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Rivertown Entertainment



Last Updated: 12/18/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: In a Relationship
Age: 43
Sign: Gemini

City: GRAND RAPIDS
State: Michigan
Country: US
Signup Date: 10/27/2006

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Monday, November 17, 2008 

Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Here is the list of shows that we are planning on attending in 2010. Find one that interests you the most and is in your area. If you attend any of these shows make sure to say hello to us.
           
April 24                    Classic Toy and Collectibles Show
     --HSB Building, 5626 Burlingame Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan
     --Classic toy and toy collectible show
     --9 am to 3 pm
     --$3 admission, children under 12 free, early buyer program $10, get in at 6 am
     --No web site, but one can call 616-261-5664 for more information

May 14-16                 Motor City Comic Con
     --Rock Financial Showplace, Novi, Michigan
     --Comic book convention
     --Ticket prices to be announced
     --Media guests include Sandahl Bergman (Conan The Barbarian, Red Sonja), Adam West (TV's "Batman", "Family Guy"), Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, The Frighteners)
     --Comic artist guests include Mike McKone (Amazing Spider-Man, Deadpool: Suicide Kings, Punisher)
     --www.motorcityconventions.com

May 28-31                 World Steam Expo
     --Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dearborn, Michigan
     --Steam punk convention
     --In conjunction with the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
     --Times to be announced
     --Tickets to be announced
     --Guests to include author G.D. Falksen and musicians Tartanic, Abney Park, and The Extraordinary Contraptions
     --Other events include a mad scientist fair, Victorian-era tea and etiquette lessons, and a masquerade ball  
     --www.worldsteamexpo.com or www.mysapce.com/worldsteamexpo

June 5-6                     Cherry Capital Con
     --Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan
     --Comic book convention
     --Times to be announced
     --Tickets to be announced
     --Guests to be announced
     --www.cherrycapitalcon.com

June 26-27                  Jafax 15
     --Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan
     --Anime convention
     --FREE admission although donations are encouraged
     --Theme this year is "rise of the machines"
     --Guests this year include James Dawsey, Jan Scott Frazier, Amy Howard Wilson, Dave Wilson, Doug Smith, and Dragon Spirit Studios
     --Events include panel discussions, lots of film rooms, an artist alley, and a costume contest
     --www.jafax.org

August 6-8                   NMA Con 2010
     --Northern Michigan Community College, Traverse City, Michigan
     --Anime convention
     --Ticket prices to be announced
     --Guests to be announced
     --Events to be announced
     --www.nmacon.net

November 5-7              The Scarefest
     --Lexington Center, Lexington, Kentucky
     --Horror and paranormal convention
     --Ticket prices to be announced
     --Guests to be announced
     --Events include panel discussions, film room, and a screaming contest
     --www.thescarefest.com or www.myspace.com/thescarefest  
  
This list is tenative so make sure to check this list often. Also please feel free to write us through Myspace and ask if we plan to be at a certain show.
http://stores.ebay.com/rivertown-entertainment .
Friday, November 07, 2008 

Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
The following is the newest movie memorabilia that we have listed on our ebay store http://stores.ebay.com/rivertown-entertainment. We will update this regularly so make sure to check often!

December 23:
One sheet posters: My Tutor, Young Doctors In Love, Comin' At Ya!, Amityville II: The Possession, The Wild Life, Deathtrap, The Rogue, Mr. Billion, The African Elephant, Bound For Glory, Take Down, Airport '77, The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training, Coma, Mean Dog Blues, Avalanche, White Lightning, Thunder and Lightning, The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones.

December 20:
One sheet posters: Ernest Goes To Jail, Explorers, Silver Bullet (Stephen King werewolf film), Everybody's All-American, Loose Screws (Roger Corman), Inside Moves, Homework (Joan Collins as a seductive MILF), Night Of The Juggler, Educating Rita, Endless Love, American Dreamer, Night Crossing, Paternity (Burt Reynolds), The Longshot, Micki & Maude, My Favorite Year, The Money Pit (early Tom Hanks comedy).

December 11:
One sheet posters: Crank: High Voltage, Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra (Ripcord version), The Uninvited, Star Trek (Spock version), Duplicity, Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs, The Proposal, Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li, Knowing.

December 10:
One sheet posters: Battle For Terra, Planet 51, Astroboy, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Stepfather, From Paris With Love, Leap Year, Twilight (hard to find advanced one!), Halloween II, Ninja Assassin, The Princess And The Frog (two versions), The Blind Side, Transylmania, Edge Of Darkness, Pirate Radio, The Crazies, Daybreakers, The Spy Next Door, Green Zone, Invictus, How To Train Your Dragon.

Keep checking back for more! :)
http://stores.ebay.com/rivertown-entertainment
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 
This is where we will post various reports from conventions that we attend all over the midwest. We do this for several reasons: to give props to the people who put these shows on and to let you guys know what you may have missed at these shows.

Hollywood Memorabilia Expo: October 17-18, Wyndham O'Hare Hotel, Chicago, Illinois: I was excited about this show, because it was the first true paper trade show that I have ever set up at. Most vendors I know who have attended it were pleased with the show, so it also came with high recommendations. The guest list (including Ernest Borgnine, Tia Carrere, Mickey Rooney, and Val Kilmer; I got to meet all of them) was also about as good of as shows can get. All was not as it seemed though, as I ended up taking a pretty hefty financial bath. People were doing a lot of shopping but very little buying; I had customers all weekend but most just looked and did not buy. I was not the only one however, as quite a few vendors complained about the lack of sales and almost all of the vendors around me lost money. In addition, nobody and I mean NOBODY dressed up as a character which was a disappointment; I was hoping for at least a Scarlett O'Hara or Dorothy Gale. Maybe it was the fact that the celebrities were in a different room, maybe it was a lot of competition, and maybe it was just the economy, but it was a show that unfortunately I qwon't set up at again; I will stick with Rusty Nail shows and maybe do Flashback Weekend or Wizard World Chicago next year.

