MeFi Swap is ON

November 3, 2005 9:07 AM

- T (minus) 1 week -

As per This thread: cmonkey reactivated his MeFi Swap site.

This is a friendly reminder that the registration closes in 1 week, thus if you have been putting it off, or missed the first thread, now is the time for action.
posted by edgeways to MetaFilter Music at 9:07 AM (46 comments total)

Thanks for the reminder. I had missed the last thread.
posted by arcticwoman at 10:08 AM on November 3, 2005

cmonkey, thanks for this, again.
posted by OmieWise at 10:42 AM on November 3, 2005

This is neat timing, as it amounts to a Secret Santa for mefites. Looking forward to getting started...
posted by selfnoise at 10:44 AM on November 3, 2005

Oh sweet lord.
Those colours were invented in the early 80's, weren't they?
posted by NinjaPirate at 10:57 AM on November 3, 2005

[secretly tempted]
posted by NinjaPirate at 10:57 AM on November 3, 2005

Hey cmonkey, out of curiosity, can we swap movies as well as music? Don't know if this has been asked yet, but it's something I'd be interested participating in.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:13 AM on November 3, 2005

Err, how do you make a mix disc of movies?
posted by jacquilynne at 11:16 AM on November 3, 2005

thank you for posting this - I was wondering when I would 'meet' my group, and wondered about the send-out deadline

I'm looking forward to this!
posted by seawallrunner at 11:25 AM on November 3, 2005

Hey cmonkey, out of curiosity, can we swap movies as well as music? Don't know if this has been asked yet, but it's something I'd be interested participating in.

Like your own/CC licensed movies, or telesync cam releases of Hollywood movies?
posted by cmonkey at 11:27 AM on November 3, 2005

Like your own/CC licensed movies, or telesync cam releases of Hollywood movies?

And everbody's composing their own music, right? We're shooting for a #CCC shade of legal grey area.
posted by moift at 11:57 AM on November 3, 2005

And everbody's composing their own music, right? We're shooting for a #CCC shade of legal grey area.

I'm not passing judgement on the copyright issues; frankly I don't give a shit. Just trying to see if we're talking about swapping VCDs of "Garfield II" or something.
posted by cmonkey at 12:00 PM on November 3, 2005

Well we're pretty obviously talking about swapping VCDS of "Garfield II". What's the real issue here?
posted by moift at 12:00 PM on November 3, 2005

Also, I kind of pictured you as Clark Gable when you were talking about how frankly you didn't give a shit, and now I'm all drippy.
posted by moift at 12:06 PM on November 3, 2005

Isn't Clariten suppose to help with that?
posted by edgeways at 12:10 PM on November 3, 2005

In case it wasn't obvious, I'm talking about commercially produced movies, either ripped directly from DVD source, or transcoded to VCD.

If you'd like, I could just concentrate on the "classics" -- I've got a nice widescreen of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly that people might be interested in. Or perhaps Rome, Open City? I'm not suggesting we trade 0-D4Y screeners of Batman vs. Predator or whatever inane garbage Hollywood's decided to throw up.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 12:32 PM on November 3, 2005

0-D4Y screeners

ok but I think he wants Garfield II? I knew we shouldn't have put cmonkey in charge, I knew he would start making arbitrary, fascist rules. He'll probably just take his ball and go home unless we let him micromanage ever facet of our multimedia trading experience.
posted by moift at 12:41 PM on November 3, 2005

I like swaps because putting a mix together is interesting, and creative, and getting other people's mixes is fun and different and I get introduced to bands I might like to hear more of. Movies that are commercially available on DVD? Uh, why not just, I dunno, buy them?
posted by jacquilynne at 12:49 PM on November 3, 2005

In case it wasn't obvious, I'm talking about commercially produced movies, either ripped directly from DVD source, or transcoded to VCD

I don't really have an interest in running a swap like that, since I wouldn't participate (like jacquilynne says, half the fun is making the mix). But if you want to run a video swap, I'd be happy to send you the code I use to keep track of things..
posted by cmonkey at 12:52 PM on November 3, 2005

Will I get made fun of if my mix tape consists of Creed, Bush and Nickelback? Alternatively, will there be an organized effort to shame those whose mixes contain the aforementioned artists?
posted by mullacc at 12:54 PM on November 3, 2005

I want mullacc in my swapset. I will send to him all my best John Denver.

So, why "adamantly" opposed to receiving a tape? I don't want a tape, but I don't think they're diseased or anything.

