WINCON 2015

WinCon Vid Show #10 Round-up

brynspikess — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 05:51:54 GMT

Here it is: the 10th Annual WinCon Vid Show! Man, it's hard to believe Wincon was only two weeks ago - it feels like it's been ages! What better way to relive the magic than by rewatching some of your favorite vids from the vid show? Just like always, We had some amazing vids submitted this year in several different fandoms and I had an amazing time viewing them with you all. Thanks again to all the talented folks who contributed your work!

The links are below, so if you liked a vid, please go to the individual posts and give the artists some love! I'm still uploading the iso for the full vid show, so check back in a couple days for that link! Otherwise, please let me know if any of the links don't work!

WinCon 10 Vid Show - Individual Links

10.01) Title: Wincon Gets Back In Time
Vidder: deirdre_c
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, Streaming on Vimeo, Livejournal Link
Song: “Back In Time” by Huey Lewis and the News
Fandom: Multifandom
Length: 1:55
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!

10.02) Title: If I Lose Myself
Vidder: Mahmoud
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link
Song: “If I Lose Myself” by Alesso Vs Onerepublic
Fandom: Jupiter Ascending (Jupiter/Caine)
Length: 4:51

10.03) Title: Born a Fighter
Vidder: Romanse
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, Livejournal Link
Song: “The Fighter” by Gym Class Heroes
Fandom: Star Trek Reboot
Length: 3:49

10.04) Title: SuperYOLO
Vidder: Nightlovechild
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, Tumblr Link
Song: “YOLO” by The Lonely Island feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar
Fandom: Supernatural
Length: 3:08
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!
* Trigger Warning: Graphic Violence, Blood/Gore, Major Character Death, Multiple Character Death

10.05) Title: Through the Deep, Dark Wood
Vidder: Anoel
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, AO3 Link
Song: “Through the Deep, Dark Wood” by The Veils
Fandom: How To Get Away With Murder (Annalise/Wes)
Length: 2:41
* Trigger Warning: Graphic Violence, Physical Triggers (e.g., epilepsy or migraine: strobe lights, bright lights, “stuttery” cuts between 2-3 stills)

10.06) Title: We Should Hang Out
Vidder: Fat Orange Kat
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, Livejournal Link
Song: “We Should Hang Out” by Con Bro Chill
Fandom: Hawaii Five-0 (Steve/Danny)
Length: 3:05
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!

10.07) Title: Hell’s Heroes
Vidder: cee_m
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, AO3 Link
Song: “Hell’s Heroes” by Empires
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Length: 3:38
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!
* Trigger Warning: Suicide (from the episode), Self-harm (Both really mild)

10.08) Title: My Obsession
Vidder: darcy
Links: Direct Download Link
Song: “Obsession” by Skillet
Fandom: Stargate SG-1 (Jack/Daniel)
Length: 4:01
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!
* Trigger Warning: Explicit Nudity/Sexual manips

10.09) Title: Do My Thing
Vidder: deirdre_c
Links: YouTube Link, Streaming on Vimeo, Direct Download Link, Livejournal Link
Song: “Do My Thing” by Estelle (feat. Janelle Monáe)
Fandom: Supernatural
Length: 3:28

10.10) Title: Sugar
Vidder: Anoel
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, AO3 Link
Song: “Sugar” by Maroon 5
Fandom: The Good Wife (Alicia/Kalinda)
Length: 2:29

10.11) Title: Maybe You’re Not The Worst Thing Ever
Vidder: Rose Miller
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link
Song: “Maybe You’re Not The Worst Thing Ever” by Galavant Cast
Fandom: Agent Carter (Peggy/Jack)
Length: 1:41

10.12) Title: Who Knew
Vidder: Bryn Spikess
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, AO3 Link
Song: “Who Knew” by P!nk
Fandom: Roswell (Alex/Isabel)
Length: 3:35
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!
* Trigger Warning: Major Character Death

10.13) Title: Invincible
Vidder: darcy
Links: Direct Download Link
Song: “Invincible” by Skillet
Fandom: Supernatural
Length: 3:11
* This vid was a Wincon Premiere!

