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Lack of flexibility


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Just wanted to report a moment of lack of flexibility by a red shirt crew member who was in charge of the MJF+DeL photoshoot on Saturday. Once taken the photos, my son (11 years old and BTTF maniac) and I rushed to Sigourney's photoshoot; half way through, my son drew my attention on his picture: he didn't really come well, he was (as all of us) pushed and rushed when taking the picture by the DeL, and the photo taken without allowing him to reach a proper position. He is not even staring at the camera, he got an annoyed glance and semi-closed eyelids - it is a kind of picture you really don't want to show your friends, even if MJF is in it. So we rushed back and ask the man in charge if my son could retake the picture but he said, politely but firmly, "no"; apparently, pictures are retaken only in exceptional circumstances like when they come blurred or the subject is in a really awkward position etc. I appreciated that but I insisted that my son is only 11 and he didn't really appeared great in the photo. The man in red shirt insisted the photo was good, after all, and confirmed he wouldn't allow another retake. At that point, my son gave up and asked me not to insist anymore - we still had to rush to SW - so we left. Afterwards, my son expressed all his disappointment for the picture - he wanted to show it (off) with a little brag to his friends but now he doesn't even want to have it anymore.

 

Now, I understand that there are rules but would it have hurt so much, I wonder, allowing a retake of that photo?

Edited by Bergman
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Closed eyes are normally a perfectly valid reason for a retake. The crew actually checks for this, but if it's some inbetween thing sometimes it is overlooked.

Retakes are not generally out. But there has been shoots where attendees were recommending to each other to "blink on purpose", so they'd get to stand next to the guest longer/ again. *cough* James Marsters *cough* So while reshoots are not a definite "no" for such things like not totally closed eyes sometimes it's a bit a matter of definition of how bad the issue is. The pictures do add time for the photoshoot in the end after all, and even though the photos are taken quickly it does add up.

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Thank you for your answer, Queen. I appreciate some people may play the system to get extra seconds with the stars; however, in the future I would like to see more flexibility towards children as, in their case, the error might be really genuine.

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Based upon what you describe, I think you had very valid reason to ask for a reshoot, no matter how many SECONDS extra it would have taken. I think you're more than entitled to demand it given what these things cost.

I had two resoots on Saturday, the first was with Bill Paxton where the photographer got me mid-gob open (hadn't given me the time to smile after Bill exchanged a few words), and the second was Sigourney Weaver where I was in focus but she was slightly out of focus. The crew member looked at the latter a little like I was taking the **** when I asked for a reshoot on Weaver, but even though I am not a photographer, I could see Sigourney was most definately out of focus. Had I been refused in either case, I wouldn't have let the issue lie, and your example sounds far worse if it is mid eyes shut!

If the crewmember is quoting "exceptional circumstances" when your son hasn't even been given a moment to look at the camera then I have to think the bloke you spoke to was being a complete jobsworth.

 

After this weekend it has become apparent to me that with the likes of MJFox and Sigourney where most attendees will not get to meet them for an autograph due to how popular/busy they are, that Showmasters are booking a lot more photoshoots these days. It makes sense as fans get to meet thier heroes and it takes less time than an autograph and Showmasters can charge the same, but it felt more like a cattle market and money-spinner than ever this weekend. I didn't feel rushed at any of my shoots, and exchanged a couple of words with Weaver, Paxton, Pryce and Henn, but that was purely down to the graciousness of the guests. The work of the photographers was too hasty and the crew at the shoots far too rushed.

The worst example I have seen was with Jonathan Pryce where after immediately having your photo, there was a queue piling up just out of shot of the next person having their photo because they were taking photos faster than than the prints could be given out. Then the attendees were getting shouted at to "move up" when of course they can't because they haven't been given their photo.

Edited by Dent_1
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Thank you for your answer, Queen. I appreciate some people may play the system to get extra seconds with the stars; however, in the future I would like to see more flexibility towards children as, in their case, the error might be really genuine.

 

It's a little hard for me to comment on as I wasn't there in this situation and only you, your son and the pit boss have seen the picture.

 

I just wanted to explain that there normally is some flexibility, child or not. Why it didn't happen in your case I honestly don't know. You did what I would have suggested to do, that is all I can say.

 

Sometimes it's really a matter of personal opinion. My mom stopped by last night when I was putting away my photos and saw my photo with RDA. He's one of the few event guests she'd recognize cause she used to watch MacGyver too. I like that one a lot cause my hair is a bit in disray and it kind of looks a little like a really bad mullet. :lol: She saw the photo, raised an eyebrow and asked why I didn't ask for a reshoot, that picture was "horrible."

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I'm glad someone else has mentioned this both my Delorean shoots MJF and Lloyd seem out of focus I thought I was just being picky but I'm holding a sports almanac and you can't read it on the pics the point most in focus seems to be the front wheel of the car. These pics should of been going on my wall pride of place next to my Shatner on the bridge of the Enterprise and my Carrie Fisher photo from last year but sadly they've just gone in a file in a drawer

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If you have anything like that happen and are unhappy please go and speak to someone at the Organisers Booth. They may have been able to help there.

