Bring out your vids!
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bonibaru posted: signal boostBoosting the signal for RevelCon 32: calling for vids for the vidshow! Info here: https://revelcon.com/songvid-show[A Dreamwidth post with
Tag: cons
bonibaru posted: signal boostWorldcon - Volunteer Online and get free membership
marthawells posted: PSAWorldCon is also looking for online volunteers to help with the virtual event track:[A Dreamwidth post with
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/…
As a heads up, signing up for 12+ hours of volunteering over the course of the weekend will get you a virtual pass to the convention as well as an unpublished novel from Mary Robinette Kowal.
Wiscon 2021?
Will there be a virtual or in person Wiscon this tear? Or will they skip 2021 and hold an in person event in 2022?
[A Dreamwidth post with 
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Signal Boost: Vid Show Information and Panel Ballot Open! [Escapade Con]
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escapade_con posted: Vid Show Information and Panel Ballot Open! [Escapade Con]The Escapade Vid Show will be live-streaming this year on Vimeo, then will be available to re-watch at your convenience. We want everyone, including festivids participants (https://festivids.dreamwidth.org/) to submit vids to the Escapade vid show. We are open for vid submissions through February 10. It will be a simpler process (no FTP). Check out the details here: https://escapadecon.net/vid-show/s… and email vids@escapadecon.net if you have questions.
The Panel Ballot is open for voting through February 1. We received almost 100 suggestions, so this is your chance to let us know what you'd like to see on the schedule. If you think there's still something missing, you can submit a write-in panel suggestion. Go here to vote: https://escapadecon.net/panels/pan… You can come back and update your choices until the voting closes on February 1.
Escapade Convention - Tech and Volunteers
escapade_con posted: Tech Information and Call for Volunteers [Escapade Con]How do I connect to Escapade 31?[A Dreamwidth post with
Our plans are to have panel conversations (video optional) on Zoom, text chat on Discord, video streaming on Vimeo, and the art show on Tumblr. If you have any concerns about accessing the virtual convention, we will be running a "test drive" session on Saturday afternoon before the convention (February 13) with activity on all platforms. You will be able to try out your system, and get live tech support from convention staff. We want everyone to be connected and confident before the convention launches on February 19.
Do I have to buy hardware or software?
No. All of the applications we are planning to use are free on the user's side. If you want to speak in panels (via Zoom) but your computer doesn't have a microphone, you can connect via phone or tablet. If you don't have a phone or tablet, you can still participate via text chat in Discord. If you want to show your face in Zoom, but your computer doesn't have a camera, you can use a tablet or smartphone.
How can I help?
Thank you for asking! If you're comfortable (or willing to get comfortable) with Zoom, we'd like to have a "tech mod" in each panel to watch the text chat, gather raised hands, etc. and pass that information to the rest of the mods. You'll be able to pick panels you wanted to attend anyway. If you help out at 4 or more panels, we'll refund your reg or credit it toward next year.
We will also be running a consuite channel, open during convention hours (or as long as we have someone to host it) as a place to hang out and chat with other fans. It should be pretty mellow. You don't even have to make cucumber sandwiches (unless you want to).
If either of these appeal to you, please email volunteer@escapadecon.net.
Fandom Conventions In The Covid Age
There are many fan-run conventions that might be interested in this. Also, the OTW might want to consider offering grants
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There is a conference system called Remo that allows organizers to set up rooms with 'tables" with 6 seats where people can join and chat informally. It is the closest I've ever come to creating the convention experience but for online. If you see an open seat, you can drop in and have a video chat, then move on. This is in addition to the standard video presentations/panels etc. If a group of conventions where to join together, they could buy an annual plan and rotate their conventions. Otherwise the cost is $450 for a one month subscription for an event up to 200 people. Non-profits get an additional 15% off
This could be used in connection with a chat platform like Discord
@escapadecon @fanworkscon @vidukon @kiscon @con-txt @confabcon @revelcon
[A Dreamwidth post with
List of Virtual Conventions
Here is a list of fan-run, professional and semi-professional virtual conventions for the rest of 2020. This is not a comprehensive list, feel free to drop a link below (Name; URL; dates; type; whether the event is free or charges a fee)
https://tinyurl.com/virtual-cons
I am also posting an essay written by Claudia Rebaza with her permission
________________________________________________________
Pandemic restrictions have meant that many events are moving to some kind of online equivalent, but fan conventions have offered online alternatives for a very long time. What's more, conventions have only been one type of activity fans can take part in online with other fans.
Although numbers are hard to agree on, there's little doubt that fan conventions have never been more popular. But while it's possible to find a fan gathering in most cities (or even on the ocean!), there are still barriers that keep many people from participating. Whether it's because of high costs, difficult travel schedules, physical disabilities, or social anxiety, many people have found themselves on the outside when it comes to fandom events. However fans have always been inventive, so the virtual convention developed decades ago. These virtual cons might mean:
In the UK, VidUKon has been held since 2008. The convention focuses on the making and sharing of a style of fan videos called vidding, and features showings, panels, and workshops. People who can't attend can still follow along with events through the use of convention memberships, which allow access to real time streaming as well as access to content after the convention ends.
But if an event isn't online or doesn't offer access to drop into the in-person event, there's a third option. For example, the Starsky & Hutch fandom's Share Con began in the 1980s and is now held every other year. Like many conventions it has a mailing list and a Facebook group, but some fans also held a Virtual ShareCon from 2012-2016. The virtual con was a side event that took place at the same time as the physical gathering for people who couldn't meet up in person. At the virtual con, members met at a community on LiveJournal, with an organizer making posts and people commenting. They watched an episode of the show together, watched fan videos together, played a trivia game, had panel discussions, and had a drawing for prizes. Attendees also contributed to the creation of a virtual goody bag with pictures of Starsky & Hutch items.
The fest is a typical option for a virtual con, so that fans who are not going to an in-person gathering can celebrate as well. In some cases people sign up ahead of time to create fiction, art, videos or other fanworks to share on an assigned day. In others, people respond randomly to prompts from the fest organizers or other participants in a more game-like activity. But in the case of a virtual con, the fest is important for both keeping people engaged, as well as producing new content that outlasts the few days during which the con is held. That way the benefits can be shared with people who couldn't attend the virtual con due to its timing.
Sometimes virtual con events are held at the Archive of Our Own which includes a feature for fanwork collections and tools for creating specific types of fests. Some virtual convention contributions that can be found on the site include fanworks for Due South, The Closer, Shadowhunters, Game of Thrones, Highlander, and the K-pop group B.A.P.
May saw Balticon 54, WisCONline/WisCON 44, ConCarolinas, and the 2020 Nebula Conference go virtual. July will see more taking place from smaller events such as CON.TXT 2020 (free) on July 24-26, to major cons like CoNZealand (WorldCon 78), host of the Hugo Awards, on July 29-August 2. Just as with the early virtual cons, these events will adapt activities to online space, and not just for panels and vendor rooms. In the past many fans have paid to shake hands with their favorite artists, writers, or actors in quick meet-and-greets, photo or autograph sessions. Some events are shifting these bookings to one-on-one video chats, where each person has a few minutes in which to spend some face time with those celebrities.
Jacobs studied fans' experiences at Supernatural conventions and found that, while most of them preferred meeting in person, there were various reasons why virtual attendance was important. For some fans who go to many conventions a year, attending them is a part of one's social activities and a way of staying up to date on happenings in their community. Jacobs said, "Being part of the digital space during a convention seemed to be almost as important as being at the event, particularly because there were so many conventions each year and many people attend several, but very few could go to them all."
For fans whose favorite part of attending a convention is meeting celebrities, a virtual con might not seem like much of an alternative. But for many fans, the principal draws of a convention might be interacting with other fans, shopping, or sharing information about their fandom interests through meet ups or attending panel discussions, all things that could be done in other ways. There are many conventions whose principal draw is activities rather than celebrity guests -- although even celebrity appearances will be going virtual in some cases.
For example, one staple of conventions that has become a central part of many fans' experience is cosplay. While you'd think that this kind of fanwork would be something missing at a virtual con, being online doesn't have to be a barrier to sharing one's costuming skills. A lot of cosplay experience has already gone virtual. For example, in 2015 Nicolle Lamerichs wrote about the rising popularity of cosplay music videos (CMV) which are created and shared after the event. In discussing common factors for the videos, Lamerichs notes that "the videos are usually shot at the fan convention and are also a means of preserving the performances and making them accessible to a wider audience." The practice has developed to the point that "some CMVs are also fan works in their own right."