10.14) Title: Shake It Off
Vidder: Lillian Calcaterra
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link
Song: “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
Fandom: Young Hercules
Length: 3:54

10.15) Title: Lady with a Rocket
Vidder: colls
Links: Streaming on Vimeo, Direct Download Link, AO3 Link
Song: “Lady with a Rocket” by Haley Dreis
Fandom: Star Wars
Length: 2:53

10.16) Title: Hall of Fame
Vidder: Romanse
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, Livejournal Link
Song: “Hall of Fame” by The Script
Fandom: Spartacus
Length: 3:29
* Trigger Warning: Graphic Violence, Blood

10.17) Title: Here It Goes Back Again
Vidder: thingswithwings
Links: YouTube Link, Direct Download Link, Dreamwidth Link
Song: “Here It Goes Again” by OK Go
Fandom: Back to the Future I, II, III
Length: 3:03

Enjoy!

Post-WinCon Friending Meme

brynspikess — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 08:43:42 GMT

I CAN'T BELIEVE WINCON IS OVER! I swear, every year it feels like the weekend goes by faster and faster...

Before this weekend becomes even more of a blur than it already is, let's exchange some information!

I suggest copying and pasting the coding in the text box, but please feel free to omit anything you don't want to share, or add anything relevant. (Especially identifying details...i.e. did you wear something amazing, have a great talk about a specific topic, coordinate an activity or panel, etc. Anything that will clue people in to YOU actually being YOU.)

We had a lot of new faces this year, as well as a lot of veteran attendees, and it was amazing seeing all of you!!! I know I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with as many people as I wanted to, so hopefully this post will enable us to all keep in touch. This post is not just limited to 2015 attendees - if you've ever attended Wincon (EVER) or plan to (EVER) then you should play too. Let us love you!

ALSO! IF you made a post-con Wincon review post, please link to it! I wanna read it!

ETA: We've had a couple reported issues with comments on this post being auto-screened and marked as spam by the LJ-Bots. I think I got them all switched over to public comments, but if you have any issues, plz send me a message on LJ or on my Twitter (@spikess). Thanks!

Friday night karaoke!

cathybites — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:23:20 GMT

Once again, we will be venturing out for some karaoke fun. Don't miss out on your chance to sing "Carry On Wayward Son" with a bunch of fangirls in front of complete strangers! This year's karaoke venue is August Henry's City Saloon, which promises Pittsburgh's best karaoke. We'll be meeting in the hotel lobby at 9pm to head over, but you are more than welcome to drop by later than that. It's within walking distance from the hotel (about a half-mile.) Karaoke is free, so you'll just need money for food, drinks, cabfare, or anything else you might want. Can't wait to see everyone there!

Friday Night Dinner Details

chaneen — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 18:53:34 GMT

ETA: Dinner signups are closed, as we have reached our 30 person maximum! If anyone cancels between now and Friday the 16th, I will make an announcement that we have open spots.

Wincon is in just over two weeks, and I'm finally here to give you more information about the Friday night dinner! We will be eating at NOLA on the Square! You can find the menu over here; there are separate gluten free and vegan/veggie menus accessible from the restaurant website, if you're looking for those options.

Anyone is welcome to join our group, but we have to cap the reservation at 30 people. There are currently 8 5 0 spots left. You must fill out this form to sign up. If you haven't filled out the form, you are not guaranteed a spot. Signups for dinner will remain open until we reach the cap, or until October 15th, whichever is first.

In the event that someone who has signed up changes their mind, we'll let you know on the day if there are spaces available for just dinner. If you are signing up for dinner or both dinner and the ghost tour, we will be meeting in the lobby to leave at 6:00pm and walk over to the restaurant for a 6:15pm dinner. If anyone is signed up for just the ghost tour, we will figure out how to get you to the tour location; that information will be announced at the con.

The restaurant is within easy walking distance of the hotel, but if you need to take a cab, that can be arranged at the concierge desk at the hotel.

Also, as a reminder, ghost tour signups are open until October 7th, so if you are interested, don't forget to sign up! We are still 6 people short of the minimum number required, so tell your friends! You can do either dinner and the tour, just dinner, or just the tour. Please let me know if you have any questions.

See you in Pittsburgh!

Flash Panels

chaneen — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:44:58 GMT

Four weeks until Wincon! I hope you all are as excited as I am. We've just posted the schedule, and while there is a ton of awesome stuff to be found this year, there are always topics that don't get submitted or things that become popular after the submission period ends.

