Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi Mr. Sperg and other esteemed members of the forum.
Over the past few days, I have seen you mention your film night a few times. You said you didn't want suggestions, but then you mentioned it again - which I feel does invite open discussion despite what you say.
I love the the idea of a film night, but you previously said to me that you can't change the time and things like that.
Here are the things that put me off - 1. Mainly the time! 2, But then if I am honest, also watching via Zoom when I like the spectacle of a big screen with decent sound and no interruptions. 3. The possibility that Zoom will take away anonymity.
I have a suggestion that will in no way interfere with what you are already trying to do, but may add to it...
Tell us the film that you are going to watch a few days in advance, and create a thread for it.
I will endeavour to watch within a few days and discuss it on the thread. Ideally it would be a film that I can stream, or stream cheaply (Amazon Prime 'rents' a load of films that are not available for free.) I may even already have it.
Others may be willing to do this too.
Just an idea - even though you say that you have heard all the possible ideas. I can't see what you have to lose.
Link is given in the "THIS WEEKS FILM IS" thread, you'll be very welcome.
Hey i want to watch I Sperg's film's
Bumping.
There are two different ways to do this -
We'll discuss it here next week:
https://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/39286/film-night-next-week
I'm actually watching this tonight because there is NO WAY IN HELL that my wife would watch this with me, and it's her last night away.
Well Iwas going for a virtual cinema where you know that all the other patrons are of your particular type, possibly even like minded souls from here.
But a "Book Club for movies" is as good a description as any.
So a book club for movies.
Mark (formerly Spikey) said:Tell us the film that you are going to watch a few days in advance, and create a thread for it.
Done that.
You can still have all that. I, and any others that prefer my suggestion will just be the "after-party"
So...
What's the film?!!
It is not a no.
It occurred to be in the wee hours to ask for some advice from the community manager about how best to interact with the site with regards to film night, because the way things are any post I make vanishes down the list in minutes, when the site is busy.
I'll see if any advice or help is available from that direction, or indeed of anything else positive occurs in this thread, but I could see me regularly posting the details of what film is coming up next, if that works for people.
It's not really about the films per-se, it's about providing a central topic of non-controversial conversation, routinely. with a bit of structure, in the hope that it will stimulate lively conversation, give those who are truly housebound and isolated, or just unable to function socailly a regular social thing that is safe and easy to do, and intersting.
We configure the zoom such that people can just join and leave without my intervention, I always suggest you keep your mic muted and do not stream video of yourself, and I do my best to not speak either.
The only way we can make the breaks shorter than the 20 minute ones free zoom imposes when you operate a singe account is to provide the audience with two zoom room addresses and passwords, and toggle them at the changeover time. I keep the breaks short (less than five minutes) which in practice is penty of time to log back in then get up and get any refreshment you might need, etc.
I know that most people like a break to "refesh their eyes, or glasses", but a few people also hate "breaks" in their concentration, so the zoom format lends itself well to that.
If I need to talk to my mate or he wants to talk to me about the film or anything else whilst it's runnning, we dont; talk over the film, we phone one another, of course, which the audience does not hear because our mics are turned off.
I can see the "anonymity problem" now, bugger, I'm not sure how you guys make sure that zoom uses your nickname that you use here. Our zoom names are pretty uninfomative by design, so I didn't really worry about it myself, but I do know I have created a second zoom ID (for internal network testing purposes so I could see my own stream as a client) called "Blobcopter" so it can be done, but you might need a second email account to create the zoom I.D. that corresponds to your name here.
I can't for legal reasons use any sort of open, public type or paid for streaming service to share copyrighted material with a small group, but the way zoom works allows me to create a "virtual living room" and is geniune sharing rather than broadcasting, is my understanding.
(indeed, during covid when there were no time limits imposed, I actually had a "virtual housemate" living on a screen in my garage, who isolated by the double whammy of his wife dying then covid lockdowns seemed to appreciate the random conversations that would occur when both of uis were at our screens)
Ultimately, it's about you guys really, and trying to ease the social experience. It worked for me when I was a kid and I was really quite messed up. I found friends that way by attending a film night run by a bloke who wasn't really my friend, more of an acquaintance, some of the films were not to my taste, but it still worked...
Just to clarify - I didn't mean anonymity from Zoom or Google or Bill Gates or whoever - I just meant this site.
But overall to my idea - Is that a no?
Thank you very much. I can't remember sayng that I cannot alter the start time, but I probably was reluctant, having already tried that before. I thnk the earliest we started was 6, I favoured 8 but we ended up with 9.00
I'll also reply to items 1.2.& 3
1.Time, I don't mind. 2. Using free zoom does force a brief interruption in practie we tend to minimise the first one, then take a longer break with the second one. I personally find film watching less like hard work if I take regular breaks. I see the zoom breaks as very analogous to the ad breaks you get wth T.V. For some reason none of my friends who has tried hosting a film seem to get the smoothness or the rez that I do. I wanted to try casting to our big screen but it's 3 doorways away from where I operate my computer, and usually in use anyway by my O/H during film night.
ZOOM and anonymity, poses the same problem I encountered recently where discord changed it's terms to include using your sessions for it's own purposes, and I believe the concern with zoom is that it reserves the same right.
It's one of the reasons I suggest that people just watch the film quietly and talk about it elsewhere.
But to be honest, if you want to keep any anonymity or privacy, STAY OFF THE INTERNET!!
Get rid of all "smart devices" (including your smart meters) and loose that mobile phone! Drive an older, pre2000 car.
Not going to happen, is it?
Increasingly, real privacy will be a thing of the past, and anonymity only obtained by being so uninteresting in your activities, that no one wants to look!
I was also invited for a film night but I can’t take part in it. I would have maybe enjoyed that if I could enjoy watching movies in general. And one more problem- I often don’t get the plot, intentions of the characters, etc and I ask questions that others call “stupid” and it annoys them. I hardly ever watch a movie in full. Usually after 20-30 minutes I feel tired of it and just stop or stand up and leave. Anyway, enjoy your film night! No offence please, I just can’t. Plus there are some other mental health issues that make me often feel fatigued or not fully feeling myself. Can’t even explain.
I'm totally on board, if the film is available on Prime for free at my location, I will join in and watch within a few days. Steven Sperg-berd's Film Night!
[Steven Sperg-berg is a pun on Steven Spielberg the filmmaker, and not really I Sperg's actual name]