1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,420 I've been going to nerd conventions for over a decade, 2 00:00:03,426 --> 00:00:06,708 and even when I was just starting to go to conventions as a teenager, 3 00:00:06,708 --> 00:00:10,597 I always found the atmosphere exciting, and freeing, and welcoming. 4 00:00:10,597 --> 00:00:14,355 Regardless of whether it was a small convention, or one as huge as Dragon Con. 5 00:00:14,355 --> 00:00:18,086 And I've always recommended that anyone with niche hobbies or interests go to a 6 00:00:18,086 --> 00:00:19,296 convention at least once. 7 00:00:19,296 --> 00:00:23,246 Then, starting in 2016, I decided to not just attend conventions, 8 00:00:23,246 --> 00:00:25,638 but to at least try to be a part of them. 9 00:00:25,638 --> 00:00:27,670 I was about a year into my Youtube channel 10 00:00:27,670 --> 00:00:30,296 and had about a tenth of the subscribers I have now. 11 00:00:30,296 --> 00:00:33,626 Not a big enough audience for anyone to be reaching out to me to guest, 12 00:00:33,626 --> 00:00:35,319 or even just panel for them. 13 00:00:35,319 --> 00:00:38,012 So it was on me to figure out how to start the process. 14 00:00:38,012 --> 00:00:41,837 I also didn't start out with any connections at conventions, 15 00:00:41,837 --> 00:00:44,888 especially outside of Dragon Con, where I think I knew one person 16 00:00:44,888 --> 00:00:48,510 who was helpful and very supportive, but wasn't really involved with the kind 17 00:00:48,510 --> 00:00:51,300 of tracks I'd be paneling on, like film or horror. 18 00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:54,968 I've made a lot of friends and met very kind and encouraging people on the con 19 00:00:54,968 --> 00:00:58,732 circuit along the way, but starting out I had very little help and no roadmap or 20 00:00:58,732 --> 00:01:00,286 real plan for what I was doing. 21 00:01:00,286 --> 00:01:04,001 I wanted to go back to my FILM NERD roots and make an instructional video essay 22 00:01:04,001 --> 00:01:07,056 explaining what I did, and what I learned, for a while. 23 00:01:07,056 --> 00:01:10,919 And I figured now in-between the first and second independent artists videos would 24 00:01:10,919 --> 00:01:14,520 be a good time, while I'm on the high of talking about getting out there and 25 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,136 supporting art, and getting involved with other artists. 26 00:01:17,136 --> 00:01:20,959 As far as my credentials for making this video, here is a list of conventions 27 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:25,384 I have paneled at and upcoming conventions I am slated to panel at this year. 28 00:01:25,384 --> 00:01:28,006 As a note, at the Cattanooga Film Festival 29 00:01:28,006 --> 00:01:33,037 I didn't so much panel as participate in a D&D live show which was really really fun. 30 00:01:33,037 --> 00:01:37,395 And on top of this list I've also screened films at or helped judge a bunch of 31 00:01:37,395 --> 00:01:41,720 different film festivals, and participated in some festival Q&As, which is pretty 32 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,944 different from paneling at conventions, but there is some overlap. 33 00:01:44,944 --> 00:01:48,685 Especially considering that a lot of cons have their own festivals, and you can 34 00:01:48,685 --> 00:01:49,411 do both! 35 00:01:49,411 --> 00:01:52,671 One of the first tools I found that helped out a lot was the website 36 00:01:52,671 --> 00:01:54,779 called the Southern Fandom Resource Guide. 37 00:01:54,779 --> 00:01:57,679 It's a very long list of conventions all around the Southeast, 38 00:01:57,679 --> 00:02:00,433 from toy shows to big mult-genre cons, 39 00:02:00,433 --> 00:02:03,758 to very very small weird niche conventions. If you go looking, 40 00:02:03,758 --> 00:02:07,407 you can probably find a similar list or calendar for your region. 