How to Panel at Conventions

https://www.patreon.com/StrucciMovies
https://ko-fi.com/struccimovies

Michelle- https://twitter.com/ladytuono
Seven Deadly Synths behind the scenes- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHgkzlTd89U
Her patreon- https://www.patreon.com/octopunkmedia

Con schedule video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcCTBT2ejf4

Monsterama videos from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW6mb8P3IcF5GkdZ-GbBkRA

Critical Bits, the actual play podcast I'm on- https://criticalbitcast.com/

Struggle Session, the podcast I'm film correspondent for- https://twitter.com/strugglesesh?lang=en

Background music is Dummy! from Undertale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ_H-_NI4SU and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj94aDlh0so

I've been going to nerd conventions for
over a decade,

and even when I was just starting to go to
conventions as a teenager,

I always found the atmosphere
exciting, and freeing, and welcoming.

Regardless of whether it was a small
convention, or one as huge as Dragon Con.

And I've always recommended that anyone
with niche hobbies or interests go to a

convention at least once.

Then, starting in 2016, I decided to not
just attend conventions,

but to at least try to be a part of them.

I was about a year into my Youtube channel

and had about a tenth of
the subscribers I have now.

Not a big enough audience for
anyone to be reaching out to me to guest,

or even just panel for them.

So it was on me to figure out how to
start the process.

I also didn't start out with any
connections at conventions,

especially outside of Dragon Con,
where I think I knew one person

who was helpful and very supportive,
but wasn't really involved with the kind

of tracks I'd be paneling on, like film
or horror.

I've made a lot of friends and met very
kind and encouraging people on the con

circuit along the way, but starting out I
had very little help and no roadmap or

real plan for what I was doing.

I wanted to go back to my FILM NERD roots
and make an instructional video essay

explaining what I did, and what I learned,
for a while.

And I figured now in-between the first and
second independent artists videos would

be a good time, while I'm on the high of
talking about getting out there and

supporting art, and getting involved with
other artists.

As far as my credentials for making this
video, here is a list of conventions

I have paneled at and upcoming conventions
I am slated to panel at this year.

As a note, at the
Cattanooga Film Festival

I didn't so much panel as participate in a
D&D live show which was really really fun.

And on top of this list I've also screened
films at or helped judge a bunch of

different film festivals, and participated
in some festival Q&As, which is pretty

different from paneling at conventions,
but there is some overlap.

Especially considering that a lot of cons
have their own festivals, and you can

do both!

One of the first tools I found
that helped out a lot was the website

called the Southern Fandom Resource Guide.

It's a very long list of conventions all
around the Southeast,

from toy shows to
big mult-genre cons,

to very very small weird niche
conventions. If you go looking,

you can probably find a similar list
or calendar for your region.

I just started skimming the list for
conventions that seemed like they'd be a

good fit, opened like twenty tabs in my
browser, looked over the websites

individually to weed out conventions that
I wasn't interested in, and filled out a

guest application if there was one, or
sent a cold email if there wasn't.

I get a lot more responses now that I have
a track record of paneling at different

conventions and a bigger fan base, but
starting out the vast majority of my

emails were ignored.

So don't be discouraged if you don't hear
back or get accepted by everyone.

When thinking about what types of panels
you'd do well on, and even what cons to

reach out to in the first place, you
should focus on a few key areas that you

can speak on with confidence.

Like, I have years of firsthand experience
with running a Youtube channel, with

Patreon, and with no-budget film making,
and I've spent a lot of time researching

parasocial relationships and studying
film theory and film history, and I've

been interested in horror as a genre for
like, twenty years, as long as I can

remember.

So I'd have no problem talking about any
of these things for an hour.

There are other areas where I'm less
knowledgeable, but could spend some time

prepping and feel comfortable speaking on
a topic, and then some topics that I just

avoid.

Like I don't know anything about
current sci-fi literature or young adult

novels or the current state of American
comics.

There are lots of panels about these
subjects at conventions, but if I

convince someone to put me on a panel
about them, I'd both be taking a spot

that should go to someone genuinely
knowledgeable and passionate about that

subject, and I'd probably end up looking
like an idiot.

Don't sell yourself short, though!

I have a lot of hobbies and passive
interests I've had since I was a little

kid, and while I never consciously
accumulated them, I'm just a pretty

curious person who had a lot of free
time when I was younger.

They've been valuable both in having
subjects for my video essays and for

paneling.

If you feel like you don't have a lot to
talk about, or wouldn't know what to talk

about, but you've also been passionate and
excited about whatever type of nerd

subject since you were a kid, you'd
probably do great.

A lot of conventions have what are called
'programming tracks', and you should keep

what tracks a con has in mind when
applying.

As an example, Dragon Con is a huge
convention with 30 or 40 very specific

tracks.

