Dude! If There was EVER A Reason to Support Fan-Run Conventions…
This has suddenly popped up on Live Journal and other places. And though I believe it, I’m stunned.
It started with this article on How Much is Too Much? Apparently Patrick Stewart is charging $200 to have your picture taken with him. No apparent word on how much it’s going to be to get an autograph, but Leonard Nimoy reportedly gets $65 – $75 per autograph.
Come on, guys. I know actors make money based on their faces, but SERIOUSLY???? In this economy??? You’re going to financially rape your fans and the conventions? By charging exorbitant amounts for autographs and being jerks about panels and pictures, it hurts everyone. The conventions are out an appearance fee AND attendance because people are NOT coming to pay THAT. YOU, the ACTOR, are out because PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY THAT.
I hired actors for a convention, when one of my faves cost $10K just to show UP, you know what? I didn’t love him that much. I’m not that fond of Stewart right now either. I love writers who have the philosophy of “You bought the book, the least I can do is SIGN it.” I love conventions like FENCON who have a policy against paid autographs. I also LOVE the actors like Patricia Tallman and Allan Tudyk who charge for their autograph (not exorbitantly) but the money they make goes to charity. That’s the way to make the fans give up hard earned cash and feel like they’re doing something worthwhile.
Because, you know what “stars”? Your fans are not there to be milked to pay your mortgage. We are not bottomless ATM machines. And we’re not stupid. Do the math. You sell 1 autograph at $200, and piss off a boatload of fans. Or you sell 20 autographs at $10. You still make the same amount, and yeah, do a little more signing work, but you have 19 happier fans who just MIGHT GO SEE YOUR NEXT MOVIE instead of NOT GOING it because you were a jerk and they’re no longer fans.
At some point “Stars” need to realize they need the fans more than we need them.
2 Comments
It’s Dragon*Con, so there’s not a question of attendance decreasing. But yeah.
It’s all market forces. If people are willing to pay that much for the signature (and if you’re not the Pope and/or Neil Armstrong, count me out) then the actor can charge it. Do I wish they were cheaper? Heck yes. That’s why I like local promoter Ben Stevens’ policies towards autograph pricing and the very reasonable fees at Dallas Comic Con & Sci-Fi Expo. But from the actor’s standpoint, they see a lot of this stuff end up on eBay and feel they shouldn’t be subsidizing some random guy’s business selling autographs online for big bucks when they could pocket some of that themselves. Is it fair to the fans? Not entirely, but it’s the harsh reality of supply and demand.