Are you ready for the insanity?! Have no fear, we are here to give you a Hunger Games guide to Comic-Con! Last year, Lionsgate had a booth debuting the motion poster and gave out Mockingjay pins, and that was it. This year, Lionsgate has come fully prepared with a panel and hopefully some autograph opportunities. Lionsgate has yet to announce their plans for their booth, swag, or signings so we'll definitely let you know when that information comes out. Now that The Hunger Games name has had time to gather a huge following, there's more for fans to enjoy than just what Lionsgate has to offer. Here's the lowdown on THG happenings followed by advice for attendees by the Welcome to District 12 team!
BOOTHS
Lionsgate - no information yet on the booth number or details! Check back soon!
Smart Pop Books -
- Smart Pop will be giving away Panem Companion district buttons—one each day (Capitol through District 4)—so readers can represent their district of choice
- Their prize wheel includes a chance to win all 5 of this year’s buttons in a collectible bag.
- Booth visitors can enter to win all five of movie tie-in titles, including copies of The Girl Who Was on Fire – Movie Edition and The Panem Companion. To enter, just ask to scan your badge!
- Two Hunger Games-related pieces will be featured in their free 144-page preview volume (available both at the booth and the freebie table while supplies last): an excerpt from V. Arrow’s The Panem Companion, along with some behind-the-scenes details about putting together the e-book only extra movie content for The Girl Who Was on Fire – Movie Edition
For more information about Smart Pop at Comic-Con, check their website!
PANELS
Thursday - July 18th
4:00pm - 5:00pm Room 5AB
The Digital Bits - Bluray Producers
Friday July 19th
Saturday July 20th
11:00am - 12:00pm Room 23ABC
1:35pm - 2:35pm Hall H
PANELS
Thursday - July 18th
4:00pm - 5:00pm Room 5AB
The Digital Bits - Bluray Producers
Bill Hunt, Adam Jahnke, and Todd Doogan of The Digital Bits.com host a panel discussion and Q&A with leading independent and indie studio producers of Blu-ray extras. Panelists include Brian Ward(Shout!/Scream Factory), Charles de Lauzirika (Pain and Gain,Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man), Robert Meyer Burnett (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Enterprise), Cliff Stephenson(Escape Plan, The Vatican Tapes, The Hunger Games), Eric D. Wilkinson(of Kino Lorber), Warner Archive, and others.
2:00pm - 3:00pm Room 29A
Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World
Fanfiction has recently moved into the spotlight, with fic authors getting impressive book deals and Amazon announcing Kindle Worlds. But there's a lot more to the story than Fifty Shades of Grey. Panelists Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Christina Lauren (tby789 and LolaShoes, Beautiful Bastard), Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires, Weather Wardens), V. Arrow (aimmyarrowshigh, The Panem Companion), and Heidi Tandy (heidi8, Organization for Transformative Works) discuss how fan writing-from missing scenes to remixes and crossovers-and other fanworks re-imagine the boundaries of everything from sexuality and gender to character and authorship. They'll discuss the way fan culture is challenging today's entertainment and publishing industry norms, and consider the value a noncommercial creative space can bring to emerging and even professional writers and artists. Moderated by Anne Jamison (Fic: Why Fanfiction Is Taking Over the World).
5:30pm - 6:30pm Room 24ABC
Welcome to the New Age
Top costume illustrators from the Costume Designers Guild IATSE Local 892 talk about their latest projects and the changing world of illustration in the digital and 3D age, followed by a Q&A. Featured panelists are Keith Christensen (Man of Steel, Star Wars 7, Tomorrowland), Phillip Boutte Jr. (Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Man of Steel), Constantine Sekeris (Star Trek, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), Alan Villanueva (Oz, the Great & Powerful, Enders Game, Defiance), and Christian Cordella (Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier, Oblivion, 300: Rise of an Empire). Moderated by author Peter Clines (Ex-Heros, Ex-Patriots).
When Grrls Fall in Love
From The Hunger Games' Katniss to Divergent's Tris, no one knows how to give a solid ass-kicking like a YA novel heroine. But when these young ladies aren't saving the world, overthrowing powerful regimes, or slaying everything from zombies to dragons, they still find time for romance. Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments), Ally Condie(Matched), Veronica Roth (Divergent), Holly Black (The Coldest Girl in Coldtown), Marissa Meyer (Scarlet), Lissa Price (Starters), and Veronica Wolff (The Watchers) discuss the delicate balance between killing and kissing, and what it takes to properly woo a YA heroine. Moderated by Sherri Smith (Orleans).
Lionsgate - Featuring I, Frankenstein and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
4:30pm - 5:30pm Room 24ABC
I, Frankenstein stars Aaron Eckhart and Yvonne Strahovski appear with film director/writer Stuart Beattie and graphic novel author/writerKevin Grevioux. Plus, the cast of the highly anticipated second installment of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire comes to Hall H for the first time. Panel moderated by Fandango chief correspondent Dave Karger. Never-before-seen footage is showcased from both films. Includes Q&A opportunity.
Guests: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Lenny Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, *Jena Malone*, Willow Shields, and director Francis Lawrence.
Guests: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Lenny Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, *Jena Malone*, Willow Shields, and director Francis Lawrence.
Poppin' Some Tags
Celebrity costume designers from Costume Designers Guild IATSE Local 892 dish the dirt on designing and bringing to fruition the costumes for today's hottest blockbusters. Featured panelists are Trish Summerville (Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Gary Jones (Oz, the Great and Powerful), Christine Bieslin-Clark (TRON, Watchmen, 300), Isis Mussenden (Wolverine, Chronicles of Narnia), and Mayes Rubeo (WWZ, Avatar). Moderated by actor Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy).
Autographs
No word yet on autograph schedule....
