Having trouble deciding between getting an extra hour of sleep, eating breakfast, and attending a panel? Well, we've made it a little easier. Join John Robertson for an informal Q&A session over breakfast. Seating not at tables will be available for those who don't wish to partake of the buffet goodness. Afraid you won't be awake enough to remember the ...

Ernest Rutherford once said that "All science is either physics or stamp collecting". This panel will look at cool new developments in the 'squishy' sciences - including human biology, zoology, anthropology, psychology.

No panellists - not this year.

Join Michael Cogan over lunch to get together and discuss the books you read in order to meet the authors (authors are not invited). Bring your favourite books and share your thoughts then take them to the signing in the afternoon!

NB: Location: Hotel Restaurant

Best short media of 2009 from the internet Original content

No panellists - not this year.

Best short media of 2009 from the internet Transformative fanworks

No panellists - not this year.

What makes for a good sf/fandom/science blog; examples

Merged into: The public versus the private in online spaces

http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/102

Now in its third successful year, join in the fun and test your powers of observation by watching snippets of clips from film & TV, and try to answer those questions...

Clear your guns...get ready for a dogfight.

Wings of War is a simple miniatures game of air combat in World War One. The world record game had 41 planes on the table. There is no Australian record. Yet (current world record is 37 pilots).

Each player manoeuvres their miniature plane (using a deck of cards) in a furious dogfight with the other players. ...

Apocalypses and Sustainable Population.

From writing mechanics, to formatting, to knowing how to use word processor features: what you can do to make your editor's life easier, and to make the editing process as pain-free as possible for both of you.

Stories about small furry animals

This is actually several different panels and is being retired from the program because it's not actually a panel itself.

Best of short works - need someone for this!

No panellists - not this year.

With a virtual guest streamed to both live Swancon and online.

What does science have to say about heaven and hell?

Ten people speaking for four minutes on their favourite games

Ask ten people to speak for FOUR MINUTES on their favourite book

No panellists - not this year.

Types, platforms, strengths, weaknesses, examples.

No panellists - not this year.

Niche Marketing To The Geek Demographic

Marking 'Not this year' for lack of panellists.

From War of the Worlds to Carl Sagan's Contact and beyond: a discussion of first contact novels and movies.

Hang out, chat, meet people, talk about stuff. Oh and drink coffee :p

No panellists - not this year.

This paper is driven by two questions: What is copyright? and How should it work? One common view of copyright is that it’s a way for authors to protect their hard work. While this is true, it is not the whole story. In particular: it is not individual authors who control and influence copyright law -- it is corporate authors, such as Disney, and government ...

Are you a fan of 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, The Andromeda Strain, or The Stand? Is Pestilence your favourite horseman of the apocalypse? Disease outbreaks are a handy source of drama for individual characters or whole galaxies. Find out why plagues, pandemics and panic make great stories in history, in science, and in fiction.

Aerobics and dancing game. Get some exercise and humiliate yourself in public - go on, you know you want to. Think of all that pizza last night.

Participate at your own risk!

Holograms, online archives, mashups... how does it compare to traditional art practices? Discussion with examples.

Mutant Genes With Solar Flares

The various carnivals, fan debates on PoC, gender, sexualities, censorship; charities, memes, fests, nonprofit orgs.

Bring new works and share for the first time; or share the work of a favourite author/vidder.

No panellists - not this year.

Ken Macleod's Learning the World, the BBC's A for Andromeda, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, C.J. Cherryh, Sheri S. Tepper, Elizabeth Moon and Ursula Le Guin

No panellists - not this year.

Gaming is often seen a guy thing, but is it really true? How do men and women approach gaming differently? Does the type of game: card, board, video, arcade, PC or online matter? Do people play differently in same-sex versus mixed groups? What about when people don't know other players?

"Anime" covers a huge range of subgenres which can be daunting to the non-fan with specific tastes. Come find out about some of the great science fiction and fantasy anime ... now with giant robot and schoolgirl love. <strike>with a money back no giant robots or schoolgirls guarantee!</strike>.

What is it, how does it work, what impact will it have in the future?

A 30 minute short story writing contest. Ever needed or wanted to write a story in a hurry? Then here's the place to come to learn how.

Between Diamond and Newspapers dropping comics left, right and center, the traditional methods of getting a comic printed are dying out. So why not put your work online? Join us as we discuss how to get your work online, why you should, some of the common pitfalls seen in online comics and some of the success stories.

Learn the tricks of the fanfiction trade: how to hook your readers into your story, and how to critique with tact.

Jared Diamond's non-fiction work accessibly covers the entire of human history - the evolution of humans and human sexuality (The Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee and Why is Sex Fun?), the evolution of agriculture and different cultures (Guns, Germs and Steel) through to an assessment of how societies choose to survive or fail (Collapse). Come and find ...

Subtly (or not) take out your competitors. This will be run adjacent to the regular programme and is designed not to interfere with the con itself.

