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Paladin Unhelmed: Con Tips: Con Prep (Pre-Con and During-Con)

pally356:

Hey Guys,

With ACEN approaching this week, I’ve decided to do a post about what i feel like the best way to prep for a con is. This is going to be a long post so I’ve separated into separate sections. Hopefully you guys will find some of what I write helpful.

Choosing a Con
Its easy to see a bunch of cons that you are interested in, but lets be honest, going to a bunch of cons is very expensive. So, there are a few things that you should consider when choosing a con.

  • Location: Is it a place that you can get to easily? Would you have to stay in the hotel, or could you commute.
  • Quality: How have reviews of the con been from others? Is it a con that is usually well known, or has it been bad. Sometimes that’s a call you have to make, but always consider reviews from word of mouth and other people who have gone.
  • Size: Big cons can be a bit overwhelming for some people, but they can also be very fun with more stuff going on. Smaller cons on the other hand can be a great opportunity to meet new people and bond with other people you’ve met, but it might not have as much going on. That all depends on your comfort level.
  • Guests: This one actually can go either way. Ive been to small cons that have guests that people have heard of. Large cons aren’t just the only ones who have guests. Also, smaller cons also have the opportunity to have more time to meet talk to the guest, which you might not be able to do at a larger con.
  • Price: Pretty self-explanatory. See if you can afford the con.  That includes the hotel. There are ways to save for money on these too (more on that below).

Preparing for a Con
Now that you’ve chosen a con, here are some steps to try and save money so you can spend it AT the con along with some other con keeping tips.

  • Badge: As many of you know, the closer it comes to con day, the more expensive a con badge will be. So if you know you can go to a con, by all means purchase the badge early to save money. Also, chances are if you order it early, some cons will mail you the badge.
    Protip: If you go to cons, sometimes representatives from cons will be there selling badges. If you buy one at the con, it might be at a discounted price.
  • Hotel: BOOK YOUR HOTEL EARLY! I cannot emphasize this enough. Hotels will book up and they will book up quickly (especially for larger cons). Dont room with yourself either, that’ll cost an arm and a leg. Make sure that you ask some people to room with you. (I could go more into this, but that would be probably better for a whole different article)
  • Costume: IF you want to cosplay, try to plan it in advance. When looking for fabric and materials, check to see if they have deals on the fabric you need (I know that Joann and Hancock Fabrics do deals very often). make sure you get enough so that 1.) You wont run out when making your costume 2.) In the event that you do run out, you wont run the risk of not being able to find the fabric. (In regards to selecting a character to cosplay, I’ll do a possible article about this later)

Being at the Con
Its finally here! You’ve got your cosplays ready and your in the room waiting for Friday for the con to start (or you’re fixing your cosplay right before the con starts. Hey it happens). But before you go, here are a few things that might help you to save a few bucks that could be used in the dealer room.

  • Try not to buy Hotel food. Its expensive. Instead, try coordinating with your roommates about bringing other (Healthy) stuff. Water, energy drinks, granola bars, etc. Dont make it junk food. If you guys do want to get something from the hotel, try to pitch in money together. That way you wont be paying as much. Also, be sure that you do eat, and keep hydrated. We dont want any accidents to happen.
  • Dealer Room: Its easy to get overwhelmed at a dealer room (especially at a large con). Sometimes you might want something right off the bat, or other times you might now know what it is you’re looking for. Its hard to give tips on this, but I’ve come up with a few that might help.
  1. If you’re iffy on an item, I’d say wait til the last day to get it. Some venders do offer discounts on the last day (this is up to the vender) so maybe you’ll save a few bucks. But if its an item thats selling pretty hot, it might be better to just get it right away if you think it wont be in stock later.
  2. If you’re looking for something in particular, it might be best to pick it up right away for above reasons.
  3. Check out all the vendors. Some might have the same item for less than a previous vendor. Condition might be better too.
  4. Added by Hoshinotabi: Also for Dealer’s Room: Make a list of things you are thinking about looking at/picking up at a Con. Sometimes the dealer will hike up the price for con when you can get them for cheaper else where like Amazon or possibly other import stores. :3)
  • Carpool. Theres no point in having multiple people driving to the same place especially if they live around you. Try to have a carpool (if you have the space). Offer money for gas and parking, and you’ll help each other out.
  • Be sure to pack EVERYTHING you need. If you dont have everything you need, try to find a local store for what you forgot. Once again don’t buy it at the con cause it’ll probably cost more.
  • Dont be stupid in the room! Don’t break stuff, cause you’ll be charged more on the room…plus it makes not only you look bad, but the entire convention (and to a greater extent the cosplay community) bad.

