This sounds dumb, but would Tana be doing a manaical laugh now since she had beef with Vidcon and now the event seems to be dropping in quality??? (I know about Tanacon and that was awful.....please don't hate me)
But it's not even mid. It's horrible. It's awful. Mid doesn't mean Bad, it just means average/mediocre/OK. and the event doesn't even live up to that "high" of a standard. To call it Mid would be giving it way too much credit
90% of my time was spent at the Hyatt. So much time was spent there, and so much free food consumed, that one creator I went to a dinner with completely forgot to pay without realizing until the next morning lmao
not to mention that there were apparently not enough disability and caretaker badges, and security literally told disabled people to their face that they wouldn’t create an ada line for them…
@@froggy5748 lol because it's easy to do when staff and leadership don't know disabled people personally. It's easy to say "we don't want to accommodate you" when youre not thinking about a disabled family member and how theyd feel in that case. Its wrong, and it's awful. But sadly I think a lot of people have that "if it doesn't affect me or people I know, it's not important" mindset
@@jennatavares4695it's disturbing how many people lack basic empathy. The type of person you describe is disgusting. "It doesn't affect ME/anyone I care about, so it doesn't matter". Like ffs any human being with half a brain and a pea sized amount of empathy should be able to understand why accommodating people with disabilities is important, and why NOT accommodating them is disgusting and fked up. Humans never cease to amaze me with just how incredibly disappointing and awful they can be. I always want to see the best in people but they consistently prove me wrong every single day.
I’m not too familiar with ADA guidelines, but like is that illegal? I would see that as discrimination and disabilities are a protected class as far as I know.
Also there was an issue with a fan getting on stage during a panel (literally climbed over the barrier and got up on stage without being stopped) and no VidCon staff or security did anything (luckily Dream had personal security who took them away but nobody from VidCon which is concerning). This could be a big issue for large creators as while the Hyatt had lots of security, VidCon seemed a bit lacking in some places.
@@peyytunia Yeah, I wasn't sure if I should at first but I think it's important for large creators to feel safe at these events. Lucky Dream had personal security and nothing too bad happened, but there was potential for it to be so much worse which is scary for people on those panels. I follow one of the people on that panel who talked about it on stream and said it was scary as you have no idea what that person is going to do when they're coming up and they were shocked by the lack of security as they assumed that there was security on the barriers.
It is insane that a creator that big had to have personal security at an event that should revolve around keeping people like him safe. Like I don't even like dream but his fanbase is MASSIVE, everyone knows this, so why are they not planning around the fact that someone *that big* is going to be there?
Dream's also got this dedicated group of obsessive haters that showed up and tried to be disruptive for social media clout (I'm sure most other mega creators have the same problem), a con like that trying to attract people with these huge followings should be providing a security detail for their biggest draws.
I really want Amanda to become like THE GOAT of event planning in the future. I want her to just start making videos like "So I planned this event" and talking about everything she did to make it a good experience.
I completely agree with VidCon really not being as worth it to attend this year. I did also want to share this particular experience as well that definitely solidified me not going to the convention next year… I listened to the “Awareness, Inclusivity, and Accessibility” panel on Thursday that predominantly featured disability creators across digital media (UA-cam, Tik Tok, etc). At the last minute before the panel was supposed to start, because it was on one of the smaller stages on the expo hall floor, some of the people helping set up the stage brought the panel tables down from the stage platform to the ground level where the attendee chairs were because 2 of the panelists were wheelchair users and there wasn’t a ramp. I felt so bad for them because they not only pointed out the irony of the stage itself not being accessible for the “accessibility” panel, but it was also hard to even hear and see them and see live interpreters and captions (for those who needed them) unless you moved up to the front, especially with a louder panel happening right beside this one, which is what I ended up doing. The creators did a great job on the panel and it was worth attending to support it, but it was definitely frustrating, as a disabled person myself, to see VidCon not take the accessibility of their featured creators here into account. But yeah, all of this to say, all creators apart of VidCon deserve to have a good time and feel accommodated for and appreciated for what they share through their online presence ✨
They apparently were horrible at accommodating disabled people this year in general. I've now heard about even security being rude to people for requesting accessible lines and things like that.
I was set to be a part of one panel but asked to leave when I could not “transfer from my chair” to take the stage (not my main account). When I asked to speak with someone over the event, I was asked by security to leave immediately for “causing disruption”.
I can tell you as someone who worked as an accessibility consultant for them and who used to be on disability panels for them that Google/UA-cam/VidCon do not care very much for disabled creators and accessibility in general. We had the same issues back in 2015/16/17.
I hear what you’re saying, it was my first Vidcon, and without a Hyatt wristband, I don’t think it would have been worth it. That being said, I managed to finesse a yellow badge and get into the industry parties so yay to networking?😅 It was great to meet and hang out with you too.
Honestly, with the panel situation, it sounds like Vidcon could learn a lot from anime/nerd cons with how they often utilize space. There's lots of shows that really have that down to a science for sure, more than even a lot of established corporate events seem to have.
Yeah. There are a lot of cons that should find a good anime/media con and crib notes. For example, event stages need air gaps to avoid over-saturating the area with conflicting sound. Curtains don’t cut it, air walls don’t cut it either; the only things that work are solid walls and space. Event planning of this type and scale is a very specific, highly specialized skill and a lot of shows learn that long after it’s too late to fix their issues.
Wearing earplugs to events has saved my hearing and helped with overstimulation, no one judges you either! Pretty great little change that made it easier to go out to loud parties and concerts.
Did you hear about the Shark at the Dream panel? A fan fully jumped the fence and got onstage and the security who pulled them off the stage was Dream's private security and not VidCon security!!
I honestly can’t tell if this is better or worse than the person who asked dream “do you like my shirt” while wearing a shirt that had a drawing of dream getting fucked on it
36:50 I think it’s just wild that that question needs to be asked of an event that started as a creator-lead event. Like, Hank and John Green created this even as creators, for creators and fans. It’s wild how much it’s changed that it’s a genuine question of whether there’s creators involved in the planning process at all.
Showed up in my wheelchair with my caregiver in tow (Not my main account, I work with Lost Media & Part time with Disney Archivisits), and was treated abhorrently. My caregiver did not have a visible pass at times due to pushing me/movement & mine was very visible. We got yelled at for asking questions because I was supposed to be on a panel, yet I showed up & had been replaced last minute because of “cohesion”. We had full access thanks to my management team & thankful for that at least since no one there had ANY clue who I was. I don’t know if we will be doing it again after this years due to similar situations you named but many more that include discriminatory treatment as a movement impaired, Transwoman.
You should see if you have grounds to sue under ADA if you can. You deserve better and you deserve to be heard. I know that lawsuits are generally frivolous for most people and generally not possible but if you have the time and resources you should try if for nothing more than to get more people talking about how this is unacceptable
@@Grace-er9ep Honestly, I wonder if there is grounds for a class action lawsuit since so many people that would fall under ADA were directly told (and hopefully documented) being told that they would not be accommodated for. Could argue that the experience paid for was far inferior to other guest due to the venue and organizing company not meeting ADA guidelines.
@@Grace-er9ep Im trying to find an attorney to speak with regarding this, & if any other creators experienced similar or have a story to share, Id love to hear it. I'm sure something can be done so this doesnt happen again at the VERY least. We had to end up calling it early & eat the funds spent out of pocket/cannot recoup the loss.
Instead of vidcon I prefer watching Amanda go to more obscure and weird conventions and events. I'm really here for the Swamp Gala and Transformers Convention content
14:21 as an event planner they should have used quiet event headsets where you cycle through the colors based on the stage color. That’s what we use when we have multiple stages in one hall.
i’ve never been but from what i’ve heard it went massively downhill after hank and john sold it. it definitely was better when it was run by actual creators.
Still watching the video but I'd recommend investing in some ear plugs. They make some that knock like 10+ decibels off. Might be pricey but I'd say it's worth it. I say this as a musician, ear plugs have definitely kept my hearing from getting worse than it already is.
