So you’ve made the decision to attend this year’s London Film and Comic Con. Congratulations, you are about to enjoy an exceptionally busy weekend full of meeting your idols. We at THN like to think of ourselves as seasoned pros, with this writer having attended each and every July since 2008. To help those con virgins out there we’ve compiled a helpful how-to-survive guide.
First things first – plan ahead! Getting some guest’s autographs at LFCC can become something of a military operation, so make sure to do your research. Write a list, before the event, of all people you want to meet, then prioritise them. Busy guests work on a virtual queue system; you get a ticket number and throughout the day the numbers announced for a particular guest will go up e.g. 1-50, 1-100 and so on. As soon as your number is valid you can join the queue. Don’t worry, your number wont become invalid, once up it will stay up. To ensure you have the lowest number possible head to your guest’s area as soon as you enter, walk don’t run (you’ll get a telling off if you do), and collect your ticket. It’s worth noting that all people wanting to queue for the guest will need one of these tickets, even if they are just there to make sure you don’t say something inappropriate. Once you’ve got your tickets for the bigger guests you can sort meeting the non-VQ guests.
Get there early. Yes you may have bought early bird tickets, but believe me, people get there VERY early! Bring a blanket and something to read, aim to arrive at least an hour or so before the doors open and set up your base camp in the queue.
Don’t forget your entry tickets! Seems like a no-brainer, but remember you’re going to need to be up early and you’ll be excited. My advice – pack the night before when you’re slightly calmer.
Make sure your camera etc. is charged. Depending on how busy they are, some guests may be up for an over-the-table photo (if they aren’t they’ll have a sign posted up behind them). You really don’t want to miss out on that photo of you and the stunning Summer Glau just because you forgot to charge your picture taking device.
Bring money. This will be an expensive weekend. Not just with photo shoots and autographs, but the stalls will also sap your cash. The event will house merchandise of every kind, whatever your niche it’ll almost certainly have a stand. Yes the venue has a cash machine, but the queue for it will be longer than the Stan Lee line if past experience is anything to go by. Our favourite stall? A small stand which sells various sculptured models, including life-size gremlins – who doesn’t want their own gremlin?
Enjoy the cosplay. Think that the Americans are the only ones capable of creating a decent homemade costume? Prepare to have your mind blown, for wandering around the halls will be fellow fans dressed up as every character you can imagine. Most are more than happy to pose for a photo, just remember to ask first. Take a sneaky peak at the video below to get an idea of the standard you will be seeing.
Stay hydrated– with the likes of George A Romero, Stan Lee and Carrie Fisher in attendance it is going to be a BUSY con. A busy con equates to a warm hall, and a warm hall leads to dehydration which leads to you missing your chance to chat cameos with Stan Lee due to you passing out. Avoid this disappointment by carrying water everywhere you go.
And most importantly HAVE FUN!
For mor information check out the London Film and Comic Con website.
