Showmasters Admin Too Tall Posted October 31, 2005 Showmasters Admin Share Posted October 31, 2005 (edited) I started one of these in the C8 area HERE and the LFCC3 area and thought it maybe of use in here too. I've changed it slightly for LFCC though. I've only been to one LFCC and it's a new venue so I don't know as much about it as I do the Collectormania event, but hopefully this will still be useful. Again like my C8 thread my main hope for this thread is that Newbies will be able to get the info they want quickly. But also that it will help to stop the multiple threads that get started asking the same questions over and over. Most things are in the FAQ Section so please look there before posting. If what you want to know isn't there or below, please do have a look at the previous threads to make sure it's not been asked and answered before. If not then please post I'm sure someone will know the answer What I've tried to do is fill in some of the gaps by answering some of the old ones: 1 - BEFORE THE SHOW: It's my first Empire Day I have no idea what I should do...HELP? When is it? What are the opening times? Where is it? How much is? Can I buy entry and talk tickets in advance? Will there be any more guests? Autograph prices? 2 - ON THE DAY: Can I come and go as I want? Is there a lower price for autographs on personal items? How many autographs can I get at once? What pictures will a guest have? Are there any restrictions on what items can be signed? What time should I get there? How busy will INSERT GUEST NAME be? What are the guests like? A WARNING!! What are Virtual Tickets and how do they work? What time do the guests arrive? What time do the guests have lunch? What time do the guests stop signing? Can I have a posed photo with a guest and will the guests be doing personalisations? Can I go up with my friend/partner/child to see the guest, I'm not getting an autograph? Can I see a guest without paying for an autograph? What should I say to a guest and how should I act? Can I give a guest a present? 3 - STALLS: What do the stalls sell and what are the prices like? Can I use Scottish or Northern Irish money at the event? 4 - TALKS: What talks will there be? Where do I get talk tickets from? How much are the talks? Are the talk tickets seat numbered? What time should I get to a talk? Can I get autographs at the talks? Can I have photos with the guests at the talks? 5 - USEFUL INFO: Where can I stay? 6 - DISABLED INFO: Advice for disabled people who are planning to attend an event! 7 - OTHER: How can I meet other forum members? I want to crew an SM event? ******************************************************************** 1 - BEFORE THE SHOW: It's my first Empire Day I have no idea what I should do...HELP? The main thing is don't be too worried and don't panic. Some people see 15-20 guests in a day. Yes there are queues but if you're sensible about it you will see everyone you want to. You just need to make sure you get there at a reasonable time if you want to see any of the big stars. See What time should I get there? for more info. The basic plan: 1: Make a list of who you want to see from the Empire Day website 2: Sort that list on who you think will be the busiest. So most popular first. You may have someone that's not so popular but you REALLY want to meet so you bump them up the list. 3: Try and get to the Show by 10:00. To be sure you get all your autographs. 4: Once you get in, don't look at the stalls. Go straight to the ends of the queues in the order on your list and get the Virtual Tickets (VTs are explained below). Note: With some minor guests they won't have VTs. Don't worry about this it's because they won't have much of a queue all day. You can come back at anytime to get them. 5: Once you have VTs for everyone you want you can then relax, walk around the stalls and get a coffee. 6: Wait for your VT numbers to come up. When they do, go get those autos Note: If you know you're going to want items personalised it's a really good idea to bring a piece of paper with your name clearly written/printed on it. This way you can give it to the guest and there is no chance of spelling mistakes. Note: As a lot of the guests are £15 SM run out of £5 notes very quickly. So it's always very helpful if you bring along as many £5s as you can. Note : Some guests will have talks and obviously this means they will have less time for signing, also you don't want to turn up when they've gone for their talk. So do check to see if a guest is doing a talk (Of course you may want to go to it). When is it? Sunday 13th Nov 2006 What are the opening times? Sunday - 10am to 5pm Where is it? Grundy Park Leisure centre, Windmill Lane, Cheshunt How much is? Early Admission from 10am: £9 Adults, £5 Children Standard admission from: 12pm: £6 Adults, £4 Children Can I buy entry and talk tickets in advance? No, all entry tickets (including early bird tickets) are purchased on the door. And talk tickets at the event it's self. Will there be any more guests? It is pointless to ask "Is that all the guests?" after guests have been announced