The Very Basics Of Convention Panels

This is a presentation that I’ve run at multiple fan-run nerd events, which takes you through how to run a convention panel. It also doubles up as a framework for running your own convention panel. It’s a panel about panels, and it’s PowerPoint has instructions on turning that panel into your first panel: thus, I claim my prize for the most meta panel in fandom! As you may have guessed, this is because I’m quite keen on convention panels. They let attendees directly contribute to the event’s content mix, cover a wide range of topics from a broad variety of perspectives, and I get to learn loads of stuff I’d never have even known about. So, this is a link to my talk that will hopefully help you get into running panels at events you go to. If you find it useful, please let me know when and where your first talk is.

Please leave comments and suggestions; I don’t claim to know everything or be able to present what I do in the clearest and most accommodating of manners, so feedback is more welcome. Just remember that it’s The Very Basics and is intended for people doing their first presentation at a pop culture event. If you think it should have a different focus for a different scene, then grab a copy and make it so; it’s designed to be used and adapted to get more people to contribute at conventions, my one restriction of use is “don’t use this for any bigoted, hate-based, evil bullshit. Love will win, stop being an arsehole.”