41 00:02:07,407 --> 00:02:11,060 I just started skimming the list for conventions that seemed like they'd be a 42 00:02:11,060 --> 00:02:14,507 good fit, opened like twenty tabs in my browser, looked over the websites 43 00:02:14,507 --> 00:02:18,533 individually to weed out conventions that I wasn't interested in, and filled out a 44 00:02:18,533 --> 00:02:22,131 guest application if there was one, or sent a cold email if there wasn't. 45 00:02:22,131 --> 00:02:25,995 I get a lot more responses now that I have a track record of paneling at different 46 00:02:25,995 --> 00:02:29,512 conventions and a bigger fan base, but starting out the vast majority of my 47 00:02:29,512 --> 00:02:30,498 emails were ignored. 48 00:02:30,498 --> 00:02:34,493 So don't be discouraged if you don't hear back or get accepted by everyone. 49 00:02:34,493 --> 00:02:38,275 When thinking about what types of panels you'd do well on, and even what cons to 50 00:02:38,275 --> 00:02:41,888 reach out to in the first place, you should focus on a few key areas that you 51 00:02:41,888 --> 00:02:43,285 can speak on with confidence. 52 00:02:43,285 --> 00:02:46,994 Like, I have years of firsthand experience with running a Youtube channel, with 53 00:02:46,994 --> 00:02:50,811 Patreon, and with no-budget film making, and I've spent a lot of time researching 54 00:02:50,811 --> 00:02:54,388 parasocial relationships and studying film theory and film history, and I've 55 00:02:54,388 --> 00:02:58,058 been interested in horror as a genre for like, twenty years, as long as I can 56 00:02:58,058 --> 00:02:58,764 remember. 57 00:02:58,764 --> 00:03:02,031 So I'd have no problem talking about any of these things for an hour. 58 00:03:02,031 --> 00:03:05,714 There are other areas where I'm less knowledgeable, but could spend some time 59 00:03:05,714 --> 00:03:09,626 prepping and feel comfortable speaking on a topic, and then some topics that I just 60 00:03:09,626 --> 00:03:10,338 avoid. 61 00:03:10,338 --> 00:03:13,768 Like I don't know anything about current sci-fi literature or young adult 62 00:03:13,768 --> 00:03:15,957 novels or the current state of American comics. 63 00:03:15,957 --> 00:03:19,237 There are lots of panels about these subjects at conventions, but if I 64 00:03:19,237 --> 00:03:22,793 convince someone to put me on a panel about them, I'd both be taking a spot 65 00:03:22,793 --> 00:03:26,332 that should go to someone genuinely knowledgeable and passionate about that 66 00:03:26,332 --> 00:03:28,932 subject, and I'd probably end up looking like an idiot. 67 00:03:28,932 --> 00:03:30,603 Don't sell yourself short, though! 68 00:03:30,603 --> 00:03:34,148 I have a lot of hobbies and passive interests I've had since I was a little 69 00:03:34,148 --> 00:03:37,477 kid, and while I never consciously accumulated them, I'm just a pretty 70 00:03:37,477 --> 00:03:40,364 curious person who had a lot of free time when I was younger. 71 00:03:40,364 --> 00:03:43,821 They've been valuable both in having subjects for my video essays and for 72 00:03:43,821 --> 00:03:44,547 paneling. 73 00:03:44,547 --> 00:03:48,441 If you feel like you don't have a lot to talk about, or wouldn't know what to talk 74 00:03:48,441 --> 00:03:52,139 about, but you've also been passionate and excited about whatever type of nerd 75 00:03:52,139 --> 00:03:54,674 subject since you were a kid, you'd probably do great. 76 00:03:54,674 --> 00:03:58,594 A lot of conventions have what are called 'programming tracks', and you should keep 77 00:03:58,594 --> 00:04:00,668 what tracks a con has in mind when applying. 78 00:04:00,668 --> 00:04:04,159 As an example, Dragon Con is a huge convention with 30 or 40 very specific 79 00:04:04,159 --> 00:04:04,873 tracks. 80 00:04:04,873 --> 00:04:10,613 Paranormal, animation, Star Trek, video games, horror, puppetry, military, 81 00:04:10,613 --> 00:04:11,463 sci-fi. 82 00:04:11,463 --> 00:04:15,023 Whatever, a smaller convention would probably have less tracks that are 83 00:04:15,023 --> 00:04:16,929 broader, like these are Monsterama's. 84 00:04:16,929 --> 00:04:20,791 And the actual application process can vary tremendously. 85 00:04:20,791 --> 00:04:24,811 With most of the cons I've paneled at, I'm brought on as a guest or a panelist 86 00:04:24,811 --> 00:04:27,797 or 'attending professional' in Dragon Con terms, 87 00:04:27,797 --> 00:04:30,697 and while I usually have the option to pitch panels if I want, 88 00:04:30,697 --> 00:04:34,316 especially at smaller cons that I've been paneling at for a couple of years, 89 00:04:34,316 --> 00:04:36,941 I'm mostly assigned them or given a list to choose from. 90 00:04:36,941 --> 00:04:41,028 Contrary to that, a lot of convention websites have open access panel submission 91 00:04:41,028 --> 00:04:44,619 forms, where anyone can apply and pitch their panel without any formal guest 92 00:04:44,619 --> 00:04:45,358 status. 