Thursday, March 19, 2015

My Ad Astra Schedule

Deconstruction: What Happens When You Take Tropes Apart 

Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Room: Oakridge
Genre fiction thrives on tropes, from the stalwart hero, the damsel into distress, and all the way to the nefarious villain, but what happens when a show takes those tropes and turns them on their head. Join us as we discuss how and why to do this and examine when it's done right and when it's done wrong.

Saturday

Space Battles: Lens Flares and Camera Shakes 

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room: Whitchurch
Space Battles have generally been in one of two camps: WWII Naval Engagements, or WWI Ace Pilot Dogfights. Where can we go from here to realize what actual space combat will be like without inserting our silly terra-centric prejudices into the mix?

Melee Combat: Separating Fact From Fiction 

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Room: Oakridge
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions when it comes to fighting with swords and other melee weapons. This panel will bring them to light and discuss how to write great combat scenes while still getting it right.

Aang and Korra: Animated TV shows that break molds and give us hope for the future 

Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Room: Whitchurch
Every so often a TV show comes along and blows your mind. Avatar the Last Airbender and its sequel The Legend of Korra broke a lot of stereotypes, challenged the condecending and inadequate standards of youth TV programming and dares other shows to keep up. So lets talk about it!