Happy new year! We’ve got a few updates today for our next convention, Gallifrey One: 28 Years Later, including a brand new group of confirmed guests, our basic event schedule, the announcement of our discussion panel track (and our solicitation for panelists) and more. Read on!
New Guests
We’re delighted to announce that the following new guests have joined our lineup for the convention (with more still to come):
John Leeson
John Leeson is best known for voicing K-9 on Doctor Who from 1977 to 1979, then from 1980 to 1981, and has returned for two single episode in the revived series. He also voiced K-9 in the show’s spin-offs K-9 and Company, The Sarah Jane Adventures and K-9. He also voiced the Nucleus in “The Invisible Enemy,” played Dugeen in “The Power of Kroll,” voiced the Dalek battle computer in “Remembrance of the Daleks” and played Anthony in the Reeltime Pictures spin-off video Downtime. Other credits include appearances in Blake’s 7 (season B episode “Gambit”), Jigsaw in which he played the giant Biggum, who was so tall only his feet were seen and his voice heard, Sorry!, ‘Allo ‘Allo! and Bungle in the children’s television series Rainbow, and recently was a continuity announcer on Britain’s Channel 4. A hugely popular Doctor Who guest at conventions, we’re delighted to welcome him for his second visit courtesy Alien Entertainment.
Jimmy Vee
Actor and stunt performer Jimmy Vee – who has parlayed his 3’8″ stature into playing various aliens – is best known to Doctor Who fans for the variety of guest roles he has played on the show, from the Moxx of Balhoon in “The End of the World” to Bannakafalatta in “Voyage of the Damned,” the Skovox Blitzer in “The Caretaker” to the Graske in the video game “Attack of the Graske” and the music short “Music of the Spheres,” and as both a Graske and Slitheen in The Sarah Jane Adventures. More recently, Vee has taken over the role of R2-D2 in the Star Wars films. Jimmy is a popular convention guest at UK events and we are delighted to welcome him to his first Gallifrey One convention, where he will be discussing his experiences working as a guest performer and in the film industry.
Mat Irvine
Mat Irvine worked for the BBC as a technical consultant and visual effects designer for three decades, and his best known for his work on Doctor Who. He is credited with building the first K-9 prop for “The Invisible Enemy,” and then built later models including for “K-9 and Company” and the charity special “Dimensions in Time”. His technical credits include work on “Blake’s 7,” “The Tripods,” “Edge of Darkness,” “To the Manor Born,” “The Sky at Night,” “Robot Wars,” “Tomorrow’s World,” “Queer as Folk” and “Tomorrow’s World”. Irvine will be bringing the original K-9 prop to Gallifrey One — a prop that has never been outside of the UK — for the robot dog’s 40th anniversary of his first appearance, in a visit sponsored by Showmasters Events.
Rachael Stott
Rachael Stott is a comic book artist and illustrator based in London. Her first published work in comics was in December 2014 with her first project with IDW, pencilling and inking the “Star Trek/Planet of the Apes” crossover written by Scott and David Tipton. In 2015 she won Best Newcomer at the British Comics Awards. More recently, Rachael has been collaborating with a variety of publishers whilst doing covers and interiors on Titan comics’ “Doctor Who” Twelfth Doctor ongoing series — work that counts among its fans none other than Peter Capaldi himself. This will be Rachael’s first appearance at Gallifrey One and we’re thrilled to have her!
Nick Abadzis
Nick Abadzis has been creating stories for both adults and children for nearly thirty years. As both cartoonist and writer, he’s been honored with various international storytelling awards including an Eisner in 2008 for his graphic novel Laika. He also works as an editorial consultant and visual facilitator in both publishing and corporate worlds. His work has appeared in numerous books, magazines and other periodicals around the world – publishers include Macmillan, Condé Nast, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, the BBC, Dargaud, Glénat, Kodansha and various national UK newspapers including The Guardian, The Times and The Independent. He currently writes Titan Comics’ ongoing monthly series, Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor to great acclaim – several collections have now been published with more to follow. He is British but is based in and around New York City where he lives with his wife and daughter.
