So the day has finally come... the website launched!
My stomach feels all rumbly with nervous excitement. We had a few kinks to work out at first, but things seem to be going smoothly thusfar. We already have three vendor applications in our first day!
For anyone who is interested, this is our site:
www.omegaconvention.com
The pressure is on now to weigh in on the pros and cons of every vendor application. This is the downside to having limited space. So many cool vendors, so few spaces to put them.
It's funny how things that don't even occur to you normally suddenly come to mind when things get hectic. I spent most of the day sending hurried e-mails, shamelessly promoting, making excel spreadsheets, and fielding questions from all angles. It's almost 1:30 am and I'm just now finally settling down, satisfied that I've done enough today to make the next couple of months go much more smoothly for us during this process, though I can't shake the feeling that there's always more to be done!
Well... there's always tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
World of Nerdcraft
So here I am, curled up on the tattered gypsy couch at T.E.G., biding my time until the last bit of information for the website launch becomes available at the end of the month. Once the website goes live, it'll be crunch time for all of us, but for the time being we're in a holding pattern, twiddling our thumbs and sighing wistfully as we stare off into the distance. It gets a little infuriating knowing that there is so much that needs to get done, but not being able to put a finger on exactly what those things are. I guess that's the nature of flying by the seat of your pants when doing something for the first time. I know what the end product is, but figuring out the steps to get there is a messy process. OmegaCon is incredibly lucky to have the team that it does, because we've somehow magically managed to find just the right group of people to make sense of the chaos. Each section of the convention (Anime, LAN, Video Games, Hobby Games, and Dealer's Room) has a coordinator that is truly passionate about their position. Because of that, each of these sections are being carefully planned and cared for like geeky little dream-babies by the collective genius of their adoptive parents. I truly think that the end result is going to be epic.
As head of the Dealer's Room, there unfortunately isn't a lot for me to do until the website launches. I spent the first week of my official position furiously searching the interwebz for prospective vendors, drooling over their wares and squirreling away their contact information for later. I even contacted a few of the bigger ones in hopes that I could fill a few crucial spots (anime vendor, t-shirts, retro games, etc.), but quickly discovered that I was lacking in information. I had just written up the rules and regulations for the Dealer's Room, but hadn't yet put together a Vendor Contract, which as it turns out is a pretty important thing to have on hand. I quickly rectified this, and was able to pull in a couple of excellent vendors, but not having a website to direct them to, or a way for them to pay for their tables and badges makes me fidget. Because of this I've decided to put my vendor search on hold until this is set up.
The problem with being passionate about something is that it's making me impatient. I have this frustrating urge to get things done now. When I'm forced to wait, my urges get filtered into other venues, which I guess could be a good thing if somehow I could control them, but sadly it usually winds up with me having a serious itch about doing things that require money... like nerdcrafting!
By nerdcrafting I mean basically anything that is both crafty AND nerdy. My current urges include 8bit patchwork pillows and blankets, polymer dolls, Perler bead crafts, seed bead crafts, and the list goes on and on. It's infuriating because I love having crafty urges. They come to me so seldom. I just hate that all of these things require money, which at the moment I don't have much of. It also makes me sad that these crafty urges have little sway over me wanting to draw... which is the one other thing that I could be doing to actually benefit the convention. I have no urge what-so-ever to draw. BALLS. CURSE YOU BRAIN AND YOUR TRIFLING WAYS.
Once I get my money situation turned around I think I will be giving in to my patchwork ideas. It seems terribly fun and I keep thinking about it. Who knows, I might be able to HELP my financial situation a little if I'm prolific enough. Bweheheh.
Until then, it's Daft Punk and the interwebz.
As head of the Dealer's Room, there unfortunately isn't a lot for me to do until the website launches. I spent the first week of my official position furiously searching the interwebz for prospective vendors, drooling over their wares and squirreling away their contact information for later. I even contacted a few of the bigger ones in hopes that I could fill a few crucial spots (anime vendor, t-shirts, retro games, etc.), but quickly discovered that I was lacking in information. I had just written up the rules and regulations for the Dealer's Room, but hadn't yet put together a Vendor Contract, which as it turns out is a pretty important thing to have on hand. I quickly rectified this, and was able to pull in a couple of excellent vendors, but not having a website to direct them to, or a way for them to pay for their tables and badges makes me fidget. Because of this I've decided to put my vendor search on hold until this is set up.
