Ovation TV

OVATION COMMUNITY HELP & GUIDELINES

Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions and the guidelines or “rules of the road” for the Ovation community.

Skip Ahead to the Guidelines now or select a help section to find answers.

Sign Up

• What is the Ovation Community?
• How do I sign up?
• What if I don’t receive the confirmation email?
• What does it mean if I sign in using Facebook Connect or another 3rd party?
• Are there minimum requirements for my computer/browser?
• What are the guidelines for interacting in this community?

Profile and Account Information

• How can I change my username?
• I forgot my password, how do I recover or re-set it?
• How do I change the email address associated with my account?
• How do I cancel my account?

Uploading Images or Painting, Photography, Drawing

• Where do I go to upload images?
• What are the image limits in terms of size and quantity? What file types are acceptable?
• What are tags and why should I add them to my images when I fill out the upload form?

Uploading Videos or Film

• Where do I go to upload videos?
• What are the video requirements in terms of size or acceptable file types?

Uploading Audio or Music

• Where do I go to upload audio?
• What are the audio requirements in terms of size or acceptable file types?

Uploading Blogs or Literary Works

• Where do I go to blog or upload a piece of literature that I wrote?
• Are there any size or length requirements?

Groups

• What are groups?
• How do I join a group?
• How do I add artwork to a group?
• Who is the group moderator?
• What should I do if the moderator hasn’t added me to the group yet or accepted my artwork?

Sets

• What are sets?
• How do I create a set?

Points & Levels

• What are points and levels?
• How do I get more points?
• I just lost a lot of points for no reason, what happened?

Events

• What are events?
• How do I create an event?

Friends Vs. Fans

• How do I friend another member?
• What does it mean when I’m listed as a fan of another member or another member is listed as a fan of mine?

Copyright/Terms & Conditions

• Where can I find Ovation’s copyright policy?
• What are the terms and conditions of the Ovation website?

Technical Issues

• I’m having trouble with a specific function of the site not listed in this help area, who should I contact?

SIGN UP

What is the Ovation Community? Who can join?
The Ovation Community is here to inspire the artist in all of us.  Artists of all skill levels and mediums are welcome – including but not limited to: painters, photographers, dancers, actors, filmmakers, arts educators, arts advocates, designers, sculptors, animators, costumers, models, jewelry makers and potters.

How do I sign up?
Signing up is easy and free. Go to www.ovationtv.com/community and click “Join Now.” Fill out the form with your username and email address and click “sign up.”
You can also sign up with your Facebook login, Google ID and other 3rd party systems.

What if I don’t receive the confirmation email?
Sometimes the confirmation email ends up in your junk folder or gets stuck in pending. Just contact us at help@ovationtv.com and we will make sure your account is activated.

What does it mean if I sign in using Facebook Connect or another 3rd party?
You are using your Facebook (or other 3rd party site) account information to set up an account with our website. It should save you a few steps in setting up your new account.

Are there minimum requirements for my computer/browser?
It is always best to use the most up-to-date version of any browser type, e.g. Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer.  The community homepage and the videos we have are displayed with Adobe Flash so you will want to make sure you keep that up-to-date as well.

What are the guidelines for interacting in this community?
Our guidelines help us to make sure everyone has a good time interacting safely on our website. Click here to see the full guidelines.

PROFILE AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION

How can I change my username?
Unfortunately, usernames are permanent. We cannot edit usernames so if you make a mistake, you will have to sign up again.

I forgot my password, how do I recover or reset it?
Go to our homepage at www.ovationtv.com/community and click “Forgot your password?” Fill in your email address and click “retrieve password.” Your password will be emailed to you. If you want to reset your password, login first. Then go to “My Home” and then “Edit Account.” There you can enter a new password and click “Save.”

How do I change the email address associated with my account?
After logging in, go to “My Home” then “Edit Account” and enter in the new email address and click “Save.”

How do I cancel my account?
We will have to cancel your account for you. Email us at help@ovationtv.com with your username and the email address associated with your account. If you can, include your reasons for wanting to delete your account. Your feedback is important to us and will be beneficial as we try to make improvements to the website. We will send you a notice once your account is deleted.

UPLOADING IMAGES

Where do I go to upload images?
After you login, find “Add Artwork” in the top navigation items on the website.  When you click on “Add Artwork” you should see a drop down menu. Select  “Add Images.” Fill out the upload form and click “add images.”

What are the image limits in terms of size and quantity? What file types are acceptable?
We ask that you only upload 10 images per day so that your artwork doesn’t flood our website at one time. Plus, if you upload all your artwork right away, you decrease your chances of new members finding your art.

Photos must be in JPEG, PNG, or GIF format (no progressive JPGs or animated GIFs), 14 MB limit.

What are tags and why should I add them to my images when I fill out the upload form?
Tags are like keywords, they help people searching find your images.

