Jump to content

Things Ain't What They Used To Be


Recommended Posts

I have been attending film conventions, events and the like for over 20 years. Many arranged by Showmasters and just as many organised by others, including myself but they will remain nameless.

 

The main attraction aside from the celebrity guests used to be film and memorabilia collection. I'm talking about original and vintage posters and stills. This has sadly become a thing of the past. The whole event seems to have been taken over by Cosplay and stalls resembling car boot sales or the usual cheap tat you can find almost anywhere. The main difference is, it's not cheap. Now I don't mind the Cosplay thing although it seems to have got out of hand recently. The arena looked like it was Halloween with the amount of kids in dress up.

 

As I said, I didn't used to mind it but it's obvious that an event that used to be a Mecca for film buffs and collectors has now been given over to Cosplay and kiddie orientated memorabilia.

 

I know there will be people desperate to defend the event but I have been there from the beginning and watched the steady decline in dismay. If that's what the events are aimed at now, fair enough but It's not what it used to be.

 

Oh and one last thing............. deodorant and after shave or perfume wouldn't go amiss. That's not for the organisers, it's for those fans who don't seem to know these items exist.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I treat these events as signing events, rarely do I buy anything at the stalls. There is always one seller who sells stills, lobby cards etc. but he didn't even have them on display on Saturday, I asked him about them and he brought out a box for me to go through. The same goes for rare dvds or soundtrack cds, I can only pick these up online these days. I think, as sad as it is, the demand just isn't there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the dealers are in a tough situation here. With the bigger shows now attracting more and more well known guests who command the higher signing fees, I think people are probably a bit less inclined to spend larger amounts on merchandise etc from the stalls. I guess that has probably led to the dealers selling more of the more expensive rarer one of a kind type things less inclined to pay the fees to sell at the shows. I think also so many times, I've seen things for sale at shows but then checked online and found I can get the same thing cheaper.

 

Probably the things that tend to sell more at the shows are the cheaper things that directly relate to the guests that people can get signed, photos, action figures etc that also don't eat into people's budgets too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I go to events solely for meeting guests and getting autographs. I don't care for cosplay although I appreciate that it is popular with a lot of people. I only have a look around at the stalls if I have got time as I find there is better choice online at cheaper prices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to look round the stalls, but its too crowded (at LFCC) to actually look at stuff, so i dont even bother anymore.

I'm a comic collector, i'd love to look at the comic shops but theres always a crowd of people standing round them, so i just go for the guests now.

 

I think at one of the collectamania i manged to have a look round the stalls and the like Tony1975 said, the prices are high.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you went to an american comic con you would be desperately disappointed then, it is not even common for people to be OUT of costume, they will of course sell merchandise that cater for the genre, be it comic books, film, game etc...

 

Yes we are not American but this is how the scene is evolving.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I probably would be disappointed. I find crowds of people hard to cope with at times. I only attend for autographs and photoshoots although I do like to look for bargains in the dealers area. Cant cope with Cosplaying at all but each to their own, I appreciate that other people attend for other reasons.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

stalls resembling car boot sales or the usual cheap tat you can find almost anywhere. .

 

I prefer the 2nd hand sellers to the more professional sellers; you can be more likely to spot a bargain, if they just want shot of it, rather than just putting back in their box to sell next time. Some times its in danger of becoming to corporative, every third stall selling the same thing, just as easy to order online.

 

I think the dealers are in a tough situation here. With the bigger shows now attracting more and more well known guests who command the higher signing fees, I think people are probably a bit less inclined to spend larger amounts on merchandise etc from the stalls.

 

This is very much the case for me, if I know I'll be spending 3 weeks wages on autographs, sorry but dealers barely get a look it, they are little more than a distraction waiting for virtual numbers in queues. The autographs in many cases can't wait, items usually can. Even if online is cheaper, still easier to get most items home too.

 

The other problem since there's no stall list announced in advance its very hard to plan who to see and how much cash to carry. For example there was a stall at the summer LFCC, they had maybe £60 of books I was tempted to buy (cheaper than Amazon) but would of been a right hassle as I was carrying enough already. So I thought as they were items I would get signed at the winter event, rather than buy and carry back and forth, or order online, I'd just buy them at the later event. So come winter I had the money, I had the room - and they weren't there. So SM actually lost out as I was going to get them signed, but didn't have the items to get signed. Had there been a stall list, had I see they'd not been there I could have made other arrangements.

 

And at the summer event there was a DVD for sale with writers and producers signing on the day - I would have bought it, but I didn't find out about it until I visited their website a month after it was too late too, but it leaves me less inclined to buy an unsigned copy elsewhere now.

 

So I think Showmasters could do a lot more to help both sellers and customers. It would be a lot less amateur. IMO

Edited by TerraHawk
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

stalls resembling car boot sales or the usual cheap tat you can find almost anywhere. .

 

I prefer the 2nd hand sellers to the more professional sellers; you can be more likely to spot a bargain, if they just want shot of it, rather than just putting back in their box to sell next time. Some times its in danger of becoming to corporative, every third stall selling the same thing, just as easy to order online.

 

I think the dealers are in a tough situation here. With the bigger shows now attracting more and more well known guests who command the higher signing fees, I think people are probably a bit less inclined to spend larger amounts on merchandise etc from the stalls.

 

This is very much the case for me, if I know I'll be spending 3 weeks wages on autographs, sorry but dealers barely get a look it, they are little more than a distraction waiting for virtual numbers in queues. The autographs in many cases can't wait, items usually can. Even if online is cheaper, still easier to get most items home too.

 

The other problem since there's no stall list announced in advance its very hard to plan who to see and how much cash to carry. For example there was a stall at the summer LFCC, they had maybe £60 of books I was tempted to buy (cheaper than Amazon) but would of been a right hassle as I was carrying enough already. So I thought as they were items I would get signed at the winter event, rather than buy and carry back and forth, or order online, I'd just buy them at the later event. So come winter I had the money, I had the room - and they weren't there. So SM actually lost out as I was going to get them signed, but didn't have the items to get signed. Had there been a stall list, had I see they'd not been there I could have made other arrangements.

 

And at the summer event there was a DVD for sale with writers and producers signing on the day - I would have bought it, but I didn't find out about it until I visited their website a month after it was too late too, but it leaves me less inclined to buy an unsigned copy elsewhere now.

 

So I think Showmasters could do a lot more to help both sellers and customers. It would be a lot less amateur. IMO

Good point made about not having a stall list. This would be very useful to me as I spend most of the time getting autographs and probably miss out on other stuff.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to agree there is 6 parts to a event now. the queuing ,the autographs,photo shoot, traders,official charity cosplayers..... the ones every one wants to have photos with. and the cosplayers who want to promenade of the costumes.As these events are the perfect venue........the strange thing is it had become mainstream and lots of family come now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...