Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Future: If You Only Read One film ick Post, Make It This One

Let me tell you a secret.

I don't want to do this anymore. Not the way I've been doing it in the past.

I've spent the last week trying to find ways to make this enterprise fit in with the rest of my life. Ways in which I can collect, collate, read and pass on film news; ways in which I can see films, write reviews and publish them; ways in which I can strip download links from trailers and post them for your enjoyment.

And, the bottom line is, I can't make it any more efficient, really, than it ever was.

For the best part of a year, film ick has taken an average of three hours out of my day. Each and every day. For a year before that, it was taking maybe one to two hours per day - but I improved things, became more serious, and that cost me the extra time.

I can't go on giving up 21 hours a week for this. There are all sorts of things that have suffered.

I'm very busy teaching, at the moment with several students needing up to four hours of personal tuition a week each; I'm working on the script for one feature film, one short film and - while we're revealing all of our secrets - I'm deep into development on another feature film that should be shooting before the year's end. And that, of course, takes even more of my time - and of course, it deserves it. And it deserves my energies.

And I have a personal life to attend to too, of course. A partner, parents, siblings, friends and a splendid dog and I'm glad for my time with all of them, and I don't want to miss out on so much any longer.

To be blunt, film ick has become something of a thorn in my side.

For the longest time, I felt like running this site was an almost painless endeavour. I was reading all of this information anyway, so what harm was there in passing it on? But then I actually started looking at the clock, seeing how much time was vanishing. When I was ill a few weeks ago it became incredibly obvious how much of my life film ick was chewing up.

So I don't want to do it anymore.

Sorry. Some readers here really seem to appreciate my work, which is touching and very much appreciated in return, while some others act as though they think they're entitled to it - as though they're paying me for this. There aren't even any ads on the page - and, in fact, it costs me to keep this place afloat. To you people I say: come here if you want, don't if you don't, but don't whinge at me for not providing the exact service you'd prefer. Instead, you can simply suggest some improvements, maybe? You never know - they might come to pass.

Now, I'm going to look for ways to make the process of creating the posts here more efficient for me, I swear. Any suggestions will be most gratefully received. If I can get the time required down to an average of 75 minutes or so a day, then I'll dive back in head first. You can have ten hours of my week for free - why not?

Until then... abnormal service is resumed. Irregular updates, of indeterminate size and content. Think of them like columns in a weekly magazine, perhaps. They won't be as rare as weekly, may sometimes be as regular as daily - or more frequent, even, when required or inspired.

I've had intermittent help from a good number of contributors, and I'd like to thank them all once again , but nobody became capable enough that they could hold the fort alone for two or three days a week (though Rachael did learn a lot of my techniques and secrets and, if she had the time, I'd trust her implicitly - but she absolutely doesn't, so it's moot). For better and worse, this has been pretty much a one man outfit pretty much all of the time.

I hope all of this gives you some context and helps you understand what you can expect from me in the future. Any possible solutions you can offer, please do. In the meantime, I'd suggest you sign up to film ick with an RSS reader or the e-mail subscription widget in the right hand column - that way the sporadic, unpredictable posting schedule to follow won't prevent you from getting the latest in a timely fashion.

Thanks again for all of your support and I hope you can hold on and stick with me. I'm back, at last - but the site is just going to have to share me.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

No worries dude. Your blog was a breath of fresh air while it lasted.

Anonymous said...

You can't do this, you OWE me this website!
In all seriousness, this is the only film site I check on a regular basis because it's been always reliable and opinionated, which I like because it shows you care about the medium.
Thanks for the effort you've put in Brendon, I never realised it took up so much of your time. I'll keep reading, and good luck with your film projects.

Adam said...

Bless you for your efforts Brendon. This is the best moviefan website I've visited ever. I hope you do find a way to keep this going. Maybe course credit for your students who volunteer their time and you can delegate work to?

Just a thought. :)

Anonymous said...

I always look forward to filmick updates, wether or not I agree with your opinions. It's a shame you can't monetise it or build some kind of time machine...

Either way, i'll keep reading and submitting in the hope that one day you become rich enough to do this full time :)

J

Anonymous said...

fully understand, hope you find a solution though, this is by far my film info portal of choice. :)

Unknown said...

I appreciate all of the work you've put into it, and I often wondered when you found the time to put up the wealth of information. I wouldn't mind it if you stuck only with the stories for which you have direct sources and just posted links to aintitcool and others in the recommended sites section. And movie reviews when the need would arise. Thank you for the hard work, this is a wonderful website, and good luck on your film work.

Rich D said...

Brendon- As someone who is trying to do something similar to what you've beeen doing here, I fully understand the time commitment required, and how hard it is to juggle everything else going on in life. I usually keep the words of John Lennon in mind- "Life is what happens when you're making other plans."

