talkmagic.co.uk

Well with not one moderator contributing to this thread

Not being able to log on since Friday, I've only just managed to work through the backlog of posts to see this thread so apologies for the apparent lack of response so far. To be honest, there were something like three screens of threads to go through which is nice but I sometimes wonder if we're being taken over by some unnecessary threads - however, that's another topic!

All in all, this thread developed very rapidly but the idea will need proper consideration - there's no reason why a planned small-ish event couldn't be expanded as interest increases. The venue is really a matter of finding a suitable place at suitable cost, if any! There's really no strict reason why the Mods should be any more involved than all of your guys who've already posted so why not carry on and develop the idea to see if it's a practical possibility?

Ok then..... lets start seeing where everyone is from.

If you're from north of the border say "AYE"
If you're just from the north say "AY UP"
If your from the midlands say "Y'Alright AM YOW"
If you're from the South say "YO"

LoL - seriously though, we need to know what the geographical distribution is to ensure the location is a fair one. I'm favouring Nottingham at the mo but that depends on how many Northerners are here and would attend!

YO ! I'll start a poll on the locations,

3 to start with and then we can probably refine it when we have a better idea

Prob best with 4..... North/Scotland - South - East and West/Wales

East side is da best!
(Ipswich)

well i've already posted the poll - but it should be ok to get started at least and people can work out which is closer!

Sorry, I have just seen it... I will get there now!

I must admit I have deliberately waited before becoming involved in this thread as I wanted to see how popular the idea was before commenting.

I should also point out that there are several other older posts dotted around the forum that bring up a similar topic - I admit that they are mainly about a Talk Magic get together and not so much a convention, but nevertheless it's worth taking into account that nothing actually eneded up happening.

Now to the idea of organising a convention. I have some experience of this as I help organise the Ipswich Magical Society annual one day convention, and I can tell you that it takes an awful lot of work just to break even. If you want to have a good selection of dealers there then you will need to be able to guarantee a vast number of participants who are going to hang around all day. Whereas the bigger conventions can ask dealers for fairly sunstantial sums, the smaller conventions can not. In fact it is almost the other way around, just to encourage the dealers to come in the first place.

My suggestion would very much be along the lines of Goldfish and Happy Toad. Forget this idea for now until you know how many Talk Magic members are likely to actually attend. For sure arrange a meeting, but make it at one of the existing conventions, so that the dealers, lectures and show have already been arranged. THEN, If these meetings prove popular consider putting on your own convention. It is possible - it's just such a huge job that is going to take an awful lot of your time. (Plus the headache of worrying if enough people will turn up to make it pay for itself).

So why not arrange to meet at one of the following conventions? Blackppol of course would always be good, but there are usually many great conventions happening all over the country.

Top Secret Magic Day, Sun 5th June 2005. Milton Keynes

The Leeds Magical Association - 9th Convention. 14-15 May 2005

The Liverpool Mahatma Magic Circle's Day of Magic & Mayhem 22 May 2005

Barnsley Magic Day 12.6.05

The British IBM Ring Convention 27.9.05 - 2.10.05

Ipswich Magical Society Annual One Day Convention, Sunday 23rd October, Ipswich.

The names lined up at Ipswich so far include Jon Allen, Scott Creasy (BIP book), Scott Penrose and Joe Transini (although some are yet to confirm). I also should mention that already I know of at least 6 active TalkMagic members that will be attending the Ipswich convention (and more than a few who have said possibly).

Sorry to appear so negative - It really is a great idea, but I think it unlikely that we would ever get more than 20 Talk Magic members attend the same convention at the same time (maybe blackpool would be an exception).

Nice post Bananafish and very true too...

Here goes hope in a puff of smoke...

No but seriously though, even if we can't organise this as a proper convention and just a meeting, I think it's still a good idea to keep up the hope and see who would be interested in the first place - even if it ends up in a general meeting at another convention.

I think it's still a good idea to keep up the hope and see who would be interested in the first place

Definitely...

Personally I would love to see a Talk Magic Session rather than a convention. I think there's so many wonderful conventions out there already and I doubt we would be able to offer anything new or particularly better.

On the other hand, a session is something relatively unheard of outside of magic clubs. The basic premise would literally be a general meeting, but instead of having the focus on lectures, we could have a show or two, a group discussion on a theme and then the rest of the time would be spent chatting, developing tricks and generally building friendships. You could also invite a dealer to come along and ask that they bring a stock of general magic items, like decks of cards, TTs, flash paper etc. As well as some of their best sellers and other stock.

For example a session may look like this:

0930hrs: Arrival, registration and coffee
1000hrs: Meet and greet
1030hrs: Dealer Demo
1100hrs: Show 1
1120hrs: Break and chat
1200hrs: Group discussion rotations
1300hrs: Lunch
1400hrs: Show 2
1420hrs: Break and chat
etc, etc....

I think the idea of group discussions could be really interesting. There could be several different topics, for example 4, dotted around the room. Each delegate is alocated an order of topics and they spend 15 minutes at each station discussing whatever topic is there.

Anyway, thats what I'd like to see and I think that it is a little bit more realistic to plan an organised meeting than a full blown convention, simply off the cuff.

I think that more the sort of thing we all meant anyways no ?

That's how I would see it too - maybe convention is not the appropriate word then...!

I suppose the idea I was trying to get accross was that my definition of a convention involves alot of getting with very little giving for the average delegate. I think an event with the focus on giving and sharing between delegates would be far more interesting and might even generate more interest.

I did say I used the word Convention loosely!!

Good idea Bananafish

Must admit the thread seemed to start as a get together of forum members and developed into some giant conference along the way. It was looking at one point like someone might suggest booking Puff Daddy and Metallica to play live too.
So yes, back to the original idea and as a few others have mentioned, arranging a meeting either at a pub or existing convention to put faces to names would be a great idea but lets not run before we can walk with the convention scheme or it will simply die through apathy and nothing will happen.

PS. I live just outside of Birmingham but I have a car and I’m happy to travel anywhere.