Tomorrow is the deadline for panel submissions! Take a look at the list below the cut. If your current squee isn’t here, you need to act quickly. Go here to submit your idea!
General/Meta
But research is *hard*
With all the historical fandoms out there, how much research do you/we put into our stories? What about the fandoms that rely on “modern” AUs or time-shift stories? Fandoms like Mag7, WildWildWest, Highlander, Merlin, Robin Hood, etc.
Pimping 101
The idea is to collect ideas over the first part of the weekend, and then compile a list for a later panel. We’d go down the list calling on people to pimp whatever they want in about a minute or less. There are a lot of things that don’t need the full pimping treatment, they just need a quick mention as something good that’s worth checking out. Books, tv shows, movies, anything.
Why is justice so damn sexy?
What could be hotter than Benton Fraser’s unwavering commitment to universal justice? How awesome was Charles Gunn’s vision of justice in the Angel finale: something ordinary and everyday that you just show up and *do*? How much do we love Xena for being a baddie who struggles to become a gorgeously ferocious fighter for justice? Let’s share our love of this character type and explore why we find it so compelling!
Duuudeslash–Awesome, or Really Really Awesome?
Do you love silly stoner comedies and think Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle would only have been improved if Harold and Kumar just got it on? Does it really work for you to imagine those dirty Jackass boys getting up to dirty things off-camera? Do you think Judd Apatow deserves hugs for continuing to bring the bromance in each new project? Then let’s get together and share the duuudeslash love!
Suspenders of disbelief
What is it we love about shows like 24, which stretches even the most flexible of our suspenders of disbelief?
Save Fannish History — Fanlore Live!
Contribute to the new Fanlore wiki (fanlore.org) by sharing your own experiences, memories, and oral history of fandom. Intrepid Fanlore editors will type rough drafts of your thoughts and memories directly into Fanlore, for panel participants and others to read, edit and expand upon later.
Hot Slash in Old Shows
Do you think old series can still generate hot new slash (fic and/or vids)?
So … about this Yuletide thing
Yuletide, JBBS, and Big Bang challanges have become very popular. Let’s gather and share sage advice about participating, tricks and tips on hitting deadline and wordcount, and even those “I can laugh about it now” stories.
Little Black Dresses (and Town Bicycles)
Alex Krycek, Tom Paris, Ronon Dex, Tim Riggins, Dean Winchester, Methos … some characters will just sleep with anybody, anytime, anywhere, won’t they? What makes some characters black dresses and others not? What’s the appeal of Black Dresses? Who’s become wash faded? Is there a difference between a black dress and a town bicycle?
The Times, They Are A Changin’
Our media has eras that mirror changes in the culture; we seem to be entering a new era now. Race and racism were often at the forefront of our news media for the past two years of election coverage. How do you think this may have changed or will change the media we consume–both fictional and non-fictional–in themes, stories, and characters?
What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been
We share fandoms, but we don’t always share our frame of reference. Sometimes you squee like a teenager and sometimes you just want to say, “you kids get offa my lawn!” (All while coping with hot flashes.) Let’s take a few whacks at talking about aging in fandom, one of the last big taboos; my hot flashes joke nothwithstanding, all ages and levels of estrogen are welcome.
They’re SO doing it! But I so can’t write it!
We’ve all seen that pairing that yeah, they’re SO doing it … but try as we might, we just can’t go there. Let’s share favorite TSDIs, and see if we can’t figure out why it is we aren’t going there.
Fan Mediums Remixed – Culture Clash or Joyous Union?
There’s fic inspired by wizard rock, songvids & fanfilms, and songvids inspired by fic… but crossing mediums and genres may ruffle feathers as fannish subcultures interact. What are the challenges and joys of creating works based on other’s fanworks, and how do you approach them? What new fan mediums are you discovering, and how are they inspiring you? Have you had the experience of other fans creating derivative works of your works, in a different medium than you were creating in?
Becoming Better Allies: Consciousness-Raising for White Fans
All fans are welcome, but this panel’s purpose is for white fans to help each other get better at supporting fans of color in discussions of race. We will kindly and respectfully challenge each other to think past triggers, knee-jerk defensiveness, guilt, and fears of “getting it wrong.” We will focus on hearing what fans of color have actually said (with textual examples!) and applying it to our own behavior.
The secret shame
Old conversation, but always interesting and always changing as we add fandoms. You’re a die hard slasher, but you’ve got that one deep dark secret het pairing. What is it and why?
