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Jeni

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About Jeni

  • Birthday October 22

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Art Director (17/23)

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  1. Hmm, not exactly the right forum for it, but saw this post and thought I would post here anyway. Yes, I am also have difficulties accessing anything on showmastersonline.com (collectormania.com, londonfilm etc. are fine), which includes the forums. I use a proxy and everything is ok and accessible. Are you breaking up with me, Showmasters? I know we have an open relationship, but it still makes me sadface as I can't keep on top of the latest announcements.
  2. Webcomic artists, please. Posting this really because only today Dave Kellett of Sheldon fame said he would love to do a con in the UK. Some of the webcomic artists out there are amazing, popular and funny. Yeah yeah yeah, I'm not just talking about Penny Arcade, or xkcd (although Randall Monroe... zomglove). Howard Tayler Allan Wood Rich Burlew David Morgan-Mar Kris Wilson, Rob DenBleyker, Matt Melvin or Dave McElfatrick Sarah Ellerton Phil & Kaja Foglio Zach Weiner Or more authors! Although not strictly catered for in the title (but, hey, neither's TV )... Marcus Sedgwick Brian Jacques Markus Zusak Garth Nix Jonathan Stroud Eoin Colfer Neil Gaiman Maggie Furey Philip Pullman Robin Hobb Susanna Clark Joe Craig Kevin Crossley-Holland I've been to a talk with Garth Nix, Markus Zusak and Jonathan Stroud before, they are brilliant speakers. Especially Garth Nix, he's hilarious. These are just the first suggestions off the top of my head, there are so many talented webcomic creators and authors out there. I think they would bring a truly unique element to LFCC.
  3. Humph. They would be a poor fan if they did. *shudder* Assuming a hug! what cheek. I feel shy enough if they put their arm around you. When I went to go see Jewel Staite on Sunday end, after her quick escapist jaunt ( ), getting a photo of her holding her autograph was fine. But having me in it? Nuh-uh. It just seems like the fans are being told what to do, and what to spend their money on. "Like it or lump it." I just like organisations working with the customers more, together, one big happy family. Actually, what helps me more is hearing from so many people that you, Jason, do it because you love it. But, not that I disagree with you, but what about, FOR EXAMPLE, people like Sean Maguire? I really wished I got his autograph now, because he did jump up and was very happy posing and talking with attendees. And he has such a lovely smile. And he's pretty. Wow. I just realised how bad that sounded. I swear I didn't spend the whole day drooling at him from a distance. Maybe... Whenever I ask for photos over the table, I always keep half an eye on the crew, because I know they have their own instructions. I remember a time when the general policy was that over-the-table were fine, as long as there wasn't a massive queue to get through... It seems to have changed since I took a two year break from these events. I'm not surprised. Of course those buying an auto have priority. I would never go up to a guest and ask for a photo without buying an autograph, maybe have a chat if they look bored and someone I know is around... but otherwise, no way. It's not fair to SM. Like entry price and stall bookings are going to pay all the fees and costs involved.
  4. Artist Alley: MOAR WEBCOMIC ARTISTS. VG Zone... hrm, more games? Whenever I went past, it was always so busy!
  5. Asking for no flash photography is a very reasonable request, especially as at LFCC my pictures came out worse with flash! But as a general rule, when asking guests for a photo, I turn the flash off, it's just politeness and good manners.
