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

[discodiva]

That is absolutely INEXCUSABLE behaviour from fans and fellow human beings... ...I can assure you that there are simply wonderful Daniel Jackson/Michael Shanks fans who go to Creation cons who would have not behaved like that towards you one bit, myself being one of them.....if I'd have known how badly you'd been treated then I would have made it my priority to have come and met up with you and spent time talking to you......


I am lucky that I have no need to join in with any particular group....all my cons have been spent in the company of my husband (and one time my son too) and it makes it much easier to take a "step back" and assess the groups before heading straight into the first one I meet.....


Once again I'm astounded at the rudeness of some people, whichever "star's" fans they are and can only apologise on behalf of us friendly and welcoming Michael Shanks fans, and trust me, there are many!!...


Deeds xx

[Pharaoh Atem]

on first convention was last year and Arron Douglas from bsg was there and i was in line waiting in line to meet him. there was one before in front of me before the table Arron looks up and see's my "got chief" shirt and points and laughs.

well the person in front of me took exception to that and turned around and nailed me right in the face. she was yelling at me that she was a much bigger fan and that i disrespected her (how i don't' know i was just standing there with my friend)

then Arron stood up and started to yell at her and the women was carried away from the table. Arron said sorry and i got to talk to him for a quite a while. i got pictures with him.

about a half hour after one of the people who ran the con came up to me and apologized for what happen.

[BruTak]

If any of you folks are ever at a con here in the UK, you're more than welcome to hang out with me and the guys in SG-999.

[prion]

honestly, sounds about right for any con. put a few thousand people together and you'll get most if not all of those, especially if there's 1-2 really arrogant and obnoxiously anti-social amongst them

how about the joy my friends and i had at media west a few years ago. the con is heavily attended by slash fans. We're not, we had a ship decorated door...which is a valid decorating category....we were nice when we checked out others doors...yet had to sit in our room and listen to people make gagging noises at the 'disgusting' het ship photos on our door. If i'd done that to them, i'd have been tagged a homophobe and mocked or confronted, yet these folks felt it was okay for them to make their derogatory sounds because - evidentally - discrimination is okay when they're the ones doing it

As someone who has attended MWC for longer than I'll admit, I've seen people make remarks at doors, remarks of all kinds. It's the risk you take when you put up a door. Will everyone love it? probably not. However, unless your door was defaced (as has happened every now and then), it's something you need to live with. Unlike the fans who took it upon themselves to remove flyers at the hotel because it didn't suit them; if they'd be caught red-handed, they'd have been banned from the con. Also, fans have always been told that if they have a problem, to report it to staff, or even attend the dead dog panel (and I've never heard anyone complain, that I can recall, about what people said about door decorations, at the DDP. The might point out graphicness of a door decoration, but so far, that's been it, to my knowledge.).

Mama gets slagged by fans (emails sent to Creation) all the time!

Really? YOu see all the mail? Just curious. The only thing I have to suggest about volunteers is to PLEASE, for god's sake PLEASE, have someone tell you if the outfit you're wearing is inappropriate for a general audience. Aka, if it fit ten years ago, it might not fit now. Buy some new clothes that don't make a person look like a sausage (no offense intended, but it's the best visualization I can come up with).

I've met lots of volunteers over the years - many are great, nice to talk with - some are full of themselves and think they're God (fortunately, not many) and I avoid anybody who dresses up like a Klingon adn stays in character as they won't even answer in English when you ask where the restrooms are. Just rude.

[Skydiver]

every con has its nutters. just tis the nature of any large gathering of people. some are intimidated by the sheer number of souls around them, others thrive in the anonimity and - with their friends - get an almost 'mob mentality' where the 'safety in numbers' allows them to behave in a most anti-social manner

About all you can do is learn, find your nitch and don't take it personally. just 'consider the source' and move on.

there are people that are 'famous' in the fandom, and there are just as many that are 'infamous'

[Arctic Goddess]

on first convention was last year and Arron Douglas from bsg was there and i was in line waiting in line to meet him. there was one before in front of me before the table Arron looks up and see's my "got chief" shirt and points and laughs.

well the person in front of me took exception to that and turned around and nailed me right in the face. she was yelling at me that she was a much bigger fan and that i disrespected her (how i don't' know i was just standing there with my friend)

then Arron stood up and started to yell at her and the women was carried away from the table. Arron said sorry and i got to talk to him for a quite a while. i got pictures with him.

about a half hour after one of the people who ran the con came up to me and apologized for what happen.

I love your sig! Was the actor really wearing his costume? I thought they weren't allowed to do that do to rules that state if they are in costume, they are working/acting and must be paid their rate as an actor.

