Incoming Foaming at the Mouth
Ok. so. Click if you have ever attended an anime convention; be it as an artists trying to make a living, or just a fan spending the weekend among fans. There'll be a quiz on this next time you see me at a con.
I've been attending cons in both guest and visitor capacity for a long time now. As years tick by and trends in what's what within the convention circuit change, I've noticed a trend that smacks of a disregard for something that should never have gone out of style: common decency and respect for others. I know- shock and gasp. Don't worry. This isn't a sermon on the evils of being impolite. What it is is a few observations on something in particular that every anime con has, and yet every one is experiencing a deterioration of.
The Artist Alley.
The alley is undergoing a yearly crippling, and it boils down to a simple lack of what I mentioned earlier. That magic and precious commodity; common decency and respect for others. I bring this up because having been on both sides of the table, I know how important a GOOD alley can be to a con. It's the answer for the small time creative minds. It's an outlet for those artists who don't have the big (relatively and actual) company backing to earn a slot in the 'dealers room'. From an outside perspective, your standard alley can easily (if largely incorrectly) dismissed by con goers as a motley collection of amateur talent. Yet here are your webcomic artists with publishing deals. Here are your known authors. Here are your published and award winning illustrators. These are the people who've gone it alone to get their work known and noticed sharing the space gladly with the newcomers with a head full of ideas and a Kinko's bag full of flyers. Sure, there are the obvious mercenaries of the industry there only to make a buck off intellectual property that isn't theirs, but I can point you to the very same leeches peppered here and there in the 'respectable' dealers room. These problems are being addressed, and I'll deal with the ripoff artists another time. Back to the subject at hand.
My point is, for those of you still with me, is that people on both sides of the table have seemingly forgotten what the purpose of the alley is. First and foremost, it's a place to give unknowns or the little guys the chance not only to share their work, but make a LIVING from it. It's business. Boil it down- they are paying to have a table and a spot that is, for all intents and purposes, sacrosanct to them. They can put their wares there and try to make the best of it. They've earned it by payment, and the accoutrement's that go with it. They undergo the same process as the 'big boys' in the dealers room if on a smaller scale without the fantastic booth setups.
In short, ladies and gents, laid back in sensibility though it may be, the Artist Alley should be treated with every ounce of decorum and respect that you would treat a Dealer's room. That brings me to the first set of observations:
THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS IN THE RIGHT.
-or-
What you, as a con goer, should NOT be doing in the alley, regardless of how much you paid for a badge.
1. The Table is not yours.
- It's not. No, really. The person on the other side? They, their friend, their company, or their benefactor PAID for it. Would you let someone, a complete stranger even, take your badge or draw on it or in any way do something to it? No? I thought not. The same applies here. All that swag you see there? Yeah, that represents their collective hard work. So, since the table is not yours, and the swag is not yours, and you've no right to it or it's contents whatsoever, then you should probably heed the following:
2. The Table is not the place to...
- Sit on.
- Set bags down on.
- Set drinks/food down on.
- Write something on.
Seriously. each one of these is something I've personally experience. Wet drinks on full color prints? No. I don't mind. I paid 3.50 a print so you could have a coaster. Heavy bags and stuff pushed on to my table to knock my setup and merchandise aside? Sure. Go for it. Just let me know what room you are staying in so I can come in. knock your belongings out of the dressers, set my stuff there, and then take it back and leave without bothering to put YOUR things back. Guys, gals, seriously. You would not do these things in the Dealer's room, and for those I've seen do it, the dealer in question will usually and RIGHTLY give you an earful for it. The alley is NO DIFFERENT. And since we're on the subject...
3. The Table is, for all intents and purposes, a DEALER'S BOOTH. So, remember the following:
- The chairs behind the table (most cons do two to a table unless requested otherwise) belong to the people manning that table. You don't need a chair. You wouldn't take a chair from behind the table in the dealer's room, and I think you know by now how that correlates to the alley.
- STOP ASSUMING SOMETHING IS FREE. See a sign saying somethings free? No? Then ask the person behind the table. Stop picking things up because you're used to free swag in your convention bag or give aways from dealers. You wouldn't pick up something off a dealer's room table and walk off unless you knew it was free, or were just being an utter douchebag scum-of-the-earth thief. Most artists down in the alley are there to sell their crafts and lack the budget for giveaways beyond business cards or flyers. Sometimes, they can afford to do more. When in doubt, ASK.