Comic-Con Wisdom from the Ladies
Luckily, all of us here at Welcome to District 12 will be attending this years' Comic-Con. This includes Courtney and Tiffany as well our events correspondent Denise! To close out our Comic-Con guide, we each have some advice to offer to Hunger Games fans who will be attending!
A: I've never gone before too! Though I've been in San Diego during SDCC so I am familiar with what the atmosphere is like. Be prepared to be around a lot of people, and don't get too stuck in your plans because they will change. Most of all, have fun!
Q: What are you looking forward to (THG related)?
A: I'm most looking forward to the trailer debut (we predicted this a while back!). I'm also hoping/predicting they may announce Coin's casting since it would be a prime time for Lionsgate since all eyes (fans and entertainment media) will be on them for the panel.
Q: What are you most looking forward to (non-THG related)?
A: Doctor Who! It's the 50th anniversary this year so I'm hoping they do something really special.
Q:What advice do you have for THG fans attending, who perhaps, have never gone before?
A: First of all, get your badge on Wednesday at the Town and Country Hotel if you have 4 Day Passes without Preview Night, because the lines for the passes the same day are LONG!
A: First of all, get your badge on Wednesday at the Town and Country Hotel if you have 4 Day Passes without Preview Night, because the lines for the passes the same day are LONG!
Catch up on as much sleep as you can, when you can. You are going to be insanely sleep deprived the entire weekend. This also helps if you want to go to any panels, especially ones in Hall H, where Catching Fire is going to be, you will have to camp out if you even want to get INTO the hall in time.
If you are going to panels, make sure to go to comiccon2013.sched.org to create your own schedule. You will be able to see every panel and pick and choose which ones catch your interests. Tip for this: try and pick the room that has the most panels you like because the lines to get into panel rooms are very long and you won't be able to panel hop.
Also, be prepared to not get into panels or an autograph session for both scheduling and availability reasons. Comic Con is jam packed with fans who love the same movies/shows/books/comics that you do and they only have so many spaces available.
The food at the convention center is very expensive! Bring snacks and water! There will also be food trucks at Petco Park across the street from the Convention Center should you have time to get away for some grub.
Q: What are you looking forward to (THG related)?
A: I am extremely excited to see the cast (whoever might be there!) interacting with each other and the fans. I hope we will find out who Coin is! *fingers crossed for Helen Mirren*
The food at the convention center is very expensive! Bring snacks and water! There will also be food trucks at Petco Park across the street from the Convention Center should you have time to get away for some grub.
A: I am extremely excited to see the cast (whoever might be there!) interacting with each other and the fans. I hope we will find out who Coin is! *fingers crossed for Helen Mirren*
Q: What are you most looking forward to (non-THG related)?
A: South Park: The Stick of Truth is a HUGE draw for me for two reasons: Matt Stone and Trey Parker. I ADORE these men and they are heroes of mine.
Also, Game of Thrones panel! After the insanity that was the Red Wedding, I can't wait to hear about what's coming up next season! Also to see the Mother of Dragons in person will make my year.
Q:What advice do you have for THG fans attending, who perhaps, have never gone before?
A: Denise covered some GREAT tips, and I completely back them up. Denise and I used to go to the con a few years running before it became the behemoth that is now, and aside from being a crazy-awesome nerd party, it is THE BIGGEST gathering of human beings you will probably ever see. Throw away your need for personal space because that will be a rare occurrence.
The convention room floor is HUUUGE! Toward the middle are the big studio booths, so thats where the most traffic is. If there is an autograph session going on, GET OUT OF THERE! Everyone stops to see the stars, and its just like the pit at a rock show without the crowd surfing. If you do plan on getting autographs at a big studio booth, get there CRAZY early. They only autograph for a limited time, so better to be safe than sorry.
The WB booth has GREAT bags to give away in the morning, so if you manage to hit the floor when it opens go straight there. These bags are as big as I am, you can use them the whole convention, and you can fit all the swag you get in there.
Also, give the smaller booths some love! They have merchandise, activities, raffles, swag, or great fandom opportunites. Don't forget to visit comic booths too! It's important to support comic retailers, the very reason Comic-Con exists!
Play nice! We're all there for the same reason, there's no need to push or shove. Also, treat the cosplayers with respect. They spent a lot of time and money on their outfits, and nothing says they HAVE to take a picture with you (though they probably will). They have a schedule to adhere to just like you do!
Q: What are you looking forward to (THG related)?
A: Aside from the trailer debut (I hope not too spoilery), I am excited for the panel itself. I can't wait to see what talent will be there, and see the Q&A. It's always insightful and sometimes hilarious to see the interaction between the actors and the fans. Hope you all submitted great questions!
Q: What are you most looking forward to (non-THG related)?
Anything Stick of Truth related!! Trey Parker and Matt Stone are my heroes, and I would do just about anything to meet them. Aside from that, I might just pee my pants at the Game of Thrones panel. TOO MUCH AWESOME!
SEE YOU THERE!
Stay tuned as we will be updating this post with more THG related information as we get it. Keep an eye out for us too on the floor. We will be wearing black tank tops with our website name, so if you see us say hello and introduce yourself!!
As for those fans who are unable to make it, we will be live blogging as much as we possibly can!
We will be sticking to Twitter and Instagram for the most part:
Our Twitter
Our Instagram
Tiffany on Twitter
Denise on Twitter
SEE YOU THERE!
Stay tuned as we will be updating this post with more THG related information as we get it. Keep an eye out for us too on the floor. We will be wearing black tank tops with our website name, so if you see us say hello and introduce yourself!!
As for those fans who are unable to make it, we will be live blogging as much as we possibly can!
We will be sticking to Twitter and Instagram for the most part:
Our Twitter
Our Instagram
Tiffany on Twitter
Denise on Twitter