Music Box Massacre V: October 10, 2009 Music Box Theater, Chicago, Illinois: The Music Box Theater is one of our very favorite venues, mostly because we have made several friends over the years. With this show, there were about 900 people who popped through the gates to survive a 24-hour horror movie marathon. The show had some great flicks too: A Bucket Of Blood, Pontypool, Carrie, Maximum Overdrive, Blood Feast, and The Black Cat were all screened to the enjoyment of the crowd. It was great to see Alexandra, Rachel, and Nora at the show, as well as Rusty and a bunch of other regulars. The theater staff is always nice to us and the patrons, and the show is always a blast. We made it through about 20 hours of the show before we headed home. I think Jenn and I are still recovering from the show.

Mid-Ohio Con: October 3-4, 2009, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio: Comic book conventions can be a complete crapshoot for a vendor who does not sell comic books. They can either be fantastic or a complete dud, and a show that was great one year can be a disaster the next. This show was one of those shows where a non-comic vendor takes a financial bath unfortunately, and we did not have enough sales to even cover the booth fee yet alone inventory or costs. There were a few thousand people at the show so it wasn't a small crowd, but for our type of business it was the wrong crowd. It's too bad, because the staff of the convention and the convention center was super to work with and were very nice, but unfortunately I will not be able to attend again.

Durand Fantasy Expo: September 26, 2009, VFW Post 2272, Durand, Michigan: First-time shows in a small town scare a lot of vendors, but they don't bother me for a few reasons. First of all, usually half the town will show up because of something new and different, and two sinec this is new the people attending will usually buy something. Plus it is always nice when friends from the scene such as Randy Zimmerman and Layne and Peri Toth (along with Dad Tornado) are also there, as it is fun to reacquaint. The show was pretty much what I anticipated: about 200 people total through the door, but everbody was there to shop and brought stuff home. Just about every vendor left the facility a happy camper, yours truly included. It was a nice show that was advertised and promoted well, and the VFW guys at the hall were as nice as anybody could expect and ask for. It also appealed to me that all the monies raised went back to the hall, so I thought it was awesome that the show was supporting veterans who have served our country. The 501st legion of stormtroopers were also there adding to the events, and a couple people (mostly kids) cosplayed. Hopefully we will see this show happen again next year, and I will attend.

Scarefest: September 11-13, 2009, Lexington Convention Center, Lexington, Kentucky: This was a borderline show for us, mostly because of distance. It turned out that my girlfriend Jenn's old college roommate lived four miles from the facility, so we were able to double up this trip with a reunion of sorts. This show mixed the horror guests with the paranormal investigators, so it was an interesting mix of vendors and tarot card readers, fortune tellers, and ghost hunters. A bit different than most horror conventions, but there is nothing wrong with that. We had a great time at the show, meeting new friends and (for Jenn) seeing old ones. Massive Ego Productions was right across the aisle from us advertising their new film The Landlord (www.thelandlordmovie.com), a fun little horror comedy that features one of our Chicago friends Nora O'Sullivan doing all the bloody effects. I was also able to run across a few other vendor friends at the show and met a lot of nice Kentucky horror fans. We had a lot of fun at Scarefest and plan on coming back in 2010.

Cherry Capital Con: August 29-30, 2009, Grand Traverse Resort, Acme, Michigan: I ventured back up to the Traverse City area to this first year show. The promoters at Top Comics should be proud of their efforts, because it was a great first year show. There were over 500 people on Saturday and about 300 on Sunday, and the crowd was enthusiastic and entertaining. There was also a lot of costuming which was nice to see. This show was constructed right for a comic book show in its infancy: super quality facility, a good guest list of comic book celebrities, and lots of advertising. I was right across the hall from Ray Villafane, the master sculptor who makes the prototypes and molds for all those cool high-end desk statues and action figures for DC Comics.; I spent a fair amount of time gawking at some of his incredibly detailed work. I was also able to reacquaint with Todd Lange from Lange Sports; him and his wonderful wife are some of the nicest dealers one could ever buy a Ghost Rider comic from. This show has a bright future and I am looking forward to watching it grow.

Northern Michigan Anime Convention:
Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan: This is a second year show that had a small yet enthusiastic crowd in their first year, so I decided to try this one out. Smaller crowds with a more rabid fan base can be just as busy as huge shows like Wizard World Chicago (which I debated going to instead of this), and I am glad I hit this show because the crowd fit the advertising. About 500 people were there Saturday and 300 Sunday, but it was all die-hard anime and movie fans so that made the show worthwhile. Vic Mignogna from "Full Metal Alchemist" was there to sign autographs for the rabid fans, and he was a friendly soul who seemed to enjoy chatting with the kids. We sold a pretty good amount of stuff considering the crowd size, and the costuming at the show was very good. This show will never be ACEN (too far from a major city base), but I see amazing growth potential in this show because of the dedicated fan base and an unusually friendly and attentive con staff. It was also nice to re-acquaint with the people from Guild House, a vendor which I enjoy being around if the opportunity happens. I will enjoy vending at this show annually and watching the show grow.

Mid-Summers Expo:
July 11, 2009, City Sports Arena, Detroit, Michigan: This was a first year event so Jenn and I dcided to support the show and set up. We don't expect a lot at new shows--break even and we usually are pretty happy--but this turned out to be a disappointment. The crowds just did not come into this show, and I am not sure why because there was advertising. It did give us a chance to catch up with friends Randy Zimmerman and Jwan Jordan though, and it is always nice to go to shows and reacquaint with con friends.

Jafax 14: June 27-28, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan: This is one of the largest free anime shows in the country, and it is a whopping 25 minutes from my house so it is definitely worth being involved. This year was a huge growth year for them, as almost 3000 people crammed through the doors. There is a great deal of costuming at this show (see our pics) so it is definitely one of the more interesting shows we hit. In addition, we are very well accepted at the show for a vendor who is a bit out of place compared to all the other dealers and we had a lot of repeat business from last year's horror themed show. I know the board of directors for this show would like to see a more mature crowd--the huge majority of the attendees are under 18--but that does not bother me and I think the show will continue to grow the way it is as anime is very much a young person's game. A great show that is very worth attending, and one of the best people watching shows that I have ever attended.

