Deadline and Approval

• The deadline for panel submissions and modifications is Tuesday, December 31st at 11:59PM PST or until the draft schedule has filled.
• No panel submissions or modifications will be accepted after this date.
• Panel approval confirmations and draft schedules will be sent out to panelists between January 7th – 20th.
• Panelist Pass confirmations and the final digital schedule (via Sched) will be sent out to approved panelists between January 21st – 27th.
• Panel submission does not guarantee panel approval.

Priority Content

• Preference will be given to panels focusing on the promotion of Japanese animation, entertainment, and culture.
• In-character Q&A panels (e.g. “Ask a ______ character” panels) and Hangout/Lounge panels will be given a lower priority in terms of approval and scheduling.
• In the event that two separate panelists or panelist groups submit the same or similar panels, the earlier submission will take precedence.

Minimum Age

• There is no minimum age for running a panel at Tsukino-Con, with the exception of 18+ panels, though the Programming Coordinator may request a brief interview to learn more about your experience.
• For 18+ panels, anyone involved with or attending an 18+ panel must be 18 or older at the time of the convention, and all persons entering the room must present valid government-issued photo ID at the door.

Panelist Badge Pickup

• Only 2 panelists per panel will be eligible for a Panelist Pass under normal circumstances.
  • You may only enter one panelist per panelist field in the Panel Submission Form.
  • If you list multiple panelists in one panelist field, only the first panelist entered will be eligible for a Panelist Pass.
  • Exceptions may be made for large-scale productions only where the Lead or Secondary Panelist has contacted the Programming Coordinator directly (see section).
  • Panelists are under no obligation to identify every participant involved in their panel.
• Panelists who provide less than 2 hours of total content will be eligible to purchase a Panelist Pass for 50% off the at-door price of a 3-Day Pass. A purchase invite with a pre-applied 50% discount code will be sent to the email address that the panelist has provided.
• Panelists who provide 2 hours or more of total content will be eligible for a Panelist Pass free of charge. A purchase invite with a pre-applied 100% discount code will be sent to the email address that the panelist has provided.
• Panelist Pass confirmations will be sent out between January 14th to 20th via Tito.
• Panelists must present their Tito confirmation and Government-issued photo ID when picking up their Panelist Passes at the Registration Desk.
• For check-in purposes, each panelist must pick up their own Panelist Pass. One panelist cannot pick up multiple passes for a group.
• Panelists must pick up their passes on TBD at the University of Victoria. Panelists who are unable to pick up their passes on TBD must email Registration at registration@tsukinocon.com for late badge pickup.

Panel Rating

• Panel ratings are used to advise attendees of the nature of the content to expect in your panel. These are advisory guidelines rather than hard restrictions, with the exception of 18+ panels.
• Content noted within the 18+ rating below is not permitted outside of an 18+ panel. Discussion or presentation of 18+ content outside of an 18+ panel may result in the termination of a panel in progress.
• It is the responsibility of the panelists to ensure that the content of their panel is appropriate for their panel rating.
• Panel ratings may be adjusted by the Panel Coordinator based on content. Panelists will be informed of this change in their approval confirmation email if necessary.

Prohibited Content

• In-person or live-action nudity/pornography with the exception of bare pectorals.
• In-person or live-action depictions of graphic violence.
• Animated depictions of minors or perceived minors nude, partially nude, and/or engaging in sexual activity (e.g. Loli/Shota/Boku no Pico) as per Canadian law.
• Any content or material deemed in contravention of or promoting the contravention of federal or provincial laws.
• Alcohol or illicit substances.
• Pets and other animals except for animals permitted by law to be on university grounds and in university buildings, such as Guide Dogs and Service Dogs as defined in the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act.
• Presentations involving the above prohibited content will result in the termination of a panel in progress.

Conduct

• Panelists must:
  • Show up at least 15 minutes before the start of their panel for setup.
  • Provide their own devices, such as laptops, for playback of audio/visual content. (e.g. bringing only a USB flash drive with a PowerPoint slideshow on it is not acceptable.)
  • Adhere to all Tsukino-Con rules and policies, including the Weapons and Props Policy.
  • Ask any minors in their 18+ panel to leave, if encountered. Panelists may contact a staff member for assistance, such as if the minors refuse to leave.
• Panelists must NOT:
  • Discriminate or make any discriminatory remarks against anyone, scripted or not, based on their race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
  • Use their panel as an opportunity to slander other panelists, attendees, convention staff/volunteers, or guests (e.g. no “soapboxing”).
  • Mark or apply tape to any surfaces in the panel room during their panel.
  • Provide any food or beverages to attendees at any point during their panel, unless they are individually wrapped/sealed by the manufacturer and remain wrapped/sealed until in the attendees’ possession.
    • Distribution of any homemade/open food products during panels is prohibited.
  • Sell goods or services during their panel. Bartering or “Swap Meet”-type panels are permitted, but money is not allowed to change hands.
  • Attempt to resolve any issues with the house A/V systems by themselves. Panelists must contact Cable Snakes Dispatch in the center of the main lobby to request A/V assistance.

