Author Topic: FW Book update. (Read 3830 times)

LT · « **on:** October 10, 2011, 11:59:58 AM »

Despite all my best intentions, I'm afraid to say that my 'free summer' turned out to be exactly the opposite and I was not able to devote any time to the filmwasters book.

Also, the initial enthusiasm by FW members fizzled out relatively rapidly (other than all the incredible pictures people submitted).

This has left the project hanging in the air somewhat. I do still want it to happen, but I am not going to have time to devote to this for the foreseeable future, and given I'm now in a new job and undertaking a massive research project, this is unlikely to change until well into next year, probably not until october 2012.

We have 2 options that I can see:

We drop the idea and bring it back to life in the future; or
Some one else/ a group takes up the reins and runs the project.

If we take the second option, I would have time to just check things as decisions are made, just from the Site/ moderator point of view.

All the details are in the book thread if you are signed up to that.

Apologies - life got in the way I'm afraid. Huge apologies to all who got around to submitting pictures - hopefully all is not lost.

Leon.

Diane Peterson · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2011, 05:03:14 PM »

totally understandable....I am up for either option ..other than when I will be on your side of the pond...Nov.5-16th...I would be happy to help in any way necessary....if anyone would like to contact me please do so..

astrobeck · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2011, 06:54:08 PM »

It does seem the enthusiasm has waned.

Was there any hurry to get it done though??

I'm still in for editing as before, but don't have room on my plate to take any additional servings so to speak.

moominsean · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:15:09 PM »

I'm about to start a master's program so my input would be minimal in the near future, but i'd still like to see t happen at some point!

calbisu · « **Reply #4 on:** October 11, 2011, 08:08:34 AM »

I cannot promise to drive all the project ahead by myself but I can push for things and see how ahead we can go. whatever is done will not be lost.

Let me first recapitulate where we are and what we can do.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

Pictures: Have been submitted.
Selection Process: (1 of 3 has been done)
Publisher: Blurb
Format: 8x10 (landscape), mate paper, hard cover, no dust jacket.
Book Structure:
- Title: Filmwasters: What did you shoot this weekend?
- Front page photo: Skorj's
- Introduction: Skorj
- Interviews: Questions (yes by Erin), to be interviewed:Mark, Susan, Ed, Damion, Leon
- Pictures with captions
- Thumbnails with tech data at the end of the book

IMMEDIATE THINGS TO BE DONE

- To finish the selection process (Leon, Ailsa) / to gather captions for selected photos (Ailsa)
- To decide how many pictures by submitter to be included and how many per page (book group)
- Interviews to Ed, Damion, Leon, Mark and Susan (Questions submitted by Erin) - Questions to be sent and replied (Erin?)
- Introduction (Skorj)
- Front page photo (Skorj's?)

To make new topic "Book Project Coordination" where the book will be coordinated, I volunteer to spearhead the topic.

Please tell me what you think, and of course if people included in this reply agree with it.

Carlos.

Lawrie · « **Reply #5 on:** October 11, 2011, 10:54:14 AM »

Whichever way it goes, I think we all owe Leon a great vote of thanks for driving the project so far, and for all the hours he must have spent . "I salute you Leon!!!"

Regards,

Lawrie.

This-is-damion · « **Reply #6 on:** October 11, 2011, 01:15:29 PM »

sounds great - forge on

Ill help out where i can

Late Developer · « **Reply #7 on:** October 11, 2011, 01:18:04 PM »

Quote from: calbisu on October 11, 2011, 08:08:34 AM

I cannot promise to drive all the project ahead by myself but I can push for things and see how ahead we can go. whatever is done will not be lost.

Let me first recapitulate where we are and what we can do.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

Pictures: Have been submitted.
Selection Process: (1 of 3 has been done)
Publisher: Blurb
Format: 8x10 (landscape), mate paper, hard cover, no dust jacket.
Book Structure:
- Title: Filmwasters: What did you shoot this weekend?
- Front page photo: Skorj's
- Introduction: Skorj
- Interviews: Questions (yes by Erin), to be interviewed:Mark, Susan, Ed, Damion, Leon
- Pictures with captions
- Thumbnails with tech data at the end of the book

IMMEDIATE THINGS TO BE DONE

- To finish the selection process (Leon, Ailsa) / to gather captions for selected photos (Ailsa)
- To decide how many pictures by submitter to be included and how many per page (book group)
- Interviews to Ed, Damion, Leon, Mark and Susan (Questions submitted by Erin) - Questions to be sent and replied (Erin?)
- Introduction (Skorj)
- Front page photo (Skorj's?)

To make new topic "Book Project Coordination" where the book will be coordinated, I volunteer to spearhead the topic.

Please tell me what you think, and of course if people included in this reply agree with it.

Carlos.

