It is weird, I guess (never having done something like that myself), but it sure seems there's money in it if you manage it right.
Right. I'm beginning to realize that SF-lit cons and media cons are really different entities -- SF lit is half industry caucus and half community. The boundaries between fans and "stars" are very permeable, over the long term. Also, I've never heard of an SF lit con that wouldn't immediately plow any profits back into the next con. (For that matter, every year people buy "non-attending" memberships in cons, essentially giving the con money just to make sure it survives.)
Not to posit SF lit cons as unable to have horrifying disasters (there was a humdinger of a one that got cons kicked out of Boston hotels for a long time), but generally speaking, the horrifying disasters are stupidity, disorganization, and people getting out of hand; the profit motive for disaster is absent.
Although, I will say, the fangirling that Neil Gaiman gets, he probably
should
(and could) charge for autographs. (I don't think he does.)
I've been going to DragonCon for several years now, and it seems to me that they do an extraordinary job of wrangling 30,000 people and a few hundred guests.
(there was a humdinger of a one that got cons kicked out of Boston hotels for a long time)
Oh please tell, or link, Nutty.
Oh it was like 20+ years ago. Here we are: [link]
As disasters go, it was self-made, and one of those "Now Timmy has spoiled it for the rest of the class" type of problems. But, let us say that that, and one Baycon (SF area) that had a committee self-destruct, are the only two disastercons that have made it into book format (Camille Bacon-Smith's
Science Fiction Culture
.)
on the plus side, Sci-Fi channel works in my office.
on the negative side... I forgot about the marathon until 1/2 way thru the last episode
:: sigh ::
I could have had Firefly on all day instead of Christmas songs.
Wow, it takes me back to the early 90s when a small local gaming group/con turned out to be a scheme to get the lead organizer some quick cash. One of my roomies got a court judgement against him after being wrongly implicated in the embezzlement, but apparently these things are VERY hard to get law enforcement to follow up on.
I don't regret the $ I shelled out for that Creation con with all the Mutant Enemy folks back in 2004 as a one-time experience, but I had more fun at the PBPs for much less money.
I had more fun at the PBPs for much less money.
The PBPs were never something I had much interest in. I had fun helping out Allyson at her parties, but mass chaos just gives me panic attacks. I like the idea of an orderly convention, where you sit and get a chance at asking a question during the Q&As.
Dear me, Nathan is particularly smokin', even in photos where he ought not be. I mean, we can't credit hair, make-up, wardrobe, and lighting.
And, you know, this guy's not exactly uncute, is he? [link]
Have we heard about the Fireflyverse RPG? [link] That might actually get me to try out this whole gaming thing.
