So you are going to your very first ever horror convention. This is quite the pilgrimage for any young horror fiend. Now, getting into this world of scares and frights can be intimidating for some people. The Mutilated Mohawk Media Crew is here to help! We have assembled eight of the best tips and tricks to absolutely maximize your convention experience.
Research Beforehand
Beforehand research is absolutely optimal if you want to have an amazing experience. Not only will you get a little more familiar with the special guest roster, but also you can get down your photo op schedule. This is even more important because you can see certain panels that the convention will be hosting. This can be insanely useful, that way you can avoid heavy schedule conflicts. The absolute worst feeling in the world is finding out that you missed a totally awesome panel or class that the convention had to offer.
Invite A Friend For The Killings
So this one is kind of up in the air as far as importance, but it’s still a pro tip. Try and find someone that enjoys horror and bring them along for the ride. If this is your first convention then it’ll help to have someone there with you through the thick of it. You’ll have an absolute blast together and come home with all sorts of wild tales. If you prefer to lone wolf the convention than props to you. I find that assembling a small legion of friends to take on the frights of the horror con makes it so much more fun. It also ensures that someone other than you is witnessing the terrors of the horror con.
VIP In The Halls Of The Dead
If it’s your first time at one of these conventions I can completely understand your hesitation with this. If you are planning on going to most of the days that the convention is active then go ahead and get the pass. There are a few reasons for this but primarily, at most of the horror conventions, this pass lets you skip the lines. You may think you are okay with waiting a little bit to meet your favorite actors and stars, however when you are in the middle of a three hour line for a photo op you really start to rethink this. You are at the convention to have fun, to see the sights, and to party. You are not at the convention to sit in lines. On top of line skipping abilities you usually get into a party that has an open bar, getting onto the convention floor an hour early, and some other goodies that vary depending on the convention. It’s always a huge plus to get the VIP pass at the horror conventions.
Rent The Room Of Your Nightmares
This should be tip number one. Usually horror conventions are held at a hotel with a convention center attached to it. My rule of thumb is to always stay onsight. Staying at the hotel during the convention opens you up to even more experiences. Most of the time the afterparty moves upstairs into the rooms of the convention goers. On top of that, usually staying at the hotel everyone else is staying at leads to some cool experiences. What’s that? A bunch of Ghostfaces in the swimming pool? Michael Myers is smoking weed in the elevator? Some demon clowns are passing out grape Kool-Aid moonshine? There is a group of werewolves in the lobby who are singing Good Vibrations? Who knows? If you plan on partying at the convention then just get a room. Nothing feels better than partying until 4 in the morning and just having to take an elevator to your room instead of having to find a way to get home.
Relax, They Are Only Kind Of Strangers
Generally, when you go to these things you will notice that people are a little more friendly. Some people are weirded out by strangers coming up to them and hitting off conversation. If you are planning on cosplaying then this is almost a guarantee. However, just walking around in a horror tee or even carrying some trinkets you bought off of a vendor could spark a conversation. Waiting in line to meet an actor, or outside of a panel is more than enough to kick off small talk. Since these things are gathering points for fans of horror and oddities, people feel a little more inclined to chat with everyone. The overwhelming majority of the time these fellow convention-goers are just trying to make friends. These things are networking megahubs. However, if you do feel uncomfortable then feel free to dip and disappear into the masses. It’s very unlikely that you’ll see said person again.
Learn To Network With Monsters
Piggybacking off of the last point, horror conventions are amazing ways to network. If you have any aspirations in the horror genre, such as filmmaking, writing, acting, or anything else than this is absolutely the place to network. People who have made it generally like to lend a helping hand to those who are behind them. They have to pass the torch to someone. Beyond attending the classes and panels that a lot of conventions have, simply talking to other people is the easiest way to learn. You have no idea what your fellow convention goers are. I know at my local convention I always see some of the folks from the death metal band Incantation. I’ve met actors and writers. Anyone you can meet in the industry is a plus, so if you have a project be ready to talk to as many people as you can. If you don’t know how to start then simply just write a list of questions down before you go.
Befriend Satan's Helpers
If the convention goers are the blood and the stars are the organs then vendors are the veins that hold the whole operation together. Vendors are everything in the horror bazaar. If you want to network, talk to the vendors. If you want to learn more about the ins and outs of the conventions, talk to the vendors. The vendors are the road hardened badasses of the convention world. Most of them travel from town to town selling their wares. If you want an absolutely badass convention experience, talk to the vendors. They party harder, love harder, and rock a whole lot harder than anyone else there. Plus, they are some of the most kickass people you’ll ever meet. The absolute worst thing you could ever do is disrespect a vendor. They are there pumping life into the convention, and if you disrespect one of them chances are the word will spread and you might find your convention going a little less fun.
Watch The Dying Dress Up
The costume contest at every horror con is absolutely amazing. You really get to enjoy other people’s creativity and boy, are there sights to see. While walking around on the floor you’ll see many of the costumes and cosplays, but you are only one person. Go to the costume contest, laugh and scream at the wild stunts the cosplayers pull when they are displaying the costumes, and get a firsthand look at why horror fans are some of the most badass people in the world. A well held costume contest at a horror con is like meat and potatoes. While watching adults run around in costumes doesn’t initially sound like a golden dream, these costume contests are absolutely fantastic. To see the creativity that other people have is so much fun.
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