Both Baycon and Silicon have their dramas right now. Both of them have been pushed over the edge due to the economy.
I think we could have a great year. I can’t remember who I was talking to about it (and I really wish I could) but this is a fabo opportunity to have an EconoCon. Panels like Costuming on the Cheap, or how to create something from the closet. The costume contest could be done and the front row could be handed flashlights for spotlights and the overhead lights would be left on just for the fun of it. Budgeting with a fandom flavor (“maybe it is time to use those collectible Star Trek glasses instead of leaving them in a box,” “Wallpapering with Magic Cards”) Watching old old shows that have faded into fandom memory like Blake 7, Clockwork Orange, and such. Story telling, having groups sponser a panel and do something with it, like how to paint sheets to make a space theme backdrop or something. Things that focus on being a fan, how to save money, and still have a great time could make for a fabulous theme. I am seeing rags to riches (or riches to rags) costume ideas flash in my head.
I feel that fandom in the Bay Area has gotten spoiled. I have been to all sorts of cons when I lived in Denver and each one had something to it even without all the tech and sound systems and programming. The favorite cons in my memory are ones with very low tech. Four tvs in the center of the room facing out with the audience in a circle around them, getting to compare the green tinge of one vs the pink tinge of the other. The year we lost power for 9 hours at Akon and we came up with our own things to do. Even Creation Con which put on such a lousy managed convention that most of us spent the days outside the hotel lead to a major change in how a group of us fans interacted and lead to wonderful things. Remember when Flanvention fell through and the California Browncoats put together B3 and from what I heard it was the best experience I could wish for. We even put on a con, Trepidation 2009, for practically no money (the web domain was bought and the con suite was paid for, not sure what other money went into the con as a whole) in a week and it was fun.
This could be a great creative time instead of a time to cancel and look at what we are missing. But we need to embrace it and run with it. If what went before is attempted again, it will be sadly lacking because the resources just aren’t there. If Change is accepted and worked with, something really neat can come out of it. We are not dull people. We are very creative people that love creative things.
I am not all that keen on Silicon’s ideas of fundraising dinners only right now but I think there is potential for some interesting things once people get a chance to pool ideas and play with them. Just because there isn’t a full weekend convention, that doesn’t mean there can’t be a Day O’Fun. The con could go on the road and have a WOOZ day with water gun fights. Or maybe a deal with the Tech in San Jose to take over the Star Trek exhibit for just us (depending on how long it will be there).
This could be a time where we gather as a community and work together to make wonderful experiences or a time where we keep ourselves separate and limp through and hope it gets better in the future.
Sorry, but I can’t blame the economy on either con drama.
BayCon’s problems are old. They’re the same problems BayCon had when the economy was booming. It’s just a new group of people who got sick of reassurances that rarely turned out to be true.
Silicon’s current problems are new-ish (at least they date to this incarnation). Silicon keeps trying and failing to be BayCon, rather than figuring out what Silicon should really be and becoming good at that (at the moment, a good 600-person convention rather than an under-attended failed 2000-person convention).
While the big problems with Baycon have been chronic, the thing that is being pointed to as the straw that broke the camel’s back is financial. Because of the chronic issues, Baycon just doesn’t have much leeway when the going get actually tough instead of artificially tough.
Some of Silicon’s problems are chronic as well but the thing that booted them off the schedule this year is financial. They didn’t have much leeway to deal with the bad economy.
Mostly my point was that both cons were on the edge and the issues with the economy pushed them right over. Other area conventions seem to be doing ok but I don’t know any behind the scenes on them so I don’t really know if they are or not. I think both of these dramas could have been avoided, economy issues or not. But that would require some fundamental change.
Since the economy is kicking a lot of butts this year, it would be a cool idea to embrace the idea and take it to an extreme.
I agree that Silicon is trying to be something it isn’t. I see no reason Silicon has to grow every year but that seems to be a push I have seen them go for again and again. If that is really what they want, they have some tactics they need to change.
I think we have an opportunity for something really fun, cool and possibly new rather than trying, and failing, to do what everyone is used to. That is one of the reasons Silicon is such a struggle. They are trying to give the fans what they are used to instead of building on the strengths that are pure Silicon.
Looks like LJ logged me off without me noticing.