John Peel
British novelist John Peel has been linked with Doctor Who for decades due to his extensive work writing for the Target novelization range — he penned the adaptations of “The Chase” and the two-part series “The Daleks’ Master Plan” — as well as for the later Virgin and BBC novel ranges, including the kickoff novel “Timewyrm: Genesys,” the acclaimed “Evolution,” “War of the Daleks,” “Legacy of the Daleks” and “The Gallifrey Chronicles”; he also later adapted the two holdout Dalek stories “Evil of the Daleks” and “Power of the Daleks.” John has also written for the Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine series, tie-in novels featuring James Bond, Carmen Sandiego and Eerie Indiana! He also penned a number of stories for Doctor Who Magazine, and is the writer of several novel series including his popular Dragonhome (the third novel “The Siege of Dragonhome” was released in 2016), and the “Diadem” series of fantasy novels as well as the standalone fantasy novel “Outwand”. John has appeared at conventions along the east coast but this will be his first visit to Gallifrey One (with our special thanks to our friends at Long Island Who!)
Anna Shaffer
Anna Shaffer is best known to British audiences as Ruby Button in “Hollyoaks,” but is known to fans both as the Hogwarts student Romilda Vane in the last three Harry Potter films, and more recently for her two episodes as Rachel in the first season of the BBC’s Doctor Who spinoff series “Class,” airing this spring on BBC America. She has also appeared in “Glue,” “Cuckoo” and “Flatmates”. Anna will be at Gallifrey One 2017 on Saturday while she is currently in Los Angeles working on a film project, in a visit arranged by Showmasters Events.
Chase Masterson
Chase Masterson has become a regular member of the Gallifrey One family, appearing every year since 2011. Best known to fans as the Dabo girl Leeta from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it was through Gallifrey One that she met the Big Finish team and appeared in two Doctor Who audios as bounty hunter Vienna Salvatori opposite Sylvester McCoy before leading three seasons of her own spinoff audio series “Vienna”. More recently, Chase has founded and led the Pop Culture Hero Coalition, an organization that advocates using stories from TV, film & comics to make a stand for real-life heroism over bullying, racism, misogyny, LGBTQ-bullying, cyber-bullying, and other forms of hate – a movement that has strong support in both the Doctor Who and science fiction actor and fan communities. We’re always thrilled to have Chase join us; she’ll be at the convention on Friday & Saturday, including at the PCHC booth in the main foyer.
There are still additional guests coming! We’re still hard at work confirming a few more headliner guests (including from the newer Doctor Who series) and hope to have our final announcements made in early January.
Photo Studio Sessions & More
Our friends at Convention Photo Shoots, who arrange our photo sessions, have updated their website with additional photo ops that you can pre-order before the convention starts. The site will remain open until shortly before the event and additional photo sessions will be added.
Once again, they are also offering a special “TARDIS Tag” bonus, which includes priority access for photo shoots (and the autograph lines for the Showmasters Events sponsored guests), autographs, two limited-attendance private meet & greet events with Paul McGann and Lalla Ward and other goodies. You can check it out at the link above (or click on the “Photo Ops” link on the menu at left.
