Comedy Club at Fanime 2009! Updated 5/17/2009

[Aya Brea X]

Comedy Club at Fanime 2009

WHO: Sign ups are open for participants for the Comedy Club at Fanime 2009 Panel!  If you like doing standup and are a fanboy or fangirl, participating in this panel MAY BE FOR YOU! :3  We are looking for fans with a sense of humor to put out a short stand-up routine to entertain your fellow fan-people.  There are no auditions.  Slots are provided on a first-come first-served basis per the sign up information below! 

WHAT: Comedy Club at Fanime 2009 is a second-year panel featuring your fellow otaku rocking the house with jokes about anime, manga, and fandom.

WHERE: Fanime Con 2009!

WHEN: Confirmed SATURDAY evening of the convention.  CONFIRMED TIME 9PM-11PM Confirmed location Marriott Salon IV, V, VI (Panel room 3)

SIGN UP INFORMATION: Due to interest for resigning up and the current number of people already signed up, I am planning on a two hour evening panel on SATURDAY. If you MUST go to something else during Saturday night... this is probably not for you. 

We currently have FIVE people signed up, so sign ups are open for about FOUR more slots!  PM me for questions or sign up! If you're not sure yet if you're going to the convention itself, please do not sign up.  I will be requesting badge numbers for people who are signing up, unless you were a participant last year.

Routines should be 5-7 minutes unless we talk about a different time-line.  I will try to accommodate requests of up to 13 minutes if time permits.  Please let me know if you would like to try for a longer timeslot.  If we have extra time at the end we'll simply do an improv routine with all the participants if we are short on the individual sets.  To ensure we don't all do a 5 minute performance and have 20 minutes of dead time, please let me know well ahead of time (end of March) how long your routine will be.   

Please script or outline your performance to check for time.  It really isn't as easy as it looks, the only thing worse than being not funny is awkward silence when you run out of stuff to say.   Please let me know as soon as possible how long your routine will be so I can accommodate longer/shorter ones.  The later you ask for a time period the less likely I'll be able to accomodate you since I will just assume you have a 5-7 minute set when I do sign ups. Thanks!

The panel should be appropriate for a 16+ audience.  If you're not sure if something is too racy... leave it out.  Swear words are okay as long as you don't base your entire routine on them. 

Towards the con, I will be asking for phone numbers so I can contact you if there's a change in plans.  I will also provide my number in case you cannot make it and don't find out until the con.

Props are okay as long as you are allowed to have said prop on convention hall grounds according to all state/federal laws and convention rules, and will be allowed only if they only require less than 5 minutes to set up before the panel (not after someone else's act, please), will not get in the way of the other participants and audience members and only 2 minutes to clean up *by yourself*  Anything that you damage at the convention center will be all you.  I'll be more than happy to turn you and your contact information over to the convention organizers if you do something stupid on an epic scale :3. 

Any questions, send them to my e-mail at ayabrea at gmail dot com or send me a PM.  I'll be updating this post with news and info as they come up!

Update 1/27/09:I have submitted the panel form for a two hour panel.  We now have seven people signed up (woo hoo!)

Update 3/2/09:Subtracted two people from the roster since they either changed their mind or could not confirm.  But hey, more time for everyone else :3

Update 3/11/09: Panel accepted.  Timeslot pending.  Also, we now have a Facebook Group.  W00t.  http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=68162244788&view=user#/group.php?gid=68162244788

Update 3/22/09 Panel confirmed for SATURDAY NIGHT.

Update 5/5/09 Panel time verified set for 8pm - 10pm, though last minute changes may happen, so keep your eyes peeled.  I also need INTRODUCTIONS from the participants (what you want me to say about you before introducing you and what you want me to call you.)

Update 5/17/09 Panel time CHANGED (my bad, I read the table wrong!) 9PM-11PM.  Please come on by at 9PM! :3 :3 :3 Marriott Salon IV, V, and IV (Panel room 3).  See you guys there!! :3 :3

[Glitch]

I am nervous from excitement already. ^^

[havok rt]

Oh its so on like Donkey Kong! I'm really looking forward to getting up there again.

