convention

A look at Queen City Kamikaze

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Part of my continuing series on ways to add more fan-to-pro content at conventions.  The roundup is here.

I made the acquaintance of the head of Queen City Kamikaze, a new anime-and-more convention in New Hampshire, while doing my usual convention research.  Set at a local high school (easy space, easy promotion), it's a new convention that promises to have a lot of fan-to-pro content, so I want to spotlight it.

What's up for QCK?

First, bringing in local talent to speak on career and related subjects.  The focus at QCK is to make sure that local people are there to produce more community involvement, sense of connection – and of course to give local talent it's due. One of the sponsors is even a local company with a national reach – they do GAMER Soda, and are a small-business success story.

Second, the convention is looking at an actual job fair.  This is a formative idea, but the hope is that local business and representatives may be interested in recruiting and/or speaking on jobs.

Third, art schools and similar local educational institutions are being invited to speak specifically on careers and classes involved.  This is designed to both promote them, and to give people a chance to learn more about career options.

QCK looks like they're mastering the art of recruiting and promoting locally, and getting both businesses, schools, and individuals involved.  The convention happens February 13th, 2010.  They're new.  They've got good ideas.  Go and attend – in fact, as I post this, there's still enough time to sign up and help . .  .

– Steven Savage

Convention Spotlight: Daishocon

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Part of our continuing series on helping conventions add more professional and career events!  The roundup is here.

Daishocon is an anime and gaming convention in Wisconsin.  As you can guess from this being in Fan To Pro, Daishocon's head of programming has plans to make sure the convention caters to the fan-to-pro crowd along with the usual offerings!

The major innovation at Daishocon is to look at bringing in panelists who have written how-to guides – as opposed to people just speaking on careers, they're looking to bring in one or more speakers who have actually written books to help people in their careers – and who work in geeky areas like manga.

This is an innovation I strongly approve of – because there's many people who write on careers, art, anime, video games, and more.  Speaking on a career is one thing, but getting people who can write on it and communicate it is quite another.  This is an idea i'd like to see other conventions pursue.

Daishocon is also looking to host panels for "breaking in" to industries are properly represented as well – to make sure people get a good launch pad for their careers.

In central Wisconsin?  Give them a check.  I especially hope more "how to" writers get more attention in the con scene.  I am of course biased – but I admit it!

– Steven Savage

Convention Spotlight: Anime Saint George

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Anime Saint George is unusual – a large scale anime con in southern
Utah.  However, fandom is everywhere and Anime Saint George, aka Anime
SG, has big plans and interesting ideas.  I sat down to discuss their
ideas with the PR head and asked about her profan and progeek events.

First, the convention works to give good deals to get professional
guests and local businesses to get support, trade ad space, provide
dealer's tables etc.  Many people are glad to try interesting trades,
exchanges and opportunities to support a convention.

Secondly, the convention looks to find a balance of local
fan-to-pro guests – local guests may not be down the street, they may
be a few hours a way.  It's a good example that you need to keep a good
focus of who is available – you can range too wide or too far in
getting guests.

Finally, the convention has events specifically focused on starting
out and breaking-into careers – covering things that may get glossed
over too easily for people eager to start out their new jobs or
businesses.

The PR head in fact told me that she's gotten new career ideas just
doing the convention – specifically, event planning as a career.  who
knows what she'll be speaking on in the next few years.

Southern
Utah doesn't have a lot of conventions.  So give this one a look – and
see if there might be a panel and some networking that helps your
career.

You can find our entire convention advice and summary posts here.

– Steven Savage