How do you think the Dark Shadows Festivals can be improved?

quote author=Happybat link=board=news;num=1016556933;start=30#40 date=03/22/02 at 17:56:55]
There are some great suggestions floating about here.  Are there any DS convention organizers on this forum?  

Now, can someone tell me how you get those wonderfully goofy emoticons?  This inquiring mind wants to know!  [/quote]


Castlebee, I posted an email addy for someone who has been part of the festival for over a decade.  Her name is PansyFaye@darkshadowsfestival.com.  I told her about the discussion here and she invites everyone with an idea to send it to her.  Obviously, she can't guarantee every suggestion will be carried out, but she welcomes all new ideas.

Write to her.

Nancy

Some of the people, from what I have heard, can be like a pack of pinheads on steriods...ready to bully others, open their mouths only to spill vile hatred, and definitely to be avoided. However, most of the accounts I read of in the past characterized the experience as thoroughly enjoyable and first rate .   So...it is worth attending, unless you don't want to see your favorite soap stars as almost - senior citizens  and full blown senior citizens!   (Savor those memories, I say; don't tarnish them. )

Why don't they just do this...a very simple solution. Let people prepay and then -- and then send them nothing. Put their names down on a list, and they will simply need to show ID to get in... that would be entirely hassle-free and would expedite things enormously .

simply showing id wont work. u need to be wearing a badge to enter the convention hall/rooms. there is a monitor looking for people wearing the badges. if u had to stop and show id, to the monitor this would cause a delay and even another line just to enter the rooms. obtaining the badge is what causes the line in the 1st place but at least after u have it and wear it u can enter the rooms without further delay.

How about if you show an ID. Then they check to see if that name is on a list. Then they give you a generic badge....10 seconds.

And for the few who don't have ID's, they could request bills or report cards (in the case of children). Failing those, they could establish an alternative method for those without any ID or anything equal to ID.

..So...it is worth attending, unless you don't want to see your favorite soap stars as almost - senior citizens  and full blown senior citizens!   (Savor those memories, I say; don't tarnish them. )

This certainly does not characterize all involved....Some are in great shape...I wish they would tell me their secret!

Re the actors who are senior citizens now.

I've learned quite a bit from senior citizens. Since I don't look the same I did 30 years ago, I don't expect anyone else to either.  I'll always savor talent over looks.  Always.  The age of someone doesn't diminish that appreciation for me.  I hope I never see the day someone thinks I mean less because I'm old.  Because God willing, we will all get there someday.

Nancy

in reading Nancy's post i' m beginning to not want to go toda fest i really doubt these actors are on welfare
and can't afford to travel ! They shoud be flattered
that fans still want to see them! and as i've been working as a nurse for over 20 years with little pay I'm sure that most of them make more than I do! don't mean  to give you a hard time but we do have a right to wish they could have them somewhere else so maybe
fans that can't afford to travel could see them too!

jennifer

in reading Nancy's post i' m beginning to not want to go toda fest i really doubt these actors are on welfare
and can't afford to travel ! They shoud be flattered
that fans still want to see them! and as i've been working as a nurse for over 20 years with little pay I'm sure that most of them make more than I do! don't mean  to give you a hard time but we do have a right to wish they could have them somewhere else so maybe
fans that can't afford to travel could see them too!

jennifer

[shadow=teal,left,300]Hi Jen,  
I don't believe Nancy was implying that the actors can't afford to travel. As it is, the actors that do attend, do so because they are flattered that after 30 years we still hold them in such high esteem. I don't know if you have ever had the opportunity to attend any other conventions/festival, but unlike the Dark Shadows Festivals, they can be quite costly. For example, at Chiller Theatre Conventions you pay $25.00 for the weekend, but this DOES NOT include autographs. Each star CHARGES a seperate fee(anywhere from $20.00-$25.00 per star) for you to secure an autograph from them. At Dark Shadows Festivals you pay $25.00 and that covers EVERYTHING for the weekend except for the Sunday night banquet.  The stars sit there for hours on end signing their names and don't receive a penny for it. Personally, I think that is awesome of them to do, and I don't believe we should expect them to pay for giving us this unique opportunity.
Anyway, that is my two cents
I'm really looking forward to seeing those who plan to attend the Festival in Aneheim this year.I love Disneyland[/shadow]

I hope the post here aren't giving anyone a bad view of the festivals. I have only been to one official fest but inspite of a few ( and I do mean few) rude folks the rest of the time was a blast. I would recomend everyone try it once and you will be hooked.
Two people I regard as my closest buds I met because of DS. One just happened to sit next to my at the banquet and we became fast friends and talk almost daily.
This years trip to California is a splurge for me but I started saving a year ago and realize I won't be doing as much outside of the fest due to money but hey, the ocean is still free out there isn't it?? Please tell me it is all you Calif people.
I'll be passing up on the Disney side trip. Been there once and once was enough for me. Didn't they do a tour of the QE at a Calif fest once? That would have been cool.
I can understand frustration on the fest only being east or west coast. It is hard living in the middle of the country sometimes but I love getting out of the middle of the country too.
If anyone was planning on going and has doubts about it because of the negative things that could happen. The positive outweighs it ten times so go and have a great time.  

in reading Nancy's post i' m beginning to not want to go toda fest i really doubt these actors are on welfare
and can't afford to travel ! They shoud be flattered
that fans still want to see them! and as i've been working as a nurse for over 20 years with little pay I'm sure that most of them make more than I do! don't mean  to give you a hard time but we do have a right to wish they could have them somewhere else so maybe
fans that can't afford to travel could see them too!

jennifer

I have no desire to go to a Fest, but I see Nancy's point.  

