SerenityMovie.net

Jetflair · Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 250 Location: Oregon

For those who don't know, Sean Harry, a UK convention organizer, has just announced a Serenity convention in LA just one month before the cruise, with Morena and Jewel as guests.

So.......this seem like a really cruddy conflict to anyone else? Can both the cruise and the convention succeed, given that most people (like, say, me) can't afford both events and will now have to choose between them? And given that the convention already has major cast members booked and the cruise, well, doesn't........what does this look like for cruise attendance?

I'm really cursing the timing. If the Serenity con were to be scheduled for next year, I'd be excited about it. As things stand, it feels like a slap in the face to Brian, Jeremy, and crew and a really bad situation.

This is a critical time for Browncoat events. After the fiasco of Flan, the next event desperately needs to be a success....to be a good time and to bring the fans together and keep them interested in continuing to attend things like this. So why in the name of your dear and fluffy lord would you book a convention on top of an already scheduled cruise and hurt the chances of either event being a success?

Tonya J · Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 51

Wow, I can understand your concern. Though I hate conjecturing, it isn't outside the realm of possibility that the Serenifly cast might be able to do both. One major reason might be that the Cruise, from what I understand, is set up to be a lot different than a regular convention. The VIP Guests would be on an actual vacation and participate in some panels while on the ship, and are to be left alone while enjoying personal time with family and friends.

More guests were to be announced soon, although that was several weeks ago now. I still have faith in the cruise organizers and look forward knowing who else will be joining us.

jeremy · Site Admin Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 997 Location: Utah

Kevin · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 16

I've put the feelers out my end to see what's happenin', but we'll need to see how far into planning he is. He's based in the UK so he won't have seen any con advertising, and I've checked his site and none of his users have mentioned it, so it's entirely possible he doesn't know. His events are usually cheap (much cheaper than Flanvention) and run with a decent set of guests, so it could be an issue. I don't think there's cause for concern before the dates are confirmed, though, as it might not be set in stone yet.

Fabrikjunky · Joined: 08 Jan 2007 Posts: 36

Jeremy I understand how upset you must be! I for one ( well I guess since we bought 4 tickets) are still very excited about your cruise! I loved your film and your dedication to Browncoats the verse over. So having said that even if his event was on the same day I would still be going to yours, and my excitment has not waned a bit! Bring on the cruise!!! I can't imagine that anything could be more fun than this. Browncoats on a cruise! Isn't the cruise also schedualed during most of the actors holiday break? In the end it will all work out and it will be amazing and talked about for years!
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jeremy · Site Admin Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 997 Location: Utah

Thanks for your support! In the UK it's the middle of the night after a con, I don't suspect I'll be hearing anything until sometime tomorrow. I'm hopeful we will come to a simple solution.

Either way, Browncoat Cruise will go ahead as scheduled. And we look forward to having a blast with all those that join us.

Jeremy
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Fabrikjunky · Joined: 08 Jan 2007 Posts: 36

I am so there!!!!
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RachVG · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 107 Location: York, England

Kevin · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 16

See, that would require me actually using my own sites Razz

Although it's technically your site. Well, you do all the work and I claim the credit.

RachVG · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 107 Location: York, England

Not that you give us the admin rights we asked for or anything. Or, you know. Deleted any spam this weekend. Razz

Kevin · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 16

I thought about deleting the spam. That counts, right?

RachVG · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 107 Location: York, England

No.

Karen had to keep bumping other threads above spam!

theonetruebix · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject:

This is weirdness to me. Everyone talks him up a great deal (people certainly were talking him up at Backup Bash when the issue of cons in general cam up), so, yeah, this is confusing.

On the one hand, given that he was, as far as I know, somewhat in the loop with goings on in Burbank after Flan was cancelled, he could be thinking, "I'll do something in that area since there won't be any more Flans for people to go to", which is a fine and useful idea.

On the other hand, it does seem weird to me if he had no idea there was a cruise scheduled for that part of the year, from that part of the US.

Hrm.
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Kevin · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 16

I'm sure Jeremy shall be on with an update, but Sean and him have spoken. Neither events is going to move date, but Sean seems confident he's going to be running a different enough event and it shouldn't matter.

theonetruebix · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject:

Which is more consistent with everything I've ever heard about Sean.
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Kevin · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 16

In fairness, Sean's alright. He's a business person who has been doing the con thing for well over 10 years, and appears to be making an attempt to move into the US market, and the best time to do that for a Serenity event is going to be at the end of this year (whilst there's still interest, when cast members are available etc).

Fabrikjunky · Joined: 08 Jan 2007 Posts: 36

It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
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herointhesea · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 10

To me, it doesn't really matter how "different" the event is, I've already made the downpayment for the cruise (for myself and another person) and could not afford to do both events. PERIOD. (And if I were to cancel to then attend Sean's shindig, I'd be out a significant chunk of change due to cancellation charges.)

It doesn't seem entirely fair, either, as common sense tells me that guests will choose Sean's conventional convention over a cruise no question. I don't know Sean, so I really can't comment about him personally, but this is seeming more and more like a just plain crappy thing to do (timing wise, of course.. putting on a Serenity con is not crappy.)

