I am really concerned

[BruiseMuse]

Actually, I have been to plenty of "boring" tradeshows for other industries that are not entertainment related, and they are even worse with getting drunk and acting unprofessional. I just think many people treat the tradeshow as a vacation and act accordingly. They just lack the blood and nudity.

[Darkangel]

You might be right, other professionas do it too but they are not under the microscope like haunters are. It's expected from us by many people outside the industry, why feed into the sterotypes? You are a professional if you act like a professional...

Darkangel

[The Doctor]

I again do not see the problem with a combined Halloween show. Our businesses can benefit from both sets of traffic. And I believe there are still enough costume shops that the model for retail is still viable, it is not dead by any means. Of course for retail to work Rubies does need to get on board. A separate show for retail and haunt does not help either business. A combined show with the buyers and vendors of both taken into account can do nothing but benefit everyone involved.

Sure a costume shop may never buy a large scale prop but a talking skull or some other haunt props might just be something they would. Prosthetic, costumes, fangs, makeup are all things in common. We keep looking at the differences with out taking into account the similarities. More traffic is never a bad thing for anyone.

In fact I would say if this was going to be the "business" show that more traffic, more vendors and more buyers is a great thing. Now can all the parties involved get together iron out their differences that remains to be seen. But I do know that excluding or making any part of the Halloween business feel unwelcome is just bad business for TW and anyone putting on a show. This is not US against THEM, it should just be all of us. Can it happen? Again that remains to be seen but I for one loved the retail part of the show almost as much as the haunt part.

[Grimley]

I remember the first Transword show we attended about 6 years ago. We would go to some Free seminars early in the morning which were very good. We would then spend all day at the show and the evening going to Dreamreapers. It was a tradeshow with everything a convention had.

[tkaska]

Killer Katie is right

I know for a fact that there are large groups who are attending St Louis BECAUSE of the split. It was because of the reputation the earlier shows had gotten: we had actually been advised to NOT go in the past because some of it was, shall we say "unprofessional" -- We attend conferences, trade shows and conventions each year because our goal is to learn and network -- hopefully become better business owners, and create incredible experiences for our customers. And, we like to buy cool stuff

I think Killer Katie is right -- surely we can have the best of both worlds!

[Kevin Dells]

You might be right, other professionas do it too but they are not under the microscope like haunters are. It's expected from us by many people outside the industry, why feed into the sterotypes? You are a professional if you act like a professional...

Darkangel

How are haunters under anybody's microscope? Please name 1 person or group at a convention thats sitting back saying "These haunters are unproffesional because of what they wear and oh geez their drunk too!" I have sat amongst the drunks and i hate to say it it's owners, their Crews, Celeb's and Vendors!!
Angel in your post before this one you rant about somebody in panty's, youv'e ripped on me a time or two about my characters, iv'e seen you rip on Sheldon for his antics and you summed it up if i remember correctly that they weren't good characters because a good character is like a Reaper type.

Give me a freggin Break! BORING!!!!!!

Iv'e meet and worked a LOT of haunts and haunters and everyone iv'e worked for uses every tactic in the book and beyond to get into our patrons heads, and that goes for characters, and haunt themes.

So please don't come here and say during conventions we need to put on our sunday best and act like were not who we really are. Our haunts depict darkness,gloom, insanity,chaos and even death! Give me a break, if your haunt is all about old school boring ass reapers and the such and you pull a good audience from that then more power to you, but ours draws Major crowds and they want all out insane, to be insane we must think insane and act insane.

My parents have owned a Honda Motorcycle fanchise for 30 years and iv'e gone to that show in Vegas to order motorcyles before and their some of the rowdiest drunks you'll ever meet, far wilder then the haunters thats for dam sure.

Are they under a microscope? yeah from the bartenders wondering when their coming up for their next drink!!

In the famous words of my 16 year old daughter "WHATEVER!"

[Barry]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Larry. If I can be an integral part of putting on an event like MHC, while holding down another full time job, imagine what I could do if I worked at it full time!

Seriously though, I think it has been proven that our industry does not want a "tradeshow". Why do you think TW has embraced all of the extra events? Why do you think the Darkness tours are selling out? Why do you think people are willing to take a 2 hour bus ride to Columbia?

That is why MHC does what it does. Because that is what people want. We cater to our audience just as TW, and everyone else is doing.

I will restate what I have have written many times before. MHC has developed a niche. We like doing what we do and people seem to enjoy coming here. We are going to continue doing it until the industry tells us they want/need something else. Until that time presents itself, plan on coming to Columbus in June and having a great time!

