improvement suggestions

[bunneh]

basically, this is going to be a thread for helpful suggestions/ideas to the mcm group to help make their show run smoothly and your experience better.
please keep negative complaints to a minimal and focus on the positive changes that can be done! as we dont ant to upset the admins

for example, and my suggestion, an extra booth/stand for the pay-on-the-day entrance line. theres nothing wrong with the line, except that 3-6 people to cater what will be 70'000 people over october weekend (theyre not all pay-on-day but my point is valid) is a little too few. just a few more to help speed things along and let people enjoy the show rather than waiting for it would be helpful.

[Admin]

We don't mind suggestions as long as they are constructive.

Also you have to bare in mind just because you think something can happen does not mean that it can, there are many other things in play such as permission from the venue, health and safety, time constraints to name but a few but there may be many more.

So feel free to make suggestions but use common sense and what has been said above.

Also for your informaton there were 10 people on the ticket booth in May reducing to 6 in quiter times, also we have already put in process changing certain things in the ticket hall for October.

Things cant happen always all at once.

Admin

[gazza]

I did not really want to be negative about this event before its even started having enjoyed so many in the past

your event last year has to be one of the best ive been to

but why are there two shows with limited autograph sessions ?

although i am attending

i already thinks its going to be a disaster and im not going to see everyone i want to

and not sure i shall get all the pics i want either

is that a good feeling for Customers to have before the event starts ?

whoever came up with the idea needs to go and see Alan Sugar and be told "You're Fired"

there is enough competition with they who must not be named, now you competing with yourself as well !

hows this has been organised is going to loose you money

if i dont go away with all the autographs i want it means i shall have spent less money !

there is plenty of confusion on the forums as to what is going on, so im not alone

if this is the disaster im expecting it to be, obviously i shall think twice about the next one

sorry to say this, but ive been to loads of your events, plus they who must not be named and he who must not be nameds events and others who must not be named

i think your trying to be like the US Comic Con but with less Big Names and less guests

dont run before you can walk, be the best at what your best at

while im on about competitors, for Petes sake your all in the same business, be the adult of the business and the first to embrace the others existence, you`ll win loads of fans for that

if i goto yours and see star A from series 1, i then goto one of the others and see Star B from series 1 etc

their is a knock on effect between the different organisers and you each encourage sales at the others surely some one in charge sees that ?

anyway I hope my fears are proved wrong and the event is a success

hope someone reads this and considers things ive said

Gazza

[Admin-2]

Hi Gazza,

Thank you for your points firstly about running before you can walk, it is the 20th MCM London show.

On the limited auto times, we have tried to ensure that signings happen twice a day in MCM Expo giving everyone a chance. The guest in MCM Expo are for the most part on current shows and there are demands on there time for many reasons including doing press. If this was a show with a 100 people 90% of which work once in while then they can sit all day at a table. That said you are only looking at the times in MCM Expo. Torchwood is also signing in the Memorabilia side.

I think while you want to make a contribution I would ask that maybe you see how it goes and then you can always put your points forward again.

See you at the show.

[gazza]

Thanks im a little bit more confident i may see everyone but must admit still cautious

Yes i know you have done a lot of shows

but i meant there is a big leap between a London event and The US Comic Con

ive never been to that, but people who have have told me its difficult to see everyone you want
if not virtually impossible and its standing around in queues for hours to try and see certain stars

doesnt sound that great to me !

i agree some guests have few visitors however these are the same guests who i have enjoyed chatting to for longer than the norm and the fact they have small queues has made me see then when perhaps i wouldn't

for example at a previous show of yours i met all the Allo Allo guests as they were not to busy so i thought id meet them, i had great table photos ops with them all and a reasonable chat, this would possibly not have happened if they had only been there for a short time

if they are not signing all day where will they be anyway ?

if they are on the premises, they might as well be available to meet

[gazza]

one thing i would like to see in advance

is copies of the pics online that the guests are going to be signing

how many times have i brought one and then its been available for free !

[Admin]

This is near on impossible as so many different managers bring in the guests and we can not make them give us the photos.

[gazza]

Hi

Just to let you know my wariness of times for signing unfortunately proved true

and i therefore attended on Sunday as well with costs of extra train fare, entry and use of my day

which was a bit annoying but there you are, i was sort of expecting it anyway

if the autograph sessions had been slightly longer i would have had a day at home instead

although did get to speak to few more people on Sunday who i shall bump into at future shows

so pro's and con's i guess, spend extra day / but make some new friends so worth it

and also had more time with some of the guests as well

the photo booth needs sorting why did they only have 1 small table to display the photos

this was placed at the bottleneck entrance between the 2 events

when the 1pm free entrance starts why not open the dividing doors further

if the photo booth had not been next to it this would have been very easy to do

seemed quite a bit of confusion about which queues for people to be in on Saturday morning early entry

i went later Sunday so not sure if same occured early on

was little dissapointed with limited photo choices at most guests and no stallholders were selling many unsigned either

i would have got a few more autographs if a bit better selection, Anthony Daniels had good selection as did a few of the older guests but think these were their own, surely you could have had some Freema and Dr Who pics ? i'd have got some !

