Arrive In Style by utilizing public transportation. Unless you purchase a parking pass from ComicCon.org in the weeks to come, DO NOT try and park downtown during the weekend; it’s probably one of the single worst ways to start your day. San Diego has a spectacular trolley system – a special “Red Line” (the event line) can take you from various locations around San Diego to [literally] the Convention Center’s doorstep. Three locations on the Red Line offer massive parking space: Qualcomm Stadium, Fashion Valley Mall, and Old Town. If you do take the trolley though, plan for the time it will take. Generally though, it’s a great way to relax and chat up some other riders before the day even starts. Information about transportation can be found on the main Comic Con website. Additionally, many hotels have free shuttles to the Convention Center. You don’t have to be staying at the hotel to use the suttle. More info on shuttles, and parking permits, will be released closer to the Con date.

Plan Your Day BEFORE you get to the Convention Center. The final schedule for panels and evening events won’t be released for a few weeks, but once it is, use the cool little buttons the website has to make your schedule, then upload it on the mobile device of your choice. Know when your favorite panels starts and where it is. If you want autographs, be sure to check out the autograph area at the Center for schedules and changes; be aware, the only way to get into many of the very popular autograph sessions is by attending a lottery earlier in the day (information can be found in the Con book, which you’ll get on entry). And have a plan B, C, and D as well, because I guarantee you won’t get into everything.

Pop Your Personal Space Bubble. Comic Con is notorious for its huge crowds and long lines. You will bump into someone on the floor, sit uncomfortably close to someone in a panel, and note that not everyone is accustomed to “excuse me”. So be prepared for the massive amount of people and aliens on the floor. And while you’re in line, on the trolley, or waiting for a panel to start, strike up a conversation with the people around you! You’re all there for the same reason, so you automatically have something in common. Being social at Comic Con is an absolute blast and helps pass the time; plus, with twitter and other sites, you can stay in contact after the Con is done without having to share any personal info!

The line outside the Convention Center for Hall H.

The Early Bird Gets Into the Panel, and the rest get sunburned. Many of the most popular rooms (the largest are in Hall H, Ballroom 20, and Room 6) fill up an hour or two into the day – and never completely empty. You may be waiting in line for many hours, and if you’re waiting in line for Hall H, you’ll be experiencing Southern California weather at it’s shiniest (so pack sunscreen and WATER).  For many panels, if you want a seat, your best bet is to get there hours (or 2-3 panels) AHEAD of the one you want to attend. Not all the panels of the day pack the room, especially if they’re in the smaller rooms, but any it’s a safe bet that Hall H, Ballroom 20, and Ballroom 6 require early arrivals. And remember, don’t get discouraged if despite all your planning, you still don’t get in. A  Finally, take advantage of Twitter. Use your phone or laptop to search #SDCC and see what the buzz is; you can also search the panel you’re trying to get into. People from inside the rooms (which you can’t see) will tweet as to the space left in the room. Plus, if you tweet to them, they’re likely to respond if it’s between panels (usually about 30 minutes of sheer boredom).

The Floor Isn’t Going Anywhere, I promise you. While there are some cool events going on at certain times on the Convention Floor, those booths aren’t going anywhere. For the most part, any events (such as booth signings or appearances) taking place will be mentioned in your big Comic Con book. If you’re worried you have to see it all as soon as you walk in, don’t be. You many not think it, but you’ll have a lot of free time between panels and you WILL see it all. So don’t panic.

Shoes, Food, and H₂0 – the common necessities you don’t always thing about. First off, wear COMFORTABLE shoes. If you’re wearing a costume that necessitates heels or heavy boots, just remember you’ll be on your feet almost all day, so pack some arch-supports or a change of shoes. Also, don’t forget WATER! The water at the Center is grossly overpriced, as is the food. Snack packs of pretzels, almonds, fruit, and veggies are a good (and healthy) way to keep the edge off you hunger until dinner on the town or back home. If you do choose to eat dinner downtown, choose someplace with reservations, and book it NOW. When you’re hungry and cranky, the last thing you want is MORE lines, so bring a few munchies to keep the edge off (or if you’re like me, pack a whole picnic).

