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Top Five Surprising ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Deaths

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To prepare for Mayans MC, the new show from Kurt Sutter and Elgin James that is premiering on Sept. 4, FX has been doing a Sons of Anarchy marathon on the weekends leading up to its spin-off premiere to remind us why we loved the biker drama.

The show followed the mother charter of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original (SAMCRO) and took place in the fictional town of Charming, California. It ran for seven seasons, and it was a diverse mix of action, drama and comedic scenes.  It is also where we were first introduced to the Mayans MC, they began as a rival club that eventually became allies.

Re-watching Sons of Anarchy has me wondering if we are in for some of the same shocking character developments, and deaths, in Mayans MC. So, in no particular order, here are my top five surprising SAMCRO member character deaths.

Bobby:

Mark Boone Junior played the level-headed Robert ‘Bobby Elvis’ Munson. Bobby was the club’s Secretary, an Elvis impersonator and would often bake muffins that were adored by everyone.  Bobby gets captured and tortured by August Marks, the head drug and crime boss in Oakland, as retaliation against the club.  In season 7 episode 9, ‘What a Piece of Work is Man,’ when August and Jax meet for Bobby’s release, unexpectedly August kills Bobby in front of Jax because of a massive betrayal with a gun he had hidden. Bobby was a much needed voice of reason in the club, so I never thought they would kill him and leave the club without him.

Opie:

Ryan Hurts played Harry ‘Opie’ Winston who has been through a lot both because of and for the club. He did a five-year prison sentence because a now ex-member of the club left him when he heard the cops coming, and on top of that his wife and father were both killed by the club. Opie was best friends with Jax and had an unbreakable loyalty to the club. In season 5 episode 3, ‘Laying Pipe,’ while in prison with Jax, Chibs and Tig, one of them had to die for a deal to go through. Opie attacked the prison guard offering himself to essentially be the sacrifice.  As he was being beaten, everyone watching was hoping he would find a way out of this, but as he kneeled on the ground, on his knees bloody, beaten and looking at his brothers you hear “I got this” as Opie’s heartbreaking last words. Seeing Opie sacrifice himself, after years of heartbreak, was something no viewer, and certain I, never saw coming.

Piney:

Piermont ‘Piney’ Winston, played by actor William Lucking, was one of the founding members of the club and Opie’s father. In season 4 episode 8 ‘Family Recipe’ Clay, the club’s president who has a long history with Piney, goes to Piney’s cabin to confront him. He is concerned with the whereabouts of letters that incriminate Clay as being the one who tampered with John Tellers (JT) motorcycle resulting in his death. Piney threatens to release the letters to the other club members so that they can finally see Clay for who he is. Clay seems to leave but quickly barges back in, attacking him and ultimately shooting Piney in the chest, killing him. The way the scene was going, I honestly thought Clay was just going to threaten him and leave, so when he comes back into the cabin and killed him I was shocked.

Jury:

When we first meet Jury White, played by actor Michael Shamus Wiles, he is the President of the Devil’s Tribe MC, an ally motorcycle club, in Indian Hills, Nevada. Eventually, they are surprised with a “patch-over” making them a Sons of Anarchy charter. Jury had served in the same platoon and was good friends with Jax’s father, JT. When Jax was trying to find the person who went behind the club’s back to the Triads, an organized crime group, he assumed it was Jury because they had killed his son. In season 7 episode 8, ‘The Separation of Crows,’ while Jury is speaking to Jax about his father and what he felt he was becoming, they fight.  Jax punches him and then before he can get up shoots and kills him. He lies to the club, saying Jury confessed that he was the one that ratted them out to.  He didn’t, all Jury was trying to do was help Jax and do right by JT and he ended up getting used as a pawn.

