Relying on LFCC now!

[TommyT]

Tommy T - have you ever thought that maybe it would be better to sign up those guests that are seriously committed to turn up in the first place as opposed to those who would not commit themselves and hence later drop out...?

 

Restricting the event to celebs that are definately coming may not be a bad thing

It might be a great idea, until you wanted to organise the next event and found that the only people that met your criteria are the same dozen people you had at the last event.

I'm glad that Carrie Fisher has a reputation for being committed to these events, but you have to take into account that Ms Fisher is probably very well off thanks to her work in various different areas , is fairly established, has numerous other strings to her bow other than acting, and from stuff that I've read, probably wouldn't be that bothered if she never saw the inside of another film set again. So frankly, no, she isn't likely to get dragged off to some filming commitment at short notice, because for all of the above reasons she can both afford to and be inclined to tell the film to take a flying fred. But pretty much every other actor under 40, and quite a few older than that will be eagerly looking for film/TV work, since for many of them it is pretty much their whole career.

 

Suppose they had a reasonably well-known footballer booked to turn up, but due to a couple of injuries to other players, he was suddenly called up to the England squad for preparatory training for the World Cup. Would you expect him to ring up Sven and say, "yeah, I'd love to figure in your plans for the World Cup squad, but I've already arranged to go and sign a load of autographs that weekend, so I'm sorry, I can't make it."?

 

Making films and TV to actors is like playing the game to sportsmen; it's their job, and what makes them famous; meetimg the fans is nice, but if they do that to the exclusion of what they're supposed to do, they just become famous for being famous, and that ultimately adversely affects their reputation. Look at tennis player Anna Kournikova, who was a half-decent player once, then basically became more famous as an expensive clothes horse and her tennis suffered to the extent that she lost credibility. And I've seen people on here in the past moan about certain actors (whose names I forget) that "they haven't done any real work for ages, they're just happy to go round the convention circuit living off their old roles."

 

The fact is that some people have the ability to make that commitment (like Carrie Fisher), some people have enough leverage to get the occasional day off if they need it (can't see anybody telling Mel Gibson that they can't rearrange one day if he's is insitent that they do), but most actors have to dance not to the tune of the piper that pays them for a couple of days a year but to the tune of the piper that pays them for a couple of hundred days a year, and that piper is the one with the big cameras that do moving pictures, and not the piper with a stack of 8 x10s and a Sharpie...

[Satchel Pooch]

rich5wolves, I would just like to say, that I absolutely agree with you. I too would prefer if a commitment to a convention meant for sure, that the guest would attend.

 

I am coming to this event, which will be my first UK event. And like Rising Phoenix I have had to renew my passport. And between passport, airplane ticket, hotel (for a week though, as I am staying in town after the con) and a Gold Pass it has set me back £900+ already. And all because I wanna meet Carrie Fisher (so I hear you lee_c00per, and I like what you say )

 

But still I am totally clear about the fact, that she might cancel. But even so, I will still be meeting 10-15 other guests (or so I expect. Can't know for sure yet ).

And on top of that, I will (hopefully) have a nice trip to London and get to see some of the town.

 

 

And I also don't think that they would have a film offer and begun filming all within a week. But I do believe they could be offered a casting session to be scheduled within a week.

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£900 is costing you already... ouch that's shows you are comitted though

 

I am hoping to keep my budget to about £200 max including transport

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Well it isn't as bad as it sounds. As I wrote - I will be in town for at week, so the hotel is for 7 nights and as such is part vacation. Besides like I also wrote in an earlyer post - I like comfort, and comfort costs. If it was only for the weekend, then it would only cost me about £550, but then it would still include renewed passport and gold pass, and then of couse plane ticket and hotel for two nights.

 

And it's not like I am loaded with money - far from it . But when I am staing at a hotel, then it has to have a certain standard. I simply can't deal with those hotels where you share bathrooms or bedrooms for that matter with people I don't know.

Call me weird or special or what ever, but that's how I am.

[rich5wolves]

After the spate of cancellations thats hit Collectormania 9 and the guests at Autographica being shall we say, specialist areas, im now putting all my money into LFCC. Cant wait for this event. Just try and keep the big 3 guests. (im sure you would anyway)

 

It seems that there are certain guests who seem to cancel more than others and suprisingly some of them you wouldnt expect to be that as busy as some who do show.

