The Marvels of a Hollywood Premiere

NOTE: This is a sample feature article originally prepared for an assessed folio as part of a journalism degree.

April 22, 2016 - It is a bizarre thing to feel atmosphere comparable to that of a rock concert inside a shopping precinct.

At Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Hollywood superstars Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie (along with Co-Director Joe Russo) are minutes away from walking the blue carpet to promote Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War.

Row upon row of Marvel fans from across the Asia-Pacific region line the Marina Bay Sands’ skating rink, upon which a temporary stage and exclusive VIP area has been built. The space above the rink is packed with fans lining the second, third and fourth floors. It looks as though wherever someone could possibly have squeezed in, someone has.

The stage and VIP area are cordoned off; those standing within are cast in a rich, blue light. Looking down from above, only their heads and shoulders are visible.

It isn’t possible to make out any channel of movement on the ground, with the exception of the blue carpet itself. Not that anyone is trying to leave; those fans hugging the barricades on either side of the blue carpet are pinned by the crowds behind them, which swarm the surrounding shops and spill out into the rest of the shopping precinct.

The crowd is subdued, at first – a quiet murmur floats throughout the space above the rink, interrupted by the banter of hosts Stephanie Carrington and Glenn Ong. The spotlight is firmly on the makeshift stage. It really is an intoxicating moment of anticipation. Local cosplayer Chika Nadya confesses ‘it’s my first time attending a blue carpet event, so I don’t really think there are words to describe what I’m feeling right now – though I know I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!’

Carrington and Ong continue their repartee. Suddenly, a column of hysteria erupts to the right of the rink, catching them by surprise. Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Falcon) and Joe Russo have arrived. The light and camera crews scramble to train their equipment on the stars.

The crowd - all four floors of it - goes berserk. The darkness is replaced by a blinding flurry of camera flashes, as hundreds of photographs are taken each second. The quiet is replaced by a cacophony of shouting that echoes through the space. On the ground floor, a sea of outstretched arms flanks the length of the blue carpet, waving paraphernalia to be autographed, including shields, phones, posters, figurines, and artwork.

Only a few minutes later, Chris Evans (Captain America) arrives on the blue carpet. The fanfare from The Avengers plays but is barely audible, as the energy increases tenfold. Someone speaks to me, wanting to share his excitement over seeing Evans. I see his mouth move, but I can’t hear any words. It’s like I’m watching a silent film.

The intensity of the noise is greatest around Evans, Stan, Mackie and Russo specifically. As the group passes fans, the screaming and waving builds, before falling as they pass; this wave of energy snakes through the crowd, keeping close to the four as they are briskly escorted along by security staff. Evans seems to have a knack for directing the energy – as he glances upward to wave to fans on the upper levels, the clamour coming from above explodes. Carrington and Ong try to calm the crowd. But they are no longer in control of the event.

There is an unrelenting (yet positive) racket as fans scream and shout in a mix of English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Each acknowledgement of the fans by the stars, provides an extra jolt. Mackie jumps a barricade and is swamped by fans wanting autographs and selfies. Evans, Stan and Russo remain on the blue carpet, waving to crowds upstairs and sweating as they do their best to smile through a storm of cameras, phones, marker pens and microphones. Local artist Robin Lau Choy Nam is able to take a fleeting selfie with Sebastian Stan. She recalls ‘it was late and he was visibly jetlagged, but he was so friendly and still tried his best to take a selfie with me, despite being rushed along by security; I’m happy.’

To be sure, the enthusiasm isn’t reaching everyone. Nicholas Yong, senior correspondent at Yahoo! Singapore, complains ‘the media box is adequate, but super-packed; not of all of us will get sound bites from the stars.’

As the stars reach the stage, Evans and Mackie hold an impromptu microphone-flipping contest; Evans loudly drops his microphone, and his co-stars laugh. The laughing spreads outwards immediately. Angelica Pan reflects ‘I can only see the stars from afar, though I am loving the dynamic between the three of them!’

As the group ‘work’ the crowd, chanting ‘Team Cap’, I wonder if they ever tire of these events. Apparently not – as the chant spirals in volume, they revel in the experience. As far as Chris Evans is concerned, ‘the more buzz and energy we can create from this conflict between Team Captain America and Team Iron Man – it’s only going to help the film, so I welcome it.’

Captain America: Civil War releases publicly on Thursday.