Three Stargate Creation Cons in the US this year ...

[Rowan Green]

Hey I'm sort of torn. I do hope folks going to Creation have a good time. Just there's also part of me right now wants to see Creation do a massive nose dive.

 

[skydiver]

Originally posted by Highlander II




Guess Gatecon will just have to pledge to try to get lots of money for Make-A-Wish anyway --- rally 'round and get more fan-donated items. I know they don't bring as high a price, but more items = more money in the long run.

(this is kind of O/T - so, back to the Creation Con discussion now)

yeah, but there isn't enough fan donated stuff in the world to make up the 10,000 or so the auction would have generated.

I don't have any creation cons around here, they won't come to the midwest....ain't enough profit in it for them. but even if they were, i wouldn't go. I'll find other more fan friendly cons or i'll do without

the lovely atmosphere of gatecon has spoiled me for the 'make money at all costs' cattle calls of other cons

 

[JacksLover]

I saw on the Creations website that they will be in Chicago sometime this summer.
Not sure where in the Mid west you are but I almost went to that one instead of burbank because I have never been to The Windy City except driving thru.

 

[philoSCIFI]

Hmm....

Aside from the possible Gatecon 'fiasco' for a lack of a better word (?)... ((Seriously, don't know the facts (particularly who has the rights and licenses to what) so I'm not going there))...

I've heard so much muck about Creation cons, in the serious way (aside from the "cremation" name calling and the like). It's not intimate. It's expensive. You get rushed through lines and don't really get to talk to the guests. The list goes on and on.

I would really like to hear the other side though. Has anyone gone to a Creation Con and actually enjoyed it and/or thought it was at least worth the time and money to go see something you love?

Maybe I'm stretching here, but I seriously need to hear... something. A change... maybe not a change...just something different. It doesn't have to be the "other side". Just... something. Like, "I liked it. I got to see *insert guest name here* in person. I love *insert show title here*. However, there could have been a few things done better, etc..." I dunno. Something?

Ugh, please. Anything? I'm die'n' here... :dead:

 

[heimdall]

Creation has been trying to get into the UK but with only minimal success as they get ok crowds but they are massively more expensive than the "amateur" cons here.

Plus they are run in teh American mode where you don't get near the guests. Overe here the guests get to mingle and they seem to enjoy it. Ask Chris Judge, Michaek Shanks, Alexis Cruz, Terryl Rothery, Don S. Davis etc. etc. etc.

They've all been here and enjoyed it.

In fact the organisation is so much better at the "Amateur" cons, with the parties, cocktail parties, photo sessions where you get to hug the guests, autograph sessions where you don't just get pushed onwards.

Plus teh amateur cons are run for teh fans and do donate money to charity.

Unfortunately Cremation is going for the stranglehold on STar Trek and now is going after Stargate.

They don't even bring many guests considering the number you get at a Wolf, Starfury, etc. etc that you do over here.

In fact usually the main guest just appears on stage, does a talk or a play and then leaves, they don't attend any cocktail parties or have photos or autographs.

I just don't like Cremation, sorry.

But by the sounds of it the US hasn't got the number of people willing to put together conventions liek we do over here.

I help out at a convention where ALL the profits go to charity and that's amateur run.

Better stop now :rolly2:

 

[Gary Berman]

Creation Entertainment: response to Rowan

Rowan:

Just wanted to let you know: Creation had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with any decision concerning tours held with Gatecon.

We don't know who made this decision, or why any such decision was made.
We only heard about it because of posts being made on-line.

Would appreciate you checking in with me next time. All of us here are working very hard on producing tons of Stargate merchandise and the three conventions. As fans of the series (we started our company because we were fans!) ourselves we are happy to be involved and looking for input and suggestions.

Thanks
Gary Berman
gary@creationent.com

 

[JacksLover]

You guys are scaring me. I have invested a lot of money into going to Burbank not to mention the fact that I am driving from Oregon.

I hope its going to be worth it because I don't want to be disappointed.

There is no way I can turn back now.

 

[Rowan]

Re: Creation Entertainment: response to Rowan

Originally posted by Gary Berman
Rowan:

Just wanted to let you know: Creation had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with any decision concerning tours held with Gatecon.

We don't know who made this decision, or why any such decision was made.
We only heard about it because of posts being made on-line.