93 00:04:45,358 --> 00:04:49,021 Formats vary as well. Most of the panels I've done are just me and a few other 94 00:04:49,021 --> 00:04:52,820 people speaking, while other conventions seem to have more Powerpoint style 95 00:04:52,820 --> 00:04:57,090 presentations that require a laptop hook-up, or one person giving almost 96 00:04:57,090 --> 00:05:01,136 TED style talks. It's all very different, so try to make sure you know what you're 97 00:05:01,136 --> 00:05:02,663 getting into when you apply. 98 00:05:02,663 --> 00:05:06,454 When I was in elementary school and middle school, I used to be so nervous about 99 00:05:06,454 --> 00:05:09,965 speaking in front of the class that I would physically shake a little bit. 100 00:05:09,965 --> 00:05:13,755 I've always been a very shy person and too much attention focused on me makes me 101 00:05:13,755 --> 00:05:14,470 uncomfortable. 102 00:05:14,470 --> 00:05:18,700 But, as I got older, I remember reports getting easier when I was confident at 103 00:05:18,700 --> 00:05:23,733 least in what I had studied. When I knew that, even if I was nervous, I wouldn't 104 00:05:23,733 --> 00:05:25,856 necessarily mess up or get anything wrong. 105 00:05:25,856 --> 00:05:28,510 That preparation helped ease my anxiety. 106 00:05:28,510 --> 00:05:32,258 Then, in college, I remember one of the first times I ever made the class laugh 107 00:05:32,258 --> 00:05:36,059 while giving a science presentation, and how that made it clear to me that they 108 00:05:36,059 --> 00:05:39,501 were enjoying the presentation I was giving, and that also made me less 109 00:05:39,501 --> 00:05:40,242 nervous. 110 00:05:40,242 --> 00:05:44,242 I mentioned in my Eighth Grade review that I reconnected and got dinner with a middle 111 00:05:44,242 --> 00:05:48,006 school teacher I had had, and that they were surprised I worked so publicly now, 112 00:05:48,006 --> 00:05:50,359 because of how shy and quiet I was in their class. 113 00:05:50,359 --> 00:05:54,379 I know that everyone is different, but my advice if you're interested in paneling or 114 00:05:54,379 --> 00:05:56,624 other public speaking, but hesitant and nervous, 115 00:05:56,624 --> 00:05:58,914 is that one way to work through it is to, do it. 116 00:05:58,914 --> 00:06:00,059 Like exposure therapy. 117 00:06:00,059 --> 00:06:03,429 A small room, at a small con, is usually a very friendly and supportive 118 00:06:03,429 --> 00:06:06,140 environment, and you can work your way up from there. 119 00:06:06,140 --> 00:06:09,305 And if you need it, take the time to prep and bring notes with you. 120 00:06:09,305 --> 00:06:13,177 Sometimes for a panel, I won't prep at all, sometimes I'll write some key terms 121 00:06:13,177 --> 00:06:16,740 in a little notebook, and sometimes I'll print out a whole wikipedia page or 122 00:06:16,740 --> 00:06:20,498 interviews with related people and take notes all over them and bring them with 123 00:06:20,498 --> 00:06:24,180 me, it depends on how serious or in-depth the panel is, and what it calls for. 124 00:06:24,180 --> 00:06:27,855 Panels at conventions that have multiple people on them, or that include an 125 00:06:27,855 --> 00:06:30,225 audience Q&A, also usually have a moderator. 126 00:06:30,225 --> 00:06:33,295 Sometimes the moderator is expected to organize the conversation 127 00:06:33,295 --> 00:06:37,003 but keep out of it, often the case with moderating well known or expert guests, 128 00:06:37,003 --> 00:06:39,268 and sometimes they're more a part of the group, 129 00:06:39,268 --> 00:06:42,897 but still responsible for keeping track of time and keeping the conversation 130 00:06:42,897 --> 00:06:43,633 on track. 131 00:06:43,633 --> 00:06:47,473 Moderating can be challenging, because you're not only expected to be 132 00:06:47,473 --> 00:06:51,342 knowledgeable and entertaining, but you also have to make sure you're on schedule, 133 00:06:51,342 --> 00:06:55,218 make sure everyone gets a turn to speak, deal with overzealous audience members, 134 00:06:55,218 --> 00:06:59,341 and on panels about sensitive topics, or on panels that suddenly veer off into 135 00:06:59,341 --> 00:07:01,569 sensitive topics, keep everything civil. 