Kozik:

Herman Kozik, played by Kenny Johnson, started out in the Tacoma, Washington charter before transferring to Charming when they needed members because a majority of the club was in jail.  He had attempted to transfer before that, but Tig, a club member, had voted no due to their rocky past and not feeling like he could trust him. Kozik’s death happens in season 4 episode 11, ‘Call of Duty,’ during a fight with the cartel.  I couldn’t believe it, they were walking across the field when Kozik stopped and heard a click: he had stepped on a landmine, right when he was patching things up with Tig, too. It came out of nowhere and was a complete shock, and a sad ending to the Kozik’s story.

What are the deaths that you are not over? Leave them below and don’t forget to tune in to Mayans MC starting Sept. 4 to see the next chapter.

Fandom Photographer Spotlight: Mirella Montone

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We’ve bringing you the second installment of our fandom photographer spotlight, this time on Mirella Montone! You may have seen some of her work, she goes by the handle @perfmishka on Twitter. Read below to see her answers on how she got started and more!

Courtesy of Mirella Montone

Nerds and Beyond: How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started? 
Mirella: I was always interested in photography, even in my early childhood when I “borrowed” Grandma’s analog camera and snapped photos of totally random things – going through those photos now I can definitely see why I thought these things looked interesting. But I wouldn’t say I always knew I wanted to be a photographer… I went for an apprenticeship as a graphic designer when I finished school and I really enjoy designing, so it wasn’t a bad decision. During my apprenticeship I had the chance to take photography courses where I learned the technical aspect of photography and it piqued my interest that much that I looked for summer jobs 2009 to save up enough money that I’d be able to buy my own DSLR. Since then I only got more passionate about photography, so it wasn’t a surprise when I decided to study photography. I recently got my Bachelor degree – with a photo series inspired by and named after Wayward Sisters, where I took portraits of young feminists in Germany.

Nerds and Beyond: What originally inspired you to start doing fandom (cons, concerts, etc.) photography?
Mirella: I’ve got a camera and was planning my first con, that’s it! Unfortunately I had to learn that even the best equipment and software can’t make up for a seat in the back, so I’m not that proud of the photos I got at my first convention in Rome 2016. That’s why I left my camera at home when I returned to the con the year after. I wouldn’t call myself a convention or concert photographer at all, I’ve never done stage photography before that one convention. I feel at home with portrait photography, I love studying and concentrating on an individual person. And I think that is exactly what you can see in my photos from last year’s Rockwood music festival in Germany, the only event beside the convention in Rome I did fandom photography.

Nerds and Beyond: What fandom(s) are you most known for photographing? 
Mirella: People in the Supernatural and [Louden] Swain fandom are showering me with love and support for my Rockwood photos and I didn’t expect that to be honest. It still feels so unreal to be tagged in the same tweet with some of the most popular fandom photographers in the Supernatural fandom when you think about the fact that I only took photos of one single event.

Courtesy of Mirella Montone

Nerds and Beyond: What equipment are you usually using? 
Mirella: I own a Nikon full frame camera and three prime lenses – 35mm, 50mm and 85mm. But for Rockwood I also borrowed a 70-200mm f2.8 from a friend.

Nerds and Beyond: Which events are typically your favorite to photograph? 
Mirella:loved photographing at Rockwood, it was one of the best experiences I had as a photographer. But beside the fandom photography I enjoy taking portraits in nature with available light the most, I mostly get booked by couples for events like weddings but I also work on own projects.

Nerds and Beyond: What would you say right now, is your favorite photo you’ve ever taken? 
Mirella: Oh that’s a difficult question! I’m never 100% satisfied with my own work and it always feels like the best ones I’m not allowed to share online, but there is one photo I took years ago that is my desktop background since and it’s a still life of a flower of all things!

Nerds and Beyond: If given the opportunity are there any celebrities that you’d like to work with? 
Mirella: Out of my Rockwood people I’d love to work with Briana Buckmaster sometime, not only because she’s incredibly beautiful and a wonderful person, but she’s also super supportive of fandom photographers and I love to capture the raw energy she radiates in my photos. I’d also like to continue with the photo series I worked on for my Bachelor thesis, for now I concentrated on young women in Germany who just started to realize they are feminists but I want to include people like equal opportunities commissioners, popular women’s rights activists or celebrities who fight for equality, too. This project has the possibility to expand to something bigger and who knows, maybe I’ll even reach the most popular advocate for women’s rights out there, the former First Lady Michelle Obama herself!

