Expectations of Guests

[GoldenGreen]

 

I guess what is worrying me is that some people here seem happy to lie back like doormats and say guests signing head down and ignoring them is acceptable. If it really is to you, fine. But if too many people take that attitude then that's what we can expect to get in future, because why shouldn't organisers and guests provide a shoddy service if there's people prepared to pay for it?

Your experience and what you have described didn't happen on purpose, it was just a symptom of having to get as many people through a queue line as possible so that they could get an auto.

 

I do agree with you that it would be great to have more, but Collectormania isn't this sort of event.

 

I can only go back to my previous example, and say, would you be prepared to pay £100 (or maybe more) to meet Carrie.

 

The bottom line is that Showmasters have to cover their costs, either by charging more for the auto and having less people meet her, or do as they do currently.

 

I certainly felt that the opportunity to have a Q and A with the Buffy guests got round to some degree some of the disappointments that people felt with Nick Brendon, and it was a shame Showmasters didn't do similar for Star Wars guests, including Carrie and Billy Dee Williams.

[Rowan]

By the way, I wasn't at Collectormania. I didn't meet Carrie there (though I have met her elsewhere).

 

You are missing my point. You paid £25 to meet her, and, presumably, you got what you consider to be a good deal. You got to say hello and got a picture. I would agree that's a good deal. In fact I'd say it was still a good deal even if you hadn't got a picture.

 

I'm not suggesting people pay more to get more (100 for a real vip treat would be fair enough, but it's not what I'm talking about). I'm suggesting that people don't accept less and less for their money.

 

From what people are saying this time Carrie was a borderline case. Most people got OK 'service', some didn't. But if we don't complain about the bad cases (in this case those people who got no 'contact' and just got ignored) then why shouldn't guests signing head-down become the norm? If next time Carrie comes she totally ignores everyone then I'm sure she could get 3 thousand through instead of only a thousand.

 

Are you really seriously willing to accept that?

[jesterrace]

It's true, what you actually pay for, at the moment, is the autograph. Therefore, at the moment, anything else is a bonus. And if stars sign head-down to get thousands of people through we don't really have a right to complain.

 

What I'm saying is that most attendees actually pay IN THE HOPE OF getting a real meeting: eye contact, a hello, maybe a photo with the guest.

 

What's actually being sold, and what the fans are hoping to get don't always fit.

 

If I was organising an event, I'd want to make sure that attendees get what they actually want. And to be honest, if that means less attendees through, then so be it. I think my point is relevant whether you are talking about a full-weekend convention or a signing event.

 

It does sound to me as if some of the guests (Carrie in particular) were being pushed to sign as many and as fast as possible. It sounds to me as if maybe they'd have been happier, and the fans they met happier, if they hadn't been put under that strain. Someone made the decision on how many tickets to sell IN ADVANCE. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't 1000 tickets (as we've heard for Carrie) a lot more than had been handed out for other guests in the past? If so, someone planned that Carrie would not have so much time with each person that met her...

 

I pretty much agree with a lot of your points . I totally believe that just a simple acknowledgement goes a long way to make an happy meeting - and some people didn't get that which is a shame .

 

As I have mentioned before , I have also had a couple of meetings where I felt like asking for my money back - the respect should really go both ways and sometimes it doesn't . But these guests are just as fallible as we are , and are prone to the same moods and feelings and tiredness and boredom , and also to liking some people straight away and disliking others for no reason straight away . We are all the same in this way . Yes they are being paid and should try to cut down on the moods and things when they are meeting fans , but at least Carrie did try ( not sure about Billy because , although I at least got acknowledgement and a sort of smile , I have yet to hear from anyone who got a GOOD meeting with him ) as quite a few people have already said that they thought she was nice .

 

So , as I said , I agree with a lot of what you say - and then find that you weren't even there and never even tried to meet anybody . I would then of liked to believe that you were sticking up for the people who got horrible meetings , but I know you have issues with SM so find it slightly hard to accept that that is your sole reason .

 

I do not feel the need to stick up for SM or CF or BDW ( or CJ for that matter ) , but I resent people becoming abusive about people - I do not feel that it is constructive . What happened is wrong , and it is too late to change , but there is no constructive point to carrying this on . It will not get CJ to go to your Convention ( or any other one organised by the company - I go to their shows and met him at one earlier in the year so I am also upset about this ) so it is just going round in circles and causing bad blood . Do you feel better after annoying the people who come on this forum ? We did not ask for whatever happened - so what is the point of keep rehashing this ?

[GoldenGreen]

By the way, I wasn't at Collectormania. I didn't meet Carrie there (though I have met her elsewhere).

