Any suggestions for FACTS?

[kaydra]

more lights during the cosplay competition (or buy me a new camera ^_-)

they need to work on their timing cuz I went 2 days (and last year) and the competition never started on time (the second day the music guy even came in 5 minutes late himself). It's quite annoying that you are there 15 minutes early to have a good spot and then having to wait 45 minutes for it to start)

and please TEST the tech stuff BEFORE the contest to make sure things work =D
(tho the "killing my software with windows" song was good ^_^)

[Stoney3K]

Oct 13, 2008 8:25:30 GMT 1 kaydra said:

more lights during the cosplay competition (or buy me a new camera ^_-)

Seconded! Renting a few T-bars with PAR spots wouldn't be too expensive? They can also add a *lot* of colour on the stage which can be a very dramatic effect and a good attention-getter.

and please TEST the tech stuff BEFORE the contest to make sure things work

Again, seconded. I'd be happy to help out on a few tech matters if needed.

Of course, if you want to go all-the-way nuts on the next FACTS, use the ICC's auditorium for the costume competition. Make it a theatre masquerade -- Worldcon style! ;D

[baldhamlet]

Oct 13, 2008 16:29:28 GMT 1 Stoney3K said:

and please TEST the tech stuff BEFORE the contest to make sure things work

Again, seconded. I'd be happy to help out on a few tech matters if needed.

A few years ago, I was still standing there with the mike in my hand hosting in Dutch and in French and mixing the sound. And the cosplayers were only showing their costumes. Then suddenly they all brought some music or other sound clips and started doing acts on stage. I thought that was a great change. Only it was impossible for me to do everything all by myself with only one free hand (there was no stand for the microphone) and I asked for a sound engineer. Last year and this year I got assistance. There are now three people doing the show. A French announcer, a sound engineer and me. And although I hosted quite a few shows in my life, I am semi retired because I have moved on into another business (voice-acting). The French announcer and the sound engineer are volunteers who had never done such things before.

Now I still enjoy hosting the FACTS cosplay and I do it free of charge (to be honest, I do get free drinks and some food). Also, the French announcers did a great job and loved it very much. It would sadden them and me if they got substituted. But if there are people here on this board with experience in sound engineering (or DJ's) who would like to offer their services FREE OF CHARGE, please feel free to join the team. Together we can make the next FACTS better than the last one, every year again.

[feff]

We had all the lights in the cosplay room turned on this this year. We will look how to improve for the next edition.

If there are some people with specialized skills, such as sound and lighting expert, feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail].

And don't forget that we have a separate topic on cosplay suggestions on these boards.

[Mr. Facts]

Oct 13, 2008 19:56:49 GMT 1 baldhamlet said:

Oct 13, 2008 16:29:28 GMT 1 Stoney3K said:

Again, seconded. I'd be happy to help out on a few tech matters if needed.

A few years ago, I was still standing there with the mike in my hand hosting in Dutch and in French and mixing the sound. And the cosplayers were only showing their costumes. Then suddenly they all brought some music or other sound clips and started doing acts on stage. I thought that was a great change. Only it was impossible for me to do everything all by myself with only one free hand (there was no stand for the microphone) and I asked for a sound engineer. Last year and this year I got assistance. There are now three people doing the show. A French announcer, a sound engineer and me. And although I hosted quite a few shows in my life, I am semi retired because I have moved on into another business (voice-acting). The French announcer and the sound engineer are volunteers who had never done such things before.

Now I still enjoy hosting the FACTS cosplay and I do it free of charge (to be honest, I do get free drinks and some food). Also, the French announcers did a great job and loved it very much. It would sadden them and me if they got substituted. But if there are people here on this board with experience in sound engineering (or DJ's) who would like to offer their services FREE OF CHARGE, please feel free to join the team. Together we can make the next FACTS better than the last one, every year again.

baldhamlet : thanx for joining the forum. I'm sure a lot of forummers will have advice to the man behind the mike.
A good way to the man

[Stoney3K]

Oct 13, 2008 20:30:55 GMT 1 feff said:

We had all the lights in the cosplay room turned on this this year. We will look how to improve for the next edition.

