Spookie

I met him on Saturday and was really happy with my experience - I knew he was bound to be super busy and everything would be pretty quick, but I'm so glad I did (and it was less rushed than I'd imagined it might be - although I'd deliberately tried to get a lowish number diamond pass which I'm sure helped). I too appreciated how, as you mentioned, at the photoshoot he was welcoming everyone as they stepped up before turning to face the photographer. He greeted me warmly, we shook hands, I HAD A HUG FROM MULDER!! and after the photo was taken he said something along the lines of hoping I enjoyed the rest of the day, and shook my hand again. I'm so happy with how the photo turned out! After the morning shoot I went straight to join the short auto session he was going to do before lunch and although everyone was moved along pretty quickly he was still stopped to greet me again, chose the same colour to match the other autos I already had on my poster and signed it carefully - I was surprised he was doing personalisations, I appreciated that. We exchanged a few words whilst he was signing, and then he gave me a fist bump after (quicker than hand shakes I guess, you can do it with the pen still in hand - makes sense! ) and thanked me for coming. I also really enjoyed his talk, and didn't see anything wrong with his manner at all (I'm surprised to hear people did?) - he's a little more laid back and with a drier sense of humour and different kind of delivery than some guests but I thought he answered the good questions well and dealt with the more dubious ones without wasting too much time on them lol!

Yeah I would have definitely assumed that, but it seems at SM events you have to specifically ask even in these cases (unless it's a prop shoot that suits portrait better) - both from my (and friends') experience and checking out the digital photo gallery. But I finally twigged you can actually ask to have it taken your preferred way, and I'm really happy with the result this time :)

How odd... Well, it sounds like you got it home safely, that’s the main thing! If you put it in a frame with a mount it’ll keep the ink away from the glass/plastic so it shouldn’t smudge whilst it’s still drying (good practice anyway, you don’t want it to stick to the ink) - it’ll have to dry eventually!

Love everyone's photos! Here's mine with David Duchovny

Really happy with how this turned out! I asked the crew member when I was the next in line, and she said she'd tell the photographer. Success!

Thanks guys! Haha yeah, I think my instinct would be to sort of mimic rotating a camera 90 degrees or some such motion, all helps, right? Cheers all!

If I can’t make it today, will I be able to pick up my diamond pass (for Saturday) until 7pm when the shoe closes tomorrow (Friday) evening? Or will the ticket desk close early? Thanks very much

Thanks. So if I pick up my pass today, where do I collect the print from over the weekend?

When we pick up our diamond passes, is that when we’ll get the exclusive prints as well? Thanks.

Thank you both very much, that's really helpful advice! And if I simply ask "Could you take it portrait please?" that's enough right, that makes sense? Thanks again!

I can only assume a lot of people probably went crazy on their own FB/twitter etc instead! Perhaps people from the older fandoms (no offence, I am certainly one!) don't use the forums as much as they used to, I might be wrong but I get that feeling - and I have friends who steer clear of responding to announcement posts on SM's twitter/fb because of negative people jumping in... I reckon he'll be enormously popular at the event though, and I remember the night he was announced I, and others, had trouble accessing the site to buy tickets so I assume there was a lot a traffic! Well, I for one can't wait!!!

Ah ok, got it. Thanks!

Hi. I haven't had a photoshoot at a SM convention for a while, and I wanted to check if they still tend to be taken landscape, quite close up (only head and shoulders) rather than portrait? I am really looking forward to having a photo with David Duchovny, but I would much prefer it to be taken portrait, and I'm sure people used to advise you ask if you'd prefer it to be taken that way, but I'm worried it'll all happen so quickly there won't be time to ask! And who do you ask - the photographer? The crewmember taking your ticket? It's a lot of money and I just want to be happy with it (in the past I've had photos where my close-up landscape photo looks weird because of the height difference between me and the guest, or if they've hugged me but because of how close up it is you can't see that etc...) I'm scared I'll turn to the photographer to ask and *click* they'll have taken the photo! Thanks!

