Continuum 8 @ Rydges on Swanston, 701 Swanston Street Carlton

Timetable | Tags | People

All Sessions

21st Century Storytelling

m1k3y , Nicole Canal, Colin Harvey, Darren Sanderson
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: New Media
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

From MMOs to first-person-shooter RPGs, computer games are increasingly getting well known authors to script them or their novelisations. Are games becoming interactive stories and is this the new frontier for writers?

A New Age Of Australian Small Press

Lindy Cameron, Russell B. Farr, Amanda Pillar
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

There are some amazing things happening right now, and Australia’s independent press is right among it. These small businesses are not only the training ground for tomorrow’s bestsellers, they are publishing some of the genre’s biggest names. Come and hear from the leaders of this exciting industry.

A Sendak Celebration

Rachel Holkner
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

An informal rumpus to celebrate the life of well-loved author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak (1928-2012). There will be old favourites to read and rediscover, Sendakian crafts and face-painting for all the Wild Things.

Alison Goodman: In Conversation

Alison Goodman, Jason Nahrung
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 12:00 Ends: 13:00

Blurb needed

Apocalypses Through The Ages

Russell Blackford, Rjurik Davidson, Nalini Haynes, Cat Sparks, Lachlan Walter
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags: Literature, Media, Sci-Fi
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

From nuclear winters to reality television gone mad, the apocalyptic and dystopian futures of science-fiction often reflect the society in which they were written. A look at the many imaginings of unpleasant futures and what they say about the eras that imagined them.

Art Workshop: Character Design Masterclass

Sarah Howell
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:30

Join members of Squishface Studio to look at successful character design and how to develop a new character or hone an existing one.

Awards Ceremony

Kirstyn McDermott, Ian Mond
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tag: Event
Starts: 20:00 Ends: 22:00

Your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, will be overseeing the 51st Australian National SF Convention Awards, including the A Betram Chandler, the Peter McNamara, the Norma K Hemming, and the Chronos and Ditmar awards.

Backyard Speculation

Claire Corbett, Jason Nahrung, Gillian Polack, Tor Roxburgh, Lachlan Walter
Venue: Argyle Room
Tag: Literature
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Speculative fiction drawing on Australian settings and cultural themes is all too rare, and so disappointing when it’s done carelessly. So how do you go about writing thoughtful Australian spec fic? What are the big issues, pitfalls and rewards?

Beautiful Nightmares: Alien vs Predator

Terry Frost, Grant Watson, Jules Wilkinson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Horror, Media, Sci-Fi
Starts: 22:00 Ends: 23:00

Ridley Scott’s science fiction thriller Alien terrified audiences worldwide with its groundbreaking blend of serious science fiction and visceral horror. John McTiernan’s smash hit Predator combined classic monster themes with 1980s American action cinema. After numerous sequels and forays into other media, the two cinematic monsters went head to head in Alien vs Predator. What is the core appeal of these two SF movie franchises? What are their influences? Do they work better as a single universe or separately? And what lies in each of their futures?

Beyond Paranormal Romance In YA Speculative Fiction

Liz Barr, Sue Bursztynski, Kelly Link, Michael Pryor, Tor Roxburgh
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags: Fantasy, Literature, Sci-Fi, YA
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

The Twilight bandwagon introduced a new audience to YA spec fic, but there’s more out there than vampires and romance. Let’s take a look at some of the new YA spec fic that can excite and engross young readers.

Book Blogs And Reviewing

Sue Bursztynski, George Ivanoff, Alexandra Pierce, Gillian Polack, Sean Wright
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tag: Literature
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Blogging has meant an explosion in book reviewing and discussion, but what makes good reviews and blogs? What boxes does a book have to check to receive 5 stars?

Book Launch: ASIM 56 & Light Touch Paper, Stand Clear

Joanne Anderton
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

Book Launch: Bread & Circuses, by Felicity Dowker (Ticonderoga)

Felicity Dowker
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

Book Launch: Ishtar, edited by Amanda Pillar & K.V. Taylor

Deborah Biancotti, Amanda Pillar, Cat Sparks, Kaaron Warren
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Book Launch: Walking Shadows, by Narelle Harris

Lindy Cameron, Narrelle Harris, Jason Nahrung
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

Book Trailers

Cheryse Durrant, George Ivanoff, Margo Lanagan, Travis McKenzie
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: Literature, Writing
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

The new trend in book promotion. We discuss what makes a good one, what doesn’t work and why.

Boxcutters Presents: All Sci-Fi TV Is Rubbish - Josh & John Argue

Josh Kinal, John Richards
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: In Conversation, Media, Sci-Fi
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

John Richards and Josh Kinal of Boxcutters fame debate the quality of science-fiction on TV. Are fan expectations too low? Are SF fans actually more demanding than most? Tune in for a right good row.

Breakout Room

Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 20:00 Ends: 00:00

Build It And They Will Come

Hespa , Peter M. Ball, Patrick O'Duffy, Darren Sanderson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Gaming
Starts: 20:00 Ends: 21:00

Like any fictional world, the best roleplaying settings have personalities as complex and individual as their characters. Whether it comes from a rulebook, out your head or a combination of both, as a GM how do you imbue your world with life?

