The Dandelion Report ([info]dandelionreport) wrote,
@ 2004-09-14 09:23:00
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What makes a good Filk Guest of Honor? (*** CURRENT POLL ***)
If you've been invited to be a Filk Guest of Honor, be sure to ask the convention committee about their expectations, read the contract (if there is one). But the truth is that what makes a good Filk Guest of Honor isn't always always spelled out in the contract.

POLL: In your opinion, what makes a good Filk Guest of Honor? I'm interested in perspectives from both a convention attendee and someone on a convention committee (and heck, from past Filk Guests as well :-)).

Please do post your suggestions by using the form at the bottom of:
http://www.filking.net/columns/filkfaq/archives/002377.html
or post below.

Thanks for your help in making the Dandelion Report FilkFAQ a useful resource for the filking community!

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[info]oreouk
2004-09-14 07:02 am UTC (link)
Be involved (beyond just your own performances - attend a reasonable selection of programming, bring something for the auction, take part in a workshop, hang out in the communal areas chatting with members, go out for dinner with a large group of fen, attend the late night circles - some or all of the above)

Look after yourself (don't overdo it so that by Sunday morning you can't get out of bed you're so tired)

Have a good time (people like to see that their guests are enjoying themselves)

Don't stick only to the friends you already have (be open to the development of new friendships)

Do not be a filk hog (even if people ask you to sing lots in the circles, try not to perform too often)

Be prepared for whatever programme item(s) you are involved in (putting together your songlist for your concert while at the con gives a bad impression)

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[info]little_cinnamon
2004-09-14 02:08 pm UTC (link)
What Lissa said. Especially the being involved bit. I wouldn't like the idea of a guest that is interested only in their own set and not what other people have to offer -it gives off rather snobbish vibes.

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[info]tigertoy
2004-09-14 09:51 am UTC (link)
There are two different ways a filk GoH can be very successful for a convention, and getting one person who can do both may be asking for too much, so the committee should try to decide what audience they're trying to reach with the filk guest and pick a guest that fits.

One kind of guest is someone who is a big name draw, who will fill the ballroom for a concert and deliver a show that makes the general fans who came happy. If that is their job, the committee shouldn't be expecting them to also be on 6 panels and spend 12 hours in the open filk, and if the non-core-filk fans were happy with the concert, but the filk fans were disappointed that the guest wasn't there for them for the whole con, that's OK.

The other kind of guest is a guest who's really there for the filkers. Their concert may really impress the core filk audience, but probably won't pull in people who are only somewhat interested in filk. This kind of a guest needs to be available for the core filkers for a large chunk of the convention. Being visible on panels is good, and participating comfortably and well in open filk is a must.

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[info]oreouk
2004-09-14 01:46 pm UTC (link)
I'm not totally convinced by this. I don't think anyone in filk should consider their name so important that they only need to do their concert, but then I guess I was writing about being a GoH at a filkcon. Being a filk GoH at a more general con is a different beastie. I think my reason for feeling that is that it's because it's not specifically the filkers who are footing their bill at a general con, whereas it is at a filkcon and this makes a difference in relation to what the filkers in general have a right to expect of you.

In a side note I point out that they only have the right to expect this of you if you are the GoH (or some permutation thereof). If you are merely a BNF but are paying your own way you are entirely entitled to do whatever the heck you want. It's your dime, it's your choice.

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[info]tigertoy
2004-09-14 04:39 pm UTC (link)
Certainly, the guest who does a great concert but nothing else is a bad fit for a filkcon. The kind of convention where they would be a good fit is probably not a convention I'd really want to be at at all -- one that doesn't have much filk at all, but identifies a particular performer as someone who is popular enough with the not-really-filk-fans to be a draw.

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[info]jhayman
2004-09-14 12:36 pm UTC (link)
I suppose I can speak for FilKONtario in this.

First off, every thing that [info]oreouk is right on target.

I'd add: let the con know your limitations asap. At FKO we tend to ask a GoH for a concert, a workshop and a theme filk (which they host). But we also specify attendance at some of programming, at the banquet, at some of open filk. If that's too much, we need to hear about it.

Be flexible with travel plans and recognize that being a guest means you DO need to have extra time. We really want you there as early as is reasonable (I know [info]bedlamhouse prefers guests in on Thursday) and we REALLy want you to stay until after the dead dog because that's the part the concom gets to relax and enjoy.

Don't surprise us with an sudden request to bring someone. Tell us that early. We don't pay travel for spouses or spousal substitutes by the way...

Let us know if you're planning to bring 800 attendees on stage with you. The stage might not take it...

We're organized at our con. We expect you to be too. Those decisions about what kind of room you want, when you expect to travel, who's doing your bio, do you have a photo, etc aren't that hard, but we kinda need them for our planning.

