We have ways we can grow that and make it bigger and better.” Additionally, recognizing the international scope of the Crunchyroll fanbase is a feat in and of itself, and creating one community across many cultures is important.įranklin said, “There are a number of different things we do. Pulling people in virtually and then breathing out all of this great content and community. I love being able to include more fans.” This understanding of community is something that should be replicated across convention spaces not just to encompass large international audiences, but also to allow options for those who can’t travel, whether because of costs, disability, or worries because of high-risk status.įranklin added, to my joy that this is just the beginning for the virtual component as well, “Eventually I want the Crunchyroll virtual experience to feel like it’s breathing in and out. With the Cosplay Cup, for example, we still have contestants competing from all over the world and I just love that. We had 222 countries on the virtual show in 2021 and it was like, yeah, we want to keep that global audience as a part of CRX. Franklin explained, “We saw the global audience we had for the virtual show. Or if there are travel restrictions, which happens, we thought about everything flexibly…There is nothing we can do about the hills and valleys of COVID so we just have to be as prepared as we can be.”Īdditionally, Crunchyroll Expo managed to also keep elements of its virtual component, again, while other festivals and conventions have begun to focus only on in-person. That maybe the Japanese guest wouldn’t feel comfortable coming so we thought about what other kinds of great things we could do for fans. Maybe the ticket sales would not be good, or maybe they’d be great. “We knew going into this that this year we were going to have to be flexible. We even gated that outside space so that people can be in the outside courtyard and still in the convention without needing to go through the metal detectors again, letting them go in and out and get air.” We reduced the number of tickets we sold so that hopefully it doesn’t feel overcrowded. Franklin elaborated, “We also reduced the capacity. And that was by design, even with a sold-out show. Outside queuing for panels and exiting some of the larger panels, I didn’t experience the overwhelming sense of being “crammed in” that seemed to be happening. While the packed feeling was felt on day one entrance and of course the concert series, when compared to last month’s Anime Expo which left no room to move and didn’t enforce masks, Crunchyroll Expo was a significantly different experience. What I tell all of the teams globally with all of our events is that, if we don’t feel safe having our staff there, we should not be encouraging fans to go there.” We were going to exhibit there, but it was not a good time. We saw early in the year that some conventions either removed the policies or didn’t enforce them. We want to do what we can to make people as safe as possible but we also want people to feel comfortable – not that they’re crammed into a space with a bunch of people without masks. Franklin said “I’m not kidding when I say that our fans’ safety is our priority. On COVID safety protocols, Franklin explained the choices behind keeping a vaccination and masking policy while other conventions removed all restrictions. I was lucky enough to speak with Crunchyroll’s Head of Events, Mary Franklin, and dive deep into the Crunchyroll Expo, its return, staying virtual, and prioritizing the safety of fans, guests, and staff. And that’s due in no small part to a crew that cared about safety. But at this past weekend’s Crunchyroll, I felt unbelievably comfortable and safer than I thought imaginable while at a convention. That means covering conventions or festivals is always going to come with an element of fear in a world where COVID is becoming more the norm than an abnormality.
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