I.E., CA What would you like to see at CV?

C-IV was fab but what would folks like to see at CV?

For me I'd love to see:

Hyperspace Members Only
On Fan Day - Run Fan Day Only Programming such as panels with the actors, filmmakers that will not run on any other day.
Members only entrance which opens one hour before the general public one.
Members only exclusives from vendors.

All Six Films Running all the time.
More Art Exhibits like the Helmet One.
Have all of the touring exhibits at the exhibition such as the Science Center one, FIDM one and the one that is in London.
A massive Costume and Prop exhibit.
Bigger more open vendor hall.
Art Show in it's one more open area so it's easier to view the amazing artwork.
More going on in the fan hall.

 

Those are great suggestions, Stuart. I agree with them all. They did have members of hyperspace come in 1 hour early at C3 for every day of the con. But it was a mess. In the cold.

 

What? There's going to be a CV?!

 

Yeah, I agree with what you suggested. Maybe a little more activities for the Hyperspace members. I mean, we're the fan club, we should get a little bit extra treats. They really didn't utilize all the space at the L.A. Convention Center either and all I am going to say about the action figures on Monday is.....NOT VERY NICE!

Oh! Star Wars Karaoke!!
One suggestion I kept hearing was having little sections of sets from the movies like the one they had of C3-P0 and R2-D2 in the hall. That would be awesome. And as an amatuer costumer and just plain crazy fan: MORE COSTUMES!!! MORE!!!

 

I agree with the three

1. All Six Films Running all the time.
2. A massive Costume and Prop exhibit.
3. Bigger more open vendor hall.

The SW store space was enormous for usch few items. It looked like a GRANTS or GEMCO going out of business sale. Overall the people were great and the atmosphere was eletric!

 

I'll keep this as simple as possible.

as far as what what would be nice for C-V, I would have to agree with what everyone has already written. see simple. if I was to add one thing, i'd have to say they need to have people that know what the heck is going on and not be as rude as they were. (gen con)

okay my review of C-IV:

if you took out lego, gentle giant, hasbro, autograph & artist alley, you'd have frank-n-sons. the lucas exibit / helmet & R2 builders was really the only thing to see. i'm surprised the exibit wasn't way bigger. of all the things to see, I think there could've been alot more items of interest there. dixie cups? the science center has way more stuff. I know there were panels and the one man show but as far as stuff to see, unless you were paying for autographs, not really much there.

between the pooch screw of the opening ceremonies (which I heard sucked many times over), 501st picture not happening to where you could view it, jabba-leia picture not happening, the overall not knowing what to do as most of the people working there were temps (for example...it took sheila and I over one hour to exchange a poster I bought do to it being ripped), the rude, pushy, uninformed / trained, arrogant attitude of many gen con employees, and the cake topper which was the celebration store on monday (which we had FIVE DIFFERENT REASONS why monday ticket holders got a FREE figure)...i'd have to give it a C+ and that's being generous due to the fact that I got to meet some really awesome artists and buy some of their work as well as meet many actors from the movies. to have my stuff finally autographed for display is totally cool as i'll remember that always. especially the time I spent with jeromy bulloch. got to see him three separate time throughout the show and got to talking with him.

please don't think i'm being negative in anyway as this was just our experience. i'm sure there were many people who had a wonderful time and thought the staff was the best thing since sliced bread. that being said and I could give many more things that happened...here's a few ----> there were some women that were crying due to gen gon's actions toward them, some people were told they would be arrested, gen con employees grabbing people (me included), even to go as far as grab a womans stroller with baby and take it down the escalator against her wishes. am I bitter? nope. pissed? yep! there actions were totally unexcusable an uncalled for. when the head of security that's contracted for gen con says they've mucked it up many times as far as how they've been dealing with things, what does that tell you?

I don't want to go into a complete rant as we did have a good time in general. so i'll leave it here. again this was our experience and it was what it was. I will say this though...most of the volunteers there were totally cool as they "get it". they're part of us. the collectors, the fans. they wanted to be there to where gen con had to be there. huge difference. for all those who did volunteer...thanks.

 

Most of the GenCon people are volunteers so your always gonna get good and bad ones. They are not to be confused with the LACC center employees who should know the layout as they work there daily.

I'm in the camp that says fair play to getting the figure for free on Monday. Monday's schedule was minimal at best, most of the exclusives by then were sold out, vendors were packing up early, some of the stars didn't appear on Monday and it was shorter hours yet it cost the exact same price to get in.

They also needed to get rid of them as they made far, far too many. Two online shops have been given the left overs and are selling them for $19.99 each. On eBay the people who bought tons of them aren't getting more than $23-$25. I would even consider them an excusive as they are so easily available.

For me when CV rolls around I'm not going to bother with the vendor area. The exhibits, panels and autograph area are where i'll be spending my time. Plus the bonus is if it is at LACC again (it better be) we'll all know how to get around the place better too.

 

I second (third?) the motion on more stuff for the Lucasfilm Archives. I walked in and I was like 'That's it?' I'd also like more hands-on stuff to do; I don't really like just walking around all day. AND, I hope they move the Autograph hall. I didn't like having to go through the vendors' hall to get to it.
I'm neutral on Fan Club stuff. I can't afford it, so the heck with it.

Other than that, I was fine with the management.

 

I was expecting some really spectacular stuff, it being the 30th anniversary and all. I'd never been to a con before and I thought it was pretty sad. I'm really glad I only went one day.

