Community Skills

That's a great idea! And of course I'm always in favor of anything that involves forum-wide collaboration. Will you start a thread to discuss it, and maybe we can all figure out something that makes sense?
The great idea Bry speaks of here is to gather a list of the skills and talents of the various community members so we have a place to look when we make various JoCo-related projects... because it broke my heart (yes, really) to hear how that the live DVD was costing a fortune (in one of the interviews by Bry & jinx)-- and taking a log time to boot.

And example (and first request, kind of):
I recorded the show in Cleveland on July 11, now I'm looking over the footage and it is clear that I didn't loosen up the tripod enough to not have pans and tilts get a little jumpy. I plan on making this into a kick-ass DVD to mail to Dr Coulton himself, and to use for my own JoCo Recruitment campaign... and yes, as a supplement to my portfolio.
What I would like to do is to cover up some of the jumpy movement is to collect various fan-made music videos and art to fade to during the songs they were created for... (i.e. when he walks of camera during Mr Fancy Pants, I'd like to show a fan related music video for that short part).

There should be a place where people can list what they can do and in turn, people can then contact you with, maybe a request for a certain original file (not web-compressed or in a funky format), maybe an idea for a grand-scheme (and probably long-distance) project... all with the understanding that credit be given where it is due in accordance with the creative commons and other copyrights (because that's the only cool and JoCo-appropriate way).

Do we think that this is a good idea as a community? Comment here if you have an idea for how this could be implemented, what kind of skills should be listed, and whether it's a good idea (though I have the admin on my side so I automatically get +80 million Rightness).

DIscuss!
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Comments

  • Great idea! I'm not sure what I could do, considering I don't have many skills, or means to do anything to add, but I think it's great

    ... hmm... maybe I could try to find some "extras" like a clip from the Olympics in that John Tesh story, or (If P&S were to be included in the video, which I know you didn't get their stuff) some information on the fighting nuns. I don't know if it woud fit in, but it's about all that I think I would be able to do.
  • People have probably picked up on the fact that I'm something of a generalist: a jack of all trades, but a master of none. In a pinch, I can do almost anything, though someone else with better skills can almost certainly do it better than I. I mean to submit a t-shirt design, back in the day. Real life interfered, and I didn't get around to finishing anything, but in any event, I'm sure I wouldn't have done better than Tindomiel. I can sing, after a fashion, but nothing like Colleenky. I can kinda sorta play guitar, but not like Suuuupaadave. I think Bry's a better poet than I am. Most days I feel a lot like George Plimpton, come to think. If something needs doing, and nobody else steps up, I can probably do it.
  • BryBry
    edited July 2008
    I think Bry's a better poet than I am.
    Thank you, but have we ever seen anything you've written in a poetic sense? I can't recall it, if you have made anything public.

    As Mark indicates, my primary ability, I feel, is in light verse; also, apparently, in doling out Rightness. I can write things that rhyme and sometimes have a decent meter to them, and there are two or three things out there of which I'm not completely ashamed. You can probably find samples on the forums if you know where to look, and if you don't but need to I'll gladly direct you to them.

    (Actually, "doling out Rightness" isn't completely a joke -- I am a passionate advocate of collaborative forum projects, and where possible I am willing to push for them with all my influence, which is slight, and all my spare time, which was considerable but is growing less so. For the Mandelbrot Set cover band, I list myself as an "instigator and gadfly." So if there's a project for which something like that is needed, I'll try and make myself available.)

    Also, like several other forum members (Mark is one, of course), I'm to some extent willing to help with meticulous research and compilation (when I feel the ultimate goal is worthwhile, at least). In fact, the only reason I was given admin powers was that as a newbie, I volunteered to organize and categorize the tab threads -- and now what do you see me doing? Adding unnecessary and messy stickies and neglecting entirely the thread categories (I promise I'll get around to that when I've got the time!). Lesson: Power corrupts.

    ETA: This is what I should've said in the first place:
    I do think it's a good idea, and I'm not entirely sure what the best way is to implement it. This may already be the best way -- just to have people list what they're good at -- but for it to be useful, it needs some kind of compilation, along the lines of what I did in the Mandelbrot Set threads, with a list of what people can do that I kept continually updated.

