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

[Chelle DB]

Awesome tips Sky. Especially about showering....I can not tell you the amount of times when standing in queues that someones BO has just about knocked me out. I'm not sure if folks are allowed, but consider actually packing a roll on deodorant or small deodorant bottle in your bag so you can freshen up as the day progresses.
And absolutely...drink plenty of water!!! And maybe pack some jelly beans for a quick sugar fix if you don't eat properly...no one wants to pass out from low blood sugar levels or dehydration!

[Skydiver]

I too have been too close to a few too many 'unwashed masses' at cons. Some have been so bad that word would spread and people would literally move away as the person approached, in other words the whole con knew that s/he stank and avoided them. they were a pariah.

And there is - within reason - so such thing as drinking too much water. hotels are often very dry air wise and you can dehydrate without even realizing it. If you have a bottle you should probably drink one whole one in the morning, one in the afternoon as a minimum. and hotels usually always have water stations set about. refill and reuse and drink.

If you're in a different country than you're used to, perhaps you should stick to bottled water. I know, while the water in London is safe and clean, it still upsets my stomach. so bottled water it is

[aboleyn24]

Sleep is good, food is good, water is a must (both in and ON your body) Nothing is worse than an attendee that hasn't showered in 4 days. And on that note, leave the perfume at home. People have allergies and almost as bad as the overwhelming BO can be someone that's bathed in perfume

pace yourself. take time and enjoy. it's not a race

Thank you for this. My husband is highly allergic to any and all perfume so I gave up wearing even the very modest amout I used to. My sister is also allergic so its more common than some might think. I have been places where I am stuck seated near someone wearing so much perfume that I was holding back my gag reflex.

[Skydiver]

my sinuses can't stand perfume. I dont' wear it, haven't in years. it gives me a horrible headache

strong scents can be very annoying

[Chelle DB]

I wear perfume...sometimes...but I don't drown myself in it. As with everything in life...moderation is the key!

[Skydiver]

it is.

unfortunately it's a concept that many don't grasp. I literally work with someone that, 10 minutes after she's left a room, you can still smell her perfume. drives me nuts

[Kett1701]

I've been watching American Idol (Go ahead throw things at me now. I admit it - I actually like the show.) For anyone that's been watching this season, I'm sure that you are familiar with Tatiana. Tatiana has reminded me once again about my pet peeve that I've discussed here before.

My pet peeve is the fan that becomes the center of attention. Often it's deliberate (as I suspect much of Tatiana's hystrionics are) so as to get the actor's attention. The reason it upsets me is because it often means that the other fans that are there don't get their moment with that actor because there's a selfish attention-getter attending that convention.

Let's take a situation that many of you would be familiar with. You've paid a lot of money to attend the banquet. They are now sending the actors around table to table and there are 8-10 fans at each table. Tatiana is sitting at YOUR table. She's so excited that she bursts into tears when the actor approaches your table. That actor then spends their entire time at your table hugging her and trying to calm her down. Then it's time to move on to the next table. So.....how do YOU feel?

When I was watching the show and they had the room full of contestants waiting to hear whether they moved on in the competition or were sent home I couldn't help but to notice Tatiana. Now, every kid in that room had all of their hopes and wishes on the answer. They ALL were feeling the same thing, but the judges had to stop giving the answer to calm Tatiana down because she was crying loudly and taking their attention away from everyone else in the room. Read the body language on everyone else - they noticed it too.

Please Tatiana -- NEVER watch SciFi. We don't need you at our conventions hogging all of the attention. For everyone else -- I hope for your sake that you never have a Tatiana at your table.

Kett

[Skydiver]

i agree

They are the bane of every con, the attention ho's that make complete and total a**es of themselves just to be the center of attention.

Little do they realize,(or likely care) they usually end up hated and or mocked by the whole con. I know of a couple people like this that are no longer welcome at cons for pulling stunts just to get attention. They've been marked as trouble makers and the con organizers no longer wish to deal with them

[Arctic Goddess]

i agree

They are the bane of every con, the attention ho's that make complete and total a**es of themselves just to be the center of attention.

Little do they realize,(or likely care) they usually end up hated and or mocked by the whole con. I know of a couple people like this that are no longer welcome at cons for pulling stunts just to get attention. They've been marked as trouble makers and the con organizers no longer wish to deal with them

And, sadly, from my experience, there is ALWAYS at least one at every convention.