Seriously, do what the Comic Con Elite tell you.

Heed the Security Gods and Comic Con employees (the big time security is marked in red shirts…ironic). If they tell you to move, move. If they ask you to turn off your video camera, turn it off. If they tell you there is no more room, then there really isn’t. The security guards placed outside the center and each panel room are there to adhere to the Convention guidelines, and they cannot bend the rules, no matter how nicely you ask. And if you choose not to be nice to them, you’ll only make a scene and make them very, very angry. The Center does everything it can to fit as many people as possible in each panel, but even they have to bend to the will of the Fire Marshall. Additionally, Comic Con has strict guidelines against the recording of footage released during panels. They CAN kick you out of the panel no matter how long you’ve been waiting, so if you value your seat, don’t do anything to jeopardize it.

Bring Chargers for your phones and laptops. You never think of it until your Smartphone-with-the-not-so-smart-battery dies on the floor and you’ve lost your group. There are plenty of places in the Center lobby and upper floor hallways to plug in your laptop or Smartphone for a few minutes. The second floor hallways are also a good place to nap, but don’t tell security I told you that.

Don’t Forget to Sleep when you get home. A day at Comic Con is an adrenaline rush, so when you get back home, you may still be wide-awake from the days events. However, if you stay up late tweeting, blogging, uploading pics/videos, or partying till your neighbors complain, you’ll regret it the next morning. Plus, once exhaustion hits, it’ll hit you like a Callahan full-bore auto-loc gun and you’ll wish you were in bed. So take advantage of the few hours you have before the next day, and get some sleep. You won’t regret it.

Have any tips for surviving Comic Con? Post them in the comments below, and share your knowledge!

While I’m lucky to have skipped both the LA and Knockout peeks available on ABC.com and Hulu (largely due to the outcry of SPOILER! on twitter), some fans haven’t been as lucky. “I wish I hadn’t watched that sneak peek,” has been a reoccurring theme on twitter and fansites. Even series writer Terry Miller revealed, via her twitter (@terriedda), the creators have no say in the sneak peeks revealed, and that she prefers to watch television episodes without any spoilers.

I’ve never been a big fan of spoilers or sneak peeks. While, yes, they can get you excited about an episode, they can also ruin it for you. Anyone who has seen a too-inclusive trailer, a revealing clip or sneak peek, or a spoiler filled TV Guide article knows the feeling. You’ll know that “Caskett” moment is coming, and you build up the anticipation, waiting for what you know gave you a small thrill the first time you saw it. Then suddenly the scene or the moment is there – and gone. And you think “Where’s the excitement? The heart racing feeling I felt the first time I watched this? Why does it seem so…cold?”. You try to build up that feeling you had while you watched it the first time, but it’s never the same. Your moment to feel their moment is gone. Even worse, if the scene was at a crucial turning point during the episode, you spend the entire episode waiting for the moment and lose the excitement and build that the rest of the episode brings.

That’s not to say that all of ABC’s sneak peeks have been poorly chosen. The recent sneak peeks for “Pretty Dead” and “Slice of Death” were tastefully chosen; they were little “peep holes” into the episode. The 2-3 minute clips introduced the episode, enticed the audience with some classic Castle wit and humor, and took the edge off of the “I have to wait a whole week for the next episode?!” feeling. But when a peep hole expands into a hole big enough for us to squeeze our heads into, we find we can’t get our heads back out. What we’ve seen can’t be undone, no matter how hard we try.

