The ethics of multiple recordings and calling dibs

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

There are several stories that I asked for permission to record, and even started to podfic, back before The Summer of WTF. (ie before the previous laptop expired, and my father died, and Bangkok went up in flames, with dramatic gunfights at the end of my road.) I still have this mental to-do list - which also includes going back to the Camelot/Torchwood fusion story I'd started writing - but I am also a flake, and avoidant, and heaven knows when/if this will happen. KL Morgan's lovely Labyrinth novel "A Forfeit of Dreams", which I'd been merrily podficcing, was completely lost - this is disheartening, since it is HUGE, but I will go back and start over eventually. I still haven't started on the J2 Jensen-stands-for-election story called, er, I forget what it's called, but it's very good, and West Wing flavoured, and I called dibs on it months ago and still haven't recorded it.

If someone else nipped in in the interim and wanted to podfic these (or, you know, anything else I'm recording/have recorded) I do believe I'd be perfectly sanguine about it, because (1) I might be finding it trickier to fit in the time/inclination to make the podfic after all, and be relieved that someone else is on the case, and (2) I do subscribe to the multiple-performances philosophy, as both a listener and a performer. Because different styles appeal to different listeners, so it seems a shame to say that, no, This Is The One True Version. That's the theoretical side of it; on a personal level, I podfic for completely selfish reasons, not out of some sense of service-to-the-community or whatever. I actively enjoy reading aloud, and getting to play different roles. It's fun. People want to play Hamlet because it's a brilliant role and exhilarating to perform, not because they think that all previous versions fucked it up, you know? And with covers of songs, it's because they think that they have something fresh to bring to it - or even just because it's a lovely song to sing, whether they're doing anything innovative or not? (I mean, I wander around singing absent-mindedly just because I love singing and it makes me happy, not because I think I can teach the ghost of Ella Fitzgerald a thing or two.)

So, anyway - that's what I think.

I am aware, though (argh - egotistical moment of ego) that I'm coming at this from the position of feeling confident in my own abilities in storytelling and acting. (Although not so much tech-fu - I'm very Luddite in the tech side of recording things.) I mean, I know my style isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it's not something I feel insecure about. It lives in the Things I Can Do bit of my brain, along with drawing and writing. If we were talking about an endeavour in another field, in one of the MYRIAD Things I Feel Insecure About, then I'd be all "Oh, no, I'm crap at that, no, no, go ahead, wow, I suck, skillz, I haz none." So, er, I think podfic is one of a handful of areas where my ego is sufficiently healthy that I wouldn't take it as a personal dis if someone wanted to record something I'd recorded/something I was planning to record - I'd just think "Yes! It's a brilliant story, isn't it? I TOTALLY understand you wanting to record it!" Rather than thinking "Are you saying I suck? Oh, God, you're saying I suck! Argh! I suck!" (which would be my response in various other areas.)

(Actually, if you've got a more story-appropriate accent, I'd be actively delighted - I know I've gone ahead and recorded quite a lot of podfics for American fandoms, but I also think that it would be A Very Good Thing if those stories were recorded by proper Americans who can do the voices properly. Or, you know, anyone else - but especially then! PSA - I am totally good with people recording stories I've already recorded. Please don't feel that I've baggsied them and you can't do it now, if you're at all tempted.)

But having read Juice817's post a while back and listened to the ensuing discussions about multiplicity of versions, I know that this is something where people don't all feel like me. And I think we're moving into greater acceptance of Multiple Recordings (which I think is brilliant!) but I don't think it's become the accepted community norm or anything at this point.

There are several long-ass stories I've recorded that other people had called first dibs on - 'Defenders of the Realm' because I'd been an idiot and recorded it (for myself, mostly - I was still more in the podfic-for-my-own-use headspace, and less in the podfic-within-a-community-of-listeners-and-podficcers headspace) before getting permission, just because I was so in love with the story. When I belatedly realised that it had been called dibs on, I apologised and backed off, and was going to just keep it for my own enjoyment rather than releasing it into the wilds - but the podficcer in question very graciously said it was okay. Which was awesome - but it did mean that she then DIDN'T go ahead with recording it, and I can't know whether she genuinely felt sanguine about that, or whether I took something from her. Argh.

