A New Experiment: Creative Google+ Hangouts

  • By Deane Ogden
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    Deane Ogden » The Creative Hangout with Deane Ogden

    Well... it's official. The experiment is a success. So far, I've hosted several months of these Google+ hangouts for Creatives and it seems that we have something that's catching fire with folks all over the globe. I'm making this a regular series event and calling it The Creative Hangout.

    The very first one was pretty damned great — I joined six fellow composers for a trial run of this program and we had a great time talking about all kinds of cool things, including the responsibility of authenticity as artists, the government's role in art, how to stay musically true to yourself, how to talk to directors/producers about music, and much more. The chat actually spilled over the allotted time and into a Facebook conversation by several of us who had a few more minutes to spend.

    The second week was even better. It was a barn burner! We had a full boat of ten people, the maximum number Google+ will allow in a single hangout, and the chat topics were off the charts. I changed the format a little from the week prior and asked everyone to come to the table with a question for the group. We talked at length about issues such as how to capture creative ideas when lightning strikes, the resurgence of organic art and music versus computer generated art and music, how to communicate artistically with people who aren't artistic, and finally... how to create something with people looking over your shoulder, aka while being severely micro managed.

    THE CREATIVE HANGOUT

    Every Monday • 11am PST

    And ever since then, they've just gotten better and better each week. More than 100 Creatives have joined at least one time, and the random group of people you meet each week will challenge you and keep you fired up to get back at it and push even harder.

    The Creative Hangouts are free. They cost you nothing but an hour of your time. I think they are awesome, but if you don't want to take my word for it, check out what some other Creatives are saying about them:

    "Deane Ogden is offering creatives a fantastic way to escape their isolated environment and have meaningful conversations with other creative professionals. This format is better than typical networking events because it allows for more intimate conversation, far away from the hustle and bustle of hectic conferences."
    — Tom Salta, video game composer/producer/artist

    "It's something us solitary composers often miss out on - having a bunch of colleagues in your studio to bounce off of, confidentially."
    — Daniel Mulhern, composer

    "Deane's hangout was just the shot in the arm I needed. It was a great opportunity to connect with other composers, like a virtual coffee break with cool new friends."
    — Kerry Muzzey, composer/recording artist

    "Deane made the Hangout a very easy place to be. I was impressed about how open the "big names" in this hangout were in talking about themselves and the insights they shared with everybody."
    — Panos Kolias, composer

    What You Need to Do

    As the weeks fly by, the demand for a spot in the Hangouts has compounded exponentially. Space is SUPER limited, so here is what you'll need to do to get in while the getting's good...

    Get In the "Circle"

    Google+ runs on "Circles". Think of it like "Friends Lists" in Facebook or "Groups" on Twitter. In order to participate in the Hangout, you have to be "in" the Circle on my Google+ page. Send me a message on Google+ OR leave a comment in the Facebook comment box below this post, either way. When I get your info, I can add you in.

    Install Google Voice's Chat Software

    Google+ uses the Google Voice Chat software when it implements a Hangout. You'll need a computer with a camera to take part. To install the software, click here and go through the steps. It's pretty simple, but you won't be able to participate with out this stuff on your system, so do it now in preparation for the scheduled Hangout.

    Show Up!

    After that, it's simple: Be online on Monday morning at 11:00am PST (sharp!) and be logged into Google+. I'll have already sent you an invite to the Hangout if you followed the above instructions, so if you aren't logged in at 11:00am PST, you won't see the invite and you won't get in. After five minutes of new invites joining, the Hangout opens to all earlier participants. It is not out of the ordinary to have a "line out the door" of people waiting for a spot, so make sure to follow the instructions above very carefully. If you are not seeing the invite for whatever reason, check here for alternative methods of joining.

    Space is limited so, leave your name below while there's still time. 

    These hangouts are a perfect way for you to get networked in with a group of working Creatives engaged and moving forward in the creative arts arena. I moderate all the sessions, but I will call on you to bring one issue that you are dealing with in your own creative business that we can bounce around the group for discussion—so be ready.

    See you there!