Motor City Comic Con:
May 15-17,2009, Rock Financial Showplace, Novi, Michigan: I have been bypassing on this show for several years now although it is not too far from our base, mostly due to the fact that the big comic book shows are expensive as a vendor. I decided to give it a try though this year because of the appearance of Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia from the Star Wars films). It turned out to be a fun show. My girlfriend Jenn especially had a good time; she got to hang out with Brad Keston (the voice of Charlie Brown) and a few other celebrities which was a major kick for her. We sold a lot of stuff, met a bunch of cool and pleasant people, and was able to enjoy all the costumed superheroes roaming the halls and protecting us fair citizens. This is the first time I have set up at this show since 2005, and it was a lot more fun than I remember it being in the past. Jenn probably helped with that a lot, as it is nice to have company at these shows. We have every intention of returning for next year.

Sci-Fi Spectacular: May 9, 2009, Music Box Theater, Chicago, Illinois: This is the second time that I have attended this show, and it was as fun as it usually is. Jenn went with me this time and enjoyed being able to see Planet Of The Apes and the 1953 version of War Of The Worlds for the first time, and what better way to do that than to be sitting with 800-900 die-hard sci-fi fans in a Victorian-era theater. Aliens, The Fly (1986), The Incredible Shrinking Man, Brother From Another Planet, and 2001: A Space Odyssey were also showed on the big screen to the delight of one of the most hardcore crowds we have the privilege of serving. Since we have done a few of the Rusty Nail Productions shows, it is always nice to return and see all the friends we have met over the last year and become re-acquainted. We had a lot of fun and always look forward to that trek to Chicago when we can set up again at one of Rusty's shows.

Grand Rapids Toy Show: March 28, 2009, Home School Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan: The spring version of the bi-annual show has hit again, and I made the ten mile trek to this show. They did not have a special guest this time like the winter show, but the crowd was more than decent enough. We were one of the few movie memorabilia dealers there so we were a bit out of place, but we sell enough stuff to make the show worthwhile. It is definitely worth an afternoon for all you locals, so make sure to check us and the rest of the vendors next time in December.

Grand Rapids Toy Show: December 6, 2008, Hone School Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan: This bi-annual show has been within ten minutes of my home for fourteen years and I did not know it existed; color me silly. Anyway, we finally discovered the show and set up our usual display and the show went well: I would guess a little under 1000 people attended over six hours, which is fabulous considering the raging snowstorm outside. I did not know any of the vendors--most sold classic toys and antiques, not the usual horror/sci-fi/comic show fare I am used to--and most of them seem to be friends who see each other at other local toy shows, but they were all super nice. From what we heard, we were the first movie memorabilia dealer at the event in years so we added a unique element to the show and we had a lot of traffic. Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca from the Star Wars franchise) was there meeting fans and signing autographs and the local 501st crew was there in full support (see the pics from the show). This show was very fun and it was nice to have a show within a few minutes of my home. I am looking forward to the March edition of the show.

XcapeCon 2: November 22-23, Holiday Inn, Flint, Michigan: The second year of this show went pretty well, so they did not have that old "sophomore slump". The flow was good and the crowd was enthusiastic and upbeat, the vending areas had good variety and the hotel served as a great host. Aron Eisenberg (Nog from "Star Trek: DS9") was there signing autographs as well as Matt Busch (famous Star Wars and pin-up girl artist) and Glenn Kay (author of Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide, which my girlfriend bought for me and it is awesome!) so they had an acceptable guest list. Brian Germain and company do a great job, but one has to wonder how much growth they will have even with superior effort in the area of Flint, which has an unemployment rate of 21% and has been in an economic depression-like state since the late 70's. The several hundred fans there were super and appreciated the event, but some of the vendors did not feel it was enough people. I was fine with it though and we had good sales so I don't know what they were complaining about. It was a good time.

Music Box Massacre IV: October 25, 2008, Music Box Theater, Chicago, Illinois: This show was pretty special for me, as my girlfriend Jenn went with me. This was her first con-oriented show of any kind in her life and she had a huge blast. This was a 24-hour horror film festival that played numerous classics and indie hits such as The Exorcist, May, Eyes Eithout A Face, Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, Pieces, Dead Alive, Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter, White Zombie, and many more. The show was absolutely sold out so almost 900 people were roaming all over the place. A lot of people were there to meet Clive Barker as the line to meet him snaked all over the lobby and deep into the theater; Jenn was thrilled to meet a favorite author and I think that was a highlight for her. Lucky McKee (director of May) and Joseph Zito (director of Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter) were also in attendance signing autopgraphs so the guest list did not stop with Mr. Barker. We were set up right next to a couple of the guys from www.bloody-disgusting.com, who did an interview with me for a podcast that they did on the show (will post a link later); thanks for the free press! We also enjoyed the costuming, especially from the "bankrupt Batman" who was an absolute hoot (see pics). Overall, an awesome time.

Terror In The Aisles: August 16, 2008; Portage Theater, Chicago, Illinois: We ventured back to the Windy City for another day of non-stop horror and fun, and had a good time as usual. The films shown included Spine Tingler!: The William Castle Story, The Tingler (original starring Vincent Price), The Hills Have Eyes (original 1970's classic), Slumber Party Massacre, Deadly Spawn, Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer, and The Machine Girl plus a few shorts. About 300 people showed up at the classic Portage Theater and seemed to be having a great time. Douglas McKeown (director of Deadly Spawn) was there signing autographs and meeting the fans of his film. We sold a few posters and had a good time meeting the fans and talking shop. Overall it was fun as usual and a good time.

