Program

Friday

Opening Ceremony straight into Beginners Guide to Conventions
Montana A & B, 8 PM
Opening Panellists: Con Committee
Guide Panellists: Danny Oz, Sarah Parker, PRK, Simon Oxwell, Stevo
Equipment needed: AV
Official opening to the convention. We introduce the committee and present our 2006 Guests. This is followed by an introduction to the strange rituals and pitfalls of conventions. What to do, how to get the most out of it, how to avoid friction burns...and other useful nuggets of wisdom from experienced con-goers.

Danny Oz Speech
Montana A, 9 PM
Panellists: Danny Oz
Danny Oz rants about many things, all of them interesting.

Anime
Baileyana, 9 PM
Panellists: Tamara Carmichael, Bruce Rowe, JAFWA, Ippongi Bang
With a plethora of stuff out there that all looks the same, sounds the same, plays the same - is anime losing the plot? Has it become a mass-market industry simply cranking out shows for the least possible effort, or is it still the wellspring of creative genius it used to be?

Independent Games
Montana A, 10 PM
Panellists: Dave Cake, John Parker, Paul Kidd, Matthew Hunt.
The independent electronic games scene seemed to have a brief blossoming in the 90’s. But with large companies dominating the market, is there a future for small games? What can they have to offer against the glitz and creative weight of the ‘big guns’? What effect is the popularity of MMORPGs having on the marketplace, and is the new subscriber business model the best hope for the industry or its death knell?

Scaring People for Fun and Profit
Montana B, 10 PM
Panellists: Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Stephen Dedman, Lyn Battersby, Lee Battersby
Australia’s purveyors of the dark stuff talk about their influences, their creative processes, and the motivation to create the darker side of literature.

Norma Hemming Play
Baileyana, 10 PM
Players: David Medlen, Emma Hawkes
A reading of the final act of a fan play written by Norma Hemming, an Australian female fan and author. The play was first performed at a con in the 1950s and has been read - one act at a time - at the past two Swancons. This is the grand finale of a glorious 1950s, Amazon princess, soap opera romp.

Gothique
Baileyana, 11 PM
Panellists: Mike O’Brien, Nathan Baxter, Sarah Parker, Dave Cake
Luminaries of the old and new guard discuss the state of all that is Goth.

On Filking
Montana B, 11 PM
Panellists: Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon, Ippongi Bang, John Robertson, Dave Luckett, Craig Hilton, Ian Nichols
Come see and hear our panellists hold forth on the ancient folk tradition.

Saturday

Montana A
Featured Events throughout the Market Day include a number of exciting book launches.

10AM – Paul Kidd book launch
11AM – Simon Haynes book launch
1:30PM – Lee Battersby book launch
2:30PM – Craig Hilton book launch
3:30PM – Adrian Bedford book launch

Breakfast of Champions
Montana Foyer, 8AM
Equipment: Horrible cereals
Poisoner: Ken McCaw
A vile collection of freaky breakfast substances, appalling foreign cereals and downright odd things will be available for brekky!

Art Show
Robinia, 9AM onwards
Revel in its glory!

Kaneda’s Coffee Panel
Montana foyer, 9AM
Coffee brewed by one of the state’s most talented baristas.

Threat from the Fourth Dimension
Montana B, 9AM
Equipment: AV
Presenter: Jo Squires
Is the Queen Mum really a blood drinking lizard? Does the Luciferic Consciousness from the Lower Fourth Dimension really rule the world? David Icke thinks so, and claims he even has evidence to back it up! Jo reports, you decide!

Osamu Tezuka
Baileyana 9 AM
Equipment: AV
Presenter: Damian Magee
Osamu Tezuka is the father of modern Manga and Anime, making his début in 1945 and continuing to work up to his death in 1989. His work includes 300 volumes of manga and seven major anime series that were huge hits in the western world: without Tezuka there would be no Speed Racer, Robotech or Miyazki. This panel will look at how this art form began, with clips from Astroboy, Kimba, and others.

