With the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World just around the corner, it only makes sense for Paramount Pictures to dedicate a panel to the film at Comic Con International 2010. Based on the graphic novel series by Brian Lee O'Malley (which coincidentally celebrated its final volume release July 20th, only 2 days before CCI), the previews seemed to stay true to the stylistic elements of the story without talking down to its audience. As a Scott Pilgrim fan, this was the highlight of my CCI Thursday. I dragged Julia along, who was only semi-interested. When moving with the horde out of Hall H, her enthusiasm had reached levels equal to mine. Or perhaps we were just happy to be shown something aside from footage of "The Expendables".
MR. PILGRIM!!!
Given that the film was set to release in under three weeks, there was very little left to surprise Hall H with concerning the film, its story, and those who would be starring in it. Edgar Wright (director, and the same man who brought us greats such as "Hot Fuzz" and "Sean of the Dead") took the reins of the panel, clearly intending to make this panel one the fans (and the curious) wouldn't forget. It began where the whole of Scott Pilgrim began: with Brian Lee O'Malley. From there, the panel table continued to pack itself with the cast of the film: Michael Cera (the titular zero-to-less-of-a-zero "Scott Pilgrim"), Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Ramona Flowers") and Ellen Wong ("Knives Chau") were the first to arrive following footage introducing Ramona and Knives as the love interests. It is also perhaps worth mentioning that with because Chris Evans (2nd Evil Ex "Lucas Lee") was off shooting "Captain America: The First Avenger", Cera felt it necessary to fill that hole in our hearts... and attend the panel in a buffed-out Captain America costume.
The love-triangle was followed by the members of Scott's band "Sex Bob-Omb", Alison Pill ("Kim Pine") and Mark Webber ("Stephen Stills"), along with Kieran Culkin ("Wallace Wells", famed gay roommate). Johnny Simmons ("Young Neil"), Anna Kendrick ("Stacey Pilgrim") and Aubrey Plaza ("Julie Powers") also made appearances (though perhaps it's a stretch to call these characters Scott's "friends"). Of course what I eagerly awaited was the appearance of the League of Evil Exes: Satya Bhabha ("Matthew Patel"), Brandon Routh ("Todd Ingram"), Mae Whitman ("Roxy Richter") and Jason Schwartzman ("Gideon Graves"). Each new set was introduced by a short mix of clips featuring the characters, giving the audience another peek at the film itself. We were never given any full-length scenes, and only left with tantalizing tastes of key lines, battles, special effects, and Super Mario and Zelda sound effects.
Scott, If Your Life Had A Face, I Would Punch It
The Q&A left a little to be desired, as it seemed as though the same canned questions were being asked of the cast: 'What's your role in the film?', 'What was it like to work with one another?', and so on. Perhaps the only truly surprising thing was Wright admitting he had gone to fight training with the cast, and worked out with them despite the distinct lack of fight scenes the director would be in.
As the panel wrapped up, I was ready to call this one a somewhat typical panel--no fun surprises. But really, could we expect any ground-breaking, earth-shattering announcements when the film was three weeks away from being released in the US? I had come for some footage, and had more or less achieved that goal. I was confident from the handy side-by-side comparisons of film and illustration, that Wright was staying true to the spirit of the original story. Time to join the Hall H throng and go get something to eat--
And then Wright began referencing the buttons we had all received upon taking our seats before the panel. A select few people had received a '1 UP' button, meaning they were invited to a screening with the cast and crew directly after the panel. Screenings would also be held on Friday and Saturday nights, free of charge. Cursing my luck and my Matthew Patel button (and my preemptive assumption that this panel had no surprises in store!), I joined the thousands of fellow unlucky Scott Pilgrim fans, ready to hit the theaters on August 13th.
Methinks I Feel A Change In The Wind Says I
Show me someone who says Comic Con isn't a weekend crammed full of marketing, and I will show you someone who hasn't been paying attention. San Diego Comic Con, back in the day, used to revolve around, you know, comics. But as Hollywood realized this gathering of geekery was their audience, popular culture moved in to stay. Now the Marvel panel is running back-to-back with True Blood, and The Green Lantern goes head-to-head with Twilight. Not to mention hundreds of thousands of people are shuffled into the seemingly endless dealer's hall to consume as much media--not necessarily comics or graphic novels--as their wallets allow (and sometimes don't allow).
However, in light of the worst economic downturn in United States history since the Great Depression, studios and publishers were right to recognize that perhaps rabid consumption wouldn't be as ferocious in 2010. So what to do at a convention where media consumption is the highlight?
CCI 2010 marked a new and different thing: the 'experience'. Far different from waiting in a line for a bag capable of carrying two toddlers, this idea invited attendees to experience something after waiting in a line. Paramount did it best with "The Scott Pilgrim Experience": wait in a line, get a personalized screen-printed shirt, test out the game, listen to some indie bands play, see the cast, take pictures. The 'new and different' bottom line? Attendees weren't hustled out as soon as they got their shirt (not to mention the line to get in went right by the free garlic bread truck).
The other 'experience' Scarlet Rhapsody took note of was undertaken by Cartoon Network. Not only had the animation giant taken over a pizza parlor in the Gaslamp District (offering a free slice of pizza and a color-changing cup during lunch hours--though perhaps not a place to sit...), throughout the weekend a variety of pins were released on a daily basis and could be acquired by going to certain booths or panels. Not only did it give the 'free stuff hunters' a reason to visit certain booths throughout the weekend, but it encouraged conversation: "I love Ben 10! Where did you get that pin?" This is difficult to do when all the various tiny fliers handed out right and left are typically tossed in a bag, never to be seen by anyone. Cartoon Network encouraged fans to interact, and shove one another aside to get their grail pin of the day.
The gaming corner of the dealer's hall also seemed to display far more demos this year, encouraging players to get up on stage and test Just Dance 2, or stand in front of Dragon Quest VIII for half an hour. There were lines to take pictures lifting a car (promoting No Ordinary Family) and a zombie apocalypse scene--in case that sort of photo op tickled you. Pokemon card games raged on at tables and benches set aside for that specific purpose (or you could just get your picture with Pikachu and be done with it).
Of course these are all marketing ploys, meant to draw the attendee in and get them excited about the product. But between a half-sheet flier and standing in line just to lift a fake car? I'll take the fake car any day. If I'm going to be marketed to, I'd rather have an experience--something I can look back on and remember was fun. Kudous to the studios who realized that, and let's hope the rest of the professional population catches on for 2011.
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