Would appreciate you checking in with me next time. All of us here are working very hard on producing tons of Stargate merchandise and the three conventions. As fans of the series (we started our company because we were fans!) ourselves we are happy to be involved and looking for input and suggestions.

Thanks
Gary Berman
gary@creationent.com

Gary, I hope you're replying to Rowan Green, not myself. You might want to use full handles here on the board to prevent confusion.

BTW: Thank you for visiting our forum and helping pass out the straight information on stuff like this.

Rowan <Mod for Asci-Fi and staff worker at Gatecon

 

[skydiver]

Originally posted by heimdall
But by the sounds of it the US hasn't got the number of people willing to put together conventions liek we do over here.

I help out at a convention where ALL the profits go to charity and that's amateur run.

Better stop now :rolly2:

i don't know if it's as much not wanting to as simply being a space issue. as in there are more uk folks in less space than there are here in the states. which means, unless you live near a large city (chicago, burbank, new york, etc) you have to drive for hours and hours or fly to go to a con.

they're simply too far away and massively too expensive for us-ers. I mean, the ticket to get in is???? whatever it is. and, living where i live, it's 200 minimum for air fare, 100+ a night for hotels, incidentals, being expected to chuck up dollars for every little thing, at times i think they'd charge me for air to breathe if they could.

they're way too honkin expensive and held in far too few places. literally around here, i can get a porn magazine easier than i can a scifi one.

scifi in the states is treated like a dirty little secret and something to be ashamed of.

I would LOVE to live in the u k and have access to all the cool fan run cons...but short of coming up with 1000+ for the airfare/accomodations etc. i just can't.

gatecon is the ONLY fanrun con in decent distance to me, although i may check out tulsa trek sometime in the future, i hear good things about it.

for me, if i'm expected to shell out hundreds of dollars, i'd like to actually meet the actors. If i want impersonal contact, i'll just send them a letter and ask for a pic.

 

[skydiver]

Re: Creation Entertainment: response to Rowan

Originally posted by Gary Berman
As fans of the series (we started our company because we were fans!) ourselves we are happy to be involved and looking for input and suggestions.

Thanks
Gary Berman
gary@creationent.com

maybe it's time for folks to look into how various fans really feel. I persoanlly have never heard positive comments about creation cons. All i ever hear is to avoid them unless you're willing to walk around with an open wallet and be treated like cattle.

not bashing in anyway, and meant respectively, but that's what i've heard from various friends that have gone. Most of them leave with the opinion that they'll never go back.

 

[Gary Berman]

Skydiver:

Suggest you make up your own mind about our conventions. I'll even supply you complimentary tickets to any event of ours you choose. Then, you can post your own opinions.

Also, I would ask that you check out our website at www.creationent.com and our e-mail section where a lot of fans address the points you are making. I think you will find opinions that differ from that of your friends.

Heimdall:
Just to comment on your post: our guests in London (and all over, actually) do sign autographs, pose for photos, and appear at parties (except maybe a Shatner or Nimoy who do everything but the parties, but Leonard did a one-man show in London for us on top of his regular appearance and it was pretty amazing).
Also you seem to suggest that Wolf and Starfury are "fan" conventions that donate any profit to charity. Can you confirm that?

Best,
Gary Berman
Creation Entertainment

 

[Rowan]

Re: Creation Entertainment

Gary Berman
gary@creationent.com

We now have Gary onboard with us here on ASci-Fi, so folks, here's a great chance to ask someone your questions directly rather than making a guess at what might be happening.

Welcome to ASci-Fi, Gary. hope to see more of you with us.

Rowan

 

[philoSCIFI]

Re: Re: Creation Entertainment

Originally posted by Rowan


We now have Gary onboard with us here on ASci-Fi, so folks, here's a great chance to ask someone your questions directly rather than making a guess at what might be happening.

Welcome to ASci-Fi, Gary. hope to see more of you with us.

Rowan

Yay. A massive ditto on that one Rowan. Welcome to Ascifi Gary.

Gary: (For starters)
I know you are associated with Creation Entertainment, but could you give us a little info or background on how you are associated with Creation?