If she pivoted to event planning, the attendance that would shoot up from "A Swell Entertainment Event" from both the industry and the consumer end would be massive. I'd go to an event I knew was sponsored or planned by Swell. It would be a stamp for events to have, that "Swell Approval." She is a mid-size creator, but like she said this is what she does. Industry knows her. She's half way there already. The first "So I Planned XXX" video would be huge. I guess next step for Swell would be having her on panels and as a guest creator at more of these events if that's the direction she wants to go in.
24:00 at most convention halls, you are not allowed to bring in outside AV equipment. Due to union rules and contracts, you HAVE to use the AV gear & staff provided by the venue. So if the conference center runs out of microphones (or people to set them up), you are SOL.
I was wondering! Used to work in AV in Ireland and at big events we always had loads of mics and extras held back just in case too! The client would be consulted with in the early stages to make sure the redundancies were covered.
I work in theatre, and usually if the venue is going to provide equipment you send them a list in advance to make sure they have everything you need. So if vidcon provided that list and the convention hall didn't have all the mics, they would have rented some. We do that all of the time. So I'm guessing vidcon suddenly needed more mics than they had asked for.
I remember going to VidCon back when the Green brothers were still at the head of it and it's really sad to see where it's gone. There were Industry badges that had specific tracks to Industry including after hall events etc that is 100% meant for networking, but it was still an industry convention for the fans of UA-camrs. Very similar to how Anime Expo is. This meant that I can sit in on panels that I would say is essentially an industry panel but geared towards the audience--giving a people a peek behind the curtain and also some really good words of advice for those who are thinking of starting a channel. There were concerts and meet & greets that were really well organized. I think this was the first or second year it was in Anaheim. There was a really nice sense of community and it really felt more akin to like a nerd convention (Anime Expo, Long Beach Comic Con, etc), so it was a really fun time even if you weren't an industry creator. It really feels like after the Green brothers left the convention, the people who took over really did not understand what they had inherited and the entire purpose of Vidcon just disappeared to turn into... whatever this is.
I love that you come at all of this from such a practical perspective. It can be overwhelming and flattering to be told your special. That can also lead to offering more of yourself than you're being compensated for. Advocating for yourself as a creator (and as a person) is incredibly important. it took me a very long time to get better at it in my personal life. I'm also glad you talked about the safety aspect of being on the floor as someone who's widely known. I don't think anyone talks about that enough.
You describing the panels sent me into ❔❔❔ as a person who goes to anime conventions because Every con I’ve ever been to - panels are in separate rooms? There’s halls full of rooms where each panel is and there’s a schedule with the room number/name. I’m just going to assume that it’s because they have less panels than anime conventions.
this is usually the standard set up for conventions that do panels. this video really showed how out of touch with convention planning vidcons team is currently. panels should be in separate rooms, there needs to be an artists alley/expo room/etc. with enough booths to keep people occupied, the food trucks needed to be closer. you get the picture
I used to go to like leadership conventions in high school and it’s wild to me they just shoved all the presenters in the same room at speaking at the same time with only curtains??? Our convention wasn’t huge, but it was hosted at a hotel designed for conventions and there’d be the main gathering space but then the panels were held in different conference type rooms or properly sectioned off (floor to ceiling room divider panels) areas of the main hall. This to me doesn’t speak to the size of the conference but rather poor planning, a lack of understanding of how these events work, or the organizers cheaping out. Like did they only rent out that main room and didn’t want to spend extra to get the separate conference rooms for “private” panels? Did they truly think that having more than 1 panels running in the same space wouldn’t cause noise issues? I’m assuming this was held at a proper convention centre that’s used to hosting events like this, or at the very least the hotel she mentioned is set up to host conventions, it screams to me that they don’t have their event prioritizes straight and cared more about getting tickets bought than the actual experience of being there.
This was the first time I got into the Hyatt, thanks to a friend I made last year, and it was so bizarre being there talking to people with millions (sometimes tens of millions) of followers compared to my pidly 40k (give or take, depending on platform). For the most part they were all pretty nice, and the best conversations I had were either right after a panel (with smaller featured creators who didn't have young fanbases that were prone to mobbing) and a bunch with people I had never seen/heard before at the Hyatt bar. Definitely if I had not gotten into the hyatt, I would have had a much more negative experience this year. Last year was the first time I returned to vidcon since I moved, kids, then dealt with covid after 2016, so I was expecting it to have changed a lot, and while they're a little better about having more stuff for the mid-size creators to do (well, the old definition of "midsize"...apparently now even 300k or so is "midsize" so I'm basically nonexistent, despite havihng made videos since the first year of youtube's existence (: ) but now it seems like they're going back to the fans/super famous influencers model, where those of us who are there to meet other creators around our level are shafted. There weren't even any "Creator meetups" this year, there were a couple last year and while disorganized, it was still nice to have at least some opportunity to be in the same room as other creators and know we were all ACTIVELY looking for people to collaborate with. Was there even a creator lounge this year? I don't think so, and the expo hall was bigger and a little less boring than last year, but at the same time I was irritated that so many of the "creator" panels were on the expo hall level so community pass people could go to them also...it kinda seemed like there was no point in a creator pass? I was hoping I'd get a chance to see you, but of course you were busy running around, and so was I. :) I'll still be going to the next vidcon (finances allowing) but it's more just to "be around other people who like watching if not making online videos" rather than anything that vidcon staff themselves are responsible for. I don't know if I'll be able to get into the hyatt again, it was a miracle this time and I imagine they'll be even MORE tight about passes next year, but I'm hoping at least some of the people I had interesting conversations with will be there next year, will hopefully remember me, and hopefully have good memories of those conversations so I can get to know them better. Thanks for your honest and informative breakdown of how your 2023 vidcon was! Edit: something I wanted to add about the expo hall is that I don't understand why Vidcon doesn't have something akin to an "artist hall" where people who aren't famous/large enough for a whole exhibit in the main room can rent space at a little table to show their content, talk to people, etc. it's always been my favorite part of anime and comic conventions, and it'd be such a great way for smaller creators to meet and advertise to people in a more communicative way. Maybe they could have a few small "sets" to the side and let people sign up to film interviews right there at the side of the hall? Honestly just something like that would be amazing...I've never run a convention before, but it seems like it would be a huge benefit, and there was plenty of empty space in the hallways already, it seems like they could have more or less easily sectioned off part of it to set something like that up? Edit-edit: OMFG I HAD NO IDEA THERE EVEN -WAS- A FESTIVAL STAGE THIS YEAR, W IN THE F??? Everything you said around 26:00 and 35:00 hit especially hard. I agree, Vidcon has long not addressed the huge gap between "fan" and "super famous creator," and while the invention of the "creator" pass helped, if there's nothing for creators who aren't all-access to DO, then what's the point of the pass? it's like there's a three lane highway, and the creator pass is in the middle, but the lane just keeps funneling you towards the "community" lane, and only those who already have special access get to go to the right. Hopefully that analogy makes sense... I really hope Vidcon doesn't stop happening, I tried Playlist Live once and really disliked it (also, Florida, ew) but I agree Vidcon is having an "identity crisis." I've long wished for an 21+ version of vidcon (just to make it more industry/networking than "screaming teenagers just there hoping to see their famous creators") but if nothing else, just more not-a-super-fan-but-not-a-super-famous-creator events/spaces to go would be so much more valuable than the way they treat us now.
Not to be one of those people but i would suggest getting a pair of loop ear plugs for these kinds of events. There are also musicians ear plugs that are great for reducing volume whilst still hearing everything clearly, but loops are definitely the most comfortable and nice looking option I've tried. they also have a bit of a "what's not a cult but feels like a cult" feel, so there's that Edit: just saw Amanda's most recent video and she does in fact have a pair of loops 😆 One of us! One of us!
I second the loops! I used to live in a pretty urban area and had difficulty falling asleep because of all the cars, yelling, etc. They really helped me. Now I keep them on my keys because they're great for loud music/noises, especially as someone with sensory issues 😁
Honestly, as an event planner who works with speakers and the sponsors, im not surprised accomodations werent covered or that big name sponsors werent there. Yes, there are contracts, but these are usually ongoing relationships where you work together for the longterm. So they may not be there this year, but may promise more for next year.