Participate at your own risk!

No panellists - not this year.

Codes of Conduct, Clans, Pilots, Healers, Dramliz, Terrans, Turtles, Sentient Trees, Spies, Scouts, Traders, Soldiers, Mercenaries, Juntavas, Gamblers, Scholars, Artists, Musicians, Romance and Wonder, Space Battles and Deepest Intrigue, Cultural Pioneering and Cats.

"Of the Great Houses, there are precisely 50. And then there is Korval"

"In ...

Well, we've done two Magical Hat of Mysteries in a row - and we'd like to do another late- night comedy panel, but we want to make something new for everybody - so, even though I'm writing this, I don't really know what the panel is... but then, we never really knew what Magical Hat was going to be either... :-)

You're trapped in the locked cargo hold of a sinking ship. You have a pen knife, toothpick, roll of duct tape and a carrier pigeon. What do you do?

Changed to not this year due to lack of panellists.

Fight Choreography, in the theme of Star Wars. See what has spawned from last years Jedi Boot Camp and more! Feel free to dress up in costume! Suitable for children young and old.

Spectate at your own risk! (Never underestimate the power of the Force)

How is meta influencing current stories; what are the must reads/watches and why; what are the current trends; what's controversial?

Part demonstration, part practical workshop, this looks at how chemistry, physics and psychology can be combined to revisit the hows and whys of cooking, as well as how a knowledge of the underlying science can help create amazing new dishes.

Participate at your own risk!

Location: Fan Lounge

Writer of awesome first contact trilogy Lilith's Brood (formerly Xenogenesis trilogy).

This is partially covered by the First Contact panel.

eg: Edwin Charles Tubb

Not enough votes to place this year.

Both on and offline: the definition, examples, how plagiarism connects with copyright

How to, SF examples, where to find them and post your own.

We have no panellists.

Requested for parenting room as well as wider audience.

We're going to do this but it's not a panel as such so I'm retiring it from the list of active panels suggestions.

Green energy Popular idea - we need people to run it though.

Already covered with Spike vs Precipice. Not this year.

Project Runway - Swancon edition: Work in teams to transform mundane and boring everyday items into fabulous couture of the 25th century to send down the runway! BYO scissors.

Participate at your own risk!

Come along and watch or participate as our panellists guide audience participants on how to run panels.

Ehat programs are there, in which everyday users can donate some processing towards large science projects such as SETI, DNA research or prime numbers? Pros, cons, what success have they had?

Live action Quidditch! Run! Jump! Throw things!

Participate at your own risk!

Author readings

Most people go straight to the lunatic fringe when they think of anthropormophic animal or 'Furry' films or television programs, missing out on the wealth of good stories that come under the Furry banner. Join husband and wife team, Desiree and Drhoz, as they discuss what's out there to see.

Adult themes.

Join our panelists as they discuss the good (and not so good) qualities of selected male characters from genre fiction and films. Then decide their fates in 'Shag, Marry or Cliff'.

Warm up those vocal cords for rousing choruses of geek songs from TV and film from (potentially, but certainly not limited to)Buffy, Dr Horrible, The Goodies, Monty Python and more...

Singstar karaoke competition!

A sign-up sheet will be on/near the main desk during Friday and Saturday.

There will be free-range karaoke after the competition.

Genre fic is full of wacky names and pseudo language fragments. Do the writers ever say them aloud? Probably not. Join the group to reach a consensus on d'Xough*lahaq (bless you) and friends.

This panel is being moved to the 'not this year' category due to lack of a volunteer.

Game where the emcee reads out a title, author, and plot summary and specifies opening or closing sentence. Participants (panelists only? panelists + audience volunteers? audience teams?) write a plausible sentence for the book. The emcee reads the submissions, along with the actual one, and the audience votes for most likely (and/or most entertaining). ...

Tattoo And Body Mod Anecdote Swap

Not this year: Kaneda is dooing "Tattoo you" which is a little too similar.

Over the years, fantasy has varied from stand-alone novels to trilogies, to 5 book trilogies, to 10 or more book series. Topics have varied even more so, including elves and dwarves; farmer's sons or daughters who are prophesied to save the world; young thieves who find themselves caught up in world changing events; telepathic companions; magic; mysteries ...

We should microchip EVERYONE

Survival exercise for fun and profit - will you eat your teammates?

http://www.womenexplore.org/curriculum/artic.html

Enough activities already - not this year.

What are they, how do the work, what about the name? How do you judge what's popular in virtual terms? Backtracking, LJ Toys, hit counters. The rise of MySpace and FaceBook, versus blogs and LJ. Plus! Is there such a thing as private space online? Is it always okay to link to a public post? Why do people choose pseudonyms, and what meanings do they have in ...

Is there such a thing as private space online? Is it always okay to link to a public post? Why do people choose pseudonyms, and what meanings do they have in online spaces? Are the used in the same way as traditional pennames. What happens when someone's "outed"?