 

You are missing my point. You paid £25 to meet her, and, presumably, you got what you consider to be a good deal. You got to say hello and got a picture. I would agree that's a good deal. In fact I'd say it was still a good deal even if you hadn't got a picture.

 

I'm not suggesting people pay more to get more (100 for a real vip treat would be fair enough, but it's not what I'm talking about). I'm suggesting that people don't accept less and less for their money.

 

From what people are saying this time Carrie was a borderline case. Most people got OK 'service', some didn't. But if we don't complain about the bad cases (in this case those people who got no 'contact' and just got ignored) then why shouldn't guests signing head-down become the norm? If next time Carrie comes she totally ignores everyone then I'm sure she could get 3 thousand through instead of only a thousand.

 

Are you really seriously willing to accept that?

I can't believe after all that, you weren't even there. I was even feeling a bit sorry for you, as I thought you had a bad experience meeting Carrie.

 

I have said everything I want to on this topic, so thanks for the debate.

 

GG

[Rowan]

Hi even though I've been using Carrie as an example, I'm trying to make a more general point, that is not aimed at any organiser or guest in particular. I certainly don't want to bring up the CJ stuff (in fact I nearly mentioned that in one post but deliberately took it back out *G*) Though I guess that the feeling that maybe (and it is a maybe...) cash spoke first there is probably part of the feeling there for me.

 

This isn't about one guest, or one organiser, it's about what we, as attendees feel to be reasonable service at ANY event we attend. And it's about sticking up for that and not just accepting what we are given.

 

Like I've said, I've met Carrie at another event. She was acceptably polite to me, and making the effort to talk to people. 'Acceptable' being the word. I don't think she's very into meeting fans, but when I met her she was making the effort to do her job. I'm glad I've met her, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to see her again. But she made the effort and I give her credit for that. I'd like to think that in future when organisers (any organisers...) give her a 'job' to do, that job includes continuing to make that little bit of effort to say Hello. I think we can have some say in that if we say that's what we want.

[Rowan]

GG, just went back to your first post in this topic, and I agree with you. Sorry if you saw me taking it off in another direction as in someway an attack. Yes, I wasn't at the event, but I took your topic as more general, and, as someone who goes to events in general, I feel I have a right to respond. I thought you wanted to discuss in general, not just C6. Sorry if I got that wrong.

[jesterrace]

Hi even though I've been using Carrie as an example, I'm trying to make a more general point, that is not aimed at any organiser or guest in particular. I certainly don't want to bring up the CJ stuff (in fact I nearly mentioned that in one post but deliberately took it back out *G*) Though I guess that the feeling that maybe (and it is a maybe...) cash spoke first there is probably part of the feeling there for me.

 

This isn't about one guest, or one organiser, it's about what we, as attendees feel to be reasonable service at ANY event we attend. And it's about sticking up for that and not just accepting what we are given.

 

Like I've said, I've met Carrie at another event. She was acceptably polite to me, and making the effort to talk to people. 'Acceptable' being the word. I don't think she's very into meeting fans, but when I met her she was making the effort to do her job. I'm glad I've met her, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to see her again. But she made the effort and I give her credit for that. I'd like to think that in future when organisers (any organisers...) give her a 'job' to do, that job includes continuing to make that little bit of effort to say Hello. I think we can have some say in that if we say that's what we want.

Hi Rowan

 

I am glad you are not bringing all that stuff back up .

 

But you still seem to be tarring Carrie with the same brush - and you don't know at all whether she tried to get through 2000 people for the money or just to get through as many fans as possible . I do not think she is totally comfortable with people in general , but am chuffed that I have met her and actually got some fairly nice memories from it - she was fine to me .

 

I see the point that we should be allowed to expect more and should not give up till we get it but that is not yet . Look at it this way :-

 

About 900 tickets were given out to Billy Boyd on Sat , and over a thousand to Carrie . Carrie got through all hers , was civil to most but some got a bad deal , but over 1000 got her autograph . Billy Boyd met about 350-400 , all had a nice time , but 500+ people did not have the chance to meet him . Having missed out on some of the guests that I desperately wanted to meet at LFACC1 , I can tell you that I was sick - I would of gladly just got to say Hi and got my autographs and then moved on without a word from them , but I got NOTHING , NADA , ZILCH .

 

There are pros and cons of both ways of doing it , and you really can't please all of the people , but I think there were a lot more happy Carrie fans after Saturday than Billy fans .

 

Think about it - which would you really prefer , especially as Carrie is not going to be doing too many signings in the UK .

