Visions'97 Report
Steven Hill
Not Your Normal Visions'97 Report
by Steve Hill
Random notes, thoughts, and observations about this year's Visions
convention. My perspective was a bit different from most attendees, and I
thought some people might be interested. Forgive me for a great deal of
rambling, though...background info might help.
For me, Visions'97 began about three months ago when I started working on
the transcription of FOUR TO DOOMSDAY for my live "Mysterious Theatre 337"
show scheduled for ConFriday. Transcription is the first step in the
completion of a working script for the show...the show itself is basically
quite similar to MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, with a few major
differences: 1) we perform the show live; 2) we watch a Doctor Who story;
3) we're all human; 4) no skits (although this may change in the future).
When Visions started in 1990, I was asked to DJ a dance to follow the
costume contest/Masquerade. Each subsequent year saw the dance attendance
falling, until finally the decision was made to cancel it (perhaps due to
complaints from rec.arts.drwho people who thought the music was too loud
while they were trying to have a meeting in the same room). I proposed
"Mysterious Theatre 337" at that time for Visions'96. That year we ribbed
REVENGE OF THE CYBERMEN - it was well received, but it began way too late
to keep an audience. By the time the show was over, it was around 1:00 and
there were about 6 people left in the room. Okay, enough background on
that, and I'll get to this year's show in due time.
Other preparations involved the Opening Ceremonies. Last year's script was
written by Jennifer Kelley while pregnant/giving birth/raising a newborn
just before the convention, and our rehearsals were limited to the night
before and the morning of Opening Ceremonies. This year we were able to
get a jump on things. The script was written primarily by myself and Peter
Heimsoth (with Jennifer tying it all together), and we incorporated live
music and sound effects into the show courtesy of Robert Warnock.
Rehearsals were every week for two months prior to the con, and we also
had to go to a train station to shoot the "Live from O'Hare Airport"
video inserts. Even with all the advance preparation, we were revising the
script up to the last minute due to a few changes. Our first stage
rehearsal was Wednesday night prior to the con. Our full dress rehearsal
was Thursday night and we were actually comfortable up on stage for
Opening Ceremonies at 9:30 on ConFriday. Happily, we've received some good
feedback from the Opening Ceremonies. After that, Jennifer asked me if I
wanted to host the Masquerade - I said I'd think about it.
Shortly after that, I registered for the Con. :) Next was the first of
many Dealer's Room visits. Spend money. There was something lacking this
year...not many videos (no SF Continuum or Trekker), and only after did I
realise I didn't see the telemovie soundtrack anywhere. None of that
stopped me from overspending, of course.
I peeked in on Jonathan Blum's BBC Books panel enough to see that it was
crowded. Another afternoon thing was Peter Davison and Frazer Hines
autograph line, which ended just in time for my next duty: the Masquerade
Organizational meeting, at which time I decided I would host the show for
Jennifer. Then at around 6:30 or 7:00 things get real hectic - the
Masquerade is to be followed directly with "Mysterious Theatre 337" with
no real time allotted for setup, so we have to prepare as much as possible
in advance. We set up a riser in front of the screen this year, which I
think helped quite a bit. Masquerade began - I made a few mistakes (those
forms are hard to read!) but hopefully got everyone's name pronounced
correctly - and the whole thing was quite enjoyable. This year, instead of
having dead space for 45 minutes while judging was taking place, I put
together a tape for entertainment, which included Ryan K Johnson's "Star
Trek: The Pepsi Generation" (shown with permission), a commercial for the
Federation production of "The Reign of Turner" to be shown on Sunday, an
older Federation project called "Doctor Who and the Holy Grail", and a
commercial for "Mysterious Theatre 337" which was to follow the prize
awards. Sorry about the glitch in "Pepsi Generation" - it was in the
master tape that Ryan sent me back in 1988.
The Masquerade was good, as I said - my favourites were The Great Rassilon
(some good gags and terrific timing and delivery), Maleficent (the costume
but not the performance), and Erin Tumilty.
So the Masquerade was finished, and we frantically set up microphones for
"Mysterious Theatre 337". Participating this year were my friends Dave
Broucek (as "Tycho") and Ricky Kellerman (as "Yads") along with me
("Wilsen") and Robert Warnock ("Glum") who had his "It's my only line!" in
Opening Ceremonies. Providing invaluable assistance was George Zahora
running the tape, mixing board, and cameras. This year's show went very
well (and it started at a reasonable time!) and we had an attendance count
of about 75 at the start and 50 near the end. Thanks to those who were
there. After that, we went to the bar to relax, where we proceeded to
choose the worst possible songs on the juke box. Some of the celebs showed
up at the bar after getting back from their downtown Chicago trip, but I
think our bad juke box selections drove them out again. :) After the bar,
we took our traditional Plummet - we get in the elevator, go to the top
floor, then press Lobby, and scream on the way down. George got a kick out
of the faces of the desk staff when we got there - they could certainly
hear us screaming!
ConSaturday: First I attended the Internet panel, which was held together
nicely and could have easily gone on for the better part of the day. I was
a bit sceptical of some people (not present) being referred to by name in
sometimes unfriendly terms, but it didn't appear to bother anyone else.