    So two questions that need answering: How can we best serve the purposes of people who want content, and how can we best serve the purposes of people who create content?

    Possible pitfalls:
    * The mere knowledge that someone else has volunteered to do something may discourage others from volunteering for the same thing.
    * If a bunch of people volunteer for the same general thing, the content-requester may want some way to determine which ones they want to contact -- samples, or something.
    * The way we're talking about now is a fairly static list, updating when new people sign up. But for a variety of reasons, the people on the list may no longer be available -- they've left the forums, or they're too busy in real life, or they don't have access to the equipment or software or instruments that they'd need. I can't tell you how many people have said, "Oh, sure, I'll record something for the Mandelbrot Set," then disappeared (or politely begged off) by the time the actual recording started.
    * (Generally, in fact, it's easier to volunteer in the abstract than to actually do anything.)
    * It'd also be nice if we had a sense of how much time people can offer / how much time a request will take. I mean, if someone said, "Oh, Bry, you write light verse, can you spit out a limerick for me?" I could turn that around decently quickly, ceteris paribus. But if they said, "Can you write me a couple of sonnets?" that might be weeks before they see anything. And also, y'know, it depends what you're using. Spiff's machinimas obviously take a lot of time and effort, but the one with still images for "Flickr" took a lot less time, he's said, than his fully animated videos, and it'd take someone else even longer if he or she were creating all the models from scratch.
  • edited July 2008
    I'm just skimming the forums today (5th wedding anniversary FTW!), but this thread caught my eye. (You go, Marauder!) Personally, I don't have much to offer, because, as Mark said, there are plenty of people who can do things better than I could. I can sing, but as the folks who have submitted covers have shown, lots of us can sing. I can transcribe music, but that's a pretty narrow skill (which I'm utilizing for the Song Book project). I'm also very limited on time, 'cause I'm just a girl who can't say no (to folks who ask for help), so I'm always involved in a lot of things simultaneously.

    In general, I have found that two things help to turn volunteers into participants: 1) Specific tasks and 2) time lines. "I'm looking for some poetry for this project" will probably not be as effective as, "Please submit a limerick in the next two weeks." This is what finally got the Mandelbrot Set cover project off the ground. (Thanks, Bry.)

    As for organizing this thing, maybe a "Fan Skill Sets" page on the wiki? I'm picturing a two-column table of "Skills" and "Time Available" for each person, or something like that. Maybe also a "Last Updated" column or notation for each person, to keep track of how fresh the info is.

    Going to sleep now. [yawn]
  • Congrats, Colleen and Mr. Colleen! ;)

    (I'm up trying to record my M-Set vocals right now. I've decided that we really don't need another lead vocalist, mostly on the grounds that the lead vocal isn't actually in a comfortable range for me... depending which octave, it's either just too high or just too low for me. But harmonies? I've got thirty seconds I'm happy with.)
  • gz colleen

    sounds like a nice idea
    tho it might have some problems = lack of time from most
  • I would be happy to help people but as has been said a few times before I don't have many skills to name. I would be happy to try and learn something to give a hand though. My main constraint is computing power, I have very little. So little in fact I often can't view videos, even sometimes youtube videos, as my processor can't handle it. So frustrating. I suppose I know basic HTML and I wouldn't mind learning more if I actually had a use for it, along witha ny programming language. I have 2 brothers and a dad who are all professional programmers and a third brother who seems to be heading that way. Also a good friend is heading that way so I have the ability to ask people in the know if I get stuck. I just never saw a use for any programming knowledge I might have and I just couldn't learn a programming language just for the sake of it.
  • Thanks for the support this is getting, I like ColleenKey's (happy anniversary!) idea of a table on the Wiki... especially the "Last Updated" column. Forum Member's names should link to their member page here... where we can send Private Message.


