Carl Doninger: Conventions and Fanatics

Carl Doninger and Josh Springer

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Carl Doninger Episode Information

Fan: (noun) a person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular person or thing. [synonyms: devotee, admirer, lover].

In this episode, we take you through the world of conventions. What it takes to put them on, dealing with celebrities, rolling with the punches outside of your control, unfair contracts, the fanatic and more.

Fans flock to ComicCon, GenCon, WonderCon, DragonCon, and hundreds more. What if you decided you had an idea that seemingly hadn’t been done before and wanted to enter an already crowded space? Would you be crazy or could you push your way through the noise and build a brand and plant your flag?

Carl Doninger, President Indy Pop Con, takes us through what it took to build a convention around all things pop culture. How he brought all the cons together into one fanatical convention and what it took to break through the noise. As they are in the process of planning their third year, he brings us through the highs and lows of bringing this beast to life.

During the course of the discussion we find out what it’s really like asking actors and celebrities to be a part of the show. What a typical agreement is like and how to execute it.

We also take you through the process of the lows of a convention, often dealing with the venue and all the headaches and lopsided contracts that go with it.

As this show progresses it jumps off the rails often and ends up in discussions of how Batman is greater than Superman, why there are no skates in shuffleboarding and more… mainly because of the mistake of enjoying 90 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head Brewery and also recording two shows in one day with the 9.0 ABV beverage.

By the end of this drunken mess, you will have learned a lot and hopefully been entertained by the madness that persists.

Carl Doninger and Josh Springer

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