Further Observations
After MFF I noticed a few things about Orvan and listed them. I tried to keep those in mind at Penguicon and can see, somewhat, how well the changes or attempted changes went.
Orvan needs to look up more, or at least not down quite so much.
Orvan needs to "overact" for photos and make the still shot seem more alive.
Looking up (straight) isn't easy as Orvan needs to look down if I am to be able to see what is going on around me. I did remember to look up at least some of the time when stopped for photos. I did forget the overacting some. Then, Orvan was almost always representing ACME this time, and so sticking to a more reserved business manner made sense.
I need to be sure to put Orvan's belt on under his tail.
Orvan needs slightly longer shorts, and those shorts should have belt loops.
I found some longer shorts that had belt loops. The belt being in the loops meant I couldn't put the belt on over the tail.
Deliveries actually go fairly quickly and so more of them can be done without burning the bit out.
Needing help to locate a recipient won't hurt the bit. It could even make the bit.
These are true, if one can find the recipient in a reasonable time. It's also possible for it to take way too long.
Having a photographer/assistant along is not needed, but is quite nice.
Very true. The photo collection would have been very limited indeed without jmaynard taking pictures - and having him there to explain things some helped quite a bit as well.
Orvan could use "business cards" to give to folks who take his picture so he (I) can get copies.
I didn't do this and really should. I did eventually give a couple slips of paper with contact info to a couple folks, but so far haven't heard anything back. Having a ready supply would mean a higher likelihood of contact information getting to someone who would follow up and send a photo.
Orvan should spend some time outside during the day when light is good and good photos can be taken.
Orvan did step outside a couple times during daylight, but just to cool off. As he was alone, he didn't venture very far from the hotel entrance.
The candy giveaway bit works, but a different container would be good. One such that any sign on it is completely visible in any photo.
I haven't seen any photos with the new container, but it did work better overall. I need to make a sort of grid or lattice for inside it so that when it's nearly empty the cow tails aren't fallen over and hidden. I'm also not sure how much more I can or should do that bit. It might be good to give it a rest after RCFM, or just scale it back to only one outing per event. Or just change candy? Yet the cow tails seem such an appropriate thing - so long as I can find them reasonably priced.
And some new observations:
Everybody knows ACME. And knows things from ACME can go boom. The first part means there is little if any bewilderment about what is going on. Uniformed creature with parcel and clipboard says "delivery" even without the badge. The badge and big bold ACME on the parcel completes the picture. The second part makes for an initial joke that everyone gets - or can make. I'm amused by it. Orvan isn't, but then he works for ACME.
Not finding a recipient can work out, but at Penguicon I just plain got lucky with the final delivery. Trying to find some of the others got a bit tiresome when it took a while. I'm not sure what can be done to take care of this as either it's a quick delivery or it seems to drag, at least to me and perhaps to whoever is with me. The interaction of asking folks if they've seen someone, however, probably makes things memorable for them.
Interaction is everything. I have good memories of a few rather bad ren faires because I experienced interaction on a level that some supposedly successful faires haven't matched. I expect the same is true here. Orvan isn't just a statue or even a moving statue. Orvan does stuff even if it's a mundane something like parcel delivery. The candy giveaway bit is another case of doing something. Folks don't just see an ox, they meet an ox trying to give them candy or looking for someone. There's a difference.