Motor City Nightmares: July 18-20, 2008; Crowne Plaza Novi, Novi, Michigan: This was a first-time horror convention and I wanted to be supportive of the show because it is fairly close to my area and I would like to do an annual show in Novi since I can not afford to hit the major comic con held there. The show was wonderful for a freshman show; there was solid attendance especially on Saturday and the crowd was definitely into the show. The guest list was also especially good for a beginning event: Tobe Hooper (director of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist), Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees in four of the Friday The 13th films), and Tony Todd (the lead in the Candyman series and Death in the Final Destination films) were in attendance as well as a 40th anniversary reunion of the cast from Night Of The Living Dead. Our booth was next to Caroline Williams ("Stretch" in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), across from artist Michael Calandra (www.calandrastudios.com), and kiddy corner from Judith O'Dea (Barbara from Night Of The Living Dead), and I could not have asked for better neighbors as all three were professional and kind to their fans. Like any good horror film this fest will have a sequel in December, and I will be there. I am going to look forward to watching this grow grow into a big-time player in the horror con world.

Jafax The 13th: June 21-22, 2008; Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan: I have wanted to do this anime convention for a couple years but was not able to do for several reasons. I was finally able to display at this show and it far exceeded my expectations. There were about 2500 people at the show over two days, and the atmosphere was festive, lively, and quite fun. Since the show has free admission (believe it or not), it does draw a more diverse crowd than most shows of its nature. One of the best parts of Jafax over the years is the costuming that the crowd does, which is comparable to many of the biggest cons across the country; the crowd did not disappoint as there were a lot of fabulous anime and other costumes at the show (see our pics for proof). Jafax is also a very young crowd--about 85% or so are under 25--so there is a lot more enthusiasm going on than at many cons I attend. I was not as prepared as I should have been, as I sold out of anime stuff more or less within three hours into the first day so I need to be better prepared for the 2009 show. It is great that the Otaku No Anime Club at GVSU puts this show on and I look forward to adding it to our annual schedule. One note for the fans though: I know the show is free, but everybody who goes should help out and kick in $5 per day. All the money goes toward the show and putting it on, which will allow them to afford some great guests for the future (although this year's guest list was awesome for a free show) and all you are doing is investing in an event you love anyway. Food for thought. I look forward to seeing all you crazy kids next year!

Sci-Fi Spectacular: May 10, 2008; Music Box Theater, Chicago, Illinois: I was originally a little apprehensive to attend this show, mostly because of the distace to drive and the $4 a gallon sticker at the pump. Well, I am glad I did because this show was fabulous! First of all, the show was in an 80-90 year old theater that has been restored; it was also a bit darker, gothic atmosphere than most of the old theaters I have seen which gave the show more of a grindhouse feel. Great atmosphere! The film selection was excellent and had Robocop, The Road Warrior, Death Race 2000, Star Trek II, The Invastion Of The Body Snatchers (original 1957 release, not some remake), Earth Vs The Flying Saucers, and The Island Of Lost Souls, so their definition of science fiction was broad and diverse. There were about 500 or so people there, and the huge majority were die-hard film buffs so this show for me was more fun than most because I didn't have to justify prices for more expensive items and the crowd knew their films. Mary Woronov, one of the stars from Death Race 2000, was in attendance signing autographs and she was super nice, signing autographs for free (when is the last time you heard that one?) and posing for pictures. This show just had a good vibe about it and the crowd was having a great time. It was also nice to make acquaintances again with the vendor Kitley's Krypt (www.myspace.com/kitleyskrypt) and meet my neighbor at the show Lix Online (www.myspace.com/lixonline) who also was nice to be by. Good show, good times. I will see the crowd again at the Music Box Massacre in October.

Rivertown Con: April 12, 2008; Sacred Heart Club, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Well, it is sort of hard to be completely objective with this show considering that we sponsored the event in our efforts to bring a larger convention to West Michigan but I will try. It was a pretty small affair at about 65 paid attendees, but that was expected considering it was the first movie memorabilia and comic book show in two years in the area. The fans that attended the show though were die-hard buyers and just about everybody left with a handful of comics and assorted trinkets, so what is needed here is to increase the numbers coming through the door which does take time. I do want to thank the 501st Great Lakes Star Wars Garrison for their support for costuming at the show and for their future support. Every vendor expressed happiness for how the first show went and we are expecting these shows to do nothing but grow. The best way to look at this Rivertown Con was it was a first step into a larger world, and I know the next one will be significantly better.

Marmalade Dog 13: March 28-30, 2008; Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan: This was our second time back to this show and it is nice to do this one for the simple reason that it is so close to my home (only about 45 minutes away). We stick out here a bit as this is a hardcore gaming convention and we do niot fit the market well, but we do well enough to make the show worthwhile. This year was more sparsely attended than the previous year and there seemed to be a lot less going on this year; there was no "Guitar Hero" set-up or computer gaming area, plus there really was not any programming for kids such as magic and Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments. If I ran this show I would spend more time on working toward these areas to help grow the event. I had a gripe last year that there weren't any women, and this year it was better but the crowd was still about 85% male. If this show centered attention more on catering to families and the younger crowds I think their attendance would swell significantly.

Xcape Con: November 2-3, 2007; Birch Run Expo Center, Birch Run, Michigan: This is the new con on the block here in Michigan, and for a first show they did a super good job. There was a great guest list, a good amount of vendors doing different aspects of the con world, and there was a decent crowd of shoppers, fanboys, and curious onlookers. It was nice to run across Randy Zimmerman ("Spank The Monkey" comics) as well as Brett Pinson (Boomtown Comics) and Layne Toth ("Faith: Warrior Princess") again; it has been too long in all three cases. I also got to meet some nice new people as well, including Terrell Culbert from "All-Girl Gang War" and his model entourage, newcomer anime artist Allison Mohler (I hope you can do Jafax next June!), and metal and chainmail artist Amanda Shaw (great stuff--her and I will do a jewelry line soon). I was quite pleased with the show and thought it went very well when considered that it was a first year show--I have attended five year old shows that were just terrible and this one was enjoyable and well run. It was also nicely priced for the fans at the door--only $6 to get in, so that was nice. I am hoping that the promoters are able to do another similar show next year. I also hope that these three young Michigan shows--Thriller Chiller, Xcape, and Youmacon--can coordinate to be on different weekends in 2008 so that the fans can attend all three of them and I can hit all three shows next year as well. Here is hoping.