 

You can never tell I suppose. When showmasters say they cant announce a guest until its sealed and the contract is signed, does that mean it has a clause to say they dont have to appear if a job comes up? Just interested........

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Your drink will be waiting at the bar my fellow gold ticket holder

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Mines a pint of Stella.........

 

Cant wait till LFCC. We pick gold ticket up at the door dont we?!

[DavidB]

Rather than everyone blaming the guests and suggesting that they're not bothered about turning up etc, perhaps think about your own decisions.

 

No one is forcing anyone to spend X amount on travel, hotel, etc etc etc. Everyone books with the knowledge that at ANY time ANY guest can cancel. This is made perfectly clear, and so an attendee makes plans with this prior knowledge in mind.

 

So sure, you'll be annoyed if you've spent a lot to come to an event for ONE particular guest who cancels ... but that was always a possibility.

 

I hardly think it's far that people suggest Showmasters do not do proper contracts, or the guests have a crap attitude towards turning up. If you were in the same situation, I hardly think you'd choose a few autograph signings over a proper JOB which could have a solid income for the future!

 

Fortunately there are attendees who do respect the livelihoods of the guests and are very understanding of how these events work.

[Rising Phoenix]

Well there is that, but you have to appreciate that people really want to see people, and some have to travel a good distance, some more than others because they may never ever get to see the guest they want because they might never come to their country... I know I've never heard of any Stargate folk in ireland, not least in Cork so I make the decision based on the knowledge that my preferred guests will be there in London. Yes it's made clear that anyone can cancel at anytime but that is not a basis for decision, the decision is made and money is spent after being being told that the prefered guest will be at said location and at said time, so it's not fair to say either that it's a persons own fault for spending so much money only for a guest to cancel because it's not, this is because they were told someone would be somewhere and that they'd be able to see them but no-one is told who won't be attending, until it happens and by then a decision has been made, even for a long time, especially if it happens a week before the event, people are only told that some guests might canel, not that they will cancel... ya get me?

Edited April 23, 2006 by Rising Phoenix

[rich5wolves]

in reply to "Rather than everyone blaming the guests and suggesting that they're not bothered about turning up etc, perhaps think about your own decisions.

No one is forcing anyone to spend X amount on travel, hotel, etc etc etc. Everyone books with the knowledge that at ANY time ANY guest can cancel. This is made perfectly clear, and so an attendee makes plans with this prior knowledge in mind."

 

 

 

If you live in Ireland and really want to see a guest then it takes some planning. Firstly a hotel, secondly travel and unlike some people who dont live far away from an event venue, it takes a bit of planning.

What you say I feel is from your view point only and if a guest cancels with 3 weeks to go then its different than with 7 days left which is no notice really for people to cancel their plans without loss of finance and the event organisers replace the guests with other people.

 

The issue is not that guests may cancel due to filming but maybe there should be something in place to prevent them from dropping out at such late notice. Although you say that guests would rather work for a living in their real jobs than do a few signings, maybe thats true but at the end of the day autograph events generate a large amount of cash these days and as far as i see it, guests who sign the contract to attend such an event should do everything in their power to honour the contract.

 

There may always be cancellations as if an actor gets offered x amount to do a film and has to pull out to do so then of course he will, but it feels to a lot of people that some guests agree to do a show providing nothing else comes up in the mean time without really thinking themselves committed to the event. Thats just the way it sometimes comes across.

 

The bottom line is Im not saying showmasters does a bad job of organising an event, im saying more so that its just as unfair on showmasters as it is on us who will make plans and look forward to these events, if a guests pulls out for any other reason than genuine work committments i.e. a movie role...... and not just because they have received a better offer elsewhere. I think in all honesty guests pulling out a week or less before an event gives showmasters very little chance of replacing them and of course people who have made prior plans and travelling from a far will be upset with it. Its not showmasters fault, its not the customers fault and whether its a guests fault or not would be remedied if there was something in a contract that says there are financial implications if someone pulls out at such short notice. (illness aside)

Edited April 24, 2006 by rich5wolves

[Too Tall]

In all walks of life you are going to meet people you can count on and people you can't. People that take their responsibilities seriously and other's that don't. This is going to be the same in the acting world. Although I'm sure almost all of the time the guests do have legitimate reasons to cancel. Yes maybe some guests do pull out for next to nothing, and quite simply SM won't ask them again. I also know that SM do everything they can to help a guest not to cancel. But sometimes it's just unavoidable.

