| 09.16.2018 – Pop Hub Manila is the latest Fan Festival that is held for the first time in place of the Best of Anime event during the annual International Bookfair at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay City. The event is geared for the popular culture from local fan communities to Filipino-published works.
Its one of the events that was held over the course of the weekend and its still happening to the last day, which is the 17 of September 2018 as the culmination of the first ever event that has been build up as an event for everyone. |
But being a convention goer you have to ask what to expect from an event that has done more than just feature local artists and the fandom itself? There are questions that you need to address as spectator in what to see in this event that other events don’t have. It’s not just a gathering of Star Wars, Star Trek, and other fandom communities that participated in the past events, but what does Pop Hub have to offer that would stick out from the events that has happened this weekend.
You have to bring something to the table that no other event has to offer. Yes, there are activities for Harry Potter fans or a Lightsaber Duel by the most skilled fan out there, but we’ve seen these things in the past. There are exhibits of fan props related to the communities that participated there are more of that acknowledges each fan groups who has been part of the event but there are questions addressed in this event.
Activities for Everyone
To capture a huge market that includes families namely parents with kids. How can you make them pay PhP 120.00 pesos ($ 3.00 AUD) entrance fee to get them hooked. Most of the target market is for the young fans and not for the general public. The Philippine culture is different when it comes to paying that amount of money just to see what’s inside Pop Hub. Most you’ll attract is the younger audience who clamour for Happy Potter and other properties that is popular nowadays.
Getting to hook in a family is a bit of a challenge so mostly the event attracts the younger crowd looking for something to get them entertained. So the audience at this event is limited to the crowd who appreciated the current cultural impact of the properties that are relevant, which gives you an age group not the general public.
Presentation and Stage Events
The event would have been presentable if it is done professionally. There’s nothing wrong with the host its just there are some inappropriate Filipino quirks that dumb down the feel of the event and the guests. There was one discussion by two local comic book artists about the golden age of comic books, but the discussion ended discussing the artists’ careers instead of the topic at hand.
So it’s a bit confusing that the original discussions were not given light on what the golden age of Filipino comic book history. The topic at hand went off the left field not having connection at all. The panel would have been engaging if the host was focused on the topic at hand instead of elaborately changing the discussion to the careers of the featured artists on stage that certainly would given better focus.
A Fandom on its Own
Pop Hub could have capitalized on presenting this interest with better organization. The event is trying to find its identity that should have focused on what is a “Fan Fest” for everyone not just for the age group that caters for it. We’ve seen the same ‘convention formula’ that it’s redundant in some ways not entirely giving complete interaction to the younger audience.
Yes, there are cosplays and 501st Garrison as the main draw of this event, but to build up its own identity it must cater to the younger audience through workshops that kids would enjoy. An entrance fee alone cost a lot without even getting a show bag of souvenirs not just printed programs, but something that would be worth the entrance fee rather than attracting walk-ins because the Harry Potter group is there.
Gimmicks and Activities
There are local published works but sometimes those who are featured on stage never get acknowledged that much as knowing who to feature. Harvey Tolibao’s story is a good panel discussion how he started as an artists and letting everyone know his story. But there’s only one Harvey and not everyone has the same story like him.
The panels would have benefit if the discussion is about creating characters or suggesting inputs in “How to make your Character” through three different artists hosted by an actual comic book expert or someone who knows the artists as one of the suggestions for panels. Sometimes a closed panel discussion can get fans to listen to these discussions rather than an open stage panel, where most people won’t even bother to listen to the guests.
Need more Interactive Booths
The booths featuring the local published artists are a great draw to this event, but sometimes they lack interactivity and going through their tables are not as pleasant like an ambush interview. It’s inappropriate to surprise the exhibitors with interviews like that kind of interaction when they can be given an early heads up on how to promote their wares than being surprised.
Event exhibitors would have their own gimmick not just a static booth for sketches and selling their wares. The event would have benefit from a lively interaction between event visitors if there was some sort of ‘treasure hunt’ activity that would be engaging to those patrons who also paid for the entrance fee.
Summary of Pop Hub Perspective
Overall there is no excuse for having its first event it has to be professional when it comes to organizing an event big or small. It has to have an impact on its first year and not give excuse for improving the next one. It has to have a theme on its own than just an event that feature local artists, cosplay or even fan groups.
It has to stand out on its own what is the core value of its event itself, and always leave a survey at the website for feedback what the visitors look forward to the next one. It needs continued growth for an event like this to find its own voice that no other event should have. Not just the usual fan community as most events these days are becoming redundant with the same content and most of these types of events don’t last long enough to keep its own voice or even identity because it carries the same face as the other events that happens every year.
Pop Hub Manila should not be just another event that just trying to bring local artists or fan communities. It has to find its own voice what core value should have in keeping with the times and being ahead of it self. If it has to grow the event should also be open to suggestions from fans what they expect every year.
It is a new event but it has to be unforgiving to the excuse of being ‘new’ it has to stand out and make sure the event is not just another fan festival. Its not bad to find inspiration from other conventions abroad it just need to bring something that others don’t have that would be its trademark. But everything that happened on Saturday was good enough idea what the event is trying to convey. It just needs to keep its momentum and find its own identity for the next one.
Pop X Hub Manila is an annual event that happened from 15-16 September 2018 during the International Bookfair with the entrance fee of PhP 120.00 pesos featuring local comic book guests and artists. For more about the event follow Pop X Hub in their social media via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Visit the website at: PrimeTradeAsia.com/Events
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