Science Fiction
Fandom
The Future is
Now
SCIENCE FICTION FANDOM is a series of TV
shows showing activities at various Science Fiction Conventions
(Cons) that have taken place in the Boston, Massachusetts, USA
area. The show was created for, and originally broadcast on Malden Access TV, but is available for broadcast on other cable
access stations. The shows below are in Real Player format. A broadband connection is needed to view
them.
FOR NEWER EPISODES CLICK HERE
- April 2006
But Wait, There's More discussion panel at Boskone43.
Finding out about other science fiction conventions.
- May 2006
Why Serenity was more fun than
Star Wars
discussion panel at Boskone43.
Comparing the film SERENITY (based on the
cancelled TV show FIREFLY)
against Star Wars (any of the Star Wars films, but
specifically REVENGE OF THE SITH)
- June 2006
Noreascon4 Time Machine / Retro
Hugos The world
science fiction convention of 2004
was held in Boson, MA, USA. The HUGO's are like the
OSCAR's of the Science Fiction World.
World Cons are allowed to award Hugo's to certain years
works IF there were no Hugo's awarded
for that year. The folks at Noreascon4, in addition to
awarding Hugo's for the work done in 2003,
decided to award Retro Hugos's for the Science Fiction
work that was done in 1953. This is that ceremony.
NOTE: also you will see interviews with some of the major
convention guests.
- July 2006
Noreascon4 Time Machine / Retro
Hugos Pt2 The
finish of the Retro Hugo awards and a glance at
the different rooms and activites at the convention.
NOTE: The tables get turned on Fan Guest of Honor Peter
Weston as HE gets interviewd by Terry Pratchett
- August 2006
Noreascon4 preliminary Hugo
ceremony.
Neil Gaiman is the master of ceremonies for this event.
There are a few pre-awards and discussion on the history
of the Hugo Awards by Neil and by someone
who has attended every Hugo ceremony to date ... Robert
Silverberg.
- September 2006
Noreascon4 Hugo Awards The BEST of SF in 2003.
The awards given out in this segment are:
John W. Campbell Award for New Writers (Not a Hugo)
The Best Fan Artist
The Best Fan Writer
The Best Fanzine
The Best Semi-Prozine
The Best Dramatic Presentation .. Short Form
The Best Professional Artist
The Best Professional Editor
The Best Related Book
- October 2006
Noreascon4 Hugo Awards Pt2 Completion of the Hugo ceremonies.
The Best Dramitic Presentation ... Long Form
The Best Short Story
The Best Novella
The Best Novellette
The Best Novel
- November 2006
Noreascon4 Masquerade .. Pt1, the Junior Division
One of the many interests in Fandom is creating costumes.
Some fans will spend hours and hours
designing, then sewing (and sometimes using other skills)
to create a costume of a favorite
book, movie or tv show character or theme.
Since Terry Pratchett was one of the con's major Guests
of Honor quite a few of the costumes
have taken inspiration from Terry's many books.
- December 2006
Podcasting 101, a panel discussion
held at United Fan Con, Springfield, MA on 11/11/06
Kevin Bachelder associated with two Firefly/Serenity
podcasts, and one Farscape podcast,
join Matt "Mattman" Herring and Brian LeTendre
co-hosts of the Secret Identiy podcast
to discuss how to find and listen to a podcast, and how
to start your own.
(NOTE: the Noreascon4 Masquerade will continue in a
future show)
- January 2007
Still Flying, a panel discussion held at United Fan
Con. Members of the New England Browncoats
show why Firefly and Serenity is not dead .. at least in
the hearts of it's fans .. by showing
an incredible amount of "stuff" that fans can
purchase.
- February 2007
Two events held at ARISIA '07
A demonstration of Lightsaber fighting techniques by two
members of the Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester, MA
and a discussion of the recent change of the planet Pluto
from full planet to "dwarf planet"
Arisia '07 was a con held in Cambridge, MA in January.
