Nipples and other tales from the con.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Speaking of props and peace-ties and all that...

Several years back, my (now ex-)GF and I went to Otakon together. On one day of the con, we wore Resident Evil 4-inspired costumes. I went as a (not very good) Merchant, while she went as one of the chainsaw maniac sisters.

Only she had an actual chainsaw. The week before, she'd taken this old chainsaw over to a friend's place, where he opened it up, and proceeded to render it effectively useless. Took off the chain, replaced it with a bike chain, replaced the metal blade with a plastic one, painted black. The fuel line was cut, the starter was removed, plus a couple of other things. Basically, it became a big huge paperweight.

She was freaking out because she was sure that TSA was going to confiscate it from her luggage (she checked it, of course) on the flight from her place in the Boston area to the DC area. Then, when this didn't happen, she was worried that Otakon's security team wouldn't allow it. In both instances, she pleaded her case with TSA/Otakon Security, explaining all of the ways in which this chainsaw had been rendered useless as anything but a paperweight or prop.

Otakon Security tied a little ribbon onto the handle, indicating she'd passed inspection, and her costume was thus complete. She got plenty of attention, given that she was lugging around an actual frigging chainsaw instead of some cheap plastic toy.

[TheRabbi]

I hope the rule was you needed to put away your camera phone - that is, in your pocket or purse - and not have it out taking pictures and whatnot. I can't imagine any con is actually going to ban phones...

[mikoyan29]

Ever since my problems at the Lions games a couple years ago, I always pay attention to the camera policies (Ford Field does not allow a lens larger than 50mm at the games which for all pratical purposes is useless..despite Comerica across the field not caring and MIchigan Stadium saying No Tripods. I guess Ford Field is concerned about their fans and their cameras because they don't want them to break due to the crappiness of the product on the field. If it's copyright issues they are concerned about, I think the ticket covers them in that regard...anyways). If a place doesn't allow cameras, I'm cool with that now. Especially places that deal with art because the place doesn't have the copyright. It bothers me when I see people using flash at art museums or other places though....

[flutes_and_fabric]

I know exactly how you feel. I worked as a volunteer for the first time at a con back in 2001. I love having something to do, so I worked most of the time. For registration I was posted with a staffer who never smiles, but I got her to. Then there was an incident with PB&J and a printer...but being the germ crazy kid I was and still am, I had wipes with me. After that I was gleefully put up for a staff position, which means I now get to work telling convention goers and volunteers what to do. Have you found that volunteers can sometimes be worse than attendees because of this odd sort of entitlement some feel? One of my gophers took someone's camera because I asked him to make sure people knew photography was not allowed at one of the events. And the girl didn't complain because she thought he had actual power or something. I feel so bad for her because as of the last day it had never been reclaimed and there were no identifying photos on it.

[flutes_and_fabric]

Show me an Android phone, WinMo phone, hell, a BLACKBERRY made in the past four years that doesn't have a camera. And these are the types of phones people need for their jobs. What if they happen to be on call? Are they not allowed in the dealer room, period, then? It wasn't long ago that I went out of my way to find a device with bluetooth BUT NOT a camera... and FAILED. I bought the Moto e815, which has a camera. Thankfully it never became an issue. (If you're curious, I bought a BB Pearl since then, and have a Droid 1 now. Still cameras... and I'm just now getting into actually using it. But if you say no photography, hey, I'm gonna keep that in mind, and not turn on the camera.)

I can see your issue, but the solution isn't wholesale banning the vast, vast majority of smartphones just because of industry trends. If I saw this kind of language in the rules for a con I was interested in, I'd outright boycott the con.

This past year at Otakon we did have a discussion on the whole camera phone issue. In the past I have worn costumes which have lengthened my treck from one end of the con to the other from 3 minutes to a few hours. One yeah I actually brought in a counter and clicked it every time I saw a camera go off and I think it totaled in the thousands. I'm not gonna say what I was wearing because it'll give me away. Anywho,so the most reasonable solution I thought was that in prohibited areas, all cameras and phones had to be away, period. You get a call? You can go take a seat in the cafe away from the booths to take it, walk into the bathroom lobby (no, not in the actual bathroom, but that would be ok too) or leave the dealer's room and come back. It's not unreasonable requests. I especially like the cafe suggestion, that way people would not have to go through the trial of getting back into the room. They were also thinking of opening up a couple of the conference rooms next year to serve as cell phone stations. As for not being able to have your phone out in a theater or panel room, so what? It would be a rude place to talk anyway. As for texting, learn to do it in a pocket. That's how I got through physics. Oh, and I mean a coat pocket, not pants, cause that could just look wrong...

[Crossbow]

I've mentioned this before, but at my previous job, camera phones were forbidden. Period. Even the Verizon rep had to surrender her phone at the front desk or not be allowed in. I still have to surrender my Android phone before I visit any of my friends that still work there.

As for cons, I haven't seen any that outright ban cellphones. However, there are certain locations (the art show being the big one) that require camera phones be surrendered at the bag check at the entrance to the show. The cons I've been part of have always been more concerned with dedicated cameras instead of camera phones, but that seems to be changing as camera phones get better and better.

But if you say no photography, hey, I'm gonna keep that in mind, and not turn on the camera.)

