MediaWestCon/MediaWestCon 2012

Convention
Name:	MediaWest*Con 2012
Dates:	May 25-28, 2012
Frequency:
Location:	Lansing, Michigan
Type:
Focus:	multi-fandom
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:	2012 Convention Page
URL:	; 2012 Convention theme
	Click here for related articles on Fanlore.
	Contents 1 Some Facts About the 2012 Convention; 2 Fan Q Awards; 3 Skit; 4 Fan Fund; 5 Party Suite and Other Gatherings; 6 Masquerade 6.1 Masquerade Awards; ; 7 Door Decoration Awards 7.1 Door Decoration Gallery; ; 8 Art Show Awards; 9 Vid Show Awards; 10 Role Play; 11 Fanzine Reading Room; 12 Programming 12.1 Events; 12.2 Actors; 12.3 Fandom/Fan Fiction; 12.4 Film; 12.5 Literature; 12.6 Miscellaneous; 12.7 Television; 12.8 Games; 12.9 Technical; 12.10 How To/Workshops; ; 13 Acknowledgments; 14 Convention Reports; 15 References;

Some Facts About the 2012 Convention

cover of the 2012 online program book, read this as a pdf

flyer for Media Fandom Oral History Project

Approximately 525 fans attended.
The convention theme was: "APOCALYPTICON! Celebrating the end of the world...or not. The Mayan calendar ends in 2012, the rise of "reality" television, dogs and cats living together -- all signs of a coming apocalypse? Well, it all has to end sometime, so you might as well celebrate with fannish friends! Will we go with a bang or a whimper, nuclear meltdown, new ice age, or zombie infestation? Prepare for the day after and share the rapture of cinematic disaster, doomsday, and post-apocalyptic visions, from A Boy and His Dog to Zardoz."

The Blood Drive was canceled due to a labor dispute.
The Fanzine Reading Room added a few new activities: Gaming.
There were 57 zines that premiered that year, 9 of them were S.W.A.T./The Unusuals zines by Requiem Publications.
It was the first year at MediaWest*Con for the Media Fandom Oral History Project. "Two long-time fans, Morgan Dawn and Franzi have launched the Media Fandom Oral History project. During the convention, they will have timeslots available for folks who’d like to share their unique experience of fandom, the things that drew them to fandom, the friendships they’ve made, the stories, vids, or art that they’ve created and how fandom has impacted their lives. In doing so, our stories will be told using our voices and will be available for future generations to listen to. The recorded audio interviews will be archived at the Fanzine Archives located in Iowa and may eventually be available online via the Organization for Transformative Works (a fan run non-profit). Excerpts may also be included in other print and online projects in the years to come."
Two twitter hashtags were used: #MediaWest*Con and #MediaWestCon
A copy of the online program guide can be found here.
On the unofficial MediaWest*Con Facebook page, fans began sharing their suggestions for improving next year's convention. The convention organizers quickly set up their own Facebook page for MediaWest*Con 2013 and asked for member input. It may have been the first time the convention allowed attendees to discuss the convention in a group setting and with one another as prior to that date, MediaWest*Con would not allow discussions to take place. The official MediaWest*Con mailing list was for announcements only. The same was the case for the MediaWest*Con Blog where comments were disabled.

The Causeway Bay Hotel became the Best Western Plus Lansing.

Fan Q Awards

For specifics, see 2012 Fan Q Awards.

Skit

The fan skit written by Gordon Carleton was a parody of Star Trek set to the musical soundtrack of Grease. It was supposed to have been presented last year but it was postponed to 2012, and then again postponed due to lack of participation. From the first progress report: "Gordon was inspired to write a parody of Star Trek 11 (i.e. reboot) with music from Grease last year. Unfortunately, we were unable to assemble a cast, so it was postponed until this year. Volunteers are needed for all roles, as well as musical accompaniment (a piano is available) and stage ninjas. As it is a musical, most parts involve singing, though some more than others. We need a CHORUS of at least 3 people, who appear as various characters at various times (Vulcans, Cadets, Romulans, etc.) and back up the other cast members. Cast: Roberto Orci, JJ Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Jimmy Kirk, Spock (his younger self), Nero, Spock 1 (his older self), Cadet Uhura, Capt. Christopher Pike, Cadet McCoy, Cadet Sulu, Scotty."

Media Misery Theatre was Saturday afternoon in the Con Suite.

There was a ShadowCast Performance of the Buffy musical "Once More With Feeling." Videos can be viewed here.

Fan Fund

There were no nominations for the Fan Fund.

