It was in 2005 that I was bit by the proverbial horror convention bug, not yet old enough to drink – of course, I did anyway – but definitely old enough to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells that filled Maryland’s Hunt Valley Inn throughout the course of that life-altering weekend.
It sounds dramatic but that first experience indeed was life-altering, paving the way for countless conventions to come and thrusting me deeper into the horror community than I had ever ventured before. In many ways, it was on that weekend that I truly realized this community is where I belong.
Though I’ve of course become quite jaded by the scene over the years, barely even batting an eye when I’m sitting at a hotel bar enjoying a drink right next to a horror icon, that weekend in 2005 can only be described with one simple word; magical.
From the dealer rooms packed with goodies that seemed to have been exclusively brought to the event for ME to the autograph rooms full of men and women I had spent my formative years being terrified of and watching die, it was all incredibly surreal – like I had unknowingly been slashed up by Freddy and transported to horror heaven.
The fuse lit by that very first HorrorFind Weekend, the subsequent nine years of my life have been full of weekends like that one, and conventions have been an annual staple in my calendar of events. In fact, not a year has gone by since that weekend in 2005 that I haven’t attended at least two of them, with New Jersey’s Monster Mania being my personal convention of choice.
Not only has the habit put a hurting on my bank account and provided me with more hangovers than I care to remember, but it’s also given me a front row seat to the changes the whole of the convention scene has undergone, in the past 10 years. And, for the most part, those changes haven’t been good.
It’s pretty damn cliche for someone approaching their thirties to look back on past experiences and say things like ‘it aint what it used to be,’ but there’s no better way to sum up those changes than by saying the convention scene just plain isn’t what it used to be.
When I first started attending conventions, I was quite frankly amazed by how much I was able to do, without breaking the bank. It was common practice back then to take pictures with your favorite celebrities free of charge, and oftentimes I was even given free autographs. Yes, everyone was there to make money, but it didn’t feel like they were – it felt like they just genuinely wanted to meet their fans.
But that was then. And this is now. Somewhere along the way, horror conventions went from fan events to big business, as those who profit from fan culture suddenly realized that there was a lot a money to be made with these little hotel gatherings – a nasty side effect of fan culture becoming more ‘mainstream,’ really.
Gone are the days of free meet ‘n greets and genuine celebrations of horror fandom, almost entirely replaced by things like greed and an overwhelming sense of sleaziness. It’s always been a business but nowadays it’s impossible not to notice, as the true intentions of all involved are revealed when you look at the ever-rising cost of simply walking up to someone you admire and telling them why.
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for ‘celebrities’ to charge astronomical prices for the honor of shaking their hand and having an awkward encounter, with prices typically ranging from $30 to the hundreds. Whereas a single $20 bill used to cover everything, autographs and photographs have now been split into two separate costs, with ridiculously expensive, prom-like ‘photo ops’ becoming the norm for bigger stars – such as anyone and everyone who’s ever walked past the screen on The Walking Dead.
I’ve got nothing but love for The Walking Dead but the show has in many ways brought out the worst in the convention scene, and in fact today’s rant was fueled by a recent guest announcement for an upcoming convention that quite frankly has made me feel like the final nail has been beaten into the horror convention coffin.
The zombie-themed Walker Stalker Convention is taking place in Atlanta on October 17th and the guest list is impressively stacked with Walking Dead stars, including Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln. Just added last night were Anniston and Tinsley Price, whose names you likely don’t recognize. So let me spell it out for you; they’re the twins that play Judith Grimes, on the show.
Yes, Judith Grimes. As in, Rick’s BABY daughter. TWO HUMAN BABIES have just been added to the convention, both their parents and the event profiting off of the sick fan desire to meet EVERYONE who has ever been involved in any aspect of their favorite thing. Chills ran up and down my spine when I read the announcement, at first sure that it was some sort of joke, and then utterly disturbed when it turned out not to be.
I can only assume that babies can’t sign autographs so I’m not exactly sure how the whole thing is going to work, but I do know that there is a $155 group photo-op that the twins will be included in, and I can’t help but wonder right about now how much extra it is to actually hold both Judiths in your arms, for the picture. Because why the hell not, at this point?