[Arctic Goddess]

Well since we are sharing stories of ignorant behavior…

The first year I went to the Creation Con in Vancouver. It was the first Con I had been to that I went alone and it was a last minute decision so I didn't have time to find online friends. I am a shy person so I knew if I didn't want to be alone the whole week I would have to put on my extroverted face. The first day I went on the location tour I hooked up with a group of people. I shared my snacks and drinks, shared my rechargeable batteries and SD cards with people with cameras issues, and even loaned out my back up camera.

The next day, I met the group before the con. Someone asked everyone who their favorite character was. Everyone except me said Daniel Jackson which was not surprising since Michael Shanks was the headline at this con. They then pressed me as to why I was there if I did looooove Daniel. I told them I was there to see the sets and see the special effects, cgi, and stunt people. (My dream job would be to design ships and futuristic technology for a SciFi show. I went to school for Mechanical Engineering. Plus I am a martial arts instructor who has an instructor that has worked as a stunt man and stunt coordinator.)

The were like, no, no, no, pick a character. So I said, "I love SG-1 as a total package but if pressed I would pick Sam." The group was shocked and asked if I was a lesbian. I just laughed and said, "I am married, to a man, and have three children." I told them you asked my favorite character not who I want to sleep with. I was a female Naval engineer, I can identify with the Sam character. I could have easily said Teal'c since he is an outsider that can kick butt and I am a female (an outsider in the martial arts world) who can kick butt.

They ditched me but the rest of the con. Ok, fine, but every time the bumped into me they pointed and made comments. Plus they left me notes at my hotel room that were derogatory plus unsigned. Oh yes, that was fun. Luckily, I did meet another group of people that liked me despite my aberrant preferences.

Did this happen in 2008 or 2007? If 2007, I think I know who those girls were.

[Sa'Hut_IH']

Really? YOu see all the mail? Just curious. The only thing I have to suggest about volunteers is to PLEASE, for god's sake PLEASE, have someone tell you if the outfit you're wearing is inappropriate for a general audience. Aka, if it fit ten years ago, it might not fit now. Buy some new clothes that don't make a person look like a sausage (no offense intended, but it's the best visualization I can come up with).

Actually, bad emails get forwarded, and issues are discussed, and yeah I get to see them.
One of the issues was the corsets Mama wears, well its that or a back brace (we all know she is not putting that thing on to work) another was on her birthday she wore a white tank and jeans. so fans and volunteers could sign the tank (one time out of the past two years... sheesh)

But she does her best, and thats all anyone can reasonably ask (unless of course they want to pay for the stuff)

[slamaina]

Wow, what a bunch of clique-y, inane, rude... I can think of quite a few more words not appropriate for polite company. The nerve of those girls! If that'd been me, I'd have been ticked off too, not to mention tempted to tell them just how shallow they really are. I'm not exactly a social butterfly, but it's those kinds of people that made my high school years a living hell. Hopefully those girls will eventually get their own. What comes around goes around, after all.

And hey, if you come to Shore Leave, I'll hang out with ya.

The shocking thing was that they weren't "girls" they were grown women aged 35 to 45. I expect bad behavior from girls, I have a teen at home.

I might be there, I only live a couple hours away and one of my cloest friends lives a couple of miles from the con hotel.

That is absolutely INEXCUSABLE behaviour from fans and fellow human beings... ...I can assure you that there are simply wonderful Daniel Jackson/Michael Shanks fans who go to Creation cons who would have not behaved like that towards you one bit, myself being one of them.....if I'd have known how badly you'd been treated then I would have made it my priority to have come and met up with you and spent time talking to you......

<snip>
Once again I'm astounded at the rudeness of some people, whichever "star's" fans they are and can only apologise on behalf of us friendly and welcoming Michael Shanks fans, and trust me, there are many!!...

Deeds xx

I actually did meet you at the con, but not to worry, I did meet up with a good group of people.

Did this happen in 2008 or 2007? If 2007, I think I know who those girls were.

2008

Actually, bad emails get forwarded, and issues are discussed, and yeah I get to see them.
One of the issues was the corsets Mama wears, well its that or a back brace (we all know she is not putting that thing on to work) another was on her birthday she wore a white tank and jeans. so fans and volunteers could sign the tank (one time out of the past two years... sheesh)

But she does her best, and thats all anyone can reasonably ask (unless of course they want to pay for the stuff)

I know of which con you are speaking of, I had my kids with me (17, 10, and 5) and if there had been a problem I would have removed my children from the area and addressed Mama directly in private.

[Arctic Goddess]

The shocking thing was that they weren't "girls" they were grown women aged 35 to 45. I expect bad behavior from girls, I have a teen at home.

I might be there, I only live a couple hours away and one of my cloest friends lives a couple of miles from the con hotel.



I actually did meet you at the con, but not to worry, I did meet up with a good group of people.



2008



I know of which con you are speaking of, I had my kids with me (17, 10, and 5) and if there had been a problem I would have removed my children from the area and addressed Mama directly in private.

I sure hope they were not GateWorld members. I'd hate to think that people who post on these forums would be that immature.

[discodiva]

The shocking thing was that they weren't "girls" they were grown women aged 35 to 45. I expect bad behavior from girls, I have a teen at home.

I actually did meet you at the con, but not to worry, I did meet up with a good group of people.

Age doesn't preclude bad behaviour sadly - nor does belonging to one particular on-line group/forum.....rudeness/immature behaviour can strike anywhere.......I have seen such behaviour from people who post elsewhere and on here, and in all aspects of the fandom's factions - I also have friends from on-line groups outside of GW who are great fans of MS who would no more think of behaving like the group you met than flying!!...


My apologies for not recalling our meeting straight off....2008 was a hectic con for me.....I was with a small group of very close friends that I've had since I joined GW and my husband was not as well as usual, so I spent a lot of time "being spread around thinly"....many faces blurred into one over that weekend and I'm sure there are others I may claim to have not met when I already had.....


Deeds xx

[BruTak]

Age doesn't preclude bad behaviour sadly - nor does belonging to one particular on-line group/forum.....rudeness/immature behaviour can strike anywhere.

I couldn't agree more.

There's times I honestly despair of some people. Quite frankly, my two nieces (aged 15 and 10) are better behaved than some of the people I've had the misfortune to meet at cons.

[ScifigirlSG]

It's almost like most folks seem to think a convention is where they can misbehave.....getting away being stuck at home obeying rules, etc.

[prion]

It's almost like most folks seem to think a convention is where they can misbehave.....getting away being stuck at home obeying rules, etc.

Isn't that what the internet is for? SInce joining the net community way back, I"ve seen all sorts of bad behavior. ANd it's definitely not contained to fans of TV shows. Professionals can be just as bad if not worse.

I couldn't agree more.

There's times I honestly despair of some people. Quite frankly, my two nieces (aged 15 and 10) are better behaved than some of the people I've had the misfortune to meet at cons.

Age doesn't preclude bad behaviour sadly - nor does belonging to one particular on-line group/forum.....rudeness/immature behaviour can strike anywhere.......I have seen such behaviour from people who post elsewhere and on here, and in all aspects of the fandom's factions - I also have friends from on-line groups outside of GW who are great fans of MS who would no more think of behaving like the group you met than flying!!...

I sure hope they were not GateWorld members. I'd hate to think that people who post on these forums would be that immature.

I've seen one or two GW members who I thought I'd like to say "excuse me, but would you mind not blocking the camera view/hogging all the questions, etc. etc." at cons over the years. Nothing horrid, though, at least not that I can recall.

But age/income bracket doesn't count for squat when it comes to maturity. People DO go to cons to have fun. You can act silly. It's when a fan steps over the line - intruding on someone else's personal space (aka grabbing actor's butt, etc.) - that it's out of hand. And cliques? They'll exist until an asteroid flattens Earth. Sorry, but it's human nature and you can't get rid of them. They're like cockroaches 95% of the fans are fine, sure, some act silly, may put their foot in their mouth, but it's the handful that do incredibly stupid things (aka grab actor's anatomy) that gives the rest of us a bad name. And yeah, there are the 'stalker' types to be banned from cons, etc. who actually do have FBI files.... But really, so far the worst behavior I see is online.

Actually, bad emails get forwarded, and issues are discussed, and yeah I get to see them.
One of the issues was the corsets Mama wears, well its that or a back brace (we all know she is not putting that thing on to work) another was on her birthday she wore a white tank and jeans. so fans and volunteers could sign the tank (one time out of the past two years... sheesh)

But she does her best, and thats all anyone can reasonably ask (unless of course they want to pay for the stuff)

I'm tlhinking back several years (decade?) so don't know who it was, but um, yes, I do recall the outfits you mentioned above. ...

I knew that 'bad' emails got forwarded to Creation. Many many years ago, when CC tried to glom onto the Quantum Leap convention, Universal invited feedback, and apparently they got enough that CC did not get that franchise. My letter got sent to Creation, they ignored answering my complaints and instead, in the lingo of the time (Star Trek: TNG) they wanted to 'open up a dialogue." Pfft.

[BruTak]

I seem to remember being told horror stories of a young lady (and I use the term in it's broadest sense) who would bring her pet iguana to cons.

This was despite being asked, repeatedly, not to by con organisers.

Ring any bells with anyone?