Creation Official Cons in London and Wash. DC

[GateGipsy]

Creation adds D.C., London SG-1 conventions
OCTOBER 25, 2004

Creation Entertainment today announced that it will host the first official Stargate SG-1 fan convention in London, May 27 to 29, 2005. The event will be held at the Hotel Metropole as part of The Official Stargate SG-1 Convention Tour, with confirmed guests so far including Michael Shanks ("Daniel Jackson"), Christopher Judge ("Teal'c"), and Don S. Davis ("George Hammond").

For the full story click Here

[GateGipsy]

This sounds like it could be an exciting event. Although for those of us in London there seems to be a flood of stargate cons this year and next!

The only thing holding me back is the ticket price. At the time I checked only gold tickets were available to buy, with a price of 319, however there was no monetary symbol for that. Assuming it is US dollars, then that converts to around 172 UK pounds, which is quite steep.

[kiwigater]

yeah, i would agree it's pretty steep. The nice thing about the gold tickets (as I discovered after I inherited David's one at the Chicago con - Thanks David! ) is that it's the only way to spend any significant time one on one with the actors. (I'm about to sound like some sort of weird promotional person for Creation ). I bought the Preferred Weekend pass for Chicago, and it got me great seats (first row back behind the goldpass people), and I got my autographs etc in a reasonable period of time, but there is NO significant contact with the actors (and by this I mean more than 10 sec in the autograph or photo lines).

At the gold pass brunch with Amanda and Chris I got to spend several minutes chatting with each of them (and they were fantastic! Interested and enthusiastic, I can't say enough nice things about them ). And Amanda recognised me again in the autographs queue AND the photos I would never have had had that if I hadn't had a gold pass.

I guess like most things, it depends on what you want out of the weekend. For me, actaully meeting and chatting with them, even for a few mins, was the absolute highlight of my time there, and worth every penny (and this from the broke student!).

[Matt G]

OOH! Sounds cool but a bit pricey. I'll give it another look after SG8.

[GateGipsy]

yeah, i would agree it's pretty steep. The nice thing about the gold tickets (as I discovered after I inherited David's one at the Chicago con - Thanks David! ) is that it's the only way to spend any significant time one on one with the actors. (I'm about to sound like some sort of weird promotional person for Creation ). I bought the Preferred Weekend pass for Chicago, and it got me great seats (first row back behind the goldpass people), and I got my autographs etc in a reasonable period of time, but there is NO significant contact with the actors (and by this I mean more than 10 sec in the autograph or photo lines).

At the gold pass brunch with Amanda and Chris I got to spend several minutes chatting with each of them (and they were fantastic! Interested and enthusiastic, I can't say enough nice things about them ). And Amanda recognised me again in the autographs queue AND the photos I would never have had had that if I hadn't had a gold pass.

I guess like most things, it depends on what you want out of the weekend. For me, actaully meeting and chatting with them, even for a few mins, was the absolute highlight of my time there, and worth every penny (and this from the broke student!).

See that's one of the things I like about Wolf. If you book really early, you get to go to the cocktail party, at no extra cost. I think that's more egalitarian than making people pay extra.

However, one reason I would pay a bit more is to know that I had a good reserved seat. Again though, at other cons, like the Amanda Tapping con organised by Gabit, you get your seating per ticket number.

Also, with most other cons here like Wolf and the Stargate Universe one, you get a lot of guests. So far as I can see, Creation are charging way more and only the three guests. Unless they plan to announce more later. But it doesn't say anything about that on the site.

Ah well, I guess they do things differently in the US. It will be interesting to see how well this one sells. I have a funny feeling that I'm going to end up buying a ticket anyway! But I won't be staying at the Metropole - £125 a night!!! Sheesh!

[SEREN LWCH (MAL)]

I think I'll give this 1 a miss. If I do a con in May it will be Wolf one the same weekend. I'm already seriously loking at going to 2 cns next year. And a trip to the US.

So cost is going to be a factor. As usual ;-).

[Skydiver]

See that's one of the things I like about Wolf. If you book really early, you get to go to the cocktail party, at no extra cost. I think that's more egalitarian than making people pay extra.


Also, with most other cons here like Wolf and the Stargate Universe one, you get a lot of guests. So far as I can see, Creation are charging way more and only the three guests. Unless they plan to announce more later. But it doesn't say anything about that on the site.

THat's why my preference is gatecon. 216 us and i get all the guests plus autos if i want them.

