Tag: RED

RED Webseries Interview LFF2019 [Part 2]

8 August 2019 / Greet / Comments Off

RED Webseries Interview LFF2019 [Part 2]

The most magical moment of Love Fan Fest 2019 for me was the interview I had with Ana Paula Lima, Luciana Bollina, and Germana Belo of RED. This is the first part of the interview. In the second part of this interview, we discussed season four and five, the shooting style of RED, and how they do not pick sides when it comes to their characters’ relationship. Or, they might. Below, the questions and answers of this RED webseries interview LFF2019 have been written down, but you can also watch the video under this image.

RED webseries interview LFF2019: season four

Me: “We were still talking about season four, and I thought it was so well done. I really felt the hurt while watching it grow apart. I had a hard time watching that relationship coming to an end. For me, the most heartbreaking to watch was when your character [speaking to Ana] was actually becoming more uncomfortable with the relationship and who she was becoming, but you didn’t say anything. Those scenes where you did not say anything, and you just watched, those are so powerful. I was wondering, how did you prepare for those?”

Ana Paula Lima: “We have been doing this for such a long time, like for five years. Each year, I get to know Liz better. I think she has changed a lot and she changed me as well. It’s funny because it’s like I have all those feelings with me since the first season. She is a character that struggles all the time with what her feelings are and how she should deal with that. So yeah, I think it comes organically because of her, you know?”

Backstory

Ana: “The more I get to know her, and why she acts like this, it’s what feeds me to put this feeling in the scene. I’m like: okay, she thinks like this and she thinks like this because of this. Sometimes, I create a story for myself that Germana didn’t give to me. What happened to her when she was a child? Who is her mom? Who is her dad? How does she feel when she has a lot of people around her? Does she feel awkward or not awkward, you know? This feeds me a lot.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: finally watching season four

Me: “Did you both feel differently after reading the script for season four and finally watching it on screen?”

Luciana Bollina: “It’s always a surprise because Fernando doesn’t let us see anything. Nothing! It’s ergh. Now, we are used to it, but in the first season, I was like: ‘Why Fernando? Come on, let me see this.’ ‘No. Just when I finish it.’ So, seven months later, we can see it. It’s a really good surprise, actually.”

Ana: “Now, we trust each other so much. That’s what is beautiful because then we can really jump to the characters, and I think it’s amazing when I watch. Nowadays, I don’t want to watch. I want to be surprised, and I always do this. So, that’s what I think is amazing; we really trust each other to work like this. It’s special.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: handheld camera

Me: “One thing that makes RED unique to me is the way it is shot. You can tell it’s often done with a handheld camera. I don’t know what the technique is. Either the camera is really close to your face, or it’s really zoomed in. Did you have to get used to that in the beginning? Was it awkward, or was it fine?”

Luciana: “It was very funny at the beginning. Yeah. We were on the bed, and Fernando was like here [gestures]. One foot here, one foot there and the camera like here [gestures]. Fernando was like this [imitates]. And Ana and I had to like [mimics making out]. It was very funny.”

Germana: “We had one lens. So, to do a close-up, he [shows the camera in Luciana’s face]. They would have to be sexy and feel so into it and Fernando, well, it was almost like a threesome.”

[All laugh]

Luciana: “It was really, really funny. But Fernando is a very serious man. So, we would laugh, and Fernando would be like [serious voice] ‘Okay.’ Okay, breathe, breathe. Because I would start laughing and he would be like [serious voice again] ‘Okay, next scene.’”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: season five

Me: “Can we talk about season five, or is it too early?

Ana: “No, we can talk, yeah! For me, what is special in this season is that we get to know the characters by themselves. How is Liz just with Liz? How is Mel being Mel? It is not about relationships just with each other. It’s the relationships they have with themselves. What are they struggling with, and why? And that’s what makes it special because our time to tell the story is so short that sometimes, we miss these details. So, this season five is special to me for this. We don’t miss this; it’s about this.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: Victoria

Me: “My next question is not a question. I’m just going to say something, and then you can respond. It’s a name: Victoria.”

