An Experiment in Co-Creation
We talk a lot on Spark about the impacts of our newly networked world. A world with links, weak and strong, in higher numbers than ever before. What are the boundaries we still need to maintain? When is it time to plunge into the network feet first?
We want to explore that question with you in Spark’s first ever assignment in crowdsourced videomaking. Yup – that’s right – we’re gonna make some art together and see what happens.
We’re going to take your contributions and edit a video collage that we hope will be by turns poignant, funny, thoughtful – and always creative.
Well, that’s the plan. We’re actually hoping to be surprised. Surprised because one of the beauties of radical co-creation is that a lack of control can lead to new ideas.
We’re not even sure how many entries we will get, so in order to ensure everyone gets into the spotlight, we’re going to post them all on our Spark Youtube Channel (barring any violations of basic human decency).
Here’s How You Can Take Part
Send us a video clip – maximum 30 seconds – starting with one of these sentence fragments:
“I feel connected when…”
or
“I feel disconnected when…”
Feel free to send more than one entry. Feel free to include visuals beyond your talking head. Maybe you want to draw a picture? The more innovative, the better.
You can email the clip to spark@cbc.ca. Include your location. If it’s too big to email, send it via Yousendit.com or Sendspace.com to the same email address.
We’re also going to give you a deadline. In my experience, deadlines can be incredibly motivating in the creative process. The last day to submit is October 17th.
Looking forward to seeing what we can make. Here’s what’s come in so far:
re: Let's Make a Video
I call BS.
How is this co-creation? How is this crowd-sourcing?
Co-creators share payment.
Crowd-sourced content creators are paid (Mechanical Turk, Cloud Crowd, Crowd Flower, etc.)
Once again, Spark is asking people to work for them for no pay.
The CBC employee(s) who will be "editing" the video is/are on the payroll; the people viewing and commenting upon which user-created videos to use and which not to use are on the payroll, etc.
Many people will contribute to the project but only a select few (CBC employees at Spark) will receive recompense.
The finished video will most likely find itself eventually embedded on one or more ad-supported sites. Will your contributors see any of that revenue?
What does your Union have to say about this? Do they even know that CBC is soliciting work for which the worker will receive absolutely no recompense?
And please don't give me that old line "like everyone else, we're trying to figure out this whole web economic model thing" stuff. Just pay your video contributors scale and be done with it. How can anything else be considered fair? Unless you're into inequality, of course. In which case, forget everything I've said, have a good laugh while you recall the old maxim, "there's a sucker born every minute."
Hi Shane
Carma Jolly here at Spark. Thank you very much for your thoughts. This whole thing was my idea, so I thought I better answer your concerns.
I think you make some excellent points. In fact, this addresses something we put to both Don Tapscott (author and tech and business guru) and John Winsor (CEO of the first ad agency based on crowsourcing principles) in our latest show.
Where is the line when it comes to co-creating with the intention to access new ideas from many different people in the community versus simply asking folks to work for free in order to benefit financially?
If you listen to the show, you'll hear some interesting thoughts on the matter. In the case of our video project, I can assure you we are not doing this to make money. Spark as a radio show is non-commercial. It's true that the CBC web sites have some advertising, but the revenue gathered does not result in financial profits for anyone. It supports public broadcasting.
It’s also true that as an employee executing the project, I am making money via my salary. However, my goal is something different. To tell you the truth, if this hadn’t gotten approved at Spark, I was going to do it on my own web site where there is neither a salary nor ad revenue!
You are working on the assumption that reward can only come in the form of money. My motive for this project is to see what it's like to create by being open to many different voices. I also want to give space to voices that would not normally be heard.
I am completely open to what people have to say and actually hoping to be surprised. I think one of the key ingredients to being successful at co-creating, at least in the art realm, is to surrender control. That is the only way to transcend my limited ways of thinking.