Why Don’t They Make Australian SF Films?
Montana B, 10 AM
Equipment: AV
Presenter: Grant Watson
An examination of the Australian film industry, where it's at, how it works, and the odds of someone producing science fiction, fantasy and horror films within it.

Mask Making
Baileyana, 10 AM (2 hours)
Panellists: Tamara Carmichael
Impromptu costume making 101! Make a mask for the masque!

Trailer Park: Forthcoming Films
Montana B, 11 AM
Presenters: David Gunn, Ju Landéesse
A fast and furious look into the ‘must see’ selections and the ones that just make you cringe…

Ippongi Bang’s GOH Speech
Montana B, 1:30 PM
Panellists: Ippongi Bang
Meet Ippongi Bang - Manga creator, artist, model, actress, singer, and all-round cool lady!

How to Vid
Baileyana, 1:30 PM
Panellists: Erika Pearson
How to create your own fanvid and enjoy the narrative possibilities of trans-continuity pastiche.

Renaissance Dancing
Montana B, 2:30 PM
Instructors: Catherine Harvey, Anysia Chung
Dance class for beginners. It’s easy and it’s fun.

Romance, Slash and Other Literatures
Baileyana, 2:30 PM
Panellists: Cathy Cupitt, Sandra Norman, Jane Walters
Warning: may contain adult content.
Can be placed within a genre of writing? How does it differ from romance or erotica? Does it differ from queer readings of texts?

Ian Tregonning
Oshanesii, 2:30 PM
Equipment: AV.
Panellists: Ian Tregonning,
Ian Tregonning will talk about his work as a puppeteer on “The Labyrinth”. Come hear the stories now that his do-not-disclose agreement has run out!

Setting up a series
Montana B, 3:30PM
Panellists: Larry Dixon, Mercedes Lackey, Stephen Dedman.
Approaching story telling with an eye to making ongoing series. Do stories intended to be part of a series gain strength from having space to develop, or lose their hard edge? How do writers set up long term arcs and how do they cope when things go wrong?

Is slash misogynistic?
Baileyana, 3:30PM
Panellists: Emma Hawkes, Jenny Owen, Kirsten Richards, James Atkinson
Warning: may contain adult content.
A moderated discussion exploring the role of women in fandom.

Dr Who
Montana B, 4:30 PM
Panellists: Danny Oz, Damian Magee, Simon Oxwell, Colin Sharpe, Grant Watson
Doctor Who has lasted in one medium or another for more than 40 years; on television, in film, on audio and in books. Arguably the secret to the programme's success is how versatile the format actually is. Some of Australia's premier Doctor Who analysts examine how far the boundaries of Doctor Who have been stretched, the sorts of stories it allows its writer to tell, and question what kinds of stories you could never use the Doctor to tell.

Costuming
Baileyana, 4:30 PM
Panellists: Tamara Carmichael, An li, Bruce Rowe, Ippongi Bang.
The do’s and don’ts of con costuming. How were some of those strange costumes made? Accuracy vs comfort - and some of the most spectacular screw-ups. Includes a look at anime cosplay, and some shots of some of the more amazing costumes from Japanese cons.
Fantastic Britannica
Montana B, 5:30 PM
Panellists: Larry Dixon, Mercedes Lackey, Kjartan Arnorsson, PRK, Ian Nichols
With Tolkien and C. S. Lewis storming the cinemas, and Harry Potter weighing down the school backpacks of an entire generation, British fantasy has become one of the dominant fandoms in the world. Our panellists attempt to determine why these books are so popular and whether or not they generate cross-cultural appeal.

Review of Male Fashion in SF and Fantasy
Baileyana 5:30 PM
Panellists: Fe Waters, Bec Handcock
A guided discussion of the development of men's fashion historically and an extrapolation into future trends (with an exploration of the male fashion represented in sf).

Were the Wild Things Are
Baileyana, 8 PM
Panellists: Stephen Dedman, Lee Battersby, Sue Isle
Werewolves and other shapeshifters may not have attracted the same cult following as vampires, but they’re just as well-known. A look at the possible origins of the myth, its most recent incarnations, and the reasons for its endurance.