Party Suite and Other Gatherings

Friday:

Fandom Party (Professionals)Kat & Kris
Revelcon 2012 Party (multimedia) Revelcon 2012 ConComm

Saturday:

Informal Shabbat / Shavuot Service & Oneg Peter Cooper
Hawaii Five-O Party Kath Moonshine
X-Men First Class party Karita Wyr & Chat Noir
A Scandal in Lansing (Sherlock Holmes (every Sherlock Fandom!)
Ashton Press
Random Fandom (multiple fandom) (private) M7SPNFF

Sunday:

Brunch with the Strachey-Callahans, Candy A
Katy Cargill's 25th Birthday Celebration, Cheree Cargill
MW*C 32 Ice Cream Sunday "Last year, in keeping with the 31 Flavors of Fandom theme, we held an Ice Cream Social. It was so much fun, we’re doing it again this year! It’s Ice Cream Sunday (sundae?) 3pm – 5pm in the Party Suite. Cost will be $5.75 per person, and will be catered by BWPL with an ice cream sundae bar with a variety of toppings. Yum! Space is limited, so tickets will only be available in advance at MW*C Registration."

Masquerade

From the first progress book:

So, what can I tell you that's new about the Masquerade? Can I tell you that we have fun? Yes, but if you've come to enjoy it on Saturday night, either in the audience or as an entrant, you already know that. So, is you haven't come to watch in the audience or if you haven't participated as an entrant, what's stopping you? It's still fun. If you're new to the masquerade, then come and enjoy it. We're always happy to have new faces in the audience and on the stage.
There are some useful things to know, both for folks coming to see the Masquerade, and for folks who are entering for either the first time, or for the first time in a while. The entry forms for the Masquerade will be available on the table right by the convention registration desk, and they're available 24 hours a day, until Saturday night. You can pick them up there, and drop them off in a drop box on that table. I'm around the con all weekend, so, if you have any questions for me, just come up and ask me. I'm happy to help.
On Saturday, after the last panels end in the Ballrooms, and the hotel staff are resetting the room for the Masquerade, I will be there for at least the hour between 6 and 7 PM. For anyone who wants a good look at the stage and where entrants will come on and off stage, that's a great time to see all that and work out your moves. You don't have to come at that time, this is purely optional.
For those entering the Masquerade, please get your entry forms in as early as you can. While I like what people entering late add to the show, the sooner I get your entry forms, the easier I can put you all in an on-stage order that helps display all that you are going to do to the best. So, while I don't have a hard deadline, at least getting entry forms in by Saturday at 6 helps us both out.
Any entries that have any recorded music and/or dialogue for their performance, please put them on a CD. We have had so few requests for cassette in recent years that we've dispensed with that capability.

Masquerade Awards

The OMG Award Best In Show - Equal Opportunity Sith Lord -- Janice St. Clair
The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Award -The Return of the Unknown Comic -- Peter Cooper
The Weirdest Freaking Presentation We've Seen In A Long Time Award A Supernatural Don't Touch My Rocky Torchwood Picture Show... Who? -- Sam Powell, Victoria Gold, Spener Coates, Nikki Wegrzyn, Devon Burke
Costume Most In Need Of Marriage Counseling Award - Doctor & TARDIS -- Allison Keifer, Alyssa Wilson
The Little Soft Shoe Award - Time Lord Shuffle -- Kelly Lowrey, Cicatrice du Veritas
The Damned Funny Smart & Clever Award - Lost Steampunk -- Gena Fisher, Tammy Latchford, Connie Olberding

Judges: Seth Bonder, Mark Cogan, Kelly Shultz
A Complete list of the Masquerade 2012 Contest Winners with photos can be found here, ^{Archived version}</ref>

Door Decoration Awards

Starting in 2012, the winner of Door Decoration Contest “Best In Show” received up to 2 free memberships to next years’ convention. Also new that year: "We will have a “MW*C Members Favorite” award!" -- allowing attendees to vote for their favorite door. The progress report contained new rules concerning door decoration: "Due to remodeling the hotel has asked us to limit our decorating to the doors only. No walls next to the doors. No ceiling hanging anythings. Call it old school, call it a return to our origins, call it whatever you like but please respect their request so that we are allowed to continue to have a door decorating competition."

For a complete list of the 2012 Door Decoration Contest Winners with photos go here.^[2] A few sample doors are below.