With 'The Incestuous Courtship of the Antichrist's Bride' I held off recording it for a couple of months, because I knew someone had already asked for permission to record it, but I kept going back to see the situation & eventually checked in with the podficcer in question, and she said RL had eaten her, and she was okay with me doing it (much as I would be with either of the long-ass podfics mentioned above, even though I like the stories tremendously).

Current iteration of this particular dilemma:

I idly read and loved a short story this week, and checked Jinjurly's archive to see if it had been done, and left a note asking if I could record it (having already recorded another short story by this author in this fandom earlier on, and enjoyed it greatly) - and then I went ahead and recorded it before going to bed that night. Because it would be fun to do, and to listen to - and it was, and it is. And that's mostly why I make podfics - I mean, I was making them for my own use merrily for at least a year here in Thailand when I didn't have an adequate internet connection to upload or download anything, and wasn't sharing them with anyone - it was just so I could enjoy listening to the stories I'd loved. I'm sort of a raised-by-wolves feral podficcer, really.

So in the space between asking for permission in the evening, and getting a reply the next day, I'd made the podfic - it's only forty minutes or so, so it probably took up an hour to do, or thereabouts.

But it turns out that somebody already called dibs on the story. This, as I said, is not the first time I've done this, let enthusiasm go scampering ahead of establishing whether someone else is already on the case - but it's a dick move, and I know it is. Even though I subscribe to the multiple recordings philosophy in principle, not everyone else does, and we're still in the process of establishing community norms - so in practice I think it's pretty dickish of me to be all "Aha! The story you were looking forward to recording! I have recorded it already!" ESPECIALLY when it's such a short story, recorded on a whim. Because, you know - there's no way of knowing how Other Podficcer feels about this, and it's more than likely that in PM-ing them thus I rain on their parade and they feel that they can't record it/they feel like I've just thrown a bucket of ice water over them. That's the rub.

::headdesk::

I have a feeling that the honourable course is probably to just stfu and let the other lass go ahead and do her thing. Which is what I've done.

otoh, I know that there are stories that I've called dibs on (such as those cited above) but which I've still not got around to recording, and I'd be totally cool with someone else jumping in and doing it. It's conceivable that the lady in question feels the same way. Or that she'd be okay with both of us releasing versions into the wild. But if I ask her, then it becomes difficult for her to say no, even if she wants to.

So, Obi-Wan-KePodficpeeps, what are YOUR feelings about podfic etiquette in cases such as this? Both in larger terms of Multiple Recordings, and then also terms of this specific case of having inadvertently recorded something before realising that someone else had called dibs?

How would you feel if someone PM-ed you to say that, er, they'd just recorded something you're working on? Would you go ahead with your project, or abandon it? Would you be okay with both releasing versions simultaneously, to make it into some kind of event? Would you feel okay about it so long as you were allowed to release your version first, and a week or a month or something went by before the other one were released into the aether? Would you make a small voodoo doll of Evil Podficcing Git In Question and stab it repeatedly, and rend your hair and gnash your teeth, and then politely say that it was all fine, whilst inwardly feeling furious/gutted? Would you prefer that they just stfu and let you get on with recording the story you'd called dibs on?

Where do you stand on the idea of calling dibs, and multiple recordings? And what do you think would be appropriate in this particular instance?

(crossposted from Podficmeta on DW)

Comments

[nwhepcat.livejournal.com]

Since Jinjurly provided my entry into podfics, I duly subscribe to her philosophy of multiple=awesome. I've even thought about doing a podfic of an already-recorded story, though I wasn't prepared to do it for the remix event. (I like the remix as a regular event, though, to take some of the sting out of being remixed, if someone feels any.) Despite this, I was a little hestitant about the story in question when I learned the same reader had a story re-read in the remix -- would two people redoing her recordings make that reader feel picked on? Aaagh!

Since I haven't gotten around to recording the first story I asked permission for, it's not an immediate worry. (Though I really want to spend part of my Labor Day weekend recording story number 1.)

(In searching for an appropriate icon for podficcing, I found the perfect one for this particular question: Jonathan Coulton, who covered "Baby Got Back" as a folky acoustic tune. It's listenable for free on jonathancoulton.com, and I highly recommend it!)

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thank you!