UPLOADING VIDEOS OR FILM

Where do I go to upload videos?
After you login, find “Add Artwork” in the top navigation on the website. When you click on “Add Artwork” you should see a dropdown menu, select “Add Video.” Fill out the upload form and click “add video.”

As with images, we recommend uploading one or a few videos at a time. More than 10 in one day may feel excessive to the other members. Plus, if you upload all your video work right away, you decrease your chances of new members finding your work.

What are the video requirements in terms of size or acceptable file types?
Videos must be in .flv, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .mov, .3gp, .mpg, .mpeg, or .mp4 format, 100 MB limit.

UPLOADING AUDIO OR MUSIC

Where do I go to upload audio?
After you login, find “Add Artwork” in the top navigation on the website. When you click on “Add Artwork” you should see a dropdown menu, select “Add Audio.” Fill in the upload form and click “add audio.”

What are the audio requirements in terms of size or acceptable file types?
Audio tracks must be in MP3 format, and no greater than 100 MB.

UPLOADING BLOGS OR LITERARY WORKS

Where do I go to blog or upload a piece of literature that I wrote?
After you login, find “Add Artwork” in the top navigation on the website. When you click “Add Artwork” you should see a dropdown menu, select “Add Blog.” Fill in the upload form and click “add blog.”

Are there any size or length requirements?
No. You can include images, audio or video in your blog as well – those files must fit the requirements of any image, audio or video on our website.

A few blog tips:

• Be sure your title is concise and accurate
• If your blog has a lot of text, it will be easier to read if you break it up with images or video whenever possible
• If you have a guest blog or interview to post, be sure to give credit to all involved at the end of your blog post
• If you reference a news article, external website or another community member, be sure to give credit to those sources with names and URLs
• Do not copy a full article in your blog! 2-3 lines makes a good quote and be sure to give credit.

GROUPS

What are groups?
Ovation has been working on a new set of custom groups you can join if you are an artist in a particular genre. This project is still in progress and we are adding groups as we go.

So far we have a Photographers group, a Painters group and a Filmmakers group. We also have a group just for Arts Educators here. The group is a way to socialize and network with other artists who work in your medium.

How do I join a group?


After logging in, find the “Groups” dropdown in the top navigation of the website. When you click “Groups” you will see both “Groups” and “Old Groups.” Be sure to click on “Groups”.

There you will see a list of categories, click on the appropriate category, and click on the group you want to join. Once the group page opens up, you should see a big orange “Join now” button. When you click that, you will see a message “Your request is pending.” This means the moderator has received your request to join the group and will need to add you.

If it is not clear you have been added to the group within a week, send us a message at help@ovationtv.com or send a message to the group and either the group moderator or us here at Ovation will help faciliate.

How do I add artwork to a group?
Once you are a member of a particular group, anything item you upload can be submitted. The moderator will need to review the content to be sure it is appropriate for the group and approve it before it will be displayed in the group.

To submit media you’ve already uploaded to the site, find the item and click “edit.” This will open the upload form you filled out to add the item to the website originally. Click the checkbox for the group you wish to submit it to and click “save.”

To submit a new media item you have never uploaded to the website, add it to the site as you normally would and once you reach the upload form, click on the group checkbox and click “save.”

Who is the group moderator?
The group moderator is a member of the community who we’ve chosen to help us keep the group maintained. This person is a talented creator in the genre they are moderating. We assess all our moderators to ensure they are friendly and responsible. You can introduce yourself to the moderator by sending a message to the group or by leaving a comment on the group page.

What should I do if the moderator hasn’t added me to the group yet or accepted my artwork?
If you submit artwork and the moderator does not approve it, DO NOT take this personally. There are many reasons it may not be approved – there may be a theme assigned for the month, there may be too many of your works in the group already, the artwork may not be completely appropriate…. If you feel this judgment has been made in error, politely ask the moderator or contact us at help@ovationtv.com and we can facilitate a conversation.

SETS

What are sets?
Sets are a way to pull together related artwork. For instance, if you are photographing a series of self-portraits, all the images in this series can be grouped together into a set with the title Self-Portraits.

How do I create a set?
After you login, find “My Home” in the top navigation of the site. Once you click on “My Home” you should see a dropdown menu. Click on “My Artwork” and once the page refreshes you will see a set of links including “My Media, My Photos, My Blog, and My Sets.” Click on “My Sets” then click on “Create a set.”

You can use keywords and the dropdowns at the top of this form to filter your uploads, helping to narrow down what you see in the media strip.

Enter a name for the set, drag an image to use as the thumbnail into the small thumbnail box and drag other media into the large media box to include it into the set.

Finish filling out the form and click “Save Set.”

POINTS AND LEVELS

What are points and levels?
Each member of the community starts with 100 points just by signing up. Then as you interact inside the community, every action is worth a certain number of points. As you accumulate points, you reach new levels.  This helps us keep track of who the most active members are and hopefully motivates members to be active on the website.