Postcard Reminder
We will shortly be sending out our 2017 postcard reminders to all ticket holders of this year’s convention. If you have recently changed your address, please make sure to contact us and let us know so your postcard is received. Your postcard is not needed to gain entry into this year’s convention; it’s simply a refresher with our guest list and important info (all of which can be found on our website) and some people consider it to be a convention collectible. (Extra copies will be on the freebie tables at the convention. We do not mail these out to non-attendees, sorry)
Our 2017 Early Schedule
While it’s far too early for our full schedule of events to be posted, we’re happy to announce our 2017 Tentative Schedule Outline, where you can find all of the major details you need in order to finalize your trip to the convention. The following is our general guide to the convention, starting with badge pickup (attendees with tickets pick up their badges at our Registration desk, which allows you entry into the convention):
Thursday, February 16
3:00pm — Early badge pick-up, open 3pm-6pm and 8pm-10pm
8:00pm — Gallifrey One 2017’s Pre-Convention Celebration, including our Thursday night Ice Cream Social and Karaoke Party (karaoke runs late; only those who can pick up badges during the above times are able to enter)
Friday, February 17
9:00am — Registration reopens for badge pickup (until 7:00pm)
11:00am — Main programming begins on the main stage, starting with our annual Radio Free Skaro live show (the main program schedule runs until 6:00pm); video program begins
12:00pm — Dealers room opens (until 6:30pm); panel programming begins in Program B, C, D
Afternoon (time TBA) — “The Iron Costumer” workshop (details to be announced)
Early Evening — Guest receptions (optional events, see “Receptions & Photos Update” above)
8:00pm — Evening events begin, including our Friday Night Main Stage Events, including Dominic Glynn’s live concert performance, the annual The Idiot’s Lantern stage show and many more events to be announced; evening panel programming begins in Program C; Karaoke in Program B; and more!
Saturday, February 18
9:00am — Registration reopens for badge pickup (until 7:00pm); video program continues
10:00am — All programming tracks open (until 6:30-7:00pm); dealers room open (until 6:00pm)
Early Evening — Guest receptions (to be announced in January)
8:00pm — Evening events begin, including the Masquerade of Mandragora (main stage) and limited panel programming
After Masquerade — Late Night events including dance (main ballroom), karaoke in Program B, plus other events to be announced soon
Sunday, February 19
9:30am — Registration reopens for badge pickup (until 1:00pm); video program continues
10:00am — All programming tracks open (until 6:00pm); dealers room open (until 4:00pm or time approximate)
6:00pm — Closing Ceremonies (main ballroom)
Please note that the above times are subject to change and may be altered at any time in the near future, so please stay tuned for our full schedule later in January.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT BADGE PICK-UP: Attendees can pick up their badges at any time our Registration Desk is open (Thursday 3pm-6pm & 8pm-10pm; Friday & Saturday 9am-7pm; Sunday 9am-1pm) for full access to the convention. If you would like to participate in our Thursday evening events, please ensure that your badge is picked up during the Thursday time slots. We cannot hold badges for you if you will be arriving after the times noted above.
Discussion Panel Track (and Panelist Call)
We are happy to present our 2017 Gallifrey One discussion panel track. Discussion panels on Doctor Who and science fiction, fantasy, comics, gaming and other genre-related topics are a long tradition at Gallifrey One (dating right back to our first event in 1990!) and are comprised of three or more attendees as panelists, and then open to all attendees to participate as members of the audience. Many of these panels also have one or more of our attending featured guests participating (our attending speakers are usually also Doctor Who fans, after all!) This list is what we intend to present on all three days of the convention (plus some in the evenings on Friday & Saturday).
It is important to remember that this is only one track of our program; we have tons of other program events including all of our main auditorium panels, Q&As and special events; our science program track; live commentaries; our ‘pro’ panel track with featured guests on a variety of topics; and other presentations throughout the weekend. We also reserve the right to add additional programs to this list.
Do you want to participate in one or more of these panels as a panelist (and already have tickets to the convention)? If so, we’d like to hear from you as quickly as possible – please contact us before the end of the day SUNDAY, JANUARY 8 with the following information: your full (real) name; the panel(s) you wish to participate on as a guest; and a very brief statement as to why you feel you are qualified to speak as a panelist on each of your panel requests. (Your qualifications summary does not need to be many paragraphs; we’d just like a basic idea of who you are and why you should be on the panel.) Also note: if you are listing more than three panels in your selections, please give us your list in numerical order of preference. We will NOT guarantee any spots on any panel, and reserve the right to put people on panels at our own discretion. Please remember that this is only a solicitation for panelists; all of these panels will be open for any interested audience members with tickets to the convention, and there is no sign-up required at all for audience members.
GALLIFREY ONE 2017 DISCUSSION PANELS
The Chibnall Transition and the Future of Doctor Who: One more season, then Steven Moffat hands off production of Doctor Who to writer/producer Chris Chibnall. What are we expecting during Moffat’s final season? What course do we think will be set when Chibnall takes over? Will Peter Capaldi stay in the role? Our panel will discuss the ongoing possibilities as Doctor Who prepares for a new voyage.
The Hero’s Timey-Wimey Journey: We undertake an examination of Doctor Who through the theories and ideas of Joseph Campbell and his (and other writers) theories on heroic archetypes and mythology. Our panel will discuss how the Doctor both supports and defies the hero’s journey, and the ramifications of how a decades-long show with a single main character grows and incorporates both new myth and science.
Tales That Might Have Been: We’ve all done it… if WE were in charge, things might have been different. Favorite characters may have become companions, Doctors may have acted (or dressed) differently, and story arcs may have taken new forms. Our panelists, together with the audience, will discuss some of the ways Doctor Who may have evolved differently over the years; who we would have loved seeing as a regular on the show; and how differently we feel the show might have evolved when times were tough.
The Golden Age of Doctor Who: Was It the 1970s? From the Bond-esque swashbuckling and high-tech gadgetry of the Jon Pertwee era, through Tom Baker’s early gothic drama period under Philip Hinchcliffe or the sweeping high fantasy & science fiction pastiche brought to the show by Graham Williams and Douglas Adams, we’ll take a critical look at what many fans consider the show’s glory period, Doctor Who in the 1970s.
Celebrating the Women Creators: Despite being a relatively small percentage of the writers, directors, and producers of the show, women have had an incredible impact on Doctor Who. From Verity Lambert to Julie Gardner, Fiona Cumming to Rachel Talalay, and Rona Munro to Sarah Dollard, this panel will be about celebrating the contributions of women to Doctor Who.
Tin Dog Tales: As we approach the 40th anniversary of K-9’s first appearance, we take a look at the metal mutt’s legacy. What made him so entertaining? What has kept him in the forefront of fans’ minds? And what would we like to see him do in the future? We will take a look back at the history of one of the Doctor’s greatest friends.
The Keys to the Kingdom: Last year’s “Wilderness Babies” panel discussed theories on how to bring young new series fans into the classic series fold. We’d like to expand that this year, in a panel discussion on how to bring both young AND older fans of the Capaldi, Smith, Tennant and Eccleston eras into the world the classic show has to offer. What are some of the best ways to do so? And how would you tailor that to each generation?
Taking Our Kids to the Doctor: Younger and younger viewers are expressing interest in seeing and learning more about Doctor Who, much to our fan parents’ pride and enthusiasm. But where are the safe entry points into the series based on each child’s age and temperament when it comes to potentially complex or at times scary science fiction? Using personal anecdotes and audience input, the panel will discuss their ideas on how to introduce young children to the show.
The Wall of Lies: Every time we’re certain that that’s it, case closed, there’s no way they’ll come up with more missing episodes, we get Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. And every time we put our faith in hushed whispers or omni-rumors… nothing. Are there still more episodes to be found? What’s the current state of the hunt? Where the blooming heck is “Marco Polo?” Let’s discuss!
Doctor Who Deathmatch: Last year’s James Bond Deathmatch was a huge hit, so we’re taking it up a notch and bringing the topic home… this year, our plus-sized panel will, at a very high rate of speed, review, then vote on, the worthiness of each Doctor, from Hartnell to Capaldi, and declare through elimination an outright winner to crown the best of the best.
The Biology of Doctor Who: Are Time Lords plausible? How is it possible to be a human/Time Lord hybrid (or worse, half-Dalek)? What effect would constant space/time travel have on the Doctor’s companions? And why do Nimons have horns, the Ood tentacles and Zygons… whatever it is they call those? We’ll have a lively discussion on the biological plausibility of the Doctor himself, his traveling companions, and the aliens we encounter on the show.
Gallifreyan Cultural Studies 101: We have more information than ever before on the people and planet of Gallifrey — be it in the show, the audios, the novels, etc. — so we’re going to take a good long look at it all and make some sense out of it. What kind of society really holds itself to such lofty ambitions as the Time Lords? Why would such an advanced society have technological dropouts, or be so interested in prophecies? And how would the Doctor grow up in a barn?
The Third Law: As proposed by the legendary Arthur C. Clarke, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Doctor Who has skirted the line throughout its long history, from its wibbly-wobbly junk science to the literal use of magic itself, but often times still remaining completely plausible. We’ll discuss the use of science, magic and reason in the show, and figure out what’s based in reality, what’s theoretically possible, and what has been made up for the good of the story.
Doctor Who Beyond the Screen: The Year in Review: A discussion of Doctor Who in a year that went largely without television — in the comics published by Titan, in new fiction and non-fiction from the BBC and other publishers, and in audios from Big Finish Productions. We’ll sort through the rich catalog of products from the past year, as well as discuss some of the amazing stuff we see coming on the horizon.
The Feast of Steven: Doctor Who’s humanism and love of science and reason is perfectly compatible with matters of faith and spirituality; the common themes of selflessness, charity, honesty and self-sacrifice have been pillars of the program since its inception. Is there room in the TARDIS for both God and the scientific origins of (and future of) the universe? We’ll have a lively and courteous discussion about the role of religion and faith in the show and how Doctor Who has always been a story of morality.
Doctor Who Crossover: Villains Edition: We have all seen crossovers in other genres, some done to death. But let’s be honest: who do we think, out of all of the villains in classic literature, television, film or otherwise, would give the Doctor a run for his money? We’ll go for the jugular here as we answer the time honored question, “Who in the world would defeat Doctor Who?”
Class Is Now In Session: The Doctor Who spinoff series “Class” debuted this fall in the UK, and while it won’t appear on BBC America until this spring, many of our attendees have already seen it. This panel will discuss the first season and give their impressions and more.
Location Hunters! How many of the iconic (or not so iconic) Doctor Who locations have you been to? Are you planning to make that a component of your trips abroad (or even here in the US)? Or have you been to other places where our favorite show has been filmed? This panel will feature people who have taken those trips with pictures and tips on how to plan your trips and routes.
Music of the Spheres, Redux: Our annual discussion of the music of Doctor Who and its effect on the show and on television itself. By popular demand, this year’s music panel will be free form; our panelists will provide a few basic topic suggestions and will let the discussion about Doctor Who’s music lead where it may.
Changing Critical Perspectives: How does critical fashion affect opinions of Doctor Who stories, both professionally as well as through social media and the Internet? What’s on the way up and down critically right now? How have different sorts and eras of fandom influenced what’s well-regarded? We will take a hard look at these topics.
“Nothing In The World Can Stop Me Now!”: Much as we love Doctor Who, we can also find its flaws and laugh at it, even in good fun. Our panelists will sift through the very best of the best along with the mediocre… and throw them out completely, because that’s not the point. This is: we’ll find the worst action, worst monsters, worst dialogue and altogether worst stories from the past 50+ years.
Stay On Target: For many fans, both American and British, the only way to experience Classic Who stories a second time was to read the Target novel adaptations. Before the video releases, many fans knew the stories better in book form than in video form, and a lot of the characterizations and descriptions from these books have become iconic in and of themselves. In this panel, fans who love Doctor Who both on TV and in print will talk about how these little books influenced their fandom.
Bigger on the Inside: Diversity in Doctor Who: Doctor Who’s social conscience has been in full force for the past decade, but it’s not always been that way. Our lively panel will discuss representation by all manner of diversity in Doctor Who, from racial minorities to LGBTQIA+ people, and how the stories and characters in the show lead the way — or avoid the spotlight — in the ongoing quest for social justice.
You Just Got “Holtzmanned”: Gender-Swapping Sci-Fi: From rebooting classics with female leads, like Battlestar Galactica’s Starbuck or Ghostbusters’s all-woman crew, or transitioning a character like the Master or the Doctor from a male actor to a female actor, genderswapping in sci-fi has generated praise and controversy. This panel will examine examples of genderswapping, why they inspire such outrage, where they succeed and where legitimate criticisms can be made.
That Would Make a Great Movie!: There are so many books, comics, games, television shows and other mediums out there that still haven’t been mined for all their worth to make a great feature film. Let’s discuss everything that should make its way to the silver screen in the future (and perhaps touch on a few things that really should never have been movies!)
You Might Also Enjoy… There’s more to British science fiction than just Doctor Who. From Red Dwarf to Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), Goodnight Sweetheart to Hyperdrive and more… If you’re interested in seeing what other sci-fi and fantasy TV series that the UK has to offer, we’ll be discussing and recommending shows that’ll be right up your alley… and sharing tips on where you can watch them!
Steampunk Survival Stories: Why is the steampunk genre so popular with science fiction fans? (Let’s face it: Doctor Who even has steampunk chic going for it… have you watched the opening credits lately?!) Is it the retro technology? The Victorian sensibilities? The flashy outfits? The twirling gears? Let’s take a look at steampunk and its origins, its impact on the media and what we might see in the future.
SF Television 2016: The Year In Review: Gallifrey One’s annual retrospective of the best and worst in science fiction television . Our panel will take a look at what’s been on offer since we last convened, from TV series on networks and streaming services.
When the Icons Fall: It happened decades ago, as the stars of Hollywood’s “golden age” fell with the passing of time. Now it seems it’s happening again – the past decade has been shone the harsh light of reality on fans who have seen their favorite stars pass away (and 2016 sure felt like it was the eye wall of a hurricane!) We’ll discuss how the passing of stars of stage and screen impacts our lives, our passions and the films and television shows we love so dearly.
Cinematic Universe Smackdown: Marvel versus DC – the battle has been fought for years, and will continue into the foreseeable future. Our panel will discuss both the Marvel and DC universes and how well (or not so well) they have been translated to film, as well as some thoughts and theories about what we may (or should) see in the future.
Protecting Our Past: Film and TV Preservation: It’s been a hot topic for decades – how do we ensure that our film and television heritage is kept for future generations to enjoy? Our panel will discuss how the world’s film and TV archives are being preserved (or not!) and exploited in this new age of on-demand programming.
They Ended On A Cliffhanger?!?: We’re living in a television golden age, with full season commissions of TV shows for network, cable and streaming services that tell stories with a sweeping arc. But far too often, shows are canceled without their stories fully complete, or even worse, on a bloody cliffhanger! We’ll discuss the nature of serialized storytelling on TV today, where things go wrong in the quest to tell complicated stories, and share some of our biggest frustrations with the art of going out with a bang.
Board Game Geekery: Board games have never been more popular the world over, even in this day of video game madness. We’ll discuss some of the greatest board games out today, tips for getting involved in the board game network of communities, how you can find new friends to play these games, and what might be on the horizon.
Can Discovery Save Star Trek? The last Star Trek reboot film was a disappointment for Paramount, so all eyes have turned to the small screen as CBS All Access prepares “Star Trek Discovery” for this spring. Can this new incarnation of Star Trek return the series to new heights of popularity? Or will this be another flash in the pan? And what about the recent departure of its showrunner? We’ll discuss.
Stop Me Before I Collect Again! From autographs to Dapol Davros figures with 2 arms all the way to the modern mass market explosion things like BBQ tongs and serving platters, collecting Doctor Who memorabilia is an expensive and time consuming hobby, There are as many different ways to be a Doctor Who Collector as there are things to collect. Our panel of enthusiastic collectors will discuss their prime pieces and share tips of how to get started, what to focus on and how to find that Holy Grail item.
The Return of Doctor Crafterio: The universe of Doctor Who is full of amazing creativity, be it knitting (such as those wonderful Tom Baker scarves), crochet (amigurumi), jewelry making, leatherworking and more. Our panelists will discuss the wonderful world of Doctor Who craftmaking, including tips on how to get started and how best to share your ideas.
