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David Mullen ASC

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I believe most people would like control over what they SAY IN PUBLIC. Everyone learns from someone Imagine Steven Spielberg (In fact notice a distinct absence of anyone in the public light on forums they have more sense. )when he was a student asking questions here only to find he is put under scrutiny and later on tries to get a job as a director only to find an old forum member tries to put the spanner in the works. Speaking on a forum many times you can be in conflict with opposing viewpoints. And lets face it how you speak on a forum is just not how you would in real life and that goes for all of us. In some ways a forum can be liberating no longer constrained by convention and fear. Somewhere you can have a voice just as valid as anyone else's. And to those whose only claim to fame will be as a forum centre stage act or as someone trying to latch on to someone with fame or money either through fake loyalty in the hope something may come of it. Or hero worship that takes precendence over any fair play. can entice cajole and play those trying to get on regardless of giving a real name or not. You give your name and anything the forum wishes to taint tar and otherwise question you're intellect or other abilities can possibly follow you around in you're real life especially if you plan to do something with that life. Even though it may be groundless and mischief making. Speaking personally I come here as a student seeking answers. Often I could find those answers somewhere else. In fact I am asking myself about the usefulness of forums like this now because for all it gives it can take back more. What you have said can be taken out of context. Given a different meaning and thrown back at you.

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If you say something face to face to someone that person would know who you are, if you have an interview then readers would know your name, teaching to somebody same thing. I see no difference here.

 

I'm a "student" too (in a broader sense) and i don't worry too much about asking things. The very fact that i ask something tells that i'm willing to learn. Surely the same answers may be found somewhere else but sometimes you need a human to explain, or the possibility to personalize something. Other times you can find the answer only here and even if that happens once in your entire career than the forum would be proved useful. The day i'll have to work with someone from the board (hardly possible) he/she'll remind me as someone that if doesn't know something prefer to ask instead of making something up.

 

What the "real name" rule should prevent are posts like "OMG! You SUCK!!!" and i like that.

I'm sure that if your question, as long as it's asked politely, will obtain a meaningful answer no matter how strange your request is. Providing it's inside the realm of common sense (shooting actors with real bullets anyone?).

 

What could have asked Spielberg to put him in trouble? And i've seen posts from "personalities" like Rodrigo Prieto (he asked things...if he does how a student wouldn't be entitled to do the same?) and Remi Adefarasin. Not counting David and all the other professionals that may not be known to the public.

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I'm surprised that film schools aren't teaching more students the absolute importance of networking, and that the internet is a commonly-used tool in providing that opportunity, to not only meet and develop associations with fellow students but also working professionals.

 

Just the other day at the Kodak demo of 5219, I ran into Eric Steelberg (and today I saw "Juno", which is great) -- but we've been talking here on this forum for years but we've hardly met in person. But we get to exchange ideas, knowledge, advice...

 

I can't even count all the people on this site that I've known for years, but mostly here, rarely in person. After talking to John Pytlak for years here, I finally got to meet him in Rochester two years before he died -- he arranged a private tour of the Eastman House vaults for me and my wife, which was amazing.

 

If you want to hide behind a moniker or fake name and miss out on all of these opportunities to become a familiar and respected name in your own chosen industry, that's your choice I guess. But it's a bit silly to live in that much fear of the very people you think you will be working with over time. I'd find a different industry to work in, one that doesn't make you so afraid and one where you'd actually like to get to know the people involved in it. This industry is heavily driven by personal connections and filmmaking forums are a useful method in forming some of those connections. You can cut yourself off from everyone online out of fear, but then don't start whining about how you seem to have trouble getting ahead.

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I will tell you why I didn't register with my real name initially: because 99% of all forums won't allow a space in your login name. The reason aliases originally came to pass was due to early computers handling syntax based on spaces (they still do) and improperly interpreting a username login.