[paraka]

(I like the remix as a regular event, though, to take some of the sting out of being remixed, if someone feels any.)
My plans at this point are to run the event annually. :)

Despite this, I was a little hestitant about the story in question when I learned the same reader had a story re-read in the remix -- would two people redoing her recordings make that reader feel picked on? Aaagh!
Well, the fact that she signed up means (or at least very strongly suggests) that she's down with the idea of multiple copies. I highly doubt she'd take it as being picked on.

I know I look at the fics that I have done and I'm all excited to see which one is chosen. Further more there's more than one I'd really be interested in seeing how someone else would do. So while I can't say how the author you're interested in remixing will take it, personally, I would be super excited. I think you should totally go for it.

[maerhys.livejournal.com]

I have two stances → community and personal. And, that sounds like a double standard. Hmm. I prefer multiple versions and I support any venue to get multiple versions of a podfic. I fully support past/present a/o simultaneously release of anything I write or record. I think you know where I am going with this. Also, part of this is selfish because I hate listening to myself. I record fics that I adore but I'd love for someone else to record them so I could enjoy listening to the fic. I may be a strange bird in this regard.

Now, personally, I have planned on recording something only to find out that someone else is actively recording it (a longer fic or a series) and I bow out because I have a list of stories I want to record that's about a mile long with a 250k story at the top of it, and I don't like listening to myself so if I can choose someone else to listen to, I will. And, further, it takes me forever to do a podfic. I am extremely picky about mixing and spend about as much (if not more time) mixing after I finish a recording (and editing it, re-recording parts, etc.) so it seems like a better use of my time to work on something that someone else has not recorded or is not currently recording. And, if I become aware of anyone interested in recording something that I have my eye on, I will back off for the reason above - it's purely selfish.

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Excellent - thank you!

[podklb.livejournal.com]

After a lot of conversation with paraka and the podremix challenge happening, I have gotten to a point of being pretty happy and comfortable with the idea of somebody making their own version of any podfic I've already done.

The one thing that would still feel awful to me is if somebody took the WIP that I'm actively in the middle of (and almost finished with after months and months) and released a completed version of it before I was able to finish it. If they waned to release it simultaneously, I think I'd be grudgingly okay with that, and if they wanted to release it a week or more after, I'd be totally okay with it. I've put so many hours of work into it, though, and I know that a lot of listeners out there *will* basically just listen to the first version they find of a story they like, so if someone else beat me to it, I think it would translate to a lot of people just never giving my reading a chance, and I have worked *so* hard and long on my reading, y'know?

So maybe that's selfish or small-minded of me, but at least I am growing.

So in summary:

1) If I have completed it already, remixing is yay.

2) If I have claimed it but not started it, remixing is fine but may cause me to not release it depending on how different I think my version would be from the one that gets made. But I wouldn't feel bitter about that; maybe excited that that was done and I could find another project to work on, or maybe excited to put out my own different version, if I thought it would in fact be different enough.

3) If I am actively working on it and then it gets released before I finish mine, that's the one thing I would find upsetting. I wouldn't necessarily be upset at the person, but I'd be upset at the situation.

[cybel]

I totally get what you're saying about working for ages on a podfic and then having someone else post their version first. :-(

OTOH, as a fan who collects parts of longer podfics as they are posted (I have several languishing on my hard drive at the moment) only to find the projects are never completed, I would LOVE to have finished versions to listen to. I just don't have the time, energy, or eyesight to read many stories anymore, and podfics give me access to many excellent stories I know I wouldn't get to otherwise. It breaks my heart, as a consumer of podfics and lover of fanfiction, to be avidly waiting for a podfic that is not completed or even one that, as far as I know, is not being worked on.

I am a great fan of the remix idea (not necessarily an accurate term in podficcing; I think of it more as different interpretations/performances of a story rather than different interpretations of a previously recorded podfic), and I am happy to listen to different versions of stories I love.

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Cool beans! You've had quite a U Turn on this one, eh? Thank you for sharing!

[novembersmith.livejournal.com]

As an author, I think multiple recordings are AWESOME -- everyone brings something new and exciting and interesting to the table, and I adore hearing other people's takes on a story. But I do know that some podficcers feel differently, so I try to keep track of everyone who's made a request or called dibs on something. If something gets double-dibbed, or whatnot, then I can put the two artists in contact with each other and let them hash out what works for them. But I do let it be known that I love multiples, so. IDK, maybe I should stay out of it entirely?

