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Thoughts about show after our debrief & how to move forward


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Can I just mention one more negative point I just remembered?

I was trying to buy some additional photo-shoots, and waited till Saturday afternoon to hopefully avoid the worst of the queues on the sales desk. As I've mentioned before, it was a bit of a hassle trying to convince the crew member that Ian McDiarmid WAS in fact doing a paid-for talk. Anyway, after the "gofer" had got all the tickets I needed, the lady at the table counted them out and was about to do her stuff with the credit card machine, when one of her colleagues came over saying "can I just take your machine?"

"No, I need it, I am just about to use it. I've literally got someone waiting right here"

"So have I," and with that she took the machine.

 

I know it was a busy free-for all at that desk, but that was just plain rude and implied that her customer was more important than me. The lady who was dealing with me looked as dumb-struck as me, and I'm sure we were both thinking the same thing...

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Oh can I mention another negative? I will try to make this my last! The crew member who accepted a 20 Euro note from someone for Summer Glau? I know the number is the same, but a 20 euro isn't the same as a £20, and it's a little unfair for some people to be getting cheaper autographs than others.

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Oh can I mention another negative? I will try to make this my last! The crew member who accepted a 20 Euro note from someone for Summer Glau? I know the number is the same, but a 20 euro isn't the same as a £20, and it's a little unfair for some people to be getting cheaper autographs than others.

 

Wow, I wish I had known this. Could have saved a bundle.

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I couldn't help wondering why the schedule lists and layout maps were on display in narrow walkways. As we all know it was busy and especially walking around the vendors/stalls. At some points especially near the front the crowds were at a stand still. One of the reasons? People were stopping half way up the walk way to check the schedules and maps bringing the crowds to a standstill. Why put them there? Along the side walls or in the open places were great but not on the walkways. Just saying. You know what they say...every little helps.

 

Also how about this? A couple of LCD TVs around the location with Rasperry Pis or google chromes attached? I've just installed these in work for police stations where they can update with the latest local news. Very cost effective. You could update any schedule changes and it would be displayed around the arena. You could update remotely or even if you prefer not to use a network can be done manually.

 

TV - £300, Pi or Chrome - £30

Edited by thebeardedtrio
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do you think Showmasters want less demand at autograph lines?

I don't know. But let's look at an extreme example. 80,000 people spending £50 each at a show, or 2,000 people spending £2,000 each at a show. I know which would be easier (and cheaper) to run.

Like I say, it's an extreme example, but "more demand = good" is a somewhat simplistic approach.

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Airfares... are also fairly consistant, year on year.

And your evidence for that is precisely what? I fly to the US two or three times a year, and have done for over a decade. I have several friends who fly transatlantic considerably more often. The prices may be many things, but "fairly consistent" ain't one of them.
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If showmasters are legit 'by fans for fans' hopefully they will never adopt an approach of making it (the convention scene) a playground for the wealthy.

 

Besides, I like the collective buzz of a crowd, a shared experience of many like minded but different people enjoying a day embracing being a fan. Many people enjoy the social aspect of it and built good relationships with others on it.

 

Crowd control and numbers can still be limited by looking at figures and releasing an appropriate number of tickets based on what the building can do.

 

Now if showmasters decided to put on a premium event just for rich and well off people, very limited numbers in a hotel with a high door price and mega expensive guests, more power to anybody involved.

 

But lets keep these particular cons for the people.

Edited by stevie_g
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If showmasters are legit 'by fans for fans' hopefully they will never adopt an approach of making it (the convention scene) a playground for the wealthy.

 

Besides, I like the collective buzz of a crowd, a shared experience of many like minded but different people enjoying a day embracing being a fan. Many people enjoy the social aspect of it and built good relationships with others on it.

 

Crowd control and numbers can still be limited by looking at figures and releasing an appropriate number of tickets based on what the building can do.

 

Now if showmasters decided to put on a premium event just for rich and well off people, very limited numbers in a hotel with a high door price and mega expensive guests, more power to anybody involved.

 

But lets keep these particular cons for the people.

"For the people"

 

We are not a communist or socialist country!

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The problem is here, people can't make informed suggestions regarding ticket prices as they have no idea as to cost and spend breakdown which only Showmasters will know.

 

For example they might make more money on someone buying a £10 ticket that someone buying a gold ticket worth £195 and we can't judge as we have no breakdown as to what each spends once they get into the show.

 

I had a gold ticket but only spend around £150 on extras and didn't do any of the "big" guests or talks but someone who brought an early bird ticket may spend more on extras - autographs and pictures which you need people to buy in numbers to get the big guests in.

 

They may make more money on a show of 5,000 lower entrance price tickets then 1,000 high price tickets.

