Let's put our money where our mouths are (is?)...

[CraigB]

In a recent Telegram rant, by someone, I don't remember who, there was a complaint number 10,532 of how Jalopnik sucks. This time it was how about who is left there aren't real car people, just apartment dwellers sucking down avocado toast on that sweet ad revenue brought in by less than stellar articles with click-baity titles. That might be a slight exaggeration, but it did get me to thinking.

We have many talented people from around the world on here, why don't we combine our efforts into one large multi-national, multimedia, all-encompassing automotive media co-operative. Blog, Facetubes, Instaspam, whatever, we will do it, do it better and, maybe, make a few dollars at it, eventually. The main point would be to provide good content to people like us. I could see articles about car repair, new car reviews, old car reviews, upgrades, downgrades, whatever, as long as it's automotive related.

It's not something I think I can do on my own, but I sure would devote time to it if I can get some others onboard. So, who wants to do this?

 

[Matt2000]

I like the idea, I don't immediately know what I could contribute content-wise but I could at least offer my video editing skills to help produce things. I've always liked the idea of us releasing a lot more videos on FGTV and if I had a workshop I would probably be producing 'Aging Wheels' style videos already, it would be great to combine that with our own written stuff and photos.

The question of course would be where to start, the talented journos among us already have jobs that might not give them time to write on the side. We already write our rental reviews though so maybe those could be made into actual articles. Would certainly be interesting to have a new home for the Finalgear.com domain too.

 

[CraigB]

@Matt2000 - Your recent painting of Bob would certainly qualify as something interesting. Take lots of photos, or a video, and explain your process, etc. Then later do a follow up with how it's fared with use. Heck, the use of Bob would be certainly interesting videos or articles.

Having an Aging Wheels work space would be a goal for me too, but I think MCM gets it right by doing things on the shop floor like most of us have to. My personal shop is not even a flat floor, which makes for fun cursing rants when the creeper sticks a wheel in a crack.

While I would want any FG member that is willing to contribute, including any of our professional members (if not contractually disallowed), I think making it more grassroots appeals to many. I.E., Visegrip Garage, Roadkill Garage, the aforementioned MCM, etc. Just normal car guys, doing normal car things. New car reviews would probably be more the realm of either what we buy or have access through a friend to drive. I don't think any smart manufacturer would give some random people from the internet a new car for destruction review.

As far as using this very site, that would certainly be an option. Though I'm not exactly sure how that would work. As far as blog posting, etc.

 

[Matt2000]

@Matt2000 - Your recent painting of Bob would certainly qualify as something interesting. Take lots of photos, or a video, and explain your process, etc. Then later do a follow up with how it's fared with use. Heck, the use of Bob would be certainly interesting videos or articles.

Sometimes I'd really like to work for one of the Land Rover magazines I read and write up my projects, I've put a fair amount of thought into what I could use when starting out. Jobs like the painting leave me with the feeling that it would always be a guide of how not to do it - the painting with Raptor was a linked series of minor disasters. Not sure I'd want that published. With video, I'm usually in a rush because of poor working area or limited time so recording doesn't considered.

I always enjoyed Roadkill Garage getting it wrong, haven't watched MCM for a long time because most Japanese cars just don't tickle me very much.

Everything else makes sense, Maybe FinalGear Garage should be it's own spin-off.

 

[public]

FWIW, this is pretty much where the original Hooniverse started ten (!) years ago. Never much in the way of politics or political angle, just writing about cool shit the bloggers liked. Through the years a lot of writers got their start there and ended up elsewhere in "a real writing job", but the Verse has always remained as a corner of the internet that's kept its basic values without too much snark. I've tried to dedicate time again to write there, just as it's always been fun and I like the people behind it.

 

[CraigB]

Sometimes I'd really like to work for one of the Land Rover magazines I read and write up my projects, I've put a fair amount of thought into what I could use when starting out. Jobs like the painting leave me with the feeling that it would always be a guide of how not to do it - the painting with Raptor was a linked series of minor disasters. Not sure I'd want that published. With video, I'm usually in a rush because of poor working area or limited time so recording doesn't considered.

I always enjoyed Roadkill Garage getting it wrong, haven't watched MCM for a long time because most Japanese cars just don't tickle me very much.

Everything else makes sense, Maybe FinalGear Garage should be it's own spin-off.

People like failure. The main thing is to do it in an entertaining way.

I'm not great at filming either, but even professional 'Tubers seem pretty bad at it too. VGG is always out of focus. Always.

Final Gear Garage has a good ring to it. Would allow us to differentiate ourselves from the main site here. Of course I'd like permission to use the Final Gear moniker.

