Category: Blogging

Social Software and Multimedia Consultant for Hire

I am now available for hire to consult on the creation, care, and feeding of online communities. Plus I can create audio and video for the web. To get an idea of my professional experience you can check out my resume here and my portfolio here.

I’ve been contributing to and creating blogs for many years. I’ve also active on social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, del.icio.us, and Ning. I am very interested in how people can use these online tools to connect with each other. I can show you how to use social software and how to build your own.

My experience with social networks extends to physical events too. I’ve helped organize several blogging events and was the lead organizer of PodcasterCon. An unconference about many aspects of Podasting and Video blogging. It was a 300 person one day event at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Its success is due to the people who participated but also the fact we organized ourselves. This was done using social networking tools like blogs, wikis, and podcasts.

I have been shooting and editing video and film since 1989. During the early ’90s I began preparing video for the web. Much of this work is very similar in style to what is now all the rage on YouTube. You can find examples of my video on my portfolio.

In 1997 I earned a certificate in AVID Media Composer. Its the non-linear editing software and hardware used to edit feature films. This experience taught me a lot about telling stories with film and video. I have professional audio and video equipment ready to be put to work for high end web productions.

Plus I produced a podcast show called Audio Activism. This helped me hone my skills in recording and editing audio. Check out my audio archive over at audioactivism.org/audio. Great video depends on clear audio to communicate successfully.

I’m interested in working for non-profits, businesses, and progressive political campaigns. I can help you make your own media and demonstrate how it will strengthen your mission and benefit your organization financially. But most important is communicating with customers, members, and constituents. Please contact me and I’ll help you accomplish your goals.

N&O article about Anton and NC Science Blogging Conference

Dan Barkin of the News and Observer has a good article called Bloggers Talk Science. It tells a short but good story about the marvelous Mister Sugar and shares the details of the NC Science Blogging Conference. It also tells the world about all the cool stuff we’ve done with our blogger meet-up group Blogtogether. Like the triangle blogging conference and PodcasterCon.

But my favorite part of this article is the praise of Anton Zuiker. Both him and Bora Zivkovic are doing and amazing job on the NCSBC.

The Web has evolved into a tribal Internet of passionate bloggers like Zuiker, and he has become a sort-of local brand. He’s a quiet visionary. He’s a low-key doer. He’s a let’s-get-together-and-see-where-this-goes guy. It’s the Zuikers of this new, interwoven world who may play a significant role in determining how far Web 2.0 goes from being a sociable network to a social force.

Eat Well and Blog about it

Anton has set up a cool Blogtogether food blogging event set for September 24. It starts off with a book reading at The Regulator and then a great dinner at The Peidmont Restaurant in Durham with Cleveland based author Michael Ruhlman. Ruby and I should be there celebrating my bday. 🙂

Schedule of Events

9/23 at 4:30pm: Reading and book signing — The Regulator Bookshop in Durham will host chef-author-blogger Michael Ruhlman for a reading from his celebrated books about the lives of American chefs.

9/24 at 7:30pm: A taste of food blogging at Piedmont Restaurant — BlogTogether will partner with Piedmont Restaurant chefs Drew Brown and Andy Magowan to host a five-course prix-fixe dinner based on local ingredients (featuring head-to-tail pig, perhaps). At dinner, chef-author-blogger Michael Ruhlman will share his insights about how to write about food.

When: Monday, September 24th at 7:30pm

Where: Piedmont Restaurant, 401 Foster St., Durham, NC

What: A ticketed five-course prix fixe dinner featuring local ingredients prepared by chef Brown and his kitchen.

How much: $65 prepaid (this will cover dinner, wine, & tip).

Who: Anyone who wants to enjoy a fabulous meal and learn about food blogging, a talented writer and a local chef. All dinner guests will be encouraged to write and talk about the meal and what they learn this night. SEATS ARE LIMITED

Get your seat at the table: If you want to attend this dinner, send a message to zuiker@gmail.com.

9/25 at 9am: Coffee with the Chefs — Chapel Hill’s 3CUPS coffee shop will host a morning coffee klatch for Michael Ruhlman to meet local chefs. Others are invited to stop by at 10:15am to chat with Michael, the chefs and 3CUPS proprietor Lex Alexander.

NC Science Blogging Con Registration Open!

Registration for the second North Carolina Science Blogging Conference is open! Its Saturday, January 19, 2008 at the Sigma Xi Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

I went last year and helped out a bit. (I designed the logo for one) It was fun even for a non-scientist like myself. I really dug it because its a good sized home grown blogging event. Even though its a NC event people from ALL OVER the world attend. If you publish in scientific journals you need to be at this event. Check out the program to get the details. Also read what other bloggers and media had to say about last years event.

Big props to Anton and Bora of BlogTogether for working so hard to make this happen. 🙂

Live Blog Sports

Just after I posted my vlog entry about live blogging important local events I just saw this post by Romenesko. (Hat Tip to Ed Cone) Seems a reporter got kicked out of a NCAA basketball game for LIVE BLOGGING.

Courier-Journal sportswriter Brian Bennett, who was kicked out of the press box for live-blogging at a college baseball game, “wrote about what had already happened, something newspapers sort of, you know, do,” writes Troy Johnson. “He wrote about what had already become fact. Believe it or not, facts are not the exclusive property of ESPN or the NCAA.”

From Time To Recognize the Online Reporters

Something unusual took place in Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Reporter Brian Bennett had his press credential pulled in the fifth inning of an NCAA baseball game for posting live updates at his blog. As you’d expect, this quickly became a minor cause célèbre. NCAA officials protested that they were just trying to enforce exclusivity terms of their broadcast contract; Bennett dryly noted that “someone watching ESPN across the street could have blogged every single pitch without a problem.”

All I can think is WTF! Can’t wait for Carolina Basketball season to start up.

Why live blogging is important Video

Here is a vlog post I made about live blogging events and why its important. Basically I discuss how sharing information about important events can increase local knowldege and get more people civically involved. More information is better. (I use OrangePolitics as an example. Their live blogging of Carolina North events has been very valuable.) Let me know what you think in the comments. Thanks.