Masquerade
Montana A & B, 9 PM till late
Equipment: Sound
The Swancon Masquerade party!

We hate the masquerade!
Baileyana, 9 PM
Equipment: Liquor
Panellists: John Parker
Because we do!

The “Furry” panel
Baileyana, 11 PM
Panellists: Bruce Rowe, Craig Hilton, Kjartan Arnorsson
Equipment: AV
Warning: may contain adult content.
Furry fandom - the good, the bad, and the moulting. Where did it come from, where is it going. Hosted by Bruce Rowe - someone we imported from the USA just for the purpose!

Concert
Montana A & B, 11 PMish
Performer: Ippongi Bang
Our GOH Ippongi Bang in concert. Be there, or be quadrilateral!

Larry and Misty’s Bedtime Stories
Montana A, Midnight
Panellists: Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon
BYO pyjamas and come and hear Larry and Misty tell their special bedtime stories. Readings from their work and strange, silly business! Prizes will be given for best and bedtime outfit – and scariest. Convention attendees are advised to keep in mind that the absence of costume is not a costume.

Sunday

Art Show
Robinia, 9AM onwards
Its glory continues! (Includes silent auction).

Sunday School
Baileyana, 9 AM
Panellists: Scott Carmichael, Tiki Swain, Alethea Raspa, Arnorsson
Commune with members of various faiths, some more recent than others. Includes photos of real sightings of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and proof that increasing world temperatures are linked to the global pirate deficit!

101 Uses for a Dead (or Possibly Live) Squid
Montana B, 9 AM
Panellists: Stephanie Bateman-Graham, Drhoz
Includes a PowerPoint presentation, whiteboards, and another unnecessary exclamation mark!

Reenactors: Why Do They Do It?
Montana A, 10 AM
Panellists: Deutsch Afrika Korps, SCA, Grey Company,
Perth is home to many different reenactment groups: Dark ages, Medieval, Napoleonic, WW1, WW 2. Who are these folk? Why do they do it? What’s the charm and fascination that comes from recreating past times? And how do we join?

Beyond Quatermass: British SF films of the 1950s & 60s
Montana B, 10 AM
Presenter: Damian Magee, David Medlen
A look at some of the most important films in British sf cinema: the Quatermass trilogy, ‘Village of the Dammed’, ‘Day of Triffids’, ‘The Day the Earth Caught Fire’, The Dammed,’ ‘X the Unknown,’ ‘Fahrenheit 451’ and more.
The Little Boy who never grew up
Baileyana, 10 AM
Panellists: Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Sandra Norman, Emma Hawkes, Dave Luckett, Elizabeth Bowyn
A discussion of the role of the child protagonist in children’s literature. From Alice to Edmund, Harry to Peter Pan…

WASFF Meeting
Cocktail Lounge, 10 AM
Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation (for the uninitiated - this is where mighty decisions are made - such as which bid gets to run Swancon 2008).

Armour and Blade!
Montana A, 11 AM
Panellists: Ken McCaw, Paul Kidd, Grey Company, SCA, Dale Brede, Dion Hedges
A look at armour and bladed weapons from different eras and cultures – how they were designed and made, and how much weight your character has been lugging about in D&D. Watch the Panellists for the Blade Attraction III panel as they armour up and get ready to rumble!

Neural Plastic Surgery: Reprogramming Your Body Image
Montana B, 11 AM
Panellists: Stephanie Bateman-Graham, Stevo, Dave Cake, Sandra Norman
Body dysmorphia causes people to experience desires to modify their own bodies. Many amputees suffer from terrible phantom pains. What if you could reprogram your body image to solve such problems? How far could you take this concept? If you thought you were taller than you already, were would you fall down the stairs?

Boldly Going... Going... Gone!
Baileyana, 11 AM
Presenter and discussion guide: Damian Magee
This follow-up presentation looks at all the Trek series, the good, the bad and the ugly, and tries to answer those important questions - why did the makers make so many spin-offs, what do you do when the holodeck is malfunctioning again, and will Trek come back and in what form?

