Hi, this is my first review... and there may be a lot lacking because I'm doing this off of memory. I hope this isn't too dreadful to understand.
GENERAL INFO-
Convention attended: Shutocon 2013 and 2014
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City: Lansing, MI
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Location: In a hall/room in the Lansing Center. I dunno what to call it... but it was quite a large place.
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Set up time: I think it starts at 11 AM on Friday? Feel free to correct me. I always arrive late, but early enough to claim my table, which was by 5 PM last year, I think.
ARTIST ALLEY TABLE PURCHASE INFO-
Type of Jury: First come, first serve. The earlier you pay, the sooner you get to choose which table you get to be seated at.
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Important Dates: I just check the website...but it opens soon enough to find a hotel room. They let you know really early if you get in or not.
MONETARY INFO:-
Total Cost:----(Table cost) $120, 2 badges included with purchase!! (Again, these prices might not be accurate because even I don't trust my memory)
----(Hotel cost + Hotel name) I lived with my friends at MSU... so I don't really know. ._.
----(Internet fee?) See above.
----(Loading/Unloading fee?) Parking is really cheap (even though I forget the price), and it's right under the convention center so it's really convenient.
----(Tablemate/Extra badge fee?) See super above.
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Profit/Revenue: I dunno what's normal profit/revenue, but I make enough to make me happy. :-D Less than at big cons, like ACen and Anime North, but enough. Then again, I don't do this full time, so I dunno how much is needed to survive in life.
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Company/Artist Name: I'm too shy to share this.
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Vends/Table Stock: Prints, keychains, commissions, buttons
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Table Location: Too lazy to find a map...
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Table Display Layout: I have the generic print set-up... with the pipe thingies and pictures hanging from it. Keychain and button display and signs on the table. Just generic stuff...
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: -
Artist Alley set-up: LOVE IT. Artist's alley is right in front of the dealer's room!! You can tell the convention really cares for its artists, unlike some others I've been to.
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Staff helpfulness: Staff are really nice. ;__; Although I haven't interacted with many.
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Convention vibe: It was... normal. Not too depressing, although last year, a fire alarm went off which probably was not the best thing in the world.
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Worth it: Yes, but I am biased, because this was the first convention I ever made a substantial profit from.
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Comments: I guess the one key thing to note here is that there is a required 1:3 ratio of original art to fan art, unless that ratio was 1:2, I forget again. It's nice that they try to make it so that artists get a chance to display original art and that it encourages the creation of original art, even though original art rarely ever sells when juxtapositioned with fanart. (I never sold any of the original art I made for that con, save for one which was purchased by a really nice dude. ;-
Other than that, I really love this convention and I hope to get in next year as well.
Oh, and I like how they have drawing/art panels
after the artist's alley is over, so that you can learn more about art afterwards and not be limited by having to stay at your table/get a friend to look after it!
And I guess one negative comment I would have would be... my first year there, I was cleaning up after the con ended. I got the tablecloth that was provided by the convention off the table and was going to help put it away, but as I was walking around to find where to put the tablecloths with the tablecloth in hand, one of the workers there apparently thought I was stealing it. He told me that we weren't allowed to take the tablecloths home, which I know,
duh. I just found that rude. I was trying to help them, and they accused me of stealing. He probably wasn't one of the convention staff, but one of the convention center employees, but still. That was just a very unpleasant end to probably one of the best cons I've been to. (I haven't been to very many though, so yeah)
You guys should go! :-D It's getting bigger-ish every year! Just avoid angry convention center employees and don't try to help them do their jobs.
Other than that, I really love this convention and I hope to get in next year as well. 