FanimeCon 2024 Panelist Information

Please read all the information here.

Updates have been made to the department, so we encourage both new and returning panelists to review the information listed below.

2024 Panel Application Form Status: Active
Deadline for 2024 Panels: 11:59 pm, March 10th, 2024
For updates regarding the status of the Panel Application Form, please follow us on Twitter.

Table of Contents

Policies and Infrastructure
Planning and Submitting a Panel
After Submitting a Panel
At the Convention

Policies and Infrastructure

Panelist Designation and Responsibility

Panels may consist of one or more participants. For the purposes of the Panels Department, one individual of a group will be designated as the “panelist,” while all other participants will be referred to as “co-panelists.” The panelist on record will serve as the sole representative for all discussion, planning, and scheduling with the Panels Department coordinators, and their contact information should be used for the Panel Application Form. This policy is in place purely to streamline communication regarding a panel and prevent conflicting information from multiple sources. This is not intended to discourage involvement or weaken the contributions of any co-panelists. That being said, all participants in a panel are expected to have familiarized themselves with the information and policies listed here.

Industry Panels

If you are part of a company that intends to host an Industry Panel at FanimeCon 2024, please visit our Professional Registration Page first. Only those who qualify for Professional Registration are eligible to host Industry Panels.

Industry badges provided via Professional Registration are not eligible to receive additional badge refunds via the Panels Department.

Badge Refunds for Fan Panelists

Fan panels are an essential part of FanimeCon’s “By Fans, For Fans” philosophy.

Attendees who host a fan panel are eligible for partial to full refunds toward their purchased badges. The refund scale is based on the collective hours of panels hosted, with each hour earning one fully refunded badge.

Please note that an individual badge may only be refunded up to the full amount paid for that badge.  Any accumulated refund percentage above 100% will not be issued in excess of the purchase amount, but may be applied to additional badges as per the following scale:

Hours	Refund Total	Refund Applied 1 Badge	Refund Applied 2 Badges	Refund Applied 3 Badges
1.0	100.00%	100.00%	50.00%	33.33%
1.5	150.00%	100.00%*	75.00%	50.00%
2.0	200.00%	100.00%*	100.00%*	66.67%
2.5	250.00%	100.00%*	100.00%*	83.33%
3.0	300.00%	100.00%*	100.00%*	100.00%

Badges and Refunds FAQ

Do I need to pick up a “panelist” badge in order to host my panel?

Panelists are not issued separate or distinct badges, and may register and pick up their badges through General Registration.

How do badge refunds work?

Panelists and co-panelists will fill out a form online, which will be provided to the panelist via email before FanimeCon 2024. One form must be filled out for each  badge being refunded. The panelist will be asked to verify any refund applications for their co-panelists. The form will require the refund recipient’s badge information, legal name, email address, and physical address. The Panels Department coordinators will process the refund applications after the panels in question have been hosted.

How are refunds divided among more than one badge?

Refunds can be applied to as many badges as requested by the panelist, but the refund percentage per badge will be divided appropriately based on the scale. For example, if hosting two hours of panels, four badges can each receive a 50% refund, rather than two fully refunded badges.  Refunds can also be applied asymmetrically at the discretion of the panelist.

I submitted a fan panel, but I have an Industry/Press/Dealer badge. Can someone else take advantage of the refunds instead?

Yes, panelists who are ineligible for refunds towards their own type of badge may apply their available refund to other designated attendee badges. The panelist will still need to verify all refund applications submitted under their panel before they are processed.

When will we receivethe refunds, and how?

We are unable to provide an exact estimate at this time. In past years, refunds distributed electronically to the original method of payment have been completed by mid-July. In the event a badge was purchased onsite at Registration using cash or check, refunds will be issued by check via USPS and have a more variable time frame.

What happens if I am approved to host a panel and then it is later canceled? Do I still get my badge refunds?

If a panelist elects to cancel their panel, they will forfeit eligibility for the prospective badge refunds.

In the unlikely event that FanimeCon requires the cancellation of a panel after it has been scheduled, the panelist will still be eligible to claim badge refunds for said panel.

