YOUR MEFCC GRAND PLAN IS RIGHT HERE!

Much like the actual event, these pages are spilling over with all the fun you can have at this year's Middle East Film and Comic Con from Thursday through to Saturday at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Whether it's meeting a celebrity, attending talks, entering the cosplay competitions, or even vying to become a movie star yourself, MEFCC has it all. We take a closer look at what's going on.
Celebrities
It's a veritable who's who of the TV and film world attending this year with shows including The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, new superhero flick Shazam! and Marvel's Doctor Strange represented.
Top of the bill is Shazam!'s Zachary Levi who is in cinemas right now! Go see his movie anywhere across the UAE. Before donning the red suit, Levi was noted for playing Chuck Bartowski in hit TV series Chuck. You can sit in on a Q&A session with the star at the convention's MEFCC Theatre.
British actor Benedict Wong, best known for his roles in Marvel's Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War and soon to be seen in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame will be making his first appearance. Make your way to the MEFCC Theatre on Friday to catch the panel session: An Alternate Reality: Wong On Wong - In conversation with Benedict Wong.
Ross Marquand from The Walking Dead, Katie Cassidy from Arrow, Tara Strong, one of the world's most prolific voice actors, Game of Thrones' Iwan Rheon, Stranger Things' Kai Greene and Mike Colter from Luke Cage will also be floating about and attending the MEFCC theatre over the three days for various engagements. Check out the schedule for all the talks on www.mefcc.com. GOT fans, look out for: If you think this is a happy ending... a Game of Thrones panel with Rheon and concept artist William Simpson!
 

Get into cosplay
The World Cosplay Summit is swooping into town. Cosplay (literally costume-play) is the art of portraying a fictional character from a film, comic book, or video game through detailed costuming and make-up. The country's cosplay community will go head-to-head at the World Cosplay Summit - UAE Preliminaries, which will be hosted at MEFCC. The winning cosplay pair will represent the UAE at the prestigious World Cosplay Summit 2019 Championship Finals in Japan. The contest will be judged by international experts, including Philippine's own mega-star, Alodia Gosiengfiao. Alodia is an International cosplayer, model, TV presenter, singer and actress and has recently been named one of the most influential women in the Philippines.
 

Become a star!
If you want to be in the movies, this is your chance! MEFCC has launched a search to find homegrown emerging talent with leading agency Miranda Davidson Studios. Taking place in the MEFCC on Friday and Saturday, rising stars across the region will have the opportunity to be on the books for the same company that helped cast major Hollywood blockbuster movies, including Fast and Furious, Star Trek and many more!
Register on the MEFCC website and start practicing your audition. The winner will also be cast in the MEFCC 2020 promotional video. Everyone is welcome to attend the casting (minimum age is six) and no prior experience is necessary! Still not sure how you'll impress on the day? "Make sure you find us at the headshot photobooth when you arrive at the Middle East Film & Comic Con. This will give you time to get your "sides" (casting material) ahead of time and also squeeze in some good practice," says Davidson.
Workshops
Fancy picking up some new skills or just listening to stories from world-renowned artists? At this year's MEFCC Workshops, you can do both. One of the featured artists is David Angelo Roman, a Rick and Morty cover artist, who will be teaching fans how to draw the weirdest characters in the universe.
Want to launch your first comic book? 'Kick-Off: A Guide to Starting Your Own Comic Book' workshop is designed to get your indie work out of your imagination and onto the page. What's more? Enter a 24-hour creative challenge to win the award for the best one-page comic voted on by industry leaders. All participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the three-day workshop.
Jordanian comic-book writer Zaid Adham and Saudi artist Yasser Alireza will take their fans on a journey with their first comic book series. Wayl - Arabic for woe - brings the dark side of Amman to life. It wouldn't be a Con without comic artists, so Manga and YouTube star Sophie Chan will present her inspirational journey. Chan self-taught and began drawing and writing stories when she was seven years old, determined to reach her goal of having her own Manga series/Anime adaption.
Competition corner
. Rove has unveiled its Superhero Room powered by Geek Nation. One lucky comic fan could win a two-night stay in the Superhero Room at Rove Downtown, along with breakfast for two, and two VIP passes to MEFCC. The winner even gets to keep an awesome item from room. To enter, visit Rove Hotels on social media and tag the friend with whom you want to share this ultimate experience.
. Montegrappa is holding a competition to discover new artistic talent with a sketch contest. Submit your original artwork - a pen or pencil sketch of a superhero or fantasy scene - at their MEFCC stand and the winning image will be turned into a writing instrument, which will be featured in Montegrappa, Dubai Mall and on their website. The winner and runners up of the competition will receive Montegrappa Batman pens too.
Collectables, gadgets and toys
If you're thinking that MEFCC only presents new trailers, crazy cosplay and wild panels, then think again. There are tonnes of cool gadgets and gizmos, toys and one-of-a-kind collectables to get your hands on. For example, get your retro gamer head on and take a serious trip down memory lane with a visit to old-school pixel paradise, Laban Up Arcades. Game on!
Event details
. When: April 11-13
. Where: Dubai World Trade Centre
. Tickets: Platinumlist.net, Virgin Tickets online and all Virgin Megastores
. Info: mefcc.com
david@khaleejtimes.com