Bohan Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I'm a 21 year old student, I would love to get a few items signed by billy dee williams but at £20 an item it is far too much!!! As i have said before, other shows have seperate prices for personal items, at expo i have payed as little as £5 to have personal items signed. Tese auto prices have became too much. Carrie fisher signing 2000 autos over 1 weekend at £25 an auto comes to like £60,000, that is like double the income of the combined family members in my house! It actually puts me off of these events paying such high autograph fees, and having the guests be so rude to you, and the staff being complete assholes too. Apart from the women giving/taking the tickets at the start of Carrie Fisher's line as she was quite friendly and polite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_mk Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I'm a 21 year old student, I would love to get a few items signed by billy dee williams but at £20 an item it is far too much!!! As i have said before, other shows have seperate prices for personal items, at expo i have payed as little as £5 to have personal items signed. Tese auto prices have became too much. Carrie fisher signing 2000 autos over 1 weekend at £25 an auto comes to like £60,000, that is like double the income of the combined family members in my house! It actually puts me off of these events paying such high autograph fees, and having the guests be so rude to you, and the staff being complete assholes too. Apart from the women giving/taking the tickets at the start of Carrie Fisher's line as she was quite friendly and polite Again, it depends on teh member of staff and when you catch them. Yeah, I noticed a few pillocks too, but thankfully they were far and few between (plus, I think it was more noticable by Sunday afternoon, but I'm sure working one of these events for three days is exhasuting!) I have to say, members of the crew telling you that you couldn't take video footage or flash photography from a distance was funny as hell.. what can they do to stop you, it's a public place!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I don't mind enormously paying for autographs, most people spend money on the thing they collect, and you somply wouldn't get the callibre of guests if the autos were free, as someone else said also the queues would circle Milton Keynes. If everyone signing yesterday had been free, i would have got 5 or 10 from each person, why not??? I understand the alternative to charging but none of them would work. THere are a few guests who need to realise however that we are paying for the restricted amount of time we get with them and they should make more of an effory to be polite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_mk Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I don't mind enormously paying for autographs, most people spend money on the thing they collect, and you somply wouldn't get the callibre of guests if the autos were free, as someone else said also the queues would circle Milton Keynes. If everyone signing yesterday had been free, i would have got 5 or 10 from each person, why not??? I understand the alternative to charging but none of them would work. THere are a few guests who need to realise however that we are paying for the restricted amount of time we get with them and they should make more of an effory to be polite What happens at other (non free) conventions, is that you get one 'thing' signed for free, you pay for anything else. Free auto's is NOT going to happen, standard prices (which are cheaper) could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I just have to say, I don't mind one bit paying for autos. It gives me the chance to meet some great celebrities, whom I wouldn't be able to meet otherwise. Not all of us can travel around and go to premieres etc etc, where you can get some autos for free. So this chance of meeting my idols is just fantastic. Of course, I have to limit myself to how much I can spend, but it is all worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazznewbie Posted October 3, 2004 Author Share Posted October 3, 2004 Neither can I although my other previous interest of motor racing it was easy to get free ones not that i really follow it to that degree anymore, I`ve also obtained a few when in London purely by chance never been to a premiere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Coop Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 From a personal point of view I think people should consider the following before judging Showmasters or the guests: 1. You chose to attend the event. 2. It was free to enter and you did not have to go to the talks or party. 3. You do not know what costs Showmasters pay for the guests and what percentage they make from the autographs. One thing to consider is the fact that some are dearer than others which would reflect higher fees for the guest in question. 4. The original poster was going great guns with their points made until the final part when they said that if the autographs were free then people could complete multi signed posters!!! That let you down. I had two cast photos with me and the split of what was paid for and what was a personal free item at a full weekend convention is about half. 5. Looking at the line up I cannot think of one guest who has a major film or tv series to promote at the moment.... 6. The money charged to stall holders is not as great as you may think. I knew three traders there and I know what they pay as I sometimes split the cost with them at events and trade myself in trading cards. So, please think before you comment as alot of people seem to be presuming without facts. From a personal point of view, I like the thrill of the chase of collecting the cast autographs. If it happened too quickly then it would be boring. Father Coop....the voice of reason!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Coop Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Also, alot of these guests are regulars on the signing circuit worldwide as it is their career so to speak. Not everyone is filming all year round and they have to work to live. Father Coop....a true mega fan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Neither can I although my other previous interest of motor racing it was easy to get free ones not that i really follow it to that degree anymore, I`ve also obtained a few when in London purely by chance never been to a premiere Yeah chance meetings are great, but it's exactly that...chance. With going to an event like Collectormania, this chance is severely reduced to a definite meeting, (queues permitting of course). Collectormania is free, no paying to get in..which means more money for me to spend meeting guest that I like, and so far, I have met every guest I have wanted to meet, so I have no complaints Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nafrayu Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 I too have met every guest that I've wanted to. As for charging for autographs - I don't mind at all. Some of the prices seemed a little high (£25) but I guess it's the guests themselves that set that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomi-noo Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 i guess i kinda agree with all of you in some way or another. I do think that if we want to spend our money on the autograph, we should be able to do so, i mean after all, meeting someone in the calibre of say Elijah Wood, is for most people a once in a lifetime oppertunity, and paying to be able to do that, and be guarenteed like at least a min face to face with him is in my opinion well worth the money. However, i do think that some guests do charge more than i personally would want to pay for their autograph. At c3, i remember that some guests chose to have say "pay £15 for a still and get a personal item for £5 extra" kinda thing going on, but as