Thriller! Chiller! Film Festival: October 25-27, 2007; Wealthy Theater, Grand Rapids, Michigan: This is one of my favorite shows to do, because it is fairly close to our house and the fans that attend this festival are enjoyable. Another aspect that makes this film festival different is that they don't have a lot of the splatter gore films that most horror fests have, but rather well crafted and performed films that are more creepy than gory. It is a pleasant change of pace. A few classic major films were also played, including Beetlejuice, Jaws, Night Of The Living Dead (1968), and Shaun Of The Dead; combining some classic titles with independent films such as Black Sheep (zombie sheep take over New Zealand--no joke, that is the plot!) is always a nice touch this fest does well. My booth was planted next to Ken Clark of Midnight FX and Mark France from Sandstorm FX, so it was fun to be able to watch them perform their makeup magic on the attendees. It was also great to see Haywire Screening again. The decor of the theater was fitting for the event and they had a great selection of films; I especially enjoyed the short film "Rose" which has won a ton of awards all over the world--and it is easy to see why. They also had several seminars on film business and special effects which were informative and well done from what I heard (didn't get to go). The fest was great as usual and I am looking forward to next year.

Super Happy Funtime Burlesque Halloween Show: October 20, 2007; Wealthy Theater, Grand Rapids, Michigan: This show was a first for me, as it was not a movie convention or a college show. In addition, I have not attended any show of this kind in a long time. This group combines the classic vaudeville skits with some Suicide Girls-style burlesque dancing, and they put on quite an entertaining show. The opening was a zombie dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller", which was completely entertaining. Another entertaining group was four guys who parodied the Ghostbusters, who hosed ghosts and witches with Silly String. The four gentlemen ended with a strip tease a la "The Full Monty" but left the undies on to the crowd's delight (although I will admit that chain speedo the last guy wore was quite unique; bet it chaffes like crazy!). The last skit before the ending was especially funny; called "Night Of The Living DeVos", two Ada residents are terrorized by zombies selling Amway products. I guess you have to be a Grand Rapids resident to fully understand the playful poke at the local company. The show was well organized, entertaining, and fairly well put together. In addition, the choice of performing at the Wealthy Theater--a former vaudeville theater back in the day--was perfect. I would recommend any open minded person over 18 to check out their shows in the future, as they are fun and a completely different evening out on the town. We will set up at their December 15 Christmas show--and I am looking forward to it.
Chicago Horror Film Festival: October 5-7, 2007; Portage Theater, Chicago, Illinois: It was nice to be back on the road after several months, but this show started off on the wrong foot when I blew a radiator hose on the way to Chicago right around Benton Harbor, Michigan. Fortunately for me, I was able to limp my vehicle to a great shop that got me back on the road in less than two hours. As for the show, it was not too bad although the attendance was not very good--maybe 300 bodies over three days. Reggie Bannister (the "Phantasm" films, "Bubba Ho-Tep") and Edwin Neal (The Hitchhiker from the original "Texas Chansaw Massacre") were both there signing autographs, and it was great to see pirate artist Nigel Sade again--by the way, congrats Nigel on your upcoming nuptials! I also got to meet the midwest reps for Jerry Ohlinger's Movie Materials company and Mary Gutfleisch, a gothic artist who was quite talented. The show was well organized, there was a good deal of costuming involved by the attendees, and the movies mostly ran on time. In addition, the Portage Theater was a former vaudeville theater and was a perfect setting for the event. There was a lot of fun and festivity, just not enough bodies. Overall, I had a good time.

Steel City Con: March 24-25, 2007; Mall Expo Center, Monroeville, Pennsylvania: This is the first truly "big" show that we attended this year, with over 6000 people there over the two days. This is mostly a toy expo so we were a bit of a fish out of water; I had a classic (1950's and such) toy dealer on one side of me and a Hot Wheels dealer on the other side. However there were a lot of traditional con elements there as well: several people were drsssed up in Star Wars (501st), Star Trek (USS Inferno science fiction club), and Pirates of the Caribbean (Lake Erie Pirates) costumes (see our pics) and there were a few guests including Kurt Angle (WWE/TNA wrestler), David Faustino (Bud Bundy on the "Married With Children" TV show), Robert Picardo (The Doctor ..rek: Voyager"), and legendary wrestlers Virgil and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Most of the crowd did not pay much attention to all our posters and such, but we did run into a few die-hard movie buffs who made the weekend worthwhile. We also sold a lot of children's movie posters and Star Wars stuff as well (note for me for next time). The show was very well organized and operated, and the attendees seemed to have a great time. On a geek side note: the expo center is right next to the mall where the original DAWN OF THE DEAD was shot by the legendary George A. Romero, and I strolled around a bit which was a lot of fun although I was sort of shocked what some of the scenes from classic shots look like now (see picture section).

Marmalade Dog 12: March 16-18, 2007; Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan: Marmalade Dog is a fairly good sized gaming convention sponsored by the nice people at the West Michigan Gaming Guild at WMU. This show was fairly well attended especially on Saturday, where I would estimate that there were about 400 gamers on hand that day. Many types of gaming was available: LARP, board, cards, D&D, and even some computer gaming. My booth was right next to a demo display of GUITAR HERO II, which was fun to sit by and watch all the younger kids become rock stars, although I am sure it will be awhile before I will want to hear "Sweet Home Alabama" or "Cherry Pie" again! One aspect of this show that was obvious was the lack of females--I bet the crowd was 95% men or better. Now I know there are female gamers out there, so where were you? This show was very well organized and such and had a lot of games available and an anime film room for those looking for a break, but a guest or two would be nice for future endeavors. Maybe it is just me, but I always like a special guest or two at shows. Overall it was a good weekend of fun and pleasure for everybody who attended and I will return for 2008.

