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Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards - Rules and Criteria
1) Preamble
a) The Sir Julius Vogel Awards recognise excellence in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror by New Zealanders.
2) Responsibility of SFFANZ
a) SFFANZ is responsible for overseeing and running the awards.
b) SFFANZ reserves the right to temporarily modify the awards rules for any given natcon or AGM should circumstances require it. These modifications and reasons for them will be explained fully as soon as possible. Permanent modifications to the rules will only be carried out by a vote of SFFANZ members.
3) Categories of awards (Note: Not all of these have to be used right now. If it becomes appropriate, then they could be used. SFFANZ will also accept suggestions for nomination categories if voters believe there would be enough nominees for the position. The categories below are not meant to stifle options. If a category can be usefully split, it will be considered. Initially, we expect the categories to be compressed.)
a) Professional Categories
Best Novel
Best Novella or Novelette
Best Short Story
Best Collected Work
Best Artwork
Dramatic Presentation
-Long Form
-Short Form
b) Fan Categories
Best Fan Writing
Best Fan Artwork
Best Fanzine
Best Fan Publication
Best Fan Production
c) Special Award for works not eligible in existing categories
Best New Talent
Services to Fandom
Services to Science Fiction
4) Eligibility Criteria
a) Timeliness
Works are eligible if they were first published or released anywhere in the world in an edition dated in the calendar year immediately preceding the year the award is held.
b) New Zealand-ness
Nominees are eligible if they were New Zealand citizens or permanent residents in the year their nominated work was released.
In the case of projects undertaken by a group of people, the majority of the technical work and creativity must have been accomplished by New Zealanders.
c) Novel
A Novel is any single work of sf/f/h of more than 40,000 words.
d) Novella or Novelette
A Novella or Novelette is any single work of sf/f/h of 7,500 to 40,000 words.
e) Short Story
A Short Story is any single work of sf/f/h less than 7,500 words.
f) Collected Work
A collected work is a sf/f/h collection or anthology, magazine or journal, ezine or webzine which must pay contributors in other than contributor copies and incidentals, or is sponsored by an institution other than a fan club, or whose editors declare themselves to be professional. At least one edition of a collected work must have been issued in the eligible calendar year.
g) Best Artwork
An artwork is a single work or series of related works of art in any medium other than text. Text may be included, but should not be the primary medium.
h) Dramatic Presentation - Long Form and Short Form
A dramatic presentation in a visual and / or audio form.
The Long Form is a presentation that is 30 mins or longer. This could typically be a film or an episode of a TV series.
The Short Form is a presentation that is shorter than 30 mins. This could typically be a short film.
i) Fan Writing and Fan Artwork
These awards are made for a work or body of work first published, released, or made available for public viewing in the eligible calendar year. The writer or artist must have received no payment other than contributor copies and other incidentals (coffee mug, t-shirt, poster, etc.).
j) Fanzine
This award is made to the fanzine for issues in the eligible calendar year. A fanzine is defined as any fan produced magazine, for a club or otherwise, which defined itself as a fanzine AND has the intention to produce multiple issues in the eligible year or beyond. Contributors to the fanzine must have received no payment other than contributor copies and other incidentals (coffee mug, t-shirt, poster, etc.).
k) Fan Publication
This award is made to writers or artists for a publication (other than a fanzine) first published, released, or made available for public viewing in the eligible calendar year. The writer must have received no payment other than contributor copies and other incidentals (coffee mug, t-shirt, poster, etc.).
l) Fan Production
This award is for work in any medium other than those eligible for other categories. The work must be first published, released, or made available for public viewing in the eligible calendar year. The writer or artist must have received no payment other than incidentals. Eligible works include but are not limited to: art, video, film, periodical, theatrical, journal, ezine, webzine, computer application, or website.
m) Services to Fandom
This award recognises an achievement by an individual or group that has benefited New Zealand fandom. This award can be presented in conjunction with other awards if appropriate.
n) Services to SF, Fantasy or Horror
The award recognises an achievement by an individual or group that has encouraged science fiction, fantasy or horror within New Zealand, or worldwide. The nominee must be a New Zealand citizen, or the group must be composed of a majority of New Zealand citizens. This award can be presented in conjunction with other awards if appropriate.
o) Best New Talent
The Best New Talent award
recognises excellence of professional achievement in any field of the
genre by an individual who has not been nominated for a professional award
three or more years before the year the award is held.