[paraka]

I've always felt bad for authors put in this position. Like, ideally they could be left out of it entirely. One of the perks of giving blanket permission is that, in theory, you can be left out of it (I know that some podficers tell the author when they decide to podfic a story so there could still be conflicts, but personally, I just drop them a link once it's done).

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

I absolutely do not believe each story should only have one recording. The more the better! I am not quite as sanguine in my performances are you are, so it would give me pause if I wanted to record something someone had already done (I think we've spoken about me recording Reconcilable Differences?) but that is my issue and I don't think that should inform the whole of fandom. If someone else did a story I had already done I would be happy that they too, loved the story (but I might not listen to the other version).

In the specific case you outline about, if you have recorded it, and are happy with it, I fail to see why you shouldn't post it. Have you spoken to the other podfic artist? It might be politic to talk to her and let her know, and maybe work out the order you'll post your recordings.

But I utterley reject the idea of calling 'dibs' on anything. I mean, we don't expect fanartists to do that on illustrating a fanfic, do we?

[cybel]

What you said. :-)

[tinypinkmouse]

So, I thought I'd give an opinion from someone who's not at all secure in her own podficcing. :)

I make podfic for the joy of making podfic. I like reading aloud and am halfway convinced I suck at it and just do it anyway. Furthermore this is my third language, so I'm not altogether sanguine about my accent. And also typicaly the vocal range of people who speak my native languages go from mid to low pitch, which is significantly narrower (and lower) than what English usualy requires, in other words I think my intonation sucks. And then there's the whole part where I understand very little of the technical side of the whole thing. I honestly don't see why anyone would want to listen to me. So, yes; insecure, that's me.

Now having established my crazy levels of insecure; I'm completely okay with multiple versions of the same podfic. If someone records something I've already recorded... well great, I want to listen to it. I'm also fine with someone releasing a podfic I'm working on before me. Now in that case I might just give up and go on recording something else, but that depends on how much work I've already put into the fic and how much I really want to record it. And yes, I might find myself somewhat disappointed if it was something I'd really looked forward to doing, but I wouldn't take it personally.

See the thing is that I assume that other people make podfics for basically the same reason I do; that is, because they like doing it. So if someone wants to record something I've already recorded my first thought isn't that it's because they think I sucked at it, but because they thought it'd be something that's fun to read. And since despite all my issues about my podfic making skills I obviously still manage to put the stuff out there for others to listen to... well then I've already exposed myself to potential criticism and I'm not going to crumble at the thought that someone might record the same thing better than me (and they probably would... I'm just saying...), I've already pretty much made my peace with all of that when I posted my first podfic.

I don't know about your specific situation, but I can't really see how PMing the podficcer in question could be too upsetting. Maybe wait 'til she's posted it first... or would that make her feel like she's just done all that work in vain? I'm not really helping any. All I can say is that personally a PM wouldn't upset me.

[cybel]

Personally, I've been listening to and enjoying your podfics very much. I like listening to readers from many countries and am glad to see our community has become so global in nature. :-)

[pi]

This is a really interesting question. I too have a habit of recording things, often halfway through reading them the first time, and then contacting the author. This leads to 1) finding out the author is gone from the internet/not contactable and sometimes 2) someone else is already recording it. Generally if someone else has already done it I figure it's up to them to decide if they're okay with two versions. I've never had anyone ask to record a story I've already done. I do believe that multiple copies are cool, everyone has a different voice/inflection and that's neat. Still as a podficcer I'm not all that secure.

There are a few fics I'd be fine with copies because I know I'm doing something in a specific way and others might take it differently. So, ironically, the stories I really love and am proud of I'd be fine with someone else doing. But on the whole, the idea of someone else recording my work makes me worry that 'no one will ever listen to my work again because x will be so much better'. It's silly, but it's still what I think about first when I contemplate this.

