Queen Behind the Curtain @OutlantaCon #RLFblog #Scifi #LGBT
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| OutlantaCon May 8-10, 2015 |
A post by Edward deGruy, OutlantaCon’s PR Chair for 2015.
Ignore that queen behind the curtain.
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| Ready for a panel |
What day is it? Is the convention coming
or going? Hard to tell anymore. Still so much to be done to get this OutlantaCon
thing going.
or going? Hard to tell anymore. Still so much to be done to get this OutlantaCon
thing going.
So why do we do it?
Easy. Because once you have put on
your own convention you never want to do anything else. Real life just becomes the down time to another convention.
your own convention you never want to do anything else. Real life just becomes the down time to another convention.
We know the thrills of people crowding
in a room to get their geek on. We know the cheers when the big guest comes on stage.
The smiles of kids and kids at heart meeting their TV/movie hero. The nods as people
find out the reasons behind their favourite stories and novels. Finding that perfect
gift or compliment to a costume in the dealers room or art show. Aspiring writers
getting that final push they needed to finish that story they have been working
on for years.
in a room to get their geek on. We know the cheers when the big guest comes on stage.
The smiles of kids and kids at heart meeting their TV/movie hero. The nods as people
find out the reasons behind their favourite stories and novels. Finding that perfect
gift or compliment to a costume in the dealers room or art show. Aspiring writers
getting that final push they needed to finish that story they have been working
on for years.
We know the pains of making sure the
contracts for the space are right. Learning all the social media programs and apps
to make sure everyone knows about your convention and the pain of hearing after
the weekend “You had who? Your convention is about what? I have never heard
of you and I am a huge fan of .” The infinite problems that happen the weekend of. You know
“Ummmm….that room for that panel is 70 feet from the other panel room. That
is TOO far to walk.”
contracts for the space are right. Learning all the social media programs and apps
to make sure everyone knows about your convention and the pain of hearing after
the weekend “You had who? Your convention is about what? I have never heard
of you and I am a huge fan of .” The infinite problems that happen the weekend of. You know
“Ummmm….that room for that panel is 70 feet from the other panel room. That
is TOO far to walk.”
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| The Match Game in process |
There is a process to it. One most
never think about. The bulk of people just assume hotels come to you. “Please
come use our space. For free. No. Better yet we will pay YOU to have your con here.”
Ummmm…not so much. Hotel contacts with stuff like room rates and blocks. Food and
beverage minimums. Tech orders for projectors, pipe and drape and dongles for computers.
Yes. We said dongle. We had to learn what that is.
never think about. The bulk of people just assume hotels come to you. “Please
come use our space. For free. No. Better yet we will pay YOU to have your con here.”
Ummmm…not so much. Hotel contacts with stuff like room rates and blocks. Food and
beverage minimums. Tech orders for projectors, pipe and drape and dongles for computers.
Yes. We said dongle. We had to learn what that is.
So you get everything right with the
hotel. Yay!!!! How the hell do we get people to want to come now? Anybody know anything
about PR? Oh you? What? Wait….you want to get paid to do our PR? You think we have
money? No one has even bought a ticket yet. Well how about we do it ourselves? What
is Twitter anyway?
hotel. Yay!!!! How the hell do we get people to want to come now? Anybody know anything
about PR? Oh you? What? Wait….you want to get paid to do our PR? You think we have
money? No one has even bought a ticket yet. Well how about we do it ourselves? What
is Twitter anyway?
Wait. Who is our guest going to be?
What? We have to pay them? Half now? No one has bought a ticket yet! Frell. Ok.
I will write the check. ::grumble::
What? We have to pay them? Half now? No one has bought a ticket yet! Frell. Ok.
I will write the check. ::grumble::
Hotel. Check.
PR. Check.
Guest. Check.
Cool. People are excited and buying
tickets. But no rooms. How are we supposed to make our room commitment? Nervous
now. I might throw up.
tickets. But no rooms. How are we supposed to make our room commitment? Nervous
now. I might throw up.
Luckily Lauren and her crew is handling
our con suite so our convention goers can save some money and eat a bit for free.
Whew. What do you mean she is having a baby then and cannot do it anymore? What!!??
Ok. That real life thing has struck again.
We will figure it out. No worries.
our con suite so our convention goers can save some money and eat a bit for free.
Whew. What do you mean she is having a baby then and cannot do it anymore? What!!??
Ok. That real life thing has struck again.