I am very much looking forward to seeing what people send our way. We already got one submission and it is fabulous. I'll be posting that soon.
Thank you again for writing Shane. You have given me a lot to think about.
Thank you for answering my e-mail.
Point #1
"In March 2010, the Government also confirmed its intention to renew for an additional year the $60 million in funding for the Corporation to cover Canadian programming initiatives."
source: CBC Radio 2009-2010 Annual Report, Financial Review http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/annualreports/2009…
As far as I can tell, the "Let's Make a Video" falls under "programming initiatives." But, for whatever reasons, you have chosen to not pay your video contributors a single thin dime.
Point #2
On March 5, 2010, CBC Radio reported it had received $38.3 Million dollars for salary increases.
source: http://cbc-radio-canada.ca/media/facts/20100305.s…
CBC Radio employees get a transport truck full of money for salary increases but, once again, for whatever reasons, you have chosen to not pay your video contributors a single thin dime.
I understand what you are saying and, if CBC Radio were a registered charity, I might see the justification for going to videographers cap-in-hand begging for gratis work. But as the above figures attest, you could easily pay them $100 each for their 30 second video and nobody at CBC would even bat an eyelash.
In fact, by not paying them, you are telling them their work is worthless.
You're paid, as you stated in your reply. Why is that? I'm assuming it's because at your job interview you didn't volunteer yourself as an unpaid intern.You believed you're worth something. Can't you extend that same sentiment to those you're asking to work for you?
If you looked at the financial statements in the same 2009-2010 annual report you listed above, you would note that the CBC ran a deficit of $60 million in 2010. The figures don't seem to suggest they can pay "without batting an eyelid". Spark is Canadian content and is funded under the $60million, but my guess is that the budget that they are allocated for the show doesn't have room to pay that much for content.
Why should a 30 second clip be worth $100? Should every clip be worth $100 whether or not it makes it into the final video? How do you attribute that value to the content? As I alluded to in my last reply – content value is not entirely market driven nor solely financial.
Content does not make the whole show. In fact, I'd put forward without being assembled in a creative way – the content lacks context and therefore wouldn't be as valuable.
Spark is soliciting contributions from individual listeners/audience members. It is not petitioning professional videographers to provide content for free. There is a distinct difference there. They are not suggesting that professionals should always give away their work for free, but on this particular project (and many others on Spark) they are asking for listener contributions. The CBC does pay people to produce content If a professional videographer decides to contribute on this project for free – that is their choice.
Hi millerblair
Just as a point of information, I would like to say that you're right; we would not pay that kind of money for a short video for our website, regardless of whether the video was made through crowdsourcing, or by hiring a film maker to go out and shoot dozens of different clips. Our budget certainly wouldn't allow it, and in any case, we wouldn't consider it a responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Cheers
As of this writing, my original comment (the first post in this thread) is five days old, obviously long enough for the Spark team to request an opinion from the union to which that they belong. Here's the question again: "What does your Union have to say about this? Do they even know that CBC is soliciting work for which the worker will receive absolutely no recompense?"
Every comment thereafter has steadfastly avoided answering that question, including the hosts'.
Instead, my throwaway comment in my second post -about paying $100- has garnered the most attention. Fine, let's lower it to $50. No, let's say $20. Still not low enough? All right, let's say $1. One dollar for a thirty second video, a video which may have taken thirty seconds, or thirty hours, to make.
According to the staff of Spark who have commented so far, even $1 is too much. They want that number to be $0. Why? Well, their budget can't afford any payment over zero. Every penny is needed for other things, all kinds of other things.
As one of Spark’s producers, Dan Misener, says, he "wanted Spark to be more than a traditional broadcast radio program. We wanted it to be a collaboration and a conversation." More than a traditional broadcast radio program, where, you know, people are paid for their on-air input, or, in this case, on-web content.
I have the feeling I'm about to be banned from commenting on Spark threads. I hope that fear doesn't come true.
