The 'theatre plays' section of Kevin Spacey's website.

[MarieE]

I was going to post this thread in the "Am I being unreasonable?" with the heading:
..to want to keep the 'theatre plays' section of Kevin Spacey's website running.

As I was composing my thread I realized that it would probably be better here.

In 2002 Kevin Spacey and his business partner Dana Brunetti launched TriggerStreet.com for filmmakers and screenwriters. Members review work submitted by others and then upload their own. Later they added sections for short stories / comics / books and plays.

The comics / books and plays sections are now under threat of closure as they wish to streamline the site to just film making and merge it with Trigg.la and Triggla.TV.

I've read many of the plays and I think it would be sad if it were to go. The only thing that might now rescue this useful resource for writers is if there were a sudden rush of reviews uploaded to the website. So if anyone that enjoys the theatre can review a play then please do - minimum 100 words so not that difficult ('plays' tab and 'request assignment').

www.triggerstreet.com/gyrobase/Plays

More generally -
The site operators / moderators value freedom of speech, so much so that they don't have any specific rules on the site's message boards about sexism, racism, sexually explicit pics etc (there is in fact a board entitled 'Free for all'). This does tend to lead to Beavis and Butthead-type comments and some quite vacuous drivel on the boards.

The current Screenplay of the Month winner Robert Thielke (user name - bthielke) is displayed prominently on the home page of the site.

www.triggerstreet.com/gyrobase/index

He recently started a "porn and masturbation" thread, his thread was a reaction to a thread that myself and few other members were involved in. We were discussing current affairs and he jumped in several times asking "why can't we just go back to discussing porn and masturbation like we usually do?"

What's that I hear you cry? Oh, his avatar - that's nothing the avatar used by a Reviewer of the Month winner (user name - MattyMustng) was this:

www.snurfy.com/images/girls20/girls20-5.jpg

Don't get me wrong the website is an act of altruism - the founders did not have to set it up and it was generous of them to do so. It is not all like that, I've watched some excellent short films and had the pleasure of reading great plays. Also, just because John Doe posts something nasty and the site moderators do not delete it doesn't mean that they heartily approve of it - it's just that the site is hosted in the US where the first amendment of freedom of speech wins the day.

If members who are shocked or upset by what is posted question it, or the site's organization on the message boards they are told in no uncertain terms that they should: a) have written privately to moderators, away from the boards, b) do not feed the trolls, c) we do not want draconian rules or "1984", and d) it is none of your business how the site is run and if you don't like it then you should leave.

The senior moderator on one such thread wrote: "If you want a zero tolerance police state with zero room for discretion of the people moderating the boards to enforce the letter and spirit of the rules, a polite email to me would be the best way to go about it. That's also the best way to go about getting a legitimate suggestion or gripe to me as well, FYI." He went on to say, "I can pretty much tell when someone's going to be a persistent and recurring pain in my ass and drag the community down by their constant violation of the site rules but I am obligated by my responsibility to new members to give them at least a warning and a chance to redeem themselves, re-phrase their issue in a constructive way, or leave before committing the internet equivalent of an 11 year old running themselves over with Dad's car in a failed attempt to prove they're a NASCAR driver."

You could ask - Well why not just walk away from it all then? - but I don't like the idea of bullies and trolls driving me away from a website that I enjoy using.

I've come to the conclusion that the best way forward is a sort of Amnesty International swamping approach - getting lots of 'nice', non-bigoted people to join the site. They could then post all sorts of non-confrontational, twee, chintzy little fun messages - recipes, swap general pleasantries and comments on the weather etc. Anyone feeling particularly motivated could review short stories, screenplays and short films (also plays - while they last) by clicking on those sections and 'requesting assignment'.

I should point out that I am not a mum at all, but that doesn't stop me being concerned for the sort of world that I and the next generation inhabit. So if you, or anyone you, know wants to wade into the fray and clean it up through sheer volume of numbers then please give it a go. Also please pass this on to anyone outside of Mumsnet who is of an artistic persuasion - like I said it is actually a great resource.

[MrsReasonable]

So you want Mumsnet members to go troll this other website? No thanks.

[MarieE]

Current threads on Trigger Street:

Replace the last word of a movie title with 'vagina' >>> 5 pages of posts

Proof Beluga whales are intelligent >>> ... and the comment "They like naked women too." followed by this link:
www.news.com.au/features/environment/naked-russian-diver-natalia-avseenko-tries-to-tame-rare-beluga-whales/story-e6frflp0-1226077079511

Buying tickets online >>> exactly what it sounds like

Charlie Sheen >>> 12 pages of posts

...so nothing to do with film making or writing. People who joined the site for that reason find themselves confronted with the above threads, as I did when I joined.

In other words, the trolls are already there, and the advice on using the message boards from Trigger Street's site is just to ignore them until moderators have a chance to remove them - but then they don't remove them.

In fact the Free for All board is further labelled:
Also known as the basement. WARNING! This forum may contain objectionable content and discussions here have resulted in more suspensions of member accounts than any other forum. You?ve been warned.

In the absence of the moderators doing anything about such messages - and not taking kindly to anyone asking them to - I am suggesting new threads and chintzy additions to existing threads. That way 'Beluga whales' man and his kind see their rubbish pushed one notch down the message board by a recipe for soup, which certainly isn't any worse and, I would argue, a good deal better. Besides if it is a 'Free for All' board then why not - good books, gardening and soup?

Finally, I did also add:
Anyone feeling particularly motivated could review short stories, screenplays and short films (also plays - while they last) by clicking on those sections and 'requesting assignment'.
... that's because I am in favour of the site doing what it is actually supposed to be there for.