Any confirmation on how much guests will charge?

[Big Filipino]

Sadly the $20 per photo or autograph has been confirmed by SMegs here:

http://www.cybertron.ca/boards/showt...713#post586713

[Robimus]

Originally Posted by down_shift

In my experience, which isn't much, guests will charge $20/thing. So if you wanted to get your RID Primed signed, plus a signed pic, PLUS a picture with them, that would be $60. Sometimes they will roll the prices, but not always.

I've seen more instances of guests being willing to snap a free picture than charging for one after one has bought an autograph.

Big name guests, the Patrick Stewarts or William Shatners of the world won't do this of course, but most of the guests generally have. I've personally gotten a pic and an autograph for $20 from folks like Charlie Adler, Dave Prowse, Jeremy Bulloch, Orli Shoshan, Lee Tockar and more.

I have friends who did the same thing over the past few years with Dean Cain, Johnathan Frakes and more.

I'd just ask the celebrity when you get to the table. Say "If I buy an autograpgh can I get a picture with you to for the $20?" I bet more often than not the answer will be yes. It might be of you in front of the table, and them behind, but I think you will have a lot of success

Originally Posted by Slothimus

The charge of autographs is probably because of the new TFcon Chicago this october so they don't have the extra money to pay guests. Or its because of that guy last year who had Dick Gautier sign over 20 figures in one go and none of the staff stopped him. He had two rubbermaid containers and one guy is all it takes to ruin a good thing.

Out of curiousity did you actually see this situation with Dick Gautier happen? I was in the autograph line, both days, last year and saw the staff enforcing a three item limit on people. People who wanted more had to go to the back of the line and wait their turn to get three more again. I saw a ton of people doing that, but didn't notice anyone violating(or being allowed to violate) the rule.

And it has nothing to do with Chicago, just the ever changing landscape and increased costs of running conventions of this kind. TFcon staff have made this clear.

[Swalloweddark]

Originally Posted by SlothimusPrima

The charge of autographs is probably because of the new TFcon Chicago this october so they dont have the extra money to pay guests.

People. The charge for guest has nothing to do with the convention. The convention isn't taking any of the money from it. The guest are setting their own charge and get all the funds. This is to pay for their time here because the Convention has taken them out of their budget.

If the convention was supporting the guest and trying to grab money for Chicago it'd would've have been in the badges and dealer/ artist table prices. They didn't rise the prices this year, from last, meaning there is no 'extra' money going towards Chicago probably what they'll just normally make after paying off the hotel/convention centre.

[Masta_Skidz]

why such a fuss over the V/A's trying to make some cash like come on people they are taking time out of their busy lives to come and see us fine people so for them to make a little cash to compensate this then wheres the harm ?

[Sureshot22]

Boy im glad I dont give a crap about having someone's signature.

I remember my first or second tfcon I thought wth ill line up to meet the guy then I found out it was $20 and immediately left the line. Lol I would rather spend money on good things.

Sure they can make some money but they should be happier that they have fans and not charge as a way to say "thanks for loving my work" I still wouldn't care about an autograph but thats just me.

[SlothimusPrima]

Originally Posted by Robimus

I've seen more instances of guests being willing to snap a free picture than charging for one after one has bought an autograph.

Big name guests, the Patrick Stewarts or William Shatners of the world won't do this of course, but most of the guests generally have. I've personally gotten a pic and an autograph for $20 from folks like Charlie Adler, Dave Prowse, Jeremy Bulloch, Orli Shoshan, Lee Tockar and more.

I have friends who did the same thing over the past few years with Dean Cain, Johnathan Frakes and more.

I'd just ask the celebrity when you get to the table. Say "If I buy an autograpgh can I get a picture with you to for the $20?" I bet more often than not the answer will be yes. It might be of you in front of the table, and them behind, but I think you will have a lot of success



Out of curiousity did you actually see this situation with Dick Gautier happen? I was in the autograph line, both days, last year and saw the staff enforcing a three item limit on people. People who wanted more had to go to the back of the line and wait their turn to get three more again. I saw a ton of people doing that, but didn't notice anyone violating(or being allowed to violate) the rule.

And it has nothing to do with Chicago, just the ever changing landscape and increased costs of running conventions of this kind. TFcon staff have made this clear.

i was actually there and watched as the guy pulled figure after figure out of the two containers he brought. i was one of the few to get there as the doors opened to let everyone in so it happened early in the line the Saturday. i was more upset over Dick having to sign so many things at once that i even felt bad when i asked him to sign my one item i brought since it was just a display plate for a figure. were it not for the fact that he voiced my favourite character i would have given up my spot in line.

when i asked Protoman who was there he basically gave me a 'i'm not going to bother/defeated shrug' saying he'd let it go because it was too much effort to do anything about it since he was already there. not faulting Daniel i mean it's a lot of work and i can see his point, it was just that guy seriously had no consideration for not only the other con goers but for Dick. my friend Elita One and I were really more upset by the fact that someone would be so inconsiderate and do that to a guest, especially since Dick isn't as young as he use to be. we watched he had at least 20-30 items between those containers

[Robimus]

Thats too bad. It definitely went smoothly once I was there, but I did come in at the back of the line.

[SlothimusPrima]

Originally Posted by Swalloweddark

People. The charge for guest has nothing to do with the convention. The convention isn't taking any of the money from it. The guest are setting their own charge and get all the funds. This is to pay for their time here because the Convention has taken them out of their budget.

If the convention was supporting the guest and trying to grab money for Chicago it'd would've have been in the badges and dealer/ artist table prices. They didn't rise the prices this year, from last, meaning there is no 'extra' money going towards Chicago probably what they'll just normally make after paying off the hotel/convention centre.

oh i know, my speculating of it having to do with the new branch in chicago is mostly because tfcon at the time of the autograph charge announcement hadn't really explained why they suddenly changed things and aside from them not paying the guests to attend any more it really is one of the few reasonable explanations....that or its because of that guy from last year. i will not lie but when they said they were charging for autographs i did say "good maybe it'll keep people like that guy from last year from doing that again" call me spiteful if you want.

i mean considering other conventions and what guests charge, 20$ isn't really all that bad. like a lot of people said you just pick and choose who you'd want to meet if you want to meet them. i like the fact they haven't raised attendance fees all that much although i remember when TFcon for a weekend pass was only 20$ pre-reg. and that was maybe 8 or 9 years ago, haha.

[Knockout]

Originally Posted by Masta_Skidz

why such a fuss over the V/A's trying to make some cash like come on people they are taking time out of their busy lives to come and see us fine people so for them to make a little cash to compensate this then wheres the harm ?

I would just like to point out that good actors/actresses/artists/whatever guests come to cons to interact with the fans that adore them, bask down memory lane and just want to be in the community again, not cash. The minority of the time, the guests come without them coughing out any money, but because guest tend to charge so much to appear and all their amenities, cons can't carry them or not entirely so the guests have to charge to make up those fees. I do not agree with a guest coming free then charging a fee on top of that just to earn extra money, but don't have a issue with the guest having to carry themselves and amenities.

And there isn't a guest that is charging that I need to see so, yeah, it doesn't bother me anymore.

[LadyBug]

I don't know why you are all fussing over $20.00. Hell, I spent $60 last year to meet Stan Lee (but his money goes to his charity). It was worth it. At comic cons, mostly, they only charge and charge for big guests. Most voice actors at comic con may charge between $10-20 bucks each, depending who you go see but someone like David Duchovony or Gillian Anderson last year is $90 per autograph and another $90 per picture. At comic con, their picture policy is pretty strict but I did get a free picture and autograph when I got to meet Kevin Eastman.