If there are some people with specialized skills, such as sound and lighting expert, feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail].

And don't forget that we have a separate topic on cosplay suggestions on these boards.

I will definitely drop you an e-mail. Depending on the amount of time needed at the F.A.C.T.S., I'd be happy to help out and have experience in both lighting and sound. Can supply equipment if needed.

(My own rental and drive-in show company will be off the ground the upcoming year, but I'm not asking you to *hire* me, since I enjoy FACTS just as much)

[Stoney3K]

OK, going back to the main thread, there was definitely something missing at FACTS:

A Cantina Band!

That may also be a good starting point for things like filk workshops.

[Myka]

Cosplay Contest (which i'll talk about more in the other topic) was better, and don't substitute your team of annoucers. baldhamlet and the french guy were great. Good team, one knows how to entertain, the other knows most names. One knows how to fill up the silence where the other had interesting responses that were on it's place. Facts found a great match for this, so i sugest keeping it.
(btw d**n good voice acting, me and others were impressed baldhamlet)

Yes, heat was a bit of problem. Even though i was wearing a half open dress. I kept shifting rooms and eventually made up excuses to go outside to the fresh air (that icecream guy made golden business outside facts). I suggest that if you had some heating on, turn it a few degrees lower. A mass of people like there is on facts will make heat on it's own.

I think there was little to no problems this year.
Only thing that i heard a lot of people complain about is the lines at the food/drink sections. Bringing your own food/drinks or going into the city to get them, is becoming a must for more and more people, every single year.

[reaperunique]

not neccesarly more, but better lights(like in professional light installation).
Better equipment in general, I mean, a laptop -_-' ?

GAMING ROOM!? can anyone give me an explanation for that?
more room for dealers,food and drinks,... the small passageways were very annoying.
I really hope that by next year you will have more room, ICC is big enough.

I don't have anything against the french translators but why french? I think pretty much, if not all people there understood english incl. the french people, I mean if you go to a convention like facts it's almost a given that pretty much everyone understands english.

[Nanami]

Oh oh! I'd like a karaoke bar please xD
It just looks awesome, cosplayers singing their theme songs <3 ( or other songs)

[Totsuya]

>_> What do you people have... DDR.... Karaoke
Half the people don't dare jump on that, and I'm part of those people.
I've got a better idea.

Last week I've started playing 'The House of The Dead' series. (ok, I played them out in one day)
And god, did that bring back memories.
I demand a THOTD2 Machine!



Another machine of the sort is good as well.

[Nanami]

Ooohh! I want a sticker picture booth!! xD One with weird thingies and images O:

[ks1]

Ooow that sounds like fun! But I don't think that will be easy to accomplish though...

[D0UbleF_]

OHW!
Listen guys, don't know if this topic has been here already but..
I went first time last year to FACTS and it was totally AWESOME.
But,... The cosplay show was kinda ruined cuz of the lights and stuff..
There was not really an atmosphere and the cosplayers themselves were feeling kinda unconmortable there.. I saw it.
But i saw 2007's video's on Youtube and there were only some spots and you saw all these flashes and it was simply amazing..
If they could make the lighting this year just like 2007's but with some additional podium spots, which I am sure FACTS can afford for 2 days..
Well.
Would be really nice

[D0UbleF_]

Ohw and another idea! (Soz for double-posting, but Im D0UbleF so I do it sometimes..)
How about making a chill-out or lounge area with some great couches and seats and some tables where the cosplayers and visitors can just lean-back, sitdown and relax or eat their sandwiches?

