Vitals: Policies

It is very important that you read and understand these policies; they'll be posted at the convention as well, but anyone who attends Otakon is expected to follow these rules.

» Disruptive behavior
» Line Etiquette
» Cameras at Otakon
» Children at Otakon
» Dance at Otakon
» Signs at Otakon
» Weapons at Otakon
» Guests and Autographs

And remember: if it's illegal outside the convention, it's illegal inside the convention.

Disruptive Behavior Policy

Your membership in Otakorp, Inc. entitles you to enjoy the primary benefit of that membership: you get to attend Otakon! But as the man said, with great power comes great responsibility.

We work very hard to ensure that Otakon takes place in a safe and family-friendly environment, and we need your cooperation. We have policies to address specifics such as weapons and lost children. We also have a general policy that we do not tolerate disruptive behavior of any sort, and we can and will take action when we see something we feel is dangerous or disruptive. The type of action we take may range from a quiet but stern word in private to forcible ejection from the convention, revocation of your membership in Otakorp, Inc., or even criminal charges. (The action taken is solely at the discretion of Otakorp, Inc.)

The sorts of things that may trigger such action include fighting (fake or real), heckling, impeding traffic flow, offensive behavior, failure to observe basic hygiene, public inebriation (or similar intoxication), or any other failure to follow the rules. Remember, anything illegal outside the BCC is illegal inside the BCC. If your behavior is clearly problematic, we will deal with it as a problem. Show common courtesy to your fellow otaku, and follow the rules, and there's no problem.

Line Etiquette

With so many people attending, waits in lines may last many hours. We know that this is frustrating, but it is unavoidable. Please do not take it out on other attendees or on the staff.

Members caught jumping in line will be sent to the rear of the line. You will not be allowed to hold places in line. Lines cannot block entrances or exits, so leave a gap in front of the door.

Cameras at Otakon

The usage of photographic devices is prohibited within certain areas of the convention, including video and 35mm theaters, within Main Events and/or concerts, and in the Art Show.

Photography within the Artists Alley is at the discretion of the individual artist. Permission to photograph must be asked for prior to any photographs being taken.

Prohibited devices include, but are not limited to, cameras (both film and digital), camera phones, and camcorders.

Events that allow photography will be marked as such.

Photographing Guests at Otakon

Otakon's guests have the right to maintain their privacy. Convention members may be asked to refrain from photographing guests if the guests would prefer to not have their picture taken.

Guests will join con-goers for a photo opportunity if they choose to have their picture taken.

When stopping to take photographs in the hallways, please be considerate of your fellow members by being brief and not blocking traffic.

Children at Otakon

Otakon is certain to be a fun family event, but also one of the largest east coast Japanese animation conventions with an expected attendance of 22,000 people. As a result, Otakon wants to ensure the satisfaction and safety of all of our members, especially children. In order to safeguard the well being of our youngest attendees, Otakon has put these policies into effect and offers some advice when it comes to keeping track of children at a large convention.

A parent or guardian must accompany all children under the age of 12 at all times.

Children are required to carry some form of written identification and parent/guardian contact information with them at all times so that Otakon staff may contact the parents or guardians should the need arise.

THERE IS NO CONVENTION-WIDE PA SYSTEM.

We are unable to page your child if he/she becomes lost.

Recommendations
Here are some suggestions for keeping your children safe.

• First and foremost, please do not leave your child unattended at Otakon. As mentioned before, we are expecting 22,000 people to attend the convention this year. It's easy for a young child to get lost in a crowd this large.
• Make sure your child knows important information, such as your name, what you are wearing, what hotel you are staying at (if any), a cellular phone number, and a home phone number. If a child is lost, we will make every attempt to contact you through this information.
• It is a good idea to set up meeting places and times for children older than 12. Otakon suggests that you do not use the following locations as meeting areas: the Dealer's Room, as it is constantly crowded and extremely large; or any video theater because they are dark and also fairly large. We do suggest using landmarks, such as the large fountains located in the Charles Street Lobby or the glass encased ships on the second floor of the Baltimore Convention Center.

Otakon wishes you and your children a safe and happy convention!

Dance at Otakon

• Only Otakon members will be allowed into the dance. Membership badges must be clearly displayed at all times within the dance.
• Entrance or exit through the terrace doors in Camden Lobby is prohibited.
• No bags exceeding 12” by 8” by 4” will be permitted within the dance.
• Otakon is not responsible for members' bags left outside, beside, or near the entrance to the dance.
• There will be no bag/coat check available.
• Please, be considerate of the other dancers...
• and REMEMBER, drink plenty of water!