Saturday afternoon was basically devoted to the line for Jeri Ryan
autographs. I was acutely disappointed that they had no pictures of her
NOT wearing her costume and makeup. Jeri impressed me quite a bit - she
signed for many hours, sick with a cold, and she was certainly under no
obligation to do so.
Next duty, the Variety Show. First comes stage preparation... move the
piano, move the mics, move the chairs, fill the water pitchers, go get
the projector from Video Room 2 and swap it with the projector from ABC
and set it up in DE for the show, tape the curtains, clean the green
room... then comes the waiting for the celebs to arrive.
This year the host for the show is Peter Davison. He paces while
backstage, almost always with a smile on his face. In my opinion, the
variety show was okay this year, with some of the acts going on far too
long. Gary Lockwood was a lot of fun backstage, as was Peter. Paul Simpson
was clearly having a great time. I was quite impressed by Jeff Conaway's
poems, and I usually hate poetry.
ConSunday: Today was another day I had been preparing for for a long time.
The Federation film "The Reign of Turner" was being shown at 11:25 in the
video room, and I had brought 28 copies along with to sell. I needed to
sell 16 to recoup duplication costs alone, let's not even go into
production costs. 14 people attended the showing, and it was mostly
well-received. I sold 12 copies all weekend, so I'm in debt on the whole
thing. :( I'm hoping that people who bought it will write a few reviews
(good or bad) and send them along to me! A quick lunch meant I had to miss
most of "Time Rift" which I've seen bits and pieces of in the last few
years. I should have asked Jon if he'd trade a copy for a copy of "The
Reign of Turner". "Time Rift" looks okay. Thanks for buying our movie if
you did. If you didn't, see http://shill.simplenet.com/feds.htm for some
information.
Also on Sunday was Jon's Fan Video panel which I had been invited to. Jon
clearly learned a lot of the things that the Federation had learned years
ago, but above all when doing a fan video, have fun and don't lose
friends. :) Another thing I learned over the weekend from those who have
seen "The Reign of Turner" is that people don't realise it's me as Colin
and JN-T! (Having almost no hair these days makes it hard to associate me
with those parts, I guess.)
The only other thing on Sunday was the closing, which is followed by an
hour of hard labour, then a staff pizza party. Peter Davison was happily
snapping photos, and the other remaining guests appeared to be having fun
too. And that was about it.
I met quite a few of you this weekend, but as I warned most of you, I'm
terrible with names, so forgive me for not mentioning everyone. Elsa, Meg,
Chris, Chris, Andrew, Suki, Tom, Neil, Jon, and more, many more (including
a few I've known for a while like Kathy and George).
The other good thing - for MANY years we've wanted to do our first SERIOUS
fan video (all we've ever done are parodies and comedies) but we've been
unable to come up with a concept. Well, while waiting for pizza on Sunday,
Jennifer and I worked out a very nice idea and plot, and I've already
outlined it. If we work hard, we might have it ready for next year's
Visions convention. Working title (likely to change): "Reality Warp".
Anyone in Chicago interested in working on it? Contact me.
Time to change the .sig,
-shill
--
Steve W Hill \ "You can't fire me - I will produce forever!"-JNT
\ in " T H E R E I G N O F T U R N E R "
shi...@xnet.com \ for info http://shill.simplenet.com/feds.htm
sh...@harper.cc.il.us \ Come see MYSTERIOUS THEATRE 337 at Visions
Michael S. Tumilty
Steven Hill wrote in message <664de7$h9h$1...@flood.xnet.com>...
>Not Your Normal Visions'97 Report
>The Masquerade was good, as I said - my favourites were The Great Rassilon
>(some good gags and terrific timing and delivery), Maleficent (the costume
>but not the performance), and Erin Tumilty.
<blush> Why, thank you!
-Erin
Steven Hill
In an earlier rec.arts.drwho episode, Steven Hill wrote:
: Not Your Normal Visions'97 Report
I forgot to mention, I need reviews! If you've seen them, please tell me
what you liked and hated with both MYSTERIOUS THEATRE 337 and THE REIGN OF
TURNER. Please!
Paul Shields
On 8 Dec 1997 23:22:40 GMT, shi...@typhoon.xnet.com (Steven Hill)
shared the following with us all:
>In an earlier rec.arts.drwho episode, Steven Hill wrote:
>: Not Your Normal Visions'97 Report
>
>I forgot to mention, I need reviews! If you've seen them, please tell me
>what you liked and hated with both MYSTERIOUS THEATRE 337 and THE REIGN OF
>TURNER. Please!
>
>-shill
And if anyone managed to catch the 10am Sunday showing of Cold Blood
Warm Heart - tell me what you thought!
Paul
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Paul Shields, Leeds, UK www.korova.demon.co.uk
This is what you get when you mess with us, Doodyhead
For "COLD BLOOD WARM HEART" - Get thee to my website.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
anthony parle
are they still around last matrix i,ve seen is 54
any one care to rec other good fanzines
thanks
--
anthony parle
L J Parkin
>are they still around last matrix i,ve seen is 54
>any one care to rec other good fanzines
>thanks
The next Matrix is being written as you speak - the delay being that
Mark Jones and John Binns have been busy writing 'The ER Files',
in all good bookshops now! Matrix 54 - the New Adventures special
one - is the current issue.
Lance