Association of the Week

Producers Guild of America Makes Movies

The Producer’s Guild of America (PGA) is a resource for all things producing. It allows producers to interact and share information, as well as get together to discuss issues concerning their field.

As the PGA is a professional association and not a union, anyone can join to get the benefits. There are, of course, various application fees and annual dues. Benefits include job leads, access to elite networking opportunities, an extensive library of contracts that producers need to know, access to Academy screenings at awards time and regular seminars. They do not however, get involved with individual projects—so don’t ask them for money for your movie.

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October 28th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By Brian Hickey

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Global Film Initiative

The world is a vast expanse of water, land and people but it's human nature to focus only on the immediate surroundings that affect us. Of course, there are those things that affect the entire planet and those that affect other people as well. But sadly, for the most part, few are interested in what lies outside of their own personal space. Insert Global Film Initiative who takes the curiosity of artists the world over and turns them into a result that affects everyone -- even if that means the effect takes place on a more emotional, visceral level.

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September 24th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By Mallory Potosky

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Chicago Cine Tech

The Chicago Cine Tech Expo is dedicated to "promoting, educating and providing networking opportunities to the Midwest filmmaker," says Helena Son, co-owner of SMS Productions, the group that puts on the annual Expo. It only takes one quick look at the Expo's credentials to realize that this isn't your average trade show.

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September 3rd, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By Brian Hickey

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Film Independent

From the Los Angeles Film Festival to the Spirit Awards, some of the biggest events on the independent film scene are spearheaded by one organization: Film Independent.

Formerly the Los Angeles chapter of the Independent Feature Project (IFP), Film Independent (FIND) broke off into its own organization in May 2005, taking its signature events--including the aforementioned Spirit Awards and LAFF--and a membership of more than 6,300 (and growing) with it.

From June 21 - July 1, 2007, FIND will once again present one of Hollywoodâ€(tm)s biggest film events, the Los Angeles Film Festival. Proving that this is truly a festival for the people, this yearâ€(tm)s event will kick off with the premiere of Michael Bayâ€(tm)s hotly anticipated Transformers, which will screen simultaneously in four theaters to an audience of 4,000 and be followed by a massive block party for everyone in attendance. “Fans have been waiting for this movie for years,” says LAFF director Rich Raddon. “Iâ€(tm)m excited that, through the festival, the public can be a part of this anticipated premiere--not to mention the after-party that will take place in the streets of Westwood.”

Want to be a part of it all? Become a FIND member at www.filmindependent.org or log onto www.lafilmfest.com for information on the LAFF.

June 11th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Association of the Week: Association of Film Commissioners

California is the land of promise—the place where aspiring actors go to be discovered and studios build lots upon lots of soundstages. But the entire world is your oyster when looking for a suitable production location. Finding out just what it takes to film outside of Hollywood can be a daunting and difficult task, but that’s the reason the Association of Film Commissioners International was created. On April 12 it will begin the 22nd annual Locations Trade Show.

“Filmmakers have vast location and other production resources to choose from worldwide,” says AFCI president Robin James. The Trade Show “brings information about those resources and the film commissions that help connect filmmakers with those resources, together in one place at one time.” This year the association will unveil its Global Initiatives, making it easier than ever to shoot that safari adventure film on the actual soil of the Dark Continent.

As part of the AFCI collective, the Locations Trade Show plays an exceptional role in the future of moviemaking--gathering together certified film commissioners who have the know-how to “benefit the jurisdiction in which they work and the entertainment industry for which they provide services.”

Find your Promised Land in California when the Locations Trade Show hits Santa Monica April 12 - 14, 2007. For more information, visit www.afci.org.

Sound Off: Where do you feel is the most desired international shooting location for independent moviemakers? Let us know in the comments section!

--Mallory Potosky

April 10th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Steadicam Operators Association

Orson Welles once said, “The camera is much more than a recording apparatus; it is a medium via which messages reach us from another world that is not ours and that brings us to the heart of a great secret. Here magic begins.”

In 1976, Garrett Brown introduced the movie industry to the Steadicam. In so doing, he revolutionized the magic of moviemaking, as camera operators no longer needed to worry about being slightly unsteady. By 1988 Brown had formed the Steadicam Operators Association (SOA). At the time, “the whole idea of the Steadicam was still young and growing and the operators were still learning,” explains SOA vice-president Jay Kilroy. The early members would gather to “share ideas and what they had learned they could do with this thing.” In later years the ready availability of the Internet allowed the association to widen its focus and provide services to Steadicam operators worldwide.

