The summer is fast approaching and you may already be wondering how best to spend your time this year. Fear not, as there’s already a great event to pencil into your diary as the Optimus: South West Film and TV Convention will be debuting at the beginning of August. Various stars from film and television will be in attendance to meet with fans, sign autographs, and participate in photo shoots.
Optimus will be host to local actor Julian Seager, who has played roles in the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: The Dark World, World War Z, Poldark, and more. Ghostbuster fans will be happy as Ernie Hudson, the actor who played Winston Zeddemore, the man behind Staypuft, Billy Bryan, as well as two of the people who brought Slimer to life, Robin Shelby and Mark Bryan Wilson, will all be taking part in the convention. Doctor Who fans will have the opportunity to meet with the sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, as well as Simon Fisher-Becker, and Star Wars fans can look forward to seeing the best ever bounty hunter in person, as Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) will also be there. Virginia Hey, most notably known for her role as Pa’u Zotoh Zhaan in Farscape, Chris Barrie (Arnold Rimmer) and Norman Lovett (Holly) of Red Dwarf fame, as well as George Georgiou and Josef Atlin from Game of Thrones will also be at Optimus. The event website promises that more guest announcements will be made soon.
Additionally, there will be many exhibitors at Optimus, selling film memorabilia, clothing, collectibles, and more! There will also be a variety of talks, demonstrations, and workshops, offering many interesting experiences for those who attend. Furthermore, if you enjoy taking on the role of your favourite character or creature for the day, a cosplay competition with a cash prize for first place will be held on both days of Optimus. Places will be limited, so those hoping to participate will need to register in the cosplay area on the day of the event.
The event will take place between August 1st – 2nd at Torquay’s Riviera International Centre. Entry tickets are already on sale on the Optimus website, with adult tickets costing £10 per day, children between the ages of 5 and 11 are £6 each per day, and children under the age of 5 can enter for free. There is also a fee for autographs and photo shoots, you can find a detailed list on the Optimus website of what guests will be there on which days, as well as how much you will have to pay to get your choice of memento. You can currently purchase your photo shoot tickets in advance via the website.
For more information on the Optimus: South West Film and TV Convention, you can check out the event’s official website or Facebook page.