Granted, this is just one bad decision at one singular convention, but the infusion of babies into the mix is a pretty perfect representation of what’s become of the scene, as a whole. Now more than ever, it’s a sleazy business meant to prey on fans rather than help them celebrate their fandom, and I can’t for the life of me think of a better example of how low those predators have sunk than a goddamn meet ‘n greet with goddamn babies.
Maybe I’m just getting old, but spending two hours on line and then handing over $50 to say hi to a guy I watch on TV or a girl I watch in movies just doesn’t do it for me. Whereas I once felt like a fan at horror conventions, I now feel like a customer, and that to me has been the downfall of the whole scene.
Though I still regularly attend conventions, you’ll oftentimes find me up in my hotel room drinking with friends, for the majority of the weekend. Because what’s going on downstairs just doesn’t appeal to me anymore.
*Image up top courtesy: South Texas Horror Convention*
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52 Comments
I agree wholeheartedly. I almost never go for a full weekend (unless I’m actually a vendor at said convention) because, quite frankly, a lot of the stuff can be taken in and seen in one day, nay, a few hours at worst. Sure, there will always be a panel I wouldn’t mind catching, but how many times can we re-hear the same stories from the Friday the 13th franchises or Return of the Living Dead? Almost all of these conventions offer the same dozen-to-twenty guests, with a sprinkling of random others who generally live in the general region. It’s boring at these now, minus the vendors room. And again, you can do that in an hour, maybe two if you decide to stop and talk to a few of us.
Unfortunately I have to stay the weekend at most of these events because the closest ones are at least a 3-4 hour drive one way for me. I agree, after Saturday afternoon I’m ready to go home.
I dropped $230 to do the John Carpenter VIP thingy last weekend. Yes, it’s expensive and a little awkward, but I met one of my heroes. There’s only a handful of people I would want to meet on those terms, but he’s one of them. The Walking Dead babies is whole different story. Seems kinda sad…
In cases like John Carpenter, or the recent Freddy Krueger package, while they’re expensive, it’s usually worth it when it comes to someone who has a legacy that will be left behind. That’s an experience that you’ll always take with you. Can the same REALLY be said for these twin babies though? haha
That’s crazy, MY first Horror Convention was HorrorFind Weekend, 2005…with Bruce Campbell and Angus Scrimm and all that!
Angus Scrimm is one of the nicest men I have ever met in my life. He is so endearing and happy toward his phans….Jeffrey Combs is as well FYI.
Hah, that’s pretty funny. Went with my dad, will never forget that weekend!
I can sympathize with you on this… However, I can not empathize. I have kept myself as a loner of sorts when it comes to being a horror nut. I have never gone to a convention, nor sought out to meet any horror heroes. The closest thing I get to doing any public horror stuff is I sing for a horror rock band. I am now 37 and have been watching horror movies in a dark room or dark theater for the past 31 of my years. Hell, I don’t even go to the theater anymore. Horror movies of the last 2 decades suck! They have no heart and soul. Bottom line is, by keeping to myself, I have shielded from the dreaded experiences you have described above. Thankfully so, I agree that horror has become just like anything else wrong with most of this country… Greed. Selfishness. Idiocy. To paraphrase a quote from Henry Winkler in Scream… “Your thieving, whoring generation makes me sick” Kind of fell that is pretty much what you are trying to say… Keep up the great writing!
Bruce Campbell, awesome and generous person that he is, once recorded a video message for me for someone who couldn’t be there. For free. Just an example of how it used to be.
Hey man! Love to give you our side of things – James owner of WS Con james@walkerstalkercon.con
Just shot you an e-mail. Looking forward to talking.
See, I think this exchange right here will be awesome! I hope you write a follow up after the exchange of emails. It’ll be interesting to see what goes on ‘behind the curtain’ so to speak
I will say this, I was recently invited to Denver Comic Con with a couple friends for us to show off our Godzilla costume and promote our fan film. We got our way paid there, and we literally had to drive our suit in a U-Haul Van from Buffalo, NY to Denver, Colorado, so it wasn’t cheap and I think they shelled out 3 grand altogether for our trip and hotel accommodations.
