I really like going to panels at cons but it seems that they fall into the same basic categories
>Character QA
>Tutorial/Workshop
>Lecture Discussion
Nothing wrong with these categories but when you go to a lot of conventions it feels like the topics just blend together. "How to sew, homestuck QA, diversity in cosplay etc."
Can we have a thread where we talk about panels that use a different format from the typical categories or at least talk about different subjects than what normally gets done at cons? I really want to see how creative some of these can get.
>>9042086
The second two are FINE the first one is the WORST if you're not a part of the panel it's SUPER FUCKING BORING. What I'd like to see is more entertainment-based panels. Like things meant to entertain rather than just inform
I offered to bring my two poles to a con once for a 'grab a photo and try some fun spins/silly moves' style panel but I was refused because it wasn't Japan or Anime related.
I agree anon that the pool of material is stagnating (especially since it's not like you can build on previous panels as there's no guaranteed attendance) but it can be hard to think outside the box when you have to stay on theme.
>>9042128
I've learned that dance and draw workshops are really entertaining as you're actually doing something.
What I've noticed is that Game Shows end up being the most entertaining but they're probably the rarest type of panel
>>9042154
Yeah I've seen some game shows popping up more recently. Hopfully that Q&A trend will just fucking die I hate it so much lol
>>9042144
>I agree anon that the pool of material is stagnating
For sake of this discussion, what would people say are the overdone topics?
>>9042200
Yeah I pretty much go to panels that seem like they'd be either entertaining or interesting. I mean, if they start to suck I just LEAVE desu
Hentai Voice acting is always great. You just get audience members trying to dub hentai scenes
I went to a dance panel once and that was fun. Games are fun and decent ones based on comedy are good. So many are just people talking about themselves and that's super dull.
I think the biggest irony about panel topics is that people think that going wide/broad with their material (history of Naruto, how to cosplay) would net the most appeal. However the opposite is true, the more specific your panel's topic is (how Japanese mythology influenced Naruto or a panel about how to properly draft cosplay patters) will get more butts in the seats
>>9042086
The worst are when the panels are supposed to be circlejerks can't even do that right. Like the panels about a series that just ignore the who discussion element and become some tumblr idiot ranting about their AUs.
>>9042128
>(especially since it's not like you can build on previous panels as there's no guaranteed attendance)
That's how a lot of well established panels roll though.
>>9042691
I didn't even say anything about that but okay. I was just stating that fucking Q&A panels are generally awful. They literally only exist for the people who are playing the characters in the panel, they are basically not fun for anyone else and then they wonder why they don't get any questions.
>>9042086
Saw one at Phoenix Comic con yesterday titled "Worlds Worst Panel".
Needless to say we didn't attend.
>>9042948
Yeah I replied to the wrong post, sorry.
Meanwhile I'm wondering is it possible to do in-character based panels that are not QA
>>9042154
At cons, game shows and panels are usually run by separate departments.
>>9043244
Partially true
Yes the cons do have a game show department however that does not stop regular fans from submitting game show style panels.
I.E. Banzai Arcade
>>9043028
Well a panel where nobody showed up would probably be bad... It's a self-fulfilling prophecy.
>>9043319
At the cons I go to, any game show submissions are forwarded to the game show departments.
The closest I've seen to "game shows" on panel schedules are ones in which the panelists give out candy or something for correctly answering trivia questions. Those aren't really "game shows" as much as they are ways to make panels more interesting and interactive.
Sometimes, actual game shows end up in panel rooms and vice versa because of lack of space which could contribute to the widespread confusion.
>Thousand Otakons ago
>"Phoenix Wright Mock Trial" panel gets super hype because it was the peak of Ace Attorney popularity
>Gets moved from regular panel room to a goddamn ballroom
>Line for days
>Everyone finally gets into super hype panel and it's AA cosplayers running a game of 20 Questions to find the "culprit"
Super disappointing but the line was really fun and all the people leaving early when they realized it was a shit panel turned into a second Phoenix Wright gathering
A mock trial would have been cool if it was made by someone who knew what the term really meant.
>>9043114
probably if the people doing it know how to actually act and improvise
One of the best panels I went to was a 3 hour long panel on Hot Pockets. The host's exceptional personality and acting was what carried everything through; even on such a ridiculous subject.
I once went to a panel hosted by a really hot Dorian Pavus which is something more panels should have.
>>9043970
Last year at AWA. Someone hosted a super late night time panel called "Live Penguin Liposuction" and didn't expect anyone to show up. When they did he played penguin clips on youtube and handed out snacks.
