L.A.con IV: Tentative Program Topics

Craig Miller, program

L.A.con IV looms ever larger and the task of finishing up with the program schedule is hard upon us. Coming up with program topics and matching them up with speakers, rooms, days, and times is a giant jigsaw puzzle and we're working hard to make sure no pieces get lost between the couch cushions. Once the schedule is crafted, we'll put it here on the website. (For a list of many of the people who will be on the program, see our list of confirmed program participants.)

In the interim, here is our tentative list of program topics for L.A.con IV. It's broken down into categories and many program items appear in more than one category. (For example, "Aliens Beyond Probability", about which aliens in science fiction were too unlikely to actually exist is listed in both Science and Literature.)

We've tried to balance the program between many types of items: writing & literary topics, media, science & technology, art, fans & fandom, filking, costuming, gaming, etc. Additionally, though not listed here, there will be readings, autograph sessions, kaffeklatsches, etc. We think you'll find plenty of things on the program to keep you occupied during this year's Worldcon.

Not all of these items will end up on the schedule. For a few of them, the people necessary will have their schedules change between now and the convention and they won't be able to make it. Still other items will go because there simply isn't enough time on the schedule for them all. That said, there are programs that aren't listed here that will end up happening because we're waiting for some specific people to confirm who haven't been able to yet or because we'll suddenly have an inspiration or someone will suggest something we hadn't thought of but now have to have.

So please don't expect everything on this list to make it. But we're going to have as many of them as possible.

General

Alien Artifacts Our distinguished panel of experts will identify unusual alien items and discuss their uses.

Alien Humans There are straights who write about Gay characters. Women who write about men. Men who write about women. Gays who write about Straights. Is that very different from writing about Martians?

Alternative Energy Sources and Conservation Thirty years since the first energy crisis and what have we accomplished? The cost of gasoline has gone through the roof and is going higher while the supply dwindles away. Hydrogen power is in the distance but does it even make sense (other than to the oil companies)? What about windmills and solar panels? Ethanol and bio-diesel? Nuclear fission (or even fusion) are another kettle of fish, plagued with problems and bad PR. What's to be done?

Alternate Histories in Reality Science fiction is filled with "alternate histories". But so are history books. "History is written by the victors," wrote Machiavelli. Time does its part for re-writing history, too. Alternate histories abound. Think American Indians were noblemen of the plains who all lived in harmony with the land? Guess again. Then there's Disney's version of Pocahontas. And don't forget Shakespeare's rewriting of Richard III.

Alternate Science Fiction We're all familiar with alternate histories. How about science fiction alternate histories? How might the field have been different if Stanley Weinbaum had lived, or if John Campbell had decided he'd rather write than edit, or if Robert E. Howard hadn't committed suicide? What if Harry Turtledove never wrote an alternate history?

Ancient Discoveries How did ancient peoples living on the banks of the Nile know that crocodile dung had medicinal properties? A discussion of the innovations of the ancient world before the scientific empirical method and double blind studies were de rigeur.

Anthropology of the Future With all the changes in our world -- political, social, economic, and scientific -- what will it be like for us, as people, to live in the future. What will the human condition be like?

Are Clones Kosher? When we' re finally able to clone a chicken breast, will it be something that vegetarians will eat? Will it be Kosher? Halaal? Will it taste the same as the "original"? Will anyone want to eat it? Many science fiction authors have speculated about "vat-grown meat", but are we actually on the verge of having it to serve on the dinner table? Will it help end famine and starvation, or just make things worse?

Bloggers as Public Intellectuals H.L. Mencken, Edmund Wilson, I.F. Stone, Germaine Greer, Gertrude Stein, Hannah Arendt all gained prominence as American public intellectuals through newspaper columns and books of collected essays. Is the Blogosphere spawning a contemporary generation of important public thinkers? Who are the ones you can't afford to miss? What are they saying?

Blogs & the Media Over the last few years, blogging has exploded. Not just for geeks anymore, even commercial sites now frequently have blogs. There are blogs on every subject and the media has started using blogs not just as marketing tools but as sources for news stories. Vox populi and all that but is this a good thing?

Books That Changed My Life Some books have a profound effect on people. Come hear from our panelists which books had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

Buffy the Masters Thesis Lately colleges and other academic venues have been seeing a proliferation of theses and monographs that examine popular TV shows and discuss how they fit in with certain philosophies. There are several courses which use popular entertainment as examples in philosophy class, political science class, sociology class, etc. Why has television suddenly become acceptable to the academic crowd? And is this a good thing? What sorts of findings are they having?

Business, Copyright, and Public Domain Congress keeps extending the life of copyrights. Is this good for authors and other creators or just for the mega-corporations? Where is "intellectual property" going in the US? In the world?

Can Science Fiction Change the World? Science fiction is more than just stories; it's ideas and inspiration. But can it change the world? Some people who are trying to do just that, by inspiring people through their works or who have been inspired by science fiction and are trying to take action, talk about what they're doing and what you can do.

Changing Human Nature Has human nature changed through recorded history, or are we the same old apes with new technology?

Commerce & Art: Censorship or Commercial Reality Some editors/publishers just don't like what you have to say. Is that censorship? Some don't want to publish anything controversial, to face the potential wrath of the Fundamentalists or the Parent Groups. It's their money; isn't it their choice?

Cool New Technology What new technology is out there, knocking on our doors, just waiting for us to make use of? Some of it's useful, some of it's good (some not), and some of it's just silly.

Coping with Celebrity You don't have to be a rock star or Tom Cruise to have a fuss made over you. Celebrities in a variety of fields talk about what's different for them from "before" and what it's like to deal with their popularity. Is it all it's cracked up to be?

Craig Newmark on Craigslist The founder and CEO of craigslist talks about how a small website to help find things to do in San Francisco has grown into the prototype for internet communities, with sites in over 200 cities and 35 countries.

Creating Communities Through the Internet The web isn't just for research, for posting comments on the latest episode of Lost, or to find porn. It can also be used to create communities. The best example of this is "craigslist", now with over 200 sites in 35 countries. Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist, and others, talk about what they're doing and why. And where we can go from here.

Creating Language Language and culture are linked. What concepts need words? How does the environment affect the language? What does it take to create a realistic, usable language?

Death of the Book It's been predicted several times but it still hasn't arrived. What's keeping books around? What are the alternatives? Why aren't they making a louder noise?

Debate: Is There a God?

Debate: Science Fiction Is Inherently Liberal/conservative

Debate: Secrecy & Freedom on the Internet

Debate: Space: Government Vs. Private Enterprise

Debate: SF Conventions Are Dead or Dying

Debate: There Are Some Things Man Was Not Meant to Know

Design Your Academic Career for a Job in Space What courses should you take? What should you major in? Where should you go?

Did the Revolution of the '60s Succeed? Whatever it was, it was one of the most undigested movements in America. Has there been a lasting effect? What have we learned?

Do We Need a New Definition of Literacy? In the next ten years, what will the word "literacy" mean? Can you truly be literate in tomorrow's society if you can't use a computer? Are computer icons replacing the need to read? What's the future of libraries and bookstores?

Forensic Science Fiction Television is filled with shows about science: the science of criminal forensics. How realistic are those shows and how much of what they portray is science fiction?

Frankenfood to Frankenpeople Genetic modification from food to people; how far is too far?

The Future of Business Were Pohl & Kornbluth right in The Space Merchants? Will the future see mega-corporations instead of countries? Where is business going? What will it be like 50 or 100 years from now?

The Future of Cities Growing seemingly beyond their ability to sustain, is there a future for mega-cities like Los Angeles, Tokyo, Mexico City? What about smaller cities? Their budgets are stretched to the point of snapping, too. What can be done to save cities?

The Future of Education It's a system we all know is broken but what really needs to be done? What can be done? Our panelists share their thoughts with audience participation encouraged.

The Future of Nations and Policies in the Middle East Is there one? Where is it going? Is there any hope for stabilization, let alone peace, in their (and our) future?

The Future of Religion What should we expect from our many religions as we enter the new century? If we ever leave Earth will we take our religions with us? Should we?

The Future of the U.N. Third world countries are starting to unite and stand up to the first world. Sometimes this is good, sometimes not. What does the future hold? Which countries will lead this power change (if any) and what are the implications? Is it inevitable? And desirable?

The Future We Didn't Expect Who would have thought that we would live to see an international plague, the fall of the Iron Curtain, or the virtual end of the Space Program? What's next that we aren't expecting?

Guilty Pleasures Here are activities that give us great personal pleasure but somehow, down deep inside, we're just a bit ashamed to admit that we like the Smurfs...or bowling... or mud wrestling. Hear people reveal their Guilty Pleasures and why they indulge.

I, Robot to Magnus, Robot Fighter Right now robots are pretty much remotely-controlled devices to conduct certain tasks like bomb disposal or mindless repetitive-motion machines for chores like vacuuming rugs. But what will "real" robots be like? Will be Asimov's dutiful three-laws obeying pals or our sneaky lords and masters a la the Magnus comics? The singularity suggests, perhaps, the latter. Or will it be somewhere in between?

Inventions Someone Needs to Invent Wouldn't it be nice if we had a...? What would happen if our technological dreams came true? If we had transporters or free, unlimited energy? And how would things change if we had them?

If Only it Were Real... What science fiction concept, other than space travel, would you most like to see realized? Flying cars? Matter replicators? Time travel? Why?

Iron Poet Poetry Challenge It's Iron Chef for sonneteers and other poets. Come to this Bouts-Rimés event and write a poem with the day's mystery ingredients, share your work, maybe even win prizes.

Is Art the Inspiration for Madness? Writers are like gods. Whatever they want their characters to do, they do. If they want lightning to strike, the sky is shattered by electricity. Are they responsible for the themes, the ideas, and the actions in their works? Is there a responsibility not to show how to make a bomb? Should good always triumph over evil?

Is the Scientific Method the Death of God? Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Einstein have included religion in their commentary. How have scientific methods changed over the centuries and how has it affected science's relationship with religion? When all actions can be described by physics and all life can be described by biology and chemistry, is there any room for the miraculous, the ineffable?

Jack the Ripper -- Fact and Fiction One hundred years ago, Jack the Ripper cut a bloody swath through London. But compared to modern serial killers, Jack was a flyweight. So why has he held such a fascination for so many writers through the years? And just who was Jack the Ripper?

Jerry Pournelle: Inventing the Future How to change the world.

Jobs of the Future What will the blue collar jobs of future be? Mechanic for the hamburger flipping machines at McDonalds? What changes will we see for the white collar set?

Kevin Drum on Politics & the Future The Washington Monthly's Political Animal blogger brings his worldview on politics to the Worldcon and lets us know what he thinks is in store in the decades to come.

La Cage Aux Fans Gays have been around forever. It goes without saying, then, that they've always been a part of Fandom. How has fannish life changed over the years for Gay Fans and what's it like now

Legal Systems of the Future Experts discuss what changes the future will bring to our system of law and justice. The topics they'll cover will include Constitutional issues, intellectual property, cloning, eugenics, etc.

Literacy & Science Fiction There was a lot of fuss made about the sales of the Harry Potter books and what it said for children's literacy and reading. Did it encourage kids to read? Will it have any long term positive effects? What can we do to encourage reading?

Look at past Futures Science fiction has always been a medium for prediction: what will the future be like. Well, gang, the future's here. What did the science fiction of the '30s - '60s say about the turn of the century? Were they accurate at all? Which predictions do we wish would come true? Which are we glad haven't come to pass?

The Killer B's & a V Bear, Benford, Brin, and Vernor Vinge talk about The Bullets You Don't Hear. Which ones will get us, and why worry?

Metropolis: the Future of Big Cities What changes will the future bring to the concept of the big city? Will the megalopolises continue to grow, until we have literal city-states, or will we see a move back to the 'burbs?

Might Makes Right An awful lot of 'hard SF' is set in a military milieu. Is that to be our destiny in space? Or are Gordon Dickson, Robert Heinlein, and Jerry Pournelle just giving us some rip-roaring adventures? Besides, what's wrong with militarism?

Military Tactics in Science Fiction Many science fiction stories have a military background. Heinlein, Dickson, Pournelle, and many others have used space-faring soldiers as the centers of their stories. But how would those tactics work in "real life"? Who gets it right? What should be done better?

Mistakes Future Historians Will Make about Our Time If we were to read a story written in the 23rd Century but set in our time, what might we find wrong with it?

Mixed "marriages" How do you explain your, um, hobby to your spouse, in-laws, friends, co-workers, etc.? Do they ever get it?

The Morals of Future Sex Sex between two people -- the morals of that are pretty well worked out and everyone knows where they, um, stand on the subject. But we've already got sex toys, and in recent years, with the advances of technology, "teledildonics" has brought computers into the bedroom. What's going to happen with sex in the future? Sex with not just dolls but androids? With specially created clones? Are there any rules? Should there be? What about moral issues?

Our Fascination with Evil Before there was writing, people were telling horror stories. Today, tales of horror, of vampires, of slasher killers, of nameless things that go bump are amongst the biggest selling books. What is it about us that makes us want to be scared to death?

Podcasting Just what is Podcasting? How does it work and why should I care? And what roll does it have in the future of science fiction

Politics & SF Which political ideologies from science fiction novels could and/or do work in real life? Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress or Starship Troopers? Margaret Atwood's The Handmaids Tale? The whole Star Trek universe?

Politics, the Internet, and the Future The face of the American political system has been changed forever by the advent of electronic technology. Can our system handle it? What will our government be like in 100 years?

Real Aliens Aliens in science fiction come in virtually all shapes, sizes, and colors. But, if they're out there, what will real aliens be like? Not just physically. How will they think? Will they have the same type of emotions and moral/ethical feelings we do? How will we say "Hello"?

Religion in SF Books & Movies Religion is frequently ignored in science fiction and fantasy. But sometimes it isn't. How is it treated? Do we see standard Earth religions or all-new ones? Or ones that just think they're all new? Some authors seem to think that, come the future, all people will just abandon their religious beliefs. Does that seem likely?

The Rise of Theocracy Was Heinlein right? Is this our future? Who will be Nehemiah Scudder?

Robocop Vs. Real Cop: Future Law Enforcement The crime labs of today make any major police department into a Sherlock Holmes. What will the future bring? Criminologists and others discuss what changes they're already seeing in their work and what they expect for the future.

Science Fiction & Fantasy and Early Curriculum It's important to stimulate a child's mind early, to give them a desire to learn. Elementary school brings us into contact with reading, arithmetic, music, art, science, and more. Science fiction and fantasy, including fairy tales and mythology, can be used to inform children about all of these subject areas and more, and can excite them about reading and learning.

Screaming Queens The role of Gay & Lesbian characters and themes in horror literature and movies, including the works of Anne Rice, Clive Barker, and Stephen King.

Sightseeing in Japan Where to go and what to do before and after next year's Worldcon . And what should I know about the Japanese culture to keep me from insulting anyone by mistake?

The Sound of Thomas Jefferson Spinning in His Grave Why do the descendants of rebels love reading about kings and wizards?

Swimming in the Gene Pool What are the ethical problems of the Human Genome Project? Are we playing God when we fool around with genes and chromosomes? Can a world of all blonde and blue-eyed children be far behind? When we can work miracles on the molecular level, will the people in areas we can "correct" be discriminated against?