[Luciana starts laughing]

Ana: “Who is Victoria? Tell me!”

[Both laugh]

Ana: “An amazing friend, co-working friend. Bela is the best, a really, really great actress.”

Luciana: “You know, there’s always an ex. So, it’s a representative character that the past is there and something that was special. So, I think it was a very interesting conflict between them. But I have my opinion.”

[we all laugh]

Conflict

Luciana: “Yeah. I really don’t understand Liz. No, I get the struggle but oh my God, tell me. All the silence is killing me, killing Mel. As an audience, I was like: ‘Oh Liz, tell her and fix it. That’s okay. She didn’t love her.’”

Ana: “And I was like, ‘Well if she didn’t love her, why?’ But we don’t take sides. We don’t judge.”

[Both laugh]

Me: “Why did you write Victoria into the story?”

Germana: “We imagined Mel’s ex in the first season, and we planned to bring her, maybe not exactly how it turned out to be. But we decided that if we got to season three or four, we had this background story for Mel that included an ex.”

Exes

Germana: “But what I think was interesting was that she didn’t come in to be between them. What you see and the reason why they grow apart was not because of Victoria. It was mostly because of Liz’ issues with the relationship and insecurities, and how she could no longer recognize herself in that relationship. I think Mel didn’t give any indication that she would be interested in anything with Victoria since the beginning. Maybe it was a threat for Liz, but she was not introduced like that. The same way Rafaela was not introduced as a threat to Mel. So, we have two exes, but they were not there to be between them. What tore them apart was just what was going on in the relationship and not people outside of it.”

Ana: “It’s more mature like that, right?”

Germana: “Yeah, and I think that if they get to the point where they have a mature relationship, they would gladly accept each other’s exes, as a part of their lives. It wouldn’t be a problem.”

RED webseries interview LFF2019: mother-daughter relationship

Me: “I think season five has two strong concepts in it. The mother-daughter relationship, that’s really tough. It’s always in life; it has so many dimensions. How did you prepare for that? How did that come across for you?”

Luciana: “That was really hard because that relationship is so real life. Mel just gets insecure around her mother. In season five, you will see; it gets deeper. You can see the love; it’s not just demanding things and ‘you don’t do this or do this.’ It’s a real relationship. It’s my opinion that Mel really cares about her mother and her opinion, and so she’s always like ‘Oh my God.’ So, it’s very interesting. The mother of Mel will be deeper in season five.”

Watch season five

In my final question, I mention two concepts. I did not want to mention the other one because I do not want to spoil too much for people who have not watched all the episodes yet. You can watch all of RED on Vimeo. Also, you can enjoy these other videos of Love Fan Fest 2019.

Next week, I will publish the second part of the interview. There, we talk about season 4 and 5 in more detail. In the meantime, you can enjoy these other videos and blog posts about Love Fan Fest 2019.

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RED Webseries Interview Love Fan Fest 2019 Part 1

31 July 2019 / Greet / Comments Off

RED Webseries Interview LFF 2019 Part 1

The most magical moment of Love Fan Fest 2019 for me was the interview I had with Ana Paula Lima, Luciana Bollina, and Germana Belo of RED. In this part of the RED webseries interview, we discussed the current situation for LGBT+ people in Brazil, the beginning of RED, and the series up to season 4. Next week, the second half of the interview will come out, which will focus on season 4 and 5. Below, the questions and answers have been written down, but you can also watch the video under this image.

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RED webseries interview: guests of Love Fan Fest 2019

Me: “I was really happy to see that you were announced to Love Fan Fast this year. How has it been so far? You have had your first morning. Have you had nice meetings with people?”

Luciana Bollina: “Oh, such nice meetings with people and to know people from other countries. It really, really makes me very happy because I know about people’s lives. And we have a chance that people can get to know us, and our show especially, because I think the majority of the people here knows RED but not everyone. So, it’s very good to share.”