  6. Stall selling back copies of Doctor Who Adventures magazine-- I got a TARDIS ALARM CLOCK.
  7. Is this a general feedback thread? Ah, I'll make it one, it's got a good title. :) The Brilliant: -Justin Chon! Paul Couvela! Lovely blokes I'd like to see more artists like Couvela, signing for free, with donations for Oxfam if you wanted. He was quite shocked when I gave him a £10 note and joked if I wanted change, but I said no, I'd rather see the money go to a good cause. Over the weekend I gave him £12 for five autographs, they were worth every penny. -Robert Rankin. Although I'm personally not a reader of his, it was a really good to see an author there! The Good: -So much room! It was lovely! Being able to walk around without starting an intimate relationship with people in front, behind and to your left and right! -The guests! I don't know whether they were flown in a day before or something, but they seemed so chipper! I didn't have one bad experience. -Chill Zone, what an excellent idea! -Gaming Zone, an even better idea! -Good food, I know this is a venue thing, rather than SM, but it was nice to have some places in there serving decent food. Of course it was expensive, but it was better than having to have hotdog and chips because there was no other choice. The Bad: -Still not enough variety in stalls for me. I don't know what you can do to change this, SM, but it would be exciting and, well, I would start to look forward to going there for the stalls as well as the guests! -Chill Zone, just not quite big enough, considering there was all this space not being used for stalls. -The Very Useful Cloakroom wasn't mentioned on the website. I saw it on Saturday, but come Sunday morning when I was checking out of the YHA, I couldn't remember whether it took bags and how much it was. I texted a Crew friend, and she asked others, and they told her there wasn't one. So I ended up shoving my backpack in the YHA lockers for £2. When I got there at 9am, after going in, I looked at the cloakroom and gutted, it did take bags, at £2! The Ugly -No posed photos. Heh. Ok, this one isn't directed at Showmasters, but I'll say it anyway. Get it through your skull that by not letting guests pose with people at an event that you're going to make them buy a photoshoot ticket. Of course the main guests can't be doing with posed photos, so few people would get to meet them, and it's just not fair. But come off it, Sean Maguire? He was very Open Queue all day, and I saw him jumping up gladly to do posed photos with a big grin on his face (so it obviously wasn't his choice). That's the thing with professional photo shoots, you get an assured good quality picture, taken by a professional photographer, with a good background, no other people intruding and generally something you can frame on the wall. One over the table is a personal memory, that's all, and it could be blurry, your eyes could be shut, there could be crew walking behind, but that's what you get. And quite frankly, I know that this is a business like anything else (so no capitalist arguments pls kthxbai), but really, when the photoshoots are expensive (and with good reason) and in this sort of economic climate, it's insensitive. I am no way a supporter of The Customer Is Always Right (in fact, I think they're frequently wrong), but, likewise, I don't agree with It's My Way Or The Highway. I won't let Tesco tell me what food I should buy, so nor am I going to let someone dictate to me that I should fork over precious pennies for a memory of the day. So I'll take the Highway. Regrets: -I didn't get an auto from Sean Maguire, I really wanted to, but he's just so pretty, I was shy. -I forgot to ask Scott Bakula how his name was pronounced, then I was going to go into my spiel about how Bak-u-la is awesomer because it rhymes with Dracula. Feedback: -Webcomic artists! I think this is such an untapped medium over here. I'm sure plenty of people here read webcomics and would like to get the chance to meet the artists behind them. A real money maker, I reckon. Heeheehee. Incidentally, some suggestions: -Dave Kellett (went to Kent Uni!), Sheldon -Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary -Pete Tarkulich, Bardsworth -Sarah Ellerton, Inverloch and The Phoenix Requiem -Authors! I think LFCC would be perfect to bring in more authors. Incidentally I know Jonathan Stroud, Garth Nix and Markus Zusak are excellent speakers at talks. But there's also Kevin Crossley-Holland, Brian Jacques, Marcus Sedgwick, Mal Peet... hint much?
  8. I remember her, she got up during the Sunday Japanese talk. It was a great costume, the hair style really suited her and she was very pretty!
  9. I went to go see him, and he was a bit grumpy. But on the other hand, he's at school, he's a young bloke, and probably doesn't want to be stuck with doing these events for the rest of his acting career as Young Darth Vader. So yeah, he was grumpy, but I guess I got lucky, I met him as a favour for somebody else, so I didn't feel cheated out of my money. He was a nice bloke if you said the right things (alcohol, it's always alcohol), and, despite the fact it was as I was leaving, I could see a bit of the student and Proper Jake Lloyd in there when he smiled at being able to drink over here. OOH, and Thomas Sangster, he was lovelyabubble. Heh, let him know I was rather cross he didn't get the part of Tintin, he would have been perfect.
  10. TrainXIII, same, these signing events are actually one of the few things I wouldn't want to do on my own. It's just so much nicer to have someone next to you, especially if you're nervous about meeting a guest! You can give each other confidence, and a certain misery-loves-company if it all goes spam up. And especially during the lulls... as much as I love freedom, just, waiting, on your own in the food court can be a bit EH. Yeah, it's easier to speak to other people when you're on your own, but I try to do that even when I'm in a group. But you only ever jump between people, and it's nice to have that nice tightknit group at these events, I find.
