Jinx wrote:
I didn't go to D-Con and I'm not a fully costumed member of AL yet. I've done lots of comicons and lots of booths with the 501st and Mercs though as well as a general cosplay group in my area. I offer no criticism because I didn't see the booth, the location, or how things went. I'm just going to offer up a couple of things that have worked well for the other groups.
Anyways, these are some thoughts. I really want this group to succeed.
Hi Jinx. Look forward to meeting. Actually we do most of these things at the fan tables around the world. DragonCon is a different animal and does not always fit into regular cons. It is not the end all of this group and we actually do many cons around the world and to quote several members here organizing things at DragonCon is like herding cats. I will go thru some of your points and other members can chime in if I missed anything.
Quote:
Support a charity - see if some local community group would be alright with you having a donation bin at your table. Sometimes you can get a better location by being a group supporting a charity. Sometimes that changes the cost of having a booth too.
This is something that goes on in other countries and have wanted to do at the fan tables here. I have personally seen the UKCM fan table and it is great. I have also been involved with the foam dart shooting booth they have, shout out to Mr. Spencer, They have several things I will be bringing to cons in my area. I have been doing the Warrior Dash for St Judes for several years raising money. Once I get settled in my new home here in Alabama, will be doing the same although they do not have one scheduled for Alabama yet so maybe the one in Pulaski TN in May. Would love to do something like the booth at DragonCon but unfortunately the size we are giving prevents that. Another thing at DragonCon is responsibility of the donated money.
Quote:
Be interactive - "arm wrestle a marine (please donate to Save the Puppies)" or a backdrop and a character or two to take a selfie with (please donate to Save the Puppies) are appealing and memorable, don't limit that to marines because different people like different things in the movies, it helps to put a visible schedule up so that if someone really wants a picture with an alien but isn't interested in Ripley and marine they will know when to come back
This does happen at cons. As for the charities, see above. As for displays I would point you to great examples shown by our German branch. They have great displays and seem to be able to get the space at cons. Several do backdrops for photos and I am getting one made for the fan table for cons I can attend, shout out to Frank and Bryan for helping source. My long term plan is to get an Alien suit on a mannequin for the fan table for cons I can attend. We will get to fan table scheduling next.
Quote:
Have a schedule - for who gets to be in the photo booth in costume and who gets to sit the table and when you DON'T have to so that you don't have one guy stuck there the whole time, hating his life choices. If you only have a couple of people then make an arrangement for when you do and don't have to be there. It's a comicon, it's supposed to be fun too.
This is what we do for DragonCon for as long as I remember. A thread is posted every year usually several months before the event. Unfortunately we do not get the volunteers to do so in the past couple years. Sad truth is many members complain about the table but do not sign up to work it. This has led to the same members working every year. Hunterkiller86, Mike, can give more info on the DragonCon rules as he works with them. As for other cons, whoever shows up helps. I have no problem staying at the table the entire time and done so at past cons.
Quote:
Rewards - someone bring cookies. It doesn't have to be crazy and awesome, but a prize-thing that says "I survived Comicon 01/01" is nice. Doing a run of trading cards with everyone's best character photo is also a great encouragement that has no restriction to being only marines, anyone can be on a trading card. Challenge coins are fun too. We do a lot of those. (example included)
I agree rewards are great. In the past before the parade, we use to do cornbread and members like Stacy bake goods, she likes to use alcohol! There has never been a restriction to just marine characters so I do not know where this has come from. I have seen this like you in the posts above and just scratch my head. We have offered 4 challenge coins in the past. Unfortunately they are not cheap to make and we have had to charge for them, at cost. I have the Leia one in your pic and love it. There has been talk of the cards and other items but they have never come to be.
Jinx thank you very much for your suggestions and I hope we can use some. Like I stated above, many we do at other fan tables and cons. I hope to get the backdrop for photos ordered and at the fan table by Conapalooza in Oct. If you have any questions ask. I am sure I left plenty out as it is early on a Saturday here.
Thanks!
Greg