FLIT ISSUE #1 (PRINT VERSION)
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FLIT ISSUE #1 (E-BOOK/PDF VERSION)
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FLIT issue 1
FLIT made a local newspaper’s daily blog today: http://blogout.justout.com/?p=3498
Embarrassingly, my quotes were taken almost verbatim, so I sound like a retard. But it’s good exposure, right?! Thanks for reading, Portland.
Last night the winner of the first issue cover contest was announced on the FLIT Network website. (Editor’s note: the FLIT Network has moved to http://www.flitnet.com/)
Members can post videos, photos, and comments to each other much like Myspace. Unlike Myspace, however, since it is a private network there is no censorship. Less than 24 hours from sending invitations, there are 66 members.
Right on time, last night I compiled all the entries for the cover contest for issue #1, resized the images, and posted them on the FLIT website.
One photographer complained that he didn’t want his image used in the contest so I had to remove it, but otherwise the response to the contest has been positive from both photographers and “the public” (Myspacers). Over 150 contest votes and the page has been up less than 24 hours!
The contest will only be open for ten days: it closes at 11:59 pm, September 10, 2008.
First issue cover contest
Sometimes it brings a tear to my eye when I read emails from the contributors to FLIT. People have been so generous and supportive to this project, and of course I get to feel those positive vibes directly. Here is a message that I sent out to all the contributors a couple of days ago:
As we near the end of the month, I wanted to send you an update on the status of FLIT.
***First of all, I want to thank you sincerely for your contribution to the magazine.*** Without you, FLIT would not be able to come into the world. Every part, every contribution, is important.
Starting a magazine with no budget and no money is a big risk but I think it’s worth the effort. If you do not know already, the way to do this is through “print on demand”, a digital printing process that allows the purchase of any number of copies of the magazine (which is printed in the format of a soft cover book). There are about 50 contributors for the first issue, so I need to purchase 50 copies minimum to distribute. This cost is about US$7 per copy.
You know most magazines are only able to be printed because they are subsidized through advertising revenues. In the case of FLIT, I don’t mind that the first issue has almost no advertising, because I think it will make the magazine stand out that much more.
Another change that I have decided on is the size of FLIT. In a previous email I informed people that FLIT would be printed in the “crown quarto” size. When I realized that there were so many good contributions and not enough room for everything unless we expanded, I decided to go to European size A4 and 140 pages. This gives about 158 square centimeters more space per page! And the printing cost is the same! (It will just cost more for postage because of the physical weight.) I have attached an image to show the difference in sizes.
Here is what you should expect in the next couple of weeks:
1. The cover contest ends Sunday. Judging will begin. You will be able to vote for the cover you like best - including a vote for your own image.
2. The FLIT network on ning.com will be open. This is a social networking site similar in structure to MySpace except there is no censorship and you can post whatever you want. You can even create your own network if you want.
3. Work will begin on the layout of the magazine. Unfortunately there is no “team” for FLIT’s production studio … just me! (Many people ask me what I do besides work on FLIT: I am a photographer, webmaster, and graphic designer.)
4. I will be sending you a questionnaire and a “permission to publish”. It is very important that you return BOTH of these, especially the permission to publish.
5. As layout of the magazine proceeds, I will be sending you a proof of your work as it will appear in the magazine.
6. When the magazine layout is finished, you will be able to download a PDF version of it - before it goes to press.
There are still some issues that I have to work out, for example the price of the magazine. The quality of printing should be high. I will receive a proof before I place the first order.
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU - I will be in contact with you again soon.
Luckily I got several positive responses today including this one from a very nice guy in Spain:
I just read your email! I would be glad to collaborate with you. I am a photographer, though I don’t earn a living with it. Right now I’m doing a series of very erotic photos. I also write. I would reeeeeaaaalllly like to collaborate with you, of course! I’ll be waiting for news from you! 
Tonight I sent messages to Buttheads in China, Japan, Russia, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, and Spain, telling them about FLIT and asking them to collaborate.
Today I was reminded of the main reason I wanted to start FLIT in the first place. I visited the magazine racks at Barnes & Noble and all I saw was mass-market, pop culture, repetitive, meaningless content … Oh, I’m sure some of it had meaning, and probably seemed important to the person who put it out there … But what does it have to say to ME? So I figure there are other people out there, maybe only a few, who feel that same disconnection with the mass-market culture we are accustomed to.
Sometimes I compulsively check email on my phone when I get up in the morning and this is a message received in response to the mass mailing I sent out last night:
I don’t really think is such a good idea to copy the whole mailing list of butt magazine for contacting the same people, to do another magazine that looks exactly like butt ….
I had to laugh a bit because the concept of FLIT includes not being another copy of Butt. I love Butt, it’s probably the magazine whose latest issue I look most forward to reading. But the majority of its pages are textual and not visual; FLIT will be the inverse.
This guy obviously did not bother to read the brief or to even look beyond the content of the email. If connecting to people on the Butt website didn’t make sense, then why are there social networking websites like Myspace? In any case, the point of my message was to solicit collaboration from people who may have an interest in FLIT’s subject matter.
So when I checked FLIT’s Myspace account there was the highest number of friend requests and responses ever … so I don’t regret sending out that email.
“Je vous souhaite beaucoup de réussite pour votre magazine, qui à l’air très apetissant, enfin un magazine qui assume de montrer des mecs à poil uniquement pour faire saliver les pervers que nous sommes; super.”
(I wish you a lot of success for your magazine, which seems very appetizing, finally a magazine that comes to terms with showing naked guys purely to make the perverts that we are salivate; super.)
