FAQ

Accelevents Questions & Resources

How do I get help with the Accelevents platform itself?

For platform specific questions, you can reach accelevents by email: info@accelevents.com OR by navigating to accelevents.com and clicking the chat bubble on the bottom right corner of the page. 

How do I remove myself from a limited seating session I can no longer attend?

Navigate to the session in either the agenda or “my sessions.” There should be a calendar icon and the words “seat saved” in the upper right hand corner of the session. Click that icon, and you will be removed from the session, freeing up a seat for someone else. 

How do I add myself to the waitlist for a limited seating session?

Navigate to the session and select “save a seat” in the upper right corner. If there are seats available, you will be automatically added to the session. If the session is currently full, the button will be labeled “join waitlist” instead, and clicking it will put you on the list to join if a seat becomes available.

Do I have to save a seat for every session I want to attend?

No! Only limited seating sessions (chill-n-chats, gaming sessions, workshops) need you to reserve a seat. If you’re looking at a session and the button in the upper right corner says “Add to my schedule”, that session has unlimited seating and you don’t have to worry about reserving space. The button is only there to help you keep track of what you want to attend.

Can I save a seat in multiple sessions happening at the same time?

If you are registered for a limited seating session like a workshop or chill-n-chat and try to reserve space in another session overlapping in time, the system will turn you down. You can’t be in two places at once for a truly interactive session, and we want the seats to go to folks who will be present.

What does attending the event look like on Accelevents?

There’s a great page describing the attendee experience, from how to bookmark sessions, joining sessions, watching recordings of sessions you missed, and more. Check it out at this link: https://support.accelevents.com/en/articles/4045754-intro-to-virtual-events-for-attendees

Will I be able to watch sessions I missed?

Yes! For the first time, Flights of Foundry will have a way to watch things you missed – the one exception is readings. We never, ever record readings in order to protect the rights of authors. If you’ve missed a reading, it’s just gone. For other sessions, though, navigate to “agenda”, set the toggle to display past sessions, and browse. There’s even more awesome for everyone this way.

What will be recorded?

Everything that isn’t a reading will be recorded for the event, and only visible to ticketed attendees during and for 30 days after the event. We will be reviewing sessions and obtaining releases before anything is published outside of Accelevents or available anywhere else.

We do not ever record readings.

I don’t see a session where I expect it to be on the schedule. Where is it?

The default view of the agenda displays a card with details for each session in an hour. In hours with more than two sessions (which is most of them!) you will need to use the blue arrows on the left and right sides of the cards to scroll through and see all the sessions.

Alternatively, you can see a list view, which won’t require left to right scrolling. At the top of the agenda screen, next to the drop down for “All Dates”, select the second icon (three rectangles stacked on top of one another) and that will switch your view to the list.

Are questions for panels going in the Discord again this year? Where should we chat?

Every session has its own dedicated chat now – and that’s where you should chat! You can ask questions, talk about the session as it’s happening, share links and recommendations, and all the good stuff that’s happened on the Dream Foundry discord in past conventions.

Are questions for panels going in the Discord again this year? Where should we chat?

Every session has its own dedicated chat during sessions now – and that’s where you should chat! You can ask questions, talk about the session as it’s happening, share links and recommendations, and all the good stuff that’s happened on the Dream Foundry discord in past conventions.

There are also two lounges – “Con Suite” and “Lounge” where you can connect in a variety of ways, and not just via text (but we love a nice text chat, too). 

There are chats for every session, but there’s also a main event chat prominently featured on most pages on the right hand side. That pane is collapsable if you find it distracting or don’t wnt to see it for any reason – look for an arrow >  near the top when you mouse near the border of the chat pane. 

Start threads, hang out, meet people, and have fun. Remember: all of the convention chats are still subject to Dream Foundry’s code of conduct, so don’t be a jerk.

Who hosts Flights of Foundry?

Dream Foundry! We’re a non-profit, and Flights is our biggest fundraiser every year. We’d love a donation if you find value in what we do.

How can I hang out with the Dream Foundry crew and keep the FoF spirit alive after the event?

Come hang out with us on our discord server! It’s a great way to make friends, meet other cool folks making speculative art, get industry news, and generally keep that great feeling of connection alive. Flights of Foundry is once a year, and the discord is there all year round. We run big creative challenges, host discussion groups and book clubs, share recommendations for media, and have great conversations.

Useful links for Accelevents:

• Preparing for the event as an attendee
• Instructions and How-To for Speaker On-Boarding
• An overview of Accelevents for speakers on panels, presentations, and dialogs
• An overview of Accelevents for speakers in workshops, readings, chill-n-chats, gaming sessions, co-working, etc
• The Speaker Portal

Questions

I want to donate more than I did when I got my ticket. Should I register again?

Please don’t! We’ve had to institute an attendance cap with the new platform and duplicate registrations will use up tickets other people might want. Instead, use the donate page. That’ll let you make another donation, or your first donation. It’ll also let you snag some swag if you’re inclined.

Why am I getting emails from Airtable Automations? Are these legit?

