Pod_Aware Week - Day 2
Blanket permission is a way for fan artists to let other fans know their comfort with others playing with their works. It's particularly helpful to podficcers when authors give blanket permission for anyone to podfic their works without having to ask first. To find out more on blanket permission with regards to podfic check out 
pod_aware on LJ or DW.
Day 1: Podfic 101/Why We Podfic
Day 2: Blanket Permission
Day 3: Author/Podficcer Relationships
Day 4: Accents
Day 5: Feedback
Day 6: Repodding
Day 7: Encouraging Podfic
I actually contributed to the
pod_aware's podcast on this topic! You can find it here. It was a lot of fun to chat about these things for a lengthy period of time with both
paraka and jenepod, but I fear I was less than articulate. So here's a post on the subject as well.
Blanket permission is when an author posts a notice of some kind stating that anyone who wants to podfic their stories is welcome to do so without being required to ask their permission. For me, it is always the best thing ever to stumble upon when I'm considering doing a podfic.
It's great for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is because it takes an enormous amount of stress off me as a podficcer. I always ask author permission if there's no blanket statement already. And frankly, it can be a bit of an awkward process trying to connect with someone out of the blue who may not be easy to get in touch with or who doesn't have any experience with what podfic is. If there's a blanket statement out there I at least know that the author is aware of what podfic is and I don't spend days on end waiting for a response to my request in a state of completely irrational mental anxiety.
The other thing about asking permissions is that I always do it, but I tend to only do that when it is a 100% sure thing that I will be completing the work. I have this tendency to start projects and leave them hanging for months on end or I finish them and hang onto them only for myself until I reach a point where I am comfortable enough releasing them into the wilds of the internet. So if I do need to ask permission, I'm waiting to find out if the huge amount of work I've put into a project is something I can share, or if it's something only I'm going to be able to enjoy. I'll always respect what the author wants in a situation where they are not comfortable with having their work podficced, but it's a bit disappointing. Even if it is a problem of my own creation.
The other school of thought here is asking author permission before even starting the work. But, for me, podficcing is long, hard work, between the recording, editing, betaing, re-recording, and re-editing. If the author is super excited about podfic, I don't want to get their hopes up if I abandon the project part way through. And I don't want any other podficcers out there to get the impression that I've called "dibs" on the project or something. (I'm all for repodding and multiple versions!)
I also tend to experiment more on readings where the author has given blanket permission. I'm more inclined to try some sound effects, add music, and just get outside my comfort zone. I don't feel like I'm letting the author down personally if I don't succeed. And trying different things helps me figure out where I can succeed and make better podfic down the road.
Authors who give blanket permission go a long way toward the process of encouraging new readers and new podfic. For someone brand new to podficcing, the author permission aspect can be the most intimidating part. With blanket permission, new podficcers can pick something up at their leisure and try it out. If they don't like the result, then it's just as easy to step away from it. And because there is blanket permission, there's a good chance someone else will step up to record the story or repod the work too.
Even podficcers who have been around for a while are encouraged by blanket permission. It was
seperis granting blanket permission that finally pushed me to post You'll Get There In The End (It Just Takes a While). I had been sitting on my completed version of it for months for no good reason before that.
The point here is that blanket permission brings nothing but good with it. So THANK YOU, blanket permission authors. You make podficcers' lives less stressful and make the podfic community a better place. :)
Originally posted at http://revolutionaryjo.dreamwidth.org/563259.html. Comments prefered there, but not required!
pod_aware on LJ or DW.
Day 1: Podfic 101/Why We Podfic
Day 2: Blanket Permission
Day 3: Author/Podficcer Relationships
Day 4: Accents
Day 5: Feedback
Day 6: Repodding
Day 7: Encouraging Podfic
I actually contributed to the
pod_aware's podcast on this topic! You can find it here. It was a lot of fun to chat about these things for a lengthy period of time with both
paraka and jenepod, but I fear I was less than articulate. So here's a post on the subject as well.
Blanket permission is when an author posts a notice of some kind stating that anyone who wants to podfic their stories is welcome to do so without being required to ask their permission. For me, it is always the best thing ever to stumble upon when I'm considering doing a podfic.
It's great for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is because it takes an enormous amount of stress off me as a podficcer. I always ask author permission if there's no blanket statement already. And frankly, it can be a bit of an awkward process trying to connect with someone out of the blue who may not be easy to get in touch with or who doesn't have any experience with what podfic is. If there's a blanket statement out there I at least know that the author is aware of what podfic is and I don't spend days on end waiting for a response to my request in a state of completely irrational mental anxiety.
The other thing about asking permissions is that I always do it, but I tend to only do that when it is a 100% sure thing that I will be completing the work. I have this tendency to start projects and leave them hanging for months on end or I finish them and hang onto them only for myself until I reach a point where I am comfortable enough releasing them into the wilds of the internet. So if I do need to ask permission, I'm waiting to find out if the huge amount of work I've put into a project is something I can share, or if it's something only I'm going to be able to enjoy. I'll always respect what the author wants in a situation where they are not comfortable with having their work podficced, but it's a bit disappointing. Even if it is a problem of my own creation.
The other school of thought here is asking author permission before even starting the work. But, for me, podficcing is long, hard work, between the recording, editing, betaing, re-recording, and re-editing. If the author is super excited about podfic, I don't want to get their hopes up if I abandon the project part way through. And I don't want any other podficcers out there to get the impression that I've called "dibs" on the project or something. (I'm all for repodding and multiple versions!)
I also tend to experiment more on readings where the author has given blanket permission. I'm more inclined to try some sound effects, add music, and just get outside my comfort zone. I don't feel like I'm letting the author down personally if I don't succeed. And trying different things helps me figure out where I can succeed and make better podfic down the road.
Authors who give blanket permission go a long way toward the process of encouraging new readers and new podfic. For someone brand new to podficcing, the author permission aspect can be the most intimidating part. With blanket permission, new podficcers can pick something up at their leisure and try it out. If they don't like the result, then it's just as easy to step away from it. And because there is blanket permission, there's a good chance someone else will step up to record the story or repod the work too.
Even podficcers who have been around for a while are encouraged by blanket permission. It was
seperis granting blanket permission that finally pushed me to post You'll Get There In The End (It Just Takes a While). I had been sitting on my completed version of it for months for no good reason before that.
The point here is that blanket permission brings nothing but good with it. So THANK YOU, blanket permission authors. You make podficcers' lives less stressful and make the podfic community a better place. :)
Originally posted at http://revolutionaryjo.dreamwidth.org/563259.html. Comments prefered there, but not required!