I just tried to watch some presentation videos from Wikimania.
Some had very weak sound, some had no sound in the first minutes,
some only played the first minute and then stopped. I don't think
the Wikimania videos are unique in having such problems. Video is
new to Commons, and the expert contributors are more familiar with
still images.
How can we learn to make better videos? Are there some good
instructions? Perhaps a free instruction video (Wikibooks, but a
video instead of a book) on how to produce good videos is what we
need. In fact, the English Wikibooks has a title on "Video
Production", http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Video_Production but it
doesn't have a clear focus (pun not intended). It starts out with
discussing satellite TV and has long sections on file formats in
different operating systems.
There is a help page on Commons for converting video to the Ogg
Theora format, but that is only the last step in a long chain.
Given that video is new, how can we find and rate videos, nominate
"good/featured videos", and give advice on how to improve quality?
Is the Commons village pump enough for this? Commons has a
separate graphics village pump. Do we also need a separate video
village pump?
Current digital video cameras use hard disks or memory cards,
instead of tape cassettes. Many new models cost less than 300
euro (or dollars), some as little as 120 euro (memory card perhaps
not included). Some have a special "Youtube mode", and I guess
that kind of usage is what drives the price down. What models are
good, and what should one watch out for?
We can find free still photos on Flickr and copy them to Commons.
Is there somewhere we can find free videos and copy them? Yes, at
the Internet Archive. Somewhere else?
--
Lars Aronsson (lars(a)aronsson.se)
Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se
Dear Wikimedia Community,
Apologies for cross-posting this but I hope this email finds you well. We
are excited to officially announce the kick-starting of Wiki Loves Folklore
(WLF) and Feminism and Folklore! As active members of the Wikimedia
community, we invite you to join us in celebrating and documenting the folk
culture from around the world.
Wiki Loves Folklore (WLF):
Wiki Loves Folklore is an annual international photography competition that
runs throughout February, organized by Wikimedia community members and
local affiliates. The competition's mission is to preserve and promote
intangible cultural heritage through the lens of photography. We encourage
photographers to contribute media showcasing their local folk culture to
Wikimedia Commons under free licenses. The resulting media can then be
utilized on Wikipedia and various platforms with proper attribution.
Feminism and Folklore:
In addition to WLF, we are thrilled to present Feminism and Folklore, an
international writing contest held on Wikipedia annually during February
and March. This contest aims to document folk cultures and the role of
women in folklore across different regions of the world. Feminism and
Folklore is the written counterpart of the photography campaign Wiki Loves
Folklore (WLF) organized on Wikimedia Commons to capture and document
folklore traditions globally.
Key Dates:
- Start Date: February 1, 2024
- Deadline: March 31, 2024
How You Can Participate:
We encourage our local organizers to please start putting your houses in
order for this event. Whether you're a seasoned contributor or a newcomer,
your involvement is crucial in making these projects a success. Here's how
you can participate:
1. Organize Events: Plan meet-ups, edit-a-thons, or workshops to engage
your local community in contributing to Wiki Loves Folklore and Feminism
and Folklore. Share your event details on relevant platforms to attract
participants.
2. Spread the Word: Use your social media channels, mailing lists, and
community forums to spread awareness about these projects. Encourage others
to join and contribute their unique perspectives.
3. Document and Contribute: Be an active participant by documenting and
contributing content related to folk culture and feminism in folklore. Your
contributions will help enrich the global understanding of these important
cultural aspects and at the end of the day you win some fanatic prizes.
4. Support New Contributors: please let us Welcome the newcomers and guide
them through the process. Encourage them to share their images taken by
themselves and not download images off the internet.
Together, let's celebrate and preserve the diverse cultural heritage that
defines us.
For more details and to participate, visit the official Wiki Loves Folklore
and Feminism and Folklore pages on Facebook, Instagram, X, Telegram,
Youtube and on our Wikimedia talk pages on Commons
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Folklore> or just
email support(a)wikilovesfolklore.org. For any tools related
inquiries/suggestion/complaints write us on tools(a)wikilovesfolklore.org
Thank you for your dedication to the Wikimedia community. We look forward
to seeing your contributions and the vibrant documentation of folk culture
and feminism in folklore.
Best regards,
Isaac Chabota Kanguya
Communication Officer on behalf the
Wiki Loves Folklore International Team
Dear Community,
Just a friendly reminder about the second Campaign Office Hour for Wiki
Loves Folklore's 2024 edition happening today.
Join us for engaging discussions, guidelines, and collective contributions
to shape the exciting five-year journey ahead. Your active participation is
highly valued, so feel free to share anything related to Folklore within
your community.
Meeting Details:
Date: Saturday, 20th January 2024
Time: 14:00hrs UTC
Venue: Online (Zoom) [1]
Please confirm your participation by sign up on meta
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Folklore_2024_Office_Hour#Partic…>
[2].
Looking forward to your valuable contributions and enriching discussions
that will shape the success of Wiki Loves Folklore 2024.
Best regards,
Isaac Kanguya
Communication Officer WLF 2024
[1] Zoom
<https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87530839056?pwd=EdyZ99R2NpPb5KvZFqTfucbj7zmbar.1>
[2] Sign-up link
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Folklore_2024_Office_Hour#Partic…>