Perhaps this is because I entered podfic doing half for myself half for other people. I've only recently begun to listen to my own work. This actually makes me more copacetic with the whole idea. If I enjoy my own work then it's worth it, and other people can make copies because I know they will be different and I'll still like my own work. I also think a lack panic about calling "dibs" on something would be great. I often feel the need to immediately contact authors as soon as I've read something I want to record, in case someone else calls it first, which 1) there are so many fics in the world what's the likelihood they'll want this one and 2) I technically approve of multiple copies, it should be fine, unless they don't... Dibs leads to podficcers over committing themselves (if they're me) and then worrying about getting stories record on time etc, so I would be happy for "dibs" to not exist.

I think multiple copies of a fic being recorded is great, and I'm always really excited when people let me record something they've already done, and I hope I'd be just as generous and happy, but there's still a small part of panic about not being good enough that the question calls to the surface.

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

This is a really interesting question. I too have a habit of recording things, often halfway through reading them the first time, and then contacting the author.

Oh, God, I thought it was just me!

&hearts

You make excellent sense. Yes.

[2naonh3-cl2.livejournal.com]

On the whole, I'm pretty new to the this particular subset of fandom. I podficced a bit a few years ago, but those were for my personal pleasure, and not for community posting. In any case, when I started, I didn't want to start any wank or kerfluffles, especially since I was new, so I gave myself one rule: do not podifc something that was done before. I didn't know if there were any spoken or unspoken rules about podficcing, and I didn't want to step on anyone's toes--particularly if it was a BNF or something of the like.

This remix challenge that paraka is running has opened my eyes a lot, though. I still mostly podfic for my own pleasure, and don't really interact with a lot of podficcers, and as a result, my opinions and the way I do things haven't really changed. I wouldn't say that I've stagnated, but my rules didn't really shift. This remix though, it's given me a lot to think about. Before, I was really possessive of the fics that I had done. I had spent hours upon hours on them, and if someone else did them, I thought I would feel gutted. But in this format, I didn't see it as, wow, I must have screwed up badly for them to want to fix it. I saw it more as, wow, seriously, this is so different from what I did/would have done. It's fascinating.

For example: a podficcer commented on a fic that I had done. She said that she heard the fic in a completely different way, and would have recorded it differently. I didn't really get what she meant. I had recorded it the way I narrated it in my head, so there was no other version. But after this challenge, hearing the remixed podfic, versus my own, TOTAL EYEOPENER. There were tonal shifts, pitch, pacing, even emphasis that I never would have thought of. It worked, it made sense, but it never would have occurred to me to approach it in such a way.

Before I was possessive, now? Now, I think it's kinda awesome. I'm glad for people to do multiple podfics, because seriously, how else am I going to learn. And, also, I realize that my reading style isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea. I read with a fairly fast cadence--even when reading slower--and often have a tendency to sound slightly sarcastic, whether it's my intent or not. And when it's a softer fic, with happier emotions, my reading may not be appropriate. Also, it's not like I have great equipment. Honestly? I can't afford it, so I record using my shitty webcam mic on my Macbook. And with it, I get far more flaws in the podfic than other podficcers. There's a slight hissing in the background when my laptop's fan runs too hot that no amount of editing seems to be rid of, and an odd clicking sound that I can't figure out. It bugs me to listen to it sometimes, and I would forgive others for feeling the same way.

So, after all this TL:DR, I think multiples are great. Granted, there are one or two fics that I hope no one records, because I love them more than anything, and I spent so much freakin' time on them that if someone else does them, I'll feel a little slighted...but on the whole...it's a good thing, I think.

[2naonh3-cl2.livejournal.com]

Oh, in answer to your question--wow, I have no focus today--I think contacting the original podficcer--or the one who called dibs *rolls eyes*--is totally cool. If it were me, I would want to hear the new version--SO MUCH TO LEARN!!!!--and that sort of politeness makes complete sense. If I were in the process of podficcing and someone asked, I may reconsider completing the podfic, however. That would be more due to me thinking that the other podficcer would do a much better job or if I really didn't have the time to finish something--particularly if I thought I had bitten off more than I can chew. Since I'm still pretty new, my confidence in what I do is still pretty low, so yeah, if a BNF (like you or paraka or someone) asked me, I would totally say go ahead. YOU do it. :P Though, if it were a project that I decided I would keep on trucking with--because it was that awesome of a story, I was super proud of what I was doing, or because I spent so much damn time working on it--then it would be amazing to turn it into an event or something. Releasing simultaneously would be cool, and turning it into a discussion with the other podficcer would be a huge eyeopener. It would be pretty awesome. Especially since if you were to release simultaneously, there wouldn't be a chance for you to listen to the other's and have that bleed into your own reading style. It be like--forgive the wording, I can't think of another way to put it--each version was uncorrupted.