Nerds and Beyond: Are there any other photographers who personally inspire you or whose work inspires you? 
Mirella: I have to admit that even though I look up to famous artists like Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz the photographers who inspire me the most are lesser-known contemporary artists. Monia Merlo, Jordan Voth, Alessio Albi and Maarten Schröder are only some of the photographers that come to my mind who inspire me because of their distinct style in photography that I’m working on finding for myself.

Nerds and Beyond: Do you have an online store or website where we can see more of your work? 
Mirella: I mostly post my Rockwood photos on my personal Twitter (https://twitter.com/perfmishka) and started uploading some of my photos and digital art to Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/perfmishka). But you can also visit my website (https://mirellamontone.com/) and follow me on Instagram!(https://www.instagram.com/mirellamontone/)

See some of Mirella’s work below!

Courtesy of Mirella Montone
Courtesy of Mirella Montone

 

‘Supernatural’ Denver Convention Highlights: Mules, Mad Libs, and the Lemon Panel

Last weekend Creation Entertainment brought the stars of Supernatural back to Denver, Colorado much to the delight of area fans. The cast of Supernatural visited Denver once previously in the fall of 2015. Although a smaller con in terms of size, Denver fans impressed the guests with their enthusiasm, leading Jared Padalecki to comment, “I think we should come back [to Denver]!”

Courtesy of Toni Ann Licata

Fans witnessed several unique happenings at Denver Con throughout the weekend. Due to a scheduling conflict, Misha Collins attended Friday only. Collins was in high spirits, however, and challenged attendees to register to vote and get others to vote as a gift for his August 20th birthday. Collins said he felt everyone should use whatever platform they have, no matter the size, to try to do good.

Courtesy of Toni Ann Licata

One of Saturday’s highlights was a panel featuring Rachel Miner, Kim Rhodes, Brianna Buckmaster, Ruth Connell, and surprise guest Alaina Huffman. These amazing women discussed everything from how to support one another to the many uses of lemons. The Lemon Panel will certainly go down in con history as a special combo of inspiring quotes and dirty jokes. The lemon theme is a reference to a fan who was asking all the stars for a senior quote. Misha Collins reportedly told her “When life gives you lemons, make ice cream.” When the young woman asked Brianna for a quote and gave her the context, Brianna said “When life gives you lemons, throw them at [expletive] Misha Collins!”

Courtesy of Toni Ann Licata

On the inspirational side, in response to a fan’s question Kim Rhodes said “Don’t make assumptions. Listen and show up for each other. Because it makes all the difference in the world.” In a back and forth about overcoming anxiety, Rachel Miner shared one of her biggest fears. When Kim Rhodes reassured her and there was not a dry eye in the house.

Courtesy of Toni Ann Licata

At their PJ party on Thursday night, Kim Rhodes shared an update about her work with New Leash on Life. PJ party attendees helped to name a dog who was saved just in time. They chose the name “Rufus.”

For those who are unfamiliar with New Leash, they take dogs who are scheduled to be put down and rescue them. They then partner the dogs with inmates and ask the inmates to train the dogs to be service animals. The average rate of recidivism for those who’ve been incarcerated nation-wide is 75-80%. In other words, most people who have been in prison re-offend or recommit a crime within five years of release. Participants who train dogs with New Leash on Life have a 19% recidivism rate.  That’s amazing!

Sunday was J2 day. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles amused the crowd with entertaining banter that made their hour-long afternoon panel fly by. Jensen Ackles pretended to be exasperated by Jared’s endless discussion of a fun fact he’d learned about mules. Apparently, Jared recently learned that mules, the offspring of a horse and a donkey, are sterile. He spent most of the previous day reiterating this fact to Jensen. Watching Padalecki and Ackles interact on stage, it’s clear why Supernatural is currently filming a record 14th season: they really do seem like brothers.

