Posted: 22 April 2008 at 4:10pm | IP Logged

Yup, I'm going to start sending out the confirmation packs next month. We don't usually send things out until closer to the time because normally we find that the earlier we send them, the more likely it is that people will lose them! lol

Seriously though, I've been busting my ass off trying to get the guest of honour sorted out for this year (STILL working on it!) and I wanted to make as many major announcements in the info pack as possible. I'm going to try to sort out another couple of guests before the end of this month and I'm still waiting to hear from a couple of VAs that we've approached so watch this space...!

Posted: 22 April 2008 at 11:04pm | IP Logged

Have your people call my people, we'll get this ironed out. I can live without the 'yellow M&Ms only' rider item if it gets the deal done.

Posted: 09 May 2008 at 1:26pm | IP Logged

That's one of the next tasks on my list - to negotiate some cheap hotel deals! The last few years we've had a deal from a hotel just over the road from the Clarendon Suites and I need to double-check that that deal is still available, but we want to try to set something up with another hotel next door as well.

I'm in the middle of trying to secure another couple of guests at the moment and hopefully our VA for this year in the next week and then I can start sending out the booking confirmations and once I can do that I'll hopefully have some hotel deals worked out as well.

Simon

Posted: 11 May 2008 at 2:34pm | IP Logged

Every year we always draw up a list of target guests, both in terms of comic guests and voice actors and sometimes it takes longer than we want to secure some of them. In some cases it takes a LOT of emails to get replies or get negotiations/discussions sorted out (as is the case of one of the comic artists we're still hoping to confirm for this year) and in the case of voice actors we don't always get our first choice so we have to work down the list.

We've been lucky having a number of actors who have approached US asking if they can attend, but this time we've had to approach several to see who we can bring over and it hasn't been quite as smooth as we would have liked but we're now VERY close to getting someone sorted out who wants to come over to the UK.

It has been frustrating this year but although we have had one or two setbacks, we've had some positive news in some ways for future years which means we can keep our options open in the long term, we're getting there... and all being well we'll have more announcements with regards to comic guests next week as well!

Simon

Posted: 12 May 2008 at 9:19pm | IP Logged

laserwave wrote: Hi dont know if this is the right place but i really wanna attend Auto Assembly but not very familier with the area can anyone suggest any hotels that arn't to expensive near the venue it will be held?

The Thistle's next door. Hagley Road is jam-packed with guesthouses and the like. Should be deals -a -plenty.

On a side note, I'm feeling philanthropic, so if anyone is totally alien to B'ham and wants to meet up at New St or something, I'll happily guide them to the venue.

Posted: 15 May 2008 at 9:30am | IP Logged

We get asked the Hasbro question every year and to be honest we have to give the same answer... In every country, Hasbro have their own representatives and sadly we have to deal with Hasbro UK who are generally disinterested in the Transformers franchise.

We've been in contact with them on-and-off for years and despite promises that they'd attend or work with them, we've had either excuses or reasons why they wouldn't turn up, the last one being that our attendance figure wasn't large enough. I'm not going to make any promises or hold my breath on them attending any time in the near future as they don't seem too interested in talking to or listening to the views of fans unlike their American counterpart.

It's frustrating for us as well as all of you but we're just focusing on making AA the best event we can with or without them.

Posted: 17 May 2008 at 12:28am | IP Logged

Blaster wrote: Fudge are you still going? Maybe we can combine the trip? Wanna see if the rumours are true about Wreck and Rule when he's pi$$ed. Although not in to that myself.

There's not actually long enough for me to get pissed at AA/the aftershow party, unless I put a concerted effort in.

Posted: 22 May 2008 at 9:31am | IP Logged

Just a mini update everyone... I'm hoping to announce the guest of honour tomorrow (we're just finalising the payment arrangements right now and these should be sorted by midnight!) and another comic guest over the weekend.

If you haven't booked up, I'd suggest you get onto the AA website and book now!