It's about 80s music, isn't it? You just had to sneak Adam Ant in there somehow.
posted by frykitty at 1:45 PM on November 3, 2005

C30C60C90GO!
posted by klangklangston at 2:00 PM on November 3, 2005

So, why "adamantly" opposed to receiving a tape? I don't want a tape, but I don't think they're diseased or anything.

I'd be adamantly opposed to recieving a tape if I didn't have a tape deck.

<3 adam ant
posted by cmonkey at 2:09 PM on November 3, 2005

Ditto the adamently opposed.
posted by arcticwoman at 2:38 PM on November 3, 2005

Will I get made fun of if my mix tape consists of Creed, Bush and Nickelback? Alternatively, will there be an organized effort to shame those whose mixes contain the aforementioned artists?

*scraps mix, starts over. . .
posted by Quartermass at 2:46 PM on November 3, 2005

don't tread on an ant / he's done nothing to you / there might come a day / when he's treading on you! / antmusic, oh-oh-oh-oh
posted by scody at 3:01 PM on November 3, 2005

and I get introduced to bands I might like to hear more of

And you could get introduced to directors or actors you've never heard of, too.

I don't really have an interest in running a swap like that, since I wouldn't participate

You wouldn't participate? What does that mean? You wouldn't watch the movies? You don't have to send movies, I was only asking if it were an option. You could, for example, get 3 audio mixes and 2 foriegn films, but when you send out your 5 CD's, they're just audio mixes.

Oh well, just an idea. I guess it's more important that you hear some obscure 60's garage band that only sold 10 records than it is to see the groundbreaking Rossellini film that brought the concept of neo-realism to the cinema.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:22 PM on November 3, 2005

I think, Civil_Disobedient, the movie idea is outside the scope of what is intended here. That may be an interesting idea, but I think getting 40+ people to agree to the extra terms at this point is dubious. This was billed and set up as a music swap.

Start a movie trading club.

PS Not sure at all, but the legalities may be a bit stickier with coping whole movies, even if it is not for cash.
posted by edgeways at 3:42 PM on November 3, 2005

I guess it's more important that you hear some obscure 60's garage band that only sold 10 records than it is to see the groundbreaking Rossellini film that brought the concept of neo-realism to the cinema.

Um, it is possible to be an aficianado of both music and movies. Just because I like obscure '60s garagebands doesn't mean I don't like Rossellini, too. The problem for me with a movie swap is not that I'm some chick flick nitwit but that I can't reciprocate -- I don't have a freakin' DVD burner! Jeez. Get off your high horse and start a separate movie swap if you want.
posted by scody at 3:53 PM on November 3, 2005

I'd like to try this. I've got a question though. What makes a mix tape a mix tape? Is it supposed to have a theme? A consistent beat or is it fine if I just put some music together that I like for whatever reason?
posted by substrate at 4:27 PM on November 3, 2005

Count me out if tapes may be involved. Can tape machines even be bought still?
posted by mischief at 4:30 PM on November 3, 2005

Oh, and moift you weren't just rattling sabers over your homepage being not safe for work. I will have to apply anal bleaching to my eyes.
posted by substrate at 4:30 PM on November 3, 2005

Themes are for sissies, afraid of the awesome power of CHAOS!
posted by klangklangston at 4:53 PM on November 3, 2005

(My girlfriend disagrees strenuously).
posted by klangklangston at 4:53 PM on November 3, 2005

Substrate: all of the above.

Me, I just put together whatever I've been listening to lately, especially if I think others may not have heard it yet. I suspect for this type of swap, this is what most folks will do.

Themes are more for parties. Or breakups.
posted by frykitty at 5:20 PM on November 3, 2005

I don't have a freakin' DVD burner!

Please read this again.

edgeways, I see your point and agree completely. I sadly don't have the time to set up a separate movie swap, but thank you, cmonkey, for offering your help.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:40 PM on November 3, 2005

I guess it's more important that you hear some obscure 60's garage band that only sold 10 records than it is to see the groundbreaking Rossellini film that brought the concept of neo-realism to the cinema.

Wow, Civil_Disobedient, overreact much? The idea of someone wholesale copying an entire movie and sending it to me doesn't really go together with the idea of a music mix disc swap. For one thing, one movie is not like a CD with 20 artists on it. Not from an explorating new things standpoint. Not from a feeling like you've learned about the person on the other end standpoint. Not from a fair use standpoint.

