Smart Money article on celeb photos and Froggy's

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

Article (no registration required or anything)

Highlights -
"Froggy, who works up to 40 conventions a year, prices most of his celebrity subjects around $30. The fee is split three ways (with the convention sponsor and the actor) so each get $10."
'“At shows like Dragon Con, some people spend three or four thousand [dollars] on photos,” he says.'

$3000? How does that work? Do some people spend their entire cons at the photo table? How would one get to that number - by buying individual AND group shots of their favorites?

Comments

[firstlady1408.livejournal.com]

I have to say I spent nearly $700 on pics and that was just with the BSG cast and Cristine Rose ...But they look fab :D

[ellisbelle.livejournal.com]

Gotta say that I love your icon. It made me all warm and fuzzy just thinking back to that moment. Ahhh. Mary.

[firstlady1408.livejournal.com]

Thanks, one of the very talented angiescullys! *memories*

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

Did you get both individual and group pics? (Not criticizing...I'd consider it if I could fund it!). I'm just trying to mentally add up the totals for all of the individual pics that were available at this year's D*C, and not getting to $3000! Of course, that would be easier if I still had the price list, and wasn't having to rely on my own memory, which is a bit leaky.

[firstlady1408.livejournal.com]

LOL, Im not sure how one could spend $3000...But I had about 8 individuals and about 7 group shots ranging from $20 to $65 also 2 BSG group shots with additional prints with others...I guess if someone brought that many and the Patrick Stewart $200 ones more than one and the Nimoy and Shatner ones not sure how much they were...I think Kate Mulgrew was about $60 but not 100% sure....$3000 seems extreme to me :d

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

I have never dealt with this Froggy guy. The few photos I have were already taken of the celebs, who signed them. Seems to be a cheap bragging point to appear with a celebrity who won't even talk to you, just to get a photo. And therefore, any trouble that occurred at Dragon*Con and the resulting disappointments leaves me with a smirk on my face.

[firstlady1408.livejournal.com]

Maybe I was one of the lucky ones, I spoke albeit briefly to each of the BSG'ers and got some great shots :D

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

Some of the celebs are definitely a better choice for the money...Shatner, Nimoy and Stewart managed to set up their pics so that they not only didn't have to touch anyone, they didn't even have to see them or make eye contact. Other celebs at least make a point of introducing themselves or asking if the person has a pose in mind. I LOL'd at some of the pics on the table with Joe Flanigan and Paul McGillion from SGA.

[firstlady1408.livejournal.com]

OMG Yes I heard that Shatner and Nimoy wouldnt touch anyone in case of Swine Flu!!??

I have a wonderful pic with Michael Hogan arms wrapped around each other LOL!

Kate Vernon called me a *Sexy Cylon Slut* at my pic with her LOL

And Mary McDonnell (my main reason for attending) was as sweet and warm as always!

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

yeah, from the looks of things, they must have thought that you could catch flu by saying hi, too. grr. I'm told that's Creation's legacy, but have never been to one of their cons.

The BSG cast members are always awesome! I was sad to miss out on a pic with Mary, since I was able to get snapshots with everyone else and had run out of fundage for Froggy's...wish I'd sprung for one with her rather than Patrick Stewart, really. I did get her autograph though. :)

[firstlady1408.livejournal.com]

She is totally awesome, I remember one of Froggys staff asking me who she was because she was the most popular photographed guest that weekend! Glad you got her auto :D, I think I have about a dozen now....but really its the only time to spend quality time with a guest!

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

I think it's more of a generational thing... Since Shatner and Nimoy both came up in the old system, they don't really have any dea of how fandoms have evolved... we no longer put our celebs on pedestals so high we can't touch them... we know they are people, too, and many of them come to cons for that vital human connection to their work. They don't create their characters and stories in a vacuum, and meeting and interacting with the fans about their work is part of what makes it satisfying for them.

I guess when you have achieved that level of success - being a living icon - you have a different perspective.