136 00:07:01,569 --> 00:07:05,096 I've never run a convention, so I don't know how many panelists are willing 137 00:07:05,096 --> 00:07:06,992 to moderate vs. how many hate doing it. 138 00:07:06,992 --> 00:07:10,062 I know a lot of convention guest surveys have a section that asks 139 00:07:10,062 --> 00:07:11,932 if a guest is willing to moderate. 140 00:07:11,932 --> 00:07:13,702 Uh, for me I always say yes. 141 00:07:13,702 --> 00:07:18,325 I get very annoyed if a moderator takes over a panel, or lets one guest talk 142 00:07:18,325 --> 00:07:22,687 over another, or lets the panel go over time, and I always try very hard to take 143 00:07:22,687 --> 00:07:26,583 it as a responsibility and make sure even the shy and nervous guests get a chance 144 00:07:26,583 --> 00:07:27,418 to respond. 145 00:07:27,418 --> 00:07:30,908 They're on the panel for a reason, let them talk, stop talking over them! 146 00:07:30,908 --> 00:07:34,429 And then I make time for audience questions if they're a part of the panel, 147 00:07:34,429 --> 00:07:36,242 and clear out at the appropriate time. 148 00:07:36,242 --> 00:07:39,903 I never did or wanted to do stand-up, but I used to go to a lot of small shows 149 00:07:39,903 --> 00:07:43,619 around Atlanta, and at those kinds of shows, comics are given a specific length 150 00:07:43,619 --> 00:07:46,331 of time to perform their set before they're shown a light. 151 00:07:46,331 --> 00:07:49,161 Sometimes just the host showing them a light on their phone, 152 00:07:49,161 --> 00:07:51,624 which means they have a minute or whatever left, 153 00:07:51,624 --> 00:07:55,184 then they're shown the light again when it's time to end and get off stage. 154 00:07:55,184 --> 00:07:59,129 It sucked, it always sucked, when a comic at an open mic doing awful, unfunny jokes 155 00:07:59,129 --> 00:08:00,946 would run the light and keep going. 156 00:08:00,946 --> 00:08:04,296 I've never straight-up interrupted and tried to give the con equivalent 157 00:08:04,296 --> 00:08:07,747 of the light to a moderator that's going over because I'm not a monster, 158 00:08:07,747 --> 00:08:10,842 but I've definitely wanted to, because everyone at a convention 159 00:08:10,842 --> 00:08:13,298 (audience member or panelist), should be respected, 160 00:08:13,298 --> 00:08:15,221 and that includes respecting their time. 161 00:08:15,221 --> 00:08:19,087 As an additional note for people who are nervous about public speaking, I've never 162 00:08:19,087 --> 00:08:22,988 had a difficult crowd in the traditional sense at a convention. 163 00:08:22,988 --> 00:08:25,538 Especially if you spend a lot of time on the internet, 164 00:08:25,538 --> 00:08:28,568 you might think the audience at a nerd convention would be mean, 165 00:08:28,568 --> 00:08:32,093 and that they might try to snipe you and poke holes in what you're saying, 166 00:08:32,093 --> 00:08:36,130 or try to argue or be cold or stern, but in my experience it's the opposite. 167 00:08:36,130 --> 00:08:39,330 They want to be a part of something, they're interested in what you 168 00:08:39,330 --> 00:08:41,434 have to say, and they want to learn from you. 169 00:08:41,434 --> 00:08:45,550 Some people will devil's advocate you in a way that is well-meaning but annoying, 170 00:08:45,550 --> 00:08:51,044 especially if you're talking about your own experiences, but in the genuine spirit 171 00:08:51,044 --> 00:08:54,561 of friendly discussion vs. the mean, pedant debate nerd harassment you get 172 00:08:54,561 --> 00:08:58,211 online from people who just want to dominate you in order to win an argument. 