I have had a few requests to report on our experience of the Sydney Fan Event Red Carpet. Well what can I say. In typical Aussie fashion we had the “fan event you are having when you are not having a fan event”. I was initially told 40-50 lucky “fans” would get the opportunity to attend an exclusive Q&A Fan Event with Rob. I understand from articles ie. Angela Bishop, that somehow that expanded to 120. So we decided that we would try our luck at the red carpet of which little information was provided. I was told not to head down until 4.00 pm on the day because there was no way people would be allowed to line up as the “infrastructure” would not be in place. But when have I ever listened to anyone.
So on Monday I ventured down to Fox Studios in the rain to meet up with Michelle, Vertigo and Vicky. I wish I could say I was surprised to see people already there, a few girls I understand from AussieTwilighters (please correct me if I’m wrong) had camped out since 7.30 am on Sunday. When we arrived at 11.30 am there were probably 49 people lined up.  That’s a pretty specific number I hear you saying – well security was handing out numbered tickets, in case we were asked to move, and I was handed E50.  Needless to say, nothing eventuated from those tickets. Anyway people started to meander down over the next few hours.  Carmel & Tess joined us. A few hours later Sue & Kelly also met us in the line. I also met some lovely people (yes Mrs Moxham am talking about you & your lovely friend whose name escapes me). There was no rush of people. We had a really good spot front row on the barriers, where according to one of the security – he told us to sit tight that we were in a good spot. I may or may not have said to him “you better not be lying or I will hunt you down”. I’ve seen a few comments that my estimation is wrong. I wish I could say it was but I’m pretty sure if I’m out it’s only by about 50. So let’s just say somewhere between 200-300 people were lined up for argument’s sake. It was pretty much only 1 person deep. This is no slight on Rob as some are suggesting. There was no information forthcoming for this event, no advertising and bad weather. Flights in Australia are not cheap. The cheapest flight Lise-Lou could find from Perth to Sydney was $900. If people had known what was going down and that Rob really was going to come out and just about stop and take pics and sign for almost everyone, then I’m pretty sure more people would have been there. As the sun peeked through I think at around 1.00 pm Ben Hazlewood came out for a sound check, sang 2 songs – one of which was his new release & told us we were the first to hear it and he would be back. As he walked by us Vertigo yelled “you’re the boss” to which he stopped, pointed to her and said “I’m coming back for YOU”.  Thanks to the weather Gods that didn’t happen, but that interaction was GOLD. Anyway – long story short, we endured every season in the hours whilst we waited – sun, cyclonic winds, rain, sun. There was no “fun things” to keep us entertained. Alright I lie – maybe I kept them entertained with my running commentary on all things WRONG with this event. Vertigo only had to rein me in once. Nova what happened to the ponchos you claimed you were coming back to give us? Oh yeah that’s right you gave them to your own employees. Also, so people know, the media that was on the red carpet prior to Rob’s arrival pretty much only spoke to fans under the age of 25. Surprised? Nova didn’t even venture near us. The only person who asked us if we wanted to say anything was Rochelle Fox from The Dirt (I’ll ignore the fact she called him Robert Patterson). We declined – I mean I really didn’t want to scream out “We Love You Rob”. Tre embarrassing.
So for the next few hours we entertained ourselves by chatting with the people still setting up the red carpet. In fact, it was 4.45 pm and they were still tying up lose ends, picking up all the leaves which were blowing in all the time – I told them – just leave them and pretend it’s the Forks forest. Not sure if they appreciated my sarcasm. Oh and I might have asked one of the girls attaching the cloth to the barricades if I could use her pigstabber type tool in case I had some over zealous fan behind me. Rob was supposed to turn up at 5.00pm, but when has Rob ever been on time. Of course had he been the sun was shining. Security told us he had arrived, actually security told us that a lot over the next 40 or so minutes. At 5.30 pm the clouds moved in. At 5.40 pm the heavens opened – cyclonic winds, windchill factor minus zero (ok that might be a slight exaggeration, but it was freakin cold), absolutely torrential rain and you guessed it “hail”.  I’m not exaggerating about the weather – it was horrendous. The organisers were nowhere to be seen. We feared that perhaps we wouldn’t get Rob on the carpet at all. I remember saying to the girls – oh yeah you wait we are sooooo meeting Rob with the way we look – Murphy’s Law you can bet on it.  Anyway with quite a few false alarms with people being asked to scream “Rob” all the time, we kind of didn’t believe that Rob had already ventured onto the carpet in the rain when we heard more screams, but he had! The man is a trooper. I don’t care what anyone says – I saw it with my own eyes. The weather was shocking and he was out there signing and taking pics with fans.
