Pre-Dragoncon round table

Good to meet you, Cathy. If you don't mind, I'd like to repost this in the FanForce main page and in the upcoming issue of the South Region newsletter. I'm going to try to get DragonCon a little publicity around the boards.

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to pop in and say thanks for the vote of confidence. Please feel free to email Cathy anytime with suggestions. She gets over 100 emails a day so if you don't hear right back, please understand. Because I have other ways of getting information to Cathy other than email, I don't mind getting information from anyone and forwarding them to her.
I did want to let everyone know that MotF isn't really a club. It is a group that does convention programing for Dragon*con. There is a mission statement on the home page that I think discribes what we do pretty well. The nature of what we do causes us not to be able to be affiliated with any one group. Each of us may have personal preferences, but as a group, we must set these aside. Our group consists of Cathy Bowden, founder and director for over 8 years, Janet Iannantuono(me), basically a collector, Chad McFee-3yrs on staff, and a volunteer before then, another collector and prop builder, Kris Graham-3 yrs on staff and volunteer before then, collector; Jean Alexander-3 years on staff, a mom, fan, and illustrator; Virgina Foster, 3 years on staff, a general fan, Moe and Becky Millwater, first year on staff, but volunteers before that, just general fans.
We also have volunteers who spend hours year after year helping out with the mundain stuff. As you can see, we've been together for awhile and are finally starting to work like a well oiled machine. But the biggest thing to notice is that none of us have any other agendas. We are not members of any Star Wars clubs or Web personalities, etc. We have to be neutral.
We welcome anyone who wants to be part of our staff, but we are limited by Dragon*con on the number. Volunteers are always welcome. We couldn't do it with out them. We need volunteers for room sitting, decoration,taking out the trash! Granted, these aren't high profile jobs, but they have to be done. We NEVER turn anyone away who wants to help out. But if your looking for a chance to be in the spotlight. IE: a panelist position, we do have standards and space and time restrictions that may not allow us to accomodate you. Most of the time, it is nothing personal, could be we have 7 panelist slots, and you were the 8th person to request a space.
We really do wish we could accomodate every aspect of the Star Wars universe and give them all equal time, but there just isn't enough time in the schedule to do this. All we can do is go by fan requests and schedule accordingly. This is why your feedback is so important to us!
Thanks,
Janet

Hello Cathy & Janet:

I'm Ian, aka Jace Darkrider on the boards. I helped organize the first Atlanta FanForce meeting. I also had a few emails with Cathy in regards to helping out at DragonCon. Our next meeting is June 23rd. We can start discussing who we woul like to sit on the panels then. Would the end of June be too late for our rep? Looking forward to meeting you both. You are both more than welcome to come and check out one of our meetings.

Hi Ian,
Well, yes and no. We have to have schedules in by June 15. There are program books, etc. to be printed that requires panelist names. Right now, we have very few panelist spots open, but I'm sure we could fit one of your representives in our Starting A Star Wars Club in your community panel. Definitely keep in touch with us and we can work out something. Each evening, from 10Pm-11pm we have the Cantina, which is a casual gathering place for the fans in our rooms. A variety of things will be going on. We do have some time available on Monday if your group would like to schedule an official meeting. I'm sure Cathy could arrange it. We usually don't schedule alot on that last date as it is a travel day for we out-of-towners. But for a local Atlanta group, it would be fine wouldn't it? Check the dm.net home page this weekend and look at the schedule, if you see things that might interest you, just let us know. If we have room, we'd be glad to fit you in.
Oh, BTW, we do have some groups that are attending our Costume contest on Saturday as a group. That may be something you might want to consider. The prizes aren't any better, and you have to share<G> but it is alot of fun.
On a total different note for those in your group, all our panels are kid friendly, and we encourage participation in our costume contest (all kids win) We are also going to arrange costumed escorts from KIDCON to Steve Sansweet and Anthony Daniel's presentations for those kid who's parents aren't Star Wars fans. Shame on them!
Thanks for your interest and I look forward to meeting you this year.
Janet

Well, I don't want to jump the gun here, but I would be willing to do it for the fan club panel. I don't want to step on any toes from the Atlanta crew though. Any comments from anyone else on this? Actually, I think Hama or Joanzia should speak for FanForce. What do ya say?

I'd be willing, but I don't know if I'll be able to be there for the entire convention. It would depend on what day you needed me.

Yikes! I just saw what Steve Sansweet's presentation is going to be on the TFN main page and the DragonCon page!

