Basics of Panel Tech

Basics of Panel Tech

When doing a panel, unless you have detailed notes and other such visual aids on hand (or are doing a panel that doesn’t require visuals to begin with), you pretty much have to go mobile in some manner, using a laptop (or tablet if you could manage the peripherals somehow?) and a presentation of some sort. Showing pictures requires some kind of connection to either a projector or LCD TV. And then there’s sound connections, which requires an extra connection if you’re using a more basic output from your PC. I’m not the biggest tech expert, so bear in mind that this is primarily based on my research for my own situation, but I will try to cover a wide range of what a panelist needs.

Be aware that cons will not always have the tech you need, so be ready to bring your own as a habit. At the best, they may have default VGA male to male cables for projectors and TVs already there, so you may not have to use it, but assume that the con, especially if it’s new, doesn’t have this stuff just lying around, since there are limitations at times with adapters and how many TVs they could rent for the convention center. I’ve had it so they needed to move the TV from one room to another, so a bit of patience with the staff is needed as well. Sound is even more limited in con provided cables, usually just HDMI, so be ready to have your own solution to those problems, or you’ll be forced to use the mic and turn your speakers to max, like I did the first time it happened.

First off is video, since it’s the most common thing you’ll need cables for. The basic two outputs are VGA or HDMI, though RGB isn’t impossible, though I’m not sure how adaptors for that work related to VGA. VGA is considered a bit old fashioned, but many pre built laptops have VGA output ports, so you won’t have an issue there. And VGA is still common on both LCD TVs and projectors, so you don’t need to worry about needing the more modern alternative. HDMI is one of the more advanced video outputs and you usually have to pay a bit more for a laptop that has this kind of port on it. But it does solve the problem that comes up when you also want to have sound for your panel, since it does both as a digital instead of analog method, both video and sound channels combined. More on that later.

For Mac users, you’ll need a peripheral and the solution for connecting to VGA seems to be a bit more complex, since you have to daisy-chain a mini DVI to a DVI and then the DVI to VGA, since VGA is an older format. But Macs seem to have HDMI built in, so if you have that, it shouldn’t be an issue. Assuming you don’t, then finding an adaptor shouldn’t cost you much more than the combined cost of an HDMI adapter if you were buying for a PC with similar ports. My VGA cable cost me less than $5. HDMI could cost probably at least $20, but the cost probably varies by model and seller. I see HDMI male to male for about the same as my VGA, for instance.

When you plug in a VGA or HDMI, don’t expect the projector or TV to automatically recognize your computer. Sometimes you have to go into Control Panel and under Hardware and Sound (under Windows 7), click “Connect to a Projector” and things should go relatively well from there. There are some variations with screens and the difference between Duplicate and Extend can affect this. I usually go with Duplicate and if it makes your own laptop screen a bit more squished, it will return to normal after you disconnect from the TV or projector, whose display is optimal by comparison. Extend seems to not recognize anything beyond your desktop background, so it can be a good way to hide stuff on your desktop, such as trivia answers, but provide something to keep attendees’ attention.

Sound can easily be done simultaneously with video if you have an HDMI port (though I haven’t seen that in action myself), but if not, like myself, you have to work a new solution. Your headphones jack will be where you’re likely getting the sound from, unless you have a wireless solution, which I only know the abstract of. Assuming you don’t have a high end PC, you’re working with a VGA port and a 3.5mm headphone/speaker port. The two common ways that will work depend on the setup of the VGA. Some TVs and projectors need a 3.5mm male (that’s the headphone jack) to 3.5mm male, but others need a 3.5mm male to White and Yellow RCA cable. I’ve found cables for both of these setups for a combined cost that was a little over $10.

With HDMI, from what I’ve seen, it isn’t as simple as putting the HDMI cable in and then the sound works; you need an adapter attached to the HDMI cable. MTAC gave me this as a solution, though, as I mentioned, I didn’t have HDMI, so it’s possible that you could have a laptop with both VGA and HDMI, though why you would have both is beyond me, (even though I’m not the person to go to when you have technical or hardware questions). I was mistaken as a tech guy once, but wearing glasses will do that.