Door Decoration Gallery

Mediawest 2012, Winner 'Best Humour.' "Stay calm and text Sherlock." (Sherlock Holmes)
MediaWest*Con 2012. Flamingo's "They said this marriage would never last." celebrating 37 years of Starsky & Hutch slash fandom. Winner of the 'Best Slash' door. Photo: cannellfan
door decoration with original fan art by Ann Larimer. Photo: cannellfan
The Incredible Hulk (The Avengers) peers through a hole in the door. Photo: cannellfan

Art Show Awards

Winners were judged by popular vote at the convention.

Best In Show: Love Noir by Lorraine Brevig
Best SF: Spock by Mike Cole
Best Fantasy: All That Glitters by Karen River
Best Detective: Sherlock: Chameleon by Lorraine Brevig
Best Secret Agent: Lifeline by Kate Nuernberg
Best Animation: Stewy by Mike Cole
Best Humor: Grimm & Bear It by Leah Rosenthal
Best 3-D: Vacancy by Mestiza Woman
Best Fabric: Peace, Love by Ursula Sandman
Best Western: 7 Across by Montana
Best Horror: Was It Something I Said? by Mike Cole
Best Portrait: All That Glitters by Karen River
Best Critter: Wasabi by Karen River
Personal Favorite: Sherlock & John by Lorraine Brevig
Too Cute To Live: Sweet Dreams by Karen River
Other: Just Flowers by Sue Uram and Dark Horse by Karen River

A fan made quilt with an Apocalyptic theme also on display with viewers being asked to guess (or decode) the fandoms represented.

The Apocalypti-Quilt key: 1. Day After Tomorrow, 2. 12 Monkeys, 3. Armagedon, 4. Crack In The World, 5. 2012, 6. Day of the Triffids, 7. On The Beach, 8. Dr. Strangelove, 9. The Thing

The Top Decoders: 1. Linda K James, 2. Montana, 3. (tie) Mike Cole, Gary Blog, Dee Beetem, Erika Frensley

Source for the 2012 Art Show Winners^[3]

Vid Show Awards

Winners:

Song Interpretation – Single Source (GEN)

"Ball of Confusion" (Chewing Guy for the Eyes)
(tie) "When There's No One Around" (Chewing Gum for the Eyes) and "Friends" (Infinite Fandom Productions)

Song Interpretation – Multi Source (GEN)

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (Spaced Ponies)
"Blood Makes Noise" (Spaced Ponies)
"Nice to Be With You/Tribute Part II" (SiDiC Music Videos)

Humorous (GEN)

"Friends" (Infinite Fandom Productions)
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (Spaced Ponies)
"Holding Out for a Hero" (Franzeska)

Song Interpretation – Single Source (SLASH)

"Losing My Religion" (Chewing Gum for the Eyes)
"Glitter in the Air" (Cosmic Stallions)
"Complicated" (Cosmic Stallions)

Song Interpretation – Multi Source (SLASH)

"That's Amore" (Cosmic Stallions)
"Brand New Girlfriend" (Cosmic Stallions)
"Voices" (Franzeska)

Humorous (SLASH)

"Brand New Girlfriend" (Cosmic Stallions)
"That's Amore" (Cosmic Stallions)
"Who Wants to Vid This Song" (Franzeska)

Credits

Spaced Ponies
SiDiC Music Videos

Best in Show

"Glitter in the Air" (Cosmic Stallions)

Producers' Choice for Outstanding Technical or Artistic Merit

"O' Death" (Chewing Gum for the Eyes)

Additional Source:2012 Vid Show Winners^[4]

Role Play

From the program book: "FoE: Are you on the path of the Light? Or does the Darkness whisper to you? Come explore path that calls to you, Forces of the Empire want you! FoE is a role playing club. We do Live Action at MediaWest*Con, and online the rest of the year. You can find Forces of the Empire in the Imperial Rooms near the Dealers Room. Friday night is our music night of dance and Role playing. Come join the fun even if for just the weekend."

From the program book: "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS: All Investigators be ready! I have decided to try to get everyone together and give all pertinent information available for this when you get here. See the schedule posts!"

