Is this show getting TOO big?

[loveamyadams]

Its reached the point where it makes no difference who SM announce for Olympia as a guest i just don't have either the time or money to go any further. I should imagine most people have allready targeted certain autos and have multiple photoshoots booked so adding to the guest list is pointless in the next couple of weeks.150 guests and more is over the top. I have 8 photoshoots for the saturday which is good for me but it means i have less time now to look at peoples tables and stalls so allthough they are in the middle of a 'big flagship' event as one person described it they will actually start to pick up less money.I can see lots of minor names sitting there doing nothing as most fans ( not all) head for the big names like Weaver ,Lloyd and MJF. Nothing more disheartening than seeing guests looking embarressed with noone to meet as they look at people walk past because they don't have the time or cash.They won't turn up again .

Edited June 24, 2015 by loveamyadams

[Dent_1]

Its reached the point where it makes no difference who SM announce for Olympia as a guest i just don't have either the time or money to go any further. I should imagine most people have allready targeted certain autos and have multiple photoshoots booked so adding to the guest list is pointless in the next couple of weeks.150 guests and more is over the top. I have 8 photoshoots for the saturday which is good for me but it means i have less time now to look at peoples tables and stalls so allthough they are in the middle of a 'big flagship' event as one person described it they will actually start to pick up less money.I can see lots of minor names sitting there doing nothing as most fans ( not all) head for the big names like Weaver ,Lloyd and MJF. Nothing more disheartening than seeing guests looking embarressed with noone to meet as they look at people walk past because they don't have the time or cash.They won't turn up again .

 

Sorry, got to disagree with this, and I have highlighted some bits in bold, not least of all because it relates to what I (and a couple of people arguing with me above) have sort of been speaking about.

 

Of course it makes a difference who SM announces. For those fans who don't just go for seemingly every other guest, new announcements can make or break this show for the individual attendee, even if we are up to 150 guests so far. A huge number doesn't mean every fan has many people or even a couple of guests they would like to meet at this point. Some of us are more discerning/selective in who we collect and new announcements are very much appreciated by many.

 

...Until a week ago I was going for Charles Dance (met before), Bill Paxton (wahoo!!), and Michael Gambon (maybe). Some were saying with MJFox DIamond Passes and all the other guests so far, the show already had 'enough' but now I am going for S.Sigourney, C.Henn, C.Hiller, J.Price and R.Park, all guests announced in the last 1 week. All of whom I have wanted to meet for years. So adding to the guest list is not pointless at all. People agreeing with your opinion would mean fanatstic guests I am now going to see may never have been announced in the first place, so sorry, got to call you out on this.

 

With the above now on my list to get, yes I am more financially stretched that I was only a week ago(!) but if Showmasters want to announce more ALIENS guests to this show, for example, and make this the best ALIENS reunion there ever was in the UK, I'll get their autos as there are plenty of cast member I have never met. Same goes for any other phenomenal names I have always wanted to meet.

 

Maybe they couple be spread out to other shows I hear some say? Yes, to a degree I agree, and think shows like the waning CM:MK could do with some enhancements guest-wise, but personally, I don't go for the 'convention' experience (no air-con, appalingly smelling individuals, cramped conditions and organisational stress) so if I can get more guests done in one event, rather than spreading them over several events scattered across the country, I'm all for it. At the very least, it saves massively on travel and other associated costs which take away from the money I would rather put into the show/guests.

 

There are lots of assumptions flying about in your last few sentences....Whoever you or I are going for, (sounds like we will be meeting a similar no. of guests) there will be plenty of other attendees going to spend less, or indeed a lot more, so it pointless to worry about their priorities. Maybe you have less time to look at the stalls now; the stalls are an afterthought for me; and some will go primarily for the stalls. Neither of us can say how people will spend their money. Plenty of people will go for 'smaller' guests and keep them busy, plenty of guests are surely not naive enough to not realise they will not pull in the same number of fans as MJF/Weaver, and the insane footfall guaranteed by so many guests insures that stallholders should get more transient custom at this show that any other event in the country. It's a numbers game/a law of averages.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Dent_1

[dogsoldierspoon]

 

 

I honestly do not understand 'fans' who meet 40 odd guests at these shows and want that many photoshoots too. Surely no-one likes EVERYONE and EVERYTHING???