So I can only imagine what it costs to get the stars out here, fees and travel/hotel adds up quick.
BUT… but… not all Walking Dead stars are complete raging fan-phobic money grubbers. Michael Rooker was one of the guests at Denver, and after his table session was over, he was being escorted out of the showroom, and he happened to pass our table, spotted our Godzilla suit, and asked if he could take pictures with it. THEN, the following night, he recognized us at the hotel bar and sat and had drinks with us, even called my fiancee who was already asleep in bed, in character as Merle and gave her the thrill of a lifetime.
So, I gotta tip my hat to a man that was a stand-up guy and made our weekend all the more glorious.
That costume is absolutely EPIC!! And yea, it’s really not the guests that are the problem. It’s their agents that set the prices, not them.
Michael is a class act! Treats his fans with nothing but respect. Also that is a SICK costume!!!
Kid actors at cons doesn’t sit right with me. First time I saw it was with 11 year old Daeg Faerch at a MonsterMania convention sitting at a table for 10 hours signing autographs for three consecutive days. Kid didn’t look happy. (Yes, we know that not looking happy is sort of his “thing” but he was clearly very bored and tired.)
Yea something about kids as con guests has always been weird to me. Even Carl from Walking Dead. I just wouldn’t feel right about paying to meet and take pictures with a little kid. And babies? Babies is DEFINITELY pushing it!
Well said, sir! Been feeling this way for quite some time, now. The scene always felt as though it was heading in this direction (Chiller Theater has been this way for YEARS) but it took Monster Mania awhile to get there.
I recall ranting similarly to a good friend of mine a few years ago and she told me that us Horror fanatics were lucky and have had it good in years past. Especially when you compare to Comic-Con pricing. Having never been to one myself, I asked her to elaborate. When she informed me that she had previously paid close to $80 to meet Linda Hamilton, I was floored. Suddenly, my complaints of being stuck paying $30 to meet someone didn’t seem too bad. Until, of course, the scene began looking a lot closer to the Comic-Con world she had described.
I try not to let it ruin my fun. I’ve always said that meeting new people and partying with friends whilst enjoying the rest of what the cons have to offer is what really makes the experience for me. So, I’ve since eased up on the gas, began coasting a bit and just enjoy the ride for what it is.
I could not agree more with this article…It is disgusting that the parents would exploit their twins to this chaos….but hey…anything for the almighty dollar.. die hard Walking Dead fans have ruined Conventions. #couldn’tgiveashitifyoudisagree
I couldn’t agree more with this piece. I started going to conventions around the same time as you and have continued to attend religiously ever since. I too have witnessed the commercialization of the convention scene. On the one hand, it’s great to see it grow, but it’s sad to lose the intimacy. It’s kind of like watching your favorite band get huge; you remember seeing them for 10 bucks in a dive bar, and now they’re playing big venues for $50 a ticket. These days, I ten to shy away from the celebrities for the most part.
As for the Walker Stalker situation, that is VERY strange. I can’t imagine anyone paying to meet a couple of toddlers. I will say, however, that I attended the Boston Walker Stalker and it was a good show for TWD enthusiasts.
I too have heard nothing but good things about Walker Stalker, and in fact several people have contacted me since writing this post to rave about it. I just think the baby thing is a bad decision, and it’s really the parents that are mostly to blame here.
I went to my first Horror con back in 1992, Fangoria Weekend of Horrors. For a first timer it was great. I got to meet sooooo many people. Bruce Campbell, Cliver Barker, Kevin Van Hentenryk, people from the original Night of the Living Dead, Roddy McDowell, tons of Scream Queens, Kane Hodder, Gunnar Hansen, even Gilbert Gottfried was there. All autographs were free, even if you brought something from home. Pictures with the stars were free too. It was the best, as was all other Fangoria shows after that. Then in the late 90’s I stopped going to Fango and started going to Chiller. I was a little taken aback that I now had to pay for an autograph, but I did. After awhile some of these people would refuse to autograph anything you brought from home, you had to buy something on their table. Then they started charging more to sign your personal stuff over something you bought at their table, and get a pic? That’s extra.
