2011 President’s Welcome

Founded a little over one-hundred years ago, the University of New South Wales’ Science Fiction and Fantasy club was short lived, when the founders, a motley collection of scientists, occult figures and specialists in the weird realised that science fiction was not, at that time wide spread enough to really form a club around and that the university did not yet exist. Undeterred, these brave pioneers built a time machine and got ready to travel into the future to see what the club would be like then. Reasoning, perhaps optimistically, that there would be a place for science fiction and fantasy in any place of higher learning that was worth a damn, they set off into the great unknown that is time and space…

Sadly their attempt failed, and while we may never know for sure what happened to these brave men and women who dared to dream, we do know that we cannot let their sacrifice be in vain. For it was only recently that their notes and plans we’re rediscovered, leading to the creation of SpockSoc, the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Club.

In this emporium of delights and wonders, we attempt to capture the magic that drove our distant forbears to meddle with things that man would have done better to have left untouched. We watch shows that may not yet be available on these antipodean shores, or indeed available anywhere in space and time.  We watch them in the presence of some truly remarkable (and occasianly terrifying, it must be admitted) people, who enjoy science fiction and fantasy as much as you yourself surely do.

To take part in this, all you have to do is sign up, at the cost of five dollars for a whole year, you must agree that this is quite a bargain.

Then, every Friday you come along to a lecture theatre put aside for our needs, where you can watch TV shows and movies, enjoy pizza taken out, at five dollars a half and a drink for free! You can chat and meet new people who share your likes (and possibly dislikes) and generally have a fun time.

 

Movies and TV shows that we plan to show are laid out in our schedule, but we welcome any suggestions that you might have, and we’d love to see you at our stall signing up (the members there are the ones who don’t bite, so don’t be afraid!)

Thank you for reading and I look forward to meeting you at any one of our sessions,

Jamie Heron
President of SpockSoc, the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Club

Week 13: Legend of the Seeker

Last week of session, aww. Also my last week as SpockSoc President. Our AGM went off without a hitch, and as soon as I get the paperwork sorted and handed in, we’ll be all re-affilitated for next year. Our new president is James Heron, and our new treasurer is Kristian. Caroline is remaining as secretary, and James Rudd is remaining as VP/Webmaster. I’ll still be lurking around in the background as Immediate Past President, though – I’m not expecting James to leap into my shoes in one go. =)

This week, we’ll be finishing off Legend of the Seeker, the second (and final) season. Our hero Richard Cypher searches for the Stone of Tears so that he can seal the veil to the Underworld and prevent the Keeper from destroying all life, but things are looking grim. The location of the Stone is long-lost to living memories, and to make matters worse, prophecies from the Creator foretell doom and gloom should the Seeker ever actually find the Stone. Could this be the end of the line for Richard?

Come along to find out. 5pm Friday in Red Centre G001.

Lastly, we’re always on the lookout for suggestions to make SpockSoc better. I’ve never actually seen more than maybe a third of our members at any screening, and I’d like to know how we can attract more people. Are we just not on at a good time? Was sitting in a room watching TV series not quite what you had in mind when you joined the club? Drop me an e-mail. Suggestions for possible summer screenings also welcome.

Otherwise, see you at our O-Week stall next year?

-Joel
el presidente

Week 12: Defying Gravity + AGM

Defying GravityThis week: the long-awaited AGM! Woo hoo! The AGM is neccesary for the continued existence of SpockSoc next year, and it’s vital that we have at least fifteen members there, so please try to come, even if it’s just for the AGM. We’ll kick off the AGM itself at 7:30 on Friday, over dinner – send me an e-mail ahead of time if you want to order pizza and won’t be able to make it before 7:30. Pizza is $5 per half.

All exec positions are up for re-election. We’re all students, after all, and we’ll all have to graduate someday, so at some point we’ll certainly all need to be replaced. Please think seriously about whether you want to help keep SpockSoc running. You also get to hear fun things like the state of our finances, and read the club constitution.

So: AGM, 7:30pm Friday, Red Centre G001. Be there. If we don’t get the numbers, we’ll have to do it over during the summer break, and noone wants that, do they?

Also, we’ll be showing Defying Gravity, but seriously, the AGM is the main draw-card here, right? =) The series follows eight astronauts on a journey of exploration around the solar system. However, they’re not alone on the voyage, and not because there’s aliens hovering outside the window – they brought something with them. What’s inside the mysterious Pod 4? What’s waiting in store for them on their journey?

We showed the first half of the season way way back in the first few weeks of session one – I’d meant to show this much earlier, but I forgot to include it until I was reminded of it a few weeks ago. With that in mind, I’ll certainly open with a brief recap and character introduction. The screening starts at 5pm Friday, Red Centre G001.

Hope to see you there,
-Joel
el presidente

Week 11: Eureka

This week at SpockSoc, we’re showing Eureka season four. It’s been rather a long wait. For those not in the know, Eureka is a town created by Albert Einstein and the US government, and administrated by a corporation named Global Dynamics. In it, the government has gathered all the greatest minds in the country. Of course, since the town is composed almost entirely of geniuses, when things go wrong, they REALLY go wrong.

