SWANCON XXX

A Festival of the Imagination, A Carnival of the Senses

Easter  March 24-28 2005
www.swancon.com

Emerald Hotel, 24 Mount Street, Perth

Guest of Honour:  Charles de Lint
	
Fan Guest: 	Anna Hepworth

Fictional Guest: Simono, the  Most Beautiful Fan in the World

Special Guests

MaryAnn Harris		Grant Watson

Invited Guests

Shaun Tan		Terry Dowling

PROGRESS REPORT TWO

January 2005

Welcome to 2005, and the second progress report for Swancon XXX.

Logo © Brian Choo.  Thanks, Brian

Con Chair’s Report

	Tiki Swain is our art show co-ordinator. Guidelines and information about the art show can be found in this Progress Report.
	Dave Luckett is running the Fan Olympics.
	Paul Kidd has started planning for the Masquerade already, and since he’ll be ineligible for a prize as organizer, that opens the field right up for everyone else!
	Emma Hawkes is co-ordinating the awards ceremony, with Gina Goddard as MC, so everybody wins!
	We are looking for volunteers to assist both before the convention and during it. Become a volunteer, feel valued, help Swancon happen.  Alistair McKie is compiling a register of volunteers; his contact information is below

Volunteers needed (you, you and you!)

We need volunteers to:
	Act as tour guides/chauffeurs for guests Charles de Lint and MaryAnn Harris before and during the convention, plus other drivers:
	Act as day managers and gophers:
	Supervise the art show, children’s programming events, open mike sessions, and video room (no 12-year-olds watching A Clockwork Orange, please).
	To volunteer for these or other tasks, please e-mail our volunteer wrangler, AlistairMcKie@gmail.com .  To volunteer for panels, please e-mail Swancon30@westnet.com.au

Have You Got Your Membership Yet?

Memberships are currently $110 until further notice.  A membership form is enclosed with this PR, with the T-Shirt registration form.  Memberships are also available from Tactics, JAFWA and from the committee. 
	In order not to oversell the memberships we will withdraw all the receipt books once the membership count reaches 200. Further memberships will only be available via the committee. At this point there are approximately 60 memberships available before the books are withdrawn, so please buy your membership now and avoid the rash! 

Academic Stream:  Call for Papers

The program of Swancon XXX will reflect the convention's theme of "a carnival of the senses." Within the academic stream for 2005, we are particularly interested in papers or expert presentations which focus on the senses, both real and imagined, as they are represented in speculative fiction. 
	Although we encourage people to address the theme of "the senses," we will consider papers on any aspect of science fiction or fantasy, whether the focus is prose, film, the internet, games, comics, science, history, theory, audience studies, fandom or other related topics. We also welcome submissions that are from disciplines outside of the humanities, as long as the papers relate directly to science fiction or fantasy.
	People interested in presenting an expert topic, rather than a formal paper, are also encouraged to submit a proposal. Expert topics in previous years have ranged from introductory physics and fungi, to aquaculture and forensics. We are interested in any specialist topic which would be of interest to a well-informed lay audience.
	Proposals for papers and expert topics should be submitted by 30 January 2005. Proposals should include: your name, institution, email address, snail mail address, the title of the paper, approximate presentation time needed for the paper (either 20 or 45 minutes) and an abstract (approximately 300 words, in either Rich Text Format or MS Word format). Proposals should be submitted by email to:

Cathy Cupitt
Email: ccupitt.geo@yahoo.com

Art show

Expression, creativity, hedonism, passion, exploration, delight... calling for submissions to the Swancon Art Show for 2005. Art's long been a medium for trying to express the inexpressible, for catching the echoes on the edge of imagination. If you've been pouring the sf/f dreams of your soul, heart and senses out through paint, clay, fabric or any other visual-arts medium, submit them for display! 
	Please send the details of each piece - title, artist's name, type of work (painting, sculpture etc), approximate size, any special mounting needs you might have, sale price or not-for-sale - to Tiki by email at aerious@lostrealm.com or by post through the normal Swancon mail address. There will be a $2 entry fee per piece, pay on the day, with a limit of 15 pieces per person. Artists will be responsible for delivery and collection of their works before and after the show - if sending artwork by mail, please include return postage so that we can return your pieces to you in the event that they don't sell. If you have any questions, please email Tiki as above or otherwise contact the Swancon committee. We're also looking for volunteers to help with setup on Friday morning, takedown on Saturday evening, and to man the desk. If you would like to help, we'd love to hear from you.

Auction

The Auction is currently scheduled for the Sunday afternoon of the con.  If you have items you want auctioned, the appropriate forms will be available from the registration desk.  Please be aware that we will only guarantee that a maximum of 20 lots per person will be put up for bidding, though individual items may be bundled together to make up a lot.
	Ten percent of proceeds will go to Swancon XXX, except for items where the beneficiary is a recognized fan fund (e.g. DUFF), other fan organization (e.g. WASFF), or charity.