the event has progressed, it seems that less guests choose to do that. I do not think that the prices should be dropped manically to say, £5 an autograph, but i think that (as someone else said) with alot of the atendees looking as though they are students, a slight drop in the prices wouln't go amiss, which would end up with more atendees choosing to see more guests, that they may not approach if they didn't have the money, and pay to get that guests autograph too 5. Looking at the line up I cannot think of one guest who has a major film or tv series to promote at the moment.... Well, that isn't actually true, what do you think that the harry potter guests were there for? What were the star wars guests there to co-inside with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Coop Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 i guess i kinda agree with all of you in some way or another. I do think that if we want to spend our money on the autograph, we should be able to do so, i mean after all, meeting someone in the calibre of say Elijah Wood, is for most people a once in a lifetime oppertunity, and paying to be able to do that, and be guarenteed like at least a min face to face with him is in my opinion well worth the money. However, i do think that some guests do charge more than i personally would want to pay for their autograph. At c3, i remember that some guests chose to have say "pay £15 for a still and get a personal item for £5 extra" kinda thing going on, but as the event has progressed, it seems that less guests choose to do that. I do not think that the prices should be dropped manically to say, £5 an autograph, but i think that (as someone else said) with alot of the atendees looking as though they are students, a slight drop in the prices wouln't go amiss, which would end up with more atendees choosing to see more guests, that they may not approach if they didn't have the money, and pay to get that guests autograph too 5. Looking at the line up I cannot think of one guest who has a major film or tv series to promote at the moment.... Well, that isn't actually true, what do you think that the harry potter guests were there for? What were the star wars guests there to co-inside with? Please do not take this as rude in anyway to the Potter stars, but they are not main stream cast members. If it has been Dan Radcliffe etc then I would concur. As regards the SW guests, most of the ones signed are regulars on the signing circuit and take advantage of situations like this to earn money. Don't be suprised to see some of them at C7 as Episode 3 is out then. Father Coop....trying to be polite about the stars!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Coop Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Also, no one makes people go to events and being a student is not an excuse that washes with me. I was a student once and made things happen by sacrificing when I needed to. I have monthly bills to pay, rent, food, clothes, day to day living..so, as I work to make this happen does it mean I can't get a reduction as well even though I am not a student? I smoke, but don't drink... Can you see what I am saying? In a polite way by the way!! No one is forced to go to these events or spend money. It is by choice and therefore people know the charge sin advance before handing over the cash. Father Coop... no more the student thank god!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomi-noo Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 i didn't say that just students should get a reduse in prices, if you read my post carefully, i mearly said that as alot of the people who go are young, and to be honest cant really get an income, and is probably with the older atendees, their income isn't too grand either (just and assumption sorry if i am wrong) maybe lower prices would benifit more people, because they could approach to meet people they may not have met if they didn't have the money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Coop Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 i didn't say that just students should get a reduse in prices, if you read my post carefully, i mearly said that as alot of the people who go are young, and to be honest cant really get an income, and is probably with the older atendees, their income isn't too grand either (just and assumption sorry if i am wrong) maybe lower prices would benifit more people, because they could approach to meet people they may not have met if they didn't have the money! No worries, but the one downside of cheaper prices is less guests. Fees have to be covered etc and no doubt some people would moan if there wasn't alot of guests. I remember seeing people asking over and over again in the run up to this weekend IS THAT ALL? Father Coop....already planning for the Shanks syndrome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilgalad70 Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 Hmm, so we charge people to go into shopping malls now do we? On top of the parking fee? Do we get Stormtroopers at every gate with cattle prods asking if people want to buy an autograph with their weekly shopping, and if not, tell them to 'go away and come back later'? Memorabilia is in a convention centre, where you go specifically to a show. The cons at Heathrow, won't be attended by casual shoppers, Collectormania might be. As well as a few fanboys, perhaps People will soon be telling stories of how nasty evil dealers were taking up space that they would have taken up with guest X discussing where Servalan was dissing Gandalf in an Ewoks's outfit, and he was still seen wearing a Rolex watch in frame 2342 (widescreen Extended edition only). Dealers that had stall, like those who had their logos behind Carrie and Billy Dee (in full on Alexander O'Neal mode!) pay shed loads to sponsor the show. That helps hire the Hall space, and makes inroads to pay for the guest's fees. If there were no sponsors, there'd be no guests, and then where would the mini-hobbits and elves get their kicks? 25 quid for Carrie Fisher? She was aking A LOT more than that at San Diego in the Summer. Think how much it would have been on QVC or Ideal World? 70 quid for 'original Star Wars' crewmembers, a throw, or 15 for George Takei or Walter Koenig in Milton Keynes. With the added bonus with many of the guys, you can personalise it to 'nearly' anything you want. Heck, you could have taken up the offer of those comedians that trundle past the show that say they'll sign anything for 15 quid. How I laugh! One thing I found interesting was how many of the Star Wars guys like Rusty, Richard and co, were 'asking' 10 a throw, Royd Tolkien was 'asking' 15. Also, a regular observation was at the NEC, Dave Prowse charges more, and gets a HUGE crowd, yet at most Collectormanias he charges less, and usually gets less takers. I'm lead to believe that at the Heathrow cons, you pay a whacking great big upfront fee, and then have long queues for 'free' autographs. I believe Book signings are a good place for 'free' autographs. But then, you do have to buy the book, and who'd really want a first edition Tolkien book.. You know, I was pasing down the high street in Dullesville, Tx and you know I saw Carrie Fisher, Billy Boyd, Verne Troyer, Brent Spiner, and they all begged me to take their signed photos, in fact THEY were paying ME to do it! then the tablet started to wear off, and I realised you wouldn't see that group outside of a convention, as a group, and they Definitely wouldn't pay you to take their autographs...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Coop Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 As a frequent attendee of Heathrow conventions the upfront fee is very reasonable for what you get. The queues are easy and called in batches according to your convention ticket number. Father Coop...a true Con Whore!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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