173 00:08:58,211 --> 00:09:01,771 And when panelists get kind of nervous or emotional and need a moment, con 174 00:09:01,771 --> 00:09:07,152 audiences, especially in small rooms are usually very sweet and understanding and 175 00:09:07,152 --> 00:09:08,119 supportive about it. 176 00:09:08,119 --> 00:09:12,459 The problem is that audiences can get too engaged, and maybe 177 00:09:12,459 --> 00:09:16,516 feel a little too involved with the conversation, and then you, especially 178 00:09:16,516 --> 00:09:19,597 if you're moderating, have to figure out how to stop their: 179 00:09:19,597 --> 00:09:23,159 "I have more of a statement then a question", or their five questions in a 180 00:09:23,159 --> 00:09:27,626 row or their interrupting over and over and over, and taking up more time then the 181 00:09:27,626 --> 00:09:31,553 panelists who people actually came to see, without hurting the feelings of someone 182 00:09:31,553 --> 00:09:35,336 who is really genuinely excited, and does not realize that they're interrupting. 183 00:09:35,336 --> 00:09:39,686 It's up to you, and to the tone of the panel, and the convention, to draw that 184 00:09:39,686 --> 00:09:40,434 line. 185 00:09:40,434 --> 00:09:44,293 Some panels are more informal, and conversational and participatory, and some 186 00:09:44,293 --> 00:09:46,817 are more serious and need to stay on track. 187 00:09:46,817 --> 00:09:51,197 As far as paneling itself, I try to actively gauge an audience's level 188 00:09:51,197 --> 00:09:55,714 of expertise with the subject so that I don't condescend or over-explain things 189 00:09:55,714 --> 00:09:57,929 while also avoiding going over their heads. 190 00:09:57,929 --> 00:10:02,332 Unless the panel is on a heavy topic, I try to keep the atmosphere light, and keep 191 00:10:02,332 --> 00:10:06,138 topics moving, and keep the panel entertaining and engaging, as well as 192 00:10:06,138 --> 00:10:07,102 informative. 193 00:10:07,102 --> 00:10:11,656 And the less formal or serious a panel is, the earlier I open it up to the audience 194 00:10:11,656 --> 00:10:15,434 to move it in a direction they'd find beneficial, or for us to just straight-up 195 00:10:15,434 --> 00:10:17,060 start answering their questions. 196 00:10:17,060 --> 00:10:21,108 I am a firm believer in monetary compensation for labor, if you're putting 197 00:10:21,108 --> 00:10:24,169 in work, your time and your work should be compensated. 198 00:10:24,169 --> 00:10:27,759 If you're paneling at a convention, ideally you would at least wouldn't have 199 00:10:27,759 --> 00:10:30,409 to pay for travel or a hotel room, or food. 200 00:10:30,409 --> 00:10:33,670 But I also understand that conventions, especially small conventions 201 00:10:33,670 --> 00:10:37,009 or nonprofit conventions don't have big budgets. 202 00:10:37,009 --> 00:10:41,749 Realistically, like, hundreds or even thousands of dollars for every guest, 203 00:10:41,749 --> 00:10:43,838 when they're charging attendees reasonably. 204 00:10:43,838 --> 00:10:47,948 For me, one convention, one time, paid for my hotel and travel. 205 00:10:47,948 --> 00:10:50,150 All the other ones I've paid for out of pocket. 206 00:10:50,150 --> 00:10:54,085 And so far not selling any merchandise at conventions, or being paid for autographs 207 00:10:54,085 --> 00:10:56,026 or whatever, I've spent a lot of money. 208 00:10:56,026 --> 00:10:59,649 What I will say is that you're paneling at a convention, especially if you're 209 00:10:59,649 --> 00:11:03,525 paneling a lot, and they make you pay for your badge, you are getting ripped off. 210 00:11:03,525 --> 00:11:07,835 Generally, you can expect free admission to the convention and some free or reduced 211 00:11:07,835 --> 00:11:09,361 cost badges for a friend or two. 212 00:11:09,361 --> 00:11:12,891 Please don't pay at conventions that you can put on programming for them. 213 00:11:12,891 --> 00:11:17,081 Dealer's rooms and artist alley tables are different, of course, since you're buying 214 00:11:17,081 --> 00:11:19,562 a table to use to sell merchandise and turn a profit. 215 00:11:19,562 --> 00:11:23,085 Most conventions also offer volunteer spots, where you can get a free pass 216 00:11:23,085 --> 00:11:27,178 after so many hours of volunteering as staff, but I don't have any experience 217 00:11:27,178 --> 00:11:27,988 with that. 218 00:11:27,988 --> 00:11:30,666 I do try to keep costs relatively low while paneling. 219 00:11:30,666 --> 00:11:33,916 For a lot of people, conventions are all-out vacations where they buy 220 00:11:33,916 --> 00:11:36,522 expensive merchandise and spend a lot at the hotel bar, 221 00:11:36,522 --> 00:11:39,458 or spend a lot on costuming, but the majority of these trips 222 00:11:39,458 --> 00:11:41,839 for me are closer to a business trip. 223 00:11:41,839 --> 00:11:44,229 They're still fun, but if you go to a lot of cons, 224 00:11:44,229 --> 00:11:48,387 even small ones, costs add up and budgeting is important. 