sophistry: (Default)
Sophie ([personal profile] sophistry) wrote in [community profile] ways_back_room2010-01-23 06:38 am
Entry tags:

OUR POWERS COMBINED

So I meant to make this post a good week ago, but the hat-trick of a Millicon in Denver, surpries food poisoning, and two transatlantic flights sort of put me out of the game for a bit. HOWEVER, better late than never, I suppose, so lend me your ears, ladies and gents, and I will stop running off at the mouth keyboard and get around to saying what I actually meant to make this post to say. In this post. Yes. (I'm still really exhausted, can you tell?)

Aaaanyway.

Unless you've been living under a rock (and hey, you're gamers, we're gamers; we're not here to judge), odds are you've heard about the earthquake that devastated the nation of Haiti on January 12th. Since then, fandom has responded in a truly incredible way; in addition to various fund-raising efforts in individual fandoms, the centralised fandom auction at [livejournal.com profile] help_haiti is on its way to raising in excess of $115,000 for relief and rescue efforts. That is breathtaking. If you have already donated, whether as part of a fandom effort or no, we applaud you; if you have not, we urge you to sally forth and give what you can. [livejournal.com profile] help_haiti's current Lightning Round is open until Sunday, with another planned for next weekend, as well as another full auction in the pipeline for February. You donate to the relief effort, you get fannish goodies - win-win, right?

OR IS IT.

(Here's the part where the subject line comes into play.)

After all, this is Milliways. We eat injokes and obscure fandom crossover interests for breakfast. And sometimes it can be, well, a little tricky to explain to the world why you need fic about how the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork's elderly terrier is actually a Shakespearian sprite/icons of Breckin Meyer with a baby bump/your knitted rabbit to be red with glowy eyes and fangs/your home-made snacks to taste almost exactly like onion rings don't. It's a whole thing, you just had to be there, IT'S COMPLICATED, OKAY.

Don't worry. We understand. And we're here to help.

Milliwaysers, it is time to use our powers for good. And by 'powers' I mean 'auctionable skills', and by 'good', I mean... 'an auction'.

A NOTE: this is not going to be something massively organised; we are playing it loose and informal, here. If you'd rather something more structured/policed, please do pitch in at [livejournal.com profile] help_haiti, they are BAMFs.

That being said, here's how this is going to work. In the comments to this post, there are two main threads: Skills and Requests. You can reply to either or both of these as appropriate.

To donate in response to an offer or a request fulfilled, please see this post at [livejournal.com profile] help_haiti for a list of suggested charities working with the Haiti relief effort. However, please remember to check whether the offerer has listed a preferred charity for donations, or has requested proof of donation via screencap/email/whatever.


---------------------


If you have skills to offer for auction, comment under Skills. The format should be as follows:

Name: [livejournal.com profile] my_lj_name/Name Y'All Know Me By
Characters: Character A ([livejournal.com profile] character_a), Character B ([livejournal.com profile] character_b)1
Email: my.email at gmail dot com

Fandoms/Milliways Characters: Be as extensive as you like, here - this is a Weird Crossover Safe Space, after all, and if you don't specify that you are willing to write both Jack Sparrow and Lovecraftian Cthulu Mythos, how will people know to request metaphysical World's End tentacle!fic? HOW???? Alternatively, you can always just reply to this with 'TRY ME' - though bidders take note, this means you should check your request with the offerer before moving any money around.

Examples of work: Self-explanatory! Link to your photobucket/deviantart/fic tag/LJ icons/whatever. This is optional, but preferred.

OFFERING: Fic/icons/layouts/banners/manips/podfic/dramatic thread readings/art/beta readings/knitted goods/cookies/your skill here.

You should specify here the terms/limitations of your offer. For example:

100 words of fic for every $2 donated, up to 2,000 words. If possible, email or include screencap of donation in comment.

Or:

20 icons for highest bidder by noon EST tomorrow, bidding to start at $5. Winner may donate to charity of their choice.

The terms of your offer are up to you, but remember, this is quick'n'dirty territory here - you will be in charge of keeping track of bids, communicating with your bidders to confirm whether the winners have donated, discussing requests, etc.

Notes: This is where you should make a note of things you won't write/draw, mention that you're going on safari in two days and won't have internet access, warn bidders that you can currently only knit hats for footballs and/or very pointy babies, or basically include anything you can think of that doesn't really fit anywhere else.

1You don't have to list all your characters here - but mentioning at least one or two main ones would certainly be useful, especially for potential bidders who might not know you all that well OOCly. OH THAT GUY, etc.