Paper Wings Cosplay used to do Iron Cosplay panels, where they would bring piles of trash, picked two teams of three, give out a mystery item, and give you 15 minutes to strap together janky garbage costumes while the panel of judges tried to figure out what in god's name you were attempting to build.
I loved those panels.
I love a good lecture/tutorial panel but I do hate how many panelists use it as a way to boost their ego. A telltale sign of this is that all of the example images used for good work all revolve around the panelist and their group.
I have so much respect for panelists who cite individuals and sources that helped give them the needed skills or at least use others as good examples. It really gives the presentation an academic feel and shows that the speaker is more concerned with the content as opposed to advertising themselves.
>>9044063
Sounds fun
>>9043810
Is there any footage of it on youtube? What made it so shit?
>>9042154
I love game show. Went to one of Greggo's at Kamicon this year. There's something satisfying seeing a person win passes to two con plus cards for gas to said cons.
I went to an 18+ panel on Drama/Talk CDs and the person running the panel had a "name that voice actor" game. It was so much fun and she gave away prizes to whoever had the most correct answers. It obviously isn't everyone's thing but it was offbeat for the con and so worth going.
>>9044653
It's the general appeal of a game show, get a contestant you can root for and watch them try their best to win something desirable
Honestly some of my favorite panels are the ones that are video compilation of something. Not much interaction but I love that face value entertainment. It's like group bonding too.
>>9043970
Hot Pockets? That sounds autistic at best. How was this a panel?
Doesn't dragoncon have a really good batman panel they do?
i feel like everyone just wants to do Q&A panels because they're 'easy' and going to be super popular with the rapid fans if you cater to them (which is usually who is running the panel to begin with).
I have been to some terrible Q&A panels simply because they werent labeled as Q&A panels. ones where the people didnt finish the series, or hadn't watched it in over a year and didnt remember anything about it. They werent in actual character, they werent in fandom created character, it was just terrible. I walked out with my entire group.
I hate Q&A. You have to be funny and witty and be able to by funny on the fly and none of them are. They often arent even scripted to its like, "hey, ask me questions to answer!" *crickets chirp, silence grows long and uncomfortable*
9042154
Game shows are the best. Went to a cosplay dating game at the cons auditorium and it was so much fun. I was even in it too.
>>9047322
See I honestly think you can do a QA panel and have it not be shit. However many people just see it as an easy way out hence why its reputation is in the shitter
Name a panel where you can boo the participants, throw insults and even flip the bird and have that all be encouraged?
You might not like the subject matter but the Cosplay Wrestling Federation certainly fits into the idea of being offbeat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ep49OHHTU&index=4&list=PL0jTJ7jsuR40VwX6MZLtPMRmLG3uPnPob
>>9047322
This... If you are doing a q&a, always have plants in the audience. Not only can they help get the ball rolling, but if a bad question comes up, you can give a non answer and go straight into a rehearsed question.
I went to a Kill la Kill QA panel at Otakon Vegas 2015 that was super funny and entertaining. Everyone stayed in character, had some great comebacks, audience had funny questions, and they played games with the audience when there weren't questions.
Also: the guy cosplaying as the teacher had lights on his nipples and stripped for us.
9/10 would drive to Vegas again
>>9042128
>What I'd like to see is more entertainment-based panels
Ive been to a couple panels that are just panelists reading super bad fanfictions like stage plays.
>>9052631
Was it played straight? As in the readers took the roles seriously or did they cheese things up?
>>9051989
>I went to a Kill la Kill QA panel at Otakon Vegas 2015 that was super funny and entertaining. Everyone stayed in character, had some great comebacks, audience had funny questions, and they played games with the audience when there weren't questions.
>Also: the guy cosplaying as the teacher had lights on his nipples and stripped for us.
>9/10 would drive to Vegas again
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
What do you guys think of quiz panels? I partook in one where they picked volunteers from the audience who had to answer the panel runners' questions on handheld whiteboards and I thought it was pretty entertaining, though this con was very small so they weren't overwhelmed by volunteers or anything. Perhaps it could be adapted for larger cons by having teams sign up for it beforehand or something...?
>>9056373
a mix, some of the stories were too out there to be straight. my favorite was about gordon freeman's self insert cousin saving the day in a half life 3 script.
My local con scene is absolutely overrun with ask a character panels. I can definitely see them being fun if the people who run them are like talented improve actors who really know their characters...but like it's always a panel of 14 year old girls making out with each other and one 25 year old girl who still thinks she's 14.