225 00:11:48,387 --> 00:11:52,991 As far as how to carry yourself and how to interact with other people at a convention 226 00:11:52,991 --> 00:11:56,655 like I said, be respectful and take whatever responsibilities you have 227 00:11:56,655 --> 00:11:57,508 seriously. 228 00:11:57,508 --> 00:12:00,858 Be prepared, and be on time, and only panel on subjects you're actually 229 00:12:00,858 --> 00:12:02,373 able to talk about. 230 00:12:02,373 --> 00:12:07,344 And, drinking is normalized at a lot of conventions, and if I'm doing panels at 231 00:12:07,344 --> 00:12:11,149 10 or 11 at night, I might have a couple beers or cocktails, but I don't want to 232 00:12:11,149 --> 00:12:13,187 ever get hammered in front of an audience. 233 00:12:13,187 --> 00:12:16,117 That's all another area that varies a lot between conventions. 234 00:12:16,117 --> 00:12:19,693 Some are very family friendly, some are more of party cons, 235 00:12:19,693 --> 00:12:22,302 and some change a lot after 9 or 10 PM. 236 00:12:22,302 --> 00:12:25,411 But, you should always act according to your own comfort level. 237 00:12:25,411 --> 00:12:29,162 And don't self-aggrandize or drop a bunch of names or act like you're the most 238 00:12:29,162 --> 00:12:33,393 important person on a panel, or spend the entire time aggressively self-promoting. 239 00:12:33,393 --> 00:12:37,443 Like if you mention what you're working on at the beginning and the end, that's fine, 240 00:12:37,443 --> 00:12:41,223 but some panelists just like won't stop talking about their own work even when 241 00:12:41,223 --> 00:12:44,547 it's not relevant. Just make it a conversation and be nice to people. 242 00:12:44,547 --> 00:12:48,387 If someone is being a jerk, or is being offensive, or a bigot, or being creepy 243 00:12:48,387 --> 00:12:52,438 and making you uncomfortable, regardless of who they are, you should not have to 244 00:12:52,438 --> 00:12:53,203 put up with it. 245 00:12:53,203 --> 00:12:56,783 Any decent convention will have a solid anti-harassment policy, and 246 00:12:56,783 --> 00:13:01,294 you can report weirdos to staff and reach out to track directors or con chairs or 247 00:13:01,294 --> 00:13:03,853 whoever if another panelist makes you uncomfortable. 248 00:13:03,853 --> 00:13:09,949 But, also, outside of creeps and bigots, be empathetic and understand that a lot of 249 00:13:09,949 --> 00:13:14,205 people who come to conventions are shy and awkward, and might not be great at 250 00:13:14,205 --> 00:13:18,428 interpreting social cues, or used to a ton of social interaction, so try to put out a 251 00:13:18,428 --> 00:13:22,349 general vibe of friendliness and approach-ability, and if you feel 252 00:13:22,349 --> 00:13:26,017 comfortable, offer a business card with your email on them so that people can 253 00:13:26,017 --> 00:13:29,932 reach out after if they have any questions that weren't addressed during the panel. 254 00:13:29,932 --> 00:13:31,419 Maybe they were too shy to ask. 255 00:13:31,419 --> 00:13:34,804 My outlook both personally and professionally is to try to be kind and 256 00:13:34,804 --> 00:13:38,461 friendly and empathetic, but to also have a backbone. 257 00:13:38,461 --> 00:13:42,569 My identity and beliefs and politics don't disappear when it's convenient 258 00:13:42,569 --> 00:13:45,100 for my panelist or Youtube career or whatever. 259 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:49,516 And while using a nerd convention panel as a soapbox for totally unrelated 260 00:13:49,516 --> 00:13:53,412 political grievances is more self-aggrandizing and annoying then 261 00:13:53,412 --> 00:13:58,584 anything else, any platform should be used honestly and responsibly, and if I 262 00:13:58,584 --> 00:14:02,589 disagree with another panelist or an audience member, especially politically, 263 00:14:02,589 --> 00:14:06,693 or if we're discussing media or events that I take issue with, I am vocal about 264 00:14:06,693 --> 00:14:10,536 it, and if that's upsetting to someone who books a convention, then I don't have 265 00:14:10,536 --> 00:14:12,070 to be a part of that convention. 