Hey folks, Harry here... I have never spent any real time in Toronto. Kinda odd given that the town is home to so much film production, plus multiple killer film events throughout the year, every year... but with the work that Anton Sirius & Copernicus & Cartuna have done, it just hasn't been a real pressing issue. SO - a few months ago, I got word that this magnificent documentary, that I am thrilled to be a part of, could possibly be debuting at the TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - I had my fingers crossed hoping it would all come to be. Then we got word that we were in, and my next thought was... will it be ready?
I've seen a few cuts of the documentary, gave my notes, discussed my feelings about the documentary with Morgan - and the results are something I can genuinely be ecstatic to be a part of.
For me, I've always known Comic Con, attending the first year I could in 1972, not yet a year old, my father was a professional pop culture dealer, long before that was common place. Apparently Jack Kirby held me, nicknamed me "FUZZY" because he didn't feel I had yet earned my name, HARRY. I grew up with the convention, serving as a dealer, a fanboy attendee, a guest, a presenter and I've even sponsored a few treats at the convention. But when Thomas Tull called to have me be a part of the documentary, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was nervous.
I've been raised thoroughly in Convention Culture. When I attend still today, dealers constantly ask me how FatherGeek is doing, but referring to him by some strange nick of "JAY". I looked through the audition reels that folks submitted hoping to be covered, and frankly, the process reminded me exactly of BUTT-NUMB-A-THON audience selection... but far more exacting. I was adamant about capturing the spirit of the geek community, the dreams and aspirations of attendees that go with a sense of purpose... a dream, or as the title puts it, A FAN'S HOPE.
While Comic Con serves as a tourism destination for many, a party for others - there's so much going on beneath the logos... Attendees hoping to break into the industry, hoping to be noticed and much more.
Well - this Saturday, September 10th at 7:15pm - I'll get to see how an audience reacts to the film. I've seen the film with a few select friends. Folks that love Comic Con & those that have never been. Watching my Dad watch this film was incredibly fulfilling, because he's raised me to covet this culture that we're all a small part of - and like many geeks, I'm continually frustrated at how we're portrayed in little documentaries. They tend to find the most awkward, the most weird, the least social of folks, and then they take a superior tone to their subject. This KILLS me. I hate it. In this doc, for the very first time, I see the people - that make up the great portion of Comic Con and Geek culture. A dealer, aspiring artists, hopeful lovers, collectors & one helluva costumer!
Well, Morgan Spurlock's COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN'S HOPE made me overjoyed to be one of those people that go to Comic Con. But more than that - that I try to bring a bit of what I've seen at Comic Con to my own community here in Austin - and here on AICN. The stories of the folks we follow in this film have captured all that I've shown the film to. I'm genuinely curious to see how it plays at a festival. But I'm very competent in folks just loving it. Morgan decided along the way to tell the story of COMIC CON through the folks we were following, and the sorts of people that make Comic Con so amazing. Guests & Fans - you'll see them throughout the doc.
SO - this is a long way of saying - I'm coming to TORONTO very early tomorrow - and I'll be joined by fellow producers STAN LEE, Gil Champion & Jeremy Chilnick. Morgan Spurlock will be there. And then there's the real stars, Chuck Rodanzki, Holly Conrad, Anthony Calderon, James Darling and Se Young Kang. They're some of the amazing folks we follow in the film. I've known Chuck since Kirby called me "Fuzzy Knowles". Love that he'll be there.
SO - Toronto Folks - Follow me on Twitter - I'll tweet where I'll be hooking up with AICNers while I'm there. Hopefully we can have some fun times! Wish I was going to be there for all the screenings, but I was only willing to sacrifice 1 day of REHAB for this. I'm pretty damn focused on my goals.
NOW - here's the poster for our little epic of a geeky documentary - illustrated by Texan born Comic Artist: Matt Haley - who is notably "BADASS" these days!
Hopefully if you're attending the fest, I'll see you at the first screening:
Saturday, September 10th, 2011 at Scotiabank Theatre 1 at 7:15pm... I'm hearing rumors of a post-film party - so I'm hoping to chew some folks ears during that. Just look for my Little LuLu tie I got from Denis Kitchen! But even if you can't make that screening, the film plays 2 additional times:
Monday, September 12th at the AMC 6 at 5:30pm
and
Saturday, September 17th at the AMC 9 at 3:30pm
Alright Toronto - I'm on my way!
