AmbersKnight

I've had the honour of meeting Amber 3 times, and I echo what others have said about how approachable and friendly she is. She truly has the ability to make you feel like she came all that way to meet you, rather than the other way around. Its a rare gift. Amber also doesn't put on airs and graces but is just very nice to everyone.

Its been a very long while since I appeared at any convention, as severe lack of funds make any convention unaffordable. But I accept that certain pricing is inevitable to cover costs. However I do expect two things whn it comes to pricing. 1) That the organisers never milk the convention goers (profiteering is never a good thing). 2) That guests don't try and bleed organisers dry and by extension the fans. I accept that for the guests these are paid gigs and are for want of a better word, work for them and I guess they want a fair return for services rendered but ther eis fair and then there is taking the mik=ckey and what the actors here were doing was most assuredly taking the mickey, big time. I am also rather uncomfortable with this whole "we don't care how much it costs cos we could afford it" attitude. The lasty thing any sane person should want is for conventions to become the pastime of the rich and well-to-do rather than accessible to all within reason. If people want specific guests at conventions I understand that, but that must come with the assurance that neither the guest nor the organisers are taking the mick. if they are, then the price is too high, regardless of whether or not certain individuals can pay the cost or not. Conventions should never have the stench of privilege and exclusivity about them.

Okay, I was at the event today and I must admit, I was wrong on how busy it would be. I was expecting a poor showing and was pleasantly surprised to see a very good turn out for the event. So I was wrong and happily so. I still believe an A-list heavy hitter would consolidate that success but this year's success is something to build on which I am quite happy about :)

Whilst I accept that money talks and that you really can only get guests you can afford, it seems strange to me that whilst London and Milton Keynes get some extraordinary guests Glasgow seems to be the poor man's choice. If we get lacklustre guests (as I blieve this year's to be) then there isn't much hope of attracting people. On the other hand, get a heavy hitter and advertise that fact and you could get plenty. Speculate to accumalate. get a heavy hitter up here instead of those who ahve done the circuit a few times. Last year you made real progress and got some decent guests and I had hoped that this year would be building upon it. I will be going this year but not for the guests. I'll see what's on the stalls, say Hi to a friend or two but if the guests were all there was I wouldn't be there.

I'll be going on the Saturday but only for the stalls this year as none of the guests interest me. Guest wise I consider this a very meagre selection but the stalls are usually good and it'll give me a chance to say hello to some familiar faces so I will be going for that reason but for once the guests are not the draw. Really organisers, you have to stop treating Glasgow as the poor man's fair and put soem of the heavy hitters you would consider for London or Milton keynes here in Glasgow. Either that or just admit that we are 3rd in the pecking order.

At the risk of repetition I think, and maybe it is still going to happen, that the fair needs a heavy hitter. The guests we have so far are good but none that I think could be called a heavy hitter, and must-see draw to the event. I've never watched the Twilight movies (although my daughter loves them) but it would seem to me that getting one of that cast or someone high up on the Harry Potter cast list would be a way of getting people through the door. I think it's necessary to cast the net wide and see who we can get. Rachelle Lefevre from Twilight would be great (as she can sign my copy of "Hatley High") or someone in that category. Michael Sheen? probably a long shot but might be fun. Brian Cox? Again, maybe a long shot but I'm sure he'd get many people in given the wide spectrum of his work. Patrick Stewart? it's not like he doesn't do these sorts of events. But it really is a case of ensuring we get someone who cna draw a good crowd. Yes its nice to get cast members from fave shows from the US and the UK but the truth is many of them have finished and those actors are moving on and have often done a great many of these sorts of events and may not wish to come along for anything other than a big pay cheque which means that you get guests who really don't want to be there for any other reason than the cash (which may impact how they talk to the fans) and their price tag may make them pointless to ask. I'm not sure what the answer is, but so far the guest list has very much underwhelmed me. I want to support Collectormania Glasgow, but they have to make me want to. So far, they haven't this year.

Guest ideas again. Well I got one of mine with Amber Benson coming last year and as much as I'd love to see that repeated other contenders would be: Anyone from the Stargate shows (maybe David Hewlett). I gues it allows us to ask for Robert Carlyle. Tony Todd Michael Wincott (highly doubtful but this is a wish list). Michael Beihn How about some folks from "The 4400". Billy Campbell and Peter Coyote especially but any of the major cast would be good. Mandy Patinkin (again a long shot but what a guest he would be). Those are a few ideas anyway.

Yep, was there for a few hours on Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was a good event and I'm looking forward to next year's event already :)

Good to have the info. Means I need to get in pretty much straight away at 11 to be in for the Amber photo shoot. But its good to know so I can plan. Looking forward to Saturday, I might even pluck up the courage to say Hi to Amber this time.

Am I the only one who, when you click the various links, just gets a page advertising Braehead Arena but nothing else?

Here is a picture of me with Amber Benson taken a couple of years back when she was at Collectormania in Milton Keynes. http://twitpic.com/fc7qq Will be in on Saturday :)

My ticket for the photoshoot arrived this morning

Amber is my main priority. If I have the cash then Warwick Davis. But Amber first :)

Sorry to be pernickity but what if you don't have a printer or reasonable access to one? Will a had written version of the confirmation number be enough?

So who is it we talk to about the tickets?

Anyone know how much he will cost? I cna see my daughter wanting his autograph perhaps.

Friend of mine very kindly bought me a ticket for the Amber Benson photoshoot and the ticket has yet to arrive. I am lucky in that living local I can wait to probably the day before at the latest but really they should be here by now surely?

Okay, this is probably going to be an obvious question but what if you didn't buy the ticket yourself but it was bought for you? I take it that person would have the confirmation details?

Thanks. Took a look. Good pricing all round :) Takes a weight off my mind :)

I had worried, given some of the pre-order prices for autographs, that this wouldn't be do-able but your prices are very reasonable indeed. Can get what I want now. Don't suppose you have any of the modern Doctor Who cast coming do you? My daughter is a fan might be nice to get an autograph.

Excellent! That makes things a lot more affordable! Edited to add: Where are the prices listed? I just went to the main page and the prices page there and there are no prices listed. Thanks SM!

If you get the First Glasgow bus (no 747) it'll take you from Glasgow Airport to Braehead and back again for £3.50. Just ask for an all-day ticket (exact fare only so make sure you have the change to give them £3.50 cos they don't give change) and it'll do you there and back again.

We "often" live in? Where do you sometimes live? You're welcome. Sorry. I said often because we are also capable of acts of altruism from time to time, so I don't see it as a dark world all the time. And really, is there any need for snide remarks on what is meant to be a friendly forum?

Obviously want to meet Amber again. If I were to get something signed from Robert that I owned it would either be "Gremlins 2" or 2nd season box set of "The 4400".

Good lord, she was on Buffy, she hasn't discovered a cure for cancer! Perspective! So a person who is a talented actor, screenwriter, author and director (plus a pretty good singer as well) can't be classed as amazing? She is also a very kind, decent, thoughtful person. Given the greedy, selfish world we often live in, Ms Benson's attitude is enough alone to warrant the term "amazing". Now, I tend to look at such people as amazing. maybe its a excessive description but I'll stiick with it thanks :)