Was this a disappointing Collectormania?

[Vegetable Maiden]

I thought the party was really good. Seriously, for £15 a head, what were you expecting? Gold-plated toilet seats? The aim of it was to have a relaxed, social atmosphere. When you go to a club, you don't demand to be entertained the entire time you're there. If you're willing to have fun, you'll have it. If you're determined that it was going to fail, then...well, self-explanitory really.

I wasn't even a VIP, and I spent the second half of the night booty-bumping with Devon Murray and the rest of the Harry Potter representation. Fun's out there, if you look for it. All I'm saying is, if you didn't enjoy it, don't slag it off too much. Some of us really loved it, and want it to happen next year. If you don't want to go, don't buy a ticket! But don't campaign against it for the rest of us.

 

As for the weekend signings...well, the stars themselves seemed perfectly sociable. Tom Lenk, blessim, looked knackered, but still made the time to talk to us. Even Nic was a sweetie, and we were in the uberlong queue. Billy Boyd...did anyone notice he was on his mobile for about twenty minutes at one point?! I actually gave up my ticket to some girls who had really high numbers, so I didn't get to meet him in the end. Oh well!

 

My only complaint was that a steward, on the last day, was a particular spam. It was in the queue to meet Devon Murray. I'd bought TWO autographs from him over the weekend, and I'd even got to know him pretty socically...so we were going up to say goodbye to him (as he'd actually made me promise we'd do, at the party), and one of the stewards tried to get us out of the queue because "some people had paid for the privilige of meeting him". Guess what, dumbf*ck? One of those people was me! TWICE! Luckily, devon looked up and said goodbye properly. No thanks to the steward, who gave quite a miserable end to what was otherwise a fantastic weekend.

[Jog]

each collectormania is basically the same, the only things thats majorly different are the guests. Everyone likes different guests so you could say no collectormanias are better than any others.

 

I thought the party was really good. Seriously, for £15 a head, what were you expecting? Gold-plated toilet seats? The aim of it was to have a relaxed, social atmosphere. When you go to a club, you don't demand to be entertained the entire time you're there. If you're willing to have fun, you'll have it. If you're determined that it was going to fail, then...well, self-explanitory really.

 

totally agree, the party was really good, i have to admit i didn't think that at the time but i did have a lot of fun!

[Michael Welch Fan]

I agree with BigW. I didn't go to the party but we went yesterday (Sunday.) We've been to several Collectormanias, and this was definately the worst. All the friends that I met up with said the same.

 

If we hadn't booked the Buffy talk tickets when we thought Amanda and Miranda were coming, we wouldn't have gone at all, but it was too much money, so...

 

I know it isnt Showmasters fault Ms Tapping and Ms Otto cancelled, but it was still the worst Collectormania so far. We won't be coming again unless there is a huge star we want to see, e.g. Michael Welch, Jewel Staite or Amanda Tapping.

 

It's sooo busy. It's a perfect location because of the facilities, but its also an awful location because you get the shoppers who dont want to buy autographs but are content to block the place up and stand and stare at the actors.

 

I have to say I was disappointed with Nick who I'd been a fan of for years. When I went up he was happy to chat to the guy sitting beside him and totally ignore us for a couple of minutes. Although I did warm up to him a little, during the talk.

 

As for the person talking about Billy and Nick, I didn't meet Billy at CM but I have met him before and he's absolutely lovely! Maybe he had personal stuff going on and thats why he was on his moby?

 

Most of that isnt the organisers fault, but it was definately not as well organised as the previous events.

 

 

- MichaelWelchFan

Edited October 4, 2004 by Michael Welch Fan

[Moo]

The guests attitudes is not Showmasters fault- some guests will inevitably be rude. I've found in the few years I have been doing conventions that some are just downright rude, others have bad days (they are only human!)

 

The party for me was an absolute dissapointment. £15 for what? The VIP room being below the other meant it was a pain to keep moving between the two! I saw 2 Weasly twins at the party *BIG WOW* /end sarcasm/ no offence to them but they aren't stars! Where were the rest of the guests? Surely I'm not the only one who thinks a couple of kid actors who have been in what 3 films don't really constitute big stars?