as SM will never say YES. There is always the chance of extra guests at the last minute. So please don't ask. Autograph prices? A specific price list MAYBE posted by SM, but until then the rule of thumb is that guests will be £15 or £20. On some rare occasions some have been £10 or £25. So it is best to budget for £20 per guest and then you wouldn't go wrong. For a more precise price go to the MSPG website. They normally have most of the guests on there as a pre-order. They add £10 onto the autograph price on the day. e.g. If they are asking for £25, the guest will be £15 on the day. Note: As a lot of the guests are £15 SM run out of £5 notes very quickly. So it's always very helpful if you bring along as many £5s as you can. ******************************************************************** 2 - ON THE DAY: Can I come and go as I want? When you leave for the first time you will be given a stamp on the back of your hand so that you can leave and re-enter as many times as you like. Is there a lower price for autographs on personal items? No, the price shown is per autograph. This is the same price for either personal items or the show provided pictures. How many autographs can I get at once? The max number of autographs is 5 per person. If you want more than 5, then you can either go up when the queue is quiet and then the crew will normally allow you to have up to 7 or 8. Or simply queue multiple times and get up to 5 each time. What pictures will a guest have? SM do not post what pictures a guest will have in advance. There are reasons for this that I'm not going to go into. When you get there you can ask to see the pictures and if there are none you like you could go and buy one. There are always lots of stalls with good quality 8x10 photos. Saying that it's always a good idea that if you want a specific image signed, get it in advance and bring it with you. Are there any restrictions on what items can be signed? It really depends on the guest. Some are very picky some aren't. Basically if you THINK there is a CHANCE the guest will not sign your item. e.g. It's not official, it's a nude/semi-nude picture. Then make sure you have a back up. You may want to bring along another item or picture with you but do remember when you pay for an autograph you are entitled to one of the guests 8x10 pictures for free. So do take one, that way if the guest will not sign your item for whatever reason you have the picture to be signed instead. What time should I get there? If you want more than 5 or 6 autographs I suggest you get the for 10:00 and get an earlybird ticket. How busy will INSERT GUEST NAME be? The honest answer is no one really knows for sure. A basic check list for if someone will be busy: 1: How popular the guest is. You know if the guest you want to see is a BIG name or not. If they are a BIG name they are going to be busy FULL STOP. 2: Has the guest not done many events before. Even if someone is not a BIG name, if they're rare they are likely to be pretty busy. 3: Is the guest only going one day. Everyone has to see them on the same day, making the queue longer. At each event there are the BIG names and the rare guests, and they are going to have the long queues. Elijah @ C4, Carrie @ C6, James Marsters, Jolene Blalock and Alexis Denisof @ C7. Apart from these BIG names and rare guests you should not have a problem getting to see the guests you want. Although once you've got your Virtual Tickets you may have to wait until the afternoon to actually see the guest. As I've said above get there before 9:00 and you should be fine to get who you want. If you want 3 or 4 BIG/Rare names then I suggest you get there a bit earlier say 8:00. What are the guests like? A WARNING!! The guests are only human. I'm not going to get into the "They get paid to be there they should be nice to everyone" argument. They have bad days just like the rest of us. Most of the guests are very nice and polite, but do be aware the guests will not always live up to your expectations and might be grumpy, not talkative or even just sign your picture without looking up at you. Basically it's always safer to start with low expectations rather than expecting the world and being upset when you don't get it. Saying this though, don't forget that we all react better to a smile than a frown. Go up to the guest smiling and looking happy to meet them and you're more likely to get a good response in return. What are Virtual Tickets? To help cut down the amount of time you have to spend standing in a queue SM have introduced a virtual queuing system. When you join the end of a guest's queue you will be handed a ticket with a number on it (your Virtual Ticket). You do not pay for the Virtual Tickets they are free. You pay per autograph when you come back and get into the queue. Virtual Tickets are given out ONE PER PERSON, you will only be given one ticket. If you want to get a ticket for a friend there is nothing stopping you from joining the queue again and getting another ticket Just remember it will only be one ticket for each time you queue up. Only a