It Only Takes One
Broadcasting things live is a tricky thing. There’s always this element of the ‘unknown’ and I think that’s what freaks some people out. I think that’s what causes people to shy away from it and decide to not do it. There’s also this element of making yourself subject to the public in real time. Where all you can do is react to people and what the decide to do. I think this freaks people out too.
I don’t know how many of you showed up to Jonny Diaz’s Live Chat last night, but if you did you noticed the “one chatter”. You know the one. The fifteen year old hiding in his mom’s basement typing the most offensive things he his middle school brain can think of to try to get a reaction from the rest of the chatters. Now, most of you know, this stuff happens. If you’ve ever been on any sort of live chatting thing, there’s always some scholar that throws out obscenities to try to get a reaction and it’s pretty easy to ban them from the chat. However, last night was a little different.
Due to some technical issues beyond my control and the flippant attitude for customer service expressed by Ustream I was somehow blocked out from being able to ban Mr. Offensive Chatter. What should have taken two clicks of a mouse turned into three phone calls and creating a whole new account to simply log in and block him. The problem? It’s a game now and he’s trying to be more offensive.
So, ten minutes and several comments later, I was finally able to ban him from the chat with no help from Ustream or even an, “I’m sorry this happened.” Not scoring points for Ustream.
So, bottom line. If you were offended, annoyed, distracted, or whatever else last night during the chat I apologize. Some time this stuff happens and we’ve got to just roll with it. Next I’ll be writing an email to the co-founder of Ustream to ask him if he thinks I should switch back to Mogulus for our live broadcasts.
+ (While a frustrated post, I am still being positive… except for my attitude toward Ustream)
Tales From The Projection Room
So, a lot of you showed up on Natalie’s site yesterday to watch her show live from Nashville and I appreciate you all spreading the word like you did, and sticking around till the end. I wanted to give you a little insight to the weirdness that goes on with doing something like this at a different venue every day, and sort of what goes on with that.
First of all we showed up at the Belcourt Theatre at around noon and asked where we would be setting up. The first guy we talked to said that most likely we would be on the stage since the show was sold out and there would be no room in the seats. Fair enough. The second guy told us that there was room up in the projection room to set up and the hole in the wall would be good for the camera. Works for me.
Now, here’s the thing about this room. I’d never been in a projection room before, but they are just as creepy and weird as the movies and my imagination has made them out to be. Lots of machines, lots of weird film looking things, and a toilet in the corner. Yep a real live toilet. I suppose that would come in handy if there was one guy up there by himself unable to leave, but yesterday it was left unused.
Here’s the other thing about these kinds of venues. The internet is a funny thing. From about noon until eight that night, we had the best internet we could ask for. Everything was advanced, prepared for, plugged in and set up, then something downstairs happened. Something that caused the internet to decide to stop working throwing the entire weird room into a frenzy. Cables were being changed, modems restarted, computers swapped out and all because ‘something happened’. Funny how that works huh?
I suppose that’s the hazards of doing something that hasn’t been done before. Sure people have broadcast shows, sure we did it on the MercyMe tour, but the reality is that I’ve talked to Ustream’s Co-Founder and he’s told me that no one is doing this on the level that we are. Encouraging and intimidating at the same time. One thing is consistent though at every venue we are at. Something will be different. Something will be hard. And the internet is a fickle thing. All this to say, thanks for your patience and all the support you guy are throwing our way. We appreciate it more than you know, and we’re working hard to bring you something awesome, different and fun.
