gidda1974 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 very true....as you say it wouldnt happen in the streets!! it would be hard to keep tabs on these people unless you had security at all times!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMC001 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Bev, the reason why we were told not to miss our slot, was in case John left early. Obviously we've been to many events previously and gone into queues long after our ticket number came up, but this time we were warned not to leave it too long just in case. I was very surprised that the numbers went from 220 - 500 in less than an hour - it took a lot longer to go from 001 - 200! I assume people at the front wanted a bit more time? When we were in the queue, we did not have a problem with the girls outside telling us to move, because the organisers told us to stand to the left when we were in the queue, I think mainly to keep an orderly line. One point, when we came out after seeing Eve at about 1:30, we couldn't move for people! One of the organisers told us to move on but we had a pushchair and there was no way we could move amongst such a dense crowd. The organiser told us the reason for the crowd was because John was down there. However I must say thankyou to the photographer who cleared a path for us to get out - whoever he is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 RMC001, John was personalising autographs at the beginning, before the photo session, but afterwards he wasn't personalising so things moved a lot quicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lallen Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Oh, I wasn't at the window. I was inside all morning for JB, first for the autograph and then for the photoshoot, so I got to see some of the worst examples of the badly behaved onlookers. Without wanting to stereotype, the young girls seemed to be the worst for it. Some gave a lot of attitude when they were politely asked to shift it. Unfortunately, these days, it appears to be the norm with a lot of people, good manners and politeness seem to be a thing of the past. With your experience of seeing the baying pack of wolves at the window and Buffy2k's comments about the James Master's photoshoot, it just reinforces the way society appears to be heading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 It was picked up from halfway thru saturday and james sat down for his photos to stop it, but still these rude people think its acceptable and it happened again on sunday. All the regular fans who see James and had followed him all week were all asking what he was comfortable with when they went in for their photos from then on. I really can't believe the rudeness of some people. Did this actually happen? We pay our £20 or whatever for the privilege of having our photo taken with someone whose work we admire; it doesn't entitle us to anything more than that. If people don't grow up and behave in a mature fashion, guests like James and John will stop doing these events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jael001 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I was at the front of the queue for James's shoot when his manager came out and said that if anyone was caught inappropriately touching James that they'd be thrown out, he was quite forceful about it and made it clear that it was hands above the waist only. I'm shocked that people would think its ok to touch someone they dont know inappropriately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiki Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I was at the front of the queue for James's shoot when his manager came out and said that if anyone was caught inappropriately touching James that they'd be thrown out, he was quite forceful about it and made it clear that it was hands above the waist only. I'm shocked that people would think its ok to touch someone they dont know inappropriately. Are we talking a bum grope here, or a crotch grab..or a tounge down throat?! how bad was it? Obviously anything is unacceptable but I'm just curious of how brazen some people can be!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 The problem here is that some people can't separate fiction from real-life. Because these celebrities are in our homes, pretty much on demand, thanks to DVDs, some people think they know James/John/whoever *personally*, and that's when this inappropriate behaviour crops up. My husband attended a charity "do" with Gillian Anderson about 3 or 4 years ago. Tickets to the event had to be purchased in advance, and there was also a photo shoot (again for charity). When I told him what happened to James, he remarked that Gillian's "minder" was present all the time, and the photographer told each person that the shoot was strictly hands-off and there was to be no physical contact at all with Gillian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortyAZK Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 The problem here is that some people can't separate fiction from real-life. Because these celebrities are in our homes, pretty much on demand, thanks to DVDs, some people think they know James/John/whoever *personally*, and that's when this inappropriate behaviour crops up. My husband attended a charity "do" with Gillian Anderson about 3 or 4 years ago. Tickets to the event had to be purchased in advance, and there was also a photo shoot (again for charity). When I told him what happened to James, he remarked that Gillian's "minder" was present all the time, and the photographer told each person that the shoot was strictly hands-off and there was to be no physical contact at all with Gillian. Having a hug in the photo is fine providing that a) the guest is comfortable doing so and the attendee recognises what the limitations are of a hug and to respect the actor enough not to cross the line! Sadly though there's becoming more and more people who clearly don't respect the actors enough to not cross that line, i've seen similar things happen before!