Ideas For Denver Worldcon

[Stego]

Hey everyone,

There's been a lot of discussion as to how we're going to throw this Denver bash at smaller cons and get-togethers all over the place. I did not want to make it seem as if any decisions were being made without discussing it with everyone.

So please, if you have any ideas for the parties, fund raisers, special activities, etc... share them here and we can all discuss them. If you have any sort of surprise you're considering, or questions about anything, or just want to cuss me out, please email me about it. (williamlexner at gmail)

We're attempting to organize the festivities so that chaos can be avoided. X-Ray is in charge of the budget, and if she says we can't afford it... we listen or she will beat me.

The theme that has been tossed around for this years Worldcon is Wildcards. Opinions?

[Ran]

Wildcards is an excellent choice for a theme. It's different. And, who knows, maybe Tor might be contacted about pitching in with some promotional material (posters of the cover for Inside Straight, etc.), funds, or other material (i.e. booze)?

A raffle, of course. With ASoIaF and Wildcards stuff, perhaps. Contacting the various Wildcards authors (GRRM, Miller, Snodgrass, etc.) to see if they have any bits of memorabilia could be fun to include. A character sheet from GRRM's original supers campaign would be neat-o, but I'm a geek like that.

A shirt. Needs a really strong design, I think. If you're going with Wildcards, you could get someone to do something neat with some playing cards .... or maybe see if someone (Brian Bolland?) could be gotten in touch with to donate a piece of art for silkscreening? He did some aweeeesome covers for the series, and I'm not sure they've ever gotten the T-shirt treatment.

One public party, I should think, with a smaller private affair maybe?

One can also raise funds via here, of course, as Lodey has done in the past -- just using Paypal. Naturally, attendees should be encouraged to pitch in, financially and/or with materials.

[Stego]

I was also thinking, despite the theme, that certain World of ASoIaF authors could contribute some form of advertisement...

[The Iceman of the North]

We had some good t-shirt ideas in Saratoga. We ought to go for these.

[zakalwe7]

Cheers for doing this Stego.

It would be useful to get an idea of who is all involved in the organisation. You're the main organiser yeah and Martha is doing budget supervising. Is there an official committee of you, Martha, Lodey and Julie or others? It would be handy before the event to know who was doing Con Liaison, Room Organisation, Bar, Budget, etc? Much nearer the time though I guess?

Personally I'd be a wee bit iffy about a Wildcards theme since I've not read them, but hey it could be fun anyway , although someone would have to explain all the jokes to me (I'd never even heard of Jetboy :/ ). (actually this just made me wonder about the BWB - I've always kind of imagined that it was an ASOIaF fan group but i guess that it is a GRRM fan group? Is that right? Or is it not quite so 'official' as that? - anyway that's OT).

Will have a bit of a think about this. Money wise, I'm quite happy just chucking money into a booze and organisation kitty. I'm not really a raffle person or collector, so if there's anyway just to give you guys cash, that would suit me.

[mormont]

I love the theme (obviously).

Will have a think about fundraisers... shirts are always good, and I know a couple of other people who run fan sites and could probably be prevailed upon to advertise them there. I think it's unlikely that Bolland would allow his covers to be used, alas, but if he did, it would surely have to be the Tachyon cover from book 1. If we do something ourselves, though, something simple like a black tee with a card fan of an ace, joker and black queen? Maybe a deuce, maybe not?

I have some other ideas, but they'll need thinking about...

[Stego]

As far as organization, well, I'll be asking people to help out. As of now, there is Martha in charge of the budget.

I asked her yesterday.

As of yet there is no committee, but we will need people to organize different aspects of the con. Are you volunteering, mate?

[Stego]

As for the BWB, we're a GRRM fan organization type thing. (Of course, ASoIaF is key in this.)

The idea was to do something a bit different, though ASoIaF will not be ignored. (And neither will other works by George, btw. Fevre Dream is about to come out in special edition. Dreamsongs has just been released. I think The Ice Dragon is coming out in paperback. I'll be talking to the different publishers soon.)

You should read Wildcards, Kit. They're a lot of fun.

[zakalwe7]

I'm an expert with bin bags

[Stego]

There has been a discussion of seperate Ace and Joker t-shirts.

ETA:

Yeah, Ro. We need to discuss that. I'm hoping there is a chance to do it and not lose money. If not, c'est la vie.

[zakalwe7]

You should read Wildcards, Kit. They're a lot of fun.

Yeah got the first one in the house. Maybe this would get me to read it.

I wouldn't be against having Wild Cards as a theme. I guess though that it's just natural that the theme isn't likely to excite those of us who haven't read it.

[Ran]

Advertisement sounds interesting, though I'm not quite sure how or what or where. We'll certainly help promote the party and fundraising efforts via the board and Westeros.org, anyways.

[Stego]

Stegho, I am at your disposal and on TS tonight.

