LAVoice.org FAQs (frequently-asked questions)

As you may know, LAVoice.org is a weblog/online community for all of Los Angeles - we are an open web space that gives all voices of this city a place to express themselves.

But sometimes words aren't enough. Life in L.A. is something beyond news or opinion: It's more like an emotion, a condition of the soul, the stomping ground for your id.

L.A. Vision is a new experiment in multimedia blogging. We invite you to submit your latest vision of life in Los Angeles - a visual artwork, an MP3, an animation or a short film, and help us form a community for L.A.'s creative thinkers. Consider this a blank page, and think of how you'd fill it.

You need to know a little HTML. Don't worry. We'll walk you through it. It's a lot easier than it looks:

• VISUAL ART: Photos, painting, illustration, digital:
  1. Make .JPEGs of your artwork in two sizes
     • A "full-size" version no bigger than 1000 pixels by 1000 pixels at no more than 550K
     • A "thumbnail" version at no bigger than 180 pixels by 180 pixels at no more than 6K
     • (Anybody with Photoshop can help you with this)
  2. Email JPEGs to LAVoice publisher Mack Reed
  3. Log in at LAVoice.org, click SUBMIT NEWS on the home page and post the following:
  4. Select "LAVision" for your topic
  5. Write a headline (e.g. "Art/Photo: Burn, Hollywood, Burn")
  6. In the "story text" window, write an image tag for the thumbnail and link it to the full-size version. Use this sample, but change the dimensions of the thumbnail to match the size of your thumnail, and the name to match your file's name:
     
     
  7. Next, add a few lines or a huge block of text (whichever makes sense) that explains your artwork - what it says about life in Los Angeles, how you made it, etc.
  8. Add a link to your own web site (if you have one) at the bottom of the post, such as: "More visuals at factoidlabs"
• MUSIC: Original recordings of your work only - mashups are encouraged, but should be labeled as such
  Your recording should be in MP3 format, and uploaded to a directory that you control - one that won't change location
  1. Log in at LAVoice.org, click SUBMIT NEWS on the home page and post the following:
  2. Select "LAVision" for your topic
  3. Post a headline: (e.g. "MP3: Writing About Autolux Is Like Dancing About Frank Gehry")
  4. Write a few (or many!) paragraphs about the song - who's playing what instrument, where you recorded it - and feel free to post the lyrics and anything else that explains the L.A.-ness of the song
  5. ADD A LINK TO THE MP3 that points to its location on your server
• VIDEO: Your film, animation or other video should be in Quicktime, Windows Media, RealPlayer or Flash, uploaded to a web directory that you control - one that won't change location
  1. Log in at LAVoice.org, click SUBMIT NEWS on the home page
  2. Select "LAVision" for your topic
  3. Post a headline: (e.g. "Film: Skating Under the Venice Boardwalk")
  4. Write a few (or many!) paragraphs about your film - where it was made, what it's about, how you shot and edited it
  5. ADD A LINK TO THE FILM that points to its location on your server. Make sure to add a note on which format it's in and - if possible - the file size.
  6. If you can, please also post a thumbnail! (see the Visual Art instructions - you'll get the idea)

LAVoice.org is published under a Creative Commons license. Utlimately, you own your work. But please read the license so you understand how it works.