Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: It's urs!

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  • Russell Brown,

    Congratulations, Damian. I remember you first mentioning this to me as an an idea, and I'm bloody impressed at your focus and commitment in bringing it to fruition.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    So, a couple of days ago, my (queer, disabled) fifteen year old daughter showed us a short story she'd written in her Creative Writing class. And I kept thinking, there should be some way of sharing this more widely, in a safe environment.

    I'm not sure, though, that's it's "age-appropriate" - whatever that means for 13-25 year olds.

    However. That aside, I think this is a brilliant idea, and I'd be happy to help curate content.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Dan Salmon,

    Great idea, with massive potential. Looking forward to see how it all works. The challenge, as always, will be in matching viewers to the type of content they want to see.
    I had no idea about the youtube's blanket music agreement. Interesting.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 40 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    Thanks Emma (and Russell!).

    Yeah... "age appropriate"... tricky one eh. Just one of the minefields. You don't want to say "hey, these thoughts of yours aren't valid or appropriate", but on the other hand...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Dan Salmon,

    I had no idea about the youtube’s blanket music agreement.

    Neither did I until I made a courtesy call to Chris Caddick at RIANZ to discuss exactly how we might mitigate any issues arising from kids using copyright music in their videos. Apparently if it's on YouTube, it's not an issue. I'd still like to insist that the artist/song are credited as a courtesy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Helen Searancke,

    Wonderful! As a parent of an almost twelve year old who is bursting with (often oddball) creativity, I really appreciate what you're doing. Hoping urs will become hers in years to come. Wishing you much success with a worthwhile venture.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 24 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    Cracker ! As a parent of two 15-year-old creatives it is a very timely launch. Moderating comments/posts is essential for that age group. If I can help (curating/editing/writing etc), let me know.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Brent Jackson,

    Great idea. Hope it takes off.

    It’s called “urs”. It’s pronounced “yours”

    Are you sure it's not pronounced "ours" ? Especially with that logo.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 620 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Brent Jackson,

    Especially with that logo.

    (which, to me at least, also signals “Make it Japanese” : )

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Damian! I love it! Will you have my children
    's creative output?

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    I really really hope this catches the imagination of the young creative people who are out there. Good luck, even with all the work you have put into it I think you'll need some luck.

    to ensure it’s age appropriate

    Of course you have to do this. But it is interesting that many of the best creations from youth will not themselves be age appropriate. They'll be able to make it but not read/see/hear/touch it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Damian, what a bloody great idea (and goal). Sincere congrats for doing something valuable. FWIW, I'll keep an eye out in Sydney for anything/content/idea that might assist.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Yeah, age appropriate is going to be tricky. My 14 year old makes short zombie movies in his spare time. They're probably M rated rather than R18. This sort of site would be perfect to get a wider audience for them, it would be a shame to limit it to G rated stuff.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    They'll be able to make it but not read/see/hear/touch it.

    Yeah, this is the issue we're running into with my daughter. She's producing stuff that's, well, "inappropriate" for a fifteen year old. Still, come next month she'll be sixteen, and legally allowed to do things she's not legally allowed to watch.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Congratulations, as Russell said. Ideas are easy, but execution takes work.

    Did you give prominent 16 year old journalists and celebrities a week's free supply of the product?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Susan Snowdon,

    The Collection was such a lovely work by Odette Benoit. I really enjoyed how she gently allowed Darcy to tell his story. I recommend it if you haven't already viewed it.

    Since Mar 2008 • 110 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Fraser,

    Nice. It could fit really well with a Mashup competition we're running for secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty. It's an IT, marketing and business skills competition run over one weekend on 13 and 14 April in Tauranga. You can see more at www.mashup.co.nz

    New Zealand • Since Mar 2013 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Damion; Any chance to get news of this around my media teacher networks before I head to the US on Sunday?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Lisa McEwan,

    Fab! Looking forward to future collaborations.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2013 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    My 14 year old makes short zombie movies in his spare time

    Damian was saying he wanted our brains…

    But seriously, what a fantastic concept this is!! My young self would have been over the moon. Creating, sharing, connecting…wow.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Damion; Any chance to get news of this around my media teacher networks before I head to the US on Sunday?

    Geoff - Yes. Drop me a line damian.christie@gmail.com ? Let me know what you need. Also, can I have your wife's details, I'd like to include her on the small beta group if she's keen.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Bruce Fraser,

    It could fit really well with a Mashup competition we're running for secondary schools

    Hey - Bruce yeah part of the plan is to work alongside any number of existing competitions out there, and figure out a 'media' angle that works. So for example Rockquest, I'd like to be able to have a music video competition that runs alongside it (and me and the Rockquest folks are talking next week about that!). Might be a bit late to get anything alongside Mashup this year, but stay in touch re anything else - APN also keen to do stuff with their regional papers, which could work with you too.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    My 14 year old makes short zombie movies in his spare time.

    I'm not super fussed about it - if it's being made by a 14 year old, and it doesn't make you seriously consider where you've gone wrong as a parent, then it's probably okay. Gotta be careful with the underage sex stuff, obviously, don't want to be the next Pavement. But Zombies? Bring it, I reckon.

    Kids making violent videos is nothing new, probably as old as playing Cowboys & Indians - I found a 'Spot On' school video competition from the early 80s where they were bemoaning how many entries were too violent to play on TV. What probably seems cool and outrageous to them - a massive fake gunfight, Die Hard style, seems like a waste of time to me, but I'm not going to ban it - but nor am I going to stick a 'featured' label on it and place it at the top of the homepage.

    That spot is reserved for Odette Benoit, at least for the first few weeks. :)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    What a wonderful thing to do!

    We've run into the age appropriateness issue at our primary school a few times with some parents being horrified about their five year olds watching the older kids' videos of zombies and Hunger Games rip offs. I do see their point but also see that it's important for those kids to share their work with a wider community.

    My oldest has largely avoided that ire by lovingly rendering his death and destruction in Lego.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Wonderful initiative, Damian. Two suggestions:

    Maybe talk to the folk at DigitalNZ who run Mix&Mash.

    Get Creative Commons Aotearoa on board to help foster awareness of copyright issues in a constructive way - and ensure most of the material you publish is explicitly licensed for sharing.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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