I'm glad you will, but this is CS.com... I've seen people think it's perfectly ok to take pictures of someone's art even when the rules explicitly say (in multiple locations) "No recording" and then get bitchy when they're told to delete the picture.

Not all cons do this, though. There's an art-only convention that a friend goes to every year where the gallery not only allows, but encourages cameras. Still haven't been to it myself, but it sounds cool.

It's still an evolving social convention (if you'll pardon the pun) as to what's allowed and what isn't. Unfortunately, technology isn't making it any easier....

[Wenchie]

OMG... I can understand your pain. I worked security (not called security but did security type work) for an anime convention the past 2 years. This past year I was on Dispatch so I was telling all my Operatives where to do and what to do... they were MOSTLY better than attendees (they had to listen to me) but some of them were very clueless. But the attendees? I was Dispatch for the Convention Center most of the time, so dealing with Registration, Artist Alley & Exhibit (Dealer's) Hall.... and I was on the floor helping out before & after my official shifts helping out while I wasn't on Dispatch.

I won't be staff at that convention next year, but that's a story that belongs in Morons in Management... basically, I did my job but didn't play politics, got myself on some asshat's bad side outside of the convention, and I went bye-bye involuntarily because of that. No, I'm not bitter or upset, why would you say that?

The only GOOD thing about that is that (if I can afford it) I'll be at the con next year and I'll be able to say (And I'll be recognized. Non-Management staff at the convention seemed to love me, and I "cute" the attendees into doing what I need them to do, so they liked me too!)

[Wenchie]

Ah, so cool to hear from other con people on these forums.

Every year, I'm the guy that gets to answer the myriad prop questions on the Anime Central forums. For the most part, they're nice, but every once in a while you get someone who JUST WON'T GET IT. Working prop check at the actual con is one of my favorite things to do, though (even though I don't get to do it unless I help out during my breaks).

Bonus points: I once had a guy dresed as Link come up to prop check with an all-self-made perfectly-done Master Sword and Master Shield, gleaming in the light. Unfortunately, it was made of metal, and ACen doesn't allow any live steel.
Me: "Um, wow. That's perhaps the coolest prop I've ever seen. Unfortunately, it's against the rules. Before you go put it away in your car or room, can I get a picture with you and it? And I think the rest of Security might want a picture too..."
Luckily the guy was very cool about it, which I am not so sure I would be if I had worked that hard on those props...

:waves: Hi Rabbi! You're one of the few people that I'm NOT upset with right now. ^_^ Wish I could be there to help out next year, but I appealed and was told NO. So no more Pocky for ACen.

[Kristev]

Now I confess, I've been Bagzilla, but I've a good reason. I haven't got a car to put my bag in, and I keep a glucometer and some emergency diabetic supplies in there. But then, I'm also known for permitting security guards to look through my bag rather than arguing with them about it.

[zond]

Not all cons do this, though. There's an art-only convention that a friend goes to every year where the gallery not only allows, but encourages cameras. Still haven't been to it myself, but it sounds cool.

Yeah, but at that convention all the artists are professionals and almost all the art is published. I've talked with the artists and they are more worried about printers in China publishing scans of their published works than a fan with a decent camera.

I was really amazed that they had no problems with the attendees taking pictures of the originals on display.

[mikoyan29]

Yeah, but at that convention all the artists are professionals and almost all the art is published. I've talked with the artists and they are more worried about printers in China publishing scans of their published works than a fan with a decent camera.

I was really amazed that they had no problems with the attendees taking pictures of the originals on display.

It's free publicity for them.

[Chromatix]

One solution to the camera-phone problem I've seen is to put a little plastic sticker over the lens. This effectively disables the camera without affecting the rest of the phone, and doesn't cause any significant damage if you use the right kind of sticker.

Security folks can then discreetly look for the sticker if someone has their phone out in a suspicious area.

[Crossbow]

One solution to the camera-phone problem I've seen is to put a little plastic sticker over the lens. This effectively disables the camera without affecting the rest of the phone, and doesn't cause any significant damage if you use the right kind of sticker.

Security folks can then discreetly look for the sticker if someone has their phone out in a suspicious area.

Not a bad idea. I'll have to mention this to the director as a potential solution....

[flutes_and_fabric]

One solution to the camera-phone problem I've seen is to put a little plastic sticker over the lens. This effectively disables the camera without affecting the rest of the phone, and doesn't cause any significant damage if you use the right kind of sticker.

Security folks can then discreetly look for the sticker if someone has their phone out in a suspicious area.

OMG, I don't know why anyone didn't think of this! That could be a perfect solution. The little circle bandages are the perfect shape and will hold well, and the pad in the center will keep gook from getting on the camera lens.

[Andara Bledin]

OMG, I don't know why anyone didn't think of this! That could be a perfect solution. The little circle bandages are the perfect shape and will hold well, and the pad in the center will keep gook from getting on the camera lens.

You'd likely want to use a film plastic like you find over the screens of any device you buy, and that you remove when you start using the device. You can find clear versions of the stuff for placing over the touch screen for the Nintendo DS. (that stuff is amazing, btw) I imagine if you put a sticker over the top of the plastic, that would also work.

^-.-^