The problem with being passionate about something is that it's making me impatient. I have this frustrating urge to get things done now. When I'm forced to wait, my urges get filtered into other venues, which I guess could be a good thing if somehow I could control them, but sadly it usually winds up with me having a serious itch about doing things that require money... like nerdcrafting!
By nerdcrafting I mean basically anything that is both crafty AND nerdy. My current urges include 8bit patchwork pillows and blankets, polymer dolls, Perler bead crafts, seed bead crafts, and the list goes on and on. It's infuriating because I love having crafty urges. They come to me so seldom. I just hate that all of these things require money, which at the moment I don't have much of. It also makes me sad that these crafty urges have little sway over me wanting to draw... which is the one other thing that I could be doing to actually benefit the convention. I have no urge what-so-ever to draw. BALLS. CURSE YOU BRAIN AND YOUR TRIFLING WAYS.
Once I get my money situation turned around I think I will be giving in to my patchwork ideas. It seems terribly fun and I keep thinking about it. Who knows, I might be able to HELP my financial situation a little if I'm prolific enough. Bweheheh.
Until then, it's Daft Punk and the interwebz.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
One Ticket to Geek Heaven Plz
If you asked me six months ago if I thought I'd be helping to plan a local anime and gaming convention this year, you probably would have dropped dead from the two-job stress daggers I'd be driving into your face with my cold, lifeless eyes. Since then I've managed to ditch my night job, dye my hair fantastical happy-Sophie-time colors, and quell the latent rage beast born from my lack of free time and loathing of corporate toolbags (jeeze, cheer up emo kid). Because of this I was in a much better head space to face the tasks that would (and will) occupy the greater part of my mind for most of the year. I guess it'd be best to start this story from the beginning for people unfamiliar with my current endeavors. I'll do my best to make it brief.
My boyfriend Shane is co-owner in a local hobby store called The End Games, and for some time now there has been discussion about starting a convention in our home town of Charlottesville, VA. Virginia has been home to several decently sized conventions, some even got their start in our humble little college city, but for one reason or another they have moved out of the area, leaving a vacuum of restless nerds in its wake. And the most notable quality of vacuums is... well... they suck.
Over the past couple of years, The End Games (hereby referred to as T.E.G., because I'm lazy) has burst onto the East Coast convention circuit, selling their wares and putting their name out there as much as possible to the outlying areas. I don't work at T.E.G. myself, but they've been kind enough to let me tag along to a few cons to help with the booth.
It's an interesting progression, going from a general nerd-fan, to the typical con-goer, then to an industry worker. It definitely gives one a unique perspective on the experience as a whole. I've always loved going to conventions, being surrounded by people who enjoy the same things I do. I think it's because of this that I find it exciting to become a more integral part of something I've enjoyed for so long.
Several months ago, T.E.G. was approached by a couple of enthusiastic young ladies with an avid love of anime. Mindy and Allis had been trying for some time to put together a convention, but were missing that special something that makes conventions work. Money. Well, dedicated, hard working people and resources as well, but mostly money. Two of T.E.G.'s owners, Brian and Shane, filled this missing piece quite nicely, forming a formidable foursome of get-shit-doneness.
Over the next few months I saw OmegaCon start to come together in some sort of super-heroic 90s cartoon kind of way. "By our powers combined we are a potentially functional, progressively exciting, often terrifying gaming, anime and music convention!" with me and the other volunteers rounding out the team as the derpy little "heart" kid.
I got pulled in a couple months in to the process as the graphic designer, and would spend the next few weeks pumping out a logo and a mascot to represent our convention. After a few incarnations we settled on a design, and Alpha the red panda was born (get it? Alpha? Omega? I thought it was pretty clever).