Fanzine Reading Room

From the program book:

THE FANZINE READING ROOM MARKS ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW ACTIVITY -- GAMING!
In 1982 the 'Zine Room began as simply the place to peruse fanzines in comfort and quiet -- well mostly quiet. Over the years, the Room found itself first becoming the caretaker of what became the MW*C Permanent Loan Collection which is the con's collection of fanzines (covering vintage and more current 'zines from almost 30 fandoms), then a display area for 'zines, new and otherwise that were being sold at the con was added. Next came the site for the Fan Q ballot box (with many of the nominated 'zines on display) and, finally, for about the last 12 years, the 'Zine Room has been the site of the SF/Media Fan Fund charity auction which has expanded greatly from its beginnings.
Now, this year and after a try-out last year, the 'Zine Room expands its array of activities for con members by adding 2 tables (or possibly more) for Role-Playing Gaming under the direction of Chris Kaschafsky, long time gamer and gaming con organizer. A sign-up sheet and schedule with 4 hour time blocks will be posted in the 'Zine Room, to decide what games will be pursued and at what time. There will be up to 14 games available including "Settlers of Catan" -- up to 6 players; "Blokus "-- up to 4 players; "Hero I.K." -- 1-2 players, and the classic "Dungeons and Dragons" -- many players. We hope that many con members will be able to enjoy this opportunity for another fannish activity at MW*C. Come visit our space in the hotel's pub -- next to the elevators.

Programming

Events

Actors

Chad Allen: Actor and Activist
Davy Jones/The Monkees: The series and music still hold up today, and the Beatles were spot-on in comparing the Monkees to the Marx Brothers
In Memorium - Remembering the actors who've left us since MWC 2011
Jeremy Renner - From Indie Actor to Superhero,
Mark Sheppard and his Many Roles: From Cecil the pyromaniac to Canton the Companion
Martin Shaw: From The Professionals to PBS
Sebastian Spence: From outer space to Camelot, a discussion of this actor's versatile presence in TV and movies
The Rise and Rise of Benedict Cumberbatch: Sherlock, The Hobbit, Star Trek (not to mention TTSS and War Horse). Is there anywhere he isn't?
Paul McGillion – discuss “Dr. Beckett” in that role and others

Fandom/Fan Fiction

BBC Sherlock - H/C Fanfic Recs (Gen)
BBC Sherlock: What We Love About the Rebooted Friendship & General Discussion on Season 2
Complications of writing chase and rescue fiction when you need to work around modern conveniences (i.e. cell phones, GPS)
Crossovers and fusions: what would you like to see? Sherlock pitted against Hannibal Lecter? Patrick Jane working with the FBI profilers of Criminal Minds to catch Red John?

Desert Island Fic: What top gen h/c fics from each show we watch we'd want with us if shipwrecked
Eye Candy: What's wrong with biceps like canned hams?
Facebook replacing listservs for fan discussions M
Fandom Migration: Livejournal isn't what it was. Where is fandom happening today?
Fanfic - character development in fanfic
Get Off My Lawn or Thank God Someone Still Loves This? Inspired by commentary that Star Wars Episodes 4, 5, and 6 aren't all that great
History as Fandom -- from Re-enactors to Romance Novelists
How to make the hurt comfort possible without killing them dead
Live apocryphals with jobs - Dudley, who will be with me again, does pet therapy. Other pets are service animals, herding or hunting dogs, etc.. Let's get together and talk about these wonderful animals
Magnificent 7 - Gen - Archetypes or Stereotypes? Which AUs make the best use of the characters?,
Magnificent 7 Kid Fic Which AU's work best. All Seven as children or teens vs. one or two as children
Not just Fanfiction: Other creative outlets in fandom, from fic to vids, cakes to knitting, costumes to snow sculptures. Share your outlet
Old Skool and New Blood, how the various fandom generations compare and contrast
Organization for Transformative Works and its various projects (the Archive of Our Own, Fanlore, etc.)
Organizing Fanfic (paper and electronic): Strategy Sharing
Pets and Fans: Cats, dogs and more. We love them but we may outlive them. Share tips for providing for them
Professionals. Canon vs Fannon: Fic is 30+ years strong. Our lads have many beloved traits and a few not so prized. Do they all stem directly from our show or are some of the favs just fannon?
Random Fandoms: Come and share your fandoms whether they be new or old
Rating and Labels: Do We Need Them? Are giving warnings (such as character death, PG-13) really needed when one is posting fan fiction?
Shades of Gray: Implications for Fanfic?
Sherlock Holmes: would Conan Doyle approve? Speculation panel on how the author would feel about the Ritchie movies and the BBC series
Slashy Anime. From simple subtext to explicit yaoi/yuri, anime can be a cornucopia of slashy goodness. Share favorite pairings, favorite series, and how they differ (or not) from western media fandoms. (/)

