The movies will soon be upon us and Eugene and I want to do something a little different. We’ve all been watching these episodes on our own, here and there scattered across the world. But the modern home theater shift aside, films were meant to be seen in huge groups, together.
So what about a simultaneous viewing party? I’d probably set up some kind of audio or text chat, and we’d have to work out options for syncing up our various streaming, DVD, and blu-ray options, or some kind of desktop sharing.
Obviously this idea only works if people other than Eugene and I are interested, so cast your vote! Would you participate if we did it? Let us know when you’re free, and comment your thoughts and suggestions. I’m thinking either this weekend or next. Details such as timing and which movies are subject to feedback and the global locations of interested parties.
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I would loooove to participate!! Though I suppose voice chat for me would be in-person :)
I don’t have gear for any voice-chat, save for using my phone – I do have unlimited North American long-distance, so the phone’s viable for me, though. :)
To those who said they were interested and are still checking this thread: let me know a) who you are if you’re a commenter; b) what time zone you’re in; C) if you’d be free next Saturday (August 6th); and d) which movie or movies you’d want to see (i.e. if you want to skip TMP and go right to Khan, or do a two-fer).
Oh, and also let me know how you plan to watch the movies: do you have Netflix streaming (I think they’re all on Instant now), the DVDs, etc. (So that we have a backup plan if we can’t figure out a way to stream the movies ourselves.)
@ 2 CatieCat
I figured voice chat would probably be Skype conference calling (which is free for Skype-to-Skype but costs a nominal fee if you’re calling from a land line). I think Skype has free apps for both the Android and iPhone if you have a smartphone, so you can basically use your phone as the gear to connect via Skype? If that won’t work I’ll look at other options.
Alas, I’m a rather Ludd-leaning sf fan, mostly due to poverty (I’m physically disabled, but not enough so to meet the government’s definition of “enough”), and my options are these:
– text chat on my laptop (for which I have no audio equipment, like microphone or headphones)
– calling someone on my landline (the one with the great LD plan)
– looking frustratedly and sighing at my state-of-the-art-in-1999 mobile (it has 32MB of picture memory for its 1MP camera) – call this one the “dumbphone” option
But I suppose I can always comment after the movie, when you post about it? :)
@ 4 CatieCat
If I do a Skype call I can add a landline for some ridiculously low rate, like $0.02/minute, which adds up to a only a couple bucks and I may have some Skype credit lying around anyway because I almost never use it. (I marginally prefer text, for what it’s worth, and yes we will definitely write posts later though there will be a hiatus.) In any case I don’t want anyone to be left out for lack of technology!
I figure we’ll leave the poll open through the weekend and see what other responses we get. If no one’s free it’s a moot point anyway.
I’m interested, clearly I’m a commenter always shooting my fool mouth off.
I’m in the Pacific Time Zone.
I have netflix stremaing via both my PS3 and my Xbox whichcould do a part viewing fot hose xbox enabled. and we endured season 3 we can deal with the Motion Sickness.
@3 Torie Atkinson
I think we can also call landlines from Google Chat, and maybe set up a conference call that way?
@ 6 bobsandiego
I’ve never actually tried the Netflix party mode… it looksl ike it won’t integrate with people streaming on other devices (like PCs), though.
@ 7 Eugene
That’s right! I forgot about that. We should be able to make it work.
I’m in the UK, so I don’t think the timings will work for me, but I’ll likely pitch in ‘after the fact’. One question: will you be watching the Directors’ cuts for 1, 2 and 6? I can’t actually go back to viewing the theatrical releases after seeing them as the directors intended :-)
@ 9 EngineersMate
I think the current plan right now (subject to Eugene’s, Bob’s, and Catie’s approval) is to try a screening this Sunday afternoon EST, so if you’re around in the evening in the UK you should be able to join us. I’m pretty sure I only have the theatrical releases, though.
Netflix has removed the film from instant watch (as of a DAY ago, thanks, ugh) and we can’t find any other legal streaming solutions, so I think the current plan is to just all get our respective DVDs and blu-rays, get on Skype, and all push play at the same time. (Skype has both voice and text, I’ll get some credit to call CatieCat, and if anyone has problems with voice we can easily switch to text.) Bob, Catie, do you both own the movie? Would about 2pm EST/11am PST work for you? I’m flexible with time as my day is mostly free, so if you want to go later or earlier just let me know.
If this arrangement doesn’t work for anyone, maybe we can do something later with Wrath of Khan, which is still on Netflix Watch-It-Now… for the time being.
@ 3 & 10 Torie Saturday or Sunday? You seem to have said both and I was making my plans for Saturday….
@ 11 bobsandiego
Sunday, but I could do Saturday instead of that works better for folks.
Semi-regular commenter. Eastern time zone. 2pm EDT on Sun 8/7 works for me; I can also be flexible. I have DVDs, so the film we start with matters not. I’ve never used Skype or any other VOIP or chat app, but my laptop and I can probably figure something out.
@ 13 Orebaugh
Hurrah! So glad to hear it. I’ll throw up a post tomorrow, probably, with more details.
Do whatever is best for everyone else. I honest cannot say which will work best for me as there may be overtime at the day-job on saturday and I would need to do that to help pay for worldCon in reno and Sunday is my usual errand day.