Log in member
The new SDCCM managing director greeted us at their office to discuss the improvements and expansions the 2nd Edition brings to the first European branch of the convention. Talent, announcements, price, better access and flow for people, or balance between content verticals are discussed.
"Hi, Gamereactor friends. As you can see, we are on air.
We are filming here in Madrid, but we are talking about an event that's going to happen in Málaga this year, later this year.
And of course you know what that is, because we enjoyed it last year at Gamereactor, all around Europe."
"So thank you so much for joining us, Fernando.
You are now the Managing Director. We got a really nice experience that year.
And we expect even better this year, as you announced.
So that's a promise you have to keep."
"But first and foremost, I guess you guys entered full production now.
It's mid-May, let's say, and you announced the event, presented the event proper, almost a couple of months ago.
So first of all, what can you tell me about the current status and what you guys are doing?
You're introducing new talent, presenting, and I guess behind the scenes you're working a lot on production."
"Yeah, we are working on several ways.
At the same time, we are now working on the production of the convention, of the physical production and the new spaces, and all the things I announced on March.
At the same time, we are working, hiring and bringing talent for the convention."
"In fact, we already announced some of the talents who will be at the convention this year on our social networks.
And we are on the way to make a nice event this year.
Before we talk talent, because I want to talk talent, let's talk improvements and expansions.
These are the two main points you announced in March."
"And yeah, of course, from our perspective, we had a nice experience, as I said.
We got really nice access. We enjoyed our time with the talent.
But we could see that people were a little bit stuck.
There were some queuing around and also in terms of security that can be improved, of course."
"So what can you tell me about that?
You announced several additional spaces, I guess, for people to enjoy several things or to be able to go to several places at the same time, right?
So what can you tell me about this specific aspect with people and flow?
Yeah, I stepped into the project some months ago and I was talking with the team."
"We had some learnings from the past edition.
So we discovered we need to make more space for the fans, to double the space for the exhibitor hall, which is one of the main places where the fans want to go, because there are the comic stores, the collectibles, all the things the fans want to get and experience."
"And at the same time, we took some decisions to isolate some spaces in the convention.
For example, we took the Artists' Alley out from the exhibitor hall.
I was about to ask about that, yeah.
Yeah, and we are going to have a standalone Artists' Alley for all the fans."
"And at the same time, Gaming Plaza, which is one of the main spaces for the gaming and all the panels with the gaming industry, we are going to have in another separate place.
We are building a temporary hall, which is more or less the same space than the exhibitor hall last year.
So we are going to double the space from 9,000 square meters to almost 20,000 square meters."
"So we believe this is going to make all the people have a better experience on the convention.
Several things you mentioned that I'm interested in.
Okay, so it's pretty much double the space all in all, but for the same amount of people, more or less, right?
So you're expecting around 90,000 to 100,000 people coming this year as well, right?
Yeah, we are going to sell the same tickets than last year."
"So our goal this year is to make the fans have a much better experience than last year and to have a good place and a good convention and experience what the original San Diego Comic-Con convention is but in Europe, and in this case in Malaga, with the good weather.
Weather, which is probably slightly better because it's the beginning of October."
"It's almost the same dates, but it was really, really warm last year.
Yeah, it's true that this is going to be one week later than last year.
So we expect to have more or less the same weather.
We are taking some measures to avoid a bad experience with the heat."
"And we are learning also from the past on that.
And I think we are going to have better places for the fans.
And a better experience in that way.
And you don't collide with the Tokyo Game Show, which is also nice to us because last year they were the same dates and that impacts not only us as press but also talent that can come from Japan."
"And also you're selling from just yesterday, if I'm correct.
You started selling.
Yeah, we made a pre-sale for returning visitors a couple of weeks ago.
Yesterday we started the general sale for all the visitors who want to come to the convention."
"What can you tell us about the price?
Yeah, the price is the original price.
Taking into account that last year we made a discount to celebrate the first year of San Diego Comic Con Malaga."
"So the original price this year is €80 for the general price.
Children under 12 it's going to be €35.
And children under 3 it's for free.
Alright, and you mentioned talent."
"Yeah, I think that was a highlight last year.
I think it was really good for a first edition.
And you've announced a bunch that are coming this year already.
Most recently we saw about Sean Astin."
"That brings me to the Lord of the Rings.
I've heard rumors about Elijah Wood.
Can you confirm?
Yeah, I can confirm because maybe today or tomorrow we are going to make it official on our social networks."
"Okay, who else you can tease here?
And also coming from the so-called verticals, right?
Like the types of content that you are providing here.
Who else can we expect?
Or you can tell me a little bit beforehand."
"You know, coming from comics, movies and TV shows.
Gaming, not just video games, but also board, table games, etc.
Cosplay.