ACGA Con: February 2-4, 2007; Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan: ACGA is a smaller show sponsored by a gaming group at Adrian College, a Christian school by Ann Arbor. This con was exclusively gaming in nature and was attended per day by about 60-75 people. Although quite small, the crowd was enthusiastic about their gaming and also had a healthy taste in movie memorabilia, judging from out surprisingly good sales considering the audience. I liked the center that the show was held in: a former gymnasium that has been redesigned for student services--it has an industrial vibe going on which I thought was fitting. This con did have a guest--the gentlemen who designed the new game SCHOOL GIRLS--who were very nice and quite informative. Overall, this was a nice weekend and I look forward to hitting this show again in 2008.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 

Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

What Type Of Posters Are There? What Are The Differences?

               Posters come in several types and styles according to their designated usage and intention. In our ebay auctions the format will always be listed in the first paragraph of the description:

                One Sheet: This is a poster distributed exclusively for theaters in the United States and Canada. These posters are always 27" wide by 41" long and are the standard for advertising in movie theaters.

                Two sheet: Same as a one sheet only larger. These posters are usually 41" wide by 54" wide and were pretty much discontinued in the 1980's when vinyl banners became commonplace for larger lobby advertising.

                Three Sheet: Same as a one sheet only larger. These posters are usually 41" wide by 81" long and were pretty much discontinued in the 1980's when vinyl banners became commonplace for larger lobby advertising.

                Six Sheet: Same as a three sheet, only larger. These posters were usually 81" square and also became obsolete as an advertsing item in the 1980's.

                24-sheet: These are the largest posters available, about the size of billboards. These are very rare because they were mostly posted outside and were destroyed by the weather. Very unusual and in most cases impractical for the collector because of their sheer size.

                Half sheet: Same as a one sheet, only smaller. These posters are 28" wide by 20" long and are usually displayed in a landscape style rather than the traditionally vertical. These posters also disappeared more or less in the 1980's when the one sheet became the standard in movie theaters. Lots of B-rated films such as Attack Of The Crab Monsters in the 1950's and 60's did not have one sheets but came out on this format.

                Insert posters: These posters are 14" wide by 36" long and more or less disappeared in the 1980's.

                Subway/bus banners: These are advertisements that are only distributed in the largest cities in the country specifically designed to promote a film's release at public transportation stops such as bus stops and subway stops. These banners can range in size from 11"x44" (usually displayed inside a bus) to 48"x72" (usually in bus stops) to 45"x59" (usually in the tubes of a subway system). Usually only a few hundred are printed.

                Video posters: These are posters that advertise a movie's release on DVD, Blu-Ray, VHS, laserdisc, 16mm, or BETA, depending on the age of the poster and movie. These posters are distributed exclusively to video stores. Posters vary in size but all video posters printed since 1991 are 27'" wide by 40" long.

                Reproduction posters: These are posters that were mass produced and distributed to stores like Spencer's, Target, Walmart, Meijer, and the like with the intent of selling to customers in the store. These posters vary in size but are usually  24" wide by 36" long. These almost never increase in value as they get older because of the sheer amount of them that are made for the public, sometimes in the millions!

                Masterprint posters: These are posters that are printed by mail order distributors. These are generally classic movies (Gone With The Wind, The Wizard Of Oz, etc) and are 11"X17" in size. Usually come in a clear frame for hanging on the wall. In many cases these posters are illegally printed and Rivertown Entertainment will never sell posters under this format.

                Foreign posters: Theater posters for any country outside of the United States and Canada. These posters vary in size and are usually distributed in the language spoken in the country where the poster originated.

               Mini posters: These are reproductions of one sheet posters or slightly altered, only much smaller in size. Most of these are only 11"x17" or 13"x20" and are printed in large amounts to be distributed at movie theaters and comic book conventions. Rivertown Entertainment does not sell this type of poster any longer.

 

What Is A Double-Sided Poster, Advanced Poster? And Why Do Some Films Have So Many Poster Versions?

                Double-sided posters are printed on both sides, with the back having a type of negative of the front. This is done so that they illuminate in a light box at theaters. Our ebay store will always list whether a poster is double sided in the first paragraph of the listing.

                Advanced posters are released long before the actual movie is released to "tease" the audience about its impending release. These are generally removed by theaters before the release of the film and replaced by the final version of the poster.

                Many movies have multiple versions of posters for multiple poster displays in larger theaters; an example of this is The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, which had over a dozen poster versions. Our listings will state which version we have in stock.

 

What Is A Lobby Card?

               Lobby Cards are no longer used in U.S. theaters and are rarely produced for today's films. These small movie posters (usually 11"x14" in a landscape, or horizontal format and printed on card stock although a limited amount were distributed in a 8"X10" format) were generally produced in sets of eight, although the number of cards in a set can vary from as few as four to as many as 16.

               As the name suggests, these small movie posters were designed for display in a theater's lobby or foyer with the intention of luring patrons into the theater by showing glimpses of key scenes from the movie. A lobby card set typically shows a known scene from the film it is advertising, each depicting a different scene from the movie. 

               Lobby cards made their first appearance in the early 1910s around the same time that Charlie Chaplin was breaking into motion pictures. The earliest Silent-era lobby cards were often nothing more than black and white or duotone stills. These were eventually replaced by hand-tinted scenes, and by the 1920s most studios were producing full-color lobby cards. 

               Lobby cards became obsolete as an advertising format in the 1980's, although certain films do have lobby card sets made as collector's items today. Lobby cards are still distributed in certain countries, including Thailand, Mexico, The Netherlands, Great Britian, France, and Germany.

               Lobby cards are a great alternative for people who want original advertising for a favorite film yet do not want to pay the high cost for a collectible one sheet poster. An example is a 8"x10" lobby card we have from Super Fly in our ebay store for $10, where a one sheet from the same film usually runs over $300.

 

           How Do I Know What Condition A Poster Will Be In From Rivertown Entertainment?