Merging this into http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/101 - The politics of "...

Traffic Control With Flying Cars

Come along to watch the latest trailers for 2009's biggest anime productions, as well as some more obscure releases coming in under the radar.

Adult themes.

Another year, another batch of Hollywood blockbusters vying for film-going public's attention. Come along to watch the latest trailers for 2009's biggest science fiction and fantasy blockbusters, as well as some more obscure releases coming in under the radar. From the team who predicted Pirates of the Carribbean would be great (it was), Hellboy would be a...

The ethics, the problems, the pluses. What impact have different platforms had? Freecode movement vs fanworks. What others are out there? What impact will it have on traditional IP products?

This looks more like an academic panel and would need a sponsor to prepare it.

This genre has taken off in the last few years and swamped the romance section. From Anita Blake and her unnatural lovers, to Betsey, the high-maintenance monarch of the undead. How have representations of heroines and hero's changed?

Adult themes.

Tips and techniques for everyone from beginners to advanced vidders.

From Orac to HAL to Skynet, come and discuss the various visions of computers in SF. Past, present and whatever they may hold in the future.

Who's using them, what can they do, how effective are they.

Academic paper by Tess Williams being presented on similar topic.

What's involved in setting one up, what are the maintenance issues. I think the Red Book is being turned into a wiki, so the people involved in that project would be good on this panel.

Celebrating the finest (and the not so finest) moments in Anime. Come and find out what to look for and be inspired! Find out what to avoid... or seek out if that's your thing.

Adult themes.

What Happens To The Human Body In Space

Create a kit out of everyday items and workshop defending the hotel.

Participate at your own risk!

Location: Fan Lounge

Looking at the history of the character throughout books, cartoons, and films. We will examine the history of the series, why we still enjoy reading Tintin today and our favourite stories.

Join us in exploring Tintin on screen both animated and live.

More sci-fi than spies

Come join the panelist as we look down memory lane through various clips of 40 years of landing on the moon, films, TV, the events and music that shaped the year of 1969.

Historically, comic books and graphic novels published in the English-speaking world have been overwhelmingly directed at a male readership. In North America the superhero genre has spent decades with an effective stranglehold over the medium, with only the recent explosion of imported manga titles showing any difference. Recent attempts by publishers such ...

The Persuaders, The Champions etc.

A discussion of video games, violence and their impact on children. Come hear about games, how they've developed over the years and learn about what to play that doesn't involve splatter-art.

'If you've got a blacklist, I want to be on it...'

Science fiction and fantasy books feature prominently in the pantheon of banned books. Books that seem inoffensive to today's readers, such as The Wizard of Oz, were previously considered so dangerous that schools and libraries refused to hold them. Classics of the genre including Slaughterhouse Five and ...

This panel is being retired from the program because it has since been developed further and has several slots under "Invitation to Game"

What is it? How do you play?

Who does it well? Who does it badly? Tips and tricks

Green AND greed is the motto as you make your own copy of the enjoyable (and free!) Space Junk.

The popularity of modern games has lead some designers to release them as free do-it-yourself editions, so-called 'Print-And-Play' games. Often the components are best described as 'functional'. If the game is good enough, other gamers might decide to improve the ...

What boardgames work well with kids? What are your experiences? Where do you GET all these games?

Many modern games are suitable for family play. Some companies (such as HABA) produce innovative games for children of all ages. This workshop is an open discussion about gaming with children as young as three, and will provide children (and grownups!) with an ...

Join Richard Morgan, International Guest of Honour, as he talks about his books and writing.

Will we hit an ecotastrophe before we hit an information explosion?

Can we hold off the global warming "collapse" long enough to have the explosion of technologies that would come with the spike around to fix it. (I am specifically thinking about nanotech as a "fix" solution, since it is so useful as a "carbon squestering" ...

Poe Reading

Come and listen to the experts discuss renowned director and screen writer Hayao Miyazaki, (Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away) and stay for a screening of one of his works.

It's easy to love a good movie - but what about bad ones? Why time watching something that's so terribly made? From low-budget knock-offs to massively expensive Hollywood disasters, the world of cinema is littered with the unloved, the farcical, the ridiculous and the seemingly unwatchable. A team of bad-movie connoisseurs explain the attraction and thea...

The Bard has had influence over a lot more than just drama. Kate and Liz discuss Shakespearean ideas and how they have found their way into the SF world. Is this a light sabre I see before me, the handle toward my hand? A force, a force, my kingdom for a force!

Interactive workshop? Build something that walks!

Lois McMaster Bujold freeform role-playing (2 hours)

Participate at your own risk!

Smut readings held late at night.

Adult themes.

Retroviruses acting like giant evolutionary computers; genetically engineered super soldiers; languages which allow you to see through time; downloading into different bodies and the strange psychology of the immortal: we discuss the wonderful places science fiction can go when it remembers that there's more to science than physics and computers.

