Virtual Queing

[amy_s]

Why do people have such a big problem with getting tickets for each guest, C4 was the first time ever where I had to queue for a ticket for a guest and then that was only for Elijah, Sean and Dominic, even when I met Andy Serkis and Billy Boyd at C3 I just went up and took a ticket.

 

I think grouping the guests together might be a good idea so you dont have too travel far to get another ticket but having 1 ticket per guest is the best method and there is no real reason to change this. The people who dont want to have to queue up for each guest and want to get done as fast as they can, all I can say to them is get used to it, queuing up is part of the fun and you get to meet new people, I had a great chat with someone while waiting for my Elijah ticket and I have yet to not meet a guest I set out to meet because I was getting tickets, like I said, C4 was the first time when I had to queue for a ticket and even then I got to meet everyone I wanted too.

You absolute babe, I completely agree. If you guys are so bothered about queing then get there earlier if you want to meet a particular guest.

[The Lady Elanor]

I'd rather not have all the guests at once either, I'd feel rude wandering past people. Plus I think it would slow it all down... I always seem to get stuck behind the person who needs to have a 20 minute chat in queues...

[amy_s]

I'd rather not have all the guests at once either, I'd feel rude wandering past people.

Same here.

[elullatook]

Put simply youll have to deal with it. Its not perfect but noone is going to change the whole routine which works just fine so you can meet who you want to.

 

Youre going to have to wait a while, turn up early like everyone else, and queue all day like everyone else to meet who you want to.

 

You make it sound like you want to turn up, spend 10 minutes queueing, meet all the LOTR guests then go home.

I am sorry you felt you had to make a snidy reply to my post . YOU DO NOT KNOW ME so keep your rude comments to youself

And for your info i do wish to meet other people and i am going to have to get up very early in the morning to get to the event , so think before you post!

[surfy_sah]

Why do people have such a big problem with getting tickets for each guest... and then that was only for Elijah, Sean and Dominic

if you actually READ what has been said you would see.

 

I shall repeat myself for your beneift - I, like I'm sure MANY other people, DID NOT GET TO MEET ELIJAH.

 

maybe if there was a huge sign "tickets" or something people wouldn't have been madly running round at MK trying to get tickets for so many guests, it wasn't just LotR it was HP and Giles from Buffy too (amoung others) that had tickets.

 

I do not have a problem getting a ticket for each guest nor queuing just the actual giving out of the tickets was just bad - we queued for an HOUR to get Elijah tickets only to be told there were none left - come on!!!

 

xx

Edited February 13, 2004 by surfy_sah

[surfy_sah]

I'd rather not have all the guests at once either, I'd feel rude wandering past people.

Same here.

just cause they are grouped together doesn't mean you have to walk past them!!!!!!!

 

this is what I said before:

guests grouped together E.G c4 again, like they had all the Star Trek guests sitting next to each other but you still had to queue for each person! just if you couldn'tafford to meet them all (I did I'm just saying!) you could still see the other guests!!!

 

see they SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER but each person has their OWN QUEQUE!!!!! it was great cause you could still see everyone even if you couldn't afford to meet them all! xx

Edited February 13, 2004 by surfy_sah

[The Lady Elanor]

Ahhh gotcha!

[Dezzy]

*dammit*

 

4). If you just want a photo with a guest, this will only be allowed if there is no virtual queue. Whilst a virtual queue is in operation, preference will be given to those people wishing to get autographs. If at the end of the day there is no virtual queue, then subject to the guest being happy to do it, we will allow photos without autographs. Also, if there is no queue in place, we are happy for you to go up and chat to the guests without getting an autograph

 

aaaaaaaww dagnammit ........ I mean I see the logic there but tis kind of annoying as after I have spent so much on travel getting to Wembley Exhibition Centre (£75 I might add!) I only have enough left for ONE autograph (Billy Boyd) and so I'll have to wait until the end of the day to meet the others, and that might not even happen!

 

One of the main reasons I was attending also was to meet the Red Dwarf cast, but again that's probably unlikely now.

