[Bloo09]

The first round of invites have gone out to 177 people who were panelists in 2010. Check your email for the invite and accept if you want updates on policies, changes, and things we think you need to know when preparing for your panel for ACen. Trust me, if you plan to be a panelist with Anime Central you WANT to be a member of this mailing list.

To apply to join our mailing group please go to CLICK ME

This is a google group and you will be able to leave it at any point.


Chelsea Tessmann
Dept. Head of Panel Programming

[Bloo09]

Our first email has been sent so check your inbox! If you're just joining you can log into the group and view emails that have already been sent there

[Zerox20]

For those of you who have not yet subscribed to our Panelist List, I will be posting a small archive of some the key messages we have sent out. Please make sure if you are not part of the list you join right away!!

Oldest to Newest:

September 7th 2012

Hello panelists! I know you've eagerly been waiting so here it is! Panel
Programming is opening our application in about half an hour, 12:00pm
central time. Make sure you look at our policy page, many have been
updated, and some added for this coming year.
http://www.ACen.org/...panelist-policy As always, if you have any
questions please feel free to email us at PanelProgramming@ACen.org

For your application here are some reminders and tips

- The badge policy has remained the same as last year. 1 panel hosted = 50%
off the current badge tier price, 2 panels hosted = 100% off a Full Weekend
Badge. The discount is only applied to a maximum of 3 members of the panel
but more attendees may host a panel, they just won't receive the discount.
And just like last year panelist badges are not mailed out, they will be
available for pickup in the Gatwick room of the Hyatt which will remain
Panel Programming's Office.

- All applications must have a file attached with their outline. This is
not the entire panel word for word but a general outline of what you will
cover, how you'll entertain the audience, and how you will fill the time
that you are requesting.

- Panel names have a limit of 50 characters this year, so think of
something catchy that will make someone want to read your panels
description. Some names may still be shortened such as "The Sailor Moon Fan
Panel About Luna" It is redundant naming a panel a panel so we always
remove that, and About luna belongs in the description.

- Descriptions are extremely important. This is how you get your audience,
draw in their interest, and is part of what we look at when we have more
than one app for a topic. In the past when outlines were practically the
same we then looked to the description to see which panel seemed more
enthusiastic and able to draw in a crowd. For example Anime Jeopardy -
"come play jeopardy with your fellow fans" or.. "Do you know your anime?
Are you the best Otaku? Come play Jeopardy and win some awesome prizes with
your fellow otaku!". So work hard at your description, it is important. We
also require proper grammar. We do not allow all CAPS or random ^.^ faces.

- Your available time is now asked for in the form. We will only slot you
during the hours that you select. But remember, if we run out of times in
those slots we won't be able to slot you. We'll contact you and ask for any
other times that you can host. Times are given based on your type of panel
like Game shows we tend to keep in the afternoon and evening while
educational panels tend to be mid day, along with our first come first
serve basis. It helps you to apply early!

- And a friendly reminder - In both the Hyatt and Double Tree hotels you
cannot hand out candy, food, tea, anything edible at all *during* your
panels, even packaged as a prize. (that includes pocky). This is in our
contract with the hotels so there is no way around this rule.

- And Finally.. We do not accept American Cartoon panels. As we like to
say, ACen is an Anime, Manga, and Japanese Culture convention, not Pop
Culture convention. We will allow a small amount of video game and web
comic panels, but that is a very small number. Also SOME non Anime cartoons
can be allowed if they have strong ties to the Asian culture or are based
on an anime styling such as Avatar: The Legend of Korra. Comparison panels
are also allowed if you can find a way to tie in an American Cartoon into
the Japanese culture or another Anime. We'd love to see panelists be
creative.

Good luck and we're looking forward to reading your applications!

September 8th 2012

Now that our application process is open, I wanted to make sure all of
our applying panelist are utilizing our forums! The forums is a great
way to generate feedback for your Panel and help with planning and
gauging general interest.

You can click on the forums from www.ACen.org and then go to Panel
Programming, or you can directly go to our Panel Programming Forums by
going to this link: http://www.ACen.org/...rum/132-panels/

I encourage everyone to post your Panel idea! Talk about your Panel
with other users! We look forward to seeing all the amazing panels for
2013!

October 5th 2012

We have well over half of our current applications stating they will be
giving out food of some kind. From tea, pocky, cupcakes, ramen, etc. While
our policy clearly states that panels cannot hand out anything edible at
all. This is a policy based on our agreement with the hotel so it is
something that cannot be bent. This shows me that most of you have not read
our policy, which you check a box saying that you have read and agree to
our policy before the first page of the application even opens. We could
deny any application that mentions handing out food based on them not
reading the policy but we won't do that for now.

We will be contacting each group that mentions breaching the panelist
policy and give them a second chance where in email they will need to tell
us that they have read and agree to the policy. It would be appreciated if
any group that knows that they mentioned food would email us on their own
stating that they have done this, it would save my team a lot of time and
they will be thankful. Our panelist policy can be found at
http://www.ACen.org/...panelist-policy . While it may seem a little
long it will only take a few minutes to read. The policy is there to show
what is expected of you, and to protect you.

If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask, that's what we're
here for.

October 31st 2012

A new round of Denials have gone out. Check your emails for an @ACen.org
email. Make sure you check your spam folder or search your email using
@ACen.org. This means we're almost done with this first batch of panelists,
we just needed to narrow it down. A few more will be denied since so many
have applied with the same topic (and title). Those who are denied for
having practically the same panel will be emailed and suggested they change
the format of their panel so we don't have 10 doing the same thing. Panels
that are included in this issue would be Ask A Nation, Name That Tunes, and
Homestuck. While we love Hetalia, not every panel on it can be Ask A
Nation, we would love to see someone try something different to show their
love for this awesome anime!

As always you're all welcome to email us if you have questions or would
even like suggestions for your panels. We're here to help!

Reminders since we have denied a lot of panels so far for the following
reasons -

- Our Panelist Policy states you cannot give out edibles (food, tea, pocky,
candy, etc) of any kind. This is a contractual agreement with our hotels.
Listing that you will be holding a contest involving eating food, having a
"catered" table of snacks, etc. shows us clearly that you haven't read the
policy that you checked off to agreeing to follow. These panels have been
denied.
- We don't allow panels to charge money, or handle money in any way. This
means workshops cannot charge for their classes or supplies, items cannot
be sold etc. This is clearly in the policy as well. If money was mentioned,
the panel was denied. Anime Central will not become one of those
conventions where there is an additional cost to attend our panels.
Compensation is given for panels to the panelists, an additional charge
will not happen.
- Anime Central is an Anime, Manga and Japanese Culture convention. We only
approve related panels. We are not a pop culture convention and will never
approve a pop culture panel no matter how large it's fandom is. There are
other conventions for it's fans to show their appreciation. We do reserve a
very small number of panel slots for video game and web comic panels. We
will only approve an American cartoon if it is anime inspired, or shows a
decent amount of Japanese culture. Doctor Who, My Little Pony, Adventure
Time, American Comic Heroes are among the topics that will not be approved
at our convention.

Panels that were denied for the above reasons are welcome to re-apply if
they alter their structure to follow our rules. We want you to host your
panels with us, and understand the hard work put into them but we need
those panels to follow our rules.

*Thank you and we're looking forward to seeing new applications. This is
the first time we've had so many this early in the year so get your
applications in fast before we fill up!*

This post has been edited by Zerox20: 05 December 2012 - 09:52 PM