FrightFest 2014

[iomega]

Thanks for all your feedback.

From the info posted here the consensus seams to be that the one seat for the whole festival concept is the main thing that should be retained in 2014. Fair enough, as we work through the changes that must happen this year, we will keep this at the front of our minds. What if the passes and intros plus Q&As had to be spread over two screens? There would be two front rows if nothing else.

Keep your thoughts coming. We still need to work on a ticketing system for the discovery screens, however at this stage we can't see any other fair way that doesn't involve some form of queuing other than to do it with some form of online system. We are well aware that the keeping a place for my mate issue needs addressed along with other things.

Ian

[Critter Egg]

I think having two screens of pass holders would be fine, for me the main thing is having a reserved seat to see the main programme for the entire festival.

Could there be a live link up for the intros and Q&As between the screens, maybe swapping the screen with the live guests each day? Or would there have to be a different order for the films in each screen (I'm not particularly technical, but I'm guessing it might not be possible to show the same film in two screens at once if there is only one copy available).

Glad the 'saving a space for a mate' issue is being considered, the queuing up each morning was frustrating last year as it got earlier and earlier, but when someone rolled up 5 minutes before the doors opened and joined the queue at the front it was even worse. I personally can't understand people saying they don't mind queuing each day, for me it left me tired and more liable to fall asleep during the films. I'm happy to queue for my main festival pass, but I'd prefer to be able to relax and enjoy the festival when it arrives not have to rush to queue each day! Rant over

[Wulfster]

I've been rolling up before the crack of dawn for the sleepy queue ever since 2005, which in the early days meant I was just behind the die-hard campers, but as a sign of the times, last year I was nearly into Chinatown. Have to admit, this was going to be the first year that I won't be in the sleepy queue since the Odeon West End days, as middle-age and general un-fitness (being a Grey Wolf) pretty much finished me off last year, and I couldn't walk properly for a couple of days...
So I was going to take my chances with online booking this year, sadly foregoing my usual lucky bagging of an aisle seat near the front (fussy git that I am...)

As such, I'm intrigued how the bookings and film distributions are going to work this year. The "it's going to be different" statements have me incessantly stroking my hairy chin...

I'm watching with interest, but whatever happens I'm already looking forward to hanging out with all you groovy guys again. After 13 years of solitary attendance, my constant banging on about the joys of the fest, both verbally and on web-sites and social media, means I might be able to bring a few converts this year with some mates finally seeing the errors of their ways.
Roll on August!

Oh ... and I even blagged a ticket for "Raid 2". Get in! Good times!

[ArghZombies]

I personally can't understand people saying they don't mind queuing each day, for me it left me tired and more liable to fall asleep during the films. I'm happy to queue for my main festival pass, but I'd prefer to be able to relax and enjoy the festival when it arrives not have to rush to queue each day! Rant over

Totally with you there. I'll join the sleepy queue again this year if it means I don't have to queue up in the morning every morning of the festival. Hell, you only get about 5 hours sleep a night anyway, even without going to the Phoenix, so God knows how early you'd have to get up in order to bag a good seat in the main screen each morning. If that's how it ends up being (not suggesting that it would) then I'd likely give the festival a miss this year. But if it's fixed allocated seats again then I'm happy.

[TheDukeAbides]

I'm still curious as to how the original Screen 1 has been split and how it impacts on the bar/lobby area.

I there an elephant in the room that some are afraid to speak of?

Granted none of us can really prove how long we've been going save flashing all our old tickets.

If I were reading between the lines, it would seem that some general feeling is that, if not those who've attended the longest, but then definitely those who do the sleepy Q should get preferential treatments when it comes to additional films, discovery screenings and the like.

I'm wondering, when it comes to discovery screen tickets - is it possible to release them the day before, during the day.

I realise that crowd/queue control within an active cinema will be a big problem along with putting out tickets for all the other non-festival films also showing. But if the following days tickets went up for grabs between a finite time during the proceeding day, of course timing between actual festival films is also a problem too, then this would be more beneficial to those not wanting to get up early every day.

I wouldn't be able to get on-line while at the festival so that avenue for additional tickets is a no go for me personally.

[greenzombidog]

I've been attending frightfest since the last one that took place in the Odeon. I think it would be a real shame if we lost the set seat for the whole fest thing we've got going on.

I'd like to suggest that the discovery screen tickets all be dealt out on the Friday morning that way we wouldn't have to queue up early first thing every morning and then start falling asleep during the later films in each day. People have usually looked through the list of movies on the website prior to the opening night and decided which films they'd like to miss in the main screen and which they'd like to see in the discovery screens. I know it might be a crazy amount of tickets piled up on the desk but it would only be for one day. Just a suggestion.

[Malky]

IF the weekend pass holders have to be split across two screens so be it but there needs to guests in both screens even if it is just a live link. I was at the Glasgow all nighter and as there were no guests or guest footage it definitely felt something was missing as there was less energy in the room. I'd hate to be sitting in a room for five days just films and no guests.

[sherbetbizarre]

If the largest screen is 700 seats, then an obvious solution seems to be sell 700 weekend passes, and keep that screen for premieres and guests. With screens 2-4 for Discovery films and repeats.

But I guess a certain percentage needs to be for day passes... How many weekend passes were onsale last year? Maybe it was over 700?

[scoutthehorizon]

I agree with you Shertbertbizarre, that would keep the comraderie of the festival intact that everyone so loves; however this is the viewpoint of the diehard fest goer who waits months for it & has a family out of frightfest, not the casual ticket buyer or poor folk that can only attend 1 or 2 days due to work. Its a tricky one for sure, but to be utilitarian & chose the invevitable casuality where it will be least felt I think the following works-

700 Seater screen 1 IMAX- main screen programme for full festival pass goers. Guests & Q&A's live.
350 Seater screen 2 or 300 seater Screen 3 downstairs- repeats of teh main screen for day / indv passes. Limited guests where available/ video link
Screen 6 & 7- Discovery / Rediscovery screens open to festival pass holders on a day release online ticketing system or individual pass holders (as in prior years).

Make sense right? Issue 1- cost. If the new split screens can't dual from from the same projection system it will involve having 2 DCP's of everything. Which is mighty pricey.

Solution? Stagger the films so the secondary day&idv pass screen is always 1 film behind the main screen, thereby needing only 1 DCP of each film. This faces the scheduling problem of missing 1 movie & out and struggles with what to do with the opening & closing films, but it's a trick to overcome the double-film cost & reduces the need to live stream the guests, since they will be free for the following screen duty.

Regardless, they'll make it work to the best of their ability and with us in mind.

FF15 is going to be a world of new: new event, new places around the event too now Captain's Cabin & Imperial has dissapeared. *cue dramatic presidential music* together when can build a better FrightFest.

[iomega]

Bugger, the Imperial is closed? That's the straw the broke the Camels back. We're moving the festival. Where to?

Ian

[scoutthehorizon]

It's a disaster isn't it? I say we just open a FrightFest bar. Free house.

[zappa fan]

Imperial is gone too...Noooo! We got 149 days to sort this shit out.

[scoutthehorizon]

As far as I've been told it is closing this May. Got my peepers on some new places and going to do a few reccies before Aug! Some places that are super close: The Porcupine, The Bear & Staff and Garrick Arms

[iomega]

You have your mission should you choose to accept.

[zappa fan]

Keep us posted Scoutthehorizon. I've heard someone speak of the Porcupine before.

Capt Cabin was so handy.