Traditionally, Space Opera is seen as Science fiction. This panel is to discuss whether this is indeed the case, or whether the genre would be better described as a form of Fantasy. This is to be a group discussion, led by the panelists. Specific examples will be looked at, which will include LMB's Vorkosigan universe, as well as Star Wars as a counterpoint.

Discuss!

Merging with SF Films to remake

It's The Future and you're in the brainstorming session for the latest pet craze! Does the market want a cat with wings? A dragon? A pocket unicorn? Easy! Three artists take audience suggestions and turn them into visual reality in their own very different styles. But there's a twist - some of the artists have animal ethical and wildlife watchdogs observing ...

What's coming up? What looks good? What looks terrible but we're going to watch anyway?

Red Dwarf, Discworld, Hal Spacejock. Where does humour work well in speculative fiction? Where does humour not work well? What sort of humour is suited to particular circumstances?

Frankenstein's monster, Godzilla, Dracula, The Wolfman, Who was your fave? The biggest? The baddest?

Lost art? What was good? What's still out there? The Goon Show, War of the Worlds.

No sponsors

How would you make contact?

No panellists - not this year.

Oh come, on Pirates are inherently interesting - why you may ask? Let's have a panel on it :p

Other activities already running - not this year.

What's achievable versus what's in the books.

Postponed due to lack of panellists.

Mourning ancient, lost libraries.

Not enough panellists for this.

Plus Top five things for a good SF film or TV show

No panellists - not this year.

What are we going to be using as we age?

Who writes about it well? What are the theories? Why can't I kill my grandmother? What are the Trousers of Time? (diagrams required)

Still loveable despite their flaws.

We should go to the stars... or should we, how are we going to make that work?

Come and hang out, meet people and make your very own Origami Yoda.

http://necromanc.blogspot.com/2006/06/origami-yoda.html

Location: Fan Lounge

Reimagining our world

Discuss!

Merged with http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/165/edit

Expect at least 10 minutes of Twilight gender-role evisceration followed by passing mentions of Polidori, Stoker, Lee and Whedon, amazement at the greenlighting of Moonlight and rampant glee accompanied by mad mansqueeing over True Blood, Let the Right One In, Being Human and unwritten Lost Boys TV series pilots.

Imagine you can make any body type you want. Would there be fashions? Minimum requirements? Safety regs?

Genetic Engineering included in "Soft Sciences" Panel. http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/153

Have you explored 'The Starry Rift'? Taken part in 'The Hunger Games'? Had a look at 'Shiny?' If not, then this is the panel for you. Ranging from picture books for the youngest 'readers' to the most challenging young adult novels, our panellists will survey the new books scene, recommend some outstanding titles and offer suggestions about where to find more ...

How did the transition from TV series to Comic turn out? Still in love? Still hate it?

Make up the job descriptions!

No panellists - not this year.

I'd love to see a presentation on this - and a reading list!

We've had a recent con devoted to this topic.

Discuss!

"Getting your hands dirty"

No panellists - not this year.

Robert Jordan is no more and book 12 is being written by Brandon Sanderson for publication in late 2009. HOW DO YOU THINK IT WILL END?

Merged with http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/98/

You think you know? Quick, volunteer to be a panellist.

What would it be, Flying? Empathy? Green eyes? Floppy hair? A third arm? Better noses?

Crew? Maiden voyage? Essential packing?

Merged into http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/169

What body art do fans like to "wear"? How do you decide and what should you be thinking about before you decorate your body with something permanent? What does a tatt say about you?

All of these and many more will be discussed.

In July 1969 Neil Armstrong took his first legendary step onto the moon. Forty years later, and the international space race looks to be coming back in a big way. A look at the USA's historic Apollo space program, what it achieved, what went wrong and what the future holds for the Earth's closest neighbour. With new space programs developing in China, Russia,...

In 1985 BBC Controller Michael Grade ordered long-running SF drama Doctor Who off the air for the first time in 22 seasons. It returned in 1986, its season truncated and its viewing figures shattered. The following year the series returned for its 24th season with a new time slot, a new script editor, new writers and a brand-new Doctor in Sylvester McCoy.

A ...

Since the return of Doctor Who to television in 2005, British television has experienced a resurgence in science fiction and fantasy unheard of since the 1960s. Series like Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Spooks: Code 9, Merlin, Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, Hyperdrive and others have helped bring genre TV back to Britain in a big way. Why are these ...

Want to get a meeting to develop a television series? Want to get your short stories published? How about get a government grant to write your magnus opus? What about getting funded travel to the UK, the United States, or even to Antarctica?

A guide to the numerous government funding agencies, initiatives, opportunities and fan funds available that aren't ...

A lot of us are familiar with "steampunk", the genre of science fiction in which the technology of the 19th century is extrapolated to create an idealised world of modern technology with a period aesthetic. But why stop there? Imagine a world of computers powered by alchemy and astrology, of a Spanish armada sailing in orbit above Europe, of wooden ...

