/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

I worked for a convention for years and the shit I put up was unbelievable. We constantly found ourselves in shitty situations because the con head could not organize worth a damn. Con head spent most of the convention throwing tantrums, running terrible panels and complaining about how "hard" they were working. Half of the staff was flaky as hell because our con head just hired them on the spot sometimes. And yes, these people were full-on staff who got staff benefits (hotel comp, free badge, catering or food allowance), not just temp volunteers who worked for a couple of hours. Our con head half-assed the entire con and the rest of us had to pick up the slack.

Here are a few choice stories:

>Con head being nowhere to found most of the convention even in dire situations where we have had call local authorities. They usually were eating out or hanging out with friends.
>Con head throwing an actual temper tantrum and storming off after one of our upper staff members told them about an extra charge or something that we were going to incur?
>Staff members actually fainting and throwing up because of how overworked they were and the poor conditions at the convention. I got really sick after one year because the weekend took a toll on my body.
>Usually only like 10 staff members (for thousands of attendees) working at any given point because again that's what happens when you hire people on the spot.
>Cut costs constantly. Instead of getting more expensive badges (which we could have afforded), con head whipped out a home laminator and made staff laminate badges into the wee hours of the morning. Prizes for contests were usually recycled sponsor gifts.
>Con head bought badges and hotels to other conventions on the convention budget but never promoted at these conventions.

That's just the tip of the iceberg with this convention. I endured almost a decade of this hell.