How do we get more people to come to Indietalk?

I'm not saying this is anything bad... I'm just answering why I believe less people are here than before. If you disagree, then what do you think?
There's only so much a person can do to revitalize and engage a community. Its really up to the community to make the whole package.

Most of the time, new people do their intro post.... A lot of us say WELCOME!... And that's all they do. They don't really engage, interact, or even ask a question. If they actually do post, its a self-promo post, (or similar to what I used to do, an asking if my idea is good post). Its not in the interest of actual community interaction. Its just a one question, one answer conversation.

Maybe that's the issue? People have lost personal connection... And only what artificial feedback or "good job" pats on the back. Like I said, the digital age has probably been the cause of this.

I don't know, what do you think?
 
CamBlamo said:
Exactly, so what are people doing. Coming here, looking around... And leaving?
Click to expand...
I think so, at about 200 per hour, I just don't really understand why. I get that not everyone loves this format, but even a tenth of a percent of filmmakers should be way more than this. It's just puzzling. The forum format does still have some advantages over other formats.
 
Nate North said:
I think so, at about 200 per hour, I just don't really understand why. I get that not everyone loves this format, but even a tenth of a percent of filmmakers should be way more than this. It's just puzzling. The forum format does still have some advantages over other formats.
Click to expand...
Haha, sorry you are faster than my brain can think. I explained myself a little more above this post.
 
CamBlamo said:
I'm not saying this is anything bad... I'm just answering why I believe less people are here than before. If you disagree, then what do you think?
There's only so much a person can do to revitalize and engage a community. Its really up to the community to make the whole package.

Most of the time, new people do their intro post.... A lot of us say WELCOME!... And that's all they do. They don't really engage, interact, or even ask a question. If they actually do post, its a self-promo post, (or similar to what I used to do, an asking if my idea is good post). Its not in the interest of actual community interaction. Its just a one question, one answer conversation.

Maybe that's the issue? People have lost personal connection... And only what artificial feedback or "good job" pats on the back. Like I said, the digital age has probably been the cause of this.

I don't know, what do you think?
Click to expand...
well, on a certain level, I think looking for a pat on the back or a thumbs up as a filmmaker is like going to the gym and lifting a styrofoam cup. I mean, I can't speak for others, but the kind of win I'm looking for can't be reached with that kind of easy dopamine goal. I would think many others would understand that. I suppose they do, it's a bit different over at reduser.

If you want an easier chat interface to talk with me, you can just join the Save Point discord server. Obviously I made it for the project, but other forum people have just been showing up to use the fast chat functionality, without actually joining the project. I don't really mind, it's good for building up the channel.

discord.gg

Discord - Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games

Discord is great for playing games and chilling with friends, or even building a worldwide community. Customize your own space to talk, play, and hang out.
discord.gg discord.gg
 
Nate North said:
well, on a certain level, I think looking for a pat on the back or a thumbs up as a filmmaker is like going to the gym and lifting a styrofoam cup. I mean, I can't speak for others, but the kind of win I'm looking for can't be reached with that kind of easy dopamine goal. I would think many others would understand that. I suppose they do, it's a bit different over at reduser.

If you want an easier chat interface to talk with me, you can just join the Save Point discord server. Obviously I made it for the project, but other forum people have just been showing up to use the fast chat functionality, without actually joining the project. I don't really mind, it's good for building up the channel.

discord.gg

Discord - Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games

Discord is great for playing games and chilling with friends, or even building a worldwide community. Customize your own space to talk, play, and hang out.
discord.gg discord.gg
Click to expand...

Problem is, you literally just proved my point... lol

You getting more feedback on the Discord as opposed to your post about the project here?

I don't mind checking out your server when I get home from work! In the military we can't use Discord, youtube, facebook, or any of that. So actually I like indietalk, because its the only place I can talk about filmmaking while I'm at work... lol.

I will save this post so I can reference it.
 
I should mention that it might not be the worlds worst idea for indietalk to have it's own live chat area. I think people might like that.
 
Nate North said:
but even a tenth of a percent of filmmakers should be way more than this. It's just puzzling
Click to expand...

You just need to ask yourself what's the purpose of the site?

Is it to help new filmmakers?
If so, you need experienced filmmakers to help. What's in it for the experienced filmmakers, especially when a large proportion of them come in as entitled screaming babies as soon as they find out we're not going to put money into their film/solve their unsolvable problem.

Is it a community for experienced filmmakers?
What do they talk about? It's all been talked about before. 90% of the questions here could easily be googled... and even if you could find a good place for experienced filmmakers, aren't new users an unwanted distraction? Plus experienced filmmakers are busy most of the time, right?

Is it a community to bring teams together?
If that's so, how many teams have been formed? It's hard with such wide geography.

Is it just to shoot the sh*t?
If so, isn't Facebook/reddit a better place to do that? Maybe the moderators make it better than both of those platforms? Who knows.

I'm trying to say, you first need to work out your target member. Cater for that person. I think most people come here, look, don't see why they should stay and leave.