Your video makes me so happy, because it clears up something I misunderstood! 😂 We surprised my daughter with a trip to VidCon, and were hoping to see her favorite creator. I’d been picking up from their comments on livestreams that attending might be a financial strain, and the person wasn’t sure if they would go. This person is a young adult, and creates really solid content, and I’d already been thinking “VidCon should cover the costs of attending for more creators!” I donated a little extra in Super Chat and crossed my fingers. Luckily, the person was there! We met them, and it was great! We even met some friends of theirs while standing in line for another activity. Then one friend asked the other “Are they here right now?” The friend replied “No, still at the Hyatt. You know, free food.” I immediately, and INCORRECTLY, thought “That is terrible, that the person has to stay at some cheap off site hotel, and fill up on the continental breakfast!” 🤪 Although I was confused, it sparked a good conversation in line about the need for VidCon to defray the costs for quality creators. 👍 Hope to see you on the “Featured Creators” list next year, Amanda! 😁
I went to VidCON / TanaCONin 2018 & I would never pay as much as I did in 2018 for this joke of a convention. They should have a only creator meeting on the first day to debrief those working on panels. Great video Amanda!
I went as a fan I had an amazing time but I think that’s because I was comparing it to twitchcon San Diego which I went to last year 😬 though I will say one issue was them adding creators to panels they didn’t agree to which sucks. Also the fact someone was able to jump on stage during a panel and vidcon security did nothing so dreams security had to come out from backstage kinda crazy ????
As Amanda was talking about things for creators to do, all I could think of was how at school every spring we'd have Field Day, where everyone would compete for ribbons and such. Seems like a similar vibe.
Yeah, I was one of the tiktok/IG reels creators that had no one at my meetup. I met plenty of viewers during the festival, but 0 during my meet up except for my three security staff who happened to also be viewers. This year was a mess-also good meeting you in the line for the tiktok party babe! ❤
okay good to hear. this was my first vidcon and i went in as a creator, and it felt immensely disappointing. if even someone with an industry pass felt similarly, makes me glad my expectations were reasonable. tbf i met 3 super huge creators and one midsized one, so it wasn't a complete loss. but i felt it wasn't worth it at all. very baffling that Vidcon is supposed to be the biggest online influencer/creator event of the year bringing in the top tier from YT, instagram, tiktok etc. yet it seems like pretty much no one online mentioned anything about it. i think Amanda is by far the largest creator that had anything to say about it, followed by a half dozen channels with only a couple thousand subscribers at best. furthermore hardly anyone showed up, and the Arena area was downright DEPRESSING. definitely shades of the infamous dashcon ball pit in conclusion: definitely more like MIDcon
it's wiiiild to see how much things have changed. as someone in their 30s who grew up alongside their favorite creators back in the day, i'd love to see a con geared towards the 'old days'/legacy creators that could be more chill and adult. i got to see hank green at vidcon london 2020 (right before covid and when he blew up on tiktok) where he did a pub quiz in a panel room of about ~40 people and was SO MUCH FUN! he banted with us and it was relaxing and felt like the old school days. people like dan & phil (who still have an avid fanbase who rush to see them✋), or charlieissocoollike now that she's back, GMM, maybe get the britcrew out of con retirement. anyway! fingers crossed something changes and great video
I'm 26 and I totally agree, there is still an audience for these creators. Something in London could go down really well. I attended an impromptu fan meet with hbomb and philosophy tube a few years ago in London, there were maybe 40 of us and we all went to a pub with lots of outside seating and it was very relaxed
Also in my 30’s and agreeing. Would be nice to have a more mature event. Even panels at vidcon for aspiring content creators would benefit from having older creators over the newer ones. (No offence to them, but they’ve really only just started their journey). I’ve listened to a lot of older creators talk about this stuff and they give genuine advice, they understand the social media game better then anyone. Some of them have given these kinds of talks to companies and industry professionals behind the scenes. They’ve been working in the industry for over a decade and you can tell they’re knowledgeable and passionate about this stuff. They’re the ones people should be listening to if they want a long term career.
Oh, I’d love that! Vid con has never appealed to me, I don’t love crowds and I don’t follow a lot of the big up and coming creators but I’d probably really enjoy having an event where these long established, legacy and even “retired” creators came out and the audience was maybe 25+. Not that younger people can’t be interested in those creators too but I feel like people born post 2000 just by default of the era have a very different relationship to social media, creators, and expectations of events like this now vs us who are older. I think it’d give a different vibe, I feel like it’d be catching up with an old friend. I’d love to see GMM and mythical kitchen, Matthew Santoro, Simon Whistler, etc do an event like that.
It’s a nice idea. But anything like this would have to be funded by said older creators themselves. No money in it for corps, who if they had their way would now be rebranding every event mindlessly with the initials AI (like they all tried to start their own TikTok content houses in 2020-21).
I think your choice to visit and review the Chesapeake Bay Blueberry Almond Tart Festival was a little niche, but overall an interesting choice of content
It’s so interesting to hear about how Vidcon has developed as someone who went to the second and third events they had and then never went back. I had a great time but I was also 15/16. It was also when creators mingled more and it was more about making friends/seeing performances than anything else. It makes sense that this is no longer the case due to safety but it’s sad to hear that there is no incentive to go as a creator anymore which means there is no point in going as a fan. The landscape was so different as well between the second year of Vidcon (in downtown LA, mostly people who knew the VlogBrothers or other bigger creators) vs the third year (first year at Anaheim and honestly not as fun because there was more separation) those early 2010s UA-cam days are long gone and I always wonder if anyone will ever make a video about it.
Sounds similar to PAX to me--I went to the first few and there were growing pains but it was still a really enjoyable event for me and my friends despite the inevitable con flu (and the one year the con flu was swine flu). The bigger it got the less I enjoyed it though. So many lines, so much noise, so much repetitive chaff, fewer hands-on demonstrations, fewer real conversations. I wish I could hear a Swell take on the Freezepop/Jonathan Coulton concert (can't remember what PAX it was) that was held on one of the upper floors of the convention center where it was VERY apparent that the floor was flexing up and down as the crowd jumped with the music. There was no damage afaik and nothing was done about it and who knows, it was probably fine--earthquake zone buildings are engineered to flex and move blah blah blah--but as an attendee with anxiety let's just say the lights were not the only things flashing before my eyes. 😅
i was also there at the third one!! it was great!! I went to four of them, but the final one i went to (2016) was the one where we finally went "this is not what I want out of vidcon anymore" and quit going. And i'm glad I quit going at around that time, cause the next year was the logan paul mob, yikes.
I work in the industry and handle coordinating my company’s presence at trade shows\events. Unfortunately, businesses just aren’t exhibiting anymore to save costs and they found that nothing changed by them not attending over the pandemic. I don’t think these events will ever be what they once were and will always seem smaller/less impressive.
This was fascinating to hear about. It’s been many years since I went to vidcon but I was lucky enough to be a featured creator a few times from 2016-2018 (I only had 14k subscribers the first time I was invited to be on a panel!) I always felt like the divide between creator pass and yellow badge was there back then too and I got the most out of the event when I had that precious yellow badge. Sad to see that’s gotten worse, as back then it did at least feel like they were putting effort in to make sure people who bought the Creator pass had opportunities to network with other creators. Appreciate you sharing your thoughts!
UA-cam in general has become for kids..... all the censorship on UA-cam is one of the most frustrating aspects as an adult who watches content on here, so I'm not surprised that the events are geared that way also.
That's something I really love about your content. It's interesting for regular viewers but it removes the veil for other content creators so they have some kind of road map on how to navigate this industry and not be taken advantage of.
yea i guess since they didnt destroy anyones bones or body better than twitch con huh, I know this is a dash con jokes but the amount of terrible con pits is getting realllly high.
Thank you for making this video! I felt the same way about the expo area. There needed to be more for others to do. We stood in line for hours to do the squishmallow pit. This is hard on your body. We did a few meet and greets and there were multiple influencers that did not have anyone show. My niece felt horrible and asked if she could meet and take pictures with the influencer.
