What Not to Miss at San Diego Comic Con


07/06/12 07:55am
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Cast and crew from Doctor Who, The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, Community and about five thousand other shows will be attending San Diego Comic Con next weekend (July 12-15) and we’ve pulled out a list of panels and events that might pique your interest if you’re lucky enough to be attending!

Thursday:

  • 3:00-4:00 Hungry for Dystopia— With the skyrocketing popularity of The Hunger Games, dystopian literature has been creating major waves in the media. What attracts these authors to explore the concept of a totalitarian future that possibly awaits us all? Anna North (America Pacifica) leads the discussion with panelists Neal Shusterman (Unwind trilogy), Lissa Price (Starters), Paolo Bacigalupi (The Drowned Cities), Michael Grant (BZRK), Daniel H. Wilson (Amped), Gennifer Albin (Crewel), and Marie Lu (Legend trilogy). Room 25ABC
  •  5:00-6:00 Blu-ray Producers 2012— Bill Hunt, Todd Doogan, and Dr. Adam Jahnke of The Digital Bits.com and Geek Monthly discuss the process of making great Blu-ray special editions with producers Charles de Lauzirika (Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man), Cliff Stephenson (The Hunger Games, The Expendables 2), and Robert Meyer Burnett (Star Trek: The Next Generation-Seasons One and Two), as well as Warner Home Video’s senior VP of theatrical catalog marketing George Feltenstein. Audience participation is encouraged. Room 5AB

Friday:

  • 10:00-11:00 Community: School is Back in Session— Joel McHale (The Soup), Gillian Jacobs (The Box), Danny Pudi (Chuck), Yvette Nicole Brown (Family Guy), and Alison Brie (Mad Men) from the hit Sony TV comedy have graduated to the Convention Center in advance of their fourth season. Join your favorite Greendale study group for a panel and Q&A to find out firsthand what surprises are in store for the show’s return to NBC this fall. Ballroom 20
  • 2:45-3:45 Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A Session— Based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, HBO’s Game of Thrones series concluded its 10-episode second season on June 3. Created and executive produced by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the series follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. Season 2 of the hit series told an epic story of duplicity and treachery, nobility and honor, conquest and triumph, set in an enthralling world of intrigue, seduction, and magic. Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, production of season 2 also took place in Croatia and Iceland. Some of the cast featured in the second season and appearing on this panel are (in alphabetical order) Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark, Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, and Richard Madden as Robb Stark. George R. R. Martin, who also serves as a co-executive producer and writer on the series, moderates with executive producer Carolyn Strauss. Hall H

Saturday:

  • 11:30-12:30 Save the Date: Your New Favorite Film— This may be the first comic book film that isn’t based on an actual comic book; instead, Save the Date uses the style and sensibility of indie comics by renowned graphic novelist Jeffrey Brown as a jumping off point to tell a contemporary story of the trials, pain, and happiness of modern love. Explore the challenges and advantages of working in film versus comics with cartoonist/screenplay co-writer Jeffrey Brown (Clumsy, Darth Vader and Son), director Michael Mohan (One Too Many Mornings), and producers Jordan Horowitz (The Kids Are All Right) and Michael Roiff (Waitress), and discover how the cast has been influenced and inspired by comics and geek culture, with Lizzy Caplan (Party Down), Alison Brie (Community, Mad Men), Martin Starr (Freaks & Geeks, Party Down), Geoffrey Arend (500 Days of Summer), and Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim). Join them for a lively session moderated by Noel Murray (The A.V. Club). Room 5AB
  • 1:00-2:00 TV Guide Magazine: Fan Favorites— TV Guide magazine returns with another all-star panel. Moderated by editor-in-chief Debra Birnbaum, Fan Favorites brings together stars from TV’s hottest shows for a lively discussion filled with behind-the-scenes scoop. Panelists (subject to change) include Nathan Fillion (Castle), David Giuntoli (Grimm), Joel McHale (Community), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Maggie Q (Nikita), Matt Smith (Doctor Who), and others. Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
  • 2:30-5:30 Warner Bros. Preview including The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
  • 5:00-6:00 Costume Designers and Illustrators: From Concept to Reality— Join a discussion with the creative minds that help bring your favorite sci-fi, fantasy and comic book characters to life on the big screen through the art of costume design and illustration. Learn how Costume Designers Guild members Shawna Trpcic (The Cabin In The Woods), Monique Prudhomme (Underworld Awakening), and Varya Avdyushko (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter) and costume illustrators Christian Cordella (Snow White, Hunger Games, Thor), Constantine Sekeris (Green Lantern, Thor, Star Trek), Phillip Boute Jr. (Man of Steel, Star Trek, Hansel & Gretel, Twilight), Brian Velenzuela (Star Trek, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice), and Rosi Gabl (xXx, Mission To Mars) take costumes from concept to reality. Room 24ABC
  •  6:00-7:00 Marvel Studios: Iron Man 3— Producer Kevin Feige and special guests provide an inside look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hall H
  • 7:00-8:00 Building Props for Sci-Fi in the 21st Century— Sci-fi props already have the advantage of a sharp aesthetic, but in this day and age, how do you take sci-fi prop making and the replica making that tends to follow to the next level? Andy Gore (QMx), Jack Kenney (Warehouse 13), Andy Siegel (Avatar, The Amazing Spiderman, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), John Eblan (Star Wars Episodes II and III), and Nick Robatto (Doctor Who, Torchwood) discuss how your favorite props are made, from concept to execution. The panel will discuss the impact of accelerated production schedules and technology on how TV and movie props are conceived and created. You will also learn the various types of prop making, from working props and digital modeling to 3D printers and the use of advanced materials. Room 24ABC

Sunday:

  • 12:30-1:30 BBC America’s Doctor Who— The Doctor and the Ponds land in San Diego. BBC America’s Doctor Who stars Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill join award-winning lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat (Sherlock) and award-winning executive producer Caroline Skinner (The Fades) for a Comic-Con panel and Q&A. As fans eagerly await the new season’s premiere, BBC America is making sure Steven Moffat brings new footage to reveal on the big screens in Hall H. Ahead of the new season, BBC America will premiere new Doctor Who specials-The Science of Doctor Who, The Women of Doctor Who, The Timey-Wimey Stuff of Doctor Who, and The Destinations of Doctor Who-as part of the Supernatural Saturday programming block starting Saturday, August 4 at 9pm/8c. For those new to Who, the previous two seasons from Steven Moffat are available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download. Hall H

Let us know which panels you’re most looking forward to (on this list or not) and who you hope to meet!

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  • critterfur

    Wow, this thing is getting bigger every year. It’s funny how what started as a little niche convention for actual comic book collectors has turned into nearly a necessity for any movie marketing campaign. I really wish I could attend some year, but I live halfway across the country. If I had my druthers, I would love to sit in on the Hobbit panel, the Community panel, and the Who panel; wouldn’t it be keen if Danny Pudi managed to sneak into the Doctor Who panel as Inspector Spacetime? Or Karen Gillan made a cameo at the Community one? I mean, they’re all there at relatively the same time, so why not?