Convention Etiquette: Discussion and Advice on Do's and Don'ts

[Rac80]

What we are talking about is a get-together of fans and actors not an acting class. Your argument is only relevant for those in a position to make a decision regarding one's job status and that involves TPTB at SGU and not random "fans". What you're suggesting is the equivalent of me showing up at your job, in which I have no expertise, and telling you what I think you are doing wrong. If you think this is polite and helpful please send me your work address and I would be happy to oblige.

Your argument is fallacious because Fans are who indirectly employs actors...we watch the shows, buy the dvds, go to the movies, are who the advertising are aiming at! His job is to entertain US!!! pure and simple we are the customer and guess what.... if the customer leaves, the business closes. By your argument tv shows shouldn't have ratings and movies shouldn't charge. if an actor fails to entertain they are not doing their job!!!. to extrapolate...if a doctor isn't able to sucessfully perform surgery and fails to do it correctly a layman (the patient or their family in case of a fatality) will often sue-- guess what the laymen (jury and or judge) reach a verdict. there is a certain level of common sense on how well someone is doing their job....if a doctor kills you - he isn't a good doctor, if a car repair man can't change the oil...well not going to him again, and if an actor fails to entertain ...his career flops.


ps as a lawyer the laymen decide my job performance every day!

[SG7]

It's his JOB to act, if he isn't doing a good job, shouldn't he want to do better? yes it's only one person's opinion - but who knows how many are not voicing their criticism. If his acting or show improves, he'll actually have his JOB longer- a good thing right? i prefer to keep my job at all costs.



or would you rather go to work one day and be fired summarily? I personally would rather know what the problem is so I can work to fix it. I look at critiquing actors/shows as a "performance review"...how else are they going to know that what they are doing isn't working if no one ever says it to them? There are nice postiive ways to tell someone they are not achieving what is necessary, but they need to hear it so they can improve their skills.

And there are nice ways of explaining why one doesn't like a particular actor/tress or series/show. For example when SGU first started airing, there were some things I wasn't a fan of and I would mention them. However I made sure to also clarify that it was just a "me" thing and that overall I loved the show and made a point of mentioning the things that I did really like. And if I didn't like something I would explain why.

[Skydiver]

Well, if Rac ever attends a con, other attendees can sit back and enjoy the show as she lectures the actors about what they're doing wrong in their jobs.

The rest of us will remember that we're there as a fan to an event and choose to behave accordingly.

And EVERYONE should remember that every con out there has a 'we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone' caveat. Be rude and earn your way onto that 'sorry, we're sold out' list or folks can earn infamy in the fandom by being known as 'that person that was escorted out friday night'

Now, i think this point has been belaboured on long enough so let's move on please.

[Rac80]

Well, if Rac ever attends a con, other attendees can sit back and enjoy the show as she lectures the actors about what they're doing wrong in their jobs.

The rest of us will remember that we're there as a fan to an event and choose to behave accordingly.

And EVERYONE should remember that every con out there has a 'we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone' caveat. Be rude and earn your way onto that 'sorry, we're sold out' list or folks can earn infamy in the fandom by being known as 'that person that was escorted out friday night'

Now, i think this point has been belaboured on long enough so let's move on please.

if you read my comments carefully I said I would never spend the money to criticize someone but then it doesn't matter what you say about other posters if you are a mod does it? The right to speak one's mind is invaluable. If someone feels that strongly and can be polite I don't see a problem.

[TameFarrar]

if you read my comments carefully I said I would never spend the money to criticize someone but then it doesn't matter what you say about other posters if you are a mod does it? The right to speak one's mind is invaluable. If someone feels that strongly and can be polite I don't see a problem.

The fact that another member made a point regarding your comments is not a violation. You feel obliged to defend your comments when they are critiqued and that is fine. However, the fact is you made a statement and that statement was commented on. It in no way made an attack on you as a person. If it had it would have been removed. Keep in mind everyone else on thsi Forum as the same right of polite expression as you regarding the comments themselves. Just because you do not agree with the assessment doesn't make an attack on you personally.

[Madeleine]

Your argument is fallacious because Fans are who indirectly employs actors...we watch the shows, buy the dvds, go to the movies, are who the advertising are aiming at! His job is to entertain US!!! pure and simple we are the customer and guess what.... if the customer leaves, the business closes. By your argument tv shows shouldn't have ratings and movies shouldn't charge. if an actor fails to entertain they are not doing their job!!!. to extrapolate...if a doctor isn't able to sucessfully perform surgery and fails to do it correctly a layman (the patient or their family in case of a fatality) will often sue-- guess what the laymen (jury and or judge) reach a verdict. there is a certain level of common sense on how well someone is doing their job....if a doctor kills you - he isn't a good doctor, if a car repair man can't change the oil...well not going to him again, and if an actor fails to entertain ...his career flops.


ps as a lawyer the laymen decide my job performance every day!

