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 howardtayler | |
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LTUE XXIII is over. It's an odd convention, in that it's not really a convention at all -- it's a symposium. It doesn't have dealer's room, room parties, or even much cosplay (cosplay does happen a bit on Saturday) For all that, it's a great time.
I'll probably be lending them my services on the organizational front next year. They did a few things really well (running on a shoestring budget), but did a few things less than well. Fortunately most of what went wrong did so behind the scenes, and the attendees never noticed. Regardless, these are things I know how to fix, provided I can find enthusiastic people who will listen to me.
I had a great time. I posted myself in the Registration area, commandeered a table, and started dishing out free sketches. These "sketches" were 10-20 minute marker-art jobs, which attracted a LOT of attention. It was good practice for me, and the people watching me do it had fun. They also took URL cards. This went on for a good two hours.
My panels were fun, too -- especially since most of the attendees were NOT Schlock Mercenary readers... YET. I did a good job balancing my "I can talk about anything and sound like an expert" persona against the "learn something from the other panelists" persona, with the exact result I desired -- the other panelists felt pleased with their own performances, and the audience felt compelled to figure out what this whole schlockmercenary.com thing was.
Panels are odd beasts that way. I want to entertain the audience -- it's good for the convention, it's fun for me, and it's great marketing. I also want to EDUCATE the audience -- this isn't a stand-up routine, Jerry Springer, or "Whose Line Is It, Anyway?" I have to be super-careful not to talk too much. I know I can fill 50 minutes all by myself... that doesn't mean I SHOULD.
The final banquet was great. I sat with Dan Willis, Bob-is-not-my-wife Defendi, L.E. Modessit, Jerry Pournelle, and a guy whose Utah license plate reads "SFWRITR." No, I didn't get his name. We talked until the buffet line got short enough to stand in, during which time we discussed politics, education, nuclear power, hunter-gatherers, and How To Be A Successful Husband. Jerry gave us two rules -- "Men, if you are ever arguing with your wife and discover that you are right, apologize immediately." Oh, and "Learn To Grovel."
In the buffet line, Jerry dug into the mystery barbecue crock pot and announced "Donner, Party of 20!" He paused for a moment, and then said "Donner, Party of 19." No barbecue is complete without long pig humor.
The door prizes were announced, and Jerry won a Farscape VHS tape. "What's this? I've never heard of it?"
ME: "It's... um... space opera with puppets, Jerry."
Jerry: "I liked 'Firefly.' Is it anything like that?"
Me: "Umm... puppets."
(Note to Farscape fans... cool your jets. You've got a muppet space-opera right there and you know it.)
All told, we had a great time. I'll be back next year. This thing is right in my back yard. How could I NOT be back?
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but did a few things less than well. Fortunately most of what went wrong did so behind the scenes, and the attendees never noticed. Regardless, these are things I know how to fix, provided I can find enthusiastic people who will listen to me.
What else besides publicity and GOH stuff? And I agree on the publicity stuff.
I posted myself in the Registration area, commandeered a table, and started dishing out free sketches.
Oh, that was wonderful. I think we should have artists do it again next year. It made the reg. room kind of the central hang out place of the sym.
The final banquet was great. I sat with Dan Willis, Bob-is-not-my-wife Defendi, L.E. Modessit, Jerry Pournelle, and a guy whose Utah license plate reads "SFWRITR." No, I didn't get his name.
Oh! That was probably James, Aleta's husband. (Aleta was the one who did all the cooking and helped hand out awards, etc.) I think that's all who was at your table.
And Bob Defendi will forever have that nickname, I think. And you forgot the part where Bob-is-not-your-wife Defendi won the princess tiara!!! THAT was the absolute BEST part of last night. And he even put it on.
And Jerry likes Firefly??? Okay, I have a newfound like of the guy. Anyone who likes Firefly has got to be cool.
Yay for coming back next year!
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What else besides publicity and GOH stuff? And I agree on the publicity stuff.
Those are the biggies. Everything else is window-dressing. Solve the marketing problem (it's not publicity... it's MARKETING. Learn to smile confidently when you say that word. It's not blasphemy) and many of the other problems will take care of themselves. For instance, with proper word-of-mouth from this year's Concom, you could double the size of concom next year. This means more warm bodies to throw at problems you can solve with warm bodies, and a deeper talent pool for solving problems that require actual skill sets. I could give you a list of things I'd handle differently (little stuff, like fooding the Green Room, and laying out the Reg Room) but it's pointless to haggle over that until the marketing problem has been solved, and you're staffed for overkill.
One thing that was as close to perfection as I've yet seen: The Sessions. You did the session schedule like a class schedue, and you had proctors signalling the 5-minute warnings -- WITHOUT FAIL. The session schedule for a particular room was on the door of the room, and the only changes I was aware of were a few cancellations. Many cons treat the panels as a "we do it 'cause we think we're supposed to," and then putting all their focus on the dealers, gaming, and cosplay. The fact that those things are de-emphasized at LTUE is one reason the panels are so excellent. Oh, that and the fact that Students and Faculty know how to organize things so they feel like "school." :-)
I think we should have artists do it again next year.
Yup. This is something that could be scheduled, two artists at a time, or maybe just one at a time. It'll draw crowds (rimshot) and it'll really show off the talent at the show. You could also do a Comic-Jam, where all the webtoonists take turns adding panels to a big sheet of bristol. The end result is always worthless storywise, but the cartoonists have a great time with it, and it's fun to watch it unfold.
Mostly, though, I like commandeering a table and doing the sketch thing myself. Remember that term I shared with you, "hijack marketing?" ZING. I'm not saying I wouldn't be happy sharing the spotlight, mind you. I'm just pointing out that whether or not it gets scheduled, me sketching stuff will always happen.
(Especially at conventions where I can charge a few bucks for the marker-art [emote: greed])
That was probably James, Aleta's husband.
James was on my left. I'm talking about the guy sitting to my right, between me and Dan. I got the license plate serendipitously when I noticed it on my way home, and passed him to see who was driving. It wasn't James (and James would still have been cleaning up when I left, what with being married to Alita Of The Catering.)
Re: the princess tiara... that WAS good. I hadn't forgotten it. I was just too tired last night to write about it. The best part there was Jerry's comment: "I'll always remember you THIS way."
--Howard
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This means more warm bodies to throw at problems you can solve with warm bodies,
(We take cold bodies too. Shhh.)
like fooding the Green Room,
Like, there wasn't enough in there? I don't know if this is a chicken and egg thing, as in, not many people go in there so we don't put much food in there, or is that the reason many people don't go in there.
and laying out the Reg Room)
What would you have done differently?
You did the session schedule like a class schedue, and you had proctors signalling the 5-minute warnings -- WITHOUT FAIL.
Yay!! I'm glad to hear the gofers did that so well. I'm so very pleased to hear that.
The fact that those things are de-emphasized at LTUE is one reason the panels are so excellent. Oh, that and the fact that Students and Faculty know how to organize things so they feel like "school." :-)
LOL, you do have a very good point there. Yes, there is definitely a different feel about the panels here than at any con I've been to. Not that I end up attending many panels at cons. ...And that just goes to prove your point. They're not as good and always seem very de-emphasized.
I'm talking about the guy sitting to my right, between me and Dan. I got the license plate serendipitously when I noticed it on my way home,
I know who was sitting there, I just can't remember his face! Or his name. Darn.
The best part there was Jerry's comment: "I'll always remember you THIS way."
LOL! I didn't hear that. That's so great.
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From: jatg |
Date:
February 20th, 2005 09:58 pm (UTC)
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