phil_wilce

Thanks for your input folks. I had a really horrendous experience at the Bill Paxton signing at LFCC a couple of years ago(nothing to do with the guest, it was all to do with the crew) and im very hesitant now on purchasing diamond passes. Ive calculated that its going to cost me an extra £240 just to guarantee signatures but to be perfectly honest, im struggling to find the value in this if im not guaranteed a personalisation. Im not asking for much, just my name eg "To Phil, Best Wishes etc" but with the bigger name guests not personalising, i think the extra amoint of the diamond pass is little more than "tipping" to SM. Im not just counting the guests that you get a limited edition photoprint or "gift/mug" with, as these alone arent really worth anthing to me. Im also talking about the standard daiamond pass of autograph and photo op.... In the vast majority of cases, its SM that are stipulating "No Personalisations" which to be frank, is more than just a little annoying considering that you can purchse the same autograph from one of the registered vendors for a considerably cheaper price. I have attended a number of comic/film/tv cons over the years and found that only in rare circumstances has the guest stipulated "no personalistions"...some have asked for an additional price which includes personalistion and a quote (the additional prce where from non SM Cons).

Hi SM, I am looking atthe guest list this year and there a number of Diamond Pass guests that i am interested in purchasing he Diamond Packages for. However, my question before i purhase them is... Will Diamond Guests be offering personalisations to the Diamond Pass holders? I ask this as in most cases the cost of the diamond pass is an extra £40+ for each guests and for me personally, the value would not be there if the guest werent guaranteeing personalisations if requested. I know some attendendees prefer not to get a personalisation and i understand that, but for me, personalisation is everything. Thanks SM

I see SM have removed my post, why? it didnt break any rules!

I find your post highly condecending to say the least! What difference is it if someone has posted 10 posts or a thousound! Does that make them any less of a customer who attended the convention!!! I stand by several attendee posts on here that SM were indeed falsely advertising certain events that never happened over the weekend! Why should we, the customers and "Fans" of LFCC and more importantly, The Empire Strikes Back, feel "satisfied" with the very feeble replies we have received in voicing our frustrtaion and disappointment in this area. Oh and ptenbob, just for your information, i had personally emaild Jason months before the event with a list of names of actors who had appeared in TESB that had not previously appeared at a SM event (that i was aware of anyway). Oh, and i believe George Lucas drinks coffee, not tea!

Bread aside, you can't make advertisements and back up threads and then ignore the public when they don't receive what you advertised. There was nothing "misleading" about this, SM failed to deliver on a number of items they had advertised. And whats worse is that some attendees put off attending other events based on your advert!

Guests aside, what were the many things to see and do in relation to Empire Strikes Back? I can understand guests cancelling etc, but to advertise an event and build it up into something then to have no explanation other than "depends who's available" is worse than leading your customers on, its false advertising. If nothing else was planned then why continue with the hype and advertisement on your page?

Thanks WrongName, will reply there:)

Seriously SM, you deleted a thread i created that had no foul or abusive language; just asking for comment and feedback regarding The Empire Strikes Back "event". Is asking for feedback or reasoning on posts and advertisements that YOU made really that worrying to you that you feel the need to delete a thread?

Its been over a week since this event and there have been numerous replies to various aspects of LFCC but there has not yet been any reply from Jason or SM regarding the so-called Special 35th Celebratory Empire Strikes Back that was going to happen during the weekend, I and others have posted a number of comments on the "feedback" thread but have not had any relply. The original posting advert on the main LFCC page made several statements that just didnt happen. Even before the event took place i recall a post asking if this had been forgotten about, i dont seem to be able to find that post.. Your own post for this stated: "With this land mark year we will be bringing you some rare guests and important people that make this amazing film happen 35 years ago. There will be first time signers and many things to do and see and opportunities to celebrate our love for this wonderful film." True we had a couple of rare guests, but what of the "many things to do and see and opportunities to celebrate our love for this wonderful film."

Was there a lot of hype? I wasn't expecting anything more than we got. It was just another Star Wars reunion, like the several previous. Yeah, its stated both on the main page and on the forum that Empire Stirkes Back was going to be a big thing this year with guests etc. Hence why i and some others who have posted on here feel let down and disappointed.

