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Feedback - Saturday problems and other things


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4 minutes ago, scifisteve said:

I was actually a fan of the placement of the Photo Shoot and Signing Areas for this event, especially as I had 5 Shoots that either overlapped or out right clashed, there would have been a problem getting some of them done if the C and D had not been side by side. it makes very little difference where you put them, Attendees are always going to congregate around them as they are waiting to be called for their batch or arriving for the next shoot. Yes maybe not having the main stage there would of opened up the area but I am not sure where you could put it, certainly would hate it if we go back to the fast walking from floor to floor, Hall to Hall of  the previous events. On a Side note Crew Running C&D Queing extremely helpfully, Crew on A&B even better ( old hats at it if memory serves me right )

 

Eliminate the main stage and the occasional encouragement for people not be in the area unless they had a shoot (everyone was using it as sitting and eating space) and I think it would have been fine.

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4 minutes ago, Persephone1 said:

Eliminate the main stage and the occasional encouragement for people not be in the area unless they had a shoot (everyone was using it as sitting and eating space) and I think it would have been fine.

i personally dont think the prople sitting in the unused corners /edges etc caused a problem.   it was more that people were crowded around the photo queue perimeter in some cases 30 mins early for a shoot. that causes build up.

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2 minutes ago, HeartDT said:

i personally dont think the prople sitting in the unused corners /edges etc caused a problem.   it was more that people were crowded around the photo queue perimeter in some cases 30 mins early for a shoot. that causes build up.

That's usually the reason, yes. That's why we have been telling everyone approximate times when to show up for their shoot when we could. Cause 28 batches of people around the Benedict photoshot area at start time... oh boy.

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Just now, Queen_Sindel said:

That's usually the reason, yes. That's why we have been telling everyone approximate times when to show up for their shoot when we could. Cause 28 batches of people around the Benedict photoshot area at start time... oh boy.

exactly... at some split shoots I know people were hanging around with high batch numbers that had no hope of being called in am shoow even crew told them would be pm yet they still hung around the area hopeful.

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28 minutes ago, Jemzamia said:

Maybe photo crew could do with loud hailers next year so people can hear? And they won't wreck their voices shouting in a day

I suggested this very thing to a number of the crew. Particularly the guy who handled the BC queuing on Saturday.

DUMMA-MEJ-2-samlarfigurer-640140-1020399

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GP I have always in previous shows joined the back of an autograph queue, never required to have VQ ticket, this year I was informed that changed, even though the website tells different, so on Friday I was there at 8:50, but could only get 1 non Diamond guest, to beat my duck of getting zero autographs for the whole day, see out of all the guests most of the ones I wanted were DP, so I was unable to get any, for a GP that costs £265 I felt disappointed that GA could then get VQ tickets ahead on Saturday so what was the benefit of GP, I appreciate I probably didn't understand this based off of my experience from previous years but why the change?

Saturday was a joke, everyone battled to get a VQ, it was a feeding frenzy, why only 5minutes fpr GP, for someone who has difficulty moving, the guests are further away for GP holders than GA, so when they got in en-masse we were left hanging.  A suggestion for GP entrance, could SM speak to the security staff to search bags at the front of the barriers opposite Kensington Olympia tube station, then we could all enter quickly when those doors open, rather than because we only have 5minutes that time is impeded by the bag check, so if you do that before we all queue we'd get in far quicker, as we're all patiently waiting in the GP queue for upto 30mins???

I was hoping to get an autograph for John Cleese, but in the afternoon after his 2nd photoshoot we queued with VQ only to later get refused in favour of your DP holders, this was very unfair especially for GP holders because of your new 'rule' where we can't join the queue but have to go VQ, my VQ number was <30 on that day yet I couldn't get his autograph, really poor, SM seem to have really oversold John Cleese, I noticed at the photoshoot we did get into that queue, but the people waiting outside was 8-deep!!