 

Some of us just happen to have a lot of fandoms. I usually reach the teens when I count up people I want to meet at these kind of events, this time I'm closing in on twice as many. Not yet reached 40 and not sure I could afford it even if that many guests of interest to me were announced, but I can understand that some people could reach that number.

 

I am somone who likes lost of films/shows myself, but I don't need everyone from everything. I've just recently gotten into Game of Thrones for example, but I'd only ever want autos from Charles Dance and Sean Bean. Not to say Dinklage, Headey, Clarke etc. aren't great in it too but surely we all have favourite actors and consequently lesser favourites?

 

Michael Gambon surely means more to 99% of Potter fans than some random kid who was in the series charging £15 per auto/photo? I just don't enjoy the whingeing on this forum that people can't afford to meet everyone. Well, sorry that is the case for most of us and being more selective might mean less griping, less stress and a more refined collection.

 

 

 

I honestly do not understand 'fans' who meet 40 odd guests at these shows and want that many photoshoots too. Surely no-one likes EVERYONE and EVERYTHING???

 

 

Are you implying that someone who wants to meet about 40 guests are not real fans? That's rather insulting and not true at all.

 

I'm simply saying that no-one can be an equal fan of every single guest they meat in exactly equal measure, which is why I put the word 'fan' in parenthesis.

We all have favourite films, favourite actors, favourite foods etc. It can be a tough job picking the favourite but there is always a preference.

 

Someone in another thread said the price for Sigourney's auto/photo at £95 was too high because they felt the 'casual' fan could likely not justify that spend. I didn't understand that comment, nor the point in making it because of course a casual fan won't pony up the dough, whereas a diehard fan obviously will (funds allowing of course). One 'fan' may like the Alien films whereas another Alien 'fan' may LOVE them - who is more likely to pay the price?

There is no point pretending there are not different levels of fandom. If that were not the case, we wouldn't all budget and prioritise to meet the most important guests to us at each show would we?

IMO, and it is only my opinion, sometimes I think some attendees get a bit carried away at these events trying to meet all and sundry without being discerning at all. I mean come on, who are these people moaning the show is getting too big? How is it too big? Nobody has to meet guests into multiple double figures.

If Showmasters went around worrying the show was "too big" (capacity issues aside) then they wouldn't be booking amazing guests like Sigourney - and that would be great wouldn't it?!?

 

I really though about meeting Neve Campbell but ultimately thought, "nah, I'll put the money towards another auto from someone I like more." I would have been picking up her auto just for the sake of it, because she is a rare signer, and that goes against my collecting 'rules'. Don't kid yourself, there will be plenty of other 'fans' meeting her and other guests for similar reasons with far less self control than I!

 

 

I see your point and do agree that their are 'gradations' so to speak. There are guests that take priority over others, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't love meeting or getting other guests that are more downward on the list though. As I said in another topic (I think) with this many guests, hard decisions will have to be made. It's the nature of these things, London is now too big for me to get all the guests I want, so I'll just decide on the ones my budget can afford.

[misskitten]

 

 

I honestly do not understand 'fans' who meet 40 odd guests at these shows and want that many photoshoots too. Surely no-one likes EVERYONE and EVERYTHING???

 

Some of us just happen to have a lot of fandoms. I usually reach the teens when I count up people I want to meet at these kind of events, this time I'm closing in on twice as many. Not yet reached 40 and not sure I could afford it even if that many guests of interest to me were announced, but I can understand that some people could reach that number.

 

I am somone who likes lost of films/shows myself, but I don't need everyone from everything. I've just recently gotten into Game of Thrones for example, but I'd only ever want autos from Charles Dance and Sean Bean. Not to say Dinklage, Headey, Clarke etc. aren't great in it too but surely we all have favourite actors and consequently lesser favourites?

 

Michael Gambon surely means more to 99% of Potter fans than some random kid who was in the series charging £15 per auto/photo? I just don't enjoy the whingeing on this forum that people can't afford to meet everyone. Well, sorry that is the case for most of us and being more selective might mean less griping, less stress and a more refined collection.

 

Different people will think and feel differently, even when belonging to the same fandom. I personally get more into the whole experience of a fandom, I have my favourites just like everyone else, but it's more of a group thing for me. I obviously wouldn't go for "third kid on the left" or someone really obscure like that, I need to have some care for the character, whether it was a one-off character or someone who stuck around for a longer arc. And some of the best guest encounters I've had in my life have been with people you might not consider to put on your list.

