Panelist Information

2013 Panelist Information

The information on this page is for FanimeCon 2013.
Deadline for Panel submissions for FanimeCon 2013: March 24th 2013

Since the deadline is past, we are no longer accepting submissions for this year. If you didn’t make the deadline, we’ll hope to see you next year!

QuickLinks:

Industry Panels: If you are part of a company that is hoping to host an Industry Panel at FanimeCon, please visit our Professional Registration area first. If you quality for Industry Badges, then you are eligible to host Industry Panels. Companies that qualify for Professional Registration are not eligible to receive additional badge discounts via the Panels Department.


Panelist Lounge Hours At-Con:
Friday: TBA
Saturday: TBA
Sunday: TBA
Monday: TBA

Panel Room Equipment:
If you have tech requests, make sure to include them into your submission. We will accommodate requests to the best of our ability.
Notes about equipment in the Panel Rooms:

  • Projectors & Screens are available in most panel rooms. (These can be connected to computers via
    VGA or DVI and to gaming consoles. Please specify desired connections on your panel request form).
  • Microphones are in all panel rooms. (Usually 2 or 3, depending on the size of the room. It is not usually possible to supply extra microphones or wireless microphones, so please plan your presentation accordingly.)
  • Table and chairs at the front of the room for panelists are in all panel rooms.
  • Chairs for attendees are in all panel rooms.
  • Tables/Desks for attendees might be in some panel rooms.
  • Panel rooms are NOT equipped with FanimeCon provided internet access. Panelists are advised to have prepared presentations and screenshots.
  • FanimeCon does not provide panels with prizes to distribute for panel games or participation. If prizes are desired, the prizes must be provided by the panelist.
  • Food cannot be served to members of the audience during a panel, or given away as prizes.

Anything not listed above is not standard equipment for a panel room and we may be unable to provide it. Please highlight special requests for equipment in the tech section of your panel request form. Be aware that your panel may not be approved if we are unable to provide the equipment you request. If a panelist would like to bring in their own equipment, please specify this on the form as well.


Discounted Badges for Fan Panelists:
Fan panels are an essential part of our “by fans for fans” convention. You help us put on a wonderful show every year, and so we offer the following discounts in thanks for your participation:
1 hour panel = $20 discount on any badge for yourself and one assistant.*
2 hours of panels = $40 discount on any badge for yourself and one assistant.*
3 hours of panels = A full weekend pass to the convention for yourself and one assistant.*
*You may have multiple assistants for your panel. However, the discount are only applied to two badges.

Please note the following: Discounts are offered only on full-price member badges purchased at the convention. Pre-registered or early-registered badges are ineligible for additional discounts. Panels cannot offer refunds or discounts on badges already purchased.

Badges for Panelists: FAQ

If I already have a full weekend badge for the convention do I need a “panels” badge in order to host my panel?
Answer: No.

I already bought a convention pass, but it turns out I can get a free pass by giving more panels — can I get reimbursed for my purchased badge?
Answer: No. Pre-registered and Early registered badges are not eligible for the discount, and we cannot offer refunds.

How do discounted badges work? When do we get the badges? How do we pick them up?
Answer:

  • How do discounted badges work? If you wish to take advantage of the panelist discount on member badges, simply check the appropriate box on your panel request form. (Please do this for each panel you are using to request the discount for, if there is more than one panel.) Make sure to put real names on the panel request form, not con names or nicknames.
  • When do we get the badges? The 2013 panelist discount can be used when purchasing member badges at the convention center Thursday May 23 – Monday May 27th, 2013.
  • How do we pick them up? After arriving at the convention, you will first pick up your discount slip from Panels staff. Panel staff will instruct you in how to present your discount slip to registration to get your badge, and where to go. The name on your discount slip MUST match the name on the ID you present when purchasing your badge or the discount will not be given. Con names or Nicknames can be given to registration at the time the badge is purchased.

What happens if I am approved to host a panel and then later it is cancelled? Do I still get my badge discounts?
Answer: If the convention needs to cancel your panel(s), you will still receive the badges or discounts for the panel(s) that were previously scheduled. If you cancel a panel yourself, you will not receive the badges or discounts that you would have been eligible for.


Program Guide Listing Character Limits on Panel Titles and Descriptions:
The description you submit for your panel has a strict character limit of 300 characters with spaces, and a limit of 30 characters with spaces for the panel title to ensure panel descriptions will fit into the program guide. All descriptions and titles may be edited for spelling, grammar, or punctuation by FanimeCon staff. If your description is edited, you’ll be notified via e-mail.

Panel lengths:
Your panel should not be exactly 1 or 2 hours long. The maximum time for a panel that has reserved an hour in the room is actually 50 minutes. That leaves 5 minutes at the start for set-up and seating, and 5 minutes at the end for break-down and exit, etc.

  • A one-hour panel should be a minimum of 40 minutes in length, with a maximum of 50 minutes.
  • Two-hour panels should be a minimum of 100 minutes in length, with a maximum of 110 minutes.

The Panels schedule runs in hourly time blocks. It is not possible to reserve a panel room for half an hour.

Panel content age ratings:
All panels are assumed to contain material that is suitable for all ages. If the panel contains content that may be classified as adult material, panelists must inform the staff prior to the convention, on the submission form. This rating will not be changed at the convention. Please make sure you enter the correct age rating on the panel request form. The ratings are as follows:

  • No rating = This panel is suitable for all FanimeCon members, of any age.
  • 16+ = This panel will not require ID proof of age, but it may contain more swearing or slightly more mature content, and a 16+ audience is recommended.
  • 18+ = This panel contains adult content or mature themes, and a valid photo ID will be required to attend the panel.