We will figure it out. No worries.
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| Say What…?! |
Well at least the t-shirts are on the
way and that will be awesome. What is this email? They will not arrive now till
AFTER THE CONVENTION!!!! Definitely throwing
up now.
way and that will be awesome. What is this email? They will not arrive now till
AFTER THE CONVENTION!!!! Definitely throwing
up now.
Programming. Anybody got any ideas for panels? Should we
have them on the hour? Hour and a half? Our main guest will only do one panel?
Between 10am and 2pm. Right. Ok. No problem. Oh cool we have 5 guests that want
in on the “One-Eyed Trouser Trouts and Pink Tacos: Euphemisms Gone
Wild.” You can only use two? So who are we going to make mad then?
have them on the hour? Hour and a half? Our main guest will only do one panel?
Between 10am and 2pm. Right. Ok. No problem. Oh cool we have 5 guests that want
in on the “One-Eyed Trouser Trouts and Pink Tacos: Euphemisms Gone
Wild.” You can only use two? So who are we going to make mad then?
Ok. The weekend is here. Be calm. Stay
cool.
cool.
Our game room area is under emergency
renovation and now we only have a closet to game in? Excuse us…
renovation and now we only have a closet to game in? Excuse us…
No. No. We’re fine. Not a problem.
Maybe we will go with all card games to save space.
Maybe we will go with all card games to save space.
We will just go sit down in the lobby
for a minute while the main guest Q and A lets out.
for a minute while the main guest Q and A lets out.
“Wow! That was great. I never
knew that about that show. That is so cool. I wonder if they are doing any other
cons soon so I can ask them some questions once I re-watch it.”
knew that about that show. That is so cool. I wonder if they are doing any other
cons soon so I can ask them some questions once I re-watch it.”
“Did you get any of the hot dogs
in the consuite? They are so good. Let’s go get a drink in the bar and talk about
the latest episode.”
in the consuite? They are so good. Let’s go get a drink in the bar and talk about
the latest episode.”
“I just played that new game my
friend told me about. I have to go to the dealer’s room and get a copy. So fun!”
friend told me about. I have to go to the dealer’s room and get a copy. So fun!”
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| Even registration is fun |
“I am getting a nap before the
parties tonight. I am SO glad I got a room. And it really was cheaper than the regular
rate here. It is going to be a monster night tonight!!”
parties tonight. I am SO glad I got a room. And it really was cheaper than the regular
rate here. It is going to be a monster night tonight!!”
“OMG. There is a panel tonight
called One-Eyed Trouser Trouts and Pink Tacos: Euphemisms Gone Wild. I have to go
to that. Can you imagine?”
called One-Eyed Trouser Trouts and Pink Tacos: Euphemisms Gone Wild. I have to go
to that. Can you imagine?”
“I wish I had planned to come
for more than one day. I am so coming back next year!!”
for more than one day. I am so coming back next year!!”
Oh right. That is why we do this.
This is good.
Wait. Why is that person trying to
fit that costume through that small space and scratching up the walls?
fit that costume through that small space and scratching up the walls?
Sigh. Be right back.
—
OutlantaCon is an Atlanta-based event for the Queer Geek audience!
You’ll find all the usual convention fare here–discussion panels, gaming, costuming,
special events, etc. The difference is that it all has a queer ‘bent’ to it. Here
you can enjoy all the convention trappings in an atmosphere where you’re free to
be yourself! We also offer some pretty unique twists as well, like our own versions
of Match Game (a staple since 2007), Project Cosplay (2010), Nea’s Drag Race (2011), and the wildly popular Sock Puppet Theatre Presents…
OutlantaCon is an Atlanta-based event for the Queer Geek audience!
You’ll find all the usual convention fare here–discussion panels, gaming, costuming,
special events, etc. The difference is that it all has a queer ‘bent’ to it. Here
you can enjoy all the convention trappings in an atmosphere where you’re free to
be yourself! We also offer some pretty unique twists as well, like our own versions
of Match Game (a staple since 2007), Project Cosplay (2010), Nea’s Drag Race (2011), and the wildly popular Sock Puppet Theatre Presents…
May 8-10, 2015 at the Marriott Century Center in Atlanta.
Social Media for Convention
Website http://www.outlantacon.org/
Twitter https://twitter.com/outlantacon
Location 2015 Marriott Century Center Atlanta http://www.outlantacon.org/#!location/cp0k