And, of course, we want to give you the space to hang out and squee with other fans about whatever your heart desires, so this year we will be conducting flash panels! We are super excited to be able to give you space inside the Fandom Lounge to conduct impromptu small panels that run for 30 minutes each. These will be signed up for on a first come first serve basis, and can be about anything your heart desires.

Signups for flash panels are onsite only. To sign up you will have to visit the Fandom Lounge anytime after 5pm on Thursday. There will be sign-up sheets for the entire weekend. The Fandom Lounge will be available for flash panels during the following hours:

Friday: 12pm - 4pm
Saturday: 11am - 4pm
Sunday: 11am - 3pm

Of course, you are always welcome to host room parties or other gatherings, and we will have an announcement board where you can advertise those.

If you already know a topic you want to have a flash panel on, feel free to talk about it in the comments to this post to gauge interest and discuss potential time slots. We can't wait to see what awesome things you all come up with!

2015 Programming Schedule is up!

lesson_in_love — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:03:51 GMT

STEP RIGHT ON UP AND GET YOUR PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE!

Also remember that we have a really sweet hotel rate for the con, but it won't last for much longer! You must book by September 21 to get the discounted rate! That's this Monday so head on over HERE to book while there's still time. Don't pay over double just for a place to rest your gorgeous heads for the nights you're in Pittsburgh!

Wincon Fanfic Book Club: Fic Announcements

lesson_in_love — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:57:23 GMT

So there's a month till Wincon! (WHERE DID ALL THE TIME GO?? HOW DO WE MAKE IT SPEED UP??) And that means it's time to announce which fics we will be reading for the Fanfic Book Club! As a reminder, we will be having two sessions of the club, one for a small fandom, one for a large fandom. Both authors have given their permission for their works to be used for the club!

Small Fandom: Toy Story
Fic: Under the Table and Dreaming
By: hollycomb
Summary: Andy met Sid when he was four years old, and while some things change, a lot of things stay the same.

Large Fandom: Star Trek
Fic: Sea Change
By: jouissant
Summary: As the five-year mission gets underway, Kirk and Spock are on course to develop a friendship--or something--that will define them both. Then, a poorly-timed away mission changes everything. Before they can begin to deal with the fallout, Jim disappears. With his captain presumed dead, Spock has no choice but to accept a promotion and try to move on. But when he starts experiencing disturbing visions, he gradually begins to suspect that Jim may be alive after all. (A canon-divergent AU assuming they began the 5-year mission following STXI.)

We hope that you'll read up and join us for the first ever Wincon Fanfic Book Club!

Programming Topics Revealed!!

sophie_448 — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 19:31:07 GMT

Wincon is about 8 weeks out, and you know what that means. We're getting closer to having a schedule! We haven't finalized all the times and places quite yet, but we can share with you all the topics and fandoms that will be represented. So, without further ado, I give you ... the programming list!

PANELS

- The Fourth Wall
- RPF
- Mpreg
- Dark!fic
- AUs
- Fanart
- Fan audio works: podfic, fanmixes, etc.
- Fandoms and Social Activism
- Fanfic to Publishing
- Dragons
- Femslash
- How to Geek in Pittsburgh
- Asexuality
- Agent Carter
- Mythology
- Non-Superhero Comics
- Book to Movie Adaptations
- Kink
- Tropes
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Polyamory
- Netflix Original Programming
- Historical TV
- Queering Gender
- Found Families

ROUNDTABLES

- One Direction
- Boondock Saints
- Shipping Rarepairs in Juggernaut OTP Fandoms
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Fannish Practice in the Writing Classroom
- Hockey
- Terry Pratchett
- Supernatural
- Big Hero 6
- Pop Anglophilia
- Dragon Age
- Teen Wolf
- Morally Gray Heroes and Antiheroes
- Jupiter Ascending
- Apocalypse(s)
- The Librarians
- The Raven Cycle
- Costuming

WORKSHOPS

- Breaking Writer's Block
- Fiber Arts (knitting, crochet, spinning, etc.)
- Makeup
- Plushie Making
- Self-Care
- Fanfic Book Club
- How to Talk Sports for Non-Sports Fans

Wincon 2015 Thursday Outing

chaneen — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 15:43:24 GMT

Hello, Wincon attendees!