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_mk Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I suggest that instead of wipe on boards at each queue, an electric sign suspended above the stalls in Middleton Hall could be the answer, listing each guest with the current (up to date) ticket number visible. That way you don't have to work your way through busy crowds to check your numbers. An alternative is a frequent tannoy announcement listing the numbers, but I think something needs to be done to inform people of the numbers. I'm not sure how much an electronic sign will cost exactly, but I guess it would be really expensive. And the tannoy announcements are rather hard to be heard. But there were whiteboards with the numbers having been called at the side of the dealers area. They are updated frequently by some very nice people who constantly run around. I don't know if an electronic sign would be prohibitivly expensive, but the white boards weren't kept up to date with JB's numbers very well (probably because the poor crew were stretched to the limits on sunday, bless 'em) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jael001 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I was at the front of the queue for James's shoot when his manager came out and said that if anyone was caught inappropriately touching James that they'd be thrown out, he was quite forceful about it and made it clear that it was hands above the waist only. I'm shocked that people would think its ok to touch someone they dont know inappropriately. Are we talking a bum grope here, or a crotch grab..or a tounge down throat?! how bad was it? Obviously anything is unacceptable but I'm just curious of how brazen some people can be!! I'm assuming it was mostly bum gropes, but I didnt witness any of it so I dont know. I certainly hope it wasnt one of the other options Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiki Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I was at the front of the queue for James's shoot when his manager came out and said that if anyone was caught inappropriately touching James that they'd be thrown out, he was quite forceful about it and made it clear that it was hands above the waist only. I'm shocked that people would think its ok to touch someone they dont know inappropriately. Are we talking a bum grope here, or a crotch grab..or a tounge down throat?! how bad was it? Obviously anything is unacceptable but I'm just curious of how brazen some people can be!! I'm assuming it was mostly bum gropes, but I didnt witness any of it so I dont know. I certainly hope it wasnt one of the other options The double standards of this world are incredible.. can you imagine the uproar if a bloke did that to Lea Thompson?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess83 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 (edited) Jesus what's with some people? Didn't one idiot at CM12 upset Helen Slater in a photoshoot by pushing the boundaries too far? I remember people vageley disccusing some kind of incident that had unnvered her on the forums after the con. At this rate I'm getting worried that soon, if there's still photoshoots, guests won't want any contact at all and we'll just have to stand next to them like statues. I'm really saddened that this latest incident happened with James Marsters of all people, who is one of the loveliest and most fan friendly actors there is. There's something very wrong with some people. Edited May 7, 2008 by Princess83 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Sindel Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 I don't know if an electronic sign would be prohibitivly expensive, but the white boards weren't kept up to date with JB's numbers very well (probably because the poor crew were stretched to the limits on sunday, bless 'em) RMC's post sounded like he hadn't seen the white boards at all, that's why I mentioned them. I didn't see much of anything on Sunday myself, I was working in the John/James photo session area. So I can't tell exactly how things were going on then. But technically that is how it is supposed to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephyrbrett Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 As there is no formal feedback/improvements/suggestions thread I though I would start one as I have one specific suggestion that I would like to make. My suggestion is related to the gold passes. I personally buy the gold passes so that I don't have to get up at 4am to start queueing, or hang around all day waiting for my number to come up (and sometimes see it not come up at all). None of my friends are really into sci-fi/fantasy so i have always gone to showmasters events alone. However if I wanted to take my g/f (who only likes Harry Potter) there would be a problem. If I got a gold pass would be able to get in at the normal time and join any queue without the early morning queue or wait for VT number to come up. However my g/f would not be able to queue up with me so she would be left hanging round all day waiting for me (unless we bought another £175 gold pass). At Star Wars Celebration Europe (how I can mention this show now as it was a year ago) they had a system where priority pass holders (star wars fan club) got 5 tickets to allow 5 friends the same privileges as them. Maybe we could employ the same system at showmasters events. A gold pass holder would be given 5 tickets which would allow a friend (who had paid for a normal or early entry ticket) to join 5 queues withough a VT ticket. A ticket would be take off them each time they entered a queue with VTs. Alternatively a gold pass holder could bring 5 friends (again, each of whom had paid for a normal or early entry ticket)and give them one ticket each so they could all join the same queue. As there are only 50 gold passes available and not all the friends will be interested in all the guests this shouldn't put queues up too much. I can see that the first comment that most people would make is that showmasters would rather sell them all gold passes at £175. However this probably isn't realistic. Discounting this there are two other options described below. Example when taking 5 friends Current System I buy a gold pass £175 5 friends buy normal tickets £10 I spend £150 on autographs. 