There’s homework?
How do you pick what new shows you’re going to try watching? Ads, homework (studying upfronts), word of mouth? What resources do you use? Do you think, going into a show “this is going to be slashy?” or “this could be my next fandom?” or does it just happen.
What we want to talk about NOW?
At the start of the con, we’ll brainstorm up a couple of topics that feel like hot issues in fandom today that aren’t anywhere on the con schedule. We’ll pick one, get a couple of volunteer moderators for it, and have an off-the-cuff panel about something that’s so up-to-the-moment we didn’t even manage to put it on the schedule in advance!
Wayback Machine
At the start of the con, we’ll look over a list of some of the great panels from Escapade 1999. What were the hot topics 10 years ago? We’ll pick one, get a couple of volunteer moderators for it, and see how the conversation might be different this time around.
Fan Incognito
Discussion of the who/what/when/where/why of staying under the radar.
Show DVD’s – The slow death of fandom
In ancient history, we had to make contacts, swap cruddy tapes and squint at music vids with rainbows and color wash outs. Now we can just go to the local Costco, WalMart or whatever and buy our shows. No more squinting at bad copies but has this really helped fandom>
Fandom-specific Panels
Big Love: Polygamy Soap Opera, or who gets Bill tonight?
Does the premise of this show work for you? Or does it just paint a pretty picture about the subjugation of women? Is Bill really any better than Roman?
Burn Notice: Too hot to handleCome discuss why Sam Axe (retired Navy SEAL and inveterate playboy) is the best thing that ever happened to ex-spy Michael Westen. Hot Miami nights will never be the same.
Chuck (and other great spy fandoms): Chuck Versus Reinventing the Spy Genre
The writers on Chuck (NBC on Monday nights) seem to take delight in turning every spy show cliche on its ear. What has Chuck successfully taken from Get Smart, I Spy, Bond, and MUNCLE? What are the good, bad and ugly similarities and differences? What do we love about those adorable nerds, softhearted spies, and relatives of awesomeness — and where do we (or don’t we) want Chuck to go next?
Dante’s Cove: Dante’s Cove Pimping
You’ve heard about Dante’s Cove, here’s a chance to check it out. We’ll show as much of S1 as you want to see. It’s the funniest, cheesiest, soft core porn you’ve never seen.
Dante’s Cove/The Lair: OMG werewolf!
Discussion. Does one work and the other not? Is one taking itself too seriously? Are they pure cheese or video crackfic? I would ask what we want out of Dante’s Cove S4, or what we expect out of it, but really, there’s no way to expect. They’ll always go to the crackiest place possible. The Lair S3, are we getting another season, does anyone know? What are they going to do next?
Entourage: Life in Hollywood
Four guys in Hollywood with lots of cash and free time. Come on!
High School Musical: Just for kids?
they are all pretty and they sing and dance and share dressing rooms and locker rooms. Why not share more? Sure they are kids movies, but what about the rest of us?
Iron Man: Comic book sex!
Tony Stark – would you do him? Who would? Captain America? Bring your slashy comics and let’s bring this fandom out in the open!
Leverage: Getting Even
Is Nathan really an honest man? Is there anything hotter than someone who can kill a man with an appetizer? And can you say Geek Power?
Merlin: Glorious Crack, or Crock of Shite?
The new BBC version of Merlin has taken some pretty severe liberties with the classic myth – best thing ever, or evil incarnate? With bonus discussion of who on the cast has the best cheekbones!
Merlin: Even the dragon slashes them, why aren’t you?
Two sides of the same coin, yadda yadda yadda… but there are challenges in writing in this fandom. Which bits of legend or historical inaccuracy or costuming are tripping you up when you try to write in the new Merlinverse?
musician RPS: What Fourth Wall???– Negotiating Boundaries in Musician RPS
Increased contact with fans is becoming a bigger part of the job description across the creative spectrum, but long before the internet gave everyone a blog, musicians have been sleeping with groupies, doing signings and meet-and-greets, and growing to mass cultural success from small, personal local music scenes. Popslashers, bandom folks, Rockfic folks, fans who have been writing underground Led Zeppelin slash since the 1970’s–let’s talk about our fourth wall issues!
Nip/Tuck: Shock TV or Schlock TV
It’s amazing how this show keeps on finding new ways to shock us. Did sleeping with Christian “cure” Liz of lesbianism? Why was Sean down on a little infantilism play? And when will Sean and Christian finally just realize they were meant for each other and fall into bed together?
