Panel discussion
A panel discussion, or simply a panel, involves a group of people gathered to discuss a topic in front of an audience, typically at scientific, business or academic conferences, fan conventions, and on television shows. Panels usually include a moderator who guides the discussion and sometimes elicits audience questions, with the goal of being informative and entertaining.[1][2] Film panels at fan conventions have been credited with boosting box office returns by generating advance buzz.
Format
The typical format for a discussion panel includes a moderator in front of an audience.[3]
Television shows featuring a discussion panel format include Real Time with Bill Maher, Loose Women and The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, as well as segments of the long-running Meet the Press.[4] Quiz shows featuring this format, such as QI and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, are called panel games.
Fan conventions
Panels at sci-fi fan conventions, such as San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic-Con, have become increasingly popular; there are typically long lines to get access to the panels.[5] The panels often feature advance looks at upcoming films and video games.[6] Panels and the early screenings at conventions have been credited as increasing the popularity of blockbuster films in recent years.[7]
One of the earliest film panels was at the 1976 San Diego Comic-Con, when publicist Charles Lippincott hosted a slideshow—in front of a "somewhat skeptical" audience—for an upcoming film called Star Wars. Five years later, the Blade Runner panel at the 1981 San Diego Comic-Con featured a film featurette, before featurettes were popular. At the 2000 event, the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring preview panel ushered in today's era of hugely popular panels.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ "Panel Discussions". Nature Education. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ↑ Kirsner, Scott (30 May 2013). "How To Moderate a Panel Like a Pro". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ↑ "Inside Our Schools: Teen-Age Congress". Billboard. 12 April 1952. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ Hruby, Patrick (28 March 2012). "Bill Maher’s ‘Real Time’: The survival manual for conservative panelists". Washington Times.
- ↑ Sacks, Ethan (27 September 2014). "New York Comic Con will start with 10-day ‘Super Week’ as convention grows in size and popularity". New York Daily News. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ↑ Lamar, Cyriaque (17 July 2013). "4 Miserable Experiences You Can't Avoid at Comic-Con". Cracked. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ↑ Burke, Liam (2015). The Comic Book Film Adaptation: Exploring Modern Hollywood’s Leading Genre. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 125.
- ↑ "The 10 Most Memorable Panels In Comic-Con History". Film.com. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2015.