2024 Meeting Notes

Staff Meeting Summary 2024-06-22

Convention Updates

• Convention Announcement:
  • We're having a convention! The contract is signed with the Reno Sparks Convention Center for a Nov 1-3 convention. We have the space from Wednesday to Monday.
• Website and Registration:
  • Convention dates updated on the website.
  • Additional updates needed.
  • General registration expects to open by the end of the weekend.
  • Staff registration will open alongside general registration, even without the staff contract being ready.
  • Staff contract is being worked on by Natasha.
• Need for Staff:
  • Emphasis on the need for more staff.
  • Encouragement for current staff to recruit friends.

Staff Recruitment

• Introduction of New Staff Member:
  • TheUltimateDragon (William) introduced as the new head of the game room.
  • Plans to involve the local fighting game community, with 20 to 30 active members.

Department Updates

• Game Room Logistics:
  • William plans to bring in his community for the game room.
  • Discussion on the availability of consoles and other equipment. We may need to source consoles.
• Separation of Main Stage and Gaming Areas:
  • Main stage and gaming areas will be separated at the new venue.
• Beta's Role Change:
  • John has stepped down as vice chair and gaming head.
  • Beta has stepped down as vice chair and is stepping back from some responsibilities.
  • Beta's focus will largely be on continuous improvement and documentation to streamline processes.
  • Tim is now a vice chair and will be more involved in ensuring tasks are completed.
• Recognition of Efforts:
  • Cupcake Doll recognized for consistent efforts in keeping things moving.

Pricing and Budget

• Convention Pricing:
  • Weekend passes likely $60.
  • Individual day passes expected to be $30, with possible higher price for Saturday.
• Vendor Pricing:
  • Vendor table prices will increase slightly.
• Prize Procurement:
  • Discussion on handling prizes for the convention.
  • Tighter budget than usual this year, need for smart procurement.

Marketing and Promotion

• Marketing Efforts:
  • Urgent need to start marketing the convention.
  • Plans to distribute business cards and possibly larger flyers or posters.
• RAGECON Presence:
  • Potential for having a table at RAGECON to promote the convention.
  • Discussion on staffing the table and badges.
• Community Engagement:
  • Importance of engaging with the local community through various events.

Social Media and Streaming

• Social Media Activity:
  • Current presence on Facebook and Twitter (X).
  • Need to boost activity on these platforms.
• Streaming Ideas:
  • Streaming tournaments and other events to generate hype.
  • Use of Twitch and YouTube for streaming and promoting the convention.
• Social Media Management:
  • Fae offered to help with social media posts and engagement.
  • Discussion on using Social Pilot for automated posts, with manual posts for Instagram.

Venue and Logistics

• New Venue Details:
  • New venue is the convention center, more expensive but possibly a better fit.
  • Concerns about lighting at the new venue and potential solutions.
• Security Requirements:
  • Need to hire ESI security, details still unclear.

Miscellaneous

• Communication and Collaboration:
  • Encouragement for effective communication and collaboration.
  • Importance of being proactive in managing tasks and responsibilities.

Staff Meeting Summary 2024-07-14

Welcome and Introduction

• The meeting was initiated to discuss updates and plans for SNAFU Con, emphasizing the importance of recruiting more staff.

Website and Marketing Updates

• The website is nearly ready for directing traffic, with social media updates to follow soon.
• Business card-sized flyers are ready, and 4x6 flyers are being prepared for distribution.
• Marketing efforts are expected to kick off in August. Flyers and posters will be distributed at local nerdy businesses.
• Posters will be available closer to the event, no later than the con book release.

Upcoming Conventions and Events

• A list of upcoming conventions and events was provided to schedule possible promotional efforts:
  • August 16-18: GalaxyCon San Jose
  • August 17-18: Con for a Cause (formerly Aerie-Con) in Reno
  • August 30-Sept 1: SacAnime
  • September 7-10: Kaboom Con in Carson City
  • October 14-17: BLFC at GSR
  • October 26-27: YumeConUSA in San Jose
  • November 2-3: Reno Toy Con at GSR
• Additional local events and new shops were suggested as potential flyer distribution points.
  • Kobold’s Keep in Reno
  • New shop in Sparks called "The Coffer"
  • Warhammer store at Summit
• Cosplay meetups and other geek clubs were identified as good opportunities for promotion.
  • Local libraries often have anime and gaming clubs that could be reached out to for promotion.
  • South Reno Library, which has regular Pokémon days for kids.
  • Cosplay for Kindness, a group that runs various events in town and was suggested for potential collaboration.

Staff Recruitment and Contracts

• Emphasis on the prompt signing of staff contracts to avoid last year's issues.
• Encouragement for staff to recruit friends and acquaintances to join the team.
• Discussion on the contract checking process using the existing HR system. (We have to actually make phone calls again to catch stragglers.)

Venue and Layout Plans

• The new convention layout at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center was discussed, including the need for large signs to guide attendees.
• We have all of C, D and E rooms.
• Initial maps were shared, highlighting the layout of C and D halls and the ballroom for vendors and artists.
• Focus on controlling badge points and managing the flow of attendees.
  • We expect to need 5 badge controlled spots

Food and Concessions

• Concerns were raised about the availability of substantial food options at the venue.
  • If you have a request for the concessions stand, send it to Tim.
  • Coordination with Aramark for concessions and the possibility of vendors providing snacks were discussed.

