Solo Con Revisited
Jul 6, 2011
With thanks to Victor
page can be found here
http://gallifreymatrix.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-have-scifi-convewntionby.html
How to have a SciFi Convention...by yourself v1.3
This blog was wholly inspired by the Tin-Dog Podcast ‘How to have
your own Doctor Who Con’. We just decided to write it all down for
ya, and expand it a bit, and run with it. I'm sure you can add to
it a bit as well. If you have any suggestions..leave them in the
comments..and I'll add them in later. This posting is subject to
updating.
Anyways, do you miss the old days of going to Science Fiction
conventions? Is there a big convention going on in another part of
the country that you would like to go to, but can’t afford? Never
fear, now you can enjoy the convention experience in your
residence, and save a ton of cash. Here are the steps.
The Preparation
Like anything else prepartation is the key, the more work you put
off up front, the better off your con will run. If something isn't
right you can just blame the organizers later. Anyway this is all
up to you. You have to so all the setting up, buying the stuff for
the bar..blah blah blah
1. Give your Con a name. Good names can be like of the following
(just make sure there isn’t a con with that name):
SoloCon
SingularityCon
It’s All about Me Con
NotaCon
UnoCon
AloneCon
ImaginaryCon
SoleCon
BinaryCon
** The next time you host the event, you can just stick a Roman
numeral after the name.
2. Two days before the con tell your Social media friends you plan
on attending the con, and hope to see some of them there. Don’t
reply when they ask for information about the con. This way you can
complain when you don’t see any of them at the con. More on this
later. It would be interesting to know how may internet searches
will be done looking for information on the con.
3. Make a list of the stars you want to attend your convention
(living or dead). This is your convention you can do what you want.
You can even include the guest of the con you can't make it to.
Three days before con, send an E-MAIL to their
fan clubs telling them how you’re a great fan of the actor, and how
you look forward to seeing them t ( name of your Con). This is your
kind-a-sort-a invitation. You really don't have to send the e-mail,
but if you want to cause even more chaos, give it a go.
4. Stock the Bar – after all lot of before, during and after con
activity is spent in the bar. You may as well get stock up on the
things you know you like, and a few you don’t, or never tried. Just
for the effect. If someone happens to drop by during your con, you
can serve them the ones you don’t like. (Somebody has to drink them
anyway) Don't forget the peanuts, this is very important...just in
case a Vogon Constructor Fleet comes by to do some demolition. the
neat thing abou this, is that the drinks at your con will be much
cheaper at the con, you didn't attend, and you'll actually have
stuff you like.
5. The Screening Room – One of the rooms in your house has to be
the screening room. Pick a random DVD or whatever media you have or
just leave the TV on the SCI-FI Channel if if you have it. If you
have a recording with a Commentary track, turn this on, to mimic
the comments that fans make during the movies anyway. For a more
realistic effect pick an episode you don’t like and let that
play...all weekend.
6. Doing the Schedule – The heart of any convention is the schedule
of events. You need to take time to plan your convention schedule
and well as plan the logistics and utilization of the space in your
residence for the various parts of the convention.
o Make of list of weird Panel topics- where would a good Con be
without them.
§ Topics that you would never attend
§ Topics that you would attend
· Place these at the same time
o List a Panel where you are the guest speaker based on your
expertise
§ Make a list of Fandom type questions to ask the expert – A mix of
the very intelligent and very dumb.
§ You can even play various podcast or recording of interviews.
o Plan other fan events.
Get some recordings of interviews for one or three of the
celebritieis that you've invited. You can can probably locate a
podcast or find a few YouTube clips.
o Have a Charity of Auction
§ List something on E-Bay that you have and donate the proceeds to
Charity ;E-bay gives you the option of donating up to 100% of the
proceeds to a charity.
· It could be a dust ball that you think looks like William
Shatner's Trek Hair.
· It could be the last Cheerios in your box
· It could an un-matched sock from your laundry
· If you are cleaning out your closet..sell that stuff
o You have to have a Dealers Room
§ Put some of your collections in a in a room or on a table.. to be
the dealers room
§ Make a list of the things you want to have and want to buy (you
will need this later)
§ You can also have a computer set to e-bay to allow you to shop of
items, if you actually want to buy something during the con.
o Print up the schedule and hi-lite the things you would like to do
using different color, then take the schedule to your favorite
sci-fi hang out, bookstore or library, and accidentally loose it
there.
7. Set up a registration Desk…if you like
o Make a few name tags and VIP Tags for your invited guest, but do
not make one for yourself. This will become important later.
8. Set up a time for your costume contest. (more on this later)
9. You can put up signs for events, and cross off panels that are
canceled due to guest not showing, if you wish.
Attending the Con
It’s time to go have the convention experience, and let your
friends know all about it. If you have a mobile phone with twitter,
or a lap top, you are good to go. Send random tweets about what
your doing, or not doing.
1. Go get in your car. Imagine the long drive to your con, tweet
about not having FTL Drive or transporters, and the traffic
standing still.
2. Get out of your car, and tweet that you have arrived. Tweet that
the place looks ..inexpensive
3. Go to the registration deck and check in. Complain because they
seem to have lost your registration, and you have a handwritten
badge, and some free peanuts. Comment how none of the guest have
arrived yet.
4. Check into your room, tweet how nice and homey the room is. You
can even say how weird it is that it reminds you of home. Check out
what is on TV, remake about the lack of good channels.
5. Complain that you lost your schedule, and they don’t seem to
have anymore.
6. Complain about the poor poor organization and lack of convention
staff. You can't find anyone who can answer your questions.
7. Every hour or so hang out in the hallway for 5 minutes with the
hopes of catching one of the stars for a picture, or
inverview or trying to catch any of your friends who may have
attended from the E-Space, the Continuum, or has the confused with
Milliways. Complain that most of your friends went to the other
con, or isn’t there. Complain that the stars may have taken another
route just to avoid you. Look in the mirror and comment someone is
wearing your costume..but that you look more authentic. Read a
message on your phone.
8. Head to the Bar (Frig) and let your imagination go wild. Chat it
up with Sue Richards, and tweet how she completely ignored you.
9. Go Check out the dealer room. Complain that they don’t seem to
have the things you were looking for (on your list) or how you
already have most of this stuff. You can check on E-Bay to see if
they have it.
a. If you’ve taken out one prize possession to display – pick it up
and hold it. You can even tweet about it.
10. Go hang in the hallway, and complain about one of the guest not
showing up. You will repeat this all during the convention
weekend.
11. Complain about the poor organization tweet “Couldn't organize a
pissing contest in a brewery”
12. Head to the Bar again. then back to the corridor to see if you
can catch up with anyone you know.
13. Drop by the Screening room, tweet how they selected the worst
episode ever. Say you can find a staff member to see what else is
showing. Several hours later you can complain that the same episode
seems to be playing.
14. Go hang in the hall way, read something, looking for the next
star. Stare at something, check the contents of your bag. Tweet
some more. Say how you think you may have seen someone you may know
out of the corner of your, but how they just seem to have just
vanished in the dealer's room.
15. Head to the panel room or Interview room, and listen to a the
podcast interview of one of the stars you've invited. Keep putting
up your and to ask a question. Tweet how they would not recognize
you. The next Panel session is the one where you are the speaker.
Read your questions and think of smart ass answers. Tweet about the
lack of intelligence in modern fandom.
16. Getting the Autograph.
a. You can shop on E-bay for the ones you want
b. Complain on twitter that you missed the autograph queue because
it was schedule for the same time as your panel. Then complain
about whom ever did the schedule
17. More Bar Time, put some peanuts in your pocket...just in
case.
18. Wait for the Costume contest, you can go get some dinner or
something. Leave your name tag on.
19. Attend the Costume contest (you are the judge..you can also be
a contestant)
a. Dress as your favorite earth character, nothing fancy or
exotic
b. Go sit on the porch and judge the people going by for their
costume.
c. Pick the cutest kid that went by, if there is a small child in
the house, they win.
d. If you don’t see anyone, you win.
20. Call it a day, comeback tomorrow –mix it up a bit
21. Complain you missed the closing ceremony because you were
checking out.
22. Tell your friends you had a great weekend and can’t wait until
next year.