MediaWest*Con/MediaWest*Con 1985

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Convention
Name:	MediaWest*Con 1985
Dates:	May 24-27, 1985
Frequency:
Location:	Lansing, Michigan
Type:
Focus:	multi-fandom
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:	flyer printed in Warped Space #51
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front cover of 1985 program book

Some Facts About the 1985 Convention

• The theme that year was: "MediaWest*Con V " (based on the TV show V).
• there was a seating chart for the Saturday dinner, Sunday lunch and Monday breakfast

• Kandy Fong showed a slide show on Star Trek

back cover of 1985 program

• The Forces of the Empire, a Star Wars fan club hold their first "Blaster Battle" at MediaWest*Con.
• a reporter was there from The Anchorage Daily News: see Real 'con' finds fans talking film, camping it up, acting favorites
• The Second MediaWest*Con Film/Video Competition was held and judged by popular vote.
• More and more children began to appear at the event, prompting this note to appear in Progress report #1:

  Babes-in-arms and small children are not required to pay memberships as long as they are accompanied by parents or guardians with paid memberships at all times. If they're old enough to wander around on their own, unsupervised, they're old enough to need their own memberships and badges.

• Since the hotel in the previous year was not fully reserved to the convention, Progress Report #1 also noted:

  We should also have no problems with mundanes if we book the entire hotel, thouqh our exclusivity is released after the cut-off date, and mundanes can register if there is room after that. The Hilton has a new manager, and we have been assured that no other groups will be registered at the hotel during MediaWest*Con V.

• The convention had yet to adopt a weapons policy as of the first Progress Report:

  We haven't yet had the need for a definitive weapons policy--please continue to show qood sense, and don't wave anything dangerous-looking around.

Cindy and David M included a fan survey in the 3rd Progress Report

• As in previous years, 3 optional banquets were offered to 250 members. From the 2nd Progress Report:

  Saturday evening's dinner buffet banquet will consist of roast beef, baked chicken, baked potatoes, rice pilaf, corn on the cob, mixed green salad, macaroni salad, jello molds, relish trays, assorted cheeses and cold cuts, rolls and butter, strawberry and chocolate mousse, and coffee, tea, and milk. Individual cost is $15.00. Sunday's lunch buffet will consist of hot ham and hot sliced turkey, soup du jour, a variety of salads including creamy cole slaw, potato salad, and relish tray, assorted cheeses, assorted fruit tarts, assorted breads, and coffee, tea, and milk. Individual cost is $10.00. Monday morning's breakfast buffet will consist of scrambled eggs, golden french toast, link sausage, either bacon or ham (we're not sure which, yet), hash browns, assorted breakfast rolls, fresh fruits, and coffee, tea, and milk. Individual cost is $6.50. Separately, all three meals total $31.50. A package deal of all three meals is offered for $29.00. The Hilton has terrific food, and there's lots of it--ask anyone who's participated in the banquets at past MediaWestCons! Assure yourself of at least one exceedingly filling and terrific meal per day without leaving the hotel, and prepayment will save you at least the cost of one meal per day out-of-pocket. Each banquet is limited by space to approximately 250 participants. Your reservation must be received by May 18. Seating charts for each buffet will be posted at registration.

• The Star Wars themed Formal Alliance Breakfast was held again:

  The Princess Leia Organa cordially requests your presence at the Formal Alliance Breakfast. Invitations will be extended to all, no matter their diplomatic ties, and may be obtained by registering with $1.50 (costs to cover such niceties as tea, juice, bagels and other food--if you have a request, let us know). Send your 'persona' name to be enclosed on the invitation, along with pronunciations so that Admiral Ackbar can announce you properly at the occasion. Contact Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker--Mark and Melea [F], [address removed]

• In the second Progress Report, the Texas Rebel Alliance offered to hold a battle demonstration at the hotel:

  wants to officially challenge all comers--especially Imperials!--to a little friendly competition. Our weapon? A military fitness test, aerobics-style! Let's see if you can cut the mustard, folks! Go for it!

• The convention wrote to BBC about rumored Dr Who cancellation. They reported in the 2nd Progress Report:

  For those DOCTOR WHO fans who have been worried about the rumored cancellation of the series, we received a very nice letter from Jane Barrow of the Programme Correspondence Section of the BBC saying that the series would be on the air in 1986, returning to its traditional place in the autumn, with each episode being produced in the traditional twenty-five minute duration.

• More space for dealers was needed. In the 1985 Program Book:

  We have three dealers' rooms -- the Mackinac, the Ambassador, and the Delta. Check them all out. Due to impassioned requests for space, some dealers will have been squeezed into the hallway joining all three rooms. We apologize for any inconvenience to the dealers involved, and will provide them with secure storage space when the dealers' rooms are closed.

• Free-form aka DIY programming this year included:

  Look for posted scheduling of free-form events including an Obedience Dog exhibition by Terri Korthals and Pam Moore, and the Texas Rebel Alliance military-style/aerobics fitness test. The Royal Family of Amber Funeral is scheduled for Sunday night about 2 hours after the start of the REMINGTON STEELE party, and will be held in Laurie Farkas' room. Free-form scheduling can be presented in any meeting space that has free time available in it. Those organizing their own events/panels/whatever should post the time and place of their meetings both at registration and at the location of the meeting. If they can get notice in on time, the notations will be posted in the daily newsletters.

Fan Q Awards

For specifics, see 1985 Fan Q Awards.

Skit

The con plays were "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" and Star Trek: The Musical (aka "Cole Porter: The Search for Star Trek III"). This skit by Paula Smith was performed at Shore Leave #8 in 1986.

Masquerade Winners

We are looking for any info or photos of the Masquerade contest and winners.

Progress Report $1 notes:

There will be a separate Hall Costume competition. Hall costumes will not be allowed to enter the Masquerade. The reverse also applies.

Art Show Awards

Art show winners were selected by popular vote.

We are looking for any info about the Art Show contest.

According to Real 'con' finds fans talking film, camping it up, acting favorites, the top selling piece of art went for $651.

Vid Show

The Second MediaWestCon Film/Video Competition entries will be shown at various times and locations during the convention, and will be judged by popular vote. Though you can vote only once, check at registration and the video room for schedule postings, and try to see each entry at least once. Entrants should register their Film/Video entries at registration.

A few of the vids shown that year:

• "Holdin' Out for a Hero," (fandom and vidder unknown)
• "Mandy," (fandom and vidder unknown)

• "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (fandom and vidder unknown)

We are looking for any info on the pre-1998 vid show winners.

Programming

Panels included: "Guilty Pleasures," "Filksinging," "British Fandoms," More than Mary-Sue: Alter Egos and What You Can Do with Them," "V -- Pros and Cons," How to Start a Fanzine," Uses and Problems of Personal Computers in Fandom," "Fans and Lucasfilm -- The Sometimes Beneficial, Sometimes Adversarial Relationship," "Serious Cop Show and Why We Like Them," "Where are the Men in Media Fandom, & A Male of View of Women in SF Films & TV," "Fannish Phobias (are they different from mundane phobias?)" and "Syndicated Loves (why do some shows retain a fond spot in our hearts?)"

Convention Reports

• "Speaking of MW, it was my first time and I had a ball! I got to meet so many folks I had only heard of before or written to in letters. The whole tone of the convention was light--even if we didn't have a "summer" movie to attend. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lori and Gordon for the excellent way--in my opinion--the convention was run. From the accommodations to the food, to the helpful hotel staff, it was a really pleasant experience and I'm certainly looking forward to next year, where I can renew acquaintances and friendships made this past May. Congratulations again, Lori and Gordon. I had a great time!"
• A male fan writes: "I'm not really sure there is any point in discussing the male/female ratio in fandom. I know I don't want to talk about it anymore, and I was the one who suggested the "Men in Media Fandom" panel way back at MediaWest II. At first, I was curious about the disparity, but now the subject makes me feel like I'm some sort of anomaly, a curiosity, a social mutant. I've been to four MediaWests so far and it still seems like everyone knows everyone else, except me. I think about this and I remember Pat Nussman's article of a few years back, "Where the Boys Are." One of the woman quoted in that article liked the imbalance. She seemed to see media fandom as some sort of feminist enclave and she really didn't want men around. I have enough trouble socializing with any group of people without having to worry about breaking into fandom's "Old Girl Network." I have half an inclination to pull a "Tootsie" and attend the next MediaWest in drag. and then publish the resulting expose in this letterzine. But I'd make an ugly woman."