Ana Paula Lima: “Yeah, they’re really open to getting to know you. And they’re really special in the way that you feel embraced. That’s… I don’t want to use the word special again, but it is an amazing experience.”

Me: “Ah, that’s great. I think… What you say, people are really open to high-quality queer shows, and your show is definitely beautiful. It’s something else.”

The current situation for LGBTQ people in Brazil

Me: “So, I’m not from Brazil. Can you help me understand what the current situation is for LGBTQ people in Brazil? Because I get mixed messages. For instance, can people walk hand in hand in the streets, or is it too dangerous?”

Germana Belo: “Yeah, it’s definitely not like a safe space or a safe place for LGBT people because… This is what the numbers say. We are the number one country that kills LGBT people.”

Me: “Oh…”

Germana: “It’s a reality, but I think it depends on the kind of circle you live in. For me, I don’t feel that so much as an LGBT woman. I can say I kind of live in a bubble because some people live like that. The circle of my friends and family, they are all very accepting, but I know this is not the reality for most people. And people get killed every day because they are trans, gay, and lesbian. And we know that happens.”

Bigger cities

Germana: “Fortunately, I live in one of the biggest cities in Brazil. So, it’s easier for anyone who lives in the capital, with more open-minded people. Even though bad things would still happen, it’s better for us. But I know it happens. As I said, we kind of have this privilege of living in a place and circle that is more accepting.”

Ana: “There are more people that are more open-minded.”

Germana: “Yeah, in a circle with creators and people who are open to, you know, differences, whatever they are. But the reality of the country, in general, is that it is not a safe place for LGBT people.”

RED webseries interview: first lesbian webseries in Brazil

Me: “So, you are the first lesbian webseries in your country. When season one dropped, what were the first responses that you received?”

Germana: “Because we didn’t have money for marketing, the feedback, in the beginning, was very slow. We received great feedback, but it was a small number of people. The way we promote our series is very organic. So, people like the series and tell their friends to watch it. So, it demands time. By the time of season 2, it really began to create a larger fan base. But really because we didn’t have a way to market the series better. So, we had to wait for people to come to us.”

Ana: “It was really positive feedback. We never received something that wasn’t nice, you know. Everything that happened with RED happened in a really special and positive way. Like having an experience outside Brazil. Getting nominated in other countries like ‘oh my God, look at what they’re doing’ and we’re like ‘oh my God, yeah, we are.’ It’s amazing. I think we always manage to figure out what’s always positive.”

Positive feedback

Germana: “Sometimes I joke because our feedback is mostly positive. And sometimes I joke saying: ‘Okay. When we start getting haters, it is probably because we really made it.”

Me: “Yeah, definitely!”

Germana: “Because so far, we are in a niche. The people who come to us are the people who like it. The time we manage to reach people who wouldn’t like it, you know, it’s when you start to become mainstream. You would reach a large number of people, and some of them could not like it.

So far, mostly, our feedback is very positive. We have a lot of feedback because it’s also part of the project. The idea of RED is interactive feedback. We talk with our fans through our social media, through our personal social media profiles and RED’s profiles.

So, this is also part of the project. Nothing is separating us from the people who watch the show. We talk to everyone. We have a lot of channels, like Instagram, Facebook, and Vimeo, so feedback comes from all over our channels. And it’s great.”

RED webseries interview: every fan’s fantasy

Me: “RED originally started with two actors who have a relationship on-screen and then fall in love off-screen. I think that’s basically every fan’s fantasy here at Love Fan Fest. Some fans see a couple on-screen and then think it’s in real life too. How many actors have told you: ‘thanks for feeding that idea. Now I get that even more?’”

Germana: “That was not random because I am this public. I know you because I am you. So, I know this is the general fantasy of everyone. We were thinking about telling a love story between two women, but this could be, like, whatever. And I thought: ‘Okay, maybe it would be interesting to have that.’ That is a fantasy of every fan, to have two actresses who work together fall in love. So, it was not random. Because we knew it was a fantasy.”

