Tangent 21 - Starfury Update re Camera Policy

Posted by
Jola

Posted on
21:36
Jul 19 2004

Starfury Update re Camera Policy

This was posted by Sean on his Yahoo Group today:-

There are certain things that we don't make rules at events or because we expect people to use both common sense and to respect those around them at the convention. Like we don't say 'No Live Ammunition' because we don't think anybody woul be so stupid as to bring live ammunition.

And we don't expect the attendees to treat the guests as if they are dirt. Just because they are on a TV show it doesm't give anybody the right to treat them without a shred of respect.

At STARFURY: FUSION when the guests attened the disco on the Saturday night, they had each just spent 2 hours in photo sessions, 1 hour guest talks and 4 hours of autographs with an hour of judging fancy dress ontop. That's a total of 8 hours work. Then as soon as they come to the disco to relaxe and party it's safe to assume that all attendees will respect the work they have done, and allow them to relaxe and enjoy themselves. Right?

Wrong. People must have viewed the guests at FUSION as scum, because after all that work when they hit the disco, out came all the cameras and flash guns. No wonder the guests fled.

And guess what? On the Sunday night after the closing ceremony the attendees did it all again.

Thankfully the behaviour of attendees was a million times better at HYPERION and PROMETHEUS. But when Andy Hallett was singing onstage on the Sunday night there was at least on attendee who refused to take their flash gun out of his face.

Considering the state of Andy's health, and that he was still willing to push himself for his fans, such behaviour was abomnibal.

After talks with my staff, I am sadly left with two options:-

1. Do not let the guests attend the discos, judge the fancy dress and stop holing closing ceremony's.

2. Ban cameras from the main hall.

We have repeatedly asked attendees to treat guests with the same respect that any humn being deserves; we made it a rule not to ask guests to pose for pictures during the disco's and party's; we have explained that after so much hard work they do not appreciate this kind of treatment.

People simply will not listen.

Just imagine after working n 8 hour day, if your boss expected you to work even longer? How would you react.

It is for this reason we are now banning cameras from the main hall at STARFURY events.

Sean Harry

46 Replies and 12634 Views in Total. [ 1 2 3 ]

Samphirette To you I guess I'm just a clown who picks you up each time you're down

That's a real shame for those of us that use our cameras 95% (I'm not going to say I haven't taken the odd disco guest photo from afar - but they never come out from the distance) only to take snapshots of our friends at parties as fun memories !

So it's the minority that have ruined it for everyone else. Let's just hope that other conventions don't follow suit.

That's going to suck at actually capturing moments on camera with people you don't see very often

Posted: 22:27 Jul 19 2004

SPIKE "Hakuna Matata" Captain Zapy

Hmm I can sort of understand this, but does that mean we can still take pics in the bar and stuff? I'd imagine so, but then where do we put our cameras if not allowed them in the main hall after we've sued them ni the bar? Does this also mean we can't take pics at the begining of talks?

(Edited by SPIKE 19/07/2004 22:59)

Posted: 22:58 Jul 19 2004

Samphirette To you I guess I'm just a clown who picks you up each time you're down

Actually thinking about it I'd rather have cameras banned at talks (with the exception of a chosen or official photographer - ) Afterall how many people attempt to take photos during the talks that don't come out. Add that to all the people who buy the videos anyway to see the talks again.

The discos is the one place where there is no official photography or videoing and therefore far more important to have a camera at ...

(Edited by Staff 01/08/2004 00:27)

Posted: 23:16 Jul 19 2004

bipolar "Aurgh! Arugh jeeez!! NO! NO NINA! BAD NINA!"

im really hacked off about this as i have never (well not since n2k) taken piccers of the guests when they are chilling not even for a piccer with them i prefer to be taking embarrassing pictures of me and my friends goofing off and getting steadily drunk over the course of the night and the amazing costumes people come in or create.
its crappy from now on we'll have to ask everyone to go into the corridor just for a piccer.
"yes please hold that exact pose and shuffle over to the hallway so i can capture it - i know spike finds it difficult to move while tied up with someone's g-string but i wanna get a photo!" *pout*
goits.

Posted: 10:23 Jul 20 2004

Whistler "I wonder wonder why the wonder falls. I wonder why the wonder falls on me. I wonder wonder why the wonder falls, with everything I touch and hear and see."

I think using the word 'scum' is an over-reaction. It's more a case of over-excited fans who can't contain themselves.

And, as for people having to work beyond an 8 hour day when they didn't expect so? I imagine a lot of us have been in that position. But I can't imagine it was anything as stressful as sitting down writing my name hundreds of time or smiling with strangers. I'm sure any junior doctor reading this after a 72 hour shift in A&E must feel ashamed at complaining of long hours....

