NZLARPS Wellington Committee Meeting 21/10/2012
Meeting opened: ~14:00
Present: Anthony Doornesbosch, Brooklynne Kennedy, Bryn Jones, Donna Giltrap, Ellen Boucher, Idiot Savant, Mel Duncan, Midnight the cat, Nick Cole, Thomas Joychild.
Apologies: Scott Kelly (contributed via chat)
Previous minutes: Apparently we’re supposed to start by approving the minutes of the previous meeting - presumably the AGM. Since we didn’t have any on us, this will be handled by electronic vote through the forum.
Action point: Idiot to set up poll in forum for committee to approve previous minutes.
Gear
- Scott has bought 3 masks, needs reimbursement.
- possibility of getting cheap gear due to Halloween
Action point: Bryn to look around Halloween sales.
Move and maintenance
- Scott needs his garage back
- Mel to clean out her space by December
- Mel will get a padlock and be reimbursed
- possibility of combining move w/ gear day; organise everything at Scott’s before move.
- want to get it done by mid December or end of xmas holidays
Action point: Idiot to put up public online poll on availability for gear move.
Gear order
- Proposal from Scott to order 1 Greatsword, 1 Wooden Quarterstaff, 1 Dane Axe, 1 RFB leather armour (brown), 3 sword holders. From Ryan’s quote should come to $482.32 (corrected from 478 - I/S). Passed unanimously
Action point: Mel to raise with Ryan, Ants to pay him.
“Saturday night larp” proposal
- suggestion we steal this idea for Wellington to provide regular games next year
- can be used for workshops / low key events as well as games.
- depends on venue. Discussion of possibilities: Toi Poneke (central, flexible), Vogelmorn Hall (pretty), Brooklyn Community Centre (lacks ambience), Petone community house (too far from Wellington). Agreement to assess on price, accessibility, ambience.
Action point: Brooklynne to investigate venues, find out availability and discounts; will take photos of Toi Poneke. - Timing: 4th Saturday of a month seems to not clash with anything. Start in February (on 23rd).
- Will need to call for games to fill it up.
- should probably be run as a project.
- Mel inquires about the difference between a Project and how we do things in Wellington. Idiot explains. Concern that GMs will be put off by bureaucracy; aim is to insulate them from that.
Venues in general
- already covered in earlier discussion
- Mel misses Turnbull House.
Aethercon report
- Brooklynne thinks it went well; gave away a lot of flyers; 3 hour slot worked for volunteers.
- suggestion of a physical signup sheet for next advertising event to get people’s emails (rather than them emailing us, we email them)
- so far one person from Aethercon has signed up for Delicious Friends.
- Brooklynne and Idiot took leftover business cards and have been handing them out
- Feedback: posters worked; possibly should invest in stand-up banners from Groupon or Vistaprint for future events (suggestion that Saturday night Larp profits could go to this)
- Do we do Armageddon at Queen’s Birthday?
- suggestion of a “what is larp” evening as a post-con event
- 33AR might be interested in splitting a table.
Action point: everyone think about newbie-friendly larps that can be picked up and run on short notice in the aftermath of such events to aid in future marketing - committee expresses its thanks to Ryan Kennedy, who dealt with an extremely grumpy Brooklynne who had been up since 5am; also to stall volunteers
Au Contraire
- Au Contraire is the 2013 national SF con; want “cross-pollination” (recruits!). Anna Klein is fan guest of honour, and they’re thinking of getting her to do two talks, one on Lovecraft and one on larping. They are seeking both potential panelists (either alongside Anna, or to run a thing on larp v tabletop mechanics), and games (to attract larpers to the con, and SF fans into larping).
- Friday night an ideal time to run games, since it is pretty quiet.
- suggestions of possible games: The Discarded, bad Dreams: Alien, The Bell. Are we looking for intense? Mel thinks it would be easier to fill something lightweight. Aim for a 10 - 20 player game (ran “Watch the Skies” last year)
- suggestion that a new game will attract more larpers.
Action point: Ellen to talk to Vanya about Bad Dreams - when do we have to be organised? Mal says timetable isn’t nailed down until June. but earlier is better for promotion.
Action point: Idiot to look round online for newbie-friendly SF games. - committee notes that James Marsters sounds sexier than whoever the other guy is when reading the Dresden Files
Action point: Mel will keep us informed about Au Contraire and what they need.
Upcoming events
- need a game for December. Ellen planning a run of Interactivities Ink’s “Holiday Season” (11 - 17 players); needs 6 male NPCs. Suggests it could be combined with a potluck dinner / end of year social gathering depending on timing.
- committee expresses its hope that Jackie does Larp Secret Santa again to save us from having to do it ourselves
- KapCon in January: 10 small larps (so far) plus flagship.
- Bryn working on Kingdom game for February
- March is really the first month we need to fill.
Action point: Ellen / Scott to put together a post for mailing list / Diatribe on “are you thinking of running a game? here’s how we can help”.
Other business
- Brownie eating competition between Ants and Nick. Results unclear.
Meeting closed 15:39
