When I was studying abroad in Wellington, New Zealand, there was a District 9 special screening at the Embassy Theater (where they have all the premiers for LOTR/Hobbit stuff). It was happening because the concept art book for District 9 was being released and they had all the guys from WETA there to talk to people and sign the books.

Among them was Daniel Falconer, who was the main person in charge of putting this whole book together. I was mostly interested in his amazing contributions to the Lord of the Rings films and I really wanted to just say hello or whatever and sign a little piece of paper for me.

Finally I get up to him and say hi, he asks me where I'm from, I say I'm from the States but studying here blah blah. Then he asks me if I have the book they are selling. I respond "No, I'm too cheap for that."

I can still see the look of surprise/disbelief on his face.

Luckily the friend I was with tried to help me out and said really quickly "Yeah, we're too poor because we're college students, ya know?!".