Closing Ceremony

Venues: Lincoln Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 16:30

Continuum 101

Hespa , Sarah Lee Parker, Sarah Lee Parker
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 11:30

Everything you wanted to know about fan conventions and con-going – an ideal starting point for anyone relatively new to conventions. Learn the secrets from those who have been around long enough to know better.

Continuum 101

Hespa , David McDonald, Sarah Lee Parker
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 20:30 Ends: 21:00

Everything you wanted to know about fan conventions and con-going – an ideal starting point for anyone relatively new to conventions. Learn the secrets from those who have been around long enough to know better.

Continuum Feedback Panel

Emilly McLeay, Julia Svaganovic
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Come by & let us know what you thought – what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d like to see next year.

Costume Parade

Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 20:00 Ends: 20:30

Craft and Small Press Market

Venue: Parkview Lounge
Tags:
Starts: 13:00 Ends: 17:00

Crafts In Space!

Trudi Canavan, Lyn McConchie, Sarah Lee Parker, Tansy Rayner Roberts
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Fantasy seems to be littered with all kinds of craft-doers but it’s rare in science fiction. Why is this? What materials could you make craft out of? What effects would low gravity have? Which technologies would be awesome to use? Our crafty panellists discuss all this and more!

Crafty Characters

Trudi Canavan, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Jo Spurrier
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Craft, Multi
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

We take a look at craftspeople in speculative fiction, the stereotypes, and what crafts have been overlooked.

Crossing The Divide: Writing In Different Genres

Jenny Blackford, Alison Goodman, Narrelle Harris, George Ivanoff, Jane Routley, Tor Roxburgh
Venue: Argyle Room
Tag: Writing
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Once you’ve written in one genre are you pigeonholed there for the rest of your career? Our panellists discuss how they’ve been able to write across borders.

Daikaiju Go Heavenly!

Dirk Flinthart, David McDonald, Cat Sparks
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tag: Entertainment
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

What if the gods were daikaiju? Could Buddha beat Jesus, could Loki outwit Allah? Is anyone strong enough to defeat Thor and his mighty Hammer? Jade Emperor, Kali, Ganesh. Which deity will reign supreme, or will king of the daikaiju Godzilla crush them all?

Dinner

Starts: 19:00 Ends: 20:00

Dinner

Starts: 19:00 Ends: 20:00

Elizabethans Are Awesome!

Dave Cake, Ian Nichols, Gillian Polack, Grant Watson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: History
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Join us for a time when Queen Elizabeth sat upon the throne of England, the British secret service was brand new and populated with out-of-work actors, magic and science were the same thing, fears of witchcraft were on the rise, and the court had its own royal astrologer who sometimes spoke to angels. A look at England in the late 16th century, but only the cool bits.

Everyone Loves A Good Murder

Lindy Cameron, Stephen Dedman, Tor Roxburgh, Laura Wilkinson, Laura Wilkinson, Laura Wilkinson
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags: Crime, Multi
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Murder mysteries – and just plain murder – are a staple of science-fiction and fantasy almost as much as crime. Why are we so fascinated with murder and those who commit it?

Everything Old Is New Again

Ian Mond, Patrick O'Duffy, Grant Watson
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Comics
Starts: 09:00 Ends: 10:00

Comics are the latest victim of the reboot trend with DC starting the New 52 and plans for a Watchmen prequel. Given that most superheroes first appeared over 60 years ago when society and attitudes were completely different, a fresh start might not be a bad thing. What has the New 52 achieved, have they broken old prejudices or is it just more of the same?

Fan Fund Auction

Justin Ackroyd, Grant Watson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

Come bid on some fantastic collectables (and marvel at some of the things people will pay for), grab a bargain and help fans get to more awesome conventions like Continuum!

Fans And Faith

Avril Hannah-Jones, David McDonald, Ian Mond, Alexandra Pierce
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Religion often frowns upon science fiction and fantasy, and fandom can be quite critical of religion. So how do our panellists reconcile their passion for SF/F/H and their faith?

Fanvids: Meta In Motion

Liz Barr, Emilly McLeay
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 23:00 Ends: 00:00

From character studies to parody, serious thematic commentary to wholly new narratives the original show never dreamed of… Basically, we think fanvids are awesome and we want to show you why! May contain spoilers for anything and everything.

Food And Fiction: Agricultural Science And Food Crisis In Science-Fiction

Caspar Roxburgh
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 11:30

The threats facing modern agriculture offer great inspiration and themes for science fiction. With global population growth, climate change, and threats to land availability increasing the pressure on international agriculture, the science behind food production is becoming increasingly sophisticated and controversial. These themes will be discussed with a view to how they may provide rich subject matter for science fiction writers.

