A non electronics event has been scheduled in the Electronics Lab. https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/3446
No one has contacted me to see if this would be OK.
While I’m not concerned about the activity, I am concerned that this event will prevent members from having access to ELab resources. So here’s notice to the person/group that scheduled the event: You have 24 hours to PM me about this event and why it is in the ELab. If I don’t hear from you by 2:00pm tomorrow (that’s Fri 8-18-2017), I will request your event be cancelled.
Bigger picture - Is there any kind of policy on an outside/unrelated group reserving a committee area for an event without first asking the committee for permission to do so?
Frankly, the person’s ‘need’ for the elab should be irrelevant. They are essentially reserving tools for personal use with this event. Something we have repeatedly said we do not allow.
During this 5+ hour event no other member could use the multitude of tools in the lab.
As the other film groups have demonstrated, they want a degree of silence that hinders use of adjacent areas of the space.
Since the Mouser sign will likely be visible during this production, I wonder how much they will enjoy appearing in some random film production.
As a related note, it we are going to allow folks to start using DMS and its facilities as settings in their films we ought to create a standard charge rate for that. When a commercial film needs to use a physical site for their film as a setting, they end up compensating the owners. It isn’t always monetary compensation, but compensation is involved.
Zee has filmed several events and classes at DMS even though she is a recently joined member. I’m sure that she and Art can come to some sort of understanding. If she is focusing in the elab I have no doubt that it will shine in her video.
@Kriskat30 It is clear from her event description that they only plan to use the lab as a stage setting; “the only thing touched will be chairs”. Do you really think Mouser will appreciate being in some random video?
Also, are you saying that members can now reserve tools for personal use, since this is what she did with this event?
No, as I stated before hopefully she and Art can come to an understanding. I think it’s important to try positive approaches instead of shutting people down. How is a new member to know what we don’t have written down as a rule? It may work out such that she can’t use the lab but all I see is her trying to be respectful of the lab contents as well as scheduling this during a time of night when few people are usually around. As for Mouser I cannot say, however, I don’t believe any strings came attached to their donation.
OK, let me take another approach to this situation. Let’s say I and others are in the ELab creating something for open house and a group of people show up and tell me/us we need to leave. I don’t know these people or what their project is and they’re telling me I have to leave my committee area. That’s going to be a very interesting conversation probably resulting in frustrations, hurt feelings, etc., etc. Common courtesy/sense says you ask before doing something like this.
This situation also has the potential to set a precedent: Any individual/group can take over a committee area for their project without having to get permission. Anybody see a problem with this?
How’s the Excellence Advisory Group coming along? Topic for discussion?
Yes, as far as has been communicated there haven’t been any strings, but considering their repeated generosity they deserve some consideration before there logo is used as a backdrop in a random film production.
If there is any concern about the mouser signs, just stipulate that they must be covered/not shown in the film. This is not an unusual request for somebody who is in the film business, indy or big budget.
I’m sure Art and Zee can discuss and figure out what they need to do. The committee chairman is a very reasonable person I have found willing to work with people. Thank you for your input Walter.
You have a good point, one I agree with, however, as I stated above how is a new member to know something we don’t write down as a rule? Once again I reiterate our communication issues. Reach out to her and explain your viewpoint. If you would like me to facilitate I’m happy to help.
This is a good point, but this is really a problem with/for the board… since you’ll are the ones creating these rules and then failing to document them.
I will be there this afternoon, after I get out of bed I have to finish off lecture material on logic analyzers I am giving to the raspberry pi user group tomorrow.
P.S. Thinking of coming to the cosplay potluck as lady godiva…