Creative Input

[tugrik]

Something that came out of a chat session with a friend earlier today:

Most of the time when someone approaches me to ask about Monoceros Media's services it's with a big concern about the price. It often becomes the main focus of the conversation far sooner than it really should. Considering how commerce-based a lot of the fandom is, this really shouldn't surprise me... but it does make me a little concerned. How many people who may have wanted to try something have never asked, because they don't have money or are fretting over what things might cost?

I've never been good at 'mission statements', but I can at least give it a try here in hopes that it'll help:

Monoceros Media is my response to being surrounded by an incredible array of creative people. The question I kept asking myself was "how can I add to all of this? What can I do to help with the skills and resources I have, since I'm not an artist myself?" Monoceros Media was the result.

The point of the enterprise is simple: providing tools, techniques and skills that the creative folks around me might not otherwise be able to access. My personal reward is getting to see what kind of incredible things can be made when you combine the most imaginative people, the most skilled artists and the most unique tools into one heck of a big mash-up. That's what's drives me.

Any money made in the process is being wrapped back into the original idea to expand it. When Monoceros Media can't pay for itself I'm glad to keep pitching in my own cash and elbow-grease to make it happen. When there are moments of cash surplus I try to re-invest it in the artists around me. I've got a day-job to keep myself fed, clothed and sheltered, so there's no worries.

~~~~~

All of this is for nothing, though, without creative input. If you have an idea you want to try out, just let us know, no matter how crazy, practical, one-off or mass-market it may be. Time permitting we'll almost always commit effort and produce prototypes for free, especially if it's something cool. Money only comes into it if you're finally at the point of wanting to sell things or make them in big quantities. We're far more interested in your crazy ideas than we ever are in money. So, even if you don't have dollar one -- but you DO have a good idea -- please, ask!

We're here to help.

Comments

[toob.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I like to imagine a world in which I am more of a visionary.

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

What stops you from being one already? So many people speak highly of you that I suspect it's true.

[toob.livejournal.com]

I was attempting metahumor and failing. :)

And yikes, um, thanks? :)

[shatterstripes.livejournal.com]

If you ever put together a web presence, maybe that belongs somewhere on it!

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

I want a web presence so that folks have an easy way to know what we do.

I fear a web presence because too many folks will have an easy way to know what we do and I'll get more orders than I can handle.

I grumble at a web presence because of the effort it takes to create a good one that doesn't suck, something somewhat out of my talent register. :)

[aaaamory.livejournal.com]

A proper mission statement doesn't talk about what a business is not.

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

Good point. Fixed.

[http://users.livejournal.com/krin_o_o_/]

Oh noes! A Mission Statement!

[You gain +1 to all pointy hair management feats.]


- Krin *ducking and running, now!*

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

All babies must eat.

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

*looks puzzled*

?

[ben-raccoon.livejournal.com]

Having discussed your prices earlier, I think they're more than reasonable, especially to somebody who really only had access to Kinkos before.

[jonaswins.livejournal.com]

Heh, it's funny. Whenever I see you mentioning the workshop, I always think "Man, I'd love to build something there, or print something, or..." I just can't think of what.

My roomie (the one who was interested in welding together those beds) hasn't discussed the idea in a while, so I think he's let it drop, but at some point I'd like to come over to the new place, and just see all the equipment you've got there and what it can do.

Do you have a regular schedule as to when you're over there? And do you mind folks just showing up?

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

Just dropping you a note here on an old, old post. Haven't heard from you all fall and winter, then saw you'd friends-dropped. Everything going OK?

[tastyeagle.livejournal.com]

I would love to use your tools for creative purposes. My main difficulties at this time are lack of time and lack of energy. I have too much on my plate right now and need to clear stuff off before I can devote energy to creative ideas that can properly utilize what you have.

So I'm not avoiding you or ignoring the seriously cool tools I could probably use for...something. I just can't get around to it at the moment.

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

We're really looking forwards to when you do have time... and we're cool with just hanging out. No big projects or huge ideas needed. You just seem like a really cool guy to know.

[loranskunky.livejournal.com]

Well thank you for that, I know some of us usually come up with ideas with little cash to back them up with.

[spotweld.livejournal.com]

This seems like a good moment to ask.
Do you know of any high density, low weight material that you could machine into a set to square-cross-sectioned rectangular prisms exactly three times as long as they are high, with about a 2" X 2" cross-section.

It's for something I'd like to see at FurFright, if I can get the materials.

Two Words: FurSuit Jenga

[centauress.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it would get this noisy air-pump out of my livingroom x-x Why must she do this? On a hot afternoon? In the livingroom?

-Crissa

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

*looks puzzled* ?

A suggestion...

[stevefoxx.livejournal.com]

How about an price guideline and capacities reference listing?

For example, I know you have some CNC capacity, some ability for laser etching and cutting, some ability for printing larger-than-standard format, but specifics? I'd have do dig through your livejournal. I'm lazy, and I know where to find the info. How about someone who heard from someone like me that knows 'not much'? How do they find out what you can do for them?

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

i have things i'd like to make, but i'm afraid i dont know just what you fellas are capable of creating :3

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

*looks embarassed* yeah, I need to put up a menu of services, definitely. :)

The short form: laser engraving, large format printing, banner printing, small parts metal and wood CNC carving, electronics fabrication, welding, woodworking, and many other things just because they're fun.

The best way is to drop me an email and let me know what you'd want to make, and I can tell you if anything we're doing (or would /like/ to do) can help out!

[cjthomas.livejournal.com]

Lots of ideas that would benefit from your fab equipment and printing equipment, but for now I don't have the time to turn ideas into data files your equipment could use, and I strongly suspect that time is your limiting factor also (you'll be picking and choosing jobs for local friends, vs. fabbing everything I can stream at you as soon as I stream it =^.^=).

Re. cost, at minimum there'd be shipping, and for anything I'd want more than quantity-1 of, there'd be a fab cost that at least amortizes the materials and equipment cost, even in the hypothetical scenario where you'd make quantity-silly of an object for fun (i.e. not billing your own time). So, still drooling over your workshop, but it's not a good fit for what I'd need to do even if I had the time to do it };>. I'd need either my own equipment, or something like emachineshop.com with less suckage, depending on quantity.

Glad you're getting enough local projects to keep things interesting, of course! =^.^=

-Deuce

[footpad.livejournal.com]

This is so wonderful that it makes me want to barf deer-liver on your foot

(that's, um, you know, actually quite complimentary)

[palshife-sakura.livejournal.com]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I know with myself, I tend to feel bad about anything where I don't feel as if I have anything to show for whatever help is given to me. I definitely appreciated you helping me with the lasering, but I didn't feel quite "right" about it until I kicked the cash at you to help out The Beef.

That being said, I do have another idea to pitch at you, though it's more engineering-centric than furry (though I could possibly laser that design Astolpho did for me on the cover...hmm).

[quoting-mungo.livejournal.com]

I have been meaning to ask you about those vinyl stickers; main reason I haven't yet is that it's a ways off in the future. Basically, I'd like to get one (and maybe a spare) printed up to decorate a mailbox with some art of me and my roommates. Since the roommates aren't 100% yet and since I won't even have a mailbox until December, it wasn't really important yet.

I can, however, ask if that idea would be possible at all (assuming so since you're using the vinyl sticker thing on the shop sign, though concern would partially be "does it get large enough?" as I'd likely want to cover most/all of the mailbox's front) and what material I should look for in the actual mailbox for it to last a while?


-Alexandra

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

Belated natal anniversary felicitations!

[scyllacat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Where's the happy-birthday-tip-the-monocorn-here thread?