[radpaolo.]

I can't believe I'm already writing material for this. Regardless, looking very forward to this, last year's was really fun (I can't get over telling people the first time I did stand-up was at Fanime).

Is there a way to possibly look into recording this year's go-around? Maybe video, or audio? I know that's what they did when Patton Oswalt performed at BlizzCon, and yes granted none of us are Patton Oswalt, and we're not at BlizzCon, might be something to think about, especially since we have all this lead time until Fanime.

[JeffreyAtW]

A two hour event with twice the comics is a bad idea.

We had a hard enough time fitting as many comics as we had into one hour - DOUBLING the event should only make it worse.

Say the first hour of comics goes beyond the one-hour mark. Doesn't that suck even more for the remaining ones, having to scrunch their time even more?

I'd suggest that if you want to have twice the amount of comics, bill it as two separate events. You could even try to have something small, like an hour break, between them. That means that people get relatively equal time, and those who went to the first hour will probably come back for the second, seeing as it's soon after.

All this, or you TOTALLY enforce time limits for the performers.

[Aya Brea X]

havok rt: Did you e-mail me or PM me to sign up again yet?  Please confirm if you're coming and I'll put you down.

As for last years timing issue.  I did not anticipate the 10 minute setup time (my bad, I only planned 5 minutes), plus I personally ran over my own time (sorry!)  I also don't think any of the performers were expecting so much "audience participation".  We still made it and I only had to tell one guy to stop.  With a two hour event versus two seperate one hour events, there is no second 10 minute set up time, and I will be planning 1 minute of extra time per performer at the end to accomodate overflow time.  We will simply do improv if people do not use up this time.  It's a tough balancing at, but I think we can do it.  As I do the lineup I will be planning enough for everyone to finish the bulk of their sets.  I'll also be counting on everyone to let me know ASAP how long they think their set to be so I an accomodate all the performers. 

Even though I'm doubling the time, I'm not planning on doubling the number of comics.  If people want to do longer sets and tell me, then I would end signups early so everyone who is already signed up will get to perform their time.  (Hint hint, please tell me how long you are planning on going... preferably before you write your set so I can know early.)

As for taping, again, I do not own any sparkely video recording equipment.  The con did not provide video recording equipment as an option last year, and will probably not offer it this year.  I literally had my friend videotape my set on my camera.  Since it's my friend and not me (and I'm not even sure if she's going to go this year) I cannot offer up her services.  (I will also be too busy timing everyone instead of taping, sorry!) If, however, you find your own buddy to record your set, more power to you.  If you have a friend who wants to tape you and would like priority seating for the person filming, that IS something I can accomodate. Let me know ahead of time and we'll let him/her in early.

I have a digital audio recorder and can probably at least record the audio for all the performers and send you an MP3 of your set after the con.  Let me know if you're interested.

[Aya Brea X]

Update: Panel form completed and submitted Fanime!  We also have seven people signed up so I'm really psyched (I've now added you, Havok!  Glad to have you back!)  I hope everyone has some great ideas swarming in their heads already on what to talk about :3 :3

[Knightfire]

This could be fun.Just need to find out form my friend if he's entering the AMV contest.

[Aya Brea X]

Drop me a line here if you're interested!  Or you can wait for the time announcement to decide (though you might want to pencil in some jokes together since I don't know when the times will get announced.)

[Aya Brea X]

Our panel has been accepted by Fanime!  No time or date is set yet, but look forward to that coming soon. 

It's still early, but we're running at the same number of people as last year, so plan on longer sets and doing the improv thing at the end!  We didn't get a chance to do that last year, and I was really curious to see how the comic energy would mix :3  I'll keep updating the number of participants as they change.   

Keep working on those sets!  And please let me know how many minutes you want to use!