 

As a result until C.com I didn't eve know you could have a space in your username in a web forum... and it's still the only place where I do. As a result people have developed spacefreealiaseswhichareeasytoread. im.thatoneguy and i am that one guy wherever I go. My signature always has my real contact information because it's who I really am and I want people to know me as Gavin not as anonymous internet individual #5 but regardless if you search the Internet and find im.thatoneguy it's almost always me.

 

That being said you're right there is an aversion to revealing your identity and I think you nailed it on the head earlier by saying it allows you to without consequence toss a grenade into a forum and disappear just as easily, an ability I find quite dishonorable on principle. It's at best unsporting and at worst completely disrespectful and offensive. But I think there is a second component and that is a complete disrespect for authority.

 

Unfortunately our industry doesn't have very many vacancies in high places. It is based on who you know, who you trust and who you enjoy working with. If you don't know how to join in and build connections it feels like secret society and exclusive club. I heard a lot of resentment while in school towards this establishment. You could call it entitlement but I would like to imagine it's a simply a slight disconnect between the American idealism of meritocracy that most students are raised in and the natural unfettered personal biases that usually are what really direct a person's crewing decisions.

 

It is hard. There isn't a place where you can just mail in a resume and portfolio interview and start work the next week. You have to be invited.

 

Film schools do in fact emphasise over and over and over that connections are key, but it's one thing to emphasis this and another to provide a methodology of making these connections and networks. As a result most film students tend to turn to the only network they can develop... themselves. Further isolated and feeling dejected they develop an antipathy towards the film making brotherhood which (completely unknowingly) has been giving them the cold shoulder and assume that they're being suppressed.

 

The real tragedy isn't that they aren't being encouraged to network, it's that film schools by and large don't properly convey the helpfulness, openness and enthusiasm to teach that exists and is just waiting to help if asked nicely.

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If you don't have the balls to post it under your real name, don't post it.

 

I agree. When I'm afraid to post something, I hack in and post it under Mr. Lowe's name.

 

 

KIDDING!

 

I am glad to use my real name. I was on a shoot in N.Y. last month and wanted to stop by the rental

house of a regular contributor on here, I got too busy but when I got back to Boston I e-mailed him

and got a very friendly be sure to stop in next time and say hi reply.

 

I think that as we post regularly to learn and discuss, we also get to develop a sense of people and I find most

of the people on here pretty likeable. I hope that if somebody ever comes to Boston and has questions about

crews or rentals or neighborhoods or just wants to say hi that they'll "know" me well enough from my posts to

feel comfortable e-mailing me and asking me anything and I hope that I can help.

 

Okay, now what really bugs me is when I'm planning a shoot and I run into Radio Shack to buy a 9 volt battery

for a wireless mike and they ask for my zip code or phone number or shoe size.

 

Join me please in saying no to all the retailers who want to know seemingly everything about us.

 

 

Otherwise, this is a community here, a friendly one full of the exchange of ideas. Many of you have been

quite helpful to me and I appreciate the times that you've taken to type out long answers full of information

that have been critically important to me, as well as the other, less emergency times when I've wondered

about something.

 

 

I'm glad to "know" you and if, when I'm interviewing for that big D.P. job and they like me and they like

my reel but then some fact checker says "Is it not true that you once on Cinematography.com asked about

'grey' scales when the industry standard is 'gray' scales?" then I'll know that it's time to get out of politics.

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one might guess I use my real name, who'd make up Achterberg? The Forum may not know if someone uses their real name, but there are so many people who use this site, if someone is remotely involved with this work that it is very likely that there is more than one person can vouch for their legitimacy on this forum. I know I've seen professionals even former highschool buddies on here and could vouch for them.

 

I joined when I was 17, back in '04. I was happy to use my real name, I want my name to be know to all of you. Many of who'm I respect very much. Names on the posts add greatly to my trust in them.

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Just had to comment on this....

 

Hey, I got to have a nice lunch with "Richard Boddington" because of this forum... though suspiciously, he does speak with an outrageous Italian accent and looks like one of the models used to create the Super Mario Brothers video game. He said he was a Mormon from Canada who doesn't believe in the death penalty, but I didn't buy it for one minute, Alfonzo.