And really? I kinda feel like "calling dibs" is a little juvenile.

[magician113.livejournal.com]

So, as someone who only listens to podfics and doesn't record, I'm feeling like the more the merrier. I understand that everyone has egos and some may be more crushed than others if another person decided to podfic the same story. (OMG, what if that one is better than mine? How could she do that when she *knows* I'm podficcing that? I'll go on to something else since she wants that one. Or whatever the thinking is.)

So, I'll just throw this out there. How many performances do you know of Hamlet, for example. Just the movies alone have Laurence Olivier, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Kline, Mel Gibson, and David Tennant, among others. How many people have performed Hamlet in plays and have thought despairingly that they will never compare to the greats. Do it anyway! It doesn't matter because when I'm listening to the podfic, it's just you interpreting the story at that moment. And I may *like* Ethan Hawke's interpretation better than Laurence Olivier's even though Olivier has an armload of accolades. It's simply a different style.

As for calling dibs, I think that might prevent a potentially great reading from being done. Also, as other people have said, what if that person calling dibs never gets around to recording? So, unless someone can explain how calling dibs helps the fandom, I'd be against it.

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, you're preaching to the choir as far as comparing podfic to stage performance - that's totally my stance. But, yeah - I was conscious that my POV isn't necessarily the universal one, and that I've read people talking about feeling crushed/ dissed by other people releasing versions of podfics they've already done. (Er - I didn't really wrap my head around this until AFTER I'd already merrily released several podfics that other people had already done, mind you. Horse. Stable door. Bolting. Oops.)

I'm loving the fact that the majority of people in this conversation seem to feel that the whole dibs thing is unhelpful. That's very liberating, and I agree strongly.

[twilight-angel.livejournal.com]

I'm personally of the "live and let live" philosophy, as well as the "it can't hurt to ask" philosophy. I always figure, if someone really doesn't want somebody else recording that podfic, like maybe they've got awesome ideas for or it means something personal to them, they would say so (one would hope).

I'm also of the "I love multiple recordings of the same podfic" philosophy because people record things differently but equally awesomely. Hence my involvement in and approval of the podfic remix challenge, which I really hope succeeds in promoting the idea that multiple recordings are perfectly fine.

I would say that, if the other podficcer gave you permission, go ahead and post when you're ready. If you still feel iffy about it, email the other podficcer and get her okay to post, or maybe just mention the other podficcer in the post, perhaps thanking her for letting you podfic the story?

Hope this helps!

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Jolly good! Thank you!

&hearts

The More The Merrier

[blackbyrdy.livejournal.com]

The more the merrier for me as well.
Some one might have a different inflection or different perspective then I do, or bring a whole new and different flavor to the performance then I could. Also I think readers enjoy the options and the diversity of having multiple readers do the same story.
Thinking of one story in particular " Lazarus Came Forth" by Oselle.
I first listened to it and loved it! the reader was perfect the story was awesome.
When I noticed that a second reader had posted the story as well I promptly downloaded and loved it just as much. It was the same story, but with a different personality.
I noticed some things about the story that I hadn't in the first recording. Each individual had there own unique way of relating to the characters. And as for me as a reader it felt like two different sides of the same story. I still can't decide which version is my favorite. :)


I've always found it very hard to listen and enjoy a story once I've recorded it, I find myself cringing through the entire thing, so if some one ever wants to podfic one that I have already done, please feel free.

Re: The More The Merrier

[laurie-ky.livejournal.com]

That was my exact experience with those two podfics as well.

Laurie

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

I'm basically going to cover the same ground as many others who've already commented, so I'll try to keep this brief:

Multiple versions are cool and often interesting, because each is an individual interpretation, and I love that aspect of our craft. I'm all for it. That goes double when it's something I've recorded, since I can't completely turn off my critical ear when listening to my own recordings, while I happily listen purely as an appreciative audience to other people's podfics.