On the other hand, I can understand a wariness of contacting illnesses among masses of people - and they are older, and may have private health issues to worry about... still, I think they could have taken the same health precautions without appearing cold and distant.

[veracity]

Flanigan made it a point to say hello to everyone, even though it was like 10 in the morning. I thought that was fabulous considering my other experience with another actress. Not right through you, ya know?

[alexdelarge78.livejournal.com]

I was tempted to get Malcolm for 40, but really I have two pictures of him from two seperate meetings at teh table, so I saw no point. I am starting to question the personable nature of William Shatner, as entertaining as he is.

[creedsgalbirdy.livejournal.com]

We met a D*C staffer while in the Shat line who showed us all of his photo-op tickets. He said he spent 2 paychecks on them. So, I don't doubt that there are people going all out on pictures. For some, D*C is the end-all-be-all of conventions and they plan their annual vacations around it.

[rozhena-ashford.livejournal.com]

I plan one of my vacations around the con but I don't spend loads on Froggy's photos. I was bummed that I couldn't get all the autographs I wanted either....

[rayhne.livejournal.com]

For me it depends on the person. I'm not doing it for bragging but because I honestly like and admire the person. Usually I go with autographs only but I've had photos with Peter Wingfield, Mark Sheppard, and Dwight Shultz.

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

I like photo ops, because up until this year, I felt like they were a little more fun! The assembly line photos with Shatner/Nimoy and Stewart were not exactly special experiences though. This year, it seemed like a few more of the guests had gone back to doing snapshots at the table, either free with autograph purchase or for $5-10...so I'll be looking to that as my first option next year rather than doing Froggy preorders.

[karintha.livejournal.com]

My husband and I did three pictures that were scheduled at different times (2 BSG folks together, McDowell and Ron Glass) and we'll never do that many in one *con again. Between standing in line for the picture and going back into that cluster to find the printed pictures multiple times (because they took a lot longer to print than we expected), it just ate up too much of our experience. If we do two next year, it'll be a shock to me. The expense is one thing, but the frustration and time suck is quite another.

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

yup, that's where I'm getting stuck on the $3000-$4000 number. Even considering the priciest group shots, it takes a lot of photos to get up to $3000...and that's a lot of time over at Froggy's!

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

We, too, spent way too much valuable con time on getting Froggy pics - all day Friday was spent standing in lines and chasing deadlines. Part of Saturday, as well, then much more time in lines to get the autographs on them. Never again.

[archersangel.livejournal.com]

$3,000?! either someone is very mistaken, or misinformed

[zarathud.livejournal.com]

Ok, maybe not $3k, but have a look here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/85344102@N00/sets/72157622192093613/).

Probably $1500-ish.

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I hadn't thought about the possibility that someone would buy 8 individual photo ops with the same person.
Still, I wonder if Froggy was thinking of photos AND autos...if someone took that many ops and then got them all signed, that could run up into $3000-land.

[http://users.livejournal.com/mad_brilliant_/]

I've seen a James Marsters fan get 20 photo ops with him at one event. And he charges $60 per shot. o.O Still, that's only $1200. lol Only $1200.

[eclecticmuse.livejournal.com]

Wait ... one fan got 20 pictures taken with Marsters at the same event? Holy crap ... probably sometime around picture #6 he was probably thinking "you again???"

[http://users.livejournal.com/mad_brilliant_/]

Yeah, she got them all taken at the same time, like right in a row. By the end, you could tell that James was way out of ideas for poses. lol

[carencey77.livejournal.com]

Poor guy! He could probably write the Kama Sutra of Photo Ops by now.

[http://users.livejournal.com/mad_brilliant_/]

LOL I know, right?

[kkatowll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but some of those are great! I must admit I can't afford that much -- but if I had the cash to spend that amount of time fooling around with James Marsters, I would!!! Not only did she get the time, she guaranteed that some of the photos would turn out well. If you take just one pose, it could be an iffy proposition.

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

Can we all spell S T A L K E R ?