Thanks for providing the Creation link and contact info. I personally had pproblems navigating through the official site the first few times I've checked the site in the past, but am slowly learning where everything is as I find myself teatering on a decision to go to one. Recently, theres more Stargate related cons as well as more locations, thus making it a little easier to actually go to one. I had and may still have doubts on how I feel about Creation and know I can't pass judgment until I have actually gone to one myself. However, I still feel the wave of negativity, which seems a lot bigger than the positive comments (even after checking out the site once again).

 

[skydiver]

Originally posted by Gary Berman
Skydiver:

Suggest you make up your own mind about our conventions. I'll even supply you complimentary tickets to any event of ours you choose. Then, you can post your own opinions.

Also, I would ask that you check out our website at www.creationent.com and our e-mail section where a lot of fans address the points you are making. I think you will find opinions that differ from that of your friends.

that is very nice of you to offer, but my two weeks of vacation for the year have been spent already, or will be this july when i go to gatecon. In fact, i'll be in the air on the 11th.

Since the others are so soon before or after that, i'm afraid there's just no financial way for me to make it work, not to mention not having the time off.

In a perfect world, Bridge wouldn't have asked Gatecon to move to july and it'd still be in Sept and I'd have more time.

But i do thank you for the offer

 

[Gary Berman]

Response to philoSCIFI

Thanks for the welcome to the board.

I guess my main reason for posting was that I don't like to see folks say things about our company that are just plain false. With the internet being a public forum, these comments, even though false, tend to be accepted as fact by other fans, so it really isn't fair.

In response to your question, when I was 14 a friend (Adam Malin) and myself were big comic book and sci-fi fans and we wanted to create "a place" where we could get together with other fans and meet some of the celebrities we admired. This was way before the internet and at the time there were only a very few genre conventions anywhere in the world.

So, we became the youngest "promoters" in NYC history when we ran our first convention in 1971 for sci-fi and comic fans. It was a lot of fun and about 800 fans showed up. We loved it so much that we worked on our conventions and fanzines using the funds to help with college, and then when we each graduated we decided to give the business that we started a try, for real.

 

[Rowan Green]

Thanks for posting Gary, and I'm glad to hear you had no intention to cause any problems.

I guess I'm getting the impression that the problem with the tours is a side effect of you getting the license, whether you wanted that to happen or not. Here in the UK there's been a lack of Trek cons since you got the license for that here. Whether you intend it or not, you getting licenses seems to be bad news for other not-for-profit cons.

I don't think you are evil for trying to make a living out of something you like doing. I can't comment on your cons from personal experience because I haven't been. And maybe the problem is with the folks who give you the license not with you, but there does seem to be a problem.

 

[Gary Berman]

Reply to Rowan Green

Quote from Rowan Green:
Here in the UK there's been a lack of Trek cons since you got the license for that here. Whether you intend it or not, you getting licenses seems to be bad news for other not-for-profit cons.

Response: There is a lack of Trek cons because Star Trek popularity is at a lull, we have nothing to do with that and as a matter of fact Paramount has granted licenses to a huge number of promoters, all non-exclusive and several in Europe, including Great Britain.
You SHOULD be complaining about the promoters in London who (were licensed by Paramount in fact) and announced events, took money and then ran off. Of you SHOULD be complaining about promoters who ran events overseas and oversold and didn't deliver what they promised (what was the deal with that Angel/David event?). Those promoters (and we have them here too) damage the entire market and hurt fans.

QUOTE from Rowan Green:
I don't think you are evil for trying to make a living out of something you like doing. I can't comment on your cons from personal experience because I haven't been.

Response: You've commented negatively on us throughout this message board, based on falsehoods. Check your posts. Glad it's okay, though, for someone to try to make a living from something they like doing.

 

[Gary Berman]

Response to Heimdall

Quote from heimdall:
Plus they are run in the American mode where you don't get near the guests. Overe here the guests get to mingle and they seem to enjoy it. Ask Chris Judge, Michaek Shanks, Alexis Cruz, Terryl Rothery, Don S. Davis etc. etc. etc.

In fact the organisation is so much better at the "Amateur" cons, with the parties, cocktail parties, photo sessions where you get to hug the guests, autograph sessions where you don't just get pushed onwards.

