MFF: Long version

[vakkotaur]

Thursday

Got to Schaumburg despite poor tollway and exit signage design and poor directions as previously mentioned. On the way I did manage to find a proper Vienna dog for lunch. I met kinkyturtle with whom I would be sharing a room and I got settled in. We eventually went out for supper and also went on a supply run. I goofed and didn't get some things I should have, but it was not a big deal.

The opening registration was done well and I was reasonably impressed with the quick processing. KT and I went out to eat while they were setting up. We figured we would wait and have supper rather than wait and stand in a line. When we got back the lines was gone and we just walked up and things were taken care of. The sponsor goodies (consumable and otherwise) were also good.

I met, or at least encountered, ChickenLou (from IRC), xydexx, babsbunny who has a new sound for foxes: aff! She was amused by my comment, "Oh great, now we'll have a bunch of affing foxes..." I also met chakawolf again. I was recognized by a few folks who knew me probably from seeing my comments to kinkyturtle's journal. As usual I seem to have forgotten them all, though I did recognize the names at the time.

KT stayed up late as is usual for him. I wasn't ready to stay up too late after traveling, despite having a good amount of water on the trip.

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Friday

Earlier in the week wendyzski discussed the possibility of getting together for a late breakfast or early lunch on Friday. Either I missed a call or it simply was not to be. I'm not too surprised - the time it would have taken seemed excessive.

I slept a bit late - for me. I'm sure KT figures I got insanely early. I went a supply run of my own and got more bottled water and some snacks (or was that Saturday? I recall going through much of a day nibbling on the supplies from the sponsor's pack) and having a late supper at a Wendy's.

Somewhere in things I met or at least encountered altivo. I went to a couple panels, one on beginning drawing and saw the_gneech who was presenting it. What he had to say might have been basic, but that's exactly what I was after. For once I was not annoyed with a good artist (by my personal definition) saying he isn't that good an artist. What he did, though he didn't explain it that way, was take what I'd call an engineering approach to drawing. I can appreciate that. If it's engineering I might just have a chance.

The other panel was about the three four panel cartoons with the_gneech and David Gilbert. The part I took away was the idea of a visual punctuation in the artwork to stop the eye from moving on. Also the difference between a one panel and three or four panel comic was mentioned. The one panel being a moment in time or a very short span, while in three (plus) panels a short story can be told (Summary: setup - build - [build] - punchline). I wasn't there for all of it, but I thought about the two panel format which isn't seen often. Two panels would just be setup-punchline with no build. When I mentioned this to KT he suggested the "Find X things different in these two pictures" and simple before/after comparisons.

There were fursuiters around or at least in the main hallway much of the time. All were impressive to me, some especially so - the most impressive one I saw Saturday evening and again on Sunday. I spent more than a bit of time in the dealer's and artist's areas. I only saw one equine: a female zebra using the first name of "Phar" (and alas, I have forgotten the last name the character used). Naturally I thought of pharwarner.

I should say that the Schaumburg Hyatt is a nice place and has the advantage of not having that many floors (no AnthroCon horrors of elevator cascade failure). The elevators were, however, possessed. Or at least had controllers in need of better programming. KT and I were on the 4th floor and more than once I got in an elevator and went "up" (according to the arrow) to the lobby level. Either Friday or Saturday morning I was ready to go and was about to press the call button (which was not lit) and before I did an empty elevator opened. I got in and, out of curiosity, did not press any floor buttons. It took me down to the lobby level. That was the convenient part. Much of the time things just seemed confused.

The variety show was at midnight - a time that many commented on as being rather oddly late. Evidently it's something leftover from Duckon that nobody has seen fit to rectify. I suppose it's helpful for having more time to get ready, but I expect both performers and audience (at least those who tend to actually sleep nights most of the time) find it hard to keep up energy for things.

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Saturday

I made the mistake of having breakfast at the hotel restaurant. It wasn't that the food was bad - far from it. It was that I hadn't expected the sponsor's brunch to be so impressive. Next year I'll have a granola bar and a Dr Pepper or something and call it breakfast and wait for the brunch to eat for real. It was a buffet setup but it wasn't in the usual institutional style that reminds me of a school cafeteria. There were all sorts of things (I still am surprised I didn't at least sample the smoked salmon, even if some misguided person did commit the heinous act of sprinkling a few peas on it) and the omelettes made to order. Dessert? A few choices. I think that the cake might have been genocide by chocolate. I didn't hurt that I wound up sitting next to unclekage at the table that Dave Gilbert (He draws Buckles) was at.

Sometime I attended a panel on cartooning and expected very basics. I did not expect it being given by Jim Groat. At least I had a sketchbook that I had started some crude practice in, based on what I'd gotten from the_gneech's panel on Friday. I think Groat was being very charitable in his comments about it. He covered of the same material that Gneech had and also had a few comments (rants) about character design. I can see his point on what I can recall - I did take notes. They just aren't in front of me right now.

The fursuit parade was big. The setup seemed to take some quite some time and I'm not sure every 'suiter was in it. I think I went through two rolls of film on it and I was trying not to take pictures of everyone. Later I met Bobby (from IRC, some time ago) for a couple minutes. Later in the evening there was a fursuiter in a fox outfit (I think) that was really decked out with 'jewels'.. and a pole?.. and a saddle? He was aiming for the "I belong on a merry-go-round" look and hit it very well. I saw him again on Sunday without the large pole but with a different large prop. Then he was a rocking horse, er tiger. I think he was even getting more attention than Kat (forgot the rest of the name already darnit) who was dressed as very convincing CatWoman.