[majorsamfan.livejournal.com]

I buy the photos for personal memorabilia, knowing it may be the only decent photo I get at that convention of that actor because seating and lighting in big hotel ballrooms don't guarantee high quality photos.

I don't typically spend as much as I did this year, but I dropped a bundle at Froggy's. And it was pretty much an all-day Saturday thing, plus pick-up time.

From Froggy I got:
Shatner $80
Nimoy $80
Shatner-Nimoy $160
(had only planned on the latter)
Patrick Stewart $200
Kate Mulgrew about $60?
Mary McDonnell about $50-60?
(had planned on her and Eddie, but he didn't come)
Dwight Schulz - $30-40
John Billingsley - $30-40
Bruce Boxleitner-Claudia Christian $65

I think my Froggy total was around $725 all told.

I also got one with Ben Browder & Claudia Black together from Craig at Illumina. He charged $119. for that. Photos of some of the other Stargate actors ran about $50 each, I think. They charged more for the same actors than I have been charged at Creation cons, but I also had to pay an arm, a leg and my right eye to get into the con (at least for gold tickets; general admission is about $90/weekend).

I thought they mostly turned out well. I posted them on my Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=313164&id=834975713

In terms of the actors talking with or touching - you can see that there are some who genuinely enjoy the experience with the fans and others who tire of it. Patrick Stewart greeted *us* as we walked up to join him where he sat. (Yes, we were told not to touch him, not by him but by Froggy staffers.)

At a Creation con earlier in the year - their L.A. Grand Slam - the company put on their schedule flyer not to touch or hug the actors "at the actors' request". However, (1) this was at the height of the H1N1 scare and (2) the only actor who didn't want to be touched was Jeri Ryan (7 of 9), who had a 14-month-old baby and a husband who runs a restaurant. If I were she, I would be just as cautious, especially given her experiences with some overexuberant (downright stalkerish) fans. She did not do photo ops, but she still did the "meet & greet"; Creation just put a bottle of hand sanitizer at her spot to remind us all no touching. ;p

Of all the hundred or so photo ops I've taken with actors, I haven't been unhappy with the actor but maybe once or twice. I have been unhappy with the photographer, including Froggy (especially at this past D*C). I know not everyone got the same kind of photo we got with Kate Mulgree, too, as I saw some of the other shots and was told by a Froggy staffer that we got one of her rare smiles.

At the Grand Slam mentioned above, John Noble went around the meet & greet table and the VIP table and shook each person's hand. He put his arm around me for the photo, as has virtually every other actor I've taken a photo with except Mary McDonnell, Shatner, Nimoy and Stewart. Linda Hamilton was huggin' and kissin' on me like I was her best friend.

A lot of people who going into acting are actually very shy in real life. (Not that I think that for Shatner, but I'm betting it's true of Stewart, who, the first time I saw him in person actually stuttered on stage.) Not all of them are sanguine, and it may take a lot of courage for them to face hoardes of adoring fans.

Anyway, my thoughts. Taken them for what they're worth.

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

I was very unhappy with the assembly-line feel to Froggy's set-up this year. Not the line system, in the waiting room, once they got their act together with it - but with the whole rushed experience with the celebs. It seemed to me that when we were getting photos with Mary McDonnell SHE felt unhappy about the rush, too, taking a moment to thnak us for watching the show, despite the next person being ushered up to her.

I'll be checking with individual celebs about table ops and thinking hard about doing that again next year.

[majorsamfan.livejournal.com]

Froggy was impatient with our photo with Kate Mulgrew, and she called him on it. I think that may be why we got the smile and as time when on she got a more grim expression on her face.

[shakayla.livejournal.com]

Dragon Con was my first convention so I have no other basis for comparison. I had my pic taken with Kate Mulgrew - $50. While I was a bit disappointed that her hair was in a ponytail (LOL), she greeted me when I came in, shook my hand and spoke with me for a few seconds before she put her arm around my back and then she did smile for the pic (may have been cause I made a funny comment right before the pic was snapped). I also paid $25 to get her autograph the next day. I had a different picture with me to get signed. She was polite, charming and was totally focused on the conversation that she and I had while she signed the picture for me (even though Nimoy and Shatner were right next to her). I appreciated that so much as she made me feel like I was the only one in a room filled with hundreds.

