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Speaking personally, adding David Wenham and JRD to the list would not make me buy a ticket to Ring Con. I have met both before (JRD more than once) and I can't justify the expenses to meet them again. The same goes for Andy. I love him, but I have met him about 5 times now!

 

However, I absolutely think you should book them. They are wonderful guests and many people out there will not have had the pleasure of meeting them yet. Booking these guests will show people that Ring Con will be a serious event with a variety of guests!

 

I must admit though, that it would take someone that hasn't been to a convention before to make me part with my money. That is simply because I'm having to be more careful with my money these days. The likes of Ian Holm, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett (I can dream) etc. would be the ones to tempt me. I realise that I'm being very optimistic, but I am only being honest...

 

Good luck with it though and again I want to stress that I definitely DO think it is a good idea to book David and John! :smile:

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:smile:

 

Being a huge LOTR fan I am wanting to go, but prices are a bit steep and not being guaranteed what photos you get with the standard package. I do not really want to get double autos.

 

Well booking them wouldnt force me to some as ive seen both of them. Would not see David Wenham again because the last time that i saw him i was disappointed, but i wont go into that.

 

Maybe when more special guests are confirmed then i might change my mind. :jason:

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:smile: Interesting question, actually, David.

 

Not sure what I was expecting, personally. I suppose I assumed another show was going to be like an SM event, but with the added bonuses (bonusii?) of workshops and t'ing. :jason:

 

Noddy's comment that there are usually about 4-6 guests from various aspects of the fandom at these events was helpful, I thought - because if that's the kind of number SM are aiming for, we're already a good way there...which isn't meant to **** off anyone who doesn't want the event to be totally aimed at fans of the film, just that it's possibly going to be easier (I assume) to attract guests from other fields in the time left available.

 

Or maybe I'm just babbling and need another coffee... :chair:

 

I can understand if people thought it'd just be like any Showmasters event, but totally LOTR instead - that was just never what I personally thought it'd be. I figured 'hey, it says CON so it'll probably be a standard convention' which is why I always expected a significantly lower number than 15-20 guests.

 

I've never really been one for conventions, but that's always been my expectations of them - and that's probably been reinforced by the Heroes/Lost ones we have now, as we've been told they'll aim for 4-6 guests.

 

I suppose it also depends on what you consider as 'guests' - whether 4-6 from the films, then ones from more Tolkien-related stuff as well etc. I don't really know what the German one does for example ..

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:jason: Interesting question, actually, David.

 

Not sure what I was expecting, personally. I suppose I assumed another show was going to be like an SM event, but with the added bonuses (bonusii?) of workshops and t'ing. :P

 

Or maybe I'm just babbling and need another coffee... :(

 

:huh: Part of the problem here is the event is attracting two different client bases - the SM fans who are interested in autograph collecting so want lots of "names", and the Ringers who expect something closer to TFF and another show - a handful of guest stars, some lesser participants, panels, workshops, demonstrations, events, fun and companionship. (you'd be surprised how much fun that can be!)

 

( oh and if you could persuade the RingStars :smile: to come over....there is a show to die for!....)

 

Whatever, it all needs advertising NOW!!! - how are people going to book if they don't hear about it?

 

:D And no you aren't babbling, Yeltz-Lass. Your posts are always very enjoyable.

:chair: Just hope this goes ahead so we can all finally meet!

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I would say that in my opinon that since i have a silver pass i would expect there to be between 15 and 20 guests at least and five big names of which 2 would be new signers to most of us...

 

Can I just ask why you expected there to be that many guests? I'm not quite sure what you're basing that expectation on? :smile:

 

Well, both another show (the original...) and TFF (hurray for freedom of speech!) had around that number, so that might be where it comes from. :jason:

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Well I didn't go to any of them, so that's why I'm asking. And to be honest, it's probably unrealistic to expect those numbers of guests when this event is happening now rather than when those events took place. It was likely easier and more profitable at that point.

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the crazy thing is look at the numbers ?

