ConComCon 21

[Ari Goldstein]

If you did not know this already

I won the bid to run ConComCon 21! The convention will be held in the Vancouver/Portland area. I will have more specifics once I have firmed up a hotel.

ConComCon 2014: How to act like a professional and still have fun!

The central theme of the convention will be how to deal with the emerging realities of modern convention running mainly how to set up policies, procedures, and structure to protect and grow your organization. 

Location:

Vancouver, Washington or Portland, Oregon to be determined by venue selection

Current ConCom for the bid

Chair: Ari Goldstein

Vice Chairs: Beth “Runnerwolf” Allen and Robert McDonnell

Programming: Rhiannon “Gibbitt” Rhys-Jones

Treasurer: James Alley

Hotel: Greg Hallock

Registration: Damiana Cutter 

We are all very excited to be running C Cubed and we would love to hear from anyone and everyone for programing ideas and what sorts of topics you would like to see covered. 

Please feel free to forward this on to whomever and where ever you like

[David-Glenn Anderson]

Ari  --  Some how this email was delivered in July but dated June.  Missed C3 this year.  Keep me in the loop.  David-Glenn Anderson  

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[Roy G. Biv]

Nifty! I also pointed the NW Pinball Show towards this con. Also found out there's a version of C^3 dedicated to JUST gaming cons. Very interesting!

[Gibbitt]

Roy,

There is?  What's it called??  (Being a dealer of a game, I am very interested!)

Thank you,

Gibbitt

[Roy G. Biv]

Not sure, just that it exists. If the NW Pinball folks did/do join, they may enlighten us on the name! :D

[David-Glenn Anderson]

Many Northwest/SWOC members do attend the international SMOFcon.  How do they differ?  DGA1938 who was laid up in December 2012 when SMOFcon was in PA.  

[Gibbitt]

In my opinion, (and I haven't been to a SMOFcon in MANY years) SMOF is more Worldcon level running, and CCC is smaller.

[David-Glenn Anderson]

I have not attended a SMOFcon.  Last one was in PA where I programmed Education Saturday plus some on other days.  I was lucky to be in the braintrust.  Does not hurt to be a good terms with Greg Bear.  He wanted RFF at his Worldcon.  Dave Brin and Greg Benford are the other two fathers of RFF.  They are the LACon III Killer Bs.  Greg Bear once said the reason db and I get  along so well is he is Glen David Brin and I am David-Glenn Anderson.

db was CONduit GoH. At that time a writer GOH went to SLC Library and talked to local educators.  I WENT AND HE CONVERTED ME TO rff.  My first Worldcon was in Texas.  RFF had a panel.  NASFic 1999 was in LA.  A CA RFFer asked why no RFF programming.  db did the two pro panels; I did the other two.  Bjo, Nickol and others were on my panels.  Chicon 6 featured RFF.  One of my panels was on My First SF/F story.  The room was packed and included a ghost.  Smae hotel as Chicon 7.  

I know a SMOF (Sausage Makers of Fandom) when I see them.  CCC has many SMOFs and is the NorthPacificSMOFCon held in June so that CCC SMOFs can go to the international one in December.

Alex and friends are SMOFs.  Barbara, Sally, SWOC are SMOFs.  I am not a SMOF.  A SMOF can talk for hours about the right way to program a con or NASFics should quit stealing memberships away from Worldcons.

Just my take on it, dga1938

[David-Glenn Anderson]

What should a webpage contain might be something we could cover at ConComCon 21 in June.   Westercon 67 is great.  Designed I believe by Toad.  (He may still be looking for a membership.)  Is C3 21 offering scholarships?   Utah...@gmail.com needs to know.  I would like to see something on bidding for Westercon since SWOC (Seattle Westercon Organizing Committee) owns C3.  Utah iun 2014; San Diego in 2015; Vancover in 2016 (?)

dga...@gmail.com

[Michael Citrak]

I have the same opinion as Gibbitt here....however many lessons learned and best practices at large cons and small cons are interchangeable. 

 

______________________
Take Care
Michael Citrak
mci...@comcast.net

[Keith Lim]

Michael Citrak wrote:
> I have the same opinion as Gibbitt here....however many lessons learned and best practices at large cons and small cons are interchangeable.

More than merely interchangable, the lessons and best practices are often extremely generic. There's hardly a, for example, specifically science fiction con method for logistics--moving of items from storage to event venue and back. Nor for volunteer management, front-desk admission sales, program book publication, sponsorship, and so on.

Much about these generic aspects of event-running can be learned just by volunteering at a good number of one's local events, especially ones with different focuses--film festivals, music shows, cultural celebrations, parades, fairs, etc. Sometimes, an area that one type of event struggles with is a long-solved problem with another type of event, and vice versa, or an event may have an unusual (and successful) approach not even ever thought of before (a blind spot).

The most value that fan-con-specific events like ConComCon and SMOFcon can provide would be for managing activities or services unusual to fan cons--say, the Hospitality Suite/Con Suite, or a tabletop gaming room, or an art exhibition, or costuming and cosplay. Generic event-running work (above)--learn them hands-on elsewhere. Offerings like speakers/presentations (solo or panel), dances, stage performances, vendor booths (a la trade shows), meet-and-greet/networking events, banquets, receptions--they're commonplace events, the stock-in-trade for hotels and convention centres--learn the ropes elsewhere too and manage as routine matters. But as for a room where the event organizers prepare and serve their own food and drink (as opposed to ordering from venue catering)--well, that takes specialized, and often delicate, negotiation. A gaming room that might run to very late or even 24 hours? Not that common; needs discussion surrounding cleaning and security. An art exhibition where the event brings in their own art-hanging panels and sets them up in a custom configuration? New and unusual for many venues, and even if not for the venue, for many of their staff and management. May need negotiation if it's a standard requirement that all room setup be done by staff. And how does the venue feel about costumes in the lobby or restaurant or other common areas outside of rented function space? To assume that it would obviously be delighted and welcoming, or even merely accepting or tolerant, is to be appallingly naive.

These would be the type of information I personally would find most valuable, especially if it were written up after each event, and if the different approaches, techniques, and experiences of different cons in different cities compiled into a collection.

Keith

--
Keith Lim keit...@pobox.com http://pobox.com/~keithlim/
Warning: dates in calendar are closer than they appear.

[Michael Citrak]

Howdy, I was excited to see your post right after ConComCon last summer, but it's been five months and I haven't heard anything....I know some folks dance cards fill up fast and if there is no venue and date by early January, they won't be able to attend.  

 

______________________
Take Care
Michael Citrak
mci...@comcast.net