sakuracon feedback: how should KC be the same or differ?

[RemSaverem]

what did you experience or hear about at sakuracon that made you think: hm, i really hope they do something like that at kumoricon! or, garsh, i sure hope there's no hassle,  screwup, or boring thing like that at kumoricon!

feedback regarding other cons is of course also welcome!

[HeavenscloneX]

I've already posted my thoughts about this, but having a well organized, well run Super Smash Brothers Melee tournament.  Achieving something like that is 70% of the reason I signed up to be a volunteer.

[Runa]

What's awesome about KumoriCon is that it's going to be at a hotel with FREE PARKING and at a hotel that is NOT in dangerous downtown.

We stayed at the Shearton at SakuraCon. $$ valet parking only and we think the valets went joyriding in our car (they denied it of course, but I wrote down the mileage...the parking garage isn't big enough for 20 miles of driving!).

Whenever I had to return to the hotel from Convention center, I had to find a troop of people to go with to reduce the nasty possibility of some gork approaching and harrassing me.

Huzzah for a con that's moved to a lower-crime location!

[Vondan]

get more fans over 30 to go

[Runa]

get more fans over 30 to go

Both my husband and I are well over 30. In fact, HE is over 40...

But, yes, there are few real grey hairs to be seen at anime conventions.

...and don't call me "baba".

[Vondan]

get more fans over 30 to go

Both my husband and I are well over 30. In fact, HE is over 40...

But, yes, there are few real grey hairs to be seen at anime conventions.

...and don't call me "baba".

great now there will be 6 peaple there my age that I know of

[kylite]

*whips out a witches costume and a giant crystal ball and hands them to "baba"*

[Vondan]

*whips out a witches costume and a giant crystal ball and hands them to "baba"*

Oh I get it now, I keep forgeting that Baba is Grand Mother or old woman in  Japanease I knew it was Russian for Grand Mother, old woman witch and headscarf.  Does that make me a Baboy

[Runa]

*whips out a witches costume and a giant crystal ball and hands them to "baba"*

 :twisted: Baka!  <bounces crystal ball off Kylite's head>
    'Baba' ja nai, yo!  
  :roll:  Kids these days!  

Anyway, yes, we *do* need to attract older people to Anime conventions (getting BACK on topic), and not just the parental chaperone types that arrive with their minor children and then disappear to Starbucks until curfew time...

Perhaps a late night advertisement for Kumoricon with background of snippets of anime that appeal to older people to let them know Anime isn't just Pokemon and kid's stuff....

[Vondan]

*whips out a witches costume and a giant crystal ball and hands them to "baba"*

 :twisted: Baka!  <bounces crystal ball off Kylite's head>
    'Baba' ja nai, yo!  
  :roll:  Kids these days!  

Anyway, yes, we *do* need to attract older people to Anime conventions (getting BACK on topic), and not just the parental chaperone types that arrive with their minor children and then disappear to Starbucks until curfew time...

Perhaps a late night advertisement for Kumoricon with background of snippets of anime that appeal to older people to let them know Anime isn't just Pokemon and kid's stuff....

I have been telling the kids who need to bring a chaperone to bring a single aunt who wants to get back into fandom and willing to cosplay

[RemSaverem]

i am definitely glad we are in a safe location, at a hotel, and have free parking.

i am also one of the forum senpai though i'm really rather kidlike

commercials are a good idea but we may lack the budget other than for example some kind of community access cable. what about radio ads on college and community college and high school stations?

i'd love to do outreach to schools, but since we have our con before school resumes it's difficult i would think

[ObiJay]

get more fans over 30 to go

Both my husband and I are well over 30. In fact, HE is over 40...

But, yes, there are few real grey hairs to be seen at anime conventions.

...and don't call me "baba".

Don't get me started. I can almost do my Auron costume without adding a bit of hair dye -_-

As for things at SakuraCon that I'd like to see at KumoriCon, as long as there is enough space to move around in, it'll be good.

I'm liking this free parking business though.

