QL Conventions - Is There Interest?

well i know you guys were talking about New Mexico or Indiana, but there is a convention center in down town San Jose close to me, where they hold an Anime convention every may. i am sure they would not mind, after all thats what they are there for. *shrug* just a thought.
 
I've seen the set before, but I never knew who built it. I wonder if they would build another for a twentieth anniversary convention? I'm liking what I'm seeing so far.
 
Wow, that's a beautiful set! It never ceases to amaze me what people do for conventions. I would love to see something like this for QL.
 
Who actually arranges these things, anyway; the fans, or the people who make the shows? And who pays for them? As a college student living on loans I'll be stuck paying back for the rest of my life, I can't imagine funding something like this. But I'd love to participate, to be more than just someone who attends the convention.
 
LadyKayoss said:
Who actually arranges these things, anyway; the fans, or the people who make the shows? And who pays for them? As a college student living on loans I'll be stuck paying back for the rest of my life, I can't imagine funding something like this. But I'd love to participate, to be more than just someone who attends the convention.

Back in the good old days, a lot of conventions were fan run affairs, with any profit going to a nominated charity. Nowadays, any con you go to is most likely organised by a professional company such as Creation.

I tried to put on a convention 3 years ago with two friends. We had a hotel (In Birmingham, UK), guests, a website, a schedule - but, with only 3 months to go, only 14 attendees. We had no choice but to cancel. The remaining pool of UK/European fans just wasn't big enough to support a convention, and the American fans that had said they'd attend when we announced the convention at Orlando Leap in 2001 (the last time a Quantum Leap convention was held) didn't hold to that promise.

The big 'event' conventions have killed off the little, fan-run conventions. I adore Quantum Leap, but unfortunately, it's just not enough of a draw that Creation or the like would be interested in putting on a con. It wouldn't be a money maker, and that's what conventions are about now.

All a fan-organised con needs is around 50 attendees to make it financially viable. Guests are great, but expensive - you don't always have to pay an appearance fee, but at a minimum you have to cover all flights and costs incurred by the guest. If you stage a convention in Los Angeles, then great - a few dollars for petrol money and you're set - but put on a convention anywhere else, and it becomes expensive.
 
I think a convention in 3 years time would be great...

It'll give me enough time to save up to fly to America at any rate.
 
A con in LA would be the best idea. All the stars are already there. I know Richard Herd would come... he's already asked me about it. And he said he could probably get some other guests or people who worked on the show to come.

Just need someone to organize it there. Who do we know in L.A.? Creation Entertainment is booked up forever it seems, but they also do not have the rights to hold a QL convention anymore, they said. Here is what they wrote me:

Hi, Brian,

Thanks for the note and for remembering our hard work presenting the two
Official Quantum Leap events. They were a lot of fun to work on!

Not sure what advice I could give you. The guests are easily reached through their
representatives. We couldn't take on this project now because of our scheduling
with other events and, of course, we don't have a license anymore for the property.

Hope you can make it happen, though! It is a show well worth honoring.

Best,
Gary Berman
Creation Entertainment

P.S. Welcome Emma! I remember your UK convention site. Too bad that didn't work out, it looked like fun!
 
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La

There has to be SOMETHING in LA (or something close to it) that would be a big enough place to hold something and hopefully not TOO expensive. 20 years would be so cool to commemorate...

Another thought would be to do something in Las Vegas. Flights are generally fairly inexpensive to there from all over and it is close enough to LA that getting guests there wouldn't be a problem....additionally, the area has multiple sites for conventions of all sizes...just a though.

I would think that LA would be a great first choice with LV being a possible back up.

I don't know much about the LA scene but perhaps someone on this site or a related site might know about something. Never hurts to start asking around.
 
EmmaCMF said:
I tried to put on a convention 3 years ago with two friends. We had a hotel (In Birmingham, UK), guests, a website, a schedule - but, with only 3 months to go, only 14 attendees. We had no choice but to cancel. The remaining pool of UK/European fans just wasn't big enough to support a convention, and the American fans that had said they'd attend when we announced the convention at Orlando Leap in 2001 (the last time a Quantum Leap convention was held) didn't hold to that promise.