Add to that the fact that, that personally, no, frankly, I don't care about movies as much as I care about music, or I'd spend my free time trying to become a professional movie critic instead, and the fact that I don't even own a real DVD player, and the whole thing appeals not at all.

By all means, a separate swap for those who want to trade in bootleg DVDs, go ahead, but please don't mix it in with the music swap, because I'm not interested.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:29 PM on November 3, 2005

And I managed to write all of that without making my actual point which was 'No one was suggesting that movies are less worthwhile than music or attacking your choice of interests, just pointing out that they don't really fit in with the ideal behind the swap.'
posted by jacquilynne at 9:09 PM on November 3, 2005

For one thing, one movie is not like a CD with 20 artists on it.

It can be. Movies can be compressed, you know?

Not from an explorating new things standpoint.

You say you don't care about movies as much as you do music. Given that, you must admit the possibility that perhaps someone might have some recommendations that could broaden your horizons. Just like with music.

Not from a feeling like you've learned about the person on the other end standpoint.

See above. Movies can be art, too.

Not from a fair use standpoint.

Ha. You can dress this up however you like, but CD's aren't lossy mediums like tapes are. This isn't like you're waiting for a song to come on the radio, carefully cueing up a tape to the right spot, waiting to release the pause button right after the station identification. You're ripping audio and burning it. It's the same damned thing. But I hope the view is nice up their on your high horse.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:25 PM on November 3, 2005

And as for not owning a DVD player, as stated above, plenty of people don't own tape players any more. So I guess they're SOL when they get a tape in the mail.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:27 PM on November 3, 2005

Probably why there isn't a button for objecting to receiving a tape, and not a CD. Yeah.

I think a movie swap would be sweet, but...while I like movies, I know fuck-all about them (like so many others), and really could go without getting CDs of the movie equivalent of Less Than Jake in the mail...
posted by hototogisu at 9:47 PM on November 3, 2005

I'm looking forward to doing a mix swap again. Thanks for the reminder; I'd lost cmonkey's swap page.

Civil_Disobedient: I think you've got a fine idea for a spinoff swap. Asking people who've already signed up for a music swap to change the rules halfway through is a little much, though. Try starting your own swap--maybe there's some interest.

Substrate: A good mix doesn't necessarily have a theme. I've heard mixes of track 3s from someone's LMNO artists, mixes with various themes (road, relationships, events, etc.), trainwrecks, collections of samey-sounding music. When your question's come up in the past for the mefiswap (and similar ones about including particular artists), the general response is to make a mix you like. Themed or not, pop or not, that you dig it is enough.
posted by carsonb at 9:53 PM on November 3, 2005

Asking people who've already signed up for a music swap to change the rules halfway through is a little much, though.

I completely agree, that's a very fair point (which edgeways mentioned as well).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:38 AM on November 4, 2005

I still don't see the parallel in exploration between 20 songs and one movie. I've never received a mix disc that didn't have at least one song that was both new and interesting to me, but many of them have many songs that I think suck. I can imagine getting a movie that I've already seen from a director I've already heard of starring actors I already know and going 'Gee, I guess I could have bought this if I wanted it.' But if there's the possibility of sending multiple movies that's more in the spirit of things. I'm still personally not interested, but I can see how it would be far more in line with the idea.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:44 AM on November 4, 2005

"It can be. Movies can be compressed, you know?"
Not without looking like absolute ass.

But hey, if you've got a high quality copy of the Cremaster series lying around somewhere, I'll trade you a couple of out-of-print and wildly distorted Tarzan serials from the 30s.
(Your swap'd make more sense if I had a video toaster to make a mix collage of a bunch of movie scenes, kinda like songs off of an album...)
posted by klangklangston at 6:53 AM on November 4, 2005

The way I encode movies, I can fit about 5-6 hours on a DVD at NTSC resolution (multiple-pass encodes). Any more and it starts to look like ass, as klang^2ston points out. I then use a simple DVD authoring program so when you pop in the DVD, you get a little menu where you can select what you want to watch (kind of like selecting specific scenes from a DVD, only in this case, selecting entire movies). For instance, I could fit my copy of Kieslowski's Dekalog on to two DVD's, and you could choose which story you wanted to watch.

Anyway, I don't want to antagonize anyone. This is a fine idea as it stands, I was just curious about the possibility.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:37 AM on November 4, 2005

registered!
posted by chococat at 10:17 AM on November 4, 2005