[Bloo09]

Guidelines And Suggestions For Submitting Your Panel Application

Creating your panel
* Confirm/Gather up all Members of your Panel. Make sure you can work well with your fellow panelists and everyone will be available for the convention.

* This is crucial, next year we are not going to allow ALL the random changes people did at last minute with swapping panelists. We are going to have HARD CUT OFF DATES!!! Get your group, confirm your group, lock them in! NO EXCEPTIONS! MARCH 1ST IS THE DEADLINE FOR SCHEDULE AND PANELIST CHANGES.

* Post a Thread on our Forum with outline for ideas etc. Get word out about your panel to raise it’s attendance. Panels with low attendance will not be accepted for the following year if you wish to repeat it.

* Start building your outline now to ensure when Panel Submission time comes everybody is on the same page in your group and its very clear what your plans are for the panel. Submit your panel as soon as we open. Rooms and time slots are given out on a first come first serve basis. Those who submit early will be rewarded for it and have a better chance of getting prime time spots. Panel submissions begins October 1st and ends October 31st!

* Be considerate of other panels. If you KNOW your panel room will fill (a popular returning panel) please do not request prime time spots since being at nearly any time will not effect your panel’s attendance. Give the newer lesser known panels a chance for prime time spots to help their attendance.

* Every year we get tons of Fan Panel Submissions for just about every different show out there. We are trying to get away from "I am going to sit up here for 1 hour and talk about how cool the show is" That's all well and good, but its not offering anything. Try to mix it up and read our general guidelines for content.



Panel Content Guidelines

Content Types
* PowerPoint, DVD, CD, Multimedia, Computer Playback etc
* Ensure you are offering some form of content with your panel, discussions are good, but some kind of multimedia element is a great way to add some content and keep your audience involved.
* Types of panels include but are not limited to : Fan, Discussion/Debate, Workshop, Tutorial/Lesson, Activity, Game Show. These can be combined and mixed however you wish but know what you are presenting.

The Crowd
* Crowd/Audience participation is crucial to any good panel, ensure you have prepared discussion points about your Panel topic and ensure you make time for lots of questions and discussion!
* Know your age group! Panels are divided into three age groups : 14 and under (G rated), All Ages (pg 13), and 18+ (Government ID is needed). Keep your content in the interest of your desired age group.

Interactive
* Plan something interactive for your Panel, it could be simple as paper and pencil for drawing or even extreme as doing the opening theme dance from Lucky Star (DO NOT DO THIS ...)

Control
* Make sure your Content is within our Guidelines as a "Family" Convention, ensure nothing is rude or offensive when you are planning, we do not want to offend our attendees in anyway. If you think the content is not family friendly make sure your panel is labeled 18+. If it isn’t it is considered all ages and must be pg 13.

Subject
* Make it interesting. For fan panels talk about the character interaction, growth and development. The cultural aspects and lessons learned throughout the anime or manga. Bring up topics that can encourage friendly debate. Keeping your audience interested and involved is important.
* How is it related to Anime, Manga, or Japanese culture? Tie it in to the genre of the convention. It is very rare that we will approve an unrelated panel. Anime, Manga, Japanese culture, Art, Gaming, and convention related panels are the most likely to be approved. If you don’t know if your topic relates or would even be considered feel free to contact us and ask by emailing panelsubmissions@acen.org
* Don’t make it all about you. Some of our more common feedback this year was how a lot of panelists talked about themselves more than their topic. Stick to the topic of your panel! It’s good to introduce yourself and relate to the audience but they came because of your panel topic, not to learn about the panelists.

Description
* Use your 50 word description to promote the aspects of your panel that will make people want to attend. This is what brings in your attendance, use it to make your panel sound like it cannot be missed!

Activities and workshops
* If you are acting as an instructor of an activity make sure you know what you are teaching and the safety aspects of it. In our application explain your experience with the activity and show that you will be able to teach others to do it.
* For workshops know each step of the craft, makeup, etc by heart. Be ready to instruct those who are artistically challenged. Try not to make it too complicated or to easy. Explain your experience with what you’re teaching and show us that you can teach others to do it.

Be Prepared!
* Bring all of the supplies you will need! If you want your audience to take notes, draw, etc bring enough pencils and paper for everyone! Office and craft supplies will not be supplied by ACen.
* Know how to use your equipment! If you’re doing a power point then learn how to use the program to show it on our projector. Staff will not be setting this up for you.
* The most common feedback from attendees about panels is when panelists don’t seem prepared. This makes it unlikely that your panel will be approved for the following year if we get reports like this from attendees. Show them how much effort you put into your panel!
* Test run your panel! Get some friends to watch you and give you feedback before you do it at ACen. Plan out how long each section should take and see how it flows together. If you're doing it for the first time at ACen it is going to look rough and that will show in the feedback on your panel.


These are things we're looking for in your panel application and what will help you host a successful panel.

Those with experience running panels or if you have advice to give this is the place to do it! Post tips, tricks, do's and don'ts for your fellow panelists!


Chelsea Tessmann
Dept. Head of Panel Programming

[Kitchan]

Bloo09, on 02 August 2011 - 12:48 PM, said:

Those with experience running panels or if you have advice to give this is the place to do it! Post tips, tricks, do's and don'ts for your fellow panelists!


