Autograph Hound's Blah Blah Blog

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

SDCC letter of the day O for Observe

This is a no brainer but it bears mentioning as we all get caught up in our own tunnel vision.
Stop and look around.
If you are a newbie, it is sensory overload.  You are missing things 2 feet from you. If you are seasoned, then you might be missing the forest for the trees.  The crowds and constant distractions will cause you to overlook some interesting things.
Take a breath and slowly turn around.
This is ComicCon. You’ve been salivating all year for this. This is the Holy Grail for geeks and nerds all across the world. Savor the moment.
Now that you got that out of the way, look around for lines. Lines are good.  Lines can be your friend.  Embrace your Inner Cow and check it out. Why are people lining up?  It might be for the ATM or Starbucks but it might be something better. It might be the line for a cool bit of swag or for an ‘experience’ in one of the studio booths.
The studios will try to enhance the fanboy/girl experience but having interactive booths. Last year Walking Dead had a mock up set and let you pose for photos. The year before Alien had sleeper beds for you to lie down in.
Those lines are often separated from the booth because of crowd control. So when you see lines investigate.
Is there a mosh pit surrounding the WB booth?  Check it out. Either they are giving away their prized swag bag or they are giving away tickets for a booth signing. Those booth signings are incredible. They usually have the majority of a cast from shows like Big Bang Theory or Supernatural.
Look around, the crowd is like ants in a disturbed hill.  There is some order to the chaos.  You will find little eddies where you can walk quickly. You will find whirlpools that prevent you from escaping.  Remember these spots. It will save you time as you try to rush from one thing to another. 
Take a quick peek at the booths and tables you are passing.  Many of them will have guests there signing. Some are unannounced and very big names. 
Where else are you going to see so many people cosplaying?  Enjoy this chance to be exposed to so many different characters and storylines.
As you leave the convention center keep your eyes up. You will be passing by people handling out leaflets. Some of that propaganda is good and some is worthless but you don’t know until you check it out. It might be a screening of a movie you didn’t know about. It might be a discount to a place to eat.
Observing what’s around you will enhance your days at SDCC.
You’ll have more stories to tell when you come back home and your friends will be jealous.  Not that jealousy is good or anything but that’s a problem for them to overcome.
AH

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