The Theory of Dragons Dragons abound in fantasy and fairy tales but not all dragons are alike. From Real Musgrave's Pocket Dragons to Naomi Novick's giants, with Anne McCaffrey's more traditionally-sized dragons in between, not only their sizes vary but their personalities and capabilities as well. Writers of dragon tales talk about the whys and wherefores of dragons.

21^ST Century Snake Oil "It must be true, I saw it on the Internet." How has pseudo-science infected popular culture lately? How does this kind of charlatanism interfere with progress and rational discourse? Are there things we can do to counter the untruths that are spread around?

Unexpected Heroes of the Future Who will the future consider to be heroes? John Brown's stock went up considerably with time. If some scientists are correct about global warming and the threat to the environment, will future historians consider Eco-Terrorists heroes? Who will the future revere?

Using Science Fiction in the Classroom Teachers of all grade levels are using science fiction to encourage kids to read. And through SF's use of extrapolated scientific, political, and sociological ideas, it's also helping to get them to think. Educators talk about their experiences using the "literature of ideas" within their curriculum to stimulate and excite students.

Whatever Happened to the "science" in Science Fiction? SF once was primarily a written medium which inspired countless young people to seek careers as engineers, scientists, and astronauts at NASA and in the aerospace industry. Today, SF covers a broad range of media, and many of its most well-known incarnations -- e.g. Star Wars -- present the visual window-dressing of science fiction without attempting to ground it in anything resembling science fact. Does contemporary science fiction still inspire young people to have science and engineering careers?

Where Do Militias Lead? SF fans like to think of themselves as rebels and they like to read stories of people who are the same. But are Gordon Dickson's Dorsai and S.M. Stirling's Draka just a natural extension of today's militias? What about Heinlein's Farnhams Freehold? Are these militiamen the reality?

Why Am I So Wild about SF & Fantasy None of us would be here if we simply kind of liked science fiction or fantasy. We're here because we need to be here, to interact with other people as impassioned as we are. What makes these stories resonate within us?

Why Is Everything So Dark? Batman has become the "Dark Knight". The X-Files is filled with conspiracies and people wearing dark clothes walking around in dark rooms. Before that, the great New Wave of SF, which called itself literary, was deeply pessimistic. Is this mature, childish, or the swing of a pendulum?

World Government Is it a real possibility or mere science fiction? Many SF novels take something like a world state for granted, as part of the background of their future universe. Yet if one talks about world government as a concrete political goal -- however distant -- people often dismiss it as hopelessly naive and utopian. What is the likelihood of it ever happening?

The Worst Future You Can Imagine We hope for the best. We work for it. But what if things don't work out right? What can go wrong? What will that future be like?

Art

(does not include artist demos)

The Art of Joe Bergeron The artist presents a slide show of his work.

Art Show Auction Come bid on some great art from the convention's art show. Auction rules available in the Art Show.

ASFA Business Meeting A meeting of the Association of Science Fiction Artists.

Association of Science Fiction Artists: the Ins & Outs Come hear about what ASFA is, what it's doing, what it can do for you, and how you can get involved.

Book Cover Illustration and Design Artists and art directors talk about what makes for a good cover illustration, an eye-catching design, and increased sales.

Bookbinding with an Sf-theme A hands-on demonstration on making books. Come away with your own blank book. Attendance limited.

Buying Art Bidding for art at a science fiction convention art show can be simple. It just seems complicated. Established collectors, auctioneers, and artists will tell you about the mysteries of bid sheets and voice auctions. And about strategies for winning the auctions. They'll also talk about buying art elsewhere than convention art shows.

Chesley Awards The annual awards for excellence in science fiction and fantasy art, presented by the Association of Science Fiction Artists.

Collecting SF Art for Fun & Profit The value of science fiction and fantasy artwork has appreciated greatly over the years. Twenty years ago, an expensive work in an Art Show was still well-under $100. Today, that's cheap. SF art can command many thousands of dollars for a single piece. Collectors and appraisers will give you the ins and outs of collecting and protecting SF art.

Computer Art A discussion of computer art and graphics. How it's done, where it's used, and who's doing it.

Dinotopia: Behind the Scenes Artist Guest of Honor James Gurney will present a slide show on the history and future of Dinotopia.

Docent Tours: the Art Show

Drawing to Order Professional science fiction illustrators tell tales of the perils of working when the call they're responding to isn't from a muse but from an art director.

Evolution of a Book Cover [A publishing house art director] will take you through the complete genesis of a recent book's cover art from concept through finished product.

The Future of Science Fiction & Fantasy Art Over the past 70 plus years, science fiction illustration has changed dramatically. The '30s and '40s had their flashy, lurid covers. The '50s and '60s sported high tech space-scapes and abstracts. The '70s and '80s have brought us photo-realism. What were the trends of the recent decades? What lies ahead?

Kiddography: the Art and Life of Tom Kidd A slide show by the artist.

The "look" of Star Trek Rick Sternbach, long time Senior Illustrator and Technical Consultant for most all versions of Star Trek from the first film on, presents a slide show of his artwork for Star Trek.

Origami Workshop Come try your hand at fantasy and science fictional origami creations.

Preserving Your Art Collection into the 21^st Century Many fans have been collecting art for 20 years. Here are some tips on keeping your art collection healthy and how to add to it during the next 20 years.

The Resale Market for Genre Artwork How much is that piece of art really worth? Is it just what you paid for it or does science fiction and fantasy art appreciate in value? Is there a resale market for genre artwork (or only for pieces by the biggest names)? Can you make a killing on eBay or at Christie's or can you only sell it at conventions?

Rick Sternbach Slide Show A slide presentation on the science fictional art of cover artist & production illustrator Rick Sternbach.

Science Fiction & the Ferris Wheel A slide show of fantasy and science fiction influences in historic fairground and amusement park attractions.

Seeing Isn't Believing A presentation on the art of computer graphics and image manipulation.

Someday My Prints Will Come Following the long, sometimes tortuous trail from artist's original to print, be that limited edition, lithograph, serigraph, photo, or offset print. How are they made? What are the differences? Should the buyer really care?

Space Art Astronomical artists talk about their profession. Do you have to know a lot about astronomy and get the planets and stars exactly right or does it just have to look good?

Survival Tips for the Mercenary Artist How to make a living as an artist and not end up with the short end of the paint brush. An artist may create for the joy of creating, but you still have to eat. People who make their (and their family's) livelihood from their artwork tell why it isn't a sin to sell.

Writers & Illustrators of the Future The Writers of the Future contest has been going on for several years and many budding SF and fantasy writers have entered, won, and gone on to make professional sales. Now there's a new contest for Illustrators. How do go about entering these contests and why should you enter?

Comics

Batman The Live-Action Series Forty years ago, in 1966, the American airwaves were hit with a "camp classic" before anyone knew what that meant. Batman was so popular, with it's "pows" and "whams" and over-the-top villains it ran two nights a week. How did that series change the television (and popular culture) landscape? What effect did the series have on the comics it came from?

The Business Side of Comics There's a lot of "art" to creating comics but there's a business side to. What does it take to publish comics today, for big companies and self-publishers? What's distribution like? How do you stay in business? Is there really a market for comics or are comics now just a testing ground for future movie properties?

Comic Books to Movies There seems to be no end of movies based on comics, ranging from Superheroes to the more esoteric V for Vendetta. Some of them work creatively, some financially, some do both. But some don't. What works? What doesn't? And where do filmmakers go wrong?

Comics & Education Is there a place for comic books in education? Only "special" comics or can any comics be used? Isn't it a good thing that kids read, even comics if not "the classics"? Should a well-educated person even read comics?

Comics Today & Tomorrow How are the comic books of today different from what they used to be? What can we look forward to in the future? Is there a future for comics? Is it in print or on line?

Comics: Words & Pictures An in depth look at the art of bringing together the story, the dialogue, and the images that make comic books and graphic novels a unique art form.

from Smallville to Secret Identity Kurt Busiek, Jeph Loeb/Alfred Miller, Grant Morrison, and others have found radically different ways to retell and re-invent Superman's story. Panelists discuss approaches that add to and detract from the collective myth.

The Incredibles Was The Incredibles simply the best super-hero movie ever made? So what if it was a comedy? The animation was amazing, and the writing was even better. Why are so many other super-hero movies so much worse?

Is There Too Much Violence in Comics and Animation? Where should we draw the line? Who should draw it?

Manga Mania Manga is more than just Japanese comic books. How do they differ from what we have in the United States and in Europe? How is it that they cover so many more different topics and are read by so many different types of people?

Omnibus Publishing Panel Publishers from different areas of publishing -- a major imprint, a small press, an on-line magazine, a prozine -- compare the similarities and differences in their tasks.

The Physics of Superheroes Is there anything believable about Superman's powers? Batman's abilities? How can you explain what superheroes do?

Science Fiction in Comics A discussion of past and current science fiction successes and failures in comics, and why this has been a troublesome commercial marriage of form and content.

SF&F Comics & Film at Platinum Studio The comic book and film company tells all about their upcoming projects and future interests.

What If Superheroes Were Real? Superpowers we'll accept as a given. But what effects would there be on society if there really were superheroes? Would government's just let them act? Would near absolute power corrupt? Would the existence of superheroes ultimately bring forth supervillains? What toll (or benefit) would the world see from years or decades of superpowered daring-do?

Why Do SF Fans Love the Legion of Super-heroes? Even fans who read few or no other comics seem to find something in the Legion of Super Heroes to keep them buying and reading the comic, some of them for decades. Just what is there about the Legion?

Costuming

(does not include most demos or slide shows)

Beginning Costuming Now that you've seen the masquerade, here's how to get started in science fiction costuming. methods, resources, ideas for beginners, including extra tips for hall costumes and masquerade costumes.

Beginning Glitz and Glitter Glitzy, glittery and gaudy techniques to make your costume stand out. Learn materials and basic techniques for adding sparkle, shine and focus to your hall or masquerade costume.

Constructing Headpieces A demonstration on how to make dynamite headpieces for your costumes.

Cosplay Costuming inspired by anime, manga, and gaming. What's working and what's not, what's new and what's hot.

Costume Design for Movies & Television A professional designer of costumes for popular science fiction shows and movies will talk about the process and business of costume design.

Costuming in Close-up: Sweating the Details Small scale details, finishing touches, delicate work for close-up effects.

Costuming on a Budget Where and how to find great prices and great pieces to make your costumes work but not bust your budget.

Costuming: the Hard Parts A discussion on the use and abuse of fiberglass, resins, molding. Storm troopers, armor, and details, oh my!

Costuming: the Hard Parts: the Demonstration See how resin casting is done.

Creatures & Critters Learn the secrets of fuzzy costumes and awesome forms.

Full Body Furry Costumes Using make-up, foam rubber, a knife, and a sewing needle to create a complete character you can wear.

The Genius Bar, Costuming Style Bring your problems. Let's figure out how to solve them.

It's What's Underneath That Counts Add variety and distinctiveness with supports, structures, and frameworks. Alter and manipulate your silhouette with corsets, bustles, bustiers, and more.

Klingon Costuming Creating costumes for your Klingon characters.

Learning to Love Leather Learn about basic and intermediate leather working.

Masquerade Mistakes How'd That Happen? Costuming mistakes, both large and small. The panel will discuss their flubs. Please feel free to bring yours.

Masquerade Post-Mortem Costumers discuss last night's Masquerade. What went right? What went wrong (we hope nothing). Which costumes were really great?

Photographing Your Costume Professional and fan photographers share what they look for in photographing your costume.

Pro Costuming A professional costume designer for motion pictures and television talks about designing science fictional costumes for the screen.

Wings Part I: the Panel The terrors and rewards of putting wings on your costume, plus handy tips on how to make wings, wear them, and survive the experience.

Wings Part II: the Demonstration Watch and learn how to do simple but elegant wings.

Events

(chronological order)

Opening Ceremonies The official kick-off to the 64^th World Science Fiction Convention. (Wednesday, 1:00 pm)

Babel Conference Ambassadorial Reception Come join us for a reception welcoming everyone to this year's Worldcon and our Star Trek 40^th Anniversary Celebration. Star Trek costumes invited. (Wednesday 8:00 pm)

Chesley Award Ceremony (Thursday, 6:30 pm)

Guest of Honor Event & Special Awards A spotlight time for each of L.A.con IV's Guests of Honor. Heinlein Award. Others? (Thursday 8:00 pm)

Masquerade Traditionally one the highlights of the convention. Costume experts from around the world sometimes spend the entire year preparing for this event. Come see what they've created. (Friday 8:00 pm)

Hugo Awards Ceremony The Oscars of the science fiction world. (Saturday 8:00 pm)

Book Exhibit Raffle All of the books on display in the Book Exhibit will be raffled off (in lots worth app. $100+ each) with proceeds going to pro-literacy charities. Come see if you've won. (Sunday, 11:00 am)

Closing Ceremonies The official conclusion of this year's Worldcon. Come bid farewell and see what last surprises are in store. (Sunday, 4:00 pm)

Frankie Thomas Memorial Come share your memories -- happy and sad, funny and heartwarming -- about Frankie Thomas. L.A.con's Special Guest, the one and only Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, was an actor of note, an author of Sherlockian mysteries, a bridge teacher, and more. Come hear about his life and career and share your own memories of him as a friend or just what watching him perform meant to you. (Not Yet Scheduled)

Howard Devore Memorial Come share your memories -- happy and sad, funny and really funny -- about Howard DeVore. L.A.con's Fan Guest of Honor may not be with us in person, but we know he's watching. Come celebrate his life with family and friends. (Not Yet Scheduled)

Fandom

Amazing Stories: 80th Anniversary The first all-science-fiction magazine made its debut in 1926 and from it sprang other magazines, readers galore, local clubs, letter columns, and all that surrounds us today. Some of the early writers and readers of the magazine give their memories of how it effected them.

Anything Two Fans Do Together (Or What Is Fanac These Days)? We think everyone would pretty much agree that fanac has changed over the decades, but we might not be so sure as to what it now consists of. Just what is "fanac" and what's just doin' stuff?

Ask Ms Manners, SF Fan Questions of Fannish etiquette will be addressed by our self-appointed arbiter of good taste. Some questions will be prepared, others will be taken from the audience.

A Beer Can Tower to the Moon and Other Fabulous Fan Projects There have been all sorts of projects over the years, and some of them even worked. There have been bibliographic projects, fan funds, building funds, and conventions that even attracted hundreds of people. Also our never ending effort to get organized. Here about the ones that worked and the ones that plunged all of Fandom into war.

The Bidders Speak Representatives from the announced bids for the 2008 Worldcon will each give brief presentations and take questions in order to convince you to vote for them. Groups bidding for other years (and other conventions) will also have opportunities to speak about their bids.

Blogs & E-fanzines Fandom has had paper fanzines from the beginning. At one point, it seemed like almost every fan at least read these paper fanzines or wrote for them or published one (if only for APAs). But their prominence has been on the wane for many years. Now, blogs are exploding. And fanzines published on the web seem to be increasing. Are these fanzines different or just a different form? What effect will they have on Fandom as a whole?

Book Exhibit Raffle All of the books on display in the Book Exhibit will be raffled off (in lots worth app. $100+ each) with proceeds going to pro-literacy charities. Come see if you've won.

Books That Changed My Life Some books have a profound effect on people. Come here from our panelists which books had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

Buffy Sing-a-long Sing-a-Longs have become quite the thing , filling theaters in London, on Broadway, and at the Hollywood Bowl. Now those were for shows like The Sound of Music. Nice, but not very fannish. So we're going to try it with "Once More With Feeling" episode of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer .

Burning Man Burning Man is a world onto itself. Is it science fiction made real or a return to ancient days? Or a little of both. Come see a slide show and hear about just what happens at this extravaganza event.

Coming Across: Current UK Fanzines Highlights of the British fannish press. Examples will be shown, addresses shared.

Con-going on a Budget Going to a con when the rent is due Monday. Helpful hints for cutting corners without cutting the fun. Or Hey Buddy, Can you spare a ride.

Conventions: Butchering the Sacred Cows Are Masquerades, Art Shows, Dealers Rooms, etc. really worth their cost in money and manpower? Or are they just so habitual that cons never think about getting rid of them? What would happen if a con did get rid of them? What would we replace them with?

Dealers & Dealing Dealers (and people who'd like to be dealers) talk about what it's like to go from convention to convention and stand behind a dealer's table for days on end. Is it worth it? Why do they do it?

Degler's Worldcon Alternate History seems pretty popular. How about some Alternate Fan History, for better or worse?

Docent Tours: the Fan History Exhibits

Drawing in Tongues: Fan Artists We're hiding the pens and paper, asking these special people to *talk* about creativity, influences, how they like to work and, possibly, why.

The Eaton Collection A look at the University of California, Riverside's renown special collection on science fiction, including books, fanzines, and more. The librarians overseeing the collection talk about what treasures their library contains, what it takes to maintain such a collection, why people donate their collections to them, and why a university library is interested in keeping such an enormous horde of science fiction.

Estate Planning for Collectors What's going to happen to your complete collection of Amazing or all those Whalen paintings after you're gone?

Famous Fannish Pranks & Stunts Did ya hear the one about the water bombs dropped out of the window of Room 770? Or the Columbus in '86 hoax bid? And have you seen any of those phony Daily Newszines that circulate every Worldcon? Some of Fandom's favorite pranksters tell you some of their favorites.

Fan Films Making "amateur" movies goes back in Fandom to at least the 1950s with such films as The Mesquite Kid and The Genie. Today lots of fans make short films, some original, some continuing the adventures of favorite TV series. Come hear from some of the people who have been making them recently on what it takes and share your experiences and questions.

Fan Funds Come meet Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund (TAFF) and Down Under Fan Fund (DUFF) winners and hear about the multi-decade old funds to help bring fans from one continent to another. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about Fandoms in the UK and Australia.

Fan Funds Auction Fan Funds are groups that, by election, bring fans from one continent to another, to help spread the word between our international brethren. Funding for these trips is by donation or fund raising like auctions of cool and fannish stuff. Come bid. Come help.

Fan Jiants or Fuggheads? Is a difficult personality required for brilliance in fan art, writing, editing, and convention running? Who are these misunderstood bastards and how can we still love them?

Fandom in Japan Fandom in Japan is different from Fandom in the US. Or is it? Hear about the fans and Fandom of the country that will be hosting next year's Worldcon.

Fandom in the Boonies Sure, there's the internet. But sometimes you want to talk to people who share your interests, see them face to face. it's hard to be a fan when the next nearest fan lives 100 miles away or more. Some ideas on how to do it.

Fandom in the '60s Richard Lynch is hard at work on his history of SF Fandom in the 1960s. He's got an outline worked out. Come hear about his progress, offer support, information, corrections, etc.

Fandom on the Pacific Rim Brief introductions to fannish culture in several countries, followed by a brainstorming session on how to improve communication between the Fandoms, overcome language, and other barriers.

Fannish Identity Issues What is fannish identity? How does fandom deal with identity issues (e.g. gender sub-cultures, filkers, Trekkies, etc.) Is fandom more mature in some regard to other parts of society but less mature in others? How can we hold ourselves above mundanes in our outlook towards people different from us when we act just like them (e.g. pointing & laughing)?

Fannish Urban Legends Exposed Everyone's heard that story. But that's not exactly the way it happened. Hear the real stories.

Fanzine Fans from Furry Fandom Furry Fandom has its own artists, writers, and zines. Come meet them! Find out how their zines differ and how much we're all alike.

Fanzines I'd like to Publish Panelists discuss their dream fanzines, from the ridiculous to the sublime.

Favorite Fannish Blogs & Websites What are your favorites? (Or least favorites?) Our panel will tell you theirs and ask for yours. Have reasons waiting.

501(c)3-PO: Tax Exemption for SF Groups A presentation on obtaining and maintaining tax exempt status for your club or convention.

First Fandom A look at the people, if not for whom, we wouldn't be here today.

Furry Mythos From the ancient Egyptian gods to the werewolf legends to Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny, fur is everywhere. Our panel will discuss Furries and the stories built up around them in various cultures.

Giving Good Interview Panelists discuss what it takes to give a good press interview or anything involving promotion of your own works and activities.

Health and Today's Fandom Because fans have such active inner, mental lives we sometimes neglect the physical bodies which encapsulate them. There's a joke where someone sees a group of fans in a hotel and asks if it's a convention for fat people. That's not so funny but why are fans so out of shape? What are the psychological issues and how can we talk about things like the future or immortality, if we might not even make it to our next birthday? What can we do to take control over our health issues?

The History of Star Trek Fandom Bjo Trimble presents a slide show on the history of Star Trek Fandom, from the 1960s to now.

How to Start (And End) a Club What is the lifespan of the average fan club? How do you define a successful club and what are the pitfalls associated with orchestrated group activities?

How to Start Your Own Convention Let's go over the basics, from philosophy to raising capital to gaining recognition from fellow fans, businesses, and governments alike.

Independent Booksellers What's it like running an SF bookstore? Is there much hope for their survival? True stories from the front.

Japanese Science Fiction Conventions: an Introduction

Loving the Alien (Or I Married a Fan from Outer Space?) Looking at any SF convention these days, it's easy to see that many people in attendance are weird even by Fandom's standards -- S&M practitioners, vampires, modern primitives, gender benders. Is this part of the continuum of oddness that fandom has always embraced? What is the cross-over between fandom and society's covert culture?

Measure of Success: Awards from a to Z The historical perspective. Overview of some of the awards, current and defunct. What do they all mean?

Mixed "marriages" How do you explain your, um, hobby to your spouse, in-laws, friends, co-workers, etc.? Do they ever get it?

My Life in a Time Machine Forrest J Ackerman talks about his participation in the early history of science fiction Fandom, literature, and films.

Myths of Fandom What are the common truisms in fandom? Aren't they all really myths? Let's list 'em and take a good hard look.

Old Pharts Deliver the Dirt Fannish old pharts of all ages share their (mostly first-hand) embarrassing stories -- about themselves and their friends.

On-line: Fandom, Apas, and Conventions of the Future

Pacificon Memories 60 years ago, Los Angeles held its first World Science Fiction Convention. Come here some of the people who were there talk about what it was like and how things have changed, for Fandom, for Worldcons, for Los Angeles, and for them, in the sixty years since Pacificon I.

Paleo-fandom for the Younger Fan A slide show cum game show of photos from Fandom's past. Just who is that young man?

Preserving Your Collection How to preserve and conserve your books, magazines, fanzines, comics, posters, artwork, etc.)

Raising Children in Fandom Using Mr. Spock instead of Dr. Spock. Morals, manners, and family. Do we really raise our children differently or are they just born that way? Hear comments from fannish parents and the adult children of fans.

Running Conventions -- Why Do You Do It? It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. And if they didn't, we wouldn't be here. But why do they do it? It can't be the money. There isn't any. Come see con runners from around the country fumble for an answer.

The SF Generation Gap Have we reached a point where SF fans no longer share a common literary background? Until recently, there was a certain body of work that almost every SF fan was familiar. Heinlein, Herbert, Bradbury, Bester, to name a few of the giants. But many SF fans today haven't even heard of them. Instead, they're choosing Mercedes Lackey and David Eddings or Greg Bear and David Brin. We used to share a common body of literature and that sharing drew us together. Is that no longer true? Does this lack of commonality matter?

Sightseeing in Japan Where to go and what to do before and after next year's Worldcon . And what should I know about the Japanese culture to keep me from insulting anyone by mistake?

South Gate in '58 Rick Sneary and other Southern California fans started a joke which became a slogan which begat a Worldcon.

Star Trek Fandom Today The world of Star Trek Fandom is different today than it was in the '60s and '70s. What's out there? What don't I know about? How can I get more involved?

Stop Me Before I Collect Again Most fans have a passion for collecting, whether it's books, comics, art, teddy bears, or tea pots. The question is how do we keep these collections from taking over lives and our homes?

Timebinding Fannish History Joe Siclari has Project FANAC. There's the Timebinders and other fannish e-mail lists. And LASFS and NESFA and other groups have their libraries and archives. Come discuss the hows, whys, and wherefores of keeping our fannish history from ending up in the dust bin.

20 Years of Worldcon Organizing: Shifts, Myths, Players How has Worldcon bidding and organizing changed over the last 20 years. A few good SMOFs discuss the evolution, problems, and solutions? Any predictions about where we're headed?

Venus in Furs The adult and erotic aspects of Furry art and story. Just what is the appeal of fur? (Warning: Adult discussion content)

What Can Go Wrong? -- Convention Horror Stories Veterans of the convention wars tell their favorite stories.

What Is it about Buffy? There's something about Buffy and the Buffyverse that drew people in. What was so special about this show? The Big Bad? The characters? The dialogue? What made it so special to so many people, where other shows haven't connected?

What Makes a Good Fanzine? Is it the community, the gestalt, or the craft?

What Oz Is Daily life of Australian fans, from book publishers to clubs to fanzines to conventions.

What's New in Fanzines? Panelists survey and review some of the best recent efforts.

When All Fans Would Sing: Primordial Filk Music in fandom at The Beginning, before there was filk, and at its birth.

Why Do People Write for Fanzines? Old and young fans discuss what motivates them and present views of fanwriting.

Why Is Fandom So White? An exploration of minorities in Science Fiction Fandom.

The Wonders of the Ackermansion Long time fan, writer, editor, agent, and collector Forrest J Ackerman gives a slide show of his fabled collection.

Write this Way! A panel of fanzine reviewers discuss fanzine writing that works and why. Brief examples of brilliant technique will be shared.

WSFS Business Meeting Every member of L.A.con IV is a member of WSFS, the World Science Fiction Society, and is eligible to attend and vote at the Society's Business Meetings. It's here that the Constitution and Rules that govern the Worldcons are discussed and voted upon. Today most proposals to amend the WSFS Constitution will be debated and voted upon. Exercise your rights as a member of the Society by attending and voting. (Friday morning)

WSFS Business Meeting Every member of L.A.con IV is a member of WSFS, the World Science Fiction Society, and is eligible to attend and vote at the Society's Business Meetings. It's here that the Constitution and Rules that govern the Worldcons are discussed and voted upon. Exercise your rights as a member of the Society by attending and voting. The results of Worldcon Site Selection will be officially announced at this meeting. (Saturday morning )

WSFS Mark Protection Committee Meeting The MPC oversees the protection of WSFS's trademarks, including "World Science Fiction Convention" and "Hugo Award". Meeting open to Committee Members only. (Wednesday evening and Saturday following the Business Meeting)

WSFS Preliminary Business Meeting Every member of L.A.con IV is a member of WSFS, the World Science Fiction Society, and is eligible to attend and vote at the Society's Business Meetings. It's here that the Constitution and Rules that govern the Worldcons are discussed and voted upon. The agenda for the main meeting will be set at today's meeting. Exercise your rights as a member of the Society by attending and voting. (Thursday morning)

Your First Worldcon? Ideas, suggestions, and things you shouldn't miss. For fans, writers, and everyone who doesn't quite know what they've gotten themselves into.

Filking

(does not include concerts, circles, etc.)

Filk Geography A discussion of the local filking scene with participants from around the world. How is filking different where you live?

Filking for Fun and Profit These days, when you go into a convention's Dealers Room, it isn't uncommon to see one or more tables of people selling recordings of filk songs. Is there really money to be made? For the singers and songwriters or just for the dealers? How do you get involved? Who do you have to ask? What are the legalities?

Have You Told Your next of Kin You Write Filksongs & Fanfic? Pre-mortem planning to provide for your filksongs and fanfiction, as found on webpages, fanzine collections, etc.

In the Beginning: Paleofilk Fannish music back before the cassette recorder and Xeroxing made copying music and lyrics easy and cheap.

Music of the Spheres Composers of scores for science fiction films and television talk about how they create the music we're not supposed to notice that makes the films and shows we watch so much better.

Rudyard Kipling: Filkwriter Discussing Kipling's poetry as song lyrics

with occasional examples

When All Fans Would Sing: Primordial Filk Music in fandom at The Beginning, before there was filk, and at its birth.

Furry Fandom

Fanzine Fans from Furry Fandom Furry Fandom has its own artists, writers, and zines. Come meet them! Find out how their zines differ and how much we're all alike.

Full Body Furry Costumes Using make-up, foam rubber, a knife, and a sewing needle to create a complete character you can wear.

Furgonomics A discussion group on designing a world and the stuff in it with non-humans in mind. Just what would a chair look like if you had a tail? Or wings, for that matter?

Venus in Furs The adult and erotic aspects of Furry art and story. Just what is the appeal of fur? (Warning: Adult discussion content)

Gaming

(does not include games, tournaments, etc.)

Designing Fantasy Role Playing Games Gamers, writers, and artists who have designed popular FRP games discuss what it takes to create an interesting, playable game.

Designing Interactive Games What makes for an addictive computer game? What is there about Doom or Halo that made you waste countless hours playing? Game designers discuss what they do.

Getting the Most out of Gaming How to make your gaming experiences fun and enjoyable for yourself and the other players. Panelists also discuss their favorite games and any new games you should know about.

Is There Too Much Violence in Comics, Animation, and Games? Where should we draw the line? Who should draw it?

Live Action Role Playing: an Introduction There are several LARPs happening at L.A.con. But convention's aren't the only place to play them. Come here all about LARPs, how to play, and where.

The Roles of the Game Master Is it just coming up with sneaky traps for players? That seems like a good way to get people not to want to play in your games. What should a good Game Master do to make the game fun for everyone? (And have them not hate him for devising a trap that killed their character.) How much work does it take to be really good at it?

World of Warcrack Massively Multiplayer Online Games have long been popular but none have ever been as popular as World of Warcraft. (At its height, "Everquest" had fewer than one million subscribers; WoW has about six million.)

Why are these sorts of games popular and what is it about WoW that makes it king?

Literary Topics

Aliens Beyond Probability Some fictional creatures are just too fictional to exist. What are some of the more outlandish and improbable aliens and mythical creatures you've read about or seen in the media?

Are There Too Many Cats in Science Fiction? Cats seem to be everywhere. Science Fiction. Fantasy. There are entire anthologies of cat stories. And not just in our genre. Romances and Mysteries have more than their share of cat tales as well. Are dogs anywhere to be seen? Why is literature so catty?

Being Anne McCaffrey The author of Dragonflight, The Ship Who Sang, and so much more talks about her life and works and answers questions.

Best of Science Fiction & Fantasy for Children & Young Adults Finding the perfect science fiction or fantasy novel for your child, niece, or nephew.

Beyond Harry Potter What books would interest kids (or adults) who enjoyed Harry Potter? For many, Harry was the first fantasy they read. Why has it drawn so many and where can they go now?

Children's Fantasy What is children's fantasy? How does it compare with "adult" works? Does a work ever crossover between the two areas and what does it take to do it?

