Hey guys, I'm back from Fan Expo! For those who don't know, last Sunday I went up to Toronto to see one of the largest conventions in North America. I had an amazing time walking around and seeing all the people in their costumes and all of the merchandise for sale. I decided to bring my video camera and got a bunch of great footage, thanks to the nice folks who participated. I edited together a compilation for your viewing pleasure, which you can watch from the link below! :D
NailBail's trip to Fan Expo 2009
I'll give my summary in retrospect to the video. Being the gamer I am, I immediately started towards the gaming centre, where plenty of demos were on display for anyone to try. Sony seemed to have been the big contender, with playable demos for games like Uncharted 2, God of War 3 and Ratchet and Clank Crack in Time. Lines to play these games were fairly long, and I didn't feel like waiting an hour just to play a few minutes of a video game. However, I did manage to get a quick play of Bayonetta, just to say I played it before all of you :P. Other games being displayed include Madden 10, Wii Sports Resort and Smash Bros. Brawl.
At around 12 PM, Steve Downes began to sign autographs for all the eager Halo fans. After waiting patiently, I finally got a chance to meet him for a brief moment. He was really cool and kind enough to sign my copy of Halo 2, as well as say a quick line on camera for me. Unfortunately you can't hear him very well, what with the amount of noise in the hall, but just the fact that he did it made my day right there.
Shelves upon shelves of action figures, comics, masks, DVD's, plushies and just about anything was on display for purchase. It would have been easy to spend a whole grand that day, but somehow I managed to keep my budget at just over $100. I bought an awesome vinyl poster of Link from Twilight Princess, a stand up cut out of Phoenix Wright (you can see it in the video, on the table at 3:55), the complete volume of Gungrave on DVD, a bunch of buttons, and a Light Yagami plushie.
Being in close proximity to celebrities was cool, though I didn't actually get a chance to meet Leonard Nimoy or Lou Ferrigno. Just meeting the spock himself cost $60! :shock:. That's insane! I got a shot of Aaron Dismuke (from Full Metal Alchemist) signing autographs, and I believe Brad Swaile's signing was free, but by then it was 5 PM and my family was ready to hit the road, leaving me just enough time to film him real quick.
The art on display was phenominal. So many artist were there to show off their work to the public, and lots of talent was clearly present at the convention. Great work on the art guys, I wish I had enough time to see it all!
Lastly, the cosplayers made the Expo a sight to behold. People dressing up in their favourite character's costumes made it feel like a true convention. I tried to get as many shots as I could, but even with my camera put away I saw costumes that showed dedication and hardwork in their apparel.
By the end of the day, I was tired out. Endless walking, filming and buying made it an exciting but exhaustful day. I've learned a lot from filming at this Expo, and I hope to see others in the following years. Thank you to the people who organized the convention and all the fans who attended. Enjoy the footage, and I'll catch you next time.