They typically fill the panel rooms for these panels though so???
Honestly, I wish there were more panels about Japanese culture and it's influences on certain series. There are some now, but I'd like to see more. More participatory events.
>>9061803
>who really know their characters...but
I gave up on character Q&A panels two summers ago when back to back I went to a Soul Eater panel hosted by people not up to date on the manga and a MLP panel where only one of them had read the comics.
>>9042144
Well I think part of making sure material doesn't stagnate is to not always do a 101 (though some basic 101s are always good to round out a schedule). I do solo panels and group panels and my group is going to set up a rotation for our reoccurring ones so it's not every year. I think if you as a panelist do a lot of local panels, it's okay to build on past topics because your audience probably is the same, give or take a few people. By that I mean, if you did a 101 last year, it's okay to come back with a 201.
It's probably quite weird to say this, but I do try to go to panels to learn things, so I want panels that will reflect my level of knowledge and not treat me like a noob. All of the panels I write, be it lolita or anime, are with the premise that someone is already within that subculture or fandom.
As far as topics, you just have to find a new angle to approach something, and again, try to rotate what you're offering locally and out of state. I know for me personally, once I've done a panel locally that year, it's never going to be done again unless I pull it out in like 3 years or take it out of state. I really hate going to panels thinking someone will have new content and it's the same damn thing someone did last year.
I was thinking of running a sleepover party of some sorts as a late night panel for those not interested in the rave and such (not 18+). I want it to be relatively social but also interactive. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to do or just stay with the idea of silly sleepover antics like setting up small groups and playing different kind of board games?
I think you get off beat panels less often because they're way more difficult to put together.
I did an in-character murder mystery, and it was EXTREMELY fun and a raging success, but also it took months to put together. It was three parts:
1. An in character skit where a person was murdered "off screen"
2. An audience Q&A where the audience asked questions about character alibis and motivations to try and figure out who the murderer is.
3. A finale where the audience voted, and the perpetrator was outed.
As I said super, super fun to put together and a blast to run, but it took months to do it. Writing, visuals, props, auditions, practices over skype, and three in person rehersals the weekend of the convention. Totally worth it for the at-capacity panel room, though.
I also run game show panels, but again it falls into that category of requiring more prep work. I did series-specific team-based Jeopardy a couple times, but holy crap I'm glad One Piece is such a long series or I would never have been able to think up enough questions to fill out the whole gameshow! I might do it again but for multiple series.
>>9042209
THIS.
If a panel sucks I walk out, no matter what. Con weekend is too short to waste in crappy panels.
>>9043114
Absolutely. Besides the one I just talked about above, Sakuracon has the Zap Brannigan Spaceship of Love panels. They're really excellently run improv game panels with an in character host, and they're always fun.
>>9043334
>>9043319
I'm pretty sure this is a regional thing.
>>9044110
Someone at one of the cons I go to does Iron Artist. Same idea, three artists get three or four minutes to draw while the host picks suggestions from the audience to throw into their art. (You get things like cat girl, ramune, mecha, etc). They are ALWAYS fabulously shitty drawings, and the winner is chosen by audience cheering.
Some panels I've always had fun at are the Filk panels at Kumoricon. The 101 panel has an introduction to filk (fandom based parody music), some great examples performed, and then at the end the entire room works together to write a simple filk (for example, changing the lyrics to row, row, row your boat to be about Pokemon) and sing it together. Then later in the weekend there's another filk panel that is all people performing the filk they've written, that one is some done by the panelist and some done by audience members who come to this thing every year.
>>9061778
Full Life Consequences?
That shit's a legend by this point
Outside of character QA what do you think are some overdone panel topics?
>>9061778
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHxyZaZlaOs
>>9063899
People who talk about how cosplay is offensive/good for LGBT people or fat people or w/e.
>>9043970
I fucking loved the Hot Pocket Docket this year. It's so hard to explain to anyone who didn't go, you couldn't be sure if he was serious or not about everything. Just the way it all came together made it memorable.
Plus, free hot pockets.
My local con does a sewing 101 workshop, teaching people to thread a machine, load a bobbin, sew some small item from a huge table of fabric donations from local cosplayers and they can take their item home with them. I started off at that workshop for my first con and I compete in cosplay contests now (and sometimes win)
>Why do panels that use original ideas and take a lot of work to put together are in such short supply?
