Doldrums (Recruiting)

Orphan has had a marvelous run for the past three years thanks to new additions to the staff, particularly translators and QCs. But lately, staff members have been reclaimed by Real Life (the true Final Boss of fansubbing), and the number of new projects has dwindled. This is particularly aggravating because the availability of excellent raw material has never been greater, due to our media gurus' work on buying and ripping analog material.

The group desperately needs the following, more or less in order:

1. Encoder(s). Orphan needs one or more encoders who can work with "thorny" sources. We have lossless capture for both laserdiscs and VHS tapes, but the original sources are imperfect. Consequently, the filtering and encoding has to be handcrafted for each project individually. Even our digital sources (like Sanada 10) tend to have issues - interlacing, 30fps segments, etc. Right now, there's a substantial backlog of captures needing encoding, with more on the way. You must like encoding challenges, and you must have experience in solving them.
2. Translator(s). Orphan needs one or more translators/translation checkers. Almost all of our projects are properties that has never been subbed; but even resubs require translation checking. Right now, we have a substantial backlog - more than a dozen properties - waiting for translation or checking. Experience is essential. These shows are not for novices.
3. QCs. Orphan needs one or more QCs. See this blog entry for an overview of the QC process. Experience required.

Here are just some of the titles stalled for lack of resources:

• Need encoding: Meisou-Ou Border v2 (lossless VHS capture); Oedo wa Nemurenai v2 (lossless VHS capture); Singles  v2(lossless VHS capture); Shin Dousei Jidai Hawaiian Breeze (lossless VHS capture); Okama Report (lossless VHS capture); Let's Nupu Nupu (LD capture); Yume kara Samenai (lossless LD capture); Haruka Naru Toki no Naka de 2 v2 (R2J DVD); Amatsuki v2 (R2J DVD); Sanada 10 (R2J DVD).There are even more lossless VHS and LD captures queued up behind these, including a lossless LD capture of MAPS: Densetsu no Samayoeru Seijin-tachi.
• Need translation: Bocchan; Ambassador Magma; Mellow; Raiyantsuuri no Uta; Sanada 10 ep10-12; Tengai Makyou; Ziggy Sore Yuke: R&R Band; Tezuka Osamu Ga Kieta! 20 Seiki Saigo no Kaijiken; Tezuka Osamu Works: Kyoto Animation Theater.
• Need translation checking: Blue Sonnet; Bakumatsu no Spasibo; Genji Pt 1; Karuizawa Syndrome; Mother: Saigo no Shoujo Eve; Nayuto; Genji Monogatari movie; Kashou no Tsuki.

With such a huge backlog, you might rightfully ask, which projects are actually moving forward? The answer is, just a handful:

• Sangokushi movies. Movies 1 and 2 in release checking. Movie 3 in QC. 
• Tezuka Osamu's Tales of the Old Testament. Episode 4 in release checking. Episodes 5 and 6 in QC.
• Boyfriend, OVA version, from laserdisc. Waiting for translation of added scenes and song verses.

Under current constraints, Orphan can only consider projects where translation and encoding are already done. Even most re-releases are stalled at encoding.

So if you like the work Orphan does, or you're intrigued by some of the titles in the backlog, and you have experience and are willing to work, please get in touch. I hang around on IRC (irc.rizon.net) pretty much all time, or you can leave contact information in the comments.