Types of Conventions

Series Summary

Conventions or conferences are large events that integrate a subculture by providing a place of communication, interactions, cross-pollination, and community. Conventions can be focused on science fiction programs, hobbies, films or film genres, comic books, or any passion shared by many. Conferences are academic gatherings that affirm disciplinary values, promote scholarship in community, and offer venues for presenting fresh ideas. Planning a convention or conference can be big work, and the chore of bringing together vendors, a location, thousands of attendees, and staff can seem daunting. Some strategies from an experienced planner might offer you insight as you begin planning your big convention or conference.

In this free video series, conference planner Ray Tesi shares with you how to organize a convention. You will learn how to choose a theme, how to market with print and internet ads, how to write a press release, and how to bring together volunteers. Ray also shares with you strategies for planning events, recruiting vendors and celebrities, and finding merchandise or SWAG for the convention. Ray offers great insight about financing with realistic advice. It is all here.

Video Transcript

"I've been going to conventions probably since about 1972. I've seen evolutions of conventions. I've been to business conventions, and I've been to sci-fi conventions, animate conventions, conventions of all sorts. What we're going to talk about is what is a convention, and what do you need to do to get a convention started, and what do you need to do to get a convention maintained? Who do you invite for a social convention that could be something that you're very interested in, in your own subject matter, or a business convention, where you want business people to come and learn other topics. We'll talk who the attendees should be. We'll talk about vendors, how to find vendors, how to bring vendors in, and what makes a successful convention run. Whether or not you've decided that you're going to do something for yourself, something for your friends, your family, or something for a very large group of people. The fun things about a convention are that you really want to try to have as much of a good time as everyone else. You want it to be good for everyone because you want it to be a success so that you can move on. Bring people in that you think people are going to like. And that's what we're going to talk about, how to bring all of this together and how to have a good time for yourself and everyone else."