                Each poster and lobby card has what is called a grade. This is the condition that the poster is in and are listed in the second paragraph of every description in our ebay store. The grades are as follows with an explanation of what that grade means:

                A: An unused poster. As pristine as the day it was printed. I will never list any used posters with this grade. Only brand new posters are listed with this grade.

                B: Near mint/excellent. Carefully used showing some signs of age or abuse of any kind. Clean folds for any posters that were distributed folded prior to 1990. Line backed posters that have been professionally restored with no additional restoration needed will also fall under this grade. Paper is bright and the image is great. Lobby cards in particular will receive this grade very rarely.

                C: Minimal signs of use. May have one or more of the following imperfections: some edgewear, fine rips, pinholes, scuffing. Paper is not brittle and image is bright. Damage does no go farther than one inch into the poster. Folded posters that have rips at the fold lines and would frame up well may have rips on the folds longer than an inch. Most used posters and lobby cards fall into this category.

                D:  Below average, trimmed or weathered condition showing one or more of the following imperfections: some paper loss, slight stains or soiling, larger folds, extra edging, light ink or pen marks, tape, and border damage. May need some restoration but is displayable.

                E: Good to poor condition, showing one or more of the following imperfections: Overly used, worn or brittle, including chunks of missing paper, dirt, dry mounted or laminated, water stains, flaking, or discoloration. Will need some restoration.

                Most posters released prior to 1990 were folded before being distributed to the theaters so any posters prior to that date will be delivered folded as originally distributed. These folds are not considered defects in grading a poster.

 

Why Are Some Posters So Cheap And Others So Expensive?

               As with any other collectible item, it is a case of supply and demand. Titles that are in high demand and are hard for us poster dealers to find will cost the consumers more than a title that is easy to find and does not have a high demand.

               Certain genres also have a tendency to escalate in value compared to other genres, again mostly due to supply and demand. This is especially true with science fiction and horror titles, as they become sought out in many cases as the film ages. On the other hand, romantic comedies tend to go down in value fairly quickly although there are exceptions such as Sleepless In Seattle and You've Got Mail.

               Posters from certain series have gained a fair amount of value, again due to supply and demand. Series such as Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings, Halloween, Nightmare On Elm Street, Star Trek, Austin Powers, Spiderman, and Friday The 13th continue to escalate in value as collectors continue to seek out the posters from these films. Generally speaking, the poster for the first film in a series tends to be more valuable than the sequels, but many of the sequels can also be quite collectible and fetch top dollar. Examples of this are the advanced poster for Austin Powers: Goldmember, the advanced gravestone artwork for Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, and the poster for Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers for its striking artwork.

               Certain actors and directors can also escalate the value of a poster. Actors and actresses such as Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin, Mamie Van Doren, Ronald Reagan, and Marilyn Monroe will cause a poster to escalate in value simply because they were in the film. This is also true for films that major stars first appeared on the big screen; examples of this are Little Shop Of Horrors (first appearance for Jack Nicholson) and Leprechaun (first appearance for Jennifer Aniston). Directors can also become quite collectible and will escalate the value of a poster for almost any film they direct; examples of this would include George A. Romero, M. Night Shylaman, and Glenn Ford.

               Age will also have a lot to do with posters increasing in value. This is particularly true with posters printed prior to 1941, as many posters, magazines, and comic books were collected and recycled in that era as part of the Allied war effort in World War II against the Axis of Germany, Japan, and Italy. Many films such as Frankenstein, Dracula, King Kong, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, and The Wizard Of Oz have less than 20 original one sheet copies known in existence and therefore fetch a great amount of money in auctions; an original copy from the film Metropolis released in 1927 gathered $690,000 at an auction in 2006.

               Newer films can also escalate in value as a result of the film having a limited release and doing very well later in video release. Recent titles such as Bubba Ho-Tep and The Notorious Betty Page have gained a cult following and the original one sheet posters have greatly escalated in value due to high demand and a limited amount printed.

               Some posters will never escalate in value because they are so mass produced. These would include reproduction posters no matter what the film is, masterprint posters, and illegally bootlegged items. To an extent, video posters can also fall into this category but there are some titles that do go against the grain and can escalate in value over time.

 

Why Does Rivertown Entertainment Carry Video Posters? Most Poster Dealers Do Not Carry These Items

               Video posters are in most cases not collectible items and will not escalate in value. With certain items though, some video posters are escalating in value mostly because the original one sheet item is cost prohibitive for most fans of the film and therefore the video poster becomes an attractive option for people who can not afford the high end poster. A good example is the Catherine Deneuve film Belle de Jour, which we have sold in our ebay store for $9.99 while an original one sheet sells at auctions for as high as $3000 with the exact same artwork.

               Another reason why video posters are starting to become collectible is due to classic titles being released on VHS and DVD and the posters created for those films have unique artwork and in some cases better art than the one sheets. A good example is the striking artwork for the 1999 release of The Wizard Of Oz, which can be purchased between $20-50 while the original one sheet for the 1937 release sells at auction for over $18,000.

               In addition, there are a significant amount of films that are released straight to DVD or various television networks and no one sheets for the film ever existed. There is a market for these posters as there are a good amount of die-hard fans that do search out these items. Good examples of these include straight to DVD Traci Lords films such as Laser Moon, Sci-Fi Channel films such as Frankenfish, the "Star Wars: Clone Wars" Cartoon Network mini-series, and the Cube, Children Of The Corn, Hellraiser, and Mimic film series.

               We also set up booths at various college shows, horror/sci-fi conventions, and comic book shows, and a good percentage of the clientele that we serve at these shows are not concerned whether or not the item is an original one sheet versus a video poster. They just want something cool for their bedroom or basement wall, and by carrying video posters we are serving that group of people.

Sunday, April 22, 2007 

Current mood:  happy
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

We Hold Regular Contests On Our Myspace Page!

We at Rivertown Entertainment are firm believers that our Myspace page should have active participation. In order to help with this, we will be holding regular contests that all of our friends on Myspace can enter.

