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How to Convention: Program Participation (Part 2)
A few weeks ago, I talked about how to be a program participant at sf and related conventions. Now let’s look at the other model of program participation, the one common at anime and gaming conventions.
In this model, the programming department simply takes pitches for complete program items and matches the ones it likes to the event space and schedule. It replaces the existential terror of having no idea what you might be talking about until you get your preliminary schedule with the confidence that you know what you’re in for and the existential terror of needing to finish that presentation or gather all those supplies in time for the convention.
Typically, a convention will open up a “panel application” several months before the event and close it with a month or two to go. (“Panel” has become the generic term for program items at many anime cons, regardless of the format or number of people involved.) Aside from the title and description for the schedule, the application will ask you for things like:
Type of item (discussion, presentation, workshop, etc.).
Track or category you would like it to be in.
Days and times that would work for you.
Planned duration. Even if this is flexible, talks and panel discussions generally have their best shot at being scheduled if the stated duration is 60 minutes. If you’re worried about whether you can fill that much time, remember you can always leave time for questions.
Preferred room setup.
Tech requirements. Assume that nothing is obvious from the description. If you’re going to be talking a bunch, ask for a microphone. If you have a visual element, specify a projector.
Likely attendance or general interest level. It may be tempting to make grandiose claims about how excited other people will be about your item, but this can work against you. Programming will have a range of room sizes to fill, and being honest that your topic is probably a niche interest may score you a slot when there are too many ideas fighting for the big room.
Like with the sf model, if your item is selected, you’ll find out a few weeks before the convention happens. If your circumstances have changed and you are no longer able to do it, or the time selected won’t work, communicate that to Programming. Don’t feel awkward about it, this happens all the time, and Programming would rather know than be surprised.
In Brief
News from Corflu 38 this past weekend:
Guest of Honor, chosen in the traditional manner by a random draw of attendees: Sandra Bond.
Past President of FWA, elected by convention members: Sandra Bond.
FAAn Awards, usually announced at the convention, were presented in a virtual ceremony in March. This year’s winners can be found at the bottom of this page.
Corflu 39 will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 18-20, 2022.
Event Calendar
Weekend of November 12-14
Novacon 50, Nottingham, UK
TusCon 48, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Windycon 47: Urban Fantastic, Lombard, Illinois, USA
OryCon 42, Portland, Oregon, USA
ArmadilloCon 2021, Austin, Texas, USA
Multiverse 2021, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
OmegaCon Fall 2021, Siren, Wisconsin, USA
New England Crime Bake 2021: Home Sweet Homicide (mysteries), Dedham, Massachusetts, USA
MEPACon 41 (gaming), White Haven, Pennsylvania, USA
Heroicon (gaming), Decatur, Illinois, USA
Bride of Geekway Mini (gaming), St. Louis, Missouri, USA
MACE 2021 (gaming), Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Ludo-Outaouais (boardgames), Gatineau, Ontario, Canada
Historicon 2021: Aircraft of War (historical miniatures gaming), Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA
MillenniumCon (historical miniatures gaming), Round Rock, Texas, USA
Flüüfff Grand Casino (anthropomorphic), Brussels, Belgium
Bewhiskered: Prepare for Blast Off! (anthropomorphic), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Aquatifur (anthropomorphic), Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, USA
CanFURence 2021: The Furs Are Back in Town (anthropomorphic), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Anime Dallas, DFW Airport, Texas, USA
Anime Iwai, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
WasabiCon (anime), Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Thought Bubble (comics), Leeds, UK
Grand Rapids Comic Con, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Destination Star Trek London, London, UK
Empire City Con (Steven Universe), Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Weekend of November 19-21
Fantastika 2021 (Swedish national sf convention), Stockholm, Sweden
HispaCón 2021 (Spanish national sf convention), virtual
Philcon 2021, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA
Anime NYC, New York City, New York, USA
Consequences O: Otherworldly Consequences (gaming), Christchurch, UK
U-Con 2021 (gaming), virtual (usually Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA)
BGG.CON (gaming), Dallas, Texas, USA
Anthro Northwest 4 (anthropomorphic), Seattle, Washington, USA
Con Nichiwa (anime), Tucson, Arizona, USA
Colossalcon Texas (anime), Round Rock, Texas, USA
Sin City Anime, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Anime Town: Pensacola, Pensacola, Florida, USA
London Film & Comic Con, London, UK
New England Super Megafest Comic-Con, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
Heroes Dutch Comic Con, Utrecht, Netherlands
Vienna Comic Con, Vienna, Austria
Time-Flight 2021 (Doctor Who), Holtsville, New York, USA
Weekend of November 26-28
Loscon 47/Westercon 73, Los Angeles, California, USA
Chambanacon 50, Normal, Illinois, USA
Chessiecon 2021, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
UK Ghost Story Festival 2021, Derby, UK
Winter Wolfcon 21 (gaming), Chicago, Illinois, USA
MAG 2021 (gaming/anime), Erfurt, Germany
Atlanta AnimeDay, Duluth, Georgia, USA
Comic Con Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
Comic-Con Special Edition, San Diego, California, USA
Chicago TARDIS 2021 (Doctor Who), Lombard, Illinois, USA
Starbase Indy 2021 (Star Trek), Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Weekend of December 3-5
Smofcon Europe (con-running), Lisboa, Portugal
Weymouth Steampunk Christmas, Weymouth, UK
Midwest Furfest (anthropomorphic), Rosemont, Illinois, USA
Dragonmeet (gaming), London, UK
Shorehammer (miniatures gaming), Ocean City, Maryland, USA
Anime Frontier, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Nashville Anime Day, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
For the Love of Sci-Fi 2021 (media), Manchester, UK
Geek Days Lille (media), Lille, France
Emerald City Comic Con, Seattle, Washington, USA
L.A. Comic Con 2021, Los Angeles, California, USA
Naiccon 2021 (media), Nairobi, Kenya
Mini-Mini Con (media), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Weekend of December 10-12
RADP 26 (Disney theme parks), Walt Disney World, Florida, USA
PAX Unplugged (tabletop gaming), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Anime Pasadena, Pasadena, California, USA
Tekko 2021 (anime), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Yama-Con 2021 (anime), Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, USA
Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Ocean City Comic Con, Ocean City, Maryland, USA
TFCon Toronto (Transformers), Missisauga, Ontario, Canada
Coda
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