CEII Celebration Europe II July 26th-28th 2013, Essen, Germany

I suppose that Leland Chee isn't involved much in Star Wars Rebels, as he is having his Holocron 101 panel at the same time as the Rebels presentation.
I would like to get an opportunity to ask him if he have got to work anything together with Michael Arndt ... because that could indicate something about how much that Episode VII would be influenced by the EU.

 

I've never been to a convention before.
Any tips on how autographs and panels work?

 

There isn't much point in having a continuity guy if you don't bother respecting continuity, so he should be called upon often if Arndt & Abrams care anything about EU damage limitation.

 

Autographs: You go and buy tickets for the autographs you want at Official Pix's ticket sales - that is if you haven't preordered them.
Then you take your autograph ticket to the person you want an autograph from and if necessary line up in their queue.
At the table you hand the ticket to the helper and choose the litograph you want signed. You can also buy photos at Official Pix's photo sale stand.
A word of advise, unless you have a really easy name, then write your name on a piece of paper and show it to the guest if you want them to dedicate it to you.
If it is some of the less busy guests, then you can also ask if you can have a photo with them if you have a camera. If time permits they are usually most happy to do so. But always ask first.

Panels: Check times on the schedule and line up outside the correct room at least half an hour before. For some of the panels like the actors panels and Kathleen Kennedy's panel you may even need to line up 1-2 hours before if you want a good seat. I think mostly 1 hour should be enough to get you in the room. But really it is anybodys guess as to how long you need to line up for. It may be, that half an hour is more than enough for all the panels but if the american Celebrations is anything to go by, then at least an hour is advised for the most popular panels.

 

I didn't think about room size. Of couse you are right - if the rooms are small, then people will need to stand in line longer to get in.
Having only been to CIV, CV and CVI I haven't experienced many problems in that direction.

 

Thanks for advice!
Offical Pix has stated that Messe Essen is smaler then usual, but in context it might just have been their setup. Messe Essen is supposedly one of the biggest convention halls in Europe.
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPix?fref=ts

 

If it's a bigger hall than CE1 had then it should be fine, Excel always seemed a bit small because of the way they did the halls.

 

There is a map of Messe Essen here, but only the upper/right is interesting. CEII is taking up only about 1/4 to 1/3 of the entire convention centre.

I am not concerned about the size of the Grugahalle - it is a sports arena. I anticipate that they will seal off the plaza between the Halle and the Messe for us to walk and use entrances that lead straight from the plaza up to the seats -- and I think that those entranceways will become the bottlenecks.

The Digital Stage and Collectors and Fan Stage are upstairs, and I would anticipate some congestion in the stairway.

The Behind-The-Scenes Stage is in a section of exhibition hall 5. You would have to pass though the rest of the exhibition to get there from any of the other stages, though.

 

Hello,
it will be my 1st convention too, i can't wait to be there.
i would like to have the autographs signed on a poster, is it possible ?
any advice about it?

 

Yes, it is possible to get autographs on a poster.

My advise; bring your own pens, so you don't get an autograph with a smudshed worn out pen - and also then you get the same color. The guests may not want to use your pen, but it doesn't hurt to try and ask.
And then of couse always keep the poster in a tube - except when it is being signet and when the ink is drying, but someone could bump in to you by mistake and make folds or worse in the poster.

 

You will be able to bring items for the actors to sign. You ask them how and where on the item you want the signature. You should tell them if you want just their signature, their name and the name of the character or the name, the name of the character and a dedication with your name in it and some catch phrase. Otherwise, they will usually write all of the above. If you want a dedication, then it is best to carry a note with your name spelled correctly ...
Sometimes an actor will refuse to sign an item (such as a bootleg), but I have never experienced that an actor has refused to sign a poster.

I also collect practically all my Star Wars autographs on a poster. It is a bit more cumbersome than a stack of photos. When you roll it out you should remember to lay it on the table so that the signer can reach it - that is especially important for someone like Kenny Baker or Mike Edmonds...
When you leave you should roll the precious poster from both ends and hold it for a while with the signature exposed so that it can dry properly before you roll it up and put it back into the tube. If you don't let it dry enough, then the signature can smear when you roll it up.

Carrying the tube around is a hassle also.. More than once, I have misplaced my tube and had to go back and look for it... The poster tube is too long to fit in my suitcase also. My solution to this is that I have taped a loop and D-ring to the middle of the tube, that I tie with a string to a zipper on my shoulder bag. That way, I always have the poster with me, leaving my hands free.

 

Some stuff can be a hassle to get signed, which is why I normally get the pictures available at the table.

I might go for photos this time instead of autographs, getting both Hamill & McDiarmid's autograph is going to cost a lot and I don't know if it's really worth it. A photo means I still get to meet them and exists as a memory as much as an autograph does.

 

thanks a lot for the advices
i think i'll buy the poster at the convention
and i'll bring my own pens

 

Just so you people know.
Official Pix as said on their facebook you can collect your pre-ordered tickets on Thursday even if you aren't a VIP

 

So many schedule clashes, must decide which to prioritise

 

Oh, yes...
Example: I want too see Anthony Daniels panel which means I can't get see "Secrets of the Clone Wars"

 

I usually check in here when I see there has been an update so feel free to contact me for issues if Obi Anne isn't around.

 

I'm getting very excited for the show, I fly out of Boston Tuesday night and land in Brussels. Spending the day there and heading to Essen Wednesday night. Looking forward to Kathleen Kennedy's panel and SW Rebel. And of course the autograph hall!

 

so long time lurker but finally posted - to say a) thanks for sharing all the celebration tips for a novice like me and b) my first Celebration is but days away (and thanks to my wife for getting me a VIP ticket for my 40th last month!)

*giddy with excitement*

 

It's so strange! I remember it like yesterday it said 200 days on the counter and now -- we'll be there THIS weekend! For many of us it seams to be the first, but to us the new and to you veterans I hope you have a great celebration.