#gabit

[super-hero-confessions]

[captain-sassy-socks]

Masterpost - Amanda Tapping, GABIT INSP 2022

I’m at the airport, waiting for my flight back home, and realize the high from the last three days hasn’t worn off yet.

I MET AMANDA TAPPING!!!

That alone is a dream coming true.

But most importantly, I met some wonderful people, some I already knew from here and new ones from all over the world. We had a fantastic weekend with amazing conversations and a hell of a lot of fun. And definitely not enough sleep.

During the Q&A sessions I took extensive notes, took some pictures and already received pictures from others. So, I will write down my experience and preserve it for all eternity. It will probably look like this:

part I - cocktail party here

part II - Q&A sessions 1 & 2 from Saturday here and here

part III - the auction here

part IV - Q&A sessions 3 & 4 from Sunday here and here

part V - closing ceremony and personal thoughts here

But I still need more time to reflect, and, unfortunately, I am too busy on the job the next few days.

I promise to start this project during the upcoming weekend.

And I hope the smile on my face will last for a few more days.

[doctorjameswatson]

What absolutely gorgeous and lovely women!! What a fab weekend!! Just over £35,000 raised for Hearing Dogs and Nepal Orphans’ Home. It may have been the last GABIT but it won’t be the last time we all see each other, I know it.

Also loved Amanda talking about inclusion and wearing clothing from a company that specialises in genderless/queer/lgbt themed clothing!! (Bottom two photos)

[captain-sassy-socks]

Amanda giggled at the TFLN with Sam in the lower left corner while Julia pointed at the Helen one and said, “That fits.”

Mission accomplished.

[captain-sassy-socks]

GABIT INSP 2022 Part IV - Q&A session #4

The fourth session started with a bang when Amanda said, "I look fat." A murmur went through the room, and everyone wanted to immediately jump to her side and say that's not true, that she is a beautiful woman, but she stopped us. "I didn't say that so you guys could convince me otherwise. I have gained weight. It’s a fact."

Then she talked about hard it was for her to see all the pictures of herself (taken during the photo session on Saturday) at the autograph session because she looked awful. And that she felt like a liar because she could see the beauty in all of us but not in herself. She admitted to struggling with body image issues, and that she can be slated by a single picture. On top, someone had told her recently that she’s not attractive anymore. (The audience loudly expressed its solidarity with Amanda by booing at the inconsiderate someone.)

What helps is talking to her daughter, and what we can bring to the table. Each of us has a light that shines bright than any picture ever could. We have to remind us of that and be kinder to ourselves. In the end, she promised to be kinder to herself.

After that, the last remaining items were auctioned off (that’s what my notes say). I only have this blurry picture for reference.

Next, someone asked how she peps herself up when she feels low. Her daughter helps her a lot, and the impact of her words and actions. She reminds herself how fortunate she is and that she has a great family. Instead of saying “I feel low”, she says, “I feel less than” which helps to break the cycle of negative thoughts.

Someone asked about the moments that take her back. Amanda said it’s usually conventions and all the things she found when she cleared out her garage. She feels grateful, and Stargate SG-1 had changed her life. Without the character of Samantha Carter there wouldn’t have been a Helen Magnus and so on. She would have been a different person.

A question about directing was posed. Amanda went into the process and it got technical. Two quotes stuck with me. “Sometimes actors have their own ideas. Pfft.” *followed by an eye-roll* and “Everyone is always beautifully bad lit.”

If she had to describe the GABIT experience in the three words, what would they be? - support, love, friendship

Someone asked how the heroines and female actions figures today differ from the ones she grew up with. Amanda said that we have to believe more in ourselves, that we can achieve anything, and that the heroines are tougher and snarkier nowadays which she likes. Sam could be tough but always had to fall back onto softness at the end of the episode. We have definitely made progress.

We got to talking about Teryl and the series Virgin Rivers. Amanda was offered the opportunity to direct an episode twice but she was unavaible both times. Now that the series has a new showrunner, she doesn’t get any offers anymore.

The audience sang a fan version of the Stargate theme/song and Amanda was touched. (If anyone is able to explain this or the origin story to me, pls do so.)

