What HiddenSky said!

When considering Fan Parties vs Conventions, they really are totally different.

Which is what Allyson kinda said… In fact, dig out any of her numerous posts on What Makes Fan Parties Special, and she probably says it better than anybody.

I have thoughts! Also perhaps an unhealthy amount of Allyson-love….

I could grossly over-simplify this topic and suggest that, to me: Running Conventions seem to be about Money, and running Fan Parties seem to be about Love.

Of course, if I made such a simplification, then I'd have to be extra-sad to hear that Allyson's heart wasn't/isn't/may not be fully passionate about certain shows/events...

On the other hand, it’s a huge testament to Allyson's skills, ability and commitment that she can be pivotal in staging such insanely successful Fan Events as she has without 100% Heart Factor. In fact that's pretty bloody amazing.

If Mutant Boosters paid the entire cast of LOST to show up, they could charge $600 and D:LA would go away.

They could, yes, but I disagree about the second part. They would be two entirely different things, surely? I see nothing about Mutant Booster that suggests a fun-filled fan-gathering in aid of a great cause.

If I had $600+ or so to spend on going to a Deluxe Convention with all the Cast present? Well that would maybe be great, but lines, autographs etc. would surely just be so... conventional (pun intended)... To be honest I'd rather go to a Charity Fan Party, be guaranteed a great time with fan-friends, and be able to throw the extra $$$ at auction items or raffle tickets for charity.

Yes, many fans want to go to Conventions and see their favourite showpeople and VIPs. Stand in lines for autographs and enjoy structured activities, panels etc. I'm not knocking that. It certainly seems to be a majority thing in fandoms. But there are also fans who want to meet up, hang out and celebrate with other fans, regardless of VIP presence. When VIPs turn up to such parties to hang out with their fans it’s a wonderful bonus for all involved, because it shows that they care and they want to be there.

Random D:LA example: As I remember, John Terry flew quite a way to attend your recent Lost party. Nobody paid him to do that, or paid for him to do that. He came to the Party. He met and talked to fans. He hung. He didn't have to *do* anything, say anything, sign anything. He was there because he wanted to be there, because of the Fans and the Charity effort. He seemed to enjoy himself and be very glad he'd come along. The fans who met him were over the moon, and he's not even a Main Cast Member… the joy they experienced….one can't put a price on stuff like that. Which is why imho, conventions paying talent to appear will forever have a hard time replicating the success of the more intimate fan events.

[sidetracked] Sidenote here: While typing this (and googling to check which spelling of "John" Mr. Terry uses) I just realised that he played Bob Warner in Season Two 24. Of course!!!! ACK! I feel so stupid. *hits self* That I did remember to praise DDK for his work on Crusade doesn't make me feel any less stupid either. *hits self again*[/sidetracked]

I appreciate that I'm maybe not the best qualified to be offering opinions on these subjects. I've never been to a Convention. I have been to two Fan Parties, and both were planned by the same team of people, so I have nothing similar to compare them to, but they were both FANtastic.

I just have these thoughts, and when I have these thoughts my fingers tend to do the typing thing. Maybe more a quarter than a simple two cents worth, but doesn't matter because I am of the pounds sterling anyway. :)

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As far as "Future Events with the Allyson Touch" goes, I'm personally far more likely to travel the distance for something with the Allyson touch than something without.

I'll admit I'd love an Allyson touched Serenity Screening Something in September. I might not even be able to go myself, but I know that many would, and they would pretty much have a great time.

I'd love an Allyson touched D:LA Sequel next year. With perhaps a cool title like Destination:LA 2006.

I'd still love Allyson if she never touched another Party, Event or Campaign in her entire life. It's her prerogative, and she works her little booty of for nothing but love. I can't imagine she enjoys the all the stress and anxiety, and I'm not sure if she ever gets the satisfaction, happiness and gratitude she desrves for her work. However as far as I have seen she is fucking brilliant at it…. so as a fan, I hope she doesn’t stop.

I'd rather go to a party that I KNOW is going to be good fun, than go to any pricey VIP filled Convention/Event/Party that might not be so much fun. Maybe that's just me… while the Allyson touch does seem to have a magic effect on persons of a VIP persuasion, such magic isn't the prime reason for this, for me at least - and I suspect a great many others.

If there is another Destination: LA event in the future, I have a selfish list of, 15-20 people who I would absolutely really really WANT to be there... but not a single one of them is a VIP. :)

ETA: Ooops. That last bit is incorrect. One is. Andrea's a VIP. :)

P.S. I am fully aware Maya, Kristen and many others have also been pivotal in the success of things touched by Allyson, and they are also totally deserving of huge love and kudos. {{{Huge Love and Kudos}}}

I'd still love Allyson if she never touched another Party, Event or Campaign in her entire life. It's her prerogative, and she works her little booty of for nothing but love. I can't imagine she enjoys the all the stress and anxiety, and I'm not sure if she ever gets the satisfaction, happiness and gratitude she desrves for her work.

Word.

To all who made con-ments to me: Thank you for your reassurances. I am not afraid. I am just, as Allyson said, a little jaded with the lines/autographs thing (despite not having experienced it much - WUWT?) and so unwilling to pay so very much money for it. I have a guarantee of seeing 5 or 6 people I LOVE at Dragon*Con, and the possibility of seeing many more. If they weren't going to be there, I wouldn't be, even if my ticket got me a private dance party with the whole cast of Serenity.

ETA: Allyson, I would always rather attend an event planned by you than one not. You are a proven success, and that goes a very long way. I had a good time at the Pre-Party you worked so hard for, and I have not known a single one of my friends not to enjoy W&H or D:LA. The Browncoats are all nice people, and I'm sure capable of putting together a good time, but there is some security or something in the idea of having you put something together.

That said, I would never want you to kill yourself for any event, much less one where your heart wasn't in it. But I would always rather go to one planned by you than someone else, regardless of other circumstances.

No one was wearing anyone else's nightclothes, for instance.

Hee. And people think Nikita is a boring fandom.

And people think Nikita is a boring fandom.

There were very good reasons why I was doing shots of salmari from a Coca-Cola can and that a small group of us drank the hotel bar out of tequila during those years. The talent show alone...

I shall speak of it no more. I don't want to have a flashback that will ruin the hard work and money I put into my alcohol-induced amnesia.

People still talk with fear about certain... props... that were used for posed photos at PBP 2000. I think I missed out by throwing a rather sedate after-party in my room where the wildest thing was a blender full of pina colada mix (but much fun was had, nonetheless).

Matt, by boring we don't mean hijinks so much as there seem to be a disproportionate number of people in Nikita fandom who are batshit insane.

Oh, I was referencing insanity re: the after parties that I missed that year by throwing my own. Four years later people were cringing when they mentioned handcuffs and a giant furry purple dildo. Apparently there came a point in the evening when the sane people decided the time to flee had arrived.

Though some of them fled to Becker's Game of Death, so they chose alcohol poisoning in lieu of dishonor.

One of the batshit fans bought a nightgown that Nikita had worn in the series. Then she went upstairs to her room, put it on, and came back down to the auction.

Then one of the cast members emceeing the auction pulled it down in back, and we all got a lovely view of her posterior. Because she had nothing on under it, of course.