It's eight weeks until the con, so it's time to announce our official Thursday Outing! First, a little background information for new and returning attendees about the Thursday Outing, and then we'll announce where the con is planning to go this year. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.

What is the Thursday Outing?
The Thursday Outing is an off-site activity, meaning that we leave the hotel and venture into the host city for some local fun. In fact, the outing takes place before the con has even begun. The trip is organized by Wincon attendees, for Wincon attendees, but it is not officially part of the con, so the cost of the event is not included in your registration and the trip is not considered a con space.

As we announced previously, you are welcome to submit your own off-site activities through our website. Deadline to be listed in the program is August 28th, but we will advertise all eligible submissions on our website, provided they're submitted prior to the start of the con.

Who should attend the Thursday Outing?
EVERYONE. No, really. For first-time attendees, it's a great opportunity to get to meet some fellow fans before the whirlwind of Wincon officially picks up. For Wincon vets, the outing is great way to see some of the city! Once the con starts, it can be hard to tear yourself away from official programming—the panels and the Fandom Lounge are just that enticing—so getting to the con a little early to make the trip (if you can) is well worth it.

In past years, the outing has included visits to aquariums, wax museums, Universal Studios, and other tours, so we try to cover a variety of interests when planning things, too.

When is the Thursday Outing?
This year, the Thursday Outing will take place on October 15th. We will be leaving mid-morning on the 15th from the hotel, so you may want to get to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to attend!

Where is the Thursday Outing this year?
Well, there are a lot of awesome things to do in Pittsburgh, so it was a tough choice, but this year we're going to be visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium!

About the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
The Zoo is one of only six major zoo and aquarium combinations in the United States. Located in Highland Park, the zoo sits on 77 acres of park land where it exhibits more than 4,000 animals representing 475 species, including 20 threatened or endangered species. The Zoo has been around for over 100 years, and is divided into seven sections: Kid's Kingdom, the PPG Aquarium, Asian Forest, Tropical Forest, African Savanna, Bears, African Ravine, Water's Edge, and The Islands. You can find out more about the zoo at their website, here.

Pricing
$15.00 per person
You can pay in advance online, or buy your ticket at the gate on the day.

Transportation
ETA: Because the cost of a shuttle from the hotel to the zoo would be astronomical, our recommendation is that people get together to share rides via Uber. Feel free to use the comments of this post to find ride buddies.

If you are driving into Pittsburgh and plan to drive to the zoo, please let us know in the comments below if you're willing to take additional people with you, and how many will fit in your car, if so. Parking at the zoo is free.

Time
We will meet in the hotel lobby in the seating area in front of reception at 11:00am for an 11:30am departure for the zoo. The zoo staff said the whole thing can be done in 1.5-2 hours, including the aquarium, so afterwards, we could have lunch at the zoo, or head back downtown for lunch.

Food
There are two food court-type options at the zoo (chicken tenders, fries, pizza, etc.) People are permitted to bring their own outside food if they have dietary restrictions, but no glass bottles or anything that requires a heat source.

There are also plenty of restaurant options in the vicinity of the hotel, so lunch after we return is an option. If you have any suggestions for food, please leave them in the comments. Depending on group size, we may go with eating at the zoo for convenience; this will be announced closer to the con.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave 'em below!

The Fandom Lounge Ep 3: Avengers: Age of Ultron

lesson_in_love — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 22:05:23 GMT

Our podcast, The Fandom Lounge, has its third episode out! This time we’re talking about Avengers: Age of Ultron. Join Laura, Katemonster, The Brat Queen and Selenay as they talk about the highs and lows and farms with the movie! Katemonster also provides us with their fandom origin story for this month!

Check it out here!

Next time our topic is going to be Teen Wolf! If you’d like to be on the podcast talking the teens and the wolves, or would like to give your fandom origin story, please email melissa at omgwincon.com!

Panelists Wanted!

chaneen — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 01:35:03 GMT

Thanks again everyone for submitting such great ideas for programming for this year's con! We received submissions from past attendees as well as from a bunch of new faces, and we can't wait to hear what you all have to say about your topics of choice in October. For those of you who want some more people to be on your panel, or if you need a helping hand for your roundtable or workshop, this is the post for you!

To help you find some like-minded fans to help you talk, squee, flail, whatever, about your topic of choice, just leave a comment on this post! Please include some information about your panel, roundtable, or workshop, and how many people you would like to be on it with you. If you see something in the comments that you'd like to help with, just jump right on in! If you're like me, I know you want to volunteer to be on everything, but please keep in mind that you can only be on or run a maximum of four different pieces of programming.

The Programming Team is hard at work trying to build the schedule, and we want to accommodate as many people being on the things they want to be on as possible. In order to do this and get our schedule finalized in time to print up the program book, we will need all presenters of panels, workshops, and roundtables to be finalized by August 7th. So, this post will be open for the next two weeks to help you all do that.

As always, if there are any questions, please leave a comment on this post, or email programming@omgwincon.com!

Off-site Activities!

chaneen — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:07:14 GMT

We're three months out from the start of the con, so it's about time to start planning for off-site activities! Have something in mind that you would like to do in Pittsburgh that you want to get a group together for? Maybe you've been dying to visit the National Aviary or go see the Penguins play. Maybe you want to organize a meal outside of the hotel, or take a group to check out the Cathedral of Learning. Whatever it is, if you want your activity advertised in the program, we can do zat!

Activities that are submitted won't be an official part of Wincon's programming (so any associated costs aren't included in your registration fee), but these activities will be listed on the website and in the program book. All off-site activities posted to the website, LiveJournal community, Tumblr, and/or included in the Wincon program book must be open to any attendee, but space restrictions may apply. Prices and space availability are always posted with the activity’s information.

To submit an off-site activity for inclusion, please fill out and complete this form. For additional details about our requirements and what you will need to include with your submission, check out the Off-Site Activities section of the website. This is also where you will find the activities that have been submitted so far for this year.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or email programming@omgwincon.com.

Wincon 2015 Friday Night Ghost Tour and Dinner!

chaneen — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:12:01 GMT

[ETA 10/5/15:] We've got enough signups to guarantee the private tour! Only ~~ten~~ nine spots left, so if you want to sign up, now's the time![/ETA]

Hello fellow wincon attendees (and Pittsburgh locals); it's Ghost Tour time once again! Our tour this year will be done through Haunted Pittsburgh Tours, will take place on Friday, October 16th at 9pm, and will run for approximately two hours. Here's the information for the tour we'll be doing:

Downtown Pittsburgh Ghost Tour
We are the curators of Pittsburgh's nightmares, the archivists of its fears, the trustees of all things that go "bump in the night" in Western Pennsylvania. Come join us on a spine-tingling walking tour through one of America's most haunted neighborhoods. Pittsburgh has a North Side and a South Side, but on this tour, we take you to its dark side.

Haunted Pittsburgh's spell-binding, jam-packed walking jaunt into the city's ghostly, grisly, ghastly past takes you through the heart of it all, downtown Pittsburgh, the "Golden Triangle." Tours run from 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Read more on their website, here.

Cost: $15 per person
This event will be capped at 35 people. [ETA:] The tour company requires a minimum of 25 for a private tour, so we need to reach that number in order to have our own tour guide.[/ETA]
(Note: We recommend that you tip the guide $2. I am happy to take that as part of your paypal payment, and collect tips to give to the guide at the end of the tour, or you can bring the money with you on the day. You are certainly welcome to tip more!)

The tour leaves from the front of The City-County Building (414 Grant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219), which is about half a mile from the hotel.

As usual, I will be organizing a group dinner on Friday before the tour. There are a ton of great restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel and the tour starting point, so we have plenty of choices. Please feel free to suggest something in the comments here, or on the signup form. A post for dinner information will be posted closer to the con. [ETA:]The post with dinner information is available here![/ETA] [ETA 2:] Dinner signups are closed, as we have reached our cap of 30 people. If anyone cancels, I will make an announcement about available spots.[/ETA]

To sign up for the tour, please fill out this form! You will receive specific details on how to pay once you've signed up. I am still working with the tour company regarding payment options, but you can definitely pay via paypal, and potentially cash on the day and credit card as well. This post will be updated as more information becomes available. Early payment is encouraged, because we need to guarantee 25 paid attendees for a private tour. Also, that way you won't have to remember to set aside money for the tour during the con, as it'll already be taken care of!

Sign-ups will remain open until Wednesday, October 7th at 3pm EDT, or until we have reached the 35-person maximum.

If you know anyone from the local area who might be interested, and would be comfortable taking a tour with us fanpersons, they are welcome to join. Just point them here!

Any questions or comments, please let me know! You can reply to this entry or email ghosttour@omgwincon.com.

Announcing the 10th Anniversary Wincon Vid Show!

chaneen — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:24:27 GMT

Since the very first Wincon, the annual Vid Show has been a much-loved and highly-attended staple of the convention. We've laughed, we've cried, we've drooled at the hotness... now it's time to look back at the last nine years of amazing music vids, and we need your help!

To celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of Wincon, we will be showing a special vid show (in addition to our regular one) that consists of the most popular vids from the last nine vid shows! To keep you from being too overwhelmed, there will be three polls staggered over the next few weeks (the first is already opened) - Pay attention to Wincon's Twitter and Tumblr for announcements when the polls are opening and closing, and please take some time out of your busy schedules to check the polls out! Vote for your favorite vids from Wincon's past, and the vids with the most votes from each year will be compiled into the Anniversary Vid Show and shown at Wincon!

Vid Show Poll #1 (CLOSED)
Vid Show Poll #2 (CLOSED)
Vid Show Poll #3 (currently open; closes on Saturday August 8th at 11:59pm PDT)

Want to rewatch the vids before you vote? Streaming and download links are available in our Vid Show Archive!

FYI: All the vidders have been contacted and have given permission for their vid to be included in the poll, and if chosen, to be included in the Anniversary Vid Show. If one of your fave vids isn't in the poll, it's because we were either unable to contact the vidder, or the vidder declined being included in the poll.

Are you one of the vidders we were unable to contact? Please contact us ASAP so we can include your vids in the poll!

Questions? Leave a comment on this post, or email our Vid Show Coordinator, Bryn at bryn@omgwincon.com!

Wincon Fanfic Book Club: Voting through July 31st

lesson_in_love — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 16:59:35 GMT

Welcome to the first ever Wincon Fanfic Book Club! We’re so excited to try out this concept this year in Pittsburgh! Our goal is to critically analyze and discussion certain works of fanfiction in an open and safe space. But first, we need some fic to read!

We will be having two different workshops (and yes, you can attend both!): one for a fic from a large fandom, and one for a fic from a small fandom. Voting on which fandom you’d like to read from will commence during the month of July. We’ve decided on 20 different large fandoms that you will be able to choose from, and anything that’s not on the list is considered a small fandom.

When you vote, you’ll also be able to submit specific fics that you’d possibly like to discuss during the book club. Fics can be anywhere from 20k-100k, and we ask that you already have some topics to talk about formulating in your mind when choosing what fics you’re going to submit. Final decisions about fics that will be read for the actual Fanfic Book Club will be made by the runners of the workshop, and will be posted in September. This gives you about a month and a half to read the text(s) before Wincon! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them down in the comments below.

Fandoms voting concludes July 31st
Book Club Fics announced Sept 1st

Happy reading, Wincon!

Vote for which fandoms you'd like to read here!

The Fandom Lounge Ep 2: Orphan Black

lesson_in_love — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 19:09:16 GMT

The Fandom Lounge, our podcast, has its second episode up! This time, we’re talking about Orphan Black. This episode is belated by quite awhile, and was recorded before the season 3 premiere, so no need to worry about spoilers. Join Mary, Melissa, Hanako and Audrey as they talk about the madness that happened in season 2, and what we hope for in season 3. Also this month, our fandom origin story comes from isweeden!

Come have a listen!

Next time, our topic is Avengers: Age of Ultron, and we hope to have that episode up for you ASAP! Please let us know if you would like to share your fandom origin story, by emailling melissa (at) omgwincon (dot) com.

Tenth Annual WinCon Vid Show!

brynspikess — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 10:51:55 GMT

As you know, WinCon is multi-fandom, and our Vid Show is a blend of everything that makes that great.

- Hooked on a brand new fandom?
Show us all about it!

Want to match the con theme and do a "Back to the Future" vid?
Great Scott! You'd better make like a tree, and submit it!

- Already formulating your mega crossover vid?
Can’t wait to see it!

- Slashing Disney Princesses?
Who isn’t?

- Haven’t yet come to terms with your favorite show ending?
Bring it back to life and relive the awesomeness!

- Still truly madly deeply in love with Supernatural?
Always in the mood for more!

Vidders: we’re ready for you to show us what you’ve got! Working on something new? We love premieres! Finished up something this year that made you proud? Send it in!

Vidding Fans / Friends of Vidders: you know some amazingly talented folks, and we’d love to include their work in the show even if (sadface) they won’t be able to attend the Con so, please, give your vidding friends a poke to get those juices flowing and send them to this post.. And, if there’s a vid or two that really caught your eye or heart this year, send us a link and/or ask the vidder to get in touch with us about submitting it for the show!

Submission requirements are as follows. Yes, I know it’s a huge teal deer, but moar is moar when you’re answering questions, right?

First, we really need your assistance with a few things:

1) Follow the submission guidelines carefully so that your vids are in a format that we can play with. If the technology isn’t quite what’s expected, and the software we are using won’t convert your files, we’ll have to leave them off the show DVD, and that would make everyone sad. So please, follow the instructions as best you can.

2) Submit your vids no later than 11:59pm EST on Saturday, August 1st. We wish we could offer more time, but we really won’t be able to accept anything later than that.

3) THERE ARE THREE BIG CHANGES THIS YEAR!!! First, no more splitting! Vids are no longer required to be split - you can submit them in mp4, avi, or wmv formats. Second, the limit to the number of vids each person can submit is now two. Third, the submission deadline is no longer the same as Labor Day in the United States - it's been moved up a month, so pay attention to the deadline!!!

We have a generic email address for things related to the vid portion of the Con. If you have any questions, please send your email to: vids (at) omgwincon (dot) com.

(And now, the technical request you’ve all been waiting for...)

Programming Submissions close April 29th

lesson_in_love — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 18:07:37 GMT

Because of the warm welcome we received in Pittsburgh at Tekko this weekend, we’ve decided to keep Programming Submissions open till the 29th! They are set to close at 11:59 PM PST.

If you want to see what panels, workshops, and roundtables have already been submitted, click here! This spreadsheet is updated as they come in!

If you want to submit programming ideas, click here and submit them!

Programming Submissions now open till April 24th

lesson_in_love — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 01:46:30 GMT

We want to make sure that everyone's ideas for panels, workshops, and roundtables will be included for voting for this year's Wincon, so we've decided to extend panel submissions till April 24th!

To submit a panel for Wincon, you only need 3 things!

1) A registration for this year's convention!
2) A passion for your topic.
3) A couple of key points that you want to talk about or questions to ask.

And that's it! It's super simple.
So if you've got an idea, go ahead and submit it! But remember, you only have until the 24th to do so!
And if you want to see what's already been submitted, we have a spreadsheet for that.

We have a podcast!

lesson_in_love — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 00:55:30 GMT

Hi Winconners!
We started up a podcast called The Fandom Lounge! You'll recognize the name from our past cons, as a comfy place for hanging out. This is sort of like the online version of that, and like a panel like you would attend at Wincon!

This month, we're talking about Jupiter Ascending!

Join con comm members Bryn, Mary, Melissa, and Stacy as they talk about the sheer awesome that was Jupiter Ascending! Because who DOESN'T want to talk about space hybrids, a royal monarchy gone bad, Sean Bean, and awesome females?! Each month we're also going to have a special guest who tells us about their fandom origin story! This month, long time Wincon attendee tsukinofaerii joins us to emotionally celebrate fandom, and those enablers who drag us into it.

Come have a listen! Next month, we're talking Orphan Black! If you'd like to submit your fandom origin story, or would like to be on a future podcast, please contact melissa@omgwincon.com.

Programming Submissions for Wincon Pittsburgh Now Open!

chaneen — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 14:39:37 GMT

Hey Winconners!

For the past month, we've been excitedly brainstorming ideas for programming for Wincon 2015 in Pittsburgh! Now is the time to submit those awesome ideas, and any others that you would like to see! Submissions will be open for 6 weeks (March 1st - April 17th) and we so cannot wait to see all of your ideas start coming in! Without you guys, programming at Wincon wouldn't be as amazing as it is. So submit what you want to run, and if you don't want to run something head over and comment on the brainstorming post with your idea, and maybe someone will submit it. You can also find other fans to be part of your panel or roundtable, or help run your workshop!