Today, from the mountains of Pennsylvania to the rolling Australian countryside (plus a few places in between), the Steadicam Operators Association hosts five-and-a-half-day workshops meant to bring the technical traditions of yesterday together with the technological advancements of tomorrow. All done, Kilroy says, because of a “passion for the moving image!”

Upload your demo reel and resume or search for skilled operators at http://www.steadicam-ops.com.

--Mallory Potosky

Sound Off: The Steadicam was invented as a way to create a smoother picture--a movie without the undesired jarring effects. Sometimes though, those abrupt bumps and turns create a captivating tale that brings the audience further into “the heart of a great secret.” When is it best to use a Steadicam? Are some movie moments better off as gritty and real as possible?

March 12th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Southwest Alternate Media Project

In today’s fast-paced world of instant media consumption, understanding exactly what we’re seeing can be an afterthought. Television, movies, viral videos and other sensory stimuli enter our senses too quickly to be properly digested before being replaced with another show, movie or program. What gets lost is the message of the person who created the experience in the first place.

The Houston-based Southwest Alternate Media Project is committed to nurturing regional film and video artists’ projects, encouraging multicultural and alternative media works and growing a savvy audience. To this end, SWAMP focuses much of its attention on educational programs, including workshops, moviemaking camps and the Media Literacy Institute. Through these projects, SWAMP slows down the light-speed-fast flow of media, highlighting why, for example, a director made certain decisions in lighting or acting. “The more aware we, the public, are of the way these (and other elements) are used to influence us, the better we can understand exactly what is being said and choose our own response,” says SWAMP’s executive director, Mary Lampe.

As SWAMP sees it: A knowledgeable audience leads to informed decision-making, which leads to new, varied works being created. “Instead of merely being passive recipients,” Lampe says, “media literacy awareness encourages us to become thoughtful viewers and active participants—both of which are important aspects of a healthy democracy.”

For more information, visit http://www.swamp.org.

Sound Off: Texas is rapidly becoming a state with a rich, textured culture of visual and alternative arts. Where do you go to find new and interesting visual works? Let us know in the comments section!

—Dante A. Ciampaglia

March 6th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By MovieMaker Staff

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San Luis Obispo Film Society

Founded in the early 1990s to provide opportunities for likeminded souls to share in the appreciation and experience of film in the natural beauty of California’s central coast region, the San Luis Obispo Film Society viewed the establishment of an annual film festival as a natural extension of its central purpose. Led by local attorney and cinephile Mary Harris, the Society held its initial San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) in 1993. At that first fest the Society established the King Vidor Award for Lifetime Achievement, presenting its inaugural award to noted director George Sidney.

Harris continued to spearhead the film society for the next nine years, expanding it to include the George Sidney Independent Film Competition and adding moviemaking seminars and workshops, featuring a wide variety of professionals from Hollywood and beyond. In 2004 Harris passed the torch to a new group of film society members, who stepped in to sustain and grow the festival to its present 11-day celebration.

SLOIFF festival director Wendy Eidson says “It’s great having a local film society, because it gives us an automatic direct support base for our fundraising efforts as well as a reliable labor resource to draw from at festival time, when we need a lot of people to staff the films, events, panels and workshops.” Without such a built-in resource, Eidson says the job of organizing and administering the film festival would be much more difficult.

This year’s SLOIFF has been expanded to 11 days, featuring more films, events, panels and workshops than ever before. In addition to its annual George Sidney film competition, for the first time the festival is scheduled to present two King Vidor Awards: One for lifetime achievement in directing to Norman Jewison on Saturday, March 3rd and one for lifetime achievement in acting to James Cromwell on Saturday, March 10th.

For more information on the San Luis Obispo Film Society and this year’s SLOIFF (which will run from March 1 – 11, 2007), please visit http://www.slofilmfest.org.

Sound Off: Does your local film festival have the benefit of a film society or some other such support organization? If so, what measures do they employ to assist in the sustenance and growth of the festival? Share your observations in the comments section!

