If you read my column regularly (or irregularly for that matter), you know that I write about pop culture . . . a lot. This weekend, you have the opportunity to make the short trip downtown to the Indiana convention center and experience Indy PopCon for yourself. PopCon was founded three years ago to celebrate all aspects of pop culture rather than focus on one specific theme or genre. Most importantly, Indy PopCon celebrates today’s creators of pop culture.
The pop culture landscape is changing. Alexander Hamilton is a rapper, Abraham Lincoln a vampire slayer and a reality TV star is the Grand Old Party’s Presidential nominee. The video game industry is twice the size of the recorded music industry. YouTube is rewriting TV news and influencing movie studios. History, once confined to the stacks of dusty old libraries, is now just a smart phone’s touch swipe away. Folks, the times they are a changin’.
According to their Web site, Indypopcon.com, “PopCon was founded by a group of geeks from Indianapolis. We celebrate the culture of the creators and the fans who love them.” And celebrate them they do. For the next three days (June 17-19) PopCon has packed so many activities into a 72 hour time frame that you may just want to pitch a cot at the Convention Center to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Movies, television, gaming, YouTube, comics, cosplay, art/music, animation, Internet, Japanese anime, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, voice artistry — if it deals with modern day pop culture, they have it covered here. Indy PopCon has reserved over 100,000 square feet for an estimated attendance of 40,000 guests and 300 artists/exhibitors for this convention. Celebrity guests, renowned comic artists, and media personalities will be coming to Indianapolis to sign autographs, interact with fans, and enjoy our city for one awesome weekend. If you have an interest in today’s emerging pop culture and want to stay ahead of the curve, you should check this event out.
Once, artists and creators would have to be “discovered” to find successful careers in their industry. Today, access to the Web and the ability to create and self-publish gives artists more power than ever. This event is designed to give them a platform to practice their craft in real time and share their art with fans from all over the world. Indy PopCon Communications Director Shawn Smith describes the event as a “digital circus,” stating, “If you’ve never been to one, come out and see what’s going on in pop culture and the world around us. You might just find your next obsession.”
Shawn continues, “The landscape of entertainment and pop culture is changing. Where previously a celebrity or star needed to wait to be discovered, today’s new breed of celebrity simply needs the drive and motivation to self-publish. YouTube Star and Podcaster Extraordinaire are now legitimate titles for a business card. PopCon will include fans and artists from 7 countries and 48 states as far away as Alaska. Fifty percent of ticket sales have come from outside of Indiana.”
Shawn, described by co-creator Phil Mikesell as the “techno-geek” of the operation, says PopCon is the perfect combination of people-watching, all-day networking and personal opportunities to grow as a developer. Are you a budding game developer, writer, cartoonist, YouTube performer, Internet blogger, movie maker or voice artist? PopCon offers opportunities to discuss and confer with some of the biggest names in the industry.
Shawn explains how he met one such talent, IUPUI student Elspeth Eastman, at the first PopCon in 2013. Elspeth, an aspiring voice artist, had already amassed several thousand YouTube followers. Shawn invited her to be a guest at the event and “comped” a table for her to sign autographs and interact with fans. She also took the lead in panel discussions at that first Indy PopCon. Within seven or eight months Elspeth was hired by “League of Legends” (a multiplayer online battle arena video game aka LOL or just League) as the voice of Tristana in the game. “All in one year. That’s the whole idea about supporting creators and watching these creators turn into celebrities.” says Shawn.
At Indy PopCon, you may come looking for comic books and collectibles to add to your collection and soon find yourself talking with the artist or creator themselves. But take a moment to talk to a podcaster, engage with a gamer, screen a movie, or pick up a science fiction book. Indy PopCon was created by collectors, geeks and fans for the enjoyment of everyone. The event is family friendly and kid friendly. Most of all, Indy PopCon is a learning event.
Still confused about this new pop culture world? Here, “geeks” are welcome with open arms. In today’s pop culture, the word geek is used without malice for an “expert, enthusiast or person obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, or socially awkward.” At Indy PopCon, you can visit “on the natural” or you can let your “freak flag fly.”
While most of the events will take place inside the Indiana Convention Center, this year, a 20,000 sq. foot ice hockey rink in Pan Am Plaza will be converted to a competitive ESports arena for the duration of the convention. ESports are competitive tournaments of video games whose primary aspects are facilitated by electronic gaming systems. Sponsored by GFUEL, the official energy drink of ESports, the arena will feature over 200 Alienware PCs, PS4s, and Xbox Ones to attract video gamers from around the nation who will compete for thousands of dollars in cash prizes.
For this weekend only, Indianapolis will be home to the largest arena dedicated solely to video game action in the world. PopCon guests can join competitive or casual pick up leagues for their favorite video games. Not ready to jump into the fray? Then you can watch competitive gaming live in the GFUEL ESports Main Stage with seating for over 1100 gamers and fans.
Scheduled workshop topics include: Nerd Management class, Voice Acting Workshop, Cosplay For Beginners, How To Be A Nerd For A Living: Discovering Careers in Pop-Culture Entertainment, Turning hobbies into careers, Help, My Kid is a Geek! and more. Check the schedule on the Web site for details. More serious topics include panels on Depression and Suicide Prevention and a Self-Publishing/Writing Panel by author Ryter Rong.
You can meet and greet with celebrities from every genre at Indy PopCon. Convention times are Friday 1-7, Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 10-5. All three days feature film screenings, panel discussions, autograph sessions, robotics demonstrations and “Princess Rap Battles,” Snow White versus Cinderella spittin’ rhymes freestyle, how can you resist that?
Still confused about this modern pop culture world? Well, you’re living in it everyday and you’ve probably been using aspects of it for awhile now. You just didn’t know it. Kind of like finding out that the plastic thing at the end of your shoelace has a name (it’s an aglet, by the way) PopCon highlights all those cool things you didn’t know by name, but knew by participation. Cosplay, Sci-fi, Anime, Fantasy, YouTube; go to Indy PopCon this weekend and see for yourself.
Next week: Part II- Interviews from Indy PopCon by a special roving reporter.
Al Hunter is the author of the “Haunted Indianapolis” and co-author of the “Haunted Irvington” and “Indiana National Road” book series. His newest book is “Bumps in the Night. Stories from the Weekly View.” Contact Al directly at Huntvault@aol.com or become a friend on Facebook.