[Vondan]

i am definitely glad we are in a safe location, at a hotel, and have free parking.

i am also one of the forum senpai though i'm really rather kidlike

commercials are a good idea but we may lack the budget other than for example some kind of community access cable. what about radio ads on college and community college and high school stations?

i'd love to do outreach to schools, but since we have our con before school resumes it's difficult i would think

I worked in CCTV for a few years.  All pepale would have to do is go down and take some free classes on how to use the EQ and then make a show.  I have not worked in it for 15 years.  I was toying with the idea of doing a show called GNN Geek Network News ware I'd Interview local top geeks and have reports on upcoming Geek Events and movies and games etc

[PezCat]

Getting off topic here people (God I hate being a cop sometimes... I feel like such a tool).

On another note, no disrespect to Sakuracon, but something that is frequently forgotten is that WE ARE NOT SAKURACON!  We have a good relationship with Sakuracon.  We like Sakuracon.  They like us.  It works out real good that way.  Sakuracon is a good con with good people.  Sakacon rocks.  But we AREN'T Sakuracon.  There will forever be things that Sakacon does better than us... and there will be things we do better than Sakuracon.

That is not to say that we can't draw ideas from other conventions - far from it.  But we shouldn't have any compulsion to make our con more like Sakura, or any other con for that matter.  We are Kumoricon for a good reason, and we should keep it that way.

PezCat

[RemSaverem]

i definitely agree, i just think that any chance to learn what people did and did not like about their experience at other cons is worthwhile, and sc is the one that just happened.

community tv is a great resource to try to tap. i was personally on cascadia alive for several years (anarchist collective show) but haven't been in years.

what is auron?

one thing i'm hoping doesn't recur at kc is escalators...i think there aren't any at the red lion, at least i don't recall any...they're central to the convention center in seattle, and very functional....but i was very scared watching folks cosplaying in floor-length-plus-train robes, hands full of items or holding the railing and not holding their trains, that someone would get caught in the escalator

[Vondan]

community tv is a great resource to try to tap. i was personally on cascadia alive for several years (anarchist collective show) but haven't been in years.

Ha I know of that show, did you make it to the harmonic convergence party in 87.  I still have a HUGE double bladed logging axe I made for an anti cascadia skit.  I worked from 86 to 88 on Zap News and Rabbit Hutch as a writer and crew and on other shows as random crew when they filmed on my night to work the broadcast booth.  I actually got more hands on experience there than at LCC.  We really need to start a new thread to see who would be interested and has the experience to work on a show about anime and J-Pop Culture as a mouthpiece for K Con.  And see if any one has a current certification with CCTV.  Ware should we movie it to Pez?


I just realized that when I moved a few months ago I threw away several 1 inch video tapes cause I knew I'd never need them again.  Those are $20 bucks each if we need some

[ObiJay]

what is auron?

That would be the ronin samurai from Final Fantasy X, who has spikey hair with white wings on the side and a bit in the middle. Despite being 27, I have a decent amount of silver in my hair already. A shot can be seen here

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/obijay/IMG_2090.jpg

[HeavenscloneX]

Oh, there is another thing I'd like to bring up on-topic.  Live-feed of the Cosplay Contest to the lockdown room where the Cosplay Contest Participants are supposed to stay.  It was solved last year at Kumoricon with some seating in the very back of the hall, though it was a very hard to hear the other skits.

[spindrift]

I have been to serveral cons and I draw good ideas on how to do things and how not to do things.  

Every con I go to could use better trafic control it seems with information and with people.

There are never enough signs for me to find out what is going on when and where and then there are never enough signs telling me how to get where.

I want to have a big up date sign in front of the gaming room, dealers room Video room... basicly in major areas so that you can see if things have changed quickly and get ideas on what to do next.

When major events start I would love for some colorful harolds to come out and dramaticly announce that the event is about to start.

[Runa]

There are never enough signs for me to find out what is going on when and where and then there are never enough signs telling me how to get where.

The best inexpensive solution for this that I ever saw was at NorwesCon (I think). It was nicknamed the "Pocket Schedule of the Gods". Some staffer got permission to put up a painter's tape grid on one of the large windows. They then filled the grid with index cards (in LARGE print done w/ sharpies) indicating what panels, events, etc were happening. This way, they could easily shuffle the cards around if a room issue came up and something had to be moved, or if a new panel was added they could use a different color card or sharpie to indicate that it was changed. Since it was in a major hallway, everyone was able to see it and they were all able to know exactly what was happening when and where.

When major events start I would love for some colorful harolds to come out and dramaticly announce that the event is about to start .