February 28th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week, Associations | By MovieMaker Staff

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Film Society of Lincoln Center

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) became the behemoth film hub it is today. What is certain, however, is that sometime between its founding in 1969 and today, the organization has supported the movie industry in every way available. Just count the premieres, retrospectives and film festivals held by the FSLC over the years and you’ll get a hint of what makes it the respected institution it is today.

Right alongside some of the biggest festivals each year, FSLC’s New York Film Festival is used by prominent moviemakers and lucky first-timers alike to screen new films each September. Without competition categories or prizes, the festival remains one of a few still dedicated to the true visual art that is moviemaking rather than the art of the deal.

Each year, the society holds programs at its own Walter Reade Theater, built in 1991. Richard Peña, program director at FSLC calls this the most significant advancement for the society. “Having our own space for year-round programs has enabled us to increase the impact of the work of the New York Film Festival, New Directors/New Films and Film Comment magazine exponentially, and soon the creation of our two new screening spaces (due in 2009) should have a similar effect.” From February 14 - 27, look for the Film Comment Selects series held at the New York theater featuring movies chosen especially by the staff of Film Comment.

For more information on this and other FSLC programs, visit http://www.filmlinc.com.

Sound Off: The Film Society of Lincoln Center opened its Walter Reade Theater 15 years ago in order to create a space dedicated to the exhibition of independent cinema. Would you be inclined to travel the distance to see a specific movie at a specially built theater, or are you more likely to go see whatever is playing at the theater nearest you? Let us know in the comments section!

February 12th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Independent Feature Project

As nonprofit film groups go, the Independent Feature Project (IFP) is one of the most impressive. Now approaching its twentieth anniversary, the organization has become a leading resource for independent moviemakers, with 9,000 members and branches in New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Seattle. IFP’s wide range of programming includes conferences, seminars, the Independent Spirit Awards and the IFP Market, a four-day showcase that brings the best of indie cinema to high-level industry executives.

“Though particular programs might change over time in response to the changing landscape, IFP’s primary mission has remained consistent—which is to provide various platforms and means to connect the work and talent of independent film and mediamakers to the film industry,” says Milton Tabbot, senior director of programming at IFP. One of the more recent programs created in the interest of this mission is the IFP Rough Cut Labs, which, explains Tabbot, “are designed to foster ‘market readiness’ for a select group of films—offering mentorship and advice on new projects by first-time feature filmmakers, prior to their exposure of this work to festivals and the industry at large.” As an IFP member, moviemakers are given access to a variety of funding and grant programs, production discounts and preview and premiere screenings of up-and-coming indie films.

For more information on IFP’s programs or to become a member, visit www.ifp.org.

Sound Off: IFP has branches in a variety of locations nationwide. What other cities (domestic or international) do you think would benefit from a moviemaking group like this one? Let us know in the comments section!

February 5th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Casting Society of America

The average movie fan will likely be familiar with the names of popular actors, directors and maybe even the odd producer or composer. But there’s certainly a high probability that he or she won’t know the name of the casting director responsible for even his or her favorite film. Which is a shame, really, because could you imagine Sophie’s Choice without Meryl Streep’s mesmerizing performance, or even Napoleon Dynamite with someone else filling Jon Heder’s dancing shoes?

In 1982 a small group of casting professionals formed the Casting Society of America (CSA). “Being a casting director is usually a fairly independent endeavor,” says CSA president Chemin Bernard. “Being a member of CSA affords us the opportunity to become part of a community of people who initially could be considered competition, but instead, through our commitment to the CSA, are the people with whom we have joined forces to further advance the mutual objectives of our profession.” Today the association boasts 350 members, and its influence has led to the development of its own prestigious Artios® Casting Awards.

If you’re only looking for assistance with your next movie, head on over to www.castingsociety.com to check out what assistance the organization offers to moviemakers outside of the casting community: Actors will find useful links, including a way to invite casting directors to screenings; directors and producers can locate the perfect addition to their crews; and the purely inquisitive can find out who, for instance, was responsible for casting Meryl to such perfection.

Sound Off: The Casting Society of America helps to bring together professionals who, as Bernard explains, might otherwise be each other’s competition. What other competing group of moviemaking professionals could benefit from such a society? Talk back in the forums!

