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One of the people in my group got extra rooms for backup unbeknownst to me. We ended up with 4 rooms, and ended up with a final headcount that only fills 3 of them.
Of course, nobody tells me until now. alas.. :(

OUR MISHAPS ARE YOUR GAIN! It's $566 total -- email me ASAP at [email protected] if you want it so we can arrange a transfer with the hotel. Like seriously asap. :T

Jessica,

Thank you for offering your situation and possible solutions. I will make sure the AA staff are aware of it. There are many reasons why the rules are set they way they are. Often it is not immediately evident why we need to do things the way we do. The AA staff will do their best to accommodate, but the rule are in place to ensure a smooth experience for literally hundreds of artists, so I cannot guarantee that we can accommodate your specific situation.

Thank again for your post and if you do not have some sort of resolution when two weeks before con comes, feel free to email AA for a follow up.

Of course, I know you guys are trying to do what's best for everyone, so I always make due with what I'm given -- it's certainly a little irksome when you're directed to something that clearly does not address the issue, so I'm sorry if that came off as a bit harsh. I recognized why the rule is in place from AX (Long story, but they actually TOOK my dad's rather expensive dolly after telling my sister and I to walk our things in and leave it at the door..) so I don't have much of the confusion about it that some people do. I'm one of those types who will bend over backwards to adhere to clearly stated rules, and get pretty mad when others don't do the same -- so any official wiggle room is a godsend, really. Thanks for reading. :)

[with Fanime's rules considered]

There is a thread earlier that talked about the handtruck issue - http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,18153.0.html

I stated that I am aware of it not being Fanime's rule, and only find it to be a problem with Fanime's rules considered; I'll condense it for a shorter read...

I do not have anyone who can confirm their attendance on Friday morning far enough in advance for me to register a name as a helper, who is MOST useful during setup. Last year I was told I could only add a helper on site if all of the other helpers got their stickers first. I do not understand why helpers cannot be added with late notice, considering they do not have anything to verify, and that they can be added after initial check-in is complete by everyone.
My items can be taken in one trip if I have a helper, but in my particular case, I cannot obtain a committed helper until Day One if at all. The amount of stuff I need to move does not require a handcart, just one extra trip or one extra set of hands, so I would like to be able to add a helper on-site, or register for one nameless helper sticker.
Assuming Fanime has fantastic reasoning for not allowing last minute set up help and cannot change this or make exceptions, If I manage to downsize enough to adhere to Union rules and Fanime's inability to accept late registered helpers, I would like to be able to put my things down at my table before standing in line to check in. I really don't see any harm in doing this.

I offered some options to make the solo artist's life just a smidge better, it would be appreciated if they were at least looked into or discussed.

I don't think that you need to secure help a month in advance. In the FAQs it says "Only helpers which will be handling money need to be included in your table signup request."

Last years situation is described a little more in depth above -- they do not let people without stickers in before AA is open, and they do not give helper stickers to unregistered names "until all others have gotten theirs". The helper would indeed be back to handle money on and off, but that handling is just passing it to me while I'm drawing or using my Square app. I'm not sure if that counts, but regardless they would indeed need to be signed up in advance to be of any setup use, it seems.

[all members of the table should be present]

The rule that is really rustling my jimmies is the "no carts/dollys, must bring in your items in ONE trip" -- let me explain.

I'm seeing this is as follows:

Unless previously arranged with Artist Alley Staff, only an artist can check in a table and at the time of check in, all members of the table should be present. While you will be provided with your table number in advance you may not place any item at your table nor begin setting up until you have completed checking in.

You must have your helpers signed up WAY in advance and they must be present when checking into the table, basically. Last year, I found out just slightly too late (a few days after cutoff - may 7) that my neighbor/help would not arrive until the evening due to school. I e-mailed staff noting I really someone for setup and I found alternative help for friday morning. I got a "sorry, our books are closed, maybe your neighbor can help you when she is done". I replied immediately that she wouldn't be around until 4 or 5, and got no reply.
I know it was past the deadline, but... Seriously? Why is there a cutoff date for adding help? What, do you need time to do background checks or something? -_- This combined with the insane pre-reg lines and other issues on day 1 was just awful. This is problem #1 for me; if it turns out someone trustworthy is available to help me any less than a month in advance then I'm completely out of luck. Fanime is the only con I've been to that has prohibited me from adding help in any way for any reason. To boot, I have to awkwardly drag my things around in the check-in line by myself before setting them down where they're going to end up anyway. I have a bad knee that disagrees with carrying a lot of things and multiple walking trips -- which I already get PLENTY of during a convention, mind you. I really dislike this combination of rules, but I've kept my mouth shut about it since my issues are probably a minority. I'm sure they have their reasons. I'd continue to do so if it weren't for the addition of this:

This is a rule from the SJCCF. Artists may only bring their wares into the Artist Alley by hand in ONE trip. You may NOT use a hand truck, dolly, wire mesh cart, or similar transport to bring in your items. You may use normal sized luggage suitcases with wheels that are fully closed/zipped when transporting wares, backpacks, or any closed container, or bag carried by hand.

You have to bring in ALL of your table supplies in one trip without the aid of any sort of wheels that are not connected to their immediate storage devices? Please tell me this is worded incorrectly. Or it's referring to large bulky carts, right? I have a "transformer" dolly myself that collapses to fit inside the boxes I bring my table materials in -- am I seriously limited to zipped luggage, sealed boxes, and carrying my entire table's worth in one trip by MYSELF, because I can't even enlist a trusted friend onsite to make this into one trip? There's simply no way that this would be physically possible for me to do alone. I'm already stressing about it and reg isn't even open yet! I guess that's why I'm posting here.. :(

TL;DR - It feels like I'm seeing "If you are unable to secure help a full month in advance, don't bother bringing more than you can carry."

Can this be elaborated on? Why does it have to be in one trip when us artists often need an extra set of wheels TO make it one trip? I'm aware that this isn't a Fanime-made rule, but what CAN we do? Can helpers be added onsite or temporarily to help setup or carry items in light of this new no-dolly rule this year? Will AA provide a few hands for load in help for those of us who may need it to counter this problem instead? Like I said, I normally wouldn't say anything and just deal with it, but these things all at once (No last minute helpers, No extra wheels, ONE trip -- plus my bad knee) just feels like someone somewhere wants to make sure anyone who has to go solo has the absolute worst time they could possible have getting into their table.

[GIVING UP A ROOM]

GIVING UP A ROOM

I don't know how strict the cancellation date on this nonsense is, and I'm going to try to cancel it without getting a fee charged, but if I can transfer the room to someone else, that would be much better.

Wyndham San Jose, thursday-sunday, $89/night. if you can take it off my hands, you can make whatever modifications you need before 5/9. Its a double bed room, nonsmoking, and the hotel is 2.5 miles away from the convention center. It sounds like Fanime will be having shuttles this year, so distance shouldn't be a problem (I honestly don't know though, thats what i heard). I live in the bay area and I decided I'd just drive, so I really don't need this anymore. Please contact me here on PM, through email (thehattress at gmail dot com), or on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=604508014

Thanks!  :-[

2) lack of tables:  obviously the first round of tables this year were sold out in I believe under 2 days.  There are a lot of tables at Fanime that should be open to other artists.  I think limiting one table maximum for an artist is good, as it allows other artists an opportunity to participate.  Most other cons only allow up to 1 full table per artist.

No, no, no. The two table limit was just fine, considering I didn't see very many people using up two tables for one artist at all. The people taking up multiple booths usually have multiple people under one company name, or approximately one assload of merch. I realize this is an old post and we're gearing up for round 2012, but you may not realize the importance of table space to the latter. I'm sure there's cases of some people "just being greedy" or simply not knowing how to organize themselves onto one table, but I make a dealers hall volume of merchandise for Fanime that does NOT fit on and under just one table. It's the one con that can (Could. Apparently the one table limit has been enforced) afford me double table space, and the one con I can actually sell that much at. Being able to display everything is absolutely crucial to making as many sales on the spot as possible -- all the more when your financial state depends on how well you do at fanime. Any other con, I have to leave most of my products at home -- unfortunately it's not as simple as "just leaving some stuff in the hotel room". Besides; every year I've gone, there has always been a handful of completely vacant tables. No-shows that never even get filled with waitlisters. There's no point in limiting everyone to one. Two is fine.

Just had to complain about that. :p