Felicia Day

Felicia Day was a pioneer in online entertainment long before companies like YouTube, Hulu and Netflix started investing heavily in original programming outside of television. But the actress has managed to keep a foot in traditional Hollywood, starring in genre hits like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Eureka.

Day’s having a very busy Comic-Con this year with a new movie, Rock Jocks, a new YouTube premium channel, Geek and Sundry, and saying goodbye to Syfy’s Eureka. She took a break from scouring the San Diego Convention Center for her favorite comics and games to talk about the evolution of online entertainment and why The Con belongs in San Diego in this exclusive interview.

How have you seen Hollywood’s relationship with Comic-Con grow over the past few years?

At this point, it’s practically required to show up at Comic-Con if you are in even a vaguely genre TV show or film. I think that’s a big shift over the last five years. It’s more of a statement if you AREN’T there than if you ARE. Comic-Con has become more of a pop cultural festival, and to not be included feels like you’re missing the biggest celebration of the year.

This year there’s no Paramount, Universal or Fox movies at the show. Do you think past Comic-Con movies that failed at the box office are impacting Hollywood?

I think it’s gotten very expensive to use Comic-Con as a marketing platform, and sometimes it’s like yelling into a room where everyone is already yelling. That said, there are TONS of movies and TV shows featured this year, so it might just be a cyclic thing that some movies are absent. I think fandom around TV and video games and other forms of entertainment have taken over blockbuster movies in a lot of ways.

This year there’s a big trend with original online content like your YouTube Channel. How do you see entertainment evolving with the advent of Smart TVs, tablets and smartphones that can play this content anywhere, any time?

Having been in web series for five years now, I do see digital platforms finally being perceived as more mainstream. We’ve reached a tipping point where people consider it natural to watch video on the go, and that’s created a whole new set of places for creative people to distribute their work. It’s a win for everyone who wants diversity in their entertainment.

What did you learn from your trendsetting early foray into online entertainment with The Guild that you’re applying to your new online ventures?

I learned that lack of budget can be overcome by fan passion if you can get your content to the people who like what you do. The Guild has filled a 3,000-seat room at Comic-Con for years, the same as big-budget TV shows. Hopefully my new YouTube channel Geek and Sundry will fill that same space this year at Comic-Con. Social media is an amazing tool, but it’s really the face to face interaction that makes a long-term impact.

What impact do you see online original content having on traditional television, especially since you work in both mediums?

I think the lines are blending to the point where we aren’t going to talking about the content as web series versus TV, but the platform it’s consumed on. If you look at early cable networks, that’s the only comparable thing I can point to as a model for Geek and Sundry. The cable box is not required to find niche content anymore.

Can you talk about your new feature film project, Rock Jocks, and why Comic-Con is the perfect venue for it?

The trailer of Rock Jocks is showing at our offsite destination for Geek and Sundry. It’s a raunchy sci-fi comedy and I met one of my G&S co-producers, Sheri Bryant, on the set last year so it’s the perfect place to debut the footage.

Can you talk about why Comic-Con is a good venue for Geek and Sundry?

Geek and Sundry has an eclectic line-up of shows all targeted around things I love: Comics, Tabletop Games, Books and more. In putting together this channel, I wanted to create a community centered around the videos we make. We’re thrilled to premiere one of our new shows, Written By a Kid, at our panel Saturday. Kids make up genre stories on the spot, and then different directors bring those stories to life each week. There’s no better launching pad than a Comic-Con panel to get excitement going, and I always look forward to surprising and thrilling our audiences each year.

What role do you see Comic-Con attendees playing in pop culture today?

I think Comic-Con attendees are tech savvy and passionate, and if something resonates with them, they champion it. You can have no better fan than one who goes to conventions.

As a gamer, what role do you see games playing at The Con these days?

Because The Con has become more of a media arts festival in a way, I see a LOT of gaming companies doing more on-site and off-site events. Aside from PAX, I think it’s the convention that has the most video games available for the general public to enjoy.

With so many projects how much time will you get to actually geek out at the convention this year?

I rarely get to see panels because I am running from event to event, but there’s always a party I sneak into and get to meet an actor or artist I squeal over. Last year it was Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and John Layman, who writes Chew, one of my favorite comics.

What are you looking forward to seeing or playing or buying?

I always buy a new set of dice at the end of the Con, and get signed books from comic artists and authors. The people I genuinely fan over tend to be people who write the books I love, rather than anyone in the film industry.

Comic-Con’s current contract is up in 2013. How vital is San Diego to Comic-Con and could you see it in another city?

I would love to see Comic-Con in a place I didn’t have to fight to the death to get a hotel room, haha. But the traditions are so ingrained that I can’t see it moving. I think it’s in San Diego to stay.