Paranormal, animation, Star Trek,
video games, horror, puppetry, military,

sci-fi.

Whatever, a smaller convention
would probably have less tracks that are

broader, like these are Monsterama's.

And the actual application process can
vary tremendously.

With most of the cons I've paneled at,
I'm brought on as a guest or a panelist

or 'attending professional' in Dragon Con
terms,

and while I usually have the option
to pitch panels if I want,

especially at smaller cons that I've been
paneling at for a couple of years,

I'm mostly assigned them or given a list
to choose from.

Contrary to that, a lot of convention
websites have open access panel submission

forms, where anyone can apply and pitch
their panel without any formal guest

status.

Formats vary as well. Most of the panels
I've done are just me and a few other

people speaking, while other conventions
seem to have more Powerpoint style

presentations that require a laptop
hook-up, or one person giving almost

TED style talks. It's all very different,
so try to make sure you know what you're

getting into when you apply.

When I was in elementary school and middle
school, I used to be so nervous about

speaking in front of the class that I
would physically shake a little bit.

I've always been a very shy person and
too much attention focused on me makes me

uncomfortable.

But, as I got older, I remember reports
getting easier when I was confident at

least in what I had studied. When I knew
that, even if I was nervous, I wouldn't

necessarily mess up or get anything wrong.

That preparation helped ease my anxiety.

Then, in college, I remember one of the
first times I ever made the class laugh

while giving a science presentation, and
how that made it clear to me that they

were enjoying the presentation I was
giving, and that also made me less

nervous.

I mentioned in my Eighth Grade review that
I reconnected and got dinner with a middle

school teacher I had had, and that they
were surprised I worked so publicly now,

because of how shy and quiet I was in
their class.

I know that everyone is different, but my
advice if you're interested in paneling or

other public speaking, but hesitant and
nervous,

is that one way to work
through it is to, do it.

Like exposure therapy.

A small room, at a small con,
is usually a very friendly and supportive

environment, and you can work your way
up from there.

And if you need it, take the time to prep
and bring notes with you.

Sometimes for a panel, I won't prep at
all, sometimes I'll write some key terms

in a little notebook, and sometimes I'll
print out a whole wikipedia page or

interviews with related people and take
notes all over them and bring them with

me, it depends on how serious or in-depth
the panel is, and what it calls for.

Panels at conventions that have multiple
people on them, or that include an

audience Q&A, also usually
have a moderator.

Sometimes the moderator is expected
to organize the conversation

but keep out of it, often the case with
moderating well known or expert guests,

and sometimes they're more
a part of the group,

but still responsible for keeping track
of time and keeping the conversation

on track.

Moderating can be challenging,
because you're not only expected to be

knowledgeable and entertaining, but you
also have to make sure you're on schedule,

make sure everyone gets a turn to speak,
deal with overzealous audience members,

and on panels about sensitive topics, or
on panels that suddenly veer off into

sensitive topics, keep everything civil.

I've never run a convention, so I don't
know how many panelists are willing

to moderate vs. how many hate doing it.

I know a lot of convention guest surveys
have a section that asks

if a guest is willing to moderate.

Uh, for me I always say yes.

I get very annoyed if a moderator
takes over a panel, or lets one guest talk

over another, or lets the panel go over
time, and I always try very hard to take

it as a responsibility and make sure even
the shy and nervous guests get a chance

to respond.

They're on the panel for a reason,
let them talk, stop talking over them!

And then I make time for audience
questions if they're a part of the panel,

and clear out at the appropriate time.

I never did or wanted to do stand-up, but
I used to go to a lot of small shows

around Atlanta, and at those kinds of
shows, comics are given a specific length

of time to perform their set
before they're shown a light.

Sometimes just the host showing them
a light on their phone,

which means they have a minute
or whatever left,

then they're shown the light again
when it's time to end and get off stage.

It sucked, it always sucked, when a comic
at an open mic doing awful, unfunny jokes

would run the light and keep going.

I've never straight-up interrupted
and tried to give the con equivalent

of the light to a moderator that's going
over because I'm not a monster,

but I've definitely wanted to,
because everyone at a convention

(audience member or panelist),
should be respected,

and that includes respecting their time.

As an additional note for people who are
nervous about public speaking, I've never

had a difficult crowd in the traditional
sense at a convention.

Especially if you spend a lot of time
on the internet,

you might think the audience at a nerd
convention would be mean,

and that they might try to snipe you
and poke holes in what you're saying,

or try to argue or be cold or stern,
but in my experience it's the opposite.

They want to be a part of something,
they're interested in what you

have to say, and they want to learn from
you.

Some people will devil's advocate you in
a way that is well-meaning but annoying,

especially if you're talking about your
own experiences, but in the genuine spirit

of friendly discussion vs. the mean,
pedant debate nerd harassment you get

online from people who just want to
dominate you in order to win an argument.