[Rowan]

Having missed out on some of the guests that I desperately wanted to meet at LFACC1 , I can tell you that I was sick - I would of gladly just got to say Hi and got my autographs and then moved on without a word from them , but I got NOTHING , NADA , ZILCH .

Ah but would you really have been happy to go up and only see the top of their head as they signed? No eye contact, no sign at all that they even notice you are there. Totally ignoring you so that they can sign as fast as possible? On the poll I've started (here)so far 25% of people are saying they would (even if that's only 2 people!), so I guess you wouldn't be alone.

 

Myself, if that's true, then I think maybe it is time that organisers took that into account. Maybe they could let you just buy an item ready signed from the guests table (or have a member of staff hand your item to the guest to sign), and make more time for those of us who actually want to MEET the guest...

[jesterrace]

Having missed out on some of the guests that I desperately wanted to meet at LFACC1 , I can tell you that I was sick - I would of gladly just got to say Hi and got my autographs and then moved on without a word from them , but I got NOTHING , NADA , ZILCH .

Ah but would you really have been happy to go up and only see the top of their head as they signed? No eye contact, no sign at all that they even notice you are there. Totally ignoring you so that they can sign as fast as possible? On the poll I've started (here)so far 25% of people are saying they would (even if that's only 2 people!), so I guess you wouldn't be alone.

 

Myself, if that's true, then I think maybe it is time that organisers took that into account. Maybe they could let you just buy an item ready signed from the guests table (or have a member of staff hand your item to the guest to sign), and make more time for those of us who actually want to MEET the guest...

I DO want to meet the guest - that is the point . But I am under no illusions that with most , if they are busy , just acknowledgement and maybe a thank you is all you will get in return , or maybe what you can expect .

 

What I said about just wanting to meet them rather than not was that I would of been happy to get there and get my stuff signed even if I didn't get a conversation - it has been said a lot but most people have enjoyed meeting the quieter ones most because there is the possibilty of a conversation but that is an obvious thing to say .

 

I do not go into these meetings with anything more than the knowledge that I will meet the guest , I will be polite and friendly , and I will get my stuff signed - I know myself but do not , usually , know the guest so don't know how they will react . I hope that they show the same curtesy to me , and have yet to really have one who has failed - I have met people who I did not click with , and maybe did not even like , but even they have been civil .

 

As for your poll , I think you should do two , one for what you EXPECT , and one for what you want - I think they will be poles apart .

[Rowan]

I think I totally agree with you. *G*

 

I'm actually wondering if some people are misunderstanding the poll and answering for what they want not the least they expect. If not then I'm surprised how demanding they are! LOL

 

In a way I sort of like that though. While I was off-line I found myself wondering what the stars would think if they came online and found a poll where 25% of the people were basically saying they were happy just to get an autograph and not have any interaction with the guest. I think if I was them and I thought people really thought that, then maybe I'd get a very negative view of fans. Maybe I'd think they didn't really think anything of me at all, and just wanted a piece of signed paper for a collection. And if I thought that I don't think I'd be very inclined to make an effort to be nice to them!

[jesterrace]

I also think that maybe people are saying what they want rather than what they truly EXPECT . And I agree that it is good that people want so much , but I can guarantee that there will be plenty of guests that do not live up to their expectations .

 

If I put myself in the place of the guests , and I know that I would TRY to be someone who the fans would be happy to have met , I can not guarantee that I will be able to sit there and be " nice " to everybody that I meet , especially if I have sat there for 7 hours , hearing the same questions over and over , and also meeting some of the fans who have a total lack of respect , and more who think that the only reason I am famous is because they put me there - nothing to do with my fantastic acting and wonderful personality - and that I OWE them something and that I should act as though they are the most important person in the world .

 

What I would LIKE from meeting these actors is acknowledgement that I am there to meet them , if I have a question I would like a reply , signing my item(s) , and then either thanks or bye after I have politely thanked them - I understand why the people who never even got acknowledgement are upset , I find that slightly rude .

 

But what I EXPECT is them saying Hi , signing my item(s) and then them saying Bye - and if I get more , which I have to say normally happens when the actor is not too busy , then that is great .

 

Everyone seems to be answering your poll with what they WANT though ( ? ) . I don't know if , on reading that we only expect an autograph , the guests would then think there is no reason to give us more , but , by the answers , they might now think we expect a LOT more .

[Elainec]

There are many things that can, and probably should, be factored into this discussion.

 

I personally didn't try to meet Carrie, because (a) I knew that she would be busy, and ( I wasn't prepared to pay £25 for potentially 20 seconds with her.

 

I also attended C4 when the three hobbits were there, and was disappointed not to get a ticket, but realistically knew that my chances were slim anyway because I wasn't prepared to start queuing at 5.00am just to get to the front of the queue. I also figured that we would see them again eventually at another event.