Most important of all is to test your setup pre con. Don’t assume your stuff works just because you bought it. Try with a few different TVs and see how it all connects. Otherwise you’ll have a basically useless set of cables on your hands. Getting multiple kinds isn’t a bad idea, though you don’t want to go overboard either. At least two possibilities is good, though if you’re just doing visuals, simply having a VGA male to male should suffice for pretty much any situation, since it hasn’t been phased out yet and probably won’t for a while, just like flip phones.

If I haven’t answered a question here, you can ask and I’ll do my best to give you a solution, though I can’t promise anything hands on with Macs, since I barely work with them at all.

Article by Jared Cowen

Convention Review: Anime Central 2013

 

Cosplayers venturing down the escalators at the main hotel.

                Anime Central is one of the top 3 largest conventions in the nation. Though just because it is one of the top cons, does not mean it's necessarily perfect. I've been attending this convention since 2006, even though I personally am not a fan of the convention. Despite that I intend to review it fairly - the same way I reviewed MTAC - with a pro/con list. 

                One major advantage that Anime Central has is the way they handle the elevators. There are staff members who are in the elevators at all time - making sure they're not overcrowded. It also prevents pranks where people push all the buttons or refuse to let people in. It makes using the elevators tolerable. Other conventions should take note of this process and follow their lead.

Staff members kindly handling the crowding and elevators to keep things less chaotic. Look at that smile, they enjoy their job.

                Now despite that - staff was once again an issue at Anime Central this year. They had way too many IRT members and most of them did not know what they were supposed to do. Everywhere you looked there were groups of 10 or more of them just loitering around and bitching about having to work. Some were overheard saying "I'm not supposed to drink while working, but I don't care". They had people in training running the registration lines which slowed down the process of getting people in and out - which was a very bad idea especially for Anime Central. When you already know your registration line waits are famous for being terrible, you don't put inexperienced people at the booths. Acen made the bad decision of thinking "Well our IRT doesn't do their jobs each year, so maybe if we add 100 more, it'll be better" - instead it was overwhelming and offputting to convention attendees and became a major topic of discussion.

                Another good thing about Anime Central this year was the lack of crowding. In previous years there was so much crowding in the halls, the walkways that people would rather ride the shuttle to the airport and hop on their hotel shuttle rather than go through the skywalks. This year, there was a lot less crowding and it felt calmer. Unfortunately, I can't say if that's because staff did a good job, or because of what I'm about to mention.

                Another con regarding anime central this year is that a lot of attendees were saying they were not going to return. In previous years leading up to this year I've seen so many avid congoers give up on Anime Central and refuse to return. This year I maybe ran into 3 people I knew, when I used to run into several. People outside of the vendor hall and hotel were buzzing with saying they're tired of hoping Acen improves when it never does and that they will not return. That's not a good thing - and it did feel like there were a lot less people at Acen this year.

                A really fantastic thing about Anime Central is that there's always food around for congoers. There's 3 restaurants as well as a food line in the hotel set up just for convention attendees. The prices aren't too welcoming, but if you're starving - you have several options. It's a good thing because not many people will want to leave the convention to get food and some even end up in the hospital. This is a very smart preventative measure. 

                This is only a slight con. Anime Central has become extremely cosplay orientated. If you're not wearing a cosplay, you will most likely get ignored or patronized by other attendees. I watched this first hand because my friend I was with didn't cosplay - and everyone would come to talk to me - he'd say "hi" and they'd give him this look of "what do you want?" and then go back to blowing his greeting off. A lot of people were complaining about being ignored or assumed a creeper for not being in costume. If you don't cosplay, this might not be the convention for you anymore. If you do cosplay - then this is a convention for you.

                On the topic of cosplay, as I said before it's very cosplay oriented - which means the chances of seeing some rare and awesome costumes is very high. There were quite a few that managed to make me smile. The cosplays that show up at Anime Central are very intricate - some of them taking over a year to complete. If you wish to see amazing cosplays, Anime Central is quickly becoming on par with Katsucon - which is a con that is known for awesome cosplays. 