Someone asked what she would do differently in a new Stargate series. She said whe would include more diverse characters. At the time of shooting, Vancouver didn’t have a pool of diverse actors. And she would like to be a part, even if it was just a one-time gig. She imagined Sam could be a General but Jack and Daniel at Jack’s cabin would be a deal breaker ;-) She would steal Jack from Daniel who then had enough time to write a book. And she would rope Jack into a podcast. (side note: nice throwbacks to the AI reading and the bad book/no book discussion from Q&A #3)

Something about Travellers and how she had begged Brad to kill her character. Then she lay on the floor, pretending to be dead, and suddenly opened her eyes and shouted, “Cut!” That was cool.

Someone asked if she watches herself on tv. Amanda admitted that she struggles. Only now, after 15 years, she can watch herself on Stargate SG-1 without self-critizing her appearances. She hopes that one day she can fully appreciate herself on Sanctuary.

Someone asked how she gets back to reality after an event like this. Amanda said that the feeling of being in a wonderful bubble would last for a few more days. On the plane, she’ll read our letters and cry. The flight attendant will worry and ask her if she’s okay, and Amanda will sob, “I’m fine.”

Someone pointed out to Amanda that her shoelaces were untied. She thanked them and fixed the problem. We didn’t want to have a tripping accident.

Last question was about what her legacy is and how she wants to be remembered. She said Sanctuary for Kids and that people remember her as a funny and kind person who cared.

When Amanda overran again, this message popped up.

And Amanda was like “Seriously??? You think three question marks intimidate me?”

A light-hearted ending to an intense and insightful Q&A.

[captain-sassy-socks]

GABIT INSP 2022 Part III - the auction

I will give a non-chronological overview of the items which were auctioned off for charity and maybe an anecdote or two.

a Stargate SG-1 watch (which went for £ 2000 if I remember correctly)

a few hand-made blankets

Julia and Tracy interrupted the auction and made us laugh.

a wooden box with numbered balls from Helen’s desk

a Helen Magnus tea cup with saucer (from which you can drink soup according to Amanda)

a box (lunch box?) with pictures of Amanda and Suanne on top; funnily enough Amanda bid on it and won

a Samantha Carter action figure

a set with a cap, a t-shirt, and a script bag from Sanctuary which prompted Amanda to say the wise words, “Life is just an adjustable strap.”

a signed green script (draft) from Dark Matters

a signed autograph from the original four members of SG-1; Suanne walked around with it and hypnotized us like Hathor so we would raise the bid

the signed SG-1 script “Fragile Balance” from which Amanda and Suanne read the first page (Suanne nailed the voice of young Jack O’Neill)

three different crew jackets from SG-1

a signed Stargate Atlantis chair banner (I think it was something like that)

a Stargate SG-1 compendium book

a fabulous galaxy painting

a Sanctuary crew jacket

a set with a cap, a drinking bottle, and a hand ventilator (the same as in the SG-1 bts video where Amanda hurt her finger immediately; due to Suanne’s skill no one was hurt this time) from Sanctuary

and several (four?) outfits from Sanctuary; one was advertised with “My breasts nested in this” by Amanda; another one sparked a discussion what a Canadian size 8 would be in UK size; and a third one was signed by Amanda

That’s it. I’m pretty sure I forgot something. Although I would be in good company. The next day in Q&A session #3, three forgotten items were auctioned off.

[captain-sassy-socks]

GABIT INSP 2022 Part II - Q&A session #2

The 2nd Q&A session started with Suanne and Amanda after the lunch break.

Suanne had a question about what GABIT meant, and the explanation touched her. She marveled at the love and dedication to get Amanda back together with her fans, praised the wonderful atmosphere and mentioned the fun she had being here.

At some point, Amanda mentioned that “most of her ass had moved to her face.”

They drew the winner of the “Tea with...” raffle.

After that, they said they cherished their friendship and that they (and we) have to support each other, especially older women, because they easily become invisible in show business and in life. Amanda pointed out she liked the term “elderly” more because it holds more grace than the word “old”. Old woman or old person sounds like someone has reached their expiry date.

In the same breath, Amanda talked about inclusive vs diverse. She used a swimming pool analogy.

inclusive -> a swimming pool where everyone can get in and mingle without restrictions

diverse -> a swimming pool where everyone can get it, but please stay in your corner and do not disturb the others

She encouraged us to use the term inclusive.

Next, Amanda was informed that a dedicated fanfiction writer had already turned her encounter with Naked Attraction into a fic “Jack’s Nightmare - aka Naked Attracttion”. She doubled over in laughter as did the audience.