Cities in Science Fiction Are cities just a background or do science fiction writers actually take advantage of the complexities inherent in cities? Do cities ever become characters?

Classics Remembered: Brave New World Written by Aldous Huxley from outside our field, perhaps with many things to teach us. Protest and poetry hold it together. There�s warning here; is there hope? Why? What makes the satire sting?

Classics Remembered: "No Woman Born" C.L. Moore wrote well with her husband Henry Kuttner; she wrote well alone. This masterly novelette explores beauty and attraction with almost inhuman resonance. It probably could not have been written by a man or in any other genre.

Classics Remembered: Space Cadets Heinlein�s �juveniles� might be his best. This one matches the convention's theme, and it�s full of wonders. Matt Dodson taking a telephone from his luggage must have been astounding in 1948. That guess held up; others didn�t; but how the author treats them!

Classics Remembered: Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea Jules Verne's novel begat two motion pictures, a Classics Illustrated comic book, and the world's first atomic-powered submarine: not bad for inspiration. Who's the hero? Professor Aronax? Captain Nemo? Ned? Conseil? Why?

The Contract Between Reader and Writer An arrangement of convenience? How can we define the process, and what does each partner bring to it?

Convergence in Post-modern Fiction Are current "mainstream" writers like Neal Stephenson reinventing science fiction? What would you call the fiction appearing in "Wired" and "Mondo 2000"? Is it cross-pollination or merely self-abuse?

Crossing Genres Some writers work in more than one genre. SF. Horror. Mystery. Romance. Westerns. Whatever. Does working in one area influence the way you write in another? Also, some books are in more than one genre. Does that ever work?

Death of the Book It's been predicted several times but it still hasn't arrived. What's keeping books around? What are the alternatives? Why aren't they making a louder noise?

Debate: Science Fiction Is Inherently Liberal/conservative

Does Hard SF Have to Be Dry? Some people feel that "seeing all the rivets" is what makes science fiction good. But does it make Hard SF too stiff? Are there interesting characters in Hard SF books? Can they have the action of an old-fashioned sword-and-starship swashbuckler and still be good?

Dune Again Kevin J. Anderson talks about continuing the Dune series of novels, working from Frank Herbert's notes and manuscripts, and how the project came about.

Fantasy -- How Can it Be Good? To a lot of hard SF readers, fantasy stories are those where the authors don't have to be consistent -- it works because it's magic. But good fantasy is consistent, within each world's own rules. What are the rules and the restrictions for writing a "good" fantasy.

Fantasy Doesn't Have to Be about Kings and Wizards Well, does it? It seems like 100% of fantasy is set in medieval worlds with wizards and dragons and witches and elves and things. What other kinds of fantasy is there?

Feminist Hope & Anger in Dystopian Fiction Examples are many: Suzy McKee Charnas's "Motherlines" and Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower". But was it just a child of the '70s or does this sub-genre of fantasy and science fiction continue to thrive. Why or why not?

Fiction 2005/2006 High Fantasy. Hard Science Fiction. Dark Fantasy. Squishy Science Fiction. Some of science fiction's most outspoken reviewers give their opinions on what was worth reading.

Forgotten Favorites of Childhood What books and stories do you remember best from childhood? Our panelists talk about their favorites and ask about yours.

Future Trends in Science Fiction Not long ago, we were awash in Splatterpunks, Cyberpunks, and even Steampunks. What happened to those SF literary movements? What's the next trend?

The Golden Age of Science Fiction Is 12 A classic saying within the world of science fiction. Is it true? Is that the age when you'll really develop a sense of wonder? Is it a good thing or bad? And what does it say for science fiction in general?

Great First Lines There's nothing like them for hooking a reader. "Call me Ishmael." "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." "Lessa woke, cold." "His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god." "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." "Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith." What are some of your favorites? And can you do anything special to force a great first line or do they just happen?

Harlan Ellison Tells Us Possibly the genre's best writer/raconteur/critic tells us what he thinks.

Harry Potter Goes Forth Just one book to go in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series? What do you think will happen in Book 7? Our panelists tell you their ideas and ask for yours.

Horror's Changing Face It's not just Cthulu anymore.

An Hour with Frederik Pohl An intimate chat with one of the field's top authors.

Hugo Nominees in Review A critical discussion of the novels and short fiction up for the Hugo Award this year. What's going to win? What should win?

I'll Pull out Your Eyestalks and Stomp on Them Science fiction has become more permissive over the years, as has most other media and genres. But are we now too violent? Is there anything wrong with violence as a theme? Should I punch out your lights if you disagree?

In Defense of Escapist Literature Science fiction has had a moniker of being junk food for the mind; escapist fare only. Is that true? Not all of it is literature but surely some of it must be? Mustn't it? What literary trends can be found? What will withstand the test of time? And does it matter?

Is "Realistic Fantasy" an Oxymoron? What does it take to create "real" fantasy? Are there rules in a universe run by magic?

Is SF like a Shark? Can the science fiction field stay the same? Or is it like a shark: move or die? If it is a shark, where is it going?

Japanese for the Travelling Fan A quick course in speaking Japanese for fans planning to go to next year's Worldcon.

Japanese Mystic Fantasy A discussion of the use of historic fantasy, myths, horror, folktales, and weird and supernatural stories in modern Japanese genre literature.

Jim Baen: A Life in Science FictionJames Patrick Baen's life in science fiction and fantasy publishing started in the complaint department of Ace Books. He's been editor of magazines and novels, edited anthology series, and started his own publishing company, Baen Books, which publishes both on paper and on the internet. Hear friends and co-workers celebrate the life of this recently-lost mainstay of science fiction publishing.

L. A. Confidential So many science fiction and fantasy stories are set in Los Angeles. What makes Los Angeles such a great place to write about?

Literary Vs. Media SF Why the feud? Can't we all just get along?

Mars in Fiction A discussion of the tradition of Mars exploration stories in SF, exploring the evolution of the sub-genre from its planetary romance roots to the current hard SF mission-to-Mars stories.

Midnight Tales of Horror Come listen to this panel tell tales 'guaranteed' to curdle your blood.

Military Stories From the science fiction pulps to today, stories with military settings have been a staple of science fiction. Why is it so popular? Does it work as well in fantasy stories? What are some of the best examples of military stories in either genre? And why don't some stories work?

Mysteries & Science Fiction Lots of science fiction writers also write mysteries: Vance, Brackett, Kuttner, Boucher. Some, like Niven, have written science fiction mysteries. Is there something inherently linking the two genres or is it just wide-ranging tastes and interests?

New Maps of Heaven Recent times have seen an explosion of science fiction and fantasy tales centered in cosmologies and mythologies outside of the North American mainstream. Writers discuss what draws them to these other mythos and what lessons they offer.

New SF & Fantasy for Kids and Teens We all know about Narnia and Heinlein juveniles. But what else is out there? What's new that we might not know about?

99 Years of Heinlein 2007 will mark the centennial of Robert Heinlein's birth. Take a tour of the life and work of one of the field's true masters.

Obscure Dick Discussion and appreciation of the lesser-known works of Philip K. Dick. What did you think of "Now Wait for Last Year"?

Octavia Butler: Her Works & Life A discussion of the works and life of the late and much lamented Octavia Butler.

Out of this World Mysteries Science Fiction and Fantasy writers like Poul Anderson and Stephen Donaldson have written mainstream mystery novels. Larry Niven, Hal Clement and George Alec Effinger have combined the genres. What works? What doesn't?

Overlooked Books & Overrated Novels For some reason, some terrific books just don't sell. Nobody's ever heard of them. Others are taught in college as classics of the field, but no one can understand why. Our panelists let you in on some unknown classics you shouldn't miss while they dismiss some lofty `classics'.

Oz over the Century It's been over 100 years since L. Frank Baum wrote the first "Oz" book. How has the world of Oz changed? Which books count? Which don't? What about the films? Oz historians and fans talk about that world over the rainbow.

Page 119 Can you really tell if a book is good by randomly opening it and reading a page or two? Our panelists will read selected works aloud and let the audience decide if it was any good. Then they'll reveal what it was they were reading from. Oops.

Paranormal Romances It used to be easy. This book was in that genre; this book was in this other genre. Now the lines aren't so clear. There seems to be a boom in romance novels and stories involving the paranormal, fantasy, and SF. Why is this area booming? Are romance readers looking for more? Or are the SF fans looking for romance? Or are the readers coming equally from all camps? And what does it take to make one of these work? Hear all about it from some of the people writing them.

Post-Apocalyptic SF John Varley said "We all love after-the-bomb stories. If we didn't, why would there be so many of them?" Why do we all love them? During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear annihilation was very real; today, the world is a different place, but the threat of annihilation is once again very real. Has the sub-genre changed? How are 21st Century post-apocalyptic stories different from those written during the Cold War era?

Race & Racism in Science Fiction Why is science fiction so white? The characters seem almost all to be Caucasian or Alien. Is this simply because so many of the writers are white? (And why is that?) Or are there marketing concerns at work? Should we care whether Kimball Kinnison or Teela Brown is Black, White or Hispanic?

The Renaissance in Hard SF With the emergence of authors like Stross, MacLeod, Vinge, Egan, etc., Hard SF is making a comeback. What's brought it back to the fore? Or did it ever really go away?

Reviewing Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature Some of science fiction's top critics talk about what it's like to be a science fiction critic. What skills does it take? Is it different from reviewing other types of fiction?

Science Fiction of the '30s and '40s A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

Science Fiction of the '50s & '60s A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? From what came before it? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

Science Fiction of the '70s & '80s A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? From what came before it? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

Screaming Queens The role of Gay & Lesbian characters and themes in horror literature and movies, including the works of Anne Rice, Clive Barker, and Stephen King.

Sexual Stereotyping There have been strong, female characters in science fiction at least since Jirel of Joirey. This genre hasn't avoided the pitfalls entirely but it's done better than many. Or has it?

SF Abroad Is the science fiction in Budapest different from the science fiction in Dubuque? What about the science fiction in Paris? London? Tokyo? How so?

SF in Australia Australian authors and fans talk about the works being generated down under and how they differ --- if at all -- from what's created in the US and elsewhere.

SF in Europe Authors and fans from around the European Union talk about the works being written there and how they differ --- if at all -- from what's created in the US and elsewhere.

SF in Japan Authors and fans from Japan talk about the works being created there and how they differ --- if at all -- from what's written in the US and elsewhere.

Sherlock Holmes & Science Fiction We all know the great detective. He's somehow come to fascinate science fiction authors. There are probably hundreds of Holmesian references throughout science fiction, and some authors have come up with their own version, including Derleth's Solar Pons. What captivates us so about Holmes?

The Short Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien We all know The Lord of the Rings but what about his short fiction?

The Slytherin Question J.K. Rowling paints a negative picture of Slytherin House, its principles, and its students. Why would Hogwarts even have a house for teaching evil wizards? Isn't putting them together likely to end up just reinforcing their evil ways? Or will the final book in the Harry Potter series show us, somehow, that these characters aren't, um, lost to the dark side?

The Sound of Thomas Jefferson Spinning in His Grave Why do the descendants of rebels love reading about kings and wizards?

The Space Opera Renaissance What was Space Opera, What is Space Opera, is there a renaissance of Space Opera, or was there, where and when?

Stapledon & Woolf A talk by Kim Stanley Robinson on the correspondence between Virginia Woolf and Olaf Stapledon, and the influence that reading Starmaker had on Woolf's last novel, leading to a more general discussion of the problem of time in the novel, with Woolf and Stapledon representing opposite poles of pacing.

Style Vs. Substance Is science fiction becoming too concerned about literary style at the expense of storytelling?

Teaching Science Fiction What does it mean to "teach science fiction"? How do you do it? How do you do it well? How do you incorporate science fiction into a curriculum?

10 Books I'd... Which ten books would you want to take with you to a desert island? How about give to someone who says they don't like science fiction or fantasy? Give to a new reader?

Themed Reading: Funny Stuff Be prepared for your ribs to ache as authors and other read what they think are some of the funniest stuff in science fiction and fantasy.

Themed Reading: Great Fight Scenes Pow! Thud! Hear authors and others read what they think are some of the best fight scenes in science fiction and fantasy.

Themed Reading: Magic Abracadabra! You are now sitting in a chair, listening to authors and others read about magic.

Themed Reading: Scary Moments Close your eyes and imagine the worst as authors and others read some of the spookiest, spine-tingling-est stories and scenes.

Themed Reading: Weird Sex Turn on or turn off, come hear some of the weirdest (and sexiest?) scenes from science fiction and fantasy.

Time in the Novel: the Stapledon/ Woolf Correspondence Pace of narration is crucial to the feel of novels, and is one of the most interesting but least discussed aspects of fiction. Two great novelists, Olaf Stapledon and Virginia Woolf, had a brief exchange on this topic in the 1930s, coming at the topic from their two extremities of stream-of-consciousness and cosmological narrative. Listen as Kim Stanley Robinson describes that interaction and its later effect on the two artists, as a starting point to a larger discussion of how time is used and described in novels.

Vampires in Literature -- Horror Vs. Heroic Vampires are making a resurgence. And not just with the usual horror readers. They've gone mainstream, with some tales of vampirism reaching the bestseller lists. But what about the books that cast a different light (you should excuse the expression) on vampires, as heroes with bad press?

What Is a "Young Adult" Novel? "Young Adult" is a popular category. But why are some stories about sex, drugs, blood, death, and sex considered Y.A.? Who's reading Y.A. novels, and why?

Whatever Happened to the "Science" in Science Fiction? SF once was primarily a written medium which inspired countless young people to seek careers as engineers, scientists, and astronauts at NASA and in the aerospace industry. Today, SF covers a broad range of media, and many of its most well-known incarnations -- e.g. Star Wars -- present the visual window-dressing of science fiction without attempting to ground it in anything resembling science fact. Does contemporary science fiction still inspire young people to have science and engineering careers?

Where's the SF Y.A.? The vast majority of Young Adult novels being published today are fantasy. Why aren't there more SF themes in Y.A.? What themes aren't being addressed because of the comparative lack of SF Y.A. novels? Are older writers afraid to write about future technology for kids who are immersed in tech that would've been regarded as SF a few decades ago?

Why Cyberpunk Is Dead Twenty years ago, Cyberpunk was "it" in science fiction. It was bold, exciting, full of new ideas. What happened? Or is it still with us in different clothes?

The Works of Connie Willis The winner of more Hugo and Nebula awards than any other author, not to mention being L.A.con IV's Guest of Honor, Connie Willis has a large and varied body of work. Critics and fans (and some you-call-these-friends?) talk about what makes her work so great.

The Worlds of Oz Over 100 years ago, L. Frank Baum started what may be the most expansive fantasy series ever, with over 40 "official" books and countless unofficial books, stories, comics, films, etc. with new works still coming out. Just what is the "magic" of Oz that keeps generation after generation coming back to it?

The Worst Ideas in Fantasy or Science Fiction We're always hearing the science fiction is a literature of ideas. And that this or that was a great idea. What just didn't work? What seemed like a good idea at the time but...

Writing Characters You Didn't Create It's one thing to create characters, come up with who they are, what they're like, and how they talk. It's quite another to come into someone else's world and have to tell stories with and about those characters. How do you keep them the same and still put some of yourself into them? Or should you even try?

Writing Military SF Drama is about conflict. With military stories, conflict and tension are pretty much automatic. But are there any rules? What do you have to get right? What liberties can you take? And if it's the future and maybe alien races, can't the military structure be different?

