Some problems with the weekend.

[AnnaSun]

Hi,

 

I had a really good time and have some minor problems to discuss!

 

1. Queues-Brought a pre-paid get in after 11 ticket and when I turned up there were no queues so I could have saved in the P&P and got one on the door.

 

2. Temeperate- I know it was snowy and cold outside for most people but it was extremely warm if not hot inside and it made me feel a little unwell at times. I am EXTREMELY sensitive to temperate so maybe it was just be but did anyone else feel it was hot in there?

 

3. The fire alarm- Why did this go off? Went outside for less than 5 minutes to find be told we could go back in. Was it to do with Pizza Express?

 

Thanks for listing. I had a good time and I want to come back in March for the next one :)

 

Annaxxx

[dwarfbabe]

Hi,

 

I had a really good time and have some minor problems to discuss!

 

1. Queues-Brought a pre-paid get in after 11 ticket and when I turned up there were no queues so I could have saved in the P&P and got one on the door.

 

 

There was no way to predict that there wouldn't be a queue. Normally, there would have been but for some reason this event was fairly quiet.

 

 

2. Temeperate- I know it was snowy and cold outside for most people but it was extremely warm if not hot inside and it made me feel a little unwell at times. I am EXTREMELY sensitive to temperate so maybe it was just be but did anyone else feel it was hot in there?

 

 

It was warm in there, particularly in the afternoon. However, the heating etc. is really down to the venue management people and not Showmasters.

 

 

3. The fire alarm- Why did this go off? Went outside for less than 5 minutes to find be told we could go back in. Was it to do with Pizza Express?

 

Thanks for listing. I had a good time and I want to come back in March for the next one :)

 

Annaxxx

 

There was, I think, an electrical fire in Pizza Express and so we had to be evacuated while the fire brigade turned up to deal with it and assess the risk to the rest of the building. As soon as they established that there was no risk, they let us back in.

 

Glad you had a good time, despite those issues.

Edited November 29, 2010 by dwarfbabe

[kinkbunny]

i was boiling hot and probably looked like a tomato cos of it i carried my coat and jumper collection around all day as i didn't notice the cloakroom until i left!

[KingRichard76]

I turned up in a flimsy jumper and my Leather jacket clutching my earlybird thinking I was going to end up with icicles growing off my nose or something so was glad when we were let in when we did.

 

Was in the Star Wars talk when we were told to evacuate, and when outside I Phoned my friend she (who didnt come to the talk) said "They told us we didnt need to evacuate, we're still inside." I thought "Okay, so it cant be that bad then." spoke to a friend/crew member who knew as much as I did she got a Phonecall saying we were given the all clear to go back inside and that was that.

 

Kudos to Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers for photo ops when we were all outside in the carpark wondering whether or not we were in danger.

 

But, its always better to be safe than sorry when we're told to evacuate.

 

Apparently it was a small fire or some kind of problem at Pizza Express.

Edited November 29, 2010 by KingRichard76

[crippsy_99]

1. Queues-Brought a pre-paid get in after 11 ticket and when I turned up there were no queues so I could have saved in the P&P and got one on the door.

 

2. Temeperate- I know it was snowy and cold outside for most people but it was extremely warm if not hot inside and it made me feel a little unwell at times. I am EXTREMELY sensitive to temperate so maybe it was just be but did anyone else feel it was hot in there?

 

1) No-one forced you to buy a pre-paid ticket before the event? You chose to buy it early and therefore chose to pay the postage. Though thats why I always order everything together if I can so I only pay postage once!

2) Did you have a coat on all day? I had several layers of thermals on as I expected to be queing outside, then of course we qued inside so got rather warm, but I put my jackets in the 'cloakroom' that had been set up at the end of the hall. Was fine then I thought (this was saturday btw).

Edited November 29, 2010 by crippsy_99

[timelord81r]

IT WAS FAR TO HOT, i HAd RED CHEEKS ALL WEEKEND! I (sorry caps) felt ill and the heating inside in such contrast to the cold outside didnt help, Id rather be at the stadium in the wind than that heat box at olympia, the only place that wasnt hot was the area by the orgs table, cloakroom and that first row of sports guests but the rest of the place was really bad I thought. far to hot, but yes deff a venue problem though it would of needed to be highlighted to them, wish Id of brought my work phone with me I could of called someone. but then again its not my place, perhaps the guests preffered it like that. but yes was far to warm. but still a fantastic event

[TerraHawk]

I didn't find it too hot, unless you walked in front of the heaters. I just took 1 of 4 layers off.

 

I did think the lighting left a lot to be desired though The entrance area by the sports stars was almost as bleak as outside.