 

Griping about not affording to meet every single guest you want to meet I can understand is annoying, but it depends if the complaint is not affording to meet 4-5 people due to prices or if it's not affording to meet 20+. There are some high price tags this year, so some might feel they are being priced out of the hobby.

[Karl J]

Not to big at all in my opinion. Just cause there is 100+ guests doesnt mean you need to meet all of them or have interest in all. Ther is 20 ish people i am interested in and would be willing to see, I have cut it down to 10 of these i will definately meet if all go to plan. There are Another 4-5 that depending on finances i may also see. Like 2 weeks ago the 20 people where instead 9 and some of those 9 are now on my backuplist so the last weeks have been very exciting. Personally i collect people that have not nessesarily a big part of a Movie or a show but have had a part that stood out in some way or Another even if they had a shorter appearance. More guests means wider spread likely so will appeal to more fans.

[Tony1975]

In quantity maybe but seeing as I am only interested so far in meeting four of them I am all for having a lot more guest announcements!

[Avengers7]

 

 

I honestly do not understand 'fans' who meet 40 odd guests at these shows and want that many photoshoots too. Surely no-one likes EVERYONE and EVERYTHING???

 

Some of us just happen to have a lot of fandoms. I usually reach the teens when I count up people I want to meet at these kind of events, this time I'm closing in on twice as many. Not yet reached 40 and not sure I could afford it even if that many guests of interest to me were announced, but I can understand that some people could reach that number.

I am somone who likes lost of films/shows myself, but I don't need everyone from everything. I've just recently gotten into Game of Thrones for example, but I'd only ever want autos from Charles Dance and Sean Bean. Not to say Dinklage, Headey, Clarke etc. aren't great in it too but surely we all have favourite actors and consequently lesser favourites?

 

Michael Gambon surely means more to 99% of Potter fans than some random kid who was in the series charging £15 per auto/photo? I just don't enjoy the whingeing on this forum that people can't afford to meet everyone. Well, sorry that is the case for most of us and being more selective might mean less griping, less stress and a more refined collection.

 

 

I honestly do not understand 'fans' who meet 40 odd guests at these shows and want that many photoshoots too. Surely no-one likes EVERYONE and EVERYTHING???

 

Are you implying that someone who wants to meet about 40 guests are not real fans? That's rather insulting and not true at all.

I'm simply saying that no-one can be an equal fan of every single guest they meat in exactly equal measure, which is why I put the word 'fan' in parenthesis.

We all have favourite films, favourite actors, favourite foods etc. It can be a tough job picking the favourite but there is always a preference.

 

Someone in another thread said the price for Sigourney's auto/photo at £95 was too high because they felt the 'casual' fan could likely not justify that spend. I didn't understand that comment, nor the point in making it because of course a casual fan won't pony up the dough, whereas a diehard fan obviously will (funds allowing of course). One 'fan' may like the Alien films whereas another Alien 'fan' may LOVE them - who is more likely to pay the price?

There is no point pretending there are not different levels of fandom. If that were not the case, we wouldn't all budget and prioritise to meet the most important guests to us at each show would we?

 

IMO, and it is only my opinion, sometimes I think some attendees get a bit carried away at these events trying to meet all and sundry without being discerning at all. I mean come on, who are these people moaning the show is getting too big? How is it too big? Nobody has to meet guests into multiple double figures.

If Showmasters went around worrying the show was "too big" (capacity issues aside) then they wouldn't be booking amazing guests like Sigourney - and that would be great wouldn't it?!?

 

I really though about meeting Neve Campbell but ultimately thought, "nah, I'll put the money towards another auto from someone I like more." I would have been picking up her auto just for the sake of it, because she is a rare signer, and that goes against my collecting 'rules'. Don't kid yourself, there will be plenty of other 'fans' meeting her and other guests for similar reasons with far less self control than I!

People can be a fan of all guests they meet in equal measure. Some of us are. Yes it's up to us who we meet and pay autos for.

 

For me, it's a huge show but it would have been better if some of these guests were scattered around the country.

 

I remember talking to a fan of Carice at Mk who had bought a photoshoot and was going to get two autos of her. Now it's great she's attending this but like he said, he's got other priorities so cannot afford the tome or money.

 

 

With the show being this big, I feel sorry for the many guests that will be sitting around twiddling their thumbs.

