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Post by sabrinaofsaffron on May 30, 2019 22:35:50 GMT -5
Hi All!
Thank you staff and volunteers for another great year!
Just wondering if there's any interest in a feedback thread to discuss ways we can improve on panels for next year? The Pop Idol Dance Showcase had a feedback thread and I thought it was a great idea.
Hope everyone's recovering after the con!
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Post by Red Striding Hood on May 31, 2019 0:07:46 GMT -5
I hope this is the right place to bring this up - a few people were discussing the possibility of another subsection of Anime North dedicated to the lifestyle panels that were deemed not appropriate/not anime-related enough for Yaoi North. We were tentatively referring to it as Community North. Seeing as AN has a very large amount of attendees asking questions about things like polyamory, different sexualities and genders, and other such things, would this be something AN would consider putting into place?
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Post by crownowa on May 31, 2019 11:50:35 GMT -5
I hope this is the right place to bring this up - a few people were discussing the possibility of another subsection of Anime North dedicated to the lifestyle panels that were deemed not appropriate/not anime-related enough for Yaoi North. We were tentatively referring to it as Community North. Seeing as AN has a very large amount of attendees asking questions about things like polyamory, different sexualities and genders, and other such things, would this be something AN would consider putting into place? I've brought it up with the team |
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Post by Administration on May 31, 2019 14:43:49 GMT -5
This is a con focused on anime, manga, Japanese culture. When those topics intersect with anime or manga,like in Yaoi North we allow a few panels, but we are not dedicating a whole track to it.
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Post by crownowa on May 31, 2019 17:01:21 GMT -5
There have been panels about similar ideas that were approved in the past, as they discuss how the topics are dealt with in anime and had enough panelists sign up. I was once told that I would need to compare large fandoms like Game of Thrones or Once Upon a Time to similar anime to make them on-topic and have a higher chance of being approved (which I did for OUaT). I don't see why others cannot do the same for polyamory, gender roles, sexuality (which has been run in the past), etc., which also provides a platform to discuss what those topics actually are. Putting in the effort to make an idea "on-topic" for a Japanese culture convention may be worth it.
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Post by crownowa on May 31, 2019 17:03:05 GMT -5
Hi All! Thank you staff and volunteers for another great year! Just wondering if there's any interest in a feedback thread to discuss ways we can improve on panels for next year? The Pop Idol Dance Showcase had a feedback thread and I thought it was a great idea. Hope everyone's recovering after the con! You are very welcome. Thank you for attending and for running some great panels. I unfortunately caught the plague at AN. That's what I get for actually leaving my condo! |
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Post by Red Striding Hood on May 31, 2019 17:07:52 GMT -5
There have been panels about similar ideas that were approved in the past, as they discuss how the topics are dealt with in anime and had enough panelists sign up. I was once told that I would need to compare large fandoms like Game of Thrones or Once Upon a Time to similar anime to make them on-topic and have a higher chance of being approved (which I did for OUaT). I don't see why others cannot do the same for polyamory, gender roles, sexuality (which has been run in the past), etc., which also provides a platform to discuss what those topics actually are. Putting in the effort to make an idea "on-topic" for a Japanese culture convention may be worth it. When we attempted to do this, we were shut down regardless. Is there any way you’d recommend to make these panels sound more anime-inclusive right off, or would they still be rejected, do you think? |
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Post by direkitty on May 31, 2019 17:22:55 GMT -5
There have been panels about similar ideas that were approved in the past, as they discuss how the topics are dealt with in anime and had enough panelists sign up. I was once told that I would need to compare large fandoms like Game of Thrones or Once Upon a Time to similar anime to make them on-topic and have a higher chance of being approved (which I did for OUaT). I don't see why others cannot do the same for polyamory, gender roles, sexuality (which has been run in the past), etc., which also provides a platform to discuss what those topics actually are. Putting in the effort to make an idea "on-topic" for a Japanese culture convention may be worth it. When we attempted to do this, we were shut down regardless. Is there any way you’d recommend to make these panels sound more anime-inclusive right off, or would they still be rejected, do you think? I'm not sure what you mean by lifestyles but maybe looking for examples in anime? I've run a dating panel and we spent time talking about examples from anime and how realistic it is etc... even fun things like dating profiles of anime characters. |
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Post by crownowa on May 31, 2019 17:30:53 GMT -5
There have been panels about similar ideas that were approved in the past, as they discuss how the topics are dealt with in anime and had enough panelists sign up. I was once told that I would need to compare large fandoms like Game of Thrones or Once Upon a Time to similar anime to make them on-topic and have a higher chance of being approved (which I did for OUaT). I don't see why others cannot do the same for polyamory, gender roles, sexuality (which has been run in the past), etc., which also provides a platform to discuss what those topics actually are. Putting in the effort to make an idea "on-topic" for a Japanese culture convention may be worth it. When we attempted to do this, we were shut down regardless. Is there any way you’d recommend to make these panels sound more anime-inclusive right off, or would they still be rejected, do you think? Honestly, the best way to get your point across is to call a panel, both in the application and in the forum (if you recruit here), "xxxxx in Anime" - that usually covers how the medium deals with the topic and how it is treated in Japan. You'd still need to get enough panelists before the panel slots are full though. Feel free to PM me the panels you applied to that weren't approved. |
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Post by xiyuue on May 31, 2019 17:38:01 GMT -5
Yes.