Courtesy of Toni Ann Licata

Throughout the weekend, one fan at Denver Con used her question time to play Mad Libs with the stars. A photo of the finished product is included below. Here’s hoping Creation brings Supernatural back to Denver in the future. We’ll have our lemons ready. Thank you again to Toni Ann Licata for sharing her photos!

Image courtesy of Christa Dening

Tyler Hoechlin Returns to the Arrowverse!

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Courtesy of The CW / Supergirl

It was just announced that Tyler Hoechlin will be returning to the Arrowverse as Superman during CW’s big crossover event in December! Hoechlin made his Superman debut during the second season of Supergirl.  He only made a few more appearances within that season, so this will be his first return since the Season 2 finale “Nevertheless, She Persisted.” He will appear in all three episodes of the crossover, starting on Sunday, December 9 at 8/7c with The Flash.

Joining Superman for the first time will be Lois Lane, another first in CW’s Arrowverse. While they have had Lucy Lane (Jenna Dewan), there have only been a few mentions of her sister Lois so far. No news so far on who will be cast as The Daily Planet reporter and longtime love interest of Superman.

News of Superman’s return and Lois Lane’s debut follows CW’s announcement that Ruby Rose will be joining the three-night crossover event as Batwoman.

‘Jurassic Park’ Returns to Theaters: Fossils and T-Rexes and Raptors, Oh My!

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Presented by Fathom Events, Jurassic Park will be back for a limited run of three dates in September at select theaters.

Courtesy of Jurassic Park

In 1993, Jurassic Park rocked the film industry with groundbreaking special effects, a blockbuster opening weekend and Jeff Goldblum’s glistening chest. For those fans who were too young (or perhaps not born), we have some good news: Jurassic Park is returning to theaters! You’ll be able to see Velociraptors, a Tyrannosaurus Rex and yes, Jeff Goldblum, in this Steven Spielberg masterpiece. You’ll get a chance to see the magic of dinosaurs on the big screen, in what is one of the ultimate statements to the marriage of practical and computer generated special effects.

As a bonus for fans who see the film in theaters, there will be a special screening of a 17-minute fan-made version of Jurassic Park. Get your tickets at Fathom Events, showings are Sept 16, 18 and 19.

 

‘Supernatural’ Charlotte Convention: Watch the Panels Live on Stageit!

Courtesy of Kayla Renee Photography

The next Supernatural convention is in Charlotte, NC from Aug. 24-26, but with a special panel option for those fans that are not able to physically be there! Through Stageit, Creation Entertainment will be showing 10 select panels including the Saturday Night Special concert for around $10-15 US.

How it will work? Log on to the Stageit site either using your personal Facebook or by creating a Stageit account at no cost.  When you are logged in, on the top where it says, ‘Main Stage’ click the Supernatural Official Convention option.  This is where you can choose the panels you want to attend, click on the panel and then press buy a ticket, you can pay with either a credit card or PayPal.  You will receive your ticket via email, then all you have to do is click on the link provided before the panel starts and enjoy from the comfort of your own home.

Courtesy of Kayla Renee Photography

There are still some tickets available you can get yours on the Stageit website.

The schedule for the Stageit panels is:

Friday, Aug. 24
Rachel Miner 9:45 AM PDT (45 min)
Julian Richings 11:15 AM PDT (45 min)
Jason Manns 12:00 PM PDT (45 min)

Saturday, Aug. 25
Mark Pellegrino 8:00 AM PDT (45 min)
Richard Speight Jr., Rob Benedict and Matt Cohen 11:00 AM PDT (45 min)
Misha Collins 1:00 PM PDT (60 min)
Saturday Night Special Concert 6:30 PM PDT (120 min)

Sunday, Aug. 26
Ruth Connell 11:35 AM PDT (45 min)
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki 12:15 PM PDT (60 min)
Richard Speight Jr. and Rob Benedict 1:45 PM PDT (45 min)

Fandom Photographer Spotlight: Mandi Lea Photography

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We are launching a new series called “Fandom Photographer Spotlight” which will highlight the talented photographers in fandom. These artists take amazing, artistic photos of some of our favorites, so we thought it would be a good idea to spotlight them and all of their hard work!

