Latest / CONversations with Coffee / Episode 7: The Real Cost of Comic Con Photo Ops (And How to Save Money)

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Episode 7: The Real Cost of Comic Con Photo Ops (And How to Save Money) · CONversations with Coffee

• KENT: Well, Liz, how you Liz -British: Hello. KENT: doing today? Liz -British: I'm doing very well, thank you. Finally finally KENT: my goodness, my goodness. Another week. Liz -British: finally back after a week of being gone. KENT: You were gone for a week? Liz -British: Yeah, I had a Comic Con and then I stuck around in my old hometown to visit a bunch of pals and then I went to a wedding on Sunday. KENT: You have pals? Liz -British: Yes. and then came home on Monday. So still not unpacked, KENT: you literally just got home. Liz -British: still not still no laundry done. And then I'm off again this weekend for another one. KENT: my goodness. Well, I've been sitting here. I actually got my coffee. Got my coffee today. Do you get your tea? Liz -British: Yeah. Do you? KENT: Do you have your tea? Liz -British: I have you can't see it. KENT: PG tips. Liz -British: Coffee. KENT: You have coffee? Liz -British: drinking coffee. KENT: Wow. First that's our that's like your first coffee for the show. Liz -British: It is my very first, but not my first of the day, it's my fourth of the day. See? I'm defying expectations. KENT: Okay, all right, all right. Well, for all those listeners or watchers, my name is Kent. I am the coffee drinker in this group, and this is my co-host. Liz -British: Liz, who is generally the tea drinker, but this time I wanted to shake things up. KENT: Yeah, we c we call her British Liz because she has this fake accent and she claims that she's from what's that? You're good at it? Liz -British: Hey, but I'm good at it. I'm good at it. I'm good at this accent. KENT: All right, I'll I'll I'll I'll let you go with that. I you're good at it. So Liz -British: And we've known each other for KENT: my gosh, several years, at least five, six, yeah. So, like Liz -British: Yeah, at least six. Yeah. KENT: I was just thinking about that. we get introduced by Tammy, who is our last guest on the show at Colorado got food, and everybody's like, she's my new Liz -British: Yeah. And KENT: best friend. Liz -British: Ha ha KENT: 'Cause you were working in the Liz -British: Yes. KENT: green room. Liz -British: Yeah, so I actually never saw anybody. I was kind of stuck KENT: That is true. Liz -British: stuck in the cave. It's a very nice cave, but I didn't get out at all. So KENT: Yeah, no, no, no. Liz -British: I I didn't meet that many people. But you know, after KENT: Nice. Liz -British: parties and s so forth I met some. KENT: All right. So we were talking about coffee and you're finally drinking some coffee for the first time. And this is just how we start our show. We j we talk about our coffee or our generic tea, British tea and stuff like that. And then Liz -British: Not generic, but KENT: we go into the show. But like, you know, I have to tell you, I just made this Pacific blend, but I am now a bullet coffee drinker. Liz -British: What does that mean? KENT: So instead of putting cream and sugar and all the additives into your coffee and stuff like that, what you do is you make your coffee and then you put a scoop of coconut oil into it. And then like I put a little stevia just as a sweetener because I don't like the bitter coffee. But then you put it in your blender and the coconut oil foams up as like a froth, like a latte. And it's actually healthier for you than drinking all the creamer and dairy and oat milk and all the other stuff out there. But my god, it's it's like having a latte in your mouth. but all it is is coffee. I I put like a half a spoonful Liz -British: And air bubbles. KENT: of coconut oil and a little stevia. And it's so yummy. It yeah. So cheers. Liz -British: Well, next time I come to your house you'll have to make that for me. KENT: I will. It's it's so delicious. Liz -British: Wow. KENT: And are you drinking the generic coffee? Liz -British: no it's from my Curie so it's something designer. I don't know what it is. KENT: Mm. There you go. See, and we don't even have a sponsor on coffee. We need to get like a Shepherd's Coffee or somebody local. I know, I know, that's all good, but Liz -British: Look at look at all the brand names we've been throwing around. KENT: we're not into it for this well, it would be great to have sponsorships because then yeah, it just keeps the lights on. So Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Liz -British: In our fantastic studios, right? These professional looking studios. KENT: Woo it looks professional. All right. Well I'm gonna put something on real quick. All right, all right. And that's Liz doing her potato. You and music. I mean, they Liz -British: That was a that was a end music. KENT: can see it on video and music, but Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: hopefully everybody gets to hear the music. Yes. Last weekend. I can't Liz -British: So Kent, where were you last weekend? The weekend before the wedding I went to. KENT: You know, actually I had a weekend off. just like you, you went to a wedding, I had a weekend off, which, you know, for us that's rare, but I Liz -British: Well, it's rare for you. It's not quite so rare for me. KENT: know, I know, I'm actually gonna be on the road this weekend. But Liz -British: Me too. KENT: yeah, last so we were just at a show together in Denver. Liz -British: Yes, I was wondering if you'd remember. KENT: Yes, I mean Liz -British: Ha ha KENT: I I had to hang out with you and Tammy and did what I think Melissa hung out with us one time the whole time. There there's a Yeah, she's doing Liz -British: Well, she'd been up all night making movies, so she was KENT: the movie stuff now, who's a voice actor friend of ours and yeah, that's crazy. But yeah, Denver. We were in Denver. If you were at Denver Comic Con Put in the comments anywhere in the social media, podcast, whatever, that you are at Denver Comic Con. cause we missed you. Liz -British: Well, it was Fan Expo, Denver. But we we we tend to say KENT: Fan Expo Denver. Well, we gotta get that correct. Liz -British: we tend to say Comic Con as a kind of generic description, but KENT: Yeah, it's just who who owns the Comic Con. Fan Expo owns that Comic Con. And and they put their title on it, so it's Denver Fan Expo, you know. So but it was it was a good show. It was a good show. Who