Me: “I thought it was pretty clever when I first saw it. Anyone in particular you had your inspiration from?”

Germana: “No, the main premise is just this fantasy that was the inspiration: the fans’ fantasy of having two actresses together.”

RED webseries interview: ClexaCon visit before season 4

Me: “At ClexaCon last year, you [Ana and Luciana] both said that when you read the script for season 4, you both had moments where you were like: ‘I’m going to call Germana and ask her if she’s sure.’ We hadn’t watched season 4 yet, and I always wondered what the exact moments were that you were like: ‘are you sure? Is it a good idea?”

Ana: “Season 4? Wait for season 5!”

Luciana: “Yeah, it gets worse. It’s because we are fans of the characters.”

Ana: “Yeah, we really watch our show.”

Luciana: “Yes, we watch like you. You know: ‘oh my God, what is she doing?’

Ana: “Yeah, we are the audience.”

Luciana: “I usually watch my interpretation in something, but not here. I really enjoy the love story here. We always talk to Germana like ‘Germana, why?! What is happening?”

Ana: “Yeah, we suffer too.”

Luciana: “Yeah, we suffer a lot.”

RED webseries interview part 2

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Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday [Wynonna Earp, RED, Skam España, Carmilla]

24 July 2019 / Greet / Comments Off

Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday

June 30, 2019, marked the second and final day of the second edition of Love Fan Fest. On Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday, I visited many panels, talked to RED for a second time, and went to the closing party. You can read all about it in this blog post, or you can watch the vlog I made of this day. This vlog has a special message from RED and the full closing party. You can find it below this image.

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Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday started with the WayHaught panel

On Love Fan Fest Sunday, I started a bit later than on Saturday. After all, on Saturday, I had to pick up my press pass at 8 a.m. On this day, I didn’t have anything planned until around 11 a.m. The WayHaught panel was planned at this time, which was fun as always. Kat took her parents with her, and I immediately noticed them on the side of the stage. They were looking really proud and then Kat introduced them to the audience, which obviously gave a big round of applause.

Someone in the audience had this really good idea of giving them lines from certain scenes. The other person had to guess what the follow-up line was. It was really funny to see how competitive Kat and Dom both were.

It’s funny to look back at these Wynonna Earp panels. They had heard that they were starting filming season four already and we had not yet. So, sometimes, with the answers that they gave, you can tell that they were really looking for ways not to reveal the truth.

Skam España panel

Then, we had to leave the room for the next panel. I think it was actually the first time we completely had to clear the room. It was time for Skam España. I had not watched that show, so I was surprised to see the incredibly long line waiting to get back into the panel room. They obviously have a huge number of fans. That made me realize I probably had to watch that show.

I wanted to know a bit more about the show, so I visited the panel. Unfortunately, I could not understand it as it was in Spanish. I did return at the end of the panel and realized they sometimes said something in English. So, I could have stayed, but I thought I’d be wasting my time. I still want to check out the show, though!

RED panel

Then, it was time for the RED panel. I absolutely love listening to them. I know quite a lot about the show as I had interviewed them the day before, but because of the fans’ questions, I still heard some new things.

It’s beautiful to see how incredibly grateful they were for being present at Love Fan Fest. I truly think they deserve all the exposure and support they can get. Season 5 is out now. If you haven’t watched the show already, please pay for a season if you hit a paywall. It is worth every penny.

Melanie Scrofano’s panel

After RED’s panel, it was time for Melanie Scrofano’s panel. She cracks me up every single time.

However, there was also one serious, special moment. It really had an impact on me when she told everybody she had had treatment for an eating disorder. Apparently, she has talked about it before, but I didn’t know. And the beauty of it was that she told about it after having been asked what she was proud of. She has obviously come to terms with it. You can tell it affected the room. She received a big round of applause.

Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday ended with the Hollstein panel

The next panel was the Hollstein panel. Natasha and Elise were happy to be on stage again. The funny thing was that the same person who asked Kat and Dom the lines questions asked Natasha and Elise that question.

