What does NNL stand for?

[bigmikevee]

Hey gang,

I had read a long time ago about NNL, but finding info on it is difficult. I heard something about missing modelers at shows a long time ago, but can't find any more info. Is this some insider thing, like a secret handshake, that I haven't earned yet? I am just curious, as I always see pictures of NNL shows all over the place.

Mike

[Eshaver]

The name , Nameless Nationasl Luminaries is to me a great venue to gather and show , brag and perhaps learn tecniques that you never ever thought possible as for building models of any sort . I know of one show coming in august in the Winston Salem North Carolina area , Carolina Kustom Modelers has this one . I have to tell ya , it's a great deal of fun , just displaying and seeing how you're work stands againt others . Heck , ya might even get into one of the magazines even .

In addition to that , the resin guys actualy bring out their wares ! You can see for you're self what is and isn't acceptable . Old kit vendors , hey looking for an old annual , ya liable to even find one at one of these shows .

So to give K-Dog and his gang a plug , take the plunge ! See the "REAL SHELL SHAPED SHELL STATION ! " See Ken an his wife with his newest creations from Bandit resins . I bet ya won't regret it . Ed Shaver

[cruz]

Oh sweat, here we go again....

[Danno]

What Mark said ~~ check the story on Mark Gustavson's website.

I don't believe there is even one true NNL any more. They've all - or virtually all - morphed into people's choice contests.

Then there was a good-natured satirical phantom NASCAR model, the Nameless National Lumina.

[Danno]

thank you Mark, i kinda figured that was what was happening.

how many people would still attend these events or what kind of effect would it have if the NNL events returned to that true non-competitive setting and there were NO awards given for anything? no peoples choice, no best in show, nothing.

Dave

No awards? No peoples choice? No best in show? No nothing? How many entrants would still attend?

Probably close to ... none!

[Eshaver]

I dunno, mabye I'm a large minority , but yes , I would go just to gain a "reaction " to what I build . I took the Shell shaped Shell to a N N L just over that venue . I figgured if it played well in North carolina where in the city where the real station was built , then it could be a contender . Since I had a decent reaction , I decided to go whole hog and do an I P M S contest with it . Look , I P M S hates non military and especially cars here in Virginia . Ed Shaver

Edited July 14, 2010 by Eshaver

[Modelmartin]

The only NNLs that did not have any awards were the first one which was the founding of the NNL in Tom Woodruff's garage in Jackson Center, Ohio and the second one in my motel room in Toledo the following October. After that they all had some sort of award for a theme, sub-theme, etc. I would define the difference between an NNL and a contest as one being popular vote and the other being judged. To say that there should not be any awards at an NNL or that there wasn't originally is not correct.

[Harry P.]

The only NNLs that did not have any awards were the first one which was the founding of the NNL in Tom Woodruff's garage in Jackson Center, Ohio and the second one in my motel room in Toledo the following October. To say that there should not be any awards at an NNL or that there wasn't originally is not correct.

Do I see a contradiction there?

If the whole original point of an NNL was that it was a show and not a contest (no judging, no voting, no awards)... then why is it not correct to say that that's what an NNL should be?

These days there are tons of events that call themselves "NNLs," but they give awards for best this, best that, etc. Sure, there are no "judges," but the awards are determined by vote... which is just another way of judging. If there are determinations of which model is best this or best that, doesn't that fly in the face of what an NNL is supposed to be... a non-competitive event?

[sjordan2]

Once again, can someone just clearly say what NNL actually stands for? I can't tell if the responses here are jokes. Just give an authoritative answer.

Is it REALLY Nameless National Luminaries? If so, not a particularly prestigious name.

[Harry P.]

Once again, can someone just clearly say what NNL actually stands for? I can't tell if the responses here are jokes. Just give an authoritative answer.

Is it REALLY Nameless National Luminaries? If so, not a particularly prestigious name.

It really is.

The way it came about is that Mark Gustavson originally wanted to create a big, high-profile contest that would theoretically draw the biggest, most well-known modelers to sort of a model contest version of an All-Star game. It was basically a flop, and the big names that he had assumed would enter never did.

So in his model magazine column at the time, he fired off a scathing editorial blasting those modelers for not showing.. he referred to them as "national luminaries who shall remain nameless" in his column. So those "nameless national luminaries" decided to put together their own event... an "anti-contest"... no judging, no awards, just showing their models and hanging out. That first "NNL" caught on, and that's how the name came about.

[jas1957]

It stands for Nameless National Luminaries, this whole topic was hashed out last October. I don't know how to link to it, but check the general section from October 4 2009 a topic started by Spudmuffin1959. I have been involved in the Toledo show for 30 years & I can assure you the awards are not a big draw at our show. I strongly believe that the vast majority of our guests would be there awards our not.

[tim boyd]

one of the things that bothers me and maybe someone can explain, the NNL is supposed to be a non-competitive event right? in this case it's just a "show" not a contest. if it is indeed supposed to be not a contest and non-competitive then why is it exactly opposite of that or did it change at some point?

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Dave...glad you asked. As some of you know, both Andy Martin and I were participants in that first ever NNL at Tom's garage in the summer, 1980. We didn't call it an NNL to start with....the name "National Nameless Luminaries"...or "Nameless National Luminaries" (we never decided one was better than the other) actually was dreamed up during the afternoon as someone mentioned Mark's contest, and we looked up the Putty Thrower column with the infamous quote...and well...it all sprang from there.

NNL's as orginally concieved were 100% non-competitive, and that's how, in the view of most of the people at that first ever event, they should remain. We've reached an accomodation of sorts that a best theme, best junior, and people's choice award, all voted by participants only (no judges), lies within the spirit of the NNL idea, although to be candid we wish those would go away too. Actually, we had no awards at NNL's until about 4-5 years into it when there was a change in the group taking the lead in the organization of the contest. And we never had any trouble attracting ever-growing crowds when there were no awards.

All of this and much more about the origins of the NNL and how we need to get back to that are spelled out in an op-ed/pseudo guest editorial I sent to Gregg and Harry a few months back; hopefully it will appear in print soon.

Best regards everyone - and remember TRUE NNLS ARE NOT CONTESTS - NEVER HAVE BEEN, NEVER WILL BE! TIM BOYD

Edited July 16, 2010 by tim boyd

[Harry P.]

and remember TRUE NNLS ARE NOT CONTESTS - NEVER HAVE BEEN, NEVER WILL BE! TIM BOYD

Amen!

And yes Tim, your editorial will be in the next issue.