Oh, and sometime in the evening was a fire alarm. According to reports it wasn't an idiot tripping the alarm but an actual fire: A kitchen grease fire. It seemed to have been contained and was more inconvenience than a real problem, at least from my point of view.

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Sunday

I stayed around mainly for quasiskunk's talk on "How to train your furless lackey" for fursuiters. I figured I might not too likely to be in suit, but knowing folks who are, it might be useful stuff to know. I got to the talk late, but think I got the main points anyway. The other reason I stayed around was to recover a couple sketchbooks. While waiting I saw a bit of the PawPet Show. I had a bit of a hard time understanding the falsetto voices used but did get the gist of things, including a reference back to the Variety show of Friday night/Saturday morning.

I wound up getting away from Schaumburg a couple hours later than I'd planned but still made it home around 10 PM so it wasn't too bad.

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Notes

Although jugularjaguar wasn't there, he did get a reaction from a raccoon. Someone was wearing a raccoon fursuit with his con badge reversed and wouldn't turn it or allow it to be turned. This started a game of "Guess the fursuitter" which was amusing. I wondered, "Who would wear a suit and not want to be identified?" and then announced, "Aha! It's Jugular Jaguar!" It's amazing how much anger a costume with a fixed neutral/happy expression can be made to convey...

Having a small cooler to keep bottles and cans chilled is Very Useful - at least in rooms that are not refrigerator equipped suites. It doesn't take any more ice than the hotel ice bucket holds and it holds more drinks. It only needs re-charging with ice about twice a day.

I must remember to specify "anthro" and "no tentacles" when I hand over a sketchbook.

I need to make a clean copy of an original that I bought from Groat. Amazingly, I was the first person to express an interest in a particular Red Shetland piece and even he didn't have a copy for himself.

I'm getting better, I think, with photographic backgrounds. Development will show for sure. Some backgrounds can't be helped, but when I could take a picture one-on-one I did try to find a neutral wall or at least not have a black outfit disappearing into a black background.

Storing artwork between a couple dollar store cookie sheets works. They may be cheap, but they don't readily bend. At least one artists claims she's going to be swiping that idea for herself. It's nice to have an idea worth copying.

One person neatly solved the badge clip issue without a badge pouch. He had a cord like for the pouch but just the cord. He clipped the badge to that. I might swipe that idea, perhaps modifying it some.

I'm almost certainly omitting quite a bit. Hopefully I'll remember anything important before it gets too close to RCFM.

Comments

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

sowwy. I been sick. ::cough cough::

[tenax.livejournal.com]

I wondered, "Who would wear a suit and not want to be identified?" and then announced, "Aha! It's Jugular Jaguar!" It's amazing how much anger a costume with a fixed neutral/happy expression can be made to convey...

I told Jugular that, one day, I'd find a way to stuff him into a raccoon suit. He was somewhat puzzled why I'd want that. I said that all the years of repressed raccoon-hood, the anger/yearning duality would explode in an unpredictable way. I could see him running around, playing pranks and collecting trashcans so quickly that con staff would be two steps behind! I'm not sure of all the consequences of such an action, but, like combining saltpeter, sulfer, and charcoal with a strike plate, this is a chain-reaction that must be seen!

Should I start an evil, maniacal laugh now?

Glad you really enjoyed yourself at this con, and I hope that it wasn't too big for you.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I was a bit concerned when I heard predictions of near 1,000 attendees. However it worked out.. I met folks and recognized enough it wasn't overwhelming. The elevators were merely possessed, not failing. There were only 5 floors to be concerned about rather than whatever it was at AC. maybe it was that I had met some folks at RCFM. I think whatever worked for me at RCFM seemed to still be working enough at MFF. It wasn't quite as.. intimate? but it wasn't giving me the stranger that doesn't belong here feeling that AC did.

[jdm314.livejournal.com]

I always forget to stop by at MWFF. It's a shame because so many of my friends go there, and I live so close.

Me in a raccoon suit??

[jugularjaguar.livejournal.com]

I don't know but that seems sort of like trying to go out and contract a disease or something.
Not to say that raccoons are a vermin related species that are filled with horrible diseases or something worse.

[quoting-mungo.livejournal.com]

I suppose it's helpful for having more time to get ready, but I expect both performers and audience (at least those who tend to actually sleep nights most of the time) find it hard to keep up energy for things.

And then there's those of us who are horribly jet lagged, and therefore have their body screaming "BED!" at like 8pm. I wanted to see the variety show, too, but that'll have to wait for the DVD to be released, because it was WAY too late for me.

Can I talk you into getting me a scan of the picture I drew in your sketchbook?


-Alexandra

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Ouch. That jet lag would be quite nasty. I was fortunate enough that I didn't even change time zones.

Unless I've bungled your e-mail address, a scan of that image should be on the way to you, if it has not already arrived.

[quoting-mungo.livejournal.com]

Got it, thanks!
If not for the jet lag, I wouldn't even be considering flying in on Wednesday again -- another night at the hotel makes the stay nastybadexpensive, yesyes. However, a day to catch up on the jet lag? Sweet.


-Alexandra