Synthetic ConFusion Programming notes differences from last year:

[jeffreyab]

Starting my review of programming:

Missing from last year was 10 pm panels on Friday, but we had only one less panel and one of those ran for 2 hours;

10 AM panels on Saturday but last year mixed in signings with panels;

11 AM panels on Sunday except for the whip demo and a coffee with and

All gaming events because we went to open gaming which appears to have worked very well the room was always full.

Fewer big name author panelists balanced by using workshoppers on panels at their request.

Readings in consuite too noisy and clashed with folks wanting to eat at tables.

Press Room for zine and Infusion newsletter. Hotel computer was very handy for printing stuff off.

Based on attendance we could split Denn i and Denn II and have two rooms on Friday.

Layout in Med Room needs to be watched, someone moved tables and dessert eaters flowed into gaming area which did not happen last year. Also need to leave tables empty for Junk pile wars at 6 on Saturday hide them from gamers.

Art Room was chaotic but offered a wide range of presentations from anime to sculpture to books.
Needs a room boss/scheduler of presentations.

Green Room's location needs to be part of personal schedules and repeated by person doing panelist checkin.

List of past GOH's etc. expected to attend and badges for them, Fan GOH's reminded of Fan GOH panel.

Bill Kolosa to run Anime/Video Room next year with equipment in pet cage. Spirited Away anime by day balanced with Ghost in shell at night?

All departments to have prelim list panels in by mid November if possible.

Comments

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

From what I gathered from various comments you made, it seemed like you were under a lot of pressure to cut back the number of panelists, especially comped panelists, and that was part of why programming was leaner. I think this was a really bad idea - it might give us a short term benefit, but in the long term, it's our great programming that sets us apart and attracts attendees, and if we lose that we're screwed.

I'd also like to see more fans put on programming, instead of just authors. For example, we could have easily found a few readers to lead a panel on best SF books read in the past year, for example.

I know programming early on Friday is sparsely attended, but we need to keep doing Friday panels to encourage people to come out on Friday. The way the schedule was this year, if I was a panel fan I would have had no reason to come out until Saturday.

[(Anonymous)]

We do need a good way to solicit fan programming.

We did use the fans that approached us but did not recruit much in this area.

I think an email form on the con homepage allowing fans to submit panel proposals would be one way.

We also had fewer pros this year as some of last year's attendees were not with us this year.

We actually did about the same number of Friday panels as last year.

If a panel fan did not come on Friday they would miss 2 readings, an interview with the pro GOH, opening ceremonies, a concert with Heather Alexander or a panel with John Scalzi and Steven Brust and an anime presentation.

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

When I took over as chair of ConFusion, I spearheaded a big push to attract more pros - we did a mailing to every SFWA member in MI, OH, IL and IN. That's where we got current regulars like Tobias Buckell and Steven Climer from. It's probably time to do something like that again.

Roxanne asked me to send her a copy of timelines I developed for previous years, and one task that's noted on there is sending out a call for program ideas and panelists to the Stilyagi list. That's all that's needed to get more fan participation.

[jeffreyab.livejournal.com]

I agree its time to do another SFWA sweep and see what happened to Michael Kube McDowell. Whose SFWA directory did we use last time?

I let my prejudice get the better of me with fan programming, let the bad experiences outway the good ones.

I also wanted to see how lit/sci/art played out before I got into soliciting fan, but I got distracted with some details and that was about when my email problems started.

I did contact all the local fans we used last year when I contacted the pros. However only a few people came forward with ideas and those people were on the program.

As I said to Alex I think someone from Ann Arbor should put together fan panels as they have a better idea of the talent pool.

[avt-tor.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with Tammy here.

[jeffreyab.livejournal.com]

I agree.

I overstretched myself here taking on gaming and video as well.

The energy I spent on organizing gaming and video could have been spent on recruiting for fan based panels.

I do reccomend having a specific local to Ann Arbor person to organize fan panels. A local will have a better idea of who is in the talent pool.

We could also rearrange our rooms to spread the panels out a bit more during the day on Saturday.

Sunday is a bit harder because out of towners want to get on the road early and in towners who are not staying at the hotel do not always want to come back to it.

Programming

[(Anonymous)]

Hi, this is my first Livejournal comment ever, so be nice.
Regarding programming, I agree with Tammy that superior programming is always a good thing. I would like to add, however, that other equally impressive things set ConFusion apart for me. These include: the quality and hours of the Consuite, the availability of the Gopher Hole (even though I never use it, I think it is a big draw for volunteers)and yes, the friendliness and availability of the staff and ConCom. Returning to programming, for several years I have wanted to do a trivia contest, but always wimped out. Next year I have hopes for. Also, I had an idea for a panel, I'm still mulling it over. I had a truly wonderful time this year. Thanks!
-Matt Fanny
(it's listed as anonymous becaue I don't have a LiveJournal account or an OpenID, whatever that is)

Re: Programming

[(Anonymous)]

Trivia Contest is a good idea if you are up for it.

I think you would do a good job given your teaching experience.

We have them when people ask us if they can them.

The last one was a Babylon 5 themed one.

Re: Programming

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

You can definitely take lots of credit for the quality of the consuite, Matt - your help was absolutely indispensible!