I just watched Emily D Baker’s members only video about vidcon and apparently she didn’t know the first day was JUST registration either! And she was taken there by UA-cam, had a yellow badge, and had a panel!! She also said she had no idea the Snapchat lounge was there until day 4. I have to wonder if your dad would have had more fun if he had gone when it was open, but I totally get why he got annoyed and didn’t go back. They gotta tell people that, obviously! Edit: I forgot to mention she said the instagram party was a mess, they only have 3 bartenders and the lines were horrendous.
you would be so good at some managerial/leadership position too, on top of being a talent! only because you really seem to have a good grasp and well balanced view of like... everything lol! more than the normal influencer/talent. I love your content so much swell. i'm so happy i found your channel earlier last year!!!!
in the early days of vidcon i feel like the whole point was so fans could see the creators they like live and in person (whether that be a panel, or performance, or meet and greet) and creators got to see their fans and meet each other. Its disheartening to hear that its basically just become a business meeting for the creators. Hearing that creators were dreading go to the expo hall to do the live aspects of vidcon (per ludwigs video on his experience) feels like such a waste of time for everyone involved.
This was my first vidcon - and I was excited to do a video on it; but I can't help but agree with you! I am stunned to hear the event stage used to be by the food trucks and they moved it to BFE where people wouldn't notice it, the crowd wouldn't come back after making a bathroom break or walking all the way out to the food trucks just to get a refreshment or snack. I felt so bad for performers when they're on stage and virtually no one's in the audience. I did stand in line for the youtube store and at least they give you a ton of free stuff to make the wait worth it! I heard the Squishmellow line was approx 3 hours, so people who did stand in it spent half their day waiting to dive in and grab a giant plushie. I did wish there was more for an adult to do there. Thankfully I went with my husband because I didn't know any other creators who'd be there to meet up with. I hope your feedback reaches Vidcon ears and they make some positive upgrades :)
Having nothing to do at a convention sucks! I go to an anime convention, Kumoricon, almost every year and one thing I super appreciate is their gaming hall! They’ve got a large room just full of tables and chairs with board games to rent out with your badge, as well as another room with video games and consoles. It’s usually open super late and it’s such a welcome relief from the craziness of the rest of the con! There’s no music playing, plenty of places to sit, and is open until midnight usually, so it’s just the perfect place to go after being overstimulated the entire day
hi amanda! hearing you talking about being a mid sized creator i subscribed because i really enjoy the few videos i’ve watched so far and i’d like to see your account grow. i am a small creator, as in like, SMALL. but my heart is in it for the long run. i appreciate hearing you talk about how important the networking side of things is because it gives me hope. i am much more prominent in networking spaces in a relatively big and growing city and so if i dont want to get discouraged i have to remind myself knowing how to network and do business is an important skill i should be proud i’ve practiced. until then, may both of us grow!
Phew, I've only had one vidcon experience to date, but this SO echoed a lot of my thoughts. I was speaking last year so I got into the Hyatt, but that was partly why I didn't go this year--not sure it'd be worth it attending as a full time creator who didn't have that type of access. In hindsight, seeing who was there, I had a lot more connections there than I thought this year.. but would not sure if the risk would be worth flying out there, paying accommodations if I was just there with a creator badge, or even Industry.
As someone who's worked guest staff at conventions, I can understand the benefits of having access to "the tunnels," as well as access to handlers and con security. On the other hand, I can see why they wouldn't want to comp too much for too many. I think they should probably have something along the lines of a "TRUE VIP badge," one where yet, you have to pay, AND yes, you have to be reasonably "UA-cam famous" (100K subs? More?), but will get tunnel access and some added ability to contact con staff and security to help you out. This would provide you with the tools that you would need to feel comfortable attending for your own reasons, without them obligating to give free access out to everyone with an audience.
Amanda, you need to become an event planning consultant specializing in influencer events. Idk if that's even a job, but I think you would be amazing at it!
The loudness thing is universal. I was at a cultural festival where they had dancers. When no one paid attention to the dancers as we were eating or going from booth to booth, etc., the organizers turned the music up. And turned the music up. And turned the music up again. We could not even think. But we still ignored the dancers.
I wonder if any of the issues are related to the fact that Hank Green had to step down from a lot of stuff. But I have no clue how involved he still is after vidcon was sold
16:44 If I have to guess, the game zone was probably nixed after what happened at TwitchCon last year. They probably didn’t want to take on that liability.
You should go to a reptile expo if one goes on near where you live. You don’t even need to do a video about it, they’re just super fun to go to and see cool species of reptiles! I think you’d enjoy it
You talking about going to the lounges for breakfast reminds me of when I worked in ad agencies and Facebook/Instagram/Twitter would show up in the morning with breakfast & I would act interested when in reality all I do is work on websites lmao.
Amanda is becoming an urban myth at large events. I think I even saw her at my family reunion
“Trying your family reunion so you don’t have to!”
"I don't know what Uncle Tim was trying to do, but the grill just wasn't working out for such a small space."
While I did enjoy the entertainment from the cousins, I feel like the arguments about politics and grandmas will detracted from the event
These replies have me hollering
She was cheering in the corner of the room during my colonoscopy too
"I didnt go in 2018, because I was at Tanacon" Iconic
This sounds dumb, but would Tana be doing a manaical laugh now since she had beef with Vidcon and now the event seems to be dropping in quality???
(I know about Tanacon and that was awful.....please don't hate me)
i'm upset this wasn't called "Vidcon or Midcon" 😂 great video as always!
There’s still time for her to change the title
@@BrogieSmells YES! Do it Swell!
bumping because this is such a funny title
But it's not even mid. It's horrible. It's awful. Mid doesn't mean Bad, it just means average/mediocre/OK. and the event doesn't even live up to that "high" of a standard. To call it Mid would be giving it way too much credit
Way better title this is perfect
90% of my time was spent at the Hyatt. So much time was spent there, and so much free food consumed, that one creator I went to a dinner with completely forgot to pay without realizing until the next morning lmao
Hey, your channel is excellent! Hope you enjoyed the food.
There is SO much free food at the Hyatt lol
That's hilarious
There is Vidcon, and then there is Vidcon at Hyatt...
@@GabeKanae **GASP*** PEOPLE ARE STARVING!
not to mention that there were apparently not enough disability and caretaker badges, and security literally told disabled people to their face that they wouldn’t create an ada line for them…
Jfc, what is up with these huge events and completely disregarding disabled people? It’s absolutely fucking ridiculous.
@@froggy5748 lol because it's easy to do when staff and leadership don't know disabled people personally. It's easy to say "we don't want to accommodate you" when youre not thinking about a disabled family member and how theyd feel in that case. Its wrong, and it's awful. But sadly I think a lot of people have that "if it doesn't affect me or people I know, it's not important" mindset
@@jennatavares4695it's disturbing how many people lack basic empathy. The type of person you describe is disgusting. "It doesn't affect ME/anyone I care about, so it doesn't matter". Like ffs any human being with half a brain and a pea sized amount of empathy should be able to understand why accommodating people with disabilities is important, and why NOT accommodating them is disgusting and fked up. Humans never cease to amaze me with just how incredibly disappointing and awful they can be. I always want to see the best in people but they consistently prove me wrong every single day.
I’m not too familiar with ADA guidelines, but like is that illegal? I would see that as discrimination and disabilities are a protected class as far as I know.
I didn't know what ada was and thought “an ada” was supposed to be “another”
this clears up so many things and YES
first time at vidcon for me. I saw absolutely no reason to stay at the convention.
Hey man! Nice to see you here :)
Oh hey, it's Mista GG!
Oh shit! It’s the mista double g!!
MISTA GG
Also there was an issue with a fan getting on stage during a panel (literally climbed over the barrier and got up on stage without being stopped) and no VidCon staff or security did anything (luckily Dream had personal security who took them away but nobody from VidCon which is concerning). This could be a big issue for large creators as while the Hyatt had lots of security, VidCon seemed a bit lacking in some places.
I was going to bring this up too!
@@peyytunia Yeah, I wasn't sure if I should at first but I think it's important for large creators to feel safe at these events.
Lucky Dream had personal security and nothing too bad happened, but there was potential for it to be so much worse which is scary for people on those panels.