I too go to Monster Mania now, mostly because I moved closer to that show over the others. I rarely get autographs anymore, I will take pics of the stars, but not with them, except Kane Hodder he remembers me so he won’t charge me for a pic anymore. These shows are getting ridiculous, 25-55 just to get in there and you don’t even get anything for that anymore. I used to get the best free stuff at Fango, even Chiller had some decent freebies on occasion, Monster Mania hasn’t had any freebies for the past 2 or 3 years.
I will now step down from the podium and stop complaining.
I’ve had the same experiences as you pretty much to a TV, expect I started with Fango in 1990. Still, it’s disheartening. ..
Great piece. Even some (not many) vendors leave a bad taste in my mouth these days. One vendor in particular is at every MonsterMania selling bootlegged shirts/hoodies/phone cases/etc. which is not unusual, but I saw the same guy in Chicago for Flashback Weekend and discovered he now has the EXACT same patches as InkedUp Merch. He’s even putting them on hats and beanies exactly like InkedUp Merch. Really bums me out how greedy someone can be in such an intimate community.
Good post, and I think we can all agree that some people’s prices are getting out of hand(I mean, many of these guys are well-paid on shows currently running…$20 for their autograph ought to be enough). The baby thing just sounds crazy…but I still love going to conventions whether it’s as a guest or as a fan…(and I’d tell you my first horror con but it would make me feel old…)
can’t afford it? get a better job. boom problem solved. it’s the fans fault that everything is more expensive. they’re the ones willing to spend those big bucks for stupid photo ops. if the demand wasn’t there, then we’d see prices come down. supply and demand – simple economics
and buying a hotel room and spending most of the time in there drinking? yeah you’re probably doing something else, like butt sex
So edgy.
A few years ago I took my daughter to Big Apple Con. It was right after the first season of WD came out. Chandler Riggs (Carl) was there. His autograph was $10 and included a photo with my camera. Now, I hear he is over $40 just for the sig. Regarding other cons. I used to go to Chiller (twice a year) along with a couple of other cons. But, that was when autos were between $15-$30. With these prices even for nobody’s. I just can’t justify it anymore. Every time I think their is a price ceiling it gets blown up and the lines stay just as long.
Yes prices are increasing but not at the horror conventions I have attended. Wizard World prices? Yes have increased but a horror icon at a horror con still charges the same price. Wizard World is also seeing 25K to 80K people in attendance too so demand is high to produce those guests to satisfy. Texas Frightmare Weekend is by far one of the BEST experiences one can ever have. Lloyd and his people do everything in their power to make guests and fans happy which trickles down to low prices and fun times. Crypticon Kansas, Flashback weekend and Mile High Horror Film Festival are other organizations that keep the prices low and the quality of celebrities high. I can attest to the amount of hospitality one will gain at either of these cons. True horror fans are not rich, this is a sad fact and most stars of the genre (at least the ones who have been around for a while) know this to be true and refuse to treat their fans this way. I hope all who have had bad experiences find that there are many other cons out there where that hard earned money is very well spent.
I love the photo ops, the intimate photos at their tables and the general feeling at these cons. I have never felt like I have spent too much or pressured to spend more than I wanted too in order to obtain any of these moments you see. Most of the time I’m spending 20$, a few photo ops by professionals are a bit high but I gladly pay it.
If you’re looking for a great con that caters to the fans, you need to hit up Texas Frightmare Weekend. Although some photo-ops are done, TFW encourages guests to allow photos at their tables. Loyd Cryer, TFW’s promoter, does TFW not to fill his pockets with money, but because he himself is a fan of horror. He doesn’t get rich off of the con, in fact he has a regular job just like the rest of us. As for what the guests charge for autographs and such, TFW has no input or mandate on that at all and leaves that up to the guests and their managers. The staff at TFW is also a bright spot. Friendly, helpful and motivated to make TFW a positive experience for everyone. I myself am a staff team leader and have been for 8 of the 9 years of the con’s existence. The majority of our staff have been with us for years and any new additions know we have high expectations for their performance. And best of all, 2015 will be EPIC because it will be TFW’s 10th year. If you think I’m full of b.s. about TFW because I’m a staff member, feel free to ask around. Sure, you’ll find some people with negative comments, after all, you can’t please everybody, but I’m sure the majority of people who know about TFW will back up everything I’ve said here.
