Charging for autographs

[Crispee]

So there's this fan convention happening in my area tomorrow in which I'll get the opportunity to meet various cool people such as Paul McGann (The 8th Doctor) various Doctor Who companions and some actors from other series like Game of Thrones and Red Dwarf and what have you.

The thought titlated me, so I looked it up on the con's official website, and found that half of the celebrities A)Weren't there all the time, and B) Charged for autographs.

My question is this, why charge for autographs? If you were me, would you not to go said con on principle? I'm personally considering not going purely for this reason, because I don't consider a cherished memory of meeting a celebrity who are in a thing that I like to cost £15, I dunno, it feels like it cheapens the whole thing.

 

[Zontar]

You have to remember that these people have jobs, and not all of them in the entertainment industry ("don't quit your day job" for some is a fact of life, and hell, some entire types it is. Almost no voice actor doesn't have or try to have a regular 9-5 job for example). Now you're asking these people who either have other jobs or are highly paid (depending on the level within the industry) to after a panel (if they go to one) spend hours signing things for a large number of people? The odds of getting someone to do that out of charity for the fans is mostly going to be limited to 3ed rate people almost no one, if anyone, knows. It's a necessary evil and to be quite frank you won't find a con that doesn't have it.

 

[Mossberg Shotty]

I think this is the kind of situation that depends a lot on context. If a celebrity is participating in a convention and is expected to sign autographs for hours on end, a small fee is completely understandable.

However, if you just happen to bump into a celebrity at say, a Starbucks and you ask them for an autograph, and they try to charge you, they're being an egotistical douche.

 

[Scarim Coral]

While I do think an autograph can be expensive at times but how else do you think they can make a living especially when they are not in the lime light (e.g. the child that once played Anakin is grown up and is too making money off autograph)?

Also do you really think that they had travel miles upon miles to go to a convection just to see the fans alone? Ok granted that does apply to some celebrities but they normally are able to pay the travel fee in advance.

 

[Lieju]

Well, that's their job. They might get paid some other way, or profit from the publicity, but still, I see nothing wrong with charging for autographs, you aren't forced to buy them.

 

[SinisterGehe]

Often in conventions these fees are set by the organizers or in some smaller cases they get invited and do not get paid but are allowed to sell their product (in this case the autograph).

Also if I would have any relevant fame I would ask a small fee for an autograph based on the principle that some of the people are going to sell it on Ebay or something anyway and make money - off me.

Also many actors are quite busy, if they aren't working, they are looking for work since actors job is a contract to make X amount of content. Not 8-4 retail or 9-5 office with steady income.

Also... Which would be worse them not asking for a fee or not giving them at all?

 

[madwarper]

My question is this, why charge for autographs?

Doesn't simply having the autograph increase the item's intrinsic value?
I mean, which is worth more, a mint-in-box action figure or a mint-in-box action figure with the actor's autograph?

So, yea. If you're getting an increase in the monetary value of your object, then it's not unreasonable to ask for some compensation in return.

If you were me, would you not to go said con on principle?

It depends... Was getting something autographed the sole reason for going?

If not, then you can still go to the event and do other things. You can even wait in the autograph line just to tell the person how much you appreciate their work, just don't ask for an autograph.

 

[snappydog]

So there's this fan convention happening in my area tomorrow in which I'll get the opportunity to meet various cool people such as Paul McGann (The 8th Doctor) various Doctor Who companions and some actors from other series like Game of Thrones and Red Dwarf and what have you.

The thought titlated me, so I looked it up on the con's official website, and found that half of the celebrities A)Weren't there all the time, and B) Charged for autographs.

My question is this, why charge for autographs? If you were me, would you not to go said con on principle? I'm personally considering not going purely for this reason, because I don't consider a cherished memory of meeting a celebrity who are in a thing that I like to cost £15, I dunno, it feels like it cheapens the whole thing.

Is this the Cardiff Comic Con by any chance? I was considering popping along if I had time, but hearing that makes me think it might not be worth it with all the other uni-related stuff I've got to try to squeeze in this weekend.

 

[krazykidd]

You could also not get an autograph. But seriously though. You'll make your money ( and then some )back if you sell what ever he/she/it signs. So i don't think it's that bad.

 

[michael87cn]

Do you expect them to get harassed and man-handled by crazy hordes of people all day for nothing?

 

[Chemical Alia]

I can't imagine a situation where I'd find it right to charge for an autograph, but I honestly haven't given it much thought and a good reason probably does exist. I don't think I'd pay money for anyone's autograph either.

The only autographs I ever bought were my own digital ones for Dota 2, from TI3 last year where I could scan people's badge and assign them to an attendee's Steam account, which then could be applied to any in-game item. I never got any copies of my own to give out to friends, so I went on to the steam market and bought the 15 cheapest ones. I get bugged by random strangers all the time to give them out for free, which I probably would do if I didn't actually have to buy them myself v:

 

[Weaver]

This is the way it is at conventions. While it kind of sucks, you have to understand that cons are busy places. The autographing section is usually total mayhem (at least around here) and that's with everyone paying to get autographs.

How many people are would line up for a free autograph? It would simply be unmanageable.

 

[Bocaj2000]

Autographs used to be favors and something special. Turning it into a business transaction cheapens the whole thing and is similar to a little league trophy.

Also the things about cons is that their primary definition is utilized quite often in their slang secondary definition. Payed autographs is one of them; 100 yen Japanese drinks that cost $5 is another one of them.

 

[Saltyk]

It really depends on certain things. For example, I heard of a college Football player that got in a lot of trouble for charging for autographs a while back. I think this was partly due to him not having permission from the organization that regulates college football, partly as it made the entire association look bad, and partly due to them being some rule against it.