You Can't Make a Cutting Edge by Grinding Your Axe It's an accepted truism in critical circles that If your motivation in writing is to promote a political, social, or cultural agenda, you're not going to produce great art. Is that really true? What about the works of Joanna Russ, Octavia Butler, Allen Ginsberg, Phil Ochs, or Neil Young? Is the truism actually false or is there something more to it?

Media

(does not include studio previews, etc.)

Adapting SF and Fantasy for the Stage Today's SF and fantasy films rely heavily on computer generated characters and effects. How can you bring them believably to the stage? Or should you even try?

Animation & Science Fiction Animated science fiction on U.S. television goes back to Colonel Bleep and Tom Terrific (both 1957) and The Jetsons (1962). What are the unique aspects of creating and writing science fiction for animation? What's around today and what's coming in the future?

Anime 101 Ten years ago, it was being called "Japanimation" and its viewership was limited. Now, it's the hottest thing in animation with some of the best-rated shows on television anime imports. Hundreds of different titles are being sold on DVD. What made the audiences take notice? How is anime different from American and European animation?

Anime Girls How did Japan's male dominant culture produce so many kick-butt female characters? Did Japanese anime creators develop the concept themselves, or did they all watch lots of Avengers episodes when they were young?

Art Direction for Motion Pictures Art Directors have to take today and make it look like tomorrow. How do they do it? What's their track record been like?

Batman the Live-Action Series Forty years ago, in 1966, the American airwaves were hit with a "camp classic" before anyone knew what that meant. Batman was so popular, with it's "pows" and "whams" and over-the-top villains it ran two nights a week. How did that series change the television (and popular culture) landscape? What effect did the series have on the comics it came from?

Battlestar Galactica a look at the series with Executive Producer Ron D. Moore and others.

Battlestar Galactica: Then & Now The two versions of this series couldn't be more different. The original series, while fun, was far from great. Rolling Stone named the new version the best drama on television. Why do people still love the original series? What's the difference between them?

Being an Alien Some of the actors who have portrayed Klingons, Ferengi, and other aliens on Star Trek talk about getting into a character that no one's ever met and life under latex.

Books That Should Be Filmed Everyone talks about what has been filmed. Here is a discussion of works that haven't been filmed but should be. What should you look for to make a good film? What won't translate from the printed word to the visual media? Why haven't these works been made?

British SF Television Today With the new Dr. Who, there's a resurgence of science fiction on UK television. Here what it is we're missing on this side of the pond.

Buffy the Masters Thesis Lately colleges and other academic venues have been seeing a proliferation of theses and monographs that examine popular TV shows and discuss how they fit in with certain philosophies. There are several courses which use popular entertainment as examples in philosophy class, political science class, sociology class, etc. Why has television suddenly become acceptable to the academic crowd? And is this a good thing? What sorts of findings are they having?

Chekov's Long Arc Starting in the 1960s, Paval Chekov has been a part of Star Trek's long history, on television and in motion pictures. And Chekov's had a career in Star Trek novels as well. This year, Chekov completes his story in the New Voyages, being done for the Internet. Walter Koenig will tell us about his adventures as Chekov and with Star Trek.

Classic Trek, New Trek, or Diet Cherry Trek: Which is best? A discussion of Star Trek's various incarnations, what worked, what didn't work in each.

Conceptual Art in Films Particularly for science fiction and fantasy films, artwork is created to give everyone working on a film project a sense of place, time, and reality (or lack thereof). Most famous, perhaps, are Ralph McQuarries paintings for Star Wars. Artists talk about their work in this specialized area, what's required and how it feels to create works that will be brought to life.

Costume Design for Movies & Television A professional designer of costumes for popular science fiction shows and movies will talk about the process and business of costume design.

Crafting Buffy Some of the writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer talk about the trials and tribulations of writing about the trials and tribulations of everyone's favorite Slayer.

Crafting Firefly Some of the people involved with the creation and production of Firefly talk about what went into making the show.

Creating the Unknown for Films Hollywood has brought science fiction and fantasy to life, but how are some of those things created? How do you design something that doesn't exist? And then how do you make it work? Some top motion picture craftsmen tell all, or at least most.

Developing Your Property for the Media Okay, you've written a novel, created a comic book, or done a series of dynamite drawings. How can you get your "intellectual property" from where its at to the tv and movie screen?

Dinotopia: Behind the Scenes James Gurney gives a presentation on his best-selling Hugo nominated works.

Dr. Who, Then & Now There's a huge Fandom for Dr. Who but for a lot of other people, the show didn't do much. But the new Dr. Who series (last year in the UK and this year in the US) has won a legion of converts. Is the new show that different from the old one?

Fandom after the Show It was Fandom that kept Star Trek alive for years after its cancellation and was the tool that eventually brought it back. Which recently cancelled show has the kind of Fandom that will keep the show alive even though it's not on the air? Which will be the next Trek? Buffy? Xena? Firefly? Or ???.

Fantasy on Television Spooks and ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Has there ever been so much fantasy on television? And such successful shows, too. Buffy and Angel were fantasy shows and while they had definite followings, they weren't the hits that Medium and Ghost Whisperer are. Why are they so successful?

Farscape: The Lonely Hearts Club SF in the media and romance seldom mix. How did Farscape make it work? Should other SF television shows follow their lead?

Film Editing: Assembling or Telling Stories? Motion Picture editors talk about what they do. Are they the final storytellers?

Filmmaking: the Process A lot has to happen before a film is ready for showing. What is the actual filmmaking process that transforms a vague idea into a finished 70mm dolby stereo blockbuster?

Films 2005/2006 Not for the squeamish. That describes a number of the science fiction and fantasy films that have come out this year. It also describes the reviews a number of films have received. Come hear our experts' opinions and see how they differ from yours.

Forensic Science Fiction Television is filled with shows about science: the science of criminal forensics. How realistic are those shows and how much of what they portray is science fiction?

Forty Years of Time Tunnel In addition to Star Trek, another science fiction TV series debuted 40 years ago. Time Tunnel, the story of two scientists who find themselves trapped as they adventure through time, only ran one season, but it was a memorable one. Fans of the show reminisce. (Time Tunnel previewed at the 1966 Worldcon, shortly before it's debut on television.)

Frankenstein 75 Seventy-five years ago, in 1931, Universal Studios released Frankenstein and brought "the modern Prometheus" to the silver screen. Since then, Frankenstein (or, more correctly, his monster) has seen a lot of changes, from the original through sequels and remakes and versions by Andy Warhol, Roger Corman, and Mel Brooks. Come take part as experts and fans reminisce about Frankenstein "puttin' on the Ritz".

Free Enterprise - the Special Edition Revealed See the new, expanded special edition of Free Enterprise, the legendary cult classic about two sci-fi fans who meet their idol William Shatner and find out he's even more screwed up than they are. Starring Eric McCormack and William Shatner as himself, you can watch it in the comfort of fellow geeks just like you. Featuring new scenes and special effects! The new 2 DVD Special Edition was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment in March 2006, but this is the first time to be able to see it projected on the big screen, and, for the very first time, with an introduction and Q&A by the creators themselves, no, not Jackson Roykirk, but writer/producer Mark A. Altman and director/writer Robert Meyer Burnett. See it again for the very first time -- unless, of course, this is your first time.

Galaxy Quest Revealed Robert Gordon, the writer of Galaxy Quest, talks about writing and making this Hugo-winning paean to science fiction television and Fandom.

Godzilla at Fifty Fifty years ago, Godzilla was released in the US. (It was released two years earlier in Japan.) Over the years, Godzilla has gone from giant monster and anti-nuclear message to a heroic warrior, keeping nasty monsters at bay, and back again. In that time, fans have come to love the giant lizard. How has he changed? Which changes were for the better? And where is he headed now?

Hidden Frontier Rob Caves and members of the cast and crew of these new, internet tales of the Federation talk about these adventures of Star Fleet's other ships.

The History of Star Trek Fandom John & Bjo Trimble present a slide show on the history of Star Trek Fandom, from the 1960s to now.

Horror and the Cathode Ray Horror on television, from 1949 to today, including The Twilight Zone, Thriller, One Step Beyond, The Outer Limits, etc.

How Star Trek Affected Our Lives Fans of Star Trek talk about how watching the show changed them, changed the course of their lives. What did Star Trek do for you?

How I'd Fix Star Trek The Star Trek franchise has flamed out with decreasing ratings and series that don't inspire. Is it possible to recreate the wonder? What should a new Star Trek series include and what should it avoid?

How Would You Do It? Sometimes a movie, TV show, or book is a really good idea but it just doesn't work. Our panelists -- with help from the audience -- talk about how they'd have done it right.

Is Star Trek Dead? Not as Long as We Remember it (Presented by GEEK & CFQ Magazines) A fond look back at 40 years of Star Trek along with a hopeful look forward at what J.J. Abrams may or may not do with the franchise in the coming years. Join Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise), Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise), Daren Dochterman (VFX Producer, ST: TMP - Special Director's Cut), Jeff Bond (The Music of Star Trek, Author) and several surprise guests and we ponder the once and future first franchise of science fiction.

Is There Too Much Violence in Comics, Animation, and Games? Where should we draw the line? Who should draw it?

It Came from the 1950s There was a deluge of science fiction movies made in the 1950s. Many people who grew up in that decade have made those movies part of their lives but even people born much later have embraced them, and not just on a "so bad they're good" basis. Why does this continue to happen? What is the appeal of these movies? Are they unique?

J. Michael Straczynski On... The hardest-working-man in television (and comics and horror and...) talks about what's new, answers questions about what's old, and otherwise lets us know what's going on.

James T. Kirk: Threat or Menace Was a larger-than-life scenery-chewing damn-the-Prime-Directive-full-speed-ahead heroic starship commander the one primary thing responsible for the enduring success of classic Star Trek? Is the absence of such a character why the following Star Trek series all lacked the same punch? Or should there have been more discretion, more consideration before acting? Is Jean Luc Picard the model to follow?

A Look at Ed Wood Brett R. Thompson, the writer and director of The Haunted World Of Edward D. Wood, Jr. shows us his award-winning documentary and tells us even more about the mad "genius" of Plan 9 From Outer Space and other classics.

Lost & How to Get There A look at the hit television series with some of the show's writers and producers.

Lost: SF or ?? So just what is Lost? Is it a science fiction series? If it's not, what is it? And why do so many people like it?

Low Budget Filmmaking The average major studio film these days costs $40 million. But there are still plenty of films being made between $100,000 and $5 million. Independent filmmakers discuss their trials and triumphs.

Mars in the Movies Since 1910, when Thomas Alva Edison lensed A Trip to Mars, the red planet Mars has been a favorite topic of over 100 feature films. Gerry Williams, creator of the MarsMovieGuide.com, takes us on a multimedia tour of some of the best (as well as the worst) movies about Mars ever made.

Merchandising: the Real Money Movie rights, tie-in books, toys! That's where you really make money. What are the ins and outs ancillary rights? What can you really make? Where can you go wrong? How much do you need to know about copyright and trademark?

Movies That Changed My Life Some movies have a profound effect on people. Come here from our panelists which movies had a major effect on them and share your own stories.

My Life in a Time Machine Forrest J Ackerman talks about his participation in the early history of science fiction Fandom, literature, and films.

The New Dr. Who Three of the writers for the new Dr. Who TV series (each nominated for a Hugo award this year) talk about the new series.

Novelizations & Tie-ins Writers of TV and Film adaptations and spin-offs discuss the process of going from screen to the printed page and the challenges of bringing their creativity to these works, the secrets for making them good, and more.

Overrated Films & Overlooked Movies There are some films with a bad reputation but which are really quite good. There are some films with a good rep which are just dogmeat. A few highly opinionated film fans will discuss these overrated films and overlooked movies with the aide of the audience.

Podcasting Just what is Podcasting? How does it work and why should I care? And what roll does it have in the future of science fiction?

Re-imaginings More than just a euphemism for "remake" and "cashing in", some TV series are actually well-thought out new adaptations of the same material. Battlestar Galactica and Dr. Who are two good examples of high quality shows that respect their antecedents but bring much that is new and good to the material. What changes get made and why? Are the audiences and commercial pressures different now than for the original?

Reviewing Film & Television It's not the same as reviewing books. Or is it? What special skills do you need to review movies and TV? Here from professional critics what it takes to do the job well.

Running TV Shows Overseeing a TV series? How hard can it be? You just write the scripts and hand them to the director, right? People who have had the job tell us about the ins-and-outs of being in charge on genre TV series.

Science Fiction & Fantasy in Animation Animation has been in decline as a medium for feature films, but it's starting a comeback. Saturday morning and syndication have grown into a haven for science fiction and fantasy stories, but how can the level be improved? What makes animation good?

Science Fiction Television of the 1950s In the 1950s, the world was agog with the possibilities of space travel and television was no different. Tom Corbett, Space Cadet; Space Patrol; Captain Video; Rocky Jones; and many others filled the airwaves.

SF&F Comics & Film at Platinum Studio The comic book and film company tells all about their upcoming projects and future interests.

SF TV as Western Gene Roddenberry legendarily sold Star Trek as "Wagon Train in space". Are all SF shows basically Westerns at heart? Did Firefly just bring it out into the open?

Small Screen vs. Big Screen What happens when a television show goes to the big screen? Think Firefly and Serenity. The X-Files and The X-Files. Should there be changes? Or should it just be a longer episode with better effects? How should it be different?

Snow Wonder Revealed Guest of Honor Connie Willis talks about this made for television movie from last December, based on her short story.

Space Patrol, German Style Robert Vogel, gives a presentation on Raumpatrouille Orion, a cult-favorite German science fiction show of the 1960s. Despite being only seven episodes, it holds the same cult status in Germany as Dr. Who and Star Trek do here. Come see what all the shouting's about.

Space Patrol: Missions of Daring In many ways, Space Patrol laid the groundwork for Star Trek. What was it like on the set of a live show where anything could go wrong before millions of viewers - and often did? Jean-Noel Bassior discusses the show's groundbreaking contributions to TV production and how and why it taught many baby boomers life lessons they still can't forget.

Special Effects Before Computers Not that it's easy to do special effects with computers but, before CGI, things were different. Some of the practitioners of those early effects and others with expert knowledge talk about those halcyon days of miniatures, stop motion, and Jacobs Ladders.

Star Trek: Behind the Camera from Behind a Camera Star Trek's longtime assistant director Mike DeMeritt presents a slide show of crew-taken photos of behind-the-scenes moments on Star Trek Enterprise.

Star Trek: Between the Cracks Forget the current hiatus! Reminisce and rifle through 40 years of Star Trek's "attic trunk". Visit the Paramount stages and catch some of the oddballs-and-ends, all from the photo and art collection of author and editor Larry Nemecek. The humor, the what-ifs, the bizarre -- even a little metaphysics. And oh yeah -- some all-new blooper stills, to boot. Come ready with the loving yet witty cat-calls.

Star Trek: from Concept to Picture Editor in 14 Days The method by which a script is made, deconstructed, and shot, presented by Star Trek assistant director Mike DeMeritt.

Star Trek's Future Plans The beginning of this year, Viacom split into two entities: Paramount and CBS. Paramount will produce any new feature films but CBS will oversee anything and everything else. Come hear about all the new Star Trek projects, from video games to travelling exhibits to the first ever Star Trek "communicator" cell phone from the people involved with making them happen. All questions welcome.

Star Wars & Fandom: a Look Back Steve Sansweet, Lucasfilm Limited's Director of Fan Relations, takes a look back at the interaction with fandom over the last thirty years.