Social media: Thoughts on the pros and cons of Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal
Stargate Atlantis Fanfiction Recs: Bring your lists or netbooks and share your favorite SGA stories/links,
Stargate Atlantis: McShep and other pairings – your favorites and why (/)
The re-emergence of the Western TV series in fan fiction i.e. Laramie, Bonanza and others
TPTB: Is their participation in fandom a curse or a blessing?
TV on DVD: Does it help keep a fandom going, revive it, or do nothing at all?
TV Tropes and Idioms: Share information on the most awesome site for fans and writers and fannish writers
What’s wrong with fanon? Must everything stay in the ridged fence of canon?
Writing - Tips for writers who'd like to get published in m/m industry
Writing a series within a series: constructing a "universe" for your characters in an ongoing story series. (/)

Film

3-D Movies: Are the re-release of movies in d073-D (Beauty & the Beast, Titanic, Star Wars) really worth it or do you feel this is a Hollywood gimmick and money-grab?
Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Phantom of the Opera' Then and Now’: discuss all aspects of Phantom, but will changes made in 25th anniversary. Performance better fit Sir Webber's PotO sequel "Love Never Dies."
Animated Movies: Discuss the movies shown this past year, and what is there to look forward to in 2012?
Dark Shadows - Comparing the current and previous movies and the TV series
Green Lantern: Was it your brightest day or blackest night? How could the movie have been better?
Harry Potter pt 2 – Deathly Hallows: Discuss the movie
Hobbit: Not long now. The latest from New Zealand with Bilbo and Friends
Is Originality in films dead?: Part 3, ‘re-imagined’ 3D versions of older films, etc. Why can’t they make something new?
More Hidden Gems: Lesser known movies and books that members might like. This is a continuation of a panel from the last couple of years
Noble Savages (Tarzan, Conan, John Carter, etc.): Movies seem to be showing an interest in straight action/adventures from the pulp era, but are they doing it right?
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: Should this be the last film, or can it continue?
The Avengers movie: Superheroes galore!

The Woman in Black: 1989 and 2012: Comparing and contrasting these deliciously chilling films.
X-Men First Class Slash - Charles/Erik: Mutant Soulmates? (Other pairings welcome, just not as much) (/),
X-Men First Class: General movie squee and sequel speculation,

Literature

Andre Norton: Something new to discuss
Anne McCaffrey: A discussion of this lady's series
Audiobooks/Podcasts: Got favorites? Share them with the rest of us, science fiction or otherwise
Best Book Series People Don't Knows About - The Kencyrath Chronicles: Am I the only one ready this excellent series?
Comics: what are you reading? A general discussion panel about your favorite
Contemporary Urban Fantasy - Come discuss this explosively popular literary field, exemplified by the Dresden Files, the Mercy Thompson novels and dozens of other recent new series
DC's New 52 - A fresh start or more confusing
DC's New 52 and other experiments
Harry Potter: Are there more stories to tell, or is the series really complete?
Horse Fiction and Non-Fiction: General discussion
JD Robb (In Death series)
Kate Griffen's Matthew Swift novels
Pern: Discussion of the last book
Producing your own graphic novel: beyond stapling a bunch of pictures together
R.I.P. Anne McCaffrey - Come share your memories of your favorite novels by the creator of the Pern novels, who passed away in 2011
Richard Sharpe: The man, the soldier in book, movie and Fan Fic, D23, Sun, Univ 1, 3:00PM Romance novels: General discussion of this genre
Stargate Atlantis – The Legacy Series: The show is dead (thanks, MGM!), but it’s living on in a sequelized series of books. What are your thoughts on that series, and other books?
The Avengers. "/" Discussion of pairings from the comics and the movies that would work for you, and those that wouldn't. (/)
The Prophets of Science Fiction: discuss this Science network series about legendary scifi authors

The Revival of the Sime~Gen Series: Thanks to ebooks and POD, series that had been suspended are now back. The Sime~ Gen books by Lichtenberg & Lorrah are not only all back in print, but there are already four NEW books out and selling well
Tom Swift: are the rewrites any good?

Miscellaneous

Michigan's UFO Cases: A panel on the little-known, and widely heralded, UFO cases of Michigan.

