Convention Advice for the Noob… Part 1

May 6, 2009 on 10:55 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments

I’ve been attending conventions regularly for about 10 years. And for the most part, these days I average about one convention a month, sometimes even more. And in those years, I’ve learned quite a bit about how to survive the con world. A lot of these rules are about the con itself, but a lot are also about the party afterward.

1 – Bring a camera. Either Video, or Still, or better yet, both! There are things you are going to see at these conventions that cannot be seen anywhere else. So always have your camera ready to shoot so you don’t miss anything.

2 – Bring extra batteries, film, memory sticks, tapes, whatever for the cameras. You will go through them quickly. Some people prefer cameras that take regular AA or AAA batteries because you can buy them anywhere if they run out, while others prefer the manufacturer’s rechargeable types because they last longer, and will save you money. Either way, keep a spare set on you at all times. And I’ve taken over 500 pics in one weekend, and unless you have a laptop to upload them to, you’ll need spare memory. It’s no fun when you have to go through the pics you’ve taken and decide which ones to delete so that you can take more later.

3 – If wearing a costume, bring a costume repair kit. Seems simple, but no matter how well made your costume is, there’s a good chance of breaking, tearing or doing some other damage to your costume. So bring a sewing kit, some safety pins, glue, rivets, hot glue, etc. You don’t have to carry it all with you, but should have it in your hotel room.

4 – Bring vitamins. You may not believe it, but about half the people who leave a big convention, leave with some kind of “funk”. This is usually from all the partying, lack of sleep, strange new environment, etc. Some regular multi-vitamins can save you a lot of trouble later, as can water. Dehydration is a big cause of illness (and hangovers), so carry some water with you, and drink it! Hand sanitizer is your best friend.

5 – Bring extra underwear!! Plan to shower often. PLEASE! Don’t be the stinky guy. There are enough of them already. And Febreeze your costume if you can’t get it washed before wearing it again!

6 – Don’t forget the importance of the local hotel bar! It’s where most of the celebs from the show will wander to after hours for a drink. Expect to spend some money at the bar. While you can bring your own drinks and other liquors and drink them at some hotel bars, you do need to buy a drink or two a night to keep the waitresses from trying to throw you out. Other bars in the other hotels may not let you bring your own drinks in, so be sure to check first before you whip out your bottle of home brew.

7 – Don’t be shy! Those girls that are half naked, are dressed like that for a reason. They want you to take pictures of them! Trust me! Just don’t touch without permission. If someone is in costume, they WANT you to take pictures of them!

8 – At the bar, if you see someone famous having a drink, it’s ok to go up and say hi. Try not to “geek out” on them, as it will scare them away. A simple, “Hey, I’m a big fan!” can go a long way. And don’t forget to ask if you can buy them a drink! I’ve actually met a lot of people just by offering to buy them a drink at a bar at a con. If they agree, they’ll usually show their appreciation by talking to you for a bit. I’ve heard some of the most amazing behind the scenes stories from actors and filmmakers who I bought a drink for!

9 – Pre-order your con tickets!! Never, ever buy a ticket the day of the show if you can help it. Buy the pass the day of the con and you’ll be waiting in line, and paying a lot more money. Always buy it in advance, it’s cheaper and it saves you time.

10 – The night before the con starts is usually the most fun night at most conventions. I don’t care what anyone else says, but the hotel bar before the con starts is the place to meet and greet all the regulars and have a blast. Most other cons that take place in a specific hotel, will have an active bar life the night before the con starts. Many people fly in early (as well as many of the celebrities), so check out the bar! Con goers are easy to find, they are the only ones in Sci-Fi themed hats and t-shirts.

11 – Bring a notepad and a pen. I can’t tell you how many times someone gives me a room number or phone number, or time and place for a party, or event, and I write it down on a napkin and ultimately lose it, or try to remember it and then I forget it. Another great trick is to make up your own business cards. Any Office Supply Store will have some nice ones that you can print out yourself for cheap. This way you can give those out to people to contact you later. You can even have them printed up with your hotel info on it!

12 – Room Parties, Room Parties, Room Parties. They are usually free to get into, or have a modest cover charge, but ultimately have free drinks all night! Just be sure to tip the bartender, or you’ll be the first one out the door.

13 – Be careful what you drink. There are lots of people walking around the con with flasks of unknown liquor in their pockets, or bottles of home made liquors that are all basically Everclear Grain Alcohol and Kool Aid. Drink a lot of these, and your night will be over pretty quickly. I usually try to avoid the “Mystery Liquors” until I’ve had a few drinks and then no longer care what I drink. But I’m stupid. Don’t be like me. But if you have Mystery Liquor, come find me at the bar.

14 – There are celebrities everywhere. Act cool, and don’t ask them dorky questions, and you’ll be fine. Be sure to compliment them. Celebs are very insecure.

15 – Wear your obscure t-shirts. This is one of the only places on Earth where people will know where your Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems t-shirt is from. Let your geek flag fly!

16 – You will see a lot of girls making out with each other all over the bar scene at conventions these days. Feel free to take pics and video (and send them to me), but don’t expect to be allowed to jump in. That’s my job! And if you do jump in, make sure they are both female first! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found out later about…. never mind.

17 – The dealer’s room has a lot of awesome stuff for sale. If you see something you want, but it’s a bit too expensive, you can haggle. Also, on the last day of the con, when the dealer’s are getting ready to pack up and go home, you can practically name your price. One more thing they sell is one less thing they have to take home!

18 – Be careful with your costumes. If this is your first time wearing a particular costume at a convention, be sure to break it in, and make sure it’s comfortable, make sure you can see out of it, and breathe while wearing it. Seems a little odd to say, but make sure you can use the toilet with the costume on. There’s nothing scarier than seeing someone in a really elaborate and cool costume begging people to tear it off them so they can go pee. Also, make sure there’s nothing on the costume that can break off, fall off, or be snatched off. You’ll be wandering through hallways that were meant for 20 people, but are packed with 200 people trying to squeeze past you. If there’s a part of your costume that CAN fall or be ripped off, it WILL fall or be ripped off. Also, if there’s a part of your costume that sticks out, it WILL poke someone in the eye!

19 – If you are claustrophobic, you may want to think about staying home. Conventions are usually PACKED.

20 – Everyone is single at Conventions. No matter how many rings they have on their finger, or if they are standing next to their husband or wife. Don’t ask me why there is so much “swapping”, just go with it.

21 – The hotel you stay at makes a big difference. You may think you’re getting a great deal staying at a hotel a few miles away, but the travel involved will tire you out so fast that you won’t want to keep going back and forth to the show. Just try to stay as close to the main events at the con as possible, within reason. It may cost a bit more to stay in the center of the fun, but it is absolutely worth it. Be sure to check with the conventions website to see where ground zero will be.

22 – Food. Food is tough. Going “off campus” to eat is fun and all, but the area around the average convention center is expensive, and walking the streets, especially in costume, is annoying. The normals just don’t get it. There’s usually a nice cheap place nearby, but finding it can sometimes be difficult. And fast food is the surest way to be sure you won’t be fitting into your costume again soon. Also, energy bars are a great thing to carry around with you while at the con. It’s a fast snack, and can mean the difference between life and death when you’re trying to make your way around the show.

23 – Elevators. I don’t care what anyone says, once the convention is in full swing, ALL the elevators suck. There’s nothing you can do about it. There are just too many people trying to use too few elevators. Plan your trip back to your room carefully, it may take a while.

24 – Bring weird stuff. I know it sounds silly, but every year, there’s someone giving out fez’s, or stickers, or tattoos, or other odd stuff. I love those guys! But even if you’re not giving stuff away, bringing a puppet or a silly hat is a great way to make an impact and be remembered, and meet new people.

25 – Breath mints. Nuff said.

Ok, I’ll pause it here until next week. And in the meantime, leave you with a pic of me meeting up with Johnathan Tiersten from Sleepaway Camp….

And then getting punched.