Its been a week since the event and from reading the replies from Jason, this is what ive learned: 1/ Future events will have 40% extra space. Great...that means SM will sell more tickets and hopefully get more guests. Downside is WAY too many people to make it comfortable. 2/ Air Con -So "doors were open and that meant no flow of air". I noticed windows werent open, but you suggest wereaing shorts and t-shirts. Fair enough, i guess now that menas that cosplay is NOT recommended due to the heat in the building! 3/ More Diamond Guests - Brilliant, if you buy in advance you will get an autograph. If not, best you forget about it (especially if you are a regular pass attendee) unless you are in the top 100 VQ numbers. 4/ Photoshoots - These will not be on the same floor, Jason has already stated this. So this will mean more rushing around various floors, up and down stairs etc. Again, more possibility of clashes and not getting to your photoshoot on time, but that will be the attendee's fault due to what has been repeatedly mentioned on here. 5/ Gold Pass - Unless you are getting photoshoots or want VQ ticket guests, this is of no real value now. You will be let in early to get VQ tickets, you can go to front of the photoshoot line and thats about it. Regular guests who are NOT on VQ tickets, no matter how long the line, you got to go to the back of the queue. The "Trinkets" in the goody bag are just a bonus according to the posts! 6/ Empire Strikes Back - Havent seen any response to this yet?? Yes we saw some lesser known non-spekaing guests, but certainly nothing that equalled to the hype. 7/ Personalisations - Its blatanly obvious that SM want the guests to see as many people as possible (ergo make as much money as possible) therefore going by recent experience, personalisations from larger guests wil lbe a No No in future i think. Instead of queing early for hours in the monring to meet these guests, i think i'll just use the online shop. Means less queing, no need a VQ ticket and I have a better chance of getting something of meaningful value to me and not something i can purchase from the vendors in the hall for a fraction of the price. Did i miss anything else?

Thanks for your feedback Jason and for your explanation. This year was the first year that i went for the Gold Pass. My feedback is as follows: Gold Pass Room: There was water available which was brilliant, but perhaps this shouldhave been chilled as drnking luke warm water is not the best. A couple of chill boxes would sort thisout for next time. Chairs and tables were great for taking time out to relax, but the chill out room needs to be open constantly and not closed during talks or other events. Best to have this moved to another area. Gold Pass VQ's: The one thing that makes the Gold Pass valuable is the ability NOT to require a VQ. You have already sold your Diamond Passes for these guests, why then do Gold Passes who have already paid for the privalidge of not having to queue for other guests, have to queue for these? This makes the Gold Pass considerable less valuable as not everyone with a Gold Pass wants to to purchase a large supple of photoshoots. I thrououghly recommend that Gold Pass should NOT require ANY VQ tickets for any guest in future. Photoshoots split over too many levels: It was IMPOSSIBLE to get from the Ground Floor from one photoshoot to the the third floor in 15mins on Saturday. You couldnt do it due to the sheer number of people on the floor and the stairs. Please, put ALL of the photoshoots one the same floor for your next con. Many attendees purchase multiple photoshoots and to move up and down various floors is not viable, especially when negotiating through crowds. Autograph Personalisations: This is a MASSIVE point for me as you are offering the chance to meet the guest, but in the case of most of your Diamond Guests and a number of other guests, you are only able to get a standard autograph. The prices you are charging means that attendees can purchase these cheaper from vendors (even inside your building). You may say that its so that a guest can see as many people as possible, but does adding a simple "To "Name" really make that much of difference in time. Five seconds! For fans like myself who are only interested in personalised autographs, this event was a disappointing to say the least as there were a number of guests i wanted to purchase autographs but weren't personalising. Queue Jumping: This is something that needs fixed ASAP. For fans who spend hours queueing up before the doors open, only to have someone jump right ot the front of the queue is infuriating to say the least. Please have the barriers tightened up for ALL queues so that this will eliminate this bad practice. Too Many People/Lack of Breathing Room: Once again on the Saturday, there were simply too many people! You were unable to move with any sort of ease, there were blockages and the heat was once again horrendous. Why weren't windows opened to aid in ventiliation? You state that the events are getting bigger and bigger (which is great in terms of guests), but with too many large crowds, the experieince diminicshes incredibly. Please address this as this is becoming not only a factor for enjoyment but more inportantly a helath and safety issue. Empire Strikes Back: This was something that you stated was going to be a big part of LFCC, yet there was nothing except for a few lesser well known guests. You had built this up to be something really exciting yet there were no new Top Cast Members (Dave Prowse, Kenny Baker and Jeremy Bullock attend most of your events and therefore cant be regarded as someting "special" for this particular one), no props shoots, nothing. This was also a disappointment.

