January General Meeting January 15, 2005

Present: All, Quorum

1:09pm – Meeting opens.

1:12pm – Chair addresses the assembly. Less than 75 days to go.

1:15pm – Reports – Secretary - Nothing to Report

1:19pm – Reports – Programming - Lots of work has been going on recently. Programming has a general deadline at the end of the month. Specifically January 28th. - Special Events (Ross) o Karaoke – Two contests lined up, Adult and Minor. . Karaoke will be in rooms 611-612. . Staff can participate in both events. No separate staff event. . Sign-up sheets will be available at the Info Booth. . More information is available on the website. o AMVs (Tom) . The January deadline for video submission has been extended to February 28th. . Passes will be available for staff via managers. . Managers who want passes for their staff should contact Tom Allmandinger. o Masquerade Ball (Stef) . Masquerade ball will be the only offsite event (located at a hotel) . Invitations will be available at the Info Booth, with some set aside for staff. . There will be a photo booth. . There will be an enforced dress code. • No jeans, t-shirts, sandals, etc. • Tasteful cosplay costumes are accepted and encouraged. o Cosplay (Mike) . Cosplay events will be pre-recorded this year. . Recording sessions will be on Friday night during or after rehearsals . We are looking for skit and costume judges. . There will be a halftime show, no specifics announced yet. o Fashion Show (Shawn) . Fashion Show is looking for ideas . Fashion Show will be a non-judged, for-fun event. o Dances . Dances will go until 4am . There will be two dances: Anime music and Rave o Opening/Closing Ceremonies . Ceremonies will be MC’d by Mark Nguyen and the 404’s. - Live Programming o Fan Fiction – Rules have been finalized and are available on the website. o Tea Ceremony is pending tatami mats. . If you can borrow of find tatami mats, we need them! o The Video Room schedule is done . We are looking for DVDs to fill out the schedule o Panelists . We are looking for more panelists . If you have an idea or know someone who would make a good panelist, please come forward o Creation Station (Formerly the Artist’s Den) . Lots of events, including Art contests, Fanfic workshops, Fanfiction theater, and more. . Fanfic contest deadline is March 17. . Kevin Masay (Shamisen) will be on hand. . There will be an on-site art contest, with a rolling deadline throughout the con. o C&C (Chris Norman) . Located in room 201, C&C is looking for staff . Gaming, Programming, Video staff, age 16-18 o Gaming (Mellissa & John) . See Appendix 1 for game list . Console games will be in the arcade. . Expect 6-7 contests . Possible Namco/ sponsorship . Nathan is our LAN coordinator. . There will be wireless for portable gaming (PSPs, DSs) . CCG will have at least 5 major games. • Yu Gi Oh, Pokemon, Gundam, Naruto, & Magic . Arcade gaming is looking for arcade collectors to lend their cabinets to help reduce costs. o Asian Gaming . Games will include Go, Mahjong, etc. . We are looking for experienced players to help teach at-con. o Miniature painting contest will be back this year.

2:06pm – Reports – Operations - The Majority of the gear has been purchased - Tech Services (John) o Looking for computer-savvy volunteers (will train) o Sound is going well, and will be good. o The Video rooms will be run on automated hardware this year. - Registration (Caitlyn) o As of this meeting, there are 1400 pre-registrations (way ahead of last year) o Staff Registration is 15 dollars. . Staff badges can include a personalized image up to 750x750pixels or 2½”x2½” at 300dpi. • Please follow this spec to ensure quality images • Mail your images to [email protected] o Problems with registration can be emailed to [email protected] o Pre-registration deadline is the same for staff and general attendees: February 28th! o Registration is looking for staff. o NO CREDIT CARDS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON-SITE . There will be cash machines. - Member Services (Alinda) o Looking for volunteers to help out. o Coordinators and managers looking for staff can go to the yahoo group scvolunteers to fill positions . Please use this resource, it is very helpful! - SAS (Sakura-Con Attendee Services) (Nicole) o 68 SAS staff . Only half are registered, GET REGISTERED . SAS deadline for registering is Feb. 18! . Clarification: Checking bags & other security measures for specific events are to be handled by programming, not SAS