 

....So Richard is really 8 pixels in 3 different colors?!?

 

 

I love the real name system. As was mentioned before, it keeps the riff-raff out...for the most part.

 

But honestly, I think if we put it to a vote, it would stay. Look at the past posts in this thread...all are pro-name, except one who is just a little dubious on it, but not quite nay-saying it.

 

Also on this forum, there are so many talented, accreditted DPs whos work I respect and dedication and knowledge I admire...who the hell am I not to use my real name if they are willing to do it?

 

 

also.....I should state I have never once used my real name on this forum. Its true. My name is Michael Edward Collier II (not Jr, don't call me Jr) There its out in the open. I suppose my fallback plan if I ever said anything that got me blacklisted was to blame it on my uncle.

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Maybe because it's such a bizarre rule?

 

99% of the web forums out there allow people to use handles, shadowpuppet99, jetboy5000, lioncub121, etc etc.

 

Using your real name is quite unique and I'm sure some people think it's a security risk.

 

Look at me my real name is Alfonzo Cabrini, but I use Richard Boddington.

 

R,

 

Naw, it's not a bizarre rule at all. Some other forums do it as well. The idea is that members will be more respectful and courteous to each other if they aren't hiding behind the cloak of anonymity. It seems that if the more known members of the forum are willing to use their own names, why wouldn't a newbie? What makes the newbie "better" than the known members such as David or Tim who have no problem using their own name?

 

For the record, I jumped from Richard's comment on page one to the end to post my comment. As I read the posts directly above mine I now see how we are all saying basically the same thing.

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Naw, it's not a bizarre rule at all. Some other forums do it as well. The idea is that members will be more respectful and courteous to each other if they aren't hiding behind the cloak of anonymity. It seems that if the more known members of the forum are willing to use their own names, why wouldn't a newbie? What makes the newbie "better" than the known members such as David or Tim who have no problem using their own name?

 

For the record, I jumped from Richard's comment on page one to the end to post my comment. As I read the posts directly above mine I now see how we are all saying basically the same thing.

Yes everyone is agreeing with David. I wonder what would happen if David had the opposite view? Some in the forum have more clout and say simply because of status. For example Someone may have an opposing opinion to a favoured member and will be given a hard time by some. A favoured member may attack question etc and finding instant backup among some lessor members. A new member may be here to find answers to questions and question the group even have an opposing view to a forum oracle and then have to face the forum heirachy be prepared to fend off a group drubbing.. Of course you could just go along with the group and agree with everything or stand in awe and offer praise while staunchly defending any arrival either not towing the line or warning what happens to those silly enough not to tow the forum line NOW some may call that being the kind of person every one wants to be. Maybe you'd gain respect in the film community however I reckon you'd get a name for all the wrong reasons. Others could view it as crawling up the bosses backside while calling it respect to a higher god etc. I personally dont want to ever be involved in personal attacks. What I want is finding what I need in as courteous a manner as possible. And if that means disagreeing debating or asking more follow up questions whatever. Then that should be acceptable However it isnt always and be honest how many forum tactics and tricks can be applied ?? ERR spelling intellect undermining many many ways. Its great if you're in charge of the forum or you're a leading light because you're protected.

I stand by everything I have said. Especially regarding Identity theft, Stalkers and Nutters. You're broadcasting your name and through various posts many details about yourself that can be pieced together. Look at your computer security for examples of how many times your computer gets hit a day by hackers.

 

This is a great resource and has some real characters. However to debate on issues, have opinions or participate in discussions in an honest and true way. Expressing your own views without any ulterior motivations like social networking or looking to get promoted then using your real name can in certain circumstances be detrimental.

 

I also understand the need to police the forum and keep it free from trolls. The right way to do this though is through the application process where the administrater has access to real names and details of members.

