Minutes of NZLarps Committee Meeting
9/09/09
Meeting started 7.20pm
Present: Anna, Hannah, Gareth, Juliet, Kim, Vanya, Matt, Peter, Muppet
Apologies: Nikki (Minutes taken by Hannah in her absence)
AGM
shifted date to Wednesday 30th September, to allow more review of constitution. Muppet to re-book room at University. Anna to advertise this date change, call for nominations etc.
Financial Report
Hannah has been collating financial records of the past NZLarps games, and preparing end of year accounts. Knightshade have presented their outstanding accounts. Bank balance is healthy, with payments for next Wolfgang game coming in. Also payment from the Joust finally came through, $1250.
Suggest constitution change of End of Year moved (from 31st July) to 31st August, so that Chimera accounts can be included more tidily in the year they run.
Past Larp
Chimera 09 - very successful, with promising numbers, including No’s largest larp with 80+ people. Excellent catering & V sponsorship (Nikki to write to V thanking, and suggesting ongoing sponsorship). Brief talk about Chimera 2010. Date to remain same, venue to stay at half Motu Moana - aim to expanding to full site 2011. General consensus to allow Anna to pay Scout Association for booking 2010 without a formal financial forecast due to success of the event. Anna waiting for proposal of 2010 flagship larp with some character & plot outlines.
Upcoming Larp
Masquerade on Fleet Street - approx. dozen places to fill. Many new players rolled up.
Multiverse Footprints in Sand
Knightshade Misty Hallows - Gareth to present financial forecast at next meeting. No major expenses foreseen.
Wolfgang - Cardinal of Sin - attempting to fit in a day game, based at the Vatican. Forecast due next meeting.
Gear
Gareth has done maintenance on existing swords & shield, and created new blue shields. Presented receipts for materials, re-payment already occurred.
Gareth request monies for some more storage bins, he will quote price to Hannah for electronic funds payment.
New box acquired (used in Bad Dreams Chimera) for storing & carrying weapons.
Trailer Fixing - mechanic friend of the girl who did it, failed to show up before Chimera as was indicated. Is it worth repairing considering the cost, and would we re-coup that cost if it is sold.
Replacing Trailer - Anna to check the grant that paid for the trailer to ascertain whether we can transfer the funds for a van. Pros- can be used by the membership base more easily (rather than requiring member’s parents) and can transport players to events. Gareth to investigate cost/options - Unitec selling of some of theirs, and he has experience using vans. Cons - extra rego, insurance, wof fees & mechanical maintenance on ongoing basis may leach society’s funds.
Gear list - slow work in progress
Tent - as was suggested on diatribe, Hannah proposed a motion that NZLarps acquire a tent, seconded by Anna, passed without dissent. Vanya to investigate (amongst re-enactment people and others) options of making/buying a tent and costs involved.
Battlecry
Peter (Larp officer at America) formally approaching NZlarps for some larp games to be run at Battlecry (Feb 2010). Re-running some games from Chimera 09 was suggested (Spy Hard, Mary Celeste). Peter said he was organising some ‘gate-way’ roleplaying games, to get people used to tabletop roleplaying up & moving around, without costumes. Requested a Flagship Larp to be written - suitable for 30-40 people, to be run on Saturday night. It was suggested a more active Diatribe presence and making it easy for people to sign up would encourage more Larpers to go to Battlecry.
Wellington Regional Office
Following on from their successful time at Chimera 09 group of players from Wellington are trying to kick-start Larp in that city. Jacqui has been talking with Anna about how this can be achieved within the NZLarps society. Discussion was held and is summarised in following points.
Regional branches to be set up (so-called to allow applications for “regional funding”) at the discretion of the committee, factors such as player/member base, and location come into play.
Each Region to have their own committee, with minimum positions of Director, Secretary, Treasurer & Gear Officer. These are voted on at a AGM/SGM by the members of each region.
There will be a NZLarps President, who is a regional committee member, who is voted in by the whole NZlarp membership. The President will have casting vote on any issues tied in vote by regional committee. President to be main liason person between the regions.
Each regional office will responsible for running own regions’ games and day-to-day business. Motions of national importance e.g. changes to the constitution, will be voted on by all members.
Distance voting will be provided in constitution, also a method whereby a regional meeting may vote on national motion at a meeting, and forward the tally to the vote counter.
A separate suffix of the main NZLarps bank account to be provided to each region. Bank account access provided by Director & Treasurer of region.
Region to provide end of year accounts to Auckland treasurer, who will compile a total accounts for submission to Incorporated Societies, as required by law. Further research may be required.
Funding for larger projects which currently exceed region bank balances (e.g. deposit for venue) may be transferred to the region, with it being a loan, and being paid back at the end of the event.
NZlarps to provide document “Guidelines & Expectations of projects and affiliates” to outline grounds of accepting proposals to NZLarps. Anna to prepare.
No “specific number of games to be held” requirement to be included in region formation.
New Zealand wide calendar of game events will be required.
“Teonn” Project
Mr Phillip Brown (Muppet) presented his Project Proposal for Teonn, a new generic fantasy Larp. Discussion was held about the project and it was ascertained that
there is a team of GMs and writers working with Muppet.
Rules and world are developed, with permission of previous authors
First game likely to be a weekend, set Sept/Oct 2010
Marketing strategy is in place - aim to start at Armageddon in October, hence the early Project Proposal.
Strategies in place to mentor / encourage / support new players, with an aim of 50% existing Larpers, 50% new players in first weekend game (aiming for 120 people).
This includes costume hire packages for new players, which is an idea that could be incorporated into other games.
It was suggested some preliminary day-games may be required to test rules, even though will not necessarily be part of the campaign. However emphasis on “starting with a bang” was made.
Anna put forward the motion to accept the project proposal, seconded by Gareth, passed without dissent.
Muppet requested a new board to be provided on Diatribe, and possibly own website hosting. Vanya aso requested board for Bad Dreams.
Meeting closed 9.45pm
Action Points
Muppet to book room for AGM, Anna to advertise AGM
Hannah to complete financial EOY
Gareth to prepare Knightshade Financial Forecast
Anna to Prepare Wolfgang Financial Forecast
Nikki write letter thank you to V
Gareth to quote & purchase gear storage bins
Gareth to investigate van costings, also trailer selling costs.
Vanya to investigate buying/making Tent costs etc.
Anna do wording for suggested constitution change for Regions.
Anna to prepare “Guidelines & Expectations of Games” document.
Muppet to contact web administrator regarding setting up Teonn stuff.
(edited to add note of Joust payment)