This year will be my third E3, and my 25th or 26th large-format conference/expo overall. It had always been a dream of mine to go, so when I first went to E3 I was going in more excited than prepared. It’s not until you go through it a few times that you realize what you need to do to stay sane, healthy, and ready for action.
So, I’ve decided to share my knowledge with all the other E3 first-timers. It is a fun, exciting event and it can be easy to get carried away, but there should be one thing that EVERYONE should know: You’re there to work, first and foremost. I think it’s necessary to divide the article into three parts: What to bring with you, working the floor, and (for the adventurous ones) how to party. If you have any suggestions, feel free to add them into the comments below.
Now, let’s begin.
PrE3 Prep
It’s easy to forget, but E3 really starts a couple of weeks before the actual date. Meetings are lined up — we’ll get to that later — and preview events take place. Chances are, you won’t be attending these, so you have a prime opportunity to do a few things to get ready.
- Keep up-to-date on gaming news
- Get your sleep
- Eat healthy
- Get your sleep
- Cut down on coffee for the week before
- Jog a bit
- Get your sleep
- Go to the movies and see Hangover II or Bridesmaids
As with any big event, being HEALTHY is important to survive. Germs are passed along at record paces, and if you don’t prepare yourself then YOU WILL GET SICK. Seriously, sleep. A lot. Hitting the treadmill a couple times and eating lots of greens for the week before will help, too, as your body will start to kick up its metabolism. Cut down on caffeine — you’ll need to go through a bit of withdrawal to allow the gallons you’ll be drinking during the show to actually have an effect. Keep up to date on gaming news, too, so that you’re able to plan out what you want to see. Finally, go to the movies and have a laugh. Get out of the office/house. You’ll need to relax and loosen up your muscles.
Tools of the Trade
The evolution of technology has made things so much easier on us. Two years ago, I had to check a separate bag just for my gadgets. This weekend I’ll have just a few items that cover all the bases, more or less. It really depends on what you’re trying to accomplish; are you planning to create a lot of multimedia? Podcasts? Will you be blogging a lot over the week, or saving it for when you get back to the office? Are you interviewing anyone? Video or audio? It’s a lot to think about.
Case 1: Just Enjoying Your Time
If you’re planning on kicking back a bit during E3, perhaps saving your hard work for the office, there are still a few basic items to carry along:
- Writing pad + pens
- Business cards
- Tablet/netbook
- Point & shoot camera
Again, this is for the person who’s not at E3 to break stories. More or less, you’re there because you want to enjoy it rather than kill yourself working. With a few of the basic tools you can do just that. Having an iPad/netbook is a great way to catch up on emails, Facebook, or to throw up a blog post or two.
Case 2: The Writer
Are you planning on getting some MAJOR writing in for the week? Attending any of the press conferences or meeting appointments at the booths? You’ll need a few more things to make sure you get everything you need out of E3. If you’re looking to do some media (read: a few video/audio clips here and there) to go along with your constant typing, then you still won’t need much beyond what the previous case has. Tablets (iPads) and most new mobile devices and phones can record video in HD, and recording audio interviews on the devices is fine in most cases. Even with the inevitable loud Lady Gaga playing in the background, an iPhone can pick up a lot of audio through its tiny mic. You don’t need a separate audio recording device anymore.
- Laptop
- TWO Writing pads + LOTS of pens (and a couple Sharpie markers)
- LOTS of Business cards
- Tablet with camera, or separate point & shoot camera that can record 720p video (or both)
- EXTRA BATTERY for your camera
- External USB charging device
- Card Reader
- USB stick (or two)
- Power strip
Like I noted above: THANK YOU to technology for making our lives easier. With tech, we can combine a lot of devices into one tablet or phone that can take notes, audio, video, and even editing and live-blogging. But, you’ll still need your trusty laptop of choice to make sure you are able to get your writing done. There’s wi-fi in the convention center, so you’ll be fine connecting everywhere. If you must, though, you can always stop by a local mobile phone store or Best Buy and pick up a pay-as-you-go 3G antenna to catch some signal. I also suggest getting a separate USB charger, like the Duracell I’ve purchased, just in case you’re in the middle of an interview and your battery is about to go kaput. You can bring a DSLR but it isn’t required, as you’ll bet getting plenty of press kits anyways and your time is better spent taking multiple quick photos instead of poses.
Have two writing pads with you, a large and a small one. Keep the small one on you at all times, in case something breaks while you’re at a party or event, and affix your business cards to both (in case you leave them in a cab like I did last year and a nice employee of Beenox finds them and contacts you). Speaking of business cards, bring about 100 with you. You won’t use all of them, but hand them out at every opportunity. And for God’s sake DON’T print them out at home; at least use Vistaprint! Order by Thursday of this week, and you can have them overnighted to your hotel by Saturday or Monday morning.