So if you’re the kind of person who loves spoilers, or who can pull your head back through the hole, more power to you. I envy you. But if your like me, and want the whole experience the first time, I’d encourage you to stay away from ABC’s “sneak peeks”…at least for now. Hopefully ABC will wise up over summer, and have a talk with their promotions experts (who could also take a note on what they reveal in their 30 second promos and TV guide articles…but that’s a whole other argument).

**Avoid spoilers for this week’s finale in the comments.

The final book, "Inheritance", as revealed to fans in an early morning, exclusive email from Random House.

For fans around the world, this news is much anticipated. The Inheritance Cycle, which began with Eragon, followed by Eldest and Brisingr, will finally reach its conclusion – and it has that green dragon we’ve all been suspecting.

INHERITANCE will be the fourth and final installment of the cycle, and promises to be exciting and full of answers. “The burning questions asked by fans around the world will finally be answered in this last installment,” says author Christopher Paolini.
The release date is set for November 8th, 2011 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

So – what are your thoughts? Who’s the fourth dragon rider? Is it a character we’ve already met? Is Murtagh good or not? Will Arya and Eragon finally GET TOGETHER?

Paolini isn’t giving many hints, except that it’s going to be as heart pounding and heart wrenching as the rest of the series. “When I was last writing,” Paolini teases at Comic Con, 2010, “I’d killed off a main character and left Eragon manacled and bloodied to a wall”.

Brilliant.

As shared a few days ago, the New York Red Carpet event leading up to the American premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on November 15th is going to be live streamed online for all the witches/wizards (or muggles) stuck at home.

However, instead of the single stream that came from London this past Thursday, the New York event will have at least FOUR different sites streaming at the same time! AP Live, MTV, E! Online, and PopSugar TV, have revealed their plans to stream from the red carpet. Each will bring a interviews from the cast and crew as they arrive for the premier.

The event takes place Monday, November 15th starting at 3pm PST/6pm EST.
The E! Online stream can be found HERE.

The MTV live stream can be found HERE

The AP Live stream can be found HERE! You can also find it embedded at the bottom of this post! The MTV live stream can be found HERE.
E! Online (follow @redcarpet) and MTV (follow @MTV) have encouraged twitter users to tweet questions for the cast and crew. To tweet to E!, just ask them directly by tweeting @redcarpet and for MTV, use the hashtag #askPotter.

Also, during the events, follow Mugglenet.com, The Leaky Cauldron.com, SnitchSneeker.com, Feltbeats.com , and Harry Potter’s Page on twitter for regular updates from the premiere.

Of the cast, we know that at least Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fienes, and Tom Felton are slated to attend the New York premiere. Director David Yates will also be there. Other cast members are flying around the world for the various country premieres. James and Oliver Phelps are currently in Taiwan’s for the November 16th premiere, while Mark Williams, Clémence Poésy, Evanna Lynch, and Warwick Davis are all set to attend the French premiere with the twins on November 22nd. Bonnie Wright and Rupert Grint will be at the Japanese event.

Be sure to check out the sites listed previously for coverage, pictures, interviews, and other goodies from the various premieres!

Here is the AP Live LIVESTREAM. Remember, coverage for the Red Carpet will begin at 3 pm PST/6pm EST/ 11pm GST(UK). (Be sure to un-mute the player)

As the event is occurring, I will also be live tweeting pictures from the streams (thank you, Mac screengrab function) with quotes. If you’re at work, in class, or have some other unfortunate even that prevents you from watching the live streams, check them out! I’ll try to bring the best from all the streams. If you’d like to see the pics from the London live-stream, check out my twitpic page.

Recent splinching incidents (resulting in several missing toes and a misplaced ear) deterred you from Apparating anytime soon?

Neighbor’s dog run off with your muddy-boot Portkey?

Whatever your magical transportation mishap, have you found yourself unable to attend the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie premieres in London and New York (Nov 11th and 15th respectively)?

Well never fear! It seems some rather ingenious muggles have devised a way for you to visit the red carpet from the comfort of your (hopefully) dry home!

