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Clamshell Awards 2018

MattyH

TS Member
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Cupcakes and Coasters are currently taking nominations for the Clamshell awards again. This year there are a few more catagories, althought there is still a Best Facebook page catagory which TowersStreet won last year.

You can see more information including how to nominate here: http://www.cupcakesandcoasters.com/...Z_SDE2W39lAOrP_o9zvV7nkUYpSHe0BHrL6HOR-FJlr8w

Nominations close at Midnight on 6th December.
 
Another one! There are so many 'awards' like this now that we're going to need an award for best fanpage awards soon.

Why some enthusiasts put these on such a pedestal and even argue over the nominees I dont know, theyre obviously just a way to get your blog recognition from other fans. Fine if people want to have a bit of fun but they shouldnt take this community stuff so seriously, whats all this got to do theme parks and entertainment after all?

Edit - just read the intro on the link
a little something to praise and rewards all of the theme park content creators who spend all season tirelessly working away to bring us a whole word of exciting themed attraction related content that allows the enjoyment and thrill of a day out at one of these magical places to transcend the gates of the park
Blimey theyre only waving a Go Pro around dear, do people really think these vlogs are THAT fantastic and anything like visiting the park for yourself? Each to their own...

Best of all, one of the prizes is you get a free piece of Nick Hutson music! LOL
 
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Not to have a dig at these fan awards but @TakeYourMedicine highlights a good point.

At the start of this year I was stood next to one of Merlin creative's, overlooking the new areas in Legoland's Miniland. We could see Theme Park Worldwide recording their vlog. The guy turned round to me and said "I'm in the wrong job. His videos are making more money than I was paid to work on this project". That line really stuck with me, especially given that If I named this guy no one would no who he is. But we all know Shaun. How have we reached a point that Vlogers are more interesting than the hobby they represent?
 
Not to have a dig at these fan awards but @TakeYourMedicine highlights a good point.

At the start of this year I was stood next to one of Merlin creative's, overlooking the new areas in Legoland's Miniland. We could see Theme Park Worldwide recording their vlog. The guy turned round to me and said "I'm in the wrong job. His videos are making more money than I was paid to work on this project". That line really stuck with me, especially given that If I named this guy no one would no who he is. But we all know Shaun. How have we reached a point that Vlogers are more interesting than the hobby they represent?

Just not well enough to spell his name right! ;)

Shawn was the first UK based enthusiast to really make an attempt at online videos, way before vlogging really become a thing. So I am pleased that he's doing so well with Theme Park Worldwide, he deserves it. I don't watch his videos mind. But then I have no interest in all of the other UK vloggers who are just copying him in an attempt to gain some sort of fame (and advertising revenue).

As for these awards. Sure it's nice if people vote for you but it's not something we set out to acheive with TowersStreet!
 
Not to have a dig at these fan awards but @TakeYourMedicine highlights a good point.

At the start of this year I was stood next to one of Merlin creative's, overlooking the new areas in Legoland's Miniland. We could see Theme Park Worldwide recording their vlog. The guy turned round to me and said "I'm in the wrong job. His videos are making more money than I was paid to work on this project".
Yeah! And not trying to have a dig either, if some people genuinly want to be like that then go ahead. But it seems to me that the influence of 'the enthusiast community' at parks has shot up so massively in the last few years.

If you're a young person today with a growing enjoyment of parks, then it's now so easy to be sucked into this 'community' online and lose track of what you enjoyed about parks in the first place. All this weird agenda, statistics, 'Enthusiasts VS The GP' ideology benefits nobody.

The articles on that blog especially have a weird subtext, with things like "Embracing Enthusiasm" where they say how happy they are to feel smug and entitled to know more than others, and call it a sub-culture. "What Not To Say To a Coaster Enthusiast","Dating A Coaster Enthusiast", "10 Signs You're An Enthusiast" etc. I think are meant to be witty and some actually call out your stereotypical geek way of thinking, but it just comes across as the flipside to the same coin.

If you really enjoy something, why do you have to become part of a sub-culture? It's pretty much turned into its own industry. I was a big nerd once too, but realised all this stuff was nothing to do with the bigger picture of why I love parks.

Theme parks are for everybody, to just go out and have a day of surprises. Wonderful. If done right, the public will love a good ride just as much as enthusiasts. We are all the public, but some have really lost sight of the forest for the trees.

Sorry to derail this article! It's just something Ive seen growing for a long time. That so many people who think about theme parks this way work in parks now too seems dodgy. Don't get me wrong, it would be fantastic to have people who love the industry working in parks, like I know many more open-minded enthusiasts do and are great at their jobs. But I cant see much good coming of people who love 'the fandom' coming into parks. I can see it turning into the comic book culture in the US, where it loses that simple touch and turns into a massive fan service machine, tailored to the demands of enthusiasts.
 
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Just not well enough to spell his name right! ;)

Shawn was the first UK based enthusiast to really make an attempt at online videos, way before vlogging really become a thing. So I am pleased that he's doing so well with Theme Park Worldwide, he deserves it. I don't watch his videos mind. But then I have no interest in all of the other UK vloggers who are just copying him in an attempt to gain some sort of fame (and advertising revenue).

As for these awards. Sure it's nice if people vote for you but it's not something we set out to acheive with TowersStreet!
Good job I didn't try spelling his surname. I normally double check my posts but I was in a rush.

But my point wasn't about Shawn, I could have substituted that story with TPR or any other group. My point was that controversial enthusiast story's seem to be getting more attention than actual industry news. Shawn is just a perfect example because every time he is mentioned we have page after page of discussion. (Your post Rob being a perfect example where you felt obliged to give your opinon on him just because I mentioned him). Yet whenever anything happens at the parks we seem to gloss over it. Maybe its just a sign of how we now feel about UK parks.
 
Good job I didn't try spelling his surname. I normally double check my posts but I was in a rush.

But my point wasn't about Shawn, I could have substituted that story with TPR or any other group. My point was that controversial enthusiast story's seem to be getting more attention than actual industry news. Shawn is just a perfect example because every time he is mentioned we have page after page of discussion. (Your post Rob being a perfect example where you felt obliged to give your opinon on him just because I mentioned him). Yet whenever anything happens at the parks we seem to gloss over it. Maybe its just a sign of how we now feel about UK parks.

I think you make a very good point! More and more people are interested in the opionons of vloggers it seems than actually their own opinons of the parks. You see a lot of "vlogger a said this so it must be amazing".
 
This is very much like the beauty community too, to the point of "Do I trust the opinion of XYZ because I know they are getting product/experiences/paid by company ABC to potentially skew their views"? I know more and more youtubers are refusing to take PR packages in the beauty community and actually buy product themselves so they come across as more genuine.
 
I really like Shaun's stuff. Went through a tough time with a relationship last year (God, i miss her terribly) and i watched one of is vlogs and found it a good escape from my head for a couple of hours.
 
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