were you with? Liz -British: It was. I was with a delightful voice actor, veteran voice actor called Michael Bell. And he's Michael Bell. KENT: Mm-hmm. Michael, who? Bell? Okay. Liz -British: And he has done voices for a million things. He he was like six of yes, yes. he was six yeah. KENT: Can you name all million things? okay. Well, there's our podcast for the day. Liz -British: He was six transformers in the original eighties cartoon. KENT: Okay. Liz -British: He was a couple of smurfs in Rudratz, he was Chucky's dad. He was G.I. Joe, the main character of Duke, Duke. KENT: Okay, Duke. Liz -British: he's done video games. His most recent, I think, is Raziel in now, I can't remember. Soul something, soul eaters or soul something. But he has just, I mean, when I was laying out the autograph pictures on his table. KENT: Mm-hmm. Liz -British: We had two six foot or eight foot tables, couldn't fit them all. We had to just say, okay, can't do this one, put this one away, put this one away. Cause he has done so many roles and KENT: Wow. Liz -British: absolutely delightful gentleman. Just KENT: That's kind of fun when you work with somebody that's been in so many different things Liz -British: yeah. KENT: that when you're at the table they got too many prints. Like, you know, if you work with like Michael Rooker or you work with you know, Terra Strong or all these other people, they've got s so many movies. Terrace and we're talking about a voice actor, yeah. Liz -British: I can't even imagine Tara's table. Her table must be insane. I tell you who else. Yeah, and Yuri Loenthal, who, guys, you may not or may not have heard of, he has done so much. He has to have three eight-foot tables. And I don't think he KENT: That's crazy. Liz -British: fits them all on even then. He's Spider-Man and Ben 10 and a million things. And his line. KENT: Yeah, that's crazy. I mean, just to bring three tables worth of prints. Yeah. Liz -British: His line is always a mile long. Absolutely wonderful. Do like him. KENT: Yeah. Well that's awesome. I was with Ethan Seppley. Liz -British: Mm-hmm. KENT: a lot of people know him from My name is Earl. he was in American History X. my gosh, he's done Liz -British: But I didn't KENT: Wolf of Wall Street. I mean, he's done so many different things. Liz -British: I I didn't know that he's had this incredible physical journey. I was totally unaware of that. KENT: Yes. Yeah. I love working with him because we talk about fitness and health and nutrition and eating stuff. He actually has packs, these prep packs that he sells at the table. and they're all his eating journey. So basically it takes the thought process out of what to eat. Because a lot of times, you know, people are they don't know what to have or what the right things are or Liz -British: Yeah, it's like salmon and broccoli again. KENT: Like his wife was yeah, you can only eat so much chicken and broccoli all the time. But Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: he created this pack. So one, his wife knew what to get at the grocery store. but then two, you can take these cards, shuffle them up, and then there's a protein, a carb, a veggie, you know, a dessert, things like that. And you just pull these cards and that's your meal for the day, you know, and it it just basically helps you. And it's His journey and how he went from how he lost three hundred pounds. So yes, so he is very Liz -British: Three hundred That's like five of me KENT: yes, it's about two of me. But yeah, he's very ex Liz -British: Wow, I mean what an incredible testament to his determination. That's amazing. KENT: Yeah. Well, you should see how many people come up to the table and are just, my gosh, because of you I started a weight loss journey, or because of you, I changed my eating habit, or you know, and it just that it just lights him up because you know, he's done so much work in in movies and film and stuff like that. But to be able to help people Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: and change their lifestyle, that's he's more passionate about that. He actually does a Zoom call every Monday. For people that get the prep pack. Just Liz -British: Really? KENT: to answer questions to help them out. Like it it's awesome. It's really awesome. Ethan, if you're listening to this, you know, we want you on the show. so you can talk about your prep packs and just you know, your journey you know, and how you can inspire other people. I mean, I'm all it it's yeah. Liz -British: Yeah. I mean I'm sorry I never actually met him 'cause he sounds amazing. KENT: Yeah. Well, you know, you are over on the other side of the curtain out working with the voice actors and stuff like Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: that. So, you know, I fortunately Thomas and Cedric were next to me. Those are the guys from Liz -British: my goodness. KENT: Reno nine one one. And when they come to the Comic Cons, they dress up as their Reno nine one one part and they are s my gosh, Liz -British: And Thomas, my goodness, KENT: so much energy. So much energy. Liz -British: And he poses he poses every s selfie picture differently. So he says, KENT: Splits. yeah Liz -British: You put your hand here, I'm gonna do the splits, you do this, KENT: Mm. Liz -British: you do this, and every picture is absolutely hilarious. I KENT: Yep. Liz -British: have one I I should pull it out one time, where he said, Put my hand on my chest pocket. I'm like, What? What? Sorry how did you it was crazy. KENT: yeah, he I mean, even Ethan was like, That guy brings so much he's so high energy for the full day. Like, no wonder why he's tired in the evening time. Liz -British: And yeah, and his his outfit is these short shorts and cowboy boots. But I've never I've never actually seen the show, so it did come as a bit of a shock. And he is in character. KENT: Well, that's the Reno cop. Yeah, that's his gear and the show. I think we should watch the show. Yeah, I think we should watch it. Liz -British: He's actually I've seen him out in the crowd directing traffic, you know, move along, ma'am, kind of thing. He's he's a crack up. KENT: He just will take the role and pretend he's a cop. you know, and then like he's coming over. I had a line control person that was helping doing selfies with Ethan and Jamie Presley over there. And he's just like, no, no, no, no. It's my job. It's my job. He walks up, grabs a camera and tells, all right, you stand there, you do this, you do. I'm the cop. I'm telling