4. THE GOLDEN RULE RULES SUPREME.
- What is the golden rule? No. Don't quote Aladdin at me. The *real* golden rule is the 'do unto others' rule. That artist behind the table is a real human being. They're behind the table, that they paid for, to try to make a living doing what they enjoy. They don't get to go to the concerts. They're out of luck on seeing panels. In short, they are stuck in the middle of a convention that they don't actually get to enjoy to the fullest. Many will be at that table from an hour before the alley opens until it closes that day. They are trying to make a living FIRST. How about trying to be nice? You stood in a long line for your badge and gift bag. They understand that perfectly and sympathize. They stood in a long line, stayed up until ungodly hours trying to finish set ups, put final touches on swag, and in general make the absolute most they can to make up for the money they spent just GETTING to the convention.
In short: they aren't your punching bags.
I'm guessing my fellow artisans out there might be pumping fists in agreement right about now. I'm sorry, friends, but you're not getting off the hook on this one either. Now it's your turn, and time for:
YOU ARE NOT A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL SNOWFLAKE.
-or-
Check your ego at badge pickup.
1. It's an alley full of creative people. It is not YOU and everyone else.
- Dealing with staff of conventions requires the same respect and professionalism you SHOULD be giving to visitors to your table. Mistakes happen. Payments can be lost. Tables get rearranged. These are all problems that can be handled or at least fixed to satisfaction if you are willing to be patient, kind, and understanding. There is a time and place to pursue arguments and your rights ans a paying customer. If you think not having your table in an exact location is something worth going to the mat over, then you won't last long on the circuit. You are not the only person the con has to coordinate with nor plan for. Remember that.
- Good fences make good neighbors. The alley has no fences. Try being a good neighbor for the sake thereof. That leads us into...
2. Where tables meet are not lines of demarcation. This is an artist's alley, not a game of Risk.
- Most alleys have little space behind the table to accommodate the extra swag and equipment you have with you. Plan accordingly. Take your trash away. Don't flow over into your neighbor's space just because you have too much stuff. Leave it in your room. That area behind their table isn't real estate for you to conquer. That's part and parcel of what they paid for.
- Chairs are not water, and do not flow freely. Ask if you need an extra chair. Sometimes, the artist doesn't need the empty chair near them. More often than not, they do, and it's usually for their partner or someone helping them run the table itself.
- Be friendly. Those other artists nearby are going through the same shit you are to be here and try to make their money's worth. I can not count the number of times that my day at a con was made better because I was friendly to my neighbors and they returned it in kind. Not only did I make good friends that way that I have to this day, but it also allowed me to go to the bathroom and have someone there to mind my stuff. I do the same in kind.
3. The Table is not your clubhouse.
- Remember those points where I talked about the alley being a place of business as well as usually having limited space behind the table? Yeah. Your friends don't need to be there. No, really. It only takes so many people to run a table. Your friends popping in just to 'hang out' means they'll usually swipe other chairs to do so, move other people's things aside, and in general have no real concern for the surrounding tables. Why should they? They're your friends, not the friends of your neighbors. It's fine that they want to come visit you, but seriously- common decency and respect for your fellow artists. Chat with them across the table. Meet them for dinner later. Get back to making your money. If they aren't running the table or aiding in it's function, then they do not need to be there.
- You may be good, but you do not need a posse. Either focus on treating your table like a place of business doing what you love or don't bother coming to the convention. The other artists are sick of it.
4. The Table is not yours unless YOU paid for it.
- Someone didn't show up? Someone's late to arrive that morning? is it the end of the con and you are dead certain the artist who had the table in the choice spot you've been eying isn't going to return? Tough shit. You don't TAKE another person's table because it's empty. I can not keep track of how many times I've seen this happen or has happened to me. Sometimes things happen and people can't make it to the alley at the crack of dawn. Sometimes they are a day late to the con. Life happens. What Life can't do, however, is revoke their ownership of the table they paid for. It's NOT YOURS. If you are curious about an empty table, then check with the staff running the alley before you decide to stake it like a gold prospector... or more appropriately a vulture. If the person isn't showing up, and the alley staff ok's it, then congratulations. Doing it any other way makes you a THIEF.
- Brought too much stuff? Tables smaller than you are used to? Need more tables? TOUGH. See above point. ASK THE ALLEY STAFF. Sometimes, tables will become available for you to purchase. Sometimes, they can move you to accommodate a free extra table. Most times, however, there's simply no way for them to make your feng shui dreams come true. Learn from it, and buy the extra table at your next convention.
5. THE GOLDEN RULE RULES SUPREME.
-You know what it is. It works both ways, contestants! The person on the other side of the table is not the previous person who stole something, or ruined an item by spilling coke all over it. The sins of the idiot dick do not pass on to the next customer. Take a breath, relax, and try to make the best of that person's visit to your table. They're more than walking wallets, and are usually more willing to part with tier own money if they are treated like actual human beings.