I follow one of the people on that panel who talked about it on stream and said it was scary as you have no idea what that person is going to do when they're coming up and they were shocked by the lack of security as they assumed that there was security on the barriers.
Woah wtf?!
It is insane that a creator that big had to have personal security at an event that should revolve around keeping people like him safe. Like I don't even like dream but his fanbase is MASSIVE, everyone knows this, so why are they not planning around the fact that someone *that big* is going to be there?
Dream's also got this dedicated group of obsessive haters that showed up and tried to be disruptive for social media clout (I'm sure most other mega creators have the same problem), a con like that trying to attract people with these huge followings should be providing a security detail for their biggest draws.
I really want Amanda to become like THE GOAT of event planning in the future. I want her to just start making videos like "So I planned this event" and talking about everything she did to make it a good experience.
Yes! She would be so good at it
I completely agree with VidCon really not being as worth it to attend this year. I did also want to share this particular experience as well that definitely solidified me not going to the convention next year… I listened to the “Awareness, Inclusivity, and Accessibility” panel on Thursday that predominantly featured disability creators across digital media (UA-cam, Tik Tok, etc). At the last minute before the panel was supposed to start, because it was on one of the smaller stages on the expo hall floor, some of the people helping set up the stage brought the panel tables down from the stage platform to the ground level where the attendee chairs were because 2 of the panelists were wheelchair users and there wasn’t a ramp. I felt so bad for them because they not only pointed out the irony of the stage itself not being accessible for the “accessibility” panel, but it was also hard to even hear and see them and see live interpreters and captions (for those who needed them) unless you moved up to the front, especially with a louder panel happening right beside this one, which is what I ended up doing. The creators did a great job on the panel and it was worth attending to support it, but it was definitely frustrating, as a disabled person myself, to see VidCon not take the accessibility of their featured creators here into account. But yeah, all of this to say, all creators apart of VidCon deserve to have a good time and feel accommodated for and appreciated for what they share through their online presence ✨
The irony is just insane and this is honestly unnacceptable
My goodness, I can't believe the organizers couldn't see the direct irony of this. I'm just... actions really do speak louder than words.
They apparently were horrible at accommodating disabled people this year in general. I've now heard about even security being rude to people for requesting accessible lines and things like that.
I was set to be a part of one panel but asked to leave when I could not “transfer from my chair” to take the stage (not my main account). When I asked to speak with someone over the event, I was asked by security to leave immediately for “causing disruption”.
I can tell you as someone who worked as an accessibility consultant for them and who used to be on disability panels for them that Google/UA-cam/VidCon do not care very much for disabled creators and accessibility in general. We had the same issues back in 2015/16/17.
I hear what you’re saying, it was my first Vidcon, and without a Hyatt wristband, I don’t think it would have been worth it. That being said, I managed to finesse a yellow badge and get into the industry parties so yay to networking?😅 It was great to meet and hang out with you too.
So you can steal badges but not finish a learning to use guache for 30 days can you?
@@danielorlovaquinn???? Jesus, man. It’s so not that serious.
Honestly, with the panel situation, it sounds like Vidcon could learn a lot from anime/nerd cons with how they often utilize space. There's lots of shows that really have that down to a science for sure, more than even a lot of established corporate events seem to have.
Yeah. There are a lot of cons that should find a good anime/media con and crib notes. For example, event stages need air gaps to avoid over-saturating the area with conflicting sound. Curtains don’t cut it, air walls don’t cut it either; the only things that work are solid walls and space.
Event planning of this type and scale is a very specific, highly specialized skill and a lot of shows learn that long after it’s too late to fix their issues.
Wearing earplugs to events has saved my hearing and helped with overstimulation, no one judges you either! Pretty great little change that made it easier to go out to loud parties and concerts.
Oh yeah no, those are a life saver. I keep my hearing protection on my Keychain whenever I go to any public event.
Yes! I use loop earplugs for overstimulation but it's nice to aldo not have my ears ringing the next day
Yes! Earplugs kings and queens!
The expo hall is getting closer and closer to the dashcon ball pit hall
Did you hear about the Shark at the Dream panel? A fan fully jumped the fence and got onstage and the security who pulled them off the stage was Dream's private security and not VidCon security!!
I honestly can’t tell if this is better or worse than the person who asked dream “do you like my shirt” while wearing a shirt that had a drawing of dream getting fucked on it
I hope someone got video of that.
@@Art7220they did. they were full on carried of stage with their legs flailing like a little kid. (they were a adult i am pretty sure)
Yikes. That's a very serious safety issue. VidCon should really be held accountable for that.
Was the most entertaining part of the panel tbh, as someone who was there
36:50 I think it’s just wild that that question needs to be asked of an event that started as a creator-lead event. Like, Hank and John Green created this even as creators, for creators and fans. It’s wild how much it’s changed that it’s a genuine question of whether there’s creators involved in the planning process at all.
Showed up in my wheelchair with my caregiver in tow (Not my main account, I work with Lost Media & Part time with Disney Archivisits), and was treated abhorrently. My caregiver did not have a visible pass at times due to pushing me/movement & mine was very visible. We got yelled at for asking questions because I was supposed to be on a panel, yet I showed up & had been replaced last minute because of “cohesion”. We had full access thanks to my management team & thankful for that at least since no one there had ANY clue who I was. I don’t know if we will be doing it again after this years due to similar situations you named but many more that include discriminatory treatment as a movement impaired,
Transwoman.
You should see if you have grounds to sue under ADA if you can. You deserve better and you deserve to be heard. I know that lawsuits are generally frivolous for most people and generally not possible but if you have the time and resources you should try if for nothing more than to get more people talking about how this is unacceptable
I am so sorry you experienced that 😔
@@Grace-er9ep Honestly, I wonder if there is grounds for a class action lawsuit since so many people that would fall under ADA were directly told (and hopefully documented) being told that they would not be accommodated for. Could argue that the experience paid for was far inferior to other guest due to the venue and organizing company not meeting ADA guidelines.
That's so awful! I'm sorry that happened.
@@Grace-er9ep Im trying to find an attorney to speak with regarding this, & if any other creators experienced similar or have a story to share, Id love to hear it. I'm sure something can be done so this doesnt happen again at the VERY least. We had to end up calling it early & eat the funds spent out of pocket/cannot recoup the loss.
I was at the normal convention center for maybe 2 Hours the entire event. The Hyatt was the only fun thing I got to experience
Instead of vidcon I prefer watching Amanda go to more obscure and weird conventions and events. I'm really here for the Swamp Gala and Transformers Convention content
14:21 as an event planner they should have used quiet event headsets where you cycle through the colors based on the stage color. That’s what we use when we have multiple stages in one hall.
i’ve never been but from what i’ve heard it went massively downhill after hank and john sold it. it definitely was better when it was run by actual creators.
Still watching the video but I'd recommend investing in some ear plugs. They make some that knock like 10+ decibels off. Might be pricey but I'd say it's worth it. I say this as a musician, ear plugs have definitely kept my hearing from getting worse than it already is.
Personally I use loop, they’re like 20-30 dollars max.
If she pivoted to event planning, the attendance that would shoot up from "A Swell Entertainment Event" from both the industry and the consumer end would be massive. I'd go to an event I knew was sponsored or planned by Swell. It would be a stamp for events to have, that "Swell Approval." She is a mid-size creator, but like she said this is what she does. Industry knows her. She's half way there already. The first "So I Planned XXX" video would be huge. I guess next step for Swell would be having her on panels and as a guest creator at more of these events if that's the direction she wants to go in.
24:00 at most convention halls, you are not allowed to bring in outside AV equipment. Due to union rules and contracts, you HAVE to use the AV gear & staff provided by the venue. So if the conference center runs out of microphones (or people to set them up), you are SOL.
thats wild. its microphones. i get that its tricky to set up equipment like that but its not that difficult
I was wondering! Used to work in AV in Ireland and at big events we always had loads of mics and extras held back just in case too! The client would be consulted with in the early stages to make sure the redundancies were covered.
I work in theatre, and usually if the venue is going to provide equipment you send them a list in advance to make sure they have everything you need. So if vidcon provided that list and the convention hall didn't have all the mics, they would have rented some. We do that all of the time. So I'm guessing vidcon suddenly needed more mics than they had asked for.
