FrightFest ticketing 2015

Taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend, August 27th - 31st 2015
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by zappa fan »

Phil Newton wrote:Now, here's my other idea to try an appease those who like the social get together of the sleepy queue - instead of having a sleepy queue for the on sale day, why not instead hold a FrightFest launch event? So perhaps on the Friday night or the Saturday there would be a live launch event held at say the PCC, where the FF team would announce the line up to the press and fans, talk about the films/guests, be available for questions, and then afterwards there could be a free film. Tickets could then go on sale online a day or two later.
That's a great idea!
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by ashface »

My main worry would be that something always seems to go wrong for the people trying to get tickets outside of the sleepy Q. That is without all of the people who join the Q as well. Can you imagine with the added load of all of those people trying to get tickets online what would happen? There would be even more of a meltdown then there has been in previous years - and when was the last year the people who sell the online tickets haven't messed up?
I think it would probably end up being a free for all with so many complaints and un-happy fans. I always feel bad for the people unable to Q and hear their stories of how they didn't get the seats they wanted. I just don't want that happening to me and my friends.

I unfortunately can't see an alternative.

Over the last few years the Sleepy Queue itself has run relatively smoothly, if slowly, it has been the online sales that have had the issues. With the addition of the queueing system which only allows a certain amount of people to be buying tickets at the one time, this shouldn't be an issue.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by Critter Egg »

In July, when FrightFesters go to get tickets, they will be placed in an online queue. Once in that queue they will receive a number and an estimated time of getting access to the ticketing site. This way, and I know it may take a little bit longer than previously, the website will not fall over, and everyone in turn will get a chance to get tickets.
Would there be a possibility of a separate virtual queue for each of the three main screens? This would speed things up a bit, and everyone is likely to have a preference for a certain screen, whether based on the order the films that are showing (and potential disco screen clashes) or where their friends are sat, or the size of the screen.

We have looked at this along with several other online queuing options. We have been advised that this would just overly complicate matters and to keep things as simple as possible.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by benj »

If the main concerns are the size of the sleepy queue and the demand on online booking, might it be possible to stagger the ticket sales per screen? So, say, day 1 is for sales of tickets in the Film 4 screen, day 2 for sales of tickets in the Horror Channel screen, and so on?

Aside from (hopefully) keeping numbers down, another advantage of this would be if you didn't get there early enough (either in person or online) on day 1 to get the seats you wanted, you'd still be able to try and get equivalent seats on either of the following 2 days.

Thanks for the suggestion, but no, not going down this road. Getting everything to work will be big enough challenge, without complicating matters more.
Last edited by benj on Thu Apr 16, 2015 6:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by DeanoG »

One thing that may be worth some thought, a lot of banking providers will block unusual transactions and I know that my account has been blocked due to Frightfest booking.

Does the queing system have a contingency for blocked transactions or do you go to the Back of the queue again because this may happen a lot...pre warn your Bank or have them on another line is my tip folks...

Also is the screen allocation just going to be random


Seems like a complex system, best of luck.

Bit worried that i pre booked the Hotel....schoolboy error.

I understand the frustrations of cards getting blocked. It has happened to me personally and it happened last year to the FrightFest CC. I was buying flights for guests and rather than put the tickets through as a lump sum, that had been pre-cleared with the bank, the travel agent put the tickets through individually and on the third flight, despite being well within our limits, the bank blocked the card.

There will be a ticket transaction limit, however it will be to the value of 10 tickets, so more than enough for anyone and will get rid of the issues with the £300 per transaction limit last year.

I can't answer your question about being dumped to the back of the queue if a card is blocked. I have a second meeting with the ticketing company next week, where they will present their solutions to what I have specified that is need to make this all work. I will ask the question for you, but simplicity is near the top of the list.

Finally, don't worry, it will all work out. I haven't invested all this time and effort in to this for it not to. You will get your tickets.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by Reanimator »

Very surprising that the Vue can't sell tickets on sleepy queue day - that worked very well last year!

How about moving back to the Empire!
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by sherbetbizarre »

DeanoG wrote:Also is the screen allocation just going to be random?
I was wondering this too...