 

Any changes would need careful and detailed cost analysis done, personally I didn't see any problem with the ticket prices, it was the people management that was the problem and changing prices isn't going to sort out that problem as if you do go more expensive people will only become more demanding.

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Crowd control and numbers can still be limited by looking at figures and releasing an appropriate number of tickets based on what the building can do.

I've never gone gold or spent more than £50 a night in a hotel.

 

The problem with just having limited cheap limited tickets is this - the weathy would still find away. You have the last £20 ticket - they could offer you £200 for it. Could you refuse? Dealers limited to 3 items - could simply employ extra pairs of hands.

 

We already have something halfway to what you suggest - Autographica.

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I think that pre-sold auto/photo vouchers can only be a good thing. I know people talk about it becoming only for the 'wealthy' but if the show is to expand and big guests fly over the prices for those guests will go up and people have to make a choice in regards to what they personally can afford. I have attended these events as a student and now as someone in full time employment and have gone from getting parents to buy me an early bird ticket and some gift vouchers for birthday and meeting one or two guests to saving my own budget for LFCC and meeting a selection of guests I want and can afford to meet. Even on full-time wages I still sell old clothes, etc at few car boot sales before the show to make some money to add to funds. I don't have a disposable income but as coming to LFCC is my hobby I save for it. My partner likes it too and we have photos signed to both of us if possible. I like the idea of one day meeting people that I class as big guests - Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rose Mcgowan and David Boreanaz and put a bit of money aside for that possibility every year. I don't have any interest in talks, autograph packs or priority queuing. As my partner and I like getting an autograph together (and couldn't afford a gold pass for both of us) but would like to buy tickets to guarantee meeting those we want to meet the most. LFCC now has so many elements to it and I think the prices to meet lots of guests are cheap - sherilyn fenn if she had been able to attend would have been a huge bargain at £15.

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i agree. there are still const like collectormania MK that are free entry. those that cont afford as much can still afford to go there so why cant showmaster make LFCC a place where the bigger stars come and have all pre bought tickets or at least for sat and sun.

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"For the people"

 

We are not a communist or socialist country!

 

 

Oh do please stop trolling - your "loadsamoney" posts are getting terribly tedious.

 

Any liberal market economy, like the UKs, can and does operate a variety of economic systems in order to meet economic, legislative and social demands. It wasn't unreasonable for the OP to suggest, especially as SM have positioned themselves as fans themselves operating on a collective model, that future events should be geared around giving the widest number of people the best experience available.

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If showmasters are legit 'by fans for fans' hopefully they will never adopt an approach of making it (the convention scene) a playground for the wealthy.

Besides, I like the collective buzz of a crowd, a shared experience of many like minded but different people enjoying a day embracing being a fan. Many people enjoy the social aspect of it and built good relationships with others on it.

Crowd control and numbers can still be limited by looking at figures and releasing an appropriate number of tickets based on what the building can do.

Now if showmasters decided to put on a premium event just for rich and well off people, very limited numbers in a hotel with a high door price and mega expensive guests, more power to anybody involved.

But lets keep these particular cons for the people.

"For the people"

We are not a communist or socialist country!

Why do you feel the need to turn everything into an argument and take digs at people? I clearly had no communist overtones to what I was saying. It's just a figure of speech in a similar way to when say, Mohammed Ali was dubbed 'the peoples champion'.

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Well sorry Jason, but I bought a Pre-Paid Early Bird on Saturday in advance online and didn't get in the building until 10.30.....and that was because I was "bumped" by a Crew Member (Blue Shirt) to try and not miss my David Hewlett Photo Op...and there were HUNDREDS of people with Early Bird tickets behind me, including my husband....perhaps we all had our watches set to British Winter Time and it was really 9.30???? :whistling:

 

 

Sorry to be nit-picky, but I don't like being dismissed as a liar.... :(

 

 

Especially as I've stated this twice on threads that have been "moved" :(

The Early pre-paid ticket holders line all gained entrance by 10.45am on Saturday.

 

Please don't be rude.

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Maps! either within a programme with other important information (i.e locations of nearest cash points after the internal one runs out) or ones like how they had the daily schedules printed, big sheets placed around the building, these appeared to be recurring questions i was asked over the weekend, so it definitely seems something that needs incorporating next time, would help people who have little time to get between different photo shoots/talks get there quicker.

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I've just got back from another con. It has a similar ticket price but much less money in the way of guests (much fewer guests, no photoshoots, etc). Here are things that I encountered, which I was amazed by due to Showmaster's terrible planning last week:

 

- Metal barriers so there is a clear pathway for the queue.

- A clear sign at the start of the queue, with a member of staff also telling you so you didn't end up in the wrong queue.

- Multiple staff along the way, with megaphones and radios.

- Other staff were selling drinks, food and ponchos (it was raining heavily).

- Inside. there was room around all the stand so there was space to look at the stuff.