[Rogue]

Maybe another suggestion, maybe abit too late, but oh well, as I see you can make so that Jean-Claude Van damme shows up last minute, then maybe this is possible too.
There is a french organistaion who make pictures of cosplayers for free called KawaiiAtitude.
Maybe you could invite them?

assokawaiiattitude.free.fr/

[grievous444]

Jul 30, 2009 5:45:41 GMT 1 Rogue said:

Maybe another suggestion, maybe abit too late, but oh well, as I see you can make so that Jean-Claude Van damme shows up last minute, then maybe this is possible too.
There is a french organistaion who make pictures of cosplayers for free called KawaiiAtitude.
Maybe you could invite them?

assokawaiiattitude.free.fr/

I also make a lot of pics of the cosplayers. You just need to ask and I send them to then. Just like each year. Look me up. I'll be the one with a NURD-badge that says grievous444. ;D

[latexstrawberry]

Jan 27, 2009 19:01:33 GMT 1 Nanami said:

Ooohh! I want a sticker picture booth!! xD One with weird thingies and images O:

Which is called Purikura and i think a great idea so far, but then again, I don't believe they have english purikura boots (like with instructions and stuff/ translations/...) and you'll need more than one because it'll be flooded by fangirls, and cosplayers.

Nice idea.

[sarge]

Hi all.

Sorry to derail this thread from it's mostly cosplay-related content. But I have a suggestion, and while it may not really be related to fantasy,anime, comics, toys or even SF, I think it will appeal to the Facts audience.

My suggestion is the following: play Tommy Wiseau's movie "The Room".

For those of you scratching you heads in confusion and wondering what the hell I'm talking about: "The Room" is considered to be the best bad movie ever made and has been called "the Citizen Kane of bad movies". Here's the wikipedia article on it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Room_(film) .

The reasons why I think this movie would be suitable for Facts, are its underground status and the fact that it has gained a large cult following, who go have turned the movie into a whole "experience" similar to The Rocky Horror Picture show.

I think it could be fun to bring this experience to Belgium ;D, and Facts seems like a great opportunity for this

Anyway, here are some clips that may help convince (although they might just do the opposite)









Maybe not for this edition of facts, but who knows maybe in the future (when the earth is ruled by pirate-robotpandas)

[latexstrawberry]

I haven't heard of this since today. Never seen him touch / annoy / flirt with someone.

[cartoonjessie]

The presentor is a friendly guy and I did not see him touch anyone this weekend? I think there's a troll on the boards indeed...

[idromy]

i did wear a bikini ( not touotnly this year)o n stage an i never was touched by him.
and i did not see him toutch other girls so,

[Myka]

Although i talked with 2 very nice and pleasent crew members about this already, i think it's good to stress this fact once more.

There were metal lids on the floor with small square holes in it (in front of the stage). A few of those holes weren't closed up. Which was quite dangerous. ^^ Crew members told me they'd fix it, so i trust them.

[Stoney3K]

Oct 19, 2009 9:53:04 GMT 1 Myka said:

there were metal lids on the floor with small square holes in it (in front of the stage). A few of those holes weren't closed up. Which was quite dangerous. ^^ Crew members told me they'd fix
it, so i trust them.

Those were connection points for the Expo's infrastructure (power, A/C, water, etc..) and a few were around the stage. Ultimately they weren't used, and those steel holes are indeed dangerous when you get stuck in there with a foot or a staff.

The cosplay stage was also promised to have seating, but eventually there was nothing. The visibility of the stage was quite hindered by people standing right up at the stage edge (including tall lads) because they wanted to see everything up-close-and-personal. Having a 1 metre 'safety barrier' like at the Eleanor demonstration helps here, techies can get around a little easier and it helps keep the line-of-sight down a little.

[Rogue]

It's something rather small and might sound stupid but...
There is no other forum on the internet yet I've seen that talks about "Cos'play" , all of the just write this together. I think personally it gives more a "'cos we like to play" sound than a "we play in costumes" feeling.
Yeah, I'm being a nitpicker ^^;