                Another issue at Anime Central was how the staff handled things and how rude they were. The line for the dealer hall was snaked around inside the common area blocking the doors to enter the building. Even other staff was complaining about how it was being done - they should have stepped in and done something productive to help the new staff who had no idea how to handle it instead of standing around drinking and complaining. The line should have been put outside like the registration line. Other staff were bitching at people who were smoking in areas that were now no longer smoking areas. There is no reason to initially be rude and condescending to someone who didn't realize the smoking areas had changed this year. I also caught them insulting congoers and threatening to take a few out back and beat them up. That is entirely uncalled for.

                All that stated, It's time to rate the convention. My own personal experience, I will not be returning to Anime Central. Yet even so, there are plenty of things people would enjoy at this convention, so give it a chance!

Now Lets rack up the points and add a few categories:

Convention Staff and Security: 3/10

Cosplay Variety Range:  10/10

Convention Activity Level: 7/10

Convention Panels: 9/10

Registration Line: 2/10

Attendance Growth: 6/10

Convention Uniqueness: 7/10

Convention Layout: 9/10

Convention Guests: 10/10

Convention friendly level: 6/10

Issues and problems: -2 points

Total Points: 67/100 Points
Overall Rating: 70%
Convention Grade: D

Review conducted by Warkified Chocobo

Lets Cosplay In Japan

Cosplay in the US and other Western countries have become incredibly popular in a short period of time. However, what we do here in the West varies widely from what is done in its country of origin: Japan. Due to large culture differences, Japan and the US have different rules regarding their cosplaying and the connotations of the hobby in regards to surrounding society. Overall, where the main purpose of the hobby generally remains the same, there is a huge difference in the distribution of the hobby itself.
By “distribution,” I am referring to the way cosplays are created, worn and publicized. What we should remember to keep in mind is that we are dealing with two completely different cultures. We hear all the time about these large cosplay events in Akihabara and the Lolita events in Harajuku, but we do not quite get the “ins” and “outs” of exactly how the people go about displaying their costumes. The events are highly publicized in the Western media, and eventually we all begin to believe that Japan has all these cosplayers everywhere, that you will nearly always see them if you wait in the right spot at the right time…
Well, this is a lie.
There are rules in which everyone is expected to follow in this sub-culture, and these rules are unspoken among fellow cosplayers. In Japan, you do not see random cosplayers walking on the streets just any time of day, unless it is accompanied by an event. There are many cosplayers in Japan, but you would never know it unless you knew your insiders.
Why the shout out about this? In my time in Japan, I have had the honour of being able to cosplay with friends (Japanese and non-Japanese), learning these coded ins and outs of Japanese cosplay. Unfortunately, there have been many misconceptions about cosplay culture in Japan, and I am here to help clarify the general truths surrounding some of the myths.
I know many of you will want to one day go to Japan and see a bunch of anime and cosplay, but you first should learn some of the rules before you do. It is important that you do, or you could risk being kicked off of transportation modes, stopped by police, harassed, etc. Let’s avoid this, shall we?

Some things about cosplaying in Japan: *Japanese frown on those who cosplay on trains. Cosplay is NOT okay on trains.
Avoid cosplaying on trains if at all possible. Trains become incredibly busy on weekends and during certain periods of the day during the week, so you should be considerate of other people around you. A lot of costumes take up a great deal of space, or distract others easily from what
they should be doing. In Japan, distractions are not always a good thing, especially when someone has something they need to be doing. If you have a cosplay that could pass as semi-normal, then sure, go ahead. You are a foreigner in Japan, so they do not expect you to follow ALL the rules, however you should know that you can earn their respect (and also help OUR reputation) by obeying societal norms even when you are acting as part of a sub-culture. The Japanese people appreciate this much more than you could realize. If you have a cosplay with a prop, I don’t care what that prop is, do not utilize the public transportation system (with the exception of your own vehicle or a taxi).

