That’s right, from planning, to shooting, to editing — making a movie at Norwescon is a hilarious and brilliant thrill ride with the Let’s Make a Movie workshop. In this hands-on adventure, you and your fellow workshop members learn about making short movies the best way anyone possibly could — by doing it right there!

With the help of a few professional filmmakers (representatives from Hellbender Media, Seattle International Films, and Maelstrom Productions), you work up a story, work up characters, hunt down props, plan a shoot, get it “in the can,” and, eventually, finish the final edits.

For fourteen years, the gang’s been doing this, and every single year, a new movie has shown up by the end of the weekend!

If you want to get REALLY in-depth, you can volunteer for an “internship” that weekend, where you join the pros during all the “behind-the-scenes” stuff. We’re not even sure how much this kind of instruction is worth, because whenever we price it at film schools, we usually find ourselves saying “Wait — and we do this FOR FREE?! What are we, nuts?!”

So if you want to be a part of some hilarious fun, learn what it’s like to make your own movie, or just help out on one, then please come by any of the workshops!

By the way, it’s not strictly necessary that you attend EVERY workshop, but if you do, that’s the most bang for your buck (which is pretty bangin’, considering there are no bucks!)

Hope to see you there!

• “The Screamwriter”
• “Rain Dance”
• “Time Yarns”
• “Welcome to Hellcon”
• “Naming the Unnameable”
• “Moonsong”

It seems likely that there will be cast or crew of each of the movies there at the convention, for Q&A and introductions, so this should be a ton of fun!

We’re very excited about this year’s lineaup and hope you enjoy watching the movies as much as we enjoyed watching them!

In addition to these films, we’ll be showing the film made as part of the Let’s Make a Movie workshop, and we miiiiight have a bonus movie from one of our favorite filmmakers!

See you Sunday April 20 at Norwescon, from noon-2pm in Evergreen 1&2!

• First off, our full Schedule of Events is posted! Every panel and event scheduled for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the convention is now ready for your eager little eyes. Get your pens and highlighters ready, download the grids, print off the webpages, and plan your convention weekend! We will also be using the Guidebook mobile app again this year and expect to have it available for you soon!

• Along with the full schedule, we now also have our nwcMUSIC lineup, including workshops and the full concert lineup, complete with previews from the artists. There are also more nwcMUSIC panels in the daily schedule listings, so there will be plenty of ways to get your music geeking on!

• And finally, registration for the Norwescon Masquerade is now open! This year we are handling Masquerade registration entirely online through this website, and costumers may sign up until 11:30am on Saturday of the convention (April 19).

That covers this update. One month and counting!

We will have story hours, crafting workshops that include making stuffed sock toys, creating airships, and even building an entire city (which will then be destroyed in a free-for-all of smashing and roaring), and fannish jewelry making. There will be many active games for our younger members and even a guided “space tour” of the convention that will take them behind the scenes and teach them how the con works.

Our teen members might enjoy learning how to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse, honing their acting skills in Sci-fi Improv, and discovering how to amaze their friends and terrify their parents in our Stage Fighting panel. For budding authors, there will be writing workshops and an opportunity to learn about crafting and editing your manuscripts.

Norwescon has always been family-friendly, so bring your youngsters and introduce them to fandom life at Norwescon 37!

We are looking for manuscripts that you feel are your best work. If you have taken it as far as you can, and need outside review to move your writing forward, send it to us. Workshop participants will get feedback on their manuscripts from published writers. You’ll find all the guidelines here, but don’t delay! Submit your work by Dec. 1 for a place in the 2014 workshop.

Secretary- Kat Marier
Business- Eric Weber
Treasurer- Kathy Bond
Member Services- Jeanine Swanson
Publications- Pearl Young
Conventions Services- Josh Keegan
Personnel- Shawna Batty
Special Events- Rob Stewart
Programming- Loree Parker

Please welcome the new team and give them your support. You can reach any of them at their executive alias from our contact page in about a week. They would be more than happy to talk to you about any positions they have available.

I would like to thank all those that interviewed for an executive position. We had some tough decisions to make and much talent to pick from. I think we picked a great team to work with this year and I look forward to starting the march toward Norwescon 37.

Peggy Stewart
Norwescon 37 Chairman

Kickstarter is the new hotness in self-publishing, but there are pros and cons to crowd-sourcing. What are some other options for creating and publishing your own board games, video games, and role-playing games? Our panelists will discuss kickstarter as well as other methods of self-publishing your own game.

Julie Haehn (M), Chris Pramas, David Fooden, Jeremy Holcomb, John Harper

Have you ever wanted to write a fanfic, but just never were able to before? Fret not! In this panel, a team of fanfic writers will help you work past your fears and jump feet first into writing! A number of different ideas will be presented as inspirational starting points and then after the hour is up, attendees share their works and get constructive pointers on what worked, what didn’t and how they can improve their stories.

Micole Rose (M), Keerawa, Erik Scott de Bie

The earth is a water world, why don’t we see more SF and fantasy set in the ocean? We know more about the surface of the moon than we do the bottom of the ocean. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was over 140 years ago, so why aren’t more stories set under water?

Steve Gillett (M), Beth Wade, Mike Brennan

Which Technology Will SAVE THE WORLD?
(Saturday, 8pm, Cascade 3&4)

Obviously technology will SAVE THE WORLD, but which one will be the most important? Come help our panelists determine what technology will be Mankind’s Last Best Hope. Then see them defend it in “No, You Fools! Your Technology Will DESTROY THE WORLD!”

Kurt Cagle (M), Alan Boyle, Arthur Bozlee, David Nasset, Sr.

No, You Fools! Your Technology Will DESTROY THE WORLD!

The world is doomed, and trying to stop it with Technology will only make it worse. Come see the choice of “Which Technology WILL SAVE THE WORLD?” be refuted with sound logic, tight reasoning, and, if needed, mobs armed with torches and pitchforks. All torches and pitchforks must be peace-bonded, and meet the appropriate Convention guidelines.

Kurt Cagle (M), Alan Boyle, Darryl Aoki, David Shoemaker, Matthew ‘Fish’ Dockrey