The conchair and myself were actually sent this [link] via e-mail from one of their concerned friends, and considering they're making quite a deal of damaging Anime North's general reputation, I was encouraged to set a few things straight about some of a complaints.

First, I want to state that the person(s) involved in the link were for one, not legally registered to the artist alley. Yes, the word legally was used because one, anyone who participated had to sign a contract. The "contract" which states that all rules in the policy were understood and will comply to needed to be signed if they agreed. If they didn't, then they didn't need to participate in the alley.

As for the accusations of "verbally abusing" anyone, all artists - despite us stating a zero tolerance to rule breaking - were given warnings. Of the warnings, most were calm, then some would become stern, and at some points, yes, staff does snap. The only time staff would snap is if the offense is committed more than enough. I think they would have the right to get as frustrated as artists would if something didn't go their way. The response/DA journal post presents the alley staff as the bad guys - as usual - because they couldn't stay behind the tables, in this situation, they weren't even legally allowed to be behind. Also, only artists with both badges are allowed within the aisles. The alley badge is just an area badge. The convention badge is THE convention badge. To stay in the convention, you need the convention badge. To be in the alley in the convention, you needed both.

A situation happened last year as well with another artist (again, as explained in their post) that the same thing happened last year to an artist of reputation. The artist, despite signing that same contract that states they understood and plan to follow the rules, did not which in turn allows staff to enforce the rules stated in the policy. The rules are placed there for a reason and are not really for show... but somehow, I have a feeling people do not understand that. Enforcement of rules is considered power-tripping, then I suppose the police enforcing speeding and Drinking and Driving law is also pretty power trippy as well. Returning to the story, this said artist was spoken to by myself after one of staff had approached them many times for policy breach and asked the artist to please understand that the rules were there for a reason. I was reassured by the artist that they understood and I left it at that.

Now, for the next story....

The same staff member also harassed another friend of mine who was sharing a table with his girlfriend. While she was behind the table, he leaned on the side EDGE of his own table and that staff member came running over and said she would throw him out of the convention. Then, she leaned in and actually tried to rip the badge from his clothing...

First of all, this friend was sharing the table with a female artist, not their boyfriend. The said boyfriend started our first incident by telling us to release the empty tables for sale. Empty tables who have reserved artists who contacted me, saying they would be late and cannot come for the sign in times. I refused him, and he left. Then, he actually had the nerve to steal an empty space (reserved for another artist who was either on their way from montreal or left for the evening early) in the alley on Friday and set up shop. Unfortunately, I only caught him at closing, so we don't know how long he had been there. When I asked him what he was doing, he just shrugged and laughed and I asked him to leave. The next two days then continued with numerous incidents of sitting behind tables he should not be behind (aside the fact he was not registered with the artist alley), with the same reaction of just laughing it off.

Sunday of course got worse because he had taken a chair from the Mecha Yard Wars area, another event in AN, and placed it at a table exit, which happens to be at the end of his girlfriend's table. I was already frustrated at him for the continuous problems he committed and the general attitude and I told him to return the chair back to where he got it and for him to give me his badge. He returned the chair though refused to hand over his badge. I asked over and over again, and each time, he stated that "You can't do that." because I have no right to.

Unfortunately, when I brought this incident to Special Ops, they responded that only the head of Special Ops has that right. I then called the Operations Department head, who is also one of the Exec members and one of the founders of Anime North, who confirmed that Exec Staff and Department heads handling an area do have that right. By the time the Operations Department Head arrived, the Special Ops head had put her foot down that she could not consider the previous offenses because she was not there to witness them and only gave the young man a warning.

Now, for the rules... the one person behind a full or half space (depending on the reservation) is considered pretty unreasonable, especially for those who don't know why the rule was implemented. Anime North of 2005 had multiple incidents of people sending friends behind the tables, to the point that they were taking chairs from other artists, sitting behind the artist's free chair behind that artist's table while chatting with their friends beside this artist's table or behind. It came to the point that there were more than 15 people, all friends of one artist, crowding the inside aisle of the tables and bothering numerous other participants. This even got worse as these people soon began taking chairs from the main stage (it was still located in the TCC at the time), so when masquerade started, chairs were missing - a lot of them - for the event. To replace those missing chairs cost additional charge for the convention (since they had to be ordered at short notice).