- March 2007
Masquerade for First Timers
Panel discussion held at ARISIA 07. Costuming veterans
Toni Lay, Jan Howard Finder (The Wombat), Suford Lewis
and
the Masquerade Director for this years Arisia .. Jill
Eastlake discuss what a person considering entering a
costume
contest for the first time needs to know.
- April 2007
ARISIA 2007 MASQUERADE
The actual costume contest at the 2007 Arisia Convention.
Some of the participants were not competing,
but only were on stage to display their costumes. The
winners of the Junior Division are shown, but there
was not time in my show to list the winners in the other
catagories. ALL the winners can be found here.
Masquerade Director Jill Eastlake's report can be found here.
- May 2007
The Works of David Gerrold
Panel discussion at BOSKONE 44. Panel members Lawrence
Schoen, Michael A. Berstein,
Tony Lewis and Allen Steele discuss the works of the
con's Guest of Honor, David Gerrold
NOTE::David's book THE MARTIAN CHILD is discussed.
It has been made into a feature movie to be released in the fall of 2007.
- June 2007
Making The Science Real (or at
least making it seem real)
Panel discussion at BOSKONE 44. Real science can
be an essential part of science fiction. How can a writer
keep the science real?
And how and where can you stretch a bit such that it
seems real (at least in the context of the story) but
isn't? FTL drives are obvious,
but there are others.
Panel members Allen M.
Steele, Steven Popkes, Shariann Lewitt, and Glenn Grant
- July 2007
Class-Based Societies in
Fantasy and Science Fiction
Panel discussion at BOSKONE 44 One of the political
ramifications of fantasy and some SF: Why would a writer
create a world
with unpleasant class politics, with a caste structure
where position is based on genetics only and social
mobility is restricted?
Why would someone living in a democratic republic write
so glowingly of kings? Is it appropriate to do so in
far-future SF
(something Damon Knight criticized A.E. van Vogt for)?
Panel members are Jane Yolen, James D. MacDonald, Paul
Park (M), and George R.R. Martin.
- August 2007
TO BOLDY GO: Ethical Issues in
Star Trek Through The Years
Panel discussion at BOSKONE 44
David Gerrold, Suford Lewis, and Lou Anders discuss
behind the scenes at the various Star Trek series shows
over the years,
and the problems in making shows about social commentary.
Suford was mainly the moderator, and Lou certainly had
things to say,
but the bulk of the hour was taken up by the Con's Guest
Of Honor .. David Gerrold.
- September 2007
My Favorite Monsters
Panel discussion at BOSKONE 44
We often talk about our favorite characters in SF,
fantasy, and myth, but what about our favorite monsters?
The yeti, the golem, the ghost, the dragon, the
lamia--what's your most cherished monster of myth or
legend? What makes some creatures memorable and others
forgettable?
Panel members S. C. Butler, Allen M. Steele, & Bob
Eggleton.
- October 2007
Boskone 44 Guest Of Honor Speech
David Gerrold talks (and walks).. and talks (and
walks)... and talks (good stuff) ;-)
- November 2007
All Things Joss Whedon
Panel at United Fan Con 11/3/07. Dave Adams and Melissa
Honig discuss the latest news about the creator of the TV
shows Firefly and Buffy
Vampier Slayer .. Joss Whedon.
- December 2007
Doctor Who, Old and New
Panel at United Fan Con 11/3/07 Comparing the current
Doctor Who series/actors with the old series/actors.
FOR NEWER
EPISODES CLICK HERE
For more information on the BOSKONE
science fiction convention click
here.
For more information on the NOREASCON4
convention click here
For more information on UNITED FAN CON click
here
For more information on ARISIA '07 click here
If you are a fan of Farscape or Firefly
/ Serenity you may enjoy listening to the
podcasts:
The ScapeCast: http://www.scapecast.org
The Signal: http://www.serenityfirefly.com
For more information on the show,
SCIENCE FICTION FANDOM, contact the producer, Richard Amirault (
ramirault_at_verizon_dot_net )