I know only a few people are going to read this, but it needs to be said. Learn from it. Acknowledge it. Pass it along. These things only continue insomuch as people ignore them or don't speak up.
I've been attending cons in both guest and visitor capacity for a long time now. As years tick by and trends in what's what within the convention circuit change, I've noticed a trend that smacks of a disregard for something that should never have gone out of style: common decency and respect for others. I know- shock and gasp. Don't worry. This isn't a sermon on the evils of being impolite. What it is is a few observations on something in particular that every anime con has, and yet every one is experiencing a deterioration of.
The Artist Alley.
The alley is undergoing a yearly crippling, and it boils down to a simple lack of what I mentioned earlier. That magic and precious commodity; common decency and respect for others. I bring this up because having been on both sides of the table, I know how important a GOOD alley can be to a con. It's the answer for the small time creative minds. It's an outlet for those artists who don't have the big (relatively and actual) company backing to earn a slot in the 'dealers room'. From an outside perspective, your standard alley can easily (if largely incorrectly) dismissed by con goers as a motley collection of amateur talent. Yet here are your webcomic artists with publishing deals. Here are your known authors. Here are your published and award winning illustrators. These are the people who've gone it alone to get their work known and noticed sharing the space gladly with the newcomers with a head full of ideas and a Kinko's bag full of flyers. Sure, there are the obvious mercenaries of the industry there only to make a buck off intellectual property that isn't theirs, but I can point you to the very same leeches peppered here and there in the 'respectable' dealers room. These problems are being addressed, and I'll deal with the ripoff artists another time. Back to the subject at hand.
My point is, for those of you still with me, is that people on both sides of the table have seemingly forgotten what the purpose of the alley is. First and foremost, it's a place to give unknowns or the little guys the chance not only to share their work, but make a LIVING from it. It's business. Boil it down- they are paying to have a table and a spot that is, for all intents and purposes, sacrosanct to them. They can put their wares there and try to make the best of it. They've earned it by payment, and the accoutrement's that go with it. They undergo the same process as the 'big boys' in the dealers room if on a smaller scale without the fantastic booth setups.
In short, ladies and gents, laid back in sensibility though it may be, the Artist Alley should be treated with every ounce of decorum and respect that you would treat a Dealer's room. That brings me to the first set of observations:
THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS IN THE RIGHT.
-or-
What you, as a con goer, should NOT be doing in the alley, regardless of how much you paid for a badge.
1. The Table is not yours.
- It's not. No, really. The person on the other side? They, their friend, their company, or their benefactor PAID for it. Would you let someone, a complete stranger even, take your badge or draw on it or in any way do something to it? No? I thought not. The same applies here. All that swag you see there? Yeah, that represents their collective hard work. So, since the table is not yours, and the swag is not yours, and you've no right to it or it's contents whatsoever, then you should probably heed the following:
2. The Table is not the place to...
- Sit on.
- Set bags down on.
- Set drinks/food down on.
- Write something on.
Seriously. each one of these is something I've personally experience. Wet drinks on full color prints? No. I don't mind. I paid 3.50 a print so you could have a coaster. Heavy bags and stuff pushed on to my table to knock my setup and merchandise aside? Sure. Go for it. Just let me know what room you are staying in so I can come in. knock your belongings out of the dressers, set my stuff there, and then take it back and leave without bothering to put YOUR things back. Guys, gals, seriously. You would not do these things in the Dealer's room, and for those I've seen do it, the dealer in question will usually and RIGHTLY give you an earful for it. The alley is NO DIFFERENT. And since we're on the subject...
3. The Table is, for all intents and purposes, a DEALER'S BOOTH. So, remember the following:
- The chairs behind the table (most cons do two to a table unless requested otherwise) belong to the people manning that table. You don't need a chair. You wouldn't take a chair from behind the table in the dealer's room, and I think you know by now how that correlates to the alley.
- STOP ASSUMING SOMETHING IS FREE. See a sign saying somethings free? No? Then ask the person behind the table. Stop picking things up because you're used to free swag in your convention bag or give aways from dealers. You wouldn't pick up something off a dealer's room table and walk off unless you knew it was free, or were just being an utter douchebag scum-of-the-earth thief. Most artists down in the alley are there to sell their crafts and lack the budget for giveaways beyond business cards or flyers. Sometimes, they can afford to do more. When in doubt, ASK.
