So, there are some shows coming up as Spring nears.....which ones will you attend? Why or Why not? Our Model Club, IPMS Three Rivers/Pittsburgh, has a thread on our discussion forum asking exactly that: What would make you come to our show?

You can log in and tell us at http://threeriversipms.org/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=51 ....

And be advised, we know that the Eduard Models, Bikinis, Free Beer, etc are all big sellers....so please respond only if you actually have something viable to suggest. By the way, our Annual Show is March 25th 2006, and we're running up some things to trial before our 2007 Region 4 show....We want these to be outstanding shows for everyone to enjoy!

Thanks for Your time,

James Kelley
VP IPMS Three Rivers/Pittsburgh

I always like a good raffle. If you are fortunate enough to win, it is potluck as to what your prize will be. If you win something that you just hate, you can always work up a trade with the other guy that hates his prize. If planned early enough with the properly worded letters of request, most companies will supply some kits for you to give away. You can also hit up the vendors as they arrive and see what they might toss into the mix. (Not to mention it raises a little more money for your club).

Patrick

Our club is about to have a contest on Feb 4 (Hope it Don't Snow -- Stewartville, MN), and we have been discussing the same thing. Here are just a few suggestions (in no particular order).

1. About the raffle, don't assign a ticket to a certain prize. I know I hate that, and I am sure there are many others out there, that hate not being able to pick what you want. Choice is good! No choice equals no ticket

2. If people are willing to do it, small seminars always give you something to do while the judging is going on.

3. Have decent vendors. I know one of the main reasons I go to shows is to try and find good deals on kits (especially OOP ones) and accesories.

4. Decide on how you are going to judge/give out awards and stick with it! (Although I know you don't have much of a choice when holding a Regionals).

6. Make sure you have enough space for everything. It seems like a separate room for models and vendors is ideal -- or at least a good bit of distance between them. (Although this is hard to do because you never really know how many people will show up

7. Set out a notebook where people can give you feedback on the contest!

8. And remember, this is supposed to be for FUN ! You will never be able to please everyone, so just smile and be nice.

Hope that helps a little

I think the most important thing about any show is stopping the rivet counters spouting too much as they can put off the budding modeller. So the an important aspect is having enthusiasts on hand to offer helpful advice and information to those who attend as I have not been to any form of show for many years after being put off by one of those with advanced model making syndrome whilst I was very young and just getting into modelling.

This is why I enjoy this site so much and come back every day as it is welcoming and friendly.

Just my thoughts.

John

If the venue isn't any good nothing else matters. I attend a show yearly that is held in a very dark room. The sponsers are aware of the problems with the venue but apparently can't find anything better. They realize the horrendious lighting problem but as each year's show comes to being, there is no attempt to address the poor lighting. Last year I was told to obtain a small penlight/flashlight! Mind you, I build dioramas and the idea of pinpointing a tiny flashlight when the overall effect of seeing the dio and it's varying color shades may be totally overlooked just sticks in my throat.
Thanks for the vent!
Anyone in N. Cali probably knows the event I am refering to

C.

The best thing I like at the shows... are the ones that organizers use PVC pipe ex-tenders on their tables.

Sure makes it a lot easier to view and take pictures of the models.

The best thing about shows/contests is the ability ot see everyone's work in one place at one time. It's never been about the competition or the trophies for me, it's being able to show off stuff you're proud of and knowing that you're looking at other people's stuff that they're proud of.

I personally get a lot of inspiration from seeing the work done by other modellers whether it's 'medal worthy' or not. You can buy all the model magazines you want to look at the pictures of models but what better way can there be to get ideas for modelling subjects and to foster creativity than to go to a model show and see them for yourself.

I'm just sayin'.....

Just slightly but along the same lines. I once took a girl to a museum. (Bugger all else to do in the area) and hoped for a quick romp round then a serious snogging session! (Well, 2nd date etc).

However Mr Sincere-Expert (with a hyphen) was on duty that day, collared us and proceeded to explain (in the most charming and sincere manner) every nook, cranny, nail hole and fag butt till I was about to drop him!

By the time we escaped we were so scunnered that the rest of the date was a total failure.

Read the people!