2:38pm – Reports – Facilities - The Paramount and the Hilton are sold out. - There will be a room reimbursement, or rebate o Not the cost of the room o Will make prices comparable to or lower than previous years - The Crowne Plaza and Red Lion Hotels still have rooms available. - NOTE: You don’t have to pay to reserve a room until you show up at the convention, so PLEASE reserve your rooms now! We cannot stress this enough!

2:46pm – Meeting in recess until 3:00pm.

3:05pm – Meeting called to order.

3:08pm – Reports – Publicity - We have a commercial! o The commercial is available through the website o It will play on Cartoon Network during Adult Swim, Sci-Fi Channel during primetime (Battlestar Galactica), and on Nickelodeon after school. - Publications (Erin) o Press and Advertising packs are completed and in the hands of companies and sponsors. o Signage is going well, thanks to Julian for his efforts. o Merchandising is moving forward . New shirts, stickers, lanyards this year . Accepting new merchandising ideas - Newsletter (John) o John York is the new Newsletter coordinator, thanks! - Public Relations (Sabrina) o Mascot contest . Deadline is January 31st. . Info Booth • Moving along smoothly • Nikki has plenty of spare volunteers, email her at [email protected] for more info. o Team Sakura . Nothing pending - Press Coordinator (Jeff) o Press coverage is well on its way. - Pre-registration sponsorhip o Gameworks has sponsored us and is providing free Gameworks play cards for pre-registered attendees (staff included) - Northwest Afternoon TV spot went well. - Seattle Public Library is cooperating with Sakura-Con.

3:21pm – Reports – Relations - Exhibits (Chris) o 60 paid vendors, close to goal of 70 o 10-15 booths left o No food will be sold other than Aramark food due to contract limitations. o Exhibits hall is looking for staff - Artists Alley (Mala) o 34 tables for artists. o There could be a contest with prizes sponsored by Copic o There are tables available . Price Structure: $10,$15,$25,$50 - Art Show (Roseanna) o Looking for volunteers and artists - Corporate sponsors – none to announce yet. - Guests o Goro Taniguchi, Takahiro Kimura, Hideyuki Kurata 3:36 – Old Business - Policies o Discuss the need to revise the policies before the next General meeting o Impediments to this process: policies must be ratified by a 2/3 majority vote. o Two possible solutions . Strike the rule from the policies allowing the executive board to modify the rules without consensus . Agree to a special online assembly to vote on proposed ratified policies before the Feb. 10 deadline o Feb. 10 deadline is due to publications deadlines and policies that no longer reflect the venue or current rules. o Motion to strike the rule from the Policies Section III Subsection 28 paragraph 1: “The Policies listed here in are subject to change at any time as deemed required, but must be voted in by a 2/3 majority of the membership present at a General Meeting in order to take effect.” o Motion seconded. o Floor opened to discussion. . The rule is good to have, and should not be removed . The rule should be reworded to allow policies to be modified by the executive board without a vote, but should be open to ratification by a majority vote. . The board should also be required to notify the general assembly of any changes to the policies. o Motion to strike the rule from Policies Section III Subsection 28 paragraph 1 withdrawan. o Motion to suspend the rule from Policies Section III Subsection 28 paragraph 1 “The Policies listed here in are subject to change at any time as deemed required, but must be voted in by a 2/3 majority of the membership present at a General Meeting in order to take effect.” until the next general election at such time the rule will re-instated in a manner decided upon by the board and ratified by the general assembly. o Motion seconded. o Floor opened to discussion o Motion to vote . For – 72 . Against – 0 . Abstain – 3 o Motion passed. - ANCEA-Sakura-Con report o Trademarks for “Sakura-Con” and “Sakuracon” (“Sakura Con” still pending) were received. o Presentation announcing a board reorganization . See Appendix 2.