    Another thing we could use this for is so people have avenues to getting content that's already been created by the members of the community...
    Like... I'd like to use one of Spiff's videos (that he's already made) but I don't have anything more than I can save off of YouTube, compressed and in a funky FLV format... So I could then contact him (on forum or email...) and ask, "hey do you still have some original video files from... Re: Your Brains?" and "what pixel dimensions are the files?" because my DVD would require at least 640x480 (to look good)... I can also get the information I need to enclose for the Creative Commons (in case, he would like (c) 200? FIRSTNAME "Spiff" LASTNAME)
    So maybe a column in the table could comment on "Saved Archives?" Yes/No/Kind of... there was a crash way back, better check with me.
  • I really love this idea. I don't know how much use my skills will be to anyone, but I'll always make time in my schedule for a fun project. I'm mainly a jewelry maker and a costumer, but there are very few crafts that I don't do. I will pretty much attempt to make anything. I've got a few examples of my work up here. And here are a couple examples of my costuming. For those costumes the only things not made by me are the boots and the top hat. So if anyone needs something made and likes my work, feel free to contact me.
  • I can scratch myself in two places at the same time while driving.

    Don't know how that can help anyone else, though.~
  • @JadeSnake: Back when we were discussing a JoCo musical, I had you in mind for costumes and props.
  • I have a lot of monkeys. Stuffed monkeys. And other plush animals. In case they are needed.
  • I don't really have enough time to be helpful :(
    I'm ok around a wiki but my current to-do list there is pretty stagnant, mostly because at the moment I can't focus on anything other than our impending baby.
    I'm also fairly handy with graphic design but I can't really draw to save myself, mainly through being out of practice, I was ok back in my design school days.
    Not really all that useful at all!
  • I have a large collection of plush penguins. Also several monkeys, but more penguins. I used to work for a Linux-oriented company (hence the penguins) with a monkey as the company mascot (hence the monkeys).
  • I find this thread a fascinating idea. Well, I'm a full time Graphic Designer who gets terribly bored at work. I work primarily in print design w/ Quark, Photoshop and Illustrator. Photo manipulation and simple designs are pretty quick projects for me. More than that, drop me a line and ask how my schedule is.

    I can also MacGyver pretty much anything using duct tap and a swiss army knife.
  • I am highly skilled procrastinator with delusions of grandeur. I am capable of doing quite a lot of things not quite so well as others. If you are looking for a leader in a project I am the man to follow you in that search.
  • ROTFLOL Gle3nn!
  • Do we have any ideas for where this compilation of community-assets should be placed (and updated)?

    Aside from the idea of having a table on a Wiki page?
  • I think two additional things are needed. One is a set of categories within which people can state their potential areas of contribution. Another is some thought directed toward what the community might be likely to do with people's assets.

    Make sense?
  • I've had too much coffee so I apologize if this is rambling, incoherent and/or redundant.

    We could keep the individuals info on the wiki and maybe make a set of basic 'specialty' tags to help categorize skills. Like "Audio", "video", "web" and "general tomfoolery/chaos". clicking on one would bring up a list of all folks w/ that tag associated w/ them and then people could click on member names to get a little more info (like the paragraphs posted in this thread). ie: "I need a guitar person for x. *click* Here are the guitar people avail to help." Much like Colleenky has said. I should learn to READ threads. Wow, this is starting to get needlessly complicated, isn't it?

    Or we could could make a sticky thread titled something like "Community Skills-Requests" and have a rough list of our names/skills as the 1st post, and people could post "I need a web person and an audio person to help me with putting my video on YouTube/my website b/c I'm having issues. I want to have this up by next week." Main requests in bold, response in plain txt. Or have that post link to the wiki skills page idea if we go that route.

    sorry for the rambling...
  • "general tomfoolery/chaos".
    Ooo! I know what I do here now!
  • Or we could could make a sticky thread....
    Hrm. I would argue against this, because 1) too many stickies makes for a cluttered first page and pushes current threads onto the second page, and 2) we tend to ramble and get side-tracked. ;-) I think it would be plenty easy to find the needed info on the wiki, with threads on the forums for specific projects. (Cavegirl Colleen no can make table on wiki or would have made mock-up page by now. [grunt])
  • Quick wiki table tutorial for Captain Cavegirl Colleen ;)

    {| = start table
    | = new cell
    |- = new row
    |} = end table

    So for example:

    {| | '''Person''' | '''Skills''' | '''Availability''' |- | Jon Who | General tomfoolery | Evenings and weekends, UK time |}

    Would give...
    PersonSkillsAvailability
    Jon WhoGeneral tomfooleryEvenings and weekends, UK time
    (why yes we do go on digressions!)
  • I agree with ...Cavegirl??? Colleen... The wiki should house the list and the forum should have requests(with project details)...

    I like your idea, Ann, of having the ability to click on a skill and see the people who have it.

    I don't know coding well enough to make more than a simple table, but maybe I can start it up... and my old computer's HD is failing and won't boot up, so I have to use the 8 year old laptop with 128 ram >.<...
  • Me prefer term "troglodyte". More politically correct.
  • No, "Sunlight impaired" would be more politiclly correct. It also would lump her in with albinos~
  • @Agentlex If I hadn't already essentially said that, I would've been mildly offended.
  • That's why I made sure to use something that had already been said :)
  • You're right Jon, he never should have assumed you can do tomfoolery for us on the weekends. That's your own damn time.
  • Also every other weekend I'm away.
  • edited July 2008
    When every wanker's wound up tight,
    frigid, fractious, and forthright,
    the plebes plugged up with plebiscite,
    Trim the trad, go troglodyte
    - Moxy Fruvous, "Boo Time"

    P.S. See what I mean about the rambling? ;-)
    P.P.S. For the record, I am not an albino. It's just a farmer's tan.

    ETA: Thanks, Lex. Now I have no excuse not to do it. ;-) So here's the wiki page, such as it is. (FYI, it's linked from the Fan Projects page.) The format will probably need revising as it expands. Maybe things like categories, or sorting in some logical order.
  • Moxy Fruvous!!!
    YAY!!
    I edited to add me and change pacifiic to pacific...
  • Actually, you changed it to "Pacfic"

    I'll (try to) fix it
  • Lil, you can use my videos for whatever, with the one caveat that the images in them are owned by Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision, Inc.) so you can't sell anything you use them in without getting permission first.

    When I first started making videos, I was just goofing around, so I don't have high-quality originals for my early stuff, including "Brains". However, my originals are high-ER quality than what you can get on YouTube. Starting with "I Feel Fantastic", I started saving original clips and higher-quality vids, so I can get you better stuff for those.

    Email me at [email protected] and we can arrange a transfer.
  • Thanks Spiff! I will get a nice story board put together and email you when I know exactly what I need! No plans to sell this, I'm going to use it more to get my name as a video editor/DVD Authorer out there, and I'll send a copy to JoCo...
  • All dis talk of caveman put me in mind of good articles written by me's friend on screen page thing.
    Me links for you!

    Diary of a Caveman
    New thing called wheel make move mud less hard

    Me laugh til cold white moo juice come out me nose.
  • Thanks, Lex. Now I have no excuse not to do it. ;-) So here's the wiki page, such as it is. (FYI, it's linked from the Fan Projects page.) The format will probably need revising as it expands.
    Wiki tables: now so easy, even a Caveman Coleen can do it!

    *grin*

    /ducks and runs
  • Hey! How would you feel if I said, "So easy, even a [quick check of Ann's post in Introduce Yourself] graphic designer could do it"? ;-)
  • I'd say "Oh thank GOD! Something I can throw crayons at and claim it's done!"

    If you notice, I haven't even bothered to figure out the tables for myself. ;-)
  • Well, all right then! ;-)
  • edited July 2008
    Ha! I bet you're not REALLY a graphic designer. Colleenky's snapshot doesn't look a bit like a caveman. It's got big blue spheroids and everything. *careless hair toss to indicate yet ANOTHER female who can't do tables on the wiki*
  • Obviously, I'm a cavegirl from the future...
  • And I'm a squid with a big grin.

    You know what, I only just realised the irony of having a grinning squid icon here. And it was already ironic in the original context!
  • I always thought it was a squid with glasses and a beard...
  • I always thought it was an Arab man with a hat and glasses. :p
  • Me too MitchO. I had no idea it was supposed to be a squid. No obvious tentacles for one thing...
  • Yeah, it only makes sense if you know the original. For reference:
    Squid original: image
    Grin original: image
  • Sorry, I've only skim read this thread, so I can't really tell what skills this thread is referring to, but I can offer website development, and really technical code writing...oh and enthusiasm for good ideas.
  • Damn. I thought it was a Frenchman.
  • Wow, the Squid original and Grin original both look nothing like your icon to me. They both look like ... well, Red X's. :D
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