Panels

Panels are the backbone of any convention and BASCon is no different. As much as we think about the content, it's our members who make our panels memorable and meaningful.

The Suggestion Box is now open! We are seeking fun and interesting panels that will stimulate discussion as well as (in some cases) lots of fannish squee. In the past we've strived to strike a balance between both show-focused and more topical panels and we'd like that to continue. Additionally, we'd like to see more panels about broader fannish matters such as fannish organizing, fans and academia, community. Have an idea bubbling below the surfce? Consider submitting it for the schedule.

The deadline for submitting panels this year is September 6th. Please send your submissions and questions to Lady J at panels@bascon.org

Also, consider moderating a panel. It's a great way to introduce what you're interested in to a wide audience as well as meet new and interesting people!

Moderator Guidelines

As a moderator, your task is to foster respectful discussion among the participants and to keep the panel relatively on topic. That said, panel moderation is fun and challenging. Here are a few tips to make your work a little easier:

1. Announce your topic at the start so that participants can be sure they are in the right room. Start discussion within five minutes of the planned start time. As a courtesy to the next panel, wrap up your discussion on time, unless you are absolutely sure yours is the last panel of the day in that function space (consult your program guide).
2. Come prepared with a short list of questions and prompts pertaining to your panel topic to keep the conversation flowing and lively. You're going to encounter many different points of view - you're dealing with fellow fans, all of whom have an opinion! Keep the discussions respectful.
3. Keep an eye on who has been speaking and try to draw everyone into the discussion (if possible). Sometimes one attendee may try to dominate the conversation; gently but firmly move the conversation back to the wider group. Also, try to keep sidebar conversations to a minimum since many attendees can't follow a conversational thread if more than one person is speaking at a time.
4. If you have latecomers, be prepared to give a quick synopsis of previous discussion in case previously discussed question(s) get asked again.
5. Sometimes people may leave before your panel is over. They may have thought the panel was about another topic, or may have somewhere else to go. Don't take it personally and don't point out their early exit.
6. Most panel discussion rooms only come with chairs. If you need special equipment (whiteboard or easel pad with markers, A/V equipment, tables, etc.), let the Panel Chairperson know at least two weeks before the con. The Concomm reserves the right to refuse any requests that result in extra charges from the hotel, but if we can accommodate you, we will.
7. If you would like to provide handouts, bring them with you (we recommend about 25). The hotel charges to make copies and may not to able to accommodate your copying needs at the last minute.
8. Do your best to foster respectful discussion among all participants, regardless of opinions or viewpoints. Convention rules specifically prohibit anyone from making personal attacks or directing foul language at another participant. If you should witness this, please bring to the attention of a Concomm member immediately.

Again, thank you for volunteering your time and skills to BASCon! Our panels are successful because of moderators like you.