 

 

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No-one would hear anything in the talks if crew outside had loudhailers! Even Benedict C commented on the crew outside shouting during his talk. Good-naturedly, of course, but boy it was loud in there. Unless the talk stage could be fully screened off I can't see this suggestion being practical, unfortunately for the poor crew.

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15 minutes ago, Naboo79 said:

I had a great LFCC!

Is there a consolidated thread for posting feedback and suggestions to Showmasters about the whole weekend? :)

You've found it. :lol: I was going to amend the title when I get a Moment as this has more turned into a General thread now anyway.

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15 minutes ago, Naboo79 said:

I had a great LFCC!

Is there a consolidated thread for posting feedback and suggestions to Showmasters about the whole weekend? :)

Think they should all be consolidated into this one, maybe QS can do it and change the title to Feedback ;p

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my friend and i looked at each other in shock as we waited in line at general entry to see people in the disabled queue going in early ( which is the correct way of treating people),some in wheelchairs ,then abandoned by their carers etc as they were allowed in and legged it up the stairs. Taking advantage comes to mind. naughty people!!! 

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9 hours ago, HeartDT said:

i personally dont think the prople sitting in the unused corners /edges etc caused a problem.   it was more that people were crowded around the photo queue perimeter in some cases 30 mins early for a shoot. that causes build up.

I rested and ate there a few times but was always out of the way of any streams of traffic.  I agree that it wasn't the people relaxing it was the massive convergence of 4 photo booths and the talks queue plus people waiting to be called that was the issue.  I know SM don't seem to go in for rope barriers but maybe it's something to consider to try and keep things separate and to keep defined walkways.

1 hour ago, Jemzamia said:

Maybe photo crew could do with loud hailers next year so people can hear? And they won't wreck their voices shouting in a day

Not whilst they are anywhere near any stages.  I'd suggest large TV screens connected to a keyboard.  It they are mounted above head height they could be used to display the current photo shoot guest and what batches they are currently seeing.  nice and easy to see and it would save a few questions/shouting for the crew.  I appreciate it means you then need someone to input the info but there are ways of dealing with that - if the main person running the queue had a tablet they can hopefully update on the go.

51 minutes ago, carlosvanvegas said:

GP I have always in previous shows joined the back of an autograph queue, never required to have VQ ticket, this year I was informed that changed, even though the website tells different, so on Friday I was there at 8:50, but could only get 1 non Diamond guest, to beat my duck of getting zero autographs for the whole day, see out of all the guests most of the ones I wanted were DP, so I was unable to get any, for a GP that costs £265 I felt disappointed that GA could then get VQ tickets ahead on Saturday so what was the benefit of GP, I appreciate I probably didn't understand this based off of my experience from previous years but why the change?

Saturday was a joke, everyone battled to get a VQ, it was a feeding frenzy, why only 5minutes fpr GP, for someone who has difficulty moving, the guests are further away for GP holders than GA, so when they got in en-masse we were left hanging.  A suggestion for GP entrance, could SM speak to the security staff to search bags at the front of the barriers opposite Kensington Olympia tube station, then we could all enter quickly when those doors open, rather than because we only have 5minutes that time is impeded by the bag check, so if you do that before we all queue we'd get in far quicker, as we're all patiently waiting in the GP queue for upto 30mins???

I was hoping to get an autograph for John Cleese, but in the afternoon after his 2nd photoshoot we queued with VQ only to later get refused in favour of your DP holders, this was very unfair especially for GP holders because of your new 'rule' where we can't join the queue but have to go VQ, my VQ number was <30 on that day yet I couldn't get his autograph, really poor, SM seem to have really oversold John Cleese, I noticed at the photoshoot we did get into that queue, but the people waiting outside was 8-deep!!

 

 

Since the introduction of the diamond guests Gold pass holders have always required a VQ to see them Carlos.  It has always been stated that the big diamond guests are there only because they are on the diamond pass which pays for them to be there and that the only way of guaranteeing getting to see them was with the diamond pass.  If they manage to see some VQ holders then that's great but people should not be expecting to see Diamond guests on a VQ ticket, particularly the very popular ones like Benedict, or the known to be very slow ones, like Christopher/RDA.  It's a shame about you not getting Cleese but they have to give priority to the Diamonds because that's what they have paid for.

