Thanks for posting Jet. Yeah it was a really good peice of planning with a LOT of luck/good timing thrown in. My friend Vickie had already met Matt in the elevator at the Hyatt on Friday which was cool so we got the vibe they were cool with fans.... once outside the reach of the Con security or handlers.
I'd organized (somewhat last minute) a group of all 11 Doctors in costume thinking it would be a cool photo to get with Matt and Karen if we got the chance (and hey good for BBC America too as it shows in thier tumbler post). I put the word out to anyone who met them or had access (I knew someone getting a Sunday interview for a website and another who had a few Beeb conections etc) Regardless I knew the crucial thing was just getting in front of them. Two of our group got in the signing on Sunday post the Hall H panel. They mentioned us, Matt and Karen seemed down but the BBC Am guys were insistent there was no time. Plus they didn't even allow photos in the signing room whatsoever so basically 'no exceptions'
Anyway we knew they'd wrap at 3PMish. So after taking a ton of group shot son the mezzanine stairs/sails pavilion, our group migrated over to the autograph room (28C- not in the Sails like the 2009 signing) and as we arrived we saw they'd just wrapped up and closed the doors. BUT because of this Con security were no longer by the door! Our 8th Doctor peeked in and saw that while Matt/Karen etc had vacated the room they were lingered just outside through a second door out on the connecting outdoor balcony area.
Although we'd lost our 4th Doctor in group transit temporarily, our 8th Doctor led the charge figuring this was our shot and to go for it. So we all streamed through the doors and file dout onto the balcony. my friend as Eight mentioned how we went to lengths to costume up an entire group of Doctors and if they would be cool taking a picture with us. the BBC guys for about ten seconds starte dinto the 'no way guy' sppeech. But Matt and Karen just went 'Oh wow!" Matt walked up to us looking us over. "This is amazing. very cool." Then he started pointing out a couple of us and intentionally getting us wrong like pointing to our Eight and saying "Man, Pertwee!" And we all laughed at that. I shook his hand as did a few of the rest of us. The BBC guys then relented and said 'okay but we have to make it quick' So we handed them a few cameras. We did a solo Matt Smith pose. Karen was bopping up and down and got one on her own phone!
Then Karen jumped in, and Matt looked around and said "Okay guys, we're Doctors, we need to do an action pose!" so they went into what Jet called the surfing pose and we all followed suit. After taking our pic even one of the BBC guys said, 'Hell, okay I have t take one on mine now." Which he did. So we'd won them over. Afterwards, they turned "Great effort guys, you all look incredible!" I went to shake Karen's hand and just as she turned back to return the gesture one of the BBC folks stepped between us and buzzkilled that moment. Erg. Oh well it was pretty awesome and it didn't ruin the experience. They were on their way (apparantly the BBC guys mentioned 'we have to catch an elevator' so I guess what with comic con there must have been a line for that too.
As we all streamed out back through the empty autograph room we were met by 4 yellow shirt security staff all frowning and shaking thier heads at us. "NOT COOL Guys, NOT COOL! You broke the rules....(blah blah blah)" I was bit high in the moment so it took me a good 20 seconds to realize they were displeased with us! Our Three said "but they wanted us to!" I said "Oh well, they were cool with it, and we were cool with it, no harm no foul" They replied "no harm, no foul to YOU perhaps but you don't realize the extent of you crossed the line.... NOT COOL guys!" To which our Eight said "No that WAS cool! Actually it was probably the coolest thing EVER!"
And we all walked mightily down the hall... where we met our missing 4th Doctor to tell him the tale before heading down to the floor to take some shots by the TARDIS at QMX.
Highlight of our con for sure!
Postscript to Matt Smith/Karen Gillan: I attended the Ameoba records DVD signing last night 7/26 in Hollywood. I didn't get a ticket (you had to be in line 6AM on 7/19 and prior for that), but my friend Nightsky DID get in and was kind enough to bring them a printout of our photos from our encounter and a thank you note. She also had a spare 8 X10 of the money shot which they happily signed for us. They said "Oh Those guys! They were amazing!" Matt even signed it to the Doctors!