Thankfully by the time Rob was meandering his way to us the sun was out again. Or at least the rain had stopped. Here he is just a little further away from us. And I’m loving the security guy behind him – Dean was to Rob’s right (or left of my pic) and is just out of shot.
 
I forgot to mention, they were handing out massive BD Pt 2 Purple Edward posterboards – I swear it was like a mini billboard (it’s about 900 x 600 and has a rubberish backing)Â and don’t ask me why but I put my hand up to get one and get one I did.
 
I placed it in front of the barricade. Nothing like product placement LOL) before the rain & wind hit – I moved it to my side of the hoarding when that happened. So when Rob was talking to the person next to me I realised I hadn’t put it in front for him to sign. In typical me fashion I kind of tried to do it whilst Rob was there – I think I almost took him out. I couldn’t believe as I moved it down there he was right in front of me. I’m pretty sure I said “Oh shit I almost took you out Jesus nobody would be happy about that” – which is why I think I got this look:
 
Here’s the section of poster Rob signed for me
Okay I can’t really remember if that’s why Rob gave me that look. But I AM on the receiving end of that look – it’s when we were chatting. I’ve just cropped myself out of the pic so you can’t see the smile I have on my face – it’s my favourite pic of Rob and me and I have Carmel to thank for that. Thank you Carmel for capturing this moment I will be forever grateful (I also love the pic Vertigo took of me and Rob where she unknowingly captured “tongue” – Rob’s not mine – that will be a LNP because it’s kind of fitting isn’t it that Rob and I are in a picture together with that.)
Anyway Rob and I had a quick chat. I told him we were his Aussie fansite and he said and I quote in his softly spoken voice “Oh yeah, they’re great”. Bwahaha I’m sure Rob was just being polite, but you know what – I heard it, Vertigo heard it, Michelle heard it – it freakin happened. I think we need to put that on a banner. What a gentleman.  Honestly, I don’t know what I expected from Rob. I’m not sure I ever expected that we would converse, but I know I wasn’t prepared for how gentle and softly spoken he is. He is a gentle soul. There’s none of that bravado in interviews.   He was really sweet and I got the vibe that he was pretty nervous. I’ve heard people say he seems confident in the photos on the carpet, but I truly believe Rob when he says he gets nervous and the screaming crowds freak him out. I mean you think about it – he’s paraded down a red carpet – everyone wants a piece of him and it’s just a whirlwind. I had him before me for just a minute or so and I can’t remember half of what was said and done. In fact I had to remind Vertigo that she told me to stop hogging Rob! Rob also looks much younger in person than he does in his pics. He’s gorgeous, but I know you all know that. The fact we saw him with scruff was beyond epic.  So Rob moved on towards the end of the line and then we saw him power walked by his minders up the red carpet to the entrance of Byron Kennedy Hall, as he did a quick skip up the steps so he could go into his “exclusive non-fan event” oops sorry did I say that out loud.  For the rest of us, we were left speechless, asking whether that really happened and ecstatic that the event was so poorly organised that we got to meet Rob long before we ever expected to. So thank you Hoyt’s Distribution, Nova and whomever else didn’t bother to think about a contingency for wet weather because I’m pretty sure if the event had been done properly we would have been nowhere near Rob and certainly not providing you with any report of what the man himself was like to us in person.
PS.  I’ve just posted a few of my pics. I have more, but am not sure whether I will post them. I was fortunate enough to be loaned a fantastic camera with a stalker lens from a friend of mine, so I really have some amazing pics that Jules is working her magic on for an original banner for us.  So stay tuned.
I’m happy if anyone wants to repost the pics, but please do not remove my watermark. I actually do own the photos so have every right to watermark them. Cheers.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us Maria. It really was the most amazing day. Time stood still for that moment when Rob was in front of me. I managed to get my copy of Cosmopolis signed as well as some pics!!!! He really was so gentle and softly spoken. It is a day that I will never forget and it was made even more special by the people I shared it with!!!! Lastly, thank you Rob. You were the reason I was there, the movie was a means to an end and I’m glad I gotta show you my support.
@Vicky I believe in karma – that’s why Rob signed a BD poster for me and no doubt thinks I’m a Twihard – hahahahaha
LMAO!!!!!!!
Thanks Maria, you little Twihard you! hahaha. I bet you haven’t let that poster out of your sight.