It's not about money that the actors do or don't have.  Standard practice for guests at these things is to at least pay for their travel expenses.  Period.  Think about it.  Would you want ot fork over your own money to travel somewhere (air and hotel) so that you could go speak at a convention, spend hours churning out autographs, etc.?

It's just not done.

So then the festival people now have to somehow pay for all of this--that means that the cost of your tickets goes up, a lot.  

I can see why people who live in other parts of the country would be disappointed that they can't go to a Fest, but that's the way it is.  

Luciaphil

in reading Nancy's post i' m beginning to not want to go toda fest i really doubt these actors are on welfare
and can't afford to travel ! They shoud be flattered
that fans still want to see them! and as i've been working as a nurse for over 20 years with little pay I'm sure that most of them make more than I do! don't mean  to give you a hard time but we do have a right to wish they could have them somewhere else so maybe
fans that can't afford to travel could see them too!

jennifer

I never said the any of the actors were on welfare and my post encouraged anyone who wanted to try their hand at organizing a convention (and inviting them under whatever circumstances).   Please re-read what I said in my post as I think you misinterpreted what I said.
I am in no position to say whether or not any of the actors would pay any of their own expenses to attend a convention.  Maybe so.  It doesn't seem likely to me but I could very well be wrong.  

Ask them.  See what happens.  

Nancy

This years trip to California is a splurge for me but I started saving a year ago and realize I won't be doing as much outside of the fest due to money but hey, the ocean is still free out there isn't it?? Please tell me it is all you Calif people.

Oh yes, Teresa-- the Pacific Ocean is still free and blue and warm!

Now if I may put on my moderator's hat for a moment, I'll ask that we all keep in mind that this topic was intended as an avenue for exchanging ideas and making recommendations about improving the Fest.  We don't have to agree with everything we read here, and discussion of the various ideas is always welcome, yet I can't imagine that newbies would be willing to share their thoughts if they see that posters who have done so are being criticized or attacked for theirs.  And let's also not forget that one of the threads running through these 4 pages has to do with fan behavior, but if we can't get along while simply sharing ideas on an internet message board, how can we make a case that we can all get along in the close quarters of a festival auditorium?

I've removed one message in this topic for its criticism of another poster, and hopefully that'll be the last.

It's not about money that the actors do or don't have.  Standard practice for guests at these things is to at least pay for their travel expenses.  Period.  Luciaphil

Bobubas and Luciaphil inspired another point I wanted to make:

I think that many people assume that folks who are (or have been) in the entertainment business make a lot of money.   I work in the entertainment business, and have done so on the legal end, and I can tell you from my own knowledge that the actors who got residuals from DS in syndication were lucky if they could support a ferret on the money.  There wasn't any significant money in the DS residuals even on a long term basis. During the run of DS, the actors worked on union scale and the more prominent actors got a little above scale.  The actors don't profit from the merchandising of DS because way back then, no one ever realized that the show or merchandise would be an issue decades later so contracts did not provide for that possibility. The DS  were generally just paid a flat fee back when DS was on for the use of their likeness and that was it.  Jonathan Frid gets nothing for the use of his image on all the books, the tapes, keyrings, underwear or whatever that is merchandised, and that is true for the other actors. He is the most marketed face from the series but receives nothing for the use of his image.  

I do know that many of the DS actors (from the original show) who attend the functions work very little as actors and have taken up other occupations - not necessarily by choice but just because they have to earn a living like the rest of us.  As Bobubas pointed out, it would be easy for these same actors to take advantage of the fact that they are wanted at these fan events but they don't do that. Sure, some of them have things to peddle but again there isn't a fortune to be made in these items.  

I don't hold any actor to be beholden to me because I supported him or her in a TV role just as I don't forever thank any employer for hiring me for a job I got paid for.
They got something out of it and so did I.

Nancy



     

maybe i didn't say it right Nancy  I really don't care if the actors get paid or not (if it's considered work then they should get paid) hey i've spend 10 hours promoting our hospital at tables sitting long periods of time it is tiring but that is volunteer work and these actors are working!
I just meant if you could fly them from LA to NY then Boston would cost the same that's all!Wasn't trying to attack you sorry if you got that inpression! also when you work long hours with very little recognition would be very flattering if someoHe wanted my autograph but hey that's my fault should have been a ballerina all those years ago! anyway thanks for all your input!

jennifer

maybe i didn't say it right Nancy  I really don't care if the actors get paid or not (if it's considered work then they should get paid) hey i've spend 10 hours promoting our hospital at tables sitting long periods of time it is tiring but that is volunteer work and these actors are working!
I just meant if you could fly them from LA to NY then Boston would cost the same that's all!Wasn't trying to attack you sorry if you got that inpression! also when you work long hours with very little recognition would be very flattering if someoHe wanted my autograph but hey that's my fault should have been a ballerina all those years ago! anyway thanks for all your input!

jennifer

No offense taken, Jennifer.  I understand your point.  

Nancy