Star Wars: the Saga Completed It's been almost thirty years but now the story is complete. How has the tale changed over the decades? The original films seemed to be about Luke. But the newer films are all about Darth Vader. Just whose story is it? Did advances in special effects hurt or help?

Star Wars /Lucasfilm Presentation

Starship Smackdown (Presented by Geek Magazine). The legendarily geekiest convention panel of all-time makes its first Worldcon appearance after another SRO appearance at last year's San Diego Comic Con. Ever wonder if the Jupiter 2 could kick the Sulaco's ass? Can the Serenity make mincemeat out of a Klingon D-7 battle cruiser? And will the Yamato ever be able to beat Captain Kirk's Starship Enterprise? There's only one way to find out. Be there or be squarer than you already are. Featuring: Daren Dochterman (Visual Effects Supervisor, ST:TMP - Special Edition), Robert Meyer Burnett (Director, Free Enterprise), Steve Melching (Writer, The Batman), Chris Gossett (The Red Star) and more surprise guests than you can shake the Cygnus at. Moderated by Mark A. Altman (Publisher, Cinefantastique Magazine).

The Surface of an Invasion is at the Threshold Three shows about an alien invasion, all involving the oceans, and all debuting in the same season. What can it all mean? Were any of them any good?

Theater, Fantasy, and Science Fiction A discussion of fantasy and science fiction plays, today and through history.

The Three Ages of King Kong Fans of this great ape talk about the three versions. Is Peter Jackson's version the ultimate telling?

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet: Remembered Performers from the original series talk about their adventures, on and off the air making one of the classics of television science fiction. Fans offer their remembrances of the show as well.

Trailer Park Come see trailers, film clips, and other previews from upcoming major films. Surprises, prizes, and maybe even mystery guests.

TV & the Fan Community Some showrunners are now reading fan boards & fanfic sites to gauge reaction to what they're doing on their shows. Others avoid sites in order to keep "untainted". Writers and producers talk about the effect the fan community has on how a show develops. Do they ever have to deal with actors and their responses to the fans? What happens when you're torn between two disparate but equally vocal groups of fans?

What Is it about Buffy ? There's something about Buffy and the Buffyverse that drew people in. What was so special about this show? The Big Bad? The characters? The dialogue? What made it so special to so many people, where other shows haven't connected?

What's next from the Sci Fi Channel A look at what to look forward to from Sci Fi in the coming year.

Why Doesn't SF Seem to Last on Tv? Fantasy shows like Medium and Ghost Whisperer are big hits. Why didn't Surface, Threshold, or Invasion do as well? Is there a mainstream audience for television science fiction?

Writing Classic Trek Some of the writers of the original Star Trek series talk about the days that were. Did they know they were changing the future?

Writing SF for Television & Movies Script writing is whole different medium from writing novels and short stories. How is it different from writing prose? And what's it like working in television and the movies?

You Killed My Wash, Prepare to Die! Should Joss Whedon have done it? Was killing Wash the right move or the wrong one?

Miscellaneous & SIGs

Aerobics For those of you able to get up in the morning.

ASFA Business Meeting A meeting of the Association of Science Fiction Artists.

Autism Networking Group For parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders such as hyperlexia, Asperger's Syndrome, PDD-NOS, etc. to discuss living with autistism.

Belly Dancing Workshop

Book Exhibit Raffle All of the books on display in the Book Exhibit will be raffled off (in lots worth app. $100+ each) with proceeds going to pro-literacy charities. Come see if you've won.

Brotherhood Without Banners Meet & Greet George RR Martin Fandom

BWB Human Chess Match: Dorne Vs. Highgarden

Catholic Mass/christian Service

Christian Fandom Meeting

Chieri Council Final Meeting

Fan-tiques Roadshow Just like the similarly named television series, expert appraisers will give you their views on just what your junk is worth? Is that first edition a priceless treasure or a doorstop? Is that painting firewood or worth a king's ransom. Forget the jewels and Tiffany lamps. Bring in your science fiction and fannish collectibles for appraisal. (Appraisal items can include books, magazines, toys, movie memorabilia, posters, original art, and other items of fan interest.)

Glass Harmonica Demonstration Benjamin Franklin invented it and Mozart and Beethoven wrote for it. Louise Marley talks about the history, mysteries, and misconceptions that surround it and William Wilde Zeitler will perform on it.

Golden Duck Awards The annual presentation of the Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction.

Group Autographing of Space Cadets Anthology All of the authors included in L.A.con IV's limited edition Space Cadets anthology will gather to sign copies of the book.

Hypoglycemics United Hypoglycemics United To Foster Awareness is holding an auction of science fiction and other collectibles to help fund their efforts to educate persons about blood sugar imbalances of all types.

Jay Lake Roast

Jewish Services

JPL Employees Gathering

Origami Workshop Come try your hand at fantasy and science fictional origami creations.

PGP Keysigning Bring yourself, pen/pencil, two IDs -- passport and drivers license are good. Also bring copies of your key info to share: KeyID, Key Owner, Key fingerprint, Key size, Key type.

Prometheus Award Ceremony The Libertarian Futurist Society awards ceremony to present the Prometheus Best Novel Award and other Awards. The LFS gives awards to creative works of SF which deal with Libertarian themes.

Regency Dancing

Science Fiction Poetry Assoc. Gathering

SFWA Board & Officers Meeting

SFWA Emergency Medical Fund Auction

SFWA Meeting A meeting for members of the Science Fiction Writers of America.

Shotokan Karate Workshop Fans interested in the traditional martial art of Shotokan Karate are invited to come participate in this workshop that teaches the articulation of motion and physical principles behind simple blocks, punches, and kicks. The physical demands are very low, at the level of low-impact aerobics, and the safety of the participants will be ensured by no sparring or physical contact. Participants are asked to come in loose-fitting clothes.

Sidewise Award Ceremony The annual awards for Alternate History works are presented.

Space Cadets Signing The authors and others involved with L.A.con IV's limited edition anthology, Space Cadets, gather to sign copies of the book.

Student Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards Ceremony Part of the on-going student writing contest.

Suggestion Box Was it good for you? If you have ideas for running a better Worldcon or just have questions about how it happened this year, you're invited!

Tai Chi

Teaching Science Fiction What does it mean to "teach science fiction"? How do you do it? How do you do it well? How do you incorporate science fiction into a curriculum?

Trivia for Chocolate! Come answer trivia questions and get chocolate. Most uneaten chocolate at the end wins!

Zen Scavenger Hunt Panelists each bring ten items. Audience members ask for a type of item, a la a standard scavenger hunt. The panelists will then have to show one of the items they've brought and try to convince the audience that their item is the best match for what was requested.

One-man Presentations

The Art of Joe Bergeron The artist presents a slide show of his work.

Being Anne McCaffrey The author of Dragonflight, The Ship Who Sang, and so much more talks about her life and works and answers questions.

Culture Building 101 An interactive workshop on creating cultures for your work and worlds.

Eric S. Raymond on Everything Join OpenSource Evangelist Eric Raymond raving on his many areas of interest: opensource, the hacker culture, the second amendment, etc. Audience participation inevitable.

Everything I Needed to Know About Quantum Physics I Learned From the Three Stooges Author John G. Hemry gives an introduction to Quantum Physics, with help from The Three Stooges.

Exploring Analogue Mars A Pisces One Expedition Report on the adventures, misadventures, and scientific research under taken by the joint Brazilian, Swedish, Canadian and American "Pisces Expedition" last winter at the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah.

501(c)3-PO: Tax Exemption for SF Groups A presentation on obtaining and maintaining tax exempt status for your club or convention.

Harlan Ellison Tells Us Possibly the genre's best writer/raconteur/critic tells us what he thinks.

Interstellar Travel and Biotechnology G. David Nordley reviews a number of areas in which advanced biotechnology could aid interstellar flight, such as "cold sleep," recycling, and radiation tolerance.

Introduction to Klingon 80% of the grammar in 50 minutes, from one of the leading lights in Klingon linguistics

Jerry Pournelle: Inventing the Future How to change the world.

Kiddography: the Art and Life of Tom Kidd A slide show by the artist.

The "Look" of Star Trek Rick Sternbach, long time Senior Illustrator and Technical Consultant for most all versions of Star Trek from the first film on, presents a slide show of his artwork for Star Trek.

Magnifying Mars from Orbit with HiRISE The HiRISE camera is the most powerful camera sent to another planet and can resolve objects the size of a dishwasher from its orbit 190 miles above the surface of Mars. What do we hope to learn? How does this camera work?

My Life in a Time Machine Forrest J Ackerman talks about his participation in the early history of science fiction Fandom, literature, and films.

Non-US Space Exploration Update A report and look back at what other countries space programs worldwide have been doing for the past year.

Paleo-fandom for the Younger Fan A slide show cum game show of photos from Fandom's past. Just who is that young man?

Rick Sternbach Slide Show A slide presentation on the science fictional art of cover artist & production illustrator Rick Sternbach.

Science Fiction & the Ferris Wheel A slide show of fantasy and science fiction influences in historic fairground and amusement park attractions.

Secrets of Area 51 Area 51, The Ranch, Dreamland. The names conjure images of mysterious black airplanes and UFOS. For half a century this remote desert outpost has served as a breeding ground for cutting edge technology. It is a place with a history of dark rumors and speculation and a name that has become an object of folklore. Based on declassified government documents, personal interviews and extensive fieldwork, aerospace historian Peter W. Merlin reveals the secrets of Area 51.

Trailer Park Come see trailers, film clips, and other previews from upcoming major films. Surprises, prizes, and maybe even mystery guests.

The X-Hunters Aerospace Archeology Team Peter Merlin and Tony Moore talk about their adventures searching for historic aerospace relics in the deserts of the western United States, where they have located over 100 crash sites, mainly of experimental aircraft from Edwards Air Force Base and Area 51. They have recovered parts of supersonic rocket planes, stealthy spy craft and vehicles that have reached the edge of space. Each hunt combines C.S.I. skills with X-Files persistence, and a dash of Indiana Jones adventure.

Plays & Performances

Bonnie Delight's Science Fiction Burlesque Revue It's old-fashioned burlesque -- in space! With the help of our trusty emcee (Shecky) Kirk and our star Miss Bonnie Delight, we've gathered the galaxy's greatest burlesque revue. Corny comedy to groan at! Green girls to gasp at! Magic! Theremin music! Variety! And it's all on one stage at The Bonnie Delight Science Fiction Burlesque Revue!

The Channel Surfer's Guide to the Galaxy The Trans-Iowa Canal Company's sixty-sixth performance finds Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect facing the cancellation of their television program. They are able to escape into the airwaves using their wits and intestinal fortitude. Oh, and a magical remote and Ford's copy of "The Channel Surfer's Guide to the Galaxy." Unfortunately, they are pursued by the evil Network Executives who have plans of their own for Arthur and Ford. Avoiding stabbings, shootings, and explosions, our heroes face their greatest challenge of all... a music video.

The Dangerous Dimension A "readers theatre" performance of a classic story of science fiction. Readers include Anne McCaffrey, Karen Black, Bob Caso, and R.S. Daley.

DIPS DIPS is an episodic comedy show which recently debuted on the internet. The lead characters, Commander Firestone Q. Josh, Roscoe Gryzwinski, and Digit are delivery people for a futuristic UPS-like company, DIPS (Delphinius Intergalactic Parcel Service). Like a dysfunctional family on a long distance car trip, the three must work together in a horribly tiny Chevette Class vessel known as the Upton. While they try to get their package to it�s destination across the galaxies, they are confronted with accidents, asteroids, aliens... and a real ass of a boss. In full costume with some of their tiny ship set, they'll improvise an �episode� of DIPS with complete audience participation. By getting suggestions from the audience, the rag tag crew will set out on their journey, stopping for new suggestions to launch the story in unexpected directions. It promises to be funny, silly and definitely unique.

Dungeonmaster! Enter a world where nothing is as it seems. A world where you must fight for your life, fight for respect and fight for justice. Enter a world where you must outwit clever sorcerers, outrun hungry imps and out-muscle a deadly dragon. It is a world of love and peace, of hatred and chaos. Dungeon Master is a role playing game staged in a theatre using actors as the monsters and non-player characters. The adventuring party is chosen from audience members who submit their names before the play starts. The party is supplied with costumes, weapons (foam of course), the use of ten spells (which must rhyme) and given a task which must be completed in the allotted time. Meanwhile, the rest of the audience can cheer for the heroes -- or the monsters.

Fellowship! The fabulous musical comedy based on Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, both the book and the movie. "Hilarious... what makes it work is the obvious affection they have for the source material" --Backstage. Winner Best Musical of the Year and Best Comedy Ensemble, L.A. Weekly Theatre Awards.

Just a Minute A revival of the classic British TV game show. There are four contestants. The aim of the game is to talk for one minute on a subject given by the Quizmaster, without hesitation, deviation from the subject or repetition of individual words (apart from those in the title of the subject). Other contestants hit their buzzers to interrupt if they think the speaker has broken one of those rules, and if the Quizmaster agrees with them, they take on the subject for however much of the minute is left, and can get similarly interrupted themselves. It often becomes very funny, but allows a good speaker to display great skill and intelligence.

Lux Theater Presents Lux after Dark Like a sparkling diamond in the velvet curtain of night, the notorious L'étoile Rouge nightclub orbits high above the Space Academy. Embracing the bohemian decadence of turn-of-the-century 1900's Paris, it is a kingdom of nighttime pleasures, where the rich and powerful come to play with the young and beautiful creatures of the underworld. Lux After Dark is the drama that unfolds both in front of and behind the curtain of L'étoile Rouge. A crossroads in the lives of the performers who bring the nightclub to life, theirs is a story of love, hope, music, passion, betrayal, and triumph. And dancing girls.

Prancing Pony Players Do you have a sense of humor? Are you a fan of science fiction and fantasy? Do you sing along to Broadway show tunes? Then you'll love the Prancing Pony Players! A troupe of happy über-geeks and costumers, the Prancing Pony Players (P3) perform hilarious parody song-and-dance routines for conventions and fan events. Over the past three years, the members of P3 have spoofed The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Firefly/Serenity.

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet A performance of an episode of the classic science fiction series, in memory of L.A.con IV's Special Guest Frankie Thomas, the original Tom Corbett.

The Translators A story theater performance by the Patchwork Players Story Theatre.

Science & Space & Technology

(does not include all presentations on upcoming science/space projects)

Advances in Computer Science How are computers changing? What do the advances in micro-technology, superconductivity, graphics, etc. mean to the future of micros, minis, and main frames?

Bad Astronomy A talk by Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer on, well, bad astronomy and popular misconceptions.

Cassini: What We've Learned So Far A presentation from one of the scientists involved with the Cassini mission to Saturn.

Changing Human Nature Has human nature changed through recorded history, or are we the same old apes with new technology?

The Chinese Space Program In recent years, China has made a concerted push to explore space. Come hear about what they've been doing lately and whatever we know about what they've got planned for the future.

The Cold Worlds: Colonizing the Outer Solar System Eventually, the inner solar system will be crowded. Will we explore, exploit, and settle the vicinity of the outer planets? How about comets? The fringes of interstellar space? How? Why?

Computer Art A discussion of computer art and graphics. How it's done, where it's used, and who's doing it.

Cool New Technology What new technology is out there, knocking on our doors, just waiting for us to make use of? Some of it's useful, some of it's good (some not), and some of it's just silly.

