Oz Comic Con

Stage 3 is different to the other stages at Oz Comic Con:
– We mostly host panels featuring the local and international comic book artists and writers, authors, and occasionally actors and voice actors. There have been over 100 amazingly talented people I have had the honour of hosting and interviewing over the past 3 years in this space, and for the OCC media team.
– We try to create a less formal setting, more conversational, where the audience can get a little more involved. In this relaxed space, I have found that the panelists are more likely to open up and share fun stories!
– Over 20hrs of research is conducted, by myself, into the panel topics and guests, with several prompt cards created with questions, to promote the flow of interesting and purposeful conversation.

Full stage management is required in this role, so days usually start at 7am, picking up and training volunteers in mic-running and ushering roles. Before panels begin at 10am, checks are done with my av/tech team, and bringing everyone together to work out any issues ahead of time. When panels commence, it is a matter of managing attendee access, and guest liaison to ensure good timing and that they achieve any goals they have in conveying current information. There are 8 panels on each day of the convention, during which I have 10 minutes between each to reset, and have a very quick break. This schedule makes for long days, but every person on my stage has such an amazing story to tell, and it is my only hope that I can bring the best out of them for the attendees.

Stage 3 Area Manager/Panel Moderator/Volunteer Coordinator:
Brisbane 2014
Sydney 2014
Perth 2015
Adelaide 2015
Melbourne 2015
Brisbane 2015
Sydney 2015
Perth 2016
Adelaide 2016
Melbourne 2016
Brisbane 2016
Sydney 2016
Perth 2017
Adelaide 2017
Melbourne 2017
Brisbane 2017
Sydney 2017
Perth 2018
Adelaide 2018
Melbourne 2018
Brisbane 2018
Sydney 2018

Interviews:

Comic Book Creators & Authors:
Andrew Constant (Torn, Fly, Broken Line – Gestalt)
Bobby Curnow (IDW Editor)
Brad Walker (Silver Surfer, Various DC)
Brian Stelfreeze (Batman: Shadow of the Bat – DC)
Chris Sequeira (Horror Australis, Cthulhu, Sherlock Holmes: Dark Detective)
Christian Reed (Unmasked, Eldritch Kid, Lark Case Files – Gestalt)
Craig Bruyn (From Above)
Damian Audino (Stalag-X)
David Farland (Runelords book series)
Dean Rankine (Simpsons)
Doug Holgate (Maralinga, Last Kids on Earth)
Francis Manapul (Flash – DC)
Freddie E. WIlliams II (Batman/TMNT – DC, Marvel, Darkhorse)
Georges Jeanty (Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Darkhorse)
Greg Rucka (Black Magick, Lazarus – Image)
Hai Knafo  (Flinch)
Isobelle Carmody (Obernewtyn Chronicles)
James Brower (The Deep – Gestalt)
Jan Scherpenhuizen (Horror Australis)
Jason Franks (The Sixsmiths)
Jason Palmer (Firefly, Arrow, The Walking Dead)
Jon Sommariva (Go Boy 7, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – DC, IDW, Darkhorse)
Justin Randall (Changing Ways – Gestalt)
Katie Houghton-Ward (Khulan)
Kylie Chan (Dark Heavens)
Maria Lewis (Who’s Afraid, The Feed SBS)
Marianne De Pierres (Sentients of Orion, Peacemaker)
Mark Sexton (Mad Max, Dredd – 2000AD, Vertigo)
Mike McKone (Exiles)
Nicola Scott (Wonder Woman, Teen Titans, Black Magick – DC, Image)
Paul Asbtruse (My Little Pony)
Paul Mason (The Soldier Legacy)
Queenie Chan (The Dreaming)
Ryan K. Lindsay (Negative Space – Darkhorse)
Sasha Byrning (Khulan)
Scott Allie (Darkhorse Editor)
Scott Kolins (Marvel, DC, The Flash)
Steve Proposch (Horror Australis)
Stewart McKenny (DC Superfriends)
Tavisha Wolfgarth Simons (The Trinkkits)
Tom Taylor (Injustice, Earth 2, Wolverine – DC, Marvel)
Tristan Jones (Aliens: Defiance, TMNT – Darkhorse. IDW)
W. Chew Chan (Cthulhu)
Wolfgang Bylsma (Gestalt Publishing Editor)

Voice Actors/Actors:
Agam Darshi (Sanctuary)
Andrew Jack (dialect coach & Major Emett in Star Wars VII, Rogue ONe & VIII)
Booboo Stewart (Twilight, X-Men)
David Nykl (Stargate Atlantis)
Ken Kerzinger (Friday the 13th, Freddy vs. Jason))
Monica Rial (Voice Actress: Dragonball Z, Soul Eater)
Paul Eiding (Voice+actor: Perceptor in the original Transformers cartoon, Colonel Roy Campbell in the Metal Gear series, the narrator in Diablo, Judicator Aldaris in StarCraft, and Max Tennyson in Ben 10)
Rachael Miner (Supernatural)
Ray Santiago (Ash Vs Evil Dead)
Rob Maschio (Todd – Scrubs)
Sam Lloyd (Ted – Scrubs)
Sarah Hagan (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Stephen Hunter (Bombur in The Hobbit, Blue World Order)
Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar – Star Wars)

Topics:
Paranormal Passions: Supernatural Themes in Comics
Visual Terror: Making Monsters in Comics
Post-Apocalyptic Worlds in Comics
Inside the Mind of the Comic Creator
Comics to Movies to Comics
Realities of Working in Publishing (Comics & Mainstream)
International Comic Book Creators
Building Fantasy Worlds (Author Guests)
Australians in Cosplay

Cosplayers:
Abby Dark Star
Keith Zen
Yaya Han
Variable
Eve Beauregard
Stella Chuu
Jusz Cosplay

Media Interviews:
Shawn Ashmore (Animorphs, X-Men)
Terry Farrell (Becker)

Interviews for other projects:
Chandler Riggs (Carl – The Walking Dead)
Jamie Alexander (Lady Sif – Thor)