Elise immediately got really nervous. She said it was like her nightmare where she was standing on stage in a play that she’d done years ago and she can’t remember the lines. Carmilla was recorded about five years ago. She definitely had a hard time remembering the lines, which was just hilarious to watch.

They praised the person of the question. Dana, who often moderates their panels, always has these really fun things for them to do on stage and this one definitely had the same quality.

Another season?

One thing that I remember from this panel is that Elise asked the audience if, if they would make another Camilla season, would we all watch it again? Would we be interested in that? The entire room responded with a ‘yes, of course,’ which kind of surprised both Natasha and Elise. They didn’t know that that would still be a thing, which in turn surprised the room. She stated that she didn’t have any information about a possible season 4, but she just wanted to know. Well, I hope they will think about it now that they know this.

Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday: final autographs

The Hollstein panel was actually the last panel of Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday. Then, there was a giant time block scheduled for autographs. This was the only event happening at this particular time, so that meant that every con guest was signing and every con visitor was waiting in line for an autograph. It was a huge queue. I didn’t want to film it because waiting in line is no fun. I didn’t want to upset people.

After a while, I was called into the autograph room. I was not allowed to be there as press; it was just for the con’s own videographers. However, I was allowed to talk to RED for a few minutes. As a result, I was able to ask them one question: how had they experienced the weekend of Love Fan Fest?

Rewatching this footage made me happy all over again. You can watch it in the vlog I posted online. Slowly but gradually, people were done getting their autographs. The first post-con blues started to hit people. We realized it was time to say goodbye to people we would not see in a while because they live in a different country or even on a different continent

Closing party

But first, closing party! Everybody started to gather in the panel room. We had to wait a bit. People started to throw a ball in a basketball hoop. What? Watch the vlog.

Then, all the actors came on stage together. Like last year, the final moment of Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday was emotional with lots of love and gratitude. We all watched a video together about this second edition of LFF.

Every actor had a moment to say something. I don’t think anybody could have counted all the tears that were shed. The closing party lasted about twenty minutes, so that means there were a lot of tears, words of kindness, and rounds of applause. And with that, the second edition of Love Fan Fest 2019 came to an end!

Love Fan Fest 2019 Sunday means final goodbyes

I was hungry, but I didn’t feel like leaving and saying goodbyes, so I ended up staying until around 10 p.m. I had some really meaningful conversations and final hugs. That was it for me too.

Yes, the upcoming weeks, I will still have blog posts and videos about Love Fan Fest. So, stay tuned!

Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday [Wynonna Earp, RED, Carmilla]

17 July 2019 / Greet / Comments Off

Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday

June 29, 2019, marked the official opening of the second edition of Love Fan Fest. On Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday, I picked up my press pass, visited the press interview and photoshoot, interviewed RED, watched a World Cup match, and went to most of the panels. You can read all about it in this blog post, or you can watch the vlog I made of this day. You can find it below this image.

Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday started with a press interview and photoshoot

At 8:15 am, I was already at the location to pick up my press pass. Unlike last year, I received it immediately. All I had to do now was wait 45 minutes for the press interview and photoshoot to start. I walked around a bit and said hi to the people I know.

The press interview was interesting because all the actors were there at the same time. So, it’s not like you can ask every single actor a question. I decided to ask a World Cup question because that way, every actor had a chance to respond (and I knew Elise would).

After I finished my question, nobody was very actively trying to take my microphone from me. That was odd. Usually, we’re in a room with a bunch of people who want to ask questions. I guess most of the press members were photographers this time? I think four-five people asked a question, so we were done rather quickly. That meant some of us, including me, asked a second question.

The photoshoot followed, so I was able to make some BTS from that moment as well.

Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday: opening

After the press moment, it was time for everybody to enter the main panel hall and find their numbered seats. This is always such an energetic moment because everybody is still fresh, excited for the day, nervous, emotional, happy to see familiar faces, and so much more.