Finally, it’s always good to have a card reader and a USB stick handy, “just in case” you need to transfer images or data back and forth between devices. And power outlets in the building are golden. Good luck finding an available one, unless you bring along a power strip and become an instant hero.
Case 3: The Consummate Professional
You’re all about the Web 2.0. You’re planning on doing a lot of video and image work, blogging for a major outlet, nightly podcasts. Well, be ready, because you’re probably bringing several suitcases with you.
- Everything above
- DSLR camera
- HD camcorder
- External microphone
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Dedicated audio recorder
- Rolling storage
Reminder: this is if you’re a heavy-duty one man (or woman) show. In most cases, if you’re even thinking about this level of work then you’ll probably part of a team that will be there. If you’re not, then there are a few ways to cut some cost as well. Rent really good cameras locally in LA instead of bringing your own. Consider hiring a student cameraman or dedicate someone from your team to tag along with you. You don’t want to carry a giant Call of Duty backpack full of gear with you; you’ll get weighted down, tired, and disorganized quickly. A good Blue or Samson condenser microphone can go a long way as well. And to carry all that stuff? Bring a rolling bag or case with you.
Working the Floor
There are three things to know about traversing the show floor: Know where to go, get their early, and dress comfortably.
Know Where to Go
Either you’ve planned some meetings by now or you haven’t. Regardless, you should (by now) know the show floor pretty well. It’s posted on the E3 website now, so spend some time studying it and figuring out what you want to see. If you DO have some appointments, or are attending lots of events on-and-offsite, then there are a few things to do.
- Print out your schedule
- Get there 10 minutes early
- Put your schedule in your phone
Using tools like Google Calendar or any myriad of scheduling apps, you can keep track all of your appointments even if you lose your paperwork. Make sure to include who you are meeting, what time you are meeting, their contact info, and what you’re seeing, so that at least if any issues arise you can quickly resolve them.
Hand out your business card to everyone you meet, even if they don’t want it, and get a card from everyone. Also, don’t forget to ask for press kits. Avoid the swag unless you’re planning on weighing yourself down with awkward-shaped objects. Besides, excess swag looks very unprofessional when chatting with Tim Schafer. If you’re picking anything up for yourself of friends, or for giveaways through your publication, make sure you can store them before you head to your next meeting.
Dress Comfortably but Professionally
Under no circumstance should you have a 1Up mushroom on your shirt. Instead, opt to wear a polo or a t-shirt and sport coat, along with jeans and tennis shoes. The show floor is giant, so you’ll be walking A LOT between meetings and media rooms, vending machines, rest rooms, etc. By Day 3 people have loosened up quite a bit, and you’ll see most folks walking around in t-shirts and jeans. This is a business conference, not PAX or a mall. Dress accordingly, dress smart. Your first impression takes place every day at E3.
Enjoy the Nightlife
We’ve already done the leg work for you and compiled a list of events and parties that you can attend during E3 week. Events are a great way to network with other E3-goers, have a good time, and even sometimes get some insider info from an inebriated executive. However, there’s an important thing to remember: MODERATE. You have to remember that if you’re there to work, waking up the next morning with a hangover becomes 100x worse when you have to walk a show floor with loud explosions and music, shoving through crowds of other drunk people, and remaining malnourished. No one is going to let it pass if you miss a meeting because of a migraine or a turning stomach.
Our suggestion, if you do plan on heading out, is to choose a couple events that you really want to attend and focus on those instead of trying to hit everything. One event per night should be your limit, and you probably shouldn’t spend more than an hour or two there. If you’re on a tight schedule and need to write in the evenings, then showing up, showing your face, and grabbing one drink might be a good limit. Most of the events are free of charge, so there’s no need to worry about spending money for a quick check-in.
At the events, don’t make it rain with business cards. Stick to those few folks that you’re talking to the most; you don’t need to be a social butterfly. Relax, have fun, and enjoy yourself. That’s what parties are for.
A Couple More Things
Before I end this guide, I just wanted to mention that meeting and getting to know the people you follow on Twitter and Facebook is a great thing. Meeting face-to-face with folks can form great relationships, and in most cases you’ll be able to get along right away. Everyone’s dealing with the circumstances, so asking for help is never an issue. You may get turned down a few times, but it’s only because the other person is just as incredibly busy as you are.
Make sure to follow up with everyone after E3 is over with. Send “thank you” emails to everyone who’s business card you got, booth you visited, or party you attended. Do it within a week, too, so that they remember you, and link to any articles relevant to them that you wrote. Remain in touch with people over Twitter or through email at least a few times per year.
The MOST IMPORTANT item to bring with you is hand sanitizer. Just trust us. Seriously. Lather up every 5 minutes if you have to.
Finally, bring your Nintendo 3DS. There’s going to be a lot of sweaty Streetpasses taking place. You might get the Metroid hat for your Mii before you know it.
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