What you should do, is wear something that is easy to slip in/out of, and get dressed at your location in a bathroom or dressing room.Unfortunately for you, you have to pay to use dressing rooms or lockers (especially during a cosplay event). But, everyone else does this as well. It is normal routine for a cosplayer to change into cosplay at their destination. Most Purikura malls have dressing rooms where you can get changed, do makeup and even style your hair at a booth. It may be 100yen to 500yen depending on the place, but it is much more acceptable to do this than to come pre-dressed. A lot of Purikura malls also provide costumes and clothing for rent!

What is the worst that can happen if caught on a train with a cosplay?

It depends. Best case scenario is that no one else is around or it is not crowded. But in most cases (especially in regards to foreigners), you are stared at or talked about by those around you. Worst case scenario you are asked to leave the train by the police.

If you DO decide to cosplay on a train, then just be calm and respectful to others. Try to make yourself appear less stand-outish to avoid appearing suspicious or dangerous to others around you who may not understand. Not all Japanese know or understand cosplay culture, and cosplayers sometimes get mixed into the wrong stereotypes. The last thing you want is to have police called on you because someone thought you were part of a gang or appeared threatening.


*Be prepared
Make sure you are prepared for everything. Bring makeup, a bag to carry your important things, extra yen in case you need to pay for dressing room or locker, etc. Be sure to have everything as well. Don’t forget your gaikokujin card, and keep your passport in a safe place! If you are caught without your card, you could be fined or arrested depending on the officer. The Japanese do not take lightly to foreigners running around without identification, and not everyone speaks English.
*Know your peeps. Get a group together or join a group (if you can). You will now have more fun, know more places, and have a support system. :)
Knowing people is a key to getting into good groups and getting inside information on upcoming cosplay events. There are a lot of events that charge for you to cosplay (like cosplay events at
manga museums and such), but there are also free events too. Cosplay events happen every weekend in Japan almost everywhere, but it is hard to know when you don’t know anyone or know of any place to check out this information. Nipponbashi in Osaka is home to one of the largest cosplay events in Japan (even larger than Akihabara!). The Cosplay Festival is usually in March, and several miles and blocks of streets are blocked off specifically for cosplayers to stand in the streets to get their pictures taken or hand out meishi. It is also a huge attraction for photographers and media! Knowing people will help you get your information from reliable sources. Events in Japan are not always publicized, and people who are part of special clubs or activities are the only ones or the first ones to hear of events. Knowing these people will be extremely useful. In the end, you make friends and long lasting connections with great people just like you! So don’t be too shy!

*Meishi! Use them!
Meishi are business cards. Nearly every Japanese person worth their salt in Japan has a business card, and it does not matter what company or group they are from, they still have one. The Japanese people believe in their groups, and love to be associated with a specific group. Groups are important, because they run the society and make it work. These groups watch out for you and you them. This is a working high-context, group oriented culture. Just as with knowing your people and making connections, it is also important to have business cards if you want to be taken seriously. Most cosplayers in Japan have their own cards. This not only promotes them, but also establishes them in a type of “class” within the cosplay community.

What to put onto these cards? Your name (or alias), your Deviant Art or other networking site. Something that displays and showcases your work!


*Ask before doing!

Some cosplayers at large events expect you to take their pictures, and you don’t need to ask. But, there are others at large and small events (especially small ones), where you are expected to ask first before taking shots. Some cosplayers in the West would like to be asked first, and it is no different in Japan.
Don’t touch another cosplayer!!! You can look all you want, but no touching!

*Be kind and Respectful

Obviously this is important. You should be respectful of others even in cosplay. Just because you are suddenly being part of a Japanese sub-culture in Japan, does not give you rights to be rude to other people. The Japanese already have negative views of foreigners; you do not need to solidify those views by acting ridiculous. Remember to treat others the way you want to be treated. Because you are in Japan, you should try to conform to their culture, at least a little. This
IS an integrated and immersed experience, so why don’t you get out of it everything that you can? Use polite Japanese when speaking (hopefully you know enough to get around and survive for a few weeks to a few months at LEAST), use polite gestures such as bowing, and follow the everyday rules like a person with common sense. Just because gaikokujin are not expected to conform because the Japanese do not think we are capable of it, does not mean you shouldn’t make a good-hearted attempt.