Not happening, sorry. The way that the cinema is now configured after the refit would not work for us now.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by The Aylmer »

sherbetbizarre wrote:
DeanoG wrote:Also is the screen allocation just going to be random?
I was wondering this too...
Hopefully if it's all being done by a ticketing agency you'll have access to a seating plan online and be able to pick seats/screens from that? The same as when booking tickets for concerts? If not it's going to be a bit of a free for all and, depending on how long it takes to get through online, might well stop many from sitting together (our group has slowly built up over the years to the point we've now got just short of 10 of us from different parts of the UK all coming together for our once a year/five day get together. Be a shame if the lack of a sleepy queue meant that might not happen this year).

Ticketing this year will be done by a proper agency, and you will be able to continue to choose the screen and seat that you want. Our one seat for the complete festival formula has helped make FrightFest so unique and will not be going away anytime soon.

I haven't said there won't be a queue this year, what I'm trying to do here is gauge FrightFesters thinking. If we didn't care what everyone thought, the queue would be history. But, if there wasn't for whatever reason all you and your mates have to do is get together and book seats in one purchase. We allow up to 10 tickets at a time in any single transaction.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by benj »

I think the reason the sleepy queue is the size it is now is (a). the tickets go on sale earlier for the SQ (correct me if I'm wrong but that's the perception I and a few others I've spoken with have) and (b). lack of confidence in the online booking system. Fix both these and I believe the queue would be heavily reduced, but that ain't gonna' happen before the new online system proves itself capable.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by DeanoG »

Thanks for the response Ian, just excited to see the whole thing come together now.

Fingers crossed, for, amongst the horror and fantasy, some cool documentaries like we had last year. :D

Films are not the issue this year.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by sherbetbizarre »

sherbetbizarre wrote:
DeanoG wrote:Also is the screen allocation just going to be random?
I was wondering this too...

Not happening, sorry. The way that the cinema is now configured after the refit would not work for us now.
That good, because that's what I was hoping hear! :)
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by Stevey K »

Here's a 'wrinkle' where having in person ticket buying is a help... One of the reasons I come up to purchase my tickets for our small group is in order to get aisle seats. Now with 3 screens there is the potential that in say one screen all the aisle seats sell out. So you get to the counter the person behind it can inform you of this and you can say 'can you try another screen of the 3'. Aisle seats available, tickets purchased.

Now with the online queuing system presumably you will need to pick a screen first, then your seats... Will there be time to then 'back up' through the process if your desired seats are unavailable in your first choice of screen?

Yes, that is the correct procedure. I would hope you will be able to back up and look at the other screens, but I will know more next week when I have a further meeting with the ticketing company.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by MalJutley »

Brilliant how passionately we are posting on here and how we are able to air our views. My overall comment is that no matter what happens I do put my faith in the organisers. They know what frightfest means and will do what they can to ensure it continues as it has done. there were similar stories only last year when we moved form The Empire but TheVue worked and it was like we has always been there (let alone when we moved form Prince Charles Cinema)

I'm just gonna sit tight and see what they have in store...I still need to book accommodation!
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by bacchus »

As long as it is tested beforehand and is rock solid in terms of reliability, I think an online virtual sleepy queue or any sort of online queuing system would be perfect...no idea how that would work in practice but I think especially because of building work this is a good option.

Let me knock this one on the head. This is a non starter for many reasons.
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Re: FrightFest 2015 dates for you diary

Post by killer guinea pigs »

I will miss the q if this dosent continue.

i travel from manchester and have to book holiday from work and stay up all night but do this because i can assure a good spot for the fest.
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iam lucky that i can take time off but i have to use holiday and pay for this trip but feel it is worth it for 5 days of great entertainment.

i dont know how the virtual system will work but from past experince with the glasgow fest i seem to spend at least 1 or 2 hours on line before booking seats that are left and i always seem to have not much choice for seem reason....could be my laptop.

the internet booking system seems to be a lottery and although i feel i will get the two tickets i need i probably wont get the seats i want.

the reason i put in the time and effort of traveling and waiting for 12 / 15 hours is because i want to enjoy the fest my way.

i understand everything now is better on line and it would make my life easier but i have met some great people in the q and one person who i am friends with today who i met over 8 years ago !

i would be interested to know how other major fests arrange their ticketing and if frightfest is just coming up to speed with them now.

for me it comes down to this..........we need a bigger venue or we should be allowed to q for the choice.

i dont envey the difficult job the good frightfest boys do and u cant please everyone but if we go on line for me its going to be a fight rather than a queing system but i guess thats life !
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