Ocean’s 11, Hustle, and Leverage: The Attraction of the Con
What is it about con men that’s so attractive?
Star Trek (all incarnations): Star Trek: Everything Old Is New Again
With the new movie release, and fanfilms getting more press than usual lately, what’s new on the Trek fandom front this year? What’s on the rise, what’s on the decline, how is the new movie catching your attention (or making you cringe) and how is the ur-slash fandom integrating the next new generation of fans (they get younger and younger every year!)?
Stargate Atlantis: On A Clear Day, I Can See The Pegasus Galaxy
How are you feeling about the end of SGA–relief or regret? Are you looking forward to the rumored film(s), or planning to be snuggled up with your favorite fic that night? Have you ever been part of an active fandom whose canon closed, and do you have any thoughts (or advice!) about how to keep the fannish energy going? Let’s discuss our hopes, fears and fondest dreams for the future of the fandom.
Stargate SG1, Atlantis, Universe: Stargate – What Now?
SG1 & Atlantis are now regulated to movies and Universe airs later this year. Where does fandom go from here?
Supernatural: Angels and Demons – Traditional Lore vs. Supernatural Canon
Bad-ass angels? Good demons? Let’s discuss the traditional and religious lore regarding angels and demons and contrast that with how they’ve been used in Supernatural.
Supernatural: Dear God, what is Kripke up to?
What doe the Evil Genius (aka Kripke) have in store for the brothers? Will they be enemies by the end of S4? If so, what’s gonna happen if they aren’t picked up for S5?
The Fast and The Furious: Too Slashed Too Furious
Fans refer to the first three movies as Slashy, Slashier, Slashiest … and here we are on the cusp of the 4th one. Let’s talk about Dom, Brian, Rome, Han, Sean, Letty, and Mia and all the iterations thereof. Oh, and car porn, too. (And yes, we’ll happily pimp your ride into this fandom.)
Torchwood: Jack and Ianto: Twu Wuv or Dabbling?
What kind of relationship do Jack and Ianto have, based on what canon gives us in the show and official novels? Is it twu wuv and a white picket fence or just dabbling? Does having a canonical m/m pairing make it more or less fun for us as fans?
Veritas: The Quest: Veritas: The Quest Pimping
You’ve been hearing me talk about Veritas for years, come check it out. Nikko lost his mother in an archaeology accident and has been estranged from his dad for a decade. He believes dad is an archaeology professor, but he’s really the head of an international group dedicated to finding The Truth. Starring: Eric Balfour, Arnold Vosloo, Cobie Smulders, and several others you’ll recognize.
The Lair Pimping:
You’ve heard about The Lair, here’s a chance to check it out. We’ll talking lovingly and mockingly about it and show as much as you want to see. It’s the wackiest, craziest show you’ve never seen.
Criminal Minds: It’s All About the Meta:
It may look like a crime of the week show from the outside, but it’s really about a bunch of people who find serial killers by thinking like serial killers — and many of them have been broken in ways that could have turned them into serial killers. What makes these people tick, and why should we care?
Professionals: fanon vs canon. . .
Does fic get them right or do we love to shift away from the screen characters.
Star Trek: making the old new again.
What is the buzz on the new Star Trek movie? Thrilled, horrified or whaddya mean, there’s a new movie?
Star Wars:TPM
What attracted us to the Jedi in the first place and is there something more than the size of their lightsabers that keeps us coming back.
Tech/Workshop
Vidding:who has time?
When do you vid? 2am? Lunch break at work? When the kids are gone for the day? When on earth do you find the time and still get all the resources you need? How can you get the creative juices going when you have a million things to do?
Costuming Commiseration
What projects are you working on, what has you stumped, what worked really well — patterns, fabrics, accessories, tools, etc.
Meet the Kindle
Come and meet the Amazon Kindle, and learn why it’s an awesome new way to read and share fanfic.
Craft of Writing – Beginnings and Endings
Share your favorite tricks on how to hook the reader into your story and end it gracefully or your frustrations as a reader with stories that leave you hanging.
Alternate Programming
He/He, Round Robin in minutes!
He/He is a round table, round robin story game. Ridiculously fun and easy to play, I’ve been playing it at cons for over 10 years, and there has only been ONE person who didn’t laugh themselves stupid. Come join the giggles!