Your description of Rob was spot on. Such a gentle soul, with the voice of a softly spoken angel. It was so wonderful to be able to watch him interact with everyone calmly, I hope he enjoyed himself. Certainly an experience I know we’ll all treasure and I’m so glad I got to share it with you guys, it made it that much more special, as Vicky said.
Fingers crossed we get to do it all again next year. My advice to anyone for next time. Get in a car, get on a plane, hop on the train, endure whatever the weather Gods want to throw at you, for as long as they want to throw it ……. because it will all be worth it to have your own Rob magic moment. Beautiful, sweet, adorable Rob, thank you.
Thank you for sharing the story, I really love the part when you said he has a very soft spoken voice.
Ooh…. thank you for sharing… pics and day…!
and I love the autograph… ^_^
you had an awesome day… and I’m so happy for you… and HE IS a gentleman indeed… and sooooo sweet with his fans… *sigh*
This is SOOO wonderful Maria, thank you so much for sharing your experience with us all. I laughed, I cheered, I booed and I was grinning like a loon while reading it. So, SO pleased you girls got this opportunity to see him, you all so deserved it 🙂 reliving it with you all this week has honestly kept me going through my crappy week. And will fuel me for a long time LOL. So thank you girls *hugs* and thank you Rob. You are a real gent and one in a billion. 🙂
Thank yous so much Maria Fantastic 😀 And I still do not know how you all lived to tell the tale after standing so close to Rob. So glad you all got to meet him could not have happened to a more deserving group of ladies xxxx
Thanks @Cindy and everyone who is saying we deserve it. We all here at RPAU deserve to have an opportunity to meet Rob and for him to know he has fans like all of you. I still don’t know how I was on the receiving end of that look and lived to tell the tale *bwah*
Maria, you are AWESOME! Thanks so much for sharing your day with us. Talk about a day and a half! So glad you had the opportunity to talk with Rob and spread the love! I’m looking forward to seeing more great pics when you upload them. I’m so happy for you and the girls that your long, wet and cold vigil was rewarded in the end!
Big hugs,
Lisa xox
@Sue I have something special planned for that poster *winks*
Agree re hoping we get an Aussie premiere for The Rover – would be nuts not to even if it means we are all travelling to Adelaide for it!
Now there is one city I do know my way around being an expat crow eater Lol!
Absolutely no issue with traveling to Adelaide if that’s what’s needed!!!!!!!!!!
Maria, thanks so much for sharing your red carpet experience with us! I’m so tickled that you girls finally had a chance to meet Rob and talk with him. I can only imagine how magical and swoonworthy that moment was. *sigh* As Cindy said, I can’t think of anyone more deserving than you ladies. *hugs*
Well well my dears, do please let me know if y’all travelling south next year, bahaha! @Maria, you have my email addy, right?! 🙂 Seriously, I would stand in the rain & hail all day by your side to have this kind of experience too. I can’t quite believe he’ll be in my home-town…. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us Maria, am grinning like crazy reading it & re-living what was the most EPIC day & BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!! Yes I still cannot believe that on my 30th Birthday I saw Rob, seriously that’s what dreams are made of 😀 Talk about the luckiest girl on the planet.
So many fun & wonderful moments we all shared together while waiting on the carpet. I am still giggling at Vertigo’s interaction with Ben Hazlewood. Your “you’re the boss” comment had me in stitches Vertigo at the time & still does now hahahaha.
I am from Tasmania as you all know & I thought I had seen every sort of terrible weather possible but gee was I proved wrong LOL. Not even the insane weather could damped our spirits, I remember us all just laughing at the fact we looked like drowned rats haha. As Maria has said above, the fact that Rob braved this atrocious weather & still came out onto the carpet & spent a lot of time with the fans just proves how truly wonderful he is. The image of Rob standing right in front of me, hearing him speak in that gentle & soft voice, seeing him interact with us & all the fans so sweetly is something that I will treasure forever & ever. It still feels like the most beautiful dream. Oh & yes Maria, how you survived being on the receiving end of that look I will never know *giggles* The memory of Rob’s response to you saying we are his Aussie fan site is so vivid in my head. It definitely happened alright Maria *giggles* & it so needs to go on a banner.
