Hello!
For those who don't know me, my name is John Krall, and I am running for the position of your KumoriCon 2008 Director of Relations.
before I get to the business of answering all the questions presented, I'd like to tell you all a little bit about myself.
I have been attending Anime Conventions since Anime Expo 1993, in Oakland. I have been volunteering for Conventions since then as well. For the last three years, I've been the Convention Chair for Sakura-Con. Yes, I still do live in Seattle, Washington, but I do travel to Salem at least once a month.
...And I like kittens. (who doesn't right?)
1) How do you plan on meeting the needs of our vendors and Artist Alley participants in the Exhibitors' Hall?
This year’s Exhibit hall is in a significantly different space than last year’s. This will lead to different challenges. We do have some advantages, though. The first thing I will do is to sit down with the Exhibit’s Manager from 2005 (who fortunately is also the Manager from 2007) and find out from him what the complaints were about this year, as well as 2005, see what complaints are no longer relevant, which are out of our control (location of individual booths, someone not being in a “prime” spot, the facility won’t allow this or that, etc.) and then roll up our sleeves and see about fixing what’s left for 2008.
2) How do you feel about the lack of an Art Show the last 2 years? How would you work to either bring it back, or address the artists who are disappointed by its disappearance?
As I told a fellow staffer this last week (pertaining to another event at another Convention, but relevant here), when events at conventions die, they usually die for a reason, and it takes a long time and a lot of work to bring them back.
To my knowledge, the elimination of the art show had as much to do with a lack of interest as much as anything else. That being said, if someone would like to step forward, not to display their art in the show, but to actually organize and run said event, then it would warrant reviewing. If there is deemed to be enough interest from the attendees, and there is someone willing to step forward and run it(and isn’t running several other events), then it may very well make a comeback.
3) What deadlines will you set for yourself to contact industry to obtain viewing rights for anime (CCTV, and viewing rooms), and to acquire swag for prizes?
Given our time-frame, all of this can be done before 1 August. Given that most companies are very busy at that time, all of it should be done by 15 June, and 15 June is the deadlines I would give for swag. The fact that many titles are announced at major Conventions that happen just prior to ours, the 1 August deadline would apply for cctv/viewing room permissions, assuming Programming has a wish list/back-up list by then.
4) When would you like to announce our first guest, and what pace would you set on announcing guests so as to continuously stimulate registration?
Should I win the position of Director of Relations, I plan to have the first guest(s) announced within the month. After that I would expect to have some announced around Christmas, and most of the remaining guests announced by mid-April. The latest that a guest would be announced would be mid-July.
5) How do you feel about Japanese vs. North American guests? Do you feel it's worth the cost to get 1 Japanese guest in exchange for several North American guests?
I’ve heard the argument that it costs four times as much to bring in a Japanese Guest as it does to bring in a North American Guest. If we were dealing with just airfare, this would be correct. The reality is that each guest costs the same as far as hotel, food, etc. goes. Hotel is by far the largest part of any Guest’s bill. When adding these factors in, the Japanese Guest comes in at slightly, but not overly so, more than the North American. Taking that into consideration, and taking into consideration KumoriCon’s age, if the right Japanese Guest presented itself, I would definitely pursue one Guest. I would NOT consider a Japanese Musical Guest, though. I know from personal experience the costs, physically, financially, and emotionally, that go into a Japanese band. We’re not ready for one yet.
6) How will you work with the exhibits manager to help make sure exhibitors are brought back to Kumoricon after the "garage" they were placed in last year?
For the bulk of this answer, see the answer to the first question above. As for specifics, find out which vendors are disgruntled enough to not come back, see if they are worth bringing back, and proceed to alleviate their fears. The first thing to do would be to assure them of the space, by sending visual proof that we are not in a garage again.
I’ve also taken the liberty of adding the questions Tom had the kindness of sending to me personally:
7) What do you feel was the worst thing to go wrong this year?
Other than only having three weeks to get everything together?
I would say that the lack of Guests would be the first thing that I would address.
8 ) What would you do, if elected, to keep that from happening?
Since gaining this position in August, I have worked to gain, and strengthen contacts and relationships with our current guest, with other conventions, and with industry, to allow for easier contact, and convincing, of guests we would want, to come to KumoriCon.
9) What was/is/will be your major in college?
This question is irrelevant. I have personally seen people with double majors in Economics and Mathematics be so bad as Treasurer, they were asked to step down, and did so with a conventions books in shambles. I’ve also seen High School drop outs successfully hold positions from Director of Operations to Convention Chair. Holding one of these positions is not about a piece of paper, it’s about experience and leadership.
10) What managers and ancillary staff do you plan on recruiting for your department?
I will be accepting resumes for all positions. I know there are several people currently in those positions, but to be fair, and to encourage new blood (so they can gain the experience I spoke of in the last answer), I would encourage anyone who wants to apply for any of the positions available to do so.
11) Where do you stand on the issue of Volunteer Benefits?
There should be some. Volunteers do quite a bit for this Convention. They should be lesser than the staff, who not only put in the effort year round, but are also willing to assume the responsibility that comes with saying “I’m a Staff member of this organization.”
12) What new guests do you plan on approaching this year on behalf of Kumoricon?
I know from personal experience that one thing you do not do, under any circumstances, is announce who you are going to approach. I know some people reading this will say “but why not”, and the answer is as simple as this: people tend to assume that if you announce an intention, that it somehow is a promise that person will show. If for some reason that person does not show, then I, or anyone who holds the Director of Relations position for any convention, would be guilty in peoples eyes of breaking a promise we never made. I can tell you that I am planning on inviting new guests, and that I plan on inviting more guests than last year.
13) What guest from previous years do you hope to invite back to Kumoricon?
Please see my answer above. Additionally, I would add that in an effort to keep KumoriCon fresh, and to keep it unique from other conventions in the region, I would lean against inviting any guest that is scheduled for the same calendar year to attend another event in the region, nor (with one special exception) would I invite any guest more than two years in a row.
14) Will you fly off to Spain with convention resources?
No.
