2003 Programming and Events Archive
Each year we take a hard look at how the convention went, both good and bad, in hopes of making the convention even better next year. We talk to department heads and volunteers, and we also look at the hundreds of comments collected from the convention survey. Here are some of the results.
You can select from the following sections:
- Cinema Rex Movie Room
- COF2E2
- ConSuite
- Harmonic CONvergence
- Mainstage
- Mark Time
- The Masquerade
- Openinig and Closing Ceremonies
- Panels and Programming
- Silent Auction
- Writing Contest
Cinema Rex
"Fewer movies shown more frequently."
"More variety in Cinema Rex." - Survey Comments
Well, this kind of disagreement means we probably got it just about right. The goal of Cinema Rex has always been to have somewhere between 10 and 13 different films. About 1/3 of those films get a second showing. We know that not everyone can attend every event. Our hope is to have a good combination of single and multiple showings.
COF2E2
"This is an absolutely brilliant idea." - Survey Comment
Thanks! We are very proud of Cof2e2 and are working to improve it every year. Have no fear, COF2E2 will be with us for a long long time.
ConSuite
"More nutritious food in consuite."
"Thank you for including more food this year
and for always having vegetarian food.˛
"More pizza in consuite." - Survey Comments
Comments like this are common in regards to CONsuite. Hard as we try, we know we will never make everyone happy. Our goal is to have a wide variety of food we had sandwich bars, bagels, soup, dilly bars and even pizza. For every person that attends the convention, the CONsuite gets $5.50. That ensures that we have pop, chips, candy, and all manner of other treats available 24 hours a day for the entire con. Even with that budget, we will never be able to provide meals for 1,800 people. While we had a lot of pizza, only a small percentage of the convention got a piece.
We always strive to improve consuite. We'll be back next year with a wider variety of food and more special stuff.
"Improve the consuite...[make it] cleaner." - Survey Comment
We got several comments about the cleanliness of the CONsuite this year. We hear you. We will work to make the rooms cleaner next year.
Harmonic CONvergence
"Put Harmonic CONvergence in a larger room or more open space because you can never get in the room." - Survey Comment
Almost every popular feature needs to be in a bigger room that way. While the more popular acts in Harmonic CONvergence did indeed fill the room, other acts did not. Our goal is to have Harmonic CONvergence be a more intimate music space. We know that means sometimes the room will be a little cramped.
Overall, we were pleased with the room this year. We thank all the bands and performers for sharing their talent with our convention. If you enjoyed Harmonic CONvergence, we are looking for a couple sub-heads to help with the room. Shoot us an e-mail and we'll let you know if we still need someone.
Finally, it's never too early to request a performance time in Harmonic CONvergence for 2004. If you'd like a performance slot, let us know!
Main Stage
"Two years running live music has been ignored/under-appreciated. Savage Aural Hotbed & Little Tin Box both put lots of effort into their shows & they ought to be given at least as much credit as volunteers. The music this year was great! Iąd hate to see it disappear because of ingratitude." - Survey Comment
We are sorry if it seemed we did not appreciate the Main Stage bands. We made a point of announcing their performances at Opening Ceremonies, and ensuring they were prominently announced prior to the convention. As with most other years, we have included thanks to the bands in the Souvenir Book and offered them our personal thanks for their efforts. They are most certainly appreciated and we never meant to appear ungrateful.
We would never suggest, however, that the bands deserve more credit than our volunteers. Without our volunteers, the convention could not take place. Without the convention, the bands would not have a location to perform.
Mark Time & Ogle Audio Awards
Awarded at CONvergence 2003 for works produced in 2002
Mark Time Award (Science Fiction Audio)
Gold Award - Anne Manx and the Trouble on Chromius
Story by Larry Weiner. Produced by Angelo Panetta, Elmwood Park, NJ., for the Radio Repertory Company of America.
Silver Award - Not From Space
Written and Produced by Jeffrey Bays, Marshall, MO., for the Borgus collective.
Honorable Mention - Nebulous Rex
Produced by Dave Cerf and Faustus Caceres, San Francisco, CA., for Shirley & Spinoza Internet Radio.
Honorable Mention - Red Shift
Produced by Thomas O'Neill, Bridgeport, CT., for Seem Real Theater.
Ogle Award (Fantasy/Horror Audio)
Gold Award: TIE - Fears For Ears
Produced by Aida Memisovic, Mississauga, Ont., Canada, of Fears for Ears.
Gold Award: TIE - Dragon Song
Produced by Richard Frohlich, Arlington, TX., for Texas Radio Theater Company.
Silver Award - Up On The Rooftops
Written and Produced by Jeffrey Adams, Monmouth, OR., for Imagination X.
Honorable Mention - Background
Produced by Jeffrey Adams, Monmouth, OR., for Imagination X.
For more information on the Mark Time and Ogle Awards, visit http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/MarkTime/MarkTime.html.
