Running a Photobooth at Anime Central... My Worst Vending Experience

In 2023 Anime Central allowed photographers to set up Photo Booth space in the convention for the first time. Let's talk about this horrible experiment.
00:00 - Introduction
00:54 - welcome if you're new
01:10 - Acen's bumpy history
01:48 - Is there anything good to say?
02:23 - Acen's Launch Announcement
03:28 - Acen's Refusal to Allow Advertising on Social Media
03:44 - People Couldn't Find Us
04:07 - Footage of my Booth and the Cosplay Meetup space
04:33 - Other Issues with the Space
04:58 - The Horrible Convention Layout
05:39 - The Booths were "Discounted"
06:05 - Ways to get a reduced price
06:30 - Why I think this was a "scam"
07:03 - Every Photo Vendor Lost Money
07:41 - Acen's Mismanagement and my Horrible Experience
08:51 - Trying to do my Job and Getting Stopped
10:19 - The Locker Debacle
11:02 - Acen 2024
11:56 - Ways Acen Can Improve the Situation
12:07 - Allow Promotion for Vendors
12:26 - Lower the Price
12:48 - Change the Space
13:02 - Security
13:09 - Communicate with your Staff
13:27 - Don't Require Things that You Will Sabotage
13:38 - Final Thoughts

[@zachmleczek]

So as of the recording of this video it seems that Anime Central will no longer have photo booths or the other option they offered which was roaming photographer badges. Even though I had a bad experience I was hoping Acen Management would try and fix the issues and make it run smoothly instead of just killing it.

[@dragonhero14]

This comment is curious. Based on what I watched your videos, your experience with it wasn't good. It sounds like there was issues with staff, issues with the convention center, and trying to find a proper place for it. As an attendee, I feel like out of the other Anime cons at the location, Anime Central still uses the space the best. This year they expanded their exhibitor space in the front. If they felt like it was a mistake or failure and didn't have the resources or means to support it properly going forward, I'd rather them stop doing it and focus their efforts on other offerings. Also, I have friends that staff at other conventions across the country. After the pandemic, all anime/fan conventions seem to be having issues getting volunteers for staffing. Many either don't follow through, don't show up, or go with no communication or engagement for months. IF that trend continues, I see most anime conventions dying out. 😢

[@zachmleczek]

@@dragonhero14 my experience was absolutely horrendous but I’m someone who wants to see improvement. Especially when a lot of the issues were from the con itself. It was very clear they did this in a rush as a quick cash grab kind of deal bc the communication and execution was so terrible. Bc there were minor changes they could do that would have made this work in year 2. But from what I’ve noticed Acen does not implement things well bc they want to be as hands off as possible. In regards to other conventions I’m not surprised I have a few friends in staffing all over and what we are seeing is the bad manager effect. A lot of conventions are being run by people or have people in positions of power who are incredibly abusive and staff are tired of it. We had an incident at Colossal north where the entire cosplay contest department was being ignored and verbally abused for months and then they got berated at the con in front of attendees and then removed bc they called out the abuse. Just this week anime detour ignored its own bylaws when doing their board vote. It’s all gonna come to a head at some point but there’s a reason certain cons are slowly dying.

[@ScottJWaldron]

Thanks for detailing this. $2000 is crazy when they don't even give you advertising... lol.
Trying to have booth purchasers cover events is such an odd request by the convention.

[@zachmleczek]

Yeah, and then to not even tell the people running those events we would be there is also wild.

[@duholt]

honestly not surprised. I haven't found a single convention that has truly done right by photographers. To promise the area is secure and then leaving it open to everyone speaks volumes about how much they care about photographers and their craft. And I'm sure if anything had been stolen they'd be the first to gaslight you and say ultimately it's your responsibility.

[@zachmleczek]

Yeah, luckily I think most of us were paranoid and didn't leave our gear there but even still it was such a huge oversight.

[@asmrshayla]

I feel bad I didn't even notice you guys there.
:(

[@zachmleczek]

Yeah, its unfortunate but that was a common thing we heard after the fact

[@AhmedMusicChanel]

crazy to hear this!!

[@zachmleczek]

It wasn’t all bad but it was very frustrating and I’m sad Acen didn’t try to improve this bc it had potential to be better if there was proper planning and time put into it

[@waynetuckson7909]

Experience isn’t the best teacher, only the hardest. I feel your pain.

[@zachmleczek]

It really is and it was a very important lesson