Copypasta:




--------------------------


If you have a request you are willing to pay for in donations, comment under Requests. The format should be as follows:

Name: [livejournal.com profile] my_lj_name/Name Y'All Know Me By
Characters: Character A ([livejournal.com profile] character_a), Character B ([livejournal.com profile] character_b)
Email: my.email at gmail dot com

REQUEST: As with offerings, the terms of your request are up to you, as is organising/dealing with responses. Examples might be:

Will donate $10 to Red Cross for an iPhone wallpaper of Ben Wade/Russian Astronaut. Comment to claim, and leave an email address; I will send you some of my favourite pics you could use.

Or:

Will donate $5 for every drabble (about 100-200 words) involving a humorous use of the Emergency Potato, with a limit of $30 (i.e. six drabbles).

Notes: Again, similar to offerings - anything you especially don't want in your requests, or anything else it would be important to mention.

Copypasta:




----------------------


This mini-Milli-auction-stravaganza-fest-moot will remain open for offers/requests/bids until MIDNIGHT EST, SUNDAY 31ST JANUARY.

By midnight on MONDAY 1ST FEBRUARY, all winning bids should be donated, all promised rewards should be in the proper hands, and all claimed requests should be fulfilled - OR the parties concerned should at least be in contact and discussing deadlines for fic/postage dates/etc. etc. If you have made a donation/created something for auction/whatever and heard nothing from the other party by this time, contact your trusty mods and we will do out best to straighten things out.

I... I think that may be (almost) everything for now, but you certainly shouldn't take my word for it (I'm very tired; did I mention this?). So if you have any questions, please direct them here.

Finally-finally, I believe I may have mentioned once or twice that I am somewhat tired; pooped; worn the fuck out. So to kick things off, because I cannot guarantee any sort of productivity in the near future, I instead promise to match, via donation to Partners in Health, whatever amount of money is raised in the comments of this post, up to €150 (approximately $212).

Happy bidding!

SUPER TEAM MILLIWAYS COMBI POWER GO



- Sophie, for the Milliways Mods

P.S. Don't forget to pimp this around! Unthinkable as it may seem, there are in fact Milliwaysers who do not religiously follow the back room, so get thee to thine LJs and thine flists and thine crackchats, and foist this upon them!

ETA: A quick clarification: fics and icons and whatnot do not have to be Milliways-centric! You can offer any non-Milliways fandoms and characters you know, and request likewise. It's simply a prime opportunity to milk the world for some of that particular crossover universe or transdimensional ship that only exists in this strange and wonderful corner of the internet.



RUNNING TOTAL
(counting all promised donations and winning bids, not counting open bids, rounding off converted currency to the nearest dollar)

$704 + $212 = $916
sleightofhand: ([mm] another hard day at the office)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-24 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
Lightning round version!

Name: Jack
Characters: [livejournal.com profile] watching_you, [livejournal.com profile] define_hinky and [livejournal.com profile] listeningin.
Email: mercredy(at)gmail.com

Fandoms/Milliways Characters: If you can give me references, I can work with it.

Examples of Work: Here are some recent doodle posts – [1] [2] [3] [4] (Yes, I just recycled these from above)

OFFERING: I will do a waist-up doodle of your character looking badass (assuming they are a badass; feel free to request them looking otherwise). This will be digitally drawn and coloured, and I will e-mail you the high-rez version of the file.

I will take up to three of these requests, at $5(US) each.

Notes: Will not do porn, sorry. Kissing is okay! Violence is also okay. Does not have to be Milliways-related.

Re: SKILLS

[identity profile] joiningyousoon.livejournal.com 2010-01-24 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
I am monopolizing your skills. *sheepishface* But only because I am mad impressed by them!

I would love one of these of [livejournal.com profile] fighting_mad. I have a ton of reference shots of her here (http://pics.livejournal.com/fighting_mad/gallery/0000pkwd) and here (http://pics.livejournal.com/fighting_mad/gallery/000015k3) (I am cleaning out that second album as I type, so you can ignore all of the non-Plourr and non-comic book images, as they are going to disappear shortly). I really dislike the bizarro half-wig, but I am cool with bald, stubble, short hair, or shoulder-length hair (which is what she currently has in Milliways). This (http://pics.livejournal.com/fighting_mad/pic/00054sx9) is one of the better caps of her build, as much as the sky blue skin tight exercise wear freaks me out, and this (http://pics.livejournal.com/fighting_mad/pic/0002z9zt) (minus the wig) is one of my favorite looks for her. Any kind of expression or pose would be fab!
sleightofhand: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-24 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
I do not mind! All of your requests are always awesome, so.

