The media were ready, partly because Episode VII Director JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy would be present this day.
Downstairs by the Sandcrawler set, I got to meet up with Episode VII R2 Builder (and fellow club member) Oliver Steeples, wearing his crew shirt.
Michael McMaster has his camera ready. We're all waiting for something. Some sort of entourage...
Yea! JJ Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy, along with Disney CEO Bob Iger and others made it to the Sandcrawler for a visit before the show opened.
Kathleen said, "I should get a picture of all of you!" So one of us ran over to give her a phone, and she took one! Photo courtesy of Kathleen Kennedy. :)
With a lot of help from his friends, Mike Senna also got JJ Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Bob Iger to autograph the Businessweek that featured Mike's R2 on the cover. (Mickey had already signed it.)
Countdown to showtime! The doors open at 11:00am, and people are lining up down there!
The show opened and the crowd poured in. I don't have pictures from those moments, because I was preparing for an official Disney/Lucasfilm appearance with R2 at the All Nippon Airways booth. All Nippon had a surprise unveiling in store, and wanted R2 and C-3PO (Gordon Tarpley) to help with the presentation. The crowd and media gathered for the big unveiling.
And it was the announcement that ANA will fly two planes painted as R2-D2! (One of the people that works at the company that made the model said it took 3 weeks just to paint.)
Afterward, I went back up to the R2 Builders room for a while, and gave an interview to CCTV America. I was told this network is huge in China.
Later, I attended the History of R2 panel given by our club members. It was very interesting and entertaining.
At 5:00pm we shut the doors to the public and cleaned up, in preparation for another busy day tomorrow.
Nothing like hanging out with good friends Michael McMaster, Rick Thames, Mike Senna and Chopper.
Day 1 is in the books! Can't wait for tomorrow.
The full photoset is here.
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