Creating Illusions Arthur C. Clarke said that any science significantly advanced enough seems like magic. How do we create illusions? A discussion by designers of magical illusions, special effects artists, scientists, and writers.

Cryonics in Fact and Fiction We've seen cryonics in Star Trek, in Demolition Man, even on lawyer shows. What can we actually do now? What do we expect to be able to do in the future? Will it ever look like it does in the movies?

The Day Job Many SF writers and SF fans are scientists in real life. How do they combine the two? What is doing science for a living really like? Are we all really mad scientists who want to rule the world?

Debate: Space: Government Vs. Private Enterprise

Debate: Secrecy & Freedom on the Internet

Debate: There Are Some Things Man Was Not Meant to Know

Design Your Academic Career for a Job in Space What courses should you take? What should you major in? Where should you go?

Designing Interactive Games What makes for an addictive computer game? What is there about Doom or Halo that made you waste countless hours playing? Game designers discuss what they do.

Dinosaurs A panel of experts tell all. Or some. Like, what's the real story behind the changing shape of brontosaurus heads. And how come we never see the skeletons of baby dinosaurs. Were they warm-blooded or cold-blooded?

Disability and Sci-Fi A paper on Disability: Where Science Fiction meets Science Fact focusing on assistive technology, attitudes towards disabled people, medical advances, and medical rationing. We'll discuss various visions of "Disability Future" (both utopian and distopian) and which has the most likelihood of happening.

Does Science Have a Future? With science budgets declining, does non-applied research have a future? What does this mean for researchers? For research? What will a world without basic research be like?

The Ethics of Cloning At some point, it seems pretty likely there will be clones. Body parts at first but, eventually, cloned beings. What rights would they have? What rights won't they have? What about for robots or androids?

European Space Programs What's going on with the European Space Agency? What missions have they undertaken recently and what's planned for the future?

Everything I Needed to Know About Quantum Physics I Learned From the Three Stooges Author John G. Hemry gives an introduction to Quantum Physics, with help from The Three Stooges.

Exploring Space What are our options for future space exploration? What should we be doing? Where should we be going? How can individuals get involved? Should it be government sponsored or come from the private sector?

Extraterrestrials Where are the Extraterrestrials? Why haven't we been contacted? A gold mine for SF ideas, the academic study of this problem has come a long way in the last 10 years. Are we victims of a galactic conspiracy, or is the forest full of wolves?

Faster than Light or Slower than Molasses A discussion on the realities of space travel.

The Final Frontier -- Planning for Space Economics, politics, and strategic planning for space.

Frankenfood to Frankenpeople Genetic modification from food to people; how far is too far?

Funny Stories from Science Research & Development Our panelists will entertain you (and frighten you) with personal experiences and other true stories about the R&D business.

The Future Is Now! Flip-open communicators and the global central computer were science fiction twenty-five years ago. Today cell phones and the internet are ubiquitous. Technological advance keeps turning science fiction's starry eyed dreams into reality -- almost. This panel discusses SF dreams come true, and how the reality has turned out to differ from the vision.

The Future of Journalism How we get the news is changing before our eyes. Newspaper circulation is down dramatically. Online blogs and podcasts have put reportage in the hands of average citizens -- for both good and ill. Advances in camera and satellite technology make it simple for reporters to bring the public stories from the most far-flung parts of the planet. What will the future bring? And how will we know what to believe?

The Future of Medicine Medicine is evolving at an amazing pace. New discoveries, technology, etc. are announced every day. What will medicine be like in 100 years? Will we have tricorders and neuroscanners like in Star Trek? How about growing or cloning organs? Will we be using organics to solve problems instead of nanobots?

Future Space: New Nasa Initiatives for the 21st Century Current planned, and proposed space science, applications, and transportation missions being undertaken by NASA. And just how likely are they to happen?

Global Warming & Solutions Dr. Gregory Benford provides a presentation on the scientific facts of Global Warming, whether we need to worry, and what we can do about it.

Has SF Killed the Space Program? There are some people who think the slick and easy answers of science fiction have turned people off to the hard and slow progress real space exploration takes. Why did we go to the moon and then turn back?

Hobby Rocketry Come hear Hobby Rocketry enthusiasts talk about what's been going on with homemade rockets. How can you get involved and launch your own rocket?

Holding Back the Tide The Arctic Ocean could be an open sea within our children's lifetime. Melting ice sheets from Greenland and Antarctica are raising sea levels. Can we build dikes around Florida and the Gulf states? How will America handle the rising tide? How will the rest of the world cope, and how will the West deal with populations displaced by shoreline change?

How We'll Get There -- Humans to Mars It has been 34 years since we last stepped foot on the Moon, and Mars is beckoning to us. Plans are bring laid right now to return to the moon and from there go on to set foot on the Red Planet. Mars Society members take a look at all the current plans for exploring and eventually colonizing Mars.

I Was Promised Flying Cars! The promises of the future and why they haven't been kept.

If Only it Were Real... What science fiction concept, other than space travel, would you most like to see realized? Flying cars? Matter replicators? Time travel? Why?

The Implications of Global Warming Just what are the implications of global warming? What's the real science behind the opinions? What is being done to minimize the impact of continued fossil fuel use and all the other factors contributing to this potential environmental disaster?

Jerry Pournelle: Inventing the Future How to change the world.

The Killer B's & a V Bear, Benford, Brin, and Vernor Vinge talk about The Bullets You Don't Hear. Which ones will get us, and why worry?

The Long Term Future of Life in the Universe What physical and astrophysical problems will life face as the universe grows old? Astrophysicist Dave Clements has some ideas and some solutions.

Mars Attacks! Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer, debunks the "face on Mars" and other topics dealing with Mars pseudo-science.

Mars Exploration Rovers -- Year 2 NASA�s two Mars Exploration Rovers have been traveling the red planet for over two years now. Each Rover has inspected over four miles of red sand and rock, craters and dunes, looking for evidence of water. Mars Society members will give you a tour of Mars by way of the twin Rovers� points-of-view.

Mars in the Movies Since 1910, when Thomas Alva Edison lensed A Trip to Mars, the red planet Mars has been a favorite topic of over 100 feature films. Gerry Williams, creator of the MarsMovieGuide.com, takes us on a multimedia tour of some of the best (as well as the worst) movies about Mars ever made.

Mars on Earth -- Adventures of Space Pioneers in the Utah Desert What do we do when we get to Mars? What will we eat? What will we do? How will we live? For five years now The Mars Society has been answering these questions with the Mars Analog Research Station projects in the Canadian Arctic, the Utah deserts, the Australian outback, and the geothermal fields of Iceland. Mars Society members give an in-depth look at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, the most advanced simulation study of how we plan to tackle the human exploration of the Red Planet.

Mistakes Future Historians Will Make about Our Time If we were to read a story written in the 23rd Century but set in our time, what might we find wrong with it?

Moonbase Science Suppose we had a Moonbase? What kind of physics, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, etc. could be done there? Would this be strictly a science station, like our bases in Antarctica, or would colonization soon follow?

The Morals of Future Sex Sex between two people - the morals of that are pretty well worked out and everyone knows where they, um, stand on the subject. But we've already got sex toys, and in recent years, with the advances of technology, "teledildonics" has brought computers into the bedroom. What's going to happen with sex in the future? Sex with not just dolls but androids? With specially created clones? Are there any rules? Should there be? What about moral issues?

Nanotechnology What would the world be like if molecular technology proved feasible? Would it become a dystopia far worse than anything imagined by Huxley or Orwell, or a socialist idyll, of people living free from the fear of poverty, death or pollution, in a land with more than enough material goods for everyone?

Nanotechnology: the Future or a Dying Fad? Is super-miniaturized science the wave of the future or just another passing fancy?

No, Really, That Makes Sense Our distinguished panel of experts explains why certain widely-seen SF and fantasy elements that seem absurd actually have legitimate explanations. Come hear why it makes sense for barbarian sword babes to wear chain-mail bikinis, why computers on starships never crash or lock up with indecipherable error messages, and why male scientists in SF are always really good looking guys who are irresistible to brilliant, beautiful women.

Non-US Space Exploration Update A report and look back at what other countries space programs worldwide have been doing for the past year.

Nuclear Weapon Strategies Historical elements, Mutual Assured Destruction, strategic counterforce, and "bunker busters." What are the near-future scenarios for the next 5, 25, and 100 years? What are their probabilities? And what's the role of SF literature and cinema in steering popular culture toward and away from nuclear scenarios will be studied.

Okay, You've Got the Moon. What're You Gonna Do with It? How do we make a lunar colony pay in the same way colonies on Earth traditionally paid for their creators? Is pure science the way to go? A launching pad for reaching the rest of the solar system? Industrial applications? A mix? If we can't make a permanent human presence on the Moon pay, will it ever be viable in the long-term?

Open Source Software Why should you care? What's out there? Do you need licenses? If you do it, can you quit your day job?

Particle Physics for Dummies A simple guide to understanding particle physics for the non-physicist.

Physics Circus Practical and fun demonstrations of physics and other scientific stuff.

The Physics of Superheroes Is there anything believable about Superman's powers? Batman's abilities? How can you explain what superheroes do?

Podcasting Just what is Podcasting? How does it work and why should I care? And what roll does it have in the future of science fiction?

Science in the News What can you believe?

Scientific Fraud Perpetual motion machines, converting water into gasoline, and the Dean drive. Famous scientific frauds all. But what are some others? And how do you distinguish a real scientific breakthrough from flummery?

Seeing Isn't Believing A presentation on the art of computer graphics and image manipulation.

Should Californians Be Farmers? Generations of engineers and agronomists have turned California's deserts into lush farmland. Nearly 80% of California's water is used for agriculture. What is the long-term environmental impact of this water diversion and artificial fertility? Are California's farms a triumph of human ingenuity or an unsustainable house of cards? Should industrial countries become net importers of food from more fertile places, or can we rely on an ongoing technological cornucopia to feed the rich nations?

The Singularity -- What Is it and Why Should You Care? The Singularity has become the hot topic in science, at least at science fiction conventions. What is it? And what does it mean for the future?

Space Art Astronomical artists talk about their profession. Do you have to know a lot about astronomy and get the planets and stars exactly right or does it just have to look good?

Space Drives: from Launch Lasers to Warp Drives A discussion of old and new ideas about space propulsion. Old standards: laser sustained propulsion, tethers, nuclear rockets, wormholes. New ideas: the Alcubierre warp drive, tachyon propulsion, axion ramjets.

Space Program Bloopers Anecdotes from the world of space exploration.

Time Travel -- Just Who Is Your Grandfather? Time travel is a staple of science fiction, but just what is it that so fascinates us about traveling to another time and place? Is it possible? What are the benefits and paradoxes of time travel?

21^st Century Physics What are we on the verge of discovering? Gravity waves? Quark substructure? Tachyon neutrinos? Natural wormholes? Lab-made black holes?

21^st Century Snake Oil "It must be true, I saw it on the Internet." How has pseudo-science infected popular culture lately? How does this kind of charlatanism interfere with progress and rational discourse? Are there things we can do to counter the untruths that are spread around?

The UFO Conspiracy Are UFOs real? Listen to some people who believe they are and take a look at some of their photographic evidence.

Unintended Consequences Indoor plumbing led to polio epidemics. Lead in paint and gas poisoned people. To what extent is modern science and technology responsible for figuring out whether or not something that seems good is also going to cause serious problems?

Weaponizing Space Good idea? Bad idea? Inevitable whether or not we think it's good or bad? How do you define a weapon when a rock dropped from space can create massive damage?

When Things Go Wrong In Space A discussion of how scientists discover, analyze, and work around spacecraft problems. Do they still do it like they did in "Apollo 13"? See how the scientific method really works.

Women in Science Barbie says "Math is hard!". Women scientists talk about how science fiction gave them confidence to pursue careers in male-dominated fields such as theoretical chemistry and nuclear physics. What sort of resistance or encouragement did they encounter? How can we get the next generation of girls excited about math and science?

Women in Science in Science Fiction Women scientists have featured prominently in many science fiction stories. Panelists talk about the image of women in science fiction stories, from the classics to today. How accurate are the depictions? And are these women scientists really scientists or just secretaries in lab coats?

The Worst Future You Can Imagine We hope for the best. We work for it. But what if things don't work out right? What can go wrong? What will that future be like?

XCor

Star Trek

(items with Star Trek actors not yet scheduled)

Being an Alien Some of the actors who have portrayed Klingons, Ferengi, and other aliens on Star Trek talk about getting into a character that no one's ever met and life under latex.

Chekov's Long Arc Starting in the 1960s, Paval Chekov has been a part of Star Trek's long history, on television and in motion pictures. And Chekov's had a career in Star Trek novels as well. This year, Chekov completes his story in the New Voyages, being done for the Internet. Walter Koenig will tell us about his adventures as Chekov and with Star Trek.

Classic Trek, New Trek, or Diet Cherry Trek: Which Is Best? A discussion of Star Trek's various incarnations, what worked, what didn't work in each.

The First Star Trek Conventions What were they like? Who could have guessed so many thousands would show up? What's different between the Star Trek conventions of today and the ones of the earliest days? And how do the "Creation Cons" fit into the mix?

Galaxy Quest Revealed Robert Gordon, the writer of Galaxy Quest, talks about writing and making this Hugo-winning paean to science fiction television and Fandom.

The Graphic Look of Star Trek Long time designers for Star Trek, Mike & Denise Okuda, give a look at the graphic design for the USS Enterprise.

Hidden Frontier Rob Caves and members of the cast and crew of these new, internet tales of the Federation talk about these adventures of Star Fleet's other ships.

The History of Star Trek Fandom Bjo Trimble presents a slide show on the history of Star Trek Fandom, from the 1960s to now.

How Star Trek Affected Our Lives Fans of Star Trek talk about how watching the show changed them, changed the course of their lives. What did Star Trek do for you?

Introduction to Klingon 80% of the grammar in 50 minutes, from one of the leading lights in Klingon linguistics.

James T. Kirk: Threat or Menace Was a larger-than-life scenery-chewing damn-the-Prime-Directive-full-speed-ahead heroic starship commander the one primary thing responsible for the enduring success of classic Star Trek? Is the absence of such a character why the following Star Trek series all lacked the same punch? Or should there have been more discretion, more consideration before acting? Is Jean Luc Picard the model to follow?

Keeping Star Trek Alive It was easy in the '60s. There it was, on the air. And after 1987, there was Star Trek: The Next Generation. But what about in the '70s and '80s, before TNG. What kept Star Trek Fandom alive?

Klingon Costuming Creating costumes for your Klingon characters.

The "Look" of Star Trek Rick Sternbach, long time Senior Illustrator and Technical Consultant for most all versions of Star Trek from the first film on, presents a slide show of his artwork for Star Trek.

A Proud and Lonely Thing Some fans from Star Trek's early days talk about what it was like being a Trekkie (or Trekker) way back when.

Star Trek Fandom Today The world of Star Trek Fandom is different today than it was in the '60s and '70s. What's out there? What don't I know about? How can I get more involved?

Star Trek: from Concept to Editor in 14 Days The method by which a script is made, deconstructed, and shot, presented by Star Trek assistant director Mike DeMeritt.

Star Trek's New Voyages James Cawley and others from the cast and crew of this much-hailed internet version of Star Trek talk about what they've done, and where they're boldly going.

Writing Classic Trek Some of the writers of the original Star Trek series talk about the days that were. Did they know they were changing the future?