Our first spotlight is Mandi Lea Photography! We asked Mandi a few questions about her photos and more, so take a look at the interview below!

Nerds and Beyond: How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started? 

Mandi: I’ve been doing photography since I was 15. I have always wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember, was an ok artist, but couldn’t get over my own criticism of my artwork, so I went from art class to photography class. Photography was the first time I felt like I enjoyed my art, I felt validated. I kept up with it after high school off and on, but have really started focusing on it the last 5 years or so at conventions or concerts/shows.

Nerds and Beyond: What originally inspired you to start doing fandom (cons, concerts, etc.) photography?

Mandi: I started taking photos just for fun and to remember cons back in 2004 at a Buffy convention. The last few years, I’ve actually started to really focus on how I take photos and went from just fun to actually trying to be a photographer.

Nerds and Beyond: What fandoms are you most known for photographing?

Mandi: Supernatural and The Walking Dead panels at NYCC.

Nerds and Beyond: What equipment are you usually using?

Mandi: I’m a huge Canon fan, so I have a Canon Rebel T5i.

Nerds and Beyond: Which events are typically your favorite to photograph?

Mandi: I’ve always loved photographing concerts/shows, so at cons, my favorite thing to photograph is the Saturday Night Special or the concerts at JIB. I also love photographing Louden Swain/Station Breaks shows.

Nerds and Beyond: What would you say right now, is your favorite photo you’ve ever taken?

Mandi: This photo of Rob [Benedict] from JIB. I love the lighting and contrast that I was able to get.

Nerds and Beyond: If given the opportunity, are there any celebrities that you’d like to work with? 

Mandi: I would kill to work with Briana Buckmaster or Gil McKinney. I think they’d be fun to photograph and I think I’d be less nervous around them over everyone else. Honestly though, I’d sell a kidney to work with any of the folks on the con circuit. I love them all.

Nerds and Beyond: Are there any other photographers who personally inspire you or whose work inspires you? 

Mandi: So many! I love Meg (Stardust and Melancholy). Her photos made me really focus on lighting and work on focusing on the composition of my photos. Also, Miriella (perfmishka) because her coloring in her photos at Rockwood made me focus more on how I color my photos. I think it’s so important to take inspiration from other photographers, not necessarily copy them, but take what you like in their photos and focus on making those qualities in your photos better.

Nerds and Beyond: Do you have any advice, tips, tricks or words of wisdom for other photographers/aspiring photographers?

Mandi: Just keep taking photos. Learn how to edit them, try new techniques, try new angles… nothing is off limits. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the photographers that inspire you and ask for tips or how they happened to get a particular shot. Also, know that most of the people out there have probably been doing this for years. I’m only just now coming into my own sense of style for my photos, and I’ve been doing it for 16 years. Give yourself a break and believe it when people compliment your work.

Nerds and Beyond: Do you have an online store or website where we can see more of your work?

I do… it’s still a work in progress. You can see it here. My Instagram is @mandi1630. I also run a Supernatural Con Photographers Facebook page that I’m pretty proud of.

Take a look at some of Mandi’s work below and stay tuned for more in our Fandom Photographer Spotlight!

EXCLUSIVE: Behind ‘Supernatural Parody 2’ with The Hillywood Show: Hilly and Hannah Hindi!

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Have you ever wondered what Sam and Dean Winchester would look like in jumpsuits and proton packs? Thanks to Youtube creators Hilly and Hannah Hindi, known as The Hillywood Show, you don’t have to wonder anymore. Their most recent creation, “Supernatural Parody 2,” brings together everything you love about the Supernatural universe with iconic scenes from the original Ghostbusters. From Misha Collins as Janine the secretary to the Ecto-1 sirens on top of the Impala, Hillywood seamlessly blends these two sci-fi icons into ten minutes of musical, magical hilarity.

