MediaRights: News http://www.mediarights.org/news/ Copyright 2008 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:22:16 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Youth Activism: TAKE ACTION PACK Twelve Months, Twelve Films, Twelve Issues.

Here at MediaRights.org and the Media That Matters Film Festival, we decided to crew up and give you a fresh, focused, all-in-one package of brand new short films, background information, resources, tips and activities on each of the topics covered in the eighth annual Media That Matters Film Festival.

The mission of the festival is to take the concept of "audience" a step further and use short-form, big issue media as a tool to educate and inspire activism. In preparation for a new school year starting in a couple of weeks, check out our Youth Activism Pack. Watch the films The Countdown and America For Dummies, then read on to find out more about how to take action.

The Issue

Youth participating in voter registration drives

Youth participating in voter registration drives

September is an exciting yet daunting month charged with change. The new school year here in the United States is about to start and students in countries across the globe are getting ready for the year ahead. Parents and educators are under the gun to provide a well-rounded and engaging education to a tech-reliant generation. But this fall is not only the start of a new school year - it is also the build up to one of the most anticipated days in the U.S. and global political calendar - the election for the President of the United States of America. Millions of Americans will hit the polls to place their vote and this year looks to be one of the most interesting battles for the White House in recent history. This is in large part due to the role of young people and new technology in the various voter registration campaigns. So what does this all add up to besides a whole lot of work?

It means that now is a more important time than ever to think about how we engage our youth, raise awareness, encourage activism and heighten media literacy skills in this heavily saturated media atmosphere - and still have fun with it! Organizations all over the world are promoting youth interest in politics, global concerns, the environment and other important issues. As part of our outreach efforts, we hope to assist you in helping young people realize that the power is in their hands. As organizers, educators, youth leaders, media activists and community members, we are left with these questions -- How do we harness this energy and help to connect our youth to organizations and movements that can really make a change? How do we integrate activism and social consciousness into our curriculum and our daily conversation in a fun and engaging way? Well here are some suggestions!

The Films

The power of peer-to-peer learning becomes more and more evident as we witness positive connections in our outreach efforts. Showing strong films made by young people can really help to kick start a conversation among young people-- this is the first step to activism. And remember: conflicting reactions can be positive too! Here are a couple of good starters:

CountDown_2.jpg

Sofia Snow in The Countdown

The Countdown presents poet Sofia Snow as she explores the effects of the September 11th attacks on the United States and the world. Winner of the Emerging Artist Award, The Countdown promotes a message of unity and the importance of placing cultural, religious and ideological differences aside to unite the world. Check out other films available on MediaRights.org such as I Wonder What You Will Remember From September 11th, and 9.11: Another World is Possible that address the after effects of September 11th and other similar films from the Media That Matters Film Festival such as Holla Back Dubai!
AmericaForDummies

Niaz Mosharraf, creator of America for Dummies

America For Dummies is this year's winner of the Youth Voice Award and explores the scary truth behind the ignorance shared by many young people in regards to politics, history and social issues. The film demonstrates a reality in which young adults are more in touch with the world of celebrities and pop culture than with current affairs and global issues. This film is a great start to a wider discussion on how we can become more involved with the issues that shape our lives. This film also offers a promising future in which young people can turn apathy into real social change. Both America for Dummies and The Countdown can be used cross discipline - from social studies to humanities and politics classes, as well as in media literacy and media making courses. Find other youth-focused films in our Media That Matters collection by downloading this ready-made listing. Also, catch Election Day, a Big Mouth Film that recently aired on POV and was released on DVD just in time for the election warm-up. Remember, you can always order a curated DVD by emailing us at festival@artsengine.net, or hold out for our eighth collection featuring both America For Dummies and The Countdown that will be released this fall!

The Action!

