SynCon 1988 (‘Conviction’) – flyer

transcription and description by Anna Hepworth

In our collection of SynCon (‘Conviction’) materials is a single A4 sheet, printed double sided, which is less than a progress report, but more than a flyer. The paper itself is a pale cream/yellow, and the text looks to have been printed on a dot-matrix printer. On the front, the top ~1/3 consists of the logo and some basic details, and then the screed starts.


[front]

Details at the top:
27th Australian SF Convention • Shore Motor Inn, Artarmon • June 10-13, 1988

CONVENTION ADDRESS: Box 272; Wentworth Building; University of Sydney 2006

Guests: Spider and Jeanne Robinson
Carey Handfield

Membership:
Attending – $40 unitl 1/6/88
Supporting – $20
Voting – $5

What can you expect at Conviction?

Because it is the 1988 National Con, CONVICTION will have a ‘big-name’ professional writer in attendance. Spider Robinson, a popular and friendly pro, will star at CONVICTION. He will, amongst other things, read from his work, answer questions, sign books and give a GoH Speech. Spider and Jeanne will also appear on other items. Also, as a Natcon, we will host the Australian SF Awards for 1988 and selection the Site for the 1990 Natcon.

Like many other cons, CONVICTION will feature various items aimed mainly at entertainment and amusement. Most of these will be held during the evening, after dinner. They will include a first-night Cocktail Party to help the attendees meet each other; at least three live performances and/or dramatic readings; and an evening of entertainment on Sunday night that will include a Masquerade and a Disco.

During the day, our efforts will be concentrated in two directions:
– SERIOUS SCIENCE AND LITERATURE will be a series of items, mainly talks and discussions, focussing on the SF genre and the Science that forms the basis of it. In this area, we have invited experts in the fields of biotechnology; SDI; social responsibility of Science; Evolution theory; astrophysics; and the Nature of Reality. On the literary side, we are having items on mainstream authors using SF ideas; the primacy of ideas versus style, Future Arts as seen in SF; the future of Hard SF; alternate history as a particular style of SF; and problems and successes of SF in Australia, in the literature, film and art.

-PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE will concentrate on round-tables and workshops that will deal with many of the creative areas and performances of drama and music. The cornerstone will be a series of workshops based around the use of Radio for SF programs. Conducted by people familiar with the problems of radio production, the workshops will aim at a ‘live-to-air’ production at the end of the Con. The workshops will look at interviewing techniques, recording of various material, arranging and scripting programmes and some of the equipment involved. Other areas that will be dealt with by PP include: preparing Scripts and Manuscripts; Wargaming [computer versus role-playign]; SF ideas in videos; Puppetry; Audio-Visual Presentations; and Costuming.


[back]

In addition to the ‘formal programming’, there will be other ‘events’ running through the Con:
– An Art Competition and Display;
– A Dealers’ Room, where SF merchandise will be available for sale;
– A Video Programme, which will be almost continuous;
– A Fan Lounge, where one can relax, have a cup of coffee and a chat, and where there will also be some “Fan Programming”, items on fan history etc.
– The ultimate challenge of fannish might as “Fit for Fandom” meets “The Fan Olympics”

The Hotel

The Shore Motor Inn was the venue of SYNCON 83. It has a major function room capable of holding 400 and 4 other function rooms on the same level of the Motel. It is close to the Lane Cove and Chatswood. To make things easier, we will have a free minibus service running a regular shuttle to the shopping centres for the benefit of attendees interested in the eateries there.

Competitions

The Con will be hosting at least five Competitions to help foster a creative atmosphere [details available from the Committee]:
1. A Design for a Convention T Shirt/Sloppy Joe
2. A Convention Song
3. An Art Competition
4. A Photographic Competition, with the subject, “The Faces of Fandom”
5. A Literary Competition

We are offering prizes for these Competitions. The first two close on 1 March 1988. The other three at times to be advised.

Awards

Between now and March 4th 1988 nominations are open for the Australian SF Awards. If you wish to nominate a person or work for the awards but have no ballot, write to the Committee at the Address below. Only CONVICTION members will be eligible to VOTE for the awards.

CONVICTION (SYNCON 88) IS AN ENDORSED BICENTENNIAL ACTIVITY


At the bottom of the page is a strip that can be cut off:

I/We wish to join CONVICTION as a supporting/attending/voting* member …..
Enclosed is $ …..
Please send me more information on: ……………………………….

NAME(S)
ADDRESS:

* Delete inapplicable.

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