 

The music before the band was shocking, the band were on for *AGES* and whilst it was nice if you were a fan- those who weren't had nothing to do/no where to dance- perhaps it would have been a good idea to hire out 3 rooms so that people who just wanted to dance could have? The music after the band was music which you could dance to- stuiff I would expect at a party. Except I had to leave then because I had to drive home. So I was very dissapointed that they had suddenly changed the music they were playing!

 

The directions to the place were shocking- I only got my tickets on the day we came to Milton Keynes so had no time to prepare the route myself- just a general direction, map or SOMETHING would have been good!

 

Definitely won't pay for another Collectormania party again!!

[BigW]

I thought the party was really good. Seriously, for £15 a head, what were you expecting? Gold-plated toilet seats? The aim of it was to have a relaxed, social atmosphere. When you go to a club, you don't demand to be entertained the entire time you're there. If you're willing to have fun, you'll have it. If you're determined that it was going to fail, then...well, self-explanitory really.

No i wasn't expecting gold-plated toilet seats, but to be honest ANY seat would have been good!

I am not saying that i wanted to be entertained all night long, and i honestly went to the party with enthusiasm! I am just sorry that it sucked so much that i ended up having a crappy time!

Ah well, at least i wont be going to another one!

[Susieg]

I thought the party was really good. Seriously, for £15 a head, what were you expecting? Gold-plated toilet seats? The aim of it was to have a relaxed, social atmosphere. When you go to a club, you don't demand to be entertained the entire time you're there. If you're willing to have fun, you'll have it. If you're determined that it was going to fail, then...well, self-explanitory really.

No i wasn't expecting gold-plated toilet seats, but to be honest ANY seat would have been good!

I am not saying that i wanted to be entertained all night long, and i honestly went to the party with enthusiasm! I am just sorry that it sucked so much that i ended up having a crappy time!

Ah well, at least i wont be going to another one!

Hi I am new in here and this was the first SM I have attended.

 

This event is not what I would call a convention and I have attended conventions at least once per year for the past 10 years and I have to say I would not attend another SM event of this kind again.

 

Gold Plated toilet seats would have been nice but any type of seat at a party is one of the basics I would expect to see. I agree we have to make the evening what we can, but you cant make something out of nothing as they say. The DJ has attended many of the events I myself have been to and I have never before found any problems getting into the spirit of the evening. The organisers promised to have music videos and previous shows footage projected onto the walls as well as goody bags on leaving etc but none of these materialised. The entire event was to me badly organised. I can say the guest line up was very good and I found all of the guests to range from polite to very friendly (although I know others have not been so lucky in this respect)

 

After reading all of the posts in this forum I have to say the organisation of a party is not as difficult as SM made it, all they needed to do was find a venue, hire a DJ and someone with basic organisational skills to ensure the evening is timetabled to some extent and to go from there. If you promise to deliver something and cannot........................ OWN UP.........if we are informed then attendees are more liable to to be tolerant . Always have contingency plans.

 

I spent hours sitting on the floor and left early because I did not wish to spend another 25 mins trying to get to the bar for a drink. I paid £45 in total to attend with my husband and daughter so yes I did expect more than was delivered. I also thought the people who bothered to turn up for the Fancy Dress competition could have been treated with more respect.

[Megafan]

Disappointment doesn't even come close to how I felt about this weekend.

 

I arrived friday and got all my autos in 10 minutes. I go to a lot of events and get to know the guests so by the end of the weekend they usually remember my name, I've even seen the same guests a few months later and they still remember me. These guests barely said two words, I was lucky to get a smile.

 

This was very badly organised. Every time I asked a question, the answer was I dunno! Stewards should be told where to point people for info if they don't have an answer, not just shrug off the question. The organisers booth seemed to have no clue what was going on, particularly with regards to a HP guest who was advertised and didn't turn up, they didn't even know he was meant to be there!!!

 

The party was a joke. The band seemed quiet good but my friends and I were busy making our own fun through the whole thing. The tech behind the band was a nightmare. I can do sound engineer work and that was so poor I was cringing the whole way through it.

Were there not meant to be guests there also? I saw the twins from HP and I think I saw the back of one of the buffy guys and that was it. For a show with so many actors, shouldn't more have turned up to the party?