[etmuse]

The sports area was freezing half the time - it suddenly got very warm if you went about 5 metres into the rest of the hall, but as someone who spent all weekend working with the sports guests in the cold part of the hall, I'd have enjoyed a little bit of heat

[DavidB]

Pre-paying for anything is really simply a way of guaranteeing you have it, especially with photo shoots that can sell out. As others have said, it's your choice really as to whether you do it or not, and why you're choosing to do so. I don't see that as a "problem" though?

 

It was definitely warm in there, but that's always going to happen when there's a high volume of people in a small area - body heat etc! I don't think there was a whole lot they could do, as it'd be very tricky to balance between freezing and being too hot. I think the majority of people welcomed it being warm compared to outside.

 

And yes, the fire alarm was to do with Pizza Express, but that's been discussed to death elsewhere really. It certainly couldn't be helped.

[BACYLON]

Didn't think it was too hot either, layers, layers and more layers!!

[Count Fooku]

You have to bear in mind as well that some of the guests aren't perhaps as young as they used to be. If they had dropped the temperature too much it could have caused some problems for them.

 

I can remember being at a Christopher Lee book signing a few years back at about this time of year. He had been sent close-ish to a door that kept opening and closing. He was complaining at the time he was too cold, I saw him on TV a few days later saying that he had ended up catching a cold as a result of it. If the Prince of Darkness can get ill from the cold anyone can!

[king b]

I thought the place was perfectly warm not too hot nor too cold, espcially considering how cold it was outside.

[TurkFox]

I did think the lighting left a lot to be desired though The entrance area by the sports stars was almost as bleak as outside.

This. Someone was filming a piece on the cosplay zone for a news thing and we spent a good fifteen minutes trying to find somewhere with enough light.

 

Temperature was just right where we were. After the beginning of October, I can rarely be without at least a jumper - yet I spent Sunday in just a t-shirt.

[Avengers7]

Temperature was okay for me, it wasn't too hot, if anything the sports area was too cold.

[Cookie]

There was a fire alarm? completely missed that event...

[verem]

People complaining its too cold outside, too hot inside but a bit cold in one section inside!!!.... Cmon- Simply wear layers in the cold then shed them in the warm its not difficult and this is England so its something you should be used to.

I agree that the lighting was poor in places for photo ops but hopefully showmasters will sort this but in defence I must ask what were you taking pics with??? Most decent cameras will take a good to fair pic in bad light but if you have a cheap camera or older mobile then unless there is perfect (expensive and hot) lighting arrangements then you wont get a great pic. And if the lighting was put in place for ideal pics with any camera then there would be complaints it made people too warm!!!

Basically , people will always complain about something.

And my complaint would be (well I dont wanna be left out of moaning) changing facilities for costumers (who, I believe, enhance these events) would be nice rather than expecting them to strip virtually naked in corridors in full view of the public.

Oh and finally the venue staff were excellant (sorted out a changing area) but why do some of the showmasters crew act like such arses?????.... Barging through the customers with an air of self importance or shouting at crowds in a VERY rude manner does not make a good event. If I may politely point out that without these crowds that I saw treated like cattle you would have no event and a clear authorative message can be communicated without a demeaning tone.

But credit where credit is due some of the other (blue t shirts) showmaster people seemed to be enjoying the event and I met some lovely people.

[DavidB]

If there's ever any issues with crew, you're best off taking names and talking to someone at the event. Generalising after the event doesn't really help unfortunately

[Janeway72]

I agree with etmuse. It was pretty cold at the Sports section. But that is because it was near the door. And there was a cloakroom to put outside clothing in if you were too hot.

[TerraHawk]

I agree that the lighting was poor in places for photo ops but hopefully showmasters will sort this but in defence I must ask what were you taking pics with???

 

I wasn't taking photos at all, my eyes are just susceptible to odd lighting conditions at the moment. It was like walking into an hanger with only natural light on a dull day. But it was better in the main area.

[verem]

If there's ever any issues with crew, you're best off taking names and talking to someone at the event. Generalising after the event doesn't really help unfortunately

Generally you guys do a good job. But I just dont understand how somebody can look and act in such a way. If they dont want to be there then dont be there.

I work with the general public and it can be hard especially after a looong day but I still have to be positive and polite. Its not that I have to do this but because I choose to and because I have to set an example for people that work for me. If people do not enjoy what they are doing they shouldnt do it.

I am not going to take names if I am busy working at an event because it will take time and I am busy working for the group I volunteer to work for (if you are crewing for costumers for example you cant wander off to get the name of someone barging through the crowd at high speed). However, if the person I heard speaking to customers in the way I heard , spoke to me like that I would definatley raise the issue. Its not that Im being picky but the couple I taking a picture of at the time looked at each other in disbelief and then laughed. They then said to me , and I qoute "What is her problem- thats disgusting".

Im just telling it as it is if you dont like it then Im sure that the post will be edited.

