Volunteers wanted for Aetheric Message Machine Company at Clockwork Alchemy

[aetherltd]

The Aetheric Message Machine Company will have a steampunk Telegraph Office at Clockwork Alchemy.
We're looking for two to four reliable people per shift to work in the Telegraph Office at the event.



Anyone at the convention can send a telegram for free by texting from a cell phone. The messages are printed on antique printing telegraph equipment, stamped, sorted, put in envelopes, and delivered around the con by messengers.  We did this at the last two Nova Albion events, and once at Maker Faire.

We have two jobs:

Operator: Works in the Telegraph Office and handles incoming messages from our brass and glass Aetheric Message Machine. Requires some typing and office skills.  You'll be in a highly visible location, a glass-fronted office facing the main corridor to the ballrooms at the Doubletree. Expect to be photographed and interviewed. About half an hour of training is required.

Messenger: Runs around the con delivering messages. Requires energy and a good voice. "Telegram for ..."

This is a fun job to do in steampunk costume.  You're handling real messages, using real antique machines, and do it in character. It gets busy, with the machines typing out messages and messengers running in and out. We've handled about 150 messages a day at previous events. We'll be operating for the same hours that the vendor room is open, Friday through Sunday.

See our web site: http://www.aetherltd.com
Here's a video of the Telegraph Office in full operation.
Contact us at [email protected].
Each job comes with a hat - choice of the cap shown above or a green eyeshade.
The volunteer refund deal is the same as for other Fanime volunteers, and will be coordinated through the volunteer office.

[Yuutousei]

I'm actually kind of interested in working as an operator.  My biggest concerns are getting between Fanimecon and Clockwork Academy and a steampunk outfit -- would it be required to be wearing steampunk costume?

[aetherltd]

I'm actually kind of interested in working as an operator.  My biggest concerns are getting between Fanimecon and Clockwork Alchemy and a steampunk outfit -- would it be required to be wearing steampunk costume?

There a shuttle bus between the convention center and the DoubleTree hotel.

For costume, all we ask is something that doesn't look totally out of place. We have some hats and goggles available if you want to accessorize.

[Cosplay Circus]

Oooo this is highly tempting, I remember seeing it at the steampunk convention a few years back and it looks like a lot of fun. Hmm, I'm stretching myself pretty thin though with the convention this year... but how long are the shifts?

[aetherltd]

how long are the shifts?

It's the same deal as other Fanime volunteering if you want to get a membership refund.

If you already have a con membership and just want to work one 4-hour shift, we can schedule that.  It takes about half an hour of training.

[Cosplay Circus]

how long are the shifts?

It's the same deal as other Fanime volunteering if you want to get a membership refund.

If you already have a con membership and just want to work one 4-hour shift, we can schedule that.  It takes about half an hour of training.

Alright, I'll see if there's any time I can find to do this as well as if I have any clothing steampunk appropriate.

[aetherltd]

We have a few operator volunteers; thanks.  Any volunteers for messengers?  You get to run around announcing "Telegram for ..." Fun for high-energy, outgoing types.

[kungfooey]

I sent an email to the email posted, was I suppose to post on this forum post?

[aetherltd]

I sent an email to the email posted, was I suppose to post on this forum post?

I didn't get anything at "[email protected]".  Try again, please. Or message me on this board; that works too. Thanks.

[aetherltd]

If you're volunteering, haven't talked to me yet, are willing to put in 24 hours during the event, and want a guest badge so you don't have to run down to the convention center to register, let me know by noon Friday.

You can still volunteer later and get a discount for volunteering, but you have to buy a membership and get a refund after the event by mail. 24 hours of volunteering gets a 100% discount; below that it's proportional.  

We're testing the message machine today and Friday. Text a steampunk-oriented message in the format

name @ location : message

to 650-209-7783. For "location" use "LOBBY" or "BAR". (At the event, we'll have a longer list of delivery locations.)  They'll print on the big machine shown in the first picture, and we'll scan in some of the better ones and post them here.  This is what our operators handle and messengers deliver.  (We'll blur out your phone number before we post here. Actual messages are not anonymous; we print the sending phone number on the message.)

[aetherltd]

This just in:


Someone just texted that to our machine at 650-209-7783, and the big brass and glass machine shown above hammered it out on yellow paper. That's what we do.

We'll have hundreds of messages to deliver.  This gets busy.  That's why we're working so hard to recruit more volunteers to be operators and messengers. 

[Yuutousei]

GNEE! My message!

Question! What would happen if the text had non-standard characters, like brackts, symbols, Japanese, etc?

[aetherltd]

GNEE! My message!

Question! What would happen if the text had non-standard characters, like brackets, symbols, Japanese, etc?

This is real steam-era technology, steel typebars pounding against paper at five characters per second. It has upper case letters, numbers, and a few symbols.  The symbols the machine doesn't have are printed as "?". This is a good match to texting.   

[aetherltd]

This just in:



You, too, can be a Aetheric Messenger, with a blue cap and badge, running around Clockwork Alchemy delivering messages like this. Or an operator in the Telegraph Office. 

Contact us now!

[Lady Toadflinger]

Hi. I am interested in being a messenger at Clockwork Alchemy, but I can't handle running around the con for four hours at a time. (bad hips) I'd love to help out for 1-2 hours at a time. Is this possible?
Lady Toadflinger