NASA and the Future of the Space Program
Old Time Radio
Paranormal Legends of Michigan and the Midwest: Urban legends and myths are simply made-up for enjoyment - they seldom have basis in fact... this panel will touch on the bizarre history of Michigan and the Midwest
Paranormal Primer the basics and the how-to of ghost hunting

Television

60s Spies: Just as Tough, With Mod Clothes
A Blast from the Past: Simon & Simon, Due South, Starsky & Hutch, The Sentinel and more.
A Gifted Man: How long will Michael’s departed wife hang around?
Amazing Race - Discuss the results of the 19th and 20th seasons with fellow TAR enthusiasts, and hear hints about upcoming Race plans
Antenna TV: A cable channel that shows the oldies, like Adam-12, Ironhorse and more. Does viewing these oldies live up to your memories of them?
Awake: What's Going On?
BBC Top Gear: General Discussion
Big Bang Theory. I know why I, as a media fan I like the show, but what's the attraction for the general viewing audience?
Big Bang Theory: Scenes or characters we'd like to see--should Mrs. Wolowitz stay offscreen? Leonard's siblings? Sheldon's father? etc.
Blue Bloods: General discussion of this police drama starring Tom Selleck, A016, Sat, Univ 2, 6:00PM Burn Notice: How does the elimination of Michael's burn notice affect the series' focus?
Castle: General discussion of the 4th season
Castle: Where does the Castle/Beckett relationship stand after yet another year? How much longer can the producers keep them apart?,
Characters Welcome: What's your favorite USA show and why?, A027, Sat, Ball D, 3:00PM Cliffhangers - Don't Make Me Wait!
Closer, The: The End, after 7 seven seasons. Discussion this critical and fan favorite.

Criminal Minds: Can a show basically about gruesome murders gain a fandom?
CSI (the original): With the cast slowly leaving, is it still the show you first enjoyed when it premiered?
Doctor "Who": Why is that the question that must never be answered?, A037, Sat, Univ 2, 11:00AM Doctor Who: 11th Doctor - what's next?
Donald Strachey Mysteries (Movies and Books): Comparing and contrasting movie and book characterizations. (/)
Donald Strachey Mysteries (Movies or Books): A general discussion of the series. (/)
Donald Strachey Mysteries (Movies): Squee! Your favorite moments from the series. (/)
Donald Strachey Mysteries (Movies): What we'd like to see in a new movie. (/)
Donald Strachey Mysteries (Movies): What would you like to see, and not see, in fanfiction? (/)
Downton Abbey: "Dowager Countess for the win!" What about this costume drama is so appealing?
Eureka: Looking at the final season - has it run its course? will you miss it when it's gone?
Everything Old Is New Again: How Downton Abbey and Sherlock are saving PBS, just like Upstairs Downstairs and Doctor Who did in the 1980s"
Falling Skies: Family drama meets alien invasion, starring Noah Wyle - Discuss!
Finder, The: Worthwhile Bones spinoff or mixed-up mess?
Flashpoint: CBS dumped it but it lives on at ION TV. Discuss the latest season.
Fringe: General discussion
Fringe: It's the little show that could! The 4th season was essentially another alternate history brought to life...discuss the latest developments.
Game of Thrones: To quote Stephen Colbert, is this a great TV series or the greatest TV series ever?
Ghost Hunters (Syfy): Do you believe? Share favorite moments from the eps and real life encounters.
Grimm: Out World With Something Extra - We learn about this added dimension alongside Nick. A newbie learning his craft, a wolf best friend and a reaper for a boss - they rewrote the rules.
Grimm: The bromance of the bromances,.
Grimm and Once Upon a Time: So what do you think? Do they have a chance?

Hannibal: are you interested in the proposed TV pilot focusing on Hannibal Lecter and FBI profiler Will Graham?
Hawaii 5-0: Have the casting changes this season affected the show?
Hawaii 5-0: Steve and Danny. So how long have they been married? (the epic "bromance" of Danny and Steve)
Hoarders and Hoarding: Buried Alive: Can these shows encourage you to clean your house?
How much meta in a TV show is too much, and should the 4th wall ever be broken?
Is Appointment TV Dead?: With Netflix, Hulu & more, are the days of ‘must see’ TV a thing of the past, and is it good or bad for fandom?
Laramie: Discuss this family western series and the men who brought it to life.
Law & Order: SVU: Have the cast changes and stories on private lives worked?
Learning History Painlessly: Do you love American Pickers, Pawn Stars and other shows that teach history through objects?
Leverage - Season 4 is done - let's discuss it!
Leverage: Eliot Spencer, Renaissance Man. He cooks, he fights and he is the romantic on the team.
Leverage: Let's Go Steal a Discussion – Four seasons in and we've had lots of character growth. Do you like it? Does it work?
Lonely Island/Saturday Night Live: Appreciation for the digital works and cultural commentary of Andy Samberg and company.
Lost Girl: SyFy’s latest ‘kick ass’ female character. Can a succubus and her fashion-challenged gal-pal carry a series?
Magnificent 7: Why do we like to read/write our favourite character as a child.
Magnificent Seven: Back to the basics - favorite characters, episodes and moments.
Merlin: General discussion of this series.
Modern Sherlock Holmes how does it compare to the Victorian version?
My Cat from Hell, and other fun series about pets with behavioral problems.
NCIS - Functional Mute, Brains, Guts, Muscle Wildcard - Let's discuss our characters. Why we love them or maybe some not so much.
NCIS - I Love My Pairing: Yours- Not So Much: Let's defend our pairing through canon. (/).
NCIS: 200 episodes and still going strong.
NCIS: How as Tony grown as a person? Or has he?

