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

[BruTak]

The only people who I think should be alllowed to answer a cellphone during an actor's talk are the actors, cuz then we can all laugh hysterically at them when they go "I'm doing a talk, honey, I'll get the milk on the way home."

For example, the late (and sadly missed) Andy Hallett's mother phoning him while he was on stage at a con in Glasgow.

Andy held his phone out towards the audience and said "Everyone say hi to my mom."

[mackenziesmomma]

The problem is that we have become so dependant upon our electronic gadgets that we feel as though the world will end or some big catastrophy will occur when they are turned off. Sure there may be some emergency that can arise. But how hard would it be for a hotel staffer to inform one of the con staffers and then inform the person sitting in the panel. Better to have one staffer quietly let an attendee know of an emergency than everyone having their phones on (even on silent or vibrate) "just incase of an emergency." And if you are seriously that concerned about an emergency (and may well be very valid so I will never degrade someone for it), then it may be best that inform your contact(s) just before going into the panel/event that the only way you can be reached for "X" hour(s) is by contacting the hotel.

Just a quick question here- what if the attendee is in General admission or the seating system isn't assigned? Then it might be more disruptive to try to find a single participant?

[BruTak]

Just a quick question here- what if the attendee is in General admission or the seating system isn't assigned? Then it might be more disruptive to try to find a single participant?

In an ideal world, that would be when the Stewards/Security come into play.

[Skydiver]

there is also....ok, if it's an emergency - jane, you need to call home, your child just got taken to the hospital, well they can hand the note to the actor to read during his/her panel.

if it's 'honey, my flight is late', well they can wait until after the panel is over then say 'mandy, we have a message for you'

the con staff can 'filter' what is important and what can wait an hour

[mackenziesmomma]

Well I will keep that in mind at my next con since I'm going long haul (not single day).

[Skydiver]

People could also, turn their phone off and then check their voice mail after the panel, but tell family 'if it's an emergency, here's the hotel's number'.

usually for me, like at the gabit events, my phone doesn't work in the UK, so it's a moot point. and in canada, my phone is 55 cents a minute, so they dang well better not be calling me unless it's vital

[halfbloodme]

Cellphones and actors talking on stage.

It's no different really than going to a theater, only it's costing you a LOT more

Anyway, I don't think there is a cellphone that does not have a 'vibrate' setting. All cellphones should be on vibrate during the con. Heck, even before cellphones whenp eople had pagers, they were set to vibrate. Then if you got a call, you left the room and took it. You did not sit in your seat and yakk incessantly. If you're on an organ donor transplant list, then a ring is fine, but otherwise, no. Put the darn thing on vibrate.

The only people who I think should be alllowed to answer a cellphone during an actor's talk are the actors, cuz then we can all laugh hysterically at them when they go "I'm doing a talk, honey, I'll get the milk on the way home."

As for twitter, it's a fun way to communicate, get news - but if you're at a con, relish the face-to-face time. You don't get it all that often.

My phone is always on silent during a panel and turned off during face to face things because it's not fair on a) the actor and b) the other con goers. As for tweeting... if it's a panel I take notes of the things I want to remember, including things I want to tweet so that I can do it in a moment of free time. I want to enjoy the experience. Spending half my time cursing whatever technology I have with me (although I did that a lot with my old camera) is not what I want to be doing.

[SG7]

My phone is always on silent during a panel and turned off during face to face things because it's not fair on a) the actor and b) the other con goers. As for tweeting... if it's a panel I take notes of the things I want to remember, including things I want to tweet so that I can do it in a moment of free time. I want to enjoy the experience. Spending half my time cursing whatever technology I have with me (although I did that a lot with my old camera) is not what I want to be doing.

Agreed. I turn mine off during panels as those of whom it would be important know that they can call the hotel in a real emergency

And when I am doing things like the meet-and-greet, I also leave my phone off as I would feel badly having to answer my phone in the middle of meeting one of the guests. In many cases, meeting them is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Answering my phone for a normal conversation, can wait till later. Truthfully if I had forgotten to turn off my phone and someone called RIGHT in the middle of me meeting Paul McGillion at GateCon this summer I would practically die!!!