Panel Room Layout

The Panel Rooms are set up in a theater setting. The stage at the front of the room will have a table and chairs set up for the panelists. The projection setup will flank the stage, with inputs being routed for access directly from the stage. The number of chairs available to the audience will be based on the maximum capacity for each room. 

Due to the setup involved, significant changes to this layout are not permitted.

If you would like an alternative room layout then, please consider submitting your panel as a Fan Event.

Panel Room Equipment

If you have tech requests, make sure to include them in your application. We will accommodate requests to the best of our ability.

The following are standard equipment offerings and limitations in the panel rooms:

• Projectors and screens are available in all panel rooms, which can be connected to computers and gaming consoles. HDMI connections are available in each panel room by default. Some adapters may be available for use, but they are not guaranteed, therefore we advise panelists to bring their own adapters if needed.
• AC power outlets will be available on the stage just below the table.
• Microphones are available in all panel rooms in the following configurations:
  Panel Rooms 1 and 2: Four stage microphones, one audience microphone.
  Panel Rooms 3 and 4: Two stage microphones, one audience microphone.
• For insurance and safety purposes, panelists are not permitted to alter the AV setup. If a panelist requires minor, reversible adjustments to the setup, or access to the mixer, they must request technical assistance and an appropriate FanimeCon staff member will oversee the changes. If you are aware of such requests beforehand, please list them on the application form.
• FanimeCon cannot supply extra microphones or any wireless microphones, so please plan your presentation accordingly. If panelists wish to bring their own XLR microphone, they can be connected to the audio system in a panel room by FanimeCon staff only upon advance request.
• FanimeCon does not provide panelists with prizes to distribute for panel games or participation. Any and all prizes must be provided by the panelist.
• Food or drinks cannot be served to members of the audience during a panel or be given away as prizes.

We are currently in the process of negotiating updates for our equipment setup.
When our technical offerings are finalized, a detailed update will be posted.

We may be unable to provide any items not considered standard equipment for a panel room. Please submit special requests for equipment in the technical requirements section of the Panel Application Form. Be aware that your panel may not be approved if we are unable to provide the equipment you request. If a panelist would like to bring in their own equipment, please specify this on the form as well.

As stated in the FanimeCon Code of Conduct, please leave the facilities and equipment in as good a condition as you found them.

Failure to follow the Code of Conduct may impact future scheduling with FanimeCon Programming.

Damage to the facilities or FanimeCon equipment may result in forfeiture of any eligible badge refunds to fund repairs and replacements.

Planning and Submitting a Panel

Panel Title and Descriptions

All descriptions and titles may be edited for spelling, grammar, and punctuation by FanimeCon staff. If your description is edited beyond this, you will be notified via email.

In order to ensure all panels will fit into the printed program and pocket guides, the following character limits will be enforced:

• Panel Title
  • Will appear in the Pocket Guide, Program Guide, and FanimeCon website
  • 30 character limit, including spaces
• Program Guide Blurb
  • Will appear in the Program Guide
  • 150 character limit, including spaces
• Website Advert
  • Will appear on the FanimeCon website
  • 500 character limit, including space

Please note that the “Panel Content Summary” field on the Panel Application Form will not be published or publicly shared. This field is for detailing and outlining the content of your panel and will only be viewed by the Panels Department coordinators for selection and scheduling. There is no character limit for the “Panel Content Summary,” and specificity is strongly encouraged.

Company/Presenter Listing and Website

A company name is required for Industry Panels and will be listed in the printed Program Guide. An accompanying website URL may be provided, if desired. This will be listed with the link alongside the entry in the online panel listing.

By default, the names of fan panelists are not published in any FanimeCon media. Optionally, fan panelists may provide their professional handle, cosplay group, or company name, as well as an accompanying website URL. This will be listed with the link alongside the entry in the online panel listing, but will not be included in the printed Program Guide. If this is not desired, feel free to leave these fields blank.

Panel Age Ratings

If a panel contains content that may be classified as adult material, panelists must indicate so by selecting the corresponding Age Rating on the Panel Application Form. Please make sure you enter the correct age rating when submitting the form. The ratings are as follows:

• All Ages These panels are suitable for all FanimeCon members of any age.
• 16+ These panels may contain more swearing and/or slightly more mature content. They may not be recommended for younger audiences. These panels do not require a photo ID for admittance.
• 18+ These panels contain mature content unsuitable for younger audiences. Attendees are required to prove they are of at least 18 years of age using a valid government-issued photo ID in order to enter the panel room. The panelist and any assistants must also adhere to this rule.