Blade Attraction 3
Montana A, 1:30 PM – 15:30PM
Panellists: Kaneda Cruz, Wing Chung, Paul Kidd, Matthew Legge, the SCA
A great many of the old melee combat arts have somehow survived into the modern age, others have had to be reinvented from scratch, and some have mutated into the realms of SF. Our armoured and unarmoured display teams will demonstrate various styles and developments, including Aikido, Japanese sword, naginata, dark ages swordplay, medieval techniques, bat-lev and light sabre, realistic and sheer theatre! It’s fun, it’s noisy - it’s got shinier equipment than ever before! Less talk, more action!

The Borderlands of Genre
Montana B, 1:30 PM
Panellists: Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon, Elaine Kemp,.
Why have so many fantasy authors gone “urban”? And why have many science fiction authors suddenly started producing so many “Sword and Sorcery” novels? Does genre discrimination still happen, and why are authors intent on pushing the boundaries of what separates science fiction from fantasy?

Watchmen at 20: Contemporary Portrayals of Urban Heroics
Baileyana, 1:30 PM
Panellists: Dave Cake, Stephen Griffiths, Grant Watson.
Alan Moore’s groundbreaking 12-issue series is 20 this year. Does the “Ulysses” of the comicbook world still retain relevancy in this post-coldwar era? Has the portrayal of heroism and vigilantism moved beyond Rorschach-pastiches and reluctant-Supermen? Is the conclusion of the story still relevant in a world where New York has its own very real Ground Zero?

Miniatures - Participation Games
Cocktail Lounge, 1.30 PM
Panellists: Perth Miniatures Wargames society
Your friendly neighbourhood wargames club is running participation games. Come and join in! Games offered for your delectation include: Full Thrust, Ancients, 55 minutes in Peking, Space 1889, and a host of others!

Not Your Parents’ SF
Montana B, 2:30 PM
Panellists: Alethea Raspa, Danny Oz, Ian Nichols.
SF on television and film has undergone a revival of late, with iconoclastic remakes and genre-ambivalent series wresting popularity from old franchises such as Star Trek. How do the classics measure up to their modern counterparts, and is the antagonism between old and new Galactica fandoms the shape of things to come?

A History of Violence: 1970’s Horror Revivified
Baileyana, 2:30 PM
Panellists: Damian Magee, Grant Watson, Stephen Griffiths
A critical examination of the current Hollywood trend of remaking 1970’s horror films in both title and spirit, and the impact of “extreme” Asian cinema on the horror and fantasy genre.

Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon Guests Of Honour speech
Montana A, 3:30 PM
Equipment: AV
Panellists: Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon
Come and meet our guests Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon, and hear about birds, books, Lotus pedal cars, and life in Tornado County!

Pregnancy in Horror
Montana B, 3:30 PM
Panellists: Lyn Battersby, Stephen Dedman, Alethea Raspa
What could be more frightening than the idea of having an alien being inside you - apart, maybe, from wondering how it's going to get out and what it'll do when it does? We look at some ways that horror stories have exploited this fear, and some of the solutions that sf writers have suggested for dealing with it.

The Goon Hills of Earth
Baileyana, 3:30 PM
Players: Dave Luckett, Lee Battersby, Grant Stone
“Nurse! The screens! Aeougggh!”
Dave and Lee perform their own Goon Show.

Marvellous Men: Masculinity in Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy
Baileyana, 4:30PM
Panellists: Cathy Cupitt, Emma Hawkes, Stephen Griffiths.
Following on from Wonderful Women at Swancon 2005, this panel turns the lens of gender to analysing masculinity. How does the experience of being male influence the work of men as authors and editors? Does gender influence the way we respond to male characters?

Auction
Montana B, 4:30PM (2 hours)
MC: John Robertson, PRK, Chris Creagh, Danny Oz
Buy stuff! You need it! All of it! (Proceeds go to various fan funds and Swancon).