 

Unless the forum wishes to become a more elitist exclusive place where a heirachy with job opportunities for those who can make friends and the type of person everyone wants to be with and is the forum standard.

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Yes everyone is agreeing with David. I wonder what would happen if David had the opposite view? Some in the forum have more clout and say simply because of status.

...

You're broadcasting your name and through various posts many details about yourself that can be pieced together.

...

This is a great resource and has some real characters. However to debate on issues, have opinions or participate in discussions in an honest and true way. Expressing your own views without any ulterior motivations like social networking or looking to get promoted then using your real name can in certain circumstances be detrimental.

...

Unless the forum wishes to become a more elitist exclusive place where a heirachy with job opportunities for those who can make friends and the type of person everyone wants to be with and is the forum standard.

 

Let's briefly go through these four presumptious points Mark made ? unfortunately often centering around David's persona:

 

To be quite honest, I find it quite a strong presumtion that you make in blanket to everyone here, and hence incl. me, that I only posted my point of view in post #19 because David wrote something similar originally (and quite common-sensical stuff, to be honest ? it's not that he accussed Hillary Clinton of devil-worshipping). That is quite insulting to me. I can well imagine that some hope for favours from other board members by voicing similar "opinions" (brown-nosing would be the word, I guess), but that is quite a shortsighted idea. Why? Because it would not make you stand out from the crowd or provide your name (real name, that is, to exactly be traceable in a public industry!) with any kind of character. And it is the latter that makes people attractive to work with, to know better, to socialise with. From my experience, brown-nosers (oh, I hate that word) never get far in interesting organistions, but only in those you really don't wanna be in anyhow.

David Mullen and Tim Tyler made this place what it is, and they should get respect for it. But that's already all. I think that David's work here was directly contributive to him becoming a member of the ASC, although he did not have that many high-profile film credits on his CV. But then again, the ASC is not about getting blockbuster-maker in ? at least from what I know from the BSC, comparingly. He knows alot because he works with passion on his job every day ? that I clear from his posts. Everyone else in such job conditions would be able to do the same. But few here actually are in such job position, so he will likey have an edge (and many people jealous of him). And so what! All the better for us, as he is the one sharing knowledge freely and without any backheaded notions. Not alot of people would stop in the middle of the desert on their way to the parental home and start calculating f-stop ranges and latitudional aspects of cine-film for moonlight XL cinematography. I wouldn't, because the idea wouldn't come to me. So I am grateful for his inspirational posts. How come?

David has alot of experience I will never gain as I didn't go to Film School, am not a DoP and have not access to gear of his quality and class to learn it autodidactically (as I could in S16 and S8). But I would not address him with "Sir" or "Mr Mullen ASC" as some here do, as this (forum) isn't the place to do so (I didn't adress people in Downing Street like that, so I won't start here). And over time, I also learned to know where his knowledge ends, as is the case with every human being's knowledge. His posts years ago in the Super 8 forum were clearly showing that he was not up to speed on what goes on this format at all (yes, David, many Super 8 cameras have variable shutters with many pre-set of even floating opening angles ;) ) and to this day, I strongy disagree with his motivation and execution of banning a user named Santo from this forum, as I believe this was detrimental to the development of the Super 8 subforum, and hence backsetting the format's development by nearly a year (insiders will know what I mean). Now, as he's doing 35 and not trying to claim to be a Super 8 know-it-all, that's alright with me.

So could we just stop worrying if someone agrees with David for the sake of agreeing with him? That is just a thing too far to worry about.

 

 

You're broadcasting your name and through various posts many details about yourself that can be pieced together.

 

Cinematography or filmmaking involves the presentation of works to the public created by yourself under your own name (as long as you don't film under a pseudonym). If you have a problem with being exposed to the public, and hence the public being able to trace information about you, then cinematography might not be for you. Imagine that you don't do just Hollywood eyecandy but that you make Direct Cinema or Cinéma Vérité documentaries with political topics? Imagine how vicious some members of the public can react to your work, although you are not even propagating a political opinion with with your films. THAT is much more problematic to deal with than to put a real name on a minority interest forum and gobble about gels and ND0.9 filters and 65mm camera form-factors and Super8-to-HD DI chains...

