Fantasy
4:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Character-Building Exercises
Some characters spring forth, fully realized as Athena. Others might be throwaways, or that guy who annoyed you in high school. Panelists share tips and techniques for keeping characters real and memorable.
Moderator: Julia S. Mandala
Panelists: Julia S. Mandala, David Carrico, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Ethan Nahté, Selina Rosen, Steven E. Wedel
Tracks: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Gaming, Writing & Publishing, Pop Culture & Entertainment
Noon | Location: Boomer B
How to Design a New Creature
Designing vampires, werewolves, and other mythological creatures. Which parts should be incorporated into our own renderings and artworks? What new traits can be added, while still making them recognizable? How do we avoid derivative or stale monsters? Let’s make monsters terrifying again!
Moderator: Mike Kennedy
Panelists: Mike Kennedy, Mitzi Bartlett, Lyde Van Hoy
Tracks: Art, Writing & Publishing, Supernatural & Paranormal, Horror, Fantasy, Comics
5:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Mapping Out Magic
Making sense of how a magic system works. What are the limits of magic in a fantasy world? How do those boundaries enrich the story?
Moderator: Julia S. Mandala
Panelists: Julia S. Mandala, David Carrico, J.H. Fleming, Carolyn Kay, Dennis McDonald, Bradley H Sinor
Tracks: Writing & Publishing, Fantasy, Supernatural & Paranormal
2:00 PM | Location: Sooner A
Roots & Influences: Mythology in UF
Authors discuss how mythology from various cultures plays a role in their urban-fantasy works and in those of other writers they admire.
Moderator: Mark Finn
Panelists: Mark Finn, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Kyri Hester, Karen Thrower
Tracks: History, Writing & Publishing, Supernatural & Paranormal, Fantasy
5:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
Thrifty Revisions: Adding SF Genre Elements to Thrift Store Paintings
Artists insert sf genre elements or monsters into reclaimed paintings and prints. Final works are up for sale in the Charity Sale and Auction. (Paintings provided.)
Moderator: Sherri Dean
Panelists: Sherri Dean, Mitzi Bartlett, Joshua Cook, Mike Kennedy, Rachael Mayo, Harold Neal
Tracks: Art, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Noon | Location: Boomer B
70s Sci-Fi and Fantasy
The 70s brought lasting franchises to the big screen and small, some still going strong! Alien, Superman, Star Wars, Wonder Woman, Westworld, Battlestar Galactica, the list goes on! Can you define the 70s’ “certain something”?
Moderator: Matthew Price
Panelists: Matthew Price, Mark Alfred, James Hollaman, Ethan Nahté, Sue Sinor, ET Wardwell
Tracks: Fantasy, Pop Culture & Entertainment, Science Fiction, Fandoms, Comics
Noon | Location: Sooner A
Fantastic Connections
Stories explore the human condition in ways that help us think. Allegories analyze us and society. How does this work? Why are we so connected with fantastical people/places/stories? Can escaping into speculative fiction help us heal in the real world?
Moderator: Rhonda Eudaly
Panelists: Rhonda Eudaly, J.H. Fleming, Melinda LaFevers, Bradley H Sinor, Tommy B. Smith, Craig Wolf
Tracks: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Writing & Publishing, Film & TV, Pop Culture & Entertainment
3:00 PM | Location: University AB
Fantasy Art Class Basics
Artist Mike Kennedy shares simple techniques for fantasy artwork construction, focusing on anatomy and concept design. (1 hour) Limit 12 participants.
Moderator: Mike Kennedy
Panelists: Mike Kennedy
4:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
Folk and Fantasy, Kith and Kin
Modern fantasy and urban fantasy often draw from oral and academic histories of folktales worldwide. How are these best incorporated into today's sf stories? And what's the line between appreciation and appropriation of these cultural myths in making new media mythologies?
Moderator: Rhonda Eudaly
Panelists: Rhonda Eudaly, David Carrico, Shai Fenwick, A. Lee Martinez, Ted Pennella, Steven E. Wedel
Tracks: History, Pop Culture & Entertainment, Supernatural & Paranormal, Writing & Publishing, Fantasy
2:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Mythology Art 101
Unicorns and griffins and dragons – oh my! Learn simple design and illustration techniques to bring your favorite mythological creatures to life on paper and screen.
Moderator: Jan S. Gephardt
Panelists: Jan S. Gephardt, Mitzi Bartlett, Peri Charlifu, Teddy Harvia, Rachael Mayo
10:00 AM | Location: Boomer B
Re-Covered Books, for Charity!
Artists create new cover art for books in our charity collection. Books and their custom covers will be available for sale in the Charity Sale. (Books and cover paper provided.)
Moderator: James Hollaman
Panelists: James Hollaman, Peri Charlifu, W J Hodgson, Johnnie Johnson, Harold Neal
Tracks: Art, Fantasy, Science Fiction
11:00 AM | Location: Sooner A
Writing Nonhuman Characters (for Humans)
Writing nonhuman characters can present its own set of challenges. What works well and what is just, no.
Moderator: Steven E. Wedel
Panelists: Steven E. Wedel, J.H. Fleming, Carolyn Kay, A. Lee Martinez, Selina Rosen, Mel. White
Tracks: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Writing & Publishing
1:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
How the Little Dragon Got So Big in Art
Dragons in early art tended to be smaller than a horse. Today's dragons are mighty and massive. What caused dragon inflation? An open discussion about the size discrepancies of dragons in art.
Moderator: Ted Pennella
Panelists: Ted Pennella, David Carrico, Tim Chessmore, Teddy Harvia, W J Hodgson
Tracks: History, Art, Culture & World Affairs, Fantasy
1:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
“I Love You.” “I Know”: Romance in SF & Anime
Talk about the iconic sci-fi, fantasy and anime onscreen love interests that gave us squeeeee.
Moderator: Karen Thrower
Panelists: Karen Thrower, Charles Dane Clark, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Sally Hamilton, Lyde Van Hoy
Tracks: Film & TV, Fantasy, Fandoms, Science Fiction