“HarryPotterLive” will be streaming the Red Carpet Event from London London’s Leicester Square tomorrow evening. The event will take place Thursday, November 11th from 9-11am Pacific Standard Time (12-2 pm EST, 5-7pm GMT [British time]). Watch the stars arrive, catch a few interviews, see the fans, and even get some behind the scenes footage!

You can find the event on livestream here or on USTREAM here.

Additionally, many of Harry Potter’s most popular fansites will be on the Red Carpet interviewing cast members as they arrive. The easiest way to stay updated with these sites is through their individual twitters. You can follow Mugglenet’s tweets here, The Leaky Cauldron’s tweets here, and Snitch Seeker’s tweets here.

The New York event (which promises to be equally rainy and wet) will also be livestreamed from E! Online. As soon as the links are available, you’ll know. At this event, be sure to also check out Feltbeats.com which will be on the Red Carpet in addition to those listed above.

Don’t miss these events, muggles! And be sure to watch Deathly Hallows when it comes out internationally on November 19th!

Also, check back here frequently over the next few days (especially next week, after the international premiere) for a collection of the some of the best interviews and reports from the Red Carpet and other press events. Many fans have held off watching any of the recently released “Behind the Scenes” sneak peeks because they continue to show more and more footage from the film. For those of use who are trying to stay (relatively) spoiler free, I’ll pull together all those clips on Friday the 17th, and after you’ve seen the film, you can spoil to your hearts content.

A good score breathes life into the film. It attaches itself to the deepest parts of our soul, our humanity. It radiates from the screen, bringing an indescribable mixture of emotion, power, and beauty. Each melody is brilliantly fashioned, each pause expertly crafted, each instrument carefully chosen. A good score will remain forever; it is timeless.

Every movie has a score, but it is a good score that makes a movie.

And a good score comes from a good composer.

The Harry Potter has had the fortune, or perhaps misfortune, of hosting four composers over seven films: John Williams (HP 1-3), perhaps the greatest film composer of all time and creator of Harry Potter‘s most famous theme “Hedwigs Theme”; Patrick Doyle (HP 4), who had the unenviable task of taking the films into a darker era but doing so successfully; Nicholas Hooper (HP 5-6), whose scores are drastically different from the others and even from themselves – although it fits, seeing that films are such; Alexandre Desplat (HP 7, Part I), whose task is perhaps the most difficult of all.

Each composer is unique, and has brought something different to the table. Now, it is Desplat’s turn.

I’m an avid soundtrack listener. I’m constantly listening to soundtracks, in my car, between classes, even right now. Soundtracks are my Beatles. And as a classical musician, I’d like to think of myself as a somewhat credible source in reviewing soundtracks.

And I have to say, I’m absolutely thrilled that Desplat is scoring Deathly Hallows, Part I.

Born of Greek and French descent, Desplat scored over 50 European films before bursting into the Hollywood scene about 7 years ago, when he scored Girl

Desplat receives his awards for "Film Composer of the Year" at the World Soundtrack Awards

With the Pearl Earring. The score earned him nominations from the Golden Globes, BAFTA and European Film Awards. Since then, Desplat seems to have found his calling. He has scored (among many others),  for The Golden Compass, Syrianna, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, New Moon, The Queen, and the Academy Award Winning The Painted Veil. His scores are versatile, unique, and superbly written.

His work has won him award after award, including ”Film Composer of the Year” and “Best Film Score” of the Year for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the 2009 World Soundtrack Awards, “Film Composer of the Year” and “Best Film Score” of the Year for Fantastic Mr. Fox, at the 2010 World Soundtrack Awards. Yes, you read that right. The two most prestigious awards, two years in a row.

His credentials are impressive, but any astute observer will not that awards are not everything. A good film score requires more than just a shelf a trophies. And the Harry Potter films, which is essentially the most influential film series of this generation, deserves the greatest score. And Desplat will deliver that perfect score.