But how exactly does a parody like this get made? Nerds and Beyond sat down with the creators themselves, Hilly and Hannah, to talk about the concept, the execution, and what it was like working with over 25 Supernatural actors. Make sure to watch the parody first to avoid any spoilers, and then check out the interview below:

 

Nerds and Beyond: What inspired you to make a Ghostbusters/Supernatural crossover parody?

Hilly: With regards to concept for the parody, we started talking about the concept in November, but the Supernatural/Ghostbusters idea was there before Shake it Off (The first Supernatural Parody). It was something I really wanted to do, but when I would see it in my head, and I’d envision the scenes, I knew that at the time there was no way that we could get that type of celebrity interaction. After we did the first one where we liked the concept and felt strong about it, the Ghostbusters/Supernatural idea was still floating around in my head, and I wanted to try to attempt it. So when I approached Hannah about it in November, I said, “Can we really try? Hannah, do you think we can do this?” And she said, “I don’t know…” because it seemed like a big undertaking. But we wanted to try, and I’m definitely glad we did.

Nerds and Beyond: You worked with so many Supernatural actors on this production, can you talk about how those relationships formed and how it was working with them on set?

Hilly: We’re pretty religious over here, so we don’t do anything without praying about it. We had two concepts in mind, one was Supernatural and the other I can’t mention because you never know if we may actually attempt it! But we weren’t 100% sure which one we should do, and going into a production you should never feel confused or second guess yourself. So we prayed about it, and I said, “You know what, Hannah? The first people we should ask are Jensen and Jared. Because if the boys aren’t interested, then we know for a fact G-d is shutting that door and it’s not meant to be. We contacted Clif (Kosterman) in January and we said, “Do you think they would like to be involved?” And we heard back from Clif who said Jensen texted him back and said, “Hell, yeah!” That alone for us was a sign to move forward because this was where we were meant to be. And from there it was one after another of confirmation that everyone was available the same week, everyone’s schedule was open, it was stupid-crazy and totally just meant to be. It was just one of those things that was happening and we were just in for the ride.

Nerds and Beyond: Do you have a favorite cameo in the parody?

Hannah: I like them all… Each and every person was a blessing to us. Obviously having Jared, Jensen, and Misha was unheard of and amazing. But which was the most fun… I think one of my favorites was Curtis Armstrong. He had such a little spunky attitude on set and he was so excited and he listened so well to direction. He payed us a really nice compliment, saying how organized and professional we were. As the director and the one who organizes everything, that really stood out to me.

Hilly: I don’t want to pick a favorite! (laughs) Each of them were special in their own way. Every time someone would step on set it would be like a dream come true. I think I enjoyed every single one thoroughly because of the opportunity.

Nerds and Beyond: Was there anyone who wasn’t part of the production whom you would like to work with in the future?

Hilly: There was one person we tried to contact but no one knew how to reach, who was Jeffrey Dean Morgan. There were just no connections. I know Felicia (Day) wanted to be a part of it, and she was one person we were really excited about, but unfortunately she had to pass due to scheduling.

Nerds and Beyond: One of the things that makes your parodies so incredible is the attention to detail when it comes to set designs – it looks like they are actually from the show! How do you replicate those sets to make the audience feel like they are actually watching an episode of Supernatural?

Hannah: When we start, Hilly is the one who tells me all the scenes she wants and what we are creating. For example, since it was a mash up we recreated the hallway from the Ghostbusters “Slimer” scene, and from Supernatural one set we wanted to recreate was the Men of Letters bunker. From there, with this parody specifically we had so many sets that we had four different set designers. They are all here in Vegas and pretty much all of them had worked with us in the past. With each of these set designs, we meet with the designers and explain to them what sets we need, and then we tell them how big we need it based on us measuring how wide or tall the shot is. We give them all of the dimensions, all of the details, and from there they have to send us progression photos as the weeks go by up to production. They are immensely talented. It takes them about three to four weeks to begin the process of building, and then the set designers come in and have about two days to set up, and then we set dress in one day in the studio and then tear it down in one day. So, it’s pretty intense.