The other issues will be looked into as Queen says.

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It really seems to be split even this year. Either things are clearly mentioned in the store and no one reads them before they buy the ticket or something really obvious is not mentioned because it is so obvious and of course that was the one Thing in the world that definitely would have beeded to be mentioned. ;)

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41 minutes ago, loveamyadams said:

my friend and i looked at each other in shock as we waited in line at general entry to see people in the disabled queue going in early ( which is the correct way of treating people),some in wheelchairs ,then abandoned by their carers etc as they were allowed in and legged it up the stairs. Taking advantage comes to mind. naughty people!!! 

To be in the disabled queue you have to provide clear medical evidence which is checked and then you are given the relevant bands.

Carers may have legged it to help get the person they were with an early VQ as some extra help attendees were not being treated by crew as they should have been. I myself was on Friday (despite some crew not knowing what to do with me) but another extra help attendee behind me was not. She spent the entire day waiting hours on her feet when she shouldn't have been and crew were putting her at the back of queues and she was not put in the disabled queue on entry. This was not the first story I heard about the extra help attendees. 

So if their carers did leg it upstairs whilst the person they were with waited, I don't blame them.

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Hi,

I'm not sure whether this is the best place for this but I guess an Admin will move or delete it if it isn't! ;)

We were first-time LFCC attendees this year (although we've been to several other Cons) and had a 3 day pass for the event. Overall, we had a brilliant time and massive thanks & congrats ned to go to all the volunteers - they were incredible and all deserve medals!

However, as with every event, there were things that didn’t go so well or seemed odd and opportunities that I thought were missed so I thought I’d post some feedback here:

1. Queue management.

General entry queue management seemed really bad, especially on Saturday.

Why didn’t people who had already queued up and got wristbands / passes on Friday have a separate / fast-track entry line for subsequent days?

Why wasn’t the enormous entry hall space used for queueing instead of having everyone standing outside round the block? (By the way, letting people move forward in groups just allowed LOTS of folks who weren’t in the queue to just walk down the street and cut the line closer to the entrance).

Signage for where the entrance was / where the queue started was also poor / non-existent.

The queue for on-the-day purchases from the Showmasters desk was also incredibly long and slow – it looked like there just weren’t enough staff assigned to man it so the throughput was really low. It was also unclear (to LFCC newbies like us) what could be paid for in the lines (e.g. autographs) and what had to be pre-bought at the desk.

The re-entry process (for those who went outside for a cigarette) was bizarre. Why force people who have had their hand stamped to walk round the building to join the main queue again instead of letting them back in via the door they just used to pop out for a cigarette? Seems pointless & unnecessary.

2.  Photo opps.

How batches and queue ticket numbers worked seemed really inconsistent & confusing – some photos were done by batch number, others weren’t (or batches / ticket numbers weren’t used) and there seemed to be no logic to it. A bit of clarity & consistency would be helpful in future.

The process for failed photos was also a mess – I saw several people miss out on their photo because the celeb had gone by the time they were sent back for a second go after there was a problem with their original picture. Maybe the celebs shouldn’t be ushered away until everyone who paid for a photo has got one that’s actually ok?

I also saw some people miss out on photos because the celeb had gone by the time they turned up (even though the schedule showed that the shoot was due to have been still going on for a further 15 or 30 mins). Surely if the photo shoot is due to run from 5 - 6, someone turning up at 5:30 shouldn't be told, 'Sorry, you're too late'.

3. Autographs

The process for getting autographs (& photos or selfies) was pretty haphazard with some celebs being told by event staff that they couldn’t get up & pose whilst others were allowed to do whatever they wanted. In addition, despite the fact that the LFCC site states “We will not add any extra restrictions on taking photos whilst queuing or at their autograph table simply due to the photo shoot” people were being told by staff that photos weren’t allowed. Better staff briefing required?

