The seminar titled “The Business of Cosplay: Tips on how to make money in the Imagination Industry” is presented by Alfonso Todd III of Imagination Nation. Here’s an overview based on available information:

Alfonso Todd III: Alfonso Todd III is the founder and managing partner of Imagine Nation Concepts, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and his passion for turning creative hobbies into legitimate businesses. His profile on LinkedIn highlights his role and his eclectic approach, blending street-level creativity with corporate strategy, focusing on community organization without political ambitions. This background makes him particularly suited to discuss the business aspects of cosplay, given his experience in both creative and business environment.

Seminar Overview:

• Title: “The Business of Cosplay: Tips on how to make money in the Imagination Industry”
• Focus: This seminar is aimed at providing insights into transforming the passion for cosplay into a profitable venture. It explores various avenues for monetization within the cosplay and broader imagination industry.

Content Highlights:

• Making Money through Cosplay: The seminar would likely delve into multiple strategies for generating income from cosplay, such as:
  • Selling Cosplay Merchandise: Including costumes, wigs, props, and digital content like tutorials or patterns.
  • Content Creation: Utilizing platforms like YouTube, Twitch, or Patreon for monetizing through ads, sponsorships, and memberships.
  • Event Appearances: Participating in conventions for both performance and selling opportunities, offering custom services or workshops.
  • Brand Partnerships: Engaging with brands for modeling or promotional activities at events.
• Building a Career: Insights on how to transition from a hobbyist to a professional cosplayer, including:
  • Networking and Community Engagement: Understanding the importance of social media presence, community involvement, and networking at conventions.
  • Skill Development: Tips on enhancing one’s skills in costume creation, performance, and digital marketing to increase marketability.
  • Economic Considerations: Practical advice on managing the costs associated with cosplay while aiming to make it a sustainable income source.
• Innovative Approaches: Given Todd’s knack for turning hustles into businesses, the seminar might also discuss:
  • Innovative Business Models: Exploring new ways to monetize creativity, perhaps through unique cosplay-related services or products.
  • Using Imagination for Business: How imagination can be leveraged not just for cosplay but for any entrepreneurial venture within the creative industry.

Expected Takeaways: Attendees would leave with a better understanding of how to professionalize their passion for cosplay, learning from Todd’s experience in merging creativity with business acumen. The seminar would likely encourage participants to think outside the conventional cosplay box, pushing for entrepreneurial thinking in the imagination industry.

This seminar would be particularly beneficial for those looking to turn their cosplay hobby into a part-time or full-time career, offering both inspiration and practical steps from someone who has navigated similar paths.

“I remember my first convention, and it was terrifying. I walked into this room, and there were all these people, and they were all looking at me. I thought, ‘What am I doing here? I don’t have a script.’ And then I realized, they were there because they loved the show. It was overwhelming, but in a good way.”

~William Shatner

Music. Writing. Art. Swinging pillows at monkeys. These are some of the most classic of human art forms, and our Guests of Honor will come together to talk about their creativity, their struggles, their advice for others, and, really, anything they want; they’re our guests of honor, we can’t exactly tell them what to do.

Buckle up, earthlings, for a cosmic collision of creativity at our Guest of Honor panel! We’ve summoned a motley crew of wizards, bards, and other dimension-hopping artists for a spectacle that’ll make your neurons dance. Prepare for tales that’ll warp your mind, from battling writer’s block with a magic quill to jamming with intergalactic beats. They’ll spill the beans on how to conjure art in an age where AI might just be your next collaborator, or archenemy; who knows?

General Creativity and Inspiration

1. What are some unusual sources of of inspiration for your works?
2. How do you overcome creative blocks or periods of low inspiration? Is murder essential, or just a good idea?
3. Can you describe a moment when you felt your work truly resonated with an audience?

Cross-Genre Exploration

4. Which genre outside of your primary one would you love to explore or have explored, and why?
5. Do you use other genres for inspiration or ideas?

Process and Technique

6. What’s the most challenging aspect of your creative process, and how do you tackle it?
7. Can you share a technique or tool that has significantly changed how you create?
8. In your field, what’s one thing you wish you knew when you were starting out?
   • Wisdom for new creators, potentially touching on both successes and mistakes.

Collaboration and Influence

9. Have you ever collaborated with someone from a different art form? What was that like?
   • Explores the dynamics of inter-disciplinary work and its challenges or benefits.
10. Who or what has been the biggest influence on your style or approach to your work?

The Future and Adaptation

11. How do you see your medium evolving in the next decade?
12. What’s the most exciting project you’re working on currently, or planning for the future?
13. With the rise of AI and new technologies, how do you see these tools affecting your creative process?

Audience Interaction

14. What’s the most memorable feedback you’ve received from a fan or critic?
15. If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps, what would it be?

“Airships are like steampunk’s version of the Internet: everyone wants to be connected, but the connections are slow and occasionally explode.”

– George Mann

Explore the governance, ethics, and societal structures of a steampunk world, with an emphasis on the roles and influences of its rogues, pirates, and those who operate on the fringes of society.

• Discussion Points:
  • Piracy in the Skies: Discuss the legitimacy of airship piracy as a form of resistance or redistribution, akin to Robin Hood in the air. What laws govern the skies, and how are they enforced?
  • Villainy as Catalyst for Change: How can villains or scoundrels push for technological or social advancement by challenging the status quo?
  • The Ethics of Villainy: Explore the ethical considerations of using technology for personal gain versus societal good. Is there honor among thieves in a steampunk world?
  • The Role of Scoundrels in Society: How do these characters fit into the societal structure? Are they necessary for balance, or do they disrupt the order?
  • Power Dynamics: Discuss how power might be redistributed or contested with the advent of steampunk technology, especially by those outside traditional power structures.
• Activities:
  • Mock Trial: Stage a trial where an airship pirate is on the stand for their crimes. Panelists and audience members can act as judge, jury, or witnesses, debating the pirate’s actions in the context of steampunk ethics.
  • Debate: A structured debate on a topic like “Should pirates be seen as heroes or villains in a steampunk society?” with audience participation in voting or suggesting points.
  • World-Building Exercise: Break into groups to design a utopian or dystopian steampunk society where villains and pirates play key roles, either as rulers or revolutionaries.
• Outcome:
  • A Declaration of Airship Rights: Draft a document that outlines the rights, responsibilities, or even the lack thereof for airship pirates, considering their unique position in society.
  • The Scoundrel’s Code: Create a set of principles or a “code” that might govern the behavior of villains and scoundrels in this universe, possibly with humor or irony reflecting their nature.
• Setting:
  • Transform the room into a steampunk courtroom or a captain’s quarters aboard an airship, using thematic elements like brass fixtures, wood paneling, and maps of the skies.

This panel celebrates the darker, more rebellious sides of steampunk, offering a nuanced look at how these characters shape the world around them, challenging attendees to consider the ethics of rebellion, innovation, and the pursuit of personal freedom in a society bound by gears and steam.