fadagaski

Okay, a part of me is utterly selfish in wanting to keep Collectormania as near to me as possible. That's normal, right? I mean, you wouldn't want it moving further from you if that was where it came from, would you? The rest of me seriously thinks there is nothing wrong with having Milton Keynes remain the venue, for various reasons I've mentioned before. But as that's completely off topic, I'd say I would pay about £15 to get in, but not more. And that would stop me getting someone's autograph, which is not of the good. ~fadagaski~

Hmm. I didn't ask them anything in the queues, per se. I told Dom I was disappointed about the lack of Hetty Wainthrop pictures (how many times have I typed that? And I still don't know if it's spelt right). At Sun TTT (I was there for that question for Andy!) I asked him something along the lines of: "How much does your chiropracter get and did you ever lose your voice?" <-- to Andy. And then they left. The low still hasn't hit me. I keep replaying my meeting with Andy and Elijah - two fantastic men. The double pair of big blue eyes and the cheeky grin, no matter how tired. Awww! I'm planning letters in my head now, thanks to the inspiration on this forum! Doh! ~fadagaski~

Jeezus, if the calibre of guests rises as it does (and it fair JUMPED for CM4) then the queues are going to get more and more fatal. And I think that was an appropriate use of the word. Makes me glad I'm not a Famous Person, really. ~fadagaski~

I think it was a great shame that some people didn't get in at all, and some people only got a couple of seconds, some people got a handshake (ME!), others got a hug, some were deprived of photos, and then there were the damn callous dealers. It just goes to show that even the actors would like it to be different. How many of you are science/maths/technology wizards? Think you could knock up a cloning machine so we could all have an Elijah each? Just kidding. ~fadagaski~

The glass wouldn't have caved in. It's special stuff, me thinks; can withstand a lot. I had a thought. It's probably really obvious, but yet not so. The actors are no doubt used to it. Not in the sense that they can be rushed by 200 screamers and not feel a pang of terror, but they can probably get over it quicker. The only thing different between this and a premier is that there are no barriers. I'm sure I made sense in my head, honest! Damn flu. I caught cold on Monday, sitting on the floor for 5 hours total playing Snake on my phone. And they still didn't wave from the car, darnit. ~fadagaski~

I'm confused. Am I in or am I out? :S I am a shy person by nature (don't listen to anything Siobhan says to the contrary) so I need a LOT of reassurance. D'you think I could come as Gollum pre-CGI for the latter two days? I figure he wasn't really in FotR that much ... Pwease? ~fadagaski~ aka. the nervous wreck after meeting 4 Famous People

The collage rocks, the pictures are great, but doesn't Elijah look so hot! Not in that way - I mean, he looks like he could melt in his seat. The joys of glass windows. But fantastic collage dude! And I love that badge. Hehehe. ~fadagaski~

Damn. I really need to make them gifts next time. Oi! Siobhan! Any ideas? ~fadagaski~

Woah! Some of you have serious issues with my city. Why's that? I've said this before and I'll say it again: Collectormania is something uniquely ours, why rip it from us when it reaches its prime? I'll readily admit that Middleton Hall was too cramped for CM3, never mind CM4, but there are other places within Milton Keynes that can be utilised. We don't have to ship our baby off to NEC or Le Stade de France! Get a big enough cover, and use the Hockey Stadium! Hire out one of the school gyms (they're big enough, trust me). If the dates were moved to a warmer season, you could host the entire show at Woburn Abbey, under the sun! The actors could be hidden away in tents, so none would suffer Lij's overheating. Milton Keynes is the perfect place for such an event. The accomodation isn't as expensive as other cities, there are trains coming in regularly from all over the country, we are well served by the M1 and A5, and there are coaches coming in from every direction (including the major airports, and I know they run smooth enough!). MK is pretty much central in England, and very close to Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, Luton and Midlands Airports. You've no reason to move from Milton Keynes! Maybe I am being selfish. I have a lot of love for my city, as Sean Bean has for Sheffield. It would be a great shame to see Collectormania move. Would you move Sheffield United?! Thought not - we got the Dons instead. As for the entrance fees ... It's bitterly expensive at NEC (Crufts costs too much), but if it meant CM would stay in MK, then so be it. Just remember, the screaming teeny boppers we all loath are my age (17) or older, so most are working and can afford to pay to scream their throats hoarse regardless. I managed to cough up £75 easy enough, and I only work 6 hours a week! So beware of that factor. Please, stay in MK! I would travel if I had to, but I'd rather not. Paying for autographs is one thing - getting a motel room is quite another. Birmingham park bench, be ready for me! ~fadagaski~