Cinema Wasteland in the Cleveland, Ohio area, while a small, niche convention (late 50’s-late 80’s drive-in/grindhouse/B-movie focus), also accepts & shows independent horror flicks/short films too. Look it up. It’s twice a year: first weekends of April & October.
TFW also shows independent and short films as well as classic/cult films. We also invite the writers, directors and cast members of those indie and short films to be guests on the convention floor, providing them an opportunity to meet fans, sign autographs and take pictures. All screenings and panel forums are included in the price of the regular ticket, they are not an additional cost.
seriously? the twins? that’s just wrong.
Now I want to say a few words about TFW. I cant get to a lot of horror cons. if its in TX bring it. I try to go. TFW is awesome. The atmosphere is just one big party. Everyone is on their own little schedule of what they want to do it feels like. I have never left TFW unhappy or disappointed. Unless because it was leaving. I had to skip this year but 2012 & 2013 I was there and it was fun. Like a huge family that only sees each other once a year.And its organized. OMG… so many comic cons could learn from TFW!!! My Mom who doesn’t watch much horror at all, LOVES TFW as well. Spooky Empire was my first and it was cool. Mad Monster in NOLA was awesome. But I am a TX girl and my first love is TFW. Comic cons are outrageous in price, photo ops only rules and so much else. One of them still owes me money for a prepaid auto that I continually went for at the scheduled time and the person wasn’t there.2 days. with the advent of ebay and ppl getting rich of off those who got the cheap autos and then sell them outrageously, that’s also what really hurt the convention goer’s pockets.
I’ve gone to these conventions since ’92 and granted there weren’t nearly as many as there are now. Met Bruce Campbell just before Army/Darkness came out and he didn’t charge anything for his autograph. We still travel around to diff’t ones based on the guests, and each has it’s own pros and cons (no pun intended). Sure, prices have increased, but which part of your lives isn’t this a reality for? Ultimately, the choice is yours—don’t like the prices, the vendors, the “greed”? Well you’re in luck—no one’s forcing you to participate. Just as you allowed yourself the opportunity to sit in a hotel room all weekend rather than enjoy yourself among the crowd (although why you’d pay for this yet complain about paying celebs is beyond me). Overall, part of the fun of the experience is being around all the like-minded fans for the weekend. Sometimes I meet a celeb, other times I don’t—thankfully I got a lot of their signatures/pictures before these got so popular. From TFW, to Chiller, to Scarefest, to Wasteland, we’ve met tons of really nice people that all have this thing in common. Walker Stalker was a great time and I’ll be there again in Atlanta this year–and just because the twins will be there doesn’t mean they’ll have a giant line of people paying to meet them. Again, that choice belongs to you and anyone else that is still willing to go have a good time.
All things have their heyday and horror cons are in theirs now. I like TWD but have to say I don’t like what it’s done to conventions. It’s brought in many people who are there just for that. Especially 14 year old screaming fangirls (Oh my god it’s Norman, I’m just gonna die!”) Normans a nice guy and luckily I met him a few years back when TWD wasn’t so popular. Paid $30 for an autograph and pic with him. Now when he appears I just walk by his 3hr wait line and think no way! The amount of people wanting to meet TWD guests is what I think raised a lot of prices. Sure some went up before that but it wasn’t an epidemic. I noticed at my last con that Kane Hodder had gone from $20 to $25, for years he’s been $20 but you know, who can blame him. He looks around and sees Chandler Riggs charging $30 or some of the other TWD who go $40 or $50 and it’s got to piss him off that he’s only getting $20. So yeah it bothered me that he went up but I get it. The good news is sooner or later TWD will end and when it does so will the majority of it’s fandom, horror cons will go back to being what they were or close to it and the fans will go back to being people who like more then one show.
Photo-ops – I can kind of see someone wanting a group photo op with a great backdrop and I actually did one with Joe Turkel behind the bar, $30 and totally worth it but I wouldn’t pay a cent for a prom picture with Reedus or even one of my heroes. To me when people post those and brag about them it makes me laugh because I know they just spent a minimum of $50 for 2 seconds of time and a pic that usually looks pretty crappy.
