Octocon

Octocon
Genre Science fiction, fantasy
Venue Camden Court Hotel
Location(s) Dublin, Co Dublin
Country Ireland
Website
http://www.octocon.com/

Octocon is the name given to the National Irish Science Fiction and fantasy Convention, held (almost) annually in October. It was not held in 2014 when Ireland hosted Eurocon. The last Irish Eurocon was Shamrokon, which was held in August in Dublin.[1] The next Octocon was held at the Camden Court Hotel in Dublin City Centre on the 10–11 October 2015.

History

1989/1990: The convention was initiated by members of the Irish Science Fiction Association, and named by artist Peter McCanney, who created the convention's first logo.

1990: Terry Pratchett was the first Guest of Honour of the convention.

1995: Advertised Guest of Honour Mary Gentle had to cancel her appearance at the last minute, leading to the appointment of Kim Newman in her place.

1997: This was also the year's official Eurocon, and consequently the largest Octocon to date.

1998: The only one-day Octocon to date.

2003: The convention took a break for a year.

2004: For the first time, Octocon was held outside Ireland's capital of Dublin, in Maynooth, Co. Kildare.

2008: The convention returned to Dublin.

2009: The first Golden Blaster was awarded.

2014: There was no octocon this year. Instead a lot of the organizers helped run the official Eurocon, Shamrokon in August.

Golden Blasters

The Golden Blasters are the National Irish Science Fiction Awards for short science fiction, fantasy or horror films. Submissions can and have come from anywhere in the world, and the winners are selected by audience vote and a panel of judges. [2]

The awards now include the Golden Blaster, The Silver Blaster and the award for the best script.

Golden Blaster:
Silent City (Director: Rurairi Robinson)
Golden Blaster:
Ubermensch (Directed by Simon Temple and written by Daniel Poole)
Silver Blaster:
The Astronomer's Sun (Written and directed by Simon Cartwright & Jessica Cope)
Best Script:
He Knows by Stuart Creque
Golden Blaster:
Hai In Mano Il Tuo Futuro! (Directed by Enrico Maria Artale)
Silver Blaster:
Hai In Mano Il Tuo Futuro! (Directed by Enrico Maria Artale)
Best Script:
Wet Rot by Stuart Creque
Golden Blaster:
Shoreditch Slayer (Directed by Simon Levene)
Silver Blaster:
CRYO (Directed by Luke Doolan)
Best Script:
This Vehicle Has Been Checked For Sleeping Children by John Burdeaux

In 2012 the judges of the scripts wanted to make an honourable mention of both Pet by Eoin O’Faolain & The Vox-Warrior Princess by Fiona Mustard.

Golden Blaster:
Locked Up (Written and directed Jane Eakin)
Silver Blaster:
Sleepworking (Written and directed by Gavin Williams)
Best Script:
An Bean Sidhe by Eoin O'Sullivan
Golden Blaster:
ON/OFF (Directed by Thierry Lorenzi)
Silver Blaster:
Steadfast Stanley (Directed by John Kim)
Best Script:
The Borders of the Imagination (Written by Benjamin A Friedman)

In 2014 the judges of the scripts wanted to make an honourable mention of both Once A Hero by Neil Chase and The Almost Dead by Stanley B Eisenhammer

Dates

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997 - Eurocon

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003 - No convention

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014 - Eurocon


2015

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Eurocon 2014 / Shamrokon". Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "The Golden Blasters". Retrieved 8 October 2013.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, December 31, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.