266 00:14:12,070 --> 00:14:16,144 And as far as networking, my approach there is to, again, be friendly, but to 267 00:14:16,144 --> 00:14:20,493 only really try to connect with people who I would want to be friends with anyway. 268 00:14:20,493 --> 00:14:24,361 Like I met my friend Michelle when she was on a panel I moderated at Con Carolinas 269 00:14:24,361 --> 00:14:28,135 last year, and we talked a little after that, and then we kept seeing each other 270 00:14:28,135 --> 00:14:32,034 at other conventions and film festivals, and she really liked our short film, and 271 00:14:32,034 --> 00:14:35,585 we were blown away by her feature 'Livescream', and then my fan Graham and 272 00:14:35,585 --> 00:14:39,431 I auditioned for and were both cast in a short film of hers, and working with her 273 00:14:39,431 --> 00:14:40,167 was great. 274 00:14:40,167 --> 00:14:43,719 That is a genuine friendship, and now working relationship built on mutual 275 00:14:43,719 --> 00:14:47,590 respect. It would be just kind of awkward if we didn't really see eye-to-eye, or 276 00:14:47,590 --> 00:14:51,550 didn't really get along great, but I tried really hard to be her friend just to use 277 00:14:51,550 --> 00:14:52,524 her as a connection. 278 00:14:52,524 --> 00:14:55,574 Or, at some conventions, I'll interview an actor or 279 00:14:55,574 --> 00:14:58,372 director for an audience, or moderate their Q&A. 280 00:14:58,372 --> 00:15:01,012 Unless we genuinely get along super super well, 281 00:15:01,012 --> 00:15:04,968 and keep chatting after the panel, it would be inappropriate and invasive 282 00:15:04,968 --> 00:15:09,158 to try and use that as an opportunity to befriend a famous person 283 00:15:09,158 --> 00:15:13,015 just because they're famous, when they probably want to be left alone, and just, 284 00:15:13,015 --> 00:15:16,850 they, they probably want to go back to their table to sign autographs or go back 285 00:15:16,850 --> 00:15:20,692 to their hotel room for a nap, rather then hear me talk about a-video essays, or 286 00:15:20,692 --> 00:15:24,019 whatever, I'm not-I'm not being self-deprecating, I'm saying it's 287 00:15:24,019 --> 00:15:27,342 inappropriate to try to force a connection when there isn't one. 288 00:15:27,342 --> 00:15:31,403 Especially if you're transparently trying to use someone to advance your own career. 289 00:15:31,403 --> 00:15:33,485 Because people can tell, and they'll notice. 290 00:15:33,485 --> 00:15:37,331 And whether you're dealing with a way bigger guest then you, or dealing with an 291 00:15:37,331 --> 00:15:40,780 awkward audience member, just be respectful and remember boundaries. 292 00:15:40,780 --> 00:15:45,633 And, as a panelist, if you have time, go to other panels, both on topics you're 293 00:15:45,633 --> 00:15:48,149 already interested in, and areas that are new to you. 294 00:15:48,149 --> 00:15:51,479 I don't believe in ghosts, but I still find paranormal panels 295 00:15:51,479 --> 00:15:56,116 with local ghost hunters or people telling stories about local legends and cryptids 296 00:15:56,116 --> 00:15:57,067 fascinating. 297 00:15:57,067 --> 00:16:00,357 Like, unironically I'm not making fun of them I-it's really engaging 298 00:16:00,357 --> 00:16:04,580 and interesting to listen to people talk about local urban legends or-or 299 00:16:04,580 --> 00:16:07,774 ghost hunting, even if it's not something that I'm into personally. 300 00:16:07,774 --> 00:16:11,574 And I really enjoy going to panels on fiction writing and on accessibility. 301 00:16:11,574 --> 00:16:13,086 I always learn something new. 302 00:16:13,086 --> 00:16:16,467 And go to the artist alley and the dealer's room, check out local art. 303 00:16:16,467 --> 00:16:20,019 I never spend a lot of money at conventions, but I usually find at least 304 00:16:20,019 --> 00:16:23,953 something hand-made and charming, or cheap art prints that I like or-or something 305 00:16:23,953 --> 00:16:24,938 like that. 306 00:16:24,938 --> 00:16:27,758 Every convention is different and has something novel to it. 307 00:16:27,758 --> 00:16:30,868 Even if you're there on, like I said, more of a business trip, 308 00:16:30,868 --> 00:16:34,921 there's usually something new to learn or experience, and you can get more 309 00:16:34,921 --> 00:16:38,202 out of it then just self-promoting or talking in front of crowds. 