atlanta: Dragon Con Volunteers Needed

Michael J. Foxxy (

momentai) wrote in

atlanta,
@ 2008-03-02 21:38:00

Dragon Con Volunteers Needed
First, here's some room info if you have not reserved one yet.

The Marriott is sold out.
The Hyatt has 50
The Hilton has 200
The Sheraton has 300 and is now offically apart of the convention. These numbers were as of Friday night.

Gaming is staying at the Hilton, which is under renovation. The Walk of Fame and Masquerade are moving to the Marriott. MMORPG's, Anime, and Scepticism have been added as seperate tracks. Now, about volunteering.

[Please copy and paste this to your own journal, facebook, myspace, etc as the more people who volunteer, the smoother the Con runs.]

Volunteering at Dragon Con gets you a free badge into the event which works just like a badge you would have paid for. You simply have to work at least 20 hours at some point during the Con. Many department are flexible with when you work and there are some where it possible to get your hours in before and/or after the convention. In addition to the 20 hours, first time volunteers must pay $20 as a good faith fee to help discourage people from stealing the badge and never showing up to work.

Depending on the department, volunteering can be stressful, but is fun overall. It is definitely worth it.
The following departments need volunteers.

Security needs many, many people, as always. Last year they worked 3 hotels with 172 people when it takes 220 to work safely. With a 4th hotel being added, they will need even more help. Security gets a bad rap for having long shifts, but that's only because people don't always show up for their shift. The more people who work security, the easier it is on everyone. Also, you don't need to be big, mean, muscular, or a trained fighter to work here, as we are not allowed to touch members anyway. You simply need to be able to do a lot of standing and walking and ACT tough.

Tech Ops needs people who are willing to show up at 10AM or earlier and who are familiar with setting up or breaking down A/V equipment. With the amount of work you do, you may be able to get your 20 hours in before and/or after the Con. There are shifts that are not early in the morning, but they tend to fill up fast.

Registration needs at least 10 people, epecially those willing to work Saturday morning.

Computer gaming needs 16 people to set up, monitor, and break down the room.

Transportation needs at least 10 more liscensed drivers to ferry guests b/t the airport and hotels.

Costuming/Costume Construction needs 3 people who know how to make costumes or want to learn and help set up the room.

Costumes, as in working the Masquerade and Hall Costume Contest needs at least 5 people.

Space and Science Track need 3 people.

The Photography director needs 3 people who have their own SLR cameras and experience working large events. The Videography director also needs 3 experienced people with their own camcorder and/or experience using a camcorder and/or video editing.

Visit the website for detailed info about what is required from volunteers and links to email the various directors if you want to help. The next staff meeting is Sunday, May 4 at 4PM in the Marriott.

(Post a new comment)

	stellabambino 2008-03-03 05:19 am UTC (link)
	Anime has been a programming track, does this mean there's Anime and American Animation? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	momentai 2008-03-03 06:01 am UTC (link)
	yes. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	You are forgetting jolefay 2008-03-03 06:00 am UTC (link)
	The Westin..The Days Inn....The Ritz Carlton.. But I digress. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: You are forgetting momentai 2008-03-03 06:03 am UTC (link)
	They weren't forgotten. This was in regards to the host hotels that give a dragon con discount rate. We don't have info on the surrounding hotels. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: You are forgetting

jolefay
2008-03-03 07:02 am UTC (link)

As someone who has worked info services in the past. I recall them being listed as overflow hotels. Are they party hotels? No. Which is why I like them but..like I said I digress. I mean if you don't book your hotel the year ahead you are pretty screwed anyway..Unless you chose an overflow.. BTW. Do you mean DC rate for volunteers? Because as I understood it most of the hotels were not doing discount rates for Patrons.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: You are forgetting momentai 2008-03-03 07:22 am UTC (link)
	I don't actually stay in a hotel for the con, so I am not certain, but I have heard there is a group discount rate if you reserve rooms during the con and you are the general public and that there is a password for people working they con to get a discount and they tend to give that out to friends who need a room. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: You are forgetting

jolefay
2008-03-03 07:28 am UTC (link)

Well they had stopped doing that specifically because people gave it to friends. But that was a couple years ago so it may be different now.
Westin and Sheraton are BOTH Starwood preferred hotels. If you sign up for a free Starwood points card you get a discount at not only those hotels but also places like the W ect..Which are really sweet.This also explains why Sheraton says they have 300 rooms when they are really almost sold out..they are using Westin as an overflow partner hotel and it is more expensive. Ok now I go to sleep. Have fun. I hope positions get filled-especially with the bad seed fee. That is what I call the 20 dollar good faith fee. *giggles

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	hooper_x 2008-03-03 11:33 am UTC (link)
	Are transportation people required to have their own cars? I'd totally do that, except that I'm pretty sure Dude In The Boba Fett Costume wouldn't want to ride in my old beater. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	momentai 2008-03-03 12:44 pm UTC (link)
	No, you would be driving passenger vans. (Reply to this)(Parent)

rick_day
2008-03-03 01:53 pm UTC (link)

I have never spoken to anyone who volunteered who didn't feel overworked and under appreciated. That would be, um, dozens of people.

Until I see some financial records (is DC for profit or not for profit? NFPs work with 'volunteers', FPs pay staff, it is that simple), I am going to speculate its better to pay people for abuse, then expect them to pay you $20 for the privilege of abusing them.

You forget to mention the threats some volunteers have experienced if they, after working their 20 hours, to work more or risk being 'asked not to volunteer' for next year, allegations of sexual misconduct, and the general overall drama and emotional drain of dealing with 600 Harry Potters who do *not* respect the authority you do *not* have.

