Page 53 - Star Wars Insider #188

SURVIVING CELEBRATION
Fisher. “I’d had multiple potential
interviews with her (going back
to Celebration Anaheim) fall
through at the last moment,” recalls
Gutierrez. My boss Mickey Capoferri,
and my producers Scott Bromley
and John Harper all conspired to
get her to the stage undetected,
giving me the best surprise of my
life. Thankfully, Scott also hid a
card with questions under my table,
because I could barely put words
together, let alone organize my
thoughts into a decent interview.”
A screen hovering over the
stage enables the gathered crowds
to experience real-time panels
happening elsewhere in the
convention center. “The absolute
best was when it was revealed that
Thrawn was coming to Rebels,”
Gutierrez says. “We were streaming
the Rebels panel at our stage to a
packed house, and we knew that
the trailer at the end would reveal
him, so I positioned myself on
the side of the stage to watch with
everyone, and got my phone ready.
I started recording as the trailer
played, and captured the whole
crowd piecing together the hints;
first just watching intently, some
whispers from people here and
there, then finally all coming to the
same realization together. There
was a collective gasp, and then
just a massive explosion of joy and
cheering. It was pretty emotional,
and in my opinion, what this whole
thing is all about. Having that front-
row seat is one of the peak moments
of my Star Wars life.”
From the Behind-the-Scenes
stage, Ratcliffe spends Star Wars
Celebration introducing fans
to some of the great minds and
creative forces who bring special
effects and beloved toy lines to life,
but there’s also another aspect of
the show she loves. “I look forward
to seeing my Star Wars family, the
friends I met through Celebration or
through Twitter, and don’t get to see
much outside of the convention,”
she says. “I also cannot wait to
browse the exhibit hall and add
to my enamel pin collection.”
When Ratcliffe attended her fi rst
Celebration in 2010, she had to take
a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to
Orlando on Friday night, then spent
the weekend soaking in the fun.
“I sampled different types of panels
and spent a lot of time checking
out the exhibit hall. I didn’t know
anyone at the convention, but since
I was surrounded by something
I love with fans like me, I had a
sense of being in a comfortable,
welcoming place.”
Now she spends most of the
convention in one spot, but still
Join other
Star Wars fans in
offering a rapturous
welcome to your heroes
as they walk on
stage.
“Each Celebration is
like recharging my battery;
any frustrations or gripes
just get put aside because
you’re there with thousands
of other people with the
same purpose, and it’s
so special.”
Andi Gutierrez
revels in the experience. “When
I’m hosting a stage, I don’t get out
and about to explore as much as
I did when I was attending as a
fan—at least, not when everyone
else is around. I try to get to the
convention center early every day
and look into the exhibit hall before
panels begin on my stage. Because
I’m in one spot, it makes it easy to
say hello to friends as they know
where to find me. I get to enjoy
more panels than I did attending
as a fan, just by always being in the
room. It’s a blast.”
A Jedi must have the
deepest commitment
There’s something really special
about being surrounded by so
many fellow fans. Star Wars is about
hope and the strength of coming
together, and these powerful stories
and memorable characters are what
bring the community together each
Celebration as well.
“I personally get a lot of anxiety
in big crowds,” says Gutierrez.
“And I’ve talked to more than
a couple of fans privately who
have expressed that same anxiety
as a deterrent from attending
Celebration.” However, she’s found
that the crowds at Celebration feel
surprisingly manageable. “Maybe it’s
because everything is Star Wars,” she
adds. “It feels familiar and focused,
and the planning crew does such
a good job with the layout.” For
those feeling anxious beforehand,
Gutierrez advises scouting ahead to
get a feel for the venue and nearby
area. “Not every area of the show is
packed, so it’s absolutely possible
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