[halfbloodme]

Agreed. I turn mine off during panels as those of whom it would be important know that they can call the hotel in a real emergency

And when I am doing things like the meet-and-greet, I also leave my phone off as I would feel badly having to answer my phone in the middle of meeting one of the guests. In many cases, meeting them is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Answering my phone for a normal conversation, can wait till later. Truthfully if I had forgotten to turn off my phone and someone called RIGHT in the middle of me meeting Paul McGillion at GateCon this summer I would practically die!!!

I remember triple checking my phone at AT4, I was in such a state of panic it would go off when meeting Amanda... although I was also nervous as anything. She was such a darling though. Both she, Rachel Luttrell and Tony Amendola (met the last two at Collectormania 15 last year) were the sweetest people I've ever met at a con. And if my phone had gone off meeting any of them I would have cried.

[SG7]

I remember triple checking my phone at AT4, I was in such a state of panic it would go off when meeting Amanda... although I was also nervous as anything. She was such a darling though. Both she, Rachel Luttrell and Tony Amendola (met the last two at Collectormania 15 last year) were the sweetest people I've ever met at a con. And if my phone had gone off meeting any of them I would have cried.

To start off with I am very shy and when it comes to meeting people I don't do very well (famous, semi famous or not). Once I have met someone and become friends then I'm ok. Meeting any of the guests is hard for me just because I am probably only meeting them once and maybe saying hello briefly any other time, so there is no opportunity to become friends, which is understandable given the circumstances. So if my phone went off while meeting one of the guests, I would probably have a panic attack.

I went to ComicCon Toronto a few weeks ago to meet Jewel Staite and Kate Hewlett and I did meet them. However it took me several attempts (getting in Jewels line and out again a couple of times) before I got up the nerve to meet her and get one of her photo's autographed. The photo op with her that day would have been a panic attack situation except that it happened so fast that it didn't have time for the panic attack to settle in (not like the NIGHTMARE of a panic attack I did have when I got my photo taken with RDA at GateCon '08. Luckily I think I was able to hide it enough for him not to see). Then later I decided I wanted to get each of them (Kate and Jewel) a gift (Starbucks cards) and again it took me several attempts to get up the nerve to give them their gifts. And that was after having met them a couple of hours earlier! LOL!

I look at it this way, my friends and family can call me anytime. It is not everyday that I get to meet someone like Paul McGillion.

[Lucylee]

I have never been to a con but am truly enjoying all the reports and stories I have been reading lately.
I am thinking about saving up and hopefully attending one next year. I also am considering bidding on one of those Meet and Greet sessions with the actors.
I have a question about these meetings, though. Are they considered private by the actors? I have read posts by attendees who say that they feel they are and that they won't report on what was said by the actors during their conversation. On the other hand, I am wondering if this is just part of their "job" appearing at the con and that they don't really have an expectation that what they talk about will remain within the room.
So is there an understanding when you go in? Is it explicitly stated in an agreement ahead of time? Or is it individual with each actor?
I am just really curious.
Thanks so much for any info on this!

[halfbloodme]

To start off with I am very shy and when it comes to meeting people I don't do very well (famous, semi famous or not). Once I have met someone and become friends then I'm ok. Meeting any of the guests is hard for me just because I am probably only meeting them once and maybe saying hello briefly any other time, so there is no opportunity to become friends, which is understandable given the circumstances. So if my phone went off while meeting one of the guests, I would probably have a panic attack.

I went to ComicCon Toronto a few weeks ago to meet Jewel Staite and Kate Hewlett and I did meet them. However it took me several attempts (getting in Jewels line and out again a couple of times) before I got up the nerve to meet her and get one of her photo's autographed. The photo op with her that day would have been a panic attack situation except that it happened so fast that it didn't have time for the panic attack to settle in (not like the NIGHTMARE of a panic attack I did have when I got my photo taken with RDA at GateCon '08. Luckily I think I was able to hide it enough for him not to see). Then later I decided I wanted to get each of them (Kate and Jewel) a gift (Starbucks cards) and again it took me several attempts to get up the nerve to give them their gifts. And that was after having met them a couple of hours earlier! LOL!

I look at it this way, my friends and family can call me anytime. It is not everyday that I get to meet someone like Paul McGillion.

