Hi there, Donal here.
You know what I think sucks, I know lots of stuff that you do not. I am not saying that that is the thing that sucks though. It is just that by that rational, you know alot of stuff that I do not know. Get where I am going here? Now there are of course loads of ways to find things out, there has evening been a phrase invented for it, "google it".
But I am not happy. I know that there is an enormous amount to be learnt from face to face teaching, and espically teaching from experience. For example, you can read how to make a table, or re-install a hard drive, but you will get alot more out of the learning experience by seeing it done right in front of you and by even participating in the said event.
But what is the problem? Because there is always a problem (isn't that what life is? a series of problem you figure out (until you come to the BMF of a problem at the end of your life)). Well the problem is time, the cauldron inwhich we all boil, the fire in which we all burn... no one seems to have enough time to do "other stuff". What I mean by other stuff is things like, learning a new skill like painting or computer games programming, doing some activities like soccer or paintball, being more social like having more nights out and BBQ's, making money on shares or property. Making money on things we build, and selling them... make films etc etc etc.
I propose that we form some kind of Guild, for want of a better word, because a club does not get the idea of what i am trying to get together here. A club is a very social idea, I want to do stuff, invent stuff. Below is a list of things that I would like to see being done in the 'Guild'.
So that is what i propose, now you will do one of the following,
Mairead wrote this in reply...
A Guild is an excellent idea, as tradionally they were organisations where skills were developed, passed on and protected.
HOWEVER, speaking for all the Nerds here (ie non-computer geeks) - I am against the idea of a "C64 Gang for a New Generation" thinking behind the making games for newly acquired computer language. That's just the non-Trekkie version of learning Klingon. The time allocated to that could be much better allocated elsewhere.... analysis of bellybutton fluff for example.
Now I don't have anything whatsoever against learning a computer language; I own a number of fine volumes on the same subject matter - unopened and sitting dustily on my bookshelf, but nevertheless. It's just that the games idea is such a fecking tedious and obvious use. Why not use it to create a useful programme? The concept to be a Guild creation (my hostility may have a teeny tiiiiiiiiny bit to do with years of sitting like a lemon on the phone trying to converse with two people who - usually sitting next to each other - are having an intergalactic battle. Not pointing the finger at anyone in particular of course...... Donal..... Mart... ;-))
And as for golf.... I swear I want the first item of the agenda for the Guild's AGM to be the kicking of your ass. Hell, I'll make the 5 hour journey to carry this out regardless!
What I do miss is the Lunchtime Philosphical and Cinematographic Society (aka... "The How Brilliant is Johnny Depp Club") verbal and mental jousting. This was especially interesting for those of us, unlike my learned friend Donal, who didn't put their time at university to good use in pondering the great philosophical and theological questions of our age.
And certainly the idea of making more short films would be fantastic. A group experiment drawing from each of our skills would be extraordinarily interesting, provided it's carried out in a spirit of openness and honesty. Not everyone has wonderful story ideas, not everyone is going to challenge Depardieu or Brendan Gleeson's acting ability however, some are excellent at character observation, others at editing, others at soundtracks and others as cameramen. It may be a dogs dinner, or it may have true nuggets of inspiration, but it could be an item of great pride which will be a tangible product of the collective conscience of people who may or may not even know each other.
Well, there's my European Union Cent worth - over to the rest of the heads...
Oh and you know that I will have to hand back my "Nitpickers Society of Ireland" badge if I didn't pick you up on something Donal
- to "google" is to garner information through the medium of an internet search net. One cannot google a hardback copy of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. Well, you can try, but I think it's illegal in 45 countries.
The reason I make the distinction is because the introweb has made an awful lot of information readily available to the masses - however many, esp. the collosal Google, tend to reveal information on a popularity basis than straightforward comparabity.
*hands anorak into the dry cleaners ready for the next outing*
Donal wrote this in reply to Mairead... 19 March 06
Mairead I get your points, however there is one thing that i have to point. All the things i wrote... they are just ideas. As you (Mairead) said "A Guild is an excellent idea, as tradionally they were organisations where skills were developed, passed on and protected". Now I do not really care what we do, as long as something gets done, I am not saying, "the aim is to become the best golf players in Connemara". The things that i have mentioned were all just ideas.
What i would like is, if anyone else is interested in this idea at all, that other people would suggest what they would like to do and then that hopefully we would get to doing it. What i have found is that alot of people want to do certain things but, basically, when people get older they are not bothered to step outside of their comfort zone into doing something that is fun. Alot of people will take a backseat and wait until someone else organises things.
Well what i am trying to do is to get some people that are interested doing things in contact with other people that like to do things. However as I have also said before, it is kinda up to you too...
Shane wrote this in reply... 29 March 06
Donal, You're guild idea excited me, however reading Mairead's suggestions excited me even more. Particularly the part about the film guild. That reminded me of a movement/group I once tried to put together. An ex lecturer of mine Liam Saurin (sound recordist and mixer) told me of a film co-op idea that he and his colleagues in the irish film industry created in the 70's. He returned from England after 6 years constantly working in pinewood. The industry here was quite dead. Most people got work because of the lack of skills required to work in the film industry. This was back in the day when a sound man had to be an expert, as cameramen had to be able to work out exposures and focus via mathematical formulas. A group of technicians got together to moan about the quality of work they were doing . They saw everything as dull and lifeless. So they formed a film co-op. Each person posessed a skill they could teach another. They all wrote scripts and came up with ideas. At their first meeting everyone presented a script and they voted on which one to make. So they made a 30 minute film. Between films they would meet and teach each other and swap skills. On the next film the guy who directed may have operated camera and the sound person may have directed and so on. Over a couple of years they made a number of films , more importantly they learned from these films, from each other and had a lot of fun. They even ended up making money off of these productions receiving royaltys from selling some pieces to tv stations. The reason I gave up on the idea was because everyone who was interested was interested by the prospect of making money. My intention would be to have fun and make some interesting pieces. You have amateur theatre groups why not make an amateur film production group or guild. This could be part of a mother guild that has different branches that cross over. Thats my 2 pence in old money's worth,