[Skydiver]

there is always one. And i've actually witnessed fans seeing one of these attention seekers coming towards them and they turn and walk away. Largely because the attention seeker's behavior is to OTT that your average con goer doesn't want to be associated iwth them.

Basically, in their desperation to get attention and be 'special' they end up being pariah's and outcasts from other fans. Some get the clue, but that's rare.

Usually they come back home and start spinning tales about how horrible the con was and how mean everyone was to them and how unfriendly everything is...largely because they just can't see that it's their actions are the cause of that perceived unfriendlyness, and maybe if they weren't working so hard at seeking attention, they'd earn some real and sincere attention instead

[SGAFan]

i agree

They are the bane of every con, the attention ho's that make complete and total a**es of themselves just to be the center of attention.

Little do they realize,(or likely care) they usually end up hated and or mocked by the whole con. I know of a couple people like this that are no longer welcome at cons for pulling stunts just to get attention. They've been marked as trouble makers and the con organizers no longer wish to deal with them

Ooh, baby, I've seen those as well! We're all excited to see our favorite guests but for some reason these people think they're more excited and entitled than others. Can't stand it!

And, sadly, from my experience, there is ALWAYS at least one at every convention.

Ayup! Some years its worse than others.

Great thread! lots of good common sense stuff (but its amazing how people can avoid common sense like the plague.. ) and good tips too!

[discodiva]

Another suggestion I would make is please make sure you mark clearly your "suppositions" about things as opposed to "confirmed and actual facts"....I've lost count on various Convention threads where someone has made an "off the cuff remark" or "voiced an opinion" without the preposition of "in my opinion" and before long a simple remark has snowballed as posters pick it up and run with it as actual fact and this is how rumours and false representations about Con organisers, actors and other fans can come about....

I'm sure we all get very excited and like to think that as keen and reasonably well informed fans we know a little bit more about how the way Conventions/organisers/helpers/fans and, god forbid actors, act than the general public (for want of a better word), but please make sure that you are quoting proper factual information or if not and if it IS just your opinion/idea/wish/complaint then make sure you highlight that fact and that is is "just your opinion".....


And thank you once again to Technowraith for the most wonderful factual information put together on a fansite that I've ever read.....*applauds*...


Deeds xx

[Frostfox]

In SF fandom we have the 2-6-1 rule.
In every 24 hours you should have a minimum of 2 good meals (UK hotels will usually include breakfast, so that's one covered) 6 hours sleep (more if possible or have a nap in the afternoon) and 1 shower.
I remember vividly a con in Leeds during a heatwave where there was only one shower per floor of the hotel (it was an old hotel). We went to a Chinese restaurant purely because it had air con, the food was irrelevant (and two of our party, a Messrs. Pratchett and Morwood, nearly got us thrown out for nicking hot and sour soup of a nearby table of non fans).

FF

[TechnoWraith]

This edition is a mixer, as it will cover a couple different issues, so let's see what we have.

What To Do When Things Go Wrong. This was touched upon in the other Editions but we'll have a closer look now. What if there's a problem? Con staff is there to ensure you enjoy the event. They have a serious job in keeping you happy. But there will be times when things can and will go wrong. First off, if something does goes wrong, stay calm. Making a scene or getting overly anxious can make the situation worse. If you need any kind of help, always go to the nearest con staff member or a uniformed security officer. They will direct you where you need to go. In the rare case where you want to file a complaint about the convention, please do so in a calm civil manner. As angry as you are, making a scene, screaming, yelling, or even threatening any staff member will make your day 100 times worse. Very quickly. Calm down, take a few breaths and then present your case. Get names and descriptions of staff members involved if needed. The con will then work to correct the problem in as timely a manner as possible. In addition to these thoughts, also keep in mind it's a good idea to learn where con operations is located. It is usually marked on the convention map. That way, if you do have a problem, you may find it faster to head to con operations directly rather than waiting for assistance out on the convention floor. In the case of an acute medical emergency, you should dial 911 AND contact the nearest staff member for immediate assistance. Work with the responding staff members to ensure proper care and preparation for transport by ambulance if needed. In this situation STAY AS CALM AS POSSIBLE.