January 29th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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MediaMoghul.com

Whether you’re a major studio or a first-time indie director, film financing is a tricky business. Coming up with a great idea for a film is hard enough, and finding the needed dough to make that great idea into a movie can be an intimidating endeavor. Lucy Sato, vice president of MediaMoghul.com, understands this, and she and her staff are determined to make the process easier for everyone involved. “It is amazing that in this day and age it is still the accepted norm… that creative people with talent and ideas must spend years trying to establish the contacts with the major players who can offer them a deal and finance their project,” Sato says. “But unfortunately, most of the time, most people do not get any funding! And the few that do get the funding usually end up with little creative control… which is a ridiculous situation.”

MediaMoghul.com is a Website that aims to democratize the financing process by connecting artists with backers and helping them to sell their projects, piece by miniscule piece, until a project is fully funded. For instance, a moviemaker can post a description of a film he or she is working on as well as the percentage of the project that he or she is willing to sell off in return for funding. This amount is then divided into points of $10 or $15 increments, which are purchased by “investors” (or Average Joe movie fans looking to own a piece of a project) visiting the site. At the end of the process, you’ll have the money you need to get your film up and running, provided by movie lovers instead of faceless corporations. “Let’s face it, give or take the few indies that make it, mainstream entertainment is pretty stagnant at the moment,” notes Sato. “Yet there are thousands of interesting films out there, waiting to be financed and released—and the public wants to see them!”

For more information, visit www.mediamoghul.com.

Sound Off: MediaMoghul.com is innovating the way indie moviemakers can finance their work. What are other ways in which we can democratize the moviemaking process, and bring movie fans and moviemakers closer together?

January 22nd, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Alex Film Society

The historic Alex Theatre of Glendale, California is a magnificent specimen of 1920s architecture. With a striking art deco neon column gracing its entrance and a Greco-Egyptian-inspired interior, the theater is a key element of Glendale’s landscape, speaking to its history as a home for the movie world. With this in mind, the citizens of Glendale banded together, restoring the venue to its original glory, and in 1994 founded the Alex Film Society (AFS).

The foremost priority of the AFS is to maintain the theater as a venue for classic film in the modern day. From their opening night, which featured a reunion of the surviving cast members of Gone with the Wind, the society has more than proven its ability to accomplish this goal with panache. Today, the AFS hosts a series of screenings, including the Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn comedy Desk Set (on February 10), and William Wyler’s Best Years of Our Lives, which will be shown in the spring. In addition, AFS president Randy Carter notes that the society is “constantly looking for ways to make our screenings [into] real events, with pristine 35mm prints, interesting guests, fun programs and in-theater promotions.” With such a diverse and entertaining roster of films and the magnificent Alex Theatre as its home, it seems the Alex Film Society will have no trouble maintaining its mission as guardians of classic cinema history.

For more information or to become a member, visit their website.

Sound Off: What classic films are you dying to see up on the big screen?  Let us know in the comments section!

January 16th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 1

National Association of Latino Independent Producers

Although the Spanish and Latin cultures have infused and enriched the roots of this country since its inception, their presence in mainstream American media is a fairly new development. With the success of movies such as Julian Schnabel’s Before Night Falls and Marilyn Agrelo’s Mad Hot Ballroom, audiences are taking a greater interest Latin-American stories—though the journey is at times uphill. “Latinos are the largest minority in the United States with a swift growing economic presence but have remained sorely underrepresented in media,” says Kathryn F. Galan, the executive director of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).

Instead of viewing this representational gap entirely as a negative, NALIP looks at growing the Latin community in media programming and moviemaking as a challenge, and an exciting one at that. Through various outreach efforts, from hosting a national conference to running workshops for screenwriters, producers and documentarians, NALIP plays a large role in supporting and developing the Latin voice. “Our organization grows as the field expands. We see more young artists attending film school and pursuing entertainment careers; we see Latino/a writers and directors accepted into industry training programs… and we see Latino/a television programs, production companies and other signs of health in the industry,” Galan enumerates. With a roster of more than 1,000 members, NALIP shows signs of exponentially increasing its presence in the film world, playing a major part in bringing the Latin-American voice to mainstream cinema.

For more information—or to join the NALIP ranks—visit their website.

Sound Off: In the Summer 2006 issue of MM, Darlene Caamano Loquet, the president of NALA Films, told journalist Lily Percy, “We need to stop classifying stories as ‘Latin’ or ‘African-American’ or ‘urban’ and instead just call them what they are—great stories… We need to focus on making universally-themed stories with our people at the center.” What do you think about this idea with regards to the development of film from the Latin-American community?