What is unique about LFF is that they have an opening and a closing of the con. They can do this because they have a reasonable number of guests (as opposed to the huge list of ClexaCon) and only one panel room. It’s funny because the guests never seem to know what they are doing on stage. They receive their applause, say hi, and then try to leave. Then, it gets a bit awkward because some of them are told to leave, and the guests who are on the first panel are told to stay. Everybody just laughs about it.

Editing

I would have loved to stay for the first panel, but I wanted to edit the press interview and give that to my YouTube subscribers immediately. As a result, I had to leave after the first panel. I was allowed to edit in a friend’s hotel room, which was super nice of her.

When the video was converting, I went downstairs again to visit Melanie’s panel. After a few minutes, I had to leave again to work on the video. I missed the Hollstein panel, but after 2.5 hours, the video was available for my subscribers. If I may believe the comments, they appreciated the gift 😉

In the hour lunch break, I visited a street with shops nearby. The food at the location isn’t all that, unfortunately. I enjoyed a nice lunch by myself, went back to the location, and met up with some friends.

Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday: afternoon program

After the one-hour lunch break, it was time for the LGBT Fans Deserve Better panel. They experienced some technical difficulties, but it was fixed later on, thankfully. At 3 pm, the World Cup match between the Netherlands and Italy started, so I found some fellow Dutchies in the lobby to watch the match with.

To be honest, it was a nice distraction because I was getting nervous about my interview with RED. I absolutely love the web series and ehm; these women are gorgeous, so yeah… My nerves were definitely starting to kick in.

Interview with RED

As always, it turned out I had nothing to be nervous about. We had a really good talk. I got to ask questions about the beginning of the show, about their new season (you can now watch season 5, which I highly recommend), and a few other things. We ended up talking for 22 whole minutes! Wow. After the interview, I was also able to share a few personal words of appreciation. All in all, this was the most magical moment of LFF2019 for me!

I will divide the interview into two parts and upload these two videos in a few weeks. Subscribe to my channel to watch them the moment they come out!

After that, I visited their panel too.

Love Fan Fest 2019 Saturday: Word Cup and panels

After RED’s panel, I ran to the lobby to watch the final minutes of the match and cheer with the other Dutchies after our victory. After that, I ran back to the panel room to catch a few minutes of the panel with Rhiannon, Ivana, and Isabella. You know you will have fun when Isabella is on a panel, and indeed, she made the room laugh quite a few times.

The day ended with the Wayhaught panel, which drew a big crowd. After that, I didn’t really know what to do. All the guests were signing autographs, so I chatted with some people. I ended up watching the second World Cup match of the day as well. It was just fun to hang around in the lobby with all the people you hardly ever get to see in real life.

Some tapas near my pension were calling my name, so I had to give in and eat. I was quite relaxed because the next day would start much later for me. Watching the footage I shot that day made me so incredibly happy!

I had my mind blown at ClexaCon 2018 – Part 3 (ClexaCon 2018 Day 1)

25 April 2018 / Greet / Comments Off

I had my mind blown at ClexaCon 2018 – Part 3

This is part three of my ClexaCon 2018 adventure. April 4-10, I went on a trip to Las Vegas for ClexaCon, all the way from The Netherlands. Let me tell you, it was so worth the jetlag! You can find part one (the first official ClexaCon activities) and part two (the first half of ClexaCon 2018 Day 1) here.

In this blog, I will tell you all about the LGBTQ actresses panel, the Lost Girl panel, the RED panel, and the Wynonna Earp panel. I have to confess that after the first day, I was feeling overwhelmed and emotional because I realized how much this convention means to me and the rest of the LGBTQ community.

PS If you need more info about what ClexaCon is, you should read my blog post ClexaCon 2018 in Las Vegas: The Media and Entertainment Convention for LGBTQ Women and Allies.