Nobody Appreciates Air Pollution. Several members have mentioned it in posts previously. I will say it again here... SHOWER. At least once a day. Your fellow con goers will appreciate it. Note that piling on perfumes, colognes and deoderant WILL NOT work. In fact, that could cause more harm than good. Other con goers may react badly to heavy scents. So avoid piling on "scents." A quick 10-15 minute shower does the trick. And since hotel showers are always comfortable in most cases (you never run outta hot water) you're only losing out in the end really. Especially when other con goers start hating you because you smell like a trash dump.

Photoshoots At The Creation Events. Creation cons have a unique photoshoot opportunity with guests. Fans usually pack these events, as it's a chance to be up close and personal with guests. Keep in mind these are ticketed events. You must by a ticket to get a photoshoot. Here's a few things to keep in mind:
-Your interaction may top a minute (or two) at most. You may be able to converse for a few moments, but you shouldn't start long conversations.
-You can give your gifts to the guest here. It's best to give your gives to the guests at their photoshoot, and not at their main event panel. An assistant is usually available to assist with bags and gifts. Please refer to previous editions for info on gifts for guests.
-Group photoshoots may be permitted with special permission or by arrangement. I believe Creation does allow group photoshoots so long as everyone in the group has individual photoshoot tickets. I know back in 2006 there were group photoshoots, but not entirely aware of the arrangement. If anyone has information, feel free to contribute accordingly.
-In almost all cases with photoshoots, the shoot collided with events behind it on the schedule. This is typical. In general, if a photoshoot with another guest collided with autograph signing of a different guest, the con usually made reasonable arrangement to keep the signing guest available to accommodate those in the photoshoot. This isn't a 100% guarantee and it doesn't always work out that way. At least in 2006, I saw once instance of a guest staying longer to accommodate photoshoot patrons who missed a signing session. If you happen to miss a signing due to a photoshoot, and you've bought additional item tickets for the signing you missed, see a con staff member for arrangement of a refund if needed. Don't be too disappointed. You'll have another opportunity to sign with that guest in the future.

Get Your Friends In On The Deal. If you think you're going to miss a signing due to a photoshoot, have a friend who is attending the signing get your items signed for you. This will only work if you bought an additional autograph ticket. Every con goer gets one free autograph signing as part of their ticket level (i think preferred and up). Obviously if you're at a photoshoot you can't get your free signing. If you have additional tickets though, think ahead and give your tickets and items to a friend who is going to the signing and you won't have to worry about missing a signing! Make arrangements before hand and don't just assume your friend will do it. And also be sure to give your friend items that you know will get signed. The safest items are usually accepted photos, dvd's and clothing not being worn. Don't go overboard either. One or two items is usually good. Don't give your friend 10 tickets and 10 items to sign.

Ninja Photos = Very Bad. On the subject of pictures, if you see guests walking around the con (either during their work time or off time) you should not just randomly go up and take pictures of them. Some guests will get offended, others may not. Always ask for permission first. In most cases you may get a No. The reason being is most likely contractual agreements with the convention. It's not that the guest is being rude, it's because he or she may be unable to accept photos outside of the contracted photoshoot event. During off-time, however, your chances of getting a personal photo of a guest usually go up, as during off time, the guest may not be covered by contractual agreement. In any case, though, ALWAYS ask a guest to take a picture, if only for courtesy and politeness. Also note this works with costumed attendees or anyone in general really.

When Do I Get My Photos From The Photoshoot? If your photoshoot was early in the con, say around friday or saturday, you may be able to get your photos on sunday before leaving. If your photoshoot was sunday, then you will get your photos mailed to you after the con. In general, i believe it has been about 2-6 week wait after the con for photos to arrive. If you don't get your photos within a reasonable time, contact Creation and see what's up. In general they will work to ensure you receive your photos. In some cases, if you have not received your photo, they may send a professional-quality image in an email and you can print it out on your photo-quality printer.

This is all i can think of for now. More to follow later.

[Kett1701]

When Do I Get My Photos From The Photoshoot? If your photoshoot was early in the con, say around friday or saturday, you may be able to get your photos on sunday before leaving. If your photoshoot was sunday, then you will get your photos mailed to you after the con. In general, i believe it has been about 2-6 week wait after the con for photos to arrive. If you don't get your photos within a reasonable time, contact Creation and see what's up. In general they will work to ensure you receive your photos. In some cases, if you have not received your photo, they may send a professional-quality image in an email and you can print it out on your photo-quality printer.
.

At Shore Leave we have the Photo Ops on Saturday. The photos are available within a couple of hours so that the fans can get their signatures on the photos that same day.

Kett