  11. Toss up between Justin Chon and Paul Couvela. Amazing blokes, funny, chatty and TOP NOTCH.
  12. Yer. Well, ok, effectively deleted. To be honest, I should have known better than to post in there were people were whining. But it was late. Yeah, but if I'd've gotten everything (minimum!) I'd wanted I would have spent £85! I appreciate that everyone has their little fees, but, it's a principles thing, too. Why should I pay £20 for a photo, one I don't even have a digital copy of? Especially when the guests aren't allowed to do posed photos. I'm not going to be forced into taking the photo shoot, just to get a photo of the day, especially when I'd be happy enough with an over-the-table shot. I only really meant the factory comment in regards to photos. The crew didn't shift us along with Ben at all. But, sometimes I wonder if it's explained to the guests that not all attendees are autograph collectors? And are just fans looking for a cheaper way of meeting their heroes? Cut rates for new stalls? Be picky about who gets a stall for the next event? More new businesses? I don't have the solution, but I think that is something SM could consider and discuss and organise. Apart from anything, what else do you do between waiting for guests? Browse the stalls! Would be a great opportunity for a new, inventive businessman to take advantage of. I don't know if it's the same anymore, but ages ago one stallholder was telling me about the process of getting a stall at a Collectormania, and it definitely seemed more geared towards the "regulars"... OH! like that retro videogame t-shirt guy. When he first appeared at the Centre, I was so psyched! his t-shirts were brilliant, inventive and funny. It was the first time since forever I've been hooked by a stall. Glad to see he's still coming-- but moar merch plz! (I'm difficult to please ). And, er, yer. The security staff behaviour is rather more important than this. So pay attention to that!
  13. I agree. Plus: BIG CIRCLE. No need for maps for the directionally disabled. And shame the other thread got deleted, as I think my complaints were justified. :/ Can I re-iterate, because I think it's something that needs to be discussed in SM Towers. No posed photos thing. We're in a recession, not everyone can afford £20 per photo (even the non-recession, I still think it's extortionate), and nor should they pay that much for a photo printed off from Boots. Plus, the queues felt like so much of a factory line at times, and I honestly haven't had that since James Masters. Also, if you're on your own, it's a biiiiiiit creepy taking photos of the guest while they're signing. So you're left with the option of giving your camera to the people behind you and asking them to take photos. It just made you guys look so money grabbing. Sure, my principles got in the way of not having a photo shoot. But I stand by that. The guy doing the photoshoot organising. He was too rude, to put it bluntly. I get that he was angry/stressed about, what he saw, as people not listening to him. But when you're in a busy area, waving your arms around shouting at people (without a sincere please or thank you), doesn't help. I suggest those moveable barriers you find at banks. Could have set them up quickly for the photoshoot queues, and then taken them down when the photo shoots were done with. Dealer room: verrry hot. Too many people, and I thought the aisles between stalls would be wider than the Centre. They weren't so much. It was still a struggle. So when you move into your proper new venue, I really recommend setting them up wider than they were there, if you can. Stalls: the same ol', same ol'. I saw one new stall there, and I haven't been to events for a while. Is it possible to encourage some diversity? The problem is, a lot of the stuff like books, CDs, DVDs, etc. I find blah, because you can get all that stuff cheaper online. I don't know if you can enourage new and exciting stalls, but I really recommend it, if you can. (That, I spit on your mum(?) stalll was kinda in that vein so props to them, but the t-shirts consisted of old internet memes in, well, I wouldn't have chosen the fonts and styles). Hah, yeah, pretty much. BUT, they are A-listers to us. For those in the SF/fantasy/cult world, everyone would know these names, and those are the people SM are geared towards.
  14. That girl on the info desk on Saturday, I think she was called Sarah. She was amazing! So helpful!
  15. The venue. Sure, many people can bitch about how cold it was, and it was, but, it was great for walking around. One big circle, so you can't get lost. Easy to queue up for guests without getting crushed in a horde. Toilets. So many toilets and not a queue in sight. AWESOME. And meeting all the friends I hadn't seen for two years.
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