Futureproofing Sci-Fi And Fantasy

Dave Cake, Nicole Canal, Chris McMahon, Brian Walls
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Fantasy, Literature, Media, Multi, Sci-Fi
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Certain works – including some earlier hailed as classics – are so bound to the time of writing that they’re unreadable today. Is it a question of writing style, outdated science, simply different ideas about what questions are interesting? A discussion of what went wrong and how modern writers and screenwriters might make today’s speculative fiction timeless.

Gender And Sexuality In Speculative YA

Kate Eltham, Alison Goodman
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags: Literature, Media, YA
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

Fiction is a vital forum to introduce different concepts of gender and sexuality to teenage and pre-teen minds. What ideas are being introduced by YA speculative fiction, how well are they being handled and what’s still missing?

Good Things Come In Small Packages

Stephen Dedman, George Ivanoff, Kelly Link, Cat Sparks, Jonathan Strahan
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Literature
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

Short stories are the life-blood of speculative fiction, and speculative genres among the last still-flourishing domains of the modern short story. What makes the two fit so well together?

Hey, I Game Too!

Joanne Anderton, Nicole Canal, Alice Clarke, Melissa Walter
Venue: Drummond Room
Tag: New Media
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

42% of gamers are women, yet most advertising/characters are targeted at the male demographic. Games specifically aimed at women are usually fashion, cooking or animal related. Are attitudes changing? If not, why not?

Humanity Enhanced

m1k3y , Russell Blackford, Claire Corbett, Adam Ford
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Explore the potential of self-directed human evolution. Discuss its personal and social implications. Are you ready for your upgrades?

I Don't Get It!

Peter M. Ball, Deborah Biancotti, Ian Nichols, Patrick O'Duffy, Alan Stewart
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Multi
Starts: 21:00 Ends: 22:00

There are certain works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that all of fandom seems to love…except me. What are these so-called classics? Why don’t I share the love? Is it possible that a lot of people like these things just because they know a lot of people like these things? Who’s missing the point, here – everyone else, or me?

I Flunked Physics: Hard Science Versus Accessible Science-Fiction

Alan Baxter, Steve Cameron, Gillian Polack
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Sci-Fi
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

Closed time-like curves? Light cones? Multi-dimensional manifolds? Or just reverse the polarity and beam us up? How important is accurate science in your science-fiction?

In Defence Of Romance

Louise Cusack, Amanda Pillar, Jane Routley
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Literature
Starts: 22:00 Ends: 23:00

Paranormal romance, or romance in general, is often dismissed as bodice-ripping fluff. But these are stories for and about women, written by women. They can be more than a guilty pleasure, exploring important issues. Do they have a duty to? Why aren’t novels written by and for men called dudelit and treated to the same derision? Are the cover designs doing the genre a disservice?

Independent Publishing And Speculative Fiction

Jack Dann, Steven O'Connor, Patrick O'Duffy, Tor Roxburgh
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

The e-book phenomenon is changing the very nature of books and how we publish them. How does this paradigm shift affect independent publishers? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Will it make distributing books easier? Will it make the idea of ‘hard copy’ a thing of the past? Or will it make little difference at all? Join us and participate in this brainstorming panel with Tor Roxburgh, Patrick O’Duffy, and the confused but intrepid moderator Jack Dann.

It's The Henson Panel!

Rachel Holkner, Ben McKenzie, Julia Svaganovic, Grant Watson
Venue: Argyle Room
Tag: Media
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

From Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and the Muppets through The Storyteller and acclaimed fantasy films such as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and The Witches, the puppetry, imagination and storytelling genius of Jim Henson has enchanted, entertained and inspired generations of viewers. What is the key to Henson’s success? Why did his works transcend the entertainment landscape around them to become not only perennial favourites but pop culture icons around the world?

Jim Henson: Short And Experimental

Rachel Holkner
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 11:30

Well before Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, Jim Henson considered himself an experimental filmmaker, producing art for an adult audience. This introduction to some of his lesser known short films and animations of the late 1960s will give a new viewpoint to the man whose later works we all know and love so much. These predate the segments of Sesame Street, are precursors for his motion pictures of the eighties, and include a bonus inflatable psychedelic disco.

Kelly Link Hosts "Mafia"

Kelly Link
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Gaming
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

The classic game of paranoia, second-guessing and murder. Join Guest of Honour Kelly Link and try to survive the night.

Kelly Link: In Conversation

Kate Eltham, Kelly Link
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tag: In Conversation
Starts: 12:00 Ends: 13:00

Blurb needed

Let’s Traumatize The Kiddies

Deborah Green, George Ivanoff, Melissa Walter
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: Media, YA
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Kids are often more resilient than adults give them credit for – not to mention more bloodthirsty – but how much is too much? Have attitudes changed over time, and in what directions? Join us for a discussion of shocking moments in children’s television past and present.

Lunch

Starts: 13:00 Ends: 14:00

Lunch

Starts: 13:00 Ends: 14:00

Lunch

Starts: 13:00 Ends: 14:00

Maskobalo

Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 20:30 Ends: 00:00

Masters Of Podcasting

Terry Frost, Alisa Krasnostein, Kirstyn McDermott, Jonathan Strahan
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: New Media
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

What makes someone podcast? Ego? Frustrated media ambition? Being too ugly for television? Ego? A group of fannish podcasters discuss the origins, do’s, don’ts and why-the-hell-nots of podcasting. Why start a podcast? How do you do it? Where do you find an audience? A group of talented talkers talk about talking.

