USITT Costume Design & Technology Commission

Proposals are taken up to 2 years in advance.
Next year's conference programming is selected at this year's 1st commission meeting.
Session proposals forms must be submitted by the deadline date (usually 3 weeks before the conference). Deadlines are posted in SIGHTLINES and sent out electronically via the Costume Info Listserv.
You will be informed in May if your proposal was selected or not.
If your suggestion is not chosen, it will be retained for consideration for subsequent conferences, if your approval is given.
You will be informed by early fall of your session time and date. If your program must be held at a specific date or time, it must be designated on the proposal form. Conference program scheduling meeting is in May. Accurate information is crucial!
Do not plan to sell things at your session. Sales should happen only at booths in Stage Expo. You may bring fliers to distribute or leave on table in Commission meeting room.
If a featured item in your session is a commercial product, please check with VC-Programming before including this. We must get permission to do this; we do not wish to compete with the exhibitors at Stage Expo.

THE SESSION CHAIR

The session chair is important and is responsible for many things. YOU are the liaison between the panelists and the Programming Chair.

Please fill out the proposal form completely. If you are unsure of your panelists at the time you submit the proposal, that‰s ok. But be sure to secure your panelists as soon as you find out your session has been accepted, and re-file a revised session form to your VC-Programming with all the panelists listed.
Make sure all contact information is complete. This includes phone numbers and E-mail addresses! We will need to contact you.
Make sure your panelists contact information is complete. This includes phone numbers and E-mail addresses! We may need to contact them.
Please think of all A/V or equipment needs and include them on your proposal form. A/V and computer equipment is very expensive, and needs to be budgeted for. If you do not state your needs early, you may not be able to have what you need. Other equipment needs, such as dress forms, tables for display, tack boards, etc. must be listed.
Deadline for panelists biographies is September 1st!
If you need to apply for travel and housing funding for a non-member guest, you must fill out a form (available to you from your VC-Programming). Travel must also be budgeted for in advance, and not all requests are granted. (Average is about 2 per commission!) Confirmation of travel requests comes in late November. You will be asked to make sure that funded guest panelists make their travel arrangements through the USITT travel agency.
Forms for non-member guest registration requests (available to you from your VC-Programming) must be completed and returned to your VC-Programming by the end of January. Allow yourself enough time to get the form turned around.

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE

Stay in touch with your panelists and the VC for Programming on a regular basis. Make sure your panelists are aware of the order and plan of the presentation.
The session chair is responsible for any supplies needed for this session. If your session has handouts, make sure enough copies are available for attendees. If your program promises to be standing room only, anticipate about 250 copies. Do not count on finding a Kinkos around the corner from the conference center.
If slides are used, make sure they are brought to the conference in order, in a slide tray ready to go. Preview the slides to make certain they're not upside down!
If you are using computer projection, don't forget to load all the necessary software on your laptop. If you have requested a computer be provided for your session, check to see if you requested the proper software or bring copies that can be loaded onto the computer before the beginning of the session.

THE DAY OF YOUR SESSION

Check the Conference Program to confirm the time and place of your session. Most of our sessions are scheduled for the same room (our home room), but some of our computer dependent sessions will be in the computer room.
Check in early with your VC-Programming or the programming chair to ensure that requested equipment is scheduled for your session.
Make sure your panelists have arrived. Check w/conference registration or hotel desk to make sure they have checked in.
Arrange to meet w/ your panelists before the session to prepare.
Get to the room early to set up and check that requested equipment is there and works correctly. (Anticipate problems!)
Don't go over your time limit. Keep an eye on the clock. Respect the set up time for the next session.
The Costume Commission Programming Chair will be in the assigned room for your session at least 15 minutes before the session is scheduled to begin .If there are problems he or she will help you to solve them!
You will also have a session assistant who can help you with showing slides, dimming lights, handing out materials etc.