Chelsea Tessmann
Dept. Head of Panel Programming[/font]

As someone who has done panels at ACen 2009 and ACen 2011 (and at Otakon multiple times, including this year), I'm agreeing with the "have some sort of presentation" - prepare a PowerPoint presentation but ALSO BE PREPARED TO LECTURE just in case you can't get the presentation to work for whatever reason (such as was my experience this past ACen).

Basically, have a backup plan, just in case things go wrong, and be prepared to roll with any changes. :3

For Panel Programming, might I suggest trying to find out what equipment you might have ahead of time and let panelists know? If we know what plugs will be available for projectors and such, we can better buy/find the appropriate cables for laptop hookups and such so that we can do presentations/interactive bits. Then again I don't know much about Panel Programming and if you would actually find out with adequate time before the con, but this would have saved me $50 and spared me from lecturing and presenting a 'dry' panel in the 2011 year.

[Bloo09]

We will be telling panels if their tech request is approved and what cables they will need to have for themselves. We're looking at our tech layout differently this year and making sure there is enough to go around But panel programming does not supply cables for panelists to hook -their- tech into ours, we will inform them of what cable type is needed though.

[Diedie]

I hope I didn't miss this, but last year I remember there being a lot of confusion about the panelist policy.
Will it be the set up where the host, get's their co-host a free badge as well?

Or will it be the setup of per panel hour, we will get the compensated badge?


And about the cables, is there some general guide line for these cable hook ups? I remember I got lucky and was able to borrow one from someone, I've hosted panels in the past, but the cables have been provided so I'm not sure what I need to purchase (or where to ask about this) so I do apologize. =/

[Bloo09]

Our new policy is in the final approval stages and should be posted soon. Discounts and badges are still being offered and are explained in detail in the policy on how to get them. It is NOT the same badge policy as last year. And a lot of the entire policy has changed, or has been clarified for better understanding. The limit for discounted badges is still 3 panelists per panel but you can have more than 3 panelists. Those over the limit of 3 will need to pay full price for their badges. I can't say the discount process at the moment though because it is still being approved.

When you request tech like a projector or sound we will tell you what type of connection it is that you need to bring. We own back up cables but not of every type and can't guarantee we'll have the right type if a panelist doesn't bring their cable. Cables go missing every year so if we had it one year we might not the next. You don't always need to buy them, ask around with your friends and see if someone can loan you a cable. Check the quality before you use it, etc.

[MeliTza]

Bloo09, on 02 August 2011 - 06:58 PM, said:

Our new policy is in the final approval stages and should be posted soon. Discounts and badges are still being offered and are explained in detail in the policy on how to get them. It is NOT the same badge policy as last year. And a lot of the entire policy has changed, or has been clarified for better understanding. The limit for discounted badges is still 3 panelists per panel but you can have more than 3 panelists. Those over the limit of 3 will need to pay full price for their badges. I can't say the discount process at the moment though because it is still being approved.

Will the policy be posted before the September 15th ($43) deadline?? I need to let my co-panelists know now if they need to go ahead and buy their badges. Or, if I'm going to have to buy, I'd rather do it now and save some greens!

[Bloo09]

I'm going to a managers meeting today so hopefully we can get it approved this weekend to be posted. Though I'm 99% sure the badge policy will be approved so right now I would say do not purchase your badges. It is different from last year where if you're only doing 1 panel (1 hour) then all 3 (up to 3) panelists are rewarded with a discounted badge instead of 1 badge per hour. Though we are going by number of panels hosted this year due to the issue of people stretching their panels our to multiple hours of beating a dead horse. Not everyone did but we would rather encourage multiple good panels than a simple topic being dragged out for multiple hours. This new policy is a lot more fair to the 3 involved. Remember if a badge is purchased before approval it will not be refunded to become a discounted or complimentary badge. I really hope we can get this policy finished to post ASAP I wish I could give you a more detailed answer but I will post the policy as soon as it's approved and send it out over our mailing list.

Make sure you join our mailing list! It is our main method of getting information out to everyone! All of our documented previous panelists were sent an invitation or you can join through the link in the topic that's posted in this section of the forums. And we also have a new panel programming page under Events on our website along with the old panel policy page so check back with those often! And feel free to email or pm me anytime you have questions or want to discuss your panel

And a slight side note - I am so impressed by all of the panelists who have been contacting me and staying on top of information to keep their group informed and keep themselves prepared. It's awesome!

[MeliTza]

Thanks for getting the policy posted up well ahead of the first tier badge deadline. Definitely much more clearly written this time around. I let my co-panelists know that they need to register and NOT PAY.

I guess I'm only a little bummed about no additional comps allowed for longer panels, since some of us with content-heavy panels legit use the extra hands - but I completely know what you mean about some people having abused it and used it for dead-horse-beating. Ah well. Nothing for it I guess! I have some fresh panels I think would go over very well at ACen to submit this year and an even bigger slew of co-panelists helping make it happen, but some co-panelists will just have to roll with 50% comps... For a labor of love (and being able to feel like a ROCKSTAR for the weekend), I'd say we can't complain too much.

[chibi-is-kawaii]

im not sure i know what you mean when you say you need an outline of the panel

[Zerox20]

chibi-is-kawaii, on 02 October 2011 - 08:20 PM, said:

im not sure i know what you mean when you say you need an outline of the panel

We want to see how you plan to run your panel. Lets say its a 1 hr panel. Tells us topics you will discuss, an idea of how much time each one will take etc.

Its your chance to tell US what your panel is, and how its going to flow during the time.

This post has been edited by Zerox20: 02 October 2011 - 10:39 PM