Nerds and Beyond: Do you have a favorite set from this parody?

Hilly: I really liked the Changing Channels kitchen set. It was so fun and bright, and I loved how easy it was to light because this one was nice and flat like a sitcom, so we were really excited when we looked at the camera.

Hannah: I really liked the Men of Letters bunker. Sometimes when you’re behind the camera you can hide that it’s not the actual set. But with that one standing in front of it, I felt like I was actually there. All of the details were there, even down to the lamp on the table at the beginning. It was the hardest lamp to find, but it was the identical lamp from the bunker.

Nerds and Beyond: Can we expect a blooper reel at some point in the future?

Hannah: Yes, for sure, at some point Hilly will be putting together a blooper reel. I know that for a fact.

Nerds and Beyond: In the meantime, do you have any funny stories from set you can share?

Hannah: So, here’s one that was not in the Behind the Scenes. We were in Kansas and we had to draw that massive demon trap symbol on the crossroads. We were in the middle of nowhere and there’s no way to get up and look at it as a whole so it was taking forever and everyone was just on edge. It had been a long day and this was the final shot, a storm was coming in and it was super windy, and it was just frustrating. I didn’t want to make it without Hilly by my side, but she didn’t want to leave the van because she didn’t want her costume or wig to get messed up by the wind. But finally she said, “Give me the spray chalk,” and she jumped out of the van.

Now we had given Osric and Hilly these black robes to cover their costumes in case, for whatever reason, there was a fan in Kansas driving by and they could possibly see Sam and Dean in Ghostbusters suits. So here comes Hilly in a hooded black robe, with the hood up to protect the wig, and they were extremely long. She was spraying these satanic symbols on the ground, looking like a Sith Lord, Occultic Satan worshipper, and as she was doing this, a school bus drove by with a cross on top of it. We just started cracking up. And on top of that, as she’s drawing it, the clouds right above us got dark and starting spinning. And Hilly said, “Am I summoning a storm?” And the whole crew was laughing because it was literally right above us.

Hilly: When Osric and I were in Kansas, we were in the Impala and I was really cautious in making sure nothing was going to leak. I told Osric if anyone passes by we need to duck in our seats so no one saw us in costume. We did it so often that Osric got tired of it and I was the only one ducking. So at one point a car was coming and I said, “Osric, get down! Get down!” And this pickup truck pulls up and I was so worried. So I rolled down the window as I was basically laying down in the Impala and just said, “…Hi!” (laughs) It was an older couple, and they said, “Hey, are y’all storm chasers?” And we replied, “Yeah. Yeah we are.” (laughing more) And they said, “Well, you got all that fancy equipment – there’s a storm coming, you guys better be careful!” And we promised we would be and they drove away. But that was just hilarious.

Nerds and Beyond: What differences did you find between making the last “Supernatural Parody” and this one?

Hilly: The biggest difference was more days of filming. The original was 14 days and this one was 17 days. The schedule for this one was so much more detailed and crazy than the previous. Kudos to Hannah because she’s the organizer, I am very much not, and looking at the schedule gave me anxiety because it would be like, “Pick up Jim Beaver, Jim Beaver arrives and send a driver to pick up Ruth (Connell) because when Ruth gets here Jim Beaver has to go back and then Alex (Calvert) is coming in but then Richard (Speight Jr.) needs…” and I was like, “I can’t, I can’t.” And that’s why we’re a team, because Hannah can handle that stuff, and I can’t. I think that was what was different was the coordination. In the past we could bleed a little bit with our scheduling – if we’re a little bit over, that’s okay, if we’re a little bit under, we can go home early. But this one was so precise. We did not want people waiting around on set because their time was so valuable.

Hannah: Another thing that was a little bit different for this production was we brought on more crew, and that was made possible because of our awesome Patreon supporters. And that was immensely helpful. In the future, hopefully we’ll be able to have even more help because it just made things run so smoothly.

