Panels and Events

Thursday

Introduction to The Gathering -- Is this your first Gathering, and you don't know quite what to expect, nervous about how to act around guests, or just looking for other attendees who can sympathize with being a "new face"? Then this is the panel for you. Hear entertaining stories from past Gatherings, meet other fans both new and old, and learn a bit more about some of the strange Gathering traditions and in-jokes. Also, we're serving cookies and ice-cream to entice those of you who otherwise feel to jaded to attend this kind of panel. (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod One)

Sketching 101 : Drawing realistic anatomy -- A character with six arms still has a skeleton to support them, most likely - but how do you model muscles that don't exist? Helpful hints from those who have had much practice in that area. Those who draw stylistically for animation say that you're better off learning how to draw something accurately before you start to characturize it; this panel is geared towards who want to fix the weak spots in their linework, those bits of body that "don't look quite right". (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Two)

Life Drawing Session -- Now that you've studied the theory and learned some tips, it is time to practice applying it to your art. Beginners to advanced sketchers allowed, no paint or messy media please. Anyone who cannot respect the model will be asked to leave, no warnings given, so if you can't look at a naked person without bursting into giggles, this is not a panel for you. For the rest of you, it's a free nintey-minute modeling session with a couple of well-travelled artists standing by to offer suggestions and help if you need it. (3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod Two)

Crossing the line : How to tell when you've taken an in-joke too far -- Now and then, we all need to take a step back and make sure our sense of humor is not overcoming our sense of taste. (Or that of those around us.) But when obsession has you in its teeth, sometimes the view is skewed. Learn suggestions for how to tell when it is time to bury a gag...or clench it in your fists and run!
(3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod One)

OPENING CEREMONIES -- Click the link for a detailed description of this event.
(6:00 - 8:00pm in Pod One)

Episode MiSTing -- The Mystery Science Gargoyle Theatre is back in gear this year, inviting one and all to come on down and help make fun of the show we all love! (Only throw words at the screen this year, please.) The episodes we'll be haranguing this time around are Temptation, Deadly Force, and Enter Macbeth. (8:30 - 10:00pm in Pod One)

Gaming Session Gargoyles : Shadowplays -- The shadows are coming. Are you one to make it from darkness to light? (8:30 - 10:00pm in room #2021)

Friday

Pro Panel : Character Design Basics -- Looking to make a vicious villain, sultry sorcoress, or humble hero whose appearance simply screams "this is what I am" ? What do hairstyles, clothes, weapons, and other props "say" about your character to the audience? How do you keep your models looking original in a world full of stereotypes? Well, these guys are going to tell you.
(10:30am - 11:45am in Pod One)

Writing Workshop: Thirty-minute miracles -- Think writing is hard, that it takes forever? We're about to show you that you are capable of doing it good and fast. Come with a writing utensil, paper, and your creativity turned up to ten. (10:30am - 11:45am in Pod Two)

Artist Workshop: Character Makeovers -- Do you have a character or two who needs a new look? Bring 'em on over to this workshop to exchange ideas with other artists, and let someone with a different perspective lend a hand. (Noon - 1:15pm in Pod One)

Pro Panel : Script Writing -- How does the way you tell a story change when you have the ability to show the audience what is going on rather than telling them with words? How much direction should you put in a script, and what are the five things that are most likely to get your script dropped in the trash by a prospective producer? (Noon - 1:15pm in Pod Two)

Anthology Signing session #1 -- Meet the contributors to this year's fanwork anthology, and if you have a copy of it, have them sign it for you! There will be another signing at the same time tomorrow, and a reading of Anthology written works on Sunday morning. (Noon - 1:15pm in Pod Five)

Research and Realism : Creating better stories -- Even in the most fantastic of fantasy worlds, it is the elements of realism that make it easier to believe that they could be real - and there is nothing that destroys the suspension of a reader's disbelief faster than gaping plotholes in the pavement of your world-building. Learn the balance of basing events on real-life without getting so bogged down you don't have time to have fun writing your original elements. (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod One)

Iron Fan Competition -- Artists and Writers both have forty-five minutes to to cook up work based around this year's "secret ingredient". Previous year's ingredients have included "Macbeth", "Sunrise at the worst possible moment", and "The World's Largest Ball of Twine". (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Two)

Adapting Mythology : New twists on old yarns -- In the spirit of "Kissing the Witch" and "Midnight in the Kitchen", this panel is devoted to the discussion of myths and folktales, how certain stories are traditionally told and how they might be updated for modern (or future) times.
(3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod One)

Pro Panel : Exploiting Loopholes in S&P -- When you have a scene or snippet of dialogue that you just have to get into your story, but doubt it will get past the script-checkers. Helpful hints for how to slip it in. (3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod Two)

Adult Writing Appreciation -- Back by popular demand, a panel to discuss everything from how to make a PWP stand for "-with plot!" to how to write better erotic scenes. Mature attendees only.
(3:00pm - as long as you guys want, in Pod Four)

Gaming Session Gargoyles : Tales from the skiff RP -- A role-playing game set against the backdrop of the "Avalon World Tour". Elisa, Goliath, Angela, and Bronx have landed in a new place...what will they find there? (3:00 - 5:45pm in room #2021)

The Thom Adcox Variety Hour -- Yes, we're scared, too. (6:00 - 7:00pm in Pod One)

Face-Painting Fun -- Want to be a be a flower, a tiger, or Gillecomgain for the afternoon? Or how about painted-on tribal markings? Attendees of all ages are sure to enjoy this excuse to walk around in public with ridiculously-patterened faces. (6:00 - 7:30pm in Pod Two)

Special Guest Concert -- This year's charity event has Sheena Easton, Keith David, and Cree Summ er performing to raise money for the Dolphin Boy Speech Therapy Center. Tickets are an extra 15$ global standard credits per attendee. (7:30 - 8:30pm in Pod One)

Nerf Event Extreme -- Meet at Pod one at 9pm to gear up and pick your side for a live-action nerf battle staging of The Clone Wars. The event itself will take place in Pods Six and Seven.

Rookery Events
Scavenger Hunt -- Can you find what we need? (10:30 - 11:45am in Pod Five)

Gargie Clayshop -- Because it's fun to make a big slurry mess and having something to show for it! Self-drying clay allows participants to take their creations home. (3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod Five)

Saturday

The Gargoyle Olympics -- Nearly three hours straight of whacky team-versus-team events and challenges; fun for all ages. Four people per team, sign up at the Reg desk on Thursday or Friday. (10:30 - 1:15pm in Pod Three)

A beginner's guide to dynamic lighting -- Once you've mastered linework, its time to give your forms more volume with shading. But where do you put the darks and lights so that your figures come out both realistic and interesting to look at? How do you adjust for motion, overlapping forms, and multiple light sources? What is the simplest way to get references for tricky compositions? Anwsers to all this and more from those who had to learn it the hard way. (10:30am - 11:45am in Pod Two)

Pro Q&A : Disney Afternoon Special -- Talk to the people who worked on the classic shows from the Disney Afternoon. (10:30am - 11:45am in Pod One)

Pro Q&A : Star Trek Forever -- Trekkies never say die...unless you're the ensign in the red shirt. A chance to ask questions to those voices of Gargoyles who are better known for their roles on The Next Generation, DS9, and Voyager. (Noon - 1:15pm in Pod One)

Living Gargoyles : A discussion of Biology and Culture -- Well, yes, we know it's just a TV show, but given how realistically Gargoyles was done, we just can't help but theorize about the species as if they were real, and living in our world. A discussion of various fans' takes on Gargates, how they are physically structured and how a clan's culture might reflect the world around them.
(Noon - 1:15 in Pod Two)

Anthology Signing session #2 -- Missed yesterday's signing? Don't worry, we've corraled the Future Tense anthology contributors for another hour. Don't forget tomorrow's reading aloud of selected stories from the book. (Noon - 1:15pm in Pod Five)

Pro Panel: Voice Acting Seminar -- Come join several voice actors- and voice directors - to learn voice-acting tips. Audience participation will be involved, but not required. (1:30 - 2:45 in Pod One)

Round Robin : "So I woke up as a gargoyle..." -- A "round robin" story is one where writers sit in a circle, and each take turns adding to one story (a turn limited by either a number of sentences or an amount of time) and letting it go in whatever direction each person nudges it. And with this topic, the resulting tale is bound to be a riot! (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Two)

Mary Sues Support Meeting -- Because some habits are truly hard to break. We're there for you, because we've been there, too. (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Three)

Radio Play Auditions -- Every year the Gathering has a short Radio Play, acted out by attendees. If you are interested, the line for audtions begins here. (3:00 - 6:00pm in Pod Four)

Pro Panel : Telling a Storyboard -- Both animated and filmed actions usually rely on a visual script to go along with the written one, expressing the order of events, camera angles, and action; matching the dialogue but not including it. When you have a limited number of panels to work with, it can be tricky to figure out what to show in each and how to imply what to imply happens in between. Let the pros show you how it is done! (3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod One)

Crossovers and Shared Universes -- How do you get your characters to play well together? Or for that matter, your co-authors? Learn to tell what worlds will fit easily together, and which ones you're going to need an especially large Plot Contrivance Switch to make mesh believably from people who have had lots of practice with it. (3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod Two)

Debate: Would you put your brain in a robot body? -- Well...would you?
(3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod Three)

Pro Workshop : Acting and Being, on stage -- Live action has a lot in common with voice acting, but now you're responsible for facial and physical expressions instead of it being up to an animator. Sometimes it takes a lot to "act natural", and we've got pros to show you how.
(4:30 - 5:45pm in Pod One)

Costuming Made Easy -- If you think coming up with an idea and supplies for a costume is difficult, then this is the panel for you. Here's some quick and cheap ways to go from concept to creation.
(4:30 - 5:45pm in Pod Two)

C&C for Fiction: Editing towards perfection -- Don't be discouraged by the first draft you write- nothing is flawless on the first try. Learn to give and receive helpful critiques, when it is time to give your fic some space, and how to avoid the sort of errors that might mark you as an amateur.
(4:30-5:45pm in Pod Three)

BANQUET -- Click the link for a detailed description of this event.
(If you are attending banquet, try to catch the shuttle for the Triton Palace Buffet leaving at 6:00pm)

Gaming Session Gargoyles : Mirrored World -- A role-playing game set in Manhattan during the television episode "The Mirror". What else went on that night? (3:00 - 5:45pm in room #2021)

Blue Reading with Keith David -- It's a blue story, and Keith David is reading it. Need I say more? (9:00 - 10:00pm in Pod One)

Non-Blue Reading with Michael Dorn -- Yes, at the same time as the Keith David story reading. You'll just have to choose between them. ; ) (9:00 - 10:00pm in Pod Two)

Rookery Events
Story Time -- Take your hatchlings to listen to a twice-told tale! (10:30 - 11:45am in Pod Five)

Trivia Challenge -- Testing your knowledge has never been this fun. (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Five)

Arts & Crafts -- Let your creativity fly free with some fun projects. (3:00 - 4:15pm in Pod Five)

Sunday

Pro Panel : Series Development -- The crew and cast members talk about what it was like developing Gargoyles for Disney, and how they got away with it. (10:30 - 11:45am in Pod One)

From Fan to Pro : Finding your break -- Those who made it tell you how they managed to, and suggest way in which you might make your hobby into a career. (10:30 - 11:45am in Pod Two)

Anthology Reading -- Selected stories from our anthology to be read aloud to the audience.
(10:30 - 11:45am in Pod Three)

Pro Panel : Voice Acting in Action -- How you can get that extra oomph! or emotion to show through to the character when sound is all you have to work with, and making fight or flee scenes sound more realistic. Be prepared, this is another panel with potential audience participation opportunities. ( Noon - 1:15pm in Pod One)

Fandom Retrospective: These last 25 years! -- Wow. Has it really been so long? It feels like it couldn't be more than ten years, tops, since our first Gathering... Come wander down memory lane, to a time when the fandom was in its infancy, its prime, and that strange bit of time between 2012 and 2017 that no-one seems to remember... (Noon - 1:15 in Pod Two)

Portfolio Reviews -- Artists, come bring a selection of your work to be looked over by someone in the field who can give you hints on what the industry is currently looking for and answer your questions. (Noon - 2:45pm in Pod Three)

Radio Play Rehearsals -- If you were selected during auditions to be part of this year's radio play, get your booty over here because it is time for rehearsals! Everyone else, go check out the other programming for the next 75 minutes. Shoo, shoo! (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod One)

"Animated Music Video" Creation Basics -- From sorts of software to capturing sound and visuals to timing, scene changes, and concepts, learn how to turn an AMV idea into a video reality.
(1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Two)

Designing Role-Playing Games -- RPG-creating is an unique vocation with aspects you may not have even thought about. So what does it take to make and manage one? We're here to tell you.
(1:30 - 2:45 in Pod Four)

RADIO PLAY -- Click the link for a detailed description of this event.
(3:00 - 4:30pm in Pod One)

MASQUERADE and AWARDS CEREMONY -- Click for a detailed description.
(7:00pm - late in Pod One)

Karaoke Dance-off -- Combining two of the post-masquerade favorites! (After the Masquerade ends and running as long as the fans last, in Pod One)

Rookery Events
Gargie-Land Game Contest -- Candyland, but with a gargoyles theme. Guess what the prizes are.
(10:30 - 11:45am in Pod Five)

Hand-Casting Demo -- Because everyone loves to have a 3-d copy of their own hands to play with. Supplies are limited, so preference will be given in order of age, younger to older.
(noon - 1:15pm in Pod Five)

Monday

Gargoyles Q&A: Crew -- These were the people in charge of the creation of the show, from writers to character designers to producers to casting directors, and they're here to chat about what went on behind the scenes. (noon - 1:15 in Pod One)

Gargoyles Q&A: Cast -- Talk with the men and women who breathed life, literally, into the characters of the show. (noon - 1:15pm in Pod Two)

Live Auction and Guest Signing -- Any pieces that recieved five bids or more in the silent auction, plus a few pieces we kept back just for the live bid auction. Get other articles signed while you wait.
(1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod One)

