The Tolkien Society’s 2014 Seminar will be on Thursday 14th August, and will be part of the 2014 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), which is being held at the ExCeL London exhibition centre.
The Tolkien Society’s keynote speaker will be David Brawn, head of Tolkien publishing at HarperCollins.
Booking is through the Loncon website. You can book for just the Tolkien Thursday, or for the whole of Worldcon.
Schedule
Below is an outline of activities organised by the Tolkien Society on Thursday 14 August.
Tolkien Society Presents: Hobbits! Rabbits!
Capital Suite 2 (ExCeL), 10am – 11am
Chris M Barkley, Michael Cobley, Constance G.J. Wagner, Jessica Yates
How do children, young adults and adults experience The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as books and as movies? Do people of different age groups experience them in different ways, especially given the range of other fantasy novels and films that younger generations have grown up with? How do readers engage with various decisions about the adaptation from book to screen? Are the rabbits welcome, or were they a mistake?
Lego, Tolkien Style – WOOFA
Fan Activity Tent (ExCeL), 1:30pm-2:30pm
James Shields, Alissa McKersie
Copy a tower from Lord of the Rings, mimic a fantasy scene or just use your imagination and recreate the Shire. All with thousands of pieces of Lego.
Please note that this is a WOOFA item and children will be given priority to participate in this child-friendly programme item.
Tolkien Society Presents: David Brawn
Capital Suite 4 (ExCeL), 4:30pm – 6pm
David Brawn
David Brawn has been the Publisher for Tolkien at HarperCollins since 1995. In a rare public appearance he reveals how publishing has evolved over 20 years, how Tolkien’s work continues to defy publishing conventions, and how working with filmmakers on movie tie-ins was a dream that very nearly didn’t come true.
Tolkien Society Presents: The Unpayable Debt?
Capital Suite 13 (ExCeL), 6pm – 7pm
Connie Willis, Erin Hunter, Jan Siegel, Myke Cole, Michael R. Underwood
JRR Tolkien once wrote of CS Lewis, “The unpayable debt that I owe to him was not ‘influence’ as it is ordinarily understood, but sheer encouragement.” A group of genre authors discuss what they owe to Tolkien, as both readers and writers. How far it is possible, or imaginable, to repay such a debt?
Tolkien Quiz
Fan Activity Tent (ExCeL), 8pm – 10pm
Come along and test your Tolkien knowledge with this quiz run by the Tolkien Society.
Other Activities
Tolkien Tent
All day (and party from 10pm)
Come and meet fellow fans, help complete the building of Orthanc and Perrott’s Folly in Lego, and (from 10pm) enjoy Middle-earth inspired food and drink.
Volunteers are needed to help staff the Tolkien Tent – please contact pat.reynolds [at] tolkiensociety [dot] org
Art Show
Opens 4:30pm
A number of Tolkien artists are exhibiting in the Art Show.
Also of Interest
What’s been happening at Weta Digital?
Monday August 18 – Capital Suite 9 (ExCeL), 12pm – 1:30pm
Norman Cates
You may have seen a few of the films Weta Digital has been working on over the last few years. Just some little movies like The Hobbit, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Come and see some of the behind the scenes work that goes into these films.
What is Lonon (Worldcon)?
From the Loncon website:
The World Science Fiction Convention (“Worldcon”) is an international gathering of the science fiction and fantasy community.
[…]
Loncon 3 intends to explore science fiction in all these forms and extend these explorations into the worlds of fantasy, horror, slipstream and alternate history, as well as exploring the science in science fiction, the spectacle it has inspired from artists and costumers, and the creativity and enjoyment science fiction has generated amongst its fans.
At the convention itself, there will be hundreds of programme items which all members can attend, as well as major events such as the Hugo Awards ceremony and Masquerade. Each Worldcon invites a small number of guests of honour, recognising their contribution to the field and the community of science fiction. The guests’ work and interests usually inspire significant elements within the programme.
There will also be exhibits, an extensive dealers’ area, an art show and auction, and many fun and social aspects to the Worldcon during the day and evening.