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[BlueBerry]

A little introduction

The media industry is changing fast. Digital technology has dramatically reshaped the news and media industries in the past decade. The growth of social networks, the introduction of smartphones and the evolution of online advertising, have contributed to a brand new media landscape that is changing more and more every day. The internet has not only changed the methods and purpose of journalism, but also people’s perceptions of news media. Firstly, the rise of bloggers and user-based journalism has become immensely popular among both new and old media companies, a change that has drastically altered the definition of a journalist. Secondly, the linked nature of the internet has given rise to content collectors like Google news or The Huffington Post that no longer rely on individual journalists to provide news, but instead depend on their ability to gather and collect information into a single place where users can access it. Together they are changing society’s traditional ideas regarding journalists and news.


What about us?

A lot of people at conventions don’t want to talk to the press. But we can’t just shut our doors. So that’s where our team comes in. As a press and media relations volunteer for EF you represents the work of a huge convention, acting as a contact point for members of the press and other media representatives. We want to provide journalists with accurate information and give them a realistic look at our community. The press isn’t good or bad; it’s just the press. We just have to make sure they get right picture and the right story.
When you are part of the media relations team it is important to remember that you represent a whole community. This means that we got a lot of responsibilities. You need to be prepared for the fact that anything you say to a journalist could end up in print or on a website the following day.
The job requires you to be flexible, friendly and patient. Sometimes there’s nothing to do. Sometimes all journalists arrive at the same time. The job can be stressful so you must be able to work under pressure. The cool thing about working at press relations is that you are also able to show your side of the story. You can influence how the convention looks to the outside world. Also you’re part of a great team full of passionate people.


Skills

Press and media relations team members are:

• Flexible
• Patient
• Enthusiastic
• Friendly and approachable

Job requirements:

• Communication skills
• Knows how to deal with criticism
• The ability to work under pressure
• Passion for our community
• Speaking and understanding the German and English language

If you want to help us, then come to the press & media reception at the convention or write an email to media@eurofurence.org


FAQ: How to cooperate with journalists?

How much time do journalists have?
Journalists are busy people. They are not here for fun, they are working. They have one goal in mind and that is to write a good story.

How should I greet the journalists?
First impression is everything. Greet them, talk to them and make them feel welcome. Even if you don’t like journalists you should always treat them with respect. They’re human beings just like you and me.

Are there rules the journalist must follow?
Yes! Before you show a journalist around make sure they are well informed about what they can and what they can’t do. They should always first register at the media desk. Here they can get a media badge and the necessary information.

What if they say something that is not true?
Don’t get angry. Even if they ask difficult questions, you should stay positive. It can be really frustrating when reporters give you the feeling they don’t take you seriously. Or if their information is inaccurate. But getting angry only makes it worse.

But what story should I tell them?
Keep it simple. Most of the time journalists are not interested in all the details you want to tell. Stick to a straight and simple story. There is also a press-release featuring all kinds of background information which journalists can read in their own time if they’re interested.

Any tips for when they ask me questions?
Make it personal. When you are guiding a journalist they will ask you a lot of questions. Some of them may be difficult to answer. If this happens and you don’t know what to answer just make it personal. Tell your own version of how you see things.
Be polite! Even if they aren’t. The best advice is to help journalists as much as possible by giving them (where reasonable) what they ask for. Ensure that your information is relevant to them and provides a good read!

But what if they ask me difficult questions?
Again, just stick to your original plan and keep it to yourself. Don’t argue with them because it often makes things worse because most of the time you accidently confirm stories you don’t want to confirm. In the worst scenario you can always just ignore the question.
Bear in mind, journalists are good at making out they have the entire story already.

[Dhary Montecore]

Eurofurence Security Service

Calling ourselves the "Eurofurence Security Crew", we as a Department of about 75 furries, not few of them professionals in fields like EMS (Emergency Medical Service), the Fire Department or the Police, see the safety and enjoyment of all convention attendees as our ultimate goal. While being responsible as well for security relevant aspects during the Convention preparation, as for security operations during the running Convention, most of you will normally not see or hear much of us, unless it becomes really necessary.

Prior to a Convention, or rather in between two of them, several administrative tasks in preparation fall into our business. These tasks vary from authoring a legal safety concept together with the Eurofurence Paramedic Crew and local safety authorities to advising and supporting other Depatment directors in regards to fire and safety regulations. During the convention our Security and Paramedic Crew ensures health and safety of all our attendees, while silently enforcing the rules. Those rules are not limited to the RoC (Rules of Conduct) but include venue policies, fire safety, legal regulations, laws and many more. Furthermore we setup and run checkpoints on key areas such as the Art Show or the Campfire.