If someone really wants to put together info about me, I suggest to use my signature links below or google the name, that will lead to faster results then to read through 300-odd posts. If someone is after your ebanking access codes, Mark, they use different means, and trust me, they will get it if they want it. Easily!

 

 

This is a great resource and has some real characters. However to debate on issues, have opinions or participate in discussions in an honest and true way. Expressing your own views without any ulterior motivations like social networking or looking to get promoted then using your real name can in certain circumstances be detrimental.

 

In case you havn't noticed, but this IS a professional social networking site! Specific topic internet forums are exactly that! Facebook and co are general social networking sites where people just access your entire profile and interests (rest assured I have other interests than fingering an Elaine, and I am sure David has too; even Richard Boddington, whoever he really is) and hook up. This here has a bit more quality and effort-requirement as condition to participate, as you have do do more than just click "add a friend". But you could still just read it without registration, as I did for years.

I am sorry to hear that you have experienced workplace environments that do not see standing up as worthy of merit. I made very sure throughout my short life and career to only work for people who would exactly not do that, but who would want frank contributions that advance the professionalism required for a project or team-bonding or whatever. I even prefered to be jobless and nearly go bankrupt rather than enter an organisation where I know I would have to betray my principles. Call me idiotic and stupid for doing so, I personally don't regret it and it all worked out for the better, as such things are actually more appreciated than one thinks.

 

Unless the forum wishes to become a more elitist exclusive place where a heirachy with job opportunities for those who can make friends and the type of person everyone wants to be with and is the forum standard.

 

This is a place for people who do cinematography and videography passionately in private or by profession ? how more elitist can it get? A forum for Apollo astronauts? Or just for Bolex 16 Pro owners (anyone interested?)? To be honest, I think that geographical locations are much more crucial when applying for jobs than what you say in a post. Okay, I wouldn't give Tom Lowe a job because of his opinions voiced in the threads about women in the industry and his pubescent view of filmmaking as "military-like" ? I know we would clash all the time: everyone who actually served in the military will know this is a simpleton's comparison. But I helped someone here out who will come to London, and I am sure he did not think that he wanted a job in the first place. I for once just try to pass on knowledge that is ? esp. for 16mm and 8mm ? difficult to access if not lost or (if web-based) contaminated with factual errors. And that keeps you quite busy already. Too busy to reflect if someone here is after my home address (download it), my real name (Gonzo the Great), my show reel (stuck at Todd-AO), doesn't share my elitist and gentrified approach to this place (out with you, you socialists! *humour* ) or brown-noses David. Because I give a toss about that.

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I guess it seems like a silly rule because it's unenforceable. Unless your checking passports or something, how would one know it's a real name? However I am glad to see that they at least look like real names. It weeds out things like "hip young dude" or "movie fanatic" as user names. Only thing worse than bad usernames are those annoying, flashing little gifs. Anything that maintains an intelligent dialogue and keeps the sullen teens from just hanging out, I'm all for.

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I guess it seems like a silly rule because it's unenforceable. Unless your checking passports or something, how would one know it's a real name? However I am glad to see that they at least look like real names. It weeds out things like "hip young dude" or "movie fanatic" as user names. Only thing worse than bad usernames are those annoying, flashing little gifs. Anything that maintains an intelligent dialogue and keeps the sullen teens from just hanging out, I'm all for.

 

Hear hear,

 

so why did you change your user name from JohnnyD to Johnny Dale again, after I kindly "reminded" you to do so in this post here?

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People click thru software agreements and web agreements all the time. Generally nobody reads them. I mean do you read all the updates to say the yahoo terms and conditions?

 

The safety factor is also a concern and it's a real one.