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Quote:
Steve Sansweet, Director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm, Ltd. will present a special sneak peek at Star Wars: Episode II, a look at the entire Saga and how Episode II will fit in. The presentation will include special footage that will be shown only at Dragon*Con!

http://www.dragoncon.org/special.html

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Cathy or Janet, do either of you know which day of DragonCon this will be?

Hi, I believe it will be Saturday afternoon sometime in one of the main ballrooms. I can give you a more specific time closer to the con. He will also have a powerpoint presentation (maybe) of his collection. Most probably on Sunday afternoon. Anthony Daniels one man show will also be on Sunday.
I think Saturday is our biggest day with the charity auction, the costume contest, and Steve's presentation. We will also have a fan film festival running Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. During the auction, we'll be auctioning off 1 hour of a celebrity's time for charity. We'll have announcements of who again closer to the con. We did it last year and everyone loved it! Usually the celebrities bring something extra along too. Jeremy Bulloch brought this special Boba Fett shot glass which he signed. I think only 15 were made. Kevin J Anderson and Rebecca Moesta brought a Celebration Jacket available only to VIP's and all the Star Wars Celebs. signed it. We also have a raffle running with drawings several times during the con. Tickets will only be $1 each and we have some terrific items. Go to http://motf.newsdroid.com and click on charity to see what we have so far.
I'm really excited about this years con. Can't you tell?<G> Steve Sansweet is a great guy and I can't wait to see the footage he'll bring with him. I saw his presentation at DC in 1996 and it was awesome! Steve will be at alot of our other panels so if you miss the Saturday one, you should be able to catch him. Of course, you can bid on him and maybe have an hour to squeeeze info out of him.
Janet

I'm a little confused about special footage shown "only at DragonCon". The Star Wars official website (http://www.starwars.com/community/news/2001/03/news20010320.html) printed that he would be showing this footage at several major summer conventions (San Diego Comic Con, GenCon, Wizard's World, etc.) What's the real deal with this? I plan to be only at DragonCon, but it bugs me that it is being promoted this way. I'm just curious to know what's up with that, not trying to upset anyone.

Why don't you and Hama both do it, Ian? That way, Hama can discuss things about all the clubs in the South and you could discuss what a specific chapter is trying to do?

We could also discuss this on the e-mail list.
Paula

I'm okay with that. I just don't know what type of space is available. Janet or Cathy, is there enough space for both Hama & myself?

Paula, because I am travelling this week, I don't have access to the list. I can't get my home email account when I am on the road.

Actually, if you have internet access, you can read all the mail and post, etc, by going to http://groups.yahoo.com and logging in.

If I don't see a post from you by tomorrow, I'll post something to the e-mail list.

Hope you're having fun learning the ways of Microsoft.

I agree with Paula. You and Hama should both participate.

Ian, you can go to Yahoogroups and post to the list from there.

EDIT: Paula beat me to the punch on the Yahoogroups info. Don't you just love getting the same advice twice, Ian.

That is a good question Ian. Basically, what Steve is trying to do is give a different presentation at each con. I should say the presentation would be the same, but the footage would be different. This is something he was planning on doing, but who knows what kind of footage will be available to him by then and if that would be possible. But according to him, his goal was to have something different at each con. Whether it happens or not is hard to say. But Dragon*con is the last con on the list and maybe more will be available by the time he gets to us. What ever happens it'll be good. Both Cathy and I wished that the Dragon*con home site had not worded it quite that way, but that is not under our control. I know it is confusing. All I can tell you is that it will be in the big hall which holds about 2,500 people with two large screens on each side of the stage so everybody should be able to see. I'm sure it'll be a full house!
As for the panel, I'll have to let you know. Cathy's modem has been down for the past couple of days and I haven't been in touch with her so I'll pass the message.
Thanks,
Janet

Thank you for the answer. That helped me understand it a little better. I certainly am excited to see ANY footage of Episode II that is shown. We are taking a little poll with the Atlanta FanForce group to see if anyone besides me wants to volunteer for the panel. If Cathy says you can squeeze one of us in, that's great. Hope to hear more on both ends and look forward to meeting everyone from the MotF staff.

I'm new to posting here, but I just think it's great that Atlantans are trying to get together for Star Wars. I'd love to attempt to attend some of the meetings y'all are setting up, but my work schedule allows little free time. Anyways, I am so psyched about Dragon*Con. I've been going for six or seven years now, and I'm always in the MOTF room. Some of you may have seen me--I'm a little skinny gal with a Yoda obsession. ;P I was lucky enough last year to win the celebrity auction and had a chat and some coffee with Kevin J. Anderson. He is SO nice, and Rebecca, too! I'm hoping there will be trivia this year. I can't wait until August! Good grief, I sound like a hyper child, and me in my early twenties! Must be the caffeine. At any rate, I hope to meet some of you in the coming months, and if not before D*C, then there.