Alexandre Desplat is one of the few composers that I consider to be truly in tune (pun fully intended) with the film he is scoring for. He understands the deep emotional complexities of the film that he is scoring for. The joy, the despair, the thrill, the hope. Deathly Hallows must incorporate each of those emotions, and many many more, into its film. Desplat is the perfect man to do it. I fully expect to go into the theatre and be swifted away into the Wizarding World from the first note and perhaps never leave. Music penetrates the soul, and if the score does its job correctly, the music will leave a lasting effect on the audience.

But don’t take my word for it! Check out Desplat for yourself, at his website. Be sure to look into his discography, and listen to some of samples available.
The film score for Deathly Hallows, already available for pre-order, is to be released November 16th, the week of the international release of the film.
Additionally, you can purchase a huge Limited Edition Collectors Soundtrack which includes a Vinly Record of the soundtrack, a DVD of the score, interviews with the producers and Despat, a signed selection of Sheet Music from the original recording, a poster of the film, and more.
Released earlier today was also this interview with Desplat. It is always a treat to see a glimpse into the world of scoring.

Deathly Hallows is to be one of the most remarkable movies ever made. It will be timeless, remembered forever by fans.

Desplat’s score will be just the same, I am sure.

Today, BBC announced that MERLIN, staring Bradley James and Colin Morgan, has been confirmed for a 4th series!

[We are] pleased to confirm that the magical world of Camelot will be returning next year for a fourth series of this fresh and modern retelling of a classic British legend.

The hit television show captivated over 6 million fans this past Saturday night and continues to do well in the ratings, despite being up against the X-Factor. “Merlin offers audiences an alternative treat on Saturday night,” says BBC controller of Drama Commissioning Ben Stephenson. Its also doing particurally well internationally, selling to 180 countries.

The drama enchants audiences of all ages with a clever adaptation of the Arthurian legend, depicting Arthur as Prince before his time as ruler of Camelot, and Merlin as his loyal servant – and secret sorcerer. At times outrageously funny (if somewhat cheesy), MERLIN hits everything right on the mark with its likable characters, breathtaking scenery, and engaging story lines. The show also boasts a large collection of well known guest stars including: Warwick Davis (Harry Potter), Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Carribean), Sarah Parish (The Holiday, Pillars of the Earth), Mariam Margolyes (Harry Potter), Charles heartbreakingly Dance (Alien 3), and Emilie Fox (Silent Witness).

MERLIN is currently midway into it’s 3rd season on BBC and will conclude on December 4th with the “nail biting” finale. While series 3 has yet to be released in America, BBC did confirm that SyFy has bought the show and will begin airing it shortly.

Filming for season 4 is set to begin in March 2011.

Need a MERLIN fix while you wait for next week’s episode (with guest star Warwick Davis)? Check out this interview from the set, shown at Comic Con 2010:

It’s like magic – the spell Harry Potter places on children. During the end of the 20th century, there was a severe lack of children who were “reading for fun”, or reading in general, for that matter. The blame cannot rightly be put on the increase in technology gaming, but more-so on the lack of a good children’s book. At the time, children “still tended to be regarded as mere adults in the making” (Duriez) and therefore did not need their own category of novel.
Then, in 1997, JK Rowling introduced a book that captured a child audience more successfully than any book since The Chronicles of Narnia, and “taught a generation of children about the power of fiction”, says reporter Sharon Sandrom. Justin Chandra, associate editor of Simon & Schuster’s Books for Young Read, explained the phenomenon. “Kids, including those who didn’t think of themselves as readers, were encouraged to read by all the excitement and attention that Potter created”. The result was astronomical. In a survey of 500 students, ages 5-17, and parents nationwide, more than half the kids said they did not read books for fun before the Harry Potter series. Aside from just getting children reading again, though, the novels did wonders for literacy; in the same survey, 76% of parents say their children performed better in school – and 65% of children agree. But it isn’t just the hype and publicity that makes the Potter novels so appealing to children.