In all of our our work, we strive to hold up our fundamental rules:

• We treat everyone with respect and never forget that we ourselves are members of the furry community
• We abide by the law and we do not raise ourselves above others
• We condemn intolerance and treat everyone equal
• We understand our duty to be a service to all attendees
• We set the safety and enjoyment of everyone involved with our convention as our highest goal
• We believe in a defensive and emphatic approach to any problem
• We strive to always stay fair and unbiased

The Security Crew is lead by the Chief of Security Dhary Montecore and the two vice directors Treyfane Dingo and KittehBit. Together they form the Security Board and are responsible for the organization in advance and hold the final OnSite authority in security matters. Especially qualified Group Leaders manage dedicated Security Groups for their assigned areas such as the Art Show.

The tactical management on site is carried out 24x7 by a dispatcher, a shift supervisor and an on-duty member of the Security Board. Dispatch also ensures a permanent and direct point of contact for all staff, the hotel and (via dedicated phone lines or exclusive Eurofurence call boxes) all attendees. Check-in of dangerous items and on site volunteer recruitment is handled by the shift supervisor in the OnSite security office. Incident coordination is also the responsibility of the dispatcher, which they carry out following a clear catalog of procedures and an internal alert and response order. The dispatcher is the information and communication backbone for the entire Security Crew.

Members of the Security Crew are selected for reliability, distinctive social skills, calm demeanour and experience gathered at previous conventions. Their application requirements are the strictest but in return the crew has great team spirit. Ensuring the quality of security service in an environment as dynamic and demanding as a furry convention requires extensive communication skills. The Security Crew is currently able to communicate in more than twelve different languages without external personnel.

Security support can be requested from the dispatcher by any Staff Member, telephone (+49 3222 2133812), through any of our CallBoxes (found in various areas of the hotel) or in person in the security office at all times during the convention. Of course female officers are available as well as private meeting rooms for confidential talks.

In case of any questions before or during the convention, the Security Board will gladly be there to support you. If any advice or assistance regarding security or safety for an event or panel is needed, feel free to contact the Security Board at security@eurofurence.org!

We are constantly open for applications for new Security Crew Members! If you want to contribute in the biggest Team at Eurofurence, feel free to contact us at security_hr@eurofurence.org

[BlueBerry]

The name says it all: We run the Eurofurence Art Show. The Art Show presents exhibits by all manner of artists
and facilitates the sales between participating artists, agents and attendees interested in purchasing a piece.

However, the Art Show Team does far more than meets the eye: Apart from the regular opening hours of the
exhibition, there are setup hours where the panels and tables are prepared, preparation hours where the artists
or agents hang their exhibits, accounting hours where the Art Show team enters bids in the database, selling
hours where buyers can pick up purchased art, and naturally the famous Stage Auction.

And all of this is just done at the con itself - in addition, before the convention we register artists, distribute panels,
build new panel hardware, and care for the technical equipment and applications involved in the Show.

The Art Show handles much of the Charity services too: Charity is partaking in the Auction, has its own
panels and tables at the Art Show, and makes use of Art Show database and sales service to get its
exhibits processed.



Besides having two Directors to run various aspects of the Show, we employ a small dedicated team of core staffers.
The two directors share responsibilities before and during the convention; from the application process through database
maintenance and logistics. Each individual team member has their own field of expertise; manning the front desk,
handling sales, performing photography, or entering data at the auction.

To alleviate the huge amount of work which comes with the task of processing over a thousand exhibits, we rely on
the help of dedicated volunteers and temporary staff. Much of the work concentrates on certain times: setup, accounting,
auction, and sales are the critical crunch times, while the actual opening times do not present a special challenge to
the team.

Covering these rush hour work times is only possible by dynamically adapting the team. The runners during the sales
are, for example, guest volunteers. Other helpers are borrowed from other departments. But beyond temporary helpers,
we are also seeking to expand the permanent core team to meet the coming challenges of a still-growing Art Show,
and we're welcoming applicants.



What we all share is a dedication for the creative roots of our fandom in both two dimensional picture from and
three dimensional sculpt or show piece. We also have some deep rooted connections to our fellow creators
who wish to share and show off their pride pieces to the public. Many of us have a background in the arts ourselves,
and some of us have remained contributing artists to the community we serve. Thus we can fully empathise with the
needs and necessities of both artist and their agents or our clients wanting to buy the piece they have grown to be
fond of.

Working at the Art Show is quite rewarding, as it is a service within the creative heart of the furry idea. Supporting
our own talented artists and being able to supply original furry works is what sets our fandom apart from
franchise-based fandoms, and we are providing this service with pride.



Skills desired to become an Art Show team member:

Enthusiastic about the arts and craft of our fandom.

Speaking English; knowledge of German highly recommended as much of the team is German-speaking.
Other languages (French, Russian...) are helpful but not a must.

Able to work concentratedly and cautiously with often fragile exhibits. Willing to learn the Art Show application
that is the core of our accounting system. No programming skills needed but welcome if present.



If you want to be a part of the Art Show Team, then contact: Cairyn via artshow@eurofurence.org or speak to the staff guys in the art show at the convention.