Someone asked a question about Don S. Davis. Both noted that he was a nice and kind person with an artistic talent. And that once, he came to the makeup trailer and farted. He was subsequently banned from there.

Another question about their favorite movies was raised. Amanda said Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Jojo Rabbit, while Suanne mentioned Harry & Sally and some others.

Amanda’s new favorite catchphrase was “My hardrive is full.” She had heard it in a program of a female comedian. Especially during the Covid lockdown with its endless zoom meetings it came in handy.

Suanne did her famous “My cousin Vinnie” routine/imitation and made us laugh.

Someone asked Suanne how the idea for Hathor Hosts came about. She said most jobs were canceled during the first lockdown and she was stuck at home like everyone else. She bounced the ideas off with the people around her and decided to give it a try. She called her friends and contacts, like Amanda, and everyone was like, “Sure, let’s do it.” At the beginning, they had a lot of technical difficulties, and it was a learning curve. The best part was researching the guests, to find some interesting tidbits from their past. She’s grateful of how well it was received. “Without you, the fans, it wouldn’t have been such a success.”

Someone asked about any developments for a new Sanctuary series as there were some rumors two years ago. Amanda explained that someone had bought the IP and told us the story about a press release ending up on her desk which "cheesed her off”. (a press release which never saw the day of light) It said that a new Sanctuary series was in development with Amanda Tapping as director and a younger actress playing Helen Magnus. “How can a younger actress play Helen? She’s mine. I created her. Okay, Damien and Martin developed her but I filled her with life.” So, she called Damien and Martin to discuss the matter. And she called her agency to stop the release. In the end, a different version was published on Deadline. Amanda would never ever agree to a new Sanctuary series where she wouldn’t play Helen. She’s very protective of the character.

At long last, Amanda thanked Suanne for being here, and they hugged.

[captain-sassy-socks]

GABIT INSP 2022 Part I - the cocktail party

Full disclosure: I got the invitation signed by Amanda during the autograph session.

Anyway, let’s get the party started!

As a newbie, I was equally excited and anxious as I had no idea what to expect and worried way too much about “Dress code is formal/smart”. What did that mean? I changed my outfit a few times the week prior to the event when, in hindsight, I should have relaxed. Though they were officially not allowed, I saw some people running around in sneakers.

When I arrived at the hall, I was seated at a table with seven other lovely people. We introduced ourselves and started talking to each other. Some of them could be considered veterans, having attended many conventions, and they calmed my nerves a bit in anticipation of the hours ahead. One thing we had in common was our love and admiration for Amanda, and we were looking forward to meeting her.

Each attendee got a charm for the wine glass, fitting their name, personality or hobby. Mine was a steering wheel. XD

The table’s centerpiece was a beautiful Ferris wheel with pictures of Amanda. At the end of the evening, one of us took it home.

The food was okay, nothing special, just a buffet where everyone could choose for themselves.

While we ate and waited, the raffle of "Champagne with Amanda" took place. @ginges-stuff​ got one of the lucky numbers. It was wonderful to see the mixture of shock, awe, and joy on your face that evening.

Finally, the moment had come and Amanda entered the room. Immediately, she had attracted everyone's attention. And caused a small short circuit in my brain, because her aura was simply indescribable, so bright and kind-hearted. She looked fabulous with her wavy hair and the flower-patterned dress that flattered her figure and reminded me of a warm summer evening with friends.(Out of respect, I only took a picture from a safe distance. It turned out grainy. 😂)

Next: waiting, waiting, waiting.

After what felt like an eternity, Becka came to our table and reminded us of the does and don’ts while Amanda would be seated with us.

My heartbeat quickened.

And then the Grand Empress of Sci-Fi sat down across from me, and I didn’t forget to breathe. It was remarkable how effortlessly she put everyone at ease within a second.

She said she was glad to finally be here with us. Someone asked about "Motherland - Fort Salem," and since I can't find it anywhere in my Q&A notes, she told us that shooting season 3 was a nightmare for her as executive producer. While the filming of season 2 went smoothly (the safest set at the time), the filming of season 3 was constantly interrupted by people getting sick with Covid. In March of this year, she became ill herself and experienced fatigue. In the end, she was able to meet the looming deadline, but had to rearrange a lot of things. I can't imagine how stressful that must have been.

The rest of the small talk I can’t remember because my brain was totally drooling over Amanda.

Before she moved to the next table, John, the photographer, took a beautiful group picture.

And that's it with the retelling of the evening.

God, I love this woman.