5 friends spend £125 each on autographs (unable to get autos of big stars at £25 due to queues) TOTAL = £1000 My System I buy a gold pass £175 5 friends buy normal tickets £10 I spend £150 on autographs. 5 Friends spend £150 each on autographs TOTAL = £1125 Current System Taking my g/f I buy a gold pass £175 I spend £150 on autographs. My g/f spends £25 autographs (unable to get autos of big stars at £25 due to VTs in 5 queues) TOTAL = £360 My System I buy a gold pass £175 My g/f buys a normal ticket £10 I spend £150 on autographs My g/f spends £150 on autographs TOTAL £485 I know some of the figures are arbitrary but you get the general idea - more money for SMs with my system. Any thoughts? I have an idea for the gold pass too. Like most Guys and girls me and my other half like different people. I love love love Ray Park and Jon wanted to meet anyone from Dr Who (Not my bag, Sorry Dr Who fans) so we each see different people. why not do a joint gold pass so I could meet who I want to see and Jon can see who he wants to see, like a family gold pass that we share so charge £220 and have two names on it???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noki-wan-kenobi Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 My suggestion would be to have numbered tickets (like VT tickets) when you have your photo taken. Each photo could be numbered in pencil on the back - digital photo's are numbered anyhow. The person handing out the photo's could then match your number to the ordered photo's and bobs your uncle. I would be happy if the photo's were numbered on the front as long as its very small in the bottom corner which could be mounted out etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morden Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 My suggestion would be to have numbered tickets (like VT tickets) when you have your photo taken. Each photo could be numbered in pencil on the back - digital photo's are numbered anyhow. The person handing out the photo's could then match your number to the ordered photo's and bobs your uncle. I would be happy if the photo's were numbered on the front as long as its very small in the bottom corner which could be mounted out etc. How could they be sure which photo was yours? It isn't always as simple as "1 attendee - 1 photo" after all. There are other pitfalls associated with this idea but I'd like to hear your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMC001 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Queen Sindel - I did see the whiteboards yes, the only problem was getting to them due to the sheer volume of people in the hall, especially with a pushchair. I am simply suggesting a method of reducing the need for people to have to continuously go backwards and forwards in a crowded hall to check their numbers by either having a raised board which is visible to anyone, anywhere in the hall, or a tannoy (I seem to remember hearing a tannoy announcement years ago when Brian Blessed was there). Of course there is one additional problem, if you decide to wander down the mall, perhaps to meet the three daleks, how do you tell then? I did ask someone at the queue what time my ticket was likely to come up for John and they said two hours, but instead my number came up within the hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Sindel Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Queen Sindel - I did see the whiteboards yes, the only problem was getting to them due to the sheer volume of people in the hall, especially with a pushchair. I am simply suggesting a method of reducing the need for people to have to continuously go backwards and forwards in a crowded hall to check their numbers by either having a raised board which is visible to anyone, anywhere in the hall, or a tannoy (I seem to remember hearing a tannoy announcement years ago when Brian Blessed was there). I didn't leave the photo area much that Sunday, so I had no idea it was that busy that you couldn't even get to the big whiteboards. I thought you meant the small ones near the actual queueing area. I see where you're coming from. Technically I think your ideas are great, but I am really not sure if it can be done. With raised boards (if we're not talking about an electronic system as you suggested) the updating would be really complicated because people would possibly have to climb on ladders, and that could get rather dangerous in crowds. Boards being visible to anyone would have to be put up pretty high, and also would have to be rather big so that the writing is readable. Maybe additional whiteboards like the existing ones would help. That would spread out the crowds further. But then you'd have to find a space where to put them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_mk Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Queen Sindel - I did see the whiteboards yes, the only problem was getting to them due to the sheer volume of people in the hall, especially with a pushchair. I am simply suggesting a method of reducing the need for people to have