 

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so we have the silent masses that say nothing :chair:

 

I agree that Ring Con should be more than just meeting guests but to a lot of the fans it is the only reason that they come and we need all fans to come to an event to make it happen

 

i do think as we have had most guests from LOTR to a lot of the events it has damaged the possibility of running a dedicated LOTR event

 

In Germany they do not have events like Collectormania over there so that helps ring con be the only event were fans can meet the guests

 

as to the The Tolkein Society we did want to work with them as well as a lot of the people that are LOTR fandom but felt we should work on getting guests first and then look at content latter

 

we have been very unlucky finding guests, I do think one big name would have made the event a success as this would have helped bring in the numbers so we could bring in more elements to the show, but even when we first put up the first guest only a very small number of tickets sold, we realized then we needed a big name to make it work and we have been trying to get one or two ever since with no luck :jason:

 

but reading the posts it looks like the guests we have available will not help this event that much, only a big guest will save the event, i have two more guests i am working on but i have been told that it is unlikely that they are around for the date we have for the event, but i think that if we get them or not will decide if another show will happen or not :smile:

 

it saddens me as i really wanted to put this event on and have a big party like they do in Germany, we will see but time is running out and we have to make the call soon as it will not be fair to you to drag it out if there is no hope of it happening

 

we will keep you all informed

 

your

 

jason

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I can understand if people thought it'd just be like any Showmasters event, but totally LOTR instead - that was just never what I personally thought it'd be. I figured 'hey, it says CON so it'll probably be a standard convention' which is why I always expected a significantly lower number than 15-20 guests.

 

I've never really been one for conventions, but that's always been my expectations of them - and that's probably been reinforced by the Heroes/Lost ones we have now, as we've been told they'll aim for 4-6 guests.

 

I suppose it also depends on what you consider as 'guests' - whether 4-6 from the films, then ones from more Tolkien-related stuff as well etc. I don't really know what the German one does for example ..

Cheers, David - you've put it into perspective for me a bit, and now I've got a better idea of what Cons are like, I feel more settled. :wub:

 

...Although it does rather look now as though it's not going to be much help.:blush:

 

...So any chance of Andy for one of the other forthcoming SM events? :blush:

Edited by yeltz-lass
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I would say that in my opinon that since i have a silver pass i would expect there to be between 15 and 20 guests at least and five big names of which 2 would be new signers to most of us...

 

Can I just ask why you expected there to be that many guests? I'm not quite sure what you're basing that expectation on? :blush:

 

Well, both another show (the original...) and TFF (hurray for freedom of speech!) had around that number, so that might be where it comes from. ;)

 

 

I think most of the people here, expect something like the other showmasters event, but that is not what a con, especially not Ring*Con is about.

 

Ring-con is about celebrating the work of Tolkien and his influence on fantasy in general.

It is not about collecting autographs, that is just the topping on an event that is very unique.

 

If you have a look at the programm of Ring-con Germany you notice a lot of fanbased activities and lectures.

 

This year programm includes 9 WETA lectures, 30 lectures held by 12 lecturers, 11 actors with a total 22 Panels, 19 Workshops á 2 hours, concerts and of course the parties.

 

Ring-Con is about having fun and forgetting real live for a few days.

 

Ring-Con is about wearing costumes without having to explain what it is and ignoring strange looks from people who do not understand why you do it.

 

Ring-Con ia about getting together with a lot of people and friends whom you only meet once a year during the con.

 

That is what Ring-Con is for me and for a lot of other people I know, and I know of what I`m talking here, I`ve been at every single Ring-Con in Germany and I will go as long as it exists.

 

I really wanted to attend, Ring-Con UK and I do not care much about "big" names, as much as I like to meet David to get him sign the DVD of "Better Sex", :wub: but I think showmasters forgot what a con is about.

 

It does not cost much to invite lecturers and the Tolkien society, and I still think Ring-Con UK would have had the potential to become a huge event, but to be honest 600 Euros for a Gold Ticket shocked me.

I`m sorry, to say that, but I think they would have sold more tickets, if they had been a little cheaper and iof they had done more to get other people than actors involved in it.

 

Sorry for the rambling but I so wanted this con to happen, but I do not see how it should workl out now.

 

As some other have already said, it was too little to late.

 

Just my 2 cents and now I`m sitting back and wait for the flames. :blush:

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I think SM are giving up before the race has finished. I know it's 2 months away but that's still 2 months (a lot can be achieved in that time). If they contacted Tolkien Society, Costume makers, Weta & Alan Lee etc. now that certainly sounds exciting to me!

Getting Wenham & JRD would probably sell another 100 odd tix, mix that with the above options & surely you could have attracted enough people to run the Con. :blush:

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I think SM are giving up before the race has finished. I know it's 2 months away but that's still 2 months (a lot can be achieved in that time). If they contacted Tolkien Society, Costume makers, Weta & Alan Lee etc. now that certainly sounds exciting to me!