 

We have some extra one sheet from THE DARK KNIGHT, and I am crazy enough to actually give three of them away rather than sell them. We will give one away at each of the following shows we are doing in October/November:

10/21: GVSU fundraiser show, Allendale, MI

10/26: 24 Hours Of Terror, Chicago, IL

11/23-4: Xcape Con, Flint, MI

Look for details at the show at our booth.

 

Congratulations to Gwydion of Gand Rapids, Michigan, who won our last contest by placing a film quote with our piece of junk van. Gwydion won $20 in credit toward anything that he desires out of our ebay store . Our May contest winner was Pastor of Muppets from Youngstown, Ohio, who received two T-shirts from our ebay store.

 

We will be sending out regular bulletins about our contests. Keep your eyes peeled as we will keep you informed.

 

I Am Always Buying Movie Memorabilia...Have Some To Sell?

If you work for a movie theater and/or video store and you get promotional materials given to you, I would like to buy items from you! Many theaters and stores allow their employees to take home posters and other promotional materials free of charge all the time and simply throw away any items left over after they are finished promoting the film the poster is for.

 

If you can get promotional materials from your job without getting in trouble with your boss (please don't steal or take excessive stuff without their permission), I will buy it from you. I am ALWAYS buying promotional materials and will need a lot more items with the expansion that I am planning over the next year, and it is a lot easier for me to purchase it from local sources rather than chasing down items all over the country.

 

I will also buy your personal collection if you are in the market to sell. You may send me a list of what you have to sell through Myspace at our email address bmoviejunkie@yahoo.com. If we wouldn't be interested then I will do my best to hook you up with a source that may be able to help.

 

Rivertown Entertainment and Charity Work

We at Rivertown Entertainment firmly believe that it is our responsibility as a business to help out those less fortunate. Because of this, we donate money regularly to our local rescue missions, do fundraisers for a hunger and homelessness advocacy group, and donate money and posters to various charities.

 

We ask you to consider joining us in helping out those people who are less fortunate than ourselves. Please get involved in your local area by making a monetary donation to your local rescue mission or food pantry and/or to volunteer your time once a week or month to a cause that your conscious agrees with. Changing society for the better starts with the person you see every day in the mirror.

 

The missions we donate money to is Mel Trotter Ministries and Guiding Light Mission, both in our home base of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Feel free to make a charitable donation to either of them, or choose a resuce mission or favorite charity in your neck of the woods.

 

Can I Pick Up My Order?

If you live close to the Grand Rapids, Michigan area and wish to pick up your ebay order, please contact us and we can arrange a time for you to pick up your order. There is no charge for this service, although all of our 49 cent posters will cost $1 minimum for pick-up. Please email us through ebay to get more details.

 

Can I Buy From You Outside of Ebay?

Although I would rather do all of our sales through our ebay store, you are welcome to purchase through us at shows and conventions we set up at. Other than that, we no longer sell outside of ebay.

 

We Take "Wish Lists"!

If you have a poster that you are looking for and we do not carry it, please email us through the Myspace page and let us know what it is. We buy items on a regular basis, and if we get in what you are looking for we will contact you before it hits ebay and give you the opportunity to purchase the item before we list it!

 

A gentleman on our Myspace page already took advantage of this, getting a one sheet of NIGHT OF THE COMET before we listed it to the public. We have also sold copies of POLTERGEIST III and PSYCHO II this way as well. Take advantage of this by getting us your list today!

 

We will take a maximum list of three items, since we may get extremely swamped as a result of this and I will not be able to handle huge laundry lists from die-hard collectors. The first ones who email us on an item will get first shot if there are multiple requests for a certain item. People will have 14 days FIRM to pay for the item or we will list it on ebay and/or make it available to another Myspace friend.

 

Any questions please feel free to ask.

 

Have A Huge Ticket Item You Want To Sell?

Do you have a poster that is ultra rare and/or extremely valuable that you wish to part with? Do you have a one sheet of a Three Stooges, early Disney, Elvis Presley, or 1950's science fiction poster that you just inherited or found at an estate auction? Maybe you think you may have a special poster or movie memorabilia item but you are not sure of its value?

 

If you feel that you have a large price movie memorabilia iten We would be happy to help you with it. First of all, we are happy to appraise the item free of charge by just sending us a few choice pictures of the item; you do not have to send the actual item to us. If you do indeed have a high price item, we will be willing to help you by selling the item through brokering with a larger dealer to get you the best price or selling the item through a high end auction house such as Christie's or Sotheby's. I will work with you to get you the best price possible for your rare collectible poster.

 

Interested people should contact us through email us at bmoviejunkie@yahoo.com ; please send a few deatiled pictures of the item so we can see it including a picture of the lower left corner where the NSS codes would be.

 

We can also sell other items for you as well such as comic books and the like; write us for details.

 

Can You Frame My Poster Purchase Or Have It Restored?

The answer is yes, we can frame your poster purchase or have it linen backed and professionally restored.

 

These archival frames are a safe, beautiful, and economic way to display your prized poster item. For one sheets only, we use a 29x43 black, anodized frame with 1.125 inch wide molding. The backing is white foam-board that is acid-free and buffered with a pH balance of 7.5-8.5 and a 10 mil crystal clear lexan window to protect the front of the poster that blocks 98% of UV rays. The frame will come fully assembled with your poster framed inside; frame will have predrilled holes for hanging vertically or horizontally and comes with four screws and four wall hangers.

 

Our price for framing service for a 27x41 one sheet will be $99 plus shipping; this is $50 to $100 cheaper than just about every other company I can find that provides this service. I will have an official price for this option postage-paid in a few days and will update this blog when I have an official price.

 

We also offer to have your product professionally linen backed and restored in case this is something you wish to do. This is a great way to take a valuable item that may be in less than perfect condition and restore it to pristine condition and therefore increase its value. Since this process varies from poster to poster I would have to see a picture of the item in question so that I can get a quote from the professional restorer that we would use.

 

Interested people should email us through here or at bmoviejunkie@yahoo.com.

 

http://stores.ebay.com/rivertown-entertainment