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gallaure.livejournal.com... I was looking at the paid photo-op sites that link from the main DC page, and I have to say that I've really lost my way with the fandom changes the past few years. Maybe I'm old, but I don't feel it at 35.
I really don't want any of the DC staff to think I'm negating their hard work. far from it! I respect the work that you do, and I thank you for doing it! It's amazing that you all get this done, and with remarkably few problems. Please note that my comments are directed towards all conventions I've attended recently, not just DC.
But I remember conventions with a few guests, and if you paid to get in the con, you got an autograph without paying an extra fee, but you had to stand in line. I didn't pay a dime for autographs from Gates McFadden or Patrick Stewart, or the dozens of others in my autograph albums. Granted, this has been shifting gradually for years, so it's not a surprise.
Now there are zillions of guests that I've never heard of, or I can't see their relationship to fandom, and they're all charging fees that no one would have paid ten years ago. It used to be that a guest could be asked to sign your program if they were a guest of the con. What happened to that?
I'm startled by this new thing of a paid photo op as well. I can see the benefits of having a pro photographer take the shot, rather than a bored handler or a fellow fan in line. You know the shot will be lit well, and not be blurry, and hopefully in a way that all parties are identifiable. That's cool, and I'm on board with that. I'm also on board with paying the photographer, since I was a photographer myself for years. I know the way that works. But really, some of these fees are ridiculous.
I used to look at convention websites a few years ago, and I told myself that I would never go to a Creation event, since I knew I'd never be able to afford all the expense. Now, I see most cons as headed that way.
If the fees had stayed the same to get into the con, or had only gone up moderately, then I could understand. But the fees now are nearly double what they were the last time I paid full price for a ticket. I usually tried to work for someone to get a discounted pass, since I thought the price was tough for me to handle back then! I know that there are a ton of reasons why prices have gotten nuts, and convention space certainly doesn't get cheaper. I know there are reasons for the price increase. But when combined with fees for autographs AND fees for photographs, I am wondering what exactly the point is with all the Hollywood guests. I'm sure that it somehow makes DC actually happen, money flowing in and such. But I can't shake the notion that this is really a bunch of people who can't find work sticking it to their fans or Even worse, owners of intellectual properties just finding more ways to milk the cash cow.
Honestly, it makes me feel like I'm paying hand over fist to be advertised to, so that these Hollywood folks can try to sell me more more more. Not better, just more. And I really lose respect for any of them who are asking for fees.
SDCC is the biggest culprit of the Hollywood Huge approach, but I'm not going to that con any more. It's just too crazy, too much splash, not enough content.
I'm just wondering if I'm the only one who feels this way, or if I am the only one who will be completely ignoring the Hollywood guests in favor of the hard workers in the industry. You know, the writers, artists, and designers? When I'm staring at this list of over 100 tv & screen guests, and I can't think of a single one whose autograph I want, especially due to the charges, I'm disheartened to see the comparatively small lists of actual creators.
I'm sure some folks will be glad to have one less person in line in front of them. I don't even know who these actors are that I'm missing, so I'm honestly not fussed to miss 'em. I'm sure that I'll find plenty of people to chat with who agree, too. We will be in the overfilled rooms dedicated to the "lesser" guests, the smaller rooms with poor sound and lighting and not enough seats for all the con goers who are interested. When competing with 100+ demanding starlets for space, I can imagine why these lovely, creative folk get shifted to basement venues. It's not a pretty thought.
Again, I do not cast aspersions on the staff of DC! They do a difficult, tremendous job every year, and we all appreciate it. But if this is the way cons are going to be over the long haul, maybe I'm getting too old to play. Either that, or people have been ignoring the starlets anyway, and have been throwing really cool parties that no one has told me about, what with me being lame and all.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the subject? (or fun parties I should know about?)
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