Hi, Shane.
Thanks for your comment. I have not been active in this thread, because this particular Spark initiative is led by Carma (see above). If you have specific questions, I suggest you follow up with her.
However, since you quoted my FMA blog post <a href="http://(http://freemusicarchive.org/curator/Creative_Commons/blog/Spark_CC_Playlist),” target=”_blank”>(http://freemusicarchive.org/curator/Creative_Commons/blog/Spark_CC_Playlist), I do feel obliged to clarify something: my comments there have nothing to do with financial remuneration. To imply otherwise is to take my words out of context.
Also, if you're worried about being banned from commenting on Spark threads, I suggest you have a look at the guidelines for submissions to CBC.ca: http://www.cbc.ca/aboutcbc/discover/submissions.h…
We use those guidelines to moderate comments, same as every other part of CBC.ca. You might also want to check out CBC.ca's terms of service for submissions: http://www.cbc.ca/aboutcbc/discover/termsofuse.ht…
Thanks again for your comment.
"By submitting your comments you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever."
I acknowledge no such thing. I grant the CBC no rights whatsoever to this post.
Thought I'd send this video along. I'm actually a banjo picker, but my very kind and generous brother bought me a Godin (made in Canada;) midi-enabled guitar … I've always wanted to get into midi, but midi-enabled banjos cost about as much as France
The tune is original and is called "River Clyde Farewell". I wrote it for my dad who emigrated to Canada from Scotland after WWI.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaRz4-4PDaE
Hope this is suitable
Cheers,
Boog
Hey Boog. Nice pickin'! Love it. Doesn't quite fit our submission call, though. Here's what we're looking for: Send us a video clip – maximum 30 seconds – starting with one of these sentence fragments: “I feel connected when…” or “I feel disconnected when…” Maybe you want to do so in the form of a song? Thanks for sharing your video.
Wow – that sure is a disgruntled response!
I heard your show on the weekend, thought it was thoughtfully and brilliantly done, and addressed lots of the ethical questions surrounding collaboration in this new digital age – without necessarily coming to any hard answers. There's lots of ambiguity here to be sure, but that's part of the beauty.
I hope you receive lots of responses. I'll be watching this model to see whether we could learn anything or adopt it for a not-for-profit I work for. In my view, people regularly and eagerly contribute their time and talent to projects, issues and causes without expecting or desiring money in return. Instead, they're often looking for community, a venue to express their views, some meaningful engagement, a chance to learn and use their brains, to stretch and grow and connect with others.
Thanks for offering an opportunity to do all of that. =)
Lynda
Oh man…
Personally I'm more than happy to contribute to Spark for no financial renumeration.
The term "crowdsource" comes from "outsource", but that shouldn't lock it into a particular economic definition. I've seen the term used in all kinds of contexts, like crowdsourcing opinions, or feedback, or ideas, or answers to questions. If I get good answers to a question I posted on twitter, I don't immediately share part of my month's salary with the twitterers who answered. I reciprocate by participating. I don't consider it "working for free". It's participating in a gift economy through which I benefit in very real ways.
If my video contributions earn any $$ (more like ¢), I'm happy to contribute it to the CBC, where they may feel free to add it on to someone's salary. Don't spend it all in one place, guys!
Hi Rochelle – Thanks again for your submissions. They look great! Have you had any feedback? Anyone who'd like to check them out:
http://www.cbc.ca/spark/2010/09/lets-make-a-video…
I am getting some ideas together for this project, and just in time. I have been working with some open source video tools (avidemux, LiVES, ManDVD), my PCLinuxOS machine, and my Cybershot. Soon, all of you at Spark will know what I look like when I put this together.
Hi Patrick – can't wait to see what you send in! Happy creating.
