Shortly after our interview with Tim Brazeal, we contacted Fedcon Germany through their website and offered Dirk to say his piece regarding his involvement with Fedcon Germany. We had a conversation with Dirk regarding the few short months that he and Fedcon were involved with the doomed Fedcon USA. He sheds light on many items including the situation with the hotel and why the name was not changed after the split. Very interesting and to the point. Dirk also makes a point to offer anyone who was hurt by Fedcon USA free admission to the REAL Fedcon next year! For details, listen to the show and then email us to be forwarded to Dirk @ podcast@vadercast.com with a subject reading something about Dirk’s offer for Fedcon. Enjoy!

 

 VaderCast Presents: Fedcon USA: A Cautionary Tale - Supplemental [18:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Our first live show on Talkhoe! With things settling down around Fedcon USA, it was important to us here at Vadercast to do a show about how a convention should be run. We have had the best example of how NOT to run a convention come through DFW, now its time to let the pros speak out. We have Mark Walters from Sci-Fi Expo and Dallas ComiCon, Todd Carlton from All-Con, Russ Miller from Fencon, and our own Cole Houston who, along with Catherine, organizes the APOTAC’s Comic Toy and Collectable Swap Meets. All are local to the DFW area and have multiple successful conventions under their belt. For any and all who are looking into or just want to know some of the behind the scenes info about convention organizing, most definitely check out this episode.

 

 VaderCast Episode 11 - The DO's of Convention Organizing [53:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

So far we have confirmed four successful local conventions appearing on our show on Tuesday. The ones in attendance so far…

All-Con
Sci-Fi Expo/Dallas ComiCon
Fencon
Comic, Toy and Collectable Swap Meet

We’re shaping up for a great first live show! Don’t forget to check out our Sci-Fi Podcast LIVE on Tuesday on Talkshoe.com! It should be an exciting show and you shouldn’t miss it! If you register with Talkshoe.com (its FREE!) you can catch our show and other live shows all week long! Also, you can have reminder emails sent to you automatically if you chose to follow (read: subscribe) to our show!

Click this link to go our page on Talkshoe

We’re the newest Sci-Fi Podcast on Talkshoe!!

So yeah we’re back on a recording schedule and we don’t mess around. Next show is tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday at 8pm Central Time. I checked us in Google and we’re sitting pretty at #18. Not bad considering I just SEO’ed the new site 12 days ago for Sci-Fi Podcast. But we’re shooting for top 10 and so we’ve got some work ahead! We’re going weekly and live! Thanks to our good friends over at Fellowship of Fools, they helped us to use Talkshoe for the first time and I honestly was very impressed. It allows us to do two things:

1) Get shows up quicker as there’s little to no edit
2) Lets us go LIVE and have call-in shows.

Now we’re going with a bit of old news for ep 11, which will be OUR Fedcon USA wrap-up. Yeah I know we’re behind on it but we’ve got to get the next shows lined up for production and that doesn’t happen overnight. I’ve got some good guests in mind and I just have to nail them down for a show.

Make sure to come out and support our first live show! We’ll be sending the notices around the usual places to try and rustle up some listeners so use word-of-mouth and lets pack the house!

In a very honest interview Tim Brazeal finally speaks and tells us what happened on the road to Fedcon USA’s downfall. Listen to our exclusive as this is the ONLY interview that Tim Brazeal will be doing. We were happy to ask the questions we felt that the people would want to know. We cover everything from why Fedcon Germany pulled out to why the con was cancelled to how comitted is Brazeal to give everyone their money back. Also, part 4 is our final release regarding Fedcon USA at this time. We have some ideas brewing that may come to fruitition later on but we’ll let you all know when they become a reality. Thanks so much everyone for all the support they’ve shown of our releases. We greatly appreciate your support.

We also hope that this can put some people’s minds and hearts at ease as Tim gives the first details on how people will begin getting their refunds.

As always, please feel free to email us to let us know what you think! Now, sit back, relax and enjoy our conclusion to this Fedcon USA saga.

 

 Fedcon USA: A Cautionary Tale - Part 4 - Brazeal Speaks [59:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

What follows is a written companion to the FedCon USA coverage that VaderCast has been providing since the demise of that show on the morning of day two. This began as a precursor piece that would have served as an introduction to the video segments. Due to scheduling conflicts I was unable to complete the article to my satisfaction before Tim managed to wrest some remarkable segments from several hours of raw footage shot at the hotel. Determined to salvage the work I have retooled it as a companion piece to the video footage. A kind of footnote to what you have seen on screen that puts you in the moment and provides insights into how we managed to obtain the footage that would become FedCon USA: A Cautionary Tale. And this chronicle only scratches at the surface of what Tim and I experienced that day. There will be further pieces posted that will help to further illustrate how sometimes the best laid plans can go astray and simply provide an avenue for new plans. I hope that this will be an enjoyable read and enhance the video coverage.

— Cole “JediCole” Houston

I Came Here to Cover a Show!

In early June I received a phone call from Tim Kennedy about an amazing opportunity for VaderCast. He had been issued Press Passes for us (as a podcast and convention proponent) for FedCon USA in Dallas. Our first official convention coverage opportunity! And from what I had seen on their website this one was going to be huge!

FedCon USA first came on my convention radar in January 2008 while preparing my Texas Convention Calendar for Convention Awareness Day 2008, an event that would be held in conjunction with APOTAC’s Comic, Toy, and Collectibles Swap Meet in February. As a convention in Texas (the focus of our event) they were listed in our program book and were extended an offer (in an email on January 23) to attend and promote the show. I received no reply, but assumed that a major international program like FedCon (at the time the partnership with FedCon Germany was still active) was unlikely to be able to field a representative in Texas on relatively short notice, so the convention received a listing in the guide and I put the show out of my mind otherwise.

Despite the brewing controversy there was no reason to expect more than a dampened attendance that weekend. Loss of headlining guests will certainly have an impact. But we still had a great show to look forward to with a sizeable lineup of guests. There would be plenty to keep the folks from VaderCast busy all weekend long. Tim was at the hotel all day Friday to obtain celebrity interviews and cover day while Rick and I were at our respective jobs anxious to contribute to the coverage of the following two days.

Mrs. JediCole and I hosted Tim that evening so he and I could get an early start on Saturday morning. That was the plan anyway. When Tim shared his Friday experiences with us (as seen in Part 1 of the FedCon USA coverage) he determined that there was no need to make an early start as there was little likelihood that the scheduled availability of guests to the press would occur. After a full day of covering a convention opening with little to cover a good night’s sleep was the best approach. We would regroup in the morning and be prepared for whatever Saturday at FedCon had to offer.

Despite the somber opening of the event set out for the DFW Airport Hyatt ready to cover FedCon USA in VaderCast style. As we approached the entrance to the hotel we soon began to realize that something was seriously wrong. “It’s gone from bad to worse!” we were told on the way in, though even then I don’t believe anyone outside of the FedCon staff knew exactly how much worse. In short order overheard the vocal reaction to a whispered statement from someone else in the main hall, “They cancelled it?”

Despite such seeming bad news our best guess at the moment was that some aspect of the show had been cancelled. We had come to cover this convention and it seemed not a moment too soon! We quickly rushed to the main ball room where John Billingsley appeared to be in the midst of his Q&A session, though we had little time to assess the situation. Tim unpacked his camera and begun handheld coverage of this part of the show as just as Richard Anderson took the stage. The very first image captured by VaderCast was that fateful announcement. The event had been cancelled! You could have heard a pin drop from the other side of the hotel at that moment. I don’t believe anyone could have registered the full scope of what had just been said. It took a moment to sink in and Tim had his camera rolling the whole time.

As seen in Part 2 of the FedCon USA coverage, with the exception of the brief moment when it became apparent we were going to be covering this aspect of the show for some time and needed the tripod, the camera remained on the stage for the entirety of what followed on stage and in the audience. We had little time to adjust our plans from covering a convention to covering a much bigger story that was unfolding before us. This was no longer our first in-depth convention report. This was an impromptu documentary.

Once Tim had the tripod assembled and we could cover the unfolding events in earnest I was scribbling notes with my observations on the event and suggestions on how we should proceed after things wrapped up in the main hall. Our timing was perfect and we needed to make the both knew we had to cover as many aspects of the convention meltdown as possible before the day was out. Tim and I took turns manning the camera, allowing Tim to get in closer proximity to the action and join in on the developing Q&A with the show representatives. Later I would take to the halls to attempt to drum up attendee interviews but to no avail. Frankly those in attendance had much weightier issues on their minds at that moment than sitting for interviews. One can hardly blame them for declining our offers both in and outside of the room.

I did however have the good fortune to meet the daughter of Escape 2 Earth author Lawrence Johnson in the hallway and arrange for an interview. Meanwhile things were beginning to wrap up in the ballroom and Tim and I determined that our next course of action would be to see if we could interview the man of the hour, John Billingsley. And as you can see from Part 3 of the coverage, Mr. Billingsley was gracious enough to give us some one on one time in the Press Room before joining the fans in the autograph room as promised. It was fascinating to watch the man take charge of the situation that no one expected and both champion the fans in attendance and shepherd the FedCon staff through a process they never expected to have to face. If you ever get a chance to meet John Billingsley at a convention I recommend that you let him know how much you appreciate his unsolicited efforts at FedCon. Had he and his wife not been present the images we captured that morning could easily have been a lot uglier.

After interviewing Mr. Billingsley we were then afforded a considerable amount of time to interview a man who was arguably taking time out of the busiest part of his day, Charles Ballard. Despite having the responsibility of salvaging what he could of a dying show he gave Tim and me his undivided attention during a rather lengthy interview. Having no direct associations with FedCon USA he approached the daunting task of facing guests, dealers, and hundreds of attendees who had their weekend plans pulled out from under them with remarkable level-headedness and professionalism. If there can be said to be heroes on the sinking ship that was FedCon USA that day, in my opinion they were John Billingsley and Charles Ballard.

As we had the press room available to us I sought out Lawrence Johnson to get the perspective of someone who had traveled a great distance to be at FedCon for the purpose of promotion. In fact Mr. Johnson and his daughter had come all the way from Philadelphia, PA to promote and sell his first book. This was to be his first outing at a science fiction convention and I sincerely hope it will not be his last. He was a lot of fun to interview and seemed undaunted by the unfortunate circumstances that presented themselves that day.

Soon after wrapping things up in the press room we moved again out into the hotel to get as much coverage of what remained of the show as possible. What remained was the autograph room which became the sole oasis amidst the chaos all around. Attendees were gathered there or moving around the halls of the hotel either making the most of the situation or making what arrangements they needed to given the abrupt changes in their plans for the weekend. The place still had life thought the convention had died. And the autograph room was at its heart. We filmed a few pickups as well as Tim’s assessment of things then sought out a few more interviews to round out our coverage. We had, after all, come here to cover a convention. And the lack thereof did not mean that we were without a story. Perhaps the biggest convention story we would ever cover.

The fruits of our efforts in the autograph room are evident in the third installment of the video coverage that Tim has so diligently produced. From a fan interview we managed to arrange in the room to the one on one interviews with show guests Gigi Edgley and Brian Denham as well as local convention promoter Mark Walters. There was much to cover and we sought to get as many perspectives as possible in the time we had available. This was an unprecedented event and like everyone in attendance that day we made the most of what turned out to be a most memorable convention for all the wrong reasons.

Somewhat exhausted and facing a fan club gathering that evening Tim and I departed the hotel for my house to unwind and try to mentally digest the events of the previous hours. But our FedCon experience would not end there. We arrived at the house to enjoy a much needed lunch (it was now after 5 PM) and while discussing the outcome of the day with my wife, Catherine, mention was made of our plan to have Rick record our post-show thoughts via Skype for immediate posting on VaderCast. But Catherine had a better idea. So it was not long thereafter that Tim and I took up residence in my studio and recorded what would become Part 1 of FedCon USA: A Cautionary Tale. With thoughts and observations fresh on our minds we let the camera roll and had a frank discussion about all that had been documented throughout the day. It was truly the perfect bookend to the overall experience.

To say the rest is history would be rather premature at this point. There is so much more to this story that has garnered more attention for this show than had it been successful, or failed but still been held all three days. Online forums including those of FedCon USA were abuzz with memories of the events that unfolded in that room as rightfully angered attendees as well as those who could not or did not attend. A mixture of fact, conjecture, and rumor can be found on any number of websites. Though they have been taken down in recent days it is important to remember that the FedCon USA website forums remained active and open even after the show had been cancelled (they were shut down that Saturday but due to the efforts of show staff who were in Dallas they reopened the same day) despite the meltdown. The entire site did become inaccessible late on Saturday but I suspect it was due to overwhelming traffic. There is no shortage of opinion on what transpired in Dallas that weekend. I am proud to have been a part of an objective chronicle of that event and its aftermath.

We may never know the full story of what led to the demise of FedCon USA. This story will continue to unfold for months. And VaderCast will continue to offer coverage of all aspects from a perspective that is open to all parties involved. Stay tuned for more on this and other conventions in the coming weeks and months.

Finally its uploaded and ready to go. I feel this is the best part to date and hope you all agree. Enjoy!

 

 VaderCast Presents: Fedcon USA: A Cautionary Tale - Part Three [52:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Got an email from the folks at Fencon and we have been confirmed to attend for the 3rd year in a row and most definitely perform our Fandom Family Feud! More details on times and such as they become available. Also, about the lack of communication statement I made a couple posts ago, they assure me that they have been trying to get a hold of me to confirm our attendance this year. With the internet being as it is and since we’re talking now I retract my previous statement about the lack of communications. Technology is screwy sometimes and I, of all people, can appreciate that.

We’re working with the staff to determine our overall level of involvement, so look here for more details to follow in the coming weeks!

This was sent to us from our friends at Fencon.org:

Still Strong After Five Years: FenCon V Set to Celebrate 50 Years of Conventions in Texas

Dallas, TX June 16, 2008 – Upon the recent news of the cancellation of the SF media focused “FedCon USA” in Dallas, the organizers of FenCon would like to assure all of their members, vendors, and guests that the literary convention is still on track for this October 3-5 and the event will happen as planned.

“We have had several inquiries from fans because of the similarity in names,” explained Russ Miller, FenCon V chair. “Although we are not affiliated with FedConUSA, we wish them all the best with their current situation.”

FenCon V will be held at the Crowne Plaza North Dallas October 3-5, 2008. Guest of Honor is Dr. Gregory Benford. Along with his distinguished careers in science and science fiction, Dr. Benford was one of the organizers of the July 1958 “Southwestercon 6″, the first science fiction convention in Texas.

Other Honored Guests include the band The Three Weird Sisters, artist Real Musgrave, writer Jay Lake (who will be conducting our workshop), and novelist and House co-producer Doris Egan. Austin-based writer Howard Waldrop will be Toastmaster, and Gerald Burton is Fen Guest of Honor. In addition, FenCon has confirmed over thirty writers, artists, musicians, and scientists as program participants.

Past guests have included authors Larry Niven, David Gerrold, and Connie Willis. Last year, FenCon acted as host for the Lone Star Shindig, a statewide gathering of fans of the television series Firefly.

Organized and run by fans, FenCon is a production of the Dallas Future Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the advancement of science, literature, and music for the future of all mankind. Visit their web site at www.FenCon.org.

Here the part two of our Fedcon USA coverage from last weekend. I hope you enjoy!

 

 VaderCast Presents: Fedcon USA: A Cautionary Tale - Part Two [36:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download