A step through practical demonstration workshop of how to get your image onto a bunch of items - I'd like to show how easy it is for people who already have their image. I'm sure I only scratch the surface with my online shops and the fun I have with the weekly shirt competition. I'd like to give a taste as to how it's done.

What are you looking for in a Nemesis? Misunderstood? Snappy dresser? Secretly sympathetic? Cool tech? Build a hero with the help of the panel, and design his nemesis. What would your nemesis be like?

A look at human powered speed records from the sprint which recently claimed the .deciMach prize to the hour to the truly long distance events like Race Across America.

Do you know your Euro from your Ameritrash? Does the word CRT give you a warm feeling? Do you have dreams of Essen Spiel, or maybe Martin Wallace is your poster boy?

Gaming and Fandom have always shared a space. Michael O'Brien presents an talk on the vast and popular world of boardgaming that will be of interest to the uninitiated and the dedicated ...

A discussion lead by Michael O'Brien about what the future might hold for the male. What does it mean to be male and how do we define a male in the current age, and what could it mean to be male in the future? A look at the sacred and emotional world of men, initiation, individuation, and an invitation to explore a positive and integrated way forward.

...

Historically, comic books and graphic novels published in the English-speaking world have been overwhelmingly directed at a male readership. In North America the superhero genre has spent decades with an effective stranglehold over the medium, with only the recent explosion of imported manga titles showing any difference. Recent attempts by publishers such ...

What is it about these books? Some last the distance, some never had it (I never really enjoyed Alice), and some just don't last.

Is there something quantifiable or is it just our memories providing that sensation of the comfort and innocence (hah) of childhood? The Last Battle didn't last the distance for me, but Lizard Music and the King of the Copper ...

Drawing workshop where a comic artist walks you through drawing your own character.

More and more media is being released via the web. Discuss! Doctor Horrible, Sanctuary, BSG webisodes, New Who Tardisodes, Eureka.

Leece reads from her favourite book in all the world.

The King of the Copper Mountains is dying, and has only his faithful hare for company. The Wonder Doctor is called to help, and to keep the King's heart going, promises to fetch the Golden Speedwell, sending any animals he finds to tell the King stories. Will the stories keep him alive until the Wonder ...

Self publishing: Discuss!

Join our incredulous panelists as they wade through sparkly abstinence-only education (Twilight), exclaim eschatology gone Right (Left Behind), the War on <strike>Terror</strike> Terrible Writing (Marvel's Civil War/Heroes) and the oddly prescient (Iron Man/The Dark Knight)

Show, tell and discuss a series of stand-out fight scenes.

Adult themes.

By facilitating collaboration, remixing, re-working and linking, the Internet is changing the boundaries of creative practice. Electronic Frontiers Australia, Creative Commons, and the Organization for Transformative Works are at the forefront of digital rights and creative metamorphosis. What do these organisations do? What avenues for art and writing do ...

Science fiction used to be easy. In the 21st century, surrounded by computers, with satellites massed in orbit around the Earth, medical advances leaping forward, robotic probes on Mars, and technological breakthroughs being announced every week, what is the point of science fiction any more?

Is there a need for fiction about the future if we're already ...

When animation producer Walt Disney announced he was making a feature-length animated film, he was the laughing stock of Hollywood. Derisively called "Disney's Folly", Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs unexpectedly captured the public imagination and launched a legacy and an animation brand that continues to this day.

It's 70 years - and 48 feature ...

It's been commented on that many Anime characters fall into one or more archetypes. This panel will explore what those archetypes are and how they differ from those used in 'Western' story telling. We'll discuss examples of some of the more common archetypes and why those archetypes are so prevalent in Anime. Come along and suggest how you would classify ...

What is Military Sci-Fi? Why is it popular/not popular? Is there some sort of stigma attached to it? Why?

How do we read the text in ways Rowling didn't intend? How and why do some of these become 'fannon'? How often does 'fannon' pre-empt the author?

To what degree is sexuality important in speculative fiction? Is it key to the telling of the story or the setting of the world? Is it just there to add a little spice or is the speculative fiction just a back drop for romance? From openly sexual characters to monastic orders, our panellists examine the importance of sexuality in speculative fiction.

Adult ...

The return of the totally unofficial rip off of the BBC quiz show.

What is Wuxia and where did it begin? Elements of the panel might include the defining Characteristics of Wuxia, it's intersection with Fantasy, Wuxia in literature vs movie/television, and it's genre influences on anime & western drama.

Armed with only a whiteboard and an enthusiastic audience, we'll try to determine the ten best Science-Fiction and Fantasy TV shows of all time. Come along and cast your votes to determine the winners! Will your favourites make the grade?

More than 70 years of comics, eight feature films, two movie serials, countless television shows - the Batman is one of the most iconic and effective pop culture heroes of the past century.

Why is the character so effective? What is the core appeal? Does Batman exist as a simple vigilante fantasy, or are there deeper themes at work? An examination of Batman ...