 

I wouldn't mind so much if it was an event which was free to get into, but I'll have already paid £5 on the door to get in, and now I'm told that I can't meet the guests I want to unless I'm getting an autograph, so I could well have just paid £100 (travel, entrance fee and for the autograph) to just meet Billy ................

 

Does seem a bit odd also that you could just go up and meet a guest and get a picture at CM for free (it says so on the site! :)) yet you can't do this at an event where you've paid an entrance fee .......

 

*Desperately hopes SM will talk to guests about this and hopes the guests will allow just photos at the end* Damn my lack of funds ..........

Edited February 13, 2004 by Dezzy

[Colonel Jack O'Neill]

I dont think it is a new rule but SM only listed it on the 24th January and most people had already made arrangements by then so was too late for people with little money.

 

Also, when I was at C3 I saw people asking for just a photo and they were being told no but I asked about buying an autograph and was told a photo was fine, guess they want people who want to pay to have a higher priority over people who just want to take a picture.

 

Also, surfy_sah, I can understand why you and so many others were annoyed and I think the way SM handled it on Sunday by not giving out information was quite bad but I think they learned there lesson because Monday was well organised and I think most if not everyone went away happy.

 

All I can suggest is that if possible spend 1 day meeting all the less popular guests and the next day spend all your time meeting the popular guests, I knew if I had turned up just sunday that I would have had little chance of meeting everyone I wanted too but because I met most on saturday and went just for Elijah/Sean/Dom on monday I met everyone I wanted to.

 

Also a little tip, drag people along who have no interest in meeting guests and just stick them in the queues for tickets, that way you can get all the tickets you want in a much smaller space of time

Edited February 13, 2004 by Colonel Jack O'Neill

[subject_117]

Does anyone actually remember what C4 was like? People were going crazy trying to get a glimpse of Elijah and Dom on one side of the building and just as many people were going just as crazy for Sean and Andy on the other side of the building. In the centre and outside the centre against the glass it was difficult to move. If all four were grouped together then you would have even more crazed fans in a combined space than ever before (whether there be one queue, two, three or four there would still be a LOT of gawpers that were just hanging around)!! It would be crazy to put all the actors that are the big draw in one space

 

And for people saying we should line up the actors at a long table and go from A to B to C to D but if you wanted to you could miss out B if you don't want to see him or miss out C if you don't want to see him I have a problem. Yes it would mean you only had to join one queue BUT it would only move as quickly as the slowest signer/most popular guest could get through the autographs. It would cause a backlog and you would have some of the actors twiddling their thumbs waiting for the fans to get finished with the actor ahead of them. I have seen this backlog happen at shows that have autograph sessions that only last 2/3 hours and can't imagine what effect 8 hours of that set up would have if Showmasters were to implement it

 

And don't say "well then put the actor who is most popular at the end so that he doesn't hold the others up" because that doesn't help if a lot of people walk past guests A, B and C to get to him because pretty soon that queue will block the other tables.

 

The solution to that problem? You put the more popular guests in separate parts of the building, with plenty of space for a queue. IE Don't group together the actors that are the biggest draw no matter how many queues you have because it won't work.

 

Showmasters you are doing things fine!! B7, Red Dwarf, Star Trek,etc guests could be grouped without too much problem because they are not as huge an attraction (don't get me wrong though, I love them all) but a lot of the LOTR fans are really fanatic and will cause pandemonium if you cram them into one space. Please don't group them all together because it will be a nightmare for the guests, the fans and more importantly YOU!

 

Did no one else study Queuing Theory at university?

[Pink Faerie Hobbit]

I cannot believe your audacity Showmasters I really can't. You have always said you are thinking of the fans and this has proved down right you aren't. What you're thinking of is the money. How much you're able to take from the devoted fans for their chance to meet their idols and that is down right sick quite frankly. What justification do you have for saying that unless we give you your money we can't meet someone. First there is an admission fee, fair enough I am happy to pay that. If it means less people just there to look at someone famous, fantastic. But I am a student, along with a lot of other people here. That being the cost of getting in and getting to the event is all I can spare.

 

Now you know full well that the virtual queue will most probably end up lasting all day. It happened at CM and only the less popular guest had any free time. And by the time that's out the stars will be tired and some may not wish to stay there anymore. How can you expect people to pay to get into your event, in the hope that if there's any luck they can meet someone because there's no money left for them to get an autograph. Giving people preference because they're giving you money hardly seems fair now does it.