 

Cancellations are part of the autograph collecting scene. You know full well that there is always the chance a guest will cancel. It's your choice if the risk is worth it. I understand that some people have to risk more than others. That's just the way it goes, some people live closer to the events. But again it's your choice if you take that risk.

 

You have to realise that SM have competition as well. If you (as a guest) had the choice of going to an event with no tie in or one with one, which event are you going to sign up to? Most guests will not sign up for an event that means they'd loss money if they had to cancel. The reason SM get some of these great guests is because they are known for being very flexible and helpful towards the guests. What would you prefer 100% confirmed extras or the quality guests we get today but a 10-15% chance they'll cancel? I know which I'll go for, every time.

[Stevie79]

So true TT. There are many other events that hardly ever have guest cancellations, but when you look at the guest list it's nowhere near as good as SM's. I'd rather take the risk and potentially have really great guests.

[rich5wolves]

In all walks of life you are going to meet people you can count on and people you can't. People that take their responsibilities seriously and other's that don't. This is going to be the same in the acting world. Although I'm sure almost all of the time the guests do have legitimate reasons to cancel. Yes maybe some guests do pull out for next to nothing, and quite simply SM won't ask them again. I also know that SM do everything they can to help a guest not to cancel. But sometimes it's just unavoidable.

 

Cancellations are part of the autograph collecting scene. You know full well that there is always the chance a guest will cancel. It's your choice if the risk is worth it. I understand that some people have to risk more than others. That's just the way it goes, some people live closer to the events. But again it's your choice if you take that risk.

 

You have to realise that SM have competition as well. If you (as a guest) had the choice of going to an event with no tie in or one with one, which event are you going to sign up to? Most guests will not sign up for an event that means they'd loss money if they had to cancel. The reason SM get some of these great guests is because they are known for being very flexible and helpful towards the guests. What would you prefer 100% confirmed extras or the quality guests we get today but a 10-15% chance they'll cancel? I know which I'll go for, every time.

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I agree with what you wrote on the whole but for me a last minute cancellation is far worse than someone who cancels with a month or 3 weeks to go. This is what should be stopped, not cancellations as a whole. Its not much committment to say that if you can still make it 7 days before an event to actually turn up.......I feel for Showmasters at the moment.

[Too Tall]

I understand what you're saying. It would be good to not get these last minute cancellations.

 

I think they come about because SM are trying until the last minute to help the guest attend, they'd rather have them for one or two days than them cancel completely. So not until every avenue is spent will they give up and have them cancel.

 

Maybe in some cases it would be better for them to let them go with a month to go if it looks like they can't make it. I don't know. It's SMs call.

[clairefun]

Ah, they're celebrities, of course they might be busy at the last minute. That's the kind of job they do, isn't it? Sudden auditions, last minute reshoots, etc etc.

 

To be honest much as I lurve Lost with a passion and think Elijah Wood is the scrummiest thing since something far scrummier than sliced bread, I won't mind too much if anyone cancels as it's just going to be awesome anyway. Am very excited!

[rich5wolves]

Ah, they're celebrities, of course they might be busy at the last minute. That's the kind of job they do, isn't it? Sudden auditions, last minute reshoots, etc etc.

 

To be honest much as I lurve Lost with a passion and think Elijah Wood is the scrummiest thing since something far scrummier than sliced bread, I won't mind too much if anyone cancels as it's just going to be awesome anyway. Am very excited! 

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So if there are no guests it would be awesome??

[lee_c00per]

Like someone said in another thread, this is going to probably be one of Showmaters biggest events and is the event that evryone is keeping an eye on. It is going to be MEGA Busy

[rich5wolves]

Like someone said in another thread, this is going to probably be one of Showmaters biggest events and is the event that evryone is keeping an eye on. It is going to be MEGA Busy

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looks that way! At the moment its going well! Cant wait....