The story of Harry Potter offers something that few other children’s novels have: characters and circumstances that are easily identifiable. The characters go through average schooldays, have average problems, and deal with average parents. “From the point of view of an imaginative child, the world is full [of] people who don’t understand you, make stupid rules, and want nothing to do with the unexpected or unseen,” writes Alsion Lurie, author of Boys and Girls Forever. “Harry’s story embodies the common childhood fantasy that the dreary adults and siblings you live with are not your real family; that you have more exciting parents and are somehow special and gifted.” The fantasy turns even more spectacular when children realize that magical world that Rowling created exists in the midst of our real world. “JK Rowling’s invented world of wizardry constantly interconnects with and interpenetrates the world we know. In fact, it is the same world but it is hidden from us” (Duriez).  It is this imaginative reality that keeps children coming back for more – and more.

 

 

Look out for the rest of my essay on Friday! (or sooner!)

References:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07196/801868-44.stm

http://blog.cleveland.com/top_entertainment/2007/07/how_the_harry_potter_phenomeno.html

Field Guide to Harry Potter, Colin Duriez

Boys and Girls Forever, Alison Lurie

For the first time in the trailers, we can experience some of Rowling’s classic humor. Unforgettable lines such as Fleur’s, “Don’t look at me! I’m hideous” and the twin’s “Look! We’re identical!” weren’t thrown out by screenwriters. In fact, these new trailers bring to light the writers and producer’s commitment to maintaining accuracy with the book; most of the dialogue present in trailers is identical to that of the book.

Quite conversely, however, a few of these focus on the darkness, terror, and despair in these books. We see clearly for the first time the whip Bellatrix uses on Hermione; we hear for the first time the infamous “Nagini – dinner” line; we feel the absolute desperation of Xenophilius and the choice he makes; we find ourselves chilled to the bone at the sight of dementors swarming through the Ministry.

Don’t have time to watch all nine? Here are the three you have to watch. (And tell me, then, that you resisted going and watching the rest).

TV Spot #7:

Can you spot: Harry running on a trolly? Hagrid and his turbo button? Dobby with Olivander and Luna at Malfoy Mannor?

TV Spot #9:

TV Spot #8:

Thanks to Mugglnet.com for the tip! You can see all the TV spots on Warner Brother’s YouTube channel.

My site here has changed a little. New colors, new theme, but still the same Harry Potter-loving, soundtrack-listening,  all-around geek me. I’ve discovered a few new things since August, including a frightening but absolutely thrilling addiction to Fox TV’s Fringe (I watched most of season 1, all of season 2, and what’s up of season 3 in the past two weeks).

These past few months flew by with spectacular Harry Potter news, brand new trailers, the 3rd season of BBC’s Merlin, album releases from Tom Felton, a new season of The Big Theory, and the airing of one of the most beautiful songs ever produced by GLEE.

Perhaps the most interesting, and unexpected, bit of news however was Warner Brother’s announcement a week ago that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I would not be released in 3-D due to time constraints (the movie would not have been completed in the highest quality before the November release date). The announcement received mixed reactions – some from avid 3-D fans who feel a bit cheated, and then other less annoyed ones from those who prefer 2-D anyway.

Even though I was planning on viewing Deathly Hallows in 3-D, I am thoroughly convinced that Warner Brothers has made the correct decision. The team has made huge strides to make Deathly Hallows the best movie of the bunch, and having an incomplete or low quality 3-D production would have been a huge deterrent to fans. Despite the massive revenue drops WB is taking because of this, they certainly have the support of the fans who are going to value their decision to give us the highest quality 2-D rather than shotty 3-D.

Don’t worry though, 3-D fans! Part II will be ready by for 3-D release in July of next year. Perhaps, if they feel up to it, WB will re-release Part I a month or so before Part II in 3-D.

Now wouldn’t that be a marketing decision!