They are legit! Our robot is sending emails that will be labeled as coming from Airtable Automations. This helps us make sure the important information and reminders the bot sends don’t wind up in your spam folder, and also lets you know that it’s an automated email, not one a person sent. Our bot is very diligent and hard working, but it’s also a little fragile and sometimes makes mistakes. If it does something that seems off to you, or contradicts how we say it ought to behave, please let us know by emailing chair@flights-of-foundry.org. (It shouldn’t ever email you more than once a week.)

I want to change information I provided at registration, or when I filled out my participant form. How do I do that?

To update your registration information, you can do that directly on the platform. Use your event confirmation to access the Accelevents page for our event and make your changes there. If you need to update your participant info, email us at program@flights-of-foundry.org with the change you want and we’ll update it for you. If you’re sending the email from an address different from the one you registered with, please let us know what address you gave when you registered, which will help us find you.

Is this convention for me?

Are you interested in hearing about the craft, business, or trends in the speculative arts (science fiction, fantasy, horror, and everything else that veers away from strict “realism”)? Then this convention is for you! Every year we have attendees from around the globe and across the industry. You’re welcome to lurk in the social spaces, or skip them entirely. You’re also welcome to dive right in, meet new people, and make the most of everything an accessible event allows.

Does the convention have a code of conduct or harassment policy?

Yes! Flights of Foundry is hosted by Dream Foundry, and is subject to Dream Foundry’s Code of Conduct.

What do I do if I have an interpersonal problem during the convention?

Flights of Foundry has a Safety team on hand to help with interpersonal issues, attendee support, and deal with any violations of our Code of Conduct. This not a judicial or policing group and their focus is on creating a space where everyone can safely participate in the convention. We understand that with a global audience, miscommunications and misunderstandings happen. Our approach is to first take care of the needs of distressed parties, and then attempt potential resolution with an education-first approach. That said, malice and willful ignorance will not be tolerated and we will remove people from programming, or the convention entirely, if that is deemed necessary.

Can I swear during the convention, either in text in the discord or during a panel?

Yes! For many of us, colorful language and swears are a part of our everyday speech, and some cuss words will just slip right in. Don’t feel that you need to censor yourself overmuch. Swearing at another person very probably is a problem, though. Don’t do that. 

Will my reading be recorded?

It will not. Recording readings can use up first publication rights on what’s read. Don’t throw those away! We don’t record readings, and your rights for a given work will not be affected by reading it at the convention.

I want to participate but don’t have a webcam, microphone, or other piece of equipment that would help me do that. What are my options?

We have an equipment fund with money flagged specifically for addressing this need. Contact us at chair@flights-of-foundry to discuss your need and how we can help you fill it.

Glossary

A/V Fiction: This is a track title Flights of Foundry uses to capture media with an audio or visual component, such as podcasts, streams, tiktoks, Youtube videos, etc., that portray or convey a fictional story. This may or may not involve a full cast or production elements such as costuming and sound effects. We also refer to this as the A/V – Narrative track.

A/V Non-fiction: This is a track title Flights of Foundry uses to capture media with an audio or visual component, such as podcasts, streams, tiktoks, Youtube videos, etc., that are not a dramatization or presentation of a fictional story or narrative. Commentary, analysis, Let’s Play streams, all fall in this category. We also refer to this as the A/V – Commentary track.

BarCon: See “HallCon”

Chill-n-Chat: Also known as a kaffeeklatsch, these are informal sessions where 5-6 people have an unstructured conversation with a host. Often the host is a subject matter expert or person of note.

ConCom: Short for “Convention Committee,” this term refers to the chairs, staff, and team members who work to plan, organize, and stage a convention.

Consuite: At in-person conventions, the consuite is usually a room with food and beverage available to con attendees free of charge. The food ranges from light snacks to full meals, the beverages from coffee, tea, and soft drinks to a full bar. Quality of the provisions often varies from convention to convention as well, with some of the traveling conventions judged against the consuites of yore. At Flights of Foundry, the consuite is located in the Discord channel of that name.

Dialog: A discussion between two panelists on a set topic or area of expertise. These are more conversational than a panel, but less open to audience participation than a group discussion.

Group Discussion: A less formal open-to-the-audience discussion of a topic. There will usually be an appointed moderator, and a few selected people asked to join in ahead of time, but if the topic is of interest to you do feel free to drop in and join the conversation.

HallCon: A term referring to the discussion, mingling, networking, and other spontaneous activities that occur in the interstitial spaces connecting official programming spaces. At meatspace conventions, (i.e. in person ones) it’s common for people to continue discussion provoked by a panel in the hallway outside the room. Also common is seeing somebody you know, or would like to know, and stopping for conversation in the hallway. There are people who claim the best part of convention attendance is the HallCon or LobbyCon (same as HallCon, except referencing the lobby as the gathering space) and that they avoid the official programming entirely. Often people will go to a convention’s BarCon (same as HallCon, except at the bar of the convention hotel) without registering for the convention.

Limited seating session: This is what Flights of Foundry calls Workshops, Pitch sessions, chill-n-chats, and any other event where there is a cap on how many people can participate. To get a seat in one of these sessions, you’ll need to enter the lottery for them, which will require you to register before the lottery deadline. If there are still seats open in a session after the lottery, we will have a first-come-first-served sign up sheet for them.

LobbyCon: See “HallCon”

Panel: A moderated discussion among a few panelists. This is usually slightly more formal, and questions from the audience will often be taken at the end.