Your new management is making smart decisions by supporting your ventures. Good job, management. Keep pushing her forward-she deserves it!
thank you for always mention the kids outside waiting for a ride home. been there.
I remember going to VidCon back when the Green brothers were still at the head of it and it's really sad to see where it's gone. There were Industry badges that had specific tracks to Industry including after hall events etc that is 100% meant for networking, but it was still an industry convention for the fans of UA-camrs. Very similar to how Anime Expo is. This meant that I can sit in on panels that I would say is essentially an industry panel but geared towards the audience--giving a people a peek behind the curtain and also some really good words of advice for those who are thinking of starting a channel.
There were concerts and meet & greets that were really well organized. I think this was the first or second year it was in Anaheim. There was a really nice sense of community and it really felt more akin to like a nerd convention (Anime Expo, Long Beach Comic Con, etc), so it was a really fun time even if you weren't an industry creator. It really feels like after the Green brothers left the convention, the people who took over really did not understand what they had inherited and the entire purpose of Vidcon just disappeared to turn into... whatever this is.
I love that you come at all of this from such a practical perspective. It can be overwhelming and flattering to be told your special. That can also lead to offering more of yourself than you're being compensated for. Advocating for yourself as a creator (and as a person) is incredibly important. it took me a very long time to get better at it in my personal life. I'm also glad you talked about the safety aspect of being on the floor as someone who's widely known. I don't think anyone talks about that enough.
You describing the panels sent me into ❔❔❔ as a person who goes to anime conventions because
Every con I’ve ever been to - panels are in separate rooms? There’s halls full of rooms where each panel is and there’s a schedule with the room number/name.
I’m just going to assume that it’s because they have less panels than anime conventions.
I’ve never been to vidcon but I’m 90% sure the panels used to be in separate rooms, idk when or why they changed it
this is usually the standard set up for conventions that do panels. this video really showed how out of touch with convention planning vidcons team is currently. panels should be in separate rooms, there needs to be an artists alley/expo room/etc. with enough booths to keep people occupied, the food trucks needed to be closer. you get the picture
I used to go to like leadership conventions in high school and it’s wild to me they just shoved all the presenters in the same room at speaking at the same time with only curtains??? Our convention wasn’t huge, but it was hosted at a hotel designed for conventions and there’d be the main gathering space but then the panels were held in different conference type rooms or properly sectioned off (floor to ceiling room divider panels) areas of the main hall.
This to me doesn’t speak to the size of the conference but rather poor planning, a lack of understanding of how these events work, or the organizers cheaping out. Like did they only rent out that main room and didn’t want to spend extra to get the separate conference rooms for “private” panels? Did they truly think that having more than 1 panels running in the same space wouldn’t cause noise issues? I’m assuming this was held at a proper convention centre that’s used to hosting events like this, or at the very least the hotel she mentioned is set up to host conventions, it screams to me that they don’t have their event prioritizes straight and cared more about getting tickets bought than the actual experience of being there.
This was the first time I got into the Hyatt, thanks to a friend I made last year, and it was so bizarre being there talking to people with millions (sometimes tens of millions) of followers compared to my pidly 40k (give or take, depending on platform). For the most part they were all pretty nice, and the best conversations I had were either right after a panel (with smaller featured creators who didn't have young fanbases that were prone to mobbing) and a bunch with people I had never seen/heard before at the Hyatt bar. Definitely if I had not gotten into the hyatt, I would have had a much more negative experience this year. Last year was the first time I returned to vidcon since I moved, kids, then dealt with covid after 2016, so I was expecting it to have changed a lot, and while they're a little better about having more stuff for the mid-size creators to do (well, the old definition of "midsize"...apparently now even 300k or so is "midsize" so I'm basically nonexistent, despite havihng made videos since the first year of youtube's existence (: ) but now it seems like they're going back to the fans/super famous influencers model, where those of us who are there to meet other creators around our level are shafted. There weren't even any "Creator meetups" this year, there were a couple last year and while disorganized, it was still nice to have at least some opportunity to be in the same room as other creators and know we were all ACTIVELY looking for people to collaborate with. Was there even a creator lounge this year? I don't think so, and the expo hall was bigger and a little less boring than last year, but at the same time I was irritated that so many of the "creator" panels were on the expo hall level so community pass people could go to them also...it kinda seemed like there was no point in a creator pass?
I was hoping I'd get a chance to see you, but of course you were busy running around, and so was I. :) I'll still be going to the next vidcon (finances allowing) but it's more just to "be around other people who like watching if not making online videos" rather than anything that vidcon staff themselves are responsible for. I don't know if I'll be able to get into the hyatt again, it was a miracle this time and I imagine they'll be even MORE tight about passes next year, but I'm hoping at least some of the people I had interesting conversations with will be there next year, will hopefully remember me, and hopefully have good memories of those conversations so I can get to know them better. Thanks for your honest and informative breakdown of how your 2023 vidcon was!
Edit: something I wanted to add about the expo hall is that I don't understand why Vidcon doesn't have something akin to an "artist hall" where people who aren't famous/large enough for a whole exhibit in the main room can rent space at a little table to show their content, talk to people, etc. it's always been my favorite part of anime and comic conventions, and it'd be such a great way for smaller creators to meet and advertise to people in a more communicative way. Maybe they could have a few small "sets" to the side and let people sign up to film interviews right there at the side of the hall? Honestly just something like that would be amazing...I've never run a convention before, but it seems like it would be a huge benefit, and there was plenty of empty space in the hallways already, it seems like they could have more or less easily sectioned off part of it to set something like that up?
Edit-edit: OMFG I HAD NO IDEA THERE EVEN -WAS- A FESTIVAL STAGE THIS YEAR, W IN THE F???
Everything you said around 26:00 and 35:00 hit especially hard. I agree, Vidcon has long not addressed the huge gap between "fan" and "super famous creator," and while the invention of the "creator" pass helped, if there's nothing for creators who aren't all-access to DO, then what's the point of the pass? it's like there's a three lane highway, and the creator pass is in the middle, but the lane just keeps funneling you towards the "community" lane, and only those who already have special access get to go to the right. Hopefully that analogy makes sense...
I really hope Vidcon doesn't stop happening, I tried Playlist Live once and really disliked it (also, Florida, ew) but I agree Vidcon is having an "identity crisis." I've long wished for an 21+ version of vidcon (just to make it more industry/networking than "screaming teenagers just there hoping to see their famous creators") but if nothing else, just more not-a-super-fan-but-not-a-super-famous-creator events/spaces to go would be so much more valuable than the way they treat us now.
this is all so interesting and new to me, i’ll be attending this year as a creator and im very curious to see how my experience goes
Not to be one of those people but i would suggest getting a pair of loop ear plugs for these kinds of events. There are also musicians ear plugs that are great for reducing volume whilst still hearing everything clearly, but loops are definitely the most comfortable and nice looking option I've tried. they also have a bit of a "what's not a cult but feels like a cult" feel, so there's that
Edit: just saw Amanda's most recent video and she does in fact have a pair of loops 😆 One of us! One of us!
I second the loops! I used to live in a pretty urban area and had difficulty falling asleep because of all the cars, yelling, etc. They really helped me. Now I keep them on my keys because they're great for loud music/noises, especially as someone with sensory issues 😁
Absolutely!! And I totally agree they fall into "what's not a cult but feels like one" category 😂
“That’s it, that’s my Vidcon.”
She said the thing!
36:20
Honestly, as an event planner who works with speakers and the sponsors, im not surprised accomodations werent covered or that big name sponsors werent there. Yes, there are contracts, but these are usually ongoing relationships where you work together for the longterm. So they may not be there this year, but may promise more for next year.
Your video makes me so happy, because it clears up something I misunderstood! 😂
We surprised my daughter with a trip to VidCon, and were hoping to see her favorite creator. I’d been picking up from their comments on livestreams that attending might be a financial strain, and the person wasn’t sure if they would go.
This person is a young adult, and creates really solid content, and I’d already been thinking “VidCon should cover the costs of attending for more creators!” I donated a little extra in Super Chat and crossed my fingers.
