The following is an outline of the submission guidelines and rules for A Taste of Animethon 2017 (the event).

Age Requirements

You and your co-panelists must be at least sixteen (16) years of age by January 20, 2017.

Should you be doing a mature rated panel (MP) both you and your co-panelists must be at least eighteen (18) years of age by January 20, 2017.

Proof of Age may be required to be shown to the Panel Coordinator at the event.

For further information on rating classifications and acceptable methods of identification please refer to the Appendixes below.

Submission Process

The deadline for panel submissions will be Wednesday November 30, 2016 at 11:59pm MST. All panel submissions must be made using the Panel Submission Form posted on the event website. Submissions sent through any other means will not be considered. Prospective panellists must submit an overview of their panel and equipment requests for review through the Panel Submission Form.

Panels are considered by order of submission as well as their content. All panels must fall into one of the rating groups defined in Appendix A. Panellists must indicate on the Submission Form if their panel is intended for adults only (MP). Please ensure that detailed information is provided so that proper ratings can be assigned.

Should the Panel Coordinator feel that your panel should be rated differently, changes will be made accordingly and an email will be sent with the new rating. Exceeding these guidelines (e.g. showing explicit sexual content) may result in the panel being cancelled at any time at the discretion of the event.

All submissions must disclose all relevant details about the panel and how the panel will be run. A panel submission email will be sent to the email provided in the submission form. It is your responsibility to ensure that all information provided is accurate and up-to-date. Should any changes arise to your availability, please email the Panel - Programming Department (atoa_programming@asapa.ca) as soon as possible so that your submission form can be properly updated.

Each panel has a maximum of two panellists (head-panellist and co-panellist). Names of each panellist must be finalized by January 10, 2017. Any name changes must be emailed to the Panels Coordinator (atoa_programming@asapa.ca).

An acceptance, waiting list or rejection e-mail will be sent within ten (10) business days after the panel submission deadline. The event reserves the right to approve or deny a panel.

Panellist Check-In

All panellists must check in and pick up their passes at the pass pickup location no later than 1 hour prior to their initial panel start time. An e-mail regarding the pass pick-up location will be sent from the Panel Coordinator prior to the event.

Proof of identity will be required. Proof of age will be required for anyone conducting an MP rated panel. See Appendix B for identification requirements.

Panellists are responsible for starting their panels on time. Fifteen (15) minutes has been scheduled prior to your start time to set up and an additional fifteen (15) minutes has been scheduled after your end time for set-up and clean-up respectively. Should you require additional set-up and/or clean up time, please indicate this on your panel submission form.

Example: Panel is schedule for 6:00PM - 7:00PM. You are allowed to enter the panel room at 5:45PM to begin your panel set up. You have until 7:15PM to clean up and leave the room for the next panel.

A panellist pass will act the same as a regular event pass (event access on Friday and Saturday). Both head-panellist and co-panellist will receive a complimentary pass.

Scheduling

The panel schedule is arranged to create a positive and fun experience for our attendees and other panellists. The event will attempt to accommodate panellists' schedules, and try to avoid scheduling similar panels opposite each other, but can offer no guarantees. Please notify the Panel Coordinator of any concerns as quickly as possible to allow for changes before the event.

The event will attempt to schedule each panel into an appropriately-sized panel room. No modifications are allowed without prior approval.

Please inform the Panel Coordinator if you want to host a panel but have other obligations to schedule around (if you are a volunteer, staff, vendor, artist alley etc.). Please include this on the submission form. The event cannot guarantee that we will be able to avoid scheduling your panel in a way that conflicts with other obligations, but will make our best efforts to do so. Should you decide that the time slot scheduled for your panel will not work and that you will no longer be running the panel, please notify the Panel Coordinator as soon as possible.

If your panel is accepted and is listed on the convention schedule, you are expected to run the panel. If you are no longer able to run a panel, you MUST notify us at least two weeks in advance with a valid reason. Failure to cancel a panel without a valid reason MAY result in a ban from running panels at future ASAPA events. (Exceptions can be made for emergencies, with reasonable notice before the scheduled panel start time.)

Panellist Conduct

Panellists will be expected to behave in an appropriate manner. Behaviour / content deemed to exceed the rating of a panel may result in the termination of the panel in progress and/or the cancellation of a panel group’s future scheduled panel(s).

Promoting discrimination of any form is NOT permitted. Panellists may express their personal opinions during their panels, but panellists may not attack the character of others.

The sale (or solicitation) of any product or service on event grounds is not permitted without written consent from the event. Panelists may not offer food and/or drink to attendees at any time as part of their panel.

Clean-up after each panel is expected. Please be considerate to the next panellist that will be setting up after your panel.

Panellists will abide by the event’s General Policies. Failure to do so may be “cause” for cancellation of the panel and/or ejection from the event unless prior arrangements have been made (e.g. cosplay weapons demo).

Audio/Video

The event DOES NOT provide laptops, and not all rooms are equipped with audio and video functions. Please provide your own laptop, test it before the convention and submit any other requests for audio and video equipment, etc. in the appropriate box on the form.

Panellists may request any speciality equipment they need on the Panel Submission Form and we will do our best to acquire them. If it is not requested, it WILL NOT be made available to you at the convention. Equipment will only be available for use after we have processed a request for it and have confirmed an arrangement.

Equipment request is subject to availability.

Internet connection is NOT available in the panel rooms. You may bring your own Wi-Fi device, etc. should you wish.

Panellists are expected to provide their own printed materials and other resources.

We can only provide adaptor cables for projector connections to panellists using Windows-based products. Please provide your own adaptors for Mac-based products.

Disclaimer

The event reserves the right to approve, deny, reschedule the time and/or location of, or cancel any panel at any time as event staff deems fit. The event reserves the right to make changes to any of the above requirements at any time. Any such changes may be retroactive at the discretion of the event.

The event accepts no responsibility for the content of panels hosted by its attendees, nor does the event extend any form of legal protection to panellists. Panellists are wholly responsible for ensuring the legality and safety of the content presented in their panels.

By submitting your application, you have agreed to abide by the rules and regulations posted above. You also have agreed to any policies put forth by the event.

Appendix A – Event Rating Guide

• AP - Acceptable for all ages.
• 14P - Content is suitable for those fourteen (14) years of age and older. Content may contain course language, brief mature subject matter.
• MP - Content is suitable only for adults eighteen (18) years of age and older. Content may contain graphic or brutal violence, intense horror, and/or other disturbing content. Explicit sexual content is strictly forbidden. Proof of age is required for all MP rated events upon entry and re-entry.

Appendix B – Acceptable Forms of Identification

• Proof of Age - Valid government issued photo identification.
  Examples include Passport, Identification Card, or Driver License.
• Proof of Identity - Valid government issued photo identification OR two pieces of identification providing one of them is government issued.
  Examples include Driver License, Birth Certificate with Credit Card, Health Care Card with School ID.