Progress report 3 APRIL 2020 1 Table of Contents Experience Chair — Norman Cates Vice Chair: Experience — Lynelle Howell Chairs’ Message ____________________________________________2 Business Chair — Kelly Buehler Vice Chair: Business — David Gallaher Virtual Worldcon ___________________________________________4 Memberships _______________________________________________5 Crew Services Division Head: Programme Participants ____________________________________6 Events Division Head: Mel Duncan Exhibits Division Head: Spike Changing Travel and Accommodation ______________________7 Facilities Division Head: Ben Yalow Questions and Answers _____________________________________7 Finance Division Head: Andrew A Adams Information Technology Division Head: Grant Preston Kia Ora! ____________________________________________________11 Member Services Division Head: PRK Help Wanted _______________________________________________13 Operational Services Division Heads: Rick Kovalcik & Sharon Sbarsky Platform Services Division Heads: Patty Wells & Randall Shepherd Site Selection and Hugo Ballots ____________________________14 Programme Division Head: Jannie Shea Membership List ___________________________________________16 Promotions Division Head: Nikky Winchester Publications Division Head: Darusha Wehm Registration Division Head: Lorain Clark Tech Division Head: John Maizels WSFS Division Head: Colette Fozard Cover photo by: Daniel Rood “World Science Fiction Society”, “WSFS”, “World Science Fiction Convention”, “Worldcon”, “NASFIC” “Hugo Award”, the Hugo Award Logo, and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Trophy Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society “social gathering” policies are and announce where social Chairs’ Message nodes are gathering to celebrate together. We are still in the early stages of working out the The night watch was quiet on the good ship CoNZealand, computing and bandwidth requirements for our Virtual when completely unexpectedly, a black hole appeared on the Worldcon. We will let everyone know as soon as we have solid navigation screen. As the event horizon greedily grabbed at all information on the specifications you will need to take part. We that ventured too near and are very aware that not fed it to the hungry everyone has the same singularity, great clanging equipment or internet alarums and flashing connections, and we will let warning lights alerted the you know as soon as we crew. have accurate information The course of the on requirements. CoNZealand veered away As we have said before, from danger and into please look after one uncharted territory. A another, and stay in touch. sturdy ship with a doughty Let’s concentrate on being crew, the CoNZealand kind to one another and continued with its mission, helping each other through now spiced with the a very difficult time. excitement of first contact We hope you can join us with new planets and new as CoNZealand Boldly Goes civilisations! There and Back Again, We the bridge crew of Where No Worldcon has CoNZealand hope you are Gone Before. well and safe. We continue to work to manifest a Virtual CoNZealand from New Zealand, to the world. Kia kaha (Stand Strong), We have been contacted by fans around the world offering to set up social nodes in their local areas. We thank you for Kelly Buehler & Norman Cates that, and as CoNZealand approaches, we will see what the Chairs, CoNZealand 2 Chicago2022_NewZealandFullPage_revised.pdf 1 6/30/2019 9:08:18 PM 3 Virtual Worldcon New Zealand Natcon CoNZealand is making history, as it becomes the first ever Virtual CoNZealand, as host of the 2020 New Zealand Natcon is staying Worldcon, in response to the global pandemic. in close contact with the board of SFFANZ and the organisations The strong belief that we can put on a great Worldcon has will continue to work together with regard to CoNZealand’s led us to the decision to make CoNZealand a virtual obligations as the organisers of the 2020 New Zealand Natcon. convention. Our Tech Division is confident they can deliver a virtual Worldcon and are excited about the possibilities. We are standing by our decision not to cancel, but in Our Platform consideration of the health, safety, and wellbeing of our members and crew, we think that holding a large face-to-face We are still in the early stages of working out the computing and event, even if it were possible, would be irresponsible. bandwidth requirements for our Virtual Worldcon. We will let everyone know as soon as we have solid information on the specifications you will need to take part. We are very aware that State of the Con not everyone has the same equipment or internet connections, and we will let you know as soon as we have accurate We have been working full steam to prepare for the first Virtual information on requirements. Worldcon, and we are pleased to announce a collaboration with The Fantasy Network to bring CoNZealand to an interactive, virtual platform. From panels and streaming video to informal Future Updates hangouts and late-night networking, the virtual convention aims to provide members with the most fun that they can have at a If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our web news updates convention from their home. (you can find the sign up box on our website homepage). In addition to collaborating on creating and hosting the As we have said before, please look after one another, and stay in virtual platform, after the convention The Fantasy Network will touch. Let’s concentrate on being kind to one another and helping each other through a very difficult time. host selected video-on-demand streams from CoNZealand on the web and in their iOS, Android, and Roku applications in a new Worldcon channel. 4 Memberships Rates Note that all prices and refunds are in New Zealand dollars. Participation in the virtual CoNZealand will require an Attending Membership. An Attending Membership gives full access to all parts of Adult Attending Membership $300 the convention. Just like an in-person Worldcon, an Attending Membership is all inclusive. Unwaged Attending Membership (NZ residents only) $150 • You will be able to attend all panels and events online OR in Young Adult Attending (born in or after 2000) $150 person at any official CoNZealand events in Wellington, New Zealand, or anywhere else in the world that may hold a Child Attending (born between 2005 and 2010)* $75 simultaneous event. • A souvenir book and any other official souvenir items will be Kid-in-tow Attending (born after 2010)* No Charge shipped to you, unless you have requested no paper publications. Our standard policy is one souvenir book per Supporting Membership $75 household, but you can request extra copies be shipped to the same household, through our Registration site. *Please note that this constitutes a change of age to this • We aim to ship the souvenir books to arrive before we start the membership type. convention, but we cannot guarantee the arrival time. • You will be able to download a PDF of any materials. We will be offering refunds upon request from 1 May, 2020 • We do not plan on providing a physical or PDF programme through the website of the difference between what was paid for guide, since the digital guide will be available on the a membership and the new Attending rate. This applies to Adult convention platform. Attending, Young Adult Attending and Unwaged Attending Members. For example, if you paid NZ$400, we can refund you Supporting Members will receive the normal package of the NZ$100. We will provide full refunds on Child Memberships upon souvenir book and any other souvenir items they would have request. received as a Supporting Member. We continue to ask that you consider not requesting that refund. Any money we have will go towards making this the best online convention ever. We are working hard to shift our Aotearoa Inclusion Initiative from providing memberships, 5 travel and hotel rooms, to providing required upgrades in hardware and internet services to fans who would not Programme otherwise be able to attend our Virtual Worldcon. We are also Participants working on providing a further charitable option for fans who wish to dedicate their refund to the aid of a New Zealand- We are really excited about the things we will be able to do for based artist or writer who has been hit hard by the COVID19 and with our programme participants. The Programming lockdown. As a charitable society, any remaining funds will Division is excited, enthusiastic, and full of ideas. Please feel free support fandom and future Worldcons. to contact us if you require advice regarding your computer, Those who feel they can no longer attend the Virtual internet service, camera or microphone. We want everyone to Worldcon may request to change their Attending Membership enjoy their participation in this event. to a Supporting Membership of CoNZealand. You will still be As we get closer to the convention, please expect to hear able to vote for the Hugo Awards and for Site Selection. from us regarding learning to use our platform and how it will All refund requests will be considered on a case-by-case all work. In the meantime, use your computer microphone and basis. We have begun processing the refund requests we have camera a lot with family and friends, in groups and one-on- already received. However, preparing for the number of one. There is nothing like experience to help with confidence in refunds has required a significant effort and we are working as a virtual