Need some questions answered about
Con 70? Hopefully this Frequently Asked Questions section
will help
.
What is the stance
regarding special guests?
Will horror be
included?
What do people do at a
convention?
If traditional fan
based conventions like Con 9 and Con 70 are so
great then why aren't there more of them?
.
What exactly is Con 70?
Con 70
- A Retro Sci-Fi Adventure is an Australian
convention that will run for three days (the Labour
Day long weekend) based around science fiction TV
shows and movies from 1970-1979. Unlike modern day
conventions, Con 70 will follow the
"traditional" fan run format where the
focus of the event will be on panels, discussions,
presentations and atmosphere.
What do you mean when you say
"non-profit"?
Unlike
modern commercial conventions (known as ProCons) who
operate like a business, Con 70 is a self funded
event where the financial profits - if any - won't go
into the pockets of the organisers. Our aim is only
to cover costs.
Traditionally
non-profit conventions would hand over any excess
monies to a nominated charity or use it as a rollover
fund for another convention. Either way none of the
organisers profit financially from the event.
Why would anyone run a convention
that makes no money?
The
answer to this is simple ... "for the sheer
enjoyment of it."
Fan run
media conventions like Con 70 (and Con 9 From Outer
Space before it) no longer exist in this modern era,
so unfortunately many people have never actually
experienced a traditional science fiction convention
before. This is why Con 9 was regarded so highly by
those who attended, including those who heard about
it afterwards, and why people were still speaking
about the event a year after it was held.
From
our perspective we just want to enjoy classic media
conventions the way they used to be with panels,
discussions and with genuine passion for the subject
matter. This is why we like to say Con 70 is "by
the fans for the fans" because everyone can
enjoy the convention on the same equal level.
What is the stance regarding
special guests?
Over 20
years ago conventions in Melbourne were lucky to have
3 or 4 actors appear in a year (back then they were
known as Guests of Honour or GoH) and getting them to
attend at all was a very special privilege. These
days that number has swelled to 30-40+ so the market
is now diluted with celebrities, as a consequence a
single actor may not necessarily have the same
"crowd pulling" power they once did.
As a
non-profit event we simply can't compete against the
Pop Culture Expos or the ProCons so our preference is
to focus our energy squarely on our unique and varied
programming/atmosphere which you don't find at the
commercial events.
Having
said that, if a suitable guest happens to come our
way then we would certainly look at including them,
but it's not something we plan to actively pursue.
Plus as we proved with Con 9, you don't always need
the appearance of an TV or movie actor to run a
successful event.
Will horror be included?
No. We
believe horror is a specific genre unto itself which
doesn't fit into the theme of our convention,
however, sci-fi programmes that have horror elements
in them are included, eg. Alien and
Beware! The Blob.
What do people do at a convention?
With
Con 70 taking place over a long weekend you make ask
yourself "what will I do in those three
days?" As organisers our task is to provide the
entertainment but what you do with your time and how
you enjoy it is entirely up to you.
Historically
conventions were a fantastic place to meet new
people, make new friends and be the only place
where you could immerse yourself in the realm of
science fiction for a couple of days and leave the
real world and its troubles behind.
On Day
1 you'll probably spend your time just working out
what's what and who's who. By Day 2 and 3 faces will
become familiar, conversations will start up and
before you know it new friendships will begin to
form.
Finally
at the end of the convention you'll understand why
these events are so special and why some people are
prepared to travel interstate or overseas just to
attend them. You'll also get to appreciate why
conventions of this nature are remembered decades
after they were held.
If traditional fan based
conventions like Con 9 and Con 70 are so wonderful then
why aren't there more of them?
Despite
the fun and entertainment they bring to fans,
traditional conventions aren't always guaranteed to
be successful - which for a non-profit, all volunteer
event is a critical requirement. In the case of Con
70, we are staffed by a team of a dozen passionate
volunteers who will remain a part of the organising
team for a year and a half just planning and getting
things ready.
Also
with so many Pop Culture Expos and ProCons operating
today, it's a lot harder to find a place in the
market especially when so much focus is given to the
appearance of celebrities and actors. This is
particularly relevant when you consider just how
small Con 70 is compared to these large high budget
events.
.
If you have any other questions
you'd like to see added to this FAQ, just email them to Con 70 and
we'll look at including them
.
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