<3

[Xray the Enforcer]

1) I love the Wild Cards theme, as it's a chance for to celebrate GRRM's other work (and something he seems as enthusiastic about as ASOIAF). And remember, it's just the theme for the party -- it's not like we're going to make people talk only of those books or endure a Wild Cards Ludovico treatment.

2) We have some solid ideas on t-shirts, but we're open to suggestions. And yeah, Ro's right, in that doing them is a big financial gamble. We'll need to look into this and make some tough decisions one way or the other. Mugs, et al, are also good ideas.

3) I wholeheartedly agree that we should try to get the publisher to help out. Lugalirra had the idea to have temporary tattoos (aces, jokers and black queen, I think) -- that's great viral marketing at the Con for us (donations, raffle and t-shirt sales) and for them.

4) Public vs. Private parties. They are both a bloody shit-ton of work, especially for those manning the bar and doing security. Stego, Yags and I had some good discussion about that at WFC (where we had 2 public parties, and people were still able to sit down and talk with George if they were so inclined). Again, discussion is welcome.

[Ran]

Re: Bolland, the way to find out I guess would be to mail him. He's recently (I think ) set up a site here, with a contact page.

Have the shirts always been a fund loser? My understanding was that some shirts did better than others (IIRC, the grey-green shirt with the direwolf did fine, the Tim Truman shirt as well, but not the Hear Me Roar shirt and not the Tyrell-themed shirt). The problem is always going to be offering a strong design, dealing with cost of production, and gauging how many shirts you should have (and in what sizes).

In any case, if we're not selling shirts, I'm not sure we should be selling anything at all (not counting raffle tickets here). We've no experience with mugs and other knick-knacks and don't really know how they'd move. At least we've a bit of experience with the shirts. But maybe people have noticed what other things might sell from what other con parties and fundraising efforts have done? Hrm.

Also, I guarantee that you'll be able to move at least a few shirts to Wildcards fans at places like Captaincomics.us, if "authorized by GRRM" or "featuring art by Brian Bolland" is attached. Just a thought. In fact, if Wildcards is the theme, Wildcards writers might be gotten in touch with and asked to make a mention of it on their respective sites. John J. Miller posts regularly at Captaincomics.us, as does Stephen Leigh. Melinda Snodgrass has a blog. Daniel Abraham, of course. I'm sure there are others.

[zakalwe7]

Public vs. Private parties. They are both a bloody shit-ton of work, especially for those manning the bar and doing security. Stego, Yags and I had some good discussion about that at WFC (where we had 2 public parties, and people were still able to sit down and talk with George if they were so inclined). Again, discussion is welcome.

Just throwing some thoughts around

Is it worth just having one obvious open party on the saturday and then a party for us lot on Friday (which people can still wander into if they want but we just don't make it a big deal?)

Or have different bar tenders each night?

In LA our private-ish party still seemed like alot of work for everyone (In some ways I expect a public party to be, but not a private one). Maybe just because of all the effort we put in and the number of bars, but I guess if we went with one public/ one private, we need to make sure that we all remember it is a party for us. Perhaps have the bar being slightly more help-yourself on the non-public party? Or have it as a bring-your-own booze? Just trying to think of ways take the strain off everyone.

What are people's thoughts on knightings? Friday or Saturday? What does George want? Do we need it fairly ordered? Or is it best to do something else?

[Stego]

In fact, if Wildcards is the theme, Wildcards writers might be gotten in touch with and asked to make a mention of it on their respective sites.

Of course. Along with invitations, as well.

I don't mind hearing any and all ideas for fund raising. Perhaps the suggestions won't work out, but there are many brilliant people around here, and I'm certain we can come up with some good ideas. I'd like this party to pay for itself, of at all possible. That may not be achievable, but it's a good aim to have.

[Stego]

-For a number of reasons, we're leaning towards 2 open parties, zero private ones.

There are many other days at Worldcon for us to socialize soley amongst ourselves. The Science fiction community is not about exclusion, and we will not turn people away at the door.

-I will ask George and Parris about everything, but the knightings have traditionally been after the Hugo's on Saturday night.

-We want to reduce the amount of work and increase the amount of togetherness and party atmosphere.

-BYOB doesn't work. We simply can't have that much Zima. But please, BYOB for the other nights.

-There will be one bar.

[Bronn Stone]

I am at your disposal. Though I do want to overspend on at least one item just to be able to watch Xray kicking Stego's arse over it.

I personally think the t-shirts can be a fund-raiser with a limited print run - err on the side of printing too few.

[zakalwe7]

I guess two parties allows it to run more smoothly and less intensively? I know you guys did it in Saratoga. How about other cons - has it just been tradition that we've done it with 1 public or have there been other cons with 2 public parties? from what you guys said about Saratoga, it seems to have run very smoothly.

Can we have badges? You know how much the World-Coners love their badges and stickers? (geeks and their urge to collect things )