the opposition to what the LA Times calls "the Great Muggle Rebellion of 2008" (taken from latimesblogs.latimes.com)
As all good Harry Potter fans are well-aware, the clocks are now counting down days before the long-awaited release of the 6th movie installment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Without any more books to look forward to, all attentions turn to making the movie's release bigger, better, and more costumed. And so, being the rabid HP fan that I am, iIn the flurry of excitement, I've attempted to satiate my unbearable excitement through a chat with the Minister herself -- Minister of Magic of the year's biggest Harry Potter Symposium, that is. Azkatraz hits San Francisco this July 17-21, and is sure to be the most magical gathering of witches and wizards the West Coast has ever seen. Minister Gwendolyn Grace fills me in on the details:
Examiner: So, what exactly is "Azkatraz"? And what in the world do you do there?
Gwendolyn: Azkatraz is a Harry Potter conference aimed at serious fans of the books, movies, and phenomenon. We're made up primarily of fans who enjoy the series through online fandom, which includes discussion, criticism, and transformative works such as fanfiction, filk, fanart, and more. We also draw a significant attendance from academic professionals who use Harry Potter in their work in the social sciences, including literature, psychology, and even the law.
As for what we do there, what don't we do? First and foremost, we have incredible discussions about the books and films and fan-created content that they have generates. We have over 100 hours of "formal programming" or, as I like to think of them, individual classes on Harry Potter. Topics range from explorations of the scientific roots of the magic, to costuming, to debates about the romantic pairings (called "ships"), to discourses through the lenses of feminism, morality, religion, and justice, to character analysis and literary criticism. And of course, we also play Quidditch, dress up as witches and wizards, make friends, sing, tell stories, dance, draw, shop, and have tons of fun.
E: How and when did this all start?
G: Our first event was Nimbus - 2003, held (funnily enough) in summer of 2003, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. At the time we were the first group to hold a multi-day event dedicated to Harry Potter, and especially one aimed at adults who are fans of the series.
E: How long have you been involved with this event?
G: I was dragged into the early planning stages of Nimbus - 2003 in 2002 and I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to break free ever since! I ran Nimbus - 2003 and for my sins I was elected President of the Board - a job I only was able to set aside in order to take up the mantle of Minister once more. Worst exit strategy in history! We started planning Azkatraz in earnest in about April last year.
E: What made you want to be a part of it?
G: Bugger if I know. Seriously, I was finishing up a master's degree in business at the time and never dreamed I'd wind up running the organization for 7 years. As for Azkatraz itself, we immediately lit upon the theme of "the choice between what is right and what is easy" as a focus for our discussions and our activities, even our charities. In the shadow of Alcatraz Island, in one of the cities with a rich history of social progress, it seemed appropriate and it has really provided a fabulous nexus for our planning. It's one of those perfect storms when things come together quite well, so far.
E: This is obviously a gathering for people inspired by the world of Harry Potter. Do you have any really exciting HP-related guests?
G: Yes! This year we have a whole collection of amazing professionals who have made Harry part of the world of business and technology. We have the creators of the Harry Potter 20Q game, Robin Burgener and Tanis Stoliar; Bob Moog, the President of University Games; author Susan Gunelius, who has written a book all about Harry's impact on the business world; and Eddie Newquist, the curator of "Harry Potter: The Exhibition" which is about to go on a world-wide tour. That's just a few of the incredibly creative people we're bringing in special. We also have some perennial favorite presenters such as John Granger and Travis Prinzi, and all our dedicated presenters who are experts in their fields as well.
E: Why, in your opinion, is this convention a must for fans of Harry Potter?
G: There is no other place in the world where you will meet as many devoted fans as at one of HPEF's conferences. You will spend the whole weekend surrounded by people who grok. They're willing to geek out to the same degree -- maybe not always agreeing, but always passionate. Plus, the folks who run and attend these conferences have gone on to become longtime friends in real life, not just across a computer's internet connection.
E: Is it still possible to get tickets?
G: Yes! We have Weekend Passes for $130, day passes for $45, and you can add on our one-day "Master in Potter Administration" track (held at ZEUM) for $130 by itself or $100 with a Weekend Pass.
E: What makes you love Harry Potter so much?
G: I have a love-hate relationship with HP. I love the concept, the characters, the flashes of brilliance in JK Rowling's inventive magic... but there are things about the direction of the books that I just detest. Overall, the whole series must be viewed as a first novel, because if you look at it structurally, it suffers from many of the flaws of a first novel in the arc of the entire plot. Ultimately, I think that JK Rowling was disserved by her publishers when they stopped making her edit, and the final three books show that lack of tight control that the first three, and to some extent the fourth volumes, had. That dichotomy is part of what makes discussion of the books so delectable, though!
E: And how does this love carry over to other books? Any thoughts on reading in general?
G: Read. Read, read, read. Read the dreck if you must, if only so that you recognize good writing when you see it. Not everything needs to be Great Literature, but what you read should speak to you. Good writing lives inside you even after you put down the book, and it opens worlds of imagination that no one can ever take away from you thereafter. Read broadly, read deeply, READ. And don't just read - RESPOND. Fans create their own responses to works all the time. It's what makes them engaged, passionate, responsible, *critical* thinkers, and it will help you not only to amass a fuller base of knowledge, it will help you achieve your goals in the real world, too.
For more information, details, and tickets check out Azkatraz online. And stay tuned for a full movie report -- hang in there, Harry Potter fans, we only have a few more days!
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