Joining the ClockCrew

“A simple change of name does not a Clock make; it is determination, pride and selflessness; first, reflecting and gaining the realization that Strawberry Clock is the King of the Portal; second, donating to the community, sewing an American flag and feeding the homeless; third, deliberate meditation upon the essential foundations of being a Clock; and finally, the technical affluence in producing cutting-edge Flash animations that allude the rather ignorant populous to the teachings of the Clocks. I wish you all the best, soon you all will be Clocks… and that will be a fine day!!”
-PineappleClock, 2001

PineappleClock’s own words from 2001, which still hold true today. It takes more than you’d think to become a member of the Clock Crew.

If you’re reading this page, chances are you want to join the Clock Crew. If not, do yourself a favor and spare yourself the formalities.
If you’re still reading, SlurpeeClock would like to extend his personal gratitude for you making his time spent here worth something, as it took more time for him to write than it will take you to read. You clearly show a genuine interest in aiding the Clock Crew with your joining it, rather than hindering it. Make no mistake, while we are here to help you progress artistically, we won’t be quick to help you if you ignore the resources that we took the time to put at your disposal.
If you want to join the Clock Crew, the first thing you have to remember is to keep your preconcieved notions about us in the back of your mind. Especially if said notions are derived from the Newgrounds Clock Crew Collection page. It hasn’t been updated for more than two years, and the information wasn’t very accurate to begin with.

When you go to register, the first problem you might encounter is choosing a clock name. While the general consensus is that all the good clock names are taken, that’s not technically true. There are many good options left, and you don’t have to resort to an abstract concept just yet. If you already have a clock name in mind, the first thing you should do is check the registry for the name. The registry is a list of all known (taken) clock usernames in Alphabetical order, so what you’re looking for shouldn’t be too hard to find, if it is in fact there. If it isn’t congradulations, because that’s step one.

If the name you had in mind is taken, or you didn’t have a planned name to begin with, give this a look. It’s an easy flowing guide to picking a name that you can stick with. Alternately, you could check out our long list of recommended names for inspiration.

Now. We consistently have had a lot of problems with people choosing the same name as, or a very similar name to, some of our older clock members. If you’re told to change your name by a number of other clocks, don’t complain; just do it, or there will problems. You cannot win an argument with us about stealing an elder clock’s name. You will either submit or be banned. Please, for your own sake, be smart about it and don’t fuck up early in the ball-game by doing something stupid like taking someone else’s name. We respect our elders here in the ClockCrew, and a newbie has no place taking their names.

Before you post, spend some time lurking the forums. That is, don’t post. Just read what other people have posted. This advice was pressed upon me from the old Clock Crew of clockcrew.cc, and it was the most valuable token of advice I recieved throughout my first year with the Clock Crew. You’ll get into the hang of our behavior, mannerisms, and attitude. You’ll subconciously begin to type like us; it’s very creepy. After you’ve spent a reasonable amount of time stalking us, go and make a new thread in the Introductions forum. Explain yourself; tell us about your past experience with the Clock Crew, your experience with Macromedia Flash, and what you plan on doing with your future with the Clock Crew. Keep in mind, you must get and learn how to use Macromedia Flash. At it’s core, the Clock Crew is a Flash community, and users who don’t even attempt it are heavily frowned upon. You will not last long here unless you’re a flash user. We won’t violently lynch you upon your first post, but we will gradually turn and face the other direction, like the amish.

• Do NOT think that “It’s too expensive” or “It won’t work” or “I don’t have it on this computer” will work as a permanent excemption. We’re open to you having some troubles, but beyond a couple weeks you are expected to have something for the ClockCrew, or at least begun something.

Also, you must develop your own clock character. You cannot expect the community at large to make it for you. The worst thing you could do is have your first post in the Art or Flash forum describing what your character looks like and requesting that someone draw it for you. It doesn’t work like that. Draw your own clock and put some effort into it. You can’t expect to earn anybody’s respect unless you work for it.

Note : The worst mistake you can make is use mspaint for your avatar and/or signature. Mspaint is generally frowned upon by clocks, unless used for pixelart or drawing terrible pictures purposely for the fun of doing so.

Respect your fellow clocks. Treat them as you would have them treat you. Do not demand respect; earn it. If your multimedia skills are limited, lay low. Give what you can to the community, and use the resources we provide to build yourself up. Eventually you’ll become highly respected and well-known among the Clock community. Really. It works. When you’re on the BBS, don’t go around throwing your name out and inflating your ego. Earn any praise your garner. Many clocks have been shunned for resorting to constant buffering of their ego. If you’re not being included in any clock movies, don’t complain. Make your own clock movies. When your name gains familiarity, you’ll be included without having to ask. Make friends with other Clocks, but don’t attach yourself to their name in the hopes of being ameliorated. Keep a friendly tone, but don’t use people’s kindness as a sheild. Trust me. I spent almost one and a half years and went through 3 different aliases in the Clock Crew before anyone put me in their movie, and I didn’t care, because it felt good to be a part of the greater community. The Clock Crew isn’t about you, and you have to come to terms with that and not try to incite something upon your arrival. No clock just immediatly sends shockwaves through the community upon joining us. You won’t get anything you didn’t earn here.

“While on talking to clocks on the bbs, chat room, or on aim, always treat others with respect. Always have a nice attitude; don’t just start a thread saying ”You guyz suck I want to die I’m leaving bye.“ Think before you write. If your post will hurt someone or make someone feel unwelcome, don’t do it. Keep it to yourself. Would you want someone to be an ass to you? Don’t spam the forums with pointless threads. Write about something you think we would enjoy, or something that is entertaining. Please don’t make threads saying, ”I’m leaving“ Then when people go to see you say ‘sike I fooled you!’
its not funny. When in the chat room don’t use all CAPS; you will get kicked off, don’t be an ass to clocks; you will get kicked out, don’t spam; you will get kicked out. And keep in mind: Always treat Mods and Admins, and, for that matter, all Clocks, with respect or you have a chance of getting kicked out of the Clock Crew. If you want to tell one person something, don’t make a thread - just pm them.

On flash: I know many clocks don’t know flash and genuinely want to learn. Ask around if people won’t help you… ask someone else; maybe they’re busy or grumpy. If you’re new at flash, don’t just make 10 frame movies and submit them… they will get blammed, and we don’t want the forums cluttered with you desperatly trying to get a movie through. If you want a Clock Crew movie in the Portal, make one good enough to get there of it’s own merit. Ask your fellow Clocks for help, ask if there’s anything you need to add, or change. Show a few clocks before you submit so they can give you approval, or tell you what to revise. Flash can be a mooi thing. Please don’t mess up the Clock Crew by making bad movies; it will give Newgrounders even more hatred against us; so please try to make decent movies. That’s all for today, thank you for your time!”
-TruBlueClock, 2003
Edited/revised by Slurpeeclock, 2005

Congratuations! You have read this over, and you still yearn to call yourself a Clock, and we welcome you!
If you’ve reach this far, you should have chose your Clock name and Signed up at the BBS From here, you should go on to:

• Lurk the forums to get a feel for how to behave
• Post in the Introductions forum
• Get a feel around, hang out in the chat, get to know some clocks and start working on your flash!
• Take pride in the realization that you are now part of an unmeasurably elite inner circle of internet superheroes, you are part of the ClockCrew!