Luckily, the person was there! We met them, and it was great! We even met some friends of theirs while standing in line for another activity. Then one friend asked the other “Are they here right now?” The friend replied “No, still at the Hyatt. You know, free food.”
I immediately, and INCORRECTLY, thought “That is terrible, that the person has to stay at some cheap off site hotel, and fill up on the continental breakfast!” 🤪
Although I was confused, it sparked a good conversation in line about the need for VidCon to defray the costs for quality creators. 👍
Hope to see you on the “Featured Creators” list next year, Amanda! 😁
Thanks for getting all the wristbands so we don't have to Swell! 🤩
I went to VidCON / TanaCONin 2018 & I would never pay as much as I did in 2018 for this joke of a convention. They should have a only creator meeting on the first day to debrief those working on panels. Great video Amanda!
SwellCon 2030. Make it happen.
I went as a fan I had an amazing time but I think that’s because I was comparing it to twitchcon San Diego which I went to last year 😬 though I will say one issue was them adding creators to panels they didn’t agree to which sucks. Also the fact someone was able to jump on stage during a panel and vidcon security did nothing so dreams security had to come out from backstage kinda crazy ????
I genuinely don’t understand how their security is so fucking incompetent that creators had to bring their own personal guards. That’s insane.
i was reading this and was like wait… ik this person
We appreciate your insights. Keep working hard.
As Amanda was talking about things for creators to do, all I could think of was how at school every spring we'd have Field Day, where everyone would compete for ribbons and such. Seems like a similar vibe.
honestly i barely even knew vidcon was happening, i feel like no one on social media was posting about it
Yeah, I was one of the tiktok/IG reels creators that had no one at my meetup. I met plenty of viewers during the festival, but 0 during my meet up except for my three security staff who happened to also be viewers. This year was a mess-also good meeting you in the line for the tiktok party babe! ❤
Omg Nimay I love your work!!!
@@juliamontejo1520 Thanks bb!! ❤️
Swell always looking fabulous, even in pajamas.
okay good to hear. this was my first vidcon and i went in as a creator, and it felt immensely disappointing. if even someone with an industry pass felt similarly, makes me glad my expectations were reasonable.
tbf i met 3 super huge creators and one midsized one, so it wasn't a complete loss. but i felt it wasn't worth it at all. very baffling that Vidcon is supposed to be the biggest online influencer/creator event of the year bringing in the top tier from YT, instagram, tiktok etc. yet it seems like pretty much no one online mentioned anything about it. i think Amanda is by far the largest creator that had anything to say about it, followed by a half dozen channels with only a couple thousand subscribers at best. furthermore hardly anyone showed up, and the Arena area was downright DEPRESSING. definitely shades of the infamous dashcon ball pit
in conclusion: definitely more like MIDcon
Hey it was really cool meeting you at the UA-cam lounge this year! Keep up the great content! ❤
it's wiiiild to see how much things have changed. as someone in their 30s who grew up alongside their favorite creators back in the day, i'd love to see a con geared towards the 'old days'/legacy creators that could be more chill and adult. i got to see hank green at vidcon london 2020 (right before covid and when he blew up on tiktok) where he did a pub quiz in a panel room of about ~40 people and was SO MUCH FUN! he banted with us and it was relaxing and felt like the old school days. people like dan & phil (who still have an avid fanbase who rush to see them✋), or charlieissocoollike now that she's back, GMM, maybe get the britcrew out of con retirement. anyway! fingers crossed something changes and great video
I'm 26 and I totally agree, there is still an audience for these creators. Something in London could go down really well. I attended an impromptu fan meet with hbomb and philosophy tube a few years ago in London, there were maybe 40 of us and we all went to a pub with lots of outside seating and it was very relaxed
Also in my 30’s and agreeing. Would be nice to have a more mature event.
Even panels at vidcon for aspiring content creators would benefit from having older creators over the newer ones. (No offence to them, but they’ve really only just started their journey). I’ve listened to a lot of older creators talk about this stuff and they give genuine advice, they understand the social media game better then anyone. Some of them have given these kinds of talks to companies and industry professionals behind the scenes. They’ve been working in the industry for over a decade and you can tell they’re knowledgeable and passionate about this stuff. They’re the ones people should be listening to if they want a long term career.
Oh, I’d love that! Vid con has never appealed to me, I don’t love crowds and I don’t follow a lot of the big up and coming creators but I’d probably really enjoy having an event where these long established, legacy and even “retired” creators came out and the audience was maybe 25+. Not that younger people can’t be interested in those creators too but I feel like people born post 2000 just by default of the era have a very different relationship to social media, creators, and expectations of events like this now vs us who are older. I think it’d give a different vibe, I feel like it’d be catching up with an old friend.
I’d love to see GMM and mythical kitchen, Matthew Santoro, Simon Whistler, etc do an event like that.
It’s a nice idea. But anything like this would have to be funded by said older creators themselves. No money in it for corps, who if they had their way would now be rebranding every event mindlessly with the initials AI (like they all tried to start their own TikTok content houses in 2020-21).
I think your choice to visit and review the Chesapeake Bay Blueberry Almond Tart Festival was a little niche, but overall an interesting choice of content
If this is a joke she should. I imagine Amanda reviewing tarts (pies) would be fun
We have a blueberry and almond tart festival in the Chesapeake Bay Area?
It’s so interesting to hear about how Vidcon has developed as someone who went to the second and third events they had and then never went back. I had a great time but I was also 15/16. It was also when creators mingled more and it was more about making friends/seeing performances than anything else. It makes sense that this is no longer the case due to safety but it’s sad to hear that there is no incentive to go as a creator anymore which means there is no point in going as a fan. The landscape was so different as well between the second year of Vidcon (in downtown LA, mostly people who knew the VlogBrothers or other bigger creators) vs the third year (first year at Anaheim and honestly not as fun because there was more separation) those early 2010s UA-cam days are long gone and I always wonder if anyone will ever make a video about it.
Sounds similar to PAX to me--I went to the first few and there were growing pains but it was still a really enjoyable event for me and my friends despite the inevitable con flu (and the one year the con flu was swine flu). The bigger it got the less I enjoyed it though. So many lines, so much noise, so much repetitive chaff, fewer hands-on demonstrations, fewer real conversations. I wish I could hear a Swell take on the Freezepop/Jonathan Coulton concert (can't remember what PAX it was) that was held on one of the upper floors of the convention center where it was VERY apparent that the floor was flexing up and down as the crowd jumped with the music. There was no damage afaik and nothing was done about it and who knows, it was probably fine--earthquake zone buildings are engineered to flex and move blah blah blah--but as an attendee with anxiety let's just say the lights were not the only things flashing before my eyes. 😅
i was also there at the third one!! it was great!! I went to four of them, but the final one i went to (2016) was the one where we finally went "this is not what I want out of vidcon anymore" and quit going. And i'm glad I quit going at around that time, cause the next year was the logan paul mob, yikes.
I moved out of Anaheim two years ago and I am so happy not to be around all the people and traffic 💗 it’s basically a cement city owned by disney
This is such a thorough analysis/exposé of the event, it felt like I was actually there near the end of the video.
Just saw your subscription number, its super surreal because I 100% thought you would have had 1mil+ by now. Your content is so underrated !!
Sounds like Amanda would make a great event organizer coordinator 🤔 Is TanaCon still a thing? And if it is, they should give Amanda a call.
I think she'd scream and run away 😆
Hear me out "AmandaCon"
@@Fletchayabetcha
😳 YESS! We need to make this happen 👍
@@Fletchayabetcha"SwellCon"
i believe her dad is in the industry so she is familiar with the ins and outs and how it should typically work, definitely a fresh point of view!
not to be hurr durr back in my day but honestly events are starting to feel so cold and corporate these days
Swell throwing shade about the lack of shade 😎
I work in the industry and handle coordinating my company’s presence at trade shows\events. Unfortunately, businesses just aren’t exhibiting anymore to save costs and they found that nothing changed by them not attending over the pandemic. I don’t think these events will ever be what they once were and will always seem smaller/less impressive.
