Author Topic: Panel suggestions  (Read 3310 times)

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Offline PaladinCecil79

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Panel suggestions
« on: April 16, 2013, 09:56:02 pm »
I'm not sure if this belongs here or in the panel forum, but I have a couple of suggestions I'd like to make.

The first one regards voice actor panels. I've noticed that a very common question that gets asked at them is about how to become a voice actor. In my opinion, it's great that they've been an inspiration and that a lot of people want to do it, but this question has been asked countless times and while some VAs only give a few minutes of of insight, detailing the most basic things, the answer often takes much longer if the panel has three or four guests because it takes up a large portion of the time and fewer people to get to ask their own questions.
What I'd like to suggest is to give at least a few of the voice actor guests the opportunity to offer their own insight that you could put on small fliers to put on each chair during their panels. That way, anyone wanting to know will get the info they need and give room for more people to ask their own questions.

My second suggestion relates to Hetalia and Homestuck panels. Over the past year or two, pretty much every anime convention I've been to has had a ton of these. What I'd like to suggest is to start limiting them. I have nothing against either of these titles and Hetalia is one of my favorite anime, but I feel like both of these names are overstaying their welcome. I'm aware that different people have different taste when it comes to panels and that if one doesn't interest you, you don't have to attend it. But when these two names have a combined total of 5 to 7 panels at each convention, it does result in overexposure. There's nothing wrong with doing one or two of each of them, but there are plenty of other popular anime that fans can do panels for as well and there are fans who wouldn't mind seeing more based on Ouran or Soul Eater.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2013, 10:01:16 pm by PaladinCecil79 »

Offline veraca

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2013, 01:30:50 am »
The "how to get into voice acting" is a pet peeve of some people. Some people honestly don't think about it, and ask the question. However, that said, each voice actor has their own opinion and can choose to not answer it, or can be respectful to the asker and ask it. I'm sure they have some panels where the question isn't asked at all, and some times when it's asked constantly. The whole question is a question about "how do I get into this?", as most of these people asking it don't connect it to theater acting at all.

The paper idea with their opinions written down has a lot of issues with it: it's asking the guests to do something specific, who would coordinate the paper/edit it, who would print it, would it be on card stock or normal paper, how would it be printed, color, black and white, should there be a logo, how many to print, would the guests get their portions in on time, or not get it in at all?
Which you know, all that effort being put into a handy little paper either with unique or generic information on "how to get into voice acting", odds are the question will be asked.

Panels are run by the attendees as you well know. If people are putting in panel submission forms for 5-7 panels for a certain fandom, that's a result of the fandom and attendees of the area.
No panel is a first-come first-serve, and I'd like to trust that the coordinators encourage a variety of panels to fit in after first putting in the Guest's panels. If there's room left over for these 'extra' fandom panels, it's going to be obvious that they'll be scheduled over not being scheduled.
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Offline PaladinCecil79

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2013, 01:30:12 am »
Regarding the paper idea, that's a good point. I never thought about it that way. I got the idea from Michael McConnohie who did it with his panels at Aki Con, which I thought was smart.
Although, if the "how to get into voice acting" panel is done again this year, one thought could be to have whoever is running it make the fliers for one or two of the VA panels and have a staffer announce at the beginning what they're for.

When I came up with making an alternative for the voice acting question, it was a result of experiences I've had at various voice actor panels. I attend many of them every year and they're one of the things I look forward to the most at conventions. And although there are a decent amount I've been to where it wasn't asked, it has happened a lot at others. There are multiple times where I, along with dozens of other people, have had to sit through a long lecture on it because of the panel having multiple guests and when you've experienced this as much as I have, it does get frustrating. And I've talked to a significant number of other fans who felt the same way.
The worst experience I had was at a panel at Nan Desu Kan '11 with Todd Haberkorn, Stephanie Sheh, Jamie Marchi and Michael Sinterniklaas. The panel started about 20 minutes late and a little while after it began, someone asked the question. Because there were four guests, each one felt like they had to give their own insight on it and it took up a huge chunk of the time. After a few more questions got asked, there were ten minutes left when another person asked virtually the same thing, when asking what advice they'd give kids on getting into voice acting. Everyone in the room had to spend the rest of the time listening to pretty much the same thing and by the time the panel was over, they had spent more than half the time listening to something most of them weren't interested in hearing. It was after this when I wanted to look for a solution that would work for everyone.