Thats all I can think of for now. These are just some guidelines for convention going. Im not saying that this is a law for the con, but I personally think that it’ll help you have more money and have less to stress out about. In the end, have fun, and use your best judgement. And if you’d like to add anything else, please let me know.

Next week: The con is over, and you feel down. A few tips on how to handle the dreaded Post-Con Depression (PCD for short).

Also, I hope to see you guys at ACEN this weekend.

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Are Conventions Worth Selling At?

artbyangelasasser:

This question has been on my mind a lot lately.  Especially considering that I have chosen to take this year off from conventions, with the exception of Illuxcon in September.  After all the money, blood, sweat, tears, and coffee, are cons worth your while to sell at?  Here is what I have learned after 10+ years of doing conventions as a hobbyist and 4 years as a professional artist:

The Pros

1.  Staying in Touch with Fans and Building Your Reputation

This is the number one reason anyone thinks to attend conventions not as a fan, but as an artist.  You get valuable face time with people who might like your art and start getting your name out there on the tongues of people, which is an especially good move if you are the kind of artist who plans to make their income selling art directly to their fanbase.

Face to face selling is also far more effective since your fans can get to know you as a person so they have more of a reason to buy your art. Sounds weird, but having a personal connection to a REAL living person can be very powerful!  Meeting someone in person allows us to want to emotionally support them even more than if they were a faceless artist online whose art we merely consume without consideration for the human behind them.

2.  Marketing Yourself
The other main reason we as artists choose to attend cons is to meet with the folks that can put us in touch with jobs.  Art directors, game developers, publishers, etc.  You’ll probably never meet these awesome folks who lead you to professional opportunities unless you go to conventions!  The downside, these folks may not be at smaller cons so you’ll have to attend the larger ones which may not be local to you. True, you can still email in a portfolio, but I consider face to face interactions to be more memorable/powerful.

3.  Meeting Kindred Spirits
After spending months in the quiet darkness of the art cave, getting out into the world again and talking to people who are just as geeky and passionate as you are can be such a gift!

4.  Valuable Selling and Setup Experience
Every artist needs this!  You need to know the joys of being juried into a show, meeting the deadlines of setup and application, the proper way to set up your display, etc.  Most of all, you need the ever-important skill of dealing with people.  A lot of us spend a lot of time alone without knowing how to market ourselves with confidence.  This is an especially handy skill for when you want to start showing your portfolio to the folks that can get you jobs opportunities beyond selling to your fanbase.

The Cons

Read More

(Source: blog.angelicshades.com)

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Top 5 Shakespeare Destinations

William Shakespeare is a pretty much part of our lives whether we like or not. In one form or another, he influences what we say, what we do, and even the movies we see. (For those unaware, Lion King is the adorable combination of Macbeth and Hamlet.) People spend their whole lives reading, analyzing and just devouring his words. In honor of the Master Weaver of Words, we created a list of the top five destinations that every Shakespearean Pilgrim should visit.

5. Shakespeare Garden - New York City, NY

There actually happens to be a lot of gardens dedicated to Shakespeare but this one happens to be part of Central Park. The garden is full of flowers mentioned in his plays, poems, and a few that are believed Shakespeare grew in his own personal garden.  They also have an annual Shakespeare in the Park event! The best part? It’s free!

Links:

- Shakespeare Garden

- Shakespeare in the Park

- List of all Shakespeare Gardens

4. Folger Shakespeare Library - Washington, DC

The FSL has the largest collection of Shakespearean works and manuscripts in the world. (It’s also a pretty darn good collection of art and various Renaissance works). They happen to really value conserving these things and have a great lab for taking care of such rare works. FSL also host plays and concerts as well as student events.

Links:

- Folger Shakespeare Library

3. Scotney Castle - Kent, England

While the beautiful Scotney Castle has a lot of history, it makes our list because good ol’ Shakespeare came here himself and performed several plays, including the much loved, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They do have tours and special events throughout there year.

Links:

- Scotney Castle’s Main Site

2. The Globe - London, England

If you are a true Shakespeare Pilgrim or even just a person who loves theatre, the Globe is a must-see. It’s beautiful, has an open roof, and so full of history even though the original burned down. (Is it me, or does London have a really bad history with fire?) Anyways, you have  a choice of seating or being a groundling  which are basically are the “cheap-seats.” Unlike stadiums where you are seated so ridiculously high and far away from the action, groundlings stand the whole time and are pretty close to the action. During a showing of Macbeth, a huge tarp was stretched over the groundling area (shown above) and the audience had to stick their heads through it. During the show they were poked and constantly part of the action. It was awesome.

Links:

- Shakespeare’s Globe

1.Stratford-upon-Avon, England

Startford-upon-Avon is number one on this list for so many reasons. First off, it’s gorgeous. Old buildings mixed with new ones, gardens, parks, and of course River Avon. It happens to be the birthplace of our dearest Shakespeare and visitors can visit his home. Stratford-upon-Avon almost seems like two towns in one. Half of it is the lovely market-town full of nice shops and wonderful theatres. Then there is the other side which is a weird toursity town. It’s so obvious when you cross over from one side to the other. The tourist half is full of Shakespeare… well, everything. You can take a tour through a museum dedicated to him and of course there’s the gift shop. The best part about the touristy half were the street performers. There was even a group of actors who would perform various parts of Shakespearean plays per request.  If you go to Stratford-upon-Avon, it is almost required that you see one of many of the plays that are mostly likely showing. No matter what you end up doing or why you are going, this is a town worth seeing.

Link:

- Official Stratford-upon-Avon Site

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April Nerdy Events

Hello Nerd Pilgrims! Here’s a list of the nerdiest and geekiest events around the world during the month of April. What counts as nerdy? Anything having to do with gaming, books, fantasy, science fiction, anime, and so much more. Nerdom is universal, so it doesn’t matter where it is, people should hear about it.

Going to any of these events? See a problem with the list or know something that should be added? Did you want to write or vlog about your experiences? Well just drop me a message via my ask box or send an email!

April:

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The SXSW Gaming Expo in Austin, Texas is an event I look forward to all year. Mostly because it focuses on gaming, technology, and general nerdyness but really because it’s free. A badge for the other SXSW events could cost you a small fortune, but not the Gaming Expo ladies and gentleman!

Throughout three days guest are invited to play new games, compete for glory, and attend panels by fascinating people. During those days I was drowning in free swag and bombarded with an amazing amount of new knowledge.

Just outside the event center was a life-sized model of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). If you don’t know what that is, you are really missing out. The JWST is the glorious successor to the Hubble. It is massive and awe inspiring. After it’s completed, it will be sent out into space but because the JWST is so large, it has to be folded. It becomes a real life Transformer and starts unfolding once it reaches it’s destination. If you don’t find that awesome, you’re wrong.

A tent near the model housed NASA’s station of booths where people got to play with infrared cameras and learn more about projects NASA is working on. Of course, the Mars Curiosity was a very hot topic. During a panel, we got to see more images that the rover took as well as other robots currently being tested on.

A panel on Friday I truly enjoyed was one featuring Tony Valenzuela (BlackBoxTV), Burnie Burns (RoosterTeeth), and Jeremy Azevedo (Machinima.Com). It was an hilarious and quite enlightening panel. For example, they say if you have an idea, just run with it. Having the money or best equipment shouldn’t be your main concern. It should be getting an idea that you are passionate about out into the world. Also, If you plan to create a show or something on YouTube, it’s best to create 6 episodes and then post them. This saves the creator from massive amounts of stress. This is something I wish I knew about sooner.