you what to do. And then he takes the camera and takes the pictures and stuff like that. And you know, it was funny. you know, on my aspect, but then I'm thinking, you know, the person that just got a selfie with Jamie and Ethan is now getting a picture taken by Thomas, Liz -British: I love it. KENT: who's an actor. And then he turned around and then did a selfie of him taking the picture. So that person got, you know, that memory that yeah. So we're gonna have we're gonna have to have Thomas on here too. That guy is he's hilarious. I do. Liz -British: That's so great. How sweet. What a great sense of fun. Do you know him? I've I've only done a photo with him. KENT: I do. Him I actually we could probably get him and Cedric each Liz -British: Mm. KENT: individually on this show. Cause I remember being in Salt Lake City. We're in the green room and Cedric w there were these blueberry donuts and they were massive. And Cedric grabs a donut and then he looks at me and goes, You wanna take a picture of this, don't you? I said, Of the donut or you holding the donut? And he goes, Bad cop, no donut. Like that. And then he's like, Liz -British: Ha ha ha. KENT: We gotta take a picture. So we took a picture of him holding this gigantic blueberry donut. And we talk about that every time I see him, I'm like, So how's that blueberry donut? Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: He goes, Well, it's keeping me very well rounded. Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: He's funny. I like him. Liz -British: that's funny. KENT: Yeah, so different Comic Con. I you know what? That and this is why we do this podcast is because you and I work in this arena, and so many people, it's their first show. They've never been to a Comic Con. It's funny because when I'm on the plane, people are like, what are you doing? I I tell them I work at Comic Cons and they're like, What's that? Like, and then you have to explain what a Comic Con is. I mean, while I'm here. Liz, if somebody asks you, what is a Comic Con, how would you explain that to somebody that's never been or doesn't know what it is? Liz -British: It's a convention that is not solely about comics. It's about pop culture and meeting celebrities and buying lots of stuff that you don't need. And you will part with vast amounts of money because everything costs something. KENT: Okay. All right. That's that's a good way of and and I know I just threw you on the spot, you know, 'cause I get I Liz -British: Yeah, don't do that. KENT: I sit next to people and I'll be like, I work at a Comic Con and people are like, cool, those are so much fun, like they've been. And then other people are, What is that? And I'm like, Well Liz -British: I you know what I get? Do you dress up? That's what I get. KENT: really? I know. They don't never ask me. Maybe it's just 'cause I'm a just a big dude. They like he ain't gonna dress up. There you go. Liz -British: It's because I look like Wonder Woman or something. KENT: Or golem. Liz -British: Ooh hangs up. KENT: click. No. yeah, I I just tell you know, you everybody's been to a convention and these convention have vendors that sell a lot of movie TV related stuff, t-shirts, posters, superhero action figures and Liz -British: Superheroes, aliens. KENT: stuff like that. so if you have a genre like Marvel DC or whatever, you can find stuff at these Comic Cons, even horror stuff. Liz -British: And and Harry Potter and KENT: Harry Potter, all that stuff. And then I said, you know, and then there are people there that are artists that, you know, have created the comic books, done the drawings, the sketches, the artwork and stuff like that. And then there's upcoming artists. So you can see that. And then of course there are the celebrities that are invited to the show. Because the fans wanna meet the celebrities that are in their T V show, their movie and and whatnot. And so, you know, all those people come in one area so that you can go and just have fun and be a kid and and you know, relive your nostalgia of stuff like that. And then they're like, that sounds cool. Like, yeah. Liz -British: Mm-hmm. And if dressing up in fantastic cosplay is your expression of fandom, go for it. Now we KENT: Yeah. Cosplayers too. Yeah, speaking I gotta find the I gotta find those trading cards. I have a deck of trading cards. Of cosplayers. Liz -British: Cause now now as as celebrity talent handlers, KENT: Mm-hmm. Liz -British: we do not dress up. I know some some handlers might do something goofy like KENT: Some of the talent does. Liz -British: well like Thomas and Cedric. But but and the KENT: Thomas Cedric, Jesse Flowers. Liz -British: and the Avatar Last Airbender guys, they do their own cosplay. Greg Baldwin, who KENT: Yeah, Jesse, Greg Greg will dress up, yeah. Liz -British: played Uncle Iro and Michaela. KENT: You know, I would love to see Dante dress up. Liz -British: I've heard that he might. I've heard rumors that he's interested in doing that. But but yeah, so some handlers, some celebrities, some handlers will wear, you know, Mickey Mouse ears or just, you know, little things just to make it kind of fun. But KENT: Yeah. Liz -British: I cosplayed once didn't work out. That was before I started working. KENT: I was gonna say w you were you just cosplayed and did that and that was it or you cause Liz -British: That was that was it because I thought I looked so stupid I could barely look at my own pictures. So I decided just to go, you know, plain clothes. KENT: I I can say I've actually cosplayed because I was part of the Five O first. Liz -British: Five first. KENT: Yeah. so you know, that's cosplaying. Liz -British: Yeah, but those those are real, you know, those those aren't just costumes, those are like armour. So KENT: Yeah, yeah. Well, I did the five-o first. I was the first Iron Man in cosplay at San Diego Comic Con. That was crazy. My day buddy Dave helped me get that all put together and fixed, and he was my Liz -British: That's just amazing, those guys, honestly. KENT: handler during that. We literally couldn't get two feet without people stopping us. I'll I'm gonna have to bring him on as well because he builds costume. He just did he just did anime one for his granddaughter and where like the boots, you know, they look like rockets and stuff like that. Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: He had all lit up and everything like that. it was crazy. Yeah, she looked great. Liz -British: that's so great. Well, just the the creativity of some of these cosplayers is off the planet. It's just amazing. KENT: Did you get any pictures of any of the cons players at Denver? Liz -British: let's see. Yes, there was the the one lady that was megamind and she was KENT: Okay. Ooh, make a map. I didn't see that one. Liz -British: yeah, she she you know, she had the big dome head and the black mamba cape and KENT: Mm-hmm. The black Mumba. Liz -British: and she just she looked great and I don't know if she's kidding or not, but KENT: Just watched that the other night. Liz -British: I I don't know if she was kidding or not, but she said that she wore it to prom. And I thought, I hope she did. That is so amazing. KENT: That would be cool. Huh, there's some people that do that. Yeah. Liz -British: yeah, I mean how fun. How fun. But I don't think I took KENT: I everybody always asks me, Hey, did you see any good costumes? And I'm like, you know, I see them in the distance and stuff. I don't I I either I'm busy or maybe I've just I'm just numb to it. I just don't sit there and be like, come over here. I want to take a picture. Like I think maybe I've done that once or twice in like five years because that costume stood out so well. And it was so good that I had to get a picture because I'm like, okay, I know what it takes to create a costume and put one together and just the just making sure it's mobile or mobile. Liz -British: Mm-hmm. KENT: my gosh. So when I see something really good, I have to take a picture. But most of them are generic and they're like, All right, you threw that together last night, but they're having fun, they're enjoying it, people Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: are stopping them, taking pictures with them. You know, it that's awesome. That's the fun part. Liz -British: And you know what's funny? Michael, who I was with a couple of weeks well, ten days ago, whatever it was, he was so impressed that he leapt out from behind the table and ran after people and took their pictures, which was KENT: I Liz -British: just wonderful. I love it when the celebrities are so tickled or impressed by the costumes KENT: Yes. Yes. Liz -British: that they run after them and want their own picture. KENT: I've been with Michael Rooker and he was with a fan, saw a costume and was like, wait, and ran out of the booth to go get a picture of that costume. So I love when I see the talent getting out from behind the table to go take a picture with that or take a picture of that cosplayer. That is like a high honor. I would say or achievement that you've it's kind of like a you know, challenge accepted kind of thing. Like you just Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: won the challenge award for getting a picture from one of the celebrities. They wanted to take a picture of your costume or with you. Like that's a a badge, you know, like one of the Starbucks stickers, like you've just achieved this, you know. Liz -British: Yeah, yeah. KENT: We should make ribbons and then give them to those people, like, you know. Liz -British: Yes, you've been spotted or something. KENT: You were doing that at Denver Comic Con handing out fake British Liz ribbons. Or you Ha ha British Liz Liz -British: I was not fake, British Liz ribbons. KENT: ribbons. And then of course I wrote fake on the top of it. I think I had Monica write fake Liz -British: Did you? Tip. KENT: on it too. Liz -British: really? You ratbag. I can't believe you did that. KENT: Yeah, really. Uh-huh. I am. Yeah, I told her I'm like, you we can't let Liz's head get too big because she's handing out these blue ribbons to put on your badge and it said British Liz. And I said, We need to write fake British Liz. And she goes, I like that idea. So we wrote it right there in the green room. I am. Liz -British: You are corrupting my fans. KENT: Well then that you know, they'll either say, Hey British Liz or Hey fake British Liz So then you know, when you're at a show and they see you, then if they say British Liz, that's one of your fans. If it's fake British Liz, one of my fans. Liz -British: True. And that reminds me, if you see us at a show, do come and say hello. It'd be lovely to see you. tell us that you at least watch or listen to this ridiculous little podcast. usually Kent is with people. Yeah. Kent. KENT: That that one person. That one person will come up. Liz -British: Yeah. Well, you're usually very busy. my You know, whoever I am placed with depends. I'm often with voice actors that usually aren't quite as busy as the screen actors. KENT: Right. Liz -British: I mean, for instance, Michael Rooker's crazy busy all the time. KENT: Yeah, yeah. But people can still come up and say hi. I mean, I've literally been at shows where people are like, You look familiar. And I'm like, really? What other shows have you been at? And then they'll name them. I'm like, Yep, I was at that one. yeah. And then they're like, yeah, you were with Sean Gunn or you were Jason Lee, or you had Chee Chin Chong. And I'm like, Yep, that was me. And they're like, I remember you. Cause, you know, if you're gonna come through my if Liz -British: Do you remember it? Do you remember it at KENT: you come through my lane, I might harass you a little bit. And it's just because one, I gotta humor myself, but two, it just takes some of the funk off of standing in the line for a long time. You know, 'cause sometimes people come up in my Yes. huh. Yep. Liz -British: Mm-hmm. Do you do you remember at Dragon Con? Dragon Con a couple of years ago? You with Mike Coulter, who played Luke Cage and several other things. I'm not sure what. KENT: yeah, evil and yeah. Liz -British: But I went up and at that moment I don't think there was anyone in line. So I just walked up and I'm talking to you. And it's like, hang on, are are you here for me or him? KENT: Yeah. Mike is a great guy. He he's like a brother from another mother. He was there, he Liz -British: And he was he was there this weekend, wasn't he? He was in Denver. KENT: was there. We talked a little bit when he was in the back. Just because, you know, he he comes up to me and and talks and has conversation. And and it's funny because I've worked with him maybe like two or three times. But everybody assumes that every time he's at a show, I'm with we're Liz -British: Ha ha ha KENT: like the salt and pepper. There you go. Liz -British: Yeah. But I I was gonna say something about Denver that I really enjoyed and it feels like it's becoming more common and that's to