One way to drive eyeballs (and additional revenue) here would be for Indietalk to sell courses for filmmakers. Perhaps even paid coaching and have some sort of paywall section where people can ask questions from paid professionals... or one on one coaching. I've suggested before some sort of market place where you can buy and sell footage/music/sound effects etc. Then you can get a return and advertise.

Just a thought.
 
You guys are missing the obvious answer, we just need to cover the entire site with as many flashing and blinking lights as possible, like the Vegas strip, I mean, that's been popular and gains a lot of attention. Or maybe a celebrity front person with a trendy hat and no discernable talent like DJ Khalid. This is about showmanship!
 
Internet Tom GIF

artists on tumblr lol GIF by Animation Domination High-Def
pink glitter GIF

graphics myspace GIF
weekend GIF

emo GIF
graphics dark GIF
 
CamBlamo said:
Well, if you look at it in that sense, it doesn't make any... But think of it in terms of an internet search or SEO. Where are you going to search for film advice and tips or a filmmaking community first?

My guess is either youtube, Reddit, Facebook, discord, or other sources. Forums are great, but they aren't exactly the first thing that people want to use to get a question answered.

You asked why less people are here, I gave a pretty logical answer. If its not that, then what actually is it?
Click to expand...
In a weird way... I get this. Forums are OLD SCHOOL which I PREFER. I don't do Facebook... Can't stand it. I do Twitter but rarely put anything out anymore because people become UNGLUED rather quickly. I do read REDDIT but God forbid you bring a new perspective to a community. LOL. I guess you can call Indietalk an example of Social Networking 1.0 with all the others being 2.0 and 3.0.

I don't have a clue as to how you'd get newcomers to come here and become part of the community. I think with these other sites? There's a sense of IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION that comes with them because people can respond INSTANTLY.

This is a Forum. This is where us Old Schoolers broke our teeth... Not a lot of youngsters even KNOW what they are OR what they are capable of.

A shame, really.
 
Last edited:
Unknown Screenwriter said:
I guess you can call Indietalk an example of Social Networking 1.0 with all the others being 2.0 and 3.0.
Click to expand...
Yup, I agree.

While I do use Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to varying extents, it's generally for a combination of family/friends and politics - none of which are here or should be here.

I'm not looking for instant feedback/gratification on matters related to screenwriting & filmmaking but I understand that others are.
Unless IT's founder wants to fundamentally change the nature of this site, I sort of fall back on that rather annoying phrase "it is what it is."

And I for one DON'T want it to fundamentally change.
 
I LIKE the phrase, "IT IS WHAT IT IS." And it's PERFECT for Indietalk. Totally AGREE.

*EDIT: And? Look at THAT! It wasn't INSTANT but our replies are PRETTY DAMN FAST for Social Networking 1.0!
 
Last edited:
I agree that this site is great the way it is. To me the instant gratification thing seems pointless. If I need energy, sure , I could smoke crack, and that would give me short fleeting bursts of unsustainable energy, but I don't do that. I eat a steak, and it's better on every front. Film is more of a marathon than a sprint. I just wish more newcomers saw that value, so many turning back at that first post. None of what I've been saying is a criticism of the site, I just want to see more people take an interest in this community, and wonder how that could be achieved.
 
Nate North said:
I just wish more newcomers saw that value, so many turning back at that first post. None of what I've been saying is a criticism of the site, I just want to see more people take an interest in this community, and wonder how that could be achieved.
Click to expand...
You said in your original post that you think forum members have fractured off into other places like Facebook. I am not a Facebook user, so I have no idea what the filmmaking discussions look like on that platform. Do you think more people participate on Facebook than they do here? I mean the filmmaking parts of course. Is there another filmmaking forum that seems to have a larger or more engaged community than here? Where I'm going... is there a model of a filmmaking forum that works more like you envision and that would lead you to suggest some things they are doing that aren't being done here?

I consider myself a filmmaker. While most of my paid work has been as a producer, I have a passion for cinematography and own a lot of my own gear. I have spent the past few years focusing on my writing. I used to be heavily involved in the Blackmagic and cinematography.com forums. My memory is there were the regulars -- like here -- and a lot of different folks contributing in those forums. However, those are forums dedicated to a very specific aspect of filmmaking. I came here a few years ago because I had a question about a legal aspect of a film I was producing. I stayed because this forum cuts a wide swath across filmmaking, unlike the other forums I mentioned. That's where I'm at. I love filmmaking and have spent many years learning about cinematography, acting, writing, production design, sound recording... and of course the craft of producing. This space will touch on all of those at some point.

My own opinion is that it's hard to keep "the heat" going in a forum that caters to such a broad set of interests. Maybe this is the place you come to spend a brief moment in your career to engage on a particular topic and then it's on to your next film. Maybe there is great benefit to having an archive of the discussion of previous filmmakers struggling with particular things.

I applaud your effort to get more engagement. As I said, I love filmmaking. I love talking to filmmakers. I also love just reading the thoughts that other filmmakers have. I'm not sure how you get this place to become more than it already is.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top