No worries though, I think that you've created something that will keep people coming back no matter the regularity/irregularity of the posting.

Thanks for the links you've posted my way!

Cheers,
Rich

Unknown said...

Hey man, no prob. Really appreciate the site and hope you'll still be around every now and then. In the meantime i feel like going for that e-mail update.
So much for my filmick fit...

:-)

Andy

Anonymous said...

this comes quite like a shock
I loved your side.

greeting from germany!

Unknown said...

I'd like to echo what everyone else is saying. This is, in my opinion, the best movie blog around. On this note, I think it is important to remember that a blog, to all intents and purposes, exists for the personal gratification of the author. The fact that people enjoy reading should be a bi-product, and a testament to the quality of the content (and anyone who does not appreciate what you do here at filmick would do well to remember this). So if you feel your time input is too great then it is entirely your prerogative to tune it down a notch, indeed it is to your credit that you have gone to such great lengths to explain your decision. As far as suggestions to improve the efficiency of filmick are concerned, again I think it is a testament to your diligence as a blogger that this concerns you so. I personally think the way that would best sustain filmick would be to resume normal service, albeit with a reduced input on your behalf. With all due respect to your other contributors, I feel that franchising it out, as it were, would merely dilute what you have built filmick up to be; a blog is (or should be to my mind) an embodiment of its author. So, in short, I'd like to take this chance to thank you, congratulate you on a brilliant blog, and leave you assured that however you choose to proceed, I for one appreciate filmick, and will continue to do so.

Keep the faith!

Peter

Unknown said...

I think it is amazing that you have kept up the work load you have out of a love of film for such a period of time- I came to this site quite late but it has always been one highly recommended to me by other film fans online.

Aside from providing a microblog/ twitter feed on the page to update with info as and when you or other locate them, contacting film companies/ distributors directly about paid for advertisement on the site for upcoming titles - or requesting small donations from blog readers (if every reader gave you a pound?)...

but aside from this I completely understand your reasons and thank you for all your hard work to date.

Anonymous said...

brendon, i agree with everybody above me.

your work here at filmick will still dazzle us for some time.

good luck with your projects, and be sure to let us know about them! ; ) we sure want to see what you're up to.

greetings from brazil.

A.R.M. said...

This is the best film blog I've seen yet. I'm not sure what to subscribe to, now that I can't depend on this one.

Great work, Brendon, and good luck with everything else you get your hands into!

A.R.M. said...

One more thing: Why no ads? I would not complain at all to have some Google ads or a few banners floating about. The content here is worth it.

Tyler Foster said...

I think your readers have not worried much about the timeliness of updates. In all honesty I never noticed much that your posts were sporadic, mainly because most of the information you post (in my eyes anyway) is a scoop on other websites anyway. You may be posting it three days late but if it's the first time I've read it will I even notice?

But I'd be happy to help. It sounds like it's more complicated than it looks, though.

Still, it's curious. Another website I frequent posted the same thing today. All my websites can't go down at the same time dammit.

Anonymous said...

Regular or intermittent, doesn't change how good your writing is and whether or not we who enjoy it so much will come back.
It's really interesting to me that people who share their thoughts(you, Brendon) in this relatively new forum sometimes, even subconsciously, take the task on themselves of thinking they need to be everything they can't be for those who want what they want when they want it.
(Do those who used to and still enjoy contributing to public access television ever know who watches and even more, who likes what they're doing?)
Dunno, just a thought.
I feel bad that you felt you even had to let this site take up three hours of your day to provide information most times that is readily available anywhere else.
What sets this site apart from all the information is your critical writing...and that is what will be missed...if it isn't provided at least even sporadically.
My father once said: "Never make what you truly love to do a job...it'll make it a slog, and ruin it. Unless you're making a lot of money, in which case...what I just said means nothing."
He also said; "Give them only what you can, but for Christ's sake...give them your best...don't make anyone force you to give more than you can."
So give us what you can, what you're good at, because that's what makes us like it so.
Here's to hoping you come back...at all.
Good luck on everything you do, and if anything, let us know what is happening with those, and where we can see them.
-Long Time American Reader

zenbullets said...

NNooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

Somebody pay this man. This blog is gold-dust.

Mark Kardwell said...

Follow your muse, write the stories you want to write, instead of scurrying around linking to stuff you patently don't give a hoot about, and I'm sure you'll find your mojo again.

Bunny Poe said...

Never fucking apologize for tending to your own goddamned needs, shitter. I read this fucker every day, and that, in itself, is embarrassing. If you're earnest, I'll see yuns in Valhalla. If you're fishing to keep going...dirty trick, shame shame. See you in Turdsylvania.

Shaun Featherstone said...

Totally understand and thank you for one of the most enlightened and no BS movie news sites on the web.

All the best for the future!

Anonymous said...