This convention outgrew these hotels 4 years ago. I speculate the only reason they don't move it is due to greed and not 'lack of hotel' accessibility.

I hope you find your bodies.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

montieth
2008-03-03 03:00 pm UTC (link)

I have never spoken to anyone who volunteered who didn't feel overworked and under appreciated. That would be, um, dozens of people.

A lot of paying jobs are like this.

This con has always operated with the volunteers running things. Most sci-fi/fandom cons do so, all the ones I know of do so. Compare them to a major technical convention and you'll find that the per badge costs are FAR higher (in the order of hundreds if not thousands). Go to Macworld or Interop sometime.

Personally, I don't need to work the con to go to the con and I still like working as a volunteer. Most of the regulars have been doing it for years. Frankly, I think your comments while perceptibly sound on your end are off the deep end and you're really laying a bunch of grief on the people who make the con happen, namely, the volunteers. So kindly and respectfully, sod off.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rick_day 2008-03-03 03:47 pm UTC (link)
	You did just fine, up to the last sentence. Keep working on those communication skills, Bucky. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	rick_day 2008-03-03 03:51 pm UTC (link)
	You speak of higher ticket prices as if it were a bad thing. I'd gladly pay 40% more in order to cut the crowd by 20%. Same con, less Potters. This con has always operated with the volunteers running things. That is kind of what the Church once said about The Earth revolving around the Sun :) Edited at 2008-03-03 03:53 pm UTC (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

montieth
2008-03-03 05:31 pm UTC (link)

The only time I feel under-appreciated is when I deal with people like YOU who can only stand on the sidelines and bitch. If you don't like how the con is run, either volunteer to help or don't come. When we had a fan keel over and the volunteer medical guys were pounding on his chest for 30 minutes, the staff all came together and dealt with the problem and literally saved his life. I rarely see professionals do that kind of work and get it done and these guys were all doing it for fun. You'll pardon me when I get a bit defensive about the quality of work by the bulk of the staff when the shit hits the fan. You wouldn't see temps from some staffing company do that sort of work.

I'd gladly pay 40% more in order to cut the crowd by 20%. Same con, less Potters

Then feel free to pay more to the con at registration. I'll likely be leading security in that area again this year, inquire after me and I'll hook you up with the registration director so you can pay an extra 40%. That way you can feel more smug.

Though I think the 40% number for covering labor costs for running a con is a bit short. I expect you'd have to pay on the order of $500 or more. Most of the labor would be contract labor through third party companies and they don't come cheap.

That is kind of what the Church once said about The Earth revolving around the Sun :)

The word you're looking for is "orbit". Your ignorance on the subject of Aristotelian and Copernican orbital mechanics not-withstanding, the volunteers running the con is not a subject of poor understanding of parallax, rather, it is the way the convention is run and it is the way the convention has been run since it's inception. I know, I volunteered for those first 4 years myself. I may be wrong, but I highly doubt the senior leadership could or would convert to a paid model for the convention staff on top of all the other expenses and headaches that go with organizing such an event across multiple hotels.

Dragon Con is run by fans, for fans and it continues to get bigger and the problems don't increase proportionately. It's what makes it a wonder in my view.

Don't like that the volunteer model, feel free to organize your own Sci-Fi/Fantasy convention and set it up so you pay the staff. Let us all know how that works out for you.

I'll be looking forward to your donation at Registration.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

your dismissive attitude undercuts your credibility, Bucky

rick_day
2008-03-03 08:04 pm UTC (link)

I am donating nothing, dude (or chick, which ever). I will GLADLY pay MORE if it means LESS people can afford to go. If you can guarantee less attendees if I 'donate' 40% more, then fine. However, I suggest you re-read my post, if you read 'smug' anywhere. Don't be hating on the wealthy, now!

Depending on when one purchases a ticket, an average 40% bump is somewhere around $105 (from a $75.00 ticket).

Lets say this cuts 10,000 people, 30% although extreme.

20,000 x $30 bump = $600,000 ON TOP of what they normally charge. If they don't lose anyone, and get 30,000...well...that is damn near a million, Bucky. If you can't staff a 4 day con for a million bucks....

Don't like the math? Go 'start your own con' you dismissive...little volunteer. Hah!

I'll be looking forward to watching you play Security Nazi for free. I only donate to charity cases.

Edited at 2008-03-03 08:07 pm UTC

(Reply to this)(Parent)

noelleleithe
2008-03-03 03:03 pm UTC (link)

Congratulations, you've now spoken to a volunteer who felt neither unworked nor underappreciated. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Not denying that there may have been issues at times; as the OP notes, security never has enough people working, which is sure to cause problems (and has). But if things were as bad as your claims, there wouldn't be so many return volunteers every year.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	rick_day 2008-03-03 03:48 pm UTC (link)
	Do you or anyone else know what the volunteer turnover/burnout rate is? I am curious.... (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

burnouts/profit status

momentai
2008-03-03 06:45 pm UTC (link)

I don't have any certain information on your questions, but if you click on the link in the post, it has contact info for the main convention office. I am sure they would be happy to let you know the con's tax status, as far as being not or for profit.

As for volunteer turnover, you can email John Burnell from that same page and request information on that. I doubt he would object to discussing it with you if you are polite about it. For my own department, last year we had 14 people who agreed to work, but picked up a badge and never reported for duty. We had 2 people quit during the con because they were not mentally prepared for the level of customer service involved with the position.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

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