‘I had my mind blown at ClexaCon 2018 – Part 3 ( ClexaCon 2018 Day 1 )’ This is part three of my ClexaCon 2018 adventure. April 4-10, I went on a trip to Las Vegas for ClexaCon, all the way from The Netherlands. Let me tell you, it was so worth the jetlag! In this blog, I will tell you all about the LGBTQ actresses panel, the Lost Girl panel, the RED panel, and the Wynonna Earp panel: http://bit.ly/ClexaCon20183

ClexaCon 2018 Day 1 – third panel: LGBTQ actresses

This was the first main panel that I visited. I was familiar with Nicole Pacent’s and Dot-Marie Jones’s work but not yet with the work of the other guests.

At this point, I did not know about the designated press area yet, so I sat somewhere in the back. As the place was packed, I felt a bit reluctant to walk around and take pictures. Luckily, after this panel, that reluctance passed.

The five actresses discussed how being an out member of the LGBTQ community influenced their work, what trailblazers in the industry helped them come out (Ellen and Angelina Jolie among others), being cast in gay and straight roles (Haviland Stillwell: “Somebody pass me a damn lesbian role!”), various directors, and support from the community.

Pressroom

After the panel, some of the actresses went to the press room. For me, that was also the first time being in a press room. Beforehand, I did not know what other media outlets were going to be present. It was just me and my smartphone so how would others react to me? All I can say is: I have met some amazing people. I have forgotten some names, but check out these lovely people: Karen Frost, Emily Browne, Jessica Mason, Alyssa, and Jennifer.

I sat at the table with Nicole Pacent and Mandahla Rose. That made me very happy because, as I said before, I loved I Hate Tommy Finch and, hello!, Anyone But Me. And how can you not like Mandahla Rose’s personality immediately? Wow! I asked them about ClexaCon’s network opportunities and if they had seen collaborations starting behind the scenes (which they obviously cannot talk about). Find out in the vlog at the top of this page!

Chatting with Nicole Pacent

After the table interview, I asked Nicole for a picture. Oh my god, such enthusiasm! Just getting used to this whole press thing, I did not know what to expect and she just blew me away with her friendliness and chatter. When I challenged her to pronounce my name, she said she knew it was Dutch. What?! Apparently, she lived in Amsterdam for a while in 2006. LOL.

We talked a bit more off-camera, just because. I told her how I liked I Hate Tommy Finch and she told me about how that was performed with a live band and an audience. I asked her if we were going to see her in something new anytime soon because hey, I want to! She promised me things were developing. Yay!

ClexaCon 2018 Day 1 – fourth panel: RED the web series

I am a fan of RED. If you did not know that yet, I will repeat it. I am a fan of RED. This web series from Brazil is absolutely beautiful. It is so creative and different. You have two characters (Mel and Liz) that are actresses in a show. In the show, they play Scarlet and Simone, who are in love with each other. They take that relationship into their own lives.

The series has a bit of a slower pace and a great eye for detail. The constant switching between the show and their own lives always makes you wonder what storyline you are actually watching. Also, the music is incredible and the colors are simply gorgeous.

So, no matter what, I had to go to this panel. The problem was that it was scheduled at the same time as Lost Girl. Since I did not have to wait in line, I decided to go to RED first to see this incredible cast. They were dropping the first episode of the fourth season as a teaser for the rest of the season, so I was really happy I was present 🙂 Then, I had to run to the Lost Girl panel… I made this awesome vlog about the RED panel:

Find RED on Vimeo

ClexaCon 2018 Day 1 – fifth panel: Lost Girl reunion

My wife and I watched Lost Girl together and she was pretty jealous when she found out these actresses were coming. Muahahahaha.

This panel was so hilarious. I feel like every time these people come together, they just laugh and laugh. Let us be honest; with sucking chi and needing sex for survival, it is hard to have a serious panel. Friday, April 6^th, 2018, at around 2:40 pm, the now legendary brunch joke was born at ClexaCon. For those who do not know what brunch now means, watch it below (after about 10 minutes). Brunch ended up being a recurring theme at the other panels.

I do not mean to say no serious topics were discussed. They also talked about the demand for queer storylines, the stories they heard from fans and having a bisexual person as the lead. Anna Silk and Erica Luttrell later visited the press room for some photos and questions.

