About the Convention

ConScription

ConScription is the 30th National Science Fiction Convention of New Zealand. It will take place over Queen's Birthday Weekend (NZ), Wednesday 27 May to Monday 1 June 2009. ConScription is brought to you by the same people who brought you far too many other conventions, but this time we're up the front and visible.

We aim to make this weekend well worth your time to attend. With the calibre of guests we have, it's sure to be a great time.

There will be the traditonal events, like the banquet, the masquerade (which this time will take the form of a wearable art party), competitions, a writers' workshop (this time of unusual length), video watching, guest-of-honour speeches, and many others.

However, we don't want this to be a same-old-same-old convention. If you have events you want to run, or ideas for events you want to see, please tell us: click on the "contact us" section, where the con committee is listed.

How did it come to be called ConScription? Well, Louise McCully, Kevin Maclean, and Steve Jackson (of Steve Jackson Games) were standing around at ConClave talking sbout how Louise had been drafted onto the ConCom. (Steve: "So, really you were conscripted.", Louise: "Hey, that'd make a good Con name!", Kevin: "Well, I was hoping to have a session about script-writing, too....")

A word about SF Conventions

A science fiction convention is an opportunity for a lot of people to get together and talk about their common interests of science fiction and fantasy. People talk about role-playing, amateur SF magazines, film-making, etc. However, an SF convention goes deeper than discussions about movies and books.

At a convention you will have the opportunity to be entertained or to take part in that entertainment. You can attend panels with famous authors or actors, join the masquerade with a costume made from... well, that's up to you! Buy merchandise (some of it rare) from dealers or at the auction, take part in workshops on any subject from fanzine production to the merits of writing sequels, and making films on almost no money....

All these and much more will be available to you at an SF convention. But the most important thing at a convention is the people. The attendees do come to enjoy the events taking place, but equally, they come to reaquaint themselves with people that they only see at conventions, and to make new friends. Conventions have some of the most ingenious and fascinating people you are likely to meet outside a lunatic asylum. Make the effort to get to know them. You may wind up with a friendship that will last for the rest of your life.

To get the most out of a convention, you should put a lot in. Feel free to watch events, but if you see an opportunity to interact during an event, by all means take it. You are guaranteed to enjoy it more.

Science fiction conventions are generally designed for attendees over 16. Younger attendees are welcome, of course, but parental supervision is required for young people.

As with all SF conventions run in New Zealand, ConScription is a non-profit event run entirely by unpaid volunteers. Your registration fee goes towards paying for the guests, the hotel, various facilities, and perks for you, our attendees. Anything left over goes to support SFFANZ, the national SF fan body: see the next item.

The "Charity"

Traditionally, science fiction conventions in New Zealand have given excess funds to registered charities. This year, any excess will be going to SFFANZ, the national body of SF fandom. It is an IRD-registered non-profit organisation also run entirely by unpaid volunteers.

The donation will be used for projects benefiting New Zealand's SF&F community, such as the Sir Julius Vogel Awards and future SF conventions. To find out more about SFFANZ, click on the logo below, which links to the Foundation's web site at sffanz.sf.org.nz.

Miscellaneous

Our sponsors

Barbara's Books

Barbara's Books is Auckland's finest specialist retailer of Science Fiction and Fantasy books. And they're just as good on Romance....

What sets them apart is that they take the effort to learn their material, and their customers' tastes. ("Barbara is better at picking books for me than I am." —Kevin G. Maclean)

Imaginos Films

Alchemy Beverages