How To Start A Doctor Who Social Group: It’s more than just “if you build it, they will come”; creating your own new Doctor Who social network, fan club, Meet-up, online group or forum can be a lot of work (with a lot of reward!) Come join our panelists as they discuss the steps to undertake in creating a new social experience for fans, how to network with other groups, finding a venue for in-person meetings and much more.
More Perfect Prop Design: Another edition of last year’s popular prop making and design panel. Our panelists will take a look at the arduous task of photorealistic prop making, from authentic looking Daleks to amazingly impressive sonic screwdrivers, and give you some insight into the best ways to collect materials those fantastic replicas, including tips on the best places to hunt.
The Ties That Bind Us: There are very distinct groups of fans at this and other conventions: viewers, critics, writers, artists, podcasters, cosplayers, prop collectors, and more. And yet, we all gather together every year at Gallifrey One. Let’s bring a group of diverse fans to the same table and discuss the common love for the show and maybe bring some people together who might have otherwise never met.
The Anxiety Closet: Whether it be from changing into your cosplay, making new friends, travelling or just being in a tight crowd there are many different anxieties that pop up in convention going. Join a few experienced, high strung frequent con goers in a safe space where we talk about ways to de-stigmatize this very common affliction and to discuss ways to minimize your stress at a convention while meeting some friendly faces. (Spoiler alert: That’s one of the ways to minimize stress at a convention!)
Stop Me Before I Lego Again: What is the reason for the continued success of Lego and its presence in our lives? Why are these little blocks so popular and beloved to so many? Our panelists will discuss their passion for Lego and how it has impacted their lives, their dreams… and their wallets.
The Case for SuperWhoLock: Dossier Number Two: Taking last year’s panel a step further. Crossovers have been a big part of fandom for years, but there’s one that has really stuck, even bafflingly so: Superwholock, the mashup that brings the three shows Doctor Who, Sherlock and Supernatural together in one giant shared universe, and it’s huge online. We’re going to follow this up with some new discussion, including talking about Tumblr, OTPs, and the amazing online culture that brings these fans together.
Young at Hearts: You’re Never Too Old to Cosplay: Since shows like Doctor Who and Star Trek have broken the 50 year milestone, many of the longtime fans have definitely seen more “seasons”… and with the explosion of cosplay of younger fans, it has become a pop sensation. But fans have been cosplaying for decades, in fact, and this panel will demonstrate how popular costuming (as it used to be called) has been, share some hints from older costumers aimed at keeping the flame alive, and how the two generations can relate better.
The Art of Period Costuming: Whether it’s Tegan’s Black Orchid costume, a Renaissance Faire outfit, or barmaid Clara, constructing a period cosplay requires a different set of skills. We will help you balance the differences between cosplay and historical costuming, discussing Doctor Who, period dramas, and historical costuming projects to analyze various period styles and techniques.
My Best Costuming MacGyverisms: Ever get in a pinch at the last minute before presenting your costume to the halls/Masquerade? How did you solve it? Hairpins? Packing tape? Sisal rope? Did that Swiss Army knife come in handy? Tell us your best story about overcoming your costume wardrobe malfunction.
Body Positivity and Cosplay: Maintaining self-confidence when society and geek culture is quick to judge on looks alone is not always easy. This panel will focus on size and race, but other forms of bodily non-conformity will also be discussed.
Social Media for Cosplayers: The landscape of social marketing changes daily. What you need, how to manage it, when to post, and where can get very complicated. You have already invested so much of your time in making your cosplay that talking about it shouldn’t be this difficult. Join us to discuss ways to market yourself online, tricks, tips, and ideas to make the most of social marketing as a cosplayer, crafter, or business.
Cosplay Photography Workshop: Want to know how to shoot a cosplay session, the dos and don’ts? Then this is the session for you! And people in the audience are welcome add their views.
Lots more coming soon… keep watching our website for details!