A coupla profs at Xavier are doing a workshop today called “Geeks Gone Wild,” about how they’ve used QuickTime clips to jazz up some of their classes.
To promote the workshop, they produced a short video spot, which they planned and shot and edited on their own. Then they asked me to help tighten it up. I said I’d do it so long as my name wasn’t associated with it. There wasn’t much to do; I just cut out a little dead air here and there, added a short voiceover and a closing graphic. The video was posted online and should be available for a while.
When the link was sent out to all faculty, my name was included after all. Sure enough, all day Friday people were telling me how much they liked the video and that I’d done a good job. I replied that the real credit goes to the profs who did most of the work and that my involvement was minimal.
When I ran into MaPó, she asked me, “What’s up with this ‘Geeks Gone Wild’ thing?” I replied again with the story of how I wasn’t supposed to be credited — but it turns out she hadn’t even noticed my name. She saw the title “Geeks Gone Wild” and instantly thought of me. She said that I’m a “poster child for geekdom.”
Jeez.
Note: Geeks Gone Wild has nothing to do with Gimps Gone Wild.
It’s that recognizable voice-over that’s getting you credit, B. I would certainly have thought you were behind the whole thing, had you not prefaced it.
And, yes, you are that guy – the guy everyone thinks is the “poster child for geekdom”. Don’t be ashamed, however, many of us are in similar reputations throughout our own lives. To my friends and family – I’m that guy. (Not at work, however, beacuse I work in software, which means we’re ALL that guy!)