It was Lij on the speakers? I heard Dom's announcement pretty well, but people started screaming with the second person and I thought it was Andy. Can someone please tell me what they said? Ta, ~fadagaski~

October 28, 2003. This has been the most expensive month of my life, and I'm bloody glad about that too! I think that's why I want to meet the actors, when I've never bothered before. You see the characters so close, and then you see the actors behind the scenes, and even though I have my own close group of friends (who have a pretty similar hobbit-y dynamic :)), we will never be a part of something so huge and spectacular. It makes me green with envy. There was logic somewhere in that statement, trust me! Bring on Half Term! Wooo! ~fadagaski~

I think you've captured the essence of Collectormania, dude! Congrats. The Showmasters should put it up on the main site for visitors to see. Hehehehe. It might put some off and attract a better crowd? Heehee. ~fadagaski~

I want to thank the assistant to Elijah, because she said something that got him to look up and look me IN THE EYE and then he SHOOK MY HAND. Okay, so the girl two places in front got a hug (BITCH! ) but still! I met Elijah Wood and he said to me "Don't be nervous". *dies* Andy totally rocked. I love that guy. But I don't know about the Monday evening free queues, because I saw him leave at 16:30 (just as I was making my way down to see if I could have a chat - I had almost worked up the courage to do something more than blush and shake!). But he was just leaving - poor bloke had trouble getting out of the door with people stopping him, but there you go. God, Showmasters HAVE to bring them all back. Or set up a seperate LotR-Mania. That would bring in just as much money (I know it's not the only point, but it is a factor), probably more if they got 5 LotR stars. Even if they were 'minor' characters (if you can call Lurtz, Sauron and Witchking 'minor'), that would still be a major draw. Who's for Lotrmania? ~fadagaski~

*sobs* Why didn't I think to get them presents? I mean, this being the first signing I've ever been to, I just turned up with money hoping to have a quick parting words (and wasn't it just?). I never realised you could give them LETTERS and PRESENTS! Not that I could afford it, but it would have been cool to write a letter to Andy or Lij ... I wouldn't have known what to write besides "I think that you rock, but you've heard it so many times it's probably echoing in your ears". *sigh* There's always next time! Just think of next time! ~fadagaski~

I, too, want to applaud the Staff and Volunteers. You all rock. Had I known that you were all volunteers, I would have asked to join your ranks. I didn't learn of that until it was too late, but there's always April! Where do you sign up? ~fadagaski~

Oh please don't move Collectormania from Milton Keynes! London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Leeds; they all get the big gigs that come to these Isles. But what about this 'city'? This is something special that we can call our own, that belongs to MK. It's damn more agreeable than the one concert Eminem did this year (that completely rocked our socks with the bass, quite literally). I can appreciate that people have come a long way to visit the stars, but Milton Keynes isn't so remote. There are plenty of trains in and out, and coaches that do the Airport links. MK Metro buses are regular enough to the city (getting out can be a hastle, I'll admit). Besides, even if the actors were doing signings in somewhere like Toddington or Cranfield, the same number of people would try to get to it. Most of them would get lost, but they would try. There are other places to hold the convention, but they're not all outside MK. If Showmasters do anything to 'improve' the show, let it NOT be relocating the entire event. Would you take Crufts out of Birmingham? No, definitely not. Collectormania is something MK has nurtured - why rip it away in its prime? ~fadagaski~ ... city pride lives on in me ...

