ASA Comics Business Workshop with Julie Ditrich

BMP Director Julie Ditrich will be presenting a one day workshop in Sydney in May 2014 entitled "The Comics Business: from idea to print", which is part of the Australian Society of Authors' (ASA) professional development seminar program. 

The course will guide participants through the process of creating a comic book or graphic novel from story development and scripting to assembling a creative team, art production, pitching to publishers, self publishing, distribution and marketing.

Participants will gain an understanding of the end-to-end comics creation and production process, as well as the workings of the Australian pop culture scene. They will also learn how to manage relationships with artists, designers, printers, editors and other key parties involved in the successful publication of a comic book or graphic novel.

Date: Saturday 31 May 2014
Time: 10am to 4pm (six hours)
Venue: ASA Offices, Suite C1.06, 22-36 Mountain St, Ultimo in Sydney, NSW, Australia
Cost: ASA member $155; Member of a Partner Organisation $185; Non-member $230
Bookings: CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE or phone the ASA on (02) 9211 1004

Please note that Jason Franks will be presenting the same seminar in Melbourne in October. CLICK HERE for information on the Melbourne event. 

Jozef Szekeres to be Special Guest at New Room 801 Convention

Room 801 is a new Australian convention for over-18s only, with a special focus on yaoi and yuri. Special guests include BMP Director Jozef Szekeres, Aarin, Dr Scott Beattie, Mary Borsellino, Level4Chaos, and Luke Miller. The schedule includes Fic Readings, Erotic Fiction, Legal Issues and Censorship, Expression Through Fandom, Comparing Homoerotica, Slash and Yaoi / Yuri, Translating Visual Novels, and Fiction Pitches and Feedback.

Date: Friday 21 to Sunday 23 February 2014
Times: Friday – 6.30 to 8.30pm
Saturday – 9am to 5pm plus swap meet 6pm to 9pm
Sunday – 9am to 5pm
Venue: Y Hotel Hyde Park, Sydney CBD
5-11 Wentworth Ave, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: http://room801.com.au/contact-us/
Website: http://room801.com.au

New Structures in Scriptwriting with Linda Aronson

Scriptwriting guru Linda Aronson will be presenting a seminar on "New Structures in Scriptwriting for Film and TV" at the Australian Film and Television Radio School (AFTRS), which will be particularly apt for advanced comic book writers. The two-day masterclass on advanced theories and techniques for creating original story design routinely provokes standing ovations from acclaimed and experienced film writers all over the world. Linda explodes the conventional screenwriting theory which assumes that structures means only one hero on a linear chronological journey. Instead she takes on and provides practical writing guidelines for writing flashback scripts, Pulp Fiction structures, multiple storyline films and fractured forms. Linda demonstrates how 18 of these modern forms work to predictable patterns, and provides practical templates for writing them.

Don't leave it till too late. Last time Linda gave a class in Australia the event was booked out and lots of people couldn't get in.

Sydney 
Date: Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 February 2014
Time: 9.30am to 5.30pm (16 hours total)
Venue: Australian Film and Television Radio School (AFTRS)
Cost: $495 / $445.50 GST exempt

Melbourne
Date: Saturday 1 to 2 March 2014
Time: 9.30am to 5.30pm (16 hours total)
Venue: Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
Cost: $495 / $445.50 GST exempt

CLICK HERE for further information and bookings.

Aussie Comic Convention Circuit 2014 [UPDATED 06/08/14]

Happy New Year! 

Here's our regular calendar for Aussie comikers to plan their annual comics convention circuit. We've added a few more zine fairs this year. The list also includes some international expos. Please note that at the time of publishing, some of these events have not been promoted on their respective websites with the relevant dates and venues. This post will be updated as more information becomes available so please stop by regularly for additional information.

Angouleme International Comics Festival (Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d'Angoulême) (Angoulême, France): 30 January-2 February 2014 (various venues)
Sticky Institute Zine Fair (Melbourne, Victoria): 9 February 2014 (Melbourne Town Hall)
Room 801 (Sydney, New South Wales): 21-23 February 2014 (Y Hotel on Hyde Park)
Oz ComicCon (Perth, Western Australia): 29-30 March 2014 (Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre)
Inkers and Thinkers – The Evolution of Comics Symposium (Adelaide, South Australia): 4 April 2014 (University of Adelaide)
Oz ComicCon (Adelaide, South Australia): 5-6 April 2014 (Adelaide Showground)
Supanova (Gold Coast, Queensland): 4-6 April 2014 (Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre)
Supanova (Melbourne, Victoria): 11-13 April 2014 (Melbourne Showground)
WonderCon (Anaheim, California USA): 18-20 April 2014 (Anaheim Convention Center)
Free Comic Book Day (World and Australia wide): 3 May 2014 (check with your nearest comic book store for details and activities)
Comic Gong (Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia): 17 May 2014 (Wollongong City Library, Town Hall and Art Gallery)
Phoenix ComicCon (Phoenix, Arizona USA): 5-8 June 2014 (Pheonix Convention Center)
MCA Zine Fair (Sydney, New South Wales): 25 May 2014 (Museum of Contemporary Art)
Supanova (Sydney, New South Wales): 13-15 June 2014 (Sydney Showground, Olympic Park)
Supanova (Perth, Western Australia): 20-22 June 2014 (Claremont Showground)
Oz ComicCon (Melbourne, Victoria): 5-6 July 2014 (Royal Exhibition Building)
AVCON (Adelaide, South Australia): 18-20 July 2014 (Adelaide Convention Centre) 
SMASH! (Sydney, New South Wales): 9-10 August 2014 (Rose Hill Gardens)
San Diego ComicCon (San Diego, California USA): 24-27 July 2014 (San Diego Convention Centre)
Boston ComicCon (Boston, Massachusetts, USA): 8-10 August 2014 (World Seaport Trade Center)
The Comic Market 86 – Natsukomi [AKA Comiket and Comike] (Tokyo, Japan): Date 15-17 August 2014 (Tokyo Big Sight International Exhibition Centre) Natsukomi 
Oz ComicCon (Brisbane, Queensland): 6-7 September 2014 (Convention & Exhibition Centre)
Oz ComicCon (Sydney, New South Wales): 13-14 September 2014 (Sydney Harbour Expo)
Small Press Expo (North Bethesda, Maryland USA): 13-14 September 2014 (Bethesda North Marriot Hotel and Conference Center)
Comic CON-Versation (Sydney, New South Wales): 20 September 2014 (Ashfield Library)
GRAPHIC (Sydney, New South Wales): DATE TBA October 2014 (Sydney Opera House)
National Young Writers' Festival / This is Not Art Zine Fair (Newcastle, New South Wales): 2-5 October 2014 (Various Newcastle venues)
New York ComicCon (New York City, New York USA): 9-14 October 2014 (Javits Center)
Armageddon Expo (Melbourne, Victoria): 18-19 October 2014 (Melbourne Showground)
Australian Cartoonists' Association (ACA) Stanley Awards and Conference (Sydney, New South Wales): Dates 14-15 November 2014 (Venue TBA)
Supanova (Adelaide, South Australia): 20-23 November 2014 (Adelaide Showground)
Supanova (Brisbane, Queensland): 28-30 November 2014 (Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre)
The Comic Market 87 – Fukukomi [AKA Comiket and Comike] (Tokyo, Japan): Date TBA December 2014 (Tokyo Big Sight International Exhibition Centre)

Please contact us on blackmermaid@blackmermaid.com if you want additional events to be added to this list.