 

[leviathan]

I don't do much car wrenching (yet...), but would possibly like to contribute to a project like this. Could probably help out with some of the technical side of things - web stuff, etc, if we're planning to publish this on a site of our own.

+1 for FinalGear Garage as a name

 

[Redliner]

VGG

Who?

 

[CraigB]

Thanks for the offer of website help, @leviathan . I have some experience, but I'm way behind on anything much past HTML 4.

@Redliner - Visegrip Garage. It's mostly his intros, the camera has autofocus, but seems to want to zoom to the background rather than him. Really annoying to notice.

 

[Misrabelle]

I like the idea, I don't immediately know what I could contribute content-wise but I could at least offer my video editing skills to help produce things. I've always liked the idea of us releasing a lot more videos on FGTV and if I had a workshop I would probably be producing 'Aging Wheels' style videos already, it would be great to combine that with our own written stuff and photos.

The question of course would be where to start, the talented journos among us already have jobs that might not give them time to write on the side. We already write our rental reviews though so maybe those could be made into actual articles. Would certainly be interesting to have a new home for the Finalgear.com domain too.

For sure we need a few people with editing skills, as relying on one person means that things end up years behind, and footage is lost.

 

[Matt2000]

For sure we need a few people with editing skills, as relying on one person means that things end up years behind, and footage is lost.

I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about here.

@Redliner - Visegrip Garage. It's mostly his intros, the camera has autofocus, but seems to want to zoom to the background rather than him. Really annoying to notice.

Focus you fack! I liked the cameras that briefly appeared (at high prices and with relatively low specs) and allowed you to select the focus/aperture after you shot the video, I suppose in the same way that 360 cameras allow you to frame a shot afterwards at the expense of some image quality. Shooting with the smallest aperture possible would help his case (unless he's being arty), the newer camera the better if it's low light.

 

[CraigB]

Shooting with the smallest aperture possible would help his case (unless he's being arty), the newer camera the better if it's low light.

Yeah, he's not. He just cranks out videos about old junk he drags out of a field, gets running, driving and partially stopping, then attempt to drive hundreds of miles home. To varying degrees of success.

 

[Matt2000]

Yeah, he's not. He just cranks out videos about old junk he drags out of a field, gets running, driving and partially stopping, then attempt to drive hundreds of miles home. To varying degrees of success.

Very Roadkill, I'll have to watch some of his stuff. Focus free cameras like the GoPro are probably best for this kind of thing then, in linear mode there's not a whole lot to give away what you're using. Which reminds me, I need to find a GoPro mount before the weekend.

Also, for websites, I'm a believer in basic stuff. Partly because that's all I have the skills for but also stuff just works faster.

 

[captain_70s]

For sure we need a few people with editing skills, as relying on one person means that things end up years behind, and footage is lost.

I find a lot of editing is motivation.

Editing is a fucking drag, it's time consuming and things that are simple and expected from a video with any production value take an irritatingly long time to do considering people won't even notice them if you do them right.

 

[Matt2000]

I find a lot of editing is motivation.

Editing is a fucking drag, it's time consuming and things that are simple and expected from a video with any production value take an irritatingly long time to do considering people won't even notice them if you do them right.

It can be a drag but some nutters like me enjoy that shit and just get neck deep in it, while the time flies by. I recently compiled 700+ clips into a 48 minute video (editing each one and not just putting them back-to-back) and it took a while but I enjoyed doing it. I don't know if I'd want to do it all day as a job though.

There are tools to help, the ShuttlePRO v2 that I have here is a massive help when editing. I really mean massive, you can perform all regular editing tasks with one hand on it, one on the mouse and without ever touching the keyboard.

 

[killpanda]

I wouldn't have much to contribute, but I'd read it / watch it

 

[captain_70s]

It can be a drag but some nutters like me enjoy that shit and just get neck deep in it, while the time flies by. I recently compiled 700+ clips into a 48 minute video (editing each one and not just putting them back-to-back) and it took a while but I enjoyed doing it.

Gads, you're a monster... I assume Ageing Wheels loves editing too by the amount that goes into his videos.

I'm the opposite, hate editing, can't not edit as it's integral to the quality of the product I want at the end. So I'm fighting myself every step of the way.

 

[Dr_Grip]

I will probably write Finland/Nordic road trip blogs for https://www.living-hel.com/ - can easily make them heavier on the driving and lighter on the Finland side for secondary use in such a project.

 

[Andeh]

I used to really enjoy writing about my motorsport experiences, and even had a couple of freelance gigs which paid for it. Still doing plenty of wrenching, but often difficult to find the time to document it the way I did in the early days when the fleet was just the Anglia.

Considered me interested though, would be nice to have something to work towards on the side. Extra motivation to properly record what I'm doing.