Poor Andy. First they insulted him by charging less than the hobbits, THEN he was in so little demand that he could leave at 16:30 with no problem. That's probably a blessing, but still, bittersweet in its coming ... He so rocked. I got his first, and I'm glad. *cheers Andy* ~fadagaski~

As one nameless face in 2500, I doubt they even acknowledged me. I mean, they spoke, and it wasn't automated (not robots then!), but Famous People probably have it down to an art to speak to someone without really seeing them. *sigh* Quite depressing, no? It would have been nice to be considered 'sweet' instead of 'butch' for once. :) ~fadagaski~

I saw all of you, and your costumes were fantastic. I'm thinking that next time I might turn up as Gollum ... before he got CGI-d. Which would involve finding a lot of white stuff (how hard is it to find a white balaclava?) and crawling around C:MK on all fours. Sounds like fun! Would that be okay? Finding the stuff won't be easy, and I have to see what Andy wore on set (another excuse to watch LOTR documentaries!), but I might be able to pull it off. Maybe. *prays* ~fadagaski~

I had fun at the cinema screenings - I screamed with the rest of them. When I was meeting them I was too nervous to say much - especially Andy (being my first Famous Person). I mean, I was shaking and my face had flushed crimson and I was just barely managing to be coherent. Sean was a bit of a let down - I got his signature but hardly a word else (but that's okay! He's a busy guy). With Dom, I managed to be mildly witty (as much as I can get anyway) - I mentioned the entire lack of Hetty Wainthrop photos - he said it was his No Photos stage. And then with Elijah it just all went to pot. I was blushed bright red, and I sort of stood gawping, trying to get my brain into motion. My [eventual] point is that, I wonder who they prefer? The screaming fangirls or the ultra-nervous ones? Two complete opposites, but Andy and Elijah were really sweet and tried to put me at ease, which is something. But then, Lij in the cinema was saying that he always tried to calm down those who were having Adverse Reactions. Of course, then there were those girls (don't who they were, but they were dressed in the cool hobbit outfits) who chatted with the actors as easily as with each other, while I stood in the queue with a façade of calm and quaking in my boots. How did they do it? ~fadagaski~

This poll is evil. How do you choose? Well, I did make a decision (Albeit reluctantly) - Andy Serkis. He was sooooo sweet. The first Famous Person who ever gave me an autograph, and he personalised it without my asking! But of course, Elijah would be great. I'd like to see Billie Boyd (missed him CM3, dang it all). Oh hell, a Famous Person is a Famous Person. They'll all add to the atmosphere!

Siobhan, I hate you and Keeleigh. By October 2004, *I* will have a job at Cineworld! The hobbits (and the rest of the cast) will be busy this November/December. Lij and Sean (on Saturday at Cineworld) were saying they have all this promotional work to do that will be taking them around the world. So just keep your ears and eyes open, especially in Germany and the USA. *nods* ~fadagaski~

This is such a huge topic, and I'm new (and currently in school ) so I haven't read ALL the replies. However, I just wanted to say that I had a great time at CM4 - I got all 4 hobbits, and even though I live within the city border I still got up at 5AM to get the ticket for Elijah (whom I didn't see until about 2PM anyway). I think what most of you are forgetting is that it is COLLECTormania. The 10AM opening was definitely adhered to - by the dealers! The barriers were taken down and people could buy things after 10AM. I think that's what the timeframe was referring to. The actors are an added bonus. I don't know if they're paid or not, but most of the Crew were volunteers (so I heard), so congratulations to them (I saw Sarah getting harrassed by some stupid woman in the Andy Serkis queue, poor thing). As for the venue, C:MK is probably not the best place to have it, especially at the weekend, but there are other places in the city where the event could be held. I think it would be a great shame to have CM move from MK to Birmingham or London, where so many events already happen. How many of the actors would remember such stereotypical British cities (no offence) when we have ROUNDABOUTS! *cheers with civic pride* I just want to thank the Actors (especially those who stayed behind to fit everyone in), the Organisers and the Volunteers for putting on a fantastic show. Personally, I can't wait until CM5 and CM6, which are bound to be bigger. Those who came to CM4, learn from your mistakes and put in SUGGESTIONS to the Organisers about improvements on the website to make it more accurate and imformative. Some of the people I overheard were really bitchy, for lack of a better word, and shamefully, most were British. The Americans and Europeans who had flown over (some for JUST this event) were friendly and polite and, despite the chill, accepted what the organisers told them, perhaps because it's like a trip to the amusement park on holiday. The Brits though, who had driven down from Nottingham or up from Southampton, were just plain rude. I barely said a word to anyone, so hopefully I was less of a pain. Next time, just listen to the requests of the organisers and COMPLY - bottle necks and confusion will grow less and less the more people obey simple commands. And next time, I catch an earlier bus. *nods* ~fadagaski~