KENT: Okay. Liz -British: have cast reunions. So KENT: What now what is a cast reunion? You mean f cast like from high school or cast like from movies, T V, film? Liz -British: Yeah, yeah. so, you know, a bunch of people that did a show or a movie together. So you might have KENT: Okay. Liz -British: bunch of people that were in Friday the thirteenth. Or KENT: okay. Liz -British: in the case of Denver, they had seven cast members from X Files KENT: Mm. Liz -British: and eight cast members from Lord of the Rings. And that's KENT: That's a lot of Lord of the Rings. Liz -British: that is and that's not even the half of them. You could you one of them cancelled, so it was only eight instead of nine, but KENT: Who cancelled? Liz -British: John Noble. He played Danethor. KENT: did not know that. Liz -British: And I'm hoping to catch him in Chicago. Yeah, KENT: Chicago. Liz -British: Ban Expo Chicago. but it's just lovely. yeah. I I always feel like it's lovely to get the set if you're going to get autographs or get a photo up. I want to get, you know, if there's like five people. like for the Clone Wars. I was at a con recently that had five cast members, voice cast members of the Clone Wars. And I was like, I want to get all of them. I wanna KENT: Yeah. Liz -British: have all of them on one picture or one poster. And it's just KENT: That is Liz -British: so it's so fun when they're all there, all available. KENT: Yeah, when they're all there, it's great because you can get eight by ten and have them all sign it. Kind of like the boys, you know, Carl Urban was there, Tomir, Karen, Fukahara, a lot of them were there. So you could get a majority of the boys on one poster versus, you know, like I have Karen on one. Yeah. Liz -British: Yeah, 'cause if there's a a group shot picture, yeah. KENT: Plus then if you want to if you're a big fan and you want the photo of the team. It's easier to do it when they're all there. And I know X Files is there, so yeah Liz -British: yeah. Do you want to see my exhibit A? KENT: yeah yeah yeah. Who was there? who's from X Files? Liz -British: David Ducovny, Jillian Anderson, Nicholas Lee, KENT: David DeCovney, Chillion. Liz -British: Annabeth Gesh, the cigarette smoking man, William Something. KENT: Did you put a sticker over Mark's face? Liz -British: I did because I don't have his permission to show his face, but Tammy says she's it KENT: okay. Liz -British: implies permission because she was here with us a boy little boy. And KENT: Okay, good, good, good, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Liz -British: just for fun, I bought a packet of cigarettes. I don't know if you can see that. And KENT: Yeah, I saw that. You gave it to the one guy. Liz -British: and so he's not smoking a cigarette, and then the three of us were also smoking a cigarette. So very, very KENT: You know, that's funny. Liz -British: silly. KENT: I didn't know Robert Liz -British: Very silly prop. KENT: Patrick was in that because I know him from The Terminator and stuff. And my one of my favorite Liz -British: Yeah. Well he was there was KENT: shows, The Scorpions. Liz -British: I never saw that. KENT: The TV show Scorpions. Awesome show. If you've never seen it, watch it. It's about super Liz -British: Okay. KENT: whiz kids and they're they help fumble you know, bad things happening to the US and stuff like that. But Robert Patrick than that and just walking to meet you for dinner. I was walking in I go out of my hotel, I make a left, go past this bus stop, and Robert Patrick is sitting outside at the park bench, just smoking his cigar, got his ear pods in, just jamming away and stuff like that. And then the next day I saw him in in the green room and I was like, You were just enjoying yourself, you know, nobody was bothering you. He goes, it was a great time. It was a great time. So Liz -British: Well, he's he's older now than he was when he made Terminator, so by quite a few years. KENT: Sure. They're all older than when they made stuff. Liz -British: Yeah. So it's it's you know, it's nice for them if they can just go out and puff on a cigar on a bench and not KENT: Yeah. Yeah. Liz -British: be stopped. KENT: So you went in, all right. And this is for those newbies because when we are in Denver, people are coming up and they're like, this is my first time, you know, do you got any tips or tricks or anything like that? And I was like, my gosh, you need to listen to our podcast because our whole podcast is for the newbies or for even the season of that, just navigating, knowing, you know, what we know to help you Liz -British: Mm-hmm. KENT: out to have a better experience because A lot of times things happen and then you're like, man, I wish I would have known about that. We share that on here. So when you have a cast like Lord of the Rings or The Boys or X Files, and they're there, you can get their autographs, you know, and and you know, like I have Liz -British: Yeah. We call? KENT: photos like that with the different casts and crew and stuff like that. But you know, where do you where do you get the photos? Liz -British: Yeah. So so we call those photo ops. the KENT: So you got Liz -British: phot photo ops, professional phot photographs, KENT: Yeah, yeah. Liz -British: you can buy those online or on site. They give KENT: Okay. Liz -British: you a QR code which gets scanned. You may or may not get a ticket, but you know, you you buy them online and then KENT: Yeah, yeah. Liz -British: you go in and it's not the time to get an autograph. It's not it's barely time to say hello. KENT: Right. Liz -British: You walk in, you pose, ready, flash out the door. So so you you do pay yeah, KENT: Yeah, yeah. So boom. Ready, next, ready, next. Liz -British: it really is that you if you get fifteen seconds you're lucky. Now sometimes KENT: Yeah. You might get a handshake or a fist bump or something like that. So no, no. Liz -British: But if you're in a group setting, there is no way you cannot say hello to each and every person. I KENT: Yeah. Liz -British: I got a photo up with some Lord of the Rings people a few months ago, and I never actually caught sight of Liv Tyler because I was in and out so quick. She was sitting, I was standing, I didn't even see her. She's in KENT: wow. Liz -British: the picture. I have a picture with her, technically, but I yeah, KENT: She's sitting or standing? Liz -British: yeah, was sitting because it was a group picture. So there KENT: Okay. Liz -British: were some sitting, some standing. So