Panel applications for 2024 are now CLOSED.
All panelists will be notified regarding the status of their submission by mid-August.Looking to host a panel, event, or other activity at Anime Fusion? Submit your request here!
Due to scheduling constraints, not all panels will be accepted. Organizers will be notified if their panel is accepted by the end of August. In cases of limited availability, preference will be given to panels that fit the theme of the convention or the overall mission of Anime Fusion.
Any all-ages panels or events occurring on our main stage may be streamed online for our virtual attendees.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q.Who can submit a panel?
A. Anyone! Any Anime Fusion attendee is eligible to submit panels for the schedule. Please be sure you are attending the convention before submitting programming items, as cancellations can cause a lot of scheduling issues.
Q. What can my panel be about?
A. Pretty much anything. Panels can be formal presentations, show-and-tell, group activities, game shows, open discussions, in-character skits, craft workshops, sing-alongs, or pretty much anything else you’d like to get together with a group of like-minded fans to do.
Q. Is adult material allowed?
A. We do accept a limited number of 18+ panels. Every person wishing to attend an adult-rated panel will be required to present a government-issued legal ID at the door (a convention badge alone is not enough). All panelists on an 18+ panel are required to be at least 18 years of age. Panels that are not approved to be 18+ must stay within a PG-13 rating.
Q. How are panels scheduled?
A. Panels run from mid-morning to late night each day of the convention. The schedules of the individual rooms are staggered to minimize overlap. The standard panel length is one hour, with half-hour breaks between panels to allow for setup and teardown. Exceptions to that policy are very rare due to the high demand for panel time. If you request more than an hour, and your panel is accepted, it will probably be the first panel of the day.
Q. How does the panel submission process work?
A. After submitting the Panel Request Form, you will receive an emailed copy of your submission as a confirmation that it was successfully sent. In August, the Programming department reviews the submissions and schedules as many panels as they can. After that process is complete, you will receive an emailed notice of whether your panel was accepted and what time and day it is scheduled for.
Q. How do you decide which panels get in?
A. If there are a lot of submissions, priority is given to panels on topics that are most appropriate for the overall focus of Anime Fusion or its annual theme. For example, anime panels will be accepted before non-anime panels. If multiple panels are submitted for the same topic, priority is usually given to the panel that appears to have the best plan or outline, so be sure to fill out the submission form thoroughly.
Q. What are the panel rooms like?
A. Anime Fusion has three types of panel rooms: Presentation, Performance, and Workshop. A Workshop room includes tables for the audience, to provide a workspace for craft activities, games, or writing. The Presentation and Performance types both have rows of chairs for the audience and a table in front for the panelists, but a Performance room allows a bit of extra floor space at the front for skits or other demonstrations.
Q. What tech equipment is available?
A. All panel rooms will be equipped with a sound system, projector, and screen. The projectors will have HDMI and VGA inputs along with the necessary cables. Panelists must provide their own source equipment to connect to the projector (a laptop, DVD player, or similar) and any adapters needed to convert their source to HDMI or VGA. Most panel rooms will have only two microphones. We cannot provide any additional equipment.
Q. Can I rearrange the room for my panel?
A. Panel rooms should be left in the same condition as they were found. You may move the chairs or tables to accommodate your activity, but please put them back at the end of your panel so the next one can start on time. Tech equipment cannot be moved, disconnected, or otherwise altered for any reason.