Okay, yes, it is a shame that some people can't seem to abide by the rules and I can imagine that it is annoying for the guests after they've done a long day of signings and photo-shoots. But they're at a convention for a weekend, it kinda goes with the territory that people will sometimes take sneaky pics, etc. It'd be a helluva lot different if they were walking down the street or eating dinner in a restaurant and it happened.

A little bit of perspective wouldn't go amiss here, Sean.

Posted: 17:37 Jul 20 2004

MonSTeR No big eyes! No magic powers! No giant robots!

by Whistler

And, as for people having to work beyond an 8 hour day when they didn't expect so? I imagine a lot of us have been in that position. But I can't imagine it was anything as stressful as sitting down writing my name hundreds of time or smiling with strangers. I'm sure any junior doctor reading this after a 72 hour shift in A&E must feel ashamed at complaining of long hours....

LMAO - That's very true Whistler I'd much rather have to work in a steel foundry than do something strenuous like signing autographs in a swish air conditioned hotel then having to undergo the trauma that is judging a fancy dress competition.

I mildly enjoy a convention, but I think for the prices that are charged and the fees the "stars" get paid that they could put up with a few photos being taken.

Posted: 17:57 Jul 20 2004

Teresa "So I can come inside of your kiss and just leave you on your knees"

Maybe if you all put another Â£20 in the 'accidental photo pot' on the way out he'll be happy........

'Allegedly' and all that

Posted: 18:37 Jul 20 2004

Ethan You Rasclart!

Nothing short of crap if you ask me. Ok yeah, fair enough, I don't do cons, and I don't intend to, but that's my take on it. I've been reduced to having 1-day weekends at the mo through work... And uhh..what do all these stars do in between filming? If I paid Â£300 for a bleeding con, I'd sure as hell get my moneys worth! That's a weeks wage for me!

Try actually working and coming back to us with the same thing...

crap. Oh wait...another banning for me?

PS..Sorry, I don't usually voice my opinion on this kinda thing, seing as certain people think it's nice to get myself banned from certain things because they haven't got the balls for some constructive criticism.

Posted: 19:02 Jul 20 2004

Samphirette To you I guess I'm just a clown who picks you up each time you're down

by Whistler
It's more a case of over-excited fans who can't contain themselves.

I would tend to agree! BUT having seen the sheer quantity of young newbie convention goers at End of Days was enough to freak me out when they ruin the dancefloor action by chanting up at balconies where the guests are. Watching all the surging to the stage every time a guest ventured onto it made you feel like you were at a riot

I remember the more relaxed conventions of 2000-2002 where guests *could* get onto the dancefloor and mill around a little with only the odd photo taken from afar (with the exception of the ones James Marsters happened to attend and all the loony girls doing the "look at me dancing routines

)

I appreciate the jesting about the 8 hour "working day" thing (hell even *I* work 10 hour days!), but at the end of that day you hope to go home and let off steam. I know it's hard enough to fit everything into a day as an attendee (including getting any decent lunch

) so I imagine it's a quite tiring day for the guests. But the guests have to have some agreed contract at conventions. I know I'm not very good with direct flash photography and I'm sure I wouldn't be able to subject myself to an hour photoshoot (apart from the fact the camera would break

) plus flash photography at talks (now limited to 5 minutes though) but I certainly wouldn't want to be pestered in the middle of the dancefloor as some guests have been in the past.

I think perhaps there is a perspective issue here as it's more of a lack of security and authority. It's often said that guests are too polite to say no to a photo when asked, but it really comes down to the ignorance and lack of respect an "enthusiastic attendee" has for stewards/pa's who are with the guest. After all if there's a rule in place and people blatantly go up and badger a guest for photo or "stick a camera in their face" and are warned not to, then surely security should escort that single person out and make a tannoy warning to others thinking about trying it. This would be a better preference to penalise those individuals than banning cameras from those who are capable of keeping themselves under control.

(Edited by Samphirette 21/07/2004 00:33)

Posted: 00:10 Jul 21 2004

bipolar "Aurgh! Arugh jeeez!! NO! NO NINA! BAD NINA!"

by Whistler
I think using the word 'scum' is an over-reaction.

who used the word scum? i must've missed that.

[damn my fast typing i always miss a word out!]

(Edited by bipolar 21/07/2004 00:17)

Posted: 00:16 Jul 21 2004

Whistler "I wonder wonder why the wonder falls. I wonder why the wonder falls on me. I wonder wonder why the wonder falls, with everything I touch and hear and see."

by bipolar
(quotes)

who used the word scum? i must've missed that.

[damn my fast typing i always miss a word out!]

(Edited by bipolar 21/07/2004 00:17)

Sean did when he referred to attendees treating the guests as 'scum'.

by Sean Harry

People must have viewed the guests at FUSION as scum.