Hi Carlos,

In pure project management terms, it would be interesting to see this put onto a Gantt chart to see what the critical path looks like. My suspicion is that the only truly critical element right now is getting the selection process completed. Without that, nothing will happen.

Once it's been decided how many and which pictures are go into the book, it should simply be a case of determining the running order of the photos and then the page layout. Is free rein being given on these aspects or does they have to be decided by committee? Is it intended that there will be only one picture per page or more than one? How many more? Will the pictures fill the page or will they remain constrained by their native aspect ratio and sit with white space around them? Will photographers' names, locations and camera details be printed with the photos? Will the photographers be asked to provide a comment on their photos?

The introduction and interviews, interesting though the will no doubt be, can be done anytime before completion of the "build" and can then be slotted in accordingly.

I wish I had more time to commit to doing this as I have always wanted to build a Blurb book. However, right now, I am trying to sort out the final details of our impending trip to Thailand and Cambodia. Mind you, the floods over there are horrific and getting worse. It's possible that it may not be possible to go if Bangkok is hit and they lose the airport / transport routes. My heart goes out to those poor people who, for right or wrong, rely on tourist money for their daily crust.

jojonas~ · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2011, 02:57:29 PM »

praise for all the hard work so far!!! specially now, calbisu and LD that seem to have their thinking caps on

LT · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2011, 04:17:12 PM »

Quote from: moominsean on October 10, 2011, 08:15:09 PM

I'm about to start a master's program so my input would be minimal in the near future, but i'd still like to see t happen at some point!

me too Sean! I'm doing mine by research so I have to submit a 45,000 word thesis by next september. Mine is in socio-legal studies (Social Welfare law in particular) - what are you studying?

Thanks for the summary Carlos. I don't even have time to look at picture selection right now, so am hoping someone else might be able to take this on? I'd still like to run my eyes over the final choices though if that's ok.

The biggest stumbling block in my eyes is the look/ design/ feel etc.

Paul - I REALLY want to see a Gantt chart - sounds AMAZING.

L.

Mojave · « **Reply #10 on:** October 11, 2011, 04:32:34 PM »

I would like to see this through as well. If the FW's development crew wants to send me the answers to their questions, I will do the editing and send back for final approval. So, if you all have time only to rapidly type up your answers without concern to grammar or spelling or anything else like that, thats what I can fix. Once I get it cleaned up, I will send the edited responses back to each one of you for final approval.

LT · « **Reply #11 on:** October 11, 2011, 05:00:38 PM »

a couple of things about Erin's questions:

1. I thought they were to be asked to a range of members, not just the Ed, Susan, Skorj, Damion and me?

2. No one has been sent the questions yet so we can't provide answers

( I know i've seen them, but no one else has).

Mojave · « **Reply #12 on:** October 11, 2011, 05:35:09 PM »

I thought they were for the filmwasters founders only but Im good with several people being asked. Who shall I send them to? Not sure I can find them now. Hmmm, maybe in my sent box. Or, maybe I was smart and saved them in a word doc.

LT · « **Reply #13 on:** October 11, 2011, 07:45:00 PM »

I still have the questions you sent me for approval Erin -I'll send them back to you.

the discussion about interviews was as a result of me saying this: "how about interviews with chosen filmwasters interspersed in the main body to break up the pictures though? "

we never actually decided who those would be.

I said I'd get a statement together from the 5 of us who started FW.com - which I still will ... but this is separate from the interview q's.

I suggest you choose about 10 people on FW and ask them the questions?

Mojave · « **Reply #14 on:** October 11, 2011, 07:55:30 PM »

Oh, got it! I can do that.
Thank you, and please disregard my email.

Late Developer · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2011, 09:12:25 PM »

"Paul - I REALLY want to see a Gantt chart - sounds AMAZING."

Hi Leon.

Not sure if you're being ironic but I'll presume not. I see so many of these things that it's easy to assume everyone else does, too...

As I said earlier, I'm no project manager (nor do I ever want to be) but I've spent the past 32 years in one profession and for the last 20 or so have been in a HO environment where I've been a project team member at one level or another. The history of Gantt charts is here for all who are interested:

http://www.ganttchart.com/history.html

Microsoft (who else?) produced a piece of software called "Microsoft Project" which seems to be a very popular programme for - well, assisting in the management of projects. See the Wiki link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Project

The theory is that successful project management is down to identifying and listing all the tasks, allocating a realistic time required to complete each task, allocating each task to most appropriately skilled individuals, linking the "inter-dependent" tasks in a time-line to form a "critical path" and then getting on with it. If only it were that simple.

Anyway, what the Gantt chart does do is ensures that (at least in theory) no-one is over-loaded with tasks and that the tasks are worked upon and completed in the right order so that - towards the end of the project - the project manager doesn't suddenly realise that some critical element has been missed and needs to be added in a panic - causing the project completion due date and/or the budget to be blown.