 

Now, the good and bad from attending these events quite often includes a group of people: the actor(s), the stewards and the fans - okay, so basically everyone.

 

Take away the money side of things, because we don't know what the situation is with this anyway. The actor should surely be the person to dictate what happens when they attend any event, as they are meeting their fans, and their career depends on us liking them and continuing to go and watch their work.

 

As I've said before, I attend other events, and at a recent one, whilst not on the same scale as the SM event, one of the actors attending insisted that he have a few seconds chatting to each person who came to have a photo taken with him. Did this take any longer, probably. Did anyone miss out, no. However, we all walked away saying what a nice guy he was.

 

No doubt with the number of fans wanting to meet the actors at any event, eventually they are going to get fed up of (a) having to be pleasant if they are feeling a little under the weather, ( answering potentially the same questions from lots of different people, © signing hundreds of items in a short time. This weekend was probably the worst case scenario - a small area, and hundreds, no doubt thousands of people shouting around you and thrusting things at you to sign. Realistically, we are the best person to know our strengths and weaknesses, and if someone who is in the public eye, and doesn't appear at events very often, agrees to do this, then they must be able to cope with it, otherwise why do it because you will ultimately be bad-mouthed by the fans.

 

Another event I went to this year had a big buffy actress making her first UK appearance and by the time we arrived, they had stopped handing out tickets for autographs. Within the hour they handed more out because the queue had been dramatically reduced, and we eventually got our autographs and also had a brief chat.

 

Now the fans and stewards because this is actually linked together. Earlier this year I attended LFCC and queued to get Billy Boyd's autograph on the Sunday. Now I had already met Billy twice before, but still had one item for him to sign. Billy is the type of actor the fans love because he insists on talking to everyone, which is great, however, there were still stewards at the front of the queue trying to keep things moving as quickly as possible. For example, we were asked to have everything ready for him to sign, and if we wanted a photo to have our cameras ready.

 

Eventually me and my friend get to the second group in the queue, the first being five young girls. Each one HAD to be videod handing Billy a present, HAD to get something signed and HAD to fawn all over him like they were long lost friends. All of this took over 10 minutes, and the steward at the front - you guessed it, stood and watched. My friend and I (perhaps because we are more mature and don't get overawed by someone famous) then felt obliged to be as quick as possible to allow other people through. Why should we have had to suffer because of other people's thoughtlessness?

 

Attending any event, whether it be a signing event or a full blown con, is risky because of too many people we are reliant upon.

 

Perhaps if the actors had said hello as they took the autograph item, and maybe even smiled, more people would have been happy with this minimal interaction, and it wouldn't have delayed anything.

 

We, the fans, are selfish because we all want to meet someone who is famous. But do we ever consider other people - very rarely. Actors are not interested in our life stories, or what our pets are called, so why insist that we tell them these things?

 

The stewards quite often (and this unfortunately was the norm this last weekend rather than a rarity) are either too rude that it makes us want to disregard what they are shouting down our ear just to annoy them even more, or they are about as much use as a plank of wood.

 

If we were sometimes a little more thoughtful then we would realise what was going on around us - ie, it's a long queue, my time with this actor should be kept to a minimum, but I'm going to at least say hello to them. There are signs up saying no posed photos, why insist on asking for one? Please don't use flash photography, but we still do.

 

Many people here have said that we should be treated the same way as we treat them (the actor), this is true, but if we are ignoring things that are blatantly obvious to us all, there's no wonder why the actors are going to start getting a little rude towards the people behind them.

 

E

[GoldenGreen]

GG, just went back to your first post in this topic, and I agree with you. Sorry if you saw me taking it off in another direction as in someway an attack. Yes, I wasn't at the event, but I took your topic as more general, and, as someone who goes to events in general, I feel I have a right to respond. I thought you wanted to discuss in general, not just C6. Sorry if I got that wrong.

Thanks for your reply, and apology accpeted.

 

I do feel though there is a big difference in an expectation, which I was trying to address and what people would want. I think you have now added to your poll to clarify this.

 

Understandably if people have never been to this sort of event before, they are bound to be a bit disappointed, but under the current circumstances, I cannot really see how Showmasters could make things better for the bigger guests, and still allow a large number of people to get an auto from them. The only thing, which I do keep banging on about, is that it would have been good to have a Q and A with Carrie and Billy Dee, if for nothing else it would have given them a one hour break from signing on one of the days, and also as time was short in the queue , fans could have had the opportunity to ask them some questions.

