Indy Pop Con 2016

A few weekends ago was the third year of Indy PopCon in downtown Indianapolis. This was my second year attending, and I have to say that it is one of the most fun conventions out there. I love the sense of community at this convention, and I feel so lucky that something so incredible started in my city.

This would have worked better as a series of posts; however, since I didn't have a blog then and it's been almost a month since the show, I'll just cover the highlights. For me, that was the experience of having a VIP pass (thanks, Shawn!), as I had never had one at a convention before. And while VIP has a lot of perks, there were three in particular that made it completely worth it to me.

1. Early Access to the Show Floor 

A lot of conventions offer this perk as part of their VIP packages, but it's never really been of interest to me. After being able to experience the floor with barely any crowds, I can say that it is a fantastic perk. Conventions get busy and the rooms get full and it gets hot in there. It's not always the most pleasant thing. This gave us an opportunity to check everything out and spend some extra time at booths that are typically more crowded. We actually made a lot of our purchases during this 30-minute time frame, and it left us with time to see other things.

2. VIP Lounge

Again, this is a fairly common VIP perk for conventions, but I was absolutely thrilled to have access to this room. It was just a room set up with tables and chairs. There were also a couple of couches and a TV and a gaming system. It was a neat little set up. And on every table was a bottle of hand sanitizer and at every seat was a bottle of water. Its as so nice to get out of the crowds and go sit in a cool room and drink some water.

3. Free Stage Autograph Pass

This was something that was new to me and that seemed to work really well. PopCon is a very inclusive convention, and they invite creators of all kinds - including YouTubers and Twitch streamers. Because there is such high demand for these guests, the convention set up free stage autographs. This stage was set up all weekend with signings going on every day and up to three groups of people signing at a time. The way it worked was you would wait in line in the morning and so many wristbands would be given out at the beginning of the day. If they ran out (which I'm honestly not sure if they ever did or not), at least you weren't waiting all day in line. And the reason for the stage was so that those people who weren't able to get wristbands still got to see the guests up close. If you were VIP, you could reserve one wristband for one signing ahead of time. I know you can't please everyone, but dammit PopCon really tries.

Whitney Avalon and Steve Gossett of Princess Rap Battle

PopCon really has something for everyone, and the amount of guests there were insane - in a good way. There were a handful of people that I really wanted to meet, and I was able to meet every single one. Not only that, but I was able to have an actual conversation with everyone, as well. That's not something that happens all that frequently at conventions.

There were two guests in particular that I have been wanting to meet for quite awhile, Nolan North  (Nathan Drake, Uncharted; Peter Hastings, Pretty Little Liars) and Charles Martinet (Paarthurnax, Skyrim; Mario Brothers, Every Other Nintendo Game Ever). The thing I loved so much about both of these guys is that they love their characters just as much as the fans do. I've met people before who just see it as a job, and that's fine. But as a fan, when I'm talking to someone who is truly passionate about a project that I really enjoy, it's incredibly memorable for me.

I was also super excited to meet Whitney Avalon and Steve Gossett of Princess Rap Battle (pictured above). They were my free stage autograph of choice. I've been a fan of Princess Rap Battle since the Cinderella vs. Belle video featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar that came out last year. Their videos are so ridiculous and so clever. My only complaint is that I wish there were more. I absolutely adore them.

There were so many panels and workshops and movie screenings and board games and even an entire video gaming arena. I'm seriously considering getting a hotel room next year so I can be in the middle of everything all weekend.

I've been to my fair share of conventions the past few years, and I've had so much fun. There's just something different about Indy PopCon that makes it such a unique experience. You leave feeling really inspired. Hell, that's what finally motivated me to make this blog.

Can't wait until next year.
xx

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Summer TV 2016

I'm still recovering from Game of Thrones and Orange is the New Black. Those were both really intense seasons and finales. And now we have to wait almost a year to have them back with new episodes. That being said, there's actually a lot of shows this summer that I'm really excited about.

Image via MTV

Scream (Season 2) - Premiered on May 31

New Episodes: Tuesday Nights at 10/9c on MTV

I prefer TV shows to movies because they can handle so many more twists and turns. Scream is such a great example of this. The Scream movies were absolutely perfect, and they are still some of my favorite movies today. I was a bit skeptical that they were going to try to make it into a TV show, but it's actually a great homage to the work that Wes Craven put into the movies. It's still witty, bloody, and self-aware. Plus, it could introduce a younger audience to the movies who haven't seen them yet.

Image via Freeform

Guilt (Season 1) - Premiered on June 13

New Episodes: Monday Nights at 9/8c on Freeform

This is the first season of Guilt, and as a major Buffy fan, I was immediately interested when I heard that Whedon alum Tony Head would be appearing in this series alongside his daughter, Daisy Head. The premise of Guilt is fictional, but it is loosely based on the Amanda Knox trial.  An American girl (played by Daisy Head) is studying abroad when one of her roommates is murdered.  She's one of the suspects; however, at this point, almost everyone looks like a suspect. I know shows can sometimes drag on with the mystery, but Guilt has promised to reveal the killer by the end of the season.

Image via Freeform

Pretty Little Liars (Season 7) - Premiered on June 21

New Episodes: Tuesday Nights at 8/7c on Freeform

I don't know what to say about Pretty Little Liars that hasn't already been said. It's about attractive, petite, dishonest women. And men. It's all in the title. There's speculation that this is the final season for the show, and I can only hope it's wrapped up into a neat little bow at the end. Regardless, it's been a really fun ride, and I'm excited to see how it all plays out.

Image via Freeform

Dead of Summer (Season 1) - Premiered on June 28

New Episodes: Tuesday Nights at 9/8 c on Freeform

Dead of Summer is the newest show by Once Upon a Time (OUAT) creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. OUAT is one of my favorite shows on television right now, so I couldn't wait to check this one out. The show, described as a horror/mystery story, takes place at a summer camp in the 80s.  I wasn't sure how much "horror" one could fit into a show on Freeform, but when the first face I saw was Tony Todd's (Candyman), I knew I was in for something good. Only one episode has premiered so far, but the show has great potential.

I realize that most of these shows are on Tuesday nights and most of them are on Freeform. My DVR is going to be busy this summer.

Happy watching! xx