Speed Racers, Crystal Skulls, Iron Men and one very Dark Knight - there's no doubt that 2008 delivered plenty of big-screen thrills for science-fiction and fantasy film buffs. Our panelists will look back over the year's major genre releases and try to separate the hits from the misses.

With The Dark Knight getting heavy Oscar buzz and the release of Zack Snyder's adaptation of Watchmen, it's time to take a look at comic book film adaptations: the past, the future, and the current state of play. From the murky depths of Howard the Duck and Swamp Thing to the critically praised Sin City and The Dark Knight, we wrestle the whole shebang into ...

A presentation of some of the strangest film, television and animation clips you're likely to see. The funniest bits. The funniest bits that aren't intentional. The "oh god what were they thinking" moments of science fiction. An eclectic late-night presentation by Grant Watson and David Gunn.

Adult themes.

It rocked the house at GenghisCon and now Brendan will bring the Rock Band to Swancon!

Participate at your own risk!

Come one and all to the Opening Ceremony for Contact: Swancon 2009!

The convention committee will introduce and welcome our guests and members, tell you about the key events planned for the con, and cover some necessary administrivia.

This will be followed by a "Guide to Swancon" session designed for new members but open to all. Experienced and ...

This panel will discuss the forthcoming Norma K. Hemming Award to mark excellence in the exploration of race, gender, class and sexuality in Australian science fiction, fantasy or art work. The aim is to have it launched big time at Aussiecon 4 on 2-6 Sep 10.

All good things must come to an end... come and farewell Swancon for another year.

Bid on things you want to buy - it's like e-bay, but in person!

In the last decade, the discovery of hundreds of extrasolar planets firmly pinned down our understanding of planet formation, and led to the conclusion that planets are extremely common. At the same time, the study of Archeabacteria 'extremophiles' has widened our horizons for the conditions where life can survive, including extremes of heat, cold, acidita...

Swancon is a celebration of creativity in all its different forms, and the Swancon Art Show is an opportunity for members of the Swancon community to display and sell original works of art in any medium: pencil, paint, leather, lace, plaster, CG, paper and steel. Everyone has the capacity to create something interesting; everyone is an artist. Except maybe ...

Come and celebrate the winners of the Western Australian Achievement Awards (also known as the 'Tin Ducks') presented by WASFF.

Want to know all about next year's Swancon, including who the guests will be?

Come along and celebrate the Swancon 2010 launch!

With a theme of Other Worlds, we are looking forward to seeing the costumes that arise from the mists of the minds. Dust off that old Star Trek uniform, grab that long multi-coloured scarf from the broom cupboard, polish up that battle armour, or start working on your Other Worlds costume. Thrill, dazzle or horrify with the mystery, the magic and the fear of ...

Come and bid for those art items that gained more than five offers during the art show.

Sell Things! Buy Things!

Flashing your firmware, bashing you box - Welcome to the wonderful world of modding. We look at simple hacks for your phone, camera and game console. A reprise of the panel at Wasteland II: Age of Iron.

Women at Worldcon - historically, there has been a serious lack of women in Worldcon Programmes. How many women have been GoHs? How many women panelists are volunteering? What can we do about this? A moderated discussion about the kinds of things we would like to see representing women at Aussiecon4 and our plans to make them happen. What would YOU like to ...

Round Table Discussion

Strong women who look good and kick arse - but are they lacking in agency? Has 'strong' become the new sexy? And what do they think 'strong' means anyway? Is it all for the male gaze, or is this a step forward for the representation of women? Why does being physically violent equal sexy?

Pending 2010 committee wanting to run this.

The astonishing crossover between magic in fantasy fiction, and magic as practiced by real occult practitioners. Some modern magicians work spells from Lovecrafts Necronomicon (despite knowing it doesn't exist), or embrace the cosmology of Michael Moorcock. Gods and monsters from 20th century fiction are being used for the same magical purposes as ancient ...

Good science fiction is not just about gadgets and technology, but how technology changes people and society. Technology has a life-cycle from emerging to established, and show-don't-tell writing can reveal how far along a technology has come. How has society has been altered? Who has it? Who can afford it? How has the technology affected crime, romance, ...

July 2009 is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. In preparation for increased media coverage and renewed speculation, Paul Talbot will make a presentation on the various claims that the mission was a hoax.

Merged into http://2009.swancon.com.au/panels/73

"MHM III or "Grant, Danny and John Do Stuff" "

A panel where published science fiction authors provide an overview of their major "do's" and "don'ts" for writing in the genre along with various tips and techniques for crafting stories.

A panel where published fantasy authors provide an overview of their major "do's" and "don'ts" for writing in the genre along with various tips and techniques for crafting stories

A panel where published horror authors provide an overview of their major "do's" and "don'ts" for writing in the genre along with various tips and techniques for crafting stories.

A panel where slash authors provide an overview of their major "do's" and "don'ts" for writing in the genre along with various tips and techniques for crafting stories.