I'd love to see amanda again, and when gabit announces their rescheduled date i just might see if i can make it, but for the creation ones, well i've seen MS twice, CJ once, don 4 times and really can't think of what they could say or do that i haven't seen before, especially at that cost.

300+ just to walk in the door? plus a good 500-1000 for the travel expenses, hotel and food?

It is a good thing for those fans who happen to live in big cities that don't have the travel expenses or who have found the travel to places like vancouver or the UK prohibitive. But for me, if i'm gonna have to shell out the travel expenses, i'm gonna find a con where i get more bang for my buck

I'm sure those of you that go will enjoy yourselves...and you'll just have to take pictures and post reports for those of us that live vicariously through others

[GateGipsy]

I think I'd definitely go if Amanda was going too - to see all three on stage together would be near perfect (four would be perfect but aint gonna happen).

I know that the Amanda Con is, relatively, a lot of money given there's only one guest. But I was happy to pay that for the intimacy of the event, which is what I'm really looking forward to.

[Skydiver]

I know that the Amanda Con is, relatively, a lot of money given there's only one guest. But I was happy to pay that for the intimacy of the event, which is what I'm really looking forward to.

that would be my reason. Amanda is my favorite, and while the other guys are fun, they just don't have the draw for me that amanda does.
I've seen them before, i've heard the stories, i got the autos

I missed amanda at gatecon in 2001 (silly girl ran off to hawaii with her hubby instead of hanging with us, what WAS she thinking , then in 2002 she didn't come, in 2003 there was that whole mess up with the photos and in 2004 she only did photos)

so amanda is worth it to me--it just likely means that i won't do another con during that year, or maybe between now and then since with the exchange rate, it'll be massively expensive for me

[Rowan Green]

I've been saying for ages I'd like to go to a Creation con, just to check them out. I've been known to be critical of them just from what I've heard, so it seems fair to give them a chance. But they seem determined to stop me...

The same weekend as Wolf's Children of the Gods? If Creation want me to come, they should have the sense to choose another weekend! I'll be going to Wolf. Cheaper, more guest interaction... not a hard choice.

[Skydiver]

I'll be going to Wolf. Cheaper, more guest interaction... not a hard choice.

that's why i like and prefer fan run cons. I like the friendlier and more open atmosphere. The one thing i've heard about the creation cons is that unless you shell out the money for a gold ticket, you're just pushed from place to place with the goal being to get as many people as possible from point a to point b in the least amount of time.

which makes perfect sense since they're trying to accomodate as many fans as possible. You have to admire the organization because fan run cons can be a bit chaotic and confusing at times. but it also makes it rather impersonal. I mean, why bother going at all? why not just send in your money and get a non-personalized auto in the mail and save yourself all the money for traveling and the such?

This is a fantastic thing for the folks on the eastern seaboard. They're getting several cons in thier own back yard and it will be easy for those that live in the hosting cities.

I have the misfortune of living in that 1000 mile wide swath of the country that everyone denies exists (you know, that vast wasteland west of chicago and east of las vegas/los angeles )

Folks like me just have to live vicariously through the posts and pictures of others <G>

although i do envy you brits. At least you have scifi cons in your neighborhood and scifi isn't treated like some dirty little secret like it is here in the midwest.

[Rowan Green]

Totally agree with everything you've said! Sadly though, I do know of people who's priority is just to get an autograph, and who think it's great if they push through the greatest numbers possible (so more people get a chance at that...). If you are just interested in the auto there's still a point, as it means you know it's genuine and in many cases it will be cheaper than buying off a dealer. And then there's people who are just willing to pay whatever they can afford to see a certain guest... really can't blame either of those lots of people. If I had the money and there was someone I was desperate to meet I'd probably go. It's just sad if the fan run cons are forced out by the business cons.

[Skydiver]

It's just sad if the fan run cons are forced out by the business cons.

it is. especially since most of these fan run cons started years before MGM and Scifi/Showtime cared about the show. fan run cons were the only ones out there. They started the phenomenon and now they're getting it taken away from them by corporations whose sole motivation is the bottom line.

the other thing i love about the fan run cons is that, in many cases, all the proceeds go to charity. I like that. I like that i'm helping a charity while i have a good time. and i just can't justify shelling out hundreds when it just goes into some executive's pocket.

My favorite part about fan run cons is that attendees get a chance to know the actor. we get to see him/her as a person, not just a voice on a stage who's - seemingly - treated like not much more than a photo prop and autograph factory.

I would rather spend 20 minutes TALKING to amanda than get a photo to hang on the wall. I'd like to get to know the person and find out about them