An individual is only eligible for two consecutive years.
5) Nomination Process
a) Eligibility for nomination
Anyone may be nominated, subject to eligibility, but nominees may not be involved with counting the votes.
b) Eligible nominators
The nominator may be anyone who is a natural person.
c) Nominations
Nominations may be submitted from January 1st in the year of voting for the awards or up to 4 months before the national convention or voting deadline, whichever is the earlier.
The nominator may nominate any number of works in any category. However, the nominator may nominate any given work only once in a category. All nominations must include the name and contact details of the nominator. Where a nominated work does not meet the criteria for its nominated category, the committee may move the nomination to the appropriate category; or where a work does not meet any criteria, refuse the nomination.
The nominator must include contact details for any nominees.
The nominees will be contacted and invited to accept the nomination. If they decline their nomination, the nomination will be withdrawn from contention.
d) Display of work
The nominees will be asked for examples of their work. This work will be displayed as widely as reasonable before voting takes place. Display areas will include a website and display of items at the national convention. Display of the nominations will be carried out where practical. Duplicates of the nominated items will be requested so as to be able to have more than one display of the items.
6) Final Ballot
a) Number of finalists (From those nominees who accept their nomination)
The five nominees with the most nominations shall appear on the final ballot. In the event of a tie for fifth place, up to seven finalists may appear on the final ballot. In the event of a four-way tie (or more) for fifth place, only the top four finalists shall appear on the ballot.
In the event of an extreme number of ties, the SFFANZ board will determine a method to bring the number of nominations down to seven or less.
b) Minimum finalists for categories
If any category has one or fewer eligible finalists, the category shall not appear on the final ballot, excepting the Special Awards and the Best New Talent Award.
c) Merging of Short Fiction categories
If there are fewer than two eligible finalists in either the “Novella or Novelette” and “Short Story” categories, they may be merged into a single category called Short Fiction.
d) Order of finalists
Finalists shall appear in randomised order.
e) No Award
"No Award" shall appear last on the ballot for all categories.
7) Voting
a) Eligibility of Voters
Any members of SFFANZ and any members of the National Science Fiction convention for the voting year, are eligible to vote.
b) Allowance shall be made for people who cannot physically attend the convention or AGM by supplying voting papers to them by mail, or other means deemed suitable.
c) Preferential Voting
Voting in each category shall take place according to a preferential system.
This requires the voters to rank the nominees in order of preference. 1 indicates a first preference, 2 a second preference, and so on. “No Award” is treated as a nominee for the purposes of this voting.
During the counting of ballots, SFFANZ has discretion to mediate deadlocks in the count of votes, should they occur. This means that if in intermediate stages of the counting process there is a tie, the counters and SFFANZ may decide an appropriate way to break the deadlock. This does NOT apply to the final result.
d) Tied Winners
In the event of a tie for winner in any category, all tied works will be deemed to have won the award.
e) Anonymous Voting
If possible, final votes shall be anonymous. However, it may be necessary initially to require a signature on ballots.
Hopefully in the future all ballots shall be coded and provided to each eligible member. Any committee members responsible for coding the ballots shall not be involved in counting the votes.
8) The Physical Nature of the Trophy
a) Finalist Certificates
All finalists shall receive a certificate honouring their achievement.
b) The Trophy
Sir Julius Vogel Award winners shall receive a standard trophy that is consistent from year to year.