EagleCon 2024 At Cal State LA To Honor Edward James Olmos, Harrison Ellenshaw & Dr. Dawnn Lewis

This year's EagleCon, a sci-fi and fantasy conference hosted by Cal State LA and the Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800, will honor legendary actor Edward James Olmos, visual effects pioneer Harrison Ellenshaw, and award-winning actress Dr. Dawnn Lewis.

With the theme of "Unfrakking the Future: Apocalypse and Its Alternatives," EagleCon 2024 celebrates the 20th anniversary of Battlestar Galactica, the 25th anniversary of The Matrix, and the 40th anniversary of The Terminator over two days, October 15-16.

This year, revered actor, producer, director, and Cal State LA alumnus Edward James Olmos will be presented the Prism Award, which is given to creators for their outstanding contributions to diversity in speculative genres across media. Among his many acting credits, Olmos has been a central character in two of the most important science fiction stories of all time: Gaff in the film Blade Runner (1982) and Admiral William Adama in the series Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009). His storied career also includes groundbreaking roles in Miami Vice, Stand and Deliver, and American Me.

Harrison Ellenshaw, a master matte painter and video effects designer, will be presented with the Imaginator Award for his wondrous achievement in visual conceptualization. He is recognized for creating some of the most iconic visuals in speculative fictions from the past half-century. His credits include Star Wars: A New Hope, The Black Hole, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Tron, and Escape from LA. Highlights of his work will be on display on the second-floor walkway of the University Library now until Dec. 1.

Additionally, multi-talented actress, voiceover artist, and songwriter Dr. Dawnn Lewis will be honored with the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Award. Her career in live-action acting ranges from the movie I'm Gonna Get You Sucka to TV shows such as A Different World, iZombie, and The Boys. As a voice actor, she has brought to life characters in animated shows, such as Futurama, The Simpsons, and Carmen Sandiego. She has been the voice of Captain Carol Freeman on Star Trek: Lower Decks for the past five seasons.

This year's two-day program will emphasize how speculative genres have been used to find hope in the face of catastrophe, and the role that diversity has played in imagining better futures during times of crisis. The event will feature an exhibition room along with industry talks by writers, concept and production designers, publishers, and poets from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association.

The convention will also include an exhibition titled Unfrakking the Future, which highlights hopeful visions of the future created for Hollywood film and television by the members of the Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800. To be on display in the first-floor gallery of the University Library, this exhibit will feature scenic designs from Battlestar Galactica, The Matrix, and The Terminator in celebration of their milestone years.

EagleCon 2024 will culminate on Oct. 16 with a special screening and discussion of the 2022 film No More Time, produced by Cal State LA Professor Dalila Droege. This event will take place at 6 p.m. in the University-Student Union, Los Angeles Room.

EagleCon is co-founded by the College of Arts and Letters and the University-Student Union at Cal State LA and the Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800. Together they work to educate the students of Cal State LA and members of the Greater Los Angeles community about the history, impact, and continued necessity of the contributions of women, BIPOC, the LGBTQIA-identified, the differently abled, and the variously aged to the science fiction and fantasy genres.

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