If you are unsure under which age rating to classify your content, indicate so in the “Other Notes” field and select the option you deem most accurate. The Panels Department coordinators will review your Panel Content Summary and manually adjust the age rating as necessary.

Panel Lengths, Time Slots vs. Runtime

Time slots are offered in half hour increments, with the shortest available slot being one hour. While there is no specific upper limitation in place, requesting a time slot longer than two hours will result in the submitted Panel Content Summary being held to higher scrutiny in order to ensure panelists will effectively use the lengthier runtime.

The available runtime for a panel is fifteen minutes less than the assigned time slot, and panelists are responsible for planning all content to fit within their respective runtime. For example, a two hour panel starting at 12:00 pm should end at 1:45 pm, not at 2:00 pm. The final fifteen minutes in the block are dedicated for cleaning up, staff to reset the stage, and for the next panelist to set up. In order to keep our schedule on time, panelists must adhere to these time limits. FanimeCon staff stationed at the door will issue reminders to the panelists at the conclusion of their allotted runtime.

Turnover between panels proceeds as follows:

10:00 am – Panel #1 begins
11:10 am – Panel #1 is issued a 5 minute warning
11:15 am – Panel #1 ends, transition to Panel #2
11:30 am – Panel #2 begins      

For returning panelists, as of FanimeCon 2022 this buffer dedicated to transition has been increased from the previous five minutes to fifteen minutes. To compensate, time slot options have been expanded by breaking down the previous hour slots into half-hour increments. Please consider your previous experience with our schedule to gauge the amount of time your content will need. For instance, if a previously hosted one-hour panel felt too condensed for your content, feel free to submit your panel for the next half-hour increment up.

Panel Approval and Virtual Room Assignment

Panel approvals and room assignments are based on all of the information submitted on the Panel Application Form. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• The available time slots are the largest factor in the panel approval process. The more scheduling flexibility a quality panel has, the higher the chances that it will be able to fit onto the schedule.
• The length of a panel plays a significant part in the scheduling process. There is always more flexibility in scheduling shorter panels. If applicable, consider dividing longer panels into shorter segments.
• The Panels Department coordinators often receive applications that are very similar to one another. When several panels of a certain category or topic are up for consideration, priority will be given to panels that are more varied or unique in the presentation or execution of the content. As stated, detail and specificity in the “Panel Content Summary” field is highly encouraged.
• If submitting multiple panels, please note any order of preference or precedence for each panel in the “Other Notes” field.
• The earlier a panel is submitted, the earlier the Panels Department coordinators can evaluate the application. Panels are reviewed as they arrive, and scheduling begins within a month of when the Panel Application Form goes live.
• The expected audience size heavily influences the room assignments for panels. If your panel has been held at FanimeCon before, previous headcounts collected by staff will be reviewed during scheduling.

Panelist Required Advance Notice

The majority of scheduling will be conducted from January through March 2024. If a panelist requires earlier notice than this time frame in order to adequately prepare, they may indicate so on the form. If you are unable to host your panel if not provided a definitive response by a particular date, the Panels Department coordinators will make an effort to organize the selection process in order reach a decision by your provided deadline.

After Submitting a Panel

Correspondence

Email will be used for most, if not all, communication during the scheduling process. For efficiency purposes, all correspondence regarding an individual panel will occur in the same thread as the respective confirmation email, which lists all submitted panel information.

If time is a major factor, i.e. a scheduling deadline quickly approaching, the Panels Department coordinators may try to reach you via the phone number provided. If there are any limitations or restrictions regarding this, please indicate so in the “Other Notes” field.

Timeline

When a panel application form is submitted, you will receive an email requesting verification of the email address entered on the form.
Please be sure to complete the email verification step. The Panels Department will not receive your application until after you’ve completed the email verification step.
This email should arrive shortly after your application is submitted, so please be sure to watch for this email (check the Spam folder, if necessary) and click the verification link.
Once the email is verified, a confirmation email will be generated, listing all the panel information as submitted on the application.