There are people I've known (very sad people) who live their lives - inside and outside of work - by these things. Gantt charts can stifle creativity but they do help get a complicated job involving a number of individuals and departments / locations get the job done.

Otherwise, it can be like herding cats

Hope that was of interest.

Francois · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:16:26 PM »

Now, this is for all those who can't be bothered to waste a single penny on Project: it's called Open Source Bliss

Here are some alternatives.

Open Project (http://openproj.org/openproj)
Gantt Project (http://ganttproject.biz/)
Open Workbench (http://www.openworkbench.org/)

All free of course

LT · « **Reply #17 on:** October 12, 2011, 09:43:26 AM »

Quote from: Late Developer on October 11, 2011, 09:12:25 PM

Otherwise, it can be like herding cats

Given their Collie heritage, my lurchers are extremely good at herding cats, so I never quite understand the analogy. Problem is, they cant get them into the little gated area without fatalities.

Quote from: Late Developer on October 11, 2011, 09:12:25 PM

Hope that was of interest.

muchly - thanks for taking the time to make such a detailed reply.

calbisu · « **Reply #18 on:** October 12, 2011, 04:00:19 PM »

Ok then. With the consent of the group I will start a new topic at the Book thread and move things forward little by little. Tomorrow I am heading to Sudan. So it will take me couple of days to start the topic. By the way its not very advisable/wise to buy tons of instant film if you move around. My cameras, equipment and film filled two BIG boxes. This time me and my little family sent 7 boxes in advance, 295kg!! Geeee...

Mike (happyforest) · « **Reply #19 on:** October 12, 2011, 06:44:09 PM »

Quote from: Francois on October 11, 2011, 11:16:26 PM

Now, this is for all those who can't be bothered to waste a single penny on Project: it's called Open Source Bliss

Here are some alternatives.

Open Project (http://openproj.org/openproj)
Gantt Project (http://ganttproject.biz/)
Open Workbench (http://www.openworkbench.org/)

All free of course

You could also use paper and pencil.

Mike

original_ann · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2011, 01:44:13 AM »

Fantastic to everyone who's pitching in. I missed the submission deadline but very excited to see the finished product! (no matter when that may be)

Terry · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2011, 01:12:06 PM »

I don't have book design skills (yet) but am eager to help in some way. I do have a little free time now and again (not working on any advanced degrees etc.). I suppose I could help with editing/proofreading and some aspect of organization.

Diane Peterson · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2011, 04:31:50 PM »

and I am here for whatever help I can be...bring it on!!

Britt Aximon · « **Reply #23 on:** October 16, 2011, 10:01:47 PM »

I don't know if you can use me for anything at all, but I am willing to help IF you find someting. My english is not fluent, and I havn't been doing film for more than 3 years. At least I promise to buy the book.

calbisu · « **Reply #24 on:** October 17, 2011, 07:25:54 PM »

Please find 3 new topics related to the Book at the Book Board.

Book Project - Coordination
Book Project - Selection Process
Book Project - How many Shots?

Thank you

Miles · « **Reply #25 on:** October 18, 2011, 01:24:51 PM »

Can't see the Book Board, am I doing something wrong ?

Happy to pick up a task or tasks if there's one going.

LT · « **Reply #26 on:** October 18, 2011, 03:28:08 PM »

try now Miles

Miles · « **Reply #27 on:** October 18, 2011, 11:53:32 PM »

Sorted (in my best monkey)

Alan · « **Reply #28 on:** October 19, 2011, 10:43:51 AM »

sorry for coming in late on this . . .

i think the project should go ahead for sure.
it did seem like the project interest had waned.

in my opinion i think it is up to the driving team
to drive the project.

it seems a lot has been done and agreed upon
so it should not be shelved and if someone has to
pass the baton so be it, if someone else is willing
to take it up - great.

moominsean · « **Reply #29 on:** October 20, 2011, 12:42:24 AM »

Quote from: leon taylor on October 11, 2011, 04:17:12 PM

Quote from: moominsean on October 10, 2011, 08:15:09 PM
I'm about to start a master's program so my input would be minimal in the near future, but i'd still like to see t happen at some point!

me too Sean! I'm doing mine by research so I have to submit a 45,000 word thesis by next september. Mine is in socio-legal studies (Social Welfare law in particular) - what are you studying?

Thanks for the summary Carlos. I don't even have time to look at picture selection right now, so am hoping someone else might be able to take this on? I'd still like to run my eyes over the final choices though if that's ok.

The biggest stumbling block in my eyes is the look/ design/ feel etc.

Paul - I REALLY want to see a Gantt chart - sounds AMAZING.

L.

was out of town so didn't see this until now. doing my master's in public health... 16 months of paper writing. blech.

Author Topic: FW Book update. (Read 3830 times)

astrobeck

Lawrie

Terry