Regarding limiting the Hetalia and Homestuck panels, I know they're run by attendees. My suggestion was that of all the ones of those two subjects that get submitted, the staff only schedule a handful of them at best. Even though these panels get good turn-outs, I've spoken to a number of fans who along with myself, feel there are too many of them.
And it might be a good idea for the panel staff to suggest those who submit these panels to, in the future, submit ones of other anime they like, since it's often good to branch out and it gives more variety.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2013, 01:29:51 am by PaladinCecil79 »

Offline veraca

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2013, 04:22:38 am »
If the "how to get into voice acting" panel is done again, it'd be something for them specifically to look into. Printing the papers, ink, and organizing everything takes time, coordination, organization, and money. Which while some people have the time and energy to devote to this, some may not.
If you're concerned about it, why not make the little fliers yourself? Include some information on how to get into it, perhaps with some names and locations of local theater groups, or websites to information that explain further then a sheet of paper could. Then you yourself should find out and get in contact with those who run that panel, and perhaps see if there's a way the Panel staff can help integrate these fliers to be available at all of the voice actor's panels. So if the question is asked, they can just say "I have a flier here that you should come up and grab when the panel's over." Or have at the start of the panel a clear statement that the fliers are available for anyone who wants to come and grab one. I dunno, maybe have some stashed at the Info Booth as well- if they have room of course. It'd take a lot of coordination and asking the staff, but it could be possible surely.

Specifically for Hetalia and Homestuck panels, I'm back and forth on whether I like there being 'so many' panels or not. But I could just as easily pin it on some other large fandom that I dislike and say they have 'too many' panels.
The question for these coordinators is how much is 'too much'? Did they really get a good turn out? And who are the ones complaining about them being too many- are these fellow panelists whose idea was shot down, or just attendees? Are these panels being run by different people, or will they be run differently then before to keep a diverseness within the panel itself? It'd be honestly no fair for the coordinators to go to ALL of the large fandom panels and request extended information for what their panel will include without them having to ask all the panelists to do this.

Panels are also a hit or miss. My Shakespeare panel, for example, has had a huge turnout at Sakura Con both years I've had it, but last year at Kumori the group was hardly 20 people. Both groups, regardless of amount of people, were sincerely interested and enjoyed the panels and interactions provided.

Sure, I want more variety of panels being submitted, but it also depends on the panelists. Will the attendees become a panelist and take on that dedication to plan, coordinate and perform the panel? And will past panelists decide to not have X-Panel anymore?

Let's say someone went to a Hetalia panel at Kumori in 2011, thought it looked fun, and put on their own Hetalia panel at 2012 and are planning another for 2013. Would you want to tell them not to host a panel for a fandom they enjoy simply because of a percentage of attendees think there's 'too many' of that fandom's panels at the previous year?

That said, I really applaud all the panelists each year for the variety that they do present us with. Even if I can't attend every panel I want to, there are a lot that looked like they might've been pretty interesting to sit in on from years past. And really, if the Panel Coordinators can organize all of our crazy panels, that's a pretty impressive thing- to think of the rooms, the times, the Guest's, opening and closing, requested times. To ask them to inspect to make sure there aren't 'too many' of a single fandom's panels going on seems kind of much. They already are probably doing that, like I said before.

