Post by elkawho on Aug 27, 2023 14:18:00 GMT
Sunday, Day 3:
I wanted to go the the 10 AM Katy Manning panel, but as we had to check out by 11, and staying up till 2 AM, I just didn't make it. Harper and I did make it to most of the fan panel about the 12th Doctor era, but I had to leave a bit early to get ready for....
Big Finish: The Gary Russell years. Yep, my time to shine. I was a bit nervous, but not too much. My interactions with Gary over the two days prior really put me at ease, and I was happy with the questions that I had prepared. Some things I learned that I hadn't known before: Gary Russell felt REALLY insulted by Tom Baker before he joined BF and I honestly don't believe Gary has ever gotten over it, although he didn't explicitly say so. He didn't have any trouble getting stories passed by the BBC in the early days before the show came back, because the gate keepers at the time were Gary's friends (Jaq Raynor and others who were, in fact, writing for BF). Once the show did come back there were only 2 stories that he was asked to make some minor changes to, and it was Russell himself who asked, not "the BBC". One of his favorite stories he ever produced was Night Thoughts, and he still has the bunny from the cover sitting on his bookshelf. The thing he's most proud of at BF is the Gallifrey series. He doesn't agree with recasting. This last tidbit is not from the actual interview, but from a chat I had with him afterwards, but he has not listened to a single BF Doctor Who story since he left. I will be uploading the interview onto Youtube today for anyone who would like to see it.
After the interview we chatted a bit and he signed a few of his novels that I had brought with me. Then, learning my lesson from the day before, I went to the main hall and found a seat up front in preparation for the Sacha Dhawan interview of the day. Although I was 30 minutes early it was already hard to find a seat.
Sacha was lovely! He was like a kid, and was so happy to be there. He had some really good interactions with the crowd as well. I found it interesting that he made a choice to not watch other Masters before him because he said he didn't want to seem to be copying anyone's performances. The big reveal on the plane in Spyfall is his favorite scene on the show, and he didn't prepare or rehearse the Rasputin dance, it just kind of happened and they went with it.
Next was the Frazer Hines and Michael Troughton interview which was great. And then my final panel of the day, The Master at Big Finish. It was better attended than I expected it to be, considering it was at the same time as Paul's final interview of the weekend. But we were a good overflow panel, since not everyone could get in.
The last event of the day was a bunch of the panelists and interviewers in front of the crowd and discussing, with audience participation, some of the best moments of Doctor Who and fandom over the last 60 years, and how the show has effected them on a personal level as well. It was a good celebration of the Anniversary and a nice way to end the convention.
It was a fantastic weekend, maybe the best one yet. I had Gary a few others there telling me that I really should get over to Gallifrey One in February, but unfortunately I just don't see how I could swing it financially this year. But maybe for 2025! And I already can't wait until next year's LI Who!
I wanted to go the the 10 AM Katy Manning panel, but as we had to check out by 11, and staying up till 2 AM, I just didn't make it. Harper and I did make it to most of the fan panel about the 12th Doctor era, but I had to leave a bit early to get ready for....
Big Finish: The Gary Russell years. Yep, my time to shine. I was a bit nervous, but not too much. My interactions with Gary over the two days prior really put me at ease, and I was happy with the questions that I had prepared. Some things I learned that I hadn't known before: Gary Russell felt REALLY insulted by Tom Baker before he joined BF and I honestly don't believe Gary has ever gotten over it, although he didn't explicitly say so. He didn't have any trouble getting stories passed by the BBC in the early days before the show came back, because the gate keepers at the time were Gary's friends (Jaq Raynor and others who were, in fact, writing for BF). Once the show did come back there were only 2 stories that he was asked to make some minor changes to, and it was Russell himself who asked, not "the BBC". One of his favorite stories he ever produced was Night Thoughts, and he still has the bunny from the cover sitting on his bookshelf. The thing he's most proud of at BF is the Gallifrey series. He doesn't agree with recasting. This last tidbit is not from the actual interview, but from a chat I had with him afterwards, but he has not listened to a single BF Doctor Who story since he left. I will be uploading the interview onto Youtube today for anyone who would like to see it.
After the interview we chatted a bit and he signed a few of his novels that I had brought with me. Then, learning my lesson from the day before, I went to the main hall and found a seat up front in preparation for the Sacha Dhawan interview of the day. Although I was 30 minutes early it was already hard to find a seat.
Sacha was lovely! He was like a kid, and was so happy to be there. He had some really good interactions with the crowd as well. I found it interesting that he made a choice to not watch other Masters before him because he said he didn't want to seem to be copying anyone's performances. The big reveal on the plane in Spyfall is his favorite scene on the show, and he didn't prepare or rehearse the Rasputin dance, it just kind of happened and they went with it.
Next was the Frazer Hines and Michael Troughton interview which was great. And then my final panel of the day, The Master at Big Finish. It was better attended than I expected it to be, considering it was at the same time as Paul's final interview of the weekend. But we were a good overflow panel, since not everyone could get in.
The last event of the day was a bunch of the panelists and interviewers in front of the crowd and discussing, with audience participation, some of the best moments of Doctor Who and fandom over the last 60 years, and how the show has effected them on a personal level as well. It was a good celebration of the Anniversary and a nice way to end the convention.
It was a fantastic weekend, maybe the best one yet. I had Gary a few others there telling me that I really should get over to Gallifrey One in February, but unfortunately I just don't see how I could swing it financially this year. But maybe for 2025! And I already can't wait until next year's LI Who!