Melbourne Science Fiction Club: 60 Years On

Sue Ann Barber, Helena Binns, Merv Binns, Paul Ewins, Bruce Gillespie, George Ivanoff, Danny Oz, Sam Rooney, Alan Stewart
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

The MSFC is the oldest science fiction club in the southern hemisphere – it’s just turned 60! Join us for a chat about the bad old days.

Melbourne's Dark Side

Felicity Dowker, Narrelle Harris, Meg Mundell, Paul Poulton
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 09:00 Ends: 10:00

Melbourne is often touted as one of the world’s “Most Liveable Cities”, but don’t be fooled: beneath the surface glitz and tourism spin lies a much darker version of the city, one that has provided rich inspiration for writers of horror, speculative fiction and sci-fi. Join our panelists for an exploratory and imaginative trip into Melbourne’s sinister side: the thrilling, shady, ghastly stuff that leaves the tourist brochures for dead.

Modesty Blaise and Peter O'Donnell

Trevor Clarke
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: Comics, Crime
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 18:30

An exploration of the 60’s crime comic, its heroine and its creator.

Natcon Business Meeting

Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 12:00

New Faiths For New Worlds

Alan Baxter, Jenny Blackford, Russell Blackford, David McDonald
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tag: Writing
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Love it or hate it, religion plays a huge role in our society. When creating a new society from scratch, what part will religion play? How do you create a convincing set of beliefs, and what are the pitfalls you need to avoid?

Not Available

Venue: Parkview Lounge
Tags:
Starts: 08:00 Ends: 23:00

Other Entities

Margo Lanagan, Amanda Pillar, Paul Poulton, Jane Routley
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Fantasy, Horror
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Dragons and fairies and vampires and zombies are all very well, but sometimes you just want something a little different. Come discover what other entities might be worthy of your dreams… or nightmares.

Outland Q&A

Adam Richard, John Richards
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

Meet John Richards and Adam Richard, co-creators of this year’s ABC geek-comedy series Outland!

Paul Haines: A Celebration

Venue: Bar
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

An informal gathering in the bar to raise a glass or two in honour of Paul Haines, our much missed friend and colleague.

Playing God - A Guide For Beginners

Trudi Canavan, Louise Cusack, Alison Goodman, Michael Pryor, Tansy Rayner Roberts
Venue: Argyle Room
Tag: Literature
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Building a new world for your fiction can be fun and exciting. But where do you start, what should you avoid and what makes it a living, breathing, believable world?

Podcast: Galactic Suburbia

Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: Multi, Podcast Recording
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

The latest episode of the cult podcasting series, recorded live! Alisa, Alex and Tansy bring you speculative fiction news, reading notes and chat from the galactic suburbs of Australia.

Podcast: The Writer And The Critic

Alison Goodman, Kelly Link, Kirstyn McDermott, Ian Mond
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags: Literature, Podcast Recording
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 17:00

The Writer and the Critic is a monthly podcast devoted mostly to speculative fiction books, reviews and the odd bit of idle gossip. Join hosts Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond and their most estimable guests Alison Goodman and Kelly Link in this special live-recorded edition for a discussion of The Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.

Project Sky Dinosaur

Louise Angrilli
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 19:30 Ends: 20:00

Would you like to help fund a dinosaur drawn in the sky? Come along and find out more.

Readings

Cheryse Durrant, Alison Goodman, Margo Lanagan, Jason Nahrung
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

14.00 Alison Goodman
14.15 Cheryse Durrant
14.30 Margo Lanagan
14.45 Jason Nahrung

Readings

Claire Corbett, Felicity Dowker, Lisa Hannett, Angela Slatter
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

16.00 Felicity Dowker
16.15 Angela Slatter
16.30 Lisa Hannet
16.45 Claire Corbett

Readings

Alan Baxter, Jenny Blackford, Kelly Link, Tansy Rayner Roberts
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

14.00 Kelly Link
14.15 Jenny Blackford
14.30 Tansy Rayner Roberts
14.45 Alan Baxter

Readings

Stephen Dedman, Chris McMahon, Lucy Sussex, Kaaron Warren
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

15.00 Lucy Sussex
15.15 Kaaron Warren
15.30 Chris McMahon
15.45 Stephen Dedman

Readings

Louise Cusack, Danny Fahey, Patrick O'Duffy, Jo Spurrier
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

16.00 Ask a Manuscript Assessor – Louise Cusack
16.15 Danny Fahey
16.30 Jo Spurrier
16.45 Patrick O’Duffy

Readings

Sue Bursztynski, Jack Dann, Tor Roxburgh, Janeen Webb
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

17.00 Sue Burztynski
17.15 Tor Roxburgh
17.30 Jack Dann
17.45 Janeen Webb

Readings

George Ivanoff, Sarah Lee Parker, Gillian Polack, Michael Pryor
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

