Convention Programming Thirty Years Ago

Over on the LTSNBN, there’s a lot of discussion regarding what “real” conventions are and are not.  (I am ego gratified to see that my articulation of the “experiencing vs participating” difference is holding up fairly well.)

One point of distinction is that of the presence or absence of “actors” offering signed photos of themselves for compensation.

Some are trying to create a forced parallel between that activity and authors displaying their books/signing their books, but the falsity of that argument is readily apparent to most. (first hand creative source vs 2nd/3rd hand creative “source”).

Threaded into that mess of heated exchanges is the question of how (or whether to) REAL conventions can attract the great unwashed with “actors” – so long as they don’t have to touch them.

One observant soul noted that Real cons are like newspapers and that commercial cons are the equivalent of tabloids – there only for the wow/lemmings to a car wreck factor.  And do real cons want a bunch of Gawkers? (NO)

Various schemes are put forth for modified/additional/expanded programming, some of which might have promise.

However, in the interest of preventing the re-invention of the wheel, I offer the following summary of the program track for Balticon from 1979.

Back then Balticon was pretty much a “must-do” north-east coast convention (along with Philcon, Lunacon, Disclave and Boskone:  I almost always made the first 4 and never made it to bean town for the last back then.)

I find it interesting that there was so little programming (less is more!), that the the gaming folks felt that they could host games in conjunction with panels running in the same space (!?!) and suggest that now more than ever there is room for an “amateur film festival” – even if it is next to impossible to program 24 hour film watching.  (Where do indigent fans sleep these days?)

I herewith offer a summary of a thirty year old programming grid from Balticon 1979. (Scans of said grid forthcoming, AFTER the posting of the VanDermeer, Tremblay & Durham videos.)

There are ten spaces scheduled (eg Parlor B, Consuite) and the time breakout runs from “9:00-10:00 AM” through “After Midnight”.

Friday begins at noon with the opening of registration.  Notes in this section indicate that “no formal activities will take place until 4 PM” and that the “pro hideout” is open.

Friday is sparse.  At 4, formal programming in a single room space begins (L-5 and Beyond and The Colonization of Space) runs until dinner time (6 to 7).  It picks up again with two more panels “The Changing Face of Fandom” and “Is Academy Ruining Science Fiction?”.  That room is then closed for party prep from 10 pm until 11 pm when the main introductory party begins.  Ends at midnight.

Elsewhere, movies begin playing (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Twilight Zone amateur film fest, all night films from 4 pm through all night, the Dealer’s room and Art shows open at 4 and close at 9, the MIMEO room opens at 4 and closes at 7, two rooms devoted to games and computers open, the Radio room opens at 4 and closes at 6 PM and the ConSuite party begins at midnight.

Saturday begins with every room in action by 11 AM

The Hunt room runs continuous panels from 11 through 9 Pm with an hour break for dinner (6 to 7):
The Business of Science Fiction, PIPAS Speech, What Happened to the New Wave?, Way the Future Was – Old Time Pros, Space Law, Fantasy vs Science Fiction, GoH Speech by Poul Anderson, After the Boom, New Directions in SF Publishing, Art Panel.

An art auction takes place in that room starting at 10 pm.

The Valley room begins showing movies and shorts, including an amateur film festival.

The Dealers room and Art Show open at 11 am; Dealers room closes at 6, the Art Show at 9

One of the two computer & game rooms remains open all night.  That room (Chase) also double-programs with some panels – Role Playing Games, Artificial Intelligence Where Are We?, Computer Music, Asimov’s laws, Warm Blooded Dinosaurs.
The other computer & gaming room (Tack) opens at 11 am and runs through midnight (and if I remember correctly, beyond)

Over in the Noxell room, author readings begin at 11 am and run through dinner (6 pm), after which this room reverts to the consuite activities.  Readers are S. Miller, D. Bishoff, G Scithers, J. Chalker, T. White, T. Monteleone, H. Clement (Program note:  this room is closed during the GoH speech)

The Radio room opens at 11 and closes at 6 pm for dinner

Sunday closes out fairly quickly:  the Hunt room features a “wake up party” at the ungodly hour of 10:171/2…

and then featuresa few more program panels – Project Daedalus, Critter Making through 1 pm, after which the 2nd Art auction takes place

Movies begin at 11 am (Outer Limits, Invaders from mars, ends around 4 with the showing of Three Stooges in Orbit)

Dealers room and Art show opens at 11, closes at 4

Mimeo room opens at 11, closes at 2

Game and computer rooms open at 11, close at 3 – no panels scheduled

Readings run from noon through 3 pm – L. Bushyager, R. Adams, P. Anderson

The radio room opens at 11 am, closes at 3 pm.

The hidey hole, which has been a 24 hour refuge for pros and (some) over-worked staff, also functions as a pro tem continously running dead dog party.

By my count:  1 GoH speech, 21 panels/presentations, 4 “continuously running” activities (movies, dealers, art, games/computers). 10 author readings and the usual parties, both open and closed – plus lots of time for a formal dinner (as in – scheduled and planned get-togethers over a meal) and oodles of time to sit around in a hallway and meet&greet.

I worked the above event as, I believe, Head of Security.  I still had time to go out to each with a group that included CJ Cherryh, L Bushyager and about 6 others at the Japanese Steak House, attend an auction, watch several movies and stick my head into the “computer” room (which is, of course, where all of the REAL nerds were congregating…)

PS:  notes written on my schedule by some other committee person indicate that many of the main panels are to be “Taped” – and I know they were.  Does anyone know where the “tapes” have gotten to?