Once Upon a Time: Do you think there could be a second season?
Once Upon A Time: Where the heroes are flawed and the villains aren't totally evil. Discuss.
Once Upon a Time: Will it live happily ever after? General discussion of ABC's new fairytale/ contemporary-drama crossover show.
Person of Interest: general discussion of this CBS series.
Professionals - Hurting the Lads We Love: We seem to love to hurt out lads. Whether it's physical or mental, we pile on the pain. Was this canon or do we find it's necessary for fic? I wonder who was hurt most? (/).
Professionals: Where are the hard men of CI5? Is the fanfiction "nicer" today than in years past? (/).
Professionals: Where will we find them? AUs. The Pros fandom has inspired quite a few. Why?. What makes it possible to seemingly set our lads anywhere, anytime? And, does it work?
Revenge: Is Emily evil? The actress describes her that way, but.
Ringer: Deception and redemption – is there any future for Bridget and Andrew?
Rizzoli & Isles: Good adaptation of the novels, or does that even matter?
Rosemary and Thyme: A murder mystery with horticulturists.
Sentinel, The: The man, the myth, the legend: what really makes Jim Ellison tick?
Sentinel, The: What was your first episode, and when did you scream with delight at the first moment that made you see slash? (/).
Sherlock (BBC): general overview & discussion of Season Two.
Sherlock (BBC): Mycroft Holmes. He really is the British Government!, A134, Sat, Univ 3, 10:00AM Sherlock (BBC): Slashing Sherlock (/).
Sherlock (BBC): The British Government and The Detective Inspector - celebrating the other slash pairing on Sherlock (Mycroft/Lestrade) (/).
Sherlock BBC: Looking ahead. Speculation and theories. What do you want to see for season three.
Sherlock BBC: the greatest friendship story ever told - with a little necking on the side (/).
Sherlock or Sherlock? Many versions of the same character in movies and on television. Some were hits and some flopped--and some you may never have heard of.
Sing “Soft Kitty”! The Big Bang Theory – why we love it, how we feel about recent developments, and the obligatory “Soft Kitty Sing-Along”!
Stargate Atlantis: Where would you have it go after ‘Enemy at the Gate’?
Starsky & Hutch: Did our boys embrace or rage against changing technology?
Starsky & Hutch: What's your favorite episode and why? (/).

Steampunk Before There was Steampunk: WWW, Brisco County and other shows that were steampunk first. Come talk about your favorite.
Story Arcs - Does Every Show Needs a Big Bad?
Supernatural: Dean and Castiel--The "profound bond."
Supernatural: Dean Winchester: Has the show finally permitted him some real character growth?
Supernatural: Let's discuss the women of Supernatural.
Supernatural: Narrowing the Winchester world down to two: Good idea, or unmitigated disaster?
Supernatural: Sera Gamble - How to destroy a TV show without even trying.
Supernatural: What does the future hold for Sam and Dean?
SyFy Channel: Sharktopus and a galore of bad horror/scifi mashes. Come and discuss (or vivisect) these movies.
Terra Nova - It had dinosaurs! How could it fail? Did it deserve a second season?
The Mentalist. Okay, we were wrong at last year's con. It wasn't Red John. Now what?
The River:. Stupid is as stupid does.
Top Chef: Why are they doing a biathlon on a cooking show? A discussion of this last series.
Touch: general discussion of this new paranormal show starring Kiefer Sutherland.
Walking Dead: Should it have been a limited series or can it keep going?
White Collar: How has Neal and Peter's relationship changed this season?
Whitechapel: General discussion of this ITV crime drama where no emotion goes unverbalized?
Wipeout: Balls and bruises; the fun of watching this show.

