Event: Animethon 17
Date: August 6-8, 2010
Website: www.animethon.org
Art Contest: There is no mascot or art contest this year for Animethon. If you want to contribute art to the event, you need to contact Animethon through their deviant art group. http://animethon.deviantart.com/
Art Head: While the whole PR department is deciding on Art Direction, Tara Metcalfe of Project Demon Hunter is in charge of the Art for Animethon 17.
Staff Position: There are still several staff positions available, although there is no list of what positions have been taken. Contacting Animethon through the website or http://animethon.deviantart.com/ is your best bet.
Transcript
Victor Vargas:Hi Jason
Jason Marko: Hello.
Vargas: Ok, so now I’m going to ask some questions about Animethon. We just talked about “Taste of Animethon”, and now, I know there isn’t much that has been done for Animethon, but there have been a n number of announcements. First off all, there is the change in art. There’s not going to be an art contest this year, but as I understand, there is going to be a special in house art system being done. Would you like to elaborate on it or what is happening with art in Animethon?
Marko: Art. Well we’re look for artists that are willing to do some drawings for Animethon. We haven’t ironed out everything, but we will be giving them posting on our site, links to their site if they need or wish, as well as, probably, some write up in the guidebook as well. But there’s no time for a contest due to the time of the schedule for all the artwork needed to be done.
Vargas: Ok. Now if someone would be a part of this, I’m sure there’s a lot of artists that would like a write up in the guidebook or to contribute their art, how would they go about this?
Marko: At the moment, contact is not greatly, properly, set. But you can go to the Deviant Art Animethon Group and sign up there. Contact through that, as well as probably the website and leave a message for PR or Marketing and we’ll make sure that gets to the right people.
Vargas: And they could also come to the Animethon General Staff meetings, right?
Marko: Oh yes, always welcome to the Animethon General Staff meetings. Yes, as always.
Vargas: Alright. So just on the idea of art, what else is Animethon planning to do this year. Is there going to be a mascot, new direction with the guidebook, what are we looking at?
Marko: Well we’re looking for a more overall look and feel that kinda ties everything together. We do need somebody to create signage, some background images, and proper signage to make that much more then it is. Guidebook we need… we’re looking for something that will just be absolutely fantastic is what we’re looking for. For lack of a better word at the moment. I don’t know what else to say. We’re looking for some unique layouts, we’re looking for new people, new blood, we need people to actually who want to see this thing go forward to show up and give it a shot. That’s what we are looking for.
Vargas: Alright, now with the way things are working with this art scene. Who is leading up the art direction in Animethon this year and how is this working. Like, if I were an artist, and I came up and said ‘Hi, I’d like to draw, but I don’t know what I’m going to be drawing’, how would everything work?
Marko: Tara Metcalfe is in charge of the artists, but the direction is going to come from the whole PR department, not just her. She’s got direction she’s been given, and she’s to follow that up.
Vargas: And Tara Metcalfe has been in the society for some time now, and she also has a webcomic called Project Demonhunter , right?
Marko: I believe she has Project Demonhunter as her own personal project, yes.
Vargas: Ok. And what about the guidebook. If someone would like to write or contribute to the guidebook, who is that… how is that going to work?
Marko: Well the guidebook editor hasn’t totally been appointed yet. So if you want to submit something, you are going to have to submit it to PR or marketing at the moment. But we should have that sorted out shortly.
Vargas: Ok, I should have probably asked, since I thought guidebook was taken, what positions are opening in Public Relations that someone would possibly like to apply for.
Marko: I have quite a few, I just don’t have the list in front of me.
Vargas: Well could you name a few off the top of your head? Like apparently you have Guidebook Editor…
Marko: No I can’t, because I don’t want to mispronounce the actual names of the thing. Because we have a actual proper list that we are going by. And I’d like to fill those positions accordingly.
Vargas; Ok, for that list, where is the best place for that want to get involved to find it?
Marko: As far as I know it’s suppose to be on the website, I don’t think it is yet. But it should be there shortly.
Vargas: Alright, for that matter, the website, in the past it’s been a sore in Animethon’s side for some time. What’s being done for the website?
Marko: Well we have two or three people who are going to be looking after the site, one definitely appointed already, and others that are coming. We also have a designer coming on board to change a few things and see what is going to happen. We’re going to make what’s there function the best it can be and have people monitor it so it actually functions and posts properly on it.
Vargas: Beyond that, I don’t know, can you give us some information on what people can look forward to this Animethon? I know it’s still early, but is there anything in the works that you can reveal?
Marko: Well we are looking to start a little earlier on Friday. We’re looking at a few different changes on the Friday program. And we’re looking at having bands again this year, guests, and I don’t know how many, but programming is looking into that. We hope to have a few more corporate sponsors, things like that, we’re looking in a few different directions and we’ll see where that rides.
Vargas: Alright, do you have anything else you’d like to add?
Marko: We’re actually really look for some people that are interested in staffing positions that want to see this thing go forward, we’re looking for that want to volunteer in general, and like that. People who, you know, want to get involved and don’t know how, they are welcome to come out to the Animethon general meetings and like that. And if not, contact any of the people on the Animethon Website, contact positions, and we’ll get back to them. And we’re welcoming. And we need a lot more staff to make this function in the respect it needs to go.
Vargas: Well I was under the impression that there’s already been a considerable number of people that have been signing up for staff this year. There’s still a bunch of holes that need to be filled?
Marko: Oh yes. Well probably be filling some holes until close to the event. But yes, there are still some major holes that need to be filled, that are important key roles.
Vargas: Ok well if that’s everything , thank you very much for this interview and have a good day.
Marko: You too.
Want to discuss this interview? Click here to our forums to do just that.
Related posts:
Victor Vargas is the manager and editor of Anime-Alberta. He's the former chair of Animethon 16 & Animethon 15 as well as a former president of BAKA (The Banzai Anime Klub of Alberta)