As the nearly 4,000 people at last weekend’s 4th Annual Star Trek Las Vegas Convention disperse to the four corners of the Earth, convention organizers and local merchants are totting up the final tally like so many happy Ferengi, the entrepreneurial race of the Star Trek universe. Whatever the final numbers, indicators show that the “New Geeks” who filled the convention halls and hotel rooms of the Las Vegas Hilton are the leading edge of an economic force with which to reckon.
Based on spending patterns by attendees at similar-sized conventions, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority’s preliminary estimate of the Star Trek Convention’s local economic impact, presented by Creation Entertainment, stood at $5.5 million.
Iconographs President Brian Eick uses sci-fi conventions as a venue for selling custom-mounted, autographed displays like these.
At its peak, conventioneers occupied 846 of the Las Vegas Hilton’s 3,174 rooms, while attending myriad events ranging from $35 for a single day’s general admission to $489 for the top-line package. In between, there were prolific opportunities to splurge on autographs, souvenirs, and photo opportunities with Trek deities like William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and Jolene Blalock.
That’s just the tip of the “New Geek” iceberg. The previous weekend, 4,500 international science-fiction fans descended upon Glasgow, Scotland for the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention, aka “Worldcon.”
Even that pales next to San Diego’s Comic Con, the Goliath of fan conventions. The most recent, held July 14-17, 2005, drew 96,300 patrons and 7,700 exhibitors. As it continues to grow in size and respectability, Comic Con has become a mandatory venue for the rollout of new studio and game product.
“For years and years, it was a struggle to get the studios to recognize that their fans were a valuable resource, both monetarily but probably more importantly from a marketing perspective,” says Creation co-CEO Gary Berman, who began doing business with Star Trek parent Paramount Pictures 13 years ago. “Now that’s quite clear on the Internet. Of course you know what Comic Con has turned into.”
Small wonder when, according to ZDNet UK, “the New Geeks have been using their IT skills (to) land high-earning jobs … this has made them a very attractive demographic indeed.”
In Britain, they’re mostly post-Boomers — 83 percent are under the age of 45 — and 21 percent have family incomes of £50,000-plus, or $89,300.
“New Geeks visit pubs, clubs and bars more than twice as often as the average person,” writes ZDNet’s Colin Baker, quoting SciFi Channel Managing Director Nick Betts’ quip that “(A) new, more chic geek has emerged from the bedroom.”
“I’ve always said that,” notes Berman of his upwardly mobile patrons. “The media, they like an easy story, so they’ll come into the convention and find the most physically unattractive person to focus their cameras on. A lot of reporters won’t do the research. They’ll take the easy story of the geeky guy, overweight, with the big glasses and stuff. That’s tough to fight against.”
“There’s no such thing as a typical sci-fi fan,” Worldcon Chairman David Stewart told the Times of London, a sentiment echoed by Deep Space Nine actress Chase Masterson.
“We get doctors and lawyers and extremely well-read people who are some of the key fans of the show,” she says hotly. “The guys in the uniform and the ears are actually in the minority. People just really don’t realize that.”
That said, Masterson’s point of view is, “Let ’em do that if they want. There’s worse things people could be spending their time and energy on” than dressing up as Vulcans.
Adds computer-support engineer Katie English, a seasoned observer of the “con” circuit, “Science fiction fans are used to being perceived as misfits, but under the ‘geek’ banner we all find some common ground. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a room at a convention and looked around with great affection for ‘my people.’ We all have this Thing in common, this love of looking forward and dreaming big and hoping for more.”
Dreaming big and hoping for more seems to be the modus operandi of Creation founders Berman and Adam Malin as they wrap up the 2005 Las Vegas Convention and start planning for next year’s 40th anniversary Star Trek tour. One of their most ambitious enterprises was the presentation of a concert of Star Trek themes, enlisting 45 members of the Las Vegas Philharmonic under Associate Conductor Richard McGee and Trek composer Dennis McCarthy, with an interpolated song set by DS9 actress Nana Visitor.
Creation’s Malin, who majored in music at New York State’s Stony Brook University, says the concert was a labor of love that required two years of actual planning, starting with brokering performance rights to the TV scores.
