Inside the Writer’s Room: The Shows that Inspired Us by Jared the Greek
This was a different kind of writer panel. Instead of looking at methodology or celebrating achievements this panel was built around the movies and TV shows that inspired creaors to create in the first place. Some of the series brought up were Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and 30Rock. The discussion also dipped into remakes and the difficulty of adaptations. The panel ended with a Q&A section, but the best part was listening to professionals reminisce on their favorite cartoons, movies, and TV shows of the past.
Writing For Animation by Jared the Greek
This panel had an eclectic set of writers including those who worked on Garfield and Friends, Asian co-productions, Canadian shows, and Nickleodeon series. The panel began with the writers discussing the differences between working prior to the Internet age and how things have grown since the turn of the century. After that the discussion went many different directions including talking about writing songs, working with forgien clients, and the importance of developing your writing portfolio. The panel ended with questions from the audience which brought up the topic of toy themed shows and how they are approached by writers. It was nice having a group of writers with very different careers this time around as it allowed for some very different points of view on the subject matter as well as types of stories you do not normally hear.
Star Trek: the Next 50 Years by Jared the Greek
It wouldn’t be a nerdy convention without a panel or two about Star Trek. This panel brought in industry professionals, some of whom worked on the earlier versions of the show. The panel went through the various incarnations of the show beginning with the original 60s series and going over each version of the show up to Discovery. There were plenty of behind the scenes stories about cast tensions, phase two issues, and some of the nice things staff did for each other and fans. Th panel ended with a talk about the new movies and the possibility of Quientin Tarantino taking the helm on the next movie. This was the kind of panel any Trek fan would love. Not only does it go into production stories, but it also helps explain why fans disagree about different parts of the series.
1988: Geek’s Greatest Year by Jared the Greek
The annual panel returns and looks back at movies from 30 years ago, however this time around 1988 didn’t have that robust of a list of titles. While movies like Die Hard, Willow, and Beetlejuice brought up some discussion it wasn’t enough to fill the panel. Thus the panel went back to 78 for Superman and 68 for 2001: A Space Odyssey and Rosemary’s Baby. While it was nice to hear the panel talk about They Live, who Framed Roger Rabbit, and A Fish Called Wanda it was disappointing to not hear them even bring up the Cannon Films classic Bloodsport. Next year will have a very strong line up and will likely be better than this year’s panel.
Robotech: A Look to the Future by Jared the Greek
This year’s panel featured a large selection of products and a media manager that couldn’t wait to sell each and every one to you. It was the new hoodie designs that got our team excited, but after that it was a long road to the end of the panel. From board games that didn’t look fun, comics with terrible art, and action figures that look like they spent time in the microwave it wasn’t fun going through the new catalog of products. Even their attempt to make hype for the movie did not seem to impress the audience. Despite the negativity there were still hardcore fans who had to ask questions after the presentation. This panel isn’t worth attending because if you want any of their products it’s easier to just go to their booth or website.
Written by Jared the Greek
Email: jaredjgriego@gmail.com
Twitter: @JaredTheGreek
Insta: @JaredTheGreek