They're actually called "Heralds". I think that would be fabulous. One thing I noticed at SakuraCon was that because of so many photo ops and such a large building, many people were losing track of time and missing out on things they wanted to go to. Attendance at Cosplay was low because people thought that if they didn't get a ticket the couldn't go (and they seem to have assumed that tickets were all gone, when in fact, only half were distributed). Heralds announcing that there was plenty of space available in the auditorium and tickets werent' needed for Cosplay would have drawn more people to go see Cosplay.

Heralds are used frequently in the SCA and they are great for spreading information throughout an event.

Another thing to have, especially for a larger convention, is a message board. I've seen one implementation where they posted all the names of pre-registered people (there were blank lines for people who purchased tickets on con day to write in their names), and when you arrived at the convention, you could mark your name as "here". Then, if someone wanted to leave you a message, he would put a pin next to your name, then file the note in the card holder on the side, whic was sorted by last name. You could then retrieve your note and respond (or go find the person if the note said something like "meet me at 6 at Subway"). They also had a general announcements board where anyone could post party announcements or group photo shoots. It works fabulously (we even wound up meeting a friend of our we hadn't seen in >15 years who just happened to have come to the convention!)

[Vondan]

There are never enough signs for me to find out what is going on when and where and then there are never enough signs telling me how to get where.

Heralds are used frequently in the SCA and they are great for spreading information throughout an event.

What did heralds or messengers look like in medieval Japan if it is basically a kimono I have patterns and 200 bed sheets.  And who is going to do it, I’m to old.  The one SCA event I went to had Herald boys and water girls (hey is it fair the girls had to carry 10 pounds of water and the boys slips of parchment (brown paper bag)) we need Pepsi bearers wandering the con in case of emergency.  So we need Medieval Japanese messengers (unless there is an Iconic messenger or herald in an anime I have not seen) and Pepsi Bearers and Takko drummers to signal the hour (and later put on a show with flaming drum sticks)

[Runa]

What did heralds or messengers look like in medieval Japan if it is basically a kimono I have patterns and 200 bed sheets.  And who is going to do it, I’m to old.  <snip>  So we need Medieval Japanese messengers (unless there is an Iconic messenger or herald in an anime I have not seen) and Pepsi Bearers and Takko drummers to signal the hour (and later put on a show with flaming drum sticks)

Since it's an anime convention, and not a medieval event, we don't have to worry about being authentically medieval. It would be a good idea to "label" the heralds somehow so that people can identify them. (in SCA, they often get a green tabard or at least a green baldric to make them easily identifiyable).

I've noticed that the "Class President" is often the one in Japanese school shows who gets to do herald work, so how 'bout playing off that for the "herald"?

As for the pepsi bearers, let's talk to that guy who did the man from "lone wolf and cub" (he was pushing around the baby carriage). That would be great for holding coolers full of Pepsi & Coke [coke vs pepsi!!], plus a case or two of Pocki. Wonder if that could be a fund raiser for a charity???  

[Runa]

Oh, thought of yet another thing that really helped SakuraCon: They pre-recorded all the cosplay dialogues. This meant that everyone could clearly hear all the dialogue. The one thing that I'd always disliked about the previous cosplay events was that if you were sitting in row 10 or any further from the stage, you couldn't hear what they were saying.

I'd like to have KumoriCon do the same thing. SakuraCon even had a recording session available for cosplayers so that if you didn't bring a pre-recorded soundtrack for your skit, you could record it right there at the convention.

Requiring pre-recorded skit dialogue / music has been a standard for Masquerades (same as cosplay) at SF conventions for over 40 years. I'm glad that an anime convention FINALLY read the masquerade manual and learned that pre-recorded dialogues are the way to go for a more successful cosplay.

[Vondan]

Since it's an anime convention, and not a medieval event, we don't have to worry about being authentically medieval..