ticket holder will be able to join the queue once their number is called. If you are planning to accompany someone (to take photographs or help carry bags, etc) you will still need a ticket, even if you are not planning on getting an autograph yourself. This does also apply to adults accompanying children. The Virtual Tickets start to be given out at 10:00 when the show opens. Once you have your VTs you are free to to wander around the event or join other queues. Ticket numbers will then be announced (in batches of around 30) once the previous group of people have their autographs, and you can then join the much smaller queue of fans who hold those numbers. There will of course still be some queuing involved! If you don't want to have to keep going back to the guests queue to see what number they are up to, you can check one of the white boards around the hall. These are kept up to date every 15 minutes or so. The numbers shown are for any number UPTO that number. You can go up anytime after your number is called. So if you have ticket number 100 and the board is showing 200, this is fine, you haven't missed your turn. What time do the guests arrive? Normally this is 10am, but can and does change. What time do the guests have lunch? Guests go for lunch anytime between about 12:00 and 14:00 for about an hour. So don't worry if they're not there. They'll be back. What time do the guests stop signing? As a norm if a guest is busy they will continue signing until about 17:30. But it is not a good idea to leave it this late. Sometimes if a guests queue goes quiet they will leave at about 16:30. So as a rule of thumb don't leave it until after 16:30 to join a guests queue. One other thing to be aware of is guests will have talks and obviously this means they will have less time for signing, also you don't want to turn up when they've gone for their talk. So do check to see if a guest is doing a talk (Of course you may want to go to it). Can I have a posed photo with a guest and will the guests be doing personalisations? As a norm this is fine, the guests will do posed photos and do personalisations. However sometimes it is necessary for there to be no posed photos and/or no personalisations. Due to the guest being busy etc. I'm not going to get into the argument about whether this is right or wrong, I'm just telling it as it is. If for any reason a guest is not doing posed photos and/or personalisations there will be a sign up at the end of their queue and behind them at the signing desk. This can and does change thoughout the day, so do check for the signs when you go up to get your autograph, as they may have changed since you got your VT. Please do remember that the signs are there for a reason, don't try and ignore them because the crew will have to intervene and it can get very embarrassing for all (especially the guest). If you are really desperate only to have a personalised autograph and/or posed photo, and wouldn't bother otherwise, and it's a big guest so they are likely to be busy. You can do one of two things, to give yourself a better chance of getting a personalised autograph and/or posed photo. 1: Get there as early as you possibly can, and be in the first 100 or so. 2: Leave it to the end of the day (4-4:30pm) when queues may have died down. But remember not to leave it too late (after 4:30pm) as if they're quiet the guest may leave. You are very likely to still need a VT, so do get one by 10am at the latest. If you know you're going to want items personalised it's a really good idea to bring a piece of paper with your name clearly written/printed on it. This way you can give it to the guest and there is no chance of spelling mistakes. Can I go up with my friend/partner/child to see the guest, I'm not getting an autograph? The answer is yes. But please be aware that if it is not an open queue you WILL need your own VT. Without a VT you will not be allowed to join the queue with your friend/partner/child. They are free so please make sure you take one when your friend/partner does. This does also apply to adults accompanying children. Can I see a guest without paying for an autograph? Firstly the best thing to do is (as above) to go up with someone that is getting an autograph. Please be aware that if it's not an open queue you will need your own VT to join the queue. If you don't have someone who's getting an autograph to go up with, then the follow guide lines apply: For guests with a seperate photo table, as long as they have no queue, please go and ask the member of crew at the end of the queue, or on the photo table. The crew will be able to tell you at the time if it's OK for you to go and speak to the guest. For minor guests without a separate photo table feel free to chat to the guest, but again only if there is no queue. Three things to remember if you're going up without someone buying an autograph: 1: Paying customers have priority, so if you're talking to a guest and a paying customer arrives you should move along straight away. 2: Virtual Tickets are for people wanting autographs, please don't take them if you just want to meet the guest. Even with a VT you will not be allowed into the queue without paying for an autograph. As I've said above if there is NO queue then you can ask if it's OK. 3: The show is there to make money, it's how we get such good guests in the first place. So do not take it personally if the crew says no. There can be reasons that are not obvious to you as to why they've had to say no. What should I say to a guest and how should I act? The main thing to remember is THEY ARE ONLY HUMAN. Yes they've been on TV or in a film but they're no different to you or I. What would you say to someone you meet in the pub? Just be yourself. So a good start is: Hi, I'm YOUR NAME. It's nice to meet you, how are you today? Not a good start: Wibble...