Kelly

Hi Kelly! Welcome to our board.

BTW, you wouldn't happen to be the Kelly that was on the StarWarsChicks list for a while? If so, I think I corresponded with you for a a short time, although I went under a different name on that list.

Again, Welcome!



Mandy

A little enthusiasm is always welcome, Kelly. And you never know when we might have an activity that you can join, so please keep in touch.

Kelly,
were you the one with the cool Yoda Backpack?
If so, I know who you are<G> We have one of those Backpacks too. BTW, I was at my local Kmart, and they had the Interactive Yoda's for 5 bucks a piece! Sticking to the Yoda subject, Cathy is looking for a full size Yoda for the MotF room. Not sure why but I'm passing on the message.
Cathy's modem got fried in a storm last Monday so she's not online as much as usual. Not sure when it'll be fixed, but we'll keep you updated.
Thanks,
Janet

any news on when the Dragoncon MOTF schedule will be up? i thought it was supposed to be posted this past friday.

Well, Cathy's computer got fried in a storm about a week ago Monday. She is suppose to get it back Today or tommorow. As you can imagine, it is very upsetting to be with out a computer for that long when your trying to get a schedule out! Keep checking back, she'll have it up as soon as she get's her computer back. But please remember, this schedule will change 10 times before the con depending on guest requests, etc. Some panels actually get changed during the con depending on things that come up. Obviously if George Lucas shows up and the only time he can talk is during a fandom panel, guess who'll get the boot?<G> and it does seem that at least once at every con this happens. Last year, our props panel was replace by Roger Christianson who won an oscar for set decoration on the New Hope and was 2nd unit director for Phantom Menance. The year before that, our Men behind the Mask panel was cancelled for ILM creature designer Terryl Whitlach. So, a schedule now will give you the a feeling of what will be going on, but don't bank on it ;-)
I'll try and post here when the schedule is up.
Thanks,
Janet
BTW-check out http://motf.newsdroid.com under the charity section for all the neat stuff you can win in our charity raffle. You May be able to win a Force Net shirt!

Hi, just wanted to keep everyone updated. Got a call from Cathy yesterday. Gateway has informed her that it will be another 5 days till she gets her computer back. Where she lives in Alabama gets alot of thunderstorms and evidently took out alot of modems and they are backlogged. So, a schedule may be delayed another week as far as being posted.

Also, it has been brought to my attention that many think that Steve Sansweet's presentation at Dragon*con will be a EPII sneek preview. It is not. He will be giving a presentation on the whole Star Wars universe and how EPII fits into the puzzle will be mentioned, but not the main focas of the presentation. Dragon*con has made it seem like this on their page, but this was a miscommunication and should be corrected on the Dragon*con site soon.
thanks,
Janet

Hey Gang!

I've been told directly by Steve Sansweet that the presentation will be the same at every con he appears at. (He doesn't have the time to do more than one, anyway, with all that is going on getting ready for Episode II.)

And, as just posted, there will be *no* Episode II sneak peek. He doesn't want folks to come and be disappointed by this, so he asked me to spread the word.

Consider it spread!
Paula

In response to Mandy's post, yes, I am the Kelly that is (still) on the Star Wars chicks mailing list! We did correspond for a bit, as I recall. I live in Lilburn. I'm such a grand lurker, though, that I post about once a year.

And, Janet, yes! I did have the Yoda backpack! I LOVE that backpack, but it's not really good for carrying all the books I want authors to autograph. I got so many comments on it, though. I almost wanted to hit one ignorant girl, though. As I passed by, I heard her say, "That girl has E.T. on her back." Imagine the ignorance! That would be SO cool if Cathy can get a lifesize Yoda for the room. My dream is to own one of those, but they're SO expensive, and where would I put it? *sigh* But I feel my Yoda shrine will never be complete without it. But, I'm not obsessed with Yoda or anything.

MTFBWY!
Kelly

Hello Cathy & Janet:

Looks like I will sit in for the Atlanta FanForce chapter. However, we would like to see if our regional moderator can sit on the panel as well? I am not sure if he can make it at 8:30 on Friday, so if your reading this Hama, pipe in. If both of us can sit in, great. But if only one, please refer to Hama. If he can't make it, I'll go ahead and do it. And that is our final answer...So, did we win the $1,000,000?