Signs at Otakon

While we understand the appeal of signs as ice-breakers and conversation starters, there have been too many complaints from our members about offensive content or signs that amount to little more than panhandling.

No signs are permitted except for those signs that are an established part of a costume. (The sign must be part of the standard "look" of the character, such as the sign carried by Genma the panda.)

Those members wishing to post notices or find other people should use the bulletin boards provided. Please note that signs asking for food, money, hugs, etc. are considered panhandling by the Baltimore Police department, and signs offering to exchange any sort of sexual favor (kisses, hugs, glomps, etc.) are considered solicitation. Signs with offensive content are not allowed regardless of whether they are "in character."

Signs in violation of this policy will be confiscated. Repeat offenders will be considered in violation of the disruptive behavior policy.

Please note that this policy applies to all types of signs, regardless of construction. Otakon staff decisions regarding signs are final.

Weapons at Otakon

Weapons NOT Permitted

Weapons not permitted at Otakon include, but are not limited to the following:

NO LIVE STEEL at all will be permitted on the premises of the BCC. Live steel is defined as swords, knives, bayonets, and/or other objects made of metal, which can take an edge. This holds true regardless of whether the object is actually sharp. This includes star knives/shurikens. A sheathed sword is still live steel.

NO GUNS of any kind will be permitted. Examples include, but are not limited to, pellet guns, BB guns, air guns, crossbows, dart guns, blowguns, water guns, or water pistols. Real guns, replicas of real guns, stun guns, and tasers are also prohibited. The ONLY exception to this rule will be prop guns or resin models that are easily identifiable as toys, provided that they possess no moving parts and are clearly marked with a non-removable orange tip.

Nunchaku are not permitted.

Explosives or chemicals of any kind including, but not limited to, smoke powder, sparklers, and fireworks, are not permitted at the con.

Finally, if it is illegal outside the BCC, it is illegal inside the BCC.

Illegal weapons will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Weapons Permitted

Staves, bo sticks, boken, shinai, and wooden swords will be permitted.

Fake, prop, or made-up weapons (i.e. made of tissue paper, plaster of Paris, cloth) are permitted if they are safe and not dangerous to others around you. (Dangerous conditions include, but are not limited to, wires sticking out, items that trip others, clothes lining someone, etc.)

Prop weapons shall be limited to less than eight (8) feet in height and less than two hundred fifty (250) pounds in weight (that's 2.4 meters and 114 kilograms for you metric folks).

Behavior with Weapons

Misuse of any weapon or prop, such as swinging it in a public area or causing hazards to others, will result in the weapon or prop being deemed unsafe for the convention.

If a weapon or prop is deemed unsafe for the con, we will ask you to remove the weapon or prop from the convention and store it in your private quarters (your home, hotel room, or car).

Any weapon purchased in the Dealer's Room must be boxed and removed from convention property immediately, and should remain boxed and stored in your private quarters. Weapons are not to be taken out of their packaging or wrappings while on BCC property.

All props and weapons brought into the convention may be inspected and approved or rejected by Otakon staff, including those that may have prior approval (other conventions, previous conventions, or pre-convention approval by Otakon staff).

All questionable weapons or props will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

All decisions made by Otakon and/or the Public Safety Staff of the Baltimore Convention Center are final.

Guests and Autograph Policy

We understand that getting autographs from our guests is a major highlight of the convention for many attendees, not just because it’s a fantastic souvenir, but also because it’s a chance for that tiny bit of face time with the guest. Guests, too, value that rare opportunity to meet some of their fans.

However, demand nearly always outweighs supply, especially for extremely popular or extremely rare guests. Even the speediest and most accommodating guest can only sign so many things in a given period of time. In order to give the greatest number of fans the opportunity to meet the guest, we MUST keep the lines moving smoothly.

Otakon’s official, scheduled autographing sessions are governed by the following rules:

1. Otakon does not and cannot guarantee that you will receive an autograph from any particular guest. Otakon’s official autograph sessions are free of charge to any Member. However, individual guests may participate in private or industry-sponsored appearances in the exhibit halls, and there may be fees or purchases associated with those sessions. For-fee or purchase-required autograph sessions must always take place in the Industry, Dealer, or Art halls.
2. Guests will always be glad to sign your Otakon program book, as well as any officially licensed and properly credited products. They absolutely will NOT sign bootleg or unlicensed merchandise, nor material for which they are not properly credited. At their sole discretion, they may sign handmade, personal, or otherwise unusual items. If you are uncertain about a particular item, check first! (Guests may be offended if they’re presented with bootleg items.) As a last resort, check with the staffer in charge of the session. Otakon staff may veto any item as unsuitable for signing, and such decisions are final.
3. Unless a specific limit is posted for a particular guest, assume that you are limited to ONE ITEM PER PERSON.
4. There will be no flash photography during official signing sessions, unless otherwise noted.
5. There will be no photo ops during official signing sessions, unless otherwise noted.
6. Do not monopolize the guest’s time if there are others waiting. (Assume that whatever you have to say must be said in 30 seconds or less, while the guest is signing your item. It’s a good idea to write down what you want to say.)
7. Do not request excessive personalization, sketches, etc. unless the guest offers.
8. If you are bringing an item for the guest to sign, please have it ready for signing when you are within sight of the guest. (For CDs and DVDs, you should remove the cover insert to save time; for unusual items, please ask the autograph staff for their recommendations.)
9. Policies for specific guests may differ.