so I didn't even talk to her. I did manage to say hello to Tom Hiddleston. That was my that was my big present to myself because that was expensive. Me and him, they had to pull me off him. It was it was embarrassing. KENT: From Harry Potter, right? Tom Hiddleston? Liz -British: low key. KENT: Just kidding. Yeah, all the girls like him. Liz -British: so so yes, the photo op is very quick. you if you know if you're cross-eyed or your eyes are closed, they will get a a reprint, you know, they'll retake it. But if you just think you don't look yes, very nice. If you think, my goodness, I look fat, I don't look, you know, I look bad, well that's too bad. But they KENT: well. Photoshop. Liz -British: I guess I guess you can. but because it was a seven cast member picture, it was expensive. I mean, it it was a lot of money plus the service fee, which was KENT: Mm-hmm. Liz -British: like seventy bucks or something, it was ridiculous. KENT: S so basically, if you're gonna get a big group photo, you you just budget for it because it can be, you know, several hundred dollars, five, six hundred dollars or more, depending on how big the group Liz -British: More, yeah. KENT: is, how popular they are, things like that. you know, and Liz -British: And that's where that's where friends like Tam Tammy and Mark come in. Help help to lighten the cost. KENT: Yeah, so here's a tip for the I was gonna say here's a tip for the crew. If you're gonna go and do it by yourself, it's your cost. It might be six hundred and fifty bucks for the whole group. But if you go in, and a lot of times they will let multiple people in the photo, four to five people, which then if you know, you have four of you and the photo's like six hundred bucks, it's only a hundred and fifty a person. You know, so that lightens the load versus six hundred and yeah. Yeah, so as Liz -British: Which is the cost of a single usually the cost of a single person. So definitely worth it. KENT: yeah, so as a newbie, I would tell you that if you're gonna get a group photo, if it's something that you have to do just by yourself, it's gonna cost you a lot. But if you're willing to have some family members or really good friends in the photo, then you know, p all of you pitch in. Go get the photo, have fun. It's a great experience. Just budget, you know? And, you know, like Liz says, you Liz -British: Yeah. And then I KENT: need to go onto the website to purchase the professional photo because if you wait till the show, they usually are sold out. Liz -British: Yeah, if it's a big group like that, yeah, they they can sell out. yeah, so I got two friends to KENT: You have two? Liz -British: jump in there. I asked you didn't I? Did I ask you? KENT: I have no wish to do a photo with X files. Sorry. Liz -British: Huh whatever. KENT: But your two friends hopped in. You had three, but one ended not not making Liz -British: Was yeah. KENT: it and that's a bummer. But three of you got in the photo, so you split the cost with three people, which lightens the load, but everybody's in the photo. You got the ab say you were with the X Files. That's how you do it. Liz -British: Yeah. Yeah, so KENT: That's cool. You know, so yeah, and now and a lot of times, and I'm just saying this because there's a lot of new people or unexperienced people of Comic Cons that big names like Gillian Anderson or David DeCovney, they're not gonna do selfies at the table. They are only gonna do their solo photos, their duo photos, or the group shot. So if you want a picture with them. You will have to purchase it through the photo ops to get it. They will not do photos at the table. You know. And Liz -British: Sometimes you you don't you you don't know that until you get to the table. KENT: Until you get there. So if you are really wanting the photo, purchase it. Because again, like I can tell you from experience, Cheech and Chong do not take photos at the table. People ask me all the time they do not take photos at the table. One, because one's eighty two, one is eighty eight. They don't want to get up and down, up and down, and all that other stuff. And so they just do the professional photo ops. So When you get to the table, there will be a sign on the table that says autographs, selfies, combos, and stuff like that. If you don't see selfies or combos, that means they're not doing pictures at the table. And I'm just saying that because I've had a lot of people come up to my tables recently where the talent doesn't do a photo at the table, Kevin Smith. They only do it in the professional booth. So if you don't see it on the list that has all the pricing, then that means you need to run over to the photo booth and get the photo because they're not going to do it at the table. And that's just Liz -British: Right. KENT: my tip for you guys out there to be aware. If it says selfie, then that means they're going to do a selfie at the table, which is great. You know, you might just want you might Liz -British: Well and often they KENT: just like David DeCovany and not Jillian Anderson. So you want to get a picture with him. But again, the bigger names, you know, They just don't have the time. Liz -British: And they do they do post often they post the prices on the website and again if KENT: Yes. Liz -British: the if the word selfie does not appear, then it's not available. And sometimes a video or a voice recording is sold, can we say? Sometimes. KENT: It's listed. It's listed on there. I mean, a lot of the voice actors will do a voice recording or a video for their fans and stuff like that. But you know, Tom Hiddleston, he does not have the time to do selfies at his table. It's a professional photo, that's it. You know. a lot of the Marvel people they don't have time. Their lines are just too long. Liz -British: No. Though KENT: So they're just doing autographs, saying hi to the fans and then on to the next, you know. So Liz -British: Now if but if a line is slightly more relaxed, not not you know a two-hour line where there's that pressure to move people along, KENT: Mm-hmm. Liz -British: you know, that there is time for talk, there's time for a selfie. and even in photo ops, KENT: But don't overstay your welcome. Liz -British: well this is true, but even in photo ops, I've had the talent pause, shake hands, say hello, just for a moment. KENT: So, and I will tell you Liz -British: But not KENT: that if the talent does it, if they start it and they they engage first, that's on them. not for the the guest. Because I'm telling