Getting Wenham & JRD would probably sell another 100 odd tix, mix that with the above options & surely you could have attracted enough people to run the Con. :blush:

 

I agree FLM, 2 months is surely enough time to recover this event, that's like 10 weeks or 69 days! It's ages. I'm not going to give up this early, can you imagine if Sam & Frodo gave up 2 months before reaching Mount Doom (hypothetically!)!!!!

 

This event can happen, we just need more positive thinking! Let's look forward not backwards, forget how badly things have gone so far, it's not over! :blush:

 

I hate to admit it but there's at least another 300 Wenham fans alone out there! :wub:

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G :blush: reat to hear a reply at last!

 

A shame that it's so hard to get guests nowadays. It was so great at the FF s - Karl Urban. John Noble, Billy Boyd, Brnard Hill, Craig and Mark, Lawrence Makoare, Bruce Hopkins, Sanda McLeod, Jed Brophy, Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, Thomas Robins, Kiran Shah, Shane Rangi,Royd Tolkien, Daniel Falconer (Weta), John Howe, Alan Lee, Cameron Rhodes, the Kopps, stunt guys, make-up artists and the Tolkien Society, etc., etc. Where are they all now? The presentations, accounts, dancing, parties, seminars, etc., etc.

 

This is what Showmasters are up against because us fans have been to these two great events and I guess we are going to compare that with what SM have to offer. Also, it's so close to another show Germany.

 

I don't know what the answer is, SM. I'm devastated though that there might not be some kind of UK con again this year!

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I think SM are giving up before the race has finished. I know it's 2 months away but that's still 2 months (a lot can be achieved in that time). If they contacted Tolkien Society, Costume makers, Weta & Alan Lee etc. now that certainly sounds exciting to me!

Getting Wenham & JRD would probably sell another 100 odd tix, mix that with the above options & surely you could have attracted enough people to run the Con. :D

I totally applaud and agree with your comments. :wub: I'm just not sure 2 months is enough, though. :blush: I don't want to believe that cancellation is now inevitable, as there are people on this particular forum that I've got to know and would really like to meet up with there, but I can't help thinking that I might as well accept the fact that the Con won't happen now.

 

BUT: If that were to be the case, could it just be postponed to some time earlyish next year and thereby give a few more months' grace to attract guests, speakers, attendees, etc? :blush: Or is it a case of it being too long for people to wait? :( Which I could understand, but I was just wondering. ;)

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I'm kinda agreeing with Showmasters here.

 

The three guests, Andy, JRD and David are LOVELY, I've met the first two many times and adore them. Not met David but am a fan. The problem with getting these three is that they've been around at events before and they're not going to sell masses of tickets. Some fans might buy a ticket to see them and not bother paying for photoshoot tix etc, thus where would the money come in?

 

I've paid for a VIP ticket so was really looking forward to this event. If it goes ahead I shall still definitely come, but I can't see it myself.

 

Fingers crossed though!!!

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the crazy thing is look at the numbers ?

 

Replies 78

 

Views 1040

 

so we have the silent masses that say nothing :wub:

 

I agree that Ring Con should be more than just meeting guests but to a lot of the fans it is the only reason that they come and we need all fans to come to an event to make it happen

 

i do think as we have had most guests from LOTR to a lot of the events it has damaged the possibility of running a dedicated LOTR event

 

In Germany they do not have events like Collectormania over there so that helps ring con be the only event were fans can meet the guests

 

as to the The Tolkein Society we did want to work with them as well as a lot of the people that are LOTR fandom but felt we should work on getting guests first and then look at content latter

 

we have been very unlucky finding guests, I do think one big name would have made the event a success as this would have helped bring in the numbers so we could bring in more elements to the show, but even when we first put up the first guest only a very small number of tickets sold, we realized then we needed a big name to make it work and we have been trying to get one or two ever since with no luck :blush:

 

but reading the posts it looks like the guests we have available will not help this event that much, only a big guest will save the event, i have two more guests i am working on but i have been told that it is unlikely that they are around for the date we have for the event, but i think that if we get them or not will decide if another show will happen or not :blush:

 

it saddens me as i really wanted to put this event on and have a big party like they do in Germany, we will see but time is running out and we have to make the call soon as it will not be fair to you to drag it out if there is no hope of it happening

 

we will keep you all informed

 

your

 

jason

 

WTF! Sorry to say this but you have to be kidding. After months of silence, you finally made some kind of annoucement last night and instantly dismiss it again? What do you expect? A thousand more bookings within 12 hours? Enthusiastic cheering because of an insecure statement..... If I had known that you'd give up so easily, I wouldn't have crossposted like an idiot last night to activate all the other 299 wenham fans. Get a grip! There are still weeks to go.....