How Our Autograph Sessions Work:

1. For each session, staff will issue a limited number of autograph passes or tokens that represent our best guess at the number of people the guest will be able to sign for during the scheduled period. If you do not receive a token, it is virtually certain that you will not get to see the guest during this session. You’re welcome to take your chances, but don’t blame us if you miss out.
2. A limited number of such passes will be made available during the guest’s Q&A panel, specifically for those who attend the panel.
3. Anyone waiting in line who does not have an autograph pass for a particular session must wait behind all those who have one.
4. EXPRESS PASS: In rare cases, a member (typically a prize winner) will present an “Express pass” for a particular guest. This allows the member to bypass the line entirely. Those who are lucky enough to possess one should proceed to the front of the line and speak with the staff member there.
5. Otakon staff reserve the right to refuse access to any member who fails to follow the rules (or attempts to circumvent them). Anyone caught in the act is subject to the disruptive behavior policy, and risks having their membership revoked.

Otakon staff reserve the right to make changes to guests policies as circumstances dictate. If you have a question about policy, please see the Otakon staffer in charge of the guest appearance or signing. All staff rulings are final.

Notes and Gifts for Guests

If you've brought something special for the guest, such as a personal note or small gift, we ask that you follow certain guidelines for practical and safety reasons. Most guests appreciate these small gestures, but many gifts cannot be accepted.

1. Please ensure that you provide the name of the guest, as well as your own name and contact information, either written on the outside of the message or attached clearly to the outside of the gift.
2. Please do not wrap your gift using tape or tie it using ribbon; however, a gift bag or simple tissue paper cover is acceptable. (We must be able to screen all gifts.)
3. Avoid anything large or bulky or easily damaged. Most guests fly quite a distance to appear at Otakon, and may have limited space in their luggage. Any gifts you bring should be small, durable, and easily packed.
4. No food items may be accepted.
5. If you have an item to present as a gift at any guest appearance, please bring it first to the Otakon staff member in charge of the appearance.
   • DO NOT use Q&A time to present your gift to the guest; this is extremely rude and unfair to the other people who came to hear the guest speak – not you.
   • DO NOT use autograph time to present your gift without first clearing it with the staff member in charge, as this may deny others the opportunity to get to meet the guest.
   • You may be asked to wait until the end of the session, or the staffer may accept the gift in order to present it to the guest on your behalf. (Rest assured, your gift will be given to the guest on your behalf—that’s why we request your contact information on every gift.)

Tips for Interacting With Guests:

1. If you're going to ask a question, write it down first. It's easy to become flustered if you're not used to public speaking or if you're about to talk to someone you really admire. Writing down what you want to say helps you to organize your thoughts so you don't waste everyone's time or embarrass yourself.
2. Every guest at the con is someone who has a cool job that they're quite good at. It isn't necessary to worship the ground they walk on - just be friendly and polite.
3. Remember that guests get tired, too, and they're entitled to downtime. If you encounter a guest outside the con, try to make eye contact before you approach them, and look for a signal that it's okay to chat. Please don't interrupt meals or private conversations.
4. Try to avoid asking questions that the guest has answered a hundred times. And if you come late to a panel, find out whether a question has already been answered before you waste everyone's time. Don't ask questions that are answered in the guest's bio, homepage, or Wikipedia entry.

DO'S	DONT'S
- Write down whatever it is you want to say. - Be BRIEF. (see note #1) - Tell them you like their work, and why. (BRIEFLY) - Ask interesting questions about past, current, and upcoming projects. - Ask open-ended questions. - Ask about favorite hobbies, shared interests, etc.	- Ask them questions that are answered in their Wikipedia entry or Otakon bio. - Ask questions that can be answered with a Yes or No. - Ask for hugs, kisses, or their hand in marriage. - Ask for autographs or other favors. - Waste everyone's time. - Ask deeply personal or invasive question.