*Learn Japanese
You are in Japan; you should learn the language enough depending on your duration of being there. If you plan to live there long term, you should expect to know or learn a decent amount of the language. You cannot expect the Japanese to cater to your own language, because they won’t. In fact, most Japanese do not know English very well. You will get the occasional few who will want to practice with you, but do not expect this to be a frequent occurrence. Learn basic polite expressions and grammar, make sure you can travel and get around, and try to remember that depending on where you are, the Japanese may be different.

Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara tend to speak a different form of Japanese than those in Tokyo, Yokohama or other parts of Kanto. Kansai-ben is the popular Japanese in those lower regions, so some things may be completely different than your own learned dialect. The standard is Tokyo-ben, but not everyone speaks it, though they may know it. Don’t expect them to speak it for you so you can understand them. No, it does not work that way. Try to brush a little bit on the dialect of the region if you can. It is a little tough, but imagine the amount of knowledge you would obtain!

Fashion vs Cosplay
The Japanese have drawn a fine line between what is “fashion” and what is “not”. Cosplay is not considered to be “fashion”, and therefore only acceptable when with a group or during an event. You should not ride public transportation in cosplay, and you should also be careful how you present yourself in public in cosplay.

Fashion, however, you have much more slack with where you go and what you do. You may not see someone in cosplay on a train (at least often because you DO get people who do it though they shouldn’t), but you will definitely see someone dressed in full Lolita wardrobe. Why is it different? Fashion. Fashion is valued in Japan. It shows status as well as a person’s ability to keep with the times and if they are capable of dressing themselves good or not. Fashions vary from age to region, so these are not always discernible. A person is more likely to ignore someone in Lolita than they are a cosplayer.

However, for Halloween and Christmas, many people wear costumes to parties and such. Certain holidays you get breaks, and no one really cares so long as you are not bothering anyone and minding your own business.
Fashion that is generally acceptable: *Nearly all forms of Lolita can be worn anywhere *Traditional Fashion (including kimono and martial arts uniforms) *Gyaru/Other street fashions *regular stuff


All of these are very simple rules and very basic information on cosplaying in Japan. There is so much more that you can learn, but I feel it is important to touch on the basics before delving into anything more. Cosplay subculture in any society is rather complex, with many rules and expectations and connotations attached that we obey unspokenly. These do not change just because you travel to another country. Japan is a beautiful country with an amazing culture, but its downside is that it can be a complicated enigma to try to unravel. The Japanese mind is truly unique, and many Westerners have difficulties understanding the Japanese “why do they do that?” if they have not taken time to study the culture. Cosplaying should be a fun experience, but attempting to do it in a complex and high-context society may be disastrous if you are completely unaware of the norms to the sub-culture. Learning the rules will not only make the experience smoother and fun for you, but you will also find it easier to make friends and find your group of connections.

Article Written By: Mimiru Riley

So You Want To Be A Panelist?

I may not be the most experienced panelist, but I’ve made leaps and bounds in improving what I’ve debuted at cons and I think even a novice like myself can convey my background to people, especially if you don’t know how to go about it.

You should only do something you’re passionate about, or at least very enthusiastic in discussing. If your panel is on something you’re only moderately familiar with or not excited about, critics will say you didn’t do enough research or seemed unprepared or even uninterested. But if it’s a fandom, a medium, an activity, or otherwise something you really enjoy, then it’s a good bet that it’s a good fit for you, especially if you fervently research it. This way, you can have a lot of content to choose from, though that’s for another article.

Don’t do panels that are mere imitations of those you’ve seen. You want to try and put your own spin on it, especially if the format you saw isn’t something you really like. If the person did more of a discussion type panel, while you want to do something rooted in a presentation, then do that. A lot of my inspiration for doing panels was from seeing other people present, but I always had my own ideas at heart. If I wanted to do a Bleach fan panel, for instance, I’d take a template that works, but throw in something that’d be a bit unexpected, or was a sort of homage to another presenter’s feature they had done.

