# Well...



## Steel_Wolf (Apr 26, 2010)

Well this isn't really an announcement about a con but more of a question. If I wanted to start up my own con (furry and cosplay for example) what would I need? And how would I get a hold of people for the special guests or whatever you call it?


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## SenselessMajor (Apr 26, 2010)

Not that I know a lot about it, but I have volunteered before. Here's my guess:

I have to say that for one, you'll need to pick a city, and a hotel that will support your ideas. Secondly, you'll need to plan it all out. How you'll run it, what you want and don't want, and so on. Then you will need to contact a fair few people to help out with different sections, such as gaming, art shows, and of course the con markets.  This is important! 

Then when you feel you have enough staff, plan out how and where to put them and what all you're going to include. After all that's said and done you will need your Gophers. Or Volunteers if you will. Volunteers are important, but don't make a profit out of the work. They will come in and do work that will cover for your staff if needed. 

After you have taken care of the biggest needs, then you can start spreading the word about your con. I would recommand a FREE con to start with, as you don't know if it will succeed or not, the first time arround. Until you know if your convention was worth attending, always start with a freebee. If and when you succeed, you and your staff can plan the costs for next year!

That's the best advice I have. I've only ever been a Volunteer, but I do talk to Con owners a lot. :3

Hope you have some better advice later on~!


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## Steel_Wolf (Apr 27, 2010)

Well for a city it would be Tucson, AZ and I had the Hotel Arizona in mind. That whole how will I run it thing has been thought out for sometime now. I didn't even know there was anything as a free con, I'll try that.

Thanks for being awesome


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## SenselessMajor (Apr 27, 2010)

Steel_Wolf said:


> Well for a city it would be Tucson, AZ and I had the Hotel Arizona in mind. That whole how will I run it thing has been thought out for sometime now. I didn't even know there was anything as a free con, I'll try that.
> 
> Thanks for being awesome



Haha! Well in Atlanta, GA every March, there's a free con called "Momocon"

So yes, there is one. xD


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## Taren Fox (Apr 27, 2010)

A ton of money to start. D:


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## SenselessMajor (Apr 27, 2010)

Taren Fox said:


> A ton of money to start. D:



Not in all situations. You WILL need that to pay the hotel, but you can plan that out with the rest of the staff in charge.


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## Steel_Wolf (Apr 27, 2010)

Yeah, actually I thought that the first free con would be like in a park (I would still need money but it wouldn't be as costly). But also I want to do one in Tucson because there hasn't been a furcon for years now.


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## SenselessMajor (Apr 27, 2010)

Steel_Wolf said:


> Yeah, actually I thought that the first free con would be like in a park (I would still need money but it wouldn't be as costly). But also I want to do one in Tucson because there hasn't been a furcon for years now.



I've never been to a fur con, but I'm into mascoting so the one in Denver will be my first. I just really wish someon would cosplay the Toon patrol with me. :c







I'm going to be Psycho. xD


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## GraemeLion (Apr 27, 2010)

The other things you would need would be money.  A convention at a hotel will sign you to a contract, requiring you to fill x number of rooms at y rate.  

They then will give you a discount (or free usage) of convention space.

You'll also need insurance, and other such things in place.

I'd recommend talking to people like Tigerpaw or Tygercowboy or Kage and asking what is necessary to start a convention, what they'd do differently.

Remember, this is, at its heart, a business.  You're going to be contracting with a hotel and they're going to want things to be as professional as possible.

Good luck!


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## GraemeLion (Apr 27, 2010)

Also re: guest of honor, I don't know precisely how it's done in Furry, but I imagine it's similar to sci-fi.

GoH's don't pay for the weekend.  At all.  They tend to get free food, free rooms, and free transportation.


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## Steel_Wolf (Apr 28, 2010)

Well again Graeme, the plan is to make it a free con to start out with so there wouldn't be a lot of guests of honor or even much of a hotel.


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