But Im sure we are talking about a minority here- as I have mentioned before there are some cool people working for showmasters but you must understand that people remember negative aspects more than postive ones.

[thefreckles]

I agree that the lighting was poor in places for photo ops but hopefully showmasters will sort this but in defence I must ask what were you taking pics with??? Most decent cameras will take a good to fair pic in bad light but if you have a cheap camera or older mobile then unless there is perfect (expensive and hot) lighting arrangements then you wont get a great pic.

Did you try to take pics that weekend during the talks? I think that is what most (though not all) people are on about. I got some pretty good ones with my external flash but I was in the second row and had to stop down quite a bit. The pics I took without flash were ghastly for Chris Judge and barely okay for The Matrix guests (bad light, darker skin tones and a dark background do not a good combination make). Even shooting at 1/4 sec at ISO 1600 didn't give great results. FYI, my camera (a dSLR), lenses and flash cost a four-figure sum and have done me proud at many other events. Other than Earls Court 2 (with the horrid, horrid lighting each and every year), these were some of the worst conditions I have ever tried to take photos in. Gave up using one lens as it was too dark to see if I had correctly focussed on a guest or not (legacy lens so needed to manual focus with that one).

 

Unfortunately not everyone has a lot of money to spend on camera equipment and a lot of people on here have managed to take acceptable pictures at other events with the equipment they have, hence the slight moan (I know a friend of mine complained at the event itself about the background/lighting for the talks). Some portable lighting would have gone down a treat, not only for taking photos but for actually seeing the guests themselves!

Edited November 30, 2010 by thefreckles

[verem]

I agree that the lighting was poor in places for photo ops but hopefully showmasters will sort this but in defence I must ask what were you taking pics with??? Most decent cameras will take a good to fair pic in bad light but if you have a cheap camera or older mobile then unless there is perfect (expensive and hot) lighting arrangements then you wont get a great pic.

Did you try to take pics that weekend during the talks? I think that is what most (though not all) people are on about. I got some pretty good ones with my external flash but I was in the second row and had to stop down quite a bit. The pics I took without flash were ghastly for Chris Judge and barely okay for The Matrix guests (bad light, darker skin tones and a dark background do not a good combination make). Even shooting at f 1/4 at ISO 1600 didn't give great results. FYI, my camera (a dSLR), lenses and flash cost a four-figure sum and have done me proud at many other events. Other than Earls Court 2 (with the horrid, horrid lighting each and every year), these were some of the worst conditions I have ever tried to take photos in. Gave up using one lens as it was too dark to see if I had correctly focussed on a guest or not (legacy lens so needed to manual focus with that one).

 

Unfortunately not everyone has a lot of money to spend on camera equipment and a lot of people on here have managed to take acceptable pictures at other events with the equipment they have, hence the slight moan (I know a friend of mine complained at the event itself about the background/lighting for the talks). Some portable lighting would have gone down a treat, not only for taking photos but for actually seeing the guests themselves!

I must admit I didnt go into the talks but understand what you say about lighting. I think the guests over where Dennis Lawson and Michael Biehn were had good lighting (my pics on my faithful old mobile came out fine as I lost my camera last month) but the areas in the talks were gloomy.

A lot of this can be attributed to the venue- some of the best pics I ever took at these events were at Milton Keynes when it was in the shopping centre- but then again, its flooded with flourescent lighting.

My main gripe is people moaning its too hot or too cold... you can put two people in the same room with the same temperature and one will complain its hot and one will claim they are freezing.

If Showmasters organised a different venue with better lighting would it increase the costs to the punter?

In short I think its good to highlight problems (and I agree with what you say about lighting) but some of the complaints are petty.

Grizzling about a venue thats too hot (take your coat off then) or too cold (put a coat on) is silly. The people moaning that it was too cold have just walked in from a crisp November day in London- is it Showmasters fault its cold outside too and were they not wearing a coat outside???

[madmilburn]

The only really gripe i've got is the lighting in the talk area being poor, though i think managed get couple decent pics (helped by the guest/s coming to the audience). As for the heat/cold, i only felt the heat when i was underneath the big thing near the talk area A which was all of 2seconds, noticed a drop in the temp when was in the sports section but it didnt bother me.

[ericsdonor]

It was quite hot in there but to be honest I just took another layer off, I mean this is the UK peeps we should be used to freezing outside and boiling inside!!!!

 

I agree about the lighting issue, it was truly terrible in the talks, all it needed was a light over or behind the guests and I think a lot of pics would have been far better, maybe this is something that could be looked at for the next event?!?!

[MinkyKnights]

All it really needed in the talks area was for the lights to be switched on. All of the flat-panel lights on the ceiling were off. As the lights outside the area were all on just fine, it appeared to be a conscious decision to make it dark in there - perhaps an attempt to give the place a theatre-like ambience? Without proper stage lighting, it didn't work.