Online Publications
Robinia, 4:30 PM
Panellists: Tamara Carmichael, Craig Hilton, Russell B Farr, John Parker.
Meet the creators of local online publications, and see their work. Why publish online? What’s worth reading out there in the ether? Are people reading anything other than the funnies?

Guests Signing Books
Montana A, 4:30 PM
Authors: Larry Dixon, Mercedes Lackey.
Come and get your books signed by the guests.

Identity Theft - from SF to Reality.
Baileyana, 5:30PM
Panellists: David Basden, PRK, Grahame Bowland, John Parker, Dave Cake.
With our increasing dependency on the internet, computer security is becoming more important in day to day living. Do you know enough to keep your details secure using Internet Banking? Should we be worried about rigged elections as electronic voting becomes increasingly popular? Are we sliding into a Gibsonesque dystopia?

Robert E Howard Centennial
Robinia, 5:30 PM
Panellists: Ben Szumskyj
2006 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan and Kull! A presentation about the father of modern sword and sorcery fiction.

Swancon 2007 Launch
Montana A and B, 7:30 PM
Presenters: 2007 committee

Awards Ceremony
Montana A and B, 8 PM
Equipment: Projector capable of showing PowerPoint presentation, the lights from the masquerade, mic,
Hosts: Grant Stone, Fe Waters, Fern Clark, Emma Hawkes, Ju W, Rohan Wallace, Shay Telfer, John Parker.
Swancon Renaissances is proud to announce a special awards ceremony hosted by Grant Stone. Enjoy the lights, the colours and the atmosphere as fans walk our specially provided red carpet in their Oscar night finery to celebrate the Tin Duck awards.

The Way of the Warrior Princess: Battle on Xena
Baileyana, 8:30 PM
Panellists: Robert Elordieta, Ben Szumskyj,
Once one of the small screen's highest rating shows, XENA: Warrior Princess was the epic story of two women who travelled mythic worlds, fighting evil and seeking redemption. This panel explores the characters, the episodes, and the many themes and issues of this cult television classic.

Flaming the Frame: Egos and Webcomics
Desmond Seah, Ryan Abrahams, Tim Cowell, Jon Hayward
Robinia, 8:30 PM
The creators of webcomics Bigger than Cheeses, Make with the Funny and Refried ask the question: What is it about certain webcomics that causes people to lose control at the slightest provocation? Our panellists take a close look at some of the common offenders, and promise to not spend the entire time talking about Ctrl Alt Del.

Dr Gonzo
Montana A, 8:30 PM
Equipment: Liquor.
Madmen: Bruce Rowe, Paul Kidd, John Robertson,
Partake in some after-dinner digestive aids whilst witnessing a tribute to Hunter S Thompson in reading, reminiscence, film, and hard liquor! Complete with imported Dr Gonzo look alike Bruce Rowe!

North Pole Tonight
Baileyana, 9:30 PM
Panellists: Danny Oz and elves
How does Father Christmas keep the elves happy? By giving them a Tonight show to watch! This year though, Kringle is bringing the show to Swancon for all you good boys and girls.

Don Herzfeld Presentation
Oshanesii, 9:30 PM
Presenter: David Gunn
Warning: contains adult content.
The slightly odd animation of Don Herzfeld.

Body Mods
Baileyana, 9:30 PM
Presenter: Jo Squires
Equipment: AV
We've been at it for thousands of years, from Otzi's tattoos to Lizardman's split tongue. With modern techniques, modding is becoming more commonplace, but also more outrageous. What does the future have in store for the culture of body change? Are suspensions just a fad, or here to stay? Includes photos to make your stomach quiver!

“Space, Muffins!”
Montana A, 10:30 PM
Panellists: Mercedes Lackey, Bruce Rowe, Larry Dixon.
Fans. It’s short for fanatics. But what happens when the “line” gets more than just a wee bit blurred? We have a panel of specially imported American ‘long time sufferers’.