10.00 Sarah Lee Parker
10.15 George Ivanoff
10.30 Michael Pryor
10.45 Gillian Polack

Readings

Russell Blackford, Lyn McConchie, Travis McKenzie, Ian Nichols
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

11.00 Travis McKenzie
11.15 Lyn McConchie
11.30 Russell Blackford
11.45 Ian Nichols

Readings - Fablecroft Hour

Joanne Anderton, Steve Cameron, Dirk Flinthart, David McDonald
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

15.00 David McDonald
15.15 Steve Cameron
15.30 Joanne Anderton
15.45 Dirk Flinthart

Relative Dimensions: The Limits Of Doctor Who

Cheryse Durrant, Deborah Green, Ian Mond, Danny Oz, Grant Watson
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: Media, Sci-Fi
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Over almost 50 years Doctor Who has demonstrated itself to be one of the most versatile television concepts ever devised. It has changed actors, style, content, tone, target audience and media. How far can the concept stretch? A panel of enthusiasts and experts push Doctor Who in the strangest directions they can think of, to find out where (and, indeed, if) the concept breaks.

Revenge Of The Nerds: Fandom In TV And Film

Peter M. Ball, Cheryse Durrant, Ben McKenzie
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tag: Media
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

The Big Bang Theory, Outland, Community, Fanboys, Paul… After years of being stereotyped bit-parts, suddenly there are a plethora of TV shows and films putting geeks in the spotlight. The new breed of fan characters have individual personalities, interests and character development – but have they escaped the old stereotypes, or has going mainstream just given them a wider audience of mockers?

Sara Douglass Remembered

Russell B. Farr, Jane Routley, Lucy Sussex
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags: Fantasy, Literature
Starts: 20:30 Ends: 21:30

Sara Douglass’s (1957-2011) passing last year has left a void in the genre. Australia’s first fantasy bestseller, Sara was publishing right up until her untimely death. This panel will examine her impact and share stories of one of our most important writers.

Short Shrift For Short Fiction

Steve Cameron, Kate Eltham, Peta Freestone, George Ivanoff
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tag: YA
Starts: 09:00 Ends: 10:00

YA spec fic is booming in long form, but relatively uncommon in short form. Why is this? What are the challenges and opportunities for proponents of YA short fiction?

Short Story Workshop - FULL

Kelly Link
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 16:30

Spicks And Speckulations

Sue Ann Barber, Alison Goodman, Narrelle Harris, George Ivanoff, Kelly Link, John Richards
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tag: Entertainment
Starts: 21:00 Ends: 22:00

Inspired by the ABC music game show, two teams of ‘experts’ go head to head as their spec fic and music knowledge is tested to its hilarious limits. Who will prevail? How silly will things get? We suspect, quite silly.

Splicing Genres

Jenny Blackford, Claire Corbett, Rjurik Davidson, Lisa Hannett, Jane Routley
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags: Literature, Multi
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

Fantasy murder mysteries, horror spy novels, science fiction romance… do the best stories defy genre boundaries?

Steamplay: Memory And Playfulness In The Creation Of Steampunk

Colin Harvey
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tag: Sci-Fi
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 11:30

The label “steampunk” is at times applied to a range of works containing neither steam technology nor Victoriana, but nevertheless displaying sufficiently similar tropes and aesthetics to enable grouping together. Colin Harvey explores the manifold playful ways in which media producers collide historical and fantastical iconography with reimagined technology to produce material lending itself to characterisation as “steampunk”.

Steampunk Squalor

Nicole Canal, Paul Poulton, Michael Pryor, Jo Spurrier, Lucy Sussex
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags: History, Sci-Fi
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

For all the steam technology the Victorian Era could theoretically have commanded, the Victorian mindset was still a long way from the modern day. How much use to society are steam-powered dirigibles and computers in a milieu where science still maintains that disease is spread by miasmas?

Stranger Than Fiction

Hespa , Ben McKenzie, Chris McMahon
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

Sometimes even the oddest aliens and most marvellous myths have nothing on reality. Enter the world of two-faced cats, mind-controlled zombie ants, birds that sing with two voices, luminous slug sex and vampire squid from hell.

Sue Ann Barber: In Conversation

Sue Ann Barber, Emilly McLeay
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 12:00 Ends: 13:00

Blurb needed

Suffragettes In The Citadel, Amazons In The Engine Bay

Jane Routley, Jane Routley, Jo Spurrier, Jo Spurrier, Lucy Sussex
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tag: Multi
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Sparkly vampires, wicked queens and helpless princesses with bad taste in men. How equal are women in sci-fi and fantasy really? Who’s doing it well, how can it be done better and what does it mean to us?

Supernatural Moves On

Rachel Moore, Darren Sanderson, Jules Wilkinson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Horror, Media
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

Supernatural’s original writing team wove a complex five-season story through to a deeply satisfying ending… and then added a cliffhanger and handed the series over to a new team of writers to begin a whole new multi-season plot. So is the new Supernatural revitalised and fresh, or is this the smell of a dead horse being flogged?