Two things I want: to be with the many Browncoat friends I've made thus far and to meet the BDHs/guests that I am a fan of. I'll go to whichever event is going to let me do that the most effectively regardless of cost, but only one. And it makes me pretty upset that the event might end up not being the cruise I was so damn excited about.

jeremy · Site Admin Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 997 Location: Utah

Sean and I exchanged a couple of emails. I get the impression he feels somewhat bad that our events are so close, and he's even offered to help promote Browncoat Cruise a bit.

That being said, I'm still a bit disappointed. However, neither event can change this late in the game so we plan to do our very best to differentiate our event from his. Starting with the fact that ours is on a freakin' ship!!

Soon, we will be making some official announcements about how we are going to make it worth everybody's time to go cruising with us, as well as hopefully finally being able to announce some more guests. (Paperwork sure can take a long time.)

Jeremy
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marajade29sm · Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 151 Location: Toronto, ON Canada

I'm still really excited about the cruise, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for us as the year goes by...bring on December, I say!
Mostly I am still really looking forward to seeing everyone, which is the main reason I signed up in the first place.
I'm disappointed about the announcement of the other con, though. It seems ridiculous to split the fanbase because we can't all afford to go to both, when really, I'd have been all over the LA con if it was at a different time...later the following spring, or something, you know? I want to support the 'verse as much as possible, and going to another Browncoat convention would be an awesome fun way to do it. That's why I was so looking forward to Flan. It's hard for non-Browncoats to grasp that entire weekends, for example, can be devoted entirely to that one show/movie, especially a few years after the movie came out.
So, to have an awesome turnout at a Browncoat Cruise shows that the show has staying power, as far as I'm concerned, as would an awesome turnout at a more conventional, land-based con. I'd be more than happy to support both, just to help achieve that end, but, like many of you, can't afford it.
So crazy. Here in Toronto, it's like pulling teeth to get Firefly guests. No con organizers here would dream of putting all of their eggs into that basket, despite the long lines that the few guests we have had here have waded through. Hopefully having 2 big events so close to each other won't hurt either one...hopefully there are enough of us to support both, and no one will be left saying that the Browncoats didn't show up.
I just wish Sean had made it a little easier on us, you know?

Cider · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 89 Location: UK

theonetruebix · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject:

CHURCH ON A BOAT!
CHURCH ON A BOAT!
CHURCH ON A BOAT!
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Kevin · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 16

I see Sean's posted to say he's moving out of the UK to the US. It does present an interesting question, the Cruise folk need to find a reason as to why people who haven't booked yet should choose their event instead.

theonetruebix · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:56 pm Post subject:

marygirven · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:50 pm Post subject:

What a shame that these two events WILL inevitably compete with each other. Browncoats should all be pulling together now, not dividing up! Doesn't Sean realize that?

I think it is even more important that the cruise announces some BDH guests really soon. If the con gets BDH guests announced early (sounds like they are), people who have not yet booked the cruise will go to the con instead (hey, it's less money, and they have BDH guests). But our family has been looking forward to this cruise SO MUCH since the first time we heard about it, and booked our tickets immediately after the reservation process opened back up. Sigh..... What an un-Browncoat-like thing for Sean to do! Gosse.

Well, I guess we'll just have to do what Browncoats do best, and that's pull together as a family and have a fabulous cruise in spite of the problems. I have faith that we'll do just that!

Mary
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Jetflair · Joined: 27 Dec 2006 Posts: 250 Location: Oregon

I agree with the importance of the cruise announcing major guests soon. On the forum I frequent most, there is not a lot of confidence that the cruise will be able to get major actors to commit, especially Nathan, and interest is starting to swing very strongly to the con.

In my opinion, Sean is wrong about being able to make the events different enough. When it comes right down to it, many people are now in the position of choosing which event to attend. That wouldn't be happening if his convention was later on down the road.

herointhesea · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 10

I am agreeing with Jessi 100% about this.

Different isn't the issue, it's proximity.

mmmusings · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 66 Location: Pacific Northwest

Proximity and timing are the issue for us. Since we're not local to the So Cal area (as I would imagine most of the rest of the folks here aren't as well), we don't have the option to attend both. Since we've already paid a deposit for the cruise we're leaning towards that, however I've yet to hear if they'll have the payment thing up and running in time for the first payment (due in a couple of weeks). That, plus mystery surrounding the guests (more announcements coming soon...coming soon...coming soon...) and I'm starting to get a churning in the stomach.

This whole competing events thing really is pretty awful.
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kurya · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Posts: 115

Well all I just wanted to say i am already committed to the cruise so I aint changing. I guessthee primary reason is to be at a con and meet other fans from aorund the world.. the guests are second(obviously for others it is the other way around). I guess it would be nice to get the main BDH's, and in terms of Jeremy etc they have a connection somewhat because of them doing interviews of the BDH's for the documentary(which was well done).

For me, I haven't been to a con before..and I wanted ym first experience to be special... and this is an awesome thing to do.. .even if expensive(i know i know its not that expensive comparatively... but for someone who isnt a con goer.. it is expensive). The thing is... the browncoat cruise has been annoucned and known for months since december... the starfury convention in LA, when was that announced??? And I guess it is true that proximity is an issue ...

Jeremy is there anyway to post potential guests? so people have an idea of what to expect even if they arent 100% confirmed? Or could you have the paperwork speeded up?
Prakash
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theonetruebix · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:50 am Post subject: