Caption Contest
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| See also: | Convention Games |
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Caption Contests is a fan activity in which fans are presented with a screen capture or publicity shot from the show and asked to supply comic/satiric captions for it.
It was at conventions and was a convention game.
It was also a popular activity in print zines, both as a contest, and as a way to generate fan interest and contributions. Sometimes the contest part was skipped, and zine editors simply included photos with captions as part of their print zine.
Caption contest, and photos with humorous captions, are a sort-of pre-internet version of a meme.
Some Examples of Use
From a 1985 zine, Beta-Niobe : "We have a caption contest this N/L - if you can think up a good caption for the illustration at the back of this issue (kindly drawn by Maggie Symon -thanks, Maggie) please send us your ideas. The winner will receive a selection of our stickers."
From the 1989 Gambit convention program book: "A Caption Contest utilizing various photos will be ongoing in the Con Suite (located in the 1st floor Conference Room) . The winners will be announced at Closing Ceremonies and will get to keep the photo as a prize."
From a 1987 con report for 4-Play & Beyond: "[They had] caption contest, there they posted cute photos from different shows and had space underneath for people to write witty captions. The S&S one was a photo Kandy Fong took on the set of "Lost Lady'. [1]
From a Chakotay/Paris community called The Chakotay/Paris Writers' Support Group: "The CPSG Caption Contest (So what *is* Tom saying to Chakotay?), and links to sites with slash-inspiring pictures to get the C/P muse jumpstarted. (Also, proof in manip form that Chakotay is really Xena. *g*)"
Fan Comments
Two fans commented regarding the photo captions in the Star Trek: TOS zine Southern Star #1 (1975): "I also don't care much about the cute captions under the photos. Might appeal though, to some of your younger readers." And "Question: how'd you do the photos? They look like they were xeroxed - not too bad a job for the purpose they were used, (Oh those captions! I was in hysterics.)" [2]
Sample Fanworks
Sample Gallery
from Sub-Space #4 (1975), bloopers with captions
References
- ^ from Simon and Simon Investigations #6
- ^ from a LoC in Southern Star #2