I don't know about the others, in my case I asked a crew member in red shirt; I don't recall his name but I remember him from various conventions so he must be one of the most experienced. Going to the Organising Boots is not always feasible; in this instance, the photoshoot was about to end - and, remember, I had to go to SW photoshoot - and there is always a queue at the booth.

Anyway, I post the notorious picture (I will leave it for a day or two) so anyone can judge for themselves.

mjf.jpg

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If you're only there for one day and in a situation like yours of course it's a little hard to come up with any solution but the one you choose. But as I posted elsewhere, I saw reshoots for Chris Lloyd being done a day later. For those attending all weekend maybe something could have been done the next day.

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If you're only there for one day and in a situation like yours of course it's a little hard to come up with any solution but the one you choose. But as I posted elsewhere, I saw reshoots for Chris Lloyd being done a day later. For those attending all weekend maybe something could have been done the next day.

Don't worry. If you/SM acknowledge (and only if you do) that the picture might have been retaken, my son is happy to accept a £95 voucher to be spent at the next convention. :D

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If you have anything like that happen and are unhappy please go and speak to someone at the Organisers Booth. They may have been able to help there.

 

I don't know about the others, in my case I asked a crew member in red shirt; I don't recall his name but I remember him from various conventions so he must be one of the most experienced. Going to the Organising Boots is not always feasible; in this instance, the photoshoot was about to end - and, remember, I had to go to SW photoshoot - and there is always a queue at the booth.

Anyway, I post the notorious picture (I will leave it for a day or two) so anyone can judge for themselves.

mjf.jpg

Did he get the opportunity to kneel down? A lot of the photos I have seen have had people knelt down next to MJF
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Did he get the opportunity to kneel down? A lot of the photos I have seen have had people knelt down next to MJF

 

Yes, most people crouched/kneel (I did) and that was the idea but, as soon as my son approached the car, the photographer took the picture and "off you go". Adults understand the circumstances and can be quicker at posing themselves but children might need a few seconds more - from this point of view, the photographer didn't show much consideration, in my opinion.

Edited by Bergman
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If you're only there for one day and in a situation like yours of course it's a little hard to come up with any solution but the one you choose. But as I posted elsewhere, I saw reshoots for Chris Lloyd being done a day later. For those attending all weekend maybe something could have been done the next day.

 

Don't worry. If you/SM acknowledge (and only if you do) that the picture might have been retaken, my son is happy to accept a £95 voucher to be spent at the next convention. :D
If you can get them to send you the jpegs of all your photoshoots for free (good luck with that) it possibly wouldn't be that hard to fix it digitally. Good enough for Hollywood! You'd need the others to source from. Edited by TerraHawk
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Some people got to kneel down next to Michael and others were told "JUST STAND, JUST STAND".

 

I even heard the security people telling people to "Get a move on" as they had just that second been snapped.

 

It was a magic moment having a photo with Michael but the way we all got treated was poor and we got charged £95 for that!

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I found the MJF Car shoot to be very disappointing. I was barked at and pushed and I'm also not looking at the camera as i didn't know where it was until it was too late. I know they had to get everyone through quickly but this photo cost £95 and meant a great deal to many of us. I think this is something that needs addressing in the future. The guy in front of me actually collapsed due to the excitement and mania of the whole thing. Poor guy was carted off, not sure if he ever got his photo or not.

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Some people got to kneel down next to Michael and others were told "JUST STAND, JUST STAND".

 

I even heard the security people telling people to "Get a move on" as they had just that second been snapped.

 

It was a magic moment having a photo with Michael but the way we all got treated was poor and we got charged £95 for that!

Well, it happened to us too. We got rushed outside and had to came back to pick up our photos and bags. I understand the business thing and also the fact that SM want to give as many fans as possible the chance for a picture with a star BUT it shouldn't be carried out like this. Either they sell fewer tickets or they allocate more shooting time. However, I admit that in other photoshoots, even with Sigourney, the environment was more "relaxed". I wonder why this was not possible with MJF.

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It sounds that this shoot didn't run that smoothly at all.

It think some of these photoshoots,especially the bigger guests are being oversold and it just becomes a big hectic rush.

If a shoot is say 30 mins then I think a few mins should be left spare out of that time just in case something goes wrong, reshoot etc.

By filling up each time slot to the hilt its leaving no room for error.

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I found the MJF Car shoot to be very disappointing. I was barked at and pushed and I'm also not looking at the camera as i didn't know where it was until it was too late.

Some impression here but I was lucky as, while I was rolling my eyes looking for the photographer to take my picture, he did it exactly when I was looking at him - so, the photo is brilliant, by sheer chance. :unsure:

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