Take The Pebble From My Hand, Grasshopper

Louise Cusack, Kimberley Gaal, Jane Routley, Angela Slatter, Kaaron Warren
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Writing
Starts: 09:00 Ends: 10:00

When starting out on any path it’s always good to have someone you can ask for advice. Writing is no different and there are many people willing to help. Our panellists discuss how to find a mentor, the benefits of having one and the rewards of being a mentor.

Taking Wing: From Daedalus To Deus Ex

Claire Corbett
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Sci-Fi
Starts: 19:00 Ends: 19:30

A personal reflection on the history and mythology of the passion for human flight drawing on my research for When We Have Wings.

Tales As Old As Time

Jenny Blackford, Lisa Hannett, Kirstyn McDermott, Jane Routley, Angela Slatter
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tag: Fantasy
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

Fairytales are in vogue again, all over TV and movie screens and for years collected by Ellen Datlow in retold anthologies. Why are we so fascinated with these stories? And with so many retellings and versions out there how do writers make them new again?

The Awards Debacle

Dave Cake, Kirstyn McDermott, Ian Mond, Jason Nahrung
Venues: Lincoln Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

What is the role of awards in the Australian SF community? Do we have too many? Do we need more (or different) awards? Discuss.

The Best Games You Never Heard Of

Hespa , Ben McKenzie, Alan Stewart
Venue: Drummond Room
Tag: Gaming
Starts: 22:00 Ends: 00:00

Forget Monopoly, who’s up for some Tsuro? Bartok? Martian Coasters? Join us for a quick introduction to what’s out there and where to get it, after which we open our game-boxes so you can give something new a try.

The Big Bad – Fairytale Villains

Peter M. Ball, Nalini Haynes, Margo Lanagan, Angela Slatter
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Fantasy
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Without them there wouldn’t be any fairytales, and some still haunt us into adulthood. Why do they endure and how do you keep them fresh, relevant and scary?

The Caravan Of Comics In 3D

Sarah Howell
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Comics
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Over 3 weeks in April and May this year, 11 Australians traveled to the USA and Canada to promote Australian comics and graphic novels. What were the triumphs? The lessons learnt? Don your red and blue 3D glasses to find out.

The Crafty Middle Ages

Gillian Polack
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 18:30

Dr Gillian Polack leads us through some of the crafts that created comfort and entertainment in France and England in the Middle Ages. The talk will cover crafts from manuscripts to hornwork. Alchemy may well make an appearance. There won’t be time for practical demonstrations, but anyone wishing to try certain crafts at home might want to start collecting their urine. Most of this presentation will be PC. A small segment will be downright vulgar.

The End Of The World Is Just The Beginning

Sue Ann Barber, Liz Barr, Kate Eltham, Emilly McLeay, Michael Pryor
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Literature, Sci-Fi, YA
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Dystopic futures are currently abundant in YA fiction. Why is that and is it providing a gateway into science fiction?

The Forgotten Frontier?

m1k3y , Alexandra Pierce, Jonathan Strahan
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Sci-Fi
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

In the late 90s and early 2000s space opera was THE thing and reinventing itself with a gritty realism. Less than a decade later it’s nowhere to be seen. What happened? What’s new and noteworthy in the genre today?

The Future Is Now

Alan Baxter, Louise Cusack, Kirstyn McDermott, Julia Svaganovic
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Literature, New Media
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

eBooks, iDevices, apps etc are changing how we write and read. What’s out there, what’s worth using, and is all this technology a help or a hindrance? And where to from here?

The Great Doctor Who Smackdown

Narrelle Harris, George Ivanoff
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 22:00 Ends: 23:00

Two fans, one show, many different and lively opinions. Don’t miss this!

The Hitchhiker's Guide To Furry

Kyle Evans, Chris McKenna, Sam Trotter, Erika Vasos
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Fandom
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Are furries truly an alien culture? This collection of true stories aims to look beyond the cartoon animals and delve into the truth behind furry parties, conventions and minds. With presenters whose work includes the ActFur On Air podcast and the MiDFur convention, listen as they weave wicked awesome tales of friendship, conflict and fandom.

The Intergalactic Atlas: British SFTV From 1970 To 1989

Grant Watson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags: Fantasy, History, Media, Sci-Fi
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

In 2011 Grant Watson, with the aid of a Powerpoint presentation, tracked the history of British science fiction and fantasy television from 1938 to 1969. In this second instalment, he continues the journey from Jon Pertwee and Doomwatch, through Tom Baker, Blake’s 7 and Survivors, to the end of an era with Sylvester McCoy, Red Dwarf and Star Cops.

The Many Faces Of Sherlock Holmes

Narrelle Harris, Paul Poulton, Jane Routley, Cat Sparks, Brian Walls
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags:
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

Sherlock seems to be everywhere these days. Our panellists take a look at all the new adaptations, how true they stay to Conan Doyle’s original text and ask, why is he suddenly so popular again?

The Movie Trailer Panel

Mitch , Paul Poulton
Venue: Argyle Room
Tag: Media
Starts: 23:00 Ends: 00:00

In time-honoured Continuum tradition, your hosts Mitch and Paul will take you on a magical journey through cinema yet to come.