Children’s Programme

Laurton McGurk is planning a day of programming for children 6-12 years old, and desperately needs ideas and volunteers (adults who can assist with supervising, not fans volunteering to be children).  Volunteers should e-mail AlistairMcKie@gmail.com

Conventional Weapons

No weapons, real or replica, may be worn or carried during Swancon XXX, except by a contestant en route to, or during, the masquerade.  Weapons used as part of a costume must be securely sheathed or holstered, peace-bonded, and approved by the committee.  If peace-bonding does not meet the committee’s standards, the committee will provide gaffer tape and super-glue as required.
	Anyone drawing or wielding a weapon will be asked to sheath/holster it; if this request is not complied with, they will be asked to leave.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!
  
A dinner with Charles de Lint is planned for the night of Wednesday, March 23rd.  Tickets will be $50 per person, and can be pre-booked via Sarah Parker on 0414 762 904. More details will be available in the next Progress Report.
	Space will be limited, with preference going to committee, volunteers, and fans with commitments that prevent them from attending the convention.
	We will also be scheduling at least one (and at most two) kaffeeklatsches with Charles de Lint – a chance for eight people at a time to sit down and schmooze with the Guest of Honour.  We’ll be taking bookings at the con.

Emerald Hotel

The Committee has walked the Emerald twice now and are pleased to report the facilities are all we could wish and the hotel staff are most helpful.  The gaming suite includes two sizeable rooms, a kitchen and bathroom, and there will be overflow gaming space available on the ground floor near Registration or in the fan lounge, which will be supplied with tea and coffee.  As well as our main function rooms, the Emerald has also given us the bar during the day, and several other rooms excellent for a children’s programme, author readings, and other activities.
	The hotel shop will be stocked with sandwiches, chocolate, and most things necessary to fan survival.  The guest rooms are well supplied, including microwave ovens as well as the usual tea and coffee and fridge facilities.  Some of the rooms are in two parts, a bedroom half and a passage going past the sideboard with oven, fridge etc to a sitting room area.  Other rooms are one big space, so let the hotel know which kind you would prefer when you book.

Gaming

We've now confirmed the facilities available for gaming, which include a suite (no, we won't forget to empty the bar fridge) and access to the bar during the day and late night for LARPing.
	Given space is limited, so anyone wishing to organise a room or rooms for specific games will need to contact us to arrange a booking. Rooms and time slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, except when accompanied by appropriate incentives.
	We're also looking for someone to run a LARP or other gaming activity on the Thursday night, after the Opening Ceremony. So if you fancy running a game, LARP, or other gaming activity (eg killer), or have any queries, please email amarillion@gmail.com

Hucksters

Hucksters tables are open for booking! Book for hucksters’ tables now by e-mailing Steve at Swancon30@westnet.com.au. Please note that Hucksters will need to move their tables and goods every night as we need the space to Party Hard!

Programme

SwanCon XXX will include many now-traditional events – Masquerade, Art Show, Award ceremony, Auction, Academic and Expert Streams, the WASFF Business meeting, and Lee Battersby’s Alternate History Game Show.  It will also introduce new ones, including a concert by Charles de Lint and Mary-Ann Harris, a hen’s night and wedding, a preview of The Angriest Video Store Clerk in the World TV show, various tastings, an erotica writing workshop, and the return of the Fannish Olympics. And, of course, panels and other presentations.
	Rather than leave the program rooms completely empty during meal breaks, I’m considering having ‘open mike’ sessions of author readings. Register in advance on the day, maximum fifteen minutes (approx 3000 words) per writer, with some other minor content restrictions decided by the MC. We need MCs as well as readers.  
	The following are possible program items.  Not all can or will be scheduled, but those which fail to attract volunteers certainly won’t.  Asterisks indicate those for which panelists have already been found.

‘Tis but a scratch! Which sf/fantasy books/films/RPGs/comics get their fight scenes right? *
A dimension of sound:  sf radio plays
Arse Gratia Artis: The history of the nude on sf/fantasy book covers	*
Becoming a professional artist	*
Best Anime for beginners
Books (etc.) that should never be filmed		*
Computer Games: they’re nice, but are they art?		**
Corset workshop		*
Cult Movie, Bad Movie: What’s the difference?		**
Do fanzines have a future?
Do sf writers have crystal balls?
Do Vampires get rigor mortis?  Forensics in sf, horror and fantasy	*
Economies of scale: writing sf and fantasy worlds that make economic sense
Erotica writing for fun and profit		*
Extra-solar planets: fact and fiction
Fannish fashion tips
Fannish Parenting		***
Fannish Taste Test: Can we really tell the difference between butterbugs and Soylent Green?		**
Godzilla as Urban Renewal Project		**
Harry Harrison		*
Hi, Robot. How far are we away from building androids?
Historical Costuming		*
How Not To Sell a Movie		***
I Never Meta-Text I Didn’t Like
Inevitable Annual Dr Who Panel
Iron Writer		*
Irwin Allen – Giant, or Lost in Space?	*
Lafcadio Hearn	*
M. Knight Shyamalan
Preaching what they practice: religious sf/fantasy		*
Psi fi: is there any evidence for ESP?		*
RPS Panel/reading		*
Science Fiction and Fantasy on stage		**
Sensoria: how aliens might see us		*		
SF and the Internet:  Who got it right? Who got it wrong?		*
SF Music Quiz
Spectacle vs Story
Stop Me Before I Collect Again!
Terry Nation retrospective		**	
That’s easy for you to say!  Inventing alien or fantasy languages		**
The Art of the Silent Movie
The Banality of Evil		**
The care, feeding, and proper use of monsters		***
The Future of Love		*
The Future of War		**
The Next Generation: Writing for Young Adults		**
The Prisoner		**
The Return of Fannish Courtship Rituals		*
The Secret History of Swancons		*
The Woad Goes Ever On and On: A history of body art in sf and fantasy, with practical demonstrations.
Three faces of Astroboy		**
Trailer Park	**
TV Vampires		*
Underused mythologies		***
What if Star Trek had never existed?		*
What if Star Wars had never been filmed?		*
What’s new (and good) in comics?		*
Where have all the good sf tv shows gone?		**
Women Behind the Camera
Wonder Women: Great Female Role Models in SF/F
Writers Workshops – do they work?		*

