13th annual South Eastern Laser Enthusiast's Meeting (SELEM 2019)
Tuesday, August 6th through Sunday, August 11th
at the Newton-Conover Auditoriumin Newton, North Carolina.
Register via Paypal: selempayment@gmail.com
Be sure to include a note with your shirt size! (Sizes: Small to 4X)
Early registration – now through June 5th (Guaranteed a shirt) $119 EARLY REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Standard registration - June 6th through July 19th (Guaranteed a shirt) $149 STANDARD REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Late registration or at the door – July 20th through the end of the event (no guarantee of a shirt) $179
Please note that registration fees are non-refundable.
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Guests are free to attend. Generally, guests are family or friends of the people who attend and who may share some interest in lasers or laser shows. However, guests are not laserists themselves. If they are, they should register as attendees and not guests. Please do not abuse this policy.
Teenage children are allowed to attend if they are mature enough to follow rules and be responsible. Young children (under 13) are discouraged from attending, and may only attend if they are continually supervised by a parent or guardian. Note that all minors must have a parent present at the event.
Liability waivers (see attached) will be required for all persons (this includes registered attendees and all guests). Minors will need a parent to sign their waiver. When you arrive, go to the loading dock entrance first and sign your waiver at the sign-in table in the hallway.
Once your waiver is signed, you will be issued a lanyard with a name badge, and if you registered in time (before July 20th) you will receive your official SELEM shirt. (Extra shirts for yourself or your guests are completely optional and may be purchased in advance for $20.)
Also, just a reminder that ABSOLUTELY NO WEAPONS OF ANY KIND, ESPECIALLY FIREARMS, WILL BE PERMITTED AT SELEM. THIS INCLUDES ALL INDOOR SPACES AS WELL AS THE OUTDOOR AREAS SURROUNDING THE AUDITORIUM AND THE SCHOOL. If you have a concealed-carry permit, leave your weapon in your car and don't park it on the auditorium block. The auditorium is under the jurisdiction of the Newton City Police Department and they will be enforcing this policy.
Event schedule:
Tuesday, August 6th: Start at 10 AM, run until 9 PM. Load-in and set-up. We will be setting up 3 spaces this year: in the Auditorium, the former Cafeteria, and the old Gymnasium. Even if you are not bringing any equipment to SELEM, you are still welcome (and encouraged!) to come help out with the load-in.
Wednesday, August 7th through Saturday, August 10th: Start at 10 AM, run until Midnight. Typical SELEM activities running all day in multiple areas. Note: This year we can once again extend until 2 AM Friday and Saturday night if we want.
Sunday, August 11th: Start at 10 AM, run until 6 PM. Pack-up, load-out, clean-up, and say your goodbye’s.
Sunday night, August 11th: Special event starts at 8:00 PM - Free outdoor concert and laser show on the grounds in front of the Catawba County Museum of History in downtown Newton. Music by the Western Piedmont Symphony Orchestra and lasers provided by a few select members of PhotonLexicon. (Beams and graphics) This is part of a public outreach campaign to raise awareness among the town's leaders as to the impact SELEM has on the community. The hope is to build goodwill that will keep SELEM affordable for the foreseeable future. (Note: As of right now this is still a go - details to follow.)
General layout:
Auditorium will be used for running pre-choreographed graphics and abstract shows, along with pre-choreographed multi-projector beam shows. At least one Z-5 analog console will be in here, along with several solid state projectors (for both beams and graphics), a dedicated Kr/Ar mixed-gas whitelight laser with two scan heads for graphics, and possibly a pair of full color ion lasers on stage for beam effects.
Cafeteria area will be the "enthusiast display space", or as I like to call it, the show-off room! The focus will be on home-made projectors, laser modules, and other cool items (including non-laser projects). There may be a space for one or two commercial products to be displayed as well. (Note: this is not a trade show. Any commercial displays are to be low-key and in good taste, in keeping with the hobbyist/enthusiast character of this event, and will be approved on a case-by-case basis.) We will definitely have a Z-5 console in here, along with other interactive displays. Some of the interactive presentations will take place in the cafeteria, and the indoor drone racing demonstration will also be held here. General projector maintenance should be performed in this space as well.
Gymnasium will be used for “Club-SELEM” as in the past. This space will be dedicated to live beam shows. Open consoles will be available for those who want to try their hand at running a show "live". We may have one or two presentations in this space related to live show control, and we may also have live DJs playing in this space at times.
Stage area (behind the main curtain) will be the buy / sell / trade area. There may also be some quick projector repair going on here, but most of that should be done either in the cafeteria (for solid state) or the Men's dressing room (for ion lasers requiring 3 phase power and water).
Men's dressing room will be the ion laser work room, as before. Exposed high voltage and high-power beams in this room! Always ask before entering if the door is closed.
Woman’s dressing room will be used for drinks, food, and snacks storage.
Gallery area (lobby) will be used for training and some demonstration / presentations.
We are trying to get a group rate at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Conover as we've done in the past. I will post details here later today. EDIT: We have a block of 30 rooms set aside for our event. Rates are $105 for regular room, $125 for a suite. Call them at (828) 465-7070 and tell them you are with the "SELEM Laser Group" to get the special rates or book on-line using this link. Note that all rooms have been renovated now. Also, if we have at least 20 reservations they will provide us a free room to use for the "after party" each night. (This is really great, since they no longer have the conference room.)
More information concerning the special presentation schedule and sign-up information for show display time slots will be coming soon. (As soon as I can tell Kumpula that he was "volunTOLD" to handle the scheduling again this year!
We have not had anyone express interest in the Laser Safety Officer class yet, but that is always an option if we can get 6 people to sign up. We will have some International Visitors this year, and we've got some new equipment for Club-SELEM and some new content for the Auditorium as well.
As always, we're open to more ideas! If you have any questions or suggestions, please post them below. And remember, registration is now open. The longer you wait to sign up, the more it costs, so sign up early!
List of registered attendees:
Buffo
Telmnstr
Swamidog
Dkumpula
Djeric68
Araugh
Icecruncher
Chexmex
Lasermaster1977
Hobbybob
10Fenny
DrEvil
Bradstockdale
Rodman1369
LazerJock
Rns0504
Clickamouse
Kecked
Mixedgas
Whitcher88
Draco
Bradfo69
Baptist Bob
Lulighttech
VinceTarragon
SaltyRobot
SaltyDog
LaserLotus
Illuminaut
VJ Aiwaz
Mr Ali
Hitekvoop
Lumia
HankLloydRight
Cellomaestro
Afturmath
CountFunkula
Scnlns
DanBarlow
DiscoTheFunkyHippo
StyroPyro
Lance Zeligman
Grant Kondourajian
SpaceLaserist
Firstlight_Mike
DZ
Flecom
Glrock
Stuka
StonewolfStudios
Xtaega
Ekeefe
Singlemode
Kyle
Allthatwhichis
Krztov
BradleyJay
Neon Captain
BlueFang
MarioMaster
Aberry
Julie
Laserman121
Skyworks
Starrwright
GearManMC
FogMan
PS: This is already a record year for SELEM! 63 registered attendees as of the day before load-in. Way to go, people!