I know it does not have to be medieval just somehting Iconic with Japan as a mesenger

I've noticed that the "Class President" is often the one in Japanese school shows who gets to do herald work, so how 'bout playing off that for the "herald"?  It would be a good idea to "label" the heralds somehow so that people can identify them

And/or how about those Japanese tour guides in the background of Jackie Chan movies that always have the company baseball cap and a sighn.  We coud make Sashimono for the Heralds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sashimono

http://vondan.com/picture_library/sassy.jpg

Who ever would do this should have all the info and flyers to hand out and has to know the locations and schedule for all the events and stuff that are not on the schedule or has changed.   I was a an “usher” at a few events ware I had to know ware every thing was, who was who and when it was happening and check the Id’s of all the VIP (those VIP Plushies tried to fool me)

As for the pepsi bearers, let's talk to that guy who did the man from "lone wolf and cub" (he was pushing around the baby carriage). That would be great for holding coolers full of Pepsi & Coke [coke vs pepsi!!], plus a case or two of Pocki. Wonder if that could be a fund raiser for a charity???   :)

Yeah great idea "Lone Wolf and Snacks" and for the peaple who dont pay the carriage can have blades come out the wheel hubs like in the movie.  I dont care what brand just so long as I can get a cola with out my friends knowing they wont let me get any soda any more

[BigGuy]

The prerecorded dialouge for the cosplay was a good idea except for the shrieking fangirls(and boys) that would explode whenever something happened, with non-recorded dialouge people can just wait for the audience to quiet down some and start talking again. Microphones for skits shouldn't be too hard to swing.

[RemSaverem]

message board: great idea

pocket schedule of the gods or whatnot: great idea

heralds: great idea: blackjack does that for fanfic events each con, and at kc 2004, it was the lovely filkaeris going around with a sandwich board that brought a lot of folks into our first fanfic bedtime stories

sidenote: i would love to get together a crew of folks who are both otaku and scadian and go to an sca event together. likewise scifis and furries and any other sidegroup

[Vondan]

sidenote: i would love to get together a crew of folks who are both otaku and scadian and go to an sca event together. likewise scifis and furries and any other sidegroup :)

Of course you allready know I'm planing on going to Egils Tourny in creswell in may as a vender

[shikyo]

I don't know about anyone else but I personally loved the "party" they had at sakura con. That was the funnest thing that was there, besides Camino, shopping, anime dating game...

I have never been to kumori con but that would be awsome to have a dance party with techno and anime/Jrock music. And some Jpop... I had so much fun their.

[RemSaverem]

i'm not actually sure what's planned in the way of music and parties at KC, but check out the section on this forum for "main events".

vondan, i can't afford egils this year, and it's raining, but i hope that goes well for you.

[kekame]

What's awesome about KumoriCon is that it's going to be at a hotel with FREE PARKING and at a hotel that is NOT in dangerous downtown.

We stayed at the Shearton at SakuraCon. $$ valet parking only and we think the valets went joyriding in our car (they denied it of course, but I wrote down the mileage...the parking garage isn't big enough for 20 miles of driving!).

Whenever I had to return to the hotel from Convention center, I had to find a troop of people to go with to reduce the nasty possibility of some gork approaching and harrassing me.

Huzzah for a con that's moved to a lower-crime location!

I couldn't agree with this more. While at SC this year, a friend and I went (in broad daylight mind you) to the nearest place the hotel told us we could develop photos. We did so and stopped at Subway on the way. I was approached by a homeless person (inside the subway) who demanded I buy him food. He was half crazy and talking to himself so I just let him have his food and ran out of there as fast as I could. It was scary and he was way too close to me and bigger than me. Living in Western Washington, I know that to be a typical Seattle experience, but for a convention where people like to wander about and there are younger people there, it was a terrible location even though the convention center itself was a good space.

About parking... YAY FREE!!! At SC the effing Hilton tried to charge us every single time we came and left the hotel, and the attendant couldn't speak english barely at all, so it was a huge hassel when he couldn't understand that we were saying, "We paid up the rear for parking already cause we're staying here you wanghead." >.>

I'd like to see a formal dance that isn't exclusive. I liked SC 04 dance on Friday night.

I liked the Go room at SC 06.

One idea they had at SC 06 that was absolutely great was the posting of some attendee set-up photoshoots. It was especially helpful to know when people were planning what photoshoot, even if you weren't cosplaying with them. I mean, like, you might be a diehard Yami no Matsuei fan and just want to go to take pics, right? I thought it was a really helpful tool.