The nerves of meeting someone who has impacted you (which is generally why I do the con thing) is tough. I agree there. I don't do well in new real life social situations which is why up until last year I had gone to one con and then decided never again. That all changed with the help of my lil sis and several friends who have been there to support me throughout the con process, without them I would never have managed what I have so far. My therapist and my shrink both say it's a good thing that I'm starting to experience these things but sometimes I wonder if putting myself through it is actually a good thing (I have major anxiety issues), but one thing I've learned is that no matter how panicked I am, no matter how nervous, chances are the celebs I'm meeting have seen people have worse panic attacks on them than mine. (Heck I've witnessed a few worse than mine). I tend to hyperventilate, shake and then stutter. I've literally had people push me to move forward in line because I've gotten in such a state.

[Vspun]

I have never been to a con but am truly enjoying all the reports and stories I have been reading lately.
I am thinking about saving up and hopefully attending one next year. I also am considering bidding on one of those Meet and Greet sessions with the actors.
I have a question about these meetings, though. Are they considered private by the actors? I have read posts by attendees who say that they feel they are and that they won't report on what was said by the actors during their conversation. On the other hand, I am wondering if this is just part of their "job" appearing at the con and that they don't really have an expectation that what they talk about will remain within the room.
So is there an understanding when you go in? Is it explicitly stated in an agreement ahead of time? Or is it individual with each actor?
I am just really curious.
Thanks so much for any info on this!

I have done a meet an greet, it was fun, interesting and I personally wouldn't feel comfortable saying what was said. I did get a better sense of the actor as a person. Gained even more respect for the individual.

It seems to be a mutual, unspoken agreement. Just a courtesy thing as some of the actors might talk more about their private life, politics, things they do for fun.

[Skydiver]

i think the actors know it's not private or secret...yet most attendees do seem to feel that it's almost a private moment so while they may share a few generalities, they don't tend to go into detail

[SG7]

The nerves of meeting someone who has impacted you (which is generally why I do the con thing) is tough. I agree there. I don't do well in new real life social situations which is why up until last year I had gone to one con and then decided never again. That all changed with the help of my lil sis and several friends who have been there to support me throughout the con process, without them I would never have managed what I have so far. My therapist and my shrink both say it's a good thing that I'm starting to experience these things but sometimes I wonder if putting myself through it is actually a good thing (I have major anxiety issues), but one thing I've learned is that no matter how panicked I am, no matter how nervous, chances are the celebs I'm meeting have seen people have worse panic attacks on them than mine. (Heck I've witnessed a few worse than mine). I tend to hyperventilate, shake and then stutter. I've literally had people push me to move forward in line because I've gotten in such a state.

That's what happened to me at GateCon in '08. If it were not for my one roommate (there were six of us sharing a large room) whom I became good friends with (after only having met her the first night before the con), the experience may have been worse for me. I too don't do well in social settings unless I am very familliar with the setting (ie the drop-in center for street people where I vollunteer once a wk).

I went for my photo op with Cliff Simon and also with Corin Nemec and it was very nervwracking for me. My photo op with RDA was almost a disaster. They had a row of chairs along the one wall and you did the bum shuffle till it got to your turn in line for the photo op. And when it was my turn, I froze. The vollunteer who was calling each person to their turn for the photo op had told me that it was my turn, and then had to tell me again just because I almost couldn't get off my seat. And literally had a panic attack as I was walking over for my photo op. Luckily it wasn't bad enough to be noticed. And as I was getting my photo with him I was literally trembling. When I got over to him, he made some comment to me about the shirt I was wearing which said "Ducttape Specialist" on it (I think he said something like "Oh, ducttape!"). And I was barely able to say something back which I think I said something along the lines of "yeh I like making things outta ducttape" which those who were at the con probably saw my ducttape shoulder bag. And I think I told him that it was nice to meet him and maybe I'll meet him again sometime." Though honestly the who photo op was a haze for me.

In the fall, I started chatting with BamBam in his Q&A thread. And was doing ok there. Then Arctic Goddess was doing a radio show where he was on the show one night, and you could call in. Well I wanted to call in and say hello to him and ask questions (which was the whole point of the show), and well it took me almost the entire hour to get up the nerve to call in and talk to him. And even as I was talking to him, I was blanking out and having a serious panic attack. (Though he doesn't know this) The joys of having social and anxiety issues. LOL!