Yeah, we are now focusing on the announcements on the movies."
"And popular actors.
But we are working on those verticals.
And animation, comics, video games.
So we expect to have a lot of talent from each vertical."
"We are exploring to bring...
We already announced, for example, John Romita Jr. from the comic side.
And we expect to have another six, seven first-line talents on the comic side.
Also on the video games, we are working last year to bring relevant people to the convention."
"On animation as well.
And at the same time, we are taking into account that there are some IP anniversaries this year.
For example, this is the 25th anniversary of Lord of the Rings."
"So we are building a lot of things around the IP and other IPs.
I think they are going to be relevant this year.
Yeah, a lot of anniversaries this year.
Lord of the Rings, of course, new movie coming out next year."
"With the talent we just mentioned.
And also, as you just said, 25th anniversary.
It's going to be celebrated in Cannes as well next week.
And they are going to have Peter Jackson as the honorary award."
"Alright, two verticals that you mentioned.
Two questions, or one question, double answer.
Gaming, do you think last year's high top quality can be equalized or even surpassed this year?
Give me some names, please."
"And from the comic side of things, if there was something I was slightly missing last year, that was manga.
We saw a lot of American comic, of course, DC and Marvel."
"We saw a little bit of European, but mostly Spanish talent, which is, of course, absolutely natural because they are big in America.
But I missed a little bit more Japanese and even Korean flavor to it."
"So what can you tell me about these two?
Yeah, we are working on that.
It's true that last year it was the first edition.
And maybe the icons for a comic con, it's usually Marvel, DC and Star Wars."
"This is the three pillars we always think on a convention.
But as fan of manga, my team is also working on that.
We are working on bringing some artists and people and we are going to announce something related to manga and anime in the next few days."
"At the same time, we are looking into the Korean market because I'm a big fan of Solo Leveling, for example.
We are trying to bring both Oriental, Japanese and Korean comics or manhwa in this case, and also looking at the European comic market to bring some artists and people relevant in order to take part of this edition."
"Okay, and finally, you mentioned European market.
I guess we all want this to be like the San Diego Comic Con Europe in the future.
So what can you say about that strategy going forward?
I don't know if that's a step you want to take this year or perhaps next year."
"And also about announcements.
So there is something with the San Diego Comic Con San Diego that fans look forward to, which is when those dates are near, they expect announcements from movie labels, comic labels, not from gaming so much, but they expect that to be a hub for important news."
"And I think even though we got really nice quotes by talent last year, I think that didn't happen.
So, yeah, European strategy, because we are all around Europe at Gamereactor, and the potential announcements we can expect without, of course, spoiling anything."
"Yeah, we are targeting the European market from the beginning.
In fact, we bring international talent.
We are trying to make an international convention.
In fact, one of our two main languages is English."
"And most of the panels, because of the talent, is English.
We are talking with potential European hosts and interviewers to come to the event and take part to the convention this year.
So our focus is not only on the Spanish market, but all the European market."
"And I think it's a good combination to have an edition like San Diego Comic Con, but in Malaga.
And at the same time, it's a good place for all the people to come to Malaga to spend some time there."
"So our goal is not to hit only the Spanish market, but all the European fans and community of fans.
And the second question, we are, as the last year, we are in contact with majors, with publishers."
"Also, we are trying to bring that news to happen in San Diego sometimes, or another convention happening in Spain.
For example, this year there are several IPs expecting to be launched this year.
And all the fans are asking us for that."
"And we are in contact with all the majors.
But you have to understand, these kind of things we cannot announce.
Priorities, usually it's a surprise.
It's something that happens in the middle of the event."
"But I can say we are working closely with majors, publishers.
Last year there were some premieres, like Tron: Ares.
There were some things around them.
So we are in touch this year."
"I expect this second year the majors are going to be more committed with the convention than the first year, because they already know us.
They just saw the potential of the convention.
So I expect to give good news and good experience for the fans."
"And that's exactly what you said at the presentation the other day.
You said something like, there is something to us fans that we remember exactly where we met our heroes or our characters, right?
And then we don't forget that place."
"And I think you guys are catering a little bit more to the fans' hearts this time around.
I guess that's the goal here, right?
Changing a little bit the communication from last year and going more closer to the fans."
"Yeah, I am a fan.
I would be the first fan to step into the convention as a fan.
So I think my team, most of them, we have the same hobbies.
We like the same things that the fans like."
"And this is the point.
We want to make a convention for fans.
They experience what it is to be close to their beloved characters, their beloved actors, artists."
"And the idea is to go to the convention.
And my goal is, after the convention, the fans would say, I want to come back next year.
Fantastic. Thank you so much for having us here in your Madrid premises."
"We're looking forward to attending the new event in Malaga.
And good luck with the final stretch.
Thank you very much."