The reason why unregistered individuals to the alley cannot stay there was to prevent the chair stealing incident from happening again. It has worked, fortunately enough, but it still doesn't fall into people's preference.

We did keep an option of having alternate names or someone who can sit in for you while you went on break. If the request was given right when the reservation is confirmed, they were given the same amount of time as the artist to hand in their registration/contract to us. If the request was given at the end of the reservation term (2 weeks), we gave the alternate names 5 business days extra.

Artists were also given the choice to ask staff to sit at the table for them, in case they didn't manage to register an alternate name in time or generally knew no one else in the convention. Most made use of this, some didn't for who knows what reason.

Most artists did take advantage of this because this saved them the problem if their partner didn't get a table. The same procedure has been running for 2 years as well. Somehow, this year it was harder for others to understand how simple the rule is, and again, that enforcing them was the staff's way of power tripping. The frustration of the situation itself goes two ways. For one thing, the artist doesn't get their preference, and the staff has to deal with policy breaches because the artist will insist that they get their preference. I suppose then that power tripping must be some sort of sadistic practice since all the staff got this year was headaches from those policy breaches.

If you wish to make a formal complaint, I say feel free to and make sure to send it to the conchair, operations, programming. All the e-mails are made available for you on the anime north website, under the "contacts" link. Just search the main page - I believe it's in the bottom- to find it. I just suggest you make it polite and they'll take you really seriously. Place truthful facts into your complaint and don't twist up the story. In turn, we will hand in a full report for each incident and will gladly forward a copy to you as well. That way, there won't be surprises from either side.

Also, I advice people not to sign anything if they don't agree to the terms. In some situations, you can get sued for that. But in terms of anime conventions, that can get pretty petty and no one really takes it seriously. It's just unfortunate that we have to take things seriously I guess.

Sad this even have to be posted here.

It's more of a personal test for myself. But my goal is by the end of June is to draw and colour at least 5 Original artwork, media varying from watercolour, CG, and possibly acrylic since I still have 3 canvases in my room.

Why the need for the test? Probably cause I've gotten used to drawing fanart for others and have totally ignored my own projects. Time to bring back Solana. ;_;

Anyway, I think it's a good activity to do if you've noticed that you're mostly doing fanart these days. If you're planning to take the challenge, note me and maybe I'll me influenced by your work-ethic (HOPING It's one that won't make me even more lazy to do original art..... ;_; )

I'll have a full con report with pictures on my LJ.

All you need to know about Acen is that registration line for Friday sucked. But the people I met in the alley are awesome, friendly people. And I have kitty ears from the dealers.

WHAT HAVE I BECOME?!

Anyway... meeting today. Then it's more stress.

It's so cloooooooose!!! It's basically my only real convention where I can participate as an artist. I have my art group present in other ones and they're selling my stuff for me, but eeee! STRESS!! I'm so excited though.

The last convention I got to attend as an artist was AX07 and AC^3. Those were really interesting. Being there just totally made me miss being an artist in the alley. But it also made me appreciate all other aspects of the convention as an attendee.

So yeah... Chicago~ I wonder how this'll go. US fans are always a bit more overwhelming compared to the conventions in Canada... ~_~;; Although I am thinking of attending NYCAF this year. Haha... that's going to be insane.

Why are there no toilets in the suikoden games? (well. we know the rational answer to that but--)

Anywhoo, sister's coming home tomo--er.. today! Though we're doing buttons for the convention itself tomorrow aside our own. Maaan... our hands are gonna hurt this weekend.

Semester 2 for Culinary Arts start monday too. I can already feel the stress from school, work, and the morons accumulating already. And apparently there are bastards in my flist after all. I need to clean it up.

And I should try to draw seriously again... I just don't feel like it anymore considering the low interest in general anime and just... drawing. I need to read some books and look for inspiration or something

Although I admit... looking through the Memories of Blood art book for Drag-on Dragoon is pretty inspiring. Now I only wish I took the time to learn how to work Photoshop.