Ultra special treat for you today, folks–I’ve got an interview here with the ORIGINAL chair and founder of Kuzuricon, Joe Wall. And from what he’s told us, he’s got a LOT to talk about concerning plenty of behind the scenes drama at the recently-launched anime convention. So settle in for a treat and brace yourselves as we go five questions with Joe Wall.
1. Let’s start off with some background. Who are you in relation to Kuzuricon?
I am the original chair. I am also the cons founder. I started “Project Con” back in July of 08. I wanted to see a con that wasn’t just about Anime, but about gaming as well. So I hung fliers and orginized the business. What I didn’t realize is what kind of power I was giving these people by letting them sign the articles of incorporation. It was my intent to give them power by policy, but not by law. At this time I don’t do anything for Kuzuricon as they have removed me from my position.
2. What is your actual affiliation to Kuzuricon? Are you its original founder?
See the previous question, I answered in that, that I am the original founder.
3. Give us some background on the “takeover” you describe throughout your blog.
Well, this group of friends that currently run the con as we speak, were all part of a group called Otakazoo. I don’t know if that’s in any relation to the fact they drove off anyone that wasn’t in their group, but it does explain why they chose to go with Samantha Nicles artwork instead of another artist’s (I’ll just say Lisa for now). It appears they kept Cody around, because he does not have an important role in the con. I can show you some of Lisa’s artwork if you wish to see it. They basically claimed I was power tripping and playing favortism, which I never was. They constantly refused to ask me any questions or work with me on anything and constantly acted on their own.
4. Could you explain the “Kuzuricon Abridged” comic you posted here on your With Dint page’s blog? It’s hilarious but I don’t understand much of the references.
Frame 1: Basically me introducing myself to the staff of Kuzuricon. I’m explaining that I’m trying to start a con, even though I know how and what to expect, I don’t have any actual experience doing this.
Frame 2: This is just me announcing to the staff our planned date to have the con. Originally we were going to have it a week before in the Radisson of Kalamazoo. But something happened to where they were no longer contacting us.
Frame 3: This is explaining how things were interfering with me personally with the con. The staff constantly fighting (Mostly rooted from Samantha Nicles) How I had just taken on a new job in Grand Rapids that was full time and required my full attention (software engineer and on call for Diamond Phoenix). How even though with this new job, the lack of funding to start things was an issue. We tried many attempts for sponsorships and other things, but I can only assume I and Cody were the only two people working on that. Hotel troubles, as explained we originally wanted the Radisson, but they wanted WAY to much for use of the hotel.
Frame 4: Basically Sam starting to be pugnacious towards me, and some being, “Why are we doing this” but at the same time supporting her. This frame probably is mostly my speculation of what she was thinking. Obviously replace, “Flying the plane” with “running the con”.
Frame 5: This frame is pretty self explanatory.
Frame 6: the bar across the door, “Fire the staff” is to show how in attempts to battle their acting on their own. I scheduled two meetings that they chose not make, and because they didn’t, by policy of or con they were fired. Using their own, “Acting on their own” attitude against them. But what is not explained is why I did this to fire them. Well, they were fighting constantly over nothing, not showing any kind of progress towards the con, constantly acting on their own, and one thing samantha was noted for, belittling my position to nothing. Now to explain, “Belittling my position to nothing.”: I was the con chair. As con chair our constitution, (That I wrote….) stated, “This individual is usually M.C. and is president of all operations. Oversees all projects, trains staff as needed, and gives suggestions as needed.” She constantly misquoted this and only used, “Oversees all projects” to make everyone else think that I had a lesser role in the con. And her definition of “Overseeing” was only that of a security guard… As in she explained it, that I was to watch the staff and report to the e-board of any problems I witness. This is obviously not what the position entailed and not what I wrote this to mean. So they were fired, and for about 2 weeks, everything was going good, as me and Rachel noted, more work was accomplished on the con than they did in 6 months.
Frame 7: Everything was going smoothly until I got a call from a lawyer, who I still wonder if he is a legitimate lawyer, calls and states that I need to cease and desist. And tells me I need to give all my materials involving Kuzuricon to who he claimed was the, “Current staff” which is the staff that was fired. He claimed that since they all signed the articles of incorporation, they had legal right to the con. Which is true and probably where I shot myself in the foot.
Frame 8: This is me basically looking back at it and reflecting how much I hate mediocrity. I figured all or nothing. If these are going to be dead weights fire them and try to do it better, or have them fire me (I did threaten to quit on a few occasions because of how poor of a job they were doing.) But it’s also to show that they have no idea what the hell they are doing, and thus why the con was pretty bad from what I could tell.
Now another rumor that’s going around is I was fired for being a hard ass, well that hardly makes sense, seeming it’s my job as a chair to make sure they’re doing their jobs. And yet another rumor that’s going around is I was fired for dating Rachel, who was the artist alley coordinator. And is part of the favoritism crap they were spewing. I offered to help all of the staff, but they never asked me any questions. Rachel, Cody, and pretty much anyone on the outside of that collective group of friends, were there few who actually asked me to help them. And I did. There was Brian on the occasion, but his job wasn’t really that difficult.
5. Will you be involved in the production of Kuzuricon 2010 in any way?
Maybe, If it even happens, I’d imagine the hotel is pretty angry at them, as well as a few other people. But I won’t be doing anything unless they specifically want me involved. I was thinking web admin… Since Brian has this spelling and grammar issue… but only if I was invited back. I did attend the con has a, “Bury the hatchet” move. But I don’t foresee any of them planning to interact with me in the future.
And so, there you have it. Seems that Kuzuricon was actually a gigantic hotbed of drama. I’ve actually extended a five-question set to Kuzuricon press rep Melissa Caswell to see if we can get some rebuttal on this. More on that when–if–it develops.
Hey everybody–but especially everybody out on the West Coast of the United States–I just got word direct from Chance Shirley, the guy who directed that Interplanetary movie we broke here a while back.
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