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From: "Marsia Powers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 16:40:40 -0800
Subject: [Succubus Club] Taking The 'Con' Out Of Conventions
SyFy Portal
http://syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1625
Taking The 'Con' Out Of Conventions
Author: Scott Nance
Date: 12-10-2004
Source: SyFy Portal
Longtime readers of my column know how much I love good science-fiction conventions. Part carnival, part debating society, and part revival, attending conventions can be one of the high points, and true joys, of being a fan.
So I had truly mixed feelings when I read the recent news (posted below) that convention organizer Slanted Fedora had gone out of business.
In many ways, Slanted Fedora's demise is not at all unwelcome.
Let me just say upfront that I've never attended a Slanted Fedora-run convention. However, many of my friends have and often meetings of the Chesapeake -- the sci-fi club I'm a member of -- were dominated by discussions of the antics of Dave Scott, the head of Slanted Fedora.
For instance, folks were double-billed for attendance. Slanted Fedora refunded the money, but only after these fans called to complain.
Kansas state authorities had Slanted Fedora under investigation for its questionable practices.
Then there was the con where Scott made what could've been a joke, but just as likely could have been a Freudian slip. Some folks toward the back of the room couldn't hear the guest and a microphone was requested. Whether joking or not, Scott said, "Who cares about the $10 attendees?"
So much for trying to cultivate a more "fan friendly" attitude than that other professional convention company. In fact, Scott went out of his way to relieve fans of as much cash as possible, saving some of the best seating for those willing to shell out upwards of a whopping $1,000.
So, in the end, there are a lot of good reasons to say "Hasta la vista, baby," to Slanted Fedora. Except, despite his excessive self-pitying (and intensely poor spelling) Dave Scott makes a very good point in his going-out-of-business announcement on his Web site.
"I love this hobby," he said. "It will [persevere], and is stronger than any one man, organization or business plan."
He's right. There is a lot of room for a good, honest (and truly fan-run) group to come in and offer more sci-fi conventions around the country. Believe it or not, there are still a lot of places around the United States where a science-fiction convention is a rare event.
Even where I live, in the Baltimore/Washington region -- which is extraordinarily blessed by such excellent cons as Shore Leave and Farpoint -- we fans have seen a marked decline, as several old favorite cons (like NovaCon) simply don't exist anymore.
Running a science-fiction convention is hard. It's a cliche, but true to say, that the fans who actually run the con do all the work while it's those who pay to attend who have most of the fun.
Yet those stalwarts like those here who run Shore Leave and Farpoint and those many more around the country who put on other excellent cons year after year prove it can be done.
It's done as a labor of love.
On his Web site, Dave Scott talks about plans already underway for new conventions in Oklahoma, Philadelphia and elsewhere. He also has a good point that with him out of the way, it may make it easier for others to come forward.
What they will need is skill, even more money, and a lot of that aforementioned love of all things sci-fi.
The fact fans came to Slanted Fedora conventions at all proved fans want sci-fi cons, it's just Slanted Fedora also proved their way was exactly the wrong way to go about it.
So, here's to hoping someone actually comes forward to take Slanted Fedora's place -- and knows enough to know to look at Dave Scott's experience as the way not to run sci-fi conventions.
former entertainment journalist, Scott Nance is a member of the USS Chesapeake, an independent science-fiction and Star Trek club in the Washington, DC, area. He is a columnist for SyFy Portal, and can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Slanted Fedora Conventions Closes Doors
Author: Michael Hinman
Date: 11-19-2004
Source: SyFy Portal
After eight years of convention -- the latter part plagued with legal controversy -- the Slanted Fedora conventions will be closing up shop.
In a statement released on the convention company's Web site, company owner Dave Scott said the reason for the closure is purely financial.
"I did give this my best efforts, and the effects on my personal life will be felt for years to come," Scott said in a release. "I took a second loan on my home, as well as exhausted all of my personal savings, retirement and obligations for future earnings. I did my best. No one wishes this were different more than I."
The company was based in Shawnee, Kansas, but conducted conventions all around the country, focusing mostly on Star Trek actors.
In September 2003, the Kansas attorney general's office filed suit against Slanted Fedora for allegedly bilking customers. According to the suit, which was filed in Johnson County District Court, Scott and his wife Jackie were accused of violationg the Kansas Consumer Protection Act in 27 transactions. Details of whether or not that particular suit has been resolved were not available. (a href=""http://syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1144">http://syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1144" target="_blank">story)
At the time the suit was filed, Scott told the Kansas City Star that he did pay back customers who had requested refunds, but some of those refunds took some time because of financial difficulties the convention company was having. The suit also claimed that Scott repeatedly canceled conventions without refunding deposits. Scott, however, denied this, saying that two conventions were rescheduled following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and canceled another one after that. He told the paper he gave customers the choice of refunds, credit for future conventions or merchandise.
Among the charges also were that customers were being double-charged on their credit and debit cards. Scott did admit that double-charges had occurred, but that they have all been refunded the difference.
Actor Patrick Stewart, best known for his portrayal of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," accused the convention in January 2002 of promoting the fact he would be attending a convention without finalizing the details. He said that to help keep shorted fans happy that he provided 1,000 autographed pictures for a fee, but the check provided by Slanted Fedora officials didn't clear.
James Darren, who played the popular recurring holographic character of Vic Fontaine in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," said that he was unhappy with the fact that Slanted Fedora official were telling fans that he pulled out of a couple of convention appearances in 2002, when in fact, it was the officials who dumped him off the schedule.(story)
When the business was suspended in 2002 by a Kansas court when government officials said that Slanted Fedora owners didn't answer a court summons. After it was restored, Scott did talk with SyFy Portal about Slanted Fedora's problems.
"We have made mistakes, lots of them," he said at the time. "We will continue to make mistakes, unfortunately, lots of them. As always, people who attend our conventions are for the most part satisfied. Those who do not attend would prefer that we were somethiung different, or gone completely. We still offer the best 'deal' for a fan dollar."
Scott encouraged past customers to keep in touch with him, but asked that they use the postal service instead of e-mail. He said that he had to limit his electronic communications as he needs "written records," as would the fans communicating with him. It was unclear Scott's reasons for the request.
In his statement about closing down Slanted Fedora, Scott did include a warning to fans.
"It is a dangerous time," he said. "The song, 'You Won't Know What You Got Till It's Gone,' comes to mind. The new (convention) producers will need your support. Sadly, nasty and mean is an easier emotion to express than gratitude and understanding. My advice [is] be nice, support, encourage and build a community that enjoys the hobby."
It is unclear what will happen to upcoming conventions already scheduled by Slanted Fedora. The convention company's Web site continued to list information and details for New Orleans in March, and New York City next October.
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