Outsider at Cinema Wasteland by Keeley

Author: Keeley

Posted by: Root Rot

Outside at Cinema Wasteland: A review of the 2010 spring Cinema Wasteland convention (October 1-3 2010)

Not being a fan of horror movies, I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect as we drove toward Ohio; destination, Cinema Wasteland. I guess I imagined it would be like most other conventions, an array of items, people and promotional opportunities to be enjoyed by a community of like-minded people. So, in regards to  my expectations of the convention itself, I was spot on. As far as providing a more detailed opinion of the convention, my lack of horror enthusiasm and horror knowledge leaves me qualified only to say that it appeared to meet the criteria needed to be deemed a convention.

While I’m not qualified to speak on the quality of the convention itself, I do feel qualified to share a more detailed opinion of the people who I met at Cinema Wasteland. Simply put, THEY WERE GREAT!

Had I spent time before the convention anticipating who I may meet or how I may be treated, I probably would have worried that my non-horror fan status would mark me the outsider or leave me feeling awkward. The reality was the exact opposite; I was welcomed with open arms and felt as if I was among friends. I’m sure that tagging along with Rotten Root ( I wish I could express in text the smart ass tone that should accompany that statement ) helped smooth my transition into the unfamiliar scene, but the sincerity and kindness I found went far beyond the obligatory courtesies.

Most of the people who I met at the convention were amazing; however, I wasn’t impressed with a crowd I found  gathered outside chanting smart ass comments to the group of airline pilots and EMS. I was a bit confused by their attempt to mock conformity, considering that shortly before the convention they had collectively participated in a shopping spree at Hot Topic. That being said, the enjoyment that I got from my experience at Cinema Wasteland was a direct result of  spending time with a group of people who were genuine, kind, witty, open and welcoming. It’s rare  to find such a tight-knit community unafraid to let someone from the outside in.

It wasn’t until the ride home that Aaron aka Rotten Root aka Root Rot, told me that the tight-knit group of friends we had spent the night hanging out with, had just met for the first time in person. I’m a pro at recognizing and interpreting the subtleties exchanged during human interaction; however, without being told, I would have continued to think that these guys had been hanging out in person for years.  Most people have difficulty maintaining friendships with people who they see regularly, yet here are a group of people that in spite of having never met, have developed and maintained genuine friendships and a true appreciation for one another…….Great.

Did my experience at Cinema Wasteland influence my opinion on Horror? Absolutely not, but it did leave me open to, and even looking forward to future horror events. So a big thank you and a lot of appreciation to all that welcomed me with open arms, making my experience at Cinema Wasteland a great one…. Namely, Aaron aka Rotten Root aka Root Rot, JB aka Misfit Boy, Eric aka Big Ugly Hairy Scary, Midnight Corey aka Corey Graham, and Thera.



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