And when panelists get kind of nervous or
emotional and need a moment, con

audiences, especially in small rooms are
usually very sweet and understanding and

supportive about it.

The problem is that audiences
can get too engaged, and maybe

feel a little too involved with the
conversation, and then you, especially

if you're moderating, have to figure out
how to stop their:

"I have more of a statement then a
question", or their five questions in a

row or their interrupting over and over
and over, and taking up more time then the

panelists who people actually came to see,
without hurting the feelings of someone

who is really genuinely excited, and does
not realize that they're interrupting.

It's up to you, and to the tone of the
panel, and the convention, to draw that

line.

Some panels are more informal, and
conversational and participatory, and some

are more serious and need to stay on
track.

As far as paneling itself, I try
to actively gauge an audience's level

of expertise with the subject so that I
don't condescend or over-explain things

while also avoiding going over
their heads.

Unless the panel is on a heavy topic, I
try to keep the atmosphere light, and keep

topics moving, and keep the panel
entertaining and engaging, as well as

informative.

And the less formal or serious a panel is,
the earlier I open it up to the audience

to move it in a direction they'd find
beneficial, or for us to just straight-up

start answering their questions.

I am a firm believer in monetary
compensation for labor, if you're putting

in work, your time and your work should
be compensated.

If you're paneling at a convention,
ideally you would at least wouldn't have

to pay for travel or a hotel room,
or food.

But I also understand that conventions,
especially small conventions

or nonprofit conventions don't have big
budgets.

Realistically, like, hundreds or even
thousands of dollars for every guest,

when they're charging
attendees reasonably.

For me, one convention, one time, paid for
my hotel and travel.

All the other ones
I've paid for out of pocket.

And so far not selling any merchandise at
conventions, or being paid for autographs

or whatever, I've spent a lot of money.

What I will say is that you're paneling at
a convention, especially if you're

paneling a lot, and they make you pay for
your badge, you are getting ripped off.

Generally, you can expect free admission
to the convention and some free or reduced

cost badges for a friend or two.

Please don't pay at conventions that you
can put on programming for them.

Dealer's rooms and artist alley tables are
different, of course, since you're buying

a table to use to sell merchandise and
turn a profit.

Most conventions also offer volunteer
spots, where you can get a free pass

after so many hours of volunteering as
staff, but I don't have any experience

with that.

I do try to keep costs relatively low
while paneling.

For a lot of people, conventions are
all-out vacations where they buy

expensive merchandise and spend
a lot at the hotel bar,

or spend a lot on costuming,
but the majority of these trips

for me are closer to a business trip.

They're still fun, but if you go to
a lot of cons,

even small ones, costs add up and
budgeting is important.

As far as how to carry yourself and how to
interact with other people at a convention

like I said, be respectful and take
whatever responsibilities you have

seriously.

Be prepared, and be on time,
and only panel on subjects you're actually

able to talk about.

And, drinking is normalized at a lot of
conventions, and if I'm doing panels at

10 or 11 at night, I might have a couple
beers or cocktails, but I don't want to

ever get hammered in front of an audience.

That's all another area that varies a lot
between conventions.

Some are very family friendly,
some are more of party cons,

and some change a lot after 9 or 10 PM.

But, you should always act according to
your own comfort level.

And don't self-aggrandize or drop a bunch
of names or act like you're the most

important person on a panel, or spend the
entire time aggressively self-promoting.

Like if you mention what you're working on
at the beginning and the end, that's fine,

but some panelists just like won't stop
talking about their own work even when

it's not relevant. Just make it a
conversation and be nice to people.

If someone is being a jerk, or is being
offensive, or a bigot, or being creepy

and making you uncomfortable, regardless
of who they are, you should not have to

put up with it.

Any decent convention will
have a solid anti-harassment policy, and

you can report weirdos to staff and reach
out to track directors or con chairs or

whoever if another panelist makes you
uncomfortable.

But, also, outside of creeps and bigots,
be empathetic and understand that a lot of

people who come to conventions are shy and
awkward, and might not be great at

interpreting social cues, or used to a ton
of social interaction, so try to put out a

general vibe of friendliness and
approach-ability, and if you feel

comfortable, offer a business card with
your email on them so that people can

reach out after if they have any questions
that weren't addressed during the panel.

Maybe they were too shy to ask.

My outlook both personally and
professionally is to try to be kind and

friendly and empathetic, but to also
have a backbone.

My identity and beliefs and politics
don't disappear when it's convenient

for my panelist or Youtube career or
whatever.

And while using a nerd convention panel
as a soapbox for totally unrelated

political grievances is more
self-aggrandizing and annoying then

anything else, any platform should be used
honestly and responsibly, and if I

disagree with another panelist or an
audience member, especially politically,

or if we're discussing media or events
that I take issue with, I am vocal about

it, and if that's upsetting to someone
who books a convention, then I don't have

to be a part of that convention.

