Great news! Due to popular demand, we have extended our submission deadline to January 21, 2008. If you have already finished your proposal, our vetting committees are ready for you to send it in. We have received so many wonderful entries and hope to add yours. Email your submissions to fpsubmissions@portus2008.org by midnight (CST) January 21, 2008.
For more information, visit our Call for Proposals page online. Prefer the brush to the quill? Visit our Call for Artwork page instead!
 Prompts
Still looking for an idea for your submission? We’ve complied some great topics to get your imagination going. Use these prompts either as given or as a springboard for your own idea.
Direct from the Portus Staff
- Fandom as a Female Space
- Wizard Rock Phenomenon
- Epilogue? What Epilogue?
- HP crafting, scrapbooking, knitting, costuming
- Meet-up groups – how to start a group and keep it active
- History Parallels: Do wizards learn from the mistakes of Muggle history? Or are they condemned to repeat them, too?
The Fateful Halloween Night of 1980
- Why didn’t either James or Lily have their wands on them? Complacency or sabotage?
- Why didn’t Sirius just run after he talked to Hagrid? What did he think he’d accomplish by confronting Pettigrew?
 Harry and the Trio
- We get the first view of Harry’s propensity toward bravery tempered with foolishness on his first Hogwarts Halloween. Why did JKR want us to know this about Harry so early?
- Is this why JKR gave us Hermione? To counteract Harry’s not-so-brilliant tendencies?
- The beginning of the trio: What do we see in this early friendship that carries through the series?
- Alternate Universe: What would have happened if Harry & Ron hadn’t gone back for Hermione?
Nearly Headless Nick
- Examining the Ballad of Nearly Headless Nick cut from Chamber of Secrets.
- Why didn’t he sharpen the axe by magic? He was already to die for doing magic. What could one more spell hurt?
Time
- The final battle through Omnioculars – a deconstruction of events
- Where did those 19 years go? Theories of what exactly happened in those 19 years for any surviving characters.
- Are all the Time-Turners really gone?
- Memoirs of a fandom – looking back at the Harry Potter fandom
- Fandom Forecasting – where will we be in another 10 years?
- Growing up with Harry Potter
- Timelines of the series
- Characters
- Places
- Families
- A look back at fanfiction
- The Slash Phenomenon
- Popular Authors
- Shipping Wars
- "Time is money" – the accumulation and transfer of wealth in the Wizarding World
- Divination
- "It is often said there are two types of forecasts... lucky or wrong!"
- "Prophecy is a good line of business, but it is full of risks." – Mark Twain
Tour through the Ministry of Magic
Department of International Magical Cooperation
 Writing Americans into fanfiction – Pros and Cons - Translating fanfiction into other languages
- Investigating the fanfiction community in non-English speaking countries
Department of Magical Law Enforcement
- What kind of Department Head is Harry? How do you think the Auror office runs with Harry in charge?
- Do you think the emergence of another powerful Dark Wizard is inevitable? Will it happen in Harry Potter’s lifetime?
- Misuse of Muggle Artifacts: Did Arthur go back? Could he stay away from Muggles for long?
Committee On Experimental Charms
- Workshop: How to create original charms and spells for fanfiction.
- Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes: The genius of Fred & George’s inventions
Magical Accidents and Catastrophes
- “Come now Harry, the Ministry doesn't send people to Azkaban for blowing up their aunts.” (PoA 4)
- Harry’s accidents and their consequences throughout the series.
- Obliviator Headquarters
- How memories (or the lack thereof) drive events and characters.
- Muggle-Worthy Excuses
- Why are Muggles so misunderstood by the Ministry?
- Accidental Magic Reversal Squad
- The Sirius/Peter face-off
- Wizard CSI — what clues were found and what was missed?
- Alternate Universe fanfiction — What if Sirius had been proven innocent? What if Peter had been caught?
- Junior Minister Fudge — How did the Sirius/Peter aftermath shape the future Minister of Magic?
- “…when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced…” (SS/PS 2)
- Was this our first clue to Neville’s true abilities?
- “I asked him… had he not, too, sensed the distant vibrations of coming catastrophe?” (HBP 25)
- What role does or should Divination play in catastrophe preparation?
Presentation Formats
Presentation formats include, but are not limited to:
 Discussion Panels
A discussion panel typically consists of a few people presenting a topic and discussing and/or critically analyzing it, preferably with a moderator to enforce structure and order. The discussion panel should allow time for questions/comments from the audience, or incorporate other means of audience participation.
Lectures
Lecture-style presentations on a chosen topic typically involve one person lecturing and teaching in front of a large audience, with Q & A time incorporated.
Poster Sessions
A poster session consists of many presentations displayed visually, while attendees circulate (similar to a science fair). Presenters can give short verbal presentations about their topic with the aid of a handout if desired.
Roundtables
A roundtable chat is comprised of a group of people having a structured discussion on a chosen topic, hosted by a moderator.
Workshops
A workshop is a session that focuses on training and teaching participants about a specific subject or skill. This format generally consists of a small group of people instructing a large group of participants.
Ready to Submit?
It's easy! Just visit our Call for Proposals page online or email submission to fpsubmissions@portus2008.org by midnight (CST) January 21, 2008. |