- Chairs at the back of the main hall.

- A separate carpeted room, filled with chairs, some empty space (for large groups who want to sit in a circle) and tables.

- A large TV screen showing trailers outside the venue (unfortunately, this did go out of view as you went around the building).

- On a similar note, there was a section inside showing multiple trailers from Universal films, but wasn't ridiculously advertised as an event (like "Trailer Fest").

 

Of course, it wasn't entirely positive as the non pre-booked ticket wait was a similar length (four hours), which is a mistake I won't repeat. However, the queue seemed much, much cheerier than the one for the LFCC, even though it was pouring it down. The path was structured so you saw lots of different cosplayers along the way. The much bigger empty space inside the venue also created a much better vibe between all the cosplayers. Despite only being in for a much shorter time, the experience was much more fun.

 

If a smaller expo can do all this with a smaller budget, why the hell can't Showmasters?

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The Early pre-paid ticket holders line all gained entrance by 10.45am on Saturday.

 

Please don't be rude.

Not being rude. Originally the 10.45 time said something else ;)

It did indeed, I believe it said 10:05.

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Could you please arrange a refund for the £40 I spent on two tickets for those abysmal comic "awards" please as these were truly terrible and actually had no awards to give to people, would love to know where the money for these went as it clearly wasn't spent on them at all :(

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I've already mentioned that I am not a fan of the idea of Exclusive tickets, but I have a question aside from my opinion;

 

If this exclusive ticket inclided entrance, ticket to meet guest (guaranteed auto) & photo shoot...what happens if the 'big' guest you wanted cancels, theee is no one else you want instead (or all other packages are sold out), then you would get a refund - yes thats great but you could then be left without an entrance ticket the day before the event?

 

Natalie Dormer cancelled a day or 2 before LFACC this year, we understand that happens, but of I had one of these exclusive packages for Natalie D, would I then have bern left without an entry ticket as too late to buy one!!

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I've already mentioned that I am not a fan of the idea of Exclusive tickets, but I have a question aside from my opinion;

 

If this exclusive ticket inclided entrance, ticket to meet guest (guaranteed auto) & photo shoot...what happens if the 'big' guest you wanted cancels, theee is no one else you want instead (or all other packages are sold out), then you would get a refund - yes thats great but you could then be left without an entrance ticket the day before the event?

 

Natalie Dormer cancelled a day or 2 before LFACC this year, we understand that happens, but of I had one of these exclusive packages for Natalie D, would I then have bern left without an entry ticket as too late to buy one!!

 

Lets not panic too early. Showmasters is only considering doing the package. They haven't done it, yet. Once they do, and once the above happens, then we'll be clearer.

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I've already mentioned that I am not a fan of the idea of Exclusive tickets, but I have a question aside from my opinion;

 

If this exclusive ticket inclided entrance, ticket to meet guest (guaranteed auto) & photo shoot...what happens if the 'big' guest you wanted cancels, theee is no one else you want instead (or all other packages are sold out), then you would get a refund - yes thats great but you could then be left without an entrance ticket the day before the event?

 

Natalie Dormer cancelled a day or 2 before LFACC this year, we understand that happens, but of I had one of these exclusive packages for Natalie D, would I then have bern left without an entry ticket as too late to buy one!!

Good question - it's a tricky one for them to deal with since there would likely be both some folks who if their star turn cancelled wouldn't want to come to the show and some who would still want to come anyway. Requiring them to have a separate entry ticket would seem to be the way forward (because if the special ticket included entry and somebody bought special tickets for two separate guests, they would effectively be paying for entry twice). But having to have a separate entry ticket would require SM to have some sort of ticketing database that could cross-reference tickets with customers, and allow cancellation of entry tickets if and only if that customer also had a special guest ticket that was going to be cancelled due to special guest ticket being rendered void, and if and only if the customer requested the entry ticket be cancelled.

I of course have no idea if the current SM ticketing arrangements have that level of sophistication.

 

The alternative, to have entry included as part of the special guest ticket leads to the problems of (a) people effectively paying multiple lots of admission charges if they buy special guest tickets for more than one guest and (B) the situation you raise if somebody has just the one special guest ticket and the guest cancels. (I suppose (B) could be dealt with by people turning up with their special guest ticket and that giving them the right to purchase an earlybird ticket, but I'm not sure if that's a sufficiently good solution).

 

But it is something that probably needs to be given some thought in advance rather than just waiting until such a scenario happens.

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As I Gold ticket holder I was appalled at the Gold Room, worse then a train station toilet. Also having to queue for autos and photos as not acceptable. It has seriously damaged my faith in the Pass and will have to seriously think about whether to purchase it again. Too many passes sold, exclusivity disappeared.

 

Did the lost child get found?

Edited by GodAtum
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