Masquerade
"OK - broadcasting on the Radisson TV: Lets talk numbers. Can we fundraise for this stuff? Get a grant? MISFITS is a non-profit after all. What about divider walls. Can the dealers be in the middle of the hotel? Or the common area outside of the ballroom? We could block it off for non-cons. We really need more Masquerade room. The con isn't getting smaller and we have to address this sooner or later." - Survey Comment
There is no larger room in the hotel. We note that the same room held a masquerade for a convention of over 3000 people Without seeking another hotel that has more function space, the Main Stage room is as big as it's going to get. We managed to increase the viewership with screens outside the masquerade hall year.
Someday we will try to televise Masquerade and all other Main Stage events, but to be quite honest, there are other places we would prefer to spend our money first. We'd rather get in a terrific guest like Larry Niven, improvethe quality of food in CONsuite, and simply have more money to donate to MISFITS.
We will televise Masquerade eventually. When we feel that we are making enough money and that higher priorities are being met.
"Bring back Rex Skit!" - Survey Comment
Several people missed the Rex entry this year, but seem to believe that the Rex entry is sponsored by the convention. It is not. The same people who run Cinema Rex also enter the Masquerade on a regular basis. Because of the work involved in mounting a Masquerade entry, they donąt do it every year. It is their time and money that determines if they will appear in the Masquerade.
CONvergence Masquerade Winners 2003
Workmanship
- Best Technical Shadow Hunter Cassie Philips
- Most Ambitious Day In The Life Jeremy Bensussen, Mackenzie Byrne, Sumuel Blyly-Strauss, Anna Blyly Strauss, Emily Goldsmith, Geoff Wessendorf, Joe Levine
- Best Use of Materials Secret Weapon Lisa Fabio
- Best Research Luminana Unduli & Barriss Offee Stacey Lee & Shannon Green
- Best Head Piece Reoko Mary Berglund
- Best Attention To Detail Dear Diary: Arwen Eryn Hildebrand
Performance
- Judges Choice Dear Diary: Arwen Eryn Hildebrand
- Judges Choice Ghostbusters Demonstrations Matthew & Sebastian Waterhouse
- Best Young Fan Baby Slimer Sebastian Waterhouse
- Best Novice Shadow Hunter Cassie Phillips
- Best Journeyman Secret Weapon Lisa Fabio
- Best Master Dear Diary: Frodo & Sam Gail Hildebrand & Chris Hoier
- Best Workmanship Dear Diary: Frodo & Sam Gail Hildebrand & Chris Hoier
- Best Performance Style Network Amada Marquez
- Best In Show The Black Widow Nicki Peterson
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
"Don't hold opening ceremonies' audience captive for endless awards for things we haven't seen or heard. I'm hearing a lot of fed-up comments. Set it up in its own time or make sure we know it's the last part of Opening Ceremonies so we arenąt stuck waiting in case there's real news." - Survey Comment
The awards given at the Opening Ceremonies are important awards sponsored by MISFITS. If you do not like the awards, do not attend Opening Ceremonies. We feel that it is important those winners be recognized by as many people as possible. Given the number of attendees at Opening Ceremonies, that is where they will be given out.
In all seriousness, we try to cover a lot in Opening Ceremonies, and we know that not every feature will entertain every attendee. You have a choice to make or aren't you? We can't make that decision for everyone.
We always work to make Opening Ceremonies shorter and more interesting. We will never do so at the expense of the Writers Contest Awards and the Mark Time Awards.
Panels and Programming
"Panelists should not have to pay con admission." - Survey Comment
The people making sure you get food in CONsuite, coffee in F2E2, and that the Mainstage events run smoothly, all pay for their convention membership. The volunteers pay, the Convention Committee pays, and the Board of Directors of MISFITS pay to attend. People who spend literally hundreds of hours working on the convention making it happen in their free time. With over 100 people participating in programming, if we provided free memberships for all of them, we would find it even more difficult to pay for microphones or A/V equipment, or to bring in a guest of honor. So, while we don't reward volunteer hours by waiving convention fees, we try to show our appreciation in other ways, like with our volunteer buttons and T-shirts, with the volunteer party after the convention, and by just saying "thanks."
Silent Auction
Once again the Silent Auction held at CONvergence was a great success. Our sincere thanks go out to everyone who donated items to be auctioned, and to everyone who bid on them. All proceeds from the Silent Auction go to MISFITS, and help subsidise the costs of all the clubs and activities MISFITS sponsors throughout the year. Items in the auction this year included books, sci-fi memorabilia, art, and other collectables. If you are interested in donating items for the 2004 Silent Auction, please let us know. Inquiries can be sent to info@convergence-con.org. Thanks again to everyone who helped make the CONvergence 2003 Silent Auction a great success.
Writing Contest
Open Division Awards
Scott Imes Award - Right of Passage by Robert K Wagner
Second Place - A Forward Trend in Education by Teresa Lhotka
Honorable Mention - All Who are Lost by Todd Wardrope
Youth Division Awards
1st Place - Okibun by Lanre Akintujoye
Honorable Mention - The Magic Eye by Dallas Nicole Woodburn
For more information on the writing contest, visit www.misfit.org.