IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

FRAUGHT - very active film maker, recently used his skill to encourage support for Nystagmus charity

Ahem... where is the 'Award Winner' bit for me!?

Michael Gough wrote:
If you really feel you have positive answers to the way forward then stop sitting crouched over your keyboard blaming everyone else. Put your mouse down. Stand for a Regional or National Council and make a real contribution.

Actions speak louder than words.

I may be missing your intention, but I feel that was quite a rude way to talk to forum members.

Certainly over-reacting and inaccurate.

I have to stand by my original points, though I can't find my text about blaming anybody. I have certainly posted a positive encouragment tale to the mag about two years ago, which wasn't used. (it's both on the forum and on our website currently)

I do feel that this forum isn't promoted in our mag, and by implication, valued by our senior people. Do we market this tool? That's just an opinion, but I feel I've got a point about this. When I make a movie I am proud of, I try to show it off. I type that I'm on Youtube, put it in competitions etc...I stated that I didn't know why the forum is not promoted, though Michael posts a suggestion:

Michael Gough wrote:I also disagree with BillyofConsett (we are old buddies really) that “this forum is obviously valued pretty low in the IAC's thoughts”. At least I disagree if he is meaning in the official eyes of the IAC Council. However he may be right if he means that there is reluctance of the general membership to participate. If that is the case then perhaps he and all other forum contributors should look critically at the image that the forum sometimes presents of itself. Perhaps the problem lies closer to home.

The problem lies closer to home?!
If that means that our target users don't use this forum because some may think that my lovely boxer-pig is a stupid-looking image, then that is one hell of a long shot - but I like animals, especially boxer-pigs. I'll take my pet down if it's keeping posters away.

If that refers to my general contribution to the bandwidth of the posts on here, well that makes me ...how shall I put it, less than thrilled.

I don't need to feel that I am valued around here. I understand that in all societies, from the top down, the people who do the most work are 1st in line for the grief, though some forum posters have privately and publicly been supportive and generous towards me personally.

Maybe I sided with an IAC member who is making moves to not renew his subscription. Maybe he'll feel like a change of heart when he sees people put their head over the paraphet, and he'll agree to continue to chip his financial support to make sure the forum continues.

No-one is speaking here with voted agreement about anything. It's a forum. Debate is good, even fierce debate, if the goal is to make things better.

cor blimey guv'ner...

every time I tried to put a post together I was beaten by you guys pinching my words ... now stop it

well... I suppose it does prove a couple of things

1. we are in agreement with the impact of the forum
2. I need to type quicker...

this is 1 of the fastest moving threads for a looonng while !!! long may it live!!!


there are some great points being made all round, Billy makes a good point and something that most users of the myriad of forums out there adopt in relation to this subject...

"No-one is speaking here with voted agreement about anything. It's a forum. Debate is good, even fierce debate, if the goal is to make things better".

before I get shot down in flames !!!.... there is no way the few stalwarts that try to generate healthy debate here are representative of the IAC. Some are very passionate about the IAC and what it stands for and WANT to see it succeed...

Therefore all hands to get more people interested in this forum so that does mean the promotion in every way possible. The changing of some of the format, increased content, threads to entice the many lurkers out there! It is a tool which has been sadly neglected by the national body. It is a real asset in blue sky thinking.

The future film makers we all talk about but never see are in cyberspace in their 1000's and very, very active in forums !!!

I understand Michael's point that face to face dialogue is a very important role and it is done by dedicated members of the IAC, long may that continue.

But with the right image this forum will be a useful resource to outreach the 1000's of film makers.... many of them the elusive younger generation.

The Forum does need to change some of the format ....

various categories (broad subject areas), which themselves contain forums (more specific subject areas) which contain threads (conversations on a topic) which are made up of individual posts (where a user writes something).

an example...

here's a forum I visit every hour or so !!!!

the content is not under scrutiny here just the way its laid out ...

http://forums.sv650.org/

but if you must.... have a spy at idle banter, the comedy club !
its a blast !!!


take a note on some the counters and bear in mind this is a forum set up just for a specific model motorcickle !!!!




oh yes.........if needed .... count me in as a moderator ...

I think Stephen has nailed it... yes he does need to type quicker!

This forum does indeed need a spruce up, with the need for areas setup for specific things. Eg: a For Sale area, an advertise your competition here area, a Hardware Review area, etc...

I contribute to a forum over at TheForce.net and that forum is flurishing with 1000's of members from around the globe. The subject? Making Star Wars Fan Films.

The IAC has a wonderful tool here, to not only help its members, but it may even help to bring in new punters. Until it starts to advertise this, it wont reap the rewards!

cheers fraught... and here's me thinking I had said something deep and meaningful....!

I have put another shovelful of coal on the PC here so we may see some extra speed in my typing !!!!

Here's a forum dedicated to people who make videos - but biased towards Pinnacle Studio and Avid Liquid (as that's what its founder members use).

Video Friends Forum

It shows a huge diversity of topic headings (probably too many).

It has a comparatively small membership list (just over 500 I think), but a very high posting rate. It is like a small on-line club - which tips its hat occasionally to making movies (!!).

With the right topic headings (and not too many), and a smattering of promotion - even just clear announcements in the right places - this forum could have a much larger user base, be far more active, and become a beacon of information for anyone (non-commercial) making movies, whether struggling with their holiday stuff or planning the next blockbuster epic.