Some are rivet counters, others just like building green and black tanks or grey planes, it doesn't always have to be the Stug I 2B Mk3 4A or whatever! :-) :-) :-)

I once built an aeroplane in the wrong colours, just 'cos I liked the colours! Oh oh, I'm in trouble now...

Alas, we'll see each other again in the "Cave". I understand the balance of logistics, expense, etc... But, I've resigned myself to the fact that the poor lighting is going to once again make an already challenging prospect of seeing and judging models just that much more challenging.

I have some tabletop Tiki Torches I can bring...

Gunnie

I once heard of a fist fight that occured between two guys at an IPMS contest over whether it's an Me-109 or Bf-109.... some people need to remove the stick from the nether regions...

Good space between tables
Raised tables
Quick awards ceremony
Good lighting
Helpful crew, especially for the newbies
Good PA system
Good on-site food ( a roach coach outside does not constitute food.)
Good selection and range of vendors (unless it's a cars only contest)
Fair and transparent judging (even though there'll always be whiners)
Good selection of categories to make awards more representative (better yet,. open judging -gold/silver/bronze as used by AMPS)
Good raffle prizes
Even better...
Digital slide show of the winners
On line registration and ID forms in Word

Here's one, the judging, as long as the "homeboy" rule does not happen too much. Thier are occasions when the buddy of judge who are both in the same club hosting are picked.

How about, if you are part of the group hosting the event, than none of your members are allowed in???? This way it inspires those who have not won before to just go on ????

Perhaps they like having the stick there! Who am I to judge them? :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Guess what? You won't have a club for long. Many people enter only one event a year, their own. Tell them they can't enter and they'll either quit or refuse to enter. I was in a club that did that in 1988: one of the worst events I've ever attended.
In most cases, the judging teams are made up of members of several clubs and unaffiliated entrants and newcomers are encouraged to tag along as novice judges or judges in training. There have been several times, Easy Off, our friend Ron and I have constituted an entire team at another club's event.
This is what I meant by transparent judging.
The ideal, IMHO, is what is done at the Long Island Figure Show (which has a few small, regular categories). Each judge walks through as assigns a value to a model. He then hands his scores to the lilne judge who tallies the score and assigns Gold, Silver or Bronze at predetermined scores. AMPS uses a similar method with teams of four judges examining a model independently at one time. Each judge gives the model a score in several different categories, finish, added detail, accuracy etc. Either high or low is dropped (I forget which) and hte score is added. Again, Gold SIlver or Bronze is awarded based on the score at different levels for 2 or 3 levels of entrant announced skill.
The best way to avoid "home cooking" is to volunteer to judge.

Yeah, but how do you get to be a judge?? I dont think every tom dick and harry can just "ask" and be selected? Mind you, i'm speaking from the "not knowing" corner ok. So, this seems pretty interesting to me or others who may want to do this.

Actually any Tom, Dick, Harry or Sally can offer to help with judging.
You get to be a judge by offering to help when the judges meeting is called. The first time, you may just go along for the ride, as it were, observing and listening. The first time I judged an AMPS event, I asked to observe fo a bit before jumping in. It was really enlightening to see how close everyone's independent scores were. Even at the IPMS National level, you could offer and be assigned as a judge in training in the area you want to judge.
You don't need to be a specialist in Shermans to see silvering in a decal or a seam along the barrel. In fact, by IPMS standards, an expert might even be a distraction, finding an accuracy fault and knocking a technically good model down. You don't need to be an expert on ships to see rigging is slack and hanging loose. You don't need to know a lot about NASCAR to know the transmission needs a driveshaft to connect to the rear axle (Yes, I've judged cars lacking a driveshaft). You don't have to be a Bill Horan to see brush strokes on a figure's shirt or popeyes. Even if you've never built a plane and can't tell a P-51 from a B-2, you can tell if both wings are even and that there are no glue smears on the canopy.
If you've been building more than a couple years and hanging out here, you have the basic skills to start judging.
Remember, in most cases you will not be choosing for excellence but what's the best item on the table for that given day.
Some days, that's very easy. Some days it's very hard, either because there's a lot of very good good stuff there or there's no very good stuff there and you have to give an award to the least problematic thing in class.
Believe me, this happens a lot in the local shows.
It's also an excellent learning opportunity. You get to look at mdels more closely than normal. You get to hear and see what constitutes good basic skill modeling. You learn exactly what it is judges look at. I guarantee, your own skills will improve, even if you don't compete.
Alone, you might walk down the aisles and be impressed by the oversized diorama and miss the excellent little vignette. With a team of judges, you'll spend time examining both and put the WOW factor in your back pocket for a while. At my club's contest last year, Best of Show went to a 1/72 Chieftain, even though there was a very good 1/32 F-105.
WORD OF CAUTION Judging can and will lead you to look with a very critiquing eye. E.G., when I look at a diorama, I am looking at the story and the placement of figures and vehicles. I find myself asking, "When this figure takes his next step, is he going to walk smack into a wall?" Or "Why is this guy standing on theback of a truck when there are people taking and returnign fire a few feet away?" Or "How come this guy's postion is so casual when people are in a combat situation right next to him?"

