Tokonatsu 2009 FAQ

[SD-Chan]

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)
Updated 18th January '09

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This is a collection of all of the Frequently Asked Questions about Tokonatsu 2009.
If you have any questions of your own please feel free to PM any member of the committee or email support@tokonatsu.org.uk

Operations

Q. Who is on the Committee of Tokonatsu 2009?
A. Daryl Gillham (Daryl-san), Richard Mann (Wraith), Colin Barker (Myst), Georgina Beare (Kinky Goth) and Simon Cornwell (SD-Chan)

Q. What is the age limitation?
A. Tokonatsu allows for attendees of 13 and older. All under 16's will need to bring a signed parental approval form (which will be provided) if they wish to attend without their parent.

Q. How many places are there for attendees?
A. There are currently a maximum of 200 places for attendees.

Q. When will registrations open?
A. Registrations are due to open at the end of January 2009.

Q. How much will it cost this year?
A. Full details of prices are available on the Registration section of the website located at http://www.tokonatsu.org.uk/registration/

Q. How long will the Tokonatsu 2009 run for?
A. Tokonatsu will be running over a total of 4 days, from Midday Friday 31st July 2009 through to Midday Monday 3rd August 2009.

Q. Can I contact one of the committee by phone, or have my Parent/Guardian do so to ask further questions?
A. If you wish to ask any questions over the phone, Myst is contactable on 07834 194142. He will more than happily field any questions or concerns you may have.

Q. How long do I have to pay, and where do I send my cheque to?
A. You have three weeks to send payment and the address is as follows:

Tokonatsu,
3 Linley Close
Threemilestone
Cornwall
TR3 6DN

Please remember to put your badge name or forum name on the back of the cheque.

Q. Can I pay via Paypal?
A. No, but we do now accept payment via Google Checkout. This will however incur a small surcharge (normally less than £1). The only other forms of payment we accept are via cheque or postal order.

Q. Can I pay for other people, or do you require separate cheques?
A. Yes, You can send a combined cheque as long as you write all of the attendee names on the back of the cheque.

Q. What happens if I don't pay in time?
A. If you haven't contacted Kinky Goth about your delay, then she will attempt to contact you about the delay. If she cannot contact you then she will delete your place to free it up to newer attendees.

Q. Can I send a post-dated cheque as I'm currently waiting on my loan/pay cheque/tax rebate?
A. We would prefer if you didn't. It would be best in this instance to contact Kinky Goth about your situation so that she is aware of your delay in payment.

Q. How long does it take for my status on the website to be updated?
A. You status will be updated within the three week registration period. If you have any concerns about your status, then please contact Kinky Goth.

Q. How do I contact Kinky Goth?
A. You can email her at kinkygoth@tokonatsu.org.uk or PM her on the forum by using the PM icon here . Her contact telephone number will also be available on the registration email.

Q. What ID do I need to bring?
A. We prefer a form of photographic ID, like a Passport, Driving license or Student ID card. However other forms of ID will be acceptable, especially if you contact Kinky Goth before hand to make this known.

Q. Is there just one type of tent that can be hired out?
A. Yes, we only hire out a simple 2-man 'pop' tent. It's roomy for one, but comfortably snug for two.

Q. Can I bring my own tent?
A. Yes, however if it is of a particularly large size (4-man or larger), we would like to be informed for spatial planning reasons.


Website

Q. Does the registration system work in Safari?
A. Yes it does. There were a few teething problems initially last year, but three of the committee use Apples so it was quickly remedied.

Q. Are there any directions to the campsite?
A. Yes, they are located in the 'Venue' section of the website. There will be further improvements to them this year as well.

Attendance

Q. What are the opening and closing times?
A. The festival opens the site at 1200 on Friday 31st July and closes the site at 12:00 on Monday 3rd August.
The Opening Ceremony is at 1800 on Friday 31st July and the Closing Ceremony is held at 16:30 on Sunday 2nd August.
There will be a party on the Sunday evening after the closing ceremony, and the site is available to stay on until 12:00 on Monday 3rd August to assist those who travel great distances.

Q. Can you put a sign at the turning for the campsite, as it is hard to find?
A. Unfortunately, due to the site's wish to not attract unwanted attention from travellers or the general public, we are not allowed to display signs. We will post a picture of the entrance to the site in the 'Directions' sub-area of 'Venue' later in the year to make finding it easier whilst complying with the site's wishes.

Q. What do I need to bring with me?
A. A full list of items for 2009 will be put up shortly. However the most important things are as follows:
Sleeping Bag & Pillow
Full change of clothes
Toiletries
SPF 15 Lotion (minimum)
2 Towels
Torch + Batteries
Hat
Umbrella / Wellies (Just in Case)

Q. Is there any food provided, or do I have to bring my own?
A. Tokonatsu provides meals at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for the length of the festival.
The menu provided by the Tokonatsu kitchen is all freshly prepared food, and is balanced to cater for all dietary requirements at all times of the day. If you have any special needs or allergies, please be sure to place them on your registration form.