you, Liz -British: Yes, yeah. KENT: if the talent is the one that's, hey, how you doing, dah-da-da, and they start the conversation, that is okay. Especially Liz -British: Yes, yes. KENT: in I've seen it in photo ops too, where they're like, Liz -British: Yes. KENT: you know, I love your shoes. They're the ones making the engagement. They're the ones starting the conversation. You are okay. Yes. Liz -British: Yes. So so don't assume that you're gonna have above one second. KENT: Yeah, I don't know. Liz -British: I mean really. You know, just just I in fact it was funny at the at the X Files picture there were three of us and Tammy has a mobility device. So KENT: Yes. Liz -British: we were it took us a minute to get ourselves situated where we couldn't see the scooter. And just it took us a minute and there's a she sent me this KENT: There's an advantage to that. Liz -British: 'cause we had a minute. But they KENT: Yes, that there is a an advantage to that. Liz -British: they have sometimes they will post the the sped up you know, those the they'll film the photo up KENT: Video. Yeah. Yeah. Liz -British: and then they'll speed it right up so that you see how many people are getting these photos and you can see us clearly 'cause we're faffing around trying to get ourselves organized. And then I had this packet of cigarettes that I was trying to offer to the guy. It was just silly. But I saw myself on the sped up video. Normally you can hardly KENT: Well there you go. I a actually I'm one of those people doing the video and it's just because we do the video one to track the f photos, but then two, it's good for social media and you know. Yeah. For social media. Well sometimes, but mostly Liz -British: they do it to to track numbers. KENT: just for social media. 'Cause you know, there's so many fans going through. You can't take pictures of everybody. And so you just do the time lapse video and and it it's great. I got several of them with Kevin Smith and J Muse and Cheech and Chong and Rooker and Sean Gunn doing it. So when I go back and watch it, it's a lot of fun to my gosh, look at all those people and it's just like Yeah. Liz -British: Yeah, yeah. KENT: People just moving around like mice. You know, and the speaking of mice, you know, you want to watch your budgets because everything just chews away. You know? So Liz -British: yes. KENT: coming to these Comic Cons, you know, have your budget. You know, if you're gonna spend five hundred dollars, then spend five hundred dollars, but no, you know, pre-plan. Ple that's what I would say. Like if you know your your budget's five hundred, then go in there. Have your autographs, selfies pre-planned of who you want to get. And you know, maybe you're you've got enough for 300. So that gives you 200 extra in case there's somebody you're like, I really want to get him. Then you have that money, and yeah, yeah, yeah. So pre-planned, Liz -British: Yeah, I didn't realize he was in that. Right? KENT: have extra money because one, most of the talent doesn't take credit cards. Two Cash is always king. Actually, it's cheaper to have cash because if they do take a credit card, there's always processing fees and taxes and stuff like that. So you're actually paying more for Liz -British: And that can go between three and ten dollars per hundred. I mean, it can really build up. KENT: Yeah, yeah. So, and then bring cash with you because ninety-nine percent of the time the ATM machine is not working or it's empty. And those ATM machines charge twice as much for fees because they've got you. Man, I wish I had an ATM machine at a convention because I would like I'd Liz -British: yeah, you clean up. KENT: just be feeding that thing all day long. Just processing fees. Yeah. But so art. Tip is always cash is king. Bring cash. Liz -British: Mm-hmm. KENT: Bring enough. You know, don't flash it around letting people see it. Liz -British: I I always I I s I see a lot of lot some attendees actually have it in an envelope. So you know they have pre-planned, they have a wad KENT: Mm-hmm. Liz -British: of hundreds or whichever denomination. KENT: You know the best ones I like are the ones that come up and hand you the envelope and it's got the money in it. So, like, you know, exact change. I love Liz -British: like the exact change. Ooh, nice. KENT: people that do that. They they come up and they they've got the envelope and it'll say shotgun and it'll have, you know, sixty dollars in it. And I'm like, perfect. You know, you you can see that they've got envelopes filled with money. But for each person, because they've gone on the website, they've looked at what the pricing is, they pre-plan. It's kind of like going to Disneyland. You don't just walk into Disneyland and go, All right, what should we see first? Or what should you and your family are always gonna have a game plan. All right, we're gonna hit to, you know, Space Mountain, and then we're gonna go over to the jungle cruise, and then we're gonna grab an ice cream over here, and then do you game Liz -British: You KENT: plan. Liz -British: your family is not my family. Just saying. You're organized. We're like KENT: That's what parents used to do. yeah. Liz -British: w walk into Main Street and like, what do you want to do? I don't know. What do you want to do? Yeah. KENT: So you're a bunch of mice. Yeah, but I always say just come pre-pre I mean, especially if it's your first one, come a little pre prepared because you wanna make it fun. You want it a good experience. You know, like I have friends, they could care less about the autographs. They're more about the panels. They want to be at the panels, Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: they want to hear the information, they want to hear see the talent talk about the show they were in and stuff like that. So they're Liz -British: And the the stories, yeah. KENT: They're there for the vendors and for the the panels and stuff like that. So, you know, everybody has their own experience. Some of them are there just to get sketches by the artist, you know. I used to do that. I used to bring a sketchbook and I would go in and I'd pay for one of the artists, one of the big name artists, to give me their interpretation of like my favorite character is Harley Quinn. So I would go to a Jim Lee or a Stan Lee or whoever. and have them draw their interpretation of Harley Quinn on this sketchbook. So I have, you know, twenty, thirty different sketches of Harley Quinn in this sketchbook. And