No Doctor I know judges her own performance or that of her receptionist by listening to the person who publicly criticises them. They send out random anonymous satisfaction surveys with a prepaid envelope, so that a decent sampling of people can be taken. Think how awful it would be if they changed the way they do things based on the comments of a single person, only to find that everyone else liked it better how it was before!

I have evaluations of my work too, I'm always aiming to improve. I have them in private with whichever of the various senior staff is most relevant, and feedback from the 'customers' (for want of a better word) is certainly given, but not in front of all my other 'customers'.

If I had a criticism of a bank clerk, my sons' teacher, a bus driver or any other person who is not my employee but whose salary comes very indirectly from my pocket, I'd give it to them in private, or their boss in private, not loudly in the banking hall or at a parents' open evening or audibly on the bus.

[BruTak]

Any of you folks planning on going to Starfury: Invasion in London in May of next year?

[nell]

I went to Shore Leave's annual con in Baltimore this past weekend. Great guests, as usual!! I took a photo of Edward J Olmos in the hotel bar following the celebratory hurrahs after Spain won the World Cup. He was surrounded by fans. What is the etiquette involved for my posting this photo on GW? Do I have to blur the fans' faces since I didn't ask them permission to post? Thanks

[Skydiver]

or crop it to the point that their identities aren't easily seen

[nell]

OK, Thanks

[mysterywriter012]

I've been to the past two shore leaves. I love how 'fan friendly' they all have been. My favorite has been Katee. She was fantastic. So cute

[Fan-e-Gate]

It's been said here that you shouldn't grope the guests, also it should be said (if it hasn't already) don't grope the attendees!

I was at Dragon*Con over the weekend & have heard dozens of stories of women being assaulted by men who were in town for a college football thing as well as some fellow D*Con attendees.

If a woman is wearing a revealing costume, that's not an invite to grab some part of her anatomy. Even if she isn't wearing a revealing costume, that's still not an invite.

It's not cool to yell out complements about anyone's anatomy.

It's also not cool to yell out propositions or even make them quietly when you pose with someone in costume for pictures.

When posing for pictures keep your hands to yourself.

Being drunk is not an excuse for any of this. It's also not an excuse for;

Throwing things off of balconies onto the people below.
Knocking on hotel room doors at 2 A.M. looking for a party because you got a text that there was one "somewhere on the 14th floor."
Doing handstands on the balcony rails.
Going around with your genitals exposed.

And a host of other stupid behavior.

[BruTak]

It's been said here that you shouldn't grope the guests, also it should be said (if it hasn't already) don't grope the attendees!

I was at Dragon*Con over the weekend & have heard dozens of stories of women being assaulted by men who were in town for a college football thing as well as some fellow D*Con attendees.

If a woman is wearing a revealing costume, that's not an invite to grab some part of her anatomy. Even if she isn't wearing a revealing costume, that's still not an invite.

Agreed.

It's not cool to yell out complements about anyone's anatomy.

Agreed.

It's also not cool to yell out propositions or even make them quietly when you pose with someone in costume for pictures.

Agreed.

QWhen posing for pictures keep your hands to yourself.

Agreed. But a proper gentleman should ask permission, and if the answer is no, gracefully accept it.

Being drunk is not an excuse for any of this. It's also not an excuse for;

Throwing things off of balconies onto the people below.
Knocking on hotel room doors at 2 A.M. looking for a party because you got a text that there was one "somewhere on the 14th floor."
Doing handstands on the balcony rails.
Going around with your genitals exposed.

And a host of other stupid behavior.

I couldn't agree more.


Although having said that, I was groped a couple of times by a brace of rather buxom Klingon ladies at a Star Trek con in Glasgow some years ago. If memory serves, it took a week for the bruises to fade...

Those Klingon gals do like to play rough.

[SG7]

When I was at FanExpo in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, I had lots of people who loved my Duct Taped Stargate (I had put it on a lanyard and wore it as if I was a person going through the gate). And many wanted pictures of it and each time each person was very polite and asked me first if I minded having my picture taken or a picture of the gate taken. Though I saw lots of people just taking random pictures with out asking. Personally I think it is only proper to ask a person first if they mind having their picture taken. Just because someone is in costume, does not necessarily mean that they want their picture taken.

I got to meet David Blue while I was there (actually he and Ryan Robbins were the only reasons I was really there) and got him to sign the gate and afterwards he wanted a picture of me and my Stargate and asked me if I would mind if he took a picture of me and my gate as he said that he wanted to put it up on his site. Of course it was David Blue asking! How could I possibly say no??? Of course I didn't mind in the least anyway.

And true to his word, a little over a week later he had put that picture of me and my gate up on his site!

[dogstar8996]

Wow. This sounds like a blast (said as ironically as possible)! Sounds like a bad mix of groups. SG fans have been very well behaved at the cons I've been to. But I can see problems arising If bunches of drunk people are running the halls. I hope it didn't take all the fun out of the weekend for you!