BehrItAll

At New York Comic Con I went to the Audible booth where they were having a special event all weekend for the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter. The line was so long - about a 45 minute wait on Thursday and one hour on Saturday. You pick a character's bottle for the "Pensive" (really just a headphone station) to hear a scene of theirs from the audiobook.

What is funny is that since July 31 I have been listening to the audiobooks and am now up to Deathly Hallows.

There are six characters to choose from Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, Snape, and Voldemort. I would have liked to collect all 6, because you got to keep the bottle with their name, but I only got to do it twice. I picked Hermione first then Ron on Saturday. Hermione's scene was when she slapped Malfoy. Ron... I think the machine malfunctioned, even though a repair man had just been there doing something to it, because the scene was when Bellatrix is torturing Hermione. And my sister went before me and she picked Harry and heard the exact same scene. So, yea, the machine was still busted, we think.

My sister went again on Sunday and picked Dumbledore. She heard the part when he tells Harry of the Prophecy and Voldemort's need of it.

Another part of the Pensive experience was that you wave a wand in front of a camera, they add some smoke to the video and you send it to yourself to share on social media.

But the best part was the code they gave to redeem at Audible. I got a free credit and downloaded The Shining. Only allowed one code though, even though I went twice. My sister tried to add the second code and was told she already did it.

L i N d $ @ y

Thanks for sharing your experience. Those Pensive bottles look amazing! But geez 45 minutes of waiting? At least it was worth the wait right?

fly me to the moon

Thanks for that! I hope that I can go there and have a day off so I can have that experience..

LilMouse

I was really disappointed the machine broke because I want to know what Harry's memory would've been. There are so many options. And I wonder if each machine had a different memory programmed.

Good thing when I went to listen to Dumbledore it wasn't the Hermione getting tortured scene again. Then I would've spoken. up.

I also liked the waving wand video portion, though the first time was better than the second time, because the first time didn't have that guy trying to direct me on what to do. Let me wave the wand whatever way I want to wave it.

BehrItAll

I thought it was because it was cool to keep the little vial and to get a code for a free credit at Audible.

But a friend of mine, who is also a huge HP fan, he was not impressed. And I kind of feel that had I not got a free book and a souvenir out of it, then I would not have thought it was worth the wait.

It is a great promotion for getting people to listen to the audiobooks, but I have already listened to them all.

I know! I wish we had said something about getting the same memory.

And the waving video was better without the box to stand on and that bossy guy.

L i N d $ @ y

I can imagine. I hate waiting but I would be happy getting a free book & souvenir too. I'm not into audiobooks so much. I prefer reading the books but I do prefer audiobooks when I travel.

BehrItAll

Have you heard the HP audiobooks by Jim Dale on your travels?

LilMouse

I agree. I think the booth works better for people who haven't listened to the audiobooks. They can hear the memories at NYCC and if they like Jim's performance they can be convinced to get the audiobooks.
For us, who have listened, it's like "ah, okay, that's the memory they chose."

There were people who were in the booth longer than me too. They went in before and left after, so I wonder if they asked the staff if they could go to every listening table.

L i N d $ @ y

Not yet. I'm old school so Stephen Fry.

LilMouse

I suggest listening to Jim Dale. He is so impressive with his range of voices.

L i N d $ @ y

I will. I've been planning to get them actually.

fly me to the moon

Thanks for those!

BehrItAll

Ooo wish I was in London!

fly me to the moon

Same here..

a fine mess