Baby Judith – yeah saw that last night and laughed my ass off. What are they gonna do, sign footprints??? Guess I’ll just look at it the same as random zombie #5 who promotes themselves as a TWD guest and charges for their autograph. Must be some people who want it and willing to pay for it. More power to em I guess, make that money while it’s there but you won’t make it from me.
As for cons that are great I can think of two, Days Of The Dead in Atlanta was awesome, went for my first time this year. It was well organized, had lots to do besides getting autographs and they encourage guests to keep their prices low. I also don’t think there were any pro photo ops which is great! I had a blast at that con! The other is Mad Monster Party, I’ve been to the 3 in Charlotte and one in New Orleans and all were great. They are actually my go to con because if I can only afford one I know I’ll have fun at that one! The prices don’t stay as low as DOTD but they get stars that no one else gets and they have a good mix. I mean name me another con inthe past 10 years thats gotten Rutger Hauer?!? They have a lot of programming as well so if you don’t have alot of $ for autographs you’ll still have fun. Their film festival is great and they usually premier 1 or 2 features that aren’t yet out (Go see Smothered when it’s released! It’s great!) Lots of night events too so just a great party atmosphere. MMP is my family and they treat me like it.
By the way, my first Horror con was World Horror Con in 95′ where I met Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Tony Todd, David Prowse and Clive Barker all for free
I whole heartedly agree with this article. I have been attending conventions since 2008, and it was around 2010 only after 2 years going to them that I saw things becoming mainstream. I have done a couple photo ops, only because the proceeds went to a charity and was the only way to get you picture with the celebrity.
An example was JLC at Horror Hound in 2012, but she held the directors slate used on the set of HALLOWEEN (1978), so it was worth it to me. I am attending Horror Hound this coming weekend mainly for the MaskFest side of the convention, it’s the part I truly enjoy, and because I usually buy a mask or 2, because they are hand made and are usually 1 of kind pieces and not cookie cutter Halloween Express crap. If it wasn’t for MaskFest I probably wouldn’t go, I am getting a few of the celebrities signatures, I think maybe a total of 6 and that’s the least I have ever got at one of these events, but the guest list I have met most of them and the ones I haven’t met I don’t care to.
This is the only event I have attended this eyar other than Full Moon in Nashville, but that’s a day trip for me, because I live 2 hours from Nashville.
I’ve just reached the point I have met everyone I care to meet, I met every Jason, even Brooker before he passed away, I’ve Gunnar, Pinhead, Freddy and so on. It’s just come to the point that the convention scene isn’t fun anymore, and seems more like a job, than a vacation for me. I do like hanging with the like minded fans, and it’s fun to hang with the “Poser’s”, they’re easy to spot. Love the article, you hit the nail on the head, and I think the 2 Judith’s is way over board imo.
Totally down with this. I was blessed to catch Norman Reedus at a horror con (forgive me, can’t remember which one) right when The Walking Dead was still fresh, and I was able to score numerous FREE photos with and of him–I only had to pay if I need him to sign something at his table. I mean, I walked up to him at least 3 times during that 3 day weekend and got a free table shot each time. He was that awesome. Last con I was at where he was a guest, I didn’t even bother trying–$40 or so just to walk up and say “HI”, NO photos at the table, and the professional photo-op was the most expensive for one person (as opposed to a cast shot), and the most heavily booked, of all the photo-ops. I like to believe the actors don’t have a say, because they got “people” who deal with the cons and work out the financial details, but still. It was kinda sad.
I love a lot of big stars but make a stand when they try to rape fans wallets like say chritopher lyoyd who’s worth was 70M and wanted to charge 70$ just to get a picture with him. I’ve been a fan since cukoos nest and refused to pay 70. I got a beautiful b and w poster w every next generation character for around 20 until I met Patrick stewart who wanted 100 and I said no way!
supposedly stallone charges 400 for picts w him. absolute ridiculousness! More power to paparazzi who annoy these rapists!