This was fascinating to hear about. It’s been many years since I went to vidcon but I was lucky enough to be a featured creator a few times from 2016-2018 (I only had 14k subscribers the first time I was invited to be on a panel!) I always felt like the divide between creator pass and yellow badge was there back then too and I got the most out of the event when I had that precious yellow badge. Sad to see that’s gotten worse, as back then it did at least feel like they were putting effort in to make sure people who bought the Creator pass had opportunities to network with other creators. Appreciate you sharing your thoughts!
UA-cam in general has become for kids..... all the censorship on UA-cam is one of the most frustrating aspects as an adult who watches content on here, so I'm not surprised that the events are geared that way also.
I think YOU would be a great creator consultant for vidcon, swell!
That's something I really love about your content. It's interesting for regular viewers but it removes the veil for other content creators so they have some kind of road map on how to navigate this industry and not be taken advantage of.
Nobody ever gives out free information like this without trying to sell you something. Goated.
If only they had a ball pit!
yea i guess since they didnt destroy anyones bones or body better than twitch con huh, I know this is a dash con jokes but the amount of terrible con pits is getting realllly high.
Didn’t a woman break her skull at some con, I bet insurance wouldn’t want any more ball pits
amanda i love your videos
I love this comment. I hope your tom kha was delicious.
Ooh now I want to make tom kha
Thank you for making this video! I felt the same way about the expo area. There needed to be more for others to do. We stood in line for hours to do the squishmallow pit. This is hard on your body.
We did a few meet and greets and there were multiple influencers that did not have anyone show. My niece felt horrible and asked if she could meet and take pictures with the influencer.
I just watched Emily D Baker’s members only video about vidcon and apparently she didn’t know the first day was JUST registration either! And she was taken there by UA-cam, had a yellow badge, and had a panel!!
She also said she had no idea the Snapchat lounge was there until day 4.
I have to wonder if your dad would have had more fun if he had gone when it was open, but I totally get why he got annoyed and didn’t go back. They gotta tell people that, obviously!
Edit: I forgot to mention she said the instagram party was a mess, they only have 3 bartenders and the lines were horrendous.
you would be so good at some managerial/leadership position too, on top of being a talent! only because you really seem to have a good grasp and well balanced view of like... everything lol! more than the normal influencer/talent. I love your content so much swell. i'm so happy i found your channel earlier last year!!!!
You should do consulting for events!
Once again, living vicariously through you, girl. Thanks so much for posting! 🎉
Why aren’t the creators being paid, though? Like… where is the money for the badges going‽
I am guessing the building that the con is in?
Massive convention space isn't free.
Why would they be?
in the early days of vidcon i feel like the whole point was so fans could see the creators they like live and in person (whether that be a panel, or performance, or meet and greet) and creators got to see their fans and meet each other. Its disheartening to hear that its basically just become a business meeting for the creators. Hearing that creators were dreading go to the expo hall to do the live aspects of vidcon (per ludwigs video on his experience) feels like such a waste of time for everyone involved.
Man I wonder who those overcommitted underpaid creators were… couldn’t have been me😂
34:58 That "guide" to site access... xD I feel like a caveman staring at alien hieroglyphs.
as an event manager I LOVE hearing about the behind the scenes and logistics
This was my first vidcon - and I was excited to do a video on it; but I can't help but agree with you! I am stunned to hear the event stage used to be by the food trucks and they moved it to BFE where people wouldn't notice it, the crowd wouldn't come back after making a bathroom break or walking all the way out to the food trucks just to get a refreshment or snack. I felt so bad for performers when they're on stage and virtually no one's in the audience. I did stand in line for the youtube store and at least they give you a ton of free stuff to make the wait worth it! I heard the Squishmellow line was approx 3 hours, so people who did stand in it spent half their day waiting to dive in and grab a giant plushie. I did wish there was more for an adult to do there. Thankfully I went with my husband because I didn't know any other creators who'd be there to meet up with. I hope your feedback reaches Vidcon ears and they make some positive upgrades :)
Having nothing to do at a convention sucks! I go to an anime convention, Kumoricon, almost every year and one thing I super appreciate is their gaming hall! They’ve got a large room just full of tables and chairs with board games to rent out with your badge, as well as another room with video games and consoles. It’s usually open super late and it’s such a welcome relief from the craziness of the rest of the con! There’s no music playing, plenty of places to sit, and is open until midnight usually, so it’s just the perfect place to go after being overstimulated the entire day
I was really hoping you would go this year. I love getting all the ☕.
Amanda this part of your video really hit home. 6:21 it was like free therapy thank you. Now I gotta bring that up with my therapist
Amanda I genuinely appreciate how honest and candid you are about this, thank you (:
I literally had no idea there was a vidcon this year
hi amanda! hearing you talking about being a mid sized creator i subscribed because i really enjoy the few videos i’ve watched so far and i’d like to see your account grow. i am a small creator, as in like, SMALL. but my heart is in it for the long run. i appreciate hearing you talk about how important the networking side of things is because it gives me hope. i am much more prominent in networking spaces in a relatively big and growing city and so if i dont want to get discouraged i have to remind myself knowing how to network and do business is an important skill i should be proud i’ve practiced. until then, may both of us grow!
Phew, I've only had one vidcon experience to date, but this SO echoed a lot of my thoughts. I was speaking last year so I got into the Hyatt, but that was partly why I didn't go this year--not sure it'd be worth it attending as a full time creator who didn't have that type of access.
In hindsight, seeing who was there, I had a lot more connections there than I thought this year.. but would not sure if the risk would be worth flying out there, paying accommodations if I was just there with a creator badge, or even Industry.
I knew they were selling hyatt access to fans!! All those dang 10 year olds!
Why did UA-cam unsub me from your channel?! I’ve been subscribed since the beginning 😮
I just discovered your channel and as someone fascinated by event planning problems, I am so glad I found you
As someone who's worked guest staff at conventions, I can understand the benefits of having access to "the tunnels," as well as access to handlers and con security. On the other hand, I can see why they wouldn't want to comp too much for too many. I think they should probably have something along the lines of a "TRUE VIP badge," one where yet, you have to pay, AND yes, you have to be reasonably "UA-cam famous" (100K subs? More?), but will get tunnel access and some added ability to contact con staff and security to help you out. This would provide you with the tools that you would need to feel comfortable attending for your own reasons, without them obligating to give free access out to everyone with an audience.
Sucks to hear you say your “stuck as a mid size creator” cause you deserve so much more!
Amanda, you need to become an event planning consultant specializing in influencer events. Idk if that's even a job, but I think you would be amazing at it!
The loudness thing is universal. I was at a cultural festival where they had dancers. When no one paid attention to the dancers as we were eating or going from booth to booth, etc., the organizers turned the music up. And turned the music up. And turned the music up again. We could not even think. But we still ignored the dancers.
I wonder if any of the issues are related to the fact that Hank Green had to step down from a lot of stuff. But I have no clue how involved he still is after vidcon was sold
16:44 If I have to guess, the game zone was probably nixed after what happened at TwitchCon last year. They probably didn’t want to take on that liability.
William, we need a "what have you" counter
Since the green brothers turned over ownership.. its been trash. You can tell
do you have any plans to go to dragoncon in atlanta this year?? it would be so cool to see you compare it to something like vidcon
Amanda is so good at knowing what’s wrong with events lol I love hearing her complain about it
I love your honest perspective!
"that's it that's my vidcon" made me laugh thank you
Take a shot every time Amanda says "what have you"
Take a shot every time Amanda says "what have you" lol
I kid. I love hearing your thoughts on these events.
I met the content creator Mdmotivator in the expo hall and he didnt even know he had a meet and greet
My brother is an acoustical engineer and would die over how poorly run a lot of these conventions are sound-wise.
Even with all the travel, I think you're truly GLOWING in this video 😂
You should go to a reptile expo if one goes on near where you live. You don’t even need to do a video about it, they’re just super fun to go to and see cool species of reptiles! I think you’d enjoy it
You talking about going to the lounges for breakfast reminds me of when I worked in ad agencies and Facebook/Instagram/Twitter would show up in the morning with breakfast & I would act interested when in reality all I do is work on websites lmao.