Statesides Stills where were you !

thought Charlotte Lewis could have been treated better was not great planning to put her next to Robots Wars on Saturday with people trying to see it squashing against her table, shes a proper film actress after all, not someone who appeared for a few seconds in something,

I did not realise she was there till late in the day, hope no one missed her

although her location had been rectified on Sunday

personally did not see the point of the 2 entry thing it just caused confusion, admittedly it kept the animes away from the tv/film fans for a while, if this is to be continued the queing system needs a good sort out from scratch

dont want to be all negative though

think you do several things really well though at your events

the autograph experience is better at your events than they who must not be nameds by loads

photos with guests no problem, photo of guests no problem, little chat no problem, if only the others were as good at this !

i would rather see a guest at a Memorabila / MCM event that you know whose as i feel more that i have met them at your events

the large panels and free autos after are excellent as are the free quests autos of some stars,

for example Jennifer Parker Kennedy was lovely and her autograph was free can only say brilliant

I think free autographs for some guests is an excellent idea as well to get the young cosplayers into collecting autographs

they wont want to dress up as a fox, rabbit, robot or whatever for ever but shall probably still attend as autograph collectors in the future to add to their free collections gained now and once they start earning so have more disposable income, very good long term planning !

The Hike cast, great group of people and nearly the whole cast were there ! how often can you meet nearly the whole cast in one go

your photo sessions choices are excellent, single, groups whatever you want could be accomodated without any fuss

this did cause photo shoot times to be a bit out of line with times, but you cant have everything and believe a few pics got lost although the sanctuary guests came back to do them again

i also find talking to other visitors a lot easier at your events think people are bit calmer and more chilled out as they are not chasing after virtual tickets and rushing around seeing if their number has come up yet

the photo booth photographer and assistants did a really excellent job at sorting the photos out in their cramped location
and were really helpfull in the conditions they were in at times with the rush from hall 1 to 2 etc going on around them

all should get a bonus or free autographs or something

the other staff / volunteeres selling smilies etc were also really nice and helpfull so same for them as well

looking forward to your next event....


























Gazza

[PandoraCaitiff]

I suspect there are technical issues (and maybe copyright issues too), but what are the chances of broadcasting the Masquerade on the bigscreen TV outside for those people unable to fit in the main hall?

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I suspect there are technical issues (and maybe copyright issues too), but what are the chances of broadcasting the Masquerade on the bigscreen TV outside for those people unable to fit in the main hall?

Whilst on the topic of big screen TVs. I saw a TV thing in the Con hall but it was very small and every time I looked at it it kept showing the same thing.
So is there any chance on perhaps making it bigger? and probably show the days schedule and map on it? just in case people aren't on these Forums and don't know about being able to get a hold of schedules and maps?
I know there is a Help Desk but I've attended this Expo a dozen times now and only came across it once and that was by accident

People come from all over the world, they pay good money and some even have to put in holidays from work just to be at Expo.

Now some people I'll admit may not come for the guests but then there are others that do, I for 1 are one of those people that do.

Last weekend was a total disgrace (no offence or anything like that) but seriously why where most of the guests all hunched in corners behind boards? why weren't there sines indicating where the signings where? with the amount of people there on Saturday (only day I was able to go) finding the guests was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Memorabilia was much better the guests where right by the entrance/exit of the Con hall and weren't playing hide and go seek

I ended up missing the guest I came for because of this and also the staff particularly Stewards that day in the Con hall where (no offence but I'll be honest) useless none of them knew what they where doing.
I asked a Steward about Gideon (guest I came for) where he was signing they just told me he wasn't there until Sunday but turns out he was. Why say he isn't there when he clearly was?
This wasn't the first time I've asked a Steward about a guests location and gotten told they weren't here when it turns out they where, luckily I was able to have a weekend pass back then so never missed out but this time GRRR
whats the point in having these Stewards hanging around around when they are so uninformed? and why do they keep saying the guests aren't here when at the end of the day it turns out that they where? is this some sort of code to say 'I dunno I'll make up an excuse and say there not here?' that way It looks like I know but actually I don't either that or they just cant do their job properly

So I definitely think my idea of a bigger TV showing the days schedule and map is a good idea or if you cant do that make sure you have plenty of schedules/maps and dish them out to people along with the wristbands

Hopefully *paws crossed* Gideon will be back at some point