“We rented orchestral transcripts that literally weigh a ton and had to be shipped on pallets across country,” he says. “Star Trek orchestral music is very complex and the addition of celesta and synthesizer parts made for additional challenges. We also had to build an oversized stage to accomodate the orchestra.”
“The musicians will be on their toes for this one. The music is very demanding,” predicted Philharmonic Executive Director Philip Koslow. He says the orchestra would have been happy to provide more musicians than the scheduled 45, but that reduced complement was all Creation could afford.
Even so, Koslow estimates the cost of the concert at $20,000 to $22,000. After the musicians, their union and pension fund, and the conductor are paid, the Philharmonic expects to net $1,300. “This contract work is something we don’t budget,” Koslow explains. “It’s a little bit of gravy.
“The more often we can have the Las Vegas Philharmonic out there in the public, we feel that it keeps branding us as the professional orchestra in the county,” he says. Hence, the Philharmonic takes as many unbudgeted-revenue gigs as it can muster, including an upcoming Vanessa Williams concert at Lake Las Vegas.
Also soaking up some Trek-related largesse was local memorabilia dealer Iconographs, which does the bulk of its business through the Internet and also operates a store at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Manager George Hilman expected to deploy three booths at the Hilton, selling custom displays such as presentations of multiple film stills surrounding a film poster under plexiglas and in suede matting.
Although Hilman’s firm sells single autographed photographs — a Sean Connery can fetch $150 — he says: “It runs the gamut to the $5,000 custom pieces. If they want it matted in ostrich hide, we can do it.”
Iconographs steers clear of most fan conventions, including Comic Con, and to hear Mary Lee Holzheimer, of Holzheimer’s Distribution tell it, it was a wise decision. “Comic Con’s just brutal,” she says. “It’s four days on your feet.”
Like Iconographs, she specializes in exotic collectibles, hitting 60 to 70 conventions — from Germany to Australia — doing as many as three a weekend by dint of subcontracting her booths. Like Iconographs President Brian Eick, Pasadena-based Holzheimer only does flat-fee arrangements with conventions, peaking at $4,000 for Comic Con, and she avoids ones in Louisiana, where sales-tax collectors dun her twice and thrice daily.
“Other venues are just happy that you’re coming in and selling,” the owner says. “There are some (events) where we just go and have a good time,” even if business volume is low.
Hilman has similar motives for doing the Star Trek Convention. “They’re just great shows,” he says. “This show, more than any other, has people from all over the world get together with this one thing they just love.” He estimates that only 5 percent of Iconographs’ business comes from the annual Trek jamboree, while 80 percent of Holzheimer’s yearly volume is from conventions and the remainder from mail order.
Creation has sublicensed and generated merchandise of its own and Berman reckons that these sales account for half the company’s $6 million annual revenue stream. By rolling out new Trek items at the Las Vegas convention, he expects added value. “Paramount pulled back on their licensing of the property, and wisely so,” he says. “It’s not like you can go to the mall and buy Star Trek stuff anymore.”
Muscular DVD sales, especially of sci-fi TV series, provide more leverage. “That’s help us get noticed by Hollywood, the fact that these fans are a wellspring of money for the studios,” says Berman, who held his first convention with production partner Malin when both were still in high school. “With Lost, for instance, ABC called us (to initiate a convention tour). That was a really nice compliment after all these years.”
While Creation is the dominant presenter on the ‘con’ circuit, Holzheimer lauds several of the fan-organized conventions, like the multi-track Shore Leave. The well-traveled English likes the idea of a fan-run convention but finds them usually ill-managed and amateurish. She makes an exception for Tulsa’s Trek Expo. “(It manages) to attract not only thousands of attendees each year but a wide range of actors, who then have the opportunity to sit and chat with (fans) throughout the weekend,” English says.
She faults other fan-run cons for underplanning, underpreparation, overbooking, overextending their capabilities and “essentially trampling the actors’ goodwill.” No one is naming names, but particularly nightmarish stories have emerged from the 2004 Gatecon, in Vancouver.
One salient fact about the science-fiction audience, particularly at conventions, is its robust female demographic. Women made up 40 percent of Worldcon attendees and dominate the Stargate tour audiences. Explanations vary.
