September 23/24 saw thousands of TV and film fans make their way to Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena for a weekend of pop culture magic at Film & Comic Con. From star guests to cosplay, gaming to countless stalls full to the brim with merchandise, there was certainly something for everyone at this event.
We joined in with the fun on Sunday (September 24), and were immediately impressed with the dedication of the ‘early bird’ attendees. As soon as we arrived at 9am, we were fully immersed in the convention spirit thanks to some guests in the most incredible costumes. In order to take everything in, we took a stroll around the arena floor to suss out our surroundings and soon found ourselves in the autograph area.
Sunday’s guests included stars from global hit shows such as Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, The Vampire Diaries and many more. As fans queued up for autographs, chats and selfies, it was great to see the stars interact with their loyal viewers and supporters. We were fortunate enough to speak to Game of Thrones stars Wilf Scolding and Staz Nair about the show, their other projects and much more. Both actors also expressed their excitement about being in attendance and were incredibly grateful to get to meet so many fans. Keep an eye out on CelebMix for our interviews with both actors coming soon!
Whilst fans were able to meet their favourite stars throughout the day, a number of special talks were also held where fans could ask their burning questions. We managed to catch Wai Ching Ho’s talk, and it was great to hear her speak about her role as Madame Gao in Iron Fist and The Defenders.
Just been listening to Wai Ching Ho's talk, what an amazing lady! #FCCC #filmandcomicconcardiff pic.twitter.com/Gyw8oXvAPb
— CelebMix (@CelebMix) September 24, 2017
We also caught the Game of Thrones talk, featuring Wilf Scolding (Rhaegar Targaryen), Dean S. Jagger (Smalljon Umber), and Staz Nair (Qhono). The trio thoroughly entertained the audience with stories from their time on the show, in addition to their mutual adoration for Peter Dinklage who plays Tyrion Lannister.
Amazing #GameOfThrones talk from @WilfScolding @DeanJagger and @Staz_NairTR #FCCC #filmandcomicconcardiff pic.twitter.com/DqJXuheL7U
— CelebMix (@CelebMix) September 24, 2017
Aside from the star guests, the range of stalls were also a huge draw. We spent so much time browsing (and buying) the incredible goods on offer, from TV/film memorabilia to clothing, food and drink to ornaments. There genuinely was something to catch everyone’s eye, particularly with Christmas coming up. It was hard to spot a single person who left the arena empty handed.
Whilst we loved looking round all of the stalls, a few in particular caught our eye. C.J.B Art took our breath away thanks to the incredibly lifelike celebrity portraits on sale on their stall. The artist behind the work? Chris Baker, a 22-year-old autistic self taught artist from Cardiff who draws the famous people who inspire him the most. One of his earliest inspirations was Michael Jackson, however, he now draws all kinds of celebrities and has also been able to meet and share his art with some of them. Chris’ work is regularly on sale at conventions across the country, and whilst he wasn’t present, we had the opportunity to speak with his parents who highlighted how drawing had changed Chris’ life and helped him to deal with his Asperger’s Syndrome. Chris has a beautiful talent, which you can see for yourself in the pictures below. However, our pictures really don’t do his talent justice – be sure to check out more on his Twitter and Instagram.
Some of the other stalls which stood out were Scentopia UK and Chibi Cat Comics. Bristol based Scentopia UK sold a fantastic range of beauty bathing and relaxation goods, all of which were Alice in Wonderland inspired. We treated ourselves to a Parma Violets scented candle which smelt just like the real thing! You can find them on Twitter and Facebook.
Chibi Cat Comics brought a whole lot of colour to the convention with their Kawaii produce. Whilst we could have bought half of the stall, our favourite item was definitely the Rainbow Dash rucksack! Find them on Twitter and Facebook.
Additionally, several charities including the National Deaf Children’s Society were present, taking the opportunity to raise much needed funds and awareness for worthy causes. Whilst the main aim of the event was to bring fans together to celebrate pop culture, it was also great to see people use their time at the convention to support the various charities in attendance.
The main arena floor was buzzing all day, however, the fun didn’t stop there. The first and second floor of the arena were host to numerous other activities including a gaming zone and a cosplay zone. The celebrity talks and photo shoot opportunities were also held upstairs, and attendees who just wanted a minute to relax could sit in the balcony area which overlooked the main arena floor. The upstairs areas could have been sign posted a little better, however, there were plenty of friendly staff members around to assist you.
Great atmosphere at the Motorpoint Arena! #FCCC #filmandcomicconcardiff pic.twitter.com/AisVT7Tu1s
— CelebMix (@CelebMix) September 24, 2017
One of the things which stood out the most to us was the incredible atmosphere created by the attendees. We’ve never been to Film & Comic Con Cardiff before, but we immediately felt welcome by the staff, stall holders and fellow pop culture fanatics. It was great to see all kinds of people join together for the convention, a safe haven where fans were able to be themselves and share their love for their favourite shows and films. One of our highlights from the day was the character conga which went round the arena floor. Where else would you see The Joker, Darth Vader, Deadpool, Hermione Grainger and Rainbow Dash doing the conga together?
Overall, we had a brilliant time at Film & Comic Con Cardiff. As it was our first time attending, we didn’t really know what to expect. However, aside from lack of sign posts for the upper floors, we felt the day ran smoothly. There was plenty for us to see and do, we learnt a lot from the star guests and fellow attendees, and we will definitely be keen to go again! Make sure you check out the Showmasters website for information on future conventions.
Keep your eyes peeled for our interviews with Wilf Scolding and Staz Nair too!