Whatever you need to do is fine- I've enjoyed film ick for about a year(?) and I can surely understand that life has other callings. Especially when you do this for free.

I appreciate your work and the writing itself is snappy and well done. I'll be adding the blog to my rss so I can keep up better. Thanks for all your hard work!

MB- Portland, OR, USA

Sam said...

Ah, too bad-I've really enjoyed this website
Good luck to you!

m0reta said...

I enjoy your free time. Now for your soul!!!

Thanks for the time you give though. I find your blog always fun for 3 hours too! ;-)

Anonymous said...

B-

Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus celebrating this site - as someone who works in the business, I can honestly say this site provides a level of film geekery enthusiasm matched with development insight which is frankly unique and potentially valuable than you've realised - you should absolutely listen to the people suggesting that you try to make money from this resource and your time going forward, whether it's Google ads or something else.

In all events, thank you for the music - and may the ick keep a-coming...

Unknown said...

Brendon -
There truly isn't anything else I can say to you that hasn't been said. I completely understand that there are many reasons to let it go, but Adam certainly had a good idea when he suggested students... assistance... melding the two together :) However, having been a student aid to a professor, that can be just as trying.

I wish you much fruition with all of your future projects and look forward to seeing them 30 feet high and glorious! Whatever you can offer, I'll happily accept and pass on the good word.

Peace & Much Success to You!

Anonymous said...

you are my best source of new film infos! I hope your blog doesn't disappear completely :(

Pinflux said...

I only found this site less than half a year ago, but I've read it regularly since then. It's the only film blog I've ever read and it's been wonderful to have film news and opinions thrown my way on a regular basis. Thanks a tonne for all the time you've frittered away making my day (and my business partners - we've started our own small animation studio this year) more interesting!

I've just added this account to my google reader page so I'll get the news whenever you post it... don't waste your precious time here when you have so much on your plate! Enjoy life and post when you can and I'll still be happy!

Cheers,
Jeremy
www.rhubarbzoo.com

[*-*] said...

3 hours a day? I'm sure that's a conservative estimate. As someone who reads and sometimes reposts your links and news (and very briefly contributed), I appreciate what you've been doing. Shame you can't turn the blog into a site and turn a few quid out of it - I'm sure you get enough hits to host some (tasteful and relatively discreet) advertising, and this might allow you to delegate some of the workload.

JD said...

Hey,

All good things come to an end, and a lot of the time things like this take up an enormous amount of time. I don't think anyone would blame you if you let it go, there are more important things in life. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy reading your site, or your posts. I'm grateful, man, for the time you have put in. If you left it all behind tomorrow, there would definitely be no ill will. Have a good one,

JD

Anonymous said...

Like many others above me, this is my favourite movie website. The freshness of your approach means that I can enjoy your opinions and views, whether I agree with them or not. I really hope Film Ick continues in some form or another. Random updates is better than nothing at all. I dont suppose you would consider a weekly update in the style of a large Minesweeper(which I actually liked).
Whatever you do, good luck for the future

Paul

Chris Weston said...

Jeez, don't stress out about it, Brendon.
Do what you gotta do.

Anonymous said...

DEAR BRENDON, I AM AN ANIMATION FILMMAKER FROM iran AND I REALLY ENJOYED THIS SITE VERY MUCH FOR THE LAST YEAR,SPECIALLY THE TRAILER LINKS WERE VERY USEFUL TO ME AND MADE DOWNLOADING THEM VERRRRY EASY FOR ME, I HOPE THAT AT LEAST YOU CONTINUE POSTING THIS PART OF THE SITE ...I RALLY RECOGNIZE YOUR SHORTAGE OF TIME FOR RUNNING THE SITE ,HOWEVER THANX ALOT ....

Unknown said...

Bill and hire.

Nethaneld said...

I have only been here for like the past few months, but i am so grateful for the posts and info you put up on here. I'm a fanatic when it comes to movies and things like that. I only go to two sites when i wanna know about stuff in the movie entertainment world, filmick and themoviebox. This site is excellent and i adefinitely a huge fan.

Kevin T. Johns, writing coach said...

Like everyone else, I love the blog, but completely understand that other things in your life need to take precident!

Thor said...

This has been my favorite site for film news and I would like you to know that I appreciate all you've done very much.

Jeff

Smokey Ling said...

Wow, this is a bummer.
While I completely understand how time consuming this site must be for you, I'll certainly miss it.
I just want to applaud the work you've done (and the work I hope you'll still be doing)...top notch stuff and always a great read.

Take care and I'll now look forward even more to the sporadic updates (kind of like a breath of fresh air in the otherwise smoggy 'net).

Toodles,

Smokey
la,CA usa

Anonymous said...

You're making the right decision.

Life's too short for time consuming projects that don't give you back enough of what you personally need.

If there's something really important you want to say, say it here. Otherwise, let it go...