[Western] Giving SCA demos

[Laurie]

>what makes a sucessful demo? 

Gearing the demo toward the target audience.  The audience going away feeling as though they learned something positive, whether about history or the group.  Accomplishing the goals set forth by the group for the demo.  Whether recruitment or teaching.

>what does it take to set one up?  

Planning and preparation.  Know what you want to accomplish and make sure the participants know, also.  If it is not a closed demo, i.e. at a school or such, advertise.  Let people know where you're going to be and when.  Not just your members.  Put out flyers, alert the media, whatever.  Be organized.  Assign jobs as you would with an event.

>what makes an unsucessful demo?  

Lack of the above.  The audience leaving with a sense of disappointment, not knowing quite what we are about.

>would like y'all's input and perhaps we can all come up with a better model, or some guidelines for people to run good demos, especially those who haven't set them up before.  does anyone have url's about setting them up?

This reign has placed a priority on demos and Master Modius has handed out discs with some great handouts, video footage and guidelines.  If anyone needs an extra, I have one.  Our shire ended up with 2 or 3, so this one is redundant.  There is a kingdom demo coordinator, who is deputy to the seneschal, Seamus O Dubhda.  His email address is demo at ansteorra.org .  Here are some links with ideas for demos.  I haven't thoroughly read all these sites, but they are a starting point.
http://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~acg/Demohelp.htm
http://chatelaine.atlantia.sca.org/handbook/3.htm  - from Atlantia's Chatalaine Handbook
http://www.thescorre.org/literature/adept/28_29_Fair.htm
http://www.thescorre.org/literature/adept/pdf/ADEPT_Manual.pdf - a very in-depth manual that appears to have lots of incredible information
There are also other Chatalaine/Hospitaller handbooks out there with more info.

Hope that helps!
Muirghein
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