The Newbie's Guide To Writing

Steve Cameron, David McDonald, Travis McKenzie, Amanda Pillar, Jane Routley
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Writing
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

New to writing? Not sure what to expect? Our panellists discuss critiquing, dealing with rejection, and everything else they wish they’d known when they’d started.

Turning The Gears: Steampunk Craft

Nicole Canal, Paul Poulton, Michael Pryor, Jo Spurrier
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Craft, Sci-Fi
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

The steampunk aesthetic is based on power: pistons that pump and cogs that turn. So is it cheating to just stick gears on something and spray-paint it brass? Does steampunk craft need to be functional?

Twelfth Planet Press Hour

Narrelle Harris, Alisa Krasnostein, Jason Nahrung
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 19:00 Ends: 20:00

Ever wondered how your favorite Twelve Planet collection would taste like in cupcake form? Then come along to the Twelfth Planet Cocktail hour, to celebrate the launch of the newest Twelve Planets, ‘Through Splintered Walls’, by Kaaron Warren, and ‘Cracklescape’ by Margo Lanagan, plus the new TPP novella ‘Salvage’ by Jason Nahrung and a surprise announcement! Each book will be lovingly interpreted as a cupcake by master baker, Terri Sellen. Your cocktail choice is entirely your own…

Under ConStruction: Building Community

Hespa , Samara Morgan
Venue: Drummond Room
Tag: Under ConStruction
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Fandom is a community, but we can’t just say that and make it happen. How do we get new people interested and, more importantly, comfortable in the convention scene? And how do we actually build a community that comes back next year?

Under ConStruction: Fundraising

Emilly McLeay, Samara Morgan
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Under ConStruction
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Has anyone seen a convention have too much money? TELL US HOW THEY DID IT.

Use Your Power For Good: Fandom For A Cause

Leanne Girdwood, Peter Jordan, Mark Marcus, Zac Mennen
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Fandom
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

When fandom gets organised it can be a powerful force for good. Find out some of the ways people are getting causes into their fandom and fandom into their causes!

Vampires: From Horror To Heart-Throb

Sue Bursztynski, Felicity Dowker, Narrelle Harris, Jason Nahrung, Amanda Pillar
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags: Fantasy, Horror
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

In the age of vampires as heart throbs with tortured souls, can they ever return to the frightening evil parasites of yore? Are we forever stuck with the vampire as sympathetic hero or can they return to their former glory and find the monster within? Is anyone out there not writing sparkly vampires? And what does it say about us that this is what we desire most in a lover?

We Want Your Brainz

Peter M. Ball, Stephen Dedman, Felicity Dowker, Kelly Link, David McDonald
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Horror
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Zombies have taken over in the last 5 years or so and have gone mainstream, but their lore is still being written. How have they changed since the 1970s and what does the explosion of them now say about our present psyche? Could it be a pandemic as recent writers have postulated? And will they ever become sparkly?

What The NAFF Is A Fan Fund?

Sue Ann Barber, Sarah Lee Parker, Alan Stewart
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Fandom
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Fan Funds are here to encourage fans to meet and get to know each other, exchange fandom ideas and see other conventions in action. Come and hear how they work – and how you could get involved.

What's It Worth?

Alan Baxter, Kate Eltham, Jason Nahrung, Steven O'Connor, Jonathan Strahan
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: New Media
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

The eBook industry is on the rise, but for many consumers price is a sticking point. Why do we undervalue eBooks? What are the potential consequences for books and authors if the mindset continues? In short, what’s it worth?

Whedonites Assemble!

m1k3y , Nicole Canal, Alice Clarke, Cheryse Durrant
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 23:00 Ends: 00:00

We have to talk about The Avengers, right? Right! We’ll also explore why evil, faceless corporations like Wolfram & Hart, Rossum and Blue Sun are recurring entities in Joss’s work.

Where Are All The Wonder Women?

Russell Blackford, Alice Clarke, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Grant Watson
Venue: Pelham Room
Tags:
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

There’s no shortage of female superheroes (or villains!), but few have attained the iconic status of, say, Wonder Woman. Why is this? Which characters deserve better? A discussion of female representation in comics.

Where Has All The Sci-Fi Gone?

David Golding, Ian Nichols, Michael Pryor, Cat Sparks, Jonathan Strahan
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

While sci-fi is very popular in Australia there is very little published or written here. With paranormal romance dominating genre shelves, has the rise of fantasy killed Australian sci-fi?

Why We FanCraft

Allan Carey, Rachel Holkner, Emma Wearmouth
Venue: Lincoln Room
Tags: Craft, Fandom
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Jayne hats, TARDIS tea cosies, Portal cakes, Jabba the Hutt body pillows – is no one keeping the world of fancraft in check? From screen accurate prop and costume replicas to the application of fictional logos to our cars, from recycled floppy disk X-Wings to 300 acre Ewok villages. Why do we do this? Why WOULDN’T you do this? How far can it go? Will nobody think of the memes!