Nerds and Beyond: Speaking of the future, do you have another parody idea in mind that you have solidified?

Hilly: Hannah and I have been impregnated with “Supernatural Parody 2” for eight months and right now we just want to watch our little baby grow and go out into the world. We really want to enjoy the time and not just abandon it and go, “Okay, what’s next?” because we want to take the time to enjoy with the fans. This is why we do what we do. We love seeing people’s reactions and hearing their stories, their thoughts, sharing their joys. We’re going to do more conventions, and this is our moment to come back down to speaking with our fans and not have to say, “We can’t talk, we’re working.” This is the best part of making the production, it’s being able to talk to everyone and enjoy it. With that being said, yes we have ideas, but we’re not going to attack them right away – my brain needs a little mini vacation. (Laughs)

A huge thanks to Hannah and Hilly for sharing so many insights to “Supernatural Parody 2”! Make sure to subscribe to them on Youtube and check out their Patreon if you are interested in supporting their next production. And, if you want to know even more about The Hillywood Show, check out our previous interview with them here.

 

Gil McKinney Reaches Goal for Christmas Album Kickstarter!

Just a mere days after launching a Kickstarter for a Christmas album, Gil McKinney has reached his goal of $12,000! The campaign still has 25 days remaining, so you can still grab some great perks like a digital download of the album, a signed CD, signed Christmas card, a Christmas ornament, Skype session with Gil and more!

Jason Manns will be producing the album, which he did for Gil’s debut album last year.

According to the Kickstarter, the plan is for Gil to record in September/October and the album ready by the end of November, just in time for everyone to have it for the Holidays!

Congrats to Gil on reaching the goal!

 

Now’s The Time to Bring Jo Harvelle Back to ‘Supernatural’

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Courtesy of Warner Bros. / The CW

One thing fans of Supernatural love about the long-running show is that just because a character dies, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re gone for good. In Season 13 alone we had the return of many fan-favorite characters including Gabriel (Richard Speight, Jr.), Charlie Bradbury (Felicia Day), Kevin Tran (Oscric Chau), and even Arthur Ketch (David Haydn-Jones).

We’ve also seen plenty of fan-led campaigns to bring back some of our faves over the years. There’s constant talk online of bringing back Chuck/God (Rob Benedict) and even a hashtag for Young John Winchester/Michael (Matt Cohen) to come back (#BringBackMattCohen), and with alternate versions of characters alive and well in the Apocalypse World, it seemed like anything could happen.

So although it isn’t unheard of for actors to ‘like’ or reply to comments on social media confirming they’d like to return to Supernatural, it isn’t quite so common for the actors who play the characters to begin the conversation themselves.

Which is why Twitter was in a flurry of excitement yesterday when Alona Tal who played Jo Harvelle Tweeted this seemingly out of the blue:

The Tweet quickly picked up traction, and it’s easy to see scrolling through the replies that her return is something many fans would be on board with. Jo was one of the first strong, capable, female hunters we were introduced to in Supernatural, and it’s safe to say she left an impression. From her “I do what I want” attitude to her eventually wearing down her mom, Ellen (Samantha Ferris), to allow her to be a hunter, and her unique relationship with Sam and (especially) Dean, Jo wormed her way into our hearts. Jo ultimately ended up giving her life to save Dean from a hell hound and then used herself as bait for a bomb in order to let the Winchesters escape, so her death definitely left an impact, as well.

We know that there’s an open rift left by Kaia Nieves (Yadira Guevara-Prip) at the end of the Season 13 episode, “Wayward Sisters.” Could there be an Alternate Reality Jo out there somewhere that comes through the rift? With Sam, Castiel, Jack, Mary, and the rest of the soldiers rescued from the Apocalypse World gearing up to fight Michael in order to get Dean back, another hunter with Jo’s skills could definitely come in handy.

What do you think? Is Jo a character you’d like to see come back on Supernatural? How would you like to see her return? Sound off in the comments or social media! We’d love to hear your thoughts!