Special Session for Episode 8 (probably)

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Ok, so as some of you know, especially if you listened to the last session, we're planning a special session for Sunday, October 30, which coincides with what will be Episode 8, presuming nothing untoward happens.

This will be one of the culminating events of the Mythgard Institute's webathon, and we will be joined by Prof. Olsen as a special guest. Because this will likely be our most-watched/viewed session of the season, I'd like to give as many people as possible the chance to be there. I don't know how many people I can bring on at once, due to the voice recognition system used by Google Hangouts (which will be somewhat different by then, as the system we use has moved to YouTube).

The point of all this is that I would like to get a sense of what time-frame will work for the most people possible. There are, of course, key players whose participation weights things in their favor, but I want to make things as accessible as possible.

Feel free to vote below on the time frames I have suggested. If you live close to the International Date Line, many of these times will actually land on 10/31. Keep in mind that the sessions typically run for 2-3 hours, but you don't have to be there the whole time to participate. Also, you can pick up to 3 options, that way we can get a better sense of what will work for the most people.

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Ok, it looks like the few who voted are favoring a time slot beginning sometime between 3 and 6 PM EST (7 and 10 PM GMT). I'm going to give it until the end of this week before reporting back to Prof. Olsen, so if you are interested in attending this event, please get your votes in. I'm currently leaning towards a start time of 5-6 PM so as to not force our contributors close to the International Date Line to get to at to ungodly an hour, nor have our European fellows staying up until 3-4 AM as some have had to do.

 

[MithLuin]

On an unrelated-but-related note, this Saturday evening would be the expected Script discussion session for Episode 5. It's also Midmoot (which I know Karita and I plan on attending). Are we going to try to hold the session there, or....?

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

That's a very good point, which I had not thought of. I do not think I have the equipment to film a live session with anything resembling decent quality. If I can figure it out, it would have to be on Sunday afternoon after the end of the conference. The banquet does not end until 8, which might be a little late. We would also have to work out a space to record.

 

[MithLuin]

Will anyone have a hotel room on Sunday? If not, a hotel lobby could work....

Because I imagine we'll get kicked out of the room where the conference is at some point.

I could bring a laptop on Sunday, if requested, and if we have hotel wifi, that could work.

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Well, I'm a bit more concerned about sound than video. The camera on my tablet is quite good, but I would need to get a better microphone, as well as some headphone-splittery. I'm sure that we could find some quiet corner at 4-5 PM on a Sunday.

 

[MithLuin]

I think that 4 PM is a reasonable start time. Technically, the day ends at 3:15, but realistically, it will go over by 30 minutes.

Of course, 4 PM on Sunday Eastern Time isn't terribly 'reasonable' for Europe or Taiwan, so....

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Europe would actually be better there than at our normal time, but yes, Taiwan is an issue.... 🙂 I'm ok with pushing it back as late as 5, but I have a bit of a drive immediately after.

 

[ouzaru]

It's beginning to look like noon to three is the best compromise. I kind of hope I don't have to try and attend a session from three till six in the morning on a school night.... 😛

 

[MithLuin]

It will depend on Corey, Dave and Trish's schedule in the end, I think.

Also, we might be devoting this *bonus* session to the Frame, which will put us rather behind on the actual episodes.

 

[ouzaru]

Better than last year. 😛

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

We could conceivably double up in a session. We did it last time and it seemed to work out ok.

 

[MithLuin]

I think we'll be okay. Today's session went over Episode 6; we will do the Script Discussion for that on Oct. 8th. We'll do Episode 7 on Oct. 22nd. The 'Bonus' session, focused on the frame narrative, will fall on Sunday Oct. 30th. And then back to normal with Episode 8 on Nov. 5th. We do need a calendar for this, though.

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

I think that can be arranged...

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Ok, so we might have a change of plans...

Prof. Olsen emailed me last night and suggested that they may be moving our big meetup to 10/29. Problem is that this would slide it into the slot we are currently using. The question is: who would we lose by doing so?

 

[ouzaru]

That would work out way better for me, so (b'.')b.

 

[MithLuin]

Saturday evening works for me. I'll just not go to any Halloween parties that night 😛

 

[Atanvarno]

I am busy that night. However, if the topic is going to be the frame, then it's probably best I'm not there. I might write something up as food for thought beforehand.

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Hmmm. I didn't think about Halloween....

 

[Nicholas Palazzo]

Ok. Two things. One, the session has been set for 7 pm on Saturday the 29th. I do apologize to anyone that is time-zoned out by this, but apparently Saturday worked better for the co-hosts and I'm personally not available until the evening on Saturday. I do hope as many as possible can attend.

Secondly, the co-hosts are running this show through the webinar interface, which has its drawbacks. I'm considering finding a way to record the audio separately, this way we can at least see each other, even if they are not joining us.