Edited by missdaisy
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Finally, SM respond!! But I am afraid it is too late. You can tell by their post that they think, or possibly no longer want this event to go ahead. I have already made arrangements to go to another show in Germany, and it is going to cost me LESS to buy tickets, fly and stay over there than it will be for us to go to London.

 

I still want this event to take place, and I will attend if it does (as I spent £300 on tickets!!) but I will never attend another SM event as I have been appalled by the treatment (or lack of it) SM have given us all. If I treated my customers this way, with no news about their benefits etc, I am sure I would no longer have a job to go to!!

 

Anyways, I would like to see all three guests as I have never met any of them, but it is all about the lectures and other aspects of the con that I go for. Without the Tolkien Society et al, I am afraid that this con will be seriously lacking.

 

This con have been on the skids since it started, being postponed once and no announcements for months and now this. I am disapointed as SM and angry at myself too for (stupidly) buying tickets early on. I welcome a full refund if (when??) the event doesn't take place, and I feel sorry for those who will lose money on airfare and hotel deposits etc.

 

I am sorry if this post is hugely negative, but I am afraid that I have just lost all hope that it will go ahead. I enjoyed both TFF's so much and was disapointed when they ended. If this event folds, I believe that there will never be another LOTR event in the UK.

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I wasn't going to post, but I feel I must now.

 

Yes, I am gutted that this may well be cancelled. This was the one event that I've been looking forward to all year.

 

Speaking as someone who for many years used to organise events and conferences (both nationally and internationally) on a large scale, I'm have to say that for a event like another show to be put together within 2 months is unrealistic, even if someone was working round the clock to do it - and believe me, I've done this and it practically killed me! (and that's why I don't do it anymore! :blush: )

 

To hold a event of a similar scale to that of another show in Germany requires months of careful planning and organisation and this cannot be just be thrown together within a space of a few weeks, otherwise it would look shoddy and unprofessional.

 

And to Jason - whilst we appreciate that you were holding out for some good guests, surely it would have been more prudent to have thought about the actual content of the event and then booking the guests around that? I know you have been asking the fans what they would like at another show, but it may have been a lot less hassle to follow the structure in which the German another show has been run over the past few years, particularly as this is the first one of its kind in the UK.

 

Also, would it have been wise to have someone working 100% completely on another show for the past few months and thus leaving the rest of SMs to deal with the other shows. It would have been nice to have a designated person at the helm to direct queries to.

 

Lou has raised an important point; why not postpone until next year? My advice is get someone else in to organise the whole thing and do nothing else but that! This person can speak to the organisers for German another show, The Tolkein Soc etc to work out a decent time table of events for the weekend, they can then deal with the guests, the speakers, the hotel etc. You'll be surprised it can happen, it just needs a lot more thought and a great deal more organisation. Unfortunately it's not going to happen in just 10 weeks. Trust me on this, I speak from experience.

 

Rosie

Edited by RosiePosieDanderfluff
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It seems everyone here at the boards are old hands at going to Ringcons, but I have NEVER been to one, and I'd gladly take whatever is on offer, especially DW and JRD and Andy Serkis too.

 

IF you want to attract new customers along with the ones who've seen it all I think there has to be the actors too. Because I believe they are the ones who can pull in new persons into the another show-thing, at least it works that way with me.

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the crazy thing is look at the numbers ?

 

Replies 78

 

Views 1040

 

so we have the silent masses that say nothing :wub:

 

I agree that Ring Con should be more than just meeting guests but to a lot of the fans it is the only reason that they come and we need all fans to come to an event to make it happen

 

i do think as we have had most guests from LOTR to a lot of the events it has damaged the possibility of running a dedicated LOTR event

 

In Germany they do not have events like Collectormania over there so that helps ring con be the only event were fans can meet the guests

 

as to the The Tolkein Society we did want to work with them as well as a lot of the people that are LOTR fandom but felt we should work on getting guests first and then look at content latter

 

we have been very unlucky finding guests, I do think one big name would have made the event a success as this would have helped bring in the numbers so we could bring in more elements to the show, but even when we first put up the first guest only a very small number of tickets sold, we realized then we needed a big name to make it work and we have been trying to get one or two ever since with no luck :blush:

 

but reading the posts it looks like the guests we have available will not help this event that much, only a big guest will save the event, i have two more guests i am working on but i have been told that it is unlikely that they are around for the date we have for the event, but i think that if we get them or not will decide if another show will happen or not :blush:

 

it saddens me as i really wanted to put this event on and have a big party like they do in Germany, we will see but time is running out and we have to make the call soon as it will not be fair to you to drag it out if there is no hope of it happening

 

we will keep you all informed

 

your

 

jason

 

WTF! Sorry to say this but you have to be kidding. After months of silence, you finally made some kind of annoucement last night and instantly dismiss it again? What do you expect? A thousand more bookings within 12 hours? Enthusiastic cheering because of an insecure statement..... If I had known that you'd give up so easily, I wouldn't have crossposted like an idiot last night to activate all the other 299 wenham fans. Get a grip! There are still weeks to go.....

 

I agree missdaisy! SM are expecting a lot in what has essentially been less than 24hrs. ;)

Rosie - I do not question your experience, but I also have some experience in this sort of thing and I know that sometimes it is a case for just taking a risk and going for it. I genuinely believe SM should at least try for longer and not give up yet.

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Rosie - I do not question your experience, but I also have some experience in this sort of thing and I know that sometimes it is a case for just taking a risk and going for it. I genuinely believe SM should at least try for longer and not give up yet.

 

Yes, I too have taken the risks and yes, it was a tremendous success (I was even offered a job in LA as a result!) but it cost me my health. :blush: It's not a question of chucking a few fans into a hotel with a couple of actors (as lovely as it is!) and hoping the event will run itself, any fool can do that! However, your faith in SMs' abilities is touching, but as a number of us have already stipulated; it really is too little too late. Who is supposed to be running the workshops? How long do the workshops last? Where's this banquet we were promised? Entertainments? The list is endless and is already giving me a headache just thinking about it; I'm not the one organising it! :blush:

 

I've been to check on the Heroes Event thread; this is being held in March and already there is information about photo-shoots etc. This sort of information along with a schedule of events should have been in place for another show by now!

 

Rosie x

Edited by RosiePosieDanderfluff
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It seems everyone here at the boards are old hands at going to Ringcons, but I have NEVER been to one, and I'd gladly take whatever is on offer, especially DW and JRD and Andy Serkis too.

 

IF you want to attract new customers along with the ones who've seen it all I think there has to be the actors too. Because I believe they are the ones who can pull in new persons into the another show-thing, at least it works that way with me.

*raises hand* I've never been to one either, and I too would be happy to take what's on offer...so long as there's still time to get in a few more guests of whatever variety. :blush:

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WTF! Sorry to say this but you have to be kidding. After months of silence, you finally made some kind of annoucement last night and instantly dismiss it again? What do you expect? A thousand more bookings within 12 hours? Enthusiastic cheering because of an insecure statement..... If I had known that you'd give up so easily, I wouldn't have crossposted like an idiot last night to activate all the other 299 wenham fans. Get a grip! There are still weeks to go.....

I agree; yes, I'm excited at the prospect of potential new guests, but the mixed messages from Jason's statement make me wonder exactly what has been done (the cynic in me would add "if anything", and I'm sure I'll be flamed for that) during all those months of silence. I'm aware that SM have other events to organise, so I know they've a lot on their plates, but it's hard not to think that too much attention has been placed on other events and this one simply wasn't thought through properly. If DW and JRD were definitely booked, I'd feel happier, too - like you say, how can we be expected to be cheering from the roof-tops about people who may/may not be booked, even though I'm very happy that there's a prospect of new guests. ^_^

 

I agree missdaisy! SM are expecting a lot in what has essentially been less than 24hrs. :D

Plus why should we - as missdaisy has done, and I'll admit I did last night - be the ones to have to be spreading the word to other people if SM couldn't have anything to publicise RCUK at LFACC, for eg? :(

 

Rosie - I do not question your experience, but I also have some experience in this sort of thing and I know that sometimes it is a case for just taking a risk and going for it.

I have great faith in Rosie's experience, and I'm not questioning yours at all, but I suppose I'm just concerned that it isn't possible to pull RCUK round in 2 months - especially if the organisers themselves don't appear to have any incentive/inclination to do so. I mean, no offence, but no info for months doesn't inspire confidence in anyone. :blush:

 

I genuinely believe SM should at least try for longer and not give up yet.

Well said! :D I mean, just look at the boost and opportunity to feel good it would be if they did manage to do it. :YAHOO:

 

...I'm still not going to hold my breath, mind...

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