Games

“MOBS! GANKING! RAIDS! CRIT! AFK! BIO! TANK! DPS! KK! READY CHECK!”
Mastering the Terminology, Finding the Best Builds, Stats, and Gear, and Generally Having Fun Playing World of Warcraft (All levels welcome, including Newbs! :-D)
Echo Bazaar: the Failbetter game - general discussion.
Lvl 85 L4M – A Practical Discussion of the Ins and Outs of MMORPGs . ... A Level 85 PvE Alliance Frost Mage dual-specced for Fire in World of Warcraft (age 56) will be on hand to help anyone new to MMORPGs ...!
Pathfinder, the role-playing game – general discussion.
Starship Smackdown (game).
Whose Line is it Anyway - Live 2-hour Improv - Featuring audience participation and suggestions.

Technical

All things iPad.
Apps and software for research & writing: what do you use and what do you suggest?
Basic Ebook Conversion for Fan-fiction (II): Tips and tricks on getting your fic ready to convert to ereader formats, programs to use, archives and down- loaders that may do it for you. (2 hours).
Choosing an e-reader (I): With so many readers out there let us help you choose the right one for you. Or at least narrow down your choices.
Computers for the Traveling fan: discuss the choices.
How to Podcast Fanfic.
Podfic – Discussion of the unique rewards and challenges of recording (or listening to) fanfic read aloud.
Stitch & Bitch: Bring it, work on it, show it off, and schmooze.
Vidding - Discussion of Last Night's Fannish Music Video Premieres.
Vidding - Where to find Fannish Music Videos online.

How To/Workshops

Calibre Ebook Management program (III) - A more indepth look at preparing and converting fanfiction for ereaders, and the Calibre ebook management program. Open to PC, Mac, and Linux users (2 hours).
Holy Mother Grammatica: A Funny Thing Happened on my Way to a Sentence.
Learning How to Play Magic the Gathering card game: This would be an introduction workshop a sort of 101 on How to Play Magic. Basic decks will be provided for folks as well as a brief overview on the rules for playing magic the gathering.
Tips and Tricks for Better Fanfic workshop

Acknowledgments

Co-Chairs -- Lori Chapek-Carleton & Gordon Carleton
Membership/Registration (records, data entry, onsite), Transportation — Lori Chapek-Carleton
Communications (e-mail, publications, website), Data Output (membership badges, lists), Graphics (logo, T'shirt design) — Gordon Carleton
Art Show -- Art Show Director: Gordon Carleton; Karen Klinck & staff will be running the Art Show under his supervision at the convention itself.
Plays -- Gordon Carleton
GoFers -- Jeanne Sullivan, GoFer Captain
Con Suite -- Jeanne Sullivan
Programming -- Elyse Dickenson & Dawn McLevy
Flyers -- Elyse Dickenson & Dawn McLevy
Party Suite -- Elyse Dickenson & Dawn McLevy
Fan Quality Awards -- Jan Keeler
Fanzine Reading Room -- Jan Gosnell

SF/Media Fan Fund -- c/o MediaWest*Con. To donate auction items, please contact Jan Gosnell
Dealers -- Debra & Anna Barber
Orphan ‘Zine Table -- Margaret Basta, Janice St. Clair, and Laura Basta-Sandler

Fannish Video Room -- Sheryl Adsit
Masquerade — Andre Lieven
Security — Seth Cutts
Blood Drive — Kim Dyer
Hotel Liaison – Carol Lynn
Lansing Liaison -- Carl Tielking
Door Decoration Competition -- Alem

Convention Reports

franzeska's Tribal Forces (oops) & Media West dated May 28, 2012 and Practical Considerations dated June 4, 2012^[5]
tenaya's Back From MediaWestCon dated June 1, 2012^[6]
spikesgirl58's What would it take for you to attend Media*West? dated June 2, 2012
lizvogel's MediaWest*Con 32 dated June 4th, 2012^[7]

Photo Album

AuntieC 2012 MediaWestCon Album 2012, ^{Archived version}

References

^ WebCite for the 2012 Convention page dated July 2012.
^ 2012 Winners WebCite
^ 2012 Winners WebCite
^ WebCite for the 2012 Vid Show Winners.
^ franzeska's WebCite and WebCite.
^ tenaya's WebCite.
^ lizvolgel's WebCite.

[1] WebCite for the 2012 Convention page dated July 2012.

[2] 2012 Winners WebCite

[3] 2012 Winners WebCite

[4] WebCite for the 2012 Vid Show Winners.

[5] ranzeska's WebCite and WebCite.

[6] tenaya's WebCite.

[7] zvolgel's WebCite.

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