Geez, it's like the OP has answered their question
I recently did an 18+ yaoi panel and it seemed to go over really well. The con was tiny so not many people wanted to be out at 1:30 AM but the people who were there had a lot of fun. I just showed them ridiculous yaoi anime, manga, and I even had a section where they could volunteer to dramatic read a yaoi visual novel. I'd love to do it at bigger cons now. Heck I'd even do it at Rufflecon if they'd let me since a lot of lolitas I know like yaoi.
What kind of maniac would want to attend in-character Q&As?
Would anyone like to see cooking demonstrations? I can understand not having audience participation for that since lawsuits are a bitch but
>>9064540
I'm more amazed/delighted that they actually let him run it.
>>9065908
Fujoshits who want to squeal over crossplayers acting out softcore yaoi gags
>>9065990
Could be cool but don't know how you could pull it off. I think it would have to be a smaller room so your audience could gather round as you demo. Equipment would have to be limited to portable griddle, hot plate etc. For non-heat related stuff maybe a sushi rolling demo? Cookie decorating? You're running into a lot of food law issues with that last one that maid cafes have to deal with. Also I'd be worreid about that one con goers who wants to be all OMG LOL I'M SO RANDUMB GIMME ALL YER COOKIES NOMNOMNOMNOM SUGAR HIGH LOL
>>9044591
>Biggest panel room you can imagine
>"Okay we need 4 contestants"
>"Alright go down the row and each contestants can ask a yes or no question about the 'culprit'"
>"If you can name the culprit from this lineup you win"
It was literally just 3 rounds of that maybe. There wasn't a ton of time left because it took so long to fit everyone in. The people they brought up were mostly PW cosplayers who had fun being in character but that's about it.
Cosplay Wrestling Federation is the greatest panel ever. Pure hype. If you ever see it on the schedule, GO TO IT!
Eirtakon in Ireland has a cocktail panel and a Japanese whiskey tasting panel which are always really good fun. The hosts are always pretty chill, as are the other con-goers (you have to pay a fee to attend and be over 18), the trivia is interesting and of course, you get to sample all the booze.
>>9066035
Well, I was going to have two cameras set up on my prep station and cooking station. I have three portable burners so I can cook anything that uses a pan and that's a lot of stuff. Plus a rice cooker to the side. Probably oyakodon? Or gyuudon? Probably a tamagoyaki demo. And okonomiyaki.
I was thinking no 'samples' for the general audience because of allergies/choking/people being dumb. The only only I would possibly work a sample into would be demonstrating assembling a Christmas cake, which is basically strawberry shortcake. And I wouldn't even distribute it, probably, because of dumb regulations with the con center. I'd give it to a friend, who would take it out of the con space to share.
I'd love to give samples, or even a small bento to all attendees, but the con center is really tight about not giving food to attendees because there's a tiny overpriced concession stand.
>>9066141
Forgot to say that I have pvc pipe frames that I can attach cameras to that will rest over each station. I have an assistant who will be switching between the cameras on the projector.
>>9043114
A Phoenix Wright panel where audience members could be witnesses or help the defence/MC to solve a case would be really awesome. I think witnesses would work better- the murder could be acted out before the defence enters, then audience members get to decide what they're going to disclose as witnesses and how they want to influence the case.
>>9066062
I keep hearing good things about it my question is that how does the show get so hype when there's non of the physical activity.
What exactly does it make it a wrestling panel as opposed to a trash talking show
>>9065990
I'd love to see something like this, ngl, especially if they're those super cute, detailed Japanese desserts that take way too long to make. Filling hot food is also a massive draw, so people will probably be flocking to your panel just to find the source of the smells, lol.
If you won't get into super deep shit with the con, say something like 'Come to x location 10 minutes after the end of the panel for a picnic' and make it very clear that some foods will have allergens/be hot as often as possible. Even if by some miracle everyone at the panel is a fully functioning sane person it doesn't hurt to make sure you've covered all your bases.
this thread makes me want to do a panel on My Immortal
>>9042086
I'm working on my first panel that I'm going to start offering up to cons, a history of cosplay panel which I guess might fall into Lecture Discussion catagory? I just always wanted to see a good panel on it but never really found one at cons that I liked so figured I'd do my own.
>>9042144
Oh man I love that idea. I was also thinking about bringing in my pole and maybe asking if I could borrow a friend or twos to do a quick 'pole dance 101 in cosplay'
teach them the basics like fireman and pinwheel that pretty much any one can do, and maybe wear my Panty cosplay to it.
>>9043810
See I would LOVE to do a mock trial panel of pheonix wright. Maybe pull up a few people in the audience to be a jury or something, it has so much potential.