I was also selected to co-coordinate the Dealer's Room and Artist Alley, which is a challenge that I'm particularly excited about tackling. The problem with first-year conventions is that they are typically not widely known about, and their attendance is usually fairly small. This makes it particularly difficult to pull in vendors, due to the fact that the trip is often not monetarily worthwhile the further they have to travel. So far I haven't let that deter me much, and I've been enthusiastically selling the idea of our convention to as many relevant types of vendors as I can find up and down the East Coast. Some are naturally hesitant, or unable to attend, but my efforts have not proved fruitless, and our first confirmed dealer is coming all the way from GA! Naysayers beware, I'm a woman on a mission!
Since the start we've been fiercely negotiating with our convention home, Holiday Inn, writing up website content, planning events, gathering staff and volunteers, running fundraising events, and trying to promote as much as possible. The last step before this thing blows up (in a good way, we hope) is to get the site up and running so that we can start taking registration for both attendees and vendors. We just need the hotel code to make that happen, and we'll be on our way!
I think it's safe to say we're all sitting on pins and needles, waiting for that moment, and we hope our ever patient following is as well!
If you happen upon this blog, and want to know more about us, please contact me at sophia@omegaconvention.com, or you can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/omegaconVA. I'll be sure to post the site when it goes live as well ;).
My boyfriend Shane is co-owner in a local hobby store called The End Games, and for some time now there has been discussion about starting a convention in our home town of Charlottesville, VA. Virginia has been home to several decently sized conventions, some even got their start in our humble little college city, but for one reason or another they have moved out of the area, leaving a vacuum of restless nerds in its wake. And the most notable quality of vacuums is... well... they suck.
Over the past couple of years, The End Games (hereby referred to as T.E.G., because I'm lazy) has burst onto the East Coast convention circuit, selling their wares and putting their name out there as much as possible to the outlying areas. I don't work at T.E.G. myself, but they've been kind enough to let me tag along to a few cons to help with the booth.
It's an interesting progression, going from a general nerd-fan, to the typical con-goer, then to an industry worker. It definitely gives one a unique perspective on the experience as a whole. I've always loved going to conventions, being surrounded by people who enjoy the same things I do. I think it's because of this that I find it exciting to become a more integral part of something I've enjoyed for so long.
Several months ago, T.E.G. was approached by a couple of enthusiastic young ladies with an avid love of anime. Mindy and Allis had been trying for some time to put together a convention, but were missing that special something that makes conventions work. Money. Well, dedicated, hard working people and resources as well, but mostly money. Two of T.E.G.'s owners, Brian and Shane, filled this missing piece quite nicely, forming a formidable foursome of get-shit-doneness.
Over the next few months I saw OmegaCon start to come together in some sort of super-heroic 90s cartoon kind of way. "By our powers combined we are a potentially functional, progressively exciting, often terrifying gaming, anime and music convention!" with me and the other volunteers rounding out the team as the derpy little "heart" kid.
I got pulled in a couple months in to the process as the graphic designer, and would spend the next few weeks pumping out a logo and a mascot to represent our convention. After a few incarnations we settled on a design, and Alpha the red panda was born (get it? Alpha? Omega? I thought it was pretty clever).
I was also selected to co-coordinate the Dealer's Room and Artist Alley, which is a challenge that I'm particularly excited about tackling. The problem with first-year conventions is that they are typically not widely known about, and their attendance is usually fairly small. This makes it particularly difficult to pull in vendors, due to the fact that the trip is often not monetarily worthwhile the further they have to travel. So far I haven't let that deter me much, and I've been enthusiastically selling the idea of our convention to as many relevant types of vendors as I can find up and down the East Coast. Some are naturally hesitant, or unable to attend, but my efforts have not proved fruitless, and our first confirmed dealer is coming all the way from GA! Naysayers beware, I'm a woman on a mission!
Since the start we've been fiercely negotiating with our convention home, Holiday Inn, writing up website content, planning events, gathering staff and volunteers, running fundraising events, and trying to promote as much as possible. The last step before this thing blows up (in a good way, we hope) is to get the site up and running so that we can start taking registration for both attendees and vendors. We just need the hotel code to make that happen, and we'll be on our way!
I think it's safe to say we're all sitting on pins and needles, waiting for that moment, and we hope our ever patient following is as well!
If you happen upon this blog, and want to know more about us, please contact me at sophia@omegaconvention.com, or you can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/omegaconVA. I'll be sure to post the site when it goes live as well ;).
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