Please understand that when we ask for something by a due date, we actually meant that. Progress report has a mailing date and don't even think of making us late with the program book.


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[info]oreouk
2004-09-14 01:51 pm UTC (link)
Ah yes, I'd forgotten the time commitment thing but entirely agree. Unless there's a good reason for not doing so (non-flexible work that insists you're back at crack on dawn Monday, say) then I would expect a GoH to stay Sunday night. Arriving on the Thursday where distant travel is involved is recommended (if nothing else, many cons require a time zone shift and where it's more than an hour or 2 having time to adjust so you don't sleep through half the con is a Good Thing (tm) for both you and the con).

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[info]jhayman
2004-09-14 03:14 pm UTC (link)
Oh, absolutely. I meant that GUESTS need to be flexible. We have had a GoH who left at noon Sunday. Didn't want to take Monday off... Got lots of "Where is...?"

BTW, the last post got away from me before I'd quite finished with it.

FKO has also had a GoH who decided to go sight seeing for most of one day. Won't be invited back I assure you.

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[info]bedlamhouse
2004-09-14 06:52 pm UTC (link)
Try to find out from the concom what they want you to emphasize, along the lines of [info]tigertoy's post.

Attend the open filks, but (and this is my own opinion, concoms may vary) if you've got a lot of concert time don't sing too much in the open filk. Be there to listen and enjoy the other filkers at the convention.

Unless the concom specifies that they want you to close down the filk (and cooperates by not giving you other work to do too early the next day), go to bed at a decent hour so you have plenty of energy (as [info]oreouk said, take care of yourself).

Don't assume that the con is paying for meals - confirm in advance.

Spend as much of your non-programmed time as possible in public areas of the convention where you can meet and talk to attendees.

Don't upstage other guests or concerts if possible.

If something goes badly, discuss it with responsible concom members (if any) in private. If something goes well, mention it in public.

Remember, you're a Guest and not a Ghod. The attention and handling many conventions give to a guest can go to your head, so be prepared to remember those days when the neighbors circulated petitions to get you thrown out for bad musicianship ...

Be Prepared. If you leave things to the last minute you will give a performance that sounds like you left it until the last minute. On the other hand, don't overprepare or overstress. It is likely that the qualities you exhibit in your normal convention-going are the ones that got you the guest slot, so don't try to change yourself to be something you're not.

Thank the concom

If you need to use some of your time at the convention for professional activites (as will be the case with many writers being guested to a town where a publisher or agent lives or works), this is acceptable if minimized and if planned with the concom as far in advance as possible.

Here's a question for your next poll - how does a good concom work with a guest?

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[info]trektone
2004-09-16 02:40 pm UTC (link)
The way the poll topic was written I would take it to mean a non-filk convention that has a Filk Guest of Hono(u)r and probably other GOH's, too. This doesn't mean the con is necessarily a general sf/f/h con as I believe at least on furry con has had a filk GOH. Lissa also touched on this aspect.

That said, I think much of what has been written still applies from the point of view of the Guest, especially regarding contracts and lack of clarity and expectations involving time and performance commitments, and possible money expenditures (including transportation, food, housing and entertainment). Oh, and after having provided your list of requirements/limitations to the concom, get confirmation of which will be met and which won't, and be prepared to be flexible from there, though if you can't meet a meet a commitment or live with an unment request, communicate this well before the con.

Additionally for the "not a filkcon" scenario I have felt it's important to:

- Be Prepared. Not just for the performances themselves, but for sound checks, verification of the performance set-ups and venues, and be on the look-out for possible obstacles. Confirm tech/support folks received your performance-related requirements, including the 800 attendees you want with you. Filkcons are often less varied in stage and miking, but it's still a good idea to do a walk-through of the entire venue. Keep in mind obstacles aren't just structural; if you know in advance the air conditioning will be blowing on you at full force to keep you cool under the hot lights, maybe the floppy-sleeved tunic you planned to wear should be better secured to your body and have the tuner close at hand due to temp/humidity changes.

- Know what the con is about. If there's a strong literary focus, be prepared to have a song or two based on a story or book even if you didn't write it. Or at least be aware these songs exist. Same if the con is science-y, etc. Also, try to get a sense of the con if it's not in your region or country and be prepared for differences in protocol, etc.

- Be visible and participatory outside of filk/music. One of my personal gripes is having a "filk" or "music" GOH that isn't it touch with filk or fandom. And interact not only with attendees, but with the con volunteers as well.

- Be a filk ambassador. While I don't think it's necessary to be a filk historian or a product expert ("which tape had 'Wind from Rainbow's End' sung by someone other than Bill Roper?"), I feel being in touch with more than one's own songs is important.


I'm sure more will come to mind, but the stupid conference call I'm on is almost up so I'll end here as well.

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