Response to heimdall:
Thought it might be nice to hear from some other folks who ACTUALLY ATTENDED our event in London. Here's some quotes from e-mails we've recently gotten:

I attended my first convention in London 2004. Having been a fan for all the Star Trek years I welcomed the chance of staying in the UK. I feel very spoiled, I had my picture taken with Leonard Nimoy and Tom Hardy and met Robbie Duncan McNeil and Nana Visitor as well as chatting with Kathryn Leigh Scott and the others in the Autograph room. Tom Hardy attended his first convention and was obviously a bit nervous to start with but wow - he is a young man with attitude alright.
Thank you Creation for a very enjoyable, stressless weekend.
- J.

I'd just like to say a huge thank you to yourself and everyone at Creation for putting on another excellent London convention!

It was fantastic to see Leonard Nimoy. How do you follow Bill Shatner from last year? With Leonard, of course! Nana & Robbie were great guests, and it was really good of them to mingle, and for so long, with the party crowd.

Robert Beltran not being able to appear was a mixed blessing for me, as I've seen him twice in recent years at Pages Bar in London, and Tom Hardy was a welcome replacement and a fantastic and highly amusing raconteur! Unlike some other big UK conventions, Creation always runs on (or very nearly on!) time, autograph signings are amazingly fast, and everyone who wants an autograph gets one. As always, Richard Arnold's sessions are a fascinating mine of information and insight. See you in Pasadena!

I have been going to conventions for over 10 years and I can honestly say that the Convention in London was one that I will never forget. Thank you to you and your colleagues for all the hard work that you must have put in which resulted in such a great weekend.
- Thank You again, R.D.

I am coming back to London next year - I had a great time - good value for the money - pleased I won the 15 10x8 photos - all the stewards were friendly...

First of all thank you and congratulations for another well-run event here in London. This is my second time at a Creation convention, and again it will definitely not be my last. Well done!

I wanted to give you some feedback on the UK Star Trek Convention 9-11th January.
I would like to tell you that I have enjoyed the event most thoroughly. Of course, the highlight was seeing Leonard Nimoy - a treat which few British fans have had. His talk was excellent and clearly had the audience enraptured. I was very grateful to obtain his autograph too. I was only able to attend on Saturday, but Richard Arnold's slide show and question and answers session was refreshing and enlightening. It is very welcome to have someone who speaks frankly and honest about matters that were asked of him. I learned quite a few things there!

 

[Gatecon]

I would like to personally welcome Gary to the boards, and say a big HI and WELCOME.

It's great to see other organisers in this section as it is a "Conventions" section and not just Gatecon.

Sorry I havn't posted much lately, but I have just completed a 600 mile job and house move, so i've been sorta busy :rolly2:

I also need to let everyone know that the recent retractions that have happened to Gatecon were not the doing of Creation as Gary mentioned. Those decisions came higher up the chain of command at MGM itself. And I definitely want it known that we do not hold anything against Creation in this matter.

Creation started the same way Gatecon did, and they have a few years headstart on us So Gary, don't be surprised if we call on you now and then for some advice . And there will always be differences between the way that conventions are run by different people (compaines). Variety is the spice of life, and it would be plain boring if all cons were the same.

Again, Welcome Gary. They might seem like a harsh lot, but amongst the critisism is actually a lot of good ideas that have helped us make a better con. You know as well as I that you have to take the good with the bad. (but it's not always bad)

Take care
Allan

 

[philoSCIFI]

OT: :waves: Hey Allan. *surprised face* Busy guy and still makes time to visit the boards. Congrats on the move.

Thought it might be nice to hear from some other folks who ACTUALLY ATTENDED our event in London. Here's some quotes from e-mails we've recently gotten:...

Thanks for posting that Gary; Twas helpful and informative.

One possible aspect that might be contributing to TPTB at MGM:

OT again:

(From Video Store Magazine (?... I'll get back on this one as I forgot which vid mag it was in...))
MGM sale options get more serious By Simone Kaplan
Metro_Goldwyn-Mayer is post-poning its annual shareholders meeting from May 12 to June 29, signaling a new level of seriousness in the studio's review of sale and merger options. A Lion spokesman said the company wanted "more time to consider strategic alternative." Sony Corp. is in exclusive talks with the studio about a possible acquisition of MGM, and Time Warner is among other suitors. MGM last week reported a narrowed first-quarter loss on strong DVD sales. The Lion also issued an $8 per share dividened totaling $1.9 billion.