(Edited by Whistler 21/07/2004 00:22)

Posted: 00:20 Jul 21 2004

Jola

I saw this posted by Sean on his forums:-

Given that somebody has just posted on the STARFURY e-group that they are getting all of their friends to bomberd the e-group with complaints about the decision about the photo policy it is clear that many people will not accept this situation.

This sadly leaves me with no choice.

THE WHITE ROOM will be the final STARFURY event to feature ANGEL guests.

Sean Harry

Posted: 08:25 Jul 21 2004

Dangermouse One more word from you , and i'll bitch slap you so hard, your children will be born well-behaved.

OK trying not to have an extreme rant here but.....

1) Has he not heard of spellcheck?

2) People aren't supposed to take flash photography ion the underground, bit different when the light blinds the eyes of the driver !

3) And what about the strobe disco lights? Not exactly the same as flash photography but similar effect

4) If i was earning Â£10,000 for a weekend to sign my name and have my photo taken, i would expect to 'put the hours in', especially if i had several hundred fans there.

I know i was one of the people that took pics on the dance floor, but i did ask Jenny Mollen (Nina from Angel) if i could take a pic of her with her sister. Sean asked her 'what's going on?'. Jenny said 'I'm having my photo taken with one of my fans'. She was genuinely surprised and impressed with the attention and fan reaction she got

5) And as for calling the PAYING attendees scum (if it wasn't for them then they wouldn't have the cons), that is just rude and an insult to all the people that have supported him through his events. I know some people save all year to attend, just to see the people from one of their favourite tv shows.

6) If you look at how the fans are here, compared to cons in America, then if having your photo taken while dancing is the only problem, then try going to one in the states where the guests there get physically mobbed. I think UK fans are wonderfully behaved.

7) Saying that there will be no more Angel themed cons seems to me like cutting off your nose etc, and would be losing Starfury money or is that the whole point on the whinge? People are taking there own photos and don't want to pay out for his.

and last but no means least 8) if SH wants to call me scum to my face, bring it on sunshine, bring it on !

LEt's hope that Sector 14 gets back in the swing of things then if Starfury doesn't want to continue with ANgel cons, i'm sure they would be ahppy to have 800-2500 people attend their cons

Posted: 10:29 Jul 21 2004

Jola

by Dangermouse
OK trying not to have an extreme rant here but.....

5) And as for calling the PAYING attendees scum (if it wasn't for them then they wouldn't have the cons), that is just rude and an insult to all the people that have supported him through his events.

He was actually saying the fans treated the guests like scum - he wasn't calling the fans scum.......

Posted: 12:53 Jul 21 2004

Teresa "So I can come inside of your kiss and just leave you on your knees"

by Dangermouse
6) If you look at how the fans are here, compared to cons in America, then if having your photo taken while dancing is the only problem, then try going to one in the states where the guests there get physically mobbed.

The one I 'accidently' went to was nothing like that. There were no talks, signing sessions, photo shoots etc. It was just one big party of fans (and me

) and a few of the stars happened to be there. Saying few I meant almost all of the major Buffy/Angel characters. With the exception of SMG they have all attended this party one year or another. If they were mobbed I'm sure they wouldn't repeat the experience year after year.

Another point I would like to make is that all of the money raised from this party every year went to charity.

(Edited by Teresa 21/07/2004 14:15)

Posted: 14:14 Jul 21 2004

Jola

Was the the PBP (Posting Board Party?) because when I went to it last year some of the guests were mobbed - Len had some woman elbow (or try to) him out of the way - needless to say she got shoved right back *heehee*.....

But then the guests had a safe room to go to in the VIP area downstairs

Posted: 15:11 Jul 21 2004

Ethan You Rasclart!

by Jola
I saw this posted by Sean on his forums:-

(quotes)

another cause of Sean throwing his toys out the pram perhaps?

(Edited by Staff 01/08/2004 00:31)

Posted: 15:40 Jul 21 2004

SPIKE "Hakuna Matata" Captain Zapy

erm, I dunno why but I just burst out laughing at that, he wants to stop all his angel events because people are not happy about being able to take pictures in the main hall? Erm....O................K

(Edited by SPIKE 21/07/2004 15:48)

Posted: 15:47 Jul 21 2004

Sydney You can lead the whore to culture but you can't make her think!

as i posted on the White Room thread:

This all sounds very familiar and i'm sure that as soon as the coffers start running a little low there'll be another Angel event announced. Wasn't EoDs supposed to be his last EVER con? Given that this was the con that the 'trouble' started at If he was going to keep to this then he'd have stuck to his guns and quit then.

Posted: 17:23 Jul 21 2004

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