Main Headings with their sub-heading categories I suggest are

GENERAL IAC- Forum 'rules', IAC Info
This section would cover anything to do with the IAC - including competitions, festivals and so on, in the form of postings that people can comment on and add to or ask about etc.

POST PRODUCTION - Adobe, Pinnacle, Avid, Sony, Cassablanca, FCP, (and any others I've missed), Special Effects, Titling
This section would be for enquiries and tips about the relevant editors, about producing special effects etc, about special software available etc etc

CAMCORDERS - Sony, Canon, JVC, Panasonic etc
This section covers enquiries and information about the camcorders available, tips etc etc. Strong chance, with IAC backing, that the relevant mfrs would be willing to subscribe to this section (with help and advice as well as 'latest info').

COMPUTER/HARDWARE
A general section for questions regarding the hardware to select - and its specs - for editing: this could be divided into three sub sections - PC, Apple, Cassablanca (any others??)

MUSIC
Covering all info and enquiries related to music: 'fixed' or 'pinned' posts would explain rthe IAC Royalty service.

LOUNGE
A general area for general discussion - on anything. Jokes, chit-chat, Sales and Wants, etc etc

WHINGES
There are always whingers. This is their area - a whinge posted anywhere else 'automatically' finds its way here, and lasts only for a few days before being totally removed. Whinge about that if you must!!

I'd also have a 'private' IAC members only area, to try to make others think they were missing something ... but what goes into that area? Not thought that one through!!

That's a rough starting point to put some 'flesh' onto that dream' I mentioned I had earlier. Open to suggestions and change of course.

Yes, it would need more moderators: however, I think they will be forthcoming without problem (??). It would also need a 'moderators only' area where Forum management could be discussed in private.

It not only can be made to work - it should be made to work - in my honest opinion - as a powerful tool from a/the leading organisation in the non-commercial movie making world.

That's what I think, anyway.

Start shooting me down...

Cheers for that Mike

a pretty good forum for video peeps...
interesting to note that by far the largest postings are in The Coffee Shop (14266 - with 949 topics!) and within that the topic Joke Time with 429 hits and 42 replies!!!... a well balanced bunch of folks!

the structure lends itself to finding things quickly but also encourages you to browse the other subjects, topics etc.

as stated in other threads here, this forum thingy is a community meeting place and within reason, anything goes !

Mike Shaw wrote:Here's a forum dedicated to people who make videos - but biased towards Pinnacle Studio and Avid Liquid (as that's what its founder members use).

Video Friends Forum

It shows a huge diversity of topic headings (probably too many).

Funnily enough i used to be a contributor to that forum years ago, when it was at a different URL. I did have fun there.

And Mike... i think your ideas are great! Now who can put them into action?

Actually - that list needs a bit more work. 'Music' for example should probably be under 'Post Production.

And 'Sales and Wants' should probably be a separate section altogether.

Keeping commercial 'sales' out of the Forum will probably not be easy (?), but commercial sales shouldn't be allowed in. IMO.

The current Forum software would probably handle all this, but it would need help with the 'moderation', that's for sure - its far too much for any one person to handle.

This might be an area of the website that can be run from within our flock. Some may feel that the lunatics are taking over the asylum, but hey, there can be some quiet and underused times around this forum - so surely it's worth a try.

If we can update the forum with a number of new sections as outlined by Mike, promoted in our magazine and regional mags as an updated service from the IAC website, a bunch of us could moderate it - I'm willing to be included in actions that speak.

I'll email my offer to our webmaster.

Ah. Well ... webmaster ... see how bright I am (doesn't auger well does it?) ... who he and where he? I'll also add my name and a possible ... Or is it Dave? If so - Dave, add my name!! (And pray!)

Mike Shaw wrote:Ah. Well ... webmaster ... who he and where he?

That would be me.

Many thanks to all the contributors on this thread. It sometimes looked like a clash of cultures, but I found many of the points raised very interesting.

Dave and I will act on the request for specialised Forums but please be a little patient. The software needs to be upgraded in any case and we want to make sure that gets done first.

-Jan Watterson

Good luck with the upgrades and implementations Jan. Getting more visitors here will make it all well worth while

Looking back, of course, now I remember - you took over from ... ummm ... yes, well, the senior moments haven't completely gone. But I'm working on it...

I think we probably all had the same aims in this thread ... just approached them from totally different directions. A larger, more active forum would be a good result for everyone.

Just before we dive in, I'd possibly suggest that new forum sections isn't what we need right now?

By all means, plan the ideas, but I think the most important thing first is to get some 1-2 page advertorials in the magazine, so that the entire membership is actively encouraged to join and contribute.

As it stands, we have say, 20 active posters, and when we have arond 5-10 new topics a week, I quite like having them all in one area. To me, the worst thing would be to have 5-10 new topics, were some have no new entries for weeks. The last thing new visitors need to see is a big scarey ghost-forum!

With regard to paying and non paying customers, it's possible to integrate banner adverts and google adwords into the forum, and configure it so that paying customers don't see them but "freeloaders" such as myself do see the adverts and contribute that way. If you could generate nearer to 1000 active members, it could quite easily support itself through unobtrusive advertising revenue.

I don't know if the web-statistics can say, but I wonder how many visitors we've had in the last 6 months, compared to what the membership of the IAC is?