The Walking Dead has brought a whole new type of fan to conventions. Especially Norman Reedus. A lot of his fans are soccer moms and their teenage kids who have never watched any horror outside of their favorite Sunday night cable show. I hate going to shows where he is appearing. Granted it is cool for the promoters but not for the die hard horror fan who loves seeing the actors and actresses they grew up loving. And 80 bucks for is autograph? Glad I met him when he charged 20 bucks. And don’t get me started on Walker Stalker. Seems like a bunch of money hungry promoters who only care about filling their pockets with cash!!!
Can’t agree with this article. Horror cons are still just as awesome as they have always been and there are still many small cons that are run by fans for the fans. Sure, prices may have gone up, but events with inevitably get more expensive as time goes on…supply and demand, inflation, etc. It’s pretty lame that you’d rather drink than attend an awesome convention. Oh well, you’re missing out.
The actors don’t receive much of the money they bring in. I go to all of them I can. I love meeting the stars and one of their represenatives told me they get around 30 percent of their take in. The guests also have to get pay for their travel and hotel costs. Their meals are usually catered, but they still have to purchase their drinks. That is why the costs have gone up over the years. I agree, though, that a baby is not proper for a convention.
Sadly, you’re right. We’re customers now. I remember meeting Peter Cushing at the FM Con. Sweet man, excited we were there to see him, and he shook hands and posed for photo ops endlessly. No charge.
Peter Cushing: the only man that Tony Timpone was never able to get at one of the Fangoria Weekend Of Horrors(back when their shows were the rage[:it seems so long ago when Fango dominated everything in the genre in the 80s.,90s,and 00s/2000s]).
https://www.facebook.com/helloweenfest You might be interested in this little con I did last year. Didn’t gross the best profit but everyone had an amazing time!
I remember in 1990 when everyone used to complain about Gunnar Hansen charging for his autographs,but he was a Godsend compared to the many celebrities and the greedy convention organizers that have been overcharging fans to death for the last 15 years(Thanks,Creation Entertainment,Chiller Theatre,and Wizard World[and all of the other celebrity convention circuits that allow overcharging the fans] !!!),for it’s nice to know that I’m not alone in this feeling.
I’m way older that 30’s and have been attending conventions of one kind or another since the 1980’s. I go see the stars, true, but I spend more time hanging out with people I’ve met over the years. I remember the days of pay your admission, buy a picture (for 5 dollars or less, sometimes included with admission) and get it signed for nada. I have met some stars who will lower the price if you’re buying multiple, one even saw me in the dealers and handed me back most of the money I spent for him…Tom Trowel from Rob Zombie’s films. Conventions are still fun and I do look forward to them, but monetary concerns have required I scale back on the number I attend. Maybe it will all come around again.
Wholeheartedly agree. I’ve been going to horror cons since the FIRST Chiller theatre. I now am co Creator and co founder of ROCK AND SHOCK. I have nothing but love like you, for guests and shows. However it is true “they ain’t what they used to be”…and there’s no excuse for putting fans into financial ruin to look at you. Sadly we have no control and I even wanted all autographs to be free when we started the con. It’s only gone up and up and everyone wants to charge what everyone else does…etc. at some point maybe the tides will turn.
I understand people have to make money but there has to be a limit…or better yet a conscience?
I quit doing horror conventions for this reason. When I saw Dario Argento hit by a car outside a fangoria weekend of horrors convention & NO ONE ran over to help the living legend up to his feet but me, I new something had changed in fandom and in conventions. I stopped doing them years & years ago & I’m leering of attending any to promote my horror channel, American Horrors.
Feel free to promote on our own online Halloween/Horror community for free:
https://halloween.community/
And I can guarantee no one will be getting hit by a car or standing in lines or taking a hit to the wallet.
It’ll never be the same as in-person meetups, but it has me thinking maybe we should consider an online convention, where fans who can’t financially or physically make it to traditional conventions could have a chance to chat with their favorite stars.
I been going to horror cons since 1990 when Fango con autographed were free. Sadly, as time had passed cons have pricing. No doubt that TWD has made them worse. Like the whole Alanna Masterson charging 10 to talk to her disgusting! !