I'm sorry your plans for a convention fell through; we need cons to show that the fandom is still alive and kicking! And it's definately good to see someone on the site has some experience planning a convention; we'll have to pick your brains in the future.

alsplacebartender said:
A con in LA would be the best idea. All the stars are already there. I know Richard Herd would come... he's already asked me about it. And he said he could probably get some other guests or people who worked on the show to come.

Y'know, I really like Richard Herd's attitude about the whole thing. He was only in two episodes, and it's been years since the show has been on the air, but he still seems really enthusiastic about the whole thing. Hasn't he been at most of the other QL conventions? I'd really like to meet him, and I hope we can plan something, so I can get the chance!

asearcher said:
There has to be SOMETHING in LA (or something close to it) that would be a big enough place to hold something and hopefully not TOO expensive. 20 years would be so cool to commemorate...

I would think that LA would be a great first choice with LV being a possible back up.

I don't know much about the LA scene but perhaps someone on this site or a related site might know about something. Never hurts to start asking around.

There seems to be a ton of cons held in LA, so it seems like there'd be somewhere willing to host a convention. And I agree that LA is the best choice; it seems so far away from where I currently live, but it's probably cheaper for me to fly myself there where the stars all live anyway than to help pay for guests to come here. And I'd love an excuse to go to California.

We definately need to do this. We can't just let QL's 20th anniversary go by unnoticed!
 
Looks like the interest is here for a new convention!

I have been talking wth some folks recently, many of whom have planned and successfully executed QL conventions before. It can be done!

It'll take a lot of work and help from all of you.

This new forum will be for planning, suggestions, and everything else involving the convention.

Look for new info soon!
 
I offer my services. I don't know anything about conventions, and I don't know what I could do to help, but I'm very willing to learn, and I would love to see this happen!
 
I don't know what I can do to help - being in the merry ol' land of Oz... but if there IS anything I can do let me know.
 
It's exciting!

Hi all,

How nice to know that there's still a lot of interest in a Leap con. I attended all the L.A. cons (1991 through 1996) and enjoyed them sooooo much. I also helped organize 1995 and 1996 and I know how much work is involved, but if the event comes off well, it's awfully rewarding.

I would say, stay tuned to this space!

Meantime, what would you like to see at a Leap con? (Other than Scott and Dean.) What makes a really fun weekend for you at a con? I know my own likes and dislikes, but I'm curious to hear what everyone else enjoys.

Hope you're all having a great weekend! It's 94 degrees here and climbing...

Carol
 
I'm In

Anything that I can do to help, well, I'm ready, willing, and able!

As to things to do...obviously ANYTHING QL is acceptable...how about game in the Jeopardy format? People (only those onsite on the day of the game) who are hoping to "play" would have to first go through a screening (perhaps 20 QL episode questions). If on passed that, their name would go into a drawing. Three people ultimately getting the chance to play.

Perhaps a fanfiction/fan video/fan whatever how to/improvement session. Another idea, Costumes (e.g. Best Al and Best Sam). It would be cool to have some sort of world link access...perhaps similar to an online chat...or town hall meeting that those not specifically at the conference could still see or hear at least for one session.

There is a new group out there that it might be nice to invite to tell us more about their plans. Go to this website and you'll know what I'm talking about.

http://www.scifi-studios.com/hollywood/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=86

It certainly would be a good thing to have other QL groups involved (e.g. not just Al's Place) so getting involved with those would be important for this plan to work at its optimum.

Again...anything I can do to help...I'm there!:hurray:
 
Video conferencing

At first when I saw the suggestion of a live link/video conference, I thought, "yes, cool!" Then I realized if that was available, people would think, "I don't need to pay money to be there, I'll just watch it online." Which isn't a good thing, 'cause we'd NEED people to be there live and in person (and with money in their hands). True for any con...

Jeopardy seems to be popular at cons, certainly something to consider, especially if it were really serious and not just "fluff" questions.

I'm sure all the QL groups, lists, fan clubs etc. will be involved if a con comes about. Right now it's just in a "what if" stage. But it's nice to know that people are out there, wanting to attend, and wanting to help!
 