Panel Room Assignment:
Panel approvals and room assignments are based on all of the information submitted on the Panel Request Forms. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • The largest factor in the panel approval process is the available time frames. The more flexible you can be, the higher the chances that we will be able to fit you into our schedule.
  • The length of your panel also plays a significant part in the scheduling process. There are always more one hour time slots than two hour time slots. When feasible, we recommend breaking longer panels down into smaller segments.
  • Panels often receives a lot of submissions that are very similar to one another. When we have several of a certain type (category or topic) of panel already on the schedule, priority will be given to panels that are more varied or unique in category or topic.
  • The earlier you submit your panel, the earlier we can begin considering it. We begin scheduling within a month of when the Panel Request Form goes live.

Note: Feel free to ping the Panels Twitter for what topics/categories we are getting a lot of submissions in currently. You can also review the Panels section of the Fanime forums to get an idea of what panels other panelists are already planning.

After Submitting Your Panel

Please be sure to verify your e-mail!
When a panel is submitted, you will receive an e-mail notification requesting you to verify the e-mail address you submitted on the form. Please be sure to watch for this e-mail and click the verification link. Until you complete this step, the Panels Team will not actually receive your submission. Please e-mail panels@fanime.com if no e-mail is received.

When will I get a response? What can I expect?
Due to the high volume of panel submissions that we receive, we cannot guarantee swift responses to submissions.

  1. When you submit, you should receive an automatic e-mail to your inbox saying that your submission has been processed and sent into the database of submissions. Please contact us if you do not receive this.
  2. Panel staff will attempt to send out a follow-up confirmation e-mail to confirm that your panel submission was received as soon as possible, but we are often flooded as soon as the panel form goes live, so we ask for your understanding if there are delays. This delay may be several weeks when the form first goes live, but should get shorter closer to the convention.
  3. If your panel is ‘approved’, you will get an e-mail offering you a time slot on the FanimeCon 2013 Panels schedule. You will have a limited amount of time to reply to this e-mail and officially accept the offered time slot. The time slot will not be held beyond the deadline. A second e-mail to confirm your Panel time, day, and room will be sent out after you have accepted the offered time slot.
  4. If your Panel is ‘rejected’, you will receive a communication letting you know that the Panels Team has determined that your panel is not eligible for our schedule. In some cases the panelist will be given the opportunity to revise their submission. Since our time as volunteers is limited, and we receive more and more submissions each year, we cannot guarantee the option to revise a submission that is initially rejected.
  5. Panels which are not rejected, but which we are unable to fit into the panels schedule will receive an invitation to the waiting list. Waiting list invitations will be sent out within two weeks after the Panels schedule is finalized.

Once a panel has been placed onto the schedule, it is considered ‘confirmed’ and locked in. Later requests to change the time of the panel may result in the panel being completely removed from the FanimeCon 2013 panels schedule.


Tips for advertising before the con to increase interest in your panel:
We recommend telling friends and family about your panel, posting about it on the FanimeCon Forums or any other forum where it would be appropriate. Additionally, some panelists have had good results from creating a short video clip to advertise their panel and uploading it on Youtube. (Be sure to send us a link!)

Stage Zero: Advertising your Panel at-con!

  • Pre-recorded Promos: Prepare a video/audio presentation to advertise your panel, which can be played on the Stage Zero screen. It should be no longer than 2 minutes in length and the content must be approved by the Stage Zero department management team. Simply take your prepared presentation to Stage Zero staff after you arrive at the convention. They will review the advertisement and play if it is approved. Video presentations for Stage Zero should be in basic playable computer files, preferably *.mpg, *.mpeg, *.avi, or *.mp4 files. Please name your panel title, day, time and location into the file name in the following format: [name][time][date][location].mpeg, *.avi, *.mpg, or *.mp4.
  • Live Promos: You may promote your panel on Stage Zero in person. There is a time limit of 5 minutes. There is no scheduling for live promotions. You will need to visit Stage Zero when there are no events scheduled to get your promotion time. Please inform the staff at the stage of who you are and what panel you will be promoting. Be prepared to exit the stage promptly when your time limit is up.

At-Con

Picking up your Panelist Discount Slips
If you are receiving a discount on a member badge through the panels department, you will need to first pick up your discount slip from Panels Staff. Information on when and where to pick up the Discount slips will be sent out to panelists 3-4 weeks before the convention, and we will announce on twitter when it has been sent out. Please contact us immediately if you do not receive any notification.

At-Con Check-In
All panelists are required to check-in at the Panelist Lounge 30 minutes prior to the start of their panel.
The location of the Panelist Lounge will be sent to you in an e-mail 3-4 weeks before the convention. You may send a proxy for yourself if you are unable to get there on time.

If no one checks in for your panel, the Panels Team will make a single attempt to contact the panelist using the At-Con phone number provided on the Panel Request Form. If, at fifteen minutes prior to panel start time, we have been unable to contact you, and no one has checked-in, your panel will be canceled. Once a panel cancellation has been communicated to the rest of the convention via social media, Info Desk, and Stage Zero, this cancellation cannot be rescinded.

During Your Panel
If you have any issues during your panel, please speak to one of the Panel Staff located near the doors of the panel room. They will be able to get the needed assistance as soon as possible.

The Panelist Lounge — Why’s it called a lounge?
The Panelist Lounge is primarily the Panel Staff base of operations and a place for Panelists to come and check in with us prior to their panels. However, Panelists are also welcome any time the Lounge is open to come and ask questions or simply sit down and rest. The Lounge is not open to the public.

Have a question that was not addressed here? Please contact Panels at panels@fanime.com.