Hannibal Signing Lionsgate #SDCC 2014

Thursday my friend sent me a text to go the Lionsgate’s booth and get a wristband for the Hannibal signing.  I was skeptical. It was would a 15 minute hike from where I was. 5 would get you 10 that by the time I got there the bands would all be gone.  But the thrill of the hunt made me go. 

When I got to the booth, the aftermath of a giveaway was gone.  The telltale signs of huddled victors sharing or bragging of their successes were missing. The clumps of upset people begging, ranting, or even crying were absent.  I knew I was too late. The trial had gone cold.

I texted back to the friend that I didn’t see a line for the wristbands.  He told me I had to ask.  Yeah. Right. Ask.  This is SDCC. You don’t ask for a wristband.  So, I turned around looking for him. I knew he was spying on me and laughing.  But what the heck, I walked into the booth and asked.  The guy behind the booth asked why I asked.  I told him a buddy told me to.  He looked down (he was no poker player) to check if any were left.  I knew at that instant I wasn’t on Candid Camera and I was getting a wristband. Then he gave me a nod.  A knowing nod. A nod that meant something. A nod that most people could interpret and act upon. A nod that went over my head.

Someone else walked up and asked a question and the booth worker ignored me.  When we were alone again (as alone as you can be with 30,000 other nerds) he gave me another nod.  An outlandish, sit com, roll the eyes, and sub voce ‘over here!’ nod.  Now, I understood. He wanted me to move over to the over side of the booth.  I dutifully moved over.  Then he slid a wristband to me so no one else would see.

Success.

The signing was for Friday.

I met my friends the next day at the booth for the signing.  They had a couple of things they wanted/needed to get signed.  Some booths and signings allow outside items. Some don’t. And even if the answer is no, you can try anyway.  My friend was going to try.  He slid over his personal item.  The handler said no.  The actor said yes.  The handler said no.  Knowing that the argument was going nowhere, the actor then agreed with the handler.  The actor turned toward the handler and pushed the item back to my friend.  While pushing the item back, he signed it.  Then the actor turned back to us and said with a huge smile: I have no idea how that happened.

So I have a DVD cover signed by Scott Thompson, AaronAbrams, Paul Esparza (I think), Caroline Dhavernas, Bryan Fuller, and David Slade. 

AH