Segmenters can’t be appraised based on contribution count, compared to Moderators/subbers. I think most of us are aware of that. You don’t get any credit for adjusting pre-existing segments, although you invest a lot of work. And nowadays a lot of dramas come to Viki pre-segmented and pre-translated to English.
That is also true for Editors. They are going through every single sub and changing only those which need changing. I don’t look at their total contribution count, because that numbers doesn’t tell me much. Unless, you know, it’s zero.
However, Mods are a completely different story. They are expected to carry the entire project for their language from start to finish. Not only must their projects be completed, but also they themselves have to have a decent amount of contributions per project. So here the contribution count and project completion can tell us a great deal about that person as a contributor. Not all, of course.
The good thing about discussing these things publicly is that others also become aware of the team routines and issues. I doubt that many new contributors are aware of the creative process behind giving a role to a page designer, a role which is functional enough that the designers can edit the cover page. And how that might give a wrong impression if you take a look at the designer’s profile and project contributions.
And of course that both the CM and the page designer should decide how they are going to work within their team. It’s a given. There is no need to impose any rules, it’s not a problem.
I don’t think that is going to happen since you’re perhaps the third or fourth person to try to do that
I agree! Looks like Viki is getting a teeny bit interested in Cover Pages, though… they did create a section for “Channel Page of the month” or something like that in the QC Newsletter.
That’s why I admitted that this was partially my mistake for bringing up the cover designer with the position of English Moderator. I am really sorry about this.
So, before the discussion gets out of the topic and expanded to another area, let’s get back to the main discussion. It is also to help us to be more selective and do some research about the person who wants to join our team. Simply by visiting their profile, seeing the number of their contribution (at least) or their recent contribution and/or the quality of their translation in our language.
As someone who has spent countless hours fixing segments, I would have liked to agree. But I also know for sure that if tweaking starts to count, many people will go and only slightly touch perfectly fine segments only to augment their count.
And, linking to the main topic, it all comes to this:
as long as Viki gives perks for number of subtitles/segments, there will be people who do devious things to get a greater number.
In fact, once you get Gold QC, there’s nothing more than you can achieve except … what? fame? Theoretically it would be enough if you just made your 500 every six months to keep your Viki pass. But most people get addicted and want their contribution count to grow and grow and become impressive. That’s why they add fake accounts and take many projects which they do sloppily.
That’s why it is so difficult to address the situation.
Subathlons and badges don’t help, by the way. They help projects be translated, but there’s also a lot of sloppiness and also lots of abusing, which then editors and mods have to clean up.
The number of unrealized projects is shocking. I watched Viki on TV for two years. And if movies took a long time to translate, I just switched to another app and watched it there. You have to understand that there is competition. Asian movies are growing in popularity. And those who collect projects in large numbers are not bothered by it! Ask yourself, can Viki win the competition and survive?
I don’t think your procedure is unreasonable at all. Viki is a community of thousands spread around the world, and very few if any of the members are willing to use their real names or photos. Some have personal reasons, some have professional reasons, some have less than honest reasons.
Being trusting and kind and assuming every rookie is as honest as you are is the way everyone should be, but unfortunately that isn’t always true, and it’s a waste of your valuable time and skills and experience when you have to constantly wonder if someone is legit and then contact Viki when it turns out they aren’t.
If you were gainfully employed as a supervisor in a post-production house working for a tv network or a tv or film studio, you would never let a graduate fresh out of film school start working without first examining his or her school projects, grades, curriculum vitae, etc.
Then if they showed promise, you would conduct an interview.
Then you would gather impressions of that film school student from your colleagues in the business.
Then you would put them to work on very simple projects under the guidance of a seasoned member of your staff.
So I wouldn’t stress over this mystery idiot. Not your monkey, not your circus. Ask all newbs to have someone you know vouch for them. It’s a simple, commonsense procedure.
And it IS fair to everyone and preserves your reputation and your sanity.
Подход к молодым специалистам везде разный. Думаю не очень корректно еще и наводить справки о новом работнике. За исключением большой руководящей должности. Право на работу должно быть у каждого!
Каждый, у кого есть способности, должен работать. Каждый увлеченный человек должен работать. Каждый, у кого высокие стандарты, должен работать. Каждый, кто разделяет ценности общества, должен работать.
Все, кто ленив, эгоистичен, лжив и ненавидит общество, не должны работать.
Это моя точка зрения. Вы можете не соглашаться, если хотите.
Rough translation using DeepL online translator:
Everyone who has ability has to work. Everyone with passion has to work. Everyone with high standards should work. Everyone who shares society’s values must work.
Everyone who is lazy, selfish, deceitful, and hates society should not work.
That is my point of view. You are free to disagree if you wish.
And maybe here we will find out who is the most “hardworking” Who has the largest number of projects that lie untranslated for months? Who holds the record? Megalomania doesn’t look good on anyone! We must be kinder. And we must remember that there is no one who cannot be replaced!
You have a point. However, it seems to me that “newbs” and “rookies” who are not known should not simply be taken at their word.
I guess my point is that, in a community where relationships are established between and among individuals who most likely will never know each other personally, people responsible for various subbing projects should not feel bad about wanting some proof of “newbie” ability or feel bad about saying no if they need to.
Sure, I agree with you. That’s why, if it’s a language I know, I make them take a test. That’s easy for both parts. Either a separate translation test before the drama starts or translate a part of the actual drama as a test.
The problem is more with CMs choosing moderators, because there the CM who doesn’t know the language cannot ascertain on his/her own so yes, they need to ask someone else’s opinion (hoping it’s not a jealous competitor who will say falsehoods). If you find a trusted source of information, since the would-be moderator has already done a number of subs as a subber, someone of the same language can easily assess at least their language skills, useful for editing.
Of course this is just related to a moderator’s work as an editor. What cannot be assessed from just looking at the subs is the other qualities a moderator should have. Knowing enough good subbers to create a team, interpersonal skills to deal with his/her team, sense of responsibility in handing the job in a timely manner (enough time to do so), organizing skills and searching skills for making a resource document for their subbers, keeping a nice atmosphere and so on.
That’s what I’ve been doing. When they don’t know anyone I send some profiles that I know are trustworthy and ask them to contact so they can talk, and comeback to me. If the person is legit I end up getting a second message and the newbie ends up with a new friend of their language and maybe even a Sensei to help with Viki. If not then they didn’t really wanted to do serious work.
The concept of an envious competitor in a community that fails without cooperation . . . that is mind-blowing to me.
Because the Vicki community is so large, and because it is composed of women and men who will more than likely never meet each other, it is hard for me to grasp what exactly one community member could envy about another.
Everyone I have “met” has been a unique, intelligent, compassionate, hard-working individual with a love of learning and a great sense of humor.
For health reasons, I led a very sheltered childhood, and up until age five or so did not participate in many activities with other children. As a small child, I longed to be part of a crowd of friends having fun and supporting one another. If I was noticed at all, I was ecstatic.
But I also have an ego. And it has been cool to tell people I know “in real time” that I am doing subs on Viki. And, in the absence of body language and other subtle communication cues, interactions on Viki can be misinterpreted.
I am very fortunate to have been encouraged and guided by people who focus on the important things and are willing to share what they know.