 

I guess at the end of the day, you are never going to have all of the people happy, all of the time.

 

I suspect we will see similar topics after the LFCC2 and C7.

[martine]

sorry to hear some people have had problems with the guests.

 

to be honest i didn't.

 

okay,so i would have loved to get more out of CF then just a "hi" and a "thank you", but she was busy, very busy. and not being allowed to take photos at all or only posed photos may suck. but i understand that some people are just to busy or don't want to be photographed all day long and i respect that (while a lot of people didn't and that's just rude). and once you accepted that, you have a nicer experience.

 

i also always start with "hi how are you?". i think that's just the polite thing to do and the guests really appreciate it and most of the times start talking to me. and i wish them a nice day when i leave. i respect them and do not place them on a peddlestone (or however you spell that). i was never dissapointed with meeting a certain guest, yeah well one or two but they redeemed themselves later on.

 

so just do not expect every guest to pose for photos next time or have a really long chat with the most busy people and you'll be fine me thinx.

[hobbitlover]

I was one of the first 10 people to met carrie on saturday she wasn't very nice to met.

I'm not an buffy fan so I didn't go see Nickolas but I heard he was nice. I was there on friday and didn't see the no posed pic sign up till about 11.

I heard a few silly fans were over excited when they met him that morning so they decided to put up the no posed pics sign which is an shame.

[martine]

I was one of the first 10 people to met carrie on saturday she wasn't very nice to met.

I'm not an buffy fan so I didn't go see Nickolas but I heard he was nice. I was there on friday and didn't see the no posed pic sign up till about 11.

I heard a few silly fans were over excited when they met him that morning so they decided to put up the no posed pics sign which is an shame.

that's usually how it starts. it's such a shame really, some people do not respect some wishes of the guest even when they are nicely told by crew.

 

for example: when a crew member tells you politely that no posed photographs are allowed, the costumer says yes i understand but 30 seconds later is asking the guest for a posed photograph, then that's just disrespectfull. and in the long run you ruin it for others when a: no photos sign comes up because of things like that.

 

certain things are said hung up for a reason and a guest will most of the time say yes when someone asks them anyways because they want to be polite and not look like an @rse. also if your with two or three persons please take one photo together so the guest doesn't have to stand up again, again and again. remember you're not the only one he or she is meeting that day. a couple of hundreds more are waiting behind you.

 

so for short: people should respect the guests wishes or they ruin it for other people.

[mooby81]

I would just like to say that overall i had an enjoyable time at C6 and met all the guest i wanted to meet. Obviously some were more outgoing than others but that is just their nature i guess.

 

The trio and Nic all took a few seconds to say hi and shake my hand, and were genuinly polite.

 

Billy Boyd was very polite and shook my hand when i met him - but i do know that he only got through about 500 people on saturday but after talking to a steward they had problems in the morning (not sure what)

 

As for Carrie, i was one of the last people to meet her on saturday yet I said hello she said hi i thanked her for signing and she looked me in the eye, smiled and said thank you. As for getting through 1000 people a steward told me that was her choice as she didn't want to disapoint people that had maybe been waiting all day to meet her - people like me! so i am very grateful that she did and now have a brilliant poster signed by all the cast that were there hanging on my wall!

 

Billy Dee Williams maybe wasn't as polite but i really didin't let it get to me, i only really thought about it when reading this thread. i said hello and thank you (like i did to every guest that i met) and he just nodded his head. but the point is i paid for an autograph and an autograph i got.

 

I really didn't feel hard done by as i met and got an autograph of everybody that i wanted to meet (i didn't take a camera so no disapointment there) and had a really good day!

 

Bring on C7!!!!

[turreima]

well, bob anderson disappointed me. i was in awe of meeting him after the work he's done, and to talk to him was a privilege... until before i could ask him any questions he asked if i was going to buy an autograph. i couldn't afford it, and so i politely told him that i couldn't and he may as well have kicked my spam out of the queue himself! he said something like 'well, i can't really help you if you're not getting an autograph,' then looked at the people behind me, as if he was telling me to f*ck off without using the words. master swordsman, but no master of manners. i wouldn't mind, but his queue wasn't even busy! there were the people behind me, and when i'd gone up to speak to him there wasn't even anyone in the queue in front of me. i'd just walked right upto him. maybeit had something to do with the fact that i was dressed as the crow, but i didn't like his attitude. it was like those old ladies on busses who think that just ebcause they're three times older than you +, they have the right to be rude to you, as if you don't deserve to exist. it's uncalled for, whether you're qa celebrity (getting paid to be there) or you're an old lady on the bus. if i want ignorance i can get it from any given member of the public, thank you.