So, this year? Joyced-UP.
Jul. 6th, 2010 09:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kyburgWhoa. Another one under the bridge. There's probably something to be said about working Anime-Expo in a different department, in a recession year, with a leadership that can easily be called inexperienced at best, malicious and selfish at worst...and it would all be true, sadly...and come out of it less stressed than I went in.
And that includes working masquerade. LESS stressed, folks.
Yup, I staffed with cosplay this year, as opposed to karaoke. Jim got tagged to crew karaoke, and both he and Xander spent many happy hours in complete bedlam over the weekend. Me? I got to sit the cosplay info desk, which sat in the dark near South Hall, across the aisle from first-aid and next to the peace-bonding station.
Yes, they were still 'peace-bonding' sticks, folks. They also thought I was mental when I protested the purpose of zipping a tie acround a broomstick and sending them on their way.
In the cool, quiet, peaceful dark. The con had provided the cosplay department with one large room to do all their work in - and had assumed that they could have handled signups at this desk. Um. Not with legal documents to manage, you can't. To make it even more apparent this wasn't going to happen, they had loaded all the extra stantions and ropes (still in boxes) behind the desk. So, essentially there was NO room for anything cosplay would have needed to um, DO the work assumed at that desk. So the weekend was one of three things:
1. Direct people to the cosplay office.
2. Point at the peace bonding station next to me.
3. Other, which often included directing people to the Real info desks.
The unofficial fourth was playing Pokemon and holy chrome I made some AWESOME trades over the weekend.
People don't understand how I could sit in the dark alone all weekend. Welp, I had work to do both Thursday and Friday (real work, I did it remotely) and the others? I'd just gotten back from people-on-top-on-people KY - the lack of related was soothing in ways I hadn't realized until Sunday.
How was the con? Light, both in attendence and content. I'm curious about the numbers and finances - because the working word for operations was 'shorted.' We were shorted parking. We were shorted staff. We were shorted resoures across the board, name it - it was insufficient to the task. Now, if you can cope with that? (Seriously. Meals were better - if you consider one type of meal better. I can't look a turkey sandwich, even if awesome and made on ciabatta, in the face anymore. Twice a day, four days. No. More. SANDWICHES.) Problem is, there were people working who wanted to do a Good Job and were simply thwarted by the Short. Guys, the next day? It's over and nobody will know you were doing it on a wing and a prayer. Believe it. Next year? Different story. Promise.
I also know far more about the Nokia Theater than I ever thought I would, and exercised my stage chops in the process. "THANK YOU. NEXXXXXXT!"
Kid came with us on Saturday and Sunday, and as wee as he is? He just piggybacked on our existing badges, so that was a plus. Last year this would not have been a go at all - but this year? LOOK AT THAT MOMMEEEEE! What a difference a year makes, and having both AOD and Fanime under our belts. Sunday he walked in with a paper crown from Burger King on his head and got complimented on his cosplay as soon as he hit the door.
Costumes this year also had gotten a lift from so many folks learning what 'fit' meant - instead of making everything big enough to wear, many had spent additional time making sure the clothing was adequately tailored as well. Very nice year, and I don't think it was working cosplay that tightened up my eye...walking the hallways, it seemed to be an overall better year in that regard. The demographic remains fluid for this con - the first years were very male, Asian and college-locked...last year was VERY female and teenish. This year? Still very female, but growing a bit older and now bringing very young children with. I also saw my first family group of women (mothers and daughters) completely in costume (goth lolly, but) and most of my age group was found in groupings like them. Looking forward, it would be safe to say the gender is going to keep moving back to center as the focus moves away from OAVs and releases of licensed works and back to gaming sources as the source for content.
The weather also cooperated - this was easily the coolest fourth of July weekend I can recall in recent memory - the California 'June Gloom' hung in there for all the days of con, and the temps outside never hit 80 degrees. Inside, you were nicely chilled. Still, those lovely BLEACH-inspired costumes, you know the ones? Black and red? Right. FUNKFUNKFUNK by Sunday. Just a thought. Febreeze, anyone?
