[imc-auckland-video] Re: [Imc-auckland] Sustainability, $$$, billboard and thanks

Tue Aug 30 03:01:47 PDT 2005

Hi Matt, all

That's a really generous proposal Matt and I can see that the idea of
incentive has some validity, but personally payment is kind of anathema to
the spirit of doing voluntary work for things I believe in and want to
support. It's also a basis of admiration for so many of the super cool
activists I've come to know over these last eight years.  Is it apposite or
ironic that often those that have little materially, put the most effort
into social justice work.  Typically such people are crazily busy, but
always try to keep a hand in here and there.

I've had to pull back from Indymedia work over the last eighteen months to
try and finish the PhD, so committing to help with the next screening is
something I'm happy to do - but I do recognise the need to find ways of
making this sustainable.  One obvious mistake is have the same people taking
on the same roles again and again - yet this is often activist reality.
Theoretically it would be so simple to change - there are eighty plus people
on this list if most people put in a couple of hours helping to organise the
screenings once a year then they would happen, but the reality...

I don't think paying people to help out is a way to go because of the
not-for-profit indymedia ethos - but perhaps something like pizza and drinks
or such afterwards?  There is a fund from screening takings - once costs
have been recovered that traditionally hasn't left much after each screening
but has accumulated I think to around a thousand dollars.  Some money has
gone to supporting national projects (eg. sustaining the server), and  other
money to purchasing DVDs for screenings.

Personally, I would like to see that money go towards supporting some kind
of access initiative, or building up the other areas of indymedia in
Auckland (there's the reality that some people think the screenings are all
that there is to indymedia). Great as the screenings are, I'd like to see
more effort go into media making workshops (writing, basic coding and
computer maintenance techniques, media analysis and media handling workshops
etc. culture jamming practices) and networking with community groups.

Re. The billboard idea - I'm really sorry to hear about the skin being
stolen.  
There are some options we can think about

1. Pay for the whole skin because it can be used as an agitational media
tool ...
2. Contribute to the costs along with other groups such as Greenpeace etc.
3. Decline to contribute on the basis of it being initially an individual,
rather than a collective indymedia project...

That's my 10 cents for a while.

What are people's thoughts on this?

Best, Geraldene

On 8/30/05 9:07 PM, "mdmd at paradise.net.nz" <mdmd at paradise.net.nz> wrote:

> Hi everybody,
> 
> Thanks again for the opportunity to MC the gig on Sunday.
> I had a blast as you may have been able to tell - very cathartic if a little
> unorthodox.
> I know I'm a bit all or nothing sometimes, and I guess if nerves hadn't made
> me over-the-top, I would have been a stuttering mumbler.
> Thanks for your kind words of support G.
> 
> Now, I've heard murmurs that the key organisers are a bit tired of the amount
> of work they have to put in to organising these things for not much return, so
> how about this as a suggestion?: -
> 
> As a thank you to the key organisers, (IE Chloe, Kim and Geraldene) for all
> the hard work they've put in to the screenings over the last few years, how
> about we use some of the money accumulated in the indymedia account, to thank
> them with $250 each.
> 
> Now before all you anti capitalists start sending me diatribes on how making
> money for organisers isn't the core business of indymedia, just hear me out.
> 
> There is money in the account, and these people have been doing more work than
> anyone (that I know of that is - correct me if I'm wrong) and the whole thing
> would've fallen apart long ago without them.
> A small token of thanks is - I believe - in order.
> 
> I also think that a small koha for each of the workers and organising team at
> Indymedia screenings in the future, is not contrary to the ideals on which
> these screenings are founded. That is to say, only after expenses have been
> covered.
> 
> Some of you may think that this suggestion is the beginning of the capitalist
> rot setting in, but in the interests of sustainability, I think covering
> worker's costs, and thanking them with small gestures for their time and
> expertise is perfectly reasonable.
> 
> As we all know, enthusiasm can easily wane without proper recognition or
> appreciation, so I'm calling on the loop for feedback and declarations of
> opposition or support by September 15 to thank Chloe, Kim and Geraldene with a
> $250 each thankyou, and to give workers contributing to future screenings a
> small koha for their work.
> 
> ON ANOTHER TOPIC, - THE BRIGHT ORANGE ANTI NUKES BILLBOARD
> I'm also putting out a call for declaration of opposition or support to re-
> print a billboard skin which I designed.
> This skin has been up and down like a yo-yo due to administrative
> difficulties, small minded local body politics, and THEFT!
> (If anyone has seen someone stuffing a large orange anti nuke billboard into
> their car on Cook Street and hastily driving off, please let me know ASAP!)
> 
> The design won the Coconut Free Press design competition, and can be viewed at
> 
> http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0508/S00088.htm
> 
> The latest news is that it has been "stolen".
> I suspect government agents, National Party candidates and the guy whose
> building it was on, who drove up in his 4WD SUV complaining about propaganda
> on his wall when we were having our Hiroshima commemoration.
> 
> If Indymedia is interested in using multimedia formats to get messages out,
> this is a great opportunity to diversify!
> 
> I was hoping to get a copy of the skin made - hopefully with a bit of koha
> from Indymedia. 
> I think the total printing cost is $600 (It doesn't need to be the full
> amount, although that would be cool if it was.)
> Indymedia could use it at any protest, and any relevant occasion, as could I.
> I would request permission from Greenpeace to store it at their warehouse,
> where they could use it any time as well with our permission.
> I think there are some Global Anti War demonstrations coming up on September
> 24,25,26 which it would be perfect for.
> 
> http://unitedforpeace.org/article.php?list=type&type=91%20
> 
> So yeah,
> Let me know what you think.
> 
> FUTURE SCREENINGS
> I'm happy to dress up like Zorro next time and be a regular MC, (if you can
> handle me) as well as programme the next one. Tony has said that he can
> contribute time energy and resources too.
> We could also take up some of the organizing slack for a couple of future gigs
> if Chloe, Kim and Geraldene want a break.
> 
> Feedback welcome.
> 
> Choice, 
> Hope everyone is well
> 
> Matt.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> 
>> On 8/29/05 4:19 PM, "Geraldene Peters" <bern at ihug.co.nz> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hey all
>>> 
>>> Congratulations to everyone involved with organising the screening
>>> yesterday, I'm sorry not to have made it, but heard it was a good
>> one.
>>> 
>>> It seems none of the usual suspects had a hand in local media
>> publicity -
>>> so, a big thanks too to the mystery publicist (s).
>>> 
>>> Matt, sounds like you tried to keep the radical spirit of democracy
>> alive as
>>> an MC - good on you for the effort - it's a spirit all too readily
>> lost when
>>> left agendas are dominated by a middle of the road reformist-prone
>> left.
>>> It's a tricky call though eh? All those questions about preaching to
>> the
>>> converted / converting or catering to the masses etc.
>>> 
>>> Shall we make the next screening the end of October? Sunday the 30th
>> (week
>>> after Labour weekend). I can commit to helping out then but in the
>>> interests of sustainability, I really only want to be part of a team.
>> We
>>> struck a programming glitch in the middle of the year because nobody
>> was
>>> available to get involved, a key reason why the screening happened
>> last
>>> night was out of obligation to air the Indymedia documentary.
>>> 
>>> The usual suspects are falling off, and it would be great to get some
>> new
>>> hands on board to initiate and organise screenings. Now that the
>> Comedy
>>> Club have their own projector, screenings are a lot easier to
>> organise...
>>> 
>>> There are a couple of suggestions floating around:
>>> 
>>> 1. the Brand new 2005 "McLibel" documentary from Spanner films. NB.
>> This
>>> is NOT the one we've all seen before and rented from the video store.
>> As far
>>> as I know, there are no copies as yet of the new version in New
>> Zealand.
>>> Runs at 85mins. For more info, go to:
>>> http://www.spannerfilms.net/?lid=161
>>> 
>>> 2. "Chávez, Venezuela and the New Latin America" at 55 mins.
>>> 
>> http://www.oceanbooks.com.au/categories.php?cPath=27&osCsid=c14ad77375fb8605
>>> 96ecaefabe46099c
>>> 
>> http://www.leftbooks.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-dob20
>>> 04cv.html?E+scstore
>>> 
>>> Any thoughts on other possible docs?
>>> 
>>> Best, G
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Imc-auckland mailing list
>>> Imc-auckland at lists.indymedia.org
>>> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-auckland
>>> 
>> 
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