 

You know what you will get. A huge crowd of people, standing around the tables, waiting for a chance to slip into a line. Very safe that isn't it. I thought a venue such as this would demolish what you experience at CM.

 

Seeing as there is an entrance fee it's pretty much guaranteed that the only people coming in are going to be fans of the stars. £15 to £20 is a lot of money when we're talking about this many guests. And for example, the LOTR cast there are 8 of them there. And you know full well the fans would like to meet every single one of them but if they want to be certain they will, they have to shell out even more money is that it?

 

Now going up to someone and just taking a photo takes hardly any time at all. Just pose and click that's all it is. The other Collectormanias have managed it. So what suddenly makes LCC different? Now people have been to other Collectormanias, and met the people before and bought an autograph. A name on a bit of paper that's it. So most people don't want to pay that again. And no doubt you'll start saying no personalised items as has been said many a time before which'll make it even more pointless. A photo with someone you admire is special enough to them.

 

So basically, if we look at this. You want people to spend money travelling. Give you money to get into the venue. And unless they pay you another £15 to £20 just wait about and hope they're lucky at the end of the day. Yes I can see definitely now how that's having the fans interests at heart. We've already seen the upset it causes people when they didn't get to meet someone they could (CM4). And they seems to be now trouble for a repeat of that. A kind hearted thing to do.

 

And for once do not ignore what people have said, anything said against your rules etc have always been glossed over and ignored. That's not what a respectable company would do. So far Showmasters your Customer Service has been extremely poor.

[Colonel Jack O'Neill]

Even the early bird entry price to the LFCC is cheaper than alot of other conventions so I dont see why its unfair, after all its a business and they have to make money otherwise they couldnt get the quality guests over here so giving priority to people buying autographs is always going to come first over people wanting to pay nothing, if everyone come along and didnt buy any autographs then there would be no money and no guests, remember its upto the guest whether or not a photo is allowed so going to an event planning to just take photos and not buy any autographs is a bad idea as you will likely be dissapointed.

Edited February 13, 2004 by Colonel Jack O'Neill

[elullatook]

Mr O'Neill do you disaggree with every post that is put up.

I hope that the stars are as happy to meet non auto payiny people as well as the ones with the cash.

[Colonel Jack O'Neill]

I disagree with the posts with people complaining about having to pay to meet guests, its the same argument that charging for an autograph is wrong, it all comes down to money, do you think that these guests would actually come over if they knew people were not going to pay to meet them, the answer is no they wouldnt and I wouldnt blame them, I wouldnt come thousands of miles to just sit at a table and have pictures taken and not get paid because that is what would happen, sure SM pay them money to come over but if people didnt buy autographs SM wouldnt be able to afford to bring them over so it comes down to if you want to meet them be prepared to pay.

Edited February 13, 2004 by Colonel Jack O'Neill

[Pink Faerie Hobbit]

If it's been managed in CM and other such events why the sudden change? They got Elijah Wood and Dom and Sean etc and that despite the confusion with tickets, worked perfectly well. Yes it's a business but a business that doesn't pay attention to it's customers and their needs will always end up with a bad reputation. THere is only so far you can stretch peoples wallets.

 

What I'm saying is, making it so people have to pay to get to be sure they can meet someone is wrong. There are going to be dissapointed people there not getting to meet who they want because the person signing has finally had enough of signing that day and decided to go. Or there wasn't any time. If it was free that would seem fair enough, but charging people to get in (A fiver or a tenner here and thre may not seem like a lot but when you have to live on a showstring every penny counts) when there's no garentee that'll meet the people they've travelled there for is not fair.

 

And again I say, there will be crowding. If someone can't afford to meet them there's going to be crowding to get a photo, trying to get their attention etc and we all know how that totally spoilt CM4.