As for calling dibs, I sort of cringe about this, because I've asked for permission to podfic probably half a dozen specific stories, and have not yet got around to recording them because of my recent year+ hiatus in podficcing. A couple of longer works that I started on ages ago are still sitting there half-finished. If anyone wanted to record any of these stories, I hope the authors would not hesitate to give permission.

Or to put it another way, my preference would be for a free-for-all, where any story (given author permission) is up for grabs to anyone and everyone who ever cares to record it.

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Yes! Free for all!

*\o/*

Ahem. Thank you! V. helpful!

[general-jinjur.livejournal.com]

ahaha. i see people have already stated my stand, and even attributed it to me!

awesome. i am lazy; this works well for me.

as a podfic reader, i usually ping the other reader if they are active and i'm aware there's another reading (if it's in the archive, if it's been posted around). this isn't to ask permission, it's just to give a heads up, really -- and to be sure they know that i am thrilled that we'll have more than one version myself. and there's another impulse there! if i love a story enough to podfic it, and they loved the story enough to podfic it...probably we have similar tastes! perhaps we will be pals. <3

(eta: that isn't to say that if the previous reader was weirded out by the idea that i was going to read it that we wouldn't talk it through. of course we would. it has just never happened to me that way.)

[pandarus.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Thank you!

&hearts

[juice817.livejournal.com]

I'll step in (without having read any of the comments yet) and say I have been swayed to the dark side on the matter of One True Recordings. Which isn't to say that I might not have a moment of THEY THINK I SUCK if someone else did something I had already done or had said I was going to do, but I find that the less time I have for podficcing, the more sanguine I have become about it and about fandom in general. What it really boils down to is, I'm here to have fun and not to create ~drama~ for myself or anyone else.

I would prefer to be PM'd rather than to have a surprise posting of something I had done/was doing, and whether or not I would abandon one in progress would honestly depend on how much of the recording I had already done and how cramped for time I was at the moment. I think that as long as the author is okay with it or doesn't care either way, and as long as both podficcers are okay with it, multiple versions could be posted at the same time. I think the key is being honest, being able to say "I would rather you didn't post it (or posted it in a few weeks, or whatever)" if it's an issue, and have that be accepted with no hard feelings. Which may be easier said than done.

Just thinking aloud, not an attack on you

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

But, how are other podfic artists to know if they are recording something you are recording, or want to record? We have a lot of overlap in the kind of stories we like, but other than knowing that, how am I supposed to know if someone else is planning on recording something I'd also like to do?

I think the key is being honest, being able to say "I would rather you didn't post it (or posted it in a few weeks, or whatever)" if it's an issue, and have that be accepted with no hard feelings.

I can appreciate that, but I have to say that, if someone asked me not to post a podfic I had worked on, put myself into and that I was proud of (which goes for everything I create, because I don't record stories I don't love) they would be unlikely to get a polite response.

[cybel]

One thing that hasn't been addressed is that, with more and more authors giving blanket permissions, and with more and more readers podficcing, it's very possible that two people might be working on the same story without the other being aware of it. Indeed, unless a reader posts prominently to 'dibs' a story (which I think most of us would find a bit presumptious), this scenario is fairly likely. This sort of thing has happened in vidding for years, of course, in terms of multiple fans vidding to the same song, often in the same fandom.

Sometimes I think we go overboard with trying to be politically correct and painstakingly polite while overlooking what fandom is, what it does. How many stories are there with the same theme, vids using the same song, art of the same characters? And no two of them are EVER the same (unless plagiarized, which is a different subject).

Fandom is and has always been a remix phenomenon. Freedom to create should be a given.

Soapbox much?

[lunchee]

s-soapbox what?

I totally agree! I find the amount of PC we have to employ these days is incredibly ridiculous! (no offense ;D)

What I find to be particularly interesting about fandom is that we feel the need to have the creator of the particular fandom piece we are remixing like what we produce. We certainly don't try to get Kripke or Whedon to like what we do, but we seem to think different rules should apply to BNFs (so to speak) because of their closer proximity? It sort of sounds like double standards but, I dunno, I find it sort of fascinating.

I prescribe to the old adage: there are no new ideas. To try and find fault through similarities is a bit of a waste of time when we could be celebrating our differences.

