Hey all!
I’m Benjamin. You might have seen me responding to the occasional post on the Tasmanian Filmmakers group on Facebook, where I have been a lurking member since about 2014. I was just starting out in the industry and this group would ultimately be a place where I would develop a lot of the connections that inform my work today.
As you may be aware, some members of the Facebook group have recently proposed moving to a new platform, with Reddit and Discord being some of the prominent suggestions. Either of those would be an improvement in my books. (I’d even settle for a flock of seagulls that we train to deliver our Tasmanian Filmmaker-related posts around the state).
I would like to present this site as an example of another alternative. It’s running on Discourse, an open-source forum platform that offers a lot in the way of customisation and could also operate in a similar way to the Facebook Group:
- Private posts of Tasmanian filmmaking creations, news, listings and queries.
- Ability to direct-message people to follow up on their post or job request.
- Vetted membership which requires the approval of an admin/moderator.
- Themes that can make it resemble Facebook (try them out in the bottom left)
Albeit, while this may be a closer user-experience to what you’re used to on Facebook, it’s not how Facebook works that makes the Tasmanian Filmmakers group a great community.
What makes the Tasmanian Filmmakers group great:
- You already have an account and can stay up-to-date with a bunch of different communities using the one app.
- A large, local community following built up over nearly 14 years which offers a wealth of opportunities, networking, news, expertise and resources relevant to you as a Tasmanian or Tasmanian-at-heart.
- It’s a well-moderated, private community which is operated by pioneers and industry leaders in the contemporary Tasmanian filmmaking scene.
For me, that first point is the one that matters least, but it’s the most important when it comes to what makes the group great not moving on from a place which is not-so-great.
How this alternative (and others) could work:
Post Categories/Channels
As you might have spied in the clever sidebar, here you can publish posts to specific categories. If I’m listing gear for sale locally, I can do so in the Marketplace, if I’m after a camera assistant, I can ask for one in I Need A Crew.
Meaning you could follow specific categories of posts, such as local events or showcase items. It also means, on the topic of cross-posting, that some channels could have a ‘public context’ where it’s an announcement that can be shared beyond the site for people who want to stay informed on the local industry without creating an account.
Accounts & Verification
As you might have seen on my avatar, I’m finally verified!
I asked myself if I’m real, did this whole philosophical pondering thing in the mirror and finally decided to verify myself as a person.
As far as verifying other people, however, that could entail:
- Messaging one of the admins on Facebook with their username
- Sending an email from their domain name or other social media profiles
- Being verified in-person at a local meetup
In other words, there’s more flexibility in how accounts work and what they have access to. You could have a layered approach where verified users can post in certain categories, such as the Marketplace or I Need A Crew.
But most importantly: you could become a member of the Tasmanian Filmmakers community, and benefit from the wealth of information and opportunities it provides, without giving your information to Facebook, a platform that will be banned for those under the age of 16. Although it is yet to be seen how other platforms will be affected by this new legislation, it’s clear that Facebook’s walled garden will be one that young creators will not have access to.
More Accessible
Being able to offer this information in a more accessible place means more opportunities for aspiring Tasmanian creators who are starting their filmmaking journey. Platform agnosticism is important in ensuring that communities and the expertise they offer aren’t inadvertently gatekept in places that are not only going to be inaccessible to certain age groups, but are growing increasingly hostile to marginalised groups.
It’s possible to set up a ‘news and events’ feed here which is publicly published, allowing people to keep up-to-date about local opportunities without needing an account. As an example, the Showcase category is being published to Fediverse-compatible platforms like Mastodon, but it could also be shared to Discord or Reddit.
This idea of cross-posting was raised in the discussion on Facebook, to which the admins have raised a good point in opposition: people on the Facebook group post in a certain context and re-sharing their content externally would be a breach of trust and expectations.
I agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly.
In my opinion, there are a few ways you could handle cross-posting in an informed way that respects the user’s intent:
- Facebook-to-External: Create a ‘public version’ of the Tasmanian Filmmakers group which people can choose to post news and events to, which can then be shared elsewhere. Facebook would still be where most of the community resides, but they could optionally share beyond the Facebook walls by posting in that group (you can post to multiple groups at a time when authoring a post on Facebook).
- External-to-Facebook: Instead of treating Facebook as the de facto source of information, treat it as a recipient. Posts from a ‘News & Events’ feed on Discord, Reddit, here or elsewhere could be shared to Facebook, while also being accessible to those who don’t have Facebook.
Of course, as mentioned earlier, the core strength of the group is it’s people and connections, and both of these methods would hinder that.
That’s All, Folks
I understand that this would be a new thing, another account, more stuff to keep track of - not to mention the other issues we would have to sort out along the way - but the result would be a community that is more resilient to the actions of large platforms. We seem quick to forget how Facebook will control what people are allowed to share, not only as a component of automated-moderation, but also as a way of enforcing their dominance.
Facebook is not a fine wine that has been getting better with age, it’s a banana you’ve left in your school backpack since 2004.
At first, it was edible. But over time it’s developed a disgusting smell, a slimy texture and is spreading sickness and death wherever it goes. At some point we have to empty our backpack… it’s not going to be eas… (uuugh) …y… but… (oh gahd… the hairs)… we have to start somewhere.
I appreciate having been able to be a part of the community, albeit, a lesser active member - and I hope that I can soon pull the plug on Facebook and still get this information somewhere in the future, be that Discord, Reddit… or a flock of really well-trained seagulls.
Thanks,
Benjamin.