And as far as networking, my approach
there is to, again, be friendly, but to

only really try to connect with people who
I would want to be friends with anyway.

Like I met my friend Michelle when she was
on a panel I moderated at Con Carolinas

last year, and we talked a little after
that, and then we kept seeing each other

at other conventions and film festivals,
and she really liked our short film, and

we were blown away by her feature
'Livescream', and then my fan Graham and

I auditioned for and were both cast in a
short film of hers, and working with her

was great.

That is a genuine friendship, and now
working relationship built on mutual

respect. It would be just kind of awkward
if we didn't really see eye-to-eye, or

didn't really get along great, but I tried
really hard to be her friend just to use

her as a connection.

Or, at some conventions,
I'll interview an actor or

director for an audience,
or moderate their Q&A.

Unless we genuinely get along
super super well,

and keep chatting after the panel,
it would be inappropriate and invasive

to try and use that as an opportunity
to befriend a famous person

just because they're famous, when they
probably want to be left alone, and just,

they, they probably want to go back to
their table to sign autographs or go back

to their hotel room for a nap, rather then
hear me talk about a-video essays, or

whatever, I'm not-I'm not being
self-deprecating, I'm saying it's

inappropriate to try to force a
connection when there isn't one.

Especially if you're transparently trying
to use someone to advance your own career.

Because people can tell, and they'll
notice.

And whether you're dealing with a way
bigger guest then you, or dealing with an

awkward audience member, just be
respectful and remember boundaries.

And, as a panelist, if you have time, go
to other panels, both on topics you're

already interested in, and areas that are
new to you.

I don't believe in ghosts,
but I still find paranormal panels

with local ghost hunters or people telling
stories about local legends and cryptids

fascinating.

Like, unironically I'm not making
fun of them I-it's really engaging

and interesting to listen to people talk
about local urban legends or-or

ghost hunting, even if it's not something
that I'm into personally.

And I really enjoy going to panels on
fiction writing and on accessibility.

I always learn something new.

And go to the artist alley and the
dealer's room, check out local art.

I never spend a lot of money at
conventions, but I usually find at least

something hand-made and charming, or cheap
art prints that I like or-or something

like that.

Every convention is different and has
something novel to it.

Even if you're there on, like I said,
more of a business trip,

there's usually something new to learn
or experience, and you can get more

out of it then just self-promoting
or talking in front of crowds.

Most conventions have a full schedule
posted online, or even an app where you

can build out your own schedule on a
calendar, and if I have enough breaks,

I like to pre-plan a handful of panels I'd
be interested in checking out.

Sometimes I don't have enough breaks, but
that's ok too.

As for why you should panel at a
convention, aside from free admission and

for meeting people and self-promoting,
what I get out of it has a lot of overlap

with what I get out of my Youtube channel.

With what I panel on, usually film and
film-making, I'm either talking with other

enthusiasts about something I'm really
excited about and sharing that enthusiasm.

Whenever I'm on panels about cult films or
B-movies, I love bringing up Roar, and how

the audience reacts to learning about a
movie marketed as a family film where real

life Tippi Hedren and her family were
attacked by untrained lions.

Or when I'm helping an audience learn
something new that can help them in

concrete ways, like explaining the basics
of film-making or Youtube or podcasting,

or dealing with social media harassment,
or other aspects of making art and putting

it online to people who want to make
their own films and videos who are very

intimidated, and to help ease their fears
and encourage them.

I find that really fun and really
rewarding.

Most of the photos and videos of me in
this essay were taken by my friends

Devin, Shelby, Kevin, and Graham.

The videos at Monsterama were taken from a
Youtube channel that I'll link

in the description.

Photos and videos of Kim Plume's gonzo
panels, and the Venture Brothers panels

at Dragon Con were all taken by me over
the years.

I have nothing to do with those
panels except being a big fan of them.

Special thanks to Arin Fever and
Bill Mulligan, who have both always been

really helpful and really encouraging.

And thanks to people on twitter who help
me by asking questions about paneling

while I was working on the script for my
essay.

I have a video with my full con schedule
for this year up that I will link in the

description, though here's an image with
the schedule too.

You can pause the video, and look at it.

These are the rest of the cons
I'm doing this year.

And, if you enjoyed this video, and would
like to support more videos like it, or

support me traveling to conventions, I
have a Ko-Fi and a Patreon, both linked

in the description.

The film of Michelle's that
Graham and I acted in is called

"Seven Deadly Sins", and I'll link her
twitter with more information

in the description as well.

And, thank you for watching.

-that's great. Well, thank you
everybody for coming!

Thank you! Woo, thank you!