This outfit, yeah? (Is that a vest?)
fighting_mad: (medium - superior pilot)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] fighting_mad 2010-01-24 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
Yes please, and yes, a vest! This is another shot of it, though from behind again; I'll dig around and find a shot from the front. I know there's one on my hard drive somewhere.

-- Aha! Got it. I added the pages here; there are one or two views of the front, in case it is helpful!

No bidding this time, right? *sheepish*
watching_you: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] watching_you 2010-01-24 01:24 am (UTC)(link)
You're good! I've already started. :D
fighting_mad: (fighting)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] fighting_mad 2010-01-24 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
Excellent! And donation is all set. :D
sleightofhand: ([lost] ghostbusting)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-26 01:50 am (UTC)(link)


Taadaa! Where would you like me to send the hi-rez version?
wakeupnew: Joshua Chamberlain staring into the distance, with caption "brains are sexy" ([star wars] bring it)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] wakeupnew 2010-01-26 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
*_____________*

OMG I LOVE IT SO HARD. Her pose! Her smirk!

not.an.effing.barbie at gmail, please! Thank you so much!!
badinlatin: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] badinlatin 2010-01-24 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
Mal and Inara + weapons. And would this be $10 due to 2 characters or still $5?
watching_you: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] watching_you 2010-01-24 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
Iiiii'm going to say $10, I think.
badinlatin: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] badinlatin 2010-01-24 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
Done! *texts Red Cross?*
watching_you: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] watching_you 2010-01-24 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
Works for me! Do you want them together or as two separate images? Also, crossbow + space revolver, yes?
badinlatin: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] badinlatin 2010-01-24 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Together plz. And yes, crossbow plus wacky revolver.
sleightofhand: ([beaton/comics] wondy)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-02-01 08:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey, I'm having difficulty tracking down references for Inara's crossbow. Help?
themidnightson: "That's Edward Cullen." (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] themidnightson 2010-01-24 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
Oh my. Oh my. You are offering art. I must have an art.

Putting my name down so as not to be swiped! Details to follow!
sleightofhand: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-24 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, oh my goodness. You are going to ask me to draw sparkly vampires, aren't you. Ahahaha!
themidnightson: "That's Edward Cullen." (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] themidnightson 2010-01-24 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
>_>


Maybe a ttteeeennny tiny bit?

I want something Alice-Edward either obnoxiously cute brother sisterness or Freak Closet-ish, but that is all my head has at the moment. And I'd totally be willing to pay more for two people!
sleightofhand: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-24 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
*snerrrk* Okay! I told Steph $10 for two people above, so for consistency we'll stick with that. Also I am not sure what you mean by 'Freak Closet-ish'?
themidnightson: "That's Edward Cullen." (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] themidnightson 2010-01-24 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
That's the one that's far more complicated really.

The Freak's Closet an in-game, in-sparkles!Corner reference, to a room Edward and Alice have in their houses. Generally a sort of study, with a couch and a piano and general other things of etc and so forth where they sort-of-not-exactly hide from the world and just exist.

It is really the one I want more, but it's also sort of the more dream-oriented piece, where I get that it's far more complicated than the original offer.

Which was why I was for sister-brother obnoxiousness, too.
sleightofhand: ([listener] yes do go on)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-24 07:14 am (UTC)(link)
Well, give me more details and I'll see what I can do! What sort of things do you want them doing? What's the 'dream-oriented' part? Etc etc.
wanderlustlover: (Default)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] wanderlustlover 2010-01-24 12:00 pm (UTC)(link)
On the latter, I just meant it was more my dream sketch. Sorry for not being specific! :D

It's so big in possibilities. Um! Let me try to be precise! *ponders* Um, Edward playing the piano while Alice was perched on the arm of a couch reading a book or or Edward sitting on one end of couch reading a book, while Alice was draped across the couch, and maybe even with one her feet in his lap or hooked across his knee, while drawing intensely focused on drawing one of her vision or fashion sketches!

I can keep going! *blushes a little* I kind of love the Freaks Closet, a lot.

And I would totally pay more than $10 for it being partially scene-related and not just two people if you have any inspirations for all of this!
sleightofhand: ([listener] helper monkey!)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] sleightofhand 2010-01-24 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
That helps a lot! Feel free to give me more if you like, but I think I have a pretty good idea of what you want.

$10 is all I'm asking, but since it is for charity I'm certainly not going to discourage you from offering more. Give whatever amount works best for you!
wanderlustlover: (Religion: Hidden Ties - erised_dream)

Re: SKILLS

[personal profile] wanderlustlover 2010-01-25 11:49 am (UTC)(link)


A $14 donation made in the name of children and your brilliance!