For Educators:
  • Use media in your classroom, after-school group or community organization as a means of opening up dialogue about these pressing issues. The more comfortable and familiar people are with talking, the more comfortable they will be to get involved with each issue.
  • Log on to the Youth Media Exchange and find articles, games, video and other media to help reiterate the importance of youth activism. Help your students get excited and engaged by what other young people are doing around the world. Great ideas can come from good examples that have worked before.
  • Invite local organizations to come and present their work in the classroom. Find youth-specific organizations on MediaRights.org. Dig deeper to find issue-specific speakers and invite local Greenmarket reps, voting registrars or other activists to speak about the work they do. Encourage students to ask questions and follow up with Take Action activities.
  • Log on to RockTheVote.com. It is a quick and easy way to be come a registered voter and find out what others are doing to promote youth interest in voting.
  • Start a slam-poetry club and encourage students to start one themselves. Check out sites for poets such as WelfarePoets.com who incorporate spoken word, hip-hop, Latin jazz and other forms of music, poetry and art to promote activism and fight injustice. Groups such as Urban Word NYC were started to give a safe, supportive and dynamic forum for New York's youth to express their thoughts and emotions about pressing sociopolitical issues facing the world. Check out these websites and see how you can inspire young people to start slamming!
  • Download the Discussion Guide for the seventh annual Media That Matters Film Festival for activity suggestions. It's free and can be easily adapted to for use with other films covering social issues.
Youth Activists:
  • Get connected and involved with other like-minded individuals. Mobilize.org is a networking site dedicated to empowering, educating and energizing young people who are leading others in activism, civil engagement and political participation. Download the their Mobilizer's Guidebook to help further organize and mobilize activist groups. You can also add their organization on Facebook.com to find more young people striving to make social change happen now.
  • Check out sites like WiretapMag.org and RealitySandwich.com - just two organizations educating and urging young people to voice their opinion on issues ranging from gay marriage, immigration and the Iraq War. You can log on and find young people near and far fighting to raise awareness. Log on today and learn how to get more involved and get your voice heard.
  • If you can't find a television station in your area offering alternative and educational programming, you can always log on to the internet and check out websites like the New York Map Exchange , a youth video exchange network providing access to media produced by organizations and individuals promoting activism and media literacy.
Family Activities:
  • Conversations start in the family! Arguments and differences of opinions aren't necessarily a bad thing. Try not to be intimidated by political debate at home but instead create a safe space for younger members of the family to express opinions and ask questions. And remember to ask questions back. The newspaper is a great tool to help introduce current events on the national and international level.
  • Attend a public rally, demonstration or gathering in your town or city, even if it is just to find out more about the issue. Log on to answer.pephost.org to see what events and rallies happening all over the United States. It is a good starting tool to see what issues are driving members of your community to activism on a local level.
Communities:
  • Plan a night to screen Media That Matters films in your community using our free DIY Screening Guide. Fill out our online Pre-Screening form so we follow your event and (if it's a public event) we can even help you publicize on our websites.
  • Want to run a voter registration drive in your community? Rock The Vote has a free downloadable activist toolkit to get you started. Encourage young people in your community to join the efforts. Check out RockTheVote.com to take action.
  • There is power in numbers. Change is progressive and starts on a small scale. Don't be afraid to attend your local city council meetings and voice your opinions about community concerns such as urbanization, public transportation and issues relevant to your community. Read more about these laws and explore the links to find out how you can be a check in the balance of power.
Other ways to get involved:
  • Check out a comprehensive directory on youth activism and organizing in the United Sates with the new book The Future 500. The book includes essays, analysis, listings, photos and resources that map out and give you the push you need to get involved with the growing youth activist movement.
  • Tune in to alternative television stations such as Manhattan's Youth Channel, which provide young adults with an alternative to mass media and allow equal access for all young people regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, religion or social status.
  • You can also look into MoveOn.org, a grassroots citizens' activist organization designed to inform people about various petitions and ways you can actively participate in decision making amongst government leaders.

In Conclusion

May these resources add to your use of film in the classroom. Beyond Media That Matters, we invite you to search around MediaRights to find others films, organizations and to read articles about other important youth issues.

Good luck, and let us know what you are doing to encourage youth activism! Publish an announcement on MediaRights to encourage others to join you, or send us an email!
Creative Commons License
This article is available for noncommercial use under a