A Panel discussing the guests for Swancon 2010, their works, and suggested readings / activities over the year.

We'd tell you who we're discussing, but that would spoil the surprise of the 2010 launch!

Ever wondered how a Swancon comes together, what's involved, and how you can participate if you're interested? Come along and speak with past, present and future Swancon committee members! We'll also include an outline of the Swancon bidding process for those who'd like to bid for Swancon 2011.

Got a great idea that you'd love to run as a Panel at a Swancon, but not sure how to go about it? Come along and chat with various panellists about what makes a good panel, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to go about getting your panel idea on the programme.

Duplicate

Following the discussion on Hayao Miyazaki, we will be screening Howl’s Moving Castle, with key commentary.

Come join John Robertson, Paul Turner, Chris Hayward, Mike Browner and special guest Greg Tannahill as they discuss video gaming in all its forms and guises. With permission the panel will be podcasted to www.grass-cast.com the following week. And you might even get a laugh out of it...

Across their personal storyarcs, many of the characters in Heroes have undergone major shifts in their direction, experiencing significant changes in focus, personality, goals and morality which impact both the character in question and the show as a whole. Are these transitions plausible and elegant, and what do we, the viewers, think of the methods the ...

The TV series Lost is scheduled to conclude in 2010, with just over twenty episodes remaining. This definite time-limit suggests that The Survivors and Others are finally headed towards some sort of climactic endgame. This panel will encourage open discussion on the current and previous seasons, as well as speculation on future events.

Child-friendly martial arts workshop run by Kaneda - ages 4 and up welcome (child must be able to stand up)

Participate at your own risk!

Book signings by our guests and other authors. This signing session will include:

Richard Morgan

Trudi Canavan

Martin Livings

Sonia Marcon

Pete Kempshall

Bevan McGuinness

Paul Kidd

Russell B Farr

Shane Jiraiya Cummings

K.A. Bedford

Laney Cairo

Every one thinks of conventions as safe spaces where they can just hang out and be. This is not always true. Our panellists will talk about creating safe spaces, maintaining safe spaces, safe spaces at conventions and the unspoken rules of safe spaces at cons.

Includes discussions of the "Open Source Boob Project", room parties and conventions we'...

Join Trudi Canavan, National Guest of Honour, as she talks about her books and writing.

Book signings by our guests and other authors. This signing session will include:

Richard Morgan

Trudi Canavan

Lara Morgan (no relation to Richard as far as we know!)

Bevan McGuinness

Paul Kidd

Russell B Farr

Dave Luckett (aka L S Lawrence)

Jenny Blackford

Cat Sparks

Juliett Marillier

Stephen Dedman

A place for people with young children to rest, recuperate, and talk quietly with friends.

This room will have a laptop and podcasts of various panels.

Room booked until this time.

Come and save the world from deadly diseases in Pandemic, compete to create the most elaborate sushi recipes in Wasabi or race across space in a rickety starship in Galaxy Trucker....

Modern boardgames (also called Euro- , Designer- or German-games) share a number of characteristics which distinguish them from better known games (the Risk and Monopoly of ...

Conquer or connive your way to the Imperial throne in Twilight Imperium, match (or lose) your wits against eldrich abominations in Arkham Horror or lead your legions to victory in Conquest of the Empire.

Some games just won't fit neatly into a short space of time. These are grand, sprawling affairs with lots of detail that will take 3-4 (or more!) hours to ...

The Ultimate Guide to Modern Writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy is a comprehensive list of 2000 writers working in the field today. Just how tough is it to make the grade in today's spec fic marketplace? Is it all about talent, luck, who you know, geographic advantage or plain old psychotic persistence? Discuss.

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/02/...

Guest of Honour Trudi Canavan will launch Jenny Blackford's historical novella The Priestess and the Slave, set in classical Athens and Delphi. There will be anachronistic ouzo and baklava.

http://www.hadleyrillebooks.com/Priestess.html

How are ideas commercialised? What's the reality of getting an idea from bench top to bedside, and how well does SF reflect the real world?

Three per cent of writers ever manage to make a living out of it. 3 out of 5000 unsolicited manuscripts submitted to publishers make it across the line. However, Clarions, universities and community colleges are churning out more wannabe writers than ever, despite troubled times in the publishing industry and the collapse of traditional venues for short ...

With so many competing forms of entertainment today and so many publications folding, is there a point to writing short fiction any more? Is it a form for up and coming writers to hone their skills? Did the Internet kill short fiction or might it prove its saviour? Discuss.

Withdrawn for lack of panellists, may possibly merge in content of "2008 on ...

RepRap, Fabr, Fab@Home, Contour Crafting, automated factories. More and more of our everyday products are being assembled by robots, and there are a number of projects in the works to accelerate this trend. While we're a way off from the Star Trek replicator, you'd be surprised at where your next toy, gadget, domestic replacement part or even house might be ...

Live blade demonstrations from around the world.

Spectate at your own risk!

