Technically, the videos are not being promoted as a “MERPCon and Tolkien Moot Lecture Series” but that is what they are. Lectures from Tolkien scholars and researchers given at the Spokane, WA MERPCon (Middle-earth Role-playing) through the years. MERPCon was formally held in the years 2005-2009, number I..V successfully. In 2010 Hawke Robinson rebranded the convention as Tolkien Moot (and you can learn more at www.tolkienmoot.org).
Although the main focus of MERPCon was to host games set in Middle-earth for people who wanted to role-play in that setting, Hawke from the very outset wanted to bring in Tolkien scholars and experts whom he knew and respected. Many of the people involved in designing Middle-earth role-playing games are dedicated researchers, quite familiar with a lot of the academic literature that has been published. Some of these researchers have contributed to that academic literature themselves.
My own work was well-known to Hawke and although he invited me to be a part of MERPCon I that just wasn’t possible. I did attend MERPCon II, however, and have appeared at most of the conventions. Unfortunately, I won’t be attending Tolkien Moot this year. My schedule is just too full.
Each lecture and presentation has been recorded, but the immense task of editing all the video always daunted Hawke. I know what it takes to edit video (and audio) recordings and he has never had the time to do that. Nonetheless, he finally decided to make the raw video footage available on a new YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/tolkienmoot). I applaud this decision.
While I certainly enjoy listening to myself talk as much as the next person (and perhaps more so in some people’s opinions ), there are some really good lectures here. Hence, I dub these the MERPCon and Tolkien Moot Lectures. You really should watch them. In fact, I surprised myself with one particular presentation where the audience asked some really great questions that took the discussion in directions I have not yet covered in any of my own writings about Tolkien and Middle-earth. So, unless I find the time to write this stuff down (not likely in the near future), you’ll only see what I have to say about some interesting Tolkien topics in these videos.
This year’s conference, Tolkien Moot VIII, will be held in Spokane, WA the week of July 13, 14, and 15. Portions of it will be broadcast live on the Internet (as always). Hopefully we won’t have to wait very long for the videos to be uploaded to YouTube now that the channel has been launched.
So here is a selection of videos from the Tolkien Moot channel that I think should be included in the inventory of online Tolkien scholarship; admittedly, I do appear in several of them. Please forgive me a bit of vanity in that respect.
Tolkien Moot 2005 MerpCon In Chris Seeman Speech Part 1
MerpCon 2 Michael Martinez Speech Part 1 raw unedited cam1
NOTE: There is another video with this part of the presentation from Camera 2. The sound quality is not as good but the video is slightly better quality. Browse the channel.
MerpCon 2 Michael Martinez Speech Part 2 cam2
NOTE: I don’t know if the Camera 1 footage for this part of the presentation will be uploaded.
MerpCon 3 Tolkien Moot 2007 Guest Speaker Thomas Morwinsky unedited
MerpCon 4 Tolkien Moot 2008 Tolkien authors John D. Rateliff and Michael Martinez unedited
NOTE: I believe the rambling monologue at the beginning of the video was a sound check Hawke asked me to improvise. I certainly hope so. 馃檪
Tolkien Moot 2008 MerpCon IV Michael Martinez Guest Speaker (rough cut)
Tolkien Moot 2008 MerpCon IV John D. Rateliff solo speech History of the Hobbit author
Tolkien Moot 2007 MerpCon III Professor Chris Seeman Speech
Tolkien Moot 2007 MerpCon III guest speaker Michael Martinez
Tolkien Moot 2007 MerpCon III Joe Mandala guest speaker session.
Tolkien Moot 2007 MerpCon III Guest Speaker Cason Snow Speech
I think there were some other presentations besides these. I don’t know what their status is. I hope that one day all the presentations will be online, including the “Raw Hobbit” show I did with Elvish singer Rehtaeh (Heather Downing).
Although one could certainly wish for much better sound quality, I am very happy to see all these videos finally being made available.