Chicago Collectors - Interest in Appearing in a Documentary?

[Jim]

Howdy to my fellow lava lamp collecting freaks and weirdos. The vintage lighting sale has expanded my lava network, connecting me with some newer collectors.

One collector is making a documentary on lava lamp collectors and I wanted to gauge interest in a small get together. Yes, we would also be selling yet more lamps, but there may also be an opportunity to have a round table discussion amongst collectors which would be filmed. I already met with the collector making the documentary as well as her videographer this week and we filmed for several hours. Both of them are super duper cool folks.

Right now, there isn't an intended audience for the documentary, but that may change once one of the major networks catches wind of it. Its really just a means to tell our stories and share our love of the goo. She feels it needs to be captured.

Let me know what you think. I can start eyeballing some dates. I may even burn the hell out of some hot dogs, burgers and brats if we have a decent turnout, maybe even pop for a pony keg (of good shit).

[Alex]

I would very much be interested in this!

[The Lamp Caretaker]

Here's my opinion - Unless I'm being paid a hefty check I would not be willing to participate so that some documentarist makes a fortune from the many video streaming services available these days, youtube clicks, instagram clicks etc. Not to mention you have to sign away your rights to the person using the footage so they can do whatever they want to make a dollar off of our collections and we get nothing in return but a mention or cameo in the documentary.  No - Thank -You.  I so happen to be in Media and know the game well.  It's the reason I reserve the right to only display some lamps here and not my most valuable or rarest in my extensive collection.  I'm not being paid for all the work it takes just to shoot and upload while someone else gets paid.  PASS.  How about a money offer first then we can talk Media.  No one else is doing documentaries for free.  All those documentaries you see on NETBRICKS , AMAGONE or other streaming services are getting paid and I mean paid big time. I've met no one to date that has volunteered to just go on camera.  These days people know their worth and expect to be paid.  For those that want to do it FREE...have fun.  

[Jim]

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but suffice to say we have vastly different motivations for why we collect lava lamps and belong to this community. To be quite honest, your inclusion likely wouldn't mesh with the vibe she is going for in creating this documentary.

The Lamp Caretaker said:

Here's my opinion - Unless I'm being paid a hefty check I would not be willing to participate so that some documentarist makes a fortune from the many video streaming services available these days, youtube clicks, instagram clicks etc. Not to mention you have to sign away your rights to the person using the footage so they can do whatever they want to make a dollar off of our collections and we get nothing in return but a mention or cameo in the documentary.  No - Thank -You.  I so happen to be in Media and know the game well.  It's the reason I reserve the right to only display some lamps here and not my most valuable or rarest in my extensive collection.  I'm not being paid for all the work it takes just to shoot and upload while someone else gets paid.  PASS.  How about a money offer first then we can talk Media.  No one else is doing documentaries for free.  All those documentaries you see on NETBRICKS , AMAGONE or other streaming services are getting paid and I mean paid big time. I've met no one to date that has volunteered to just go on camera.  These days people know their worth and expect to be paid.  For those that want to do it FREE...have fun.  

[The Lamp Caretaker]

TRUE- I am entitled to my opinion and hope others here will heed my message.  You are correct. My vibe is too high end for just any scrapbook documentary. When you say WE - I'm a member of this group and would appreciate you not including everyone just name those you claim are interested instead of all of us.  Some of us if not most have a clue - NO CASH - DO NOT REVEAL YOUR STASH.  NEXT-

[Jim]

"WE" as in me and you, and I stand by my words. We seem to have vastly different motivations for collecting lava lamps and belonging to this community. While you may indeed be a member of "this group", are you truly a member of "this community"? You flat out stated that you're unwilling to post pictures of your collection unless you get paid to do so; "It's the reason I reserve the right to only display some lamps here and not my most valuable or rarest in my extensive collection.  I'm not being paid for all the work it takes just to shoot and upload while someone else gets paid.  PASS.". I'm sorry, but that's absurd!

Look around. There are a ton of collectors who have absolutely amazing collections on this site, and though you won't reveal the scope of your collection, I suspect your collection wouldn't even crack the top 10. The difference though? They share their collections and enthusiasm for the hobby willingly, with the only expected return being the enjoyment derived from others seeing some wicked cool lamps. Your take? "NO CASH - DO NOT REVEAL YOUR STASH.  NEXT"

So yeah, I also stand by my other comment; your inclusion likely wouldn't mesh with the vibe of this documentary. You concurred, "My vibe is too high end for just any scrapbook documentary". "High end" to one can be viewed as arrogant to others.

Maybe Mark and Ning can eventually come up with a solution to securely post images of your collection and allow you the ability to monetize and sell the secure login information so we can marvel at your extensive collection consisting of more than 400 of the craziest lamps to ever grace our planet. Maybe charge OG members $100 each? We're not worthy! Please also let us know if its a requirement that we kiss your world's greatest lava lamp collector ring prior to seeing that collection of yours.