With so many publications folding, is there a point to writing short fiction any more? Is it a form for up and coming writers to hone their skills? Did the Internet kill short fiction or might it prove its saviour? Take a look back at the past year of SF/fantasy/horror/spec-fic and discuss the possible future in fiction.

A discussion about the possible economic collapse of the USA and other major Western economies, and what it might be like to live in a society where the institutions we have relied on all our lives suddenly disappear. How to survive when everything breaks down. With reference to the work of Dmitri Orlov and comparisons to what it was like to live through the ...

Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation Annual General Meeting, including bids to run Swancon 2011.

From a feminist perspective, what would you like to see at Aussiecon 2010? More than just the usual panel on women and SF&F?

In a round table discussion, let's brainstorm programming ideas for panels, art work, plays, and approaches to make Aussiecon 4 an outpouring of twenty-first century, anti-racist, anti-sexist fandom.

DUPLICATE: http://2009....

Stargate Atlantis - five seasons of cultural and racial appropriation. A team of middle class Caucasian males (with token 'natives') visit yet another native civilisation, judge it, intervene irresponsibly, then leave it in disarray. Why is this formula successful, and where else has it been used?

No panellists - not this year.

Join A, B and C as they discuss their appreciation of the somewhat strange, frequently sinister and always intriguing works of David Lynch. Speaking backwards is encouraged.

No panellists - not this year.

As the necessary preliminary to writing a study tentatively entitled: ‘Tolkien the Fascist? Debating the Politics of Middle-earth’. I've tried, and failed, to read all the critical literature on Tolkien's fantasies. The sheer volume of this material makes such an exhaustive reading impossible. But I've now been reading for two years, and have mastered ...

Battlestar Galactica's final episodes screened in Australia on March 21st. How well did it end? How did everything tie together? Was it a satisfactory ending, or should it have gone differently? What key moments defined each season, both for the characters and the audience's perception of them?

Note - this panel will contain spoilers up to and including the ...

A survey of the critical and scholarly literature on Neil Gaiman and his work.

Abstract: Neil Gaiman is the multi-award winning and best-selling of some of the most critically acclaimed fantasy fiction published during the past 20 years. What I will seek to do in this paper is to conduct a brief survey of the existing scholarly critical literature on a...

This paper proposes to look at four pleasures of the sublime that lie within science fiction. The sublime is a historical idea that emerged as people began discovering the universe and the world around them in Europe. Thus, it is as Kant called it, the mathematical pleasures of this sublime that are one such pleasure. Another, also proposed by Kant, is the ...

The science fiction in John Lilly's science

Presented by: Tess Williams

Abstract: to follow

The Meat-Grinder of History: Tatyana Tolstaya's 'The Slynx' as Post-Communist Dystopia

Withdrawn due to other commitments.

"Battlestar Galactica (2004) vs Buffy: The Vampire Slayer - which is the greater feminist text?".

Panellists selected from audience, moderated by X.

With a second big budget feature film coming to cinemas this year, hit animated series on television, critically acclaimed new comic books being released from IDW and a seemingly constant string of toys hitting department store shelves, 2009 seems to be a new "golden age" for the Transformers. Current Transformers comic writer Shane McCarthy (Trana...

From Federal Agents fighting to reveal the paranormal truth in the face of deliberate scepticism, to 'criminals' investigating the paranormal under the Federal radar. The X-files ran for 10 seasons, Supernatural is confirmed for its 5th. What makes these type of paranormal TV series successful? How does the character setting (established legitimate federal ...

As an important part of many human lives, it is unsurprising that fantasy worlds often contain religions or spiritual belief structures. Whilst some of these are based quite closely on existing religions, many vary widely, with regularly incarnate deities, incredibly accurate prophecies or capricious deities playing board games with human souls. To what ...

"This should be a better world," a friend of mine said. "A more honest one, where sex isn't shameful or degrading. I wish this was the kind of world where say, 'Wow, I'd like to touch your breasts,' and people would understand that it's not a way of reducing you to a set of nipples and ignoring the rest of you, but rather a way of saying that ...

Societies can collapse in a number of different ways for different reasons. Which ones are most likely to apply to us? What sort of collapse might we be in for?

Swancon are providing a tableau stage, lighting and a photographer with a digital SLR camera. Sign up at reception desk for the chance to pose in costume and have your photo taken for free. All participants will have their photographs emailed to them after the convention. Individuals and groups welcome.

Elaine's photographs have been professionally ...

...

Our judges will be evaluating the Masquerade costumes in the Montana Foyer area between 8pm and 9pm.

Please ensure you make yourself known to them if you wish to participate.

Are you coming to your first Swancon on Friday?

I'm hosting a Welcome Lunch at the restaurant just down the road. I'll be there with some friends to ask how you're day is going, what your impressions are, and answer any questions you like. Feel free to bring friends, and just drop in for a bit. Lunches at the Lido vary between $7 - $20, and a wide range of ...