 

I think people like to think they will be able to tell if someone is vindictive or petty or cruel etc but in my experience they are wrong. On the internet it's ironically a lot easier but out in the real world it's harder because some people are more charismatic or beautiful than others and some people may be seen as a bit weird or some other thing and this can cloud peoples judgements. Eventually they start to realise that maybe they have made a mistake but by then it's too late, or maybe in some cases they never realise they made a mistake in their judgement even! In a lot of situations people see what they want to see too, rather than the way things actually are.

 

I too have posted for a long time under my real name. I've made many friends online and was not frightened. That all changed recently sadly.

 

Having said all that, mostly I've had a really positive time on internet forums, most of the people who I come across on the internet seem like really lovely people. Sometimes they might have some character foible such as seeming to be utterly depressed or something but personally I like those little foibles that make someone stand out, I like diversity and different kinds of people. When you get a community going properly people get to know one another and the diferent ways people are, it's hard to explain but they don't make the same kind of judgements about people because they have learnt many things about them

 

It's very tricky, there are really serious issues with the internet and especially with mixing your real world identity in there to boot. I don't think they should be dismissed lightly. OTOH I have seen online communities get destroyed by people too. Whether real names can turn the tide against that kind of thing I don't know.

 

love

 

Freya

Edited by Freya Black
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If you want to hide behind a moniker or fake name and miss out on all of these opportunities to become a familiar and respected name in your own chosen industry, that's your choice I guess. But it's a bit silly to live in that much fear of the very people you think you will be working with over time. I'd find a different industry to work in, one that doesn't make you so afraid and one where you'd actually like to get to know the people involved in it. This industry is heavily driven by personal connections and filmmaking forums are a useful method in forming some of those connections. You can cut yourself off from everyone online out of fear, but then don't start whining about how you seem to have trouble getting ahead.

 

This is kind of a good point. I think you have to try things out and see if they are for you too, you may get involved in something and really be into it and completely love it, only to find that it is dominated by the wrong kind of people for you, in which case, fear not for there are other places to go and other things to do, so you probably shouldn't be afraid. If you get driven out, then it was probably the wrong place you were in to start with!

 

Note however that this forum is not just limited to people in "this industry" but is available to anyone who can use google.

 

love

 

Freya

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Certainly there is risk, but it's even riskier for me to step outside and drive my car somewhere, yet I don't stop doing that either. We weigh risk against reward. I was talking to a crew person a few months ago who says they have never even used an ATM machine in their life, let alone do any shopping or banking online, for fear of being ripped-off. Seems a bit paranoid, though, as I said, the risks are very real. The question is what is a calculated risk that makes sense? We all calculate it differently.

 

I think though that as you move up in this industry, there is an aspect of becoming more of a public figure, more people know you than you know people. If I think my exposure is bad or risky, imagine someone who runs for an industry office of power or responsibility, like Steven Poster, president of IA Local 600. It's always tempting to hide and lurk, but the rewards may be more limited.

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I think though that as you move up in this industry, there is an aspect of becoming more of a public figure, more people know you than you know people. If I think my exposure is bad or risky, imagine someone who runs for an industry office of power or responsibility, like Steven Poster, president of IA Local 600. It's always tempting to hide and lurk, but the rewards may be more limited.

 

It's worse than that, the risk may in a way be higher as well as the limited rewards. You may feel safe till they find where you are hiding and you are all alone. It's better to hide in a crowd maybe! ;)

 

It's complicated stuff. However there is a balance with all things.

 

I love to hide. I crave obscurity! As I have become older and it seemed more attainable I craved it even more, but I'm just not very good at it. :( Never have been and now I have to face it, never will be.

 

No matter! :)

 

love

 

Freya

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Unfortunately, I think for the most part it's a mixture of people just not caring what the rules are, and people just not being very smart.

I try to be an optimist, but I just can't find any other explanation.

After reading all of the great posts after mine I realize that I'm probably wrong. Most people probably just click through the forum rules as they do many other things on the internet, as someone else suggested.