4:33 – New Busines - Classic Anime Fan convention o 1-day event . Possible weekend event given enough interest o Small (similar to Baka-Con ie-under 200 people) o Just “throwing it out there” for the assembly to consider

4:38 – Airing of Sakura-Con commercial

4:41 – Meeting adjourned. Appendix 1: ANCEA Presentation Slides

ANCEA: Roles and Responsibilities

ANCEA is the parent organization of Sakura-Con, and carries the non-profit A.N.C.E.A. designation that keeps the convention tax exempt. ANCEA’s board of directors signs off on the budget. The president is the co-signer Asia-Northwest Cultural of all contracts and the legal representative Education Association of the organization and the convention. ANCEA provides checks and balances to the Sakura-Con directors.

ANCEA: Roles and Responsibilities Current Problems Cont… Staff liaison – intervenes in difficult Other than Sakura-Con, ANCEA has no staff and attendee situations, and repeating goal, only small non-repeating projects. provides a hearing space. Receives limited information on Sakura- The ANCEA board (specifically the con affairs. President and the Secretary) is legally There is no incentive to be a member. responsible for the actions of the Due to situations beyond our control, there Sakura-Con directors. is a lack of trust in general. “Us vs Them” mentality. Little public presence at general meetings. Options Current Structure

ANCEA Board members attend all At the moment, ANCEA exists as a group executive meetings to stay separate governing body of Sakura-Con current in business. with its own rules, meetings, members, fees, etc. Its primary purpose is to act as a Establish incentives for membership. check for Sakura-Con’s directors in regards Restructure ANCEA. to major spending. It also deals with contracts and insurance. ANCEA creates and participates in other events deemed Cultural or Educational to fit its acronym and mission.

Current Structure Proposal

The ANCEA President, Secretary, and Sakura-Con Chair have met with a Non Profit Board advisor. ANCEA Board We would like to hire someone to help re- organize the present structure of the

Sakura-Con organization to eliminate the double Board structure we currently have. A proposal has been developed that creates a two-tiered board rather than the Sakura-Con Staff three tiers we currently have. ANCEA and SC Boards would be merged. Proposed Structure Benefits

Removes the “Us vs Them” mentality. Simplifies procedures.

Sakura-Con Speeds up approval processes and Board makes communication more efficient. Let’s do it right this time so we won’t

Sakura-Con Staff have to do it over (again). Appendix 2: Gaming List

Arcade: In The Groove DDR Extreme Paradise 2nd mix Ultracade Virtual On Marvel v Capcom 2 Neo Geo (w Metal Slug, Magical Drop, Puzzle Bobble, and Samurai Shodown 3)

Arcade Tournaments: DDR Tech ITG Expert Tech ITG Beginner Tech Double Dare Revolution: The Show Tekken 5 Tournament (Unnamed Trivia Project)

Console Games/Tournaments: Halo 2 Guilty Gear #R Soul Calibur III Mario Kart Double Dash Super Smash Bros. Melee We Love Katamari Tekken 5 Console version One Piece

RPG Games: Bubblegum Crisis Yojimbo Lodoss War Lair of the White Wyrm Space Station Horror Demon City Shinjuku Bug Hunt Sailor Moon Melvin Strikes Back Rune Soldier Child's Play Dungeon and Dragons/Lodoss War/Those Who Hunt Elves Tenchi Muyo Demon Bride Blue Gender Communication Ranma 1/2 Demon of Jusenkyo Dungeon and Dragons/Lodoss War/Those Who Hunt Elves Slayers Hot Springs of Horrors Amalgam Super Heroes/L5R Vandread We Are Gemini Louie the Rune Soldier Louie's Return Call of Cthullu

LAN: Unreal Tournament 2004 Warcraft 3:Frozen Throne Battlefield 2 Call of Duty: United Offensive Call of Duty 2 Quake 3: Arena or Quake 4 Step-Mania