We are the
Secret Masters Of Fandom
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are we? What is a SMOFcon? Why Be a SMOF? How can I join? |
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Who are we?
We are the people behind the scenes at your local Science Fiction conventions. We are those faceless and sometimes nameless individuals, who have spent months, sometimes years, preparing for your arrival. We are the people who are behind the Registration desk handing you your membership badge, or take care of the guests, or are busy keeping the Anime festivals running on time, or organize the Masquerade show, or gather, edit and print the newsletters, or deal with the hotel on contract issues, or otherwise take care of the hundreds of other details that it takes to make a convention run.
A convention doesn't just spring up and succeed without a lot of preparation, talent and commitment. Regrettably, the knowledge that is gathered while running a convention is not always passed around to others, and as the saying goes "those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it." Armed with our accumulated knowledge, and wishing to exchange ideas about what makes a better convention, or simply pass along our experiences and wisdom, we gather together and become what are called SMOFs: Secret Masters Of Fandom.
What is a SMOFcon?
SMOFcon is our yearly get-together. It is where we gather to exchange our insights into what has happened during the previous year, at both the local level and at the most recently held meeting of the World Science Fiction Society (also known as Worldcon). We look for old friends, make new ones, catch-up on the latest gossip and rumors, attend panels on a variety of subjects about convention running, and express our views on best ways to do something. We talk about what went right and wrong, either behind the scenes or what the general membership saw, review what the ConCom should have done to correct it or how they prevented a mishap from becoming a disaster. We often get recruited to work on other conventions -- or recruit others to come work on our next convention.
Okay, we do a LOT of talking with each other -- we refer to it as "SMOFing." And SMOFing requires lots of good food and drink to keep us going when our energy runs low.
Why Be a SMOF?
How can I join?
Future Bids Conventions Last Updated: 12/12/07
Dates:
December 5-7, 2008
Site:
Columbus, OH
Past Conventions