to continuously go backwards and forwards in a crowded hall to check their numbers by either having a raised board which is visible to anyone, anywhere in the hall, or a tannoy (I seem to remember hearing a tannoy announcement years ago when Brian Blessed was there). I didn't leave the photo area much that Sunday, so I had no idea it was that busy that you couldn't even get to the big whiteboards. I thought you meant the small ones near the actual queueing area. I see where you're coming from. Technically I think your ideas are great, but I am really not sure if it can be done. With raised boards (if we're not talking about an electronic system as you suggested) the updating would be really complicated because people would possibly have to climb on ladders, and that could get rather dangerous in crowds. Boards being visible to anyone would have to be put up pretty high, and also would have to be rather big so that the writing is readable. Maybe additional whiteboards like the existing ones would help. That would spread out the crowds further. But then you'd have to find a space where to put them. What about some kind of pulley system to raise the white boards up and down? With a dedicted member of crew constantly updating them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noki-wan-kenobi Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 My suggestion would be to have numbered tickets (like VT tickets) when you have your photo taken. Each photo could be numbered in pencil on the back - digital photo's are numbered anyhow. The person handing out the photo's could then match your number to the ordered photo's and bobs your uncle. I would be happy if the photo's were numbered on the front as long as its very small in the bottom corner which could be mounted out etc. How could they be sure which photo was yours? It isn't always as simple as "1 attendee - 1 photo" after all. There are other pitfalls associated with this idea but I'd like to hear your comments. You'd be in the photo for a start - Seriously though, you would need a ticket for each photo produced. They would be printed in the same order so it could work. I know there are fraileties with the idea but its a seedling.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeka85 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) The only slight 'complaint' which I have commented on in the photo ticket thread is the fact that we had to pay £2 for having our photos posted. Seeing as this has never happened before and wasn't made clear before hand I was a bit shocked when my mum said she had to pay for it. I physically cannot stay to wait for the photos to be printed because I'd probably pass out and that'd be no fun for anyone ;-) Anyway, other than that as I only stayed for about an hour I don't think there was anything else wrong!! Edited May 8, 2008 by peeka85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceygal Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) I was thinking that, for the photoshoot sessions for the big stars like John Barrowman, James Marsters and Eve Myles (the tickets for which had to be bought online and were for a limited amount, of course) - maybe the tickets could be limited to people booking for only one photo (or 2 max) per person, per guest, although I don't know how feasible that is, of course. It's just that there were some people at MK who bought so many tickets for photos with the same guest/s that others will have ended missing up out on having even one pic with their favourite star, which I'm sure is what most people would be happy with, just one nice pic, surely! I bought 1 ticket for a photo with JB (one was all I needed, after all!) but quite a few of my friends weren't able to get any photos with him at all because all the tickets had sold out so quickly. It seems a bit selfish for someone to buy so many pictures with the same actor/actress, therefore leaving even less tickets for other people to buy. Limiting it to 1 or 2 photos with one guest per person allows more people to have photos and stops people from being so greedy, at a loss to other fans. I mean, how many photos with the same celeb at one time does one person need! Lol. So basically, that's my only annoyance - I know that not everyone who wanted photos with their favourite stars was going to get them, as there was a limit to how many could be sold per star guest, that's to be expected. But if the people who had 4 or more photos with the same guest had been less greedy and had just 1 or 2 there would have been a lot more tickets left available and more fans WOULD have had photos. Otherwise, a very well organised event, I thought. Edited May 8, 2008 by spaceygal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jael001 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 there were 2 girls in front of me that between them had 12 photos with James Masters...I was shocked! And yes, I agree, that's 10 photos that could have gone to other people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceygal Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) there were 2 girls in front of me that between them had 12 photos with James Masters...I was shocked! And yes, I agree, that's 10 photos that could have gone to other people. That's exactly what I mean! That to me is just pure greed and really selfish to other fans. But what can you do. Some people will always act like that and others lose out as a result. I know there's probably no way around it but I just wanted to voice my annoyance on the subject! Lol. For me personally I'd be really embarrassed to ask for so many photos in one go with the same guest! How obsessive would it look! Lol. Edited May 8, 2008 by spaceygal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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