Sticky: Conventions 101 - A Guide for Newbies

[chibimajo]

Recently, I became aware of the need for a new thread in this forum. From my own lurking in this forum, I've come to realize that we have a lot of newbies lurking around as well, and they have no idea what to expect at their first convention. This, will hopefully give you an idea.

I am by no means an expert. I've been to around 10 cons both big and small, some of them multiple times, and I've helped work several of them as well. I would like to share some of this knowledge to those of you who have no idea what you're getting into. Some of this stuff, you'll learn on your own, some of it, it's helpful to know before hand.

So I present to you, my Guide to Conventions. Please bear with me, it's VERY long, but I've been told it's an easy read, and has a helpful blend of common sense and information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Please don't feel the need to read every single word in here, I know it's long, read what you need to know first)

I. Definitions - some convention terms defined
II. Registration - Tips for registration
III. Hotel Rooms - Tips for rooming in a hotel
IV. Food
V. Parts of a Con - The different parts of a convention explained
VI. Guests - Types, what they do, etc.
VII. Cosplay - What it is.
VIII. Pictures - Taking and being taken
IX. How to Amuse Yourself
X. Respect and Inappropriateness
XI. Extras - Extra Info that might be helpful
XII. Helpful Links
XIII. Credits

Please feel free to ask any questions you have, or provide your own helpful tips, or mention an area I've forgotten to include. I've had several people proofreading and suggesting extra things, so feel free to add your own thoughts.


EDIT -
Minor note, with all the new upgrades and the like to Gaia, much of my formatting and linking needs to be fixed. I'm working on it. It's not done yet, please bear with me.

[chibimajo]

I. DEFINITIONS

a. Badges - these let you get into things like the dealer's room, the concert, panels, autographs, etc. They need to be prominently displayed in order to provide you access into these places. It is possible to get around the convention without buying a badge, but you miss a lot of the cooler stuff.

b. Pre-reg - Pre-registration. This is generally a good idea, because it's cheaper. Unless you only go for one day, in which case it's better to buy a one-day pass.

c. Dealer's room - Big ol' giant store. Bring money. And lots of it. The dealer's room sells just about anything you can think of, from anime DVDs you can find at Walmart to strange imported things from Japan.

d. Cosplay - Direct translation - costume play. Taken to mean the dressing up as characters and parading around at conventions.
Variation - Crossplay - Yeah, the direct translation probably doesn't make sense. Basically, this means cosplaying as a character of the opposite gender. Guys dressing up as girls, girls dressing up as guys.

e. Cosplay contest - This is when you actually get up on stage and perform a skit, or just show off your outfit in order to win an award.

f. AMV - Anime Music Video. Fan made music videos typically using anime video with American audio.

g. LARP - Live Action Role Play. If you've ever played a role playing game, this is the live version, where you pretend to be your character and get to dress up in costume and everything.

h. Ramune - A fizzy, Japanese soda. It is extremely messy to open! According to LiaFairyle, it has many, many carbohydrates and is very sugary. Sometimes, they can be found cheaply at a con, and in this case, buy one to bring it home, or for a treat. Please do not try to drink only ramune during the con, it's not that good for you.

i. Pocky - Snack food! It's like a little stick cracker coated in sugary coating. There are many, many, many flavors. Again, not generally cheap at a con, but if it's the only way you can get it, it's yummy. Again, not very healthy.

j. Yan-Yan - For all intents and purposes, the same thing as pocky. It's stick crackers with frosting, and you do the dipping yourself! Should be cheaper than Pocky, but you get less too.

II. REGISTRATION

a. Pre-reg

.......i. Conventions let you order tickets before the actual date, and most will have a separate, earlier pick-up time. If not, they at least have a separate booth where you pick-up your badge.

b. At the door

.......i. The at-the-door price is more expensive for the 3-day passes, but cheaper if you can only go for one day. There's a little form that you fill out, but as far as I know, photo id is not required.

c. Pick-up

.......i. You need a picture id to pick up pre-reg badges, and you usually receive a goodie bag when you register. This contains important things like the con booklet. Inside here you will find info about the con, schedules, and maps. These are very handy! They tell you what's going on and when so you don't miss anything! There are also often other little freebies, and advertisements for some of the dealer's.

.......ii. You CANNOT pick up someone else's pre-reg badge. As previously stated, a picture ID is REQUIRED, so you can't grab your friend's badge while you're in line yourself.

[chibimajo]

III. HOTEL ROOMS

a. Conventions that last for longer than one day will often make arrangements with local area hotels to negotiate a cheaper rate for people staying specifically for the con. You MUST deal directly with the hotel in that city and mention the con to get the cheaper rate. You can't take advantage of this by reserving a hotel room on Travelocity. If a convention is going to do this, they should have a page on their website that lists the hotels they have arrangements with, their addresses, phone numbers, and rate.

b. It is not absolutely necessary to get a hotel room in order to enjoy a convention. Each con is different, so each situation will be different. If you live close enough, there is not much point in getting a hotel room, except to be closer to your friends, and have a quick and easy place to stash your stuff each day. There are also local cons from colleges where it is completely unnecessary, because the con only lasts for day!

c. For more fun, it might be a good idea to get your hotel room the night before the con starts, then you can get a wake-up call the morning the con starts and be fresh and ready for the day!

d. The more the merrier?? Hotels can be expensive, and yes, it drives down the price of the room if you have more people in it. But there is a limit to how many you can comfortably house. If you get too many, someone ends up still sleeping when maid service comes by, and your room doesn't get clean. After 2 days of this, it can start to smell really bad, even if everyone showers. Lowering the temperature of the room will help. Make it colder so people don't sweat! You might also want to limit how many people are in there, especially if you have a lot of stuff. 4-5 people in a double is ideal.

e. Please, please, don't rip off your friends. They won't be your friends anymore if you do. Make sure you keep your room money completely separate from your con spending money, so you don't spend it. It got so bad at Project A-kon one year, the hotel started making people pay in advance so they wouldn't get gypped out of their money when people left.

f. I have also heard about people staying up all night in the convention and not getting a hotel room. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS. You will smell bad, and feel icky, and there's no great place to sleep, and it's EXTREMELY poor planning. Especially if the convention does not run all night. Some cons do, like Project A-kon, others, like Otakon, do not. They have a cut off time where they kick everyone out, and if you do not have a hotel room, and you flew in, you are in serious trouble. So please, make sure you have someplace to sleep at night.

g. A bit of warning if you go to a con inside a hotel, and you room in the same hotel - ELEVATORS GET CROWDED. Seriously, sometimes it's faster and easier to take the stairs, with your big suitcase. At A-kon every year the elevators get backed up with people waiting to go on and get off, and they get very, very crowded.

IV. FOOD

a. What I would recommend is to bring separate money specifically for food. Otherwise, you'll spend it all in the dealer's room and not have anything to eat the whole weekend! Man cannot survive on pocky alone!!! DON'T FORGET TO EAT!!! Keep a stash in a separate pocket or pouch or purse or something, so you can still eat and not starve the whole weekend.

b. Convention Food - There is generally a little area set up that sells food, either staffed by the hotel or the convention center. This stuff is rather expensive, and not always the best.

c. Outside Food

.......i. If you know the area, or have time to scope out the area, find out if there are any fast food places nearby. It's cheaper. Or find a local supermarket to raid.

.......ii. Bringing food is also a really cheap way to go about it. Check if the hotel has a coffee maker inside the room. Many do, and you can make ramen noodles with this. And everyone knows ramen noodles are cheap. Also consider bringing a cooler with drinks and maybe some other snacks, like carrot sticks. (What? I'm a vegetarian!)

d. Stuff you need

.......i. DON'T FORGET TO BRING WATER. A sports bottle will probably be best, and it's also refillable. Some of the cons have little water stands spaced throughout the cons, but it goes fast. You will get dehydrated at a convention. You're talking a lot, and running around a lot, so please, for your own health, bring something to drink. Water is best, soda will often dehydrate you more, caffeine tends to go through you very fast, so you'll be running to the bathroom more often. Keep that in mind when you pick out your drinks. A friend of mine brings Sunny Delight to the cons with her, little individual sports bottles that you can buy at the store, and that's most of what she drinks during the con.

.......ii. Sugary snacks will also tend to go through you, and can also leave you more drained after your sugar high than you were before. I know you hate the idea, but look into some healthy snacks, things like nutrigrain bars, pretzels, granola bars, carrots, apples, oranges, apple sauce, there's actually quite a few things you can bring.

.......iii. Recommended Con Foods
..............1. Nutrigrain Bars
..............2. Pretzels
..............3. Granola Bars
..............4. Carrots/carrot sticks
..............5. Ramen noodles
..............6. Cup-o-soup or something like it - NON-MICROWAVEABLE
..............7. Apples/Oranges
..............8. Grapes - if you have a cooler
..............9. Apple Sauce
..............10. Chewy Fruit snack things
..............11. Individual packages of chips
..............12. Dried fruit
..............13. Mini muffins
..............14. Lunchables

[chibimajo]

V. PARTS OF A CON

a. Opening Ceremony

.......i. I've never actually been to an opening ceremony, but I quizzed a friend who's been to a few. This is a fairly simple affair, they welcome the con-goers, introduce all the lovely guests, and explain the con rules. Since each con is different, this will be conducted differently, and they might sometimes throw in something extra! Then you're free!

b. Dealer's Room

.......i. The dealer's room is a giant store. Bring money, and lots of it. It's probably a good idea to have a combination of cash and credit (if you have credit). Most places will take credit/debit cards, but there are still a few stores who don't, and they'll only deal in cash.

.......ii. You can find just about anything you can think of in the dealer's room. There are many different stores that specialize in many different things. These range from anime keychains to DVDs to manga to CDs to Chinese/Japanese clothing to weapons to jpop/jrock paraphernalia.

.......iii. There is lots to see, and lots you'll want to buy. BRING LOTS OF MONEY. But please, be smart and don't spend the money that's meant to pay for your hotel room, and don't spend your food money.

.......iv. Dealer's room is not open all the time, they have set hours, and I have heard that some sellers discount things as the con draws to a close on the last day, but the really good stuff can sell out on Friday. Plan your purchases, try to be smart about spending your money.

c. Artist's Alley

.......i. Art Show

..............1. Artists can submit their artwork to the art show before the convention starts. There will generally be a link with the rules about this.

..............2. Most to all of these pieces are for sale as well, so don't plan on submitting something you don't want to try and sell.

..............3. These are auctions, so if you bid on one, you can be outbid. Again, plan your money wisely. Don't spend money you're reserving for an auction in the dealer's room.

.......ii. Artists Tables

..............1. In addition to the art show where you can bid on work, there are multiple tables set up where artists will let you look at their work, and possibly buy commission work directly from them.

d. Video Games

.......i. In every con, there is generally a room set off to the side somewhere where you can go and play video games. They host tournaments of the big games, and there's plenty of free play.

.......ii. WARNING - These rooms tend to get very smelly after awhile.

e. Video Rooms

.......i. Traditionally, the video rooms were what the conventions were all about, back before bittorrent. These days it's all about the dealer's room. ^_^ There will be multiple rooms showing anime throughout the con, and they usually have a video guide posted outside the room. There will also be a schedule posted in your map.

.......ii. Some cons have dedicated viewing rooms for things other than anime. At A-kon for example, they have a jpop/jrock video room. At Otakon, they have a live action viewing room. Check your schedules to try and catch some of these other nifty shows.

f. Concert

.......i. Friday or Saturday sometime, there will generally be a Japanese band giving a live concert. You need badges to get into these. Sometimes they're awesome, sometimes they suck. It depends on the band and how well you like them. The price of these is included in with the price of your con badge. You don't have to pay extra, but you sometimes sacrifice some time by waiting in long lines to get to see them.

g. Dance

.......i. There's often a dance on Friday or Saturday night, or both nights, where you can go dance to rave music and have your light sticks and make mosh pits and all sorts of dance stuff. I've been to a couple, and sometimes it's Japanese music, sometimes it's American music, sometimes it's a combination of everything.

h. Karaoke

.......i. Some cons, but not all, will have a room or panel dedicated to karaoke. Most of the music is provided, and yes, it is Japanese music. ^_^ I cannot remember if you are allowed to bring your own music to sing, because I do not tend to spend much time in there. Talking to some friends, it sounds like it's up to the discretion of the individual con.

i. LARP

.......i. Live Action Role Play. There is often a room, or an area set off to the side where you can learn how to play, or join right in if you already know how.

j. Tabletop Gaming

.......i. Recently at cons, popping up more and more frequently, I've seen rooms set aside for tabletop gaming, and probably ccg's and the like. (Note: CCG = Collectible Card Game) This was not as frequent an occurance when I first wrote this guide, but these days, I've seen it at a lot of cons. I'm not too sure what goes on in it, I've never seen a schedule where you could sign up for a tabletop game. I'll try to find out more information and reupdate this part.

k. Panels and workshops

.......i. These are often very popular, and there are many of them. Off to the side, in little rooms, people will give a talk about an area of interest, to them and to you, and then have a q&a session. Sometimes these people are the famous guests that have been invited to attend, con staff does some of them. Some examples of these are: Starting an Anime Club, Voice Actor Panels, Megatokyo Panel, autograph signing panels, etc.

.......ii. Unfortunately, these are scheduled during other things as well. There tend to be panels scheduled throughout the day, and they can, and will, be scheduled for the same time you want to do something else. In these cases, you're just going to have to decide which is more important - Going to see the concert of a band you've never heard of, or watching that new anime you've been getting rave reviews about.

l. Cosplay

.......i. The Cosplay Contest is held Saturday nights, and there is generally a long line to get in. If you're participating in it, you need to sign up before hand, and go to the rehearsal. If you're watching it, they can be lots of fun. There are some really funny people out there who like to get dressed up in funny costumes and make fools of themselves for your amusement.

m. AMV Contest

.......i. AMV means anime music video. Fans make these from music they like, and footage they think matches. There is usually a contest for these at some point during the con. All videos are submitted well in advance, and I believe are screened before being slotted in the contest. The rules for submission will be posted on the convention website. At some point the convention will air all submissions, sometimes twice, and if you manage to make it, you get to vote on which ones you think are the best. After the votes are tallied, the winner will be announced. Sometimes this is done in a panel, sometimes it's done during closing ceremony.

n. Banquet

.......i. I believe these are generally held on the last day of the convention. It's a banquet brunch that costs extra, and basically, you get to eat breakfast with all the guests. Nifty if you get to go, but I've never been to one and I still have fun.

o. Closing Ceremony

.......i. Much like the opening ceremony, this is a thank you for coming to the con, thanks to all the guests, it's been swell, we hope to see you next year. That kind of thing. Some questions and answers and suggestions to make the con better next year.

[chibimajo]

VI. GUESTS

a. Conventions invite special guests to attend the conventions, and do special things, like Q&A sessions, autograph panels, concerts, photo sessions, act as judges, and assorted other things. The types of guests include:

.......i. American Voice Actors

..............1. examples - Monica Rial, Chris Sabat, Scott McNeil

.......ii. American producers/artists/etc.

..............1. examples - Fred Perry, Steve Bennet, Penny Arcade

.......iii. Japanese voice actors/artists/producers/etc

..............1. examples - Koge Donbo, Ichiro Okouchi, Mari Iijima

.......iv. Japanese Musicians

..............1. examples - Move, DAI, Duel Jewel, TM Revolution

b. It's not a good idea to harass the guests. In fact, it's not even usually possible. Outside of the planned events that con-goers get to attend, it can be really hard to find these people. It's a better idea to find something else to do at the con.

[chibimajo]

VII. COSPLAY

a. Cosplay, as stated earlier, is the dressing up in costume, usually as an anime character for an anime convention. However, I have seen Comic book characters, book characters, Star Trek characters, the Matrix, the Ghostbusters, and lots of other weird things at anime cons. If you want to cosplay, GO FOR IT.

b. There are many different things you can cosplay, but my best advice to you, go as someone you like. As you get better, you can more easily compensate for differing hair and all.

c. You can make your own costume, or you can buy one. I make all my own, so no, I don't know where you can buy one, but if people submit links I will add them. Bought costumes can be expensive. This is because you're paying for the materials, and the time and toil it takes to make this costume, and make it look good. WARNING - You CANNOT enter a cosplay contest with a bought costume. YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. This includes those costumes bought from a cosplay site, and costumes made entirely out of store-bought clothing. (According to Otakon rules)

d. It's also a very handy idea to bring a little cosplay-repair kit. Something simple, with like, a needle and thread, clear nail polish, markers, super glue, duct tape, extra safety pins, or something that will help you patch up any little snags in your costume when you get stepped on. Some of the cons actually provide this kind of stuff for you, but not all. It's a good idea to bring this stuff with you regardless.

e. IMPORTANT NOTE - Don't forget, you will probably be in this costume all day, so leave some way for you to go to the bathroom. You will be very disappointed if you end up having to ruin your costume because you need to use the restroom, and there will be fewer pictures then. Don't forget about potty breaks.

f. WEAPONS - All cons have a weapons policy now, and in the past few years it's become VERY strict. It would be a VERY good idea to check the con website on their weapons policy before you try to bring one. Very realistic looking weapons stand a much higher chance of being turned away than a cheap crappy looking one. It's really best to check the con website for their policy, because I still occassionally see real weapons for sale in the dealer's room.

VIII. PICTURES

a. If you show up in costume, BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN.

b. My personal opinion is, if you're in a costume, you want your photo taken. However, it's just plain common courtesy to ask first. I always do, because my mommy raised me to be polite. There could be someone out there who doesn't want their picture taken. Maybe they're ashamed of their costume and don't want it posted all over the web, but please, respect them if they say no.

c. Just another little bit of advice, if this is your first con, bring lots of film. There will be SO many amazing costumes that you want a picture of, think of how disappointed you'll be if you run out of film!! Plus, you have to catch all the stupid stuff your friends do on camera to humiliate them with later! ^_^

[chibimajo]

IX. HOW TO AMUSE YOURSELF

a. I like to bring at least one deck of cards with me. You'd be surprised at how quickly a group will form around you when you have a deck of cards, especially if they're anime related. Then all of a sudden you have a new group of friends to while away the time with.

b. Board games are also great. They're a little bulkier, so if you're going long distances, it may not be feasible. But it's also something you could possibly leave in the hotel and play during downtimes, when you aren't walking around downstairs.

c. Don't knock the coloring books!!!! I love to color, seriously, and everyone stops to look at what an artist is drawing, or coloring. They might even ask to join you! Amateur artists, this is a great time to get some stuff done, there will be a wealth of inspiration at the con.

[chibimajo]

X. RESPECT AND INAPPROPRIATENESS

a. Please be respectful to other con go-ers. Not everyone likes to be glomped, and please keep that in mind as you go around the con.

b. And please, be careful where you walk. I wore a costume without shoes last year, and big people wearing heavy boots stepped on my feet. Please, watch out for the poor girls who aren't wearing shoes.

c. As much as we hate to admit it, we do not live in a perfect world. Cons are not always 100% safe. It's important to be aware of your surroundings, especially if you're staying in a hotel not connected to the actual convention. There are people out there who like to take advantage of others. The best advice, travel in groups, and be aware of where you're going. Use the BUDDY SYSTEM, it is to your advantage. Pay attention to your surroundings. Make sure you know where you are, where you're supposed to be, and where your friends are supposed to be. And if someone makes you feel uncomfortable with inappropriate attention, or touches you in an inappropriate place, don't be afraid to tell security.

d. HYGEINE - Please, please, PLEASE take care of your body while you're at the con. 3 days of wearing the same clothes is disgusting. Do not do it. Have respect for some of your peers, and their nostrils. Bathe daily, using soap. Change your clothes every day. Wear deodorant, unless you're allergic to it. But please, bath. There is almost nothing as disgusting as standing in a crowded elevator with someone who hasn't bathed for 3 days. Do yourself and everyone else a favor, shower.

[chibimajo]

XI. EXTRAS

a. Signs - Many people like to make and hold signs, many of these beg for money, others just ask for hugs/glomps, etc. Making one or not is up to you, but personally, I have never felt the need. My convention experiences have been plenty of fun without random sweaty people attaching themselves to me.
Note: Many cons have started placing restrictions on signs. Some don't allow them at all anymore either.

b. Other cons - There are more than just anime cons in the US, there are also comic book cons, sci-fi cons, etc. In these cases, it may be a little more important to pay attention to what kind of badge you're buying. All the cons have different badges for different people - staff get special badges, guests get special badges, press get special badges, etc, but for the most part, you can't buy these at anime conventions, unless you are one of them. It's possible it's different at these other cons, and, of course, the special badges will be more expensive. So pay attention and make sure you're paying for the right kind of badge.

c. Communication - There are many, many, many people at a convention. As such, it can get very hard to find someone you're looking for. Keep open communication going. There are bulletin boards spaced around Otakon, you can pin a message up there for your friends to see. Make sure everyone has your cel phone number, and keep it close enough that you can hear it ring over the noise of the crowd. If you don't have a cel phone, you can purchase some cheap walkie-talkies beforehand and use those. Be careful not to lose each other, and if you do, have a way to find each other again. Even if it's just a meeting spot at the end of the day.

d. Gaia and Conventions - Gaia has, of course, started appearing at conventions! In fact, they've made a whole Gaia Conventions page about it. They have also conveniently made a sticky, Official Gaia Online Convention List. In this thread, you can find all the official information about where the admins will be, and you can find out where everyone else from Gaia is planning on meeting up! Cause more people = more fun!

[chibimajo]

XII. HELPFUL LINKS

a. Anipike Conventions Page - Lists all the Conventions in the US and provides other helpful links for cosplaying as well as pages of convention reports with pictures
b. Another convention listing page This one has cons both in the States and out. It's a fairly new resource to me, but seems to be really good.
b. Yet Another convention listing page
c. Ultimate Cosplay Link List Extensive link list for help in making cosplays!
d. Wig Questions Answered - Thread where you can ask questions about manipulating wigs and hopefully get an answer. Also has a few helpful links. (Possibly still working?)
e. Dark skinned characters: a list for cosplayers - What it says (eaten by Gaia, so sad... anyone interested in starting this again?)
f. Removed because it was eaten - Grendel's funny thread about conventions
g. For your own safety - more information about molestation and ways to prevent it. NOTE: This thread looks like it was eaten by gaia, sorry.
h. Gaia Master Con List
h. Gaia Panels ListThe above two threads have been recombined into this one: Official Gaia Online Convention List Which is really just a copy of Gaia Convention Tour page.
i. Making Gaia Badges to wear to Cons <-- this thread apparently died and was unstickied and sent to the chatterbox.

XIII. CREDITS

a. I would like to thank some people for their added input in helping make this better.
.......i. Chris, my boytoy, for reading through it after every new thing I add, and help with the formatting.
.......ii. Malaryush – for proofreading and adding some helpful input
.......iii. Celaeno – proofreading and extra input.
.......iv. Kansai – proofreading and pointing out other things I didn’t add.
.......v. Sarah and Keegan for filling in some missing information.
.......vi. Grendelrose – because I made him

[chibimajo]

OMG, I think it's finally done!

[Magnavox]

You're wonderful. heart

[Hunter Rose Grendel]

*Pounces*

[chibimajo]

Magnavox

You're wonderful. heart

OMG, that was so nice I almost started crying.

3 and a half hours of work paid off!

[chibimajo]

Grendelrose

*Pounces*

How does it look?