[lest-we-ship.livejournal.com]

I know, from my own perspective. I only record a fic that i love if it seems unlikely to be podded (??) by anyone else. Such as Static Shock fanfic. And truthfully i feel that there are a dozen other voices more appropriate for the the fandoms i do record in, because really there are no decent Australian fandoms! That being said, i don't feel posessive over the stories i am, will and have recorded. I think, in this medium, variety and choice makes things more interesting.

[honeynougat.livejournal.com]

WORD!

I thought about doing some Supernatural podfic, actually have done some purely for myself. But I really can't handle the wank over my accent being wrong for the fic.

And I know this kind of comment generally isn't targetted at the individual, but I have read too many comments asking inappropriate accented readers to stop reading in their fandom. Personal aside, some of my favorite supernatural podfics are read by british speakers!

tl:dr We need some good Aussie fandoms to read for! How about Home and Away Fic? ^_~

[honeynougat.livejournal.com]

As a listener, the more the merrier!

That said, if someone is knowingly doing a remix of a loooong podfic already released, selfishly, I'm thinking: 'Couldn't you have spent your time doing another one of my favorites that doesn't have a podfic!?!'

Ahahahaha so self entitled.

:)

[ellex42.livejournal.com]

LOL - yes, as a frequent listener, I sometimes feel this way too.

[eosrose]

If someone posts a podfic for a story on my list before me, I'm probably not going to record it unless it's part of a series that I've already started posting. Mostly, this is probably laziness, but I think there might be some disappointment mixed in. There could be exceptions here, though--if an author has given blanket permission, I tend to expect duplication and wouldn't let that faze me. If I wanted to read something by astolat, I would whether or not another version existed.

If someone posted a duplicate a month or more after my own post, I don't think I would be particularly troubled. Especially if I was given a head's up ahead of time. I'm not in love with the sound of my own voice, so chances are I would download the new version (and try not to feel inadequate, because I'm really not in love with the sound of my own voice).

I often feel that there is enough good fic in fandom waiting to be recorded that intentionally creating duplication is a waste of time. So it's something I tend to avoid. I dunno. I asked to record a short story a few months ago only to be told it had been done by someone else, but I could still record if I so desired--I didn't, because there were other things on my list and I'd rather share something entirely new.

[ellex42.livejournal.com]

Interesting dilemma. I have to say, first of all, that it's always nice to see that anyone these days, on the net or in RL, who really thinks about ethical questions and how their actions may affect others. I was feeling a bit down lately at the general lack of consideration for the feelings of others I'd been seeing.

On to your actual issue: as a frequent podfic listener, though not yet a creator of podfic - and as a listener who by preference seldom listens to anything shorter than 30 minutes - I'm hugely in favor of multiple recordings of the same story. I never mind listening to a story I've heard before.

I find that different readers bring different things to a story, and my perception and understanding of the story may change due solely to the differences in reading.

I have to admit that there are some readers I don't enjoy listening to, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's a personal pet peeve about the way they read; sometimes the reader just isn't very good (usually they need more experience and I check back after they've recorded a few more stories); sometimes there's something about the recording that makes it difficult for me to listen to (I find certain background noises exceptionally irritating - the whine of a laptop fan can be excruciating for me while it's barely noticeable for someone else). So I avoid listening to their podfics even when I like the story, and would be happy to see it recorded by someone else.

I mostly listen to podfics while I'm at work, and there are a few readers whose accents I find difficult to listen to while my attention is so divided. I do save those podfics to listen to when I'm not so distracted, but that means that those recordings may wait for months until an opportunity for me to listen to them. In the meantime, I'd be more than happy to listen to the same story read by a different person, and would still listen to the other version when I have a chance.

However, that there are so many fantastic stories on the net that there should be more than enough to go around. If a reader finds that someone else has already "claimed" a story, I think it's only polite to ask if (1) they mind if someone else does it as well; (2) if it's been a while since they expressed the intention to record the story, do they still intend to do so; and (3) while everyone involved should attempt to be polite and considerate, there is no place (nor should there be) where people can go and check on any dibs placed on recording a particular story. Particularly in the case of authors who have given blanket permission to have their stories recorded, there often isn't any way for a reader to know if someone else is planning to or is working on recording that story.

So, there's my 2 cents, which basically equals: more is better, and please be polite.