310 00:16:38,202 --> 00:16:42,311 Most conventions have a full schedule posted online, or even an app where you 311 00:16:42,311 --> 00:16:45,963 can build out your own schedule on a calendar, and if I have enough breaks, 312 00:16:45,963 --> 00:16:49,625 I like to pre-plan a handful of panels I'd be interested in checking out. 313 00:16:49,625 --> 00:16:52,380 Sometimes I don't have enough breaks, but that's ok too. 314 00:16:52,380 --> 00:16:56,143 As for why you should panel at a convention, aside from free admission and 315 00:16:56,143 --> 00:16:59,932 for meeting people and self-promoting, what I get out of it has a lot of overlap 316 00:16:59,932 --> 00:17:02,009 with what I get out of my Youtube channel. 317 00:17:02,009 --> 00:17:06,869 With what I panel on, usually film and film-making, I'm either talking with other 318 00:17:06,869 --> 00:17:11,225 enthusiasts about something I'm really excited about and sharing that enthusiasm. 319 00:17:11,225 --> 00:17:16,505 Whenever I'm on panels about cult films or B-movies, I love bringing up Roar, and how 320 00:17:16,505 --> 00:17:20,388 the audience reacts to learning about a movie marketed as a family film where real 321 00:17:20,388 --> 00:17:23,530 life Tippi Hedren and her family were attacked by untrained lions. 322 00:18:31,591 --> 00:18:35,102 Or when I'm helping an audience learn something new that can help them in 323 00:18:35,102 --> 00:18:39,999 concrete ways, like explaining the basics of film-making or Youtube or podcasting, 324 00:18:39,999 --> 00:18:44,334 or dealing with social media harassment, or other aspects of making art and putting 325 00:18:44,334 --> 00:18:49,156 it online to people who want to make their own films and videos who are very 326 00:18:49,156 --> 00:18:52,151 intimidated, and to help ease their fears and encourage them. 327 00:18:52,151 --> 00:18:55,991 I find that really fun and really rewarding. 328 00:18:59,601 --> 00:19:03,639 Most of the photos and videos of me in this essay were taken by my friends 329 00:19:03,639 --> 00:19:06,194 Devin, Shelby, Kevin, and Graham. 330 00:19:06,194 --> 00:19:09,654 The videos at Monsterama were taken from a Youtube channel that I'll link 331 00:19:09,654 --> 00:19:10,598 in the description. 332 00:19:10,598 --> 00:19:14,862 Photos and videos of Kim Plume's gonzo panels, and the Venture Brothers panels 333 00:19:14,862 --> 00:19:17,988 at Dragon Con were all taken by me over the years. 334 00:19:17,988 --> 00:19:21,470 I have nothing to do with those panels except being a big fan of them. 335 00:19:21,470 --> 00:19:25,333 Special thanks to Arin Fever and Bill Mulligan, who have both always been 336 00:19:25,333 --> 00:19:27,228 really helpful and really encouraging. 337 00:19:27,228 --> 00:19:30,952 And thanks to people on twitter who help me by asking questions about paneling 338 00:19:30,952 --> 00:19:33,166 while I was working on the script for my essay. 339 00:19:33,166 --> 00:19:37,036 I have a video with my full con schedule for this year up that I will link in the 340 00:19:37,036 --> 00:19:39,766 description, though here's an image with the schedule too. 341 00:19:39,766 --> 00:19:41,796 You can pause the video, and look at it. 342 00:19:41,796 --> 00:19:44,179 These are the rest of the cons I'm doing this year. 343 00:19:44,179 --> 00:19:47,995 And, if you enjoyed this video, and would like to support more videos like it, or 344 00:19:47,995 --> 00:19:51,665 support me traveling to conventions, I have a Ko-Fi and a Patreon, both linked 345 00:19:51,665 --> 00:19:52,581 in the description. 346 00:19:52,581 --> 00:19:55,521 The film of Michelle's that Graham and I acted in is called 347 00:19:55,521 --> 00:19:59,119 "Seven Deadly Sins", and I'll link her twitter with more information 348 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:00,763 in the description as well. 349 00:20:00,763 --> 00:20:02,541 And, thank you for watching. 350 00:20:02,541 --> 00:20:05,161 -that's great. Well, thank you everybody for coming! 351 00:20:05,161 --> 00:20:08,761 Thank you! Woo, thank you!