(no subject)

[krazykitkat]

Poor FSF. They have bad luck with convention guests.

Chris Judge's replacement, Joe Flanigan, has dropped out because of a film role. He's been replaced by Rainbow Sun Francks (Ford - Stargate Atlantis) and Alexis Cruz (Skaara/Klorel – SG1). And of course still Torri and Julie Caitlin Brown (B5 - whom I saw at my very first convention years ago).

The BoBW con has moved from Canberra to Sydney. Good lineup: Teryl Rothery, David Hewlett, Paul McGillion (Beckett), David Nykl (Zelenka), Colin Cunningham (Major Davis), and Gary Jones (Walter Harriman). But it's the weekend after the FSF, and I really can't justify $250 (or $185 for basic seats, but I don't see any point in coming away from a con without autographs) :(

Comments

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I would avoid BoBW, they are pretty incompetetant, and rarely follow through on their promises.

I've had nothing but bad experiences with them, and I can't find a single person that I know (online and real life) who have has anything good to say about them.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

My good experience with them came through luck - a friend talked them into selling us tickets to the closing cocktail party on the day, as it wasn't sold out, despite us not attending the rest of the con. Had a hoot of a time with Sueanne Braun (Hathor, who was lovely and funny), Chris Judge (who almost dropped his pants) and Colin Cunningham (who bought everyone drinks cause the tickets cost so much, and invited me to grope his ass)

But yeah, I think there's a reason that this is the last BoBW con, they've burnt too many people by promising stuff they couldn't follow through on.

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for FSF, they've had a few drop out with the last 2 cons. But totally beyond their control. And it's decently priced and smaller.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

You're always gonna get dropouts, actors get jobs or something comes up. It's how they handle this (and other issues) that really do make or break a con - and BoBW has a reputation of promoting a guest that they're already fairly sure won't be able to make it.

I went to some HL cons in Brisbane that were very well run (though I developed some issues with it, but the first couple were great) by fans. Eventually the unofficial Aussie fanclub became the Official Worldwide fanclub, which is really quite remarkable.

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that about BoBW...I've really been out of the scene in past years.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if they do it or not, but that they have the reputation is damaging enough.

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

I went to the very first ones they ran, which were Babylon 5/Star Trek. I think I went to 5 or 6. They were pretty good.

Maybe the problems started when they tried to enlarge? Though I think those first ones were kinda in combination with FSF.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

Maybe they were good at one stage, but even before I got involved with there one event (actually two, but I dropped that as a bad investment after a while), I had heard bad things.

I'm still kicking myself for not listening. Reputatons are made and broken by fandom gossip. I now know to keep an eye out for these things.

[littlemissscifi.livejournal.com]

I second that whole heartedly. They are terrible!

[littlemissscifi.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I cant believe that they moved it to Sydney.

Hmph... I was gonna hang out at the airport and pounce on them all since I'd never go to another BOBW con ever.

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

You had a bad experience too?

Maybe I'm the only one to have about 5 or 6 good experiences...but those were the first 5 or 6 they ran back around 1996-98 (I think).

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I had a lot of financial problems with them, they kept on taking money from my credit account without my permission, and I kept on phoning them and saying 'look, wait until I send you a fax confirmation' and whatever her name is (which I've blocked from my head) would go 'yeah, yeah' and then do it again, four or five times that went on.

I pulled out of the second con because of that, and I knew it would be futile to get a refund, so I just emailed her and said 'Not interested, don't take any money from my account, if you do I'll be getting the authorities involved'.

And that was that. That was the finance side, I have other problems, but I promised wouldn't dwell on them too much, it's in the past now.

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry :(

The prices now are so over the top. I couldn't believe it. THe FSF one I'm going to was $80 and everyone gets the chance to have an autograph, and you're allowed to take photos.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

Yeah, BoBW was my first con experience. Conventions run in England by most of the big organisers are a completely different kettle of fish.

I've had no problems with them, they get the best line-up (atlhough you always have to accept that some people will pull out) it's price reasonably and it's far more professional.

So I'm doing as many cons as I can while I'm here (including a Stargate one next month). Coz there are so very few in Australia.

[skullauren.livejournal.com]

Hi Kat! I just wanted to say thank you SO much for asking cappuccinogirl to help me with my German thingy. She was a huge help. You rock!

[krazykitkat.livejournal.com]

I read your post and thought, "Aha! I know someone who's bilingual" :)
Glad it helped.