[Pink Faerie Hobbit]

I disagree with the posts with people complaining about having to pay to meet guests, its the same argument that charging for an autograph is wrong, it all comes down to money, do you think that these guests would actually come over if they knew people were not going to pay to meet them, they answer is no they wouldnt and I wouldnt blame them, I wouldnt come thousands of miles to just sit at a table and have pictures taken and not get paid because that is what would happen, sure SM pay them money to come over but with selling autographs SM wouldnt be able to afford to bring them over so it comes down to if you want to meet them be prepared to pay.

This is the point. If it has worked for Collectormania, where there has been much larger guests, and they didn't even get money from people paying entry, then what is the justification for this at LCC? Run by the same people as CM but suddenly it has a different name and they can do that?

 

I don't know if you have enough money to just spend on someones writing but I know for sore I haven't and neither have other people.

[Colonel Jack O'Neill]

I dont want to be the bad guy here so how about this.

 

Maybe they could create 2 ticket systems, 700 tickets for autographs and 300 tickets for photos with the guests for the people who cant afford to buy an autograph.

 

Times for autographs could be from opening time to 3pm then photo sessions from 3pm to closing time, that way everyone will have a fair chance to buy autographs and meet the guests and get a photo with the guests, how does that sound?

Edited February 13, 2004 by Colonel Jack O'Neill

[BuFF DaDDy]

I disagree with the posts with people complaining about having to pay to meet guests, its the same argument that charging for an autograph is wrong, it all comes down to money, do you think that these guests would actually come over if they knew people were not going to pay to meet them, the answer is no they wouldnt and I wouldnt blame them, I wouldnt come thousands of miles to just sit at a table and have pictures taken and not get paid because that is what would happen, sure SM pay them money to come over but if people didnt buy autographs SM wouldnt be able to afford to bring them over so it comes down to if you want to meet them be prepared to pay.

I agree, paying a tenner to get in is justified, but what I dont agree with is the charge for autographs, £15-£25 to sign your name, come on thats over the top.

 

It would be more resonable at a tenner each, as per some other convention fairs.

[subject_117]

I have an idea:

 

Why don't Showmasters pay for all OUR travel expenses, let US in for free, put US up in accommodation and then the actors can pay US £20 each for supporting them in their various roles and making them a success? And so that we don't have to stand in line they can bring in 5000 lazy boy armchairs and the guests can make their way round to us while we relax!

 

That seems to be what people want so lets do it that way. Sure showmasters will go bankrupt and the actors won't do too well from it either but hell at least it'll please the malcontents on this board that want everything for nothing!! Or will they then complain that showmasters are perpetuating the growth of the couch potato generation...?

 

I should be working for Blair/Bush, I could have ended the Iraq conflict in no time......

 

 

 

C'mon people!!!!!

 

Bottom line is you turn up early you have a good chance of meeting the people you want. You pay your money you have a good chance of meeting the people you want. Very few conventions (and this is not a convention so I don't like to compare) GUARANTEE autographs, infact its written in their disclaimers so why should Showmasters be any different?

 

If you can't get their early enough or you can't afford the trip then DON'T GO!!!! If getting someone's autographs means you have to live off Baked Beans for the next month then either open all your windows wide and warn your neighbours not to light matches or DONT GO!!! I don't see anyone forcing your arm.

[DavidB]

*sigh* the system hasn't been made purely for money making purposes.

 

If there are people that want to PAY to get autographs etc ... and then there are people who DON'T want to pay and just wanna meet the guest etc and get a pic, then I'm sorry but it's pretty obvious who is gonna get preferential treatment. There were MANY people that wanted tickets for Elijah, Dom etc at C4 and wanted to pay for autos and stuff .. if there are so many people just wanting to get photos done and not pay for an auto then this holds up the queues etc .. it's sadly business sense! They treat the fans as best as they can, but you cant just pay the entrance fee and then expect to go and meet all the guests for free, cuz what would the point in them being there. It's not just SMs who make money out of it .. the guests want to be nice to the fans too, but not give them all freebies or else whats the point As nice as SMs are, they're not gonna pay £1000s on bringing over all these guests for everyone to meet them all for free! I think a lil thing called BANKRUPCY may arise Anyway most of this has been said by other people, I just agree with them .. ya cant expect to turn up at a convention and get everything for free.