Try YALC on twitter - @yalc_uk I'm sure they'll be happy to help :)

Thank you both. So I could go in the YALC entrance from 10am? Although I guess at that time there would be a way to go between the areas inside, without exiting the building and going round to the YALC entrance?

This is so helpful, thank you!

I'm a bit late posting on here lol but I was SO excited when he was announced!! Booked my first ever diamond pass that evening! I see no reference to batch numbers though - when will diamond pass holders get called for photos? Still can't believe it - I was lucky enough to meet David at the stage door after I saw him in a play in New York years ago, he was really lovely and chilled out, I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. I couldn't believe there were so few people there lol! He was more than happy to sign an XF pic Gillian had already signed, but I've since started getting x-files autographs on a big Fight the Future poster though and I'm so happy to get the chance to add his autograph to it! This is really happening people!! Thank you, Showmasters!!

Hi. Do I need a specific YALC ticket to use the YALC entrance? My first photoshoot isn't til 11:55am so I was hoping to check out the YALC section first but I see the Saturday YALC tickets are sold out so I was just going to get a standard Saturday ticket... I understand I wouldn't be able to go through to the main section til 10am but that's fine. Thanks!

Thanks guys. I got a VT but he was open queue by the end of the day, and I got his autograph on my x-files poster Really nice chap - super polite, friendly and a real gentleman! He was still chatty at the end of the day, and it didn't feel rushed at all - it was sweet, when I got to the front for my autograph he exclaimed "I know you!!" lol (I'd had a photoshoot earlier)! I enjoyed his talk as well and the photo shoot was fun too - yay I got a hug from Doggett lol! How was everyone else's experience? Even in the photo shoots it seemed like he still took the time to greet everyone and thank them for coming/ pleasure to meet them etc, before and after the photo was taken. Lovely guest!

I wonder if he'll have virtual tickets - I can't arrive until about 1:30pm... I know it's impossible to know for sure, but do you regulars reckon I'll be ok? :) Thanks!

Thanks, that's very helpful!

Sorry if I've missed it, but is the John Barrowman talk a paid one? If so how much is it and where would I be able to buy a ticket on the day? Thanks very much.

I find that VERY odd that yours were not personalised, being around her signing table at several points on Saturday, I tried to get a glance at other people's autos and every single one I saw was personalised and with a heart. Were you asked by crew before you went up? I was asked if I wanted mine personalised by the crew member stood up who kept the pics/items flowing towards Famke, by the crew member sitting next to her, and by Famke herself. I really would not get upset about the table selfies though, if those fans did get one with her, then they were most definitely the exception and not the rule. I consider myself VERY lucky to have gotten a quote. I try and ask for quotes I enjoy from my favourite guests and some are really up for it if you know what you want and have it written down for them. You lose nothing by asking and I wasn't gonna miss the opportunity with my favourite Bond girl who had loads of great lines in GoldenEye. I has asked her to put "This time, Mr. Bond, the pleasure will be all mine." because that is what she said in that scene, but Famke asked if I wanted it personalised and suggested herself what she wrote in the end. In retrospect think what I asked was a little long and what she chose does work better for the item obtained at a meet and greet. I am really happy that she obliged and I got a decent looking signature on all three photos as well. That is a great publicity still. I thought of taking a similar shot from that scene in the hope I could one day get Bean on it as well but I couldn't find a decent quality image and it was more money I didn't need to spend! DId you meet Bean or did it come signed? Thank you! It was one of the images that came in a press pack for the movie I bought ages ago - I was lucky enough to get it signed by Sean Bean at the London premiere of The Island back in 2005(!!)

This is mine from Sunday - very happy with it, nice to get "Hi Mel!" :)

Special mention to Joe Naufahu! Really friendly and chatty - and seriously cool of him to come all the way from New Zealand! I'm a huge Spartacus fan, and he was really impressed with an artwork print I'd managed to get signed by 16 of the cast at previous conventions etc. Lovely guy, and clearly passionate about the show. There was a sign saying "no personalisations" so I didn't ask for one but he remembered my name and personalised it anyway :) He was more than happy to have a photo at his desk too which I greatly appreciated. I hope lots of people went to see him - fantastic guest, a real gent :)