Part 5 of 6 Ying’s Report as previously posted on the OB (Official Firefly Board) plus an add on from RayHill.
Ying’s Report:
Part 1
Hi. I'm a long-time poster, first-time meeter of Browncoats and BDHs. And now, my first report. I'm keeping this short-ER by not mentioning all the wonderful Browncoats I met, hung out with, ate with, joked with, and pulled off small crimes and transport-for-hire jobs with. But it was wonderful meeting you all.
THURSDAY
In the morning I go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast and also slyly (in a non-Nandi way) looked for Browncoats. I thought I recognized Fly from pictures in the post office, or possibly online, so after I ate I went over to a table of three women, suavely with my glass of... water, and asked if they were here for the Serenity premiere. Fly, ShannaS7, and Vampirefan (Rhobyne had left) said yes. I said I was Ying, and they either invited me to sit down or didn't call the authorities when I did. Then there was hanging out there and in their room. Vampirefan with the doing people's nails, me with the watching her doing people's nails--and me receiving some swag (11thHour Inara card, unofficial Serenity-logo decal, and official key chain; thanks again). More Browncoats arrive, including Shiny, my roomie. Then a few of us went for a late lunch, and I wound up sitting at the same booth, in the same seat as at breakfast, with the same waitress. I smiled and swore to her that I had left and come back, really.
Some hanging out with Shiny in our room and on the OB, and around 3:00 I go down to the gift shop to buy postcards. As I enter the lobby there's a woman talking to the desk person--some long, involved story that started to sound like the Firefly TV-to-movie saga. I found the gift shop closed, and by now the woman is talking about how all these people (Browncoat names) were looking for her. I looked and was sure it was Saxon, so I said, "Well, *I'm* looking for you." She said, "Who are you?" "I said, "Ying." Instant hug ensues. Turns out they couldn't find a note left for her; turns out it was the one I had left for her that morning with my room number on it.
PREMIERE
Took the "Browncoat Bus" (hotel shuttle, but almost completely Browncoat) to Universal's City Walk for the premiere. Met LOTS more Browncoats, got a homemade Chinese-character "He2" ("River") button from SoCal's Larry (xiexie), got my ticket from "Browncoat Will Call" (from a guy in a Jayne hat), cheered in the fan-only area along the red carpet (nice words from Ron Glass; Joss to us: "What are you doing here?"), got my camera to Arielle_K to stash in her car (thanks again), and showed my pass about four times to get into the theater lobby.
Inside the theater, I had a so-so assigned seat on the left side of the balcony (NOT complaining), but RayHill invited me over by him and his friend Justin. No one said it was their seat, so I stayed. Ray turns to a stranger next to him to ask her something (I'll let him tell it); turns out she's a non-Firefly actor who's in the movie (Summer gave her a hug when she filmed her one day)! Spend the movie trying to not stay tense for two hours (good flick, by the way; you might want to see it).
Rayhill adds: While we were waiting for the film to start, I struck up a conversation with the girl sitting to my right. Turns out it was Hunter Wryn, the gal who plays Young River. She was there with her older brother, and seemed to be really enjoying herself, if a bit embarrassed by the attention.
Back to Ying’s Report
During the closing credits I clap when Chris Buchanan and Loni Peristere's names come up, plus cheered a little for this row-mate actor (as did Ray and I think Justin). Sorry if we embarrassed you, just sharing the Browncoat love.
Outside the theater proper, Justin spots Christina Hendricks (Yo-Saf-Bridge) going into the ladies' room. I told Justin he shouldn't be going into the ladies' room. No, *she* was going into the ladies' room. When she came out we approach her (from some distance from the ladies' room, I will emphasize) in a "normal, not scary" way. I tell her what a great job she did playing such a nuanced character, and she gives a warm "Thank you." And I was glad she got to come back for another episode. Her: "Me too. It's a great character." We also tell her we hope to see her in the sequel, and she says with a smile that we need to tell Joss. Leaving the theater, I spot Ron Glass (whom I'd especially wanted to meet), but he's out soon. Someone tells me that Rosie (whom I'd met at the will call) is looking for me.
Part 2* Extremely minor, vague movie "spoilers." *
AFTER PARTY
We enter Universal Studios theme park for the after party (after showing our invites about four times and then surrendering them). I get some chicken to eat and get in the bar line. Right in front of me is David Krumholtz, who has a small part in the movie. I say, "David Krumholtz?" He says, "Yes." I say, truthfully, "I enjoyed you in the movie, but I've *really* enjoyed you in 'Numb3rs." He says a warm "Thank you." I add about how he plays a genius, but with a big heart, and I think that's where that word "nuanced" creeps in again, but that was the last time. He tells me there will be a lot going on in the new season. I say I'm looking forward to the season premiere. He tells me its tomorrow. D'oh, I'll miss it. I notice the woman he's with is wearing a Browncoat.