It's nice to see this issue being discussed in an intelligent and interesting way in this thread. Before we changed to the "real name" rule this kind of conversation never would/could have happened. We tried it and there was a lot of mud slinging, and most of that mud was slung by people who didn't want to use their real name. So I think it's obvious that this rule has been very positive to the site. It doesn't bother me that some people might use a fake "real name". As long as they don't start trouble, it's fine. I can understand why some people have issues with using their real name. Personally, I like the fact that I stand behind what I say with my real name. I like the fact that someone can know me here and know me in person and make the connection.

This site hasn't necessarily been a networking tool for me, it's been mostly a learning tool. I still know OF a lot more people here than I know in person, but it's nice to be able to kind of track peoples progress through this site. We've seen quite a few of our long time members rise to great success through the years, and it's nice to be able to kind of root for them through the site.

I feel that this is more of a community and less of a forum because of the use of real names.

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Also not only do people weigh up the risks differently but the risks are actually different for different people and of course people always kind of assume that their own situation is the same as everyone elses. Someone here mentioned googling for their own name and seeing how many hits they get for various different people, but the results of this will obviously be very different for different people. That is just one example.

 

For some people the risks are higher, and also sometimes people have had very bad experiences in their past and this can make them scared that it will happen to them again no matter how unlikely in may seem to outsiders.

 

I think it's wrong to dismiss the situation as if the risks involved are not real or are trivial.

 

Here in the u.k. there has for some time been talk of the introduction of a national identity register. A central database which would contain all the government information on you. For ages a lot of people would say "I've got nothing to hide", as it was a popular meme that floated around probably started in newspapers and on TV. It's obviously a bit of a selfish thing to say but discounting that for a moment, it also usually wasn't true. Usually people just repeated the phrase without actually having thought about it (I see this happen a lot in the world and it scares me quite frankly), when you actually got talking to them about things they started to see it was a bit of a silly thing to say. I was always tempted to just turn to people and say something like "why are you wearing clothes then?" but that just seems equally silly and kind of mean but when you got taking to people about various issues they were suddenly a lot less comfortable with the idea of having nothing to hide than they thought they were. One woman who actually used that phrase actually had an unrelated conversation with me later on where she said that she could never use a transparent blue pump bag like the one I have as she didn't like the idea that people would be able to see the things in her bag! That made me giggle.

 

Hopefully the whole national id register thing will sink without a trace on the back of the fact that the government recently lost the entire child benefit database for the u.k. on 2 cds (the latter fact which really freaks people out - 2 cds!). Theres been lots of talk about the possibility for ID fraud, just like there has been here (again a popular meme at the moment) especially as the data actually had peoples bank details on it, but there is a more obvious risk that people feel a lot less comfortable to talk about. It's really shocked people that this could happen, and as more and more information has come out about it all, people have become very disturbed about just how lax the government has been with really sensitive data.

 

Intrestingly the whole debacle makes it quite clear the extent to which the different risks are acceptable to different people. When the disks were going to be sent there was some discussion about stripping off the bank details. Presumably the other department felt the risk was acceptable if there were no bank details on there. Sadly it was not deemed cost effective to remove the bank details. However it shows that department felt taking a risk was acceptable if there were no bank details. To me the risk would not be acceptable either way.

 

The disks have never been found and hopefully the people will be protected by the fact that the government is actually really good at losing stuff to the extent that they may never be found but I think everyone is preety shocked by the whole affair.

 

Sometimes the risks seem trivial and unlikely (and perhaps are even) until something bad happens.

 

Unlikely things do happen, just not very often.

 

love

 

Freya

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After reading all of the great posts after mine I realize that I'm probably wrong. Most people probably just click through the forum rules as they do many other things on the internet, as someone else suggested.

