Autographs

That is not an improvement, I worked the required 2 shifts last time and got all three, pin, T-Shirt and photos...

 

Yes, I got the impression that they will not be as generous as last time, for everyone. I think it has a lot to do with the fact they are going to need a lot more volunteers.

 

I have been thinking about possibly volunteering, but now, I'd rather not. I can't stand there for hours upon hours just to get a signed photo. There are other things I could be doing and seeing with my wife in LA.

 

Not too many I don't have. So will be checkingout other parts of C4 instead of autographs this time.

 

Speaking of autographs. Has anyone seen what Official Pix is charging for Ian McDiarmids auto????? Ridiculous! It's between $269.99 and $229.99. MAYBE oer $200.00 for Harrison Ford. I'd get killed by my wife, but Ian, the Emporor, Darth Sidious. Get over your self.

 

Does he sign that often? Maybe it's because of the number of autos they have for him.

 

No, Official Pix does thi sall the time. tey will put out an auto and say something like "Limited to only 100, blah blah blah" and then a month later they will have more come out. It's still way too much for him.

 

$200?

If I was not traveling with my son I will be helping.

Mark Hamill is going to be there?

 

I don't think anyone knows for sure who's going to be there but there does seem to be a buzz about it since this is going to be the 30th anniversary and all. I guess we'll know shortly.

 

I think he will show. If he doesn't, I think it would be pathetic.

Now that Indy IV is filming in 2007, we MIGHT see George and Harrison. If they are filming somewhere in India or Germany than I guess not.

 

After someone stealing all my auto at C3 (which was crazy because they were signed to me) I have plans to get everyone I lost again. So hopefully Warwick will be there and Mayhew and Kenny will be there. Hopefully their prices won't go up because 200 is crazy. Of course if someone really wants it then more power to them.

 

Heck, you can write to those people through the mail and get them for free.

 

I worked for OfficialPix at ComicCon this past year and got to meet David Prowse. He even signed my cats Darth Vader costume (really a small dog costume but it fits the cat) which I thought was wonderful. Very nice man and I would really like the chance to meet him again.

In 2004 at ComicCon I met Carrie Fisher for the first time when we did security for her while she signed autographs. At the end of the day she gave me a stuffed cat but it was never signed. Maybe this year.

 

Alot of newer Star Wars celebrities have websites where you can order autographs off of. I have a lot already. Official Pix is having a 25% off select autos sale right now. If Christmas hadn't just past, I would buy some more. Actually, I probably don't have any more room on my walls.

They should have had this sale in Dec.

 

I got most of my autographs from Official Pix/Celebrations 2 & 3. When I volunteered for them at ComicCon 2004, I got Mark Hamill for free and Carrie signed my slave Leia stand-up, all without having to wait in line! Most recently, I got Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson from them as well. Prior to that, I was able to get others from reliable sources on ebay: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Shelagh Fraser, Ian McDiarmid, among others (my real goal is to get Ahmed Best's, I hear he's hard to get due to all the Jar Jar bashing). Here's one of my favorite moments from C3, getting Orli Shoshan's (Shaak Ti) autograph:

[image=http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e385/JedHead1/Star%20Wars/MattOrli.jpg]





Also let me say another positive thing about Official Pix: they were the only organized part of C3, IMO!

 

Official Pix is also having a sale (not sure for how long) on their Collection Protection products (binders and page protectors).

So if you are in the market for a protective binder/sheets for your current and/or upcoming C4 autographs, check it out.

Here is the link: http://www.officialpix.com/estore/products.asp?cat=63

 

In my experience in buying SW autographs on ebay, I try to do my homework. For example, I check their feedback, and check their starting bid price. If it's too low, it's probably fake. Nowadays, anyone can make a COA for an autograph. For some of these, there was a photo of the person signing it included. For my Ian McDiarmid, it was signed outside his theater in England. I also check the seller's other auctions (both before mine and after mine) to see if they were selling the same autograph using the same included photo, or selling more than one of the same autograph. That way, you know if it's a scam.

If they usually don't say in the auction where they obatined it, I ask them where they got it and when. If they can't (or don't) answer, well, you know. Also, ask for their guarantee and return policy, and if you can do a background check on them (I didn't, but if they're fakers, theyll freak out!). I'll also sometimes see a real signature on the web (usually for a charity auction), save it, and compare it to others on ebay. In the case of Star Wars, I've gotten them personally from official sources (Official Pix) and I know how they really sign their names. In the case of Carrie Fisher, for example, there are A LOT of fakers out there, trying to connect the last "E" with the first "F" like she does, and you can totally tell the fakes. Natalie Portman's another big target of fakers too. On the other hand, signers like Hayden, Ewan, Harrison (and even George Lucas) are harder to spot, since they sign with a first initial and/or just a scribble.

Some of the SW signers have said they'll only sign SW stuff for charities, like Liam and Natalie, and that helps. But in my case, my Natalie was signed as she was leaving the David Letterman show.

Besides Official Pix, the only other place to get genuine SW autographs is Wattographs. Stick with these two, and you should be OK. But most of all, use common sense and follow your gut. If you see something that makes you feel suspicious, it probably is. You can also check the FBI's list of fraudulent sellers.

Hope this helps.

 

Unless it's on an offical TOPPS autograph card, about 100 percent of all SW autos on Ebay are fakes. It's best just to order autographs from individual actor websites like Jeremy Bulloch, or David Prowse. Official Pix autos are 100 percent real, so, order from there.

 

Yes, I'd never buy autographs on eBay anymore, unless the seller has included a picture of him holding the item with the signee standing "right there."

Luckily I have some items bought from charitable venues (one of my autographed Visual Dictionary books was auctioned off by a Scottish children's hospital, so I know it is genuine; Ewan McGregor signed it, adding "Och! The Force!" (even spoke to the auction director, who called me from Scotland). Also have a EP II t-shirt signed by John Dkystra and the rest of the FX boys which was part of the Auction for America that eBay did a few years back. Then there are the chance autographs I purchased "before they were famous," as it were -- have a Liam Neeson photo from Schindler's List, a Kiera Knightly-signed CCG card from EP I (the guy I bought it from caught her at a premiere in the UK; who knew that her career would take off, then). There's also the lucky part about living in SoCal -- that's how I got my Phil Brown; he was at a signing event about a year or so before he passed away. Then there's all the OfficialPix ones that I got for my many hours of working for them, that sort of thing. I use those to eyeball everything else.

With Watto and OfficialPix getting all and sundry to sign, and the convention venues, it's just not necessary to buy anything sight unseen anymore, IMO.

 

I'll second that! The Official Pix room was very organized and well run! I am glad they are onboard for C4!

[off topic]Nice to see you again JedHead! I met you in the lobby of the Marriott Courtyard at C3. [/off topic]

Lufta Shif

 

Really? Remind me. And you were....

 

A bunch of us were sitting in the lobby one night. We all talked until the wee hours of the morning. Some lady from one of vendors showed us a sneak preview of all of the bonus videos from the ROTS soundtrack. We all exchanged emails. Back in 2005 you and I exchanged a PM or two on these boards. I then emailed you with travel tips about a trip to the Redwoods/Endor you were thinking about.

Lufta Shif

 

Ohhh! *waves* Hi, Lufta Shif!

[off topic] Some of us still want to make that trip up to "Endor", but these big events keep coming up!