If you’re not a hugely social person, except at cons, don’t worry about being a bit anxious. I was definitely nervous my first time (less than a year ago) and all I can say is that you shouldn’t be worried about being mocked, since these are (mostly) your peers, sharing the same interest as you do; your panel topic.

One of the most important things is taking criticism well. No panel is perfect, no panel will run absolutely perfectly and a lot of that has to do with the audience, but the presenter is by no means without flaws either. Changing the panel layout or the presentations in some way can improve a panel, but it can also disrupt the flow that you may have originally had. My first real critic was a panelist who’s been doing this for about 7 years. She strongly emphasized that you have to keep people interested, which she felt I wasn’t doing. And that was a fair point. Being objective for your own panel can be hard, because you put a lot of work into it and it can still fall short of people’s expectations or even your own.

Don’t do a panel halfheartedly. You’re providing content for a convention; you get a discount or a free ticket because you are doing a service. If you feel that the panel isn’t quite up to what you want, delay it until another con. Doing practice presentations is a good way to gauge the reaction, though if you’re like me, you don’t have a huge amount of friends to test as an audience comparable to, say, 20-30 people in a room, or even as few as 10. Just talking to an imaginary audience can work just as well, especially if you’re just calculating how much time a panel takes, which is important and I’ll discuss that eventually.

A problem I’ve had, and still wrestle with, is having too many panel ideas that are either prepared or nearly there. I’ve been lucky to have as many as 5 of my panels, which were all that I applied for, accepted for MTAC 13, but it doesn’t always go that way. Yamacon 2012, for instance, accepted 3 out of 4 panels, which was fine, since it was a new one and even if they were desperate for content, a convention doesn’t usually grant a lot of hours to someone, especially if they want a diversity of panelists. Don’t take it as an insult, but simply that your panel may not be the only one of its kind. That can create issues as well, since, if you’re not the only one with a panel in mind, you may have to collaborate with others, a skill that is invaluable as a panelist in general, even if most of your panels are solo.

Conventions do give benefits of sorts to panelists as well, though you shouldn’t try to get in for free if you’re doing panels that aren’t all equally polished in quality. If you can only manage 3 hours and 5 hours gets you the free badge, don’t be discouraged, you’re still getting in for less than you originally paid for.

Overall, doing panels isn’t something for everyone to do, especially if you have a lot of other obligations. Being a co host is a compromise, since you can still be into a fandom, but just not have the management skills to prepare a presentation or template for your panel. My best friend has this problem, but if she had the time, I bet she’d be an excellent main host for panels that she wants to do.

Try not to overload yourself with preparing too many panels at once. I’d recommend starting with a maximum of 3 for your first con, though in my case, I did 4, 2 of them with co host assistance. Be aware of other obligations you might have, like entering in the cosplay contest or other big events, because the programming staff has to know this in order to schedule you accordingly.

There’s a lot more I could talk about, but I think this is a good starting point and I’ll definitely cover these points I’ve brought up and many more in future articles. Remember, being a panelist is a job, but it won’t pay the bills at first. This should be a hobby, not an avocation, first and foremost. Wait until you become an expert and well known to try to make money at this.

If you have any specific questions, you can email me at jcowan@sewanee.edu or muichimotsu@facebook.com

Article Written by: Jared Cowan

For Attendees and Staff: A Guide to Treating Convention Guests Respectfully

                Everyone knows that big attractions at conventions are the special guests that attend. Those guests range from comic book artists, internet celebrities, voice actors, directors, musical guests, and activity hosts. They are a very important aspect to conventions because they help bring in attendees as well as liven up the conventions with panels, acting lessons, game shows, and concerts. They lend their valuable time to the conventions and go out of their way to assist and entertain guests.

                Even though they are such incredible men and women, they are also normal people like everyone else. There are times when I've heard about a guest being treated poorly by attendees and even worse - convention staff.  Most of the time it is probably accidental and the result of attendees and staff just not being aware of how to properly treat a guest at an event. So how do you treat a guest properly, you ask? After talking to several individuals, I've got some of the answers both attendees as well as staffers would be interested in hearing.

