Making Money at Conventions

[Chauncymancer]

1. I'm a pretty good GM.
2. I need money.
Conclusion: Maybe I should be an Event Organizer at a convention, and get paid to run games.

Question: Has anyone had any experience as an EO? Can I actually make profit, instead of just taking the edge off going to the con? Or will I just be making change, losing money on the operation?

[Karoht]

1. I'm a pretty good GM.
2. I need money.
Conclusion: Maybe I should be an Event Organizer at a convention, and get paid to run games.

Question: Has anyone had any experience as an EO? Can I actually make profit, instead of just taking the edge off going to the con? Or will I just be making change, losing money on the operation?If by Event Organizer you mean "Guy who works at a gaming event" typically these are unpaid positions. Speak with the high ups of the event for further clarification and details. Yes, there are paid positions. Is running a game table for the day a paid position? You'd have to inquire.

If you mean something else, you're going to have to give more detail. Can you name the convention? Can you better describe what you would be doing to warrent being paid in return?

I've done extensive work for several organizations ranging through a variety of event types. I've usually only been paid for very specific services rendered, and even then it's not much. However, these events are usually very nice to volunteers and will at least get you a meal worth eating during the day, possibly more than one. Usually there may be a volunteer after-party. The party for Calgary Comic Entertainment Expo just happened (several months after the event) and sadly I was unable to attend, but I hear those who did ate a 5 star meal on the house. Can't complain about that.

Lastly, it may not pay great, but it does open doors. You're more likely to get paid if you work for event security, the entertainment (performers, game hosts) tend to get paid poorly or not at all, or is sourced through volunteers. Being able to say that you volunteered for an event, and getting a really good reference or two out of the deal tends to appear very well on a resume.

Overall, I highly recommend it, even if you don't get paid. There's usually a lot of perks, especially for unpaid positions. IE-Special access to con guests to avoid lineups, and usually these special access things tend to be more personable, they interact a bit more with you because you're sort of working for them, etc. Meeting Felica Day was directly due to me volunteering. Totally worth the 6 weeks of prep work plus some 36+ hours invested during the event itself between backstage prep and actual time spent doing my 'job.'

[Dr.Epic]

Yeah, this seems like something that's quite difficult to do. I'd imagine you'd have to know the right people, or spend a few years working up some kind of ladder. I don't think you can just get paid like that.

[Tyndmyr]

1. I'm a pretty good GM.
2. I need money.
Conclusion: Maybe I should be an Event Organizer at a convention, and get paid to run games.

Question: Has anyone had any experience as an EO? Can I actually make profit, instead of just taking the edge off going to the con? Or will I just be making change, losing money on the operation?

Honestly, if you set up a local game that was remarkably open and good, I'd pay to play. I play a lot of games, and at least one of them encourages donations(which I always provide) to help cover rental expenses of the location.

I feel like cons are harder, since space is at a premium, there's lots of rules and things to deal with, you gotta pay for travel, you gotta pay for admission...it's just damned hard to make a profit GMing. Local games, you could charge a *lot* less and get people playing. Still, even with local games, you have to provide a solid game. One that people have a reason to select over free ones.

If I could give a wish list, it'd be a persistent world, with very clear up front rules about what is acceptable for char creation, with multiple groups playing in it. Imagine being able to post bounties for lower leveled PC groups to take on as quests...epic!

[Gnomish Spambot]

At least the Cons I know, nobody makes money. The Cons usually just break even, and the GMs get free admission if you GM games but that's it.

[Karoht]

The conventions I attend, there are some paid positions, most of the vendors make some solid coin, and usually the con comes out ahead as opposed to behind, more often than not, knock on wood.
Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo is a prime example of a convention that does better than break even, and to my knowledge there are paid positions for very specific tasks.

But DM'ing? I've never heard of anyone making more than enough for a meal on it, save one fellow. I'm not actually sure if he exists or is merely a myth, who as legend tells, attends PAX Prime, and players show up to tithe this man, for him to craft them an experience of a lifetime.
But, he's probably just a myth.

[Tyndmyr]

But DM'ing? I've never heard of anyone making more than enough for a meal on it, save one fellow. I'm not actually sure if he exists or is merely a myth, who as legend tells, attends PAX Prime, and players show up to tithe this man, for him to craft them an experience of a lifetime.
But, he's probably just a myth.

Even if true, the amount of time and effort to get to such a point is probably fairly notable.

That said, True Dungeon seems to be doing aright. I could see some sort of larp/tabletop hybrid like that being popular elsewhere.

[Karoht]

Indeed. It's not the sort of thing one can just walk up and say "I'm a DM, pay me to do stuff at your con." Not to be negative or anything.
That said, I'm actually rather sad that it is that way. But there it is.

Tynd is correct, you've got to run some really amazing table to be able to charge money at all.

On the other hand, I still recommend volunteering at the convention, at least to see the con and maybe get to know the community that attends it better. Talk to some other DM's who show up, who knows, maybe there is a market for it in your specific community, possibly outside the convention.

[ShortOne]

With all of the conventions I've been involved in, neither the gamesmasters nor the Gaming Track Head gets paid.

[Karoht]

With all of the conventions I've been involved in, neither the gamesmasters nor the Gaming Track Head gets paid.I'm pretty sure the guys running full blown tournaments (tabletop and non) of games got paid, but it was also a 16 hour a day commitment for 4 days, not counting other work that likely went into making the tournaments happen. Such as finding sponsors for prizes, advertising, etc.
But I don't know this for absolute fact, I only overheard that it was a paying position.