“The women have embraced the male leads of these shows,” Berman reflects. “It’s a sex thing. They’re good-looking guys and the women like ’em, so they come to our show.”
Masterson argues that the same dynamic works in reverse for the Trek franchise. “Trek has always been noted for having hot women on the show, so the guys tune in for the action and the eye candy as well,” she says.
“Star Trek is often the clichéd geek-male gathering,” English concedes, while charting a middle course between Berman’s and Masterson’s viewpoints:
“I actually don’t think science fiction’s popularity is all that gender-biased. Young men are, of course, the prized target demographic, for some odd reason, but women enjoy well-plotted dramas and interesting characters just as much as guys do. We even appreciate special effects and the occasional gratuitous explosion.
“Part of the appeal to women is that sci-fi has been and always will be on the edge of trends in entertainment — not just effects, not just contemporary issues, but characters,” she continues. “Strong female characters have been a sci-fi staple, long before we started seeing the Olivia Bensons and Sydney Bristows of ‘mainstream’ television. There are a lot of strong women out there thrilled to see Dana Scully (The X-Files), Sam Carter (Stargate SG-1) and Laura Roslin (Battlestar Galactica) reflecting back a little bit of what we see in ourselves.”
Whether by coincidence or design, Creation presents a “Strong Women of Sci-Fi” tour, in addition to its long-running Xena: Warrior Princess conventions, of which Berman seems exceptionally fond. “Those fans feel a real affinity for the characters,” he says of the Xenaphiles. “That was probably the first time where the studio and the production team really worked closely with us. It was kind of a joyous relationship and it still is. We’re hoping for a Xena movie. They’re missing their boat by not having that character on the silver screen.
“The Xena audience is a gay crowd,” the Creation co-CEO says of the show’s famous lesbian fanbase. “It’s women who love the two characters’ (Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor) interaction onstage. That’s been a great audience to work with in terms of disposable income and they’re passionate about the characters.”
Adds English, whose Xena-derived music videos have been shown at the conventions, “the Xenaverse is somewhat unique in that its fandom is quite focused on ‘the greater good’ and doing various charitable things, so the conventions tend to reflect that.
“The actors are also quite aware of their own appeal to a predominantly lesbian audience,” she adds, “and they play along with it” at the conventions. Stargate SG-1 leads Amanda Tapping and Teryl Rothery have also been known to encourage supporters of a perceived homoerotic romance between their Air Force boffins.
“Some properties can only really maintain one or two conventions a year at this point,” Berman reports. While Buffy, the Vampire Slayer drew a young, female demographic, it was one without great werewithal, making it a harder franchise for Creation to sustain.
The Internet-based fandom for Lost apparently evinces promise, as does DS9’s. “That was a really well done show,” marvels Berman. “It was darker than the usual Star Trek program and a little bit different. That’s really come into its own since it’s been in syndication — like the original series.”
“It’s not action-sci-fi as it’s an internally relationship-driven show,” Masterson adds. “The great thing about life post-Star Trek is we do have this incredible fan base where not only is the work more consistent but they loyally tune into everything we do. It has made a huge difference and it’s frankly a lot of fun.”
In addition to enabling Masterson to make multiple trips to Europe, thanks to conventions the single mother has also been able to take her son on a half-dozen Star Trek cruises. “Eight days on a boat with 300 Trekkies in the middle of the Pacific can be a challenge,” she allows, “but you pretty much relax and enjoy people.”
Masterson speculates that she could probably just live off the appearance and performance fees from sci-fi conventions, if she chose to do as many as possible, but says she has other priorities, particularly in music.
Dealing constantly with TV and film stars, does Berman ever get jaded about working with the biggest personalities in sci-fi? “Never about (William) Shatner, no,” he says, “because he’s an incredible inspiration to everyone. He’s at the top of his game, still in demand. He shows up and puts himself in our hands because, hopefully, we know what we’re doing. He’s been the ultimate professional and I have to say that Shatner’s been incredibly supportive of our careers all these years.”
One aspect of Shatner that particularly impresses Berman and endears the actor to Creation is that he comes to conventions with prepared material
“It just annoys the hell of out me when someone will get up onstage and [say], ‘Uh, you know, I didn’t prepare anything, so I’m just going to take questions,’ and they have a ball cap on, ugly clothes and unshaven,” says Berman, citing an aspect of the con circuit that is the rule more than the exception.
“It seems to me that if you’re getting paid a lot of money and these are your real fans, you could at least clean up and look good,” Berman adds. “Also, don’t show up drunk or with a hangover. That’s not cool, either.”
One of the worst instances of celebrity dereliction of duty reportedly occurred at Trek Expo 2004, involving a female star of DS9, not Masterson or Visitor.
“The woman sat sprawled in a chair,” writes one eyewitness in an e-mail to the Business Press and whose account was confirmed by an independent Internet report, “droned on in monotone about nothing in particular and frankly looked heavily medicated. At one point (Rothery) even asked if she was okay.”
Teryl Rothery is an example of a performer whose fame has arguably — and paradoxically — grown on the convention circuit after her character on Stargate SG-1, Dr. Janet Fraiser, was killed off as a ratings gimmick. English says it’s because of the preparation, commitment and famously manic energy that Rothery puts into her convention panels and cabaret appearances.
“She is a consummate performer,” English says, “a woman who owns the room as soon as she walks into it. She’s very funny, self-deprecating, willing to go to ridiculous lengths for a laugh, and you can just see the incredible energy she puts into each and every convention performance. A lot of actors seem to feel like the convention task is a drudgery to endure to get a few bucks, but Teryl treats it like a privilege, and clearly wants every single performance to be worthwhile.”
“Everyone who has met this woman has an amazing story to tell about it,” adds English. “She’s wonderfully accessible, remembers her fans like crazy and makes it a point to keep in touch with them even outside of conventions. She runs around in the audience, throws herself at any available body for a hug, coos over babies, celebrates her fans’ successes and reflects the love we have for her right back at us.”
Ironically for someone who has never appeared on a Trek series, Rothery has scored some of her biggest successes at shows like Trek Expo, where encore sessions have had to be scheduled to accomodate fan demand. “At the Trek Expo in Tulsa she was sort of a sideline-guest,” English reminisces, “one not a lot of folks in the audience even knew. By the time she was done I heard at least six people within earshot say, ‘I have GOT to watch this Stargate show now.'”
Looming large in Creation’s scopes is 2006, which brings the 40th anniversary of the debut of the original Star Trek, which boldly went where few TV series had gone before. “We’ve already booked Shatner and Leonard Nimoy to make appearances on the actual weekend of the 40th anniversary,” Berman reports, “one in Sacramento and one in Chicago. We’re already selling tickets.” No details of next year’s Las Vegas Convention were available at press time.
The ill-fated Enterprise enters syndication this coming season and Berman hopes for a corresponding boost, although the series was little help during its run, partly because stars Scott Bakula and Jolene Blalock didn’t make convention appearances — and Bakula still doesn’t.
“From a fan perspective it’s hard to ask fans to watch your show every week when you’re not making yourself available one weekend a year to see them,” Berman argues. “Over the years I’ve gotten hundreds of e-mails and personal meetings with fans at our conventions, saying they want to see Scott in person. There was definitely a disconnect from the production Enterprise to the fans and that’s somewhat damaging.
“The Star Trek audience is, obviously, an aging audience,” Berman allows. So is he worried about his customers literally dying off? “No,” he laughs, “we’re hopeful that Paramount will come up with something new.
“It’s good because there’s not any way to get Star Trek other than at our events, in terms of anything new and exciting,” the former comic book collector from Queens says. The absence of new Star Trek series or movies doesn’t faze him. “The most fervent Star Trek conventions,” Berman notes, “were held in the days when there was no Star Trek, just after the series ended.”
“Star Trek’s legacy of being of involved with their fans on a very direct level, is a great business model for just about any company that would benefit from that kind of contact,” says actress and former marketing exec Masterson. “People really do appreciate it when you show that you respect them and that they’re important to you.”
Email David or call at 707-871-6780
Source: Las Vegas Business
Guest Writer: David McKee (Business News)