TomsEnough

^ Although I am not quite done with "Professionals", I hope something will be happening for Tom soon!

livstevi21

Me too! First, the stream. Then LA comic con. And hopefully in the new year, project news!

TomsEnough

^ Can't Wait! In between, Thanksgiving, Anniversary & Christmas!

Stars Fade

I'm going to LA Comic Con. I'm doing a photo op with Tom. I'm not sure if I can talk with him? I don't know. I didn't get autograph because I'm not big on autographs. Any word of advice on meeting Tom? It will be my first fan convention. I wish I have more money to go to smallville night but on top on this, I have another fan convention. I am a fan. I like to spend money on things I listen or watch from my tv/movies.

livstevi21

Oh, that's awesome! I can certainly impart my wisdom having met Tom twice at two different conventions. Leigh, my co-mod who has also met him at a comic con, might be able to offer advice too. Oh, and I dare say Cece (a fine mess) here on would be willing to help you out, as she's also attending the LA comic con and has met Tom and other Smallville cast multiple times. A shame you can't afford to go to Smallville Nights, but I dare say they'll be plenty of opportunity to go to one another time. I totally get having to prioritise what you can afford, especially when you've got a second convention you want to attend as well. As you will see, I like to do the exact same thing! If the pandemic never happened, I will have probably gone to many more in the last year. I would love to go to a Smallville Nights, just waiting for Tom and Michael to bring it over here to the UK. Tom was recently announced for Liverpool comic con next April and I'm agonising over whether I can go or not (got a concert and holiday to Cornwall that month - if they still go ahead). Don't really want to overstretch it. Anyways.

If you're not getting an autograph, that would, in my experience, make it more difficult to get to talk to Tom as that's the prime way to be able to get to chat with him. It does differ from con to con, and from guest to guest, some guests will be quite happy to give their time to chat to you without you having to buy an autograph. You could contact the organisers and ask them that advice. But my advice is to seriously consider buying at least one autograph as that is the only guarantee of being able to have a one or two minute chat with him if you really want to have that opportunity (depending on how busy he is and how large his queue is you could get longer). If you're not a fan of autographs, consider buying one for a friend who is a fan and likes to collect autographs. That way, you'd still be able to get to chat with him at his table.

As this is your first comic con experience, you'll need to understand how photo ops work. They are sadly not the way to get to have a chat with your favourite stars. The way most cons work their photo ops, is like this; you queue up at the photo booth, then as you start to go inside, you'll see how quickly they get through each person. It will soon be your turn. You go up to Tom, (and, depending on what covid measures the con has in place, they might have a screen between you and him and they might require mask wearing for the shoot - again check with the organisers and ask them what measures they'll have in place), have your photo done, sometimes the cameraperson will count you in, click and done and you move on so the next person can move forward and you collect your photo. All this is done in merely a few seconds. It goes by real quick.

When I first met Tom and London Film and Comic Con in 2018, it was also my very first comic con. I was super nervous and it was in the middle of summer, so it was really, really hot that weekend. My stomach was in knots! But when I finally went up to Tom's table, and said hi, all that nervousness drifted away, though part of my brain did leave me as in my head I was all "omg you're even more gorgeous in person" and I forgot some things I wanted to say to him. I remembered the next day as I went to his auto table a couple of times. But Tom is so friendly and approachable, he'll make you feel at ease straight away. I gave him a London pin badge that first time I met him and he liked it so much he put it on his shirt and wore it the whole day. If you want to read my whole experience, it's here https://www.fanforum.com/f116/tom-co...97/index6.html

The second day I got to chat with him I was less nervous and got to say a few things I forgot to say the last time. My advice is to;

1; introduce yourself first (especially if you're getting an autograph not for yourself, you need to let him know your name and not let him think you're the person he's singing the autograph to - that was my first mistake as I was getting autos for a few friends the first day so I corrected myself the next day ).
2; Try to act naturally and not to act so nervous (just take a few deep breaths before you meet him and you'll be fine - my mum said it was all "mind over matter").
3; organise a few things to say in your head before you meet him. What would you like to talk/ask him about? Smallville, his other projects, what he's up to next etc. Just so that there's not too much of an awkward silence going on.

The second comic con I got to meet Tom, Wales Comic Con in December 2019 allowed selfies at the auto table, so perhaps if LA comic con allows selfies you might still be able to chat with him without buying an autograph. As it was my second convention meeting Tom, (and my third convention overall) I was much less nervous and got to really have better chats with him than before. Here's my Wales story if you want to read that too
https://www.fanforum.com/f116/tom-co...19-a-63233021/

I was a comic con aficionado by this point and used to meeting my favourite stars. I went to London Comic Con in July 2019 and got to meet more of my favourite actors; Lana Parrilla, Emilie De Ravin and Robert Carlyle of Once Upon a Time, Tom Ellis and Aimee Garcia of Lucifer and lastly I got to meet the one and only Brendan Fraser.

I feel so fortunate to have been able to attend conventions and meet my favourite stars before the pandemic hit, as I would have hated to have to wear face masks at photo ops and not be able to hug or even shake hands. It's great the in person conventions have returned, but I feel like the vibe would be totally different now. That's not to say you won't have the most amazing experience though, and whilst the virtual conventions that went on during lockdown were great, there's really nothing like meeting your favourite stars in person. Good luck, stay safe, and, most importantly, have fun!