[DollFacexHorror]

This is only my second transworld. But, finding out that its not going to be like the first one I went to I was kinda bummed. I have this image from my first transworld where it was one BIG show. I loved all the options under one roof!
________
herbalaire

[xxxdirk]

I happened to pop one of my Huanted Media DVD's in today cause nothing was on TV and it was the one that featured TW in Chicago in 2006. How VERY sad to see how the mighty have fallen. And Larry, if you still insist that Chicago sucked or was a bust, take a look at that DVD if you own it. Packed aisles and lots of happy vendors with tons of customers.

I really think TW is gonna have to do major damage control to try to get back to what they had. Regardless if they go back to Chicago or if the go back to St Louis, if they are smart they will drop their booth rates way down to attract a lot of vendors back.....

[Darkangel]

So, because our haunts depict gloom and doom we should all act like a bunch retards embarrassing ourselves then? Most people who own a haunt see it as a business, if they don't they don't last. When you actually run YOUR own haunt and not work for someone else's then you'd see the point I'm trying to make about conducting yourself as a business person which in any situation means not getting drunk, getting loud and rowdy not caring how you're perceived by your piers, dressing in disgusting low-brow costumes that make people feel more uncomfortable then scared, etc. etc.
You bring up Motorcycle conventions, bad example. Have you ever been to IAAPA? I'm guessing not? People act like intelligent, successful business minded people which is the entertainment industry, closely related to our own. It's not boring putting your best foot forward, stay home and get drunk. I think too many "haunters" look more forward to hanging out getting drunk then taking care of business and having coherent networking sessions.

Kevin you can do whatever you want to do you're a grown man, (I'm willing to look past the diapers in your costume) but it is or should be about putting your best foot forward even if it means a few less beers....

Darkangel

[xxxdirk]

Dark angel, I own my own haunt, have for 6 years. I do not get fall down drunk but still like to enjoy myself and most likely would fail a sobriety test at 3am at the conventions which is why I get a room at the closest hotel. I go toa lot of seminars and network an aweful lot. I take it you are going to walk around the tradeshow in a business suit and then go back to your room at 5PM?

[Darkangel]

Dirk, I was aiming my response at Kevin, I know you own a great haunt.
No, I will not wear a business suit and go to my room at 5pm. I'll be networking over a couple dinners over the weekend, doings haunt tours, and if we have time enjoying St Louis some.


Darkangel

[FrightProps]

Wait a minute

I want to make one part of this topic clear from a Transworld vendor's perspective because I disagree with comments that last years Transworld (2008) was "a bad show" or that the isles were empty.

The show in Vegas last year was GREAT GREAT GREAT for my company. And I know that it was for many, many other vendors. Why? Plain and simple: QUALIFIED buyers and far less riff raff to deal with.

Do not get me wrong!!! I LOVE the haunter crowd (heck. I am one), I am speaking purely from a tradeshow vendor perspective... NOT convention NOT fan show perspective.

We spend BIG money to display at Transworld. We expect QUALIFIED buyers and NOT fans or haunt lovers who come only to look and have a fun time. AWESOME if the qualified buyers also fall into that category.

I will not divulge my sales figures here but I can tell you that the larger vendors do upwards of $100,000 in sales at this show (I know a few who do triple or even more than that!) These types of sales figures can't be touched at the other "CONS" or "FAN" shows. Not even close… not even close!

This is a TRADESHOW for professionals in the BUSINESS TRADE of haunting.

At this show I expect, and cater to the professional haunt community. The entire rest of the year I cater to the other great people that love Halloween (home haunters are the greatest!)

I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers! But thems are the facts Jack!

Doug.

[Haunted Illinois]

Doug,

Technically, I am not a "Qualified Buyer", yet I have selflessly promoted the show and its vendors for several years now. This is an overview I posted about last year's Transworld show:

http://www.hauntedillinois.com/2008t...ldoverview.php

I will freely admit I am definitely not a "big spender" or even what most people would consider "a professional" in the industry. By those strict standards, apparently I shouldn't be allowed to attend the show?!?! Do I count as part of the "riff raff" you speak of?

[oakhillshaunterTHEFEAR]

This topic is a hard topic to decide on. The vendor to be side of me agrees with Fright props and the haunter to be side of me agrees with illinois. It sucks that we as hombres in the haunt industry don't have an event specifically just to get together and shoot the breeze. I mean what two places do we all see eachother in the same location? Hauntworld and Transworld. So we have very little time NOT to be professional. But we as haunters being skilled at turning anything into a HELL of a time should be able to mix the professional side of Transworld with the non professional bonding time side of just hanging out as collegues. So once again I don't know if it should be strictly professional or just plain ole fun. But whatever it is remember that you can't make everyone happy so don't try.

Alos I like the idea of Larry and Ben getting together and making something offical. COME ON lets get our own show and stick to it no matter what! Vincent This Time!