As you all know by now, the official website for the QaF Convention that will happen in Cologne (Germany) next year is now online.

Before posting this entry, we waited and we read all the comments left by all of you fans of the show as well as the replies from the organizers of the Con. Finally we decided to post a resume of everything that we gathered. This, of course, won’t include every single thing that was said/asked/decided, because every day new inputs and new questions are given and asked so there might be changes, but we can promise to give you updates in case major changes will be made.

We do not want to influence your decision in any way, and we would never even think about suggesting how you should spend your money, we just want to clarify a few details that (often due to the difference in languages) can be overlooked or misunderstood: we want to offer our help (assuming you should need it) so you can make an informed decision about what you may or may not want to purchase.

• The schedule for the Convention basically concentrates Q&A panels, photoshoots and autographs sessions on the Saturday, while offering the Friday entirely to the press (aside from the Pub night) and having the Sunday dedicated to activities (Meet&Greet and City Walk) included only in the higher priced tickets that have to be purchased as an extra by people with lower priced tickets.

• City Walks (that will last a couple of hours and will include lunch) are not included in any pass: you can either buy them extra, or win them in a lottery.

• People who can’t buy Meet&Greet and/or City Walk as an extra will have a different schedule for the Sunday: activities such as showing a movie from one of the actors or gathering of Writers or Vidders of the fandom are planned, as well as guided tours of the City (that will have to be paid extra).

• The organization offers you the chance to choose among 4 different kinds of tickets, but NONE OF THEM includes pictures with the cast in the price. Pictures have to be purchased extra always and by anyone, possibly in advance so the organization of the Con can better plan the photoshoot. Prices of the pictures vary depending on the actor(s) you choose. It looks like the chance to buy both pictures and autographs on location, too, has been now added, though.

• The lowest priced ticket offers you just the chance to sit and listen to the Q&A panel, but you will be seated from row 16th up.. basically, the highest priced ticked you can buy, the closer tothe stage you will be seated in the auditorium. If you want to seat in first row, you need to take part to an auction starting from 850 € to buy the Loft ticket, and to do so you have to send an email to the organization stating your bidding. Bidding is not public: the names of ones that will win the auction and will be able to buy the ticket will be annouced once the auction’s over.

• There will be just one day for the photoshoots (same with the autographs) which will be Saturday, and that is why queues for photoshoots/autographs will happen at the same time as the Q&A panels (with 2 actors in stage) in the auditorium. You will therefore have to choose if you want to seat in the auditorium and listen to the panel or queue to get your pic/auto. The organization will show the panel on a few screens that will be placed in the hall where autographs/photoshoots will happen so everyone will be able to follow the panel through those.

• Taking pictures or shooting videos of the panels is not permitted (see point 15 of the Terms & Conditions) and it’s not possible to even take your camera in the auditorium. That’s what’s said in the Terms & Conditions, but answering a question about that, the organization decided that they will allow fans to take pictures with their own cameras for the 5 minutes that will precede the panels, but everyone will have to go back to their seats soon after.

• Since contracts have not yet been signed by all the actors, you can only book the ticket and the extras you would like to buy (sending an e-mail), but you can’t actually buy them for now. When the actors will sign the contracts, you will be sent an invoice. Some things are in limited quantity, so you should book them now if you really want them. Keep in mind that, as you can read in point 7 of their Terms & Conditions, the organization can only guarantee a minimum of 5 actors present, and they can’t guarantee that one of the 5 will be your favourite actor (this is actually standard procedure in every event.) You can’t cancel your ticket and will not be reimbursed if 5 or more actors will attend but your favourite actor won’t.

• Cancellation: the Convention can be cancelled by the organization (point 5 of the Terms & Conditions) for important reasons like lack of attendance from fans or cancellation from the actors. In case of cancellation of the Con, you will get a refund of the price you paid minus the accrued charges, therefore you won’t get full refund.

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