HI Michelle, Just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU for all your kindness and help on the Saturday and the Sunday. As you know, i was more than a little upset by what had happend on the Saturday, but it was completely flipped around when i was able to get a personalised autograph on Sunday. You were totally amazing andi just wanted to say thanks as this is now one of my most prized possesions. Thank you, Phil (aka Dick Tracy cosplayer) Ps Thank you to Opel the Red Shirt pit oss on Sunday too, you were very kind, understanding and helpful aswell:)

On Saturday Im wearing my Dick Tracy costume, really looking forward to it:)

A real shame, i was looking forward to a Blue Thunder autograph from him, hope to meet some other time:)

Thanks QS for checking, im really hoping that the two guests i want to use these on Sunday dont sell out:)

Brilliant news. thanks TT!!! QUick question, if a guest is sold out on their photoshoot, can we still use them for that said guest?

Thats incredible!!! Why would people pay those inflated prices and worse still, those "sellers" knowingly flogging something that is A/ against SM policy and B/ fake! My suggestion would be to have each attendee submit a photo when you purchase an entry ticket, Thus way, you upload a photo of yourself to SM, they print it onto the ticket and email it back to you. This will virtually eliminate fraud.

Coming from Northern Ireland, I had several really bad experiences at my first LFCC and since then i only use Bank of England notes. Best you just bring Bank of England notes as it eliminates any confusion or arguments with staff or vendors.

Hi Sm, Got my notifcation through this morning for my £2.50 charge for the photo sessions ive booked and i'm well chuffed. Also, i have got my flight home changed to a later time on Sunday so that i can now (finally) get a photo of Colette Heller from Aliens, somehow i have kept missing her from the con's ive attended. From the info Jason and QS have provided, i no longer need to panic over what my Gold Pass does and does not get me access to. I think planning is the key and once the photo schedule goes up i think i will be alright aswell. Many thanks to QS for all of your help recently, really appreciated it; hard to believe its two weeks today that its Mega Guest Saturday for me lol:)

Thanks for your "clarification SM" but i have a few concerns regarding the "wording" on your gold passes: 1/ There is a definite difference in the use of "may require" to "will require." If Gold Passes are let in early, then that is a positively good thing so that we WILL be guaranteed lower number VQ's for diamond guests as we have already paid for this privilege of NO VQ's for all of the other guests. Will the SM helpers be at the guests tables ready to hand out a variety of VQ's for each of the diamond guests as soon as we are let in? This would need to be required to make our Gold Pass early open door paid for service meaningful. Also, how do they call the VQ's in this case. Have we to just hang around until the Diamond Passes have all gone? If so, then thatarea is going to be VERY busy and very quickly too what with Diamonds (already paid), Gold Passes (all rushing in to get their chance) and thats before standard entry has their try. 2/ On the "2 free Autograph/Photograph" that Gold Passes get, We were informed when purchasing that the free gold pass autographs/photogrpahs could not be used on "Saturday Only" guests. When i enquired about using my "free Autograph/Photograph" on guests that were attending Saturday AND Sunday, i was told that i cant use them on Saturday. Is this true?? If so, the wording is completely incorrect on your ticket description as Saturday and Sunday guests are NOT Saturday Only guests. Thanking you in advance for your clarification on this.

Thanks QS and Stuart; im flying back to belfast, hoping i can change my flight as i really dont want to miss anythng as i love LFCC and SM eevents in general:)

Thats a bit of a bummer sadly, i can understand the not applicable to saturday only guests, but if a guest is there saturday and sunday i dont see why its a problem? Does this go for autographs and photographs too? Im leaving at lunchtime or so on Sunday and if Collette;s photoshoot is in the afternoon im going to miss it:(

Hi SM, On the gold pass info, it says that you cant get photo;s from Saturday only guests. Collette Heller and Hemma Whelan are attending Saturday and Sunday; my question is, can i use my photoshoot gold ticket with them on the Saturday? Thanks:)

HI QS, thanks for this. As i had ticked the box, im assuming that i did the purchase correctly, i'll keep an eye out on my card charges just to make sure. Always puzzles me why people would send 7 or more emailsasking the same thing, you need a medal QS lol