The panel also gave birth to my most popular tweet that was Retweeted by Machinima.Com’s own twitter account.

I’m quite proud of that.

Links

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March Nerdy Events

Hello Nerd Pilgrims! Here’s a list of the nerdiest and geekiest events around the world during the month of March. What counts as nerdy? Anything having to do with gaming, books, fantasy, science fiction, anime, and so much more. Nerdom is universal, so it doesn’t matter where it is, people should hear about it.

Going to any of these events? See a problem with the list or know something that should be added? Did you want to write or vlog about your experiences? Well just drop me a message via my ask box or send an email!

March:


*Events Steffie will be at

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FAQ

Here are some answers to things that are asked frequently.


Submitting Stories:

Q: Do you only accept reviews on Sci-Fi conventions?

A:  Nope! If you have a story about any nerdy hangout or event you want to share, please send it my way!

Q: I already wrote about a place/event. Will you still accept it?

A: If it’s on tumblr already, I’ll be more than happy to reblog it. If it’s on another blog, send me the link and we can discuss options.

Q: Do I get paid for submitting stories?

A: Nope. This a free source and sending in your original content is purely voluntary.

Other Questions:
Q: Where do you find all the information about conventions?

A: Lots of Google. Lots. Some people also send me information about a con or it’s one I personally know about.

Q: What do you count as nerdy?

A: If it’s something history, science, literature related and you obsess over it to the point that it may be slightly unhealthy, then it’s probably nerdy.

Questions About Steffie:
Q: Who is Steffie?

A: Steffie was what makes the world go round. She’s also the creator of Nerd Pilgrimage.

Q: Is Steffie a girl?

A: She is whatever she wants to be. Currently, she likes to be called a classy lady. 

Q: Does she attend all the conventions?

A: She wishes. Steffie will attend as many conventions as she can as well as visit any nerdy destinations (especially book related) that she can. She is a poor college student and has limited resources at the moment.

Have any questions not answered here? Feel free to send a message!

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How to HAVE FUN at conventions

notbadcosplay:

I’ve seen a lot of people complaining about bad conventions. I honestly don’t think there’s anything bad about most conventions, so here’s a little bit to try next con to ensure a good time!

  1. Don’t spend the whole time in your hotel finishing a cosplay - It’s just a costume. If it doesn’t get finished, there are other cons you can wear it to.
  2. Bring a comfortable costume to relax in - Nothing is worse than being in heels all day, but not wanting to get out because you don’t want to be “normal”. Bring something comfortable. I wore a Kigurumi for the first time a few months ago to chill in. Holy crap, have you ever worn one of those? Best ever.
  3. Make new friends! We all have something in common at a con. Don’t be afraid to reach out and meet new people.
  4. Do something FUN - Look for an interactive panel. My go-to is karaoke. And you don’t have to sing well in order to go. Just sit back and watch people, and you’ll realize that people have fun even when they’re tone deaf. There are so many late night events that are just meant for having fun!
  5. Avoid any drama - This is the best tip I can give anyone. If you feel cranky, go take a nap; don’t take it out on anyone, because this causes drama. Someone trying to start drama with you? Just turn around and ignore it.
  6. Watch what you eat and drink - Have a sensitive stomach? Don’t eat at that skeezy Chinese place. You’ll spend over an hour in the bathroom while afraid your roommates can hear you. Also, keep hydrated. If you’re drinking booze, have water as well. And know your limits. No one likes to see someone puking in the halls.
  7. Follow the rules - It really isn’t hard to follow the rules a convention puts in place. The rules are there for a reason, even if the reason seems silly at the time. This will keep both you and staff from getting into arguments.
  8. See this as a vacation - You have 3 days in a hotel, away from the stress of life, dressing up with friends. Seriously, it really doesn’t get much better than that.