[collectorbob]

This show has to have some of the biggest names I have actually ever known. To have MJF and SW at this event is epic. They are big names and yes, it is going to be a big event, but no show would ever be too big imo. It would always be handled well and provisions are in place to make events as enjoyable for the anticipating public.

[Fizzgaz]

Look, spend money if u want and can.

Don't spend money if u don't or can't

It's that simple

[TerraHawk]

It's that simple

Not entirely. Crowds can be so busy it can be hard to get to the guest to spend the money. Some people will spend money they want to but can't really afford. Dare I say this hobby can be addictive.

 

I had a dream about the queues last night...

[Rick Deckard]

Has it become too big? Without a doubt, yes. I did not enjoy either of the last two I attended. Too many people in a venue ill equipped for the sheer numbers, with too much of a conveyor belt mentality and little or no time to interact with the guests, as it's holding up the next cash cow in the queue. In fact, depending on whether or not I make it to this years (sismic personal event my prevent my attendance), it may well be my last LFCC. When something stops being fun, it's usually time to stop doing it. Early LFCC was a fun time now, not so much...

Edited June 24, 2015 by Rick Deckard

[Fizzgaz]

 

 

It's that simple

Not entirely. Crowds can be so busy it can be hard to get to the guest to spend the money. Some people will spend money they want to but can't really afford. Dare I say this hobby can be addictive.

 

I had a dream about the queues last night...

Sorry a little clarity your right, the guy above you is right, the guy above that is right.

It's up to the person, what is 2 much, how many guests is enough.

I come on this forum and I have 7 new pages of moaning at each other.

Geeks unite

[collectorbob]

I'm not fazed by crowds as long as you have space to breathe .... With a gold pass, should make life MUCH easier, too.

[teabelly83]

I definitely feel it comes down to you personally, who do you want to meet the most, who are you a bigger fan of....yes we have many things we love but sometimes we just gotta choose for whatever the budget allows. I dont think its gotten too big, providing it is orgaised and run correctly! We will see after last year with it being a different venue and on the day tickets not being sold, so thats a good start.

 

In terms of guests, again it comes down to what you love, whats more important or means the most, or if your collecting a cast photo do you get that signed by the memebers who are there or leave them out and get a big 'rare' guest?? As someone else posted, i narrow down to who i want to meet the most going on their work i enjoy the most! Im a BIG star wars fan, but i dont bother with all the smaller guests like death star gunner, or an extra that was sat in the background of the cantina...id rather go for someone like sherilyn fenn, or jame remar, because they played roles in certain things that stick with me...the warriors and twin peaks. Same with weaver and paxton...they are 2 ive wanted to meet for a long while because im a massive ghostbusters fan and weird science is one of my favourite 80s comedy movies....so i chose to miss other guests out to afford these two.

 

Whatever though i hope everyoe has a good time and meets who they want to meet!!

[GinfromGA]

 

 

Far too big. I agree with the original poster. I am on about 50 guests for photos and autos but WILL have to choose wisely as I can only afford approx. 20.

I may be missing out out people I have wanted to meet for years unfortunately in the hope that they attend a later event.

It is your choice to have purchased/scheduled 50 photoshoots; SM may have a lot of rules, but they certainly don't require anyone to buy a certain number of photoshoots lol

The show can, indeed, become "too big" for a particular venue, but as far as it being "too big" because people have to pack loads into their day isn't SM's fault.

Last year, I spent more at LFCC than at any single con since I started attending them. Could I have spent more? Absolutely. Generally, I prefer to get autographs because there is usually a chance to chat with the guests I admire; it is rare that I spend money on a photoshoot - I save those for the "massive" guests on my list, such as John Hurt. This year, at the moment, there are only about 4 or 5 guests I "have" to meet. Could I choose to meet more? Absolutely, but I'd rather not feel rushed off my feet and be able to enjoy the event.

It doesn't seem like SM can win either way: if the guest list is sparse, people complain; if it's loaded with guests, people complain.....

I have not bought 50 ! I know it's my choice what to buy and I never said any different.

 

My complaint about the event getting bigger is partially due to the fact that while this event grows and grows, other events are being left behind. Cardiff this year was very sparse and Mk seemed to have been forgotten.

 

You may not have purchased that many, but several posters were complaining because they had purchased so many photoshoots that they were concerned that they wouldn't be able to get to all of them......

[SilvaNemesis]

Yes, it certainly is!