4. THE GOLDEN RULE RULES SUPREME.
- What is the golden rule? No. Don't quote Aladdin at me. The *real* golden rule is the 'do unto others' rule. That artist behind the table is a real human being. They're behind the table, that they paid for, to try to make a living doing what they enjoy. They don't get to go to the concerts. They're out of luck on seeing panels. In short, they are stuck in the middle of a convention that they don't actually get to enjoy to the fullest. Many will be at that table from an hour before the alley opens until it closes that day. They are trying to make a living FIRST. How about trying to be nice? You stood in a long line for your badge and gift bag. They understand that perfectly and sympathize. They stood in a long line, stayed up until ungodly hours trying to finish set ups, put final touches on swag, and in general make the absolute most they can to make up for the money they spent just GETTING to the convention.
In short: they aren't your punching bags.
I'm guessing my fellow artisans out there might be pumping fists in agreement right about now. I'm sorry, friends, but you're not getting off the hook on this one either. Now it's your turn, and time for:
YOU ARE NOT A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL SNOWFLAKE.
-or-
Check your ego at badge pickup.
1. It's an alley full of creative people. It is not YOU and everyone else.
- Dealing with staff of conventions requires the same respect and professionalism you SHOULD be giving to visitors to your table. Mistakes happen. Payments can be lost. Tables get rearranged. These are all problems that can be handled or at least fixed to satisfaction if you are willing to be patient, kind, and understanding. There is a time and place to pursue arguments and your rights ans a paying customer. If you think not having your table in an exact location is something worth going to the mat over, then you won't last long on the circuit. You are not the only person the con has to coordinate with nor plan for. Remember that.
- Good fences make good neighbors. The alley has no fences. Try being a good neighbor for the sake thereof. That leads us into...
2. Where tables meet are not lines of demarcation. This is an artist's alley, not a game of Risk.
- Most alleys have little space behind the table to accommodate the extra swag and equipment you have with you. Plan accordingly. Take your trash away. Don't flow over into your neighbor's space just because you have too much stuff. Leave it in your room. That area behind their table isn't real estate for you to conquer. That's part and parcel of what they paid for.
- Chairs are not water, and do not flow freely. Ask if you need an extra chair. Sometimes, the artist doesn't need the empty chair near them. More often than not, they do, and it's usually for their partner or someone helping them run the table itself.
- Be friendly. Those other artists nearby are going through the same shit you are to be here and try to make their money's worth. I can not count the number of times that my day at a con was made better because I was friendly to my neighbors and they returned it in kind. Not only did I make good friends that way that I have to this day, but it also allowed me to go to the bathroom and have someone there to mind my stuff. I do the same in kind.
3. The Table is not your clubhouse.
- Remember those points where I talked about the alley being a place of business as well as usually having limited space behind the table? Yeah. Your friends don't need to be there. No, really. It only takes so many people to run a table. Your friends popping in just to 'hang out' means they'll usually swipe other chairs to do so, move other people's things aside, and in general have no real concern for the surrounding tables. Why should they? They're your friends, not the friends of your neighbors. It's fine that they want to come visit you, but seriously- common decency and respect for your fellow artists. Chat with them across the table. Meet them for dinner later. Get back to making your money. If they aren't running the table or aiding in it's function, then they do not need to be there.
- You may be good, but you do not need a posse. Either focus on treating your table like a place of business doing what you love or don't bother coming to the convention. The other artists are sick of it.
4. The Table is not yours unless YOU paid for it.
- Someone didn't show up? Someone's late to arrive that morning? is it the end of the con and you are dead certain the artist who had the table in the choice spot you've been eying isn't going to return? Tough shit. You don't TAKE another person's table because it's empty. I can not keep track of how many times I've seen this happen or has happened to me. Sometimes things happen and people can't make it to the alley at the crack of dawn. Sometimes they are a day late to the con. Life happens. What Life can't do, however, is revoke their ownership of the table they paid for. It's NOT YOURS. If you are curious about an empty table, then check with the staff running the alley before you decide to stake it like a gold prospector... or more appropriately a vulture. If the person isn't showing up, and the alley staff ok's it, then congratulations. Doing it any other way makes you a THIEF.
- Brought too much stuff? Tables smaller than you are used to? Need more tables? TOUGH. See above point. ASK THE ALLEY STAFF. Sometimes, tables will become available for you to purchase. Sometimes, they can move you to accommodate a free extra table. Most times, however, there's simply no way for them to make your feng shui dreams come true. Learn from it, and buy the extra table at your next convention.
5. THE GOLDEN RULE RULES SUPREME.
-You know what it is. It works both ways, contestants! The person on the other side of the table is not the previous person who stole something, or ruined an item by spilling coke all over it. The sins of the idiot dick do not pass on to the next customer. Take a breath, relax, and try to make the best of that person's visit to your table. They're more than walking wallets, and are usually more willing to part with tier own money if they are treated like actual human beings.
I know only a few people are going to read this, but it needs to be said. Learn from it. Acknowledge it. Pass it along. These things only continue insomuch as people ignore them or don't speak up.