The Politicisation of SF: Alternative Histories, Religion and Ideology
Panellists: Dave Cake, Dave Luckett, Stephen Griffiths
Montana B, 10:30 PM
Does the alternative history subgenre have anything to say that couldn’t be achieved in a traditional setting, or is it just an excuse to pander to old prejudices? Is it appropriate for SF books (or films) to have an underlying agenda? Is the emergence of strong support for religion-oriented fandoms just a fad cooked up by the media?

The Cute and the Fluffy
Robina, 10:30 PM
Panellists: Tamara Carmichael, Laura Johnstone, Grant Stone, Lily Evans.
Collectors of fluffy toys, My Little Pony, action figures and other cute things discuss their ~~habits~~ hobbies. Sock puppet construction likely!

Monday

Parasites panel!
Montana B, 9 AM
Presenter: Drhoz
Equipment: AV
Drhoz’s wonderful presentation on ghastly parasites!

The Red Book: How to run a con
Baileyana, 9 AM
Free-range discussion
Come and hear the banter of the caffeine-stained and battle-scarred convention organisers of yesteryear as they pass on their wisdom to the next generation.

Professional Genre Artists
Montana A, 10 AM
Panellists: Larry Dixon, Shaun Tan, Ippongi Bang
The joys of being a pro artist: getting it right, on time, and somehow not going out of your mind in the process! Includes stories from the Japanese market!

Too Real Science Fiction
Montana B, 10 AM
Panellists: David Medlen, Stephen Dedman
A look at those moments when Science Fiction has been mistaken for reality! (not to be confused with the panel on U.S. foreign policy...)

Doctor Who, the Animated Series
Baileyana, 10 AM
Panellists: Danny Oz
Equipment: AV
Before the new series, BBC Wales R&D had their own ideas and enlisted the help of fan group Who3D. Danny talks us through the work done on the ill-fated animated project.

The Birds!
Montana A, 11 AM
Panellists: Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon, Robert Masters, Alicia Smith
Bird rehab 101. Find out why plexiglass visors are a bird lover’s best friend.

Star Wars on Trial
Montana B, 11 AM
Panellists: Darran Price, Grant Watson, Michael Aulfrey
Equipment: AV
The panellists will examine George Lucas’ science fiction masterwork and try to determine where it works and where it doesn’t, how it changed Hollywood, and how it changed Science Fiction cinema.

Electronic Games: Death by Sequel!
Baileyana, 11 AM
Panellists: John Parker
With new titles in the minority on the video games charts, and new gameplay styles as rare as good game-to-film adaptations our panel asks: Is the well of creativity running dry?

Substitute! Theatre Games
Montana A, 1:30 PM
Panellists: Elizabeth Powell, Danny Oz, Mel Kosick-McCaw, John Robertson,
Audience participation theatre sports, including freaky, truly disturbing works of bad SF sung to hideous tunes.

Star Wars: Knighthood
Montana B, 1:30 PM
Panellists: Darran Price, Michael Aulfrey, Elliott Press, Ron Birch
Presentation about the new locally produced Star Wars fan film. Includes a trailer, making-of featurette and a question and answer session with the film’s creators.

Stanley Kubrick VS The World
Montana A, 2:30 PM
Equipment: AV
Panellists: John Robertson, Grant Watson, Stephen Dedman, Karl B
Warning: may contain adult content.
Analysing notions of film language, casting choices and staff continuity, this panel is both a mapping session of an alien world and a look at the trials and tribulations that occur when a God of filmmaking tries to invent humanity (2001), stylise Britain (A Clockwork Orange) and objectify sex (Eyes Wide Shut).

Shaun Tan’s Show n’ Tell!
Montana B, 2.30 PM
Presenter: Shaun Tan
Shaun puts on a slide show of art to let us all see what he’s been up to!

J-Pop Idol!
Oshanesii & Baileyana, 2.30 PM
Panellists: Ippongi Bang, Kaneda Cruz
Equipment: AV, Karaoke mike
Panellists demonstrate dance moves and songs. Shrieking audience participation encouraged!

Closing Ceremony
Montana A & B, 3:30 PM
Panellists: Honoured Guests, Con Committee 2006 and 2007.