Monday night dinner was steak, wine and beer. Oh, and cupcakes fresh out of the oven.
How was your weekend?
And that includes working masquerade. LESS stressed, folks.
Yup, I staffed with cosplay this year, as opposed to karaoke. Jim got tagged to crew karaoke, and both he and Xander spent many happy hours in complete bedlam over the weekend. Me? I got to sit the cosplay info desk, which sat in the dark near South Hall, across the aisle from first-aid and next to the peace-bonding station.
Yes, they were still 'peace-bonding' sticks, folks. They also thought I was mental when I protested the purpose of zipping a tie acround a broomstick and sending them on their way.
In the cool, quiet, peaceful dark. The con had provided the cosplay department with one large room to do all their work in - and had assumed that they could have handled signups at this desk. Um. Not with legal documents to manage, you can't. To make it even more apparent this wasn't going to happen, they had loaded all the extra stantions and ropes (still in boxes) behind the desk. So, essentially there was NO room for anything cosplay would have needed to um, DO the work assumed at that desk. So the weekend was one of three things:
1. Direct people to the cosplay office.
2. Point at the peace bonding station next to me.
3. Other, which often included directing people to the Real info desks.
The unofficial fourth was playing Pokemon and holy chrome I made some AWESOME trades over the weekend.
People don't understand how I could sit in the dark alone all weekend. Welp, I had work to do both Thursday and Friday (real work, I did it remotely) and the others? I'd just gotten back from people-on-top-on-people KY - the lack of related was soothing in ways I hadn't realized until Sunday.
How was the con? Light, both in attendence and content. I'm curious about the numbers and finances - because the working word for operations was 'shorted.' We were shorted parking. We were shorted staff. We were shorted resoures across the board, name it - it was insufficient to the task. Now, if you can cope with that? (Seriously. Meals were better - if you consider one type of meal better. I can't look a turkey sandwich, even if awesome and made on ciabatta, in the face anymore. Twice a day, four days. No. More. SANDWICHES.) Problem is, there were people working who wanted to do a Good Job and were simply thwarted by the Short. Guys, the next day? It's over and nobody will know you were doing it on a wing and a prayer. Believe it. Next year? Different story. Promise.
I also know far more about the Nokia Theater than I ever thought I would, and exercised my stage chops in the process. "THANK YOU. NEXXXXXXT!"
Kid came with us on Saturday and Sunday, and as wee as he is? He just piggybacked on our existing badges, so that was a plus. Last year this would not have been a go at all - but this year? LOOK AT THAT MOMMEEEEE! What a difference a year makes, and having both AOD and Fanime under our belts. Sunday he walked in with a paper crown from Burger King on his head and got complimented on his cosplay as soon as he hit the door.
Costumes this year also had gotten a lift from so many folks learning what 'fit' meant - instead of making everything big enough to wear, many had spent additional time making sure the clothing was adequately tailored as well. Very nice year, and I don't think it was working cosplay that tightened up my eye...walking the hallways, it seemed to be an overall better year in that regard. The demographic remains fluid for this con - the first years were very male, Asian and college-locked...last year was VERY female and teenish. This year? Still very female, but growing a bit older and now bringing very young children with. I also saw my first family group of women (mothers and daughters) completely in costume (goth lolly, but) and most of my age group was found in groupings like them. Looking forward, it would be safe to say the gender is going to keep moving back to center as the focus moves away from OAVs and releases of licensed works and back to gaming sources as the source for content.
The weather also cooperated - this was easily the coolest fourth of July weekend I can recall in recent memory - the California 'June Gloom' hung in there for all the days of con, and the temps outside never hit 80 degrees. Inside, you were nicely chilled. Still, those lovely BLEACH-inspired costumes, you know the ones? Black and red? Right. FUNKFUNKFUNK by Sunday. Just a thought. Febreeze, anyone?
Monday night dinner was steak, wine and beer. Oh, and cupcakes fresh out of the oven.
How was your weekend?
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Date: 2010-07-07 11:05 am (UTC)no subject
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