January 7th, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 6

Freedom Film Society

Oftentimes it is only audiences in New York or Los Angeles that are fortunate enough to see any movie in limited release, leaving those who live outside the “big cities” no access to a plethora of well-made and original films. The Freedom Film Society (FFS) of Monmouth, New Jersey was formed with this problem in mind. “It is our goal to bring a little bit of that independent mindset to the Jersey Shore,” says FFS president Marc Leckstein.

Arguably the most intriguing and innovative idea to come out of the Freedom Film Society is Film Addicts Anonymous. The group meets once every month and is organized much like a book club, with a discussion group following the private screening of an otherwise inaccessible film. FSS brings intellectual, esoteric films to Monmouth and invites cinephiles from the area who might be starved for a little film-based conversation. It “allows participants the opportunity to screen ‘art’ films and then sit back after the fact and intelligently discuss with others what they have just seen,” Leckstein explains.

But this is only part of Freedom Film Society’s solution to reinvigorate film appreciation in the previously nicknamed “Dead Bank.” Run entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers, each year the society hosts the Red Bank International Film Festival in addition to the Emerging Filmmakers Series. The festival brings the arts community of Red Bank together every October to celebrate with the international film community. To encourage the up-and-coming talent, the Emerging Filmmakers Series offers the winner of local high school competitions a screening at the fest, as well as scholarship money to further pursue the art of moviemaking.

Entries for this October’s Red Bank International Film Festival are now being accepted. For more information on the festival and Freedom Film Society, visit www.rbiff.org.

SOUND OFF QUESTION: If there was a Film Addicts Anonymous in your area, would you attend? Which upcoming movies would you want to watch and discuss as part of such a group? Talk back in the comments section!

January 2nd, 2007 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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The Foundation for Asian American Independent Media

In 1995, musicians Sooyoung Park and William Shin and music journalist Ben Kim saw a need to help their fellow Asian-American artists. Seeking to educate audiences about Asian American history and issues, as well as to promote cross-cultural understanding, they founded the Chicago-based Foundation for Asian American Independent Media (FAAIM) in the hope that such an organization would foster a better understanding of their sometimes pigeonholed artistic community.

Each year FAAIM supports its community by networking and using connections to further its members’ artistic endeavors. Passing around screenplays and getting the word out through street teams are not uncommon promotional tactics, and local Chicago colleges and universities often hold screenings with moviemakers in collaboration with FAAIM. With the founders’ strong musical background, their aid to moviemakers also often takes the form of helping with the score of a movie. Perhaps most significant, however, is the exposure artists get at the Chicago Asian American Showcase. Held the first weekend of April each year, the showcase brings together Asian American moviemakers from across the nation—and specifically the Midwest.

“Being based in the Midwest is very important to our showcase,” says Tim Hugh, FAAIM’s festival director. “Our communities are smaller and experiences are different than those of Asian Americans who might have grown up in the east or west coastal areas. Because of this fact, we feel that through our showcase, we can foster that understanding of what it’s like to grow up Asian in America.”

To keep up-to-date with FAAIM events or for more information, visit www.faaim.org.

SOUND OFF QUESTION: Culturally-based arts organizations often seek to express the collective life experience of a group of people-- should these organizations also seek to create a dialogue between their members and the “mainstream” world? Or is it enough to provide a space for artistic expression? Talk back in the comments section!

December 18th, 2006 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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Writers Guild of America

Have you written a novel? A television pilot? A screenplay perhaps? Then you should probably be a member of the Writers Guild of America. Having a dispute with fellow writers over credits to your magnum opus? The Guild can help. Need assistance with copyrighting your property? They do that, too.

Since its inception in 1933 the WGA has provided a wide range of resources for writers, including access to facilities, legal support and networking opportunities.

But it’s not just the traditional narrative screenwriters the WGA serves to support and protect: As proof of its dedication to the art, the WGA’s latest expansion includes new divisions to distinctly recognize writers for animated television series (with plans to embrace animated feature film writers as well), cable documentaries (including reality TV) and video games and electronic media. “As new methods of content distribution provide increased creative and economic opportunities for writers, the WGAW [will continue] to work to ensure that our guild members… are not only compensated for the reuse of their work, but receive their fair share for new content they develop, no matter the genre or media,” the Writers Guild of America, West explains in a statement to MM. As the years progress, and the term “writer” grows ever-more complicated, the WGA is sure to be right there to help the future generation of writers, in all their many incarnations.

