting in them.

As a supernatural television enthusiast, I was so excited to hear that he is open to performing on the smaller screen. I would love to see him on Lost Girl, Supernatural, Haven...!!! So many shows to choose from. I have no doubt he would be scary and absolutely fantastic in any of them. And you know Shannon I would talk about them on Hexed!