Seeing Rob in person, seeing first hand how much of a gentleman he is & how sweet is something I feel so thankful for & will treasure forever. And to share it with the people that I did, my special & wonderful friends just made it even more perfect. Thank you girls & thank YOU Rob for giving me the most amazing Birthday ever
Thank you as well to everyone who has said how much we all deserved this wonderful experience. Like Maria said, all of us here at RPAU deserve opportunities like this one. Where Rob can meet & see the wonderful & supportive fans that he has. I hope we all get the opportunity at a premiere for The Rover *fingers crossed*
Oh & just one more thing, I had to laugh at Rob’s signature going through Daniel Cudmore on your big BD poster Maria, Rob’s payback *giggles*
@Val duly noted & you will be hearing from us *winks*
Bwah love your new avi @Vicky!
It’s definitely a special experience, one that you will cherish forever. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!! I feel like you are cheating though cropping yourself out of that pic…to have seen your face with that big grin on it would have been a bonus!!!
I hope I’ll get the chance to meet him like that one day as well, surrounded by true fans.
Hahahaha, I just couldn’t help myself!!!!!
@ephie I might post the whole pic – it really does make a difference when you see both of our reactions 🙂
@Maria –I have no idea how you managed to survive THAT look from Rob and I am so glad I caught it for you. Thanks for the posting and helping to relive that wonderful day. Not that I need much assistance as it is happily on permanent loop in my head anyway. I was useless at work this week.
Like has already been said the highlights were the truly wonderful company, the epic weather and Rob himself providing each of us with a treasured memory.
As Rob moved closer it was like time slowed down (Baywatch style) and everyone around seemed to calm down. Any screams came from those not in Rob’s immediate orbit. I have described it as Rob’s time bubble and I stick by that. I have a little video and I know in RL he moved along faster than my in memory. Anyway, hearing Rob’s voice is a wonder (also on vid. Squeeeee). He conveys so much vulnerability in his quiet words and shy glances.
Thank you girls. Sharing the experience with you all increases my joy exponentially. Thank you Rob for making so many dreams come true.
The Rover Premier. Hell YES!
Do you think there will be a THE ROVER premiere? Cant wait for filming to start!
Fingers crossed @chelsea it is an Aussie film 🙂
I’d like to thank you, as I was there too on Monday, and decided to go thanks to you, reading your site and twitter. I got my dream come true and my share of wonderful gorgeous Rob!! Thanks again!!
Thank you for sharing your amazing day – I am starting to save now so I am ready to travel at a minutes notice next time. Maybe the gods heard our prayers for you wonderful ladies to meet Rob – hence the lack of promo and organizational aspects. – it has allowed some wonderful dreams and memories come true for you amazing ladies 🙂
Bravo Carmel for capturing this amazing moment on camera. Rob’s expression is mesmerizing, I can’t stop looking at it.
And I’d there is an Aussie premiere for The Rover ill be there. I’m crossing fingers AND toes here…
Seriously @Michelle…. I doubt there’s many in the world who can say “on my 30th birthday I saw Rob”. Best. Present. Ever. You can enjoy that one for at least the next 30 years I reckon 😛
I’m so very happy for you Maria Michelle and for all of you who saw him! And you spoke to him Maria so you know what i told you is true. Thank you for your report! So thrilled for you: you deserve what you finally got!
@Michelle! Michelle you got what you deserved on your birthday: the best present ever!!! So happy for you!!!
That’s great @TJ – this comment is exactly what the organisers need to see. I’m beginning to think they didn’t want a lot of people there. Good for us – but said for those who could have been there and didn’t know.
Thanks from Italy. Grazie.
Ain’t that the truth Val! I was just saying yesterday if someone had told me I was going to see Rob on my 30th Birthday I would have told them not to be so stupid LOL. Just goes to show what can happen, am so lucky 🙂
Thanks so much Roberta 🙂
Maria and Michelle, thank you for sharing this amazing experience with us. It warms my heart to know you girls can meet in person united by your love of Rob. Lise-Lou, you flew out from Perth? I live in Perth too, but would have had to sell my house to afford the airfare – I don’t think my partner would have appreciated that! I will never get tired of hearing about first-hand experiences with Rob – thank you all the girls who have shared with us unfortunates.
It’s like a freaking miracle had occurred. Maybe someone should set up a shrine…
@Trish @Lise-Lou wasn’t with us – she made the call not to come 🙁
NO OTHER WORDS STRONGER THAN THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU GIRLS, FOR SHARING THIS OUT OF THIS WORLD EXPERIENCE WITH THE REST OF US. XOXOXO
@Maria do you know that girl who is was in that jacket with the Edward jacket and umbrella? Forgot to ask for her name! :L
@chelsea do you mean the one next to your mum? That’s Linda aka MrsMoxham 🙂
Yeah her! Okay Linda cool. Is there any way i could talk to her?