Suddenly Susan Poses The Question: Is The Autograph Hobby Dying? Inquiring Minds Want To Know!
It’s very interesting this world of ours.
Suddenly Susan, who I’ve been friends with for many moons now, has penned a wonderful essay, and in it, she poses the question: Is the autograph hobby dying?
I know there can be cases made for both sides to be sure, but with the rise of the con circuit, the insane crowds and most recently the tragic shooting of Christina Grimmie, they are all good things to question.
For myself, I was talking to Scotty the other day and I said off hand, “I’m so glad I started cast posters like Fight Club years ago because now they would be impossible.”
And it’s true. Even people who are technically “easy” aren’t so easy anymore. It’s a changing world.
I, and Susan would love to hear your thoughts, leave some comments below!
Philography. Is that the study of people named Phil? No, it’s the name for the hobby of autograph collecting. I’ve been a philographer for years without knowing it what it was called.
That’s how I started my first article for Mike the Fanboy back in February of 2012. In the past four and half years I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some A-list stars, some unknown (at the time) actors, and some childhood celebrity crushes. Along the way I made some lifelong friends and interacted with an array of crazy characters all in the name of getting an autograph. Lately, however, I feel this crazy hobby of mine is dead, or at the very least on life support. There have always been challenges when trying to nab a celebrity autograph or photo op, but recently I feel the odds of doing so are close to impossible.
I’ve never been a fan of premieres. The setups are different at every venue and it doesn’t matter how early you arrive. You can be the first person there, in what should be a primo spot, and the celebrity gets dropped on the other end of the street. Or they start two people down from you but walk in the other direction. Not to mention getting there in time requires time off from work. I know others have done very well, but they are too much of gamble for me. Lately, from what I’ve read, celebrities are instructed to only sign for randoms pulled into a fan pit. I’ll be damned if I’m going to use a vacation day, be first in line, then get screwed over for tourist from Alabama who’s never even heard of Joel Edgerton.
There are smaller venues with tiny premieres and intimate Q&As, but if you’re not lucky enough to be a guild member, or good friends with a member who will bring you in as a guest, you’re pretty much screwed. There’s always outside the location, of course, but depending on the celebrities, that can be more crazed than a red carpet premiere. Then there’s the toss up of will the sign inside or outside, neither, or both? It’s a 50/50 return at best. Less than a year ago, a no name C-lister would have 4 people waiting outside, whereas now there’s a minimum of 30 people waiting everywhere, at everything, for everyone. The secrets are out and this once fun hobby is now an exhausting and fruitless pain in the rear.
I started collecting autographs way back in grade school by writing to celebrities. It was a joyous moment to receive something back through the mail. Some 25 years later I read an article about teen idols. In it, they referred to Ricky Schroder receiving so many fan letters during the height of “Silver Spoons” that a group of women was hired to answer for him. I was crushed. That hand signed, black and white 5×7 of the Ricker is most likely a fake. For me, that’s the problem with TTM. No offense to those who utilize it, but you never really know for sure, do you?
So instead, I’ve taken to attending conventions in order to meet certain celebrities. There’s no guess work involved, no physically battling people for a signature, and no waiting for 12 hours in the hot sun or cold night. You’re able to have your choice of pen type/color, have a quote added, and get your item personalized all at once. Sure, cons have their disadvantages too, but I’d rather take a chance with a celebrity cancelling an appearance over having a bunch of dealers put my eye out with one of their precious 8x10s. Conventions have a lot to offer and I always find a friend to join, turning it into a mini vacation in a new city that we can explore after hours.
Deciding to attend a con or wait outside on the sidewalk depends a lot on why you’re trying to get a signature in the first place. Are you trying to finish a cast piece you’ve been working on for 10 years, or do you just really want to meet a certain actor? Are you ok with the item you’ve brought getting ruined by a bunch of overzealous dealers and fans, or is it a special item that can’t be replaced? What I particularly enjoy about the con circuit is the tiny moment you get with the person you’re there to see. A hug, a kiss on the cheek, giving them a gift, telling them how much a certain movie meant to you – all worth the cost in my opinion. It’s something you’re never going to get smashed in a fan pit with people screaming and pushing all over you. The prices for any big Marvel stars like Chris Evans, or Hemsworth are ridiculous, I must admit. But when I think of all the money I’m now saving on gas, parking, and tickets to panels, I can certainly justify it. Now I keep a convention fund and put any extra savings into it. Problem solved.
Again, I’ve been truly blessed. I’ve been able to meet my favorite actors more than once, get unique pieces of memorabilia signed, and snapped some awesome photo ops. Except for two well-known franchise stars and one unknown actor who lives and works solely in New York, I’ve gotten an autograph from everyone on my “want list”. Aside from those few and no photo op with Hugh Jackman, I’m pretty set.
I’d love to hear from some fellow collectors. Is this hobby dying? Already dead? Thriving? The same as it always was? Comment below and let us know what you think.
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Suddenly Susan
Fangirl, Brando lover, and film buff who loves hot, rugged Aussie actors - currently livin’ the dream in L.A.!