As a performing artist, creating for me comes from source, a place of inspiration beyond my limited ego or will, a place of no boundaries, no limits. I create because it is like breathing for me. Money comes, money goes. I do not create for money. I create to live and share. Sometimes I get paid for my work in dollars, Yen or Euros, depending on where I may be performing. Sometimes I get a meal, a bed to sleep in, or a smile and a handshake and the feeling of touching another person's life. I feel I always get paid in some way. I moderate my energy flow, doing projects that make me feel expansive and energized, which then sparks more creativity.
I feel energized and expansive about this project. This co-creative concept to me is essential in a time when disconnection is prevalent globally. Though in some ways our technology allows easier communication and travel, in many ways, it is easier than ever to live disconnected from each other, from human contact, from listening, from understanding, from communing.
To me, this initiative is a point of inspiration, a contemplative piece that puts forward a necessary vision. It asks a healing question, "How can we listen to each other, learn from each other, create together?" The possibilities in this exercise could inspire nations to stop wars, politicians to listen to each other, families to work together rather than argue. Imagine country leaders working with video artists to create a mashup of each nations point of view to facilitate seeing a bigger picture, one beyond each nation's limited perspective? Imagine teenage siblings in a family doing a video mashup to understand each other's point of view and find their commonalities? We need broader vision, more awareness of our interconnection, more co-creation. To me our future depends on this kind of working together and mutual understanding. Art can heal, inspire and change lives.
It seems that this is an inspired creative effort on the part of the Spark producer to find commonalities, interconnections, unity in a time when many people all over the world live disconnected from themselves, from each other and from our environment. We need more of this! Bravo. Well done CBC for reaching to connect our human family. I will be happily submitting a piece shortly. http://www.parvatimusic.com
(please forgive me, I posted the comment below on the About Spark page. Here is my comment again, this time in the proper place)
I've noticed all of my posts have been down-voted to oblivion. Standard 'netiquette asks that people resist down-voting comments just because they disagree with them. The down-vote is for comments that add nothing to the discussion or are out-and-out spam. Speaking from my biased point of view, I believe my comments added something to the discussion, and certainly weren't spam.
According to IntenseDebate, (the commenting system you use,) "Reputation scores are determined by an algorithm that takes into account the number of posts you make, the number of up votes or down votes, and also factors in a time variable. Negative votes will impact your reputation score more heavily. Please note that this means that you will not receive an increase in your score every time you post a comment or receive an up vote."
Note the line "Negative votes will impact your reputation score more heavily." This means it will take me many, many comments, all up-voted by your readers, to make my way back up to zero reputation.
To that I say, Thanks for nothing, Spark herd. Instead of dissecting the points I raised and replying to them, you blindly hit the down-vote button to show your (unwritten) disapproval. What chance do I have now? Even if I were to comment brilliantly in the future, it would take dozens of comments to crawl out of the hole you have dug for me.
IntenseDebate's plug-in does have an option to turn off the up-vote/down-vote feature. Are the Spark admins reckless or brave enough to go ahead and turn it off?
This is the first time I have added a comment on a thread like this – the level of your discourse reminds me of others I have seen which is why I so seldom even read such threads.
You say "even if I were to comment brilliantly" – Shane, you must be dreaming, or perhaps that's a nightmare, given the content of your previous posts.
You seem obsessed with being paid to express a thought or idea, and with up-thumbs or down-thumbs, or what the union thinks of Spark's initiative (who really cares?). How about expressing a cogent argument about something real, anything, and then perhaps your fortunes will be reversed!
I was thinking about the concept of “Our own Living Black Box” that Nora had described for our constant storage of our life connected. It made me think about the scale of time. If I lived for 80 years and recorded my life’s moments, then in theory it would take another 80 years to replay it. The scale of time is 1:1, and I am not sure if that is a good thing. Think about maps, they have a scale of 1000′s:1 because it is impracticle to have such small scales of representation. I think the same holds true for history and life. Give me John A. MacDonald at a scale of 10000:1, vs. John Q. Public at a scale of 1:1 anyday.