So, after reading some of these other comments, perhaps I was very fortunate.
The only other autograph I paid for was Tom Felton's for my daughter. He was charming and fun and even added at the bottom of his usual autograph for her "P.S. Will you marry me? xxx" My daughter just melted! *grin*

[wiebke.livejournal.com]

Wow, and I felt bad I spent $30 on some earrings and $50 on two Star Trek action figures!

[everyinchofme.livejournal.com]

I think I spent maybe $25 period in the Dealer's/Exhibitor's room, and my con total wasn't more than $350.

With that said, I do a lot of work in the entertainment industry, and I just think it's stupid to pay to get someone's autograph, or get a photo with them, when given the right circumstances, you can get it for free.

[peacelovefandom.livejournal.com]

I hate what's happened to cons in the past 5-8 years with photos. I'd gladly trade professional photos for the time when you could take a candid with them on your own camera for free. :P

My Shatner/Nimoy photos looks beautiful, but they might as well have just photoshopped us in. It happened in 30 seconds. No eye contact. No hello. No nothing. For that much money, I should AT LEAST have 5 seconds to say "hello" before being shoved out of the frame for the next person. It's bad customer service.

[http://users.livejournal.com/mad_brilliant_/]

That is typical Shatner/Nimoy service. Been that way for years with them.

[nightwing22dg.livejournal.com]

I don't understand the whole cash cow that has become the professional photos and autographs of the Walk of Fame. When I bought an autograph from Bruce Boxleitner, he was nice enough to let us take free photos with him at his table with our camera. (He even let a lady that didn't buy an autograph cut in line in front of me for a free picture). Also got a free picture with Terry Gilliam that came out great(and two free autographed DVD's). When I met comic book legend George Perez and asked for a photo, he couldn't wait to come out and put his arm around my shoulders and give the "thumbs up". Also got free photos with authors Kevin J. Anderson & Timothy Zahn. All in total I spent around $200 from Walk of Fame, Artist Alley, & Dealer Room combined.

So when you say that the Froggy price is split 3 ways, does that mean DragonCon is getting that 1st third? That would be interesting. They say they only make money off memberships and selling table space. Split Stewart's fee of $200 three ways and that is like $66.70 a piece.

Did anyone do the "Use your camera to take a picture for $10" as many celebrities had signs indicating? Was that just the star or did they let you get in the picture too?

[nightwing22dg.livejournal.com]

Regarding Terry Gilliam, that should have been "Two of my DVD's autographed free"

[littledrow.livejournal.com]

Just catching up on the responses here...sorry about the lateness of reply...but that was what I was thinking too about the con getting a third of the money.

I did some math on it, assuming that Froggy got a fifth of the attendees to buy photos of Patrick Stewart who went for $200 a photo, a third of that is roughly $117,000. That is what the con, Froggy and the agent(?) made. That's insane amounts of money!

[uberjames.livejournal.com]

Did anyone do the "Use your camera to take a picture for $10" as many celebrities had signs indicating? Was that just the star or did they let you get in the picture too?

I paid Traci for a picture. It was taken by her handler. She sitting on the table and leaning over.
(http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WjvPhgflQmiVt2EN10Ic8w?feat=embedwebsite)

I've taken a few pictures like this with a fan's camera. I just happened to be walking past at the right time.

[nightwing22dg.livejournal.com]

Great picture. With the introduction of this cheaper price to get a picture with your camera and some celebs allowing for the free posed picture with you after you purchase an autograph, I wouldn't be surprised if Froggy's becomes less popular. I much prefer the ones with your own camera. This also offers another, less expensive way, to meet a celebrity for someone on a budget without buying an autograph. I'd consider paying $10 to get in a photo with some celebs that I wouldn't pay $25 or $30 for an autograph because I'm always on a tight budget.