MegaCon 2010 kicked off Friday at the Orange County Convention Center.  This year marks the fifth MegaCon Indie Film Festival which screened numerous short films including a handful of local fare.  It only takes place on Friday evening.  If you missed it, there are plenty of film related panels on Saturday and Sunday.

Highlights of Saturday and Sunday include:

Actor Richard Hatch who played Apollo in the original Battlestar Gallactica and also played Tom Zarek in the new Battlestar Gallactica will host a Q&A on Saturday from 12:20-1:10pm.  He will also host an acting panel on Sunday from 12-12:50pm.

Everything Star Wars will be a Q&A session with Ray Park (Darth Maul from Phantom Menace), Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in Empire and Jedi), Maria de Aragon (short lived Greedo from Star Wars), Dave Barclay (puppeteer), and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca).  The Q&A will be moderated by Steve Sansweet, head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilms. 1-2pm on Saturday.

The Independent Film Panel will be hosted by producer Terry Cronin and will feature filmmakers and actors Patrick Algermissen, Lear Bunda, Pat Martin, Brian Pulido, Steven Shea, Todd Thompson, and Bill Williams.  2:30-3:20pm on Saturday.

Nichelle Nichols will host a Q&A from 3:40-4:30pm on Saturday.  Nichols played communications officer Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series and the first 6 films.

The Tenant panel will show an extended trailer from their locally produced feature horror/monster film.  The film features Michael Berryman, Bill Cobbs, J LaRose, and Randy Molnar.  4:40-5:30pm on Saturday.

The Doctrine Film Experience on Sunday from 12:20-1:10pm will answer some of the questions about how things are done in sci-fi movies.  Hosted by Doctrine Productions.

LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge) and Brent Spiner (Lt. Data) of Star Trek: The Next Generation will host a Q&A from 1:20-2:10pm on Sunday.

Lea Thompson of All the Right Moves, Red Dawn, The Wild Life, Howard the Duck, Back to the Future, Space Camp, and more recently the star of Caroline in the City will host a Q&A from 1:30-2:20 on Sunday.

And more...  http://www.megaconvention.com.