GeekFest 2018 presenters: Joe Italiano

"I have been involved with comics since I was twelve. While still in college, in 1977 I began a comic mail order business, which has since expanded to become Alternate Worlds in 1988. Alternate Worlds covers retail, wholesale and distribution of comics and collectables. Alternate Worlds is the oldest comic based business in Australia and one of the oldest in the World.

I was there at the birth of CCG’s (Collectable Card games) and CMG (Collectable miniature gaming) and have been playing many since, competing in various championships. I have numerous, untold final 4 positions, Australian titles in various systems as well as World championship titles in a few. I was appointed Australian TO (Tournament Organizer) for a number of companies and their gaming systems. My fondest memory of CCG was a game called Wyvern, for which I broke the system (I told them how and that the victory conditions should be changed) and so they did.

During this time, my love of role playing (RPG) inspired me to fill a void in the RPG vacuum and I wrote a Super Hero RPG “Super Squadron” which was released in 1983. Although it was very well received and I release two expansions for the game and a newsstand gaming magazine, my hobbies were not giving me enough of a return, so I expanded my comic mail order into a fully fledged store.

In 1990 I ran another Comicon called Supecom, although successful, I realized I was stretching myself thin adding conventions back into the mix, so I dropped out of this type of convention scene.

I have one of the most extensive comic collections in the world, covering both the US publications and Australian comics. My final year of Graphic Design History thesis was based on comic history/influence, which earned me a Higher Distinction for the year. (By this stage, even my professors were more appreciative of comic art). I am knowledgeable in the evolution and history of comic books as well as their collectability and grading. I think it’s time I shared this knowledge."

Joe from Alternate Worlds will be discussing the art of pop culture and comic collectables. Bring along your treasures as Joe will be giving evaluations on selected items from the crowd in an ‘Antique Roadshow’ style talk.

GeekFest 2018 Presenters: Craig Fison

Craig Fison is a designer and Maker. He has worked on some of the best known films over the last 25 years .

Imagine a lad From Kwinana, an industrial town south of Perth W.A. with no prospects except going into industry busting out and rebelling from the school that once told him he would never make a living from art.

Well with a list from Star Wars, Moulin Rouge, Mission Impossible 2, Cleopatra, The matrix etc etc the list goes on just google his name.

He has worked all around the world In theatre and on films making props and painting scenery for all number of productions. He has specialised in miniatures over the last 15 years and was the Art Director On Adam Elliots Feature length Stop Motion Animation Film “Mary an Max ” which was all shot in a small warehouse in Melbourne.

He has currently been bring his skills to everyones doors by combining his theatrical skills and artist talents in a Mix of Interior design and Set building enabling people to feel like they are on the set of a lavish film or giving the sense that your on holidays in your own home or at you favourite restaurant. check out his web page www.craigfison.com.au or follow him on Instagram @ artprojector, Or come to geek fest and listen to him Give a talk on sets props and miniatures.

GeekFest 2018 presenters: Sandra Reid

Working as a Costume Maker with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre (London) and Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Sussex), Alexandra (aka Sandra Reid) moved to BBC Television as a Costume Designer in 1964 working on drama and light entertainment productions, principally ‘Dr. Who’, for which she designed the Mark 1 and Mark 2 Cybermen.
After moving to Australia in 1968 she lectured in Costume, Fashion, Textiles and the decorative arts; her principal design credits being with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, both on staff and as a freelancer. Alexandra has also worked in the corporate sector as a trainer in Effective Speaking and Personal Presentation; in retail, employed by Myer Melbourne in the Import Fashion Dept.
Following her positions in the UK with Glyndebourne Opera in 2000/2001 and 2004/2006 she returned to Australia. Along with occasional appearances as a guest speaker she has recently begun writing her autobiography.

GeekFest 2018 Presenters: Jennifer Windt.

Time travel is not just science fiction—in fact, we all engage in mental time travel, and we do so all the time. We time travel when we remember past experiences, but also when we anticipate future ones. And we time travel in spontaneous fantasy or daydreams—as well as when we fall asleep and dream at night. In this talk, I will explore the role of time travel in our conscious lives. Might time travel even be closely intertwined with our sense of self and identity?

Jennifer M. Windt is a lecturer in philosophy at Monash University. Her research centers on philosophy of mind and philosophy of cognitive science, with a particular focus on mind wandering and spontaneous thought in wakefulness, dreaming, sleep, and self-consciousness. She is the author of Dreaming (2015, MIT) and together with Thomas Metzinger edited Open MIND (2016, MIT; an open access version is available at open-mind.net). As of July 2017, she is starting a 3-year research project on mind wandering in wakefulness and sleep funded by the Australian Research Council.

GeekFest 2018 Presenters: Matthew Lee.

Matthew is the editor and publisher of The Campaigner magazine, a tabletop lifestyle publication put together in Australia but available to the world. He is also owner of game and hobby media services company Motive Force, and a member of Tabletop Game Designers Australia.

Have a magazine, book or other publication you want to make, but don’t know where to start? Join Matthew as he talks about the basics of creating physical media. Learn about how to get started, and what options you have when bringing your creation to life.