4. Food & drink prices

Could someone please have a word with the food vendors in the venue? Not because prices were high (we expect that) but because they seemed completely random. Over the course of the weekend, I bought several pints of cider from the same food kiosk. On Friday, I was charged £4:90, on Saturday morning, I was charged £4:50 and early on Saturday afternoon I was charged £5:00. All for the same drink from the same place. Seems odd, to say the least.

5. Why no ‘official’ parties?

I asked this question of other Con-goers before the event & was told ‘because it’s all about the photos & autos’. But that’s the same at ALL Cons. So, is there any reason why there aren’t any official evening events (i.e. parties) after the Con has closed for the day? Pretty much every other Con I’ve attended has parties of some description in the venue, or in a ‘host’ hotel (or nearby), where Con attendees can gather to have a few drinks, dance & have a good time. They are always incredibly popular and are lots of fun and it feels like LFCC is really missing a trick here by not having any.

Thanks & keep up the good work!

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My only problem was the photo C area not calling people in batches to start with and then later on being put in a queue with some other diamond passes only to then let other people go through first when they just stood around the crew member harassing them.

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1 hour ago, Raylenth said:

Not whilst they are anywhere near any stages.  I'd suggest large TV screens connected to a keyboard.  It they are mounted above head height they could be used to display the current photo shoot guest and what batches they are currently seeing.  nice and easy to see and it would save a few questions/shouting for the crew.  I appreciate it means you then need someone to input the info but there are ways of dealing with that - if the main person running the queue had a tablet they can hopefully update on the go.

This. Doesn't even need to be a TV screen, just some sort of digital display. Seems like a sensible and relatively inexpensive way of providing information quickly and effectively to people. Will free up time for the crew to deal with queuing and other things.

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5 minutes ago, youell said:

This. Doesn't even need to be a TV screen, just some sort of digital display. Seems like a sensible and relatively inexpensive way of providing information quickly and effectively to people. Will free up time for the crew to deal with queuing and other things.

And will require just as much if not more Crew to Keep updated. ;) Then Crew Needs to go around and check the info so it can be updated.

There is no "main Person running the Queue." It's a ticketer, the cash desk and the guest assistant. At the max another Crew member handling the line flow. There's not really a way one of them can handle a tablet in Addition. Give it to the ticketer and we'll have the first broken one within the first hour. Never mind that the venue's Wifi sucks.

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It did seem madness that people who had already got their weekend passes had to queue with on the day people & those who hadn't picked theirs up yet? Could there not be separate queues to encourage getting people in the venue quicker? (Only really an issue for the Saturday)

oh and electric monitors for VQ info etc isn't remotely feasible. But having an app with the info on would be very helpful 

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2 minutes ago, Persephone1 said:

It did seem madness that people who had already got their weekend passes had to queue with on the day people & those who hadn't picked theirs up yet? Could there not be separate queues to encourage getting people in the venue quicker? (Only really an issue for the Saturday)

oh and electric monitors for VQ info etc isn't remotely feasible. But having an app with the info on would be very helpful 

I'm not sure I can follow. Everyone went in the loading all anyway, and at that Point everyone had their wristbands? So absolutely no difference in getting People into the venue.

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8 minutes ago, Queen_Sindel said:

I'm not sure I can follow. Everyone went in the loading all anyway, and at that Point everyone had their wristbands? So absolutely no difference in getting People into the venue.

Well yes & no. All have to be bag checked but waiting behind people whose tickets are being scanned is a minor thing but actually adds up overall in terms of time. If you had two queues one for those with wristbands & those who needed to be scanned those who are already sorted would be in the venue quicker. Ive seen this done at other events & no question it definitely helps with crowd flow after the doors have opened (I agree makes little difference to those who are queuing prior to doors open). On Saturday the queue was down to the train station for about 90 minutes after open. I know people with weekend passes already collected who arrived at 9am & ended up missing 10am shoots as in the queue 

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