Short Story Competition

Once again, the Australian Science Fiction Foundation has been kind enough to sponsor our science fiction and fantasy Short Story competition.  The competition is open to all Australian residents.  There is no entry fee for members of Swancon XXX; the entry fee for non-members is $5 per story to cover expenses: make cheques/money orders for the entry fee payable to Swancon.
	Entries must be original, fictitious, and cannot be based upon existing series, properties or characters.  Entries must not have been previously published, nor have been the recipient of any prize.
	Entrants must not have had more than 20,000 words of fiction professionally or semi-professionally published (i.e. paid in money, rather than copies.) 
	The competition will be judged by a panel of professional writers and editors.  Their decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into unless it’s on the back of a bank cheque, made out to Swancon XXX, for more than the prize money.
	Prizes will be presented at the Awards Ceremony at Swancon XXX, on Sunday March 27.  Entrants who do not expect to be attending the convention should include a self-addressed stamped envelope with each submission.

First prize:	$150
Second prize:	$100
Third prize:	$50

Submission rules:
	Up to 3 entries may be submitted by each entrant.
	The name of the entrant must only appear on the cover page of the submission and nowhere else.
	Each entry should consist of a complete short story, maximum length of 5000 words.
	Each submission must be in an easily readable hardcopy form.  Handwritten entries, clay tablets, computer discs, e-mails, etc., will not be accepted.  All manuscripts will be considered disposable, so don’t send us your original or only copy.
	The judges reserve the right to deliver a verdict of No Award.
	Deadline:  1700 hours, Friday, March 4th, 2005

Send all submissions to:
	Swancon Short Story Competition
	P O Box 276
	Bayswater WA 6933

Tin Ducks

An online nomination form for the Tin Ducks will be available shortly on www.swancon.com 

T-Shirt T-Shirt T-Shirt T-Shirt  T-Shirt

In response to the wails of “You didn’t print enough!” and other less printable complaints, there will be another run of Swancon XXX shirts with the wonderful Brian Choo design on March 1st, for $20 each ($25 for long sleeves).  Anyone wanting non-fannish colours or sizes (e.g. anything smaller than large, larger than XL, or any colour other than Model T Ford black), or long sleeves, should place an order by e-mailing Swancon30@westnet.com.au or using the form enclosed by 28/2. Black L and XL T-shirts will be on sale at the con. Please be prepared to pay for your T-Shirt on delivery, or feel free to send us a cheque!
Need More Info? Feed the Beast!

In today’s Technological world, there are a huge number of ways to keep your eye on Swancon. If you haven’t checked out our Webpage, http://www.swancon.com/ do so today. Other ways you can keep a watch on us include the Livejournal Community “Swancon” and also Perth Fandom has a Gossip Blog at, http://PFBG.blogspot.com/, where rumours, lies, gossip and the occasional update from Swancon will appear. These are friendly forums where any one can post. Don’t forget, if you are not yet on the Swancon E-Mailing list, then you should be! And if you’re on Orkut, check out the Orkut Swancon group. 

The Committee

Elaine Kemp – Con Chair and Venue Liaison
Stephen [Steveg] Gunnell – Treasurer
Stephen Dedman – Programmer and Guest Liaison
Alistair McKie – Department of Youth and Volunteer Wrangler
Cathy Cupitt – Academic Stream Co-ordinator and Swancon 29 Liaison
Craig Greenbank – Video Stream
prk and Tori – Gaming Stream
Sarah Parker – Fundraising
Jay Watson – Movie Screenings
Ghoti Dalziel – Chief Minion

Contacting the Committee

Swancon30@westnet.com.au

SWANCON XXX
Easter  March 24-28 2005
www.swancon.com
Registration Form

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Please mail form to:
Swancon 2005
GPO Box G429
Perth WA 6948

Or e-mail: Swancon30@westnet.com.au

Honoured Guest,

Lyn Triffitt
and
Lee Battersby

cordially invite you to join them as they celebrate the occasion of their wedding during Swancon XXX.

The wedding shall take place at 5.30pm on Saturday 26th March 2005, at The Emerald Hotel,

We look forward to seeing you.