For more information visit their website.

Sound off: The Writers Guild of America has been expanding in an attempt to grow along with the term of “writer.” What type of writer should the Guild be including next? What do you think is the next frontier for writers? Talk back in the comments section of the blog!

December 11th, 2006 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

Comments: 3

The Kairos Prize

At first glance, Hollywood might seem to be a secular community (Scientology and Kabbalah fads aside). But the Templeton Foundation, an independent organization dedicated to encouraging the exploration of moral and spiritual values, is determined to bring religious moviemakers out of the woodwork. To this end, they have developed the Kairos Prize, which awards up to $50,000 worth of prizes to screenwriters who pen “spiritually uplifting” screenplays.

In choosing the name “Kairos,” which is a Greek word meaning “the right time” or “the critical moment,” the Templeton Foundation underscores what they see as the imperative need for a larger religious presence in popular moviemaking. “The decision-makers in Hollywood now recognize 70 to 80 percent of such movies are profitable, compared with 10 percent of R- or X-rated movies that end up making a profit,” claims Dr. John Templeton, Jr., president of the Foundation. “At the recent Screenwriting Expo, two of the most popular sessions were entitled ‘Christians in Hollywood’ and ‘Writing for the Family Film Market,’ showing once again the interest in these areas.”

The prize was founded by a winner of the Foundation’s Epiphany Prize (the Christian equivalent of the Oscars), who donated his prize money to create a way to reward and promote spiritual scripts. “[The prize] assures that out of the 300,000 new scripts [written] each year, the winners’ scripts will be read by one or more major studios,” says Templeton.

The deadline for the 2007 Kairos Prize is December 15. For more information, visit www.kairosprize.com.

November 6th, 2006 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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National Film Preservation Foundation

More than a source of entertainment, film is the most authentic eyewitness to our recent history. From the first silent shorts to war time news reels and avant-garde animation, much of our nation’s progress is recorded on thin sheets of acetate. Unfortunately, archivists have now seen that these films are deteriorating faster than they can save them. Recognizing the need for action, the U.S. Congress created the National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) to work with archivists to help reverse the effects of aging.The NFPF’s main goal is to “save American films not preserved by commercial interests,” says Annette Melville, director of the NFPF. Nine years after its creation, the foundation seems well on its way. “We have helped preserve more than 950 films and assisted archives in 38 states,” adds Melville. She attributes the Foundation’s success to its preservation grant program, awarded to individual nonprofit or public institutions and backed by the Library of Congress, and cooperative projects that enable several film archives to work together on a national scale.

Aside from the grants, however, the foundation “depends entirely on private contributions to support operations and special projects,” according to Melville. The NFPF regularly publishes compendiums of their projects, such as the award-winning 3-DVD set More Treasures from American Film Archives, 1894-1931, with net proceeds supporting the Foundation’s ongoing preservation projects. Through the efforts of the NFPF, we’re reminded of the long and storied history of film—and how viable it is today if we’d only take the time to sit down and watch.

For more information, visit www.filmpreservation.org.

September 25th, 2006 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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CineWomen

Some days, it seems like women are virtually nonexistent in the moviemaking world. Aside from a handful of standout directors like Mira Nair, Sofia Coppola and Julie Taymor, the mainstream film scene is dominated by men; however, CineWomen is helping to reverse this trend. With branches in Los Angeles and New York, CineWomen promotes and supports female moviemakers from all walks of life.CineWomen’s goal is to support “the advancement of women, their goals and their visions in a noncompetitive environment,” and the group has found many innovative ways to do just that. From monthly screenings to networking mixers, CineWomen proves that the female moviemaking community is thriving. In addition to these events, the bicoastal group also provides screenplay readings, workshops, Q&As and—for the L.A. set—the opportunity to use CineWomen’s 501(c)3 status to fundraise and secure grants from various foundations and individuals. With a host of creative ideas and enthusiastic participants, CineWomen is an example of indie networking at its finest. Thanks to organizations like CineWomen, the silver screen is making room for all the brilliant artists who just happen to have an extra chromosome.

For more information, visit www.cinewomen.org.

September 15th, 2006 | Category: Association of the Week | By MovieMaker Staff

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