Q. How far are the nearest shops?
A. The nearest supermarkets are a drivable distance, but not feasibly walk-able.

Q. Are there going to be dealers on site?
A. Yes, we have dealers that will be available on Saturday morning for all you anime-related purchasing needs as well as a Bring-n-Buy.

Q. Can I set up a stall in my own tent to sell stuff?
A. Unfortunately not, we've found it best for people to avoid any form of unmonitored monetary transactions due to the propensity for disagreements to arise.

Q. Can I bring & use a disposable barbeque?
A. Unfortunately not. We prohibit their use for general safety reasons.

Q. Do I have to stay on-site?
A. No, you can commute to and from the event on each day if you wish.

Q. Is there anywhere to charge up my phone?
A. We do have electrical sockets on site, but they are all reserved to help power various events and activities. However, we do make provisions to make some sockets available for charging on the Sunday morning. Please contact the committee if you have any special requirements.

Q. Is Tokonatsu suitable to 'newer' anime fans?
A. One of the main reasons for Tokonatsu is to help newer fans have a friendly environment free of the stereotypical 'otaku'. We encourage a welcoming atmosphere that ingratiates rather than excludes newer fans.

Q. Do we have to follow a strict schedule of times?
A. No, events happen throughout the day and the kitchen's opening times are spread wide to allow for attendance to events without constraining your option to use it. Certain key events like the masquerade will be at specific times, but no event apart from the opening ceremony is mandatory to attend.

Q. Why is attending the Opening Ceremony mandatory if nothing else is?
A. Purely because it's where we can inform you of any safety procedures, event announcements and introduce you to key members of the festival. It is a short ceremony but will help you in the long run.

Conbook
Q. What can I submit to the conbook?
A. We have had submisions of images, manga, short stories, poetry, articles and stiching patterns in the past, so as long as it would be of interest to attendees of Tokonatsu 2009 we are happy to accept it.

Q. I am submitting artwork, how would you prefer it to be formatted?
A. Please try to submit your work as a 300 DPI (Dots per Inch) TIFF/JPG/PNG/PDF file. Please remember to scale this for an A5 page; and if you do use a JPG, please set it for maximum quality/no compression.

Q. I am submitting written work, how would you prefer it to be formatted?
A. As a minimum we would prefer to receive the article in some form of Rich-Text document(.RTF), or for maximum compatablility you can submit your work as a Microsot Word® Document A5 Page formatted (.DOC).

Q. How do I submit my work?
A. We have a submission setup for this purpose and is available here: http://tokonatsu.org.uk/registration/submission.php

Cosplay

Q. Can I cosplay as a non-anime character?
A. Yes, we've had many non-anime costumes in the past.

Q. Can I bring my sword/axe/lance/etc to cosplay with?
A. Only if you contact us beforehand and allow security to check it upon arrival. If it is deemed as too much of a safety risk, we would ask to hold it and would allow its use in the masquerade & photo shoot only.

Gophers

Q. What is a Gopher?
A. A Gopher is an attendee that has decided to voluntarily give up their time during their paid attendance at Tokonatsu to help out with the running of festival.

Q. What rewards do you get for being a Gopher?
A. Gophering is one of the many ways at Tokonatsu to earn 'House Points' with certain tasks earning certain amounts of points. Also, all Gophers helping out with events can have their breakfast/lunch/dinner brought to them or get priority on being served.

Q. Are there any restrictions on being a Gopher?
A. We would prefer that all Gophers be over 16 and this not be their first festival. This is due to the inherent responsibility involved and that Gopher work can seriously reduce the amount of spare time you may have at the festival.
However, decisions on who can be a Gopher are made by our Chief of Operations (Charmew) and the Committee.

Q. Do I have to commit to being a Gopher now?
A. No, but it is always handy for us to know in advance if you wish to help out.

Q. Can I become a Gopher at the festival?
A. Yes. If you decide while attending that you would like to help out with certain events and do not mind sparing your time, it would be appreciated.

Q. Are Gophers used as security?
A. No, but as a Gopher we would appreciate it if you kept an eye out for anything suspicious and reported it to either the Chief of Operations(Charmew), a Committee member or a member of Security.

Q. Do I have a say in what I can help out with?
A. Yes, as we do prefer people to help out with activities that they enjoy. However, as a Gopher you will be responsible in helping the smooth operation of Tokonatsu 2009, and you must therefore be prepared to be assigned to any event or activity requiring additional help.

Security

Q. What does Security do?
A. Security is responsible for helping to enforce the good conduct rules of Tokonatsu and to help provide a peace of mind for our attendees

Q. I am interested in helping out with Security. How do I apply?
A. PM or email Myst. Also you can call him on (07834 194142).
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