What I think would be really cool would be to have different areas set up as recreations of different scenes...there could be the Cantina where you could really get drinks, Dex's diner for food, Jabba's palace where you could get your groove on with dancing twi'leks, Hoth, which could be an ice cream bar, I mean, the possibilities are endless. This is LFL we're talking about here, they have tons of money where they could do this. How cool would THAT be? Sigh. I'm getting myself all excited.

 

all good ieas for sure. you would think the peeps in charge would listen to us as far what would be cool but like with most things where it's "the man" lol, who is in charge, well you get what you get.

again, as much of a stinging review I gave WE DID HAVE FUN. I guess I should grade the event accordingly:

A+ for time there and seeing all we saw
F for management

as far as the figure goes, we paid for four days and membership to get extra day in. the fact there wasn't alot of merchandise left nor actors...there choice. we spent $300 on tickets / membership and alot more for food / hotel / goodies. this was our choice. but you DO NOT reward someone for as gen con said because they didn't get a grab bag, then gift bag, then because they spent $65 for a one day icket...which was only $45, to lucas called in to say to do it and if we have a problem with that to call him and a few other reasons. what about all the other peeps who only bought a one day ticket? how about the fact with all the stuff we missed out on? how about the fact that monday ticket holders only missed three hours of the event hall. there were still plenty of panels / events to see. again their choice. besides they got discounted merchandise that day.

anyways, just one persons opinion.

 

I have to be honest I had a blast at times, but it was all about the vendors, I mean I would be hanging out with a bunch of costumers and we would be standing around like where shoulde we go next? I don't know where do you want to go?
.any chance we had at the science center it was hands down let's go to the exibit.
now I understand they need to make money, but for us who thank the maker it was in L.A. (couldn't have gone otherwise) still couldn't afford anything I ran out of things to do fast.
but I still had a blast, it was great seeing all you guys and girls, and meeting some new hopfully soon to be members and all the great costumers.
and I met Ray Park FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ray Park is cool!

I think at the next convention we should make all the stars badges to show they are honorary members of the IEFF!

 

that's a great idea. there was this couple from new zealand who gave jango fett a shirt from their group and he put it on and kept it for the rest of the day. he was wearing it at the panel.

 

I don't have a lot of negitive to say. Except for IHOP. Yes we missed a lot of panels and the arhcives, and the helmet exhibit. But for us the car's debut was great. Got lots of positive response for her. That made it OK to miss what we missed. I did not realize the problems that were happening with the Gen Con people. I feel real bad that some of you had a bummer experience with the con. I could not believe how fast they came in and deconstructed the fan hall. The backdrops were the first to go, so I didn't get a chance to move the car in front of the Millennium Falcon one. At C3, those backdrops didn't come down until much later, but couldn't get my car manuevered over to it. To much stuff in the way to drive safely over to it. At C4 I had a path already plotted out, but they took them down to fast. We did stay behind to help with taking apart the X-Wing display. I packed a tool case in the Falcon, and they needed some of the tools. It was interesting how it comes apart. And they had to get it ready to ship back to Colorado. I hope c5 will be planned out much better, with more to do. And yes the dealers room was like going to Frank and Sons. But that is OK with me.

 

I've come from the anime circuit, where I've attended more conventions than I can possibly count, and I have to say CIV was far and away the best convention I've ever been to. There were a few minor bumps, but overall I thought the con was extremely professional and the staff were all very friendly. There were a lot of confused staff - those people who stood by the escalators didn't seem to know anything about the convention or the building, but they were always really nice and tried their best to point us in the right direction. I don't really expect more than that from volunteers. At Anime LA this year, the volunteers were interrupting photoshoots to check for badges and screaming obscenities at fans in the crowded hallways. CIV was a paradise compared to that. ^_~

For CV, I want a Cantina! I heard there was one at CIII and I was totally looking forward to it. They should set up a cool bar with the Cantina song playing on loop. Maybe several of them, since it would probably be popular. It would make everyone happy and they would probably make tons of money. Maybe the convention center didn't have a liquor license?

That's really the biggest thing I thought the convention was lacking. An area for fans to sit down and socialize. Celebration Saturday Night sounded promising, but it turned out to be a loud scary dance party (my friends liked it, but that isn't really my thing.) The cafeteria seating was all in tables, so most groups stuck together. People ended up just standing around in the big halls talking to people. Why not have a nice sit down place to meet people and oogle costumes and what not? A Cantina would have done that. Even if they can't serve alcohol, just a place with Cantina atmosphere and music, lots of open seating...that would have been great.

I would also like to see more panels. The ones I attended were really great, but for a convention of that size, they could have had a lot more programming. Let some book authors have their own panel! Bring in Trisha Biggar! The Star Wars universe is huge - they could have done a little better.

The vendor area was kind of boring, but I never really like that area anyway. The Gentle Giant exhibit and Jabba were amazing - that alone made it a better vendor hall than any other I've seen. Maybe for fans who live out of state it's a little more exciting? We here in Southern California are lucky to have Frank and Sons. ^_~

I guess that's all! Whee, I can't wait for CV.

 

If they didn't have a liquor license, how do you explain the 'party' (more like a loud mess, IMO) Saturday Night? I know they had beer 'cause people were everywhere with it. Or is beer different from liquor?

 

Oh yeah, you're right! I was only at the Saturday Night thing for a little bit and didn't drink, but I remember my friends telling me about it. Well, then they're without excuse! They should have had a Cantina. ^_~

 

The Hyperspace Lounge was selling beer & cocktails I didn't even ask how much though!

 

seriously. they couldn't get a few more high quality vendors there? Was sideshow there? No master replicas? I half expected to see Al's Toy Bard around every corner.

 

Sideshow were there with some pretty sweet stuff.

No MR cos their deal is just about done.