 

Maybe some people on this forum would pay for Eliza Dushku to come over and I can meet her for free Oh, ur not that nice? .. then why expect SMs to be It's a business ... one that respects the fans, but like all businesses NEEDS A PROFIT

[DavidB]

I disagree with the posts with people complaining about having to pay to meet guests, its the same argument that charging for an autograph is wrong, it all comes down to money, do you think that these guests would actually come over if they knew people were not going to pay to meet them, the answer is no they wouldnt and I wouldnt blame them, I wouldnt come thousands of miles to just sit at a table and have pictures taken and not get paid because that is what would happen, sure SM pay them money to come over but if people didnt buy autographs SM wouldnt be able to afford to bring them over so it comes down to if you want to meet them be prepared to pay.

I agree, paying a tenner to get in is justified, but what I dont agree with is the charge for autographs, £15-£25 to sign your name, come on thats over the top.

 

It would be more resonable at a tenner each, as per some other convention fairs.

Obviously the auto price has to be based on how popular the guest is, how much THEY personally want to make from it, how much it costs SMs to get them OVER here .. so think of sum1 like Elijah Wood, he HAD to be a high price or else there was nearly no point in having him there. Again, sad to say, but profit does come into it. Yes, the fans are important, as are all customers to a 'business' but without profit, these things can't really continue can they?.

[Kont Darko]

Okay, there is a way to see all of your faves its simple and why nobody has come up with it amazes me.

 

See you all beginning of March. Will Chloe Annett marry me if i ask? I haven't got much cash but I am very good in bed.(or so I'm told) if not any of you honeys out there keep an eye out for me. I'm the one looking like me!

[DavidB]

As for the whole grouping under one ticket thing, I've said it's unfair in previous posts and I'll try to put it pretty simply to explain my opinion:

 

Say if I personally wanted to meet ... Tony Todd, Brent Spiner, John-Rhys Davies, Craig Charles, and Warwick Davies.

 

And someone else wants to meet Five LOTR guests.

 

Why should THEY be able to get their autos under ONE ticket with a lot of ease, while I would have to queue up FIVE TIMES just because I have slightly different tastes? I'm paying the entrance fee just like they are, and so surely I should get treated equally?

 

Sorry, that's just how I see it. It might be a pretty simple idea, but I would just expect all attendees to get treated the same and with no preferential treatment just because you have a particular taste or whatever. I'm sure people will disagree, but with Collectormania and the single queues for single guests, EVERYONE got treated the same which is EXACTLY how it should be. It should not be changed at all. I don't care whether it *worked* at other shows or whatever, of course it worked if YOU liked the guests that were grouped together! While what about other people who had to go from queue to queue to queue?

 

If I have to suffer, then I think everyone else should too, sorry!

[Pink Faerie Hobbit]

I dont want to be the bad guy here so how about this.

 

Maybe they could create 2 ticket systems, 700 tickets for autographs and 300 tickets for photos with the guests for the people who cant afford to buy an autograph.

 

People who want autographs and get photos will hold up the line. People who just want photos will hold up the line. It doesn't make any difference. The lines will end up going the same pace as always.

 

Times for autographs could be from opening time to 3pm then photo sessions from 3pm to closing time, that way everyone will have a fair chance to buy autographs and meet the guests and get a photo with the guests, how does that sound?

Even that would be something.

 

And I never said, no lets not pay for autographs, never said I minded about paying to get in. What I mind is that just because people can't/don't want/would rather not have an autograph for whatever reason but would still just want to walk up and shake their hand and get a photo, why they have to be the ones who have done just the same as those people who do buy the autographs, but there's a chance they don't get to meet the people. That is what is unfair. And even if you do buy and autograph, all you get is a minute or two with the guest same as before.

 

This event is run by the same people. The same people who did bring Elijah and Dom and Sean etc to Collectormania. And the way CM is run is the same all the time and on the whole people are happy. So why all of a sudden, just because something has a different name and a different venue does it automatically mean that people get a different treatment. Obviously there is profit from CM otherwise it wouldn't be continuing. Surely running LCC the same way would work prehaps even better because you will not have people who are just there to look at someone from a film on their shopping trip.

[Kont Darko]

hear hear! David.