Transcribed by Elaine Walker – As usual, all typos faithfully transcribed
Continued from Report on Waycon ’79 – PART TWO: THE CON – Sunday
MONDAY. Arrived late. Saw the end of ‘Duel’, the first of the two films held over from last night. I helped Bob with projecting films from then on. Next was ‘Night of the Lepus’, the comedy spot of the films. (Little Girl’s favourite Laboritory Rabbit gets injected with mysterious “Heaven help us if that rabbit gets loose before we know the genetic effects” serum. She swaps it for another one and gets to take it away. It escapes….). The Short follow up was more enjoyable. Australian made ‘Silo 15’ (Do we or don’t we fire our bombs?) We finished up with an excellent documentary on the amazing films imagist, Norman McLaren. ‘The Eye Hears, The Ear Sees’. Fantastic Visuals!
Time for a quick lunch and then I was due on the “Humour in S.F.” panel. I got my camera and lights set up again and left instructions with Steve Gunnel on how much of me I wanted to get on film. I told the panel Chairman to save me a place and expect me to come in late. The panel got under way without me. I made my grand entrance wearing a plain Kaftan, a quill tucked behind my ear, a suitcase in one hand and a large masonite board under the other arm. This brought a few laughs. I went to my seat and proceeded to unpack large piles or “referance material”. Books, sheafs of paper, concertina files, more books, etc. The audience enjoyed it as I’d hoped. The board was a large scale ‘Gahan Wilson Pocket S.F. Movie Computer’ which everyone enjoyed playing with. As the last panel of the Con it was a good laugh for tired fans. The panel were: Leigh Edmonds, Me, Bob Ogden (Chair), Tony Peacey and Ian Nichols.
Continuing the mood of the afternoon Angela Donnelly and Tony Peacey prepared the entrants for the Silly Competitions while Ian Nichols gave the results of the S.F. Quiz and gave book prizes to the winners. The silly competitions were: The Bodoman of Sor Lookalike Contest (a regular SWANCON “in-joke”), SFnal Charades, and the Ornithoptering Competition (which was won, as Leigh quipped, by “Medium Bomber Casey”)
WAYCON ’79 finally closed, I turned off my recorder and packed up my gear. Many volunteers rushed around removing all evidence of our occupation of the main hall. At 6:00 everyone was invited to take a break and all those interested in “getting into the movies” asked to form up out on the playing field adjacent to the hotel. There I set up my camera for the last time and recorded, with the last of my film, a mass ensemble re-enactment of ‘The Ornithopter Song’ Led, in part, by Medium Bomber Casey, with starring roles by Peter Toluzzi, Bob Ogden and even myself. I returned the borrowed gear to Ian and packed my car with our Guest of Honour’s baggage and themselves plus Peter, his luggage, Angela and a bit of her gear. I delivered that lot to Sally Underwood’s place where the “Official Dead Dog Party” was taking place. I took one trip back to the Ozone Hotel to grab the last of our gear. Roy was supervising the removal of the computers and Tony had the rest. The Hotel was gutted of fans and their residue. Sally’s place was glutted with fans and their retinue. The party still had tons of energy even after that tiring week-end. I sat in the kitchen with Sally, Leigh and Valma chatting to all who passed by. Later I went off to get some petrol then packed Peter’s, Leigh’s and Valma’s gear back in my car. Then it was time to drag them away from the stargazing on the front lawn and transport them to the airport. Peter went in Roy’s car. His flight was at the same time as Leigh and Valma’s but with a different airline. Bob and Caroline came to the airport, too. Over a snack in the Airport canteen, we confirmed our desire to bid for A-Con in Perth for 1980. Strangely enough this Con had not turned us off at all – already we were raring to get on with the bid! Finally the flights came and everyone went. Peter out one Gate after having joined us in a last rendition of Ornithopter as Leigh and Valma departed.
Ultimately, I bade goodnight to Bob, Caroline and Roy, and headed back to Sally’s place to pick up my gear I’d had to leave there while being airport transport, and in the hope that some remnant of the party would still be there. I was lucky. As I was packing the household arrived back in Mark’s car with Angela, who was about to become a member of the house, but that’s another story. This party ended at 5:30 the next morning on the front step’s with Paul, Sally, Damian, Louisa and me being abused by the neighbour for droning on all night. Thus ended a gentle time and a lovely weekend. Next stop PERTH IN 80!
This finished near the top of one page. In the blank page underneath, centred in the remaining space, was a handwritten:
Perth In ’80
Adelaide In ’81
Australia In ’83
(W.A. SUPPORTS VEGEMITE FANDOM)
Rob McGough
This is the end of this post-con report for Waycon ’79. If anyone knows where the footage described in these posts is, or the words and/or lyrics of The Ornithopter Song, we would be most grateful to find out.