Enter Jack Carter, formerly a US Federal Marshall, now town sheriff. He’s a complete average joe, and since he’s the only one in town who’s not an absolute genius, he’s therefore usually the only one who can think of a solution to the current problem at hand. Or at least, the only one who can say something so stupid that it gives everyone else the clue to solving it.

In any case, it’s a great series. Everyone should certainly try to come, even if they haven’t seen Eureka before – it’s a new season, and all of last season’s storylines got wrapped up last season. This screening will even include the Eureka side of the crossover with Warehouse 13. Starting at 5pm in Red Centre G001. Pizza run at 7-ish.

Also, remember: AGM next week. All Exec positions are up for re-election, even the presidency. We’re especially in need of a new treasurer, as Erin, our prior one, started a new job this session which runs on Friday nights. If you are thinking of running for office, don’t worry that we’ll be tossing you into the deep end – we’ll still be around to help ease you into things.

Remember we need at least fifteen people there, even if it’s just for the AGM. I’m aiming to start the AGM at 7:30, and have dinner at the same time, so even if you can’t come for the whole night, try to be there then. Drop me a line if you want me to put you down for pizza.

Hope to see you there,
-Joel
el presidente

Week 10: Warehouse 13

This week at SpockSoc: Warehouse 13, the start of season two. Secret Service agents Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer find themselves transferred to Warehouse 13, a secret facility in South Dakota where all manner of weird, mystical and outright paranormal devices are stored, from Lewis Carroll’s mirror to Tycho Brahe’s nose to Sylvia Plath’s typewriter to Nicola Tesla’s stun-guns.

When last we met our heroes, the rogue former Warehouse 13 agent MacPherson had invaded the warehouse with the help of a mole inside, stealing a number of artefacts, and setting off the self-destruct on his escape. Can you say “cliffhanger”? The screening will also include the Warehouse 13 half of the crossover with Eureka – we’ll be showing Eureka next week.

Starting at 5pm in the Red Centre theatre as usual. Pizza run at 7pm. Remember our AGM will be in week twelve. We need at least fifteen people or we don’t get re-affiliated. Which would be bad.

Hope to see you there,
-Joel

Week 9: Sanctuary

Don’t mind me, just trying to get one last squeeze out of International Talk Like A Pirate Day. =) This week at SpockSoc, we’re showing Sanctuary, the second half of season two. I realise it’s been airing on ABC2, but a lot of us haven’t been watching it, so we’re going to go ahead with it at SpockSoc anyway.

Starting at 5pm in Red Centre G001 – pizza run at 7-ish.

Due to certain Arc requirements not being met, the AGM will not be held this week. Instead we’ll be postponing it, most likely to week twelve. This just gives you extra time to decide whether you want to run for a position in next years’ exec. =)

Week 8: First Episodes

This week at SpockSoc we’re doing a First Episodes Screening. The way this works is we’ll show the first episodes of about five or six brand new series. If I remember to print them out ahead of time, I’ll hand out a slip you can use to rate each series. The one (and maybe two) that rates best will be shown at a later screening.

Past first episode screenings have brought us gems like Eureka and Better Off Ted – though it’s also a bit of a mixed bag, as we’ve also had Aquaman and Blade the Series, which we didn’t even make it through the episode before people got tired of it.

Starting at 5pm in Red Centre G001 like usual. Pizza run at 7-ish.

Also, consider this official announcement of our Annual General Meeting, coming up in either week nine or ten. (Some confusion ensued when I called it out last week – I said “nine” but people heard “ten” – so I’ll have a firm date as soon as that gets sorted.) We need to have at least fifteen people there for quorum, but all exec positions are up for re-election – we’ll only be accepting nominations of people who are there.

Mid-session Break: Legend of the Seeker

I’m back from Japan – I hope you all enjoyed my absence. Uh, I mean, enjoyed the screenings in my absence. =)

This week is the mid-session break. We’re showing Legend of the Seeker, the middle third of season two. Since we’ve not got classes on, SpockSoc will be having an extra-special extended screening, like we did last session – this lets us get an extra episode into the screening, which in turn will allow us to finish the season this session.

So the screening starts at 4pm in the Red Centre Theatre (rather than 5). You should hopefully know where that is by now, but we’ll still be hanging the SpockSoc banner out where it’s visible from the main runway. Pizza run at 7-ish.

Week 7: Demons

Demons

With Joel and James both still away you get to have me in charge again this week, last week went well so all should be fine 🙂

We will be showing “Demons“, starting as usual at 5pm with a Pizza run around 7.

Demons is a fantasy series that follows the path of teenagers who have discovered they are the descendants of vampires. Other demon types are also in the show such as harpies and hybrids. It is a 6 episode series and may be hard to fit into one screening but we will do our best :).

Anyway, we’re in the Red Centre theatre G001 for the rest of session. It’s at the Western end of the Red Centre building (the end closest to Anzac Parade) – we’ll hang the SpockSoc banner on the wall where it can be seen from the main runway. Bring warm clothing – the air conditioning in that room consists of the air from outside coming in through the vents on one wall, and going out the vents on the other.

See you there,

Caroline Plank.