[RemSaverem]

yes free parking and safe location are both huge bonuses. your photo idea sounds good

[Geirr]

*whips out a witches costume and a giant crystal ball and hands them to "baba"*

Oh I get it now, I keep forgeting that Baba is Grand Mother or old woman in  Japanease I knew it was Russian for Grand Mother, old woman witch and headscarf.

I too, thought of Baba-Yagi (Russian) which would be a REALLY weird puin-costume in Japanese: an old woman crossed with a GOAT?!?!?
OK: Pan's grandma?

- G

[Geirr]

When major events start I would love for some colorful harolds...

They're called "Heralds"

OK, who among us has ever sung "Hark, the HAROLD angles sing ..."

Next, if any of you use Bluetooth, there was a Viking fellow named Harald Bluetooth...

- G

[kekame]

OK, who among us has ever sung "Hark, the HAROLD angles sing ..."

No, but speaking of names in songs... our national anthem?

"Jose, can you see..."

Yeah, sorry, I'm lame. ^_^;

[Anime Shopgirl]

I think that you have advertised programming that you will be airing old school anime, you would attracked an older age bracket.  Shows like Macross, Gundam, Starblazers. and other such classic titles.  Also advertising where older otaku shop, or work through flyers or min events held at community centers or libraries.  

[Panda]

From a press member point of view I would like to share a few things on that front.

- Press conferences with guests. Always a good thing. The past conventions I have attended that had separate time for press to interview guests which was excellent. Both Sakura-con and Anime Expo did a great job with that this year. This gives press the chance to ask the questions they want without cutting into or taking away time from the attendees during their panel time. This can also be resolved with individual interview time with guests.

- Photography during the Masquerade. Each convention has their rules for the press to follow. Some allow press to move about for pictures, others do not. Some allow flash photography, some say it's a no-no. Having an area for photographs of the contestants would be excellent if press isn't allowed to use their flashes or move from their seats. Anime Expo had some rules about the Masquerade that made taking photos difficult. Off to the side press seating, no flash photography (even though non press could) and no leaving our seats. They did give us the choice to get pictures when they came off stage. This meant you had to choose between clear pictures or watching the performances. One or the other, not both. It makes it tough if you want to report on the skits.

Personally I would love to have a time, let's say after craftmanship judging or something, where the contestants are in costume and we can get photos. This would allow time for close ups of the costumes and showcase their hard work much better than when they are running around on stage during skits...especially if you can't use your flash to take pictures.

I missed Kumoricon last year but the year before when I attended as press I had a very good time. I look forward to wonderful convention.

As a convention goer and long time anime fan (yes, add me to the over thirty club):

- Space to move around. I know at times this is an issue that can only be dealt with by moving to a larger venue. I just hate being stabbed in the eye by a costume prop while trying to squeeze through a crowded Dealer's Hall. In 2003 at Sakura-con I almost had my eye taken out by the shoulder spikes of a Legato Bluesummers. Ouch!

- Hallway Cosplay Contest. Give more love to cosplayers. They work hard on their costumes, invested money and just because they haven't entered a competition they should still be given some love. Some are too shy to get up in front of hundreds of people. Keep in mind that these cosplayers in their costume are adding to the advertising for the convention. When people see costumed people walking around on the city streets they will wondering what is going on. It draws attention to the convention. The mainstream media loves to pick up on this type of stuff. More press means more people know about the con. Cosplayers bring this needed attention to a convention. Oh I rhymed!

- Parent panels. Panels for the parents who have tagged along with the kids. Too many times do I see abadoned parents bored out of their minds sitting in hallways. They paid for admission to the con give them something to do that is geared specifically to them. Parent's Guide to Anime type panels are always good or a Q&A about anime/manga for parents to ask questions.

- Disabled attendee services. It's always good to take into consideration that not all of us are healthy teenagers.

And as mentioned before...

-Old school anime. Not only does that give older fans a walk down memory lane it gives younger fans, those raised on Cartoon Network, a chance to see what started it all. Know your anime roots.

I must add in that the words "complimentary parking" made my day. I'm sure we can all agree that valet parking for mucho bucks is not where we want to spend our hard earned cash. It is much better spent in the Dealer's Hall. You guys get major kudos for having the con at a place with free parking. Having just gone to Anime Expo the budget is super tight right now and every little bit helps. Thanks!

I guess that is about it for now. Just my two cents, hope it helps.