Wednesday, October 31, 2012

[Cons]/Geek and Media Expo (GMX)



Well, not only do I review haunts but also conventions that I happen to attend! So, with that here's one that just happened...there's a couple more still coming from earlier in the year that I've slacked off on but better late than, never eh?

Carrie and myself, along with several friends attended Geek and Media Expo Vol4 this past weekend and while we had fun, there was a lot that fell short at this con. So, keep in mind that despite all these problems we still had a blast but I'm being objective here and compared to others it just didn't stack up. Hopefully they fix these issues in the future.

Recommendation: Go if you're local, they have a lot to work out to warrant driving long distances.

Full disclosure: I was a co-panelist at this event and the group that I was with was entered into the Room Party Rumble competition as well. Some of the issues that came up probably aren't typical for a con goer, but this is my take on things and I feel is pretty fair.



So, with that...onto GMX!

Located just south of Nashville, TN in Franklin, GMX seemed like it would be quite the interesting time. Conventions that are a mix of so many fandoms usually tend to be and this was no exception. You had your normal fair of Homestuck, Brony and some anime cosplay around, but the major draw seemed to be from everywhere. Some amazing DC, Star Wars and Marvel cosplays were floating about as well as some purely random things like Alice Cooper and The Dude.

The complete insane range of panels that are given as an option are mind boggling as well. Nearly every topic is covered. Everything from the Higgs-Boson to My Little Pony and Robotics to Celebrity panels. However, most of the panel rooms are extremely tiny. Most only held about 40 or so. Sure, this isn't exactly Dragon*con or Otakon in the attendance numbers (it didn't crack 2,000) but putting a Dr Who panel in a room that holds about 40 people? That's a bit crazy.

Regardless of that and some panels being very overcrowded or just full most of the time, I have to give them props for squeezing that much into the event. Variation is always nice to see and extremely important for a con that bills itself as a multi-genre event. However, limiting them all to just one hour is also a bit of a problem, some topics really need a bit more time and considering that you have to take up time to set up you're left with maybe 45minutes, or less if you leave time for the next group coming in. From a panelist standpoint, not the greatest thing in the world. They also shouldn't just let people in as the panelists are entering either. Makes one feel a bit rushed to be honest, though that could just be me.

Not sure how exactly they could do more, but perhaps having an entire room dedicated to steampunk that had no panels going on for 80% of the event could've been eliminated. Yes, I understand many people like steampunk but it seems like an incredible waste of space and time. The dealers room was also pretty sparse and could've been about the half the size that it was. Those two things could easily have made things a bit better. Top that off with most of the rooms not having mics or any kind sound other than that of a flat panel TV and there were problems abounding. Even as someone attending the panels it can be hard to hear what's going on, even more so if anyone is laughing or something nearby.

It's truly a convention without borders or limits though and they even have a room party competition. The smart thing is that they have an entire floor dedicated to party and staff around to make sure that there are people to go to if there is a problem. Very smart as it limits the noise complaints and everyone there knows what's up with things. Hotel security was also amazingly approachable during this, to the point of the head of security giving party hosts his phone number.

I will say that the group I was with, AlcoBrony, was entered in this and we thought we had a fair shot at winning it despite having to go up against the 501st Legion's MidSouth Garrison. (We did pretty well, only 7 votes from winning!).  There were only a couple of parties at that, at least that had officially registered (another thing that is a bit confusing and the volunteers working the table didn't know very much)

However, there were a lot of problems and many people didn't even know how to vote for the parties they liked best. The voting system was done by "Trick" or "Treat" cards that were put into a sealed box provided by the convention staff. Pretty cool system, but many didn't understand how it worked or where to get the vote tokens. Security about alcohol from rooms was extremely flexible and confusing as well. While we got yelled at during the day on Friday for having solo cups with us, they seemed to completely toss this concern out later in the evening and the next day completely.

Another issue that seemed to be everywhere was underage drinking. While even professional bouncers get tricked from time to time, perhaps having a rave or something may reduce this. I can say that every party was carding, but again even the best bouncers get fooled by fake IDs. So, while everyone tried, not having anything on the con level to help check this from happening doesn't help at all. Not having any real after hours events that are truly, 100% all ages can be a problem and it really showed that they need to provide something other than panels into the wee hours of the morning. Perhaps they should have the party floor be 21+ or something, I'm not sure but the need for something to be done is glaringly obvious there. Especially since the con officially endorses these parties.

Another glaring issue was that registration seemed completely disjointed. Sure it was quick to get through but the swag bags were inconsistent and didn't really make much sense. Also, it was advertised that people would be getting tickets for free drinks...this is something that never panned out and no one really knew about. I didn't find out until talking with staff until around 4am on Sunday morning after the panel I was co-hosting was over.

Overall the staff that we dealt with was very helpful and went out of their way to help us when we had questions or concerns. The same goes for the staff at the hotel. However, they still have a lot to learn in the realm of running a con with parties that they're endorsing.  That said, it wasn't all bad. I had a ton of fun regardless of the issues that I've talked about above, but I am a bit hesitant to go back. Especially since next year they're scheduled on the same weekends as two major cons that take place elsewhere.

Would I recommend traveling 10 hours by car to go to this event? No, not right now I wouldn't. If you're local or within a few hours, definitely go! It really is a good time and many people probably would never have the same kinds of issues that we did. So, if you're in the area next year...check it out. I know that we may be going back...even if just to see if they've made improvements and hang out as friends in the area. Though the draw of 10,000+ at Youmacon and over 7,000 at Nekocon and both being 5 hours closer may be too much to bear....

Now for the pictures! 














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