Eat and hang out a bit, hook up with Browncoats who've spotted Alan and follow them over to the Globe Theatre. But it looks like it's a private party (later find out the stars are hanging out together and doing photos). Then they open up the room, and we all go in. I see Ron Glass (yay) sitting at a table talking to a fan, so I go up and wait a minute and get to hear that patented Ron Glass laugh. Then I tell him that I really enjoyed him as Harris in "Barney Miller" and as Book in "Firefly" and "Serenity" (and I didn't say "nuanced"). He gives a gracious "Thank you," and I move on.
Later Shiny says he sees Jenny Lynn, the Chinese translator. I thank her in person for the e-mail interview I did of her for the "Finding Serenity" book. She smiles and says she read my essay and it was "very thorough." Later I see Rosie. I said I heard she was looking for me. Turns out when she met me at will call, she didn't catch that I was Ying. She's going over to see Alan (I want to see Rosie + Alan more than Alan). Windhover, another woman and I join her. Alan jokes about prequels, so I tell him to get that mustache back. He says there's a scene in the movie (cut?) with mug shots of the crew and he has the mustache on.
Talk with more Browncoats. Some Browncoats introduce me to other Browncoats as "THIS is Ying." :-) Pip introduces me to a couple Browncoats as the writer of the Chinese essay in the "Finding Serenity" book, aaawww, muchas xiexie. I go over to Sean Maher. I tell him I liked how Simon still had the sarcasm and love for his sister, but now he was also kind of a tough guy and I was impressed by his range. He flashed that Sean Maher smile (patent pending) and said the quick, rising-and-falling-pitched "THANK you" of someone who just got a surprise gift that was the best gift ever.
Later still I spot Visual Effects Supervisor Loni Peristere. I told him how much I admired his work and his love for what he was doing. He asks how I got to come (cancelled Hard Rock party) and seems very happy that fans got to attend. I told him I was looking forward to his presentation Saturday and asked him what it would be. He mentions the behind-the-scenes stuff and we talk a little more. He also introduces me to his wife and son. He exudes confidence and warmth.
Later I see Morena standing near the center of the room with a couple people (I'd say friends) and go up to her and wait a minute. I told her I wished she'd had more screen time in movie. She smiles and says, "Me too." And I tell her how much I enjoyed her comedy in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" and "I hope to see you in a comedy some day." She seems interested in a comedy and says something like: it all depends on what's available.
Towards the end I meet Kisbundas (who I confuse in my mind with Nonoluna for some unknown reason). I notice and tell Kisbundas that she has a similar voice and facial expressions to Summer Glau. Then I finally meet Chris Buchanan and thank him for all he's done for us (but not by item 'cause we'd still be there). Then Cappy gets led out, and we get herded out (around 12:15 a.m., about 2 hours in), and Arielle_K gives me back my camera and gives me and others a ride back to our hotel (thanks). Shiny uploads some pictures with links on the OB. I make a few notes about what happened. I go to bed a little before 3:00 a.m., don't get to sleep until 5:00 a.m., and wake up at 7:00 a.m. Oh well.
Ying Addendum:
- I watched the movie credits carefully and saw that Kelly Wheeler, erstwhile official Firefly blogger (and Blue Sun commercial woman and asst. to producer Gareth Davies), is listed with a costuming department credit. Yay, Kelly!
- Re: "When she came out we approach her (from some distance from the ladies' room, I will emphasize) in a 'normal, not scary' way." Let me also emphasize that Christina Hendricks was also a fair distance from the ladies' room exit before we approached her.
- When I talked to Loni Peristere at the after party, he also said that they worked really hard to finish the movie effects in time. Then the movie got pushed back from April to September release, so they had an artist's rare opportunity to go back and look carefully at what they had done. They found that they had gotten it right the first time. He may have said something about small changes, but it was hard to hear everything with the music playing.
- I also told Morena that I had read some of her comments about the fans and thanked her for her appreciation of our efforts. She said something gracious, and I moved on.
- I didn't have to go up to Mark Sheppard (Badger) at the party because he got to move around more than the movie folk. I was in a line of people in a tight space slowly moving in one direction with a similar line on my right moving in the opposite direction. As Mark and I pass each other, I smile a recognition smile and quickly say that I hope Badger is in the sequel. He says it could happen. Later in the evening, I again pass him and ask him what he thought of Badger in the comics. He says he hasn't seen it yet. I think he asks me how Badger was. I joke that Badger "isn't very nice to the crew." He says with a wink in his voice, "He's misunderstood."
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