ATTENDEES

                First of all, it's extremely hard not to get star-struck when someone you idolize and respect is in the same place as you are. Although most guests are tremendously excited to meet fans of what they do and enjoy interacting with everyone, it can sometimes become a problem. There have been incidents where a guest or an attendee interacting with them have been injured, verbally/physically/sexually harassed, or even gotten into fights where security has been called. So, before you attempt to interact with a guest, think about what you plan to say or do and then ask yourself "Would I like it if someone I didn't know did this to me?" - If the answer is no, that's a strong indicator that you probably shouldn't follow through with what you planned to do.

                If you're still unsure what behavior would be appropriate, the simple solution is to just ask them. Before you decide to do something like hug, kiss, or touch a guest in any way - you should ask them if it would be alright. Every guest is different - some enjoy being hugged and have no issues - while there are others who might feel uncomfortable with the idea. By asking first - you are showing that you have respect for them as a person and also avoiding an incident that could become quite awkward or problematic. If a guest declines, don't take it personally - remember that guests are people too and some people aren't very comfortable with physical contact. Just ask, be polite, and hopefully the guest will return in kind.

                If you're still questioning what is appropriate and what is not, here are some personal suggestions of mine based on things I've seen as well as things I've been told. Please remember to take these as just suggestions - they are not laws and every circumstance is different - as is every guest. That is something I cannot express enough - not all guests are the same, so if one guest is okay with certain behavior it does not mean they all are. Try to remember to see them as individuals and not a massive group. Yet I digress, here are some of my suggestions.

                An additional thing that as an attendee you need to consider is that guests are usually very busy. There aren't very many instances when a guest is not busy even if you see them wandering the halls. They are most likely on their way to another event they're part of, or on their way to get food while they have time. If you see a guest walking briskly through the halls, this is NOT an appropriate time to stop the guest in their tracks and strike a conversation or ask for autographs. Most guests are very nice people and feel bad about having to turn a request down - and this happens a lot when they're trying to go somewhere. Try to be considerate of them and how busy they are.

                If you want an autograph or a photo, you can go to the autograph sessions which are scheduled for that purpose. The other option is to find them when they're relaxing and conversing with other attendees and don't seem to be busy. In that scenario - don't run up and interrupt whatever conversation is going on. Instead, politely stand by and wait until the conversation is over or has slowed enough for you to join in. There's a chance they will still decline your request and you should respect their decision and not take it personally. Declining your request is in no way, shape, or form their way of saying "You're not important enough to talk to me" or anything similar - it just means, they are unable to grant your request at that time.

                Additionally, just because they're grounded and not wandering around it does not necessarily mean they aren't busy, so use your skills of observation to determine if they are or are not. Now also be aware that a guest sitting down and eating is NOT the same as them not being busy. Guests do not usually have as many opportunities to eat food as you might think, and the more they are delayed from actually being able to eat - the less food they get to eat before returning to their duties.

                Now I'm not saying don't interact with guests unless it's during their panels or autograph sessions. So do not take this as me saying "Don't talk to them at all" - just take into consideration how busy they may be. If a guest says they can't talk at the time, don't feel like that's their way of saying they're too good to talk to you - it simply means, they really are busy or exhausted. All guests love to interact with attendees and every guest is different. Feel free to converse with them when you see them, these are just some suggestions to take into consideration before approaching them and remember to respect whatever response you receive from them.

                Another inappropriate time to ask for hugs, photographs, or autographs is during one of the Q&A sessions that guests usually hold at the end of their panels. They have a limited amount of people they can call on to ask questions and most of the audience is there to learn about the host and asking for those things instead of actual questions is going to annoy the other attendees in the audience. These Q&A's are an opportunity to learn something you didn't know before, not get an autograph. If you want one badly, wait until the panel is over and then approach them.

                Furthermore, specifically referring to voice actors, try to take into consideration that they are not there to perform, so try to limit or pass up demanding them to do voices for you. They want to have fun, talk to people, and make new friends instead of performing for attendees outside of panels. You can still ask, of course, but don't be offended if they choose not to do a voice you ask for.