*stare*...*giggle*...*run* How friendly you can or should be with the guests is obviously a personal thing to both you and the guest. Like with anyone you meet you can normally gauge if someone is going to like personal interaction or not. Just use your common sense. If the guest looks happy and bouncy and you want to hug or kiss the guest. Ask nicely and maybe you'll be lucky. Pretty much all the guests are happy to shake your hand, so just put it out there You may have a specific question you want to ask. Just ask it. If not, you can always use the old tried and tested ones: What are you working on at the moment? Did you enjoy working on xxxxxx? Do you keep in touch with anyone from xxxxxx? What's your favourite episode/scene from xxxxxx? Do you enjoy doing events like this? If they're from the US - How do the UK events compare to the US ones? If you hadn't guessed you may want to replace xxxxxx with the name of the film or program you liked them in Can I give a guest a present? There is no problem with giving gifts. Please do be aware that the guests rarely take these things with them when they leave. Basically don't waste your money on anything too expensive. Either go for something they may like to eat or drink (sweets, chocolate, beer). Or something different and personal. I know one girl on here that gives people vegetables. Sounds odd but they remember her and that's the point really, you want them to remember you from the crowd. Trust me you'll get the same positive reaction out of a £1 bag of sweets or a 4 pack of beer as you will out of a £10 generic teddy bear and they're more likely to enjoy the sweets, than to take the bear home. ******************************************************************** 3 - STALLS: What do the stalls sell and what are the prices like? DVDs, autographs, toys, weapons, cloths, posters, trading cards, pictures, books. Pretty much if it's film or TV related you're likely to find it on one of the stalls. You can find some very good deals, I have in the past. There are also things there you'll not see anywhere else. On average things are about the same price as on the web. But of course in this case you get it there and then and have the fun of browsing the stalls Can I use Scottish or Northern Irish money at the event? You should be aware that Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes are not legal tender in England, but are legal currency. This means that the stall vendors and SM do not have to accept them, although they may choose to do so. We would suggest that to minimise disappointment and inconvenience that you try to bring predominantly English banknotes with you, or obtain them from a cashpoint/bank local to the venue. ******************************************************************** 4 - TALKS: What talks will there be? To be announced Where do I get talk tickets from? To be announced How much are the talks? To be announced Are the talk tickets seat numbered? No the talk tickets are not seat numbered, it is a first come first served system. You sit where you like (in a free seat ). What time should I get to a talk? Firstly the talks are not over sold so if you have a ticket as long as you get there before the start time you will get a seat. If you want to sit in the front 3-4 rows you need to be there at least 30 minutes before the talk. Can I get autographs at the talks? No, it is a talk only. The main event is for autographs. Can I have photos with the guests at the talks? No there are no posed photos at any of the talks, but you can get photos OF (not with) the guests doing the talk. No video cameras are allowed. ******************************************************************** 5 - USEFUL INFO: Where can I stay? To be updated ******************************************************************** 6 - DISABLED INFO: Advice for disabled people who are planning to attend an event! (by a disabled person who has tried it out!) Showmasters have catered for people with a variety of disabilities at their previous shows, and in my own experience they are very helpful when you get there in their own words, they always endeavour to balance treating all attendees equally, while recognising at the same time that some may have special requirements. If waiting in long queues is difficult for you, you can get a friend/carer