QL Live Link

It actually depends on how it is configured. There are many possibilities. You could do this as a fee for service (e.g. if not able to come for the Leap Con, do the live feed for $50 or whatever fee seems appropriate...that would need to be decided later.) Thus, those who are unable to attend (not everyone has the means to pull together a vacation to LA or whereever this ends up, would be able to participate even for a very short piece of time. To make this work, however, the rest of the event would have to provide enough incentive that the paid for live feed or chat is not the primary value of the whole event but rather only a consolation prize. Rather...the live events would have to be a must do for QL fans. However, having a live feed or chat would be in convention history I believe, a first. (And just to be clear...I'm not talking about having the ENTIRE conference virtual...only one session or so...and even that session should be so much better live that only those who REALLY couldn't make it missed it...trying to think of others as Sam would.)

After seeing how Shenandoah pulled people from literally around the world (multiple trips in some cases and I speak from experience)...I have no doubt that with the proper mix of people at a Leap Con, there would not be a problem in attracting paying conference guests. However, as a really nice gesture to other QL fans...this little thing (e.g. a live feed) could show the world that living the QL vision means more than just making huge money (from what I hear...many conventions have gone that direction...caring more about how much money is made than making sure the paying fans themselves had their expectations met or exceeded)...that at least a good part of it is doing what most would consider the "right thing to do."

So...let's think outside of the Accelerator Chamber here. What CAN WE do to make this a unique and viable concept to both attract people and at the same time pull an Al and Sam!

Just a thought.
 
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Live feed

Thanks for the input! All very well thought out and interesting. I didn't know zip-zilch-nada about live feeds, so this really was a nice bit of new info for me.

As far as the making big piles of money...it'd be for charity, so if there's big piles of money, it goes to good causes and not into the pockets of any individual(s).

More later...

Carol
 
CarolD said:
Meantime, what would you like to see at a Leap con? (Other than Scott and Dean.) What makes a really fun weekend for you at a con? I know my own likes and dislikes, but I'm curious to hear what everyone else enjoys.

Scott and Dean would be enough to lure me to a convention. Heck, it wouldn't take a whole lot to lure me to one, really. But, besides them, I'd like to see guest stars, of course. Don Bellisario would be great, as well. And what about showing some episodes? Maybe we could get one of those DVD projectors so we could watch QL on the big screen.

asearcher said:
Anything that I can do to help, well, I'm ready, willing, and able!

As to things to do...obviously ANYTHING QL is acceptable...how about game in the Jeopardy format? People (only those onsite on the day of the game) who are hoping to "play" would have to first go through a screening (perhaps 20 QL episode questions). If on passed that, their name would go into a drawing. Three people ultimately getting the chance to play.

Perhaps a fanfiction/fan video/fan whatever how to/improvement session. Another idea, Costumes (e.g. Best Al and Best Sam). It would be cool to have some sort of world link access...perhaps similar to an online chat...or town hall meeting that those not specifically at the conference could still see or hear at least for one session.

The Jeopardy idea sounds fun. I'd never make it past the twenty questions, but it'd certainly be fun to watch. And costumes would be great, too. Anyone else hoping one of our male members will be brave enough to go as Sam-as-a-woman? :)

Really, though, what does one do at a convention for an older show? There's no longer any new merchandise (which is disappointing!), and it's not like we can display any props. And the actors may not remember enough to answer questions properly. I'm not trying to sound pessimistic or anything, I'm just curious.

Maybe we could try to have something new, like a 20th anniversary fanzine or something.
 
Something new

I developed an outline for a QL novel that the publishers said "no thanks" to (in favor of "Mirror's Edge"). I still think it's a good story - very warm and fuzzy, typical early seasons Sam & Al - and am going to try to get it written. If we're shooting for 2009, that gives me quite a bit of time. (This would be a fanzine, BTW, since the published novel series ended 5 years ago.)

As far as merchandise, I don't know. People may still have old stuff boxed up somewhere. But we might have to rely on things connected to the actors' more recent work. (And Don B's as well.)

Keep tossing those ideas out - we're listening!