I'm like, Liz -British: really? KENT: man, I should continue that 'cause there's a lot of great artists out there that, you know, they charge for a sketch because they're they're taking the time to draw and stuff like that. But when they're not selling, they'll go in and do your sketch and then you come back like on day two or three to get your sketchbook. You pay whatever the price is, but you've got an original artwork by that artist. Liz -British: Yes. I I did that at a KENT: I need to start doing that again. Liz -British: at a con last year. I actually had the artist Dan Reber, who drew the the animated Superman Justice League shows, and I had him do four characters and the four character voice actors were at this con. So I had him draw them and then I had him sign it. KENT: Nice. Liz -British: And then I had the four actors sign it too, under each of their portraits. And that's very precious to me. It's just it's just a beautiful little collection. KENT: Yeah, because you got original artwork by the artist and then you got the characters, the actors to voice actors to sign under each of their characters. So that is special. That's something I would frame up and hang up. Liz -British: But yes, I need to. I still haven't unpacked all my junk there from a year KENT: Tell me about it. Liz -British: ago. but what KENT: Yeah, yeah. Liz -British: you said, yes, you do have to pay to get a sketch done. You have to pay to get an autograph, you have to pay to get a selfie, you have to pay admission, you gotta pay for your food, you gotta pay. It's extremely expensive to really KENT: It's a ex it's just like any other hobby. It Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: costs money. Yeah. You go snowboarding, costs money. Yeah. You play tennis, costs money. Yeah. And I you go to the movies, it costs money. Liz -British: But I think sometimes people well yeah. but I think some new attendees don't realise that an autograph or a selfie will cost money. And I've KENT: Yeah. Liz -British: you know, you you have to turn them away because they're like, What? It's forty dollars just for a selfie? It's like, yeah. KENT: So what I tell a lot of the newbies is this. The actors are there at the show. They aren't working at the studio. So when they're not working on the studio, they're not getting paid. So this is their job. And they have you know, they want to make money while they're there, you know, because the promoter flew them out, put them up in a hotel and stuff like that. So they do want to thank the promoter and the Comic Con for letting them be there so they do have to charge for autographs for selfies and things like that. Nothing yeah, you don't get those for free. it's their business. Liz -British: Yeah, I mean, if you run into them on the street at the store, then of course, I mean, that is different. KENT: That's different. But you're at the show to see them. They're there. They're gonna charge you just like a vendor is gonna charge you for a t shirt. They're not gonna give you that shirt for free. You know. So if you won't Liz -British: Yeah. And I it does come as a shock to to new attendees. It can come as a shock. especially, you know, like teenagers, KENT: It can, but again if you tell the right way. Liz -British: peop you know, younger people, it's their first time. They come up and they're they are shocked, but you know. KENT: I just tell to go get a job. Liz -British: Ugh, helpful. KENT: Helpful. Well, Liz, it it is that time. We've actually gone over a couple minutes, you know. But we you know we always Liz -British: It's cause you were talking so much. KENT: you know, I get passionate about this stuff, you know? Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: You're all up in your head, I'm just all like all right, I'm gonna talk. Liz -British: Ha ha ha. KENT: but no. Yeah, it was. Liz -British: But that was fun. We didn't even have a a proper subject today, but it was just KENT: Well, we did. We you know, just sharing about Denver, you know, making sure that you're prepared and know what's gonna happen. You know, have money, cash is king, pre plan for the show, know, you know, where the panels are, where things are, how to find the boost, look up the boost that you're looking for, you know, just ha be prepared, you know. And again, nothing's free at the shows. If you get something for free. I'm giving you a thumbs up right now because that's like a Liz -British: Good for you. yeah. KENT: cherry on top of the ice cream. Your ice cream Liz -British: Yeah. KENT: is going to the Comic Con. If you got something free, you know, sometimes there's swag that is given away, like, you know, shirts or pins or buttons or you know, little things. That's the cherry on top of the ice cream. Liz -British: Yeah, but don't certainly don't expect freebies and KENT: No. Liz -British: really don't ask for them. That's not that's not appropriate to ask for freebies. KENT: Unless you're at San Diego Comic-Con. Then everything, you ask for everything. That's a beast Liz -British: That is a beast of its own. KENT: of its own. And we'll do another topic on that another time. So awesome. Well, my name is Kent Actually, I'm just Kent. Just call me Kent. That's it. And this is British Liz. Or Knucklehead. Yeah, there you go. Liz -British: Yes or knucklehead, as I call him. KENT: And we appreciate you coming on, listening to Conversations with Coffee. you know. Liz -British: Yes, KENT: We wouldn't be here. Well, we would be here. Liz -British: follow us in socials. KENT: Yes. What were you saying about socials? Liz -British: Yeah. follow us on socials, subscribe to this channel. if you've got questions or subject requests, please let us know. Cause we can KENT: Yeah. Liz -British: talk about just about anything. KENT: I would say yeah. We could talk about anything, but we mostly talk about comic cons and con related. There you go. Awesome. Liz -British: Well, I mean con related. Conrelated. KENT: Well, that is our show. We look forward to seeing you on our next episode. And Liz -British: We do. KENT: anything else you want to say before we go? Liz -British: No, just have a good time at your next con. we're both traveling this weekend. And yeah, we'll we'll have fun too. We'll see you. KENT: Uh-oh. Well, we just lost connection. So, or I'm losing connection. So thanks everybody. We appreciate Liz -British: Kent, where'd you go, honey? KENT: you. And we look forward to seeing you next week right here on Conversations with Coffee.