Merchants and Artist Contracts

• Merchant and artist contracts are in progress and will be opened soon.
• A first-come, first-serve approach was proposed for artist alley applications.
• Emphasis on adhering to city deadlines for paperwork submission.
  • City deadline is now 30 days before con instead of the 15 day deadline we used to have.

Partnering with Local Organizations

• Plans to reach out to local professors, science museums, and other educational organizations for panel presentations and partnerships.
• Contact with the Discovery Museum for potential collaboration was initiated.

General Meeting Logistics

• At least one future in-person meeting will be held at libraries to facilitate face-to-face interactions. Possibly more.
• Potential venues for these meetings include South Valleys Library and Sparks Library.

Miscellaneous

• Updates on social media graphics and preparations for the convention were shared.
• A press release will be drafted following the guidelines on the SNAFU Con wiki.
• Reminder to be cautious about staff burnout and to maintain a balanced workload.

Staff Meeting Summary - In Person Meeting 2024-08-10

General Meeting Logistics

• Meeting Issues:
  • Encountered technical difficulties with the meeting login screen, resulting in a low-tech approach of manually recording attendance. It's been a long time since we've done this.
  • Attendance was taken manually due to errors in logging into the system.

• Attendees:
  • A list of usernames was manually recorded for those in attendance.

• Introductions:
  • Staff members introduced themselves, their roles, and their previous experience with the convention.

Event Planning and Roles

• Staffing:
  • There are several open positions that need to be filled.
  • Current staff are encouraged to take on multiple roles due to the shortage.
  • Beta (previous vice chair) is stepping back but will still assist with HR, graphics, documentation, and continual improvement.
  • The chair is Tim, who will oversee various departments and tasks.
  • Registration and contract signing for staff will be done online, with no in-person signings allowed.

• Convention Layout:
  • Overview of the venue layout:
    • Artist Alley and Vendor spaces will be located in D1-D3 ballrooms.
    • E1-E3 for video gaming, E9-E10 for tabletop gaming.
    • Main stage, panels, cosplay, and manga library also mapped out.
  • Discussions on the potential need for more lighting in certain rooms, particularly for the Artist Alley.
  • A walkthrough is needs to be scheduled to assess lighting and other venue specifics.
  • Badge control points and door management will be 5 points this year due to venue layout. We may be able to use ESI for two of them.

Programming and Features

• Gaming Room:
  • William (Derp) is the new head of the gaming room and is planning a retro gaming corner.
  • The retro gaming corner will feature classic consoles like PS2, SNES Classic, etc.
  • A tournament is being planned, potentially requiring more PS5 consoles.
  • Volunteers are needed to help with the gaming room.
  • A spreadsheet may be created to track who is bringing what equipment (consoles, TVs, etc.).

• Artist Alley and Vendor Contracts:
  • Artist Alley and Vendor space has been slightly reduced
  • Contracts are almost ready, pending some final details.

• Cosplay:
  • The main lobby area and ballroom lobby are potential spaces for cosplay meetups.
  • Discussion on the benefits of high visibility areas for cosplay meetups.

Marketing and Outreach

• Marketing Initiatives:
  • There is a strong need for increased marketing due to the new venue and the desire to attract a larger audience.
  • Social media efforts need to ramp up, with plans to highlight artists, vendors, and panels.
  • There is a call for everyone to contribute to marketing, especially on social media.
  • Short science videos and other creative content ideas were discussed as potential marketing tools.
  • Plans to advertise on local event pages, including Nevada Appeal and RGJ Events.
  • Potential collaboration with other local events (e.g., toy fair, punk rock market) to cross-promote.

• Outreach to Other Communities:
  • UNR (University of Nevada, Reno) clubs and groups are potential targets for outreach.
  • Suggestions to connect with local businesses like Cap'n Games for retro gaming partnerships.
  • Discussed using UNR’s radio station and event calendars for advertising.

Other Discussions

• Venue Logistics:
  • Badge-controlled areas were discussed, and it's determined that certain doors may be monitored by ESI security.
  • Seating arrangements and areas for interactive activities (like doodle tables) were considered. We may be able to put them out in the main venue space.

• Miscellaneous:
  • Questions were raised about the availability and acquisition of CRTs (for retro gaming), with some potential leads mentioned.
  • Mention of potential storage issues if the con were to acquire CRTs.

• Next Steps:
  • Finalization of contracts and opening up vendor applications.
  • Continued efforts in staff recruitment and training.
  • Preparation for the next walkthrough of the venue.
  • Further development of marketing strategies, including social media engagement and partnerships.

• Mingle Time:
  • After the meeting, there was a designated time for staff to network and discuss roles and tasks further.

Closing Remarks

• The meeting concluded with an open call for any additional questions or ideas from the attendees.
• Those interested in specific roles or tasks were encouraged to speak with Tim or other department heads.

The meeting wrapped up with a reminder that continued collaboration and communication will be key as the convention date approaches.