Writing & Publishing

Alien Humans There are straight men who write about Gay characters. Women who write about men. Men who write about women. Gays who write about Straights. Is that very different from writing about Martians?

Aliens Among Us We write about alien civilizations, but there are cultures we don't know about among us. One of the ways to write alien cultures is to talk to people in cultures outside that are alien to us.

The Analog Story: What Is It? Over the years, "Analog" editor Stanley Schmidt has discovered that there are a lot of common misconceptions about just what makes a story an "Analog" story. Along with several of the magazine's regular contributors, Schmidt will share his views of just what it is they're trying to do, how it isn't all rivets and getting the science right

Assistant Editors: Glorified Gophers or Finders of Hidden Gems? Most of us have little idea of exactly what an editor at a publishing company does. And we have no idea what an assistant editor does. Some editors and assistant editors fill us in on their place in the process.

The Author/Editor Relationship What makes a book great? Where does the editor's input begin? Where does it end? When does the author have to assert his/her creative authority? Are the relationships between editor and author today like they were years ago?

Baen Books Travelling Slide Show -- with Prizes! See what's coming up from Baen Books.

Being Anne McCaffrey The author of Dragonflight, The Ship Who Sang, and so much more talks about her life and works and answers questions.

Building Magical Systems You can't just wave your wand and do whatever you want. Fiction that features magic as an intrinsic part of the world requires rule-setting and interweaving culture, religion, "science," and law. What are the challenges and opportunities in building a functional magical world?

The Business of Writing Inside you there's a hundred stories, crying to get out. Characters who need to be brought to life. But you still need to eat and pay the rent. What do you have to know (besides how to write).

Care and Feeding of the Creative Process What sort of actions and environments are most conducive to getting and staying productive? How do you tell being blocked from being too tired?

Character Vs. Plot Some readers (and writers) seem to be all about the characters. Others are only interested in the details of the plot. Can you write for both audiences? Should you?

Clichés of the Future What about our current time do you think the future will find clichéd? What strange new wonders will be so commonplace in 50 or 100 years to be clichés in that time?

Collaborating: the Care and Feeding of Your Partner How do collaborators work together? Is collaboration for everyone? Novelists, comic book writers, and TV writers discuss their own experiences.

The Contract Between Reader and Writer An arrangement of convenience? How can we define the process, and what does each partner bring to it?

Crafting Buffy Some of the writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer talk about the trials and tribulations of writing about the trials and tribulations of everyone's favorite Slayer.

Crafting Firefly Some of the people involved with the creation and production of Firefly talk about what went into making the show.

Creating Believable Aliens There's little that's more annoying then to be reading a good SF story and to come across an alien that's either `just a guy in a suit' or too far from what evolution and the laws of physics would allow to be believed. So what does it take to create a believable alien?

Creative Insults SF and fantasy often uses insults from present culture instead of dreaming up new and inventive ways to cast scorn upon others. Our panel will discuss a variety of new insults for general use in space-faring societies and fantasy environments. Audience participation invited. Anyone who doesn't show up is a ground pounder full of space gas!

Culture Building 101 An interactive workshop on creating cultures for your work and worlds.

A Dark Corner of the Shop A Midnight Horror panel of insiders' shop talk. The things that never get said on convention panels.

A Day in the Life of an Editor Just what is it an editor does all day? Read manuscripts? Take Stephen King out to lunch? Plot nefarious plots?

Del Rey: What's Coming up What's ahead from this top publisher of science fiction and fantasy.

Different Types of Writing? The Novel, Novella, Short Story, etc. Is one just longer than the other or are they really different? And what about screenplays?

Distribution: How SF Gets to You Once a book is published, how does it end up in your hands? And how has that pathway been changing over the last two decades?

Dune Again Kevin J. Anderson talks about continuing the Dune series of novels, working from Frank Herbert's notes and manuscripts, and how the project came about.

Editing: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Come and hear stories about edits which went above and beyond clarity and reason. Writers discuss different editing styles they've encountered and talk about some of the good and bad experiences they've had with editors (names will be changed to protect the innocent).

Electronic Publishing How have computers and the Internet effected publishing? The editors, publishers, and writers of books and magazines available via the Internet talk about the paperless revolution.

Escaping the Slushpile What makes an unsolicited manuscript catch an editor's eye? Magazine editors discuss what they're looking for, what they see too much of, and the do's and don'ts for genre short story writers and poets.

Favorite Fallacies of Science Fiction What things do writers get wrong all the time? Is it important to be hyper-accurate or is it okay to make "mistakes" for dramatic effect?

Fighting for Shelf Space Why is the SF backlist disappearing? What does this mean to authors? To booksellers?

Furgonomics A discussion group on designing a world and the stuff in it with non-humans in mind. Just what would a chair look like if you had a tail? Or wings, for that matter?

Getting Started Writing SF -- Part I Going from amateur to professional is a big step. How do you get started? Should you write every day, whether the muse strikes or not? What mistakes shouldn't you make? Writers who have recently broken in will give you their advice today. Agents, editors, and others will advise in Part II tomorrow.

Getting Started Writing SF -- Part II Going from amateur to professional writer is a big step. How do you get started? In Part I, new writers gave you their advice. Today in Part II, agents, editors, and established writers give you theirs. Compare these expert's answers with those of yesterday's panel.

Giving Good Interview Panelists discuss what it takes to give a good press interview or anything involving promotion of your own works and activities.

Good Endings Writing is hard. There's lots of work, lots of thought that goes into every sentence. But no matter how good your story is, how compelling your characters are, if your ending falls flat, so does everything else. How do you make your ending work?

Guerilla Marketing for the Neo-pro You don't have the money to take out ads in "Publishers Weekly" or "Time Magazine". What do you do to build "brand value"? How do you promote yourself without turning off your audience? How do you get more sales? How can you connect with your fledgling fan base?

Hard Fantasy Is there such a thing as "hard" fantasy, like "hard" science fiction? Is it just a matter of research or better world building? What does it take to make a fantasy "hardcore"? Who's writing hard fantasy, what is it, and how does it work?

Harlan Ellison Tells Us Possibly the genre's best writer/raconteur/critic tells us what he thinks.

An Hour with Frederik Pohl An intimate chat with one of the field's top authors.

How to Do Research The trick to "getting it right" is doing research. Experienced researchers and writers will tell you the secrets to good research.

How to Kill off a Character You spend time crafting characters, thinking about who they are, what they want, what they care about. You tell stories about them, lovingly crafted. Now it's time for them to die. How do you do it? And what can happen if you do.

How to Write a Book Proposal Should you write the whole novel or just "pitch it" to see if anyone's interested? What goes into a book proposal? What shouldn't go in? Editors and authors talk about what works, what doesn't work, and when you should submit book proposals.

The Influence of Editors on the SF Field Do editors publish what the readers want to buy or does the field reflect the editors' tastes?

Intellectual Property: Copyrights, Trademarks, and Public Domain The current legal opinions on who owns what and how, relating to books, art, films, television, and the internet.

Intermediate Writing So you've sold a couple things. Now what? How do you keep up your motivation, overcome writer's block, and reach your next goal? And what should that goal be? How do you maintain your momentum?

Is "Realistic Fantasy" an Oxymoron? What does it take to create "real" fantasy? Are there rules in a universe run by magic?

Isn't Y.A. a Good Thing? Young Adult writers report that it's hard to get respect from some of their peers, even though Y.A. is the doorway for many young adults into other SF and fantasy novels. Given the authors who've produced Y.A. (like Heinlein and Andre Norton) and the quality of much Y.A. produced, why doesn't it get more respect?

It Crawled out of the Slush Pile Editors share their "favorite" stories of manuscripts that were a triumph of hope over talent.

Jack the Ripper -- Fact and Fiction Over one hundred years ago, Jack the Ripper cut a bloody swath through London. But compared to modern serial killers, Jack was a flyweight. So why has he held such a fascination for so many writers through the years? And just who was Jack the Ripper?

L. A. Confidential So many science fiction and fantasy stories are set in Los Angeles. What makes Los Angeles such a great place to write about?

Magazines: Flourishing or Withering Away? There used to be pulp magazines by the score publishing science fiction and fantasy, later to be supplanted by "prozines" and slick magazines. But there are fewer and fewer now. Or are there? Are the magazines surviving? Are the moving over to the internet? Or are the publications there a whole 'nother thing?

Mistakes New Writers Make Paying so-called agents a fee to represent them? Calling agents and editors every day to see how they like their novel? That ain't the half of it. Come hear established writers and editors give you a heads up on things you should know better than.

Mix & Match Writing Challenge Authors are presented with a character description for a well-known character, the setting of a (different) famous work, and a brief plot description of still another work. Without knowing their sources, they create and tell a story on the fly. After the sources are revealed, the audience votes on who did best. (Think Frodo in a tale set in 1920s New York about a young wizard-in-training who must compete in a great competition of wizards, only to be captured by his arch-nemesis...)

Mysteries & Science Fiction Lots of science fiction writers also write mysteries: Vance, Brackett, Kuttner, Boucher, Niven. Is there something inherently linking the two genres or is it just wide-ranging tastes and interest?

Not Tonight, Dear, I Have a Deadline Life and living with a professional writer or artist.

Parody, Pastiche, and Humor There's a time and place for everything. Or is there? Does humor have a place in modern fiction? Can there ever be too much?

Podcasting Just what is Podcasting? How does it work and why should I care? And what roll does it have in the future of science fiction?

Promoting Your Book & Yourself What can you do to help push your new book? Get your friends to turn the book "cover out" in bookstores? Get your face in Locus? Do booksignings at Bookstar help? Will any of it do any good?

Publishing Science Fiction From small press to major publishing houses, science fiction is a popular place to be. What's it take to know the field and to get your books into the stores?

Pyr: a Look Forward One of science fiction's newest major publishers give a look at their future publications.

The Query Letter You've come up with the idea, worked out the story. Maybe you've written the entire novel. Just one thing left to do. Sell it. There's little harder than writing that synopsis. How long should it be? How hard should you sell? Just what will it take to get that agent, that editor, to want to read your work or to offer you a contract to write it?

A Quiet Place to Write Does where you write matter? How about whether or not you face a window? Authors will talk about how they set up their writing spaces -- a separate office, the living room couch, the dining room table? -- what's in the room, what they listen to, and what they wear (if they wear anything at all).

Rapid Fire Readings Members of Broad Universe, the organization dedicated to supporting women genre writers, give short (five to ten minute) readings of their works in rapid fire succession.

Revise, Revise, Revise! Often the difference between an amateur writer and a professional is that the pro knows how to rewrite and the amateur thinks he got it right the first time.

Science Fiction Changing the World Science fiction is more than just stories; it's ideas and inspiration. But can it change the world? Some people who are trying to do just that, by inspiring people through their works or who have been inspired by science fiction and are trying to take action, talk about what they're doing and what you can do.

The Secret of My Success Just being good isn't enough. Just being really good isn't enough either. Success takes work. Top-selling authors talk about what else they do, in the time they aren't "working".

SF Poetry What is it? Is there a market for it? How do you start?

SF Poetry Jam Some of science fiction's best poets read selections of their works.

Shakespeare & Science Fiction No, he didn't write any but he influenced a lot. Writers talk about how Shakespeare's work influence them and their writing.

Short Fiction Can you survive as a writer just writing short fiction? How do you know if an idea is right for a short story or should it be a novel? Or something in between? Are there real differences between short stories, novelettes, and novellas other than length?

Small Press Publishing What do you need to know? Where do you find authors and artists? What niche do your books fill? Do you need a million bucks or will a couple hundred do? How do you get what you publish into stores?

Stranger Than Science Fiction The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to be believable. Panelists discuss things which really happened but which they could not use in their writing because no one would believe they'd actually occur.

Style Vs. Substance Is science fiction becoming too concerned about literary style at the expense of storytelling?

The Tarot & Writing Everyone knows the hero/heroines journey, the basis for nearly everything written in fantasy fiction. But what about other archetypes? The Tarot has 22 in all. How do these other archetypes reflect in fiction? Forget the hero/heroine, let's talk about death, the empress, the hanged one, the universe, the priestess, the fool...

Turning Mental Blocks into Building Blocks How to break out of that most dreaded prison of creativity: writer's block. Having trouble finishing things? Ego not getting enough strokes? Our panelists will tell you what's worked for them.

What I Do When I Should Be Writing Me, I read e-mail. What do you do? How do you get yourself back to writing?

What Is a "Young Adult" Novel? "Young Adult" is a popular category. But why are some stories about sex, drugs, blood, death, and sex considered Y.A.? Who's reading Y.A. novels, and why? (Sherwood Smith)

What Is Evil? Novels seem to always pits good versus evil, the hero/heroine (who must do battle, sacrifice endlessly, travel to the ends of the earth to save the world) and the evil protagonist. Sounds simple. But how do you define what is truly evil? And are your characters black and white or many shades of gray? How bad is the bad guy? Is evil marked by character, action, the enormity of destruction, the totality of deceit, or is it possible that evil is in the perception ?

What's Coming from Tor the editors at Tor Books give a preview to what's coming in the months ahead.

Why Do All the Character Names Have ^TM after Them? What sort of rights are associated with a literary work? What sort of choices is your publisher making for you? Your editor? Your agent? How much control can you maintain over your work?

Why Is Everything So Dark? Batman became the "Dark Knight". The X-Files was filled with conspiracies and people wearing dark clothes walking around in dark rooms. Before that, the great New Wave of SF, which called itself literary, was deeply pessimistic. Is this mature, childish, or the swing of a pendulum?

Why Is Science Fiction So White? An exploration of minorities in Science Fiction, both the writers and their characters.

Why Isn't It Military Fantasy? Military SF is a common term for novels featuring lots of combat, but you rarely hear the term military fantasy even though works like the Lord Of The Rings feature a huge amount of fighting between individuals and armies. Why does SF dealing with war get consigned to a sub-genre while fantasies that include war are regarded as just part of mainstream fantasy writing?

Writing for Children and Young Adults Does it take special training or knowledge to write books and stories for children and young adults? Are they different from adult works in any way, other than vocabulary? How do you break in? And if you write for kids, is it hard to also write for adults?

Writing Non-fiction Science Fiction Many science fiction magazines include non-fiction pieces about science fiction. There are books galore that talk about the field or about individual authors. How do you write non-fiction about science fiction? How do you get into the market? Just what is the market and how do you pitch pieces?

Writing Non-human Characters We're all people so we really can't think like an alien or a demon or an anthropomorphic dog. So what do we do to make non-human characters real without making them just seem weird? How do we bring them to life?

Writing While Holding down a Day Job Even some of the most prominent writers don't make enough from their writing to give up their day jobs. What compromises do you have to make to make it work?

Writing Workshops: the Whys and Wherefores Are they even worthwhile? People who have taught at Writing Workshops and others who have taken them discuss the benefits and pitfalls of these writing roundtables.

Writing: the Long & the Short of it Why are some people good at writing novels but not short stories? What does it take for an idea to be `novel length'? Are short stories just like novels only you finish sooner?

You Are Responsible for Your Own Career How to manage your life as a writer.

Program

Tentative Program Topics

By category:

General

Art

Comics

Costuming

Events

Fandom

Filking

Furry Fandom

Gaming

Literary Topics

Media

Miscellaneous & SIGs

One-man Presentations

Plays & Performances

Science & Space & Technology

Star Trek

Writing & Publishing

Rev. 29-Jun-2006