Why on earth do these panels exist and who approved them:
- The Last Imperial Fleet
- The Last Imperial Air Forces
- Road to Pearl Harbor
- Military Humour
Connecting the above to anime/japanese culture is honestly a massive stretch. This is the equivalent of discussing Japanese slavery in Canada. Even then, "Road to Pearl Harbor" with Japanese guests around? Really? Talk about tactless.
EDIT: I recognize and acknowledge that there are a lot of history fanatics and people who are truly interested in these topics, but I am specifically directing this at the admin: why are these panels OK but the request from the person above is completely unreasonable? (consider that this topic is completely irrelevant to ACG culture)
- How to Harem: Beginner Strategies for Dating (18+)
- How to Harem: Advanced Strategies for Dating (18+)
i.e. "How to disrespect women: a panel". Please, at best put this in yaoi north (do they even want it?). Why are we encouraging this cringe? "Oh yes, I can't wait to become a master of women like in ecchi manga?" "AH YES I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY HAREM KINK TO COME TO LIFE?" Just... make normal conversations with people? In comparison, yaoi north panels are described as respectful safe spaces where people can talk about their gender/sexuality in a community that is much more accepting and receptive.
@administrator , if you're going to be so rude regarding legitimate feedback from a member above, maybe consider that AN is already being used as "a platform for people to share their kinks and lifestyles" by much more inappropriate content than what the above person was politely trying to suggest. (At the very least, it should not have been brushed off)
Cheers!
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Post by eclipse_cosplay on May 31, 2019 19:16:04 GMT -5
Just a quick 2 ideas. One was posted on FB so I’m just gonna copy it to here:
It might be good to highlight (in the descriptions) if a panel is a presentation, an "expert discussion" or a "audience discussion" to help people know what to expect.
Like a presentation, I want to learn something or see something cool. An expert discussion? I want to hear some super nerds have an in depth discussion about their fandom. Audience discussion? I want to chat with people and share my thoughts, with someone leading this discussion.
Edit: and for presentations / expert panels ... that is where vetting should come into play
My other suggestion was maybe doing away with the pink sheets and offering rewards for completing less panels? Focus on the quality over quantity. Maybe have it so people always get a certain amount off their badge that applies immediately either when they pick it up or purchase it at the con. That way people aren’t locked in to coming the next year with the free badge and it rewards the people who are only able to do 1 or 2 panels.
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Post by crownowa on May 31, 2019 21:36:08 GMT -5
Just a quick 2 ideas. One was posted on FB so I’m just gonna copy it to here: It might be good to highlight (in the descriptions) if a panel is a presentation, an "expert discussion" or a "audience discussion" to help people know what to expect. Like a presentation, I want to learn something or see something cool. An expert discussion? I want to hear some super nerds have an in depth discussion about their fandom. Audience discussion? I want to chat with people and share my thoughts, with someone leading this discussion. Edit: and for presentations / expert panels ... that is where vetting should come into play My other suggestion was maybe doing away with the pink sheets and offering rewards for completing less panels? Focus on the quality over quantity. Maybe have it so people always get a certain amount off their badge that applies immediately either when they pick it up or purchase it at the con. That way people aren’t locked in to coming the next year with the free badge and it rewards the people who are only able to do 1 or 2 panels. I'm going to be super general here. My apologies if I'm not clear - I am in the middle of a bad cold I caught at the con. I understand what you're saying about nerd-run panel vs. nerd-run presentation vs. guest presentation. However, the guests presentations tend to have their names in the actual presentation name, and I believe the vast majority of panels and presentations involve some sort of Q&A. Putting a bit more thought into the first application's description will help with this distinction e.g. discussion about all things Evangelion vs. presentation about the psychology of Evangelion vs. Dr. John Smith presenting about the significance of Evangelion in anime and Japanese culture. Based on AN's size (and the cost of running such a large con across multiple venues), the not-ridiculously-high cost of our passes, amount of programming slots, and the slight knowledge I currently have about compensation from other large cons, I really don't think it would be feasible to reduce the badge refund / pre-reg from 5 panels to 1-2 panels. We've had 5 panels being the qualifier for a refund / pre-reg since before ~2006, which is when I started doing panels, and I would say that the quality of the panelists have increased throughout the years. However, we rely on you all who attend and run panels to let us know if you've had a bad experience with a panelist (please email Fingers or even PM me instead of posting here). When someone has done five panels, they're given the option of a full refund of their badge, or pre-reg for next year. I remember this being the policy existing when I started doing panels. I've been helping out with compensation for the past few years as well, and we do ask whether the panelist wants a refund or pre-reg. We also had some backpacks this year that panelists could choose from if they didn't want a refund or pre-reg. We're going to be keeping the purple papers (I swear they were still slightly purple this year). We require proof that someone has completed each panel or presentation, and the papers have Fingers' cell phone # for emergencies. This is why we ask questions when someone forgets their purple paper or doesn't have a signature / stamp for all of the panels when they come for compensation. Why vet the panelists when they sign up, but not vet that they've attended every panel they signed up for, especially when they may qualify for a refund / pre-reg? |
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Post by amin on May 31, 2019 23:48:23 GMT -5
Was there a plan for the door dragons to stamp the sheets this year? I thought I saw an email that would be the case in Delta but we ended up signing each other's sheets like past years. Not that was a problem as it worked fine.