Want to watch Lost Girl? Try Amazon! Want to own the DVD/Blu-Ray? Try Amazon, eBay, Zoom, Zavvi or Bol.com.

ClexaCon 2018 Day 1 – sixth panel: Staged reading of Passage

I have done some amateur acting and every time I watch a show or web series, I am really curious about how it was made and what the preparations were like. This panel had a staged reading of Passage, which Tello Films is currently developing. The reading is usually a closed process done with a small group but we were allowed to see part of this process of story and script development. Because of the pressroom activities, I was a bit later but it sounded good and funny. Now, obviously, I want to know what it looks like on screen!

ClexaCon 2018 Day 1 – seventh panel: Wynonna Earp

Have you ever been to a big concert? I am sure you have. Do you know that moment, right before the band comes to the stage when the audience goes insane? This is how I felt before the Wynonna Earp panel: as if we were all about to see a famous rock star. The audience in the massive room was losing it.

And hey, that was no big surprise, because Emily Andras, Kat Barrell, Dominique Provost-Chalkley, and Tamara Duarte are incredible! They talked about season three, where the WayHaught relationship will be going, the freedom at SyFy to explore these storylines, and how “It is 2018!”

For me, today was the first time seeing Emily speak and I was amazed by how articulate and visionary she is. I was very happy to hear her saying out loud that we are not just gay people; we have jobs, families, problems, and taxes to pay. Previously, when a gay character was introduced, they just had to be gay but now the storylines are getting more diverse. I cannot tell you how happy I am to see that development reflected in shows the past few years.

Wynonna Earp not available on your Netflix? Try Amazon! Want to own it on DVD or Blu-Ray? Try Amazon, eBay or Bol.com. Want to read the books? Try Amazon, eBay, Barnes & Noble, Sanity or Bol.com

FOOD

After this panel, all the press members were starving. Some people with snacks shared them with their neighbors but most of us were just very, very hungry the entire last panel. There simply was not enough time to eat! After the panel, Karen proposed to eat together with a few people. So, I ended up having a lovely stir-fry dinner with her and Immy and Alyssa. After that, I went to the comedy night by myself and finally crawled into bed at around midnight. What a day!

Important

After ClexaCon 2018 Day 1, I realized how important this event is to me and the LGBTQ community. I have talked about it in my first blog about ClexaCon:

I have been looking for movies, TV shows, and web series with LGBTQ themes since right before I came out. Honestly, I knew nobody else who was non-heterosexual, so I had to find SOMETHING or SOMEONE to learn what that whole non-heterosexual thing meant. I was panicking and analyzing myself from top to toe, from my clothes and my posture to my way of walking and my hair. You see, I thought it would be terrible if people immediately knew I was a lesbian, whatever that “looking like a lesbian” meant. Now I can laugh about it, but I will never forget that suffocating and disheartening feeling.
And that is exactly why movies, TV shows, and web series with LGBTQ themes are important to our community. You want to see yourself reflected on the screen: your life, your thoughts, and your feelings. Not being the norm in society can be quite confusing, especially if you are just finding out about it.

Overwhelming

Now, actually being present at the event made me realize how rare it is to fly across the world and be in the same proximity as the people who I have been seeing on screen for years. The movies and series you watch become a part of your daily life. These LGBTQ shows have provided our community with a framework.

However, since these productions are usually from the States or Canada, everything seemed so far away for me at the same time. How wonderful is it to be able to walk up to someone and thank them for their work? Indeed, after ClexaCon 2018 Day 1, I felt a little overwhelmed when it struck me how special this event is.

ClexaCon 2018 Day 2

Liked my blogs about ClexaCon 2018 Day 1? Next week, I will talk about ClexaCon Day 2 (Saturday). That means you will read about the following panels: Anyone But Me, Bisexual Representation, WayHaught, Swerve, Shoot, Alex Danvers, and Hollstein. If you sign up for my newsletter, you will be the first to know when this blog post comes out! You can sign up on the top right of this page or in the footer.

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