Conquest SF, No.
Conquest SF is August 31st - September 1st.
As you may know, I go to gamer conventions, and put up examples of work, and sell prints very occasionally. The bulk of what I sell are on-the-spot commissions. I have a maximum of 15 slots at the convention, barring hand cramps, sleep, and other bodily needs. I usually only do about 12, at an average of $30 each.
Usually, that makes for a pretty good weekend. It's enough to pay for my time, even though the hourly rate (considering my 14-hour days) isn't that much at all.
But it's fun, and occasionally interesting, and always challenging.
Sadly- I will not attend Conquest SF as an artist. I might attend as a gamer. I know Eli will.
A certain person who seems to be in charge of dealer's room activities at the convention is determined to charge us much more than what I would consider "normal" or "fair".
In short, "Mondo" thinks that $250 for a table is equitable. Eli has been a dear and been the negotiator in this convention, since I have trouble remembering to keep up correspondence, and not to mention keeping a professional attitude when hitting a wall like this. But the guy thinks that a dealer's table would be good for me. Haha, fuck no.
So anyway, since I really don't like them anymore, here's some entertaining quotes.
"To be honest, I would price a table in a major thoroughfare of the convention, with 24/7 accessibility at more of a premium that one with limited access in the dealers hall. Most artist tables don't require a secure location, as they generally trundle their stuff up to their rooms with them.
Also, our normal booth prices are considerably less than those charged by KublaCon, the only other convention you mention that is similiar to ConQuest. (DunDraCon is very, very focused on RPGs, and PolyCon is a fun show, but a much smaller scale of about 300 folks.)"
I suppose there's a point in there. He couldn't have a dealer in the hallway all the time selling their miniatures and dice. But this is so drastically different I can't even begin to explain it to the douche. Even with me out there 24/7, I'd probably only make $50 above the cost of the table. And that wouldn't even begin to cover hotel and gas expenses, much less my time.
The really fun part of that above quote was that he thinks that a dealer booth at KublaCon would cost me more. No. They are exactly the same. But Kubla had one thing going for them. They were willing to figure out, and discuss, in person at the convention- that a dealer table was not at all the same thing at all as an artist table. And they happily sold me a badge and a table for $80.
Another amusing line from the letter:
"The only way I would consider offering an artist a lower rate would be in exchange for commissioned artwork for us to use in the promotion and/or sales of our show. (For example for use as Tshirt art, program cover, etc.) Such artwork would become the sole property of ConQuest, meaning we would want all rights to the art. (I guess both of us put a value on what we are offering...you your artwork, and us, the community we've put together for others, like you, to make money at.) :-)"
Yeah, so I do something, you still screw me on the table price, and then you get to use it forever and always, without contract royalties or terms of use in place. I've pondered sending the guy an official illustrator contract, courtesy of one of the thicker books I've got around.
Anyway, from what I've heard, the thing isn't run very well at all.
Here's a quote from someone who ran a game at last year's convention:
"I did ConSac after my bad experience at ConQuestSF because a friend
asked me to do it as a favor and to help out. But what ConSac made
very clear to me is that Avalon is more interested in opening new
markets and making more money than they are improving their existing
products. Avalon has no business trying to launch other conventions
if they can't run one well. I am no longer interested in volunteering
my time and energy to try and put on quality games for an organization
that doesn't care about the quality of their own product. Con
attendees generally won't care why a game went badly, just that it
did. And I will not attach my name to games I expect to run badly."
I've heard a few things about this convention before about the way they like to run RPG games- pushed aside in favor of ones that bring in more money- like miniature gaming, for example.
I'm not happy, and if I show up I sure as hell don't want to give them money for jack squat.
As you may know, I go to gamer conventions, and put up examples of work, and sell prints very occasionally. The bulk of what I sell are on-the-spot commissions. I have a maximum of 15 slots at the convention, barring hand cramps, sleep, and other bodily needs. I usually only do about 12, at an average of $30 each.
Usually, that makes for a pretty good weekend. It's enough to pay for my time, even though the hourly rate (considering my 14-hour days) isn't that much at all.
But it's fun, and occasionally interesting, and always challenging.
Sadly- I will not attend Conquest SF as an artist. I might attend as a gamer. I know Eli will.
A certain person who seems to be in charge of dealer's room activities at the convention is determined to charge us much more than what I would consider "normal" or "fair".
In short, "Mondo" thinks that $250 for a table is equitable. Eli has been a dear and been the negotiator in this convention, since I have trouble remembering to keep up correspondence, and not to mention keeping a professional attitude when hitting a wall like this. But the guy thinks that a dealer's table would be good for me. Haha, fuck no.
So anyway, since I really don't like them anymore, here's some entertaining quotes.
"To be honest, I would price a table in a major thoroughfare of the convention, with 24/7 accessibility at more of a premium that one with limited access in the dealers hall. Most artist tables don't require a secure location, as they generally trundle their stuff up to their rooms with them.
Also, our normal booth prices are considerably less than those charged by KublaCon, the only other convention you mention that is similiar to ConQuest. (DunDraCon is very, very focused on RPGs, and PolyCon is a fun show, but a much smaller scale of about 300 folks.)"
I suppose there's a point in there. He couldn't have a dealer in the hallway all the time selling their miniatures and dice. But this is so drastically different I can't even begin to explain it to the douche. Even with me out there 24/7, I'd probably only make $50 above the cost of the table. And that wouldn't even begin to cover hotel and gas expenses, much less my time.
The really fun part of that above quote was that he thinks that a dealer booth at KublaCon would cost me more. No. They are exactly the same. But Kubla had one thing going for them. They were willing to figure out, and discuss, in person at the convention- that a dealer table was not at all the same thing at all as an artist table. And they happily sold me a badge and a table for $80.
Another amusing line from the letter:
"The only way I would consider offering an artist a lower rate would be in exchange for commissioned artwork for us to use in the promotion and/or sales of our show. (For example for use as Tshirt art, program cover, etc.) Such artwork would become the sole property of ConQuest, meaning we would want all rights to the art. (I guess both of us put a value on what we are offering...you your artwork, and us, the community we've put together for others, like you, to make money at.) :-)"
Yeah, so I do something, you still screw me on the table price, and then you get to use it forever and always, without contract royalties or terms of use in place. I've pondered sending the guy an official illustrator contract, courtesy of one of the thicker books I've got around.
Anyway, from what I've heard, the thing isn't run very well at all.
Here's a quote from someone who ran a game at last year's convention:
"I did ConSac after my bad experience at ConQuestSF because a friend
asked me to do it as a favor and to help out. But what ConSac made
very clear to me is that Avalon is more interested in opening new
markets and making more money than they are improving their existing
products. Avalon has no business trying to launch other conventions
if they can't run one well. I am no longer interested in volunteering
my time and energy to try and put on quality games for an organization
that doesn't care about the quality of their own product. Con
attendees generally won't care why a game went badly, just that it
did. And I will not attach my name to games I expect to run badly."
I've heard a few things about this convention before about the way they like to run RPG games- pushed aside in favor of ones that bring in more money- like miniature gaming, for example.
I'm not happy, and if I show up I sure as hell don't want to give them money for jack squat.