Sorry if this was super too long to read, or whatnot but I tend to write essays lol.

TomsEnough

Best of luck with meeting Tom! I hope you will share your experience here!

On the advice part, Tom is the nicest guy in the whole wide world to his fans who meet him at these conventions. Just know what you want the meeting to be, and he will make it happen for you!

livstevi21

^ This.

Stars Fade

Thanks for the advice. I messaged the convention and they said I can say quick Hi. I'm so terribly socially awkward and I never know what to say except I can say 2-3 sentences. That's why I didn't really get autograph session. I thought I could maybe squeeze in the photo op. I guess it's different than at a concert meet and greet. I was able to say a few sentences. I guess I wish it would be the same way for the LA comic con. Besides Tom, I'm doing a photo op with one of the original power rangers; boy meets world cast: Rider, Will, and William Daniels.

I for sure, want to say Hi and my name because I want people to remember me (then forget till we meet again). You guys sound like you had an amazing experiences. I won't say that my anxiety will act up or I will get sweaty palms. It happened before at the concert meet and greet. I still don't know if I want to get autograph session but we'll see. Money's a little tight because I was at a concert recent and spent $$$ on merch. I did it again yesterday too. I'm also going to stranger things convention so yeah...it's me burning through money.

livstevi21

You're welcome. Ah, so you're allowed to say a quick hi then at his table without having to buy an autograph. I can totally understand, sometimes it is really difficult to know what to say. I had so much I wanted to say but some things just never came out. If all you're happy with is to be able to say who you are and say a quick hi to Tom then, that's great! The photo op you can say Hi again (I said it's "me again" on my second photo op, he hi-fived me and then after the photo was taken he called me "so sweet") so you can still get a bit of an interaction there, even if it is just for a few seconds.

Yeah, it's not quite the same as a meet and greet at a concert. I've only done one meet and greet at a concert once so far (though should have another coming up in April, ), that was just a wait outside behind stage and I got to meet the band and have photos taken.

It really was like a dream come true experience. Totally get it about the anxiety, I had that in spades and the heat didn't help with not having sweaty palms. So it's a good thing you're going to one in winter, even if it might not be as cold in LA as it is here at this time of year. Take deep breaths, and I'm sure you'll be fine. And I completely understand about the money, it's really hard when you're on a budget but you've spent so much already! I've been there before.

TomsEnough

I have never met Tom in person, but I wish you the best of luck with your whole experience.

Like Liv said, I also totally understand about palms sweating. I hope you are able to figure out what is best for you and enjoy the whole convention, since you will be meeting several other actors there as well.

Wishing you lots of luck, and hoping you will share the experience here!

Stars Fade

Dropping by to say that he looks very handsome today from where I was standing. I'm short and there's too many tall people in front of me. The panel was short though. 30 mins. No, I didn't meet him yet. Good thing I didn't go to Smallville nights because I had to leave early for family stuff. So sunday, I have 5 photo ops and two of them is happening at the same time. Any advice on that because I don't know what will happen?

TomsEnough

Glad you got to see Tom looking handsome! The panel should have been longer!

Best of luck with Tom and everyone tomorrow!

Maybe Liv has an answer to your question, since I have never been to any convention.

Stars Fade

Before my photo op with Tom...I was waiting in line for a photo op with William Daniels from Boy Meets World, I saw Tom went to the bathroom. I wasn't sure it was him at first, he was wearing a hat but when he came out, I said Hi Tom...he turned around and said hi to me. I'm just at awed. So handsome.

So I stuck with just a photo op with Tom. He was so sweet and said Hi to me when I walked towards him. I wore a flannel shirt because of Clark always wears one. Sadly we need to keep our distance so there's a fake glass or something between us when they took our picture. All photo ops that I have is just me and them stand awkwardly together with plastic glass or whatever in the middle.

So maybe at the next convention, I will meet Michael and maybe do autograph session. Idk. I saw John Glover when I was waiting in line for Tom. He just peep through the curtains. He said to me I see you staring at me. I stared at him because I know who he is. I've seen Smallville many times.

TomsEnough

Glad you got the chance to say "Hi" to Tom!

Did the convention go well in every way for you?

livstevi21

Sorry I wasn't around to answer your question and give you advice on the photo ops. I was working all weekend.

Yeah, I saw the panel was shorter than normal, someone had filmed it and uploaded it on youtube. I was surprised it was only 20 minutes, but with Smallville Nights I guess the schedule was tight.

Ah, nice you got at least to say hi to Tom a couple times. He is so handsome and lovely isn't he And yet he called me "so sweet". It's such a shame the pandemic has changed the way most photo ops are done now, and indeed, how conventions are run in general. Having to have a screen between you for the photo is so strange, but I've seen some cool and inventive poses fans have wanted their photos done with the screen as, like you say it can otherwise make for an awkward photo when you're just standing. I honestly can't imagine not being able to hug or hi five, I got so lucky to have that extra personal interaction in a pre-pandemic con world. That being said, I'm sure your photo looks great, I would love to see it, if you want to share.

Haha, I like how John Glover said hi to you. That's great. And yeah, there's always future conventions, definitely meet Michael next time, he's awesome.