The Lamp Caretaker said:

TRUE- I am entitled to my opinion and hope others here will heed my message.  You are correct. My vibe is too high end for just any scrapbook documentary. When you say WE - I'm a member of this group and would appreciate you not including everyone just name those you claim are interested instead of all of us.  Some of us if not most have a clue - NO CASH - DO NOT REVEAL YOUR STASH.  NEXT-

[Jonas Clark-Elliott]

Agreed. Posting your collection here isn't giving anyone anything for free that they'd otherwise pay for. Nobody is going to swipe your photos and make bank off 'em. And I'm betting you don't have anything rarer than any of the others here; if you have, and can prove that you have, one of the lamps no other collector has ever seen, or of which, otherwise, only one is known, I-- who was a member of Oozing Goo shortly after it began in 1997, if we're climbin' onto our high horses here-- will be flabbergasted and will say so. But unless you have lamps on what I could call the Elite Tier List, you're one of us, and you can be as a highfalutin' as you want but it won't make you any friends.

The Elite List:
--Early Century with one-piece base, rotary switch on the side, and liquid-when-cold lava. Especially in one of the rare colors: "Champagne Mist" (amber in cloudy amber liquid), lavender in blue, or those pictured in a catalog but never released such as black in clear (photos in catalogs, zero known)
--Early Century with automatic overheat shutoff in base (zero known)
--Century-type with shallow base tray having ivy in it (illustration on letterhead of The Lava Liter, early in-company newsletter, zero known)
--Century-type with orange ceramic "rocket" base (pictured in the same letterhead, one known)
--Century w/ faux woodgrain base (one known)
--Consort "Meditation Series" aka "Prayer Lites" Cross (one known) or Menorah (zero known)
--Imperial w/ white enameled metal (zero known)
--Continental, early style w/ textured, colored glass base and snap-on 'fins' (one known, orange/yellow, orange glass)
--Continental, 2nd style w/ textured, colored glass base, diamond vents minus round holes (one known, green/blue, green glass)
--Continental, same w/ wider, flatter metal tray (photo in a catalog, zero known)
--Continental w/ "Happy Anniversary," "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Holiday" printed on globe (zero known)
--Blues Magoos "Psyche-De-Lite," orange base w/ logo (one known)
--Expo '67 lamp, same base as "Psyche-De-Lite" but wrinklepaint black, Expo logo on globe (a few known)
--Any 1960s lamp w/ yellow lava in blue-green liquid (known: Century, Decorator, music box lamp)
--Any 1960s lamp w/pink lava in violet liquid (one known, music box lamp)
--Glitterlite, any style except Windsor or silver "Elegant" Enchantress (one known, Imperial, golden liquid)
--Wave Machine by Motionetics, Inc. (one known)
--1980s 32oz. "Rainbow Series" other than Aztec (one known, blue base/cap, blue lava in green liquid)
--GemLite "Confetti," brass/gold glitter (a few known)
--GemLamp, silver GemLite on chrome pedestal w/ table lamp on top (a few known)
--GemLite "Capri" with parody "Coorz" beer label (a few known)
--"Elegant" Enchantress w/ blue/blue mist, red/green mist or lime/green mist, liquid still misty, plain or planter (zero known)
--"Elegant" Enchantress w/ flocked base, Malibu Orange w/ yellow/orange mist, Mojave Gold w/ orange/yellow mist or Mexicali Avocado (green) w/ lime/green mist, plain or planter (a few known, most have dirty and matted flocking)
--US version of Crestworth "Traction Lamp" containing silver steam traction engine w/ turning wheels (zero known)

"NO CASH - DO NOT REVEAL YOUR STASH"? I've been here a heck of a lot longer than you. If I run across one of these, guess what I'm going to do right after I buy it? Yep-- take photos and post 'em here. Why? Two reasons: there's a joy in sharing with like-minded collectors, we all congratulate each other on cool finds and marvel at their coolness, and it helps us know what's out there and which things really were produced. This site has a wealth of information about what was made, when, and every bit of it comes from things posted here by collectors. Everyone helps everyone. If I find something rare and I can't buy it, I tell people I know; I found a Rocketship Grande, which nobody knew went past prototype stage, in a thrift store near me, couldn't afford it... so I told a friend, and they grabbed it!

Attached: music box lamp (nobody knows what it's called, many exist but it's never been seen in a catalog) in a color that also has never been seen in a catalog: pink lava, purple liquid... well, until the 90s' "Royal Red," which sold like crazy. Ceramic "rocketship" 52 oz. Century. Two rare Continentals.

P.S. Would I be interested if I were in the area? You BET I would!! You'd see everything I've got. Lamps and vintage literature. You can photograph and photocopy/scan anything you please. Won't charge you one red cent, just make sure I get a copy of the finished product.