If anything for critique to fellow panelists, panels longer then 2 hours... Oh my god. I don't want to sit there that long. I'd feel bad coming in late, or leaving early. But really, if they're going to have a panel that long, can't they just break it up and request for 2 panels and have a very specific dedication for each panel? Yes, some panels have to be an hour long. Thirty minutes goes by fast, and a full hour is great. But I don't think I've ever needed over a full two hours, even when I've requested it.
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Offline PaladinCecil79

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2013, 02:57:00 am »
Regarding voice acting, I have thought about making the fliers myself. If I could, I would gladly volunteer to hand them out at the voice actor panels and will work on doing that.
If I decided to do so, should I request it to the staff on the forum or send a message to the panels department?

About the Hetalia/Homestuck panels, at the last several conventions I've been to, I've seen them based on those two titles a lot more than other popular anime. For example, at the last Kumoricon, there were a ton for both of them, while I think the only fan panel based on a different name was of Soul Eater on Saturday.
Of what you said about "pinning it on a large fandom," that's not impossible, but I do talk to other fans a lot at conventions and the ones I've spoken to only complained about the number of Hetalia and Homestuck panels and they were regular attendees.

I do however, agree that limiting the number of these specific panels by more than half in one year would be a bit much (it would be hard to decide which ones to leave out) and I think it would be better to do so gradually, but it still needs to be shortened eventually. When I submitted my panels for this year, I was told I might not get to do all of them, so I have a good impression that they get a lot more panel submissions than they did before.

Offline veraca

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2013, 09:26:45 am »
I'd say email the panels department about it and ask them. Even if you can't be staff, you can be a volunteer and they can probably help you figure out how to work the fliers in and what not.

I don't complain about Hetalia or Homestuck panels, because that's just where the fandom is. If they want to have that many panels, and that many are approved, then good for them. If nothing else, I'm just surprised that there are that many panels. Maybe before I'd stop to think about it, I'd be bitter and annoyed at them, but thinking about the job of the panel coordinators, I really can't hold any hard feelings about it. It's kind of like supply and demand.

That said, considering this is a suggestion topic- not a complain your hearts out topic- I'm not sure what I would suggest for these panels. I would start to look at, if I were a panel coordinator, seeing if there were any panels that could be shortened in time. Like taking panels that are longer then one hour and firing back questions to the panelists who submitted it, do you really need over an hour, and what are your plans for the panel? Some panels just by definition need to be on the longer side of things- like the Whose Line type panels. But if there's pretty good time management and they start on time, or even within five minutes, you can easily cover a lot of things within one hour.

What would you suggest, Paladin? If you're just wanting a lower number for that particular fandom's panels, why not inquire or sit in at the Rant & Rave at the end of con and see if they can answer any questions on it. I assume that time is reserved for complaints, and constructive criticism (but I've never gone to one).
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Offline TsunderePrussian

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2013, 11:13:01 am »
I've noticed that there are a /ton/ of panels for Hetalia and Homestuck (more than I'd expect), though I do still see other fandom panels. I mean at Sakuracon, there was four panels for both fandoms, which I found kinda crazy. A few of them were really similar too (I mean for both fandoms two of the panels were 'ask characters'-type panels). I think it'd be better to condense a little if possible, maybe bring some panels that are similar together? (Sorry I don't have much to add to the voice-acting thing. I've heard the idea before and I agree that giving fliers out would be great and I'd love to help pass them out at VA panels.)

Offline PaladinCecil79

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2013, 09:54:43 pm »
Veraca: Okay, I'll send an e-mail.
Regarding the Rant & Rave, it is for people to give feedback on the con along with future suggestions. I've been to a few myself. If I can make that R&R this year, I'll talk about it, but if not, I'll post in the forum after the con.

TP: If you'd like to help, that'd be great.  :)

Offline TsunderePrussian

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Re: Panel suggestions
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2013, 12:23:45 am »
Ah yes I would love to! I enjoy helping out and I like the VA panels anyway. So if the fliers can happen I'd love to help pass them out. c: