Convention Etiquette: Discussion and Advice on Do's and Don'ts

[veryangrystargatefan]

I'm going to Shore Leave 28 in July with my fiance and I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice about how not to sound stupid when I ask a question. You guys here seem like you're all well versed in the cons so I thought this would be a good place to post this.

Rachel (veryangrystargatefan)

[DJFavorite]

I'm going to Shore Leave 28 in July with my fiance and I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice about how not to sound stupid when I ask a question. You guys here seem like you're all well versed in the cons so I thought this would be a good place to post this.

Rachel (veryangrystargatefan)

About the only advice I can give is try to stay calm. I don't know how well of a public speaker you are, but in a room as large as Vancouver, I get nervous (I'm much better in a small group). So I have to work at just relaxing and ignore the room and focus on who I'm asking the question. Also, make sure you think through your wording of your question. I practice asking in my mind several times while waiting my turn, as well as I plan what I want to ask weeks in advance.

I find I mess with my rings or necklace to keep myself focused. In the movie "Maid in Manhattan", Ralph Fiennes' character used a paper clip.

[Mickey23]

Thanks everyone for the good advice on how to act and what not to do at conventions. I am planning on going to my first in July (Shore Leave), and I don't want to make a fool of myself! I think I might plan on staying in the background this time just to see how things go.

[veryangrystargatefan]

About the only advice I can give is try to stay calm. I don't know how well of a public speaker you are, but in a room as large as Vancouver, I get nervous (I'm much better in a small group). So I have to work at just relaxing and ignore the room and focus on who I'm asking the question. Also, make sure you think through your wording of your question. I practice asking in my mind several times while waiting my turn, as well as I plan what I want to ask weeks in advance.

I find I mess with my rings or necklace to keep myself focused. In the movie "Maid in Manhattan", Ralph Fiennes' character used a paper clip.

Thanks DJF. That is really helpful advice. I'll try to remember that in July!!!

Rachel (veryangrystargatefan)

[DJFavorite]

Thanks DJF. That is really helpful advice. I'll try to remember that in July!!!

Rachel (veryangrystargatefan)

Glad I could help. Last year at the Vancouver con, I was so nervous I couldn't get my question out correctly. But it turned out pretty good. This year I was quite a bit calmer.

[Switch42]

Glad I could help. Last year at the Vancouver con, I was so nervous I couldn't get my question out correctly. But it turned out pretty good. This year I was quite a bit calmer.

Yeah. That's ONE way to put it. ;-)

[DJFavorite]

Yeah. That's ONE way to put it. ;-)

I imagine that if I was able to not talk like a bumbling fool, I might not have had as good of a time.

[Lida]

The last 2 Vancouver Cons, I chickened out and didn't ask any questions......but next year, if I'm able to attend (already have my tickets), I'm definitely going to ask at least one question......yeah, sure I will.

[SapphireJewelledQueen]

Somehow, after getting Cliff to take of his shirt, I don't think any woman in the room thinks of you as a twit...

FF still impressed

Damn straight.

..

The girl who asked those..uh, questions.. made me feel a little uncomfortable. I think it certainly made the guests feel awkward, but they were good sports about it. A friend of mine was sitting behind her, and she apparently didn't know why people were laughing at her questions.

Thanks everyone for the good advice on how to act and what not to do at conventions. I am planning on going to my first in July (Shore Leave), and I don't want to make a fool of myself! I think I might plan on staying in the background this time just to see how things go.

Thats what I did my first con, but things happen as they happen anyway. I wasn't planning on speaking to anyone, but who should walk out into the hall other than AT? We chatted for a bit, and that was that! Take things as they come.

[BruTak]

I may have posted this before, but it bears repeating.

Try and ask a question about another element of the actors carreer - ask them what it was like working with such-and-such a guest star, or director, or whatever.

I remember a few years ago, Andrew J. Robinson (Garak in Star Trek: Deep Space 9) was signing in the Glasgow branch of Forbidden Planet.
I asked him about his appearance in an episode of 70's cop show Ironside. It cheered him up no end, because - he told me - that episode of Ironside had been one of his first professional jobs as an actor.

[tiggerific]

just wanted tp out in my 10 cents so to speak!

I thought Carter was well behaved during the main part of the con which is the main thing... ive worked with people/children with aspergers and autism and i got to say i never would have thought that he had that. he was actually a sweet little boy and come on his response to get one of the women of sci fi calanders was funny!!

as for the other lady yeah her qs were a bit weird.....i think the guests may have felt that too i gues its part and parcel of these things really!

[RoaringMice]

I wasn't sure either, I kept wondering if she/he was an arts student or something.
In 24 years of going to cons, I've never seen anyone quite like her...

Hey.

HEY!

I was an arts student. Doesn't mean that I'm weird.

Oh. No. Well...actually, I am weird, so...

[RoaringMice]

...In between there were your typical fan-geek questions "What does Daniel think about Mitchell" or "How can I get into acting" or "Can I give you this gift that I worked years on?" BORRRRINNNGGGG average intelligence questions you can get at any con.

People have to remember that, for the vast majority of people at these things, this may be their one and only time at a convention. They don't know that their question has been asked before. In fact, they're shaking in their boots, nervous about asking their question 1) in public and 2) to their favourite star. I admire them - after all, half the people in the room are too afraid to ask anything.

Although I have to admit, I find the questions that people ask about the actions of a character odd. "Why did Spock turn right when he clearly should have turned left?" and that sort of thing. Those are just strange.

[RoaringMice]

I may have posted this before, but it bears repeating.

Try and ask a question about another element of the actors carreer - ask them what it was like working with such-and-such a guest star, or director, or whatever.

I remember a few years ago, Andrew J. Robinson (Garak in Star Trek: Deep Space 9) was signing in the Glasgow branch of Forbidden Planet.
I asked him about his appearance in an episode of 70's cop show Ironside. It cheered him up no end, because - he told me - that episode of Ironside had been one of his first professional jobs as an actor.

I'm glad you posted this (again?) It's so true. Often, especially in SciFi, actors feel like they are never able to move beyond that one role, either in the eyes of the industry or those of the fans. It can be refreshing to be asked about another of your projects; either from the past, if it was important to either the actor or to you, as a fan; or from the future - if you know they have a new film they're working on, etc.

My husband's an actor, and the only questions he gets that he's been uncomfortable with are about his private life - personal stuff that he tries to keep private. And people do ask. He just finds a graceful way to respond without responding, adding a bit of humour to deflect when he can.

And he can tell when a fan is all googly at him, male or female. He doesn't mind - takes it as a compliment, as a matter of fact - and I'd imagine that's the case for most actors.

[RoaringMice]

...I've NEVER been to a con...Do the actors really enjoy these? It's not a pain to have to meet and greet all these people you don't know?

Some actors enjoy these things, and others less so. For example, one actor loves meeting his fans, seems to have infinite patience for even challenging people - he's outgoing in person, so the con thing is just another aspect of that. And he gets paid well for them. But that said, some things that fans do certainly bother him, but he's pretty much been able to deal.

Another actor is much shyer in real life. Doing the conventions is much more difficult for him. But he does them because he does like to meet his fans, but he's much less outgoing and thus comes off a bit less enthusiastic at the cons. He also goes because they pay well, it's a short gig, etc.