[GITS SAC Motoko]

I had a great time for sure. I loved meeting new people, and the gathering for our Ghost in the Shell shoot went smooth. It was a lot of fun.

But I do agree with the majority vote that the gathering schedule should be in a main area, or in a form that we can pick up. If not in the programming book maybe have a big stack of schedules that clearly says "Cosplay photoshoot schedule!!!" so it's obvious to tell that's what it is in the chaos of the desk where the books are.

If you wanted to go further, maybe have a sign of a schedule at each of the gathering spots AT each gathering spot? Like for example: "Loading docks left: Friday: 10am: ________, 10:30am: ________ etc." i'm not sure if you can do that, but it could help. And I'm not sure about you, but last year at my first ACEN I didn't know EXACTLY where all the meeting places were, so maybe even a handy little map at the con, because I know not everyone goes on the forums or not everyone has internet access to get on at the con. Yeah they should plan ahead of time, but there are newbies that don't know. A little map in the programming book for "gathering locations" like the map cactusmomma made us I'm sure would help TONS.

[Keans]

I saved the schedual and map .JPG files into my computer then put them on my phone. Thanks to that I had no problem finding the locations, but my phone wouldnt let me zoom as much as I needed so I had a hard time reading the names. I still manage to get to all the photoshoots I wanted to go to on friday.

Tho If i could fit it into the screen of my phone, I dont see why they couldnt fit it into the program book, All they had to do was shrink the image a little. At most it would take up 3 pages, front and back of 1 sheet and a second sheet with the map on it. Of course that is assuming they didnt try to type it out in 12px font, cause then it would take oh so much more space.

There could aso be a whiteboard in one of the main gathering places with posting of the cosplay shoots for the next 3 or 4 hours. Pre-Devide it with tape and leave an area for comments incase of spot changes or canceletions.

[The Forumcat]

I think in 2010 there was a scheduling thingy here on the site (search out events you want to attend, it stuck it on a custom schedule)... my group discovered it after the con, of course, but I didn't see it for 2011... maybe bringing it back (or making it easier to find) and creating a sort of map version of it (type in the places where your photoshoots and panels are, it labels the places, rather than what's going on there) would work out really well.

Maybe, also, since people were complaining about spillover in the photoshoots, you could schedule at least a 15 minute free space buffer in between any two photoshoots that are at the same location (slightly more time for the giant fandoms, because they simply take more time to clear out). Not only would that help take care of spillover, but it would allow smaller groups to take pictures in photoshoot locations, or to take pictures that weren't supported by the official photoshoot (like odd Hetalia fans who HARDCORE ship... uhh... something odd like PolandxKorea. They might be heartbroken if they can't get a picture of it from ACen, but there's never going to be a Hetalia gathering that supports that particular pairing, because it's just SO unusual)
I also agree with Motoko's ideas about the schedules, the signs, and especially the map. I've been to several ACens, and even when I do know where a landmark is, I frequently cannot be trusted to remember how to get there.

[The Fujoshi]

I agree with the majority as well about some kind of book or information about the photoshoots. I don't have a camera phone so I had to network and ask people about the three photoshoots that I did go to.

I was wondering is it also possible that for people that don't show up for photo shoots to have a backup in advance to regulate it? I remember this issue in one of the photoshoots and it was just so disorganized, because the person who had to lead it didn't show up.

@ Chloetrope: I thought nobody shipped USAxKorea and guess what I found? Tons of it. Don't underestimate the power of Pixiv! There is even Prussia and Swiss as a pairing.