Please email panels@fanime.com if either of these emails are not received.

2) Follow-up
The Panels Department coordinators will follow up via email to review any immediate questions regarding the content. Due to the rush of applications after the form first goes live, we ask for your understanding and patience if there are delays in this initial contact. If the coordinators do not have any specific questions regarding your application, you may not receive a response until scheduling is under way.

3a) Selection

If your panel is selected, you will receive an email offering you a time slot on the FanimeCon 2024 Panels Schedule. You will have a limited amount of time to reply to this e-mail and officially accept the offered time slot. The time slot will not be held beyond the listed deadline.

• Time slots which are rejected by the panelist will be offered to another panel. If available, an alternative time slot will be offered.
• Time slots which are accepted by the panelist will officially book the panel on the FanimeCon 2024 Panels Schedule.
• Requests to change the time of a panel after it has been scheduled may result in the panel being completely removed from the schedule if an alternate booking cannot be arranged.

3b) Rejection
If your panel is slated for rejection, you will receive an email letting you know that the Panels Department coordinators have determined that your panel will not be selected for our schedule. If time permits, the panelists may be given the opportunity to make revisions to their application, but we cannot guarantee this option will be offered.

3c) Waitlist
All applications received after the aforementioned deadline will immediately be placed on the waitlist. In addition, panels which are not rejected, but could not be included onto the FanimeCon 2024 Panels Schedule will receive an invitation to the waitlist. Invitations will be sent out within two weeks of finalizing the schedule, and panelists will be asked for updates to their scheduling availability and required advance notice, if applicable. The waitlist is used to fill any vacancies in the schedule that arise due to cancellation of previously scheduled panels.

At the Convention

COVID-19 Protocols

All panelists are required to abide by the official FanimeCon COVID policy

Panelist Lounge

The location of the Panelist Lounge will be distributed to all panelists by email three to four weeks before the convention.

The Panelist Lounge is the base of operations for the Panels Department and a location for panelists to check-in prior to their panels. Panelists are also welcome any time the Lounge is open to come meet with staff, prepare for their events, or simply sit down and rest. The Panelist Lounge is not open to general attendees.

Panelist Lounge, Hours of Operations

Friday: 2:00 pm – 1:00 am
Saturday: 8:00 am – 1:00 am
Sunday: 8:00 am – 1:00 am
Monday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Check In

All panelists are required to checkin at the Panelist Lounge at least 45 minutes prior to the start of their panel. You may send a proxy in your place if you are unable to arrive on time. Panelist Lounge staff will review operating procedures with the panelists, direct them to their respective panel room, and provide assistance when necessary. Although check-ins are usually brief, if you expect there may be complications that need to be addressed prior to your panel we highly advise arriving with enough extra time to resolve any issues.

If no one checks in for your panel by 30 minutes prior to the panel start time, Panels Department staff will attempt to contact the panelist using the At-Con phone number provided on the Panel Application Form. If we are unable to contact you by 15 minutes before the panel start time and no one has checked in, your panel will be canceled. Once a panel cancellation has been communicated to the rest of the convention via social media, Info Desk, and Stage Zero, this cancellation cannot be rescinded.

Once check-in is complete, panelists should get all participants and materials to their assigned panel room by at least 15 minutes to their panel’s start time. Panelists should introduce themselves to the staff stationed at the door who will assist with coordinating turnover and setup.

Panel Room Turnover

Staff will, by default, hold the audience outside until panelists have completed their setup. Attendees will remain queued outside the panel room until the panelist signals that they are ready for the audience to be let in and begin seating. If you are comfortable with the audience being admitted during the turnover, let the staff stationed at the door know when you arrive in order to expedite the seating process.

In the event that an All Ages or 16+ panel will be followed by an 18+ panel, during the transition the panel room will be emptied in order to ensure that all attendees present for the 18+ panel have been properly checked for IDs.

During Your Panel

If you have any issues during your panel, please speak with one of the staff stationed at the door of the panel room. They will be able to assist you or alert those capable of resolving the issue as soon as possible.

Have any questions that were not answered here?

Feel free to e-mail us at panels@fanime.com.

2024 Panel Application Form
APPLY HERE