🚀 go-pugleaf

                          Austin Cyberspace Journal   
               (A video journal from our corner of the matrix)

People of cyberspace:

Since I've been back in Austin, I've heard numerous vaporous annoucements
of a cable access show for the cyberspace community. While waiting for this
to materialize I've been helping out with a couple of shows, mostly
just soaking in the process. I recently got my ACTV producer's card, and
have concrete offers of assistance from a couple of experienced producers.

So I've decided to forge ahead, flying in the face of gross inexperience,
drawing on my own internal reserves of chutzpah and the support of all
the folks who have told me, "gee, that sounds like a great idea" for the
last month or so.

If you would like to participate, please e-mail me at an address
listed below. I am looking for people to help who have:

   * truly wacky ideas

   * ACTV producer cards

   * animated computer graphics or music demos (any format we can
     stuff onto tape)

   * a profound desire to be on TV

   * any experience with camera, lighting or sound

   * a desire to sponsor this show and defray some of the expenses
     or provide useful equipment

   * equipment to go from VGA or S-VGA to NTSC video signal with 
     good quality results


Purpose
=======

To provide outreach to the non-networked audience in addition to
building a greater sense of community within our corner of the matrix.

To document items of great import and artistic merit s well as great 
campyness and absurdity.

To put faces on those .sig's we see all the time.


Format
======

The show will be short, just half an hour. It will happen at least once
a month, but if there's more stuff and energy, we'll do it more often. The 
purpose here is 

   a) keep it short and sweet
   b) make high-quality editing possible (if not guarranteed :-)

The show will have a segmented architecture consisting of roughly equal 
parts relatively serious news and humor. The segments will be 
joined with computer graphics, animation and video effects.

A typical show would probably have four 4-10 minute segments interspersed
with smaller 15-90 second bits.

If I err, it will be on the side of lightheartedness.


Segment Types
=============

(a brief brainstorm... your input is *greatlly* appreciated)

<< serious >>

   Local and national news (e.g. SJ games, APN developments, BBS raids)

   Past and upcoming events (community calendar?)

   Interviews with famous/infamous net.individuals 

   Civil liberties/legal issues 


<< borderline >>

   Romance on the net 

   Cyberspace lifestyle/entertainment (lifestyles of the young
      and geeky?)


<< truly silly >>

   Stupid BBS tricks

   The Usenet Weather Report 

   Wireheads Anonymous (a 12-step program for addicts of 
                     virtual reality)

   Name that flame (I can name that flame in 3 sentences...)

   Jihad! (ACJ brings you the "religious" wars of the net)


Promotion
========
   
In addition to the standard promotional outlets available through ACTV,
we will, of course, be letting y'all know about it through the 
appropriate newsgroups. I will be setting up a mailing list ASAP;
let me know if you want to be on it.

An attempt will be made to post to numerous BBSes around town, but
this will probably be rather patchy at first.

If the show becomes well established, there may be a <gasp> hardcopy
newsletter.


Sponsors
========

Real/Time Communications
High Times


Organizational structure
[ you're probably not going to like this ]
==========================================

This is going to be a benevolent, participatory dictatorship. 

On one hand, the purpose of this show is to serve our community. 
Therefore I will be working dilligently to represent a variety of 
different points of view and to make sure that all oxes are gored 
more or less equally. I will be seeking input from all and will listen 
with an open heart and mind. However, past experience has taught me 
that media productions cannot be participatory democracies.

Of course, all participants will be credited copiously.

If you want to do your own show, I'll help crew, and it'll be *your* 
show  :-)


Closing Remarks
===============

Again, GIVE ME FEEDBACK OR GIVE ME DEATH.

Ciao.

-----------                                                   -----------
douglas barnes                           This plastic paradise won't last
gumby@wixer.cactus.org                   you've got no future and no past 
dbarnes@mpd.tandem.com                                        -Nina Hagen
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