When you are ready to submit, just head over to the submission form! You can submit a maximum of four topics in total (multi-session or multi-hour workshops on the same topic count as one submission)! You and up to 3 other fans can be on a panel together (this includes a moderator, as panels cap out at 4 panelists), and if you would like Wincon to help you find a moderator, let us know on the form! We'd be happy to help.

Check out our Programming FAQ for more details! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment on this post, or email the Programming team at programming@omgwincon.com.

Here is a list of the programming suggestions that have already been submitted. This will be updated at least once a day, but may not be 100% up to date, as the programming team is doing it manually. If your submission has not appeared on this list and you haven't received a confirmation email within a few days of submitting, please contact us.

The Vid Search Continues!

lesson_in_love — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 03:54:37 GMT

As you may have heard, we are having a special Anniversary Vid Show at this year's Wincon! Our amazing Vid Show Coordinator, brynspikess, has gotten every. single. vid. ever. shown. at. Wincon.

EXCEPT ONE!

So if you have a copy of this vid or know of where we might be able to get one, please let us know! (The original vidder does not have a copy anymore, sadly.)

Vid Info:
Title: Still Rock ‘n Roll to Me
Fandom: Supernatural
Vidder: Tallisen

Brainstorming Post for Panel Submissions

chaneen — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:19:48 GMT

Hello Winconners!

It's getting close to that time again! Yes, I'm talking about programming submissions! We will be running submissions for six weeks this year, opening on March 1st and closing on April 17th. There have been some small changes in our programming format from years past, the number one being that we will now be having four tracks of programming all weekend: two tracks of panels, one of roundtable discussions, and one of workshops.

But how do I know what kind of programming my idea would fall under? Good question! You can check out the programming section of our website for some more details, but here's a handy guide to get you started:

Panels – Programming about a topic that applies to multiple fandoms (AUs, kink, horror TV, the representation of women in canon, etc.) or a more general fandom universe that has multiple smaller fandoms that fall under its umbrella (Comics, Sports RPF, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, etc.). Panels run for one hour, and can have up to 4 panelists, including a moderator, whose job is to keep discussion moving, and ensure that the panel stays within established time limits. If you don't want to mod your own panel, we can assign someone to help you.

Roundtables – Programming about a single fandom (Agent Carter, One Direction, Hockey RPF, etc.), or a niche topic within fandom. Roundtables are designed to be a group discussion, and can be run by one person, but can have up to 2 panelists. Roundtables run for one hour. If you submit a roundtable idea, you must be willing to run it (either by yourself or with a co-panelist).

Workshops – Programming where attendees get a chance to learn something new or hone their skills. Past workshops have included live beta reading, art tips and tricks, and making fannish plushies. If you submit a proposal for a workshop, you must be willing to run it. Workshop sessions run for one hour, but you may offer more than one session of your workshop across multiple days, or request a single day session of longer than one hour (in one hour blocks, only).

We need your help to make Wincon 2015 amazing by submitting your programming ideas! What would you like to talk about at Wincon this year? What are you excited about? Use the comments on this post to share panel ideas, ask questions, find friends and strangers to help you out, and get ready to submit your proposals when submissions open on March 1st! Don't worry, we'll remind you closer to the date, and a new post will go up with submission instructions at that time.

You can submit a maximum of four topics in total (multi-session or multi-hour workshops on the same topic count as one submission), so get to thinking about those ideas! We can't wait to see what you come up with.

Check out our FAQ for more details! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment on this post, or email the Programming team at programming@omgwincon.com.

ETA: Programming submissions are now open! Check out the details at this post to submit your ideas, and check out a list of what's already been submitted!

Wincon wants YOU

sophie_448 — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 22:17:17 GMT

Hey there, friends! Do you dream of being on the Wincon con comm? We’re still looking to fill a few staff positions. Check ‘em out here!

CARPOOLING/TRAVEL - 2015 in Pittsburgh

affectingly — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 23:07:42 GMT

Looking to find someone from your area driving to Wincon? Or maybe you just want to take the same flight as a friend? This is the post for you!

Just make a comment or reply to another with your email, what sort of travel companion you're looking for, from what origin, and when do you plan on arriving/leaving?

Use caution and make sure if you're meeting someone for the first time, you meet in public. YOU KNOW THE DRILL! Wincon makes no guarantees as to the reliability of any transportation arrangements. This post is just for the convenience of our attendees.