How do I get more points? 
Here is a chart that shows the actions, their values and the levels you can attain. For more information, email us at help@ovationtv.com

I just lost a lot of points for no reason, what happened?
This is a technical glitch in the system. It happens occasionally and it is a known issue.  Simply email us at help@ovationtv.com and let us know roughly how many points you think you lost and we will follow up with our support team at the software level.

EVENTS

What are events?
“Events” is an area of the site that lists art related events and performances for other members to see and possibly attend.

How do I create an event?
If you want your art show or performance listed in the Events section, find “Events” in the top navigation area of the website. When you click “Events” you should see a dropdown menu, click on “Create an Event.” Fill out the form with your event information and click “Save Event.”

*This area of the site is still in beta testing. If you have trouble, email us at help@ovationtv.com so that we can record the issue and work on a solution.

FRIENDS VS. FANS

How do I friend another member?
When you see a member you would like to get to know, click on their profile and find the “Add as a Friend” on the left side of the profile. This will send a notice to the member that you have requested to become friends. This member will need to accept the request before you will be listed as a friend on their profile.

What does it mean when I’m listed as a fan of another member or another member is listed as a fan of mine?
If you are listed as a fan of another member, it is because you requested to add them as a friend and that request is still pending – they have not accepted it yet.

If a member is listed as a fan of yours, you should check your inbox for their request and approve it if you want them to be listed as a friend.

COPYRIGHT/TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Where can I find Ovation’s copyright policy? How about the Terms & Conditions for the site?
Click here to review our policies and the terms and conditions for our community. This link is also provided when you sign up for the community.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

I’m having trouble with a specific function of the site not listed in this help area, who should I contact?
Anytime you have trouble with the website functions or even with another member, it is best to contact Ovation at help@ovationtv.com. We will record the issue and follow up with our technical support at the software level.

We will also record and take action when necessary for any severe disputes between members; particularly ones where our guidelines have been abused or where harassment has taken place.

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COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

These guidelines were shaped by and for members based on the needs of the Ovation Community.

We welcome suggestions for changes or additions, just email us at help@ovationtv.com.

WE ARE INCLUSIVE AND WELCOME ALL ARTISTS.
When we say art we mean music, dance, theatre, film, opera, literature, poetry, sculpture, painting, photography, architecture, performance art and design, et al. Any artist and arts educator at any level is welcome on our community and we hope the atmosphere of the website reflects that intention.

WE EXPECT RESPECT.
We know our members will critique the artwork on our community, and we encourage it - it’s a great way to learn! But we expect all our members to do this with respect for their fellow artist and to be kind in all conversations – even when we disagree. If a member chooses to use vulgar language and/or derogatory language about another member or a piece of art on the community, Ovation reserves the right to delete the comment and to take action towards preventing future derogatory statements by warning or disabling the offending member.

KEEP IT ARTS RELATED.
This is a social network so we are okay with off topic discussions here and there and some family snapshots. However, please don't inundate everyone with a million family snapshots. And whenever possible, off topic discussions should circle back to art or how it could/does influence your artwork.

NUDIES.... We don't mind a tasteful nude in your artwork. We realize taste is subjective and Ovation reserves the right to make the final call. But this site is NOT FOR PORN and anything depicting anyone under age is not tolerated. It will be deleted immediately.

MAJORITY RULES
…in most cases. Enough flags from various members in the community (not one sole member who might just be a bit cranky) and we will have cause to warn you, pull your artwork or disable your account.

DONT SPAM.
Artists are allowed to market themselves, their gallery shows, performances etc - we want to know! However, this site is not for outright selling of products especially if they have little to do with art.

RESPECT THE GROUP MODERATORS.
Treat your group moderators with respect, they have a tough job. Don’t try to submit artwork that has nothing to do with the group like sending photography to the painters group or blogs about sculpture to the photography group. You are wasting the moderator’s time sifting through everything trying to get to the relevant content. If we hear from a moderator that you are doing this on a regular basis, we will take you out of the group.

NO COPYCATS.
Only upload what you have made or have been authorized to upload.

1. Re-posting found articles: As a member if you want to share what you found published on the New York Times or JohnDoe's Blog, you must only quote a couple of lines from the article and include a link to the full, published version and credit the author or editor where possible. We recommend filling the rest of your blog or discussion post referencing the other writer's work with your own take on the subject matter. You simply cannot copy and paste a whole article into a blog and hit save.

2. Re-posting famous or not-so-famous artwork (including music) from another artist: Don't upload it as your own. If you found it on YouTube or another webpage, simply embed it in a blog or discussion with a link to where you found it and with all proper credits including the original artists' name and the web address at which you found it.

Find more copyright details in the Terms of Service.

Send us your feedback! Email us at help@ovationtv.com

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