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actors charging for autographs! why and Why I Think its wrong

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    #31
    Ironically, if droves of people stopped going to cons because of the ridiculous costs involved, it would make it more worth it to the people who did attend, because there would be shorter line-up and smaller crowds.
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    "Let's not be too quick to exclude the possibility that the woman might be, uh... what is the clinical term? Nuts?" -- Rodney McKay, PhD

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      #32
      I agree with alot of points stated here if the actor is not currently working fine charge. I think if 10.00 bucks got me a signed 8x10 I would buy it. but anything over that no way. now for actors that are currently working how about first signature free and sell the 8x10 photos for 5.00 bucks unsigned. What I saw in the Toronto con was actors with a person sitting next to them who would collect the money then the actor would ask there name and shake there hand. there was a price list infront of the actors for other choices. The comic book signers I thought did a alotted time say one hour for autographs and who ever got one did. I did notice the comic book resellers with boxes for them to sign which I thought was wrong.

      But like what has been said here greed has hurt the true fans.

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        #33
        Originally posted by Cat_the_Alien
        Ironically, if droves of people stopped going to cons because of the ridiculous costs involved, it would make it more worth it to the people who did attend, because there would be shorter line-up and smaller crowds.
        Don't ya just hate irony!

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          #34
          The real victims here are the actor's names. The actors are like pimps, whoring their signatures out to anyone who has the money to pay for them. The person who gets the signatures can do whatever they want with it. Those poor signatures are sold and resold, and they become the subject of all the perverse desires of their owners. It's so sad.

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            #35
            Originally posted by prion
            Unfortunately you can't find cons that don't seem to charge for actor's autographs anymore. Why?I blame the fans, or rather, those that pose as fans, get an autograph, and immdiately sell it on eBay. Hell, cons are full of people who are there to grab the freebies and gouge as much as they can with online auctions.

            I rarely saw anybody charge for autographs till eBay came along, alas

            However, I"m sure the cons are taking a nice chunk out of the receipts. I miss the days when an actor would sign stuff for you cheerily and nobody tried to make a huge profit.

            Heck, I've been in dealer's rooms and seen autographed photos going for hundreds of dollars. That's part of the reason why the common folk get gouged.
            You know, this is a really great point you brought up Prion. I never really thought of those guys that could be a problem..and it's a valid point.

            Originally posted by abharding
            It depends on the guest and the con. At most cons there are a few guests who are paid a hefty amount of money to come. Those are the people the con's organinizers think will draw in the fans. Someone like Amanda Tapping or Joe would be in that group. But most cons also invite a number of what might be called "second teir guests" who they do not pay very much if at all - with the understanding being that those people will make their money selling autographs. That is their payment. It is a cheap way for the cons to offer more guests and is somewhat risk free for the cons - if the person does not draw anyone then they have paid him/her any money.

            Now I think that Creation is the one that started charging for the "Main" guests. It really is to bad that so many other cons started to follow their example, but there are still cons where, depending on ticket you buy (weekend or single day) the price of that ticket includes one (or two for a weekend ticket) autograph from the main guests. Shoreleave in Maryland is one such con. Now, you may have to wait a long time to get the autograph (esp if you by your ticket at the last minute) but most of the time you will get a one.

            And I do think that Ebay and the number of people selling the autographs does have an effect. I can see why the actors would get a little put out by the fact that people are making money on their autographs. The real victims are the real fans, the ones who have no intention of selling the autographs and just want to enjoy them.
            Thanks for pointing that out, I've never been to a con in my life...this really my first time introduced to the other aspects of the scifi world. I just watched the shows and participated in a few yahoo groups. So this interesting. This is a bit more cut throat than the music concert industry when it comes to what goes on. I've been too quite a few in my life and I just figured there'd be a similar set up like them....since the artists provide a sort of entertainment level at the con.

            Thanks for telling me...I'm still against them charging so much.
            Click statement above to read article.

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              #36
              I've actually gotten stuff signed in person by Robert Picardo and Paul McGillion and I honest have to say that their prices were great. I got this great poster signed by both Picardo and Brent Spiner (which Picardo brought with him presigned) for about £40, and got a few smaller photos for signed (in person) for about £10 each which to me was definitely worth the price.

              I got another great Atlantis card type poster signed by McGillion and cost me like £20 and I got some photos of him (from SG1 and Atlantis) which he signed in person and they were like £10 each.

              I can't talk about the others on the list, but I found those prices fair. Maybe if you exchange the currency to US dollar you may think differently but to me it was well worth the money and a great experience.

              they don't get paid for doing all that stuff, so they bring their own material for you to pay for (which includes getting it signed) and I think it's fair that they do get paid for it in some way when they are giving up their limited free time for the fans.

              I am in Northern Ireland so I can't do things like cons. England gets most of the people who visit the UK and we are so small we don't even get conventions, last time someone was here was before Christmas (McGillion) so being able to meet them, getting my picture taken with them, getting to ask them stupid questions (I asked McGillion if Beckett had a drug problem in his past because of something he said to Rodney when he was detoxing of the wraith enzyme) made the money I paid completely worth it.

              I even got my stuff signed to me so i've no chances of selling (so all I could sell would be the Data/Doc poster).

              If you bring your own item to sign, then to be honest I do think that such signings should be free (and I have heard of some actors who do this, and it explains why comic book artists don't charge as people have paid for the item, but if like me you are paying the posters, photos and signatures for such a low price (low to me) was well worth it.

              To get something signed by Kirk or Spock, honestly I think it would be worth it no matter what they pay.
              Last edited by SaberBlade; 11 September 2006, 12:31 AM.

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                #37
                People on this thread have very valid points, pro and con. However, there is one misconception I would like to clear up. Many actors who are not series regulars, do not earn huge salaries when they work. Even people like Michael Shanks, Joe Flannigan and Chris Judge do not earn anywhere near what actors on bigger name series make. There are different pay scales for actors, just as there are for anyone else in any industry. Shanks, Flannigan and Judge are considered, 'B' list actors. The 'A' list actors will earn in the high 6 figures per episode, but the 'B' list actors don't start out at more than $70,000 to $80,000 per year. After they've been on a series for 7, 8, 9 years, then their salaries will increase quite a bit. 'C' list actors like the guests stars start at $2,000.00 - $3,000.00 per episode. If they are charging for their autograph, it's not because they are greedy, it's to help make ends meet like everyone else. You also have to consider the shakey work security they face. When a series ends or the writers kill off their character, there is no guarantee that they will work as an actor again. We all know of actors that disappear at the end of a series, never to be heard from again. Our favorite actors today, can be all washed up next month or next year. So, they have to get while the getting is good.

                How do I know all this? I have friends in the industry. From what I have learned, I would never want to be an actor. Their lives may seem glamorous, but they work hard and their job security sucks.
                Visit me on http://wormholeriders.com/

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