30-Minute Transition Buffer

• All panels will be separated by a 30-minute transition buffer. This buffer allows panelists to run the full length of their timeslot without having to factor setup or teardown into their actual programming runtime.
• The outgoing panelist will be provided 15 minutes for teardown once their panel ends while the incoming panelist will be provided 15 minutes for setup before their panel begins.
• Panelists may not extend their panel’s runtime by cutting into the transition buffer before or after their timeslot. Transition buffers are strictly intended for setup and teardown. Panelists must ensure that they select the appropriate timeslot to properly accommodate their panel’s programming runtime.

A/V Assistance

• Any required A/V equipment MUST be requested via the Panel Submission Form in order to receive assistance with connecting to the respective equipment.
• Microphones will NOT be available outside of the Stage Auditoriums (BWC B150/A104, and MAC A144).
• Cable Snakes A/V Attendants will be present in the Stage Auditoriums (BWC B150/A104 and MAC A144) for the full duration of the panel. Panel Rooms (MAC TBD) will be managed by Con-Ops with their dispatch stationed in TBD.
• Please be prepared to connect to HDMI video connectors and/or 3.5mm audio connectors. Panelists will be expected to provide their own adapters, if necessary, as on-hand adapter supplies are limited.

Internet and Wi-Fi

• Wi-Fi status for Tsukino-Con 2025 is currently TBD.
• For more information on accessing Wi-Fi at UVic, click here.
• Hotspot tethering via cellphone may be unreliable as cellular reception within convention buildings can be hit-or-miss.
• Panelists should be prepared to present all material while offline, such as downloading any necessary YouTube videos beforehand for later playback.

Large-Scale Productions

• If you would like special assistance with any large-scale productions such as game shows or concert performances that require elaborate setup, please reach out via email to the Programming Coordinator, who will work with you to provide any additional information or assistance as necessary.
• To inquire about Panelist Pass eligibility for additional panelists involved with your production, please email the Programming Coordinator and provide the following info: Panel name, panelist first and last name, panelist role, and justification for eligibility. The Programming Coordinator will contact you to let you know if your request has been approved.

Contests and Prizes

• Panelists are welcome to host contest-type panels at Tsukino-Con.
• Contests must not require any financial or material contribution in order to enter.
• Panelists may request prize vouchers for their contests or provide their own prizes.
  • Prize vouchers are only available for panels marked as a contest and are subject to availability. The Programming Coordinator will contact panelists to verify all requests for prize vouchers.
  • Prize vouchers may be picked up and redeemed at the Video Games Table in TBD.
  • Panelists may not award prize vouchers to other members of the panel. Prize vouchers may only be awarded to audience members, contestants chosen from the audience, or contestants chosen from an external application form.
  • Panelists must not provide food or beverages as prizes.
  • Panelists may provide monetary prizes such as cash, coupons, and/or gift certificates.
  • Panelists may provide material prizes so long as they are in compliance with Tsukino-Con’s Weapons and Props Policy.

“No-Show” Policy

• Panelists who are unable to run their panels due to extenuating circumstances must inform the Programming Coordinator via email as soon as possible.
• Panelists who fail to show up for their panel without informing the Programming Coordinator may have any subsequent panels cancelled and may be banned from running panels at future Tsukino-Con events.
• Panelists who are not present for their panel within 15 minutes after that panel’s scheduled start time will be considered a “No-Show” and that panel will be cancelled. Any subsequent panels may also be cancelled as a result.
• The “No-Show” Policy applies to the Lead and Secondary Panelists individually (e.g. the Secondary Panelist will not be penalized if the Lead Panelist fails to show without notice, or vice versa, so long as the panel can still be successfully run).

Modification of Panel Submissions

• If you need to modify your panel submission after it has been submitted (i.e. incorrect information, change to runtime or availability, additional equipment, etc.), you may use the “Edit Response” link provided in your Confirmation Email. You DO NOT need to re-submit your panel.
• We will NOT accept requests for manual modification of panel submissions via email. You MUST modify your submission via the “Edit Response” link provided in your Google Forms Confirmation Email.
• Replacing the Lead or Secondary Panelist will require modifying your panel submission with the correct information. This will ensure that the correct person is eligible for a Panelist Pass.
• Modification of panel submissions will be accepted until December 31st, 2024 at 11:59PM PDT.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Programming Coordinator at programming@tsukinocon.com.

Please note that the Tsukino-Con 2025 Panelist Rules and Guidelines are subject to change without notice. Please check back periodically to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.