Jalapeno eating contest! -- Yes, once again we've revived one of the oldest Gathering traditions; these peppers are fresh and its time to feel the burn! (1:30 - 2:45pm in Pod Two)

Closing Ceremonies -- We wave goodbye to 2021 and all our friends from this year, and turn our eyes to the coming 2022 convention year. (3:00 - 4:00pm in Pod One)

POST-CONVENTION EVENT -- Click the link for a detailed description of this event.
(If you're planning on joining in, be at Pod One by 5:30pm)

Registration Hours
Thursday: 11am-5:45pm....... Friday and Saturday: 10:30am - 5:45pm........Sunday: 10:30am - 3pm.
~ Registration will not be open on Monday.~

If you arrive after registration has closed on any day, come up to the Consuite to get your packet. Convention Badges are part of your packet, and must be worn at all times to be allowed access to convention spaces and events.

Art Show Hours
Thursday: 1:30pm - 6pm (Artists, room set-up starts at 10am today!)
Friday and Saturday: 10:30am - 6pm.......... Sunday 10:30 - 3pm..........Monday: 11am - 3pm

Attendees Please remember both the ART SHOW VOTING and the SILENT AUCTION. Both take place inside the art room, and run from until 2:30pm Sunday.

For more information on the Art Show, please follow this link.

....................................................Artist's Alley
Artists may sign up for a 90-minute block in the art room to sit, sketch, take commissions or just talk to those who have questions about their artwork. You can sign up for a block either through the form when you register or by contacting the staff through email or the forums. We will do our best to accomodate your preferences for a time slot if you email us and let us know what they are.

Mug-a-Guest
Forty minutes to sit down with one of the special guests and chat. Limit ten people per mug, sign-up sheets will become available following Opening Ceremonies and remember, it's first-come, first-serve.

* Mug-a-guest time slots have not yet been assigned to specific guests.

Video Schedule

Sailor Nothing OVA -- Based on the award-winning story written by Stefan Gagne, this work has been described as "if Gainax had made a sailor senshi anime". Not for the young or squeamish. (Thursday, 1:30 - 3:10 pm)

Mononoke Hime (dub) -- Neil Gaimen did the script adaptation for this Miyazaki classic. Features the voice talents of Keith David, Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Minnie Driver, and more. (Thursday, 3:20 - 5:45pm)

Gargoyles: Selected Episodes -- Awakening 1-5, Her Brother's Keeper, The Mirror, Eye of the Beholder, Protection, Kingdom. (Friday, 10:30am - 3:00pm)

On A Pale Horse -- An all-night marathon showing of the complete first season of the award-winning series created by Joss Whedon and Aaron Sorkin. (Friday, 6:00pm - Saturday, 7:00am)

Exo Squad : Fall of the Human Empire, parts 1-5. -- The first five episodes of one of the few other early "American Anime" series besides Gargoyles. What happens when "humanity" loses control of the homeworlds to our own creations? (Saturday, 3:00pm - 5:30pm)

Lilo and Stitch -- Ohana means "family". And family means no-one gets left behind, or forgotten. Hawaii, aliens, and a little girl who believes a fish named Pudge controls the weather. This 2002 animated movie was one of the best and most original Feature Films that Disney had released in a long time. (Saturday, 6:00 - 8:00pm)

Nazca (dub) -- The first three episodes of an anime that ties several modern-day japanese high schoolers to past lives as warriors of the Peruvian Nazca civilization. Will history repeat itself? A wonderfully unusual anime. Also, the character that Thom Adcox-Hernandez voices in the dub is a total psychopath who enjoys being verbally abusive to those around him. (Sunday, 10:30am - noon)

Gunslinger Girls (subtitled) -- The first four episodes. Set in and around Rome, it follow the story of six little girls who have been physically and mentally upgraded to be the "perfect" assassins...and how they handle living while being both children and weapons. (Sunday, noon - 1:30pm)

Hazard Pay OVA -- SIGs, Shades, and Hand Grenades; that's what little girls are made of. Follow Clarice during the wild night when she learns that sometimes crime really does pay. Based on the online comic by EM Lee and MP Singleton. (Sunday, 1:30 - 3:00pm)

3x3 Eyes (dub) -- Voice-directed by Greg Weisman, this is the american adaptation of a japanese show based on one weird manga. Eddie Frierson, Brigitte Bako, Thom Adcox-Hernandez, Ed Asner, Susan Chesler, and Keith David "in a role that will surprise you." (Monday, 11:00am - 1:00pm)

They Live! -- Live-action thriller movie starring Keith David and Roddy Piper. What happens when a man stumbles across a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see through the everyday facade that those around him wear...and discovers aliens inside? Screenplay by John Carpenter. (Monday, 1:30pm - 3:00pm)