 

It seems to me, showmasters are trying to run a convention, not a collectorfair, they should stick to what they can do moderatley well, have guests who turn up, on time, want to be there to meet the fans, are not just there to make outrageous sums of money.

 

I'll prob be at C7 to get a few autos, but I sure as hell won't be staying for 4 days like I did at C5. Even saying I'll go to C7, if I have to choose between that and another event run by a better organiser, based on this weekends experience, showmasters won't win!

 

Loony.

 

While SM conventions like CM have gone up and down in terms of either a good or bad day. I'd have to agree with most of the ones who haven't had a great CM6. It certainly had it's good spots inbetween meeting certain guests. The flipside of the coin is also, the fact several guests people expected to meet wasn't all it was cracked up to be. This is always going to be a touchy subject but it comes in hand in hand with the subject matter doesn't it.

 

Even two weeks after, i've mulled over CM6 and my feelings have gone up and down on it.

 

I was surprised somebody said "Test" looked nervous arriving at the party. -

 

As i was leaving MK i remembered him passing me by, at Burger King? He big alright, but nowhere near as big as he looks on TV? Just more muscular than a normal guy his size would be (he does workout right?) and just an inch taller than me. But not the hercules i'd thought he be?

 

Basically all i'm saying is. At the end of the day people going to conventions have a right to their negative opinons. All this Do you expect golden toilet seats? and constant defending bad guests behavior seems a little one sided and always on the customers end of things. I've yet to encounter any REAL troublemakers at conventions, and i'm old pro going to cons for a decade and a half. So i'm wondering why all the hard knocks towards people who attended and didn't get such an enjoyable weekend. when they are entitled to air any bad vibes and want to improve things by discussing it.

 

I'm sick of hearing people bash others, because they had either an incredible time or want to tease others and add cynical Thats life or Do you expect the red carpet treatment etc. Yes i do agree while CM evnts are somewhat badly organised, they are in fact and do provide people to meet stars at conventions and i'm calling it a convention, because it has dealers and comic book venders, mechandise on offer, DVD being sold and other such booths. When you take that away THEN it's purely a 'sigining'!

 

Can yes people even want to question the quality of guests. Whether they be stars, A-list stars performers, or token extras and stunt persons. Alot of discussions erupt into blasting or defending guests wayyy to much, i thought it was a message board. Aren't these topics up for discussion why treat everything as taboo or off limits? And is there a need for constant quoting? gets a little bothersome reading a massive quote i could read if i just when back to the person who wrote/typed whatever?

 

 

I think us convention going people along wih SM should discuss these things together to better the events, cos isn't the LFCC2 coming up?

 

No doubt, if lesseons aren't learned by then. They will always crop up to haunt both the customers and organisers. When certain issues could be solved rather then bringing up the same old arguements for each convention event in turn, cos nothing was learned the last time round?

 

 

1) Events need dedicated workers, not anyone who will slouch cos their getting paid by the hour. and treat customers poorly.

 

2) Yes us customers, need more realistc goals in meeting any guest and need to behave. However, any complaints customers have. Need to be taken with thee most serious attitude by organisers. Not to be blown off cos money needs to be made by those in charge and your not seen or taken seriously.

 

3) Guests who enjoy meeting people and attending conventions need to signed up to a event. Prima Donnas rude guests and those known to be difficult. Are the ones who wouldn't be asked to attend again. The amount of negative comments at the obvious guests should be taken seriously. these guest may make money at their first CM. but many will remember them, and they won't be make money again from the ones who felt they were treated badly.

 

4) Organisation. get it right and you'll have a better convention.

 

5) Happy customers equals better enviroment of a convention, happier customers and better enjoyment of the con period.

 

6) Security that doesn't jump the gun? Nobody outright made any foolish threating movements to CM guests. Or in my time at a convention, done anything of anykind. Would be better if these so-called professaionals, suited guards or security. Not throw their weight around. Too many mis-understandings come from mis-understood and unsolved disputes. And unless proven to be gulity of something, it would actually help if OWNED UP and said the goofed up bad. Whether or not crew or guest had a complaint if your innocent of any mis-understandings. Would help if Sm, had any regard for you rather than be all business and ignored you.

 

 

Hope these things are under consideration. And it's taken in as a valuble learning tool.

 

With LFCC2 around the corner who would disagree? Anyone who shares this, please add an idea.