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Susan I agree with you. And Mike as well. It’s a hard world and we just live in it.
It’s harder for sure, and it’s not going to change any. I mean let’s be honest more people like to do it and see the fun and value in it. It’s blasted on TMZ nightly, websites like this one, and others so of course people are going to be out more. However, the autograph industry isn’t going anywhere. Memorabilia is and will always be a high profit commodity.
A lot of people are fine with cons, but when you have Stan Lee who used to charge 20 bucks and doesn’t need the cash, now raping his fans at 110 smacks a pop. It’s going to burst. Some of the prices at the hollywood show this past weekend were so bad. I’m not even going again.
Sadly it really is dying. During the past four events I’ve attended, more people were interested in taking selfies instead of asking for an autograph. At one Q&A, Elle Fanning was asked about the glamorizations of living in a technological world by the moderator and she admitted, more people ask her for selfies than autographs which makes her focus more on her appearance. Unfortunately, events are getting more difficult to attend and less worth the wait. Even more disappointing is certain celebs are becoming less fan friendly from interacting with fans because dealers have overwhelmed them to the point where they assume anyone with a sharpie is intending to sell any autograph they obtain.
I use TTM and conventions to get my autographs. The conventions are becoming so popular with the fans (not to mention the number of cons springing up), I fear they are about to max themselves out.
I’ve only been collecting 3 years, but I have seen con prices soar in those 3 years (which I mostly blame on the success of The Walking Dead). Now, everyone is at least $40. Hell, even Chewbacca Mom was charging $20! They will reach a max pricing point before getting push back from the fans.
As far as TTM vs. IP, I may be in the minority here, but I prefer TTM. Yes, I know there is a chance of getting an AP,PP, stamp or a secretarial signature. But I prefer that to some hastily scrawled “signature” celebs tend to do when walking a premiere line.
Can I just say, that Fight Club poster is amazing. Mic dropped.
I’m with Chris I love getting autographs IP but IV moved to mostly TTM over the years. Sure you get the occasional sec or PP but IV also gotten a ton of authentic autographs TTM. Even getting celebs IV paid good $ for at cons that have signed TTM for nothing but the cost of postage and envelopes. I dont think IP graphing will ever die out but its definitely changing
It is no thanks to people like everyone’s favorite redhead I’ve encountered more than a handful of celebrities who only are doing photos now
Well as annoying as that person may be, he’s been in the game a LONG time so I doubt that’s it. I think it’s more that the dealers are at the airport when they land, at their hotel when they check in, at whatever appearance they are making, then at the restaurant they are having dinner, then at the airport again when they leave, etc. It looks exhausting to be swarmed over and over in the span of a few days. Unfortunately, the celebrities don’t distinguish the 3 real fans who have been waiting a long time at that 7th appearance.
I dont’ think the hobby is dying, but just more challenging. Security, business have create more obstacles as there are more folks, but its kinda like fishing and those that like to fish can relate….its all about planning, preparation, patience and ultimately luck. Yes, I could buy the fish or autograph, but there is nothing like the rush you get when you catch a fish or get that autograph or selfie. Ultimately it comes down to time as well as priorities change (I stopped a lot when my kids were little and went out to organized events). You also have to choose as who is ultimately wall worthy or one that is a nice to have that is going onto the shelf in a binder. That helps in deciding to go out or not and spend the time.
As an long Time collector of over 19 yrs yes it has changed for the bad and sadly it’s all about the $$. I don’t mind cons as long as the price are reasonable and the item I get signed is of valuable that I can’t afford to lose or damage TTM or at airport or premiere. The shooting death of Christina Grimme will mean less free signings or promotional signing because it will be expensive to hire extra security. Don’t get me started on Hollywood collectible show- the move away from Burbank to LAX area was awful and attracting less big people not to mention the same guest vow and over. I used to get free parking blocks from Burbank show. Another factor is the flood of certified autograph cards that are way pricey to pull and often prices out the working people like me. It’s not certain if the signer themselves sign it. And then there’s the issue with TP autograph authenticity of autographs like Psa/DNA and JSA. Some bad one slip in and autos I got in person are denied. I had a Taylor Swift CD cover signed when she was 17 failed by PSA/DNA and I notice some Teemu Selanne autograph TTM were passed when it’s known that his mom signs his autograph good. So yes it’s on decline reason is that the young teens and kids rather have a selfie with a stars instead of an autograph. Times have changed but for the worst and it’s all about the $$.
@ Chris:
I also enjoy autograph collecting TTM too. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing one of my envelopes come back with a signed photo or two inside. I also managed to get two major Marvel actors (Jeremy Renner and Chris Pratt) before they stopped signing TTM, and I’d rather have those than endure a hot, gated in outdoor section where it’s not certain they’ll come by and sign during premieres.
I’ve had some awesome IP experiences too, so it goes both ways. I’m thankful some actors who occasionally do the convention circuit still sign for free TTM, i.e. Clive Standen.