[A Dreamwidth post with
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https://tinyurl.com/virtual-cons
I am also posting an essay written by Claudia Rebaza with her permission
________________________________________
Many fan conventions aren't being held this year but some are going virtual. Surprise -- this isn't actually new!
by Claudia RebazaPandemic restrictions have meant that many events are moving to some kind of online equivalent, but fan conventions have offered online alternatives for a very long time. What's more, conventions have only been one type of activity fans can take part in online with other fans.
Although numbers are hard to agree on, there's little doubt that fan conventions have never been more popular. But while it's possible to find a fan gathering in most cities (or even on the ocean!), there are still barriers that keep many people from participating. Whether it's because of high costs, difficult travel schedules, physical disabilities, or social anxiety, many people have found themselves on the outside when it comes to fandom events. However fans have always been inventive, so the virtual convention developed decades ago. These virtual cons might mean:
- an entire convention held online
- live streaming of a physical gathering
- activities taking place online at the same time as other fans were meeting in person
The 2000s Say Hello
Yuri Con began in 2000 not as an in-person gathering, but an online fan community. A few years later it sponsored a three-day anime and manga convention in Newark, NJ. The convention brought together fans of Yuri with panels, an academic lecture series, games, vendors and video programming. This was similar to FemSlash Con, which ran from 2012-2017. Femslash, which is art, fiction and more involving female/female romantic pairings, was celebrated with panels for different TV shows as well as workshops for the creation of fanworks.In the UK, VidUKon has been held since 2008. The convention focuses on the making and sharing of a style of fan videos called vidding, and features showings, panels, and workshops. People who can't attend can still follow along with events through the use of convention memberships, which allow access to real time streaming as well as access to content after the convention ends.
But if an event isn't online or doesn't offer access to drop into the in-person event, there's a third option. For example, the Starsky & Hutch fandom's Share Con began in the 1980s and is now held every other year. Like many conventions it has a mailing list and a Facebook group, but some fans also held a Virtual ShareCon from 2012-2016. The virtual con was a side event that took place at the same time as the physical gathering for people who couldn't meet up in person. At the virtual con, members met at a community on LiveJournal, with an organizer making posts and people commenting. They watched an episode of the show together, watched fan videos together, played a trivia game, had panel discussions, and had a drawing for prizes. Attendees also contributed to the creation of a virtual goody bag with pictures of Starsky & Hutch items.
Virtual con attendees also used the opportunity to prompt one another to create fan art and fanfiction in what has become a common practice among fans -- the challenge or fest.
Challenges and fests
Given that not all convention activities are free, and many a fan is having a particularly hard time economically this year, there are fan events that don't cost a thing. They do, however, require some time and creativity. A fanworks challenge or fest, is an organized event that prompts participants to create fanworks. These events can take many forms, one of which is the "challenge" where people create fanworks to fit certain criteria, or an "exchange" where people create fanworks to order for one another. The fandom wiki Fanlore lists nearly 800 entries on fests that have been held for a wide variety of fandoms over the decades, with many more out there.The fest is a typical option for a virtual con, so that fans who are not going to an in-person gathering can celebrate as well. In some cases people sign up ahead of time to create fiction, art, videos or other fanworks to share on an assigned day. In others, people respond randomly to prompts from the fest organizers or other participants in a more game-like activity. But in the case of a virtual con, the fest is important for both keeping people engaged, as well as producing new content that outlasts the few days during which the con is held. That way the benefits can be shared with people who couldn't attend the virtual con due to its timing.
Sometimes virtual con events are held at the Archive of Our Own which includes a feature for fanwork collections and tools for creating specific types of fests. Some virtual convention contributions that can be found on the site include fanworks for Due South, The Closer, Shadowhunters, Game of Thrones, Highlander, and the K-pop group B.A.P.
The con on your laptop
With large public gatherings prohibited almost everywhere, many fan conventions have been cancelled or postponed, including the mega-popular San Diego Comic Con. But other organizers and fans alike are still trying to keep fan activities going. As a result some events are still being held, only online, and sometimes at no charge.May saw Balticon 54, WisCONline/WisCON 44, ConCarolinas, and the 2020 Nebula Conference go virtual. July will see more taking place from smaller events such as CON.TXT 2020 (free) on July 24-26, to major cons like CoNZealand (WorldCon 78), host of the Hugo Awards, on July 29-August 2. Just as with the early virtual cons, these events will adapt activities to online space, and not just for panels and vendor rooms. In the past many fans have paid to shake hands with their favorite artists, writers, or actors in quick meet-and-greets, photo or autograph sessions. Some events are shifting these bookings to one-on-one video chats, where each person has a few minutes in which to spend some face time with those celebrities.
What about next year?
Researcher Dr. Naomi Jacobs published an article on virtual conventions in 2018. Discussing the future of such events, she said "I think that as the barriers between online and offline fandom become more fluid, and as technology improves, we might see new ways that conventions become digital spaces as well as physical ones. Conventions are about fans coming together to share experiences, to ‘convene’, and it is no longer the case that this has to involve a face to face meeting."Jacobs studied fans' experiences at Supernatural conventions and found that, while most of them preferred meeting in person, there were various reasons why virtual attendance was important. For some fans who go to many conventions a year, attending them is a part of one's social activities and a way of staying up to date on happenings in their community. Jacobs said, "Being part of the digital space during a convention seemed to be almost as important as being at the event, particularly because there were so many conventions each year and many people attend several, but very few could go to them all."
For fans whose favorite part of attending a convention is meeting celebrities, a virtual con might not seem like much of an alternative. But for many fans, the principal draws of a convention might be interacting with other fans, shopping, or sharing information about their fandom interests through meet ups or attending panel discussions, all things that could be done in other ways. There are many conventions whose principal draw is activities rather than celebrity guests -- although even celebrity appearances will be going virtual in some cases.
For example, one staple of conventions that has become a central part of many fans' experience is cosplay. While you'd think that this kind of fanwork would be something missing at a virtual con, being online doesn't have to be a barrier to sharing one's costuming skills. A lot of cosplay experience has already gone virtual. For example, in 2015 Nicolle Lamerichs wrote about the rising popularity of cosplay music videos (CMV) which are created and shared after the event. In discussing common factors for the videos, Lamerichs notes that "the videos are usually shot at the fan convention and are also a means of preserving the performances and making them accessible to a wider audience." The practice has developed to the point that "some CMVs are also fan works in their own right."
Is it for you?
While the virtual con may not replace the experience of an in-person gathering for the majority of fans, it does address the importance of these events for both specific fandoms as well as fans as a whole. When writer/producer Alison Zeidman wrote that comic books changed her life, the examples she gave were of personal experiences surrounding comic books, such as attending a fan convention. "At Wondercon, I was the most relaxed I’ve been in years, but it was also so incredibly creatively stimulating and inspiring. And I realized that how I felt on that exhibition floor is how I want to feel every day of my life: constantly learning, seeking out new experiences and meeting new people — whether or not they’re dressed in a custom-made Captain Marvel uniform." Whether in-person or online, many fans share that feeling.[A Dreamwidth post with
List of Upcoming Virtual Fan Run Conventions
I am looking for links to /recs for virtual fan conventions - fan run vs for profit. My focus is mainly on TV and movie tie in, but anime is welcomed as is book and fanvids. Many of the old school in person fan run conventions are now being held online so this is opening up access to many fan
[A Dreamwidth post with 
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Wiscon 2020 Virtual Vid Party
A list of the vids that were shown, only Youtube vids are included. This is my own personal playlist of vids, nothing official. Check out the wiscon_vidparty community
[A Dreamwidth post with
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[A Dreamwidth post with
Vid show Playlists
[Unknown LJ tag] posted: Vidukon Programming!
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In exciting and only-slightly-terrifying news - I have joined the VidUKon ConCom this year! \o/ I'm . . . not entirely sure how this happened?? I definitely remember offering last summer to help </a></b></a>[A Dreamwidth post withcosmic_llin with things behind the scenes if she needed, and then suddenly I found myself in co-charge of programming. But it's exciting! Continuing my running trend of making the con slightly more challenging for myself every year.
SO, on that note: please submit your programming ideas! It would be super awesome to have some, you know, actual content at this con. Otherwise it's just going to be three days of Vid Roulette from the (several hundred) vids I have saved on my laptop, and whilst I'm not saying that wouldn't be enjoyable, it could lead to some serious emotional whiplash. Here are the kinds of things we're looking for:
VIDSHOWS:
PANELS:
PREMIERES