"Movies at the Gaming Convention?" Topic

Would you like to see a movie room at a game convention or show? Assuming that the films would be on a theme that appealed to miniature wargaming enthusiasts.

No. Movies I can watch at home.

Yes, especially in the evening.

No, I'm with Tommy20, I can watch them at home – or at the Belle and Blade display.

As long as they are in a separate room I am fine with it. It would be a good way to kill time between games, etc.

Yes. I went to many cons in the day and a movie room was part of some of them. It made a nice place to put your feet up between events and sometimes they showed the movie you always wanted to see.

Stephen

While this is TMP, I wouldn't say just 'appealed to miniature wargaming enthusiasts' when saying Gaming Conventions.

A room to decompress is good, and movies usually good to do it.

However, back when anime was uncommon, movie rooms were a thrill, especially the fan sub/dubs. And I've really enjoyed previews of theme-appropriate films at some cons as well.

Lastly, in spite of Youtube and various pay-per-stream, there are still a heck of a lot of old films to which I'd really like to be exposed.

Doug

HMGS East did it when Fall-In was at Gettysburg. Always seemed empty whenever I stopped by. Of course,the building was closed at night,so maybe evening showings would be better attended. The MST events were,mostly.

No, no interest.

Something unusual – sure otherwise pass

It's not a bad idea but I would never waste time at a con watching a movie. I'm there to GAME and socialize, and sitting quietly in a darkened room has no place in my itinerary.

"The Weekend" has traditionally had Military Science Theatre 2000, with bad historical military films and the opportunity, nay, the encouragement to deride, mock, and altogether snark off at them out loud. And a good time is had by all!

As long as appropriate licensing is taken into consideration, yes. (ducks and runs)

Yes, following Virtualsb, I think there are copyright regulations about showing a movie and playing music to people who paid to attend your event.

Sure, why not. I don't know that its something I'd go to but others might enjoy it.

Not all kids can survive the length of a gaming day. I think a movie room is a good diversion if the movies do not contain too much gore and violence. It also could be a nice diversion for the adult just wanting to "chill" between games.

Runs into legal problems easily but many conventions I've been to did have movies on a tv somewhere.

Or set up a few playstations.

In the 90's, the Danish "Fanatic" Warhammer tournaments used to always have Army of Darkness showing :)

Movies are very low on reasons to attend a con for me. I don't think I've ever gone to see one there.

Many years ago, at Fal-Con at Bowling Green State University, they had a theatre set up, where we watched a locally made Star Wars parody that was awesome. I don't know that I would watch feature length movies, but if they ran film shorts and whatnot, I might stop in for a few minutes during down time.

We do it at "The Weekend" as a goof. We don't do serious historical movies, only the very worst ones we can find, so as Capncarp says. This is so people can make rude and offensive comments, belt out lines that make the movie as farcical as we can and have a good time for all. It's not something you want to sit for the whole time, but it is a good place to unwind.

BE OF NOTE THOUGH!!!!!

If you want to do this you MUST get movies in Public Domain. If you do not you will have the Motions picture rights group on your case and you can wind up paying up to $800 USD in fees for ONE showing of an old bad movie. I got stung by this once and made my arrangements. Now we only show movies in public domain. Shut them right down. Best place I know to get these is "Sinister Cinema." This group has also gone after girl scout troops for singing old songs around a campfire.

They followed me year after year and stopped when they found out I was on to them and showing only public domain movies. As I said, we aren't looking for the big Hollywood productions like Battle of the Bulge or Patton, but ones like "Message from Space" or "Sword and the Dragon."
That last one was perhaps the best we ever showed, being made in the 1950's in Stalinist Russia."

One of the truly great ones was "Hercules versus the Barbarians!" I'll bet you didn't know that Hercules (complete with his little Greek tidy whities helped defeat the Mongols in 13th century Poland! I bet you didn't know the Poles defeated the Mongols! Well that's because you didn't study history in Poland! It was truly outrageous and the comments from the crowd, well marinated with beer and wine by the time of night we showed it was on fine form. The best line came out of the movie itself.

So there's the King of Poland marching down the road with his army. He turns to his second in command and says "Now that we have made the Alliance with the Germans we can turn our full might against the Mongols." There was complete silence in the room and then two seconds later the whole audience erupted with peals of laughter.

Like I said, it's great fun, but be sure to cover yourself otherwise you can wind up paying a lot to an essentially shyster agency.

No interest, whatsoever.

No.

Movie rooms were very common at multi-genre conventions back in the 1980s and 1990s. Less so at gaming shows. A few vendors like Dayton Painting Con. And those that sold videos would have some running in their booths. Not sure there is a need at historical shows unless they are running hard to find movies.

An anime room is a common feature of game conventions in the San Francisco area. I usually find myself there after midnight.

Way back in the last century, the Science Fiction club used to order weekly movies from a distributor. It just occurred to me that I have no idea what happened to the admission fees we charged or how we paid the rent. I'm sure the Statute of Limitations has expired on that.

There used to be old black and while German movies of the Seven Years War at the SYWA Convention. I always found them a nice place to relax, or to rest on a rough day. As Otto says, though, you have to be more careful now: the movie people have gone completely nuts.

..no..

Xcon back in the 80's had a movie room. It was fun for down time between games, just pop in anytime.

Nope. There to play and chat, not watch

Sure, What does it hurt? Not a thing…

No

Gen Con has 8 to 10 conference rooms and two of the ballrooms show showing indie movies and anime 12-16 hours a day. Of course, they're large and can pay the fees, but it was interesting when you have an hour or so.

I've been to some gaming conventions where movies were shown and I like that since I like to wind down from a hard gaming day etc,so if I was going to be in a Naval game for example then seeing a movie with Naval Battles would be good to watch.

Sure, why not.
Origins, i think it was back in '97, got to watch Army of Darkness with none other than Bruce Campbell.
So they show movies at a convention. YOU dont have to go. But a nice treat and different for the types of conventions i hit.
It isn't a bat thing to spread out and expand the goodies at a con.

Grimm

I would not be adverse to one, especially if the purpose was to make fun of a really bad movie. I wouldn't be adverse to a "serious" movie showing, either.

That said, I can't think of a time at a convention where I was standing around saying, "Gee, I don't really want to game or shop right now."

I just want to be in the room when the "Tiger" rolls on screen during Saving Pvt Ryan…

I work at a library, and we know all about the licensing restrictions. We have a standing subscription to a licensing company that allows us to have public showings of movies (and TV shows) on their list. Can be a little bizarre what they do have and what they don't-- for example, we've got licensing for Disney properties, including the recent Star Wars releases, the Clone Wars series (both), the prequels (but we won't be showing these as They Do Not Exist), but not the original three, nka Ep. IV, V, VI, despite all being now owned by Disney! I'm guessing there must be some high royalties and residuals in the latter that Disney couldn't buy out or wouldn't give up without a higher licensing fee.

Not at all opposed to a movie room at a convention. Not sure I'd use it, but certainly one can be offered. But the con organizers better be on top of that licensing situation, or they could be in serious financial and legal trouble.