It's nice to see this issue being discussed in an intelligent and interesting way in this thread. Before we changed to the "real name" rule this kind of conversation never would/could have happened. We tried it and there was a lot of mud slinging, and most of that mud was slung by people who didn't want to use their real name. So I think it's obvious that this rule has been very positive to the site. It doesn't bother me that some people might use a fake "real name". As long as they don't start trouble, it's fine. I can understand why some people have issues with using their real name. Personally, I like the fact that I stand behind what I say with my real name. I like the fact that someone can know me here and know me in person and make the connection.

 

I have a lot of respect for someone who straight out says they are probably wrong. Definitely a sign of someone who is thinking and questioning. Even people who are intelligent and thinking people are sometimes loathe to admit they might be wrong. The film 12 Angry Men should be mandatory viewing for everyone on message boards. Actually it should just be mandatory viewing. Incredible film. Sorry I'm being Ms Tangent as usual.

 

I like using my real name too because I like my name and I like me.

 

This site hasn't necessarily been a networking tool for me, it's been mostly a learning tool. I still know OF a lot more people here than I know in person, but it's nice to be able to kind of track peoples progress through this site. We've seen quite a few of our long time members rise to great success through the years, and it's nice to be able to kind of root for them through the site.

 

Hang on but you are in L.A.! Surely you can't wander around over there without tripping over another cinematography.com member or beautiful Hollywood Starlets and stuff? ;)

 

It's the land of milk and honey over there! That's what I hear!

 

I feel that this is more of a community and less of a forum because of the use of real names.

 

I have to say that I felt it was a community before the use or real names thing started up.

 

It's also not like there havn't been problems since the real names crackdown. In fact I have personally ended up hitting the report button on a couple of occasions because things became really extreme or just plain nasty and it never reached that point before. There was also one thread that became so offensive that I didn't even feel comfortable to post in it, so actually theres been some really bad stuff since, a lot worse in fact than the background noise stuff and sillyness that were before.

 

Theres also at least one sub-forum on the forums here that is always full of all kinds of stuff and has degenerated to a point where it is preety unusable, in spite of the use of real names. I don't even need to tell you which one it is I'm sure and I'm keen to stay well away from it. I think of it as the lions pit. Perhaps having that sub-forum means that all that kind of stuff is in one place and easier to ignore although sometimes I click on it by accident and I'm like "noooooh Freya, stay away!".

 

I think it remains to be seen if the real names thing will make a difference. I actualy think it's up to the people in the community to look after the community, and that its a bit random if it manages to survive or not, or how long it lasts.

 

love

 

Freya

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The disks have never been found and hopefully the people will be protected by the fact that the government is actually really good at losing stuff to the extent that they may never be found ....

Our PBS a few years ago ran a series from the BBC called "Yes, Minister". They had an episode about a proposed national database very much like you describe. At the time I thought these were sitcoms. It may be that they were really amusing documentary recreations. ;-) They had some delightful definitions: "under consideration" means they've lost the paperwork "under active consideration" means they're still trying to find it.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

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Hang on but you are in L.A.! Surely you can't wander around over there without tripping over another cinematography.com member or beautiful Hollywood Starlets and stuff? ;)

That actually brings up an interesting point. Unless I specifically recognize someone's name on a call sheet, I have very little way of knowing if I may be working with someone who participates here. The avatars are so small that you can barely make out what someone looks like, so recognizing them by their face is next to impossible. Maybe we should try to persuade Tim to let us have a little more space for avatars? Just a thought....

I have to say that I felt it was a community before the use or real names thing started up.

I'm not saying I didn't, but I think it's helped make it more communal than it was.

I actualy think it's up to the people in the community to look after the community, and that its a bit random if it manages to survive or not, or how long it lasts.

 

love

 

Freya

Well, that's why the addition of moderators to a lot of the forums was suggested and implemented. And I think it's helped. Now, when you report a post, a moderator is able to deal with it as opposed to Tim having to deal with every single little issue in every forum both here and at the steadicam forum. The site has grown so much that I think it would be out of control without members lending a helping hand.

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