thanks for answering my e-mail matt :)
that makes sense and is awesome
<3

*my full comment is below - the summary is why does the fact that there is "a system being worked out" prevent comments and feedback now?
thanks again for your time in getting back to me.

[posted 18 aug]
[re-posted 20 aug]
[re-posted 21 aug]
[re-posted 27 aug]
hi matt,
thanks again for the reply. :) i do appreciate it and i don't mean to be rude in pushing for a reply. i just would rather see this get sorted here than keep seeing off-site griping about it.
i understand that this is something being worked on, and that is great!
i guess to put it bluntly i don't understand why the people who put up the requests in the first place can't do this now? i do understand that there is some "plan" being worked on for this, but i don't understand why that prevents all communication for the time being?
i know there is a small team managing a giant that grows bigger every day and i do think you guys are all awesome!
but the radio silence until the bug is fixed just doesn't make sense. i am sorry - i am not trying to challenge - just understand.
i know there are a lot of submissions to a collab (like a LOT - especially if it comes out on the regularity) but just the way emmaconner hearts and comments on contributions to her dialogue tales, even though there are thousands of contributions...
i don't know - maybe i am just missing something on your guys's end?
from our end, a little feedback here and there, even if it is once a week or once every few weeks, even just a text RECord that says "i like what we've got so far - lets go in the direction of bob's black and white version."
i think that even fly-by communication would be better than no communication - just my perspective and observation.
anyway - i think i am just repeating myself now - the site does rock over-all and i know this is just a wrinkle and it will be sorted out.
thanks again for your attention to this matter. :)
<3 k

todd - lol - funny you should say that cuz i was thinking about that. but the payment plan put-off i understand - they have to move money and accounts and write checks and if they don't have it worked out - well they can't do it. sure.
but this i don't understand. the conversations tab is open - bluntly the only reason there are no comments on these is because either someone is saying not to comment, or they just dont want to or aren't working out the time to do it.
even "we appreciate what has been put up so far, but we don't know where this is going yet - so thanks for what you have done and we will let you know" - that is at least something.
i recognize double-speak (i just wasn't going to call him on it ;)) - and bluntly and openly i don't respond to it.
upfront, i will re-post my question until i get a straight answer. not because i have some whatever on it - but because i think as a community we should have at least that.
also - i keep having people mention it in emails and on skype and whatever and i think it should be addressed here. and answered by someone who can answer it - not just random spectator sharing of opinions.
as an aside, props to tanjatheawesome, 12.42, theserpentthecharmer, metaphorest and wirrow who have been commenting on things and giving feedback which i think is AWESOME! :D

Hey kouralily - it's the same answer they gave about moving forward with the payments - they're planning on working on developing a system to more accurately and efficiently perform that task. It's double speak for "we don't like your question, but will provide a polite answer to 'handle' you."

*my full comment is below - the summary is why does the fact that there is "a system being worked out" prevent comments and feedback now?
thanks again for your time in getting back to me.

[posted 18 aug]
[re-posted 20 aug]
hi matt,
thanks again for the reply. :) i do appreciate it and i don't mean to be rude in pushing for a reply. i just would rather see this get sorted here than keep seeing off-site griping about it.
i understand that this is something being worked on, and that is great!
i guess to put it bluntly i don't understand why the people who put up the requests in the first place can't do this now? i do understand that there is some "plan" being worked on for this, but i don't understand why that prevents all communication for the time being?
i know there is a small team managing a giant that grows bigger every day and i do think you guys are all awesome!
but the radio silence until the bug is fixed just doesn't make sense. i am sorry - i am not trying to challenge - just understand.
i know there are a lot of submissions to a collab (like a LOT - especially if it comes out on the regularity) but just the way emmaconner hearts and comments on contributions to her dialogue tales, even though there are thousands of contributions...
i don't know - maybe i am just missing something on your guys's end?
from our end, a little feedback here and there, even if it is once a week or once every few weeks, even just a text RECord that says "i like what we've got so far - lets go in the direction of bob's black and white version."
i think that even fly-by communication would be better than no communication - just my perspective and observation.
anyway - i think i am just repeating myself now - the site does rock over-all and i know this is just a wrinkle and it will be sorted out.
thanks again for your attention to this matter. :)
<3 k

Hi kouralilly,

As a follow-up to my earlier remark I just wanted to reiterate that we are developing a system within our infrastructure that will enable us to follow-up on all projects in development (which would include "Departures" as well as other collaborations.) To put it simply, there are a number of collabs that are in need of feedback and we're creating a system to do that.

We are a small team and we are always finding ways to refine our creative process as well as communicate within the community better. Part of this process will involve identifying Resident Directors for collaborations so that there is more direction given toward requested collaborations. This is a goal for "Departures" as well - to identify a Resident Director to direct the community toward a production.

Thanks again for your communication and thanks for your patience as we work toward improving our system.

- Matt

*i'd apologize for my persistence in getting a reply, but i am not sorry. i really want to sort this out. the lack of commenting on submissions to requested collabs is actually a problem - and i'm tired of all the off-site griping about it. *

[posted 16 aug]
[re-posted 17 aug]
[re-posted 18 aug]

hi matt,
thanks a bunch for getting back to me!
that is awesome that something is coming which will resolve this.
in the meantime, wanted to say that it would be great if things that are specifically being asked for could be commented on as far as what is needed.
when i first joined, "man with a turnip for a head" was being produced and as things came up joe would come in and say "this is great - we should do more like this" or (like on lauriebrewster's full cut version) "that is a great take on it, but we want to go more in the direction of..."
now, this was before there were so many awesome people helping and obviously i am not saying joe should do this (i actually don't think he should, unless it was a request he specifically is directing).
but whoever is directing that particular collab, be it you or jared or marke or whoever, it really helps us to have feedback like that. especially for the contributions that are things like curating a full album, filming new footage or mixing full songs - that is a LOT of work! and to put it out there into a silent void can be - frustrating, to put it mildly.
honestly that was why i stopped doing re-RECs. i did several of them, spent hours on pulling RECords, writing full comments on each and where i saw them possibly going - but i never heard anything back and after a while it was a bit like "why am i doing this? i could use my time making other things that are getting used." i liked supporting the artists i was re-RECing...but it seemed like it was more of a shout-out than a useful contribution, so i stopped.
anyway - i know this site is still growing and developing and so much of it is incredibly awesome while wrinkles arise and get sorted out.
but from what i have observed, this particular wrinkle could be really good to smooth out even before a re-do is done on the structure of this.
there are people who direct the collabs. i assume the things resourcing the collab show in whoever's dashboard is running it? for now, when something like a curated album or a full remix of a song or some such thing is done for that collab, it would be really helpful for those directors to step in and say "this is what we are looking for. more please!" or "nice mix - needs more dragons" or whatever.
it just helps from a workers perspective. and enables us "workers" to better produce more of what is needed or wanted.
anyway, thanks again for taking the time to get back to me! and the site is awesome over-all!
<3 k

Hi kouralilly, thanks for posting this. And you are right, there does need to be more communication as collaborations evolve and contributions are added. "Departures" has indeed produced a variety of interpretations and there have been so many takes on the text's themes which have been really exceptional. Presently we are in the process of creating a new structure in which we'll be able to provide a more organized system for creative feedback as it is very important that the community gets feedback on their contributions. Thanks for your communication!