I frankly have no problem with a celebrity charging a fee for an autograph. It should be fairly nominal and if it bothers you that much, feel free to boycott or just not get an autograph. It's not like they are under any obligation to sign autographs or even appear at the convention.

While I do think an autograph can be expensive at times how else do you think they can make a living especially when they are not in the lime light (e.g. the child that once played Anakin is grown up and is too making money off autograph)?

I feel sorry for that guy - he could be a decent actor now, but it must be near impossible to get any work when you're 'that guy who ruined Star Wars'.

Think I read somewhere that he HATES Star Wars and feels it ruined his life. Apparently, he's trying to get into the movie making business, but not as an actor or even a director.

 

[Stu35]

My question is this, why charge for autographs?

The world has always, ALWAYS worked in the following fashion:

If you have something that other people want, it is good sense to exchange that thing for goods and services (or money, as the case is in the modern world).



Now, I think personally that Autographs are something that celebrities (or whoever) can give to people in public settings for the sake of being nice, because fuck it, if people like you enough to want you to sign something that should get you pretty psyched.

At conventions on the other hand? Where you're effectively turning up for work? - Yeah I can see why they'd charge money for that. If I'm being required to be somewhere for work purposes, I'm going to want remuneration for it.

Now, if you were to approach a celebrity in a restaurant or other public setting and ask for an autograph, then I'd consider them quite dickish to ask money in exchange (although seeing as you're disturbing them during their own free time then I wouldn't consider them dickish if they just told you to fuck off).




TL;DR - At a convention, these people are, effectively, at work. They've every right to charge for things in that setting, in my opinion.


Edit:

While I do think an autograph can be expensive at times how else do you think they can make a living especially when they are not in the lime light (e.g. the child that once played Anakin is grown up and is too making money off autograph)?

I feel sorry for that guy - he could be a decent actor now, but it must be near impossible to get any work when you're 'that guy who ruined Star Wars'.

Think I read somewhere that he HATES Star Wars and feels it ruined his life. Apparently, he's trying to get into the movie making business, but not as an actor or even a director.

I think I saw a youtube video a while back where some Antipodean bloke was interviewing him, he asked him a few Star Wars related questions and the whole mood turned quite sour. It was pretty funny.

 

[Crispee]

It depends... Was getting something autographed the sole reason for going?.

I'm phobic of large crowds and don't like socialising with hyperactive people I've never met before, so the guests are the only reason I might go.

And it's not the autograph itself, more like just meeting the people that give the autographs, with the autograph serving as a reminder of whatever brief conversation we might have. And the meeting will be meaningless if they're only there for their money rather than because they actually cared about meeting us to begin with.

Is this the Cardiff Comic Con by any chance? I was considering popping along if I had time, but hearing that makes me think it might not be worth it with all the other uni-related stuff I've got to try to squeeze in this weekend.

It is indeed, I don't suppose you go to the local Unis do you?

Autographs used to be favors and something special. Turning it into a business transaction cheapens the whole thing and is similar to a little league trophy.

Also the things about cons is that their primary definition is utilized quite often in their slang secondary definition. Payed autographs is one of them; 100 yen Japanese drinks that cost $5 is another one of them.

Exactly, this is my reasoning, paying for an autograph is basically like buying a bragging rights trophy which cheapens the whole idea of sharing a personal conversation with a famous person I admire.

I guess it's very intensive signing things and meeting hyperactive fans all day, but that begs the question why the convention doesn't pay them to appear and include it in the price of the ticket, rather than personally making me fork over my money and cheapening down a great experience to, as was said, just a business transaction.

I dunno, I suppose logistically it makes sense to charge, but I find that really cynical and hollow.

 

[Dalisclock]

I'm phobic of large crowds and don't like socialising with hyperactive people I've never met before, so the guests are the only reason I might go.

And it's not the autograph itself, more like just meeting the people that give the autographs, with the autograph serving as a reminder of whatever brief conversation we might have. And the meeting will be meaningless if they're only there for their money rather than because they actually cared about meeting us to begin with.


I dunno, I suppose logistically it makes sense to charge, but I find that really cynical and hollow.

You could say this about the celebrity as well. Not every celebrity likes being in huge crowds of fans and frankly, when you meet 1000 people in the day, its really hard to care about any of them on a personal level.

then there's the fact, already mentioned, that a lot of celebrities don't acutally make much money. If they're gonna spend all day(or all week) at a con, they want to get some kind of compensation for it.

I'm not a celebrity and work normal business hours(and then some), but I've occasionally been asked if I can meet with someone significantly outside of business hours or on weekends(which we don't normally work). I'll do it, but only if I think I'm gonna get something worthwhile out of it. There's nothing worse then giving up your free time for nothing.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I think it's a little absurd that if you're already making thousands or millions off your thing you should charge your fans for an autograph, specially considering they already bought their share of tickets and shit. Spock isn't gonna go broke if you don't give him $50 for his autograph.

 

[snappydog]

It is indeed, I don't suppose you go to the local Unis do you?

Yup, Cardiff University. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else from/ living here on the Escapist before!

 

[Eamar]

I think it's a little absurd that if you're already making thousands or millions off your thing you should charge your fans for an autograph, specially considering they already bought their share of tickets and shit. Spock isn't gonna go broke if you don't give him $50 for his autograph.

Sure, but most of the celebrities who work these sorts of cons (particularly on the Doctor Who/Red Dwarf level) aren't making millions, or anything even remotely close. You can be massive in a niche, nerdy scene while still barely registering on the overall celebrity scale. People like Leonard Nimmoy are very much the exception.

OT: I agree it feels kinda cynical, but in reality I totally understand it for all of the reasons others have given already.