to collect extra Virtual Queue tickets for you. Your friend/carer will need to explain to the crew member handing out the tickets that the extra ticket is for a disabled person. To prevent abuse of the system, the ticketer may ask for some sort of evidence. If you are able to be somewhere visible near the queue, then your friend/carer can point you out to them. If you can't manage to be nearby at the time, or your have a disability that is not immediately obvious, it's a good idea to bring along some sort of proof of your disability (if you don't have any, ask your doctor to write a letter) that your friend/carer can show to the ticketer. If you have any problems getting extra virtual queue tickets, ask to speak to the Pit Boss, who should be able to sort it out. If you want to attend any talks and can't queue up for a seat, speak to one of the crew members at the talk room, preferably allowing plenty of time before the talk starts (if you can, try approaching them before the talks start in the morning, or during a lull when one of the quieter talks is happening). They should be able to help you avoid the queue and get a seat. If you can't get hold of a crew member, go to the Organisers Booth and ask there. If you do not have anybody to queue up for you, or you have any other requirements not covered here, the best thing to do is to go to the Organisers Booth as soon as you arrive and talk to Showmasters. Explain what the problem is and what you need, and they should be able to sort something out. The main thing to remember is IF IN DOUBT, ASK! Thanks to sully for the info. ******************************************************************** 7 - OTHER: How can I meet other forum members? My god are you MAD????? OK most of us are alright. There are various section meets that go on over the weekend. I know at previous events groups for Stargate, LOTR and CSI have got together. Go to the fandons section, introduce yourself, make some friends and normally about 3-4 weeks before the event someone will post about a meet. Or you may want to start the thread yourself. Also there is the I-Spy sheets. These are sheets with forum members mug shots on. The latest iSpy thread in the C8 section. You can then look out for other forum members and say hi. I want to crew an SM event? Take a look at the Crew Section Send a mail to crew@showmastersonline.com You won't get a reply straight away, but don't worry SM are good at making sure you get added to the list. About 6 weeks before the event you will receive an e-mail asking you for your details and when you are available to crew. Return this ASAP and you will receive an e-mail letting you know if you are crewing and when. For C7 this final mail was sent out only a week before the event but this was due to last minute issues. In the future they should arrive around 2 weeks before the event. You will receive an e-mail even if you aren't needed. If you don't get asked to crew, it can be worth asking when you're at the event. Sometimes crew don't turn up and SM are short of crew for the day. Just go to the organisers booth and ask. ******************************************************************** UPDATES and COMMENTS: If you have any new questions or think something I've put is incorrect please do post so that I can keep this as accurate as possible. Also if it's helped you please post. It'll be nice to know it's been worth doing Edited October 31, 2005 by Too Tall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Lunch Box Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 AAAAhhh TT I want to be able to click on the question and then be taken to the answer - not all this scrolling down lark My question is: is it possible P.s. - nice to see you buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmasters Admin Too Tall Posted October 31, 2005 Author Showmasters Admin Share Posted October 31, 2005 Not really. Not within the same post. I could have each question/section in it's own post and then link to the post. But that would leave loads of wasted space. Good to hear from you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Lunch Box Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Cheers bud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightymax Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 (edited) Nice to see you back TT but the magic question that you missed is the guest announcements!!! lol Everyone that uses this bored are awaiting with baited breath! We understand everyone had been busy with Autographica (which was great and providing the line up is as great as this one was I will deff upgrade from gold to diamond) But come on at least some news on guests!!!!!!! Edited November 3, 2005 by mightymax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmasters Admin Too Tall Posted November 1, 2005 Author Showmasters Admin Share Posted November 1, 2005 I wish I did have news on guests. Unfortunately those come from SM direct, so I'm as in the dark as you guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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