                Although this is slightly off topic, I want to take this moment to stress that guests are not super-beings and are no way above anyone else. They are held to the same expectations of orderly conduct as everyone else is. If a guest does something incredibly inappropriate, offensive, or rude to you or one of your friends you should not be afraid to take action. By take action, I do not mean return in kind and pick a fight or insult the guest because that's just going to land you in a world of trouble. What I do mean, is that if that sort of behavior occurs, report the guest to a staff member. The con is not going to know which guests they should not invite back unless you stand up for yourselves. You, the attendees, are every bit as important to the convention as any guest that attends.

                This concludes my advice for attendees to take into consideration. To summarize - be kind, be considerate, be respectful, don't take offense to the word "no", and you will have very pleasant interactions with guests at conventions. If you have any additional questions you'd like to have answered, please don't hesitate to send me a message. 

STAFFERS

                Being assigned as guest relations is an incredible opportunity. It is also an extremely big responsibility and it can become extremely overwhelming depending on the guest. You need to take into account that how you conduct yourself personally within this position will have a huge impact on the convention in the future. Though it probably does not need to be said - guests talk to each other, and a bad experience can really damper a con's opportunity to obtain returning or new guests the following year.

                The first piece of advice I can provide for staff members is to know your guests. Research them and their accomplishments prior to the first day of the convention. If you don't know who your guests are and what they are like beforehand, you're going to be severely lacking in knowing how to properly accommodate them. If you wish to go above and beyond in this capacity, there are ways you can contact the guests and find out their preferences regarding how to handle them before the convention starts. By doing so, it will make the guests feel like their handlers really have the guests' well-being as their priority, as well as make figuring out what you should do on your end a lot easier. This will also help in possibly making the first meeting a lot more comfortable for both parties.

                Most guests are going to be very accommodating because they know how hard you staff members have to work. They will do their best to work with you and assist you with properly taking care of them, so do not hesitate to ask them for help or suggestions if you're unsure about something. Remember to not only be polite and respectful, but also be patient with your guest. Conventions can be very stressful for both parties involved and the quickest way for tempers to rise is a lack of patience.

                Although I've mentioned above that most guests are very accommodating, there are those who will not be. There are some circumstances where a guest will become rude, temperamental, and sometimes downright offensive towards you. In situations like this, try not to let your emotions get the best of you and whatever you do - don't lash out at the guest even if you believe they deserve it. Continue to be calm and considerate at all times. The reason for this is that your behavior affects the convention's reputation. An inconsiderate guest will most likely not be asked to return, but an inconsiderate staff member could result in the guest later advising other guests not to attend that specific convention. So in the event of being assigned to a less-than-friendly guest, just bear with it and then later inform the Convention Head of the behavior.

                Here's a very important and sound bit of advice for staff members to take note of - ask questions. A guest is probably not going to tell you when they are hungry or want something until they absolutely NEED it. This can cause problems because by the time the guest tells you and is in desperate need of something, you may not have the time or ability to provide them which can result in a very unhappy guest. So instead, ask them periodically. For example, if they seem to have back to back panels for several hours, ask them before the panel if they'd like it if you had snacks available for them to quickly eat between panels. Most of them will already know how they like things conducted each day, but don't assume that's the case. Offer suggestions and ask them how they prefer things done.

                There was one really good and sensible suggestion that I was provided which staff could benefit from taking into consideration. A lot of guests that have to fly in don't arrive until really late at night. By that point they're usually not only exhausted, but really hungry from traveling and yet there's often nothing to eat until morning, so I was given the suggestion for the staff that picks them up to have some sandwiches and the like to provide the guest. It sounds like a good idea too, because nobody likes having to go to sleep and work on an empty stomach.

                The last little bit of advice I have for staff members is do not abuse your position. One example I can suggest against doing is the following; do not audition for or ask a guest to help you get into the business. Yes, you may really be interested in getting advice - but while working staff at a convention is probably not an appropriate time to pursue your own agenda.

                This concludes my advice regarding how to treat guests at conventions. Hopefully my advice has been helpful to both attendees as well as staff members in guest relations. 

Article written by: Abra Gauthier (Warkified Chocobo)