Winter Is Coming

Kelly Link, David McDonald, Ben McKenzie, Mick Mihalic, Jules Wilkinson
Venue: Argyle Room
Tags: Fantasy, Literature, Media
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

As the second season of the TV adaptation draws to a close, join us for a discussion of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series in all its forms.

Workshop: 10 Ways to Improve Your Story

Michael Pryor
Venue: Faraday Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:30

Ten nitty-gritty, highly practical tips for improving your writing, explained and demonstrated. Proven effective in clinical trials!

Workshop: A Spaceship Stole My Baby Dragon - Writing For Kids

Cheryse Durrant
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 10:00 Ends: 11:00

Children’s writing tutor Cheryse Durrant helps guide youngsters through the solar eclipses and black holes of story writing. Includes brainstorming, story structure and being space detectives.

Workshop: A Stitch In Time Travel Preview & Beta Test

Alisa Krasnostein
Venue: Bar
Tags:
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Come and help beta test a pattern from the upcoming new craft ebook from Twelfth Planet Press. Crochet hooks optional. Numbers limited – sign up sheet at rego desk.

Workshop: Cartooning For Kids with Squishface Studio

Sarah Howell, Arran McKenna
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Comics, For Kids, Workshop
Starts: 09:30 Ends: 11:00

Join Sarah Howell and Arran McKenna from Brunswick’s Squishface Studio to get down to some fun drawing challenges that will improve your cartooning skills.

Workshop: Conbag Craft

Trudi Canavan
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Craft, Workshop
Starts: 11:00 Ends: 12:00

Ever wished you could do something useful with con bag contents you don’t need? Trudi will show you how, using basic bookbinding techniques and a ‘con craft kit’ of basic tools. The only con t-shirt left is too small, or you simply have too many of them? Trudi will show you simple no-sew ways to turn a t-shirt into a bag (t-shirt provided). Participants limited to ten and a $6 fee to cover the cost of the kit contents.

Workshop: Diagnose Your Scene

Alison Goodman
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Workshop, Writing
Starts: 17:00 Ends: 18:00

A hands-on one hour workshop with Alison Goodman, who will take you through some great diagnostic tools that will help you improve your scene-writing skills. Participants should bring a scene that they have written.

Max. 20 people (sign-up sheet at rego desk)

Workshop: Dragon Flying School

Sarah Lee Parker
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: For Kids, Workshop
Starts: 15:00 Ends: 16:00

Make and decorate your own flight-capable paper dragon!

Workshop: Juggling & Making Juggling Balls

David Cook
Venue: Drummond Room
Tag: Workshop
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 15:00

Learn how to make your own juggling balls – and how to juggle them too!

Workshop: Legocraft

Sue Ann Barber
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Craft, Workshop
Starts: 19:00 Ends: 20:00

What says “potential” like a big pile of coloured bricks waiting to be snapped together?

Workshop: Legocraft (kids' edition)

Sue Ann Barber
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags: Craft, For Kids, Workshop
Starts: 16:00 Ends: 17:00

What says “potential” like a big pile of coloured bricks waiting to be snapped together?

Workshop: Write The Fight Right

Alan Baxter
Venue: Drummond Room
Tags:
Starts: 14:00 Ends: 16:00

A workshop looking at the things that make a fight scene in a story read as realistically as possible, while maintaining excitement and pace. By looking at the various factors that go into a real fight, paying attention to the things that we train for when we learn to fight, we can write fight scenes that stay exciting without breaking the rules of realism that shatter believability.

Writing Different Genders, Sexualities And Cultures

Deborah Biancotti, Trudi Canavan, Louise Cusack, Gillian Polack
Venue: Pelham Room
Tag: Writing
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

In which our fearless authors delve into the ethics, issues and techniques for writing characters who are ‘different’. We’ll discuss how to work with unfamiliar, alien, or just plain diverse perspectives, and we’ll delve into the dangers and satisfactions of writing from another point of view. Finally, we’ll examine some of the reactions to ‘other’ writing and ask what motivates a writer to keep working with genders, sexualities and cultures that are not their own.

Writing Storyworlds - New Versus Existing

Claire Corbett, Louise Cusack, Colin Harvey, Danny Oz
Venue: Faraday Room
Tag: Writing
Starts: 18:00 Ends: 19:00

A discussion of the processes involved in creating convincing storyworlds from scratch compared with writing material for existing storyworlds such as Doctor Who, Highlander and Dan Dare.

You Say You Want A Revolution

m1k3y , Dave Cake, Rjurik Davidson, Roman Orszanski, Sarah Stokely
Venues: Argyle Room, Lincoln Room
Tags:
Starts: 22:00 Ends: 23:00

“People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
— Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

In the last 18 months multiple decades-old dictatorships have fallen, people are occupying the streets worldwide protesting capitalism, and Twitter has been at the centre of it all. Is Twitter the catalyst or the tool of the global social revolution? Why was it Twitter and not Facebook? Is Twitter here to stay, and if not, what will replace it? And where is all this revolution leading? Are we headed into a brave new world or will it be more of the same?