Being an organizer of our own local show, and the Prize Co-ordinator, I am pretty much given free reign as to how I want to run the prizes.

Last year was our best year as of yet, we had both door prizes, where when your name was called, you came up and picked something you wanted off of the table. As long as you entered a kit, your name was in the box. We also had a Raffle, where we had some of our higher priced items, 10 prizes in all, people bought tickets on them, and we drew them out, 2 prizes at a time, all day, starting at prize #10. If by chance, you won something on the raffle you don't like...you can always trade, and you still had the door prizes which you picked out yourself to fall back on.

This year, I am planning on adding a surprise bag. When you arrive and register, you will pick a number, and whatever bag that number corresponds to, is yours. Could be a set of decals, a figure, something. I try to keep the value the same throughout all the bags, roughly around $10. Since we charge $10 to register....then right away, you are getting your registration fee back in a prize form. It may not be something you like, or build, but thats where the barter systems with the other entrants comes in....either way....if thats all you get, you basically came to the show for free.

This being my 3rd year running the prize co-ordination, I pretty well know the ins and outs of getting donations from companies. The biggest thing is, when they tell you no...and some will cop a pretty good attitude just because you asked them....just don't take it personally.

And if there is anything I have learned. If you have a nice request letter drawn up, lots of companies will bend over backwards to help, as long as they get a little recognition. We put all the donor's names in a flyer that gets handed out to all the entrants, as well we make up huge posters with all the donor's names on them. As well, along with a good request letter, when they do say they they will send a donation, follow up with a small thank you. Something simple as to thank them for helping support your show. As well, it doesn't hurt to drop them a quick note when their donation does arrive, again thanking them for their support. As well, after your show, to have a formal thank-you letter drawn up, that is sent out to all of your donors after the show.

I know this seems like alot of thanks and butt kissing, and alot of work, but believe me when I tell you, it makes it much easier the following years to get donations out of those same companies....they see that you have followed up and offered thanks many times, that they are willing to bend over backwards when your next show comes around.

I have donations coming in from all over the world for our show coming up at the end of April. One thing I have noticed, is it doesn't matter how big or small the company is. You may have one big name company, that will give you anything you want, and you may have another that will not give you anything, giving you some lame excuse. Then again, you may have some of these small "Mom & Pop" companies, than will say that this is their only business, and that although they would love to help you, they only donate to their local show.....however, the next small Mom and Pop place, is more than happy to send you whatever you would like. Really just depends on the luck of the draw, how good your request letters are, and I believe 100%, that your follow up letters letting them know their donatons arrived safe, and an after show thank you, goes a long, long ways.

As far as who to contact??? Just look around...there are many on this site, and other sites around the net, look in your model magazines, and such....all the websites are there, all the e-mails are there that you need to send a request through. Sometimes you may have to send them through 3 or 4 or more times, some of these companies are busy, and may not have time to answer your e-mail right away, and it can get swept under the pile of other e-mails to answer. So you send off another e-mail, and eventually, it will get answered one way or another.

I usually start about 3 months before our show, so I know I can get stuff committed to and get them sent in long before the show is here. Right now I am on week 3..and so far things are looking great.