We also now have a facebook group  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68162244788.  Join, enjoy, or just spam your friends who have facebook with it.  If you have any photos you want to post, e-mail them to me.  Otherwise, anyone is free to join and post links and videos.  They don't have to be from last year's event, but related to you (the participant) and stand up comedy would be nice. 

[G-Force]

maybe you should also post a list of who has signed up and confirmed that way people interested in trying out already know how many people are involved.

[Kava]

While actual participant names are not listed, it says that there are FIVE confirmed, with FOUR slots open. Is that what you were looking for?

[Aya Brea X]

maybe you should also post a list of who has signed up and confirmed that way people interested in trying out already know how many people are involved.

You know you're in, right? :3

Yep, five confirmed, looking for up to 4 more.  Even if it's five, I'm sure we could eat up the two hours, no problem.  I have around 30 minutes of material I can do myself.   

I really have no try outs, if someone confirms they'll come and there's a spot, and that person follows through with giving me contact information and assurance they're still alive via replying to my e-mails, they're in. 

[Glitch]

I can't believe I'm still in the process of writting the jokes. For me this is waiting for the last minute. XD
But I promise they'll be good. And I look forward to everybody else's set. I'm hoping nothing too major happens else where during our slot. I would like my friends to attend. ^^

[Aya Brea X]

We're now tentatively slotted for Saturday night (confirmed date) at 8pm-10pm (time tentative)  Don't know if this is suddenly good news for anyone else holding out from signing up, but I am hoping to get at least a couple more people signed up... if not, we'll still make do (but come on, join in the fun!)

To those already signed up, there are five of us.  This means I will need slightly longer than originally planned sets if you are up for this.  Individual times may vary, and please don't feel like you *have* to do a 10 or 20 minute set (though I'd like it very much if you did *wink wink*).  Whatever time you do decide, please let me know... I think last year most people had closer to eight to ten minutes, so come on, just a little longer than last year! XD This will also probably mean I will be a lot less strict about when I will cut you off, so everyone can feel less rushed (I will still make the cute warning signs as I promised, but you can let me know when you want me to raise it, or not at all.  I highly doubt we'll run out of time :3) 

I will try to at least do an audio recording of the entire show, no guarentees on audio quality, but I bought a pretty good voice recorder that worked out fine for me for the last time I did a stand up show at Yaoi Con, so I'm hoping I can post the audio clips somewhere, and maybe even burn them onto CD and mail them to you guys if not give you a copy at the con (probably Monday at my Artist Alley table.  I'll try to burn them at the con on Sunday night.)  You are VERY welcome to bring any other video recording equipment/lackey to record your own set or the entire show.  We can probably set them up in the back so they can stand up and/or set up tripods (though probably not in front of doors or in the aisle, fire hazard.) 

We're also most likely going to do some improv skits at the end.  I will take suggestions from the participants only (element of surprise, I guess :3)  Please PM or e-mail them to me.  We'll throw them in a hat and have audience members draw them out.  Ideally this should only be a wrap up part of the show as there is an entire other panel that's skits that existed before we came to be, so I don't want to look like we're ripping them off... so please work on those sets! *thumbs up*  Gambatte! 

I'll e-mail everyone signed up this weekend, so if you're on the fence about signing up, now is a good time! :D 

[abcbadcat]

I will probably want to check this out

I am no good at stand up but I really appreciate it and love comedy

:D

[havok rt]

Well I'm finishing writing up my material. So I just gotta to time it and cut out any bad material. Doing more preparation than last year, since I was kinda hit or miss. God I'm so psyched, Less than a month to go! ;D

and I'm totally up for post panel dinner or whatever.

[Aya Brea X]

Participants: I sent out an e-mail to you.  If you did not get this e-mail, please let me know via PM or e-mail.  Thanks!

[Aya Brea X]

Hi Everyone.  Time is now confirmed for Saturday night 9pm-11pm at Panel 3 (Marriott Salon IV, V, VI!!!) :3

[Glitch]

Oh great. Now I have to change the time on my signature advertisement. XD
But awsome that we get a big ass room. ^^