Conversion 18
Aug. 29th, 2001 09:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jamesqI had low expectations, and I enjoyed myself. Living close to the convention I simply went home whenever I got bored. Plus I got to judge (Along with Marci and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
petranef) the costume contest.
In years past, the costume contest had a very low degree of talent (though there was always a few bright lights) and some sketches that were cringe-inducing. Not this year. The contestants were (with only one exception) astonishing. Everything was professional and we got the judging done in record time (i.e. we actually announced the winners at the contest itself, as opposed to the next day).
At the general meeting on the last day of the con, several observers said it was not only the best costume contest they had seen at Conversion - it was the best they had ever seen period. See for yourself. This huge level of competence was a direct result of Kristiina. Kudos.
I've certainly bitched about ConVersion (Calgary's SF convention) in the past, but like a person recovering from flesh-eating disease, it's not dead yet. Missing great portions of healthy tissue, yes, and it will be a long hard recovery before they're back to normal, but the worst does seem behind them.
Having said that, do we really want to wait ten years for that happy day?
I've spoken to a number of people about this and ConVersion still doesn't seem anxious to try new things (new for Conversion, not necessarily new for fandom). "They have a real can't-do attitude", said one person. I personally know enough talented people in fandom who could put on a convention ten times better than conversion. They've all been alienated by ConVersion to the point were apathy prevents them from doing anything about it. Sadly, there's also the problem that half of them hates the other half, but that's neither here-nor-there.
I think I've pinpointed the source of ConVersion's troubles.
It's not Ogre, the president of ConVersion - he seems to have his heart in the right place, though he needs to delegate more (or rather, he needs someone to delegate to).
It's not the other members of the ConCom. I think they can come up with some better ideas if they tried.
No. I've decided that ConVersion has a great big ball-and-chain around it's ankle, and that ball-and-chain is a person. I won't name him here because that would be rude.
Something many of you may not know: John Mansfield (he's a big wheel in Winnipeg fandom) was approached by Westercon to see if he wanted to help get a Westercon in Calgary. Westercon has never been in Calgary during it's fifty-year-plus history because it's usually the same week as Stampede.
John needed some expression of interest because he had to give a yay-or-nay to the Calgary Convention Bureau the very next morning.
Ball-and-chain said: "Nope, can't do it." (Like his was the only say). Later, he had a group of minions hanging off his every word as he breathlessly described to them how holding Westercon would be The Death of Calgary Fandom™. His proof? Allegedly this happened to Vancouver fandom a few years ago.
Now remember, organizing wouldn't even start until after Calgary got the bid, and that won't be until July/2003. The actual convention wouldn't be until July/2005.
A "Can't-do" attitude indeed.
As of this writing I have no idea if Westercon is a go or not.
petranef) the costume contest.In years past, the costume contest had a very low degree of talent (though there was always a few bright lights) and some sketches that were cringe-inducing. Not this year. The contestants were (with only one exception) astonishing. Everything was professional and we got the judging done in record time (i.e. we actually announced the winners at the contest itself, as opposed to the next day).
At the general meeting on the last day of the con, several observers said it was not only the best costume contest they had seen at Conversion - it was the best they had ever seen period. See for yourself. This huge level of competence was a direct result of Kristiina. Kudos.
I've certainly bitched about ConVersion (Calgary's SF convention) in the past, but like a person recovering from flesh-eating disease, it's not dead yet. Missing great portions of healthy tissue, yes, and it will be a long hard recovery before they're back to normal, but the worst does seem behind them.
Having said that, do we really want to wait ten years for that happy day?
I've spoken to a number of people about this and ConVersion still doesn't seem anxious to try new things (new for Conversion, not necessarily new for fandom). "They have a real can't-do attitude", said one person. I personally know enough talented people in fandom who could put on a convention ten times better than conversion. They've all been alienated by ConVersion to the point were apathy prevents them from doing anything about it. Sadly, there's also the problem that half of them hates the other half, but that's neither here-nor-there.
I think I've pinpointed the source of ConVersion's troubles.
It's not Ogre, the president of ConVersion - he seems to have his heart in the right place, though he needs to delegate more (or rather, he needs someone to delegate to).
It's not the other members of the ConCom. I think they can come up with some better ideas if they tried.
No. I've decided that ConVersion has a great big ball-and-chain around it's ankle, and that ball-and-chain is a person. I won't name him here because that would be rude.
Something many of you may not know: John Mansfield (he's a big wheel in Winnipeg fandom) was approached by Westercon to see if he wanted to help get a Westercon in Calgary. Westercon has never been in Calgary during it's fifty-year-plus history because it's usually the same week as Stampede.
In 2005 they won't be the same weekend..Never heard of all this? John couldn't make a presentation at the convention because someone told him the panel schedule was "carved in stone". Obviously there was a miscommunication (which I'm not too upset about because it falls into the category of "shit happens"). So he announced everything at the general meeting (which is after the vast majority of con-goers have gone home). There was the usual shock and dismay, plus a little bit of finger-pointing, but eventually they got down to brass tacks. John wanted the following:
The Calgary Convention Bureau wants us to have it.
The other bid cities are willing to lay down and let us take it.
It means a local SF convention with better than 2500 guests.
Westercon is actually flush with cash, and that means guests.
Americans will want to come because visiting Canada is CHEAP
a straw vote to see if people would like to have a Westercon in Calgary. It passedOrganization would take place after Calgary won the bid, and the organizers would have two years of time to do whatever it takes to put on a convention of that size.
Someone willing to go to some other conventions to spread the word.
John needed some expression of interest because he had to give a yay-or-nay to the Calgary Convention Bureau the very next morning.
Ball-and-chain said: "Nope, can't do it." (Like his was the only say). Later, he had a group of minions hanging off his every word as he breathlessly described to them how holding Westercon would be The Death of Calgary Fandom™. His proof? Allegedly this happened to Vancouver fandom a few years ago.
Now remember, organizing wouldn't even start until after Calgary got the bid, and that won't be until July/2003. The actual convention wouldn't be until July/2005.
A "Can't-do" attitude indeed.
As of this writing I have no idea if Westercon is a go or not.