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Post by crownowa on Jun 1, 2019 9:57:05 GMT -5
Was there a plan for the door dragons to stamp the sheets this year? I thought I saw an email that would be the case in Delta but we ended up signing each other's sheets like past years. Not that was a problem as it worked fine. I heard and noticed the same. I will ask about it. |
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Post by eclipse_cosplay on Jun 1, 2019 10:35:21 GMT -5
Just a quick 2 ideas. One was posted on FB so I’m just gonna copy it to here: It might be good to highlight (in the descriptions) if a panel is a presentation, an "expert discussion" or a "audience discussion" to help people know what to expect. Like a presentation, I want to learn something or see something cool. An expert discussion? I want to hear some super nerds have an in depth discussion about their fandom. Audience discussion? I want to chat with people and share my thoughts, with someone leading this discussion. Edit: and for presentations / expert panels ... that is where vetting should come into play My other suggestion was maybe doing away with the pink sheets and offering rewards for completing less panels? Focus on the quality over quantity. Maybe have it so people always get a certain amount off their badge that applies immediately either when they pick it up or purchase it at the con. That way people aren’t locked in to coming the next year with the free badge and it rewards the people who are only able to do 1 or 2 panels. I'm going to be super general here. My apologies if I'm not clear - I am in the middle of a bad cold I caught at the con. I understand what you're saying about nerd-run panel vs. nerd-run presentation vs. guest presentation. However, the guests presentations tend to have their names in the actual presentation name, and I believe the vast majority of panels and presentations involve some sort of Q&A. Putting a bit more thought into the first application's description will help with this distinction e.g. discussion about all things Evangelion vs. presentation about the psychology of Evangelion vs. Dr. John Smith presenting about the significance of Evangelion in anime and Japanese culture. Based on AN's size (and the cost of running such a large con across multiple venues), the not-ridiculously-high cost of our passes, amount of programming slots, and the slight knowledge I currently have about compensation from other large cons, I really don't think it would be feasible to reduce the badge refund / pre-reg from 5 panels to 1-2 panels. We've had 5 panels being the qualifier for a refund / pre-reg since before ~2006, which is when I started doing panels, and I would say that the quality of the panelists have increased throughout the years. However, we rely on you all who attend and run panels to let us know if you've had a bad experience with a panelist (please email Fingers or even PM me instead of posting here). When someone has done five panels, they're given the option of a full refund of their badge, or pre-reg for next year. I remember this being the policy existing when I started doing panels. I've been helping out with compensation for the past few years as well, and we do ask whether the panelist wants a refund or pre-reg. We also had some backpacks this year that panelists could choose from if they didn't want a refund or pre-reg. We're going to be keeping the purple papers (I swear they were still slightly purple this year). We require proof that someone has completed each panel or presentation, and the papers have Fingers' cell phone # for emergencies. This is why we ask questions when someone forgets their purple paper or doesn't have a signature / stamp for all of the panels when they come for compensation. Why vet the panelists when they sign up, but not vet that they've attended every panel they signed up for, especially when they may qualify for a refund / pre-reg? I don’t think I explained this very well ^^ I just meant that if someone does 1 panel, they get $10 off their badge. If someone does 3, they get $30 off. 5 panels is still a free badge. A lot of people don’t want the merch (I know I just want either the refund or nothing at all). The reason I brought up the purple papers is because no other con actually does this (at least the larger ones that I’ve run panels at). It should be common knowledge to door dragons about who is running that particular panel. I don’t think it’s very common for someone to just walk in and claim to be the panelist when they’re not since all panelists are sent an email with who is on their panel. It’s kind of like a token of good faith and about trusting the panelists. (And maybe having the door dragons supplied with the sheets before hand. My Friday panel had no door dragons at all.) When it comes to descriptions, we have very little writing space and generally, whoever signs up first determines the description (unless it’s full of typos). Usually we have to prioritize explaining the panel and even the word “presentation” can take up a lot of valuable space. |
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