Banning filming at Comicons and a Possible Loop Hole

Have you ever enjoyed watching a Comicon panel of your favorite actor on YouTube?  I have been filming panels for the past 7 years first as a Fan and second as a Fanatic who wants to share the experience with others around the world.  Panels are what I love at Comicon and I don't come for much of anything else.

Video blog here.

This week Dick Van Dyke was announced by Phoenix Comicon and joining their lineup but they aren't sure about being able to share his first appearance at a Comicon on social media.

Recently there has been a growing trend of conventions banning filming of any type at celebrity panels, thus closing those moments to the few who can sneak short cell phone videos out.  This practice is not the fault of the convention organizers but that of the celebrity or their agent.  As conventions grow in size, they are able to attract bigger name talents but the downside of these A-Listers is in their contract they will not allow any recordings without their permission.  In 2015, Phoenix Comicon was faced with that dilemma and faced with the prospect of losing said actor, they acquiesced.  In order to enforce the policy and make it easy on the volunteers they made it a blanket policy for all main panels, and the dark ages began.

You are probably thinking to yourself, "but I love John Barrowman and watching all his antics on YouTube at various conventions!"  Yes, there are actors who understand the power of positive social media and use it to promote themselves, their careers and other special causes they represent.  Then there are others who want to control everything because they don't want their likeness to be put out there, afraid of saying something stupid or controversial, or just want to hide under a rock.

This practice has to stop.  I certainly understand that the convention organizers have to make a proper business decision to make the convention the most talked about con of the year so they sign the contract and the blackout happens.  Comicons are for the fandom but the fans have power.

There is a possible solution to all this.  As fans we need to make it known to the actors that we want to see them on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook to laugh and share with our friends and groups.  When the comicon organizers make a blanket policy, they are doing it to protect themselves but let's say somehow the fans are able to get their attention and make it known that they can grant permission to the room to film.  Let's hope they listen to the fans and exercise their desire.  Any actor on stage has the right to give the audience permission, they just have to say it, preferably when they first sit down, or they can let the moderator know so they can announce it during the introduction.

What do you think about all this?  Please comment below!

Celebrity Panels this year at Phoenix Comicon 2017.

Dick Van Dyke

Karen Gillan
Brian Krause
Ryan Hurst

Jenna Coleman

Falk Hentschel

Danny Trejo

Robert Duncan McNeill

Gabriel Luna

Arthur Darvill

Michael Rosenbaum

Jon De Lancie

Curtis Armstrong

Vic Mignogna

Nil McDonough

Elden Henson

Jon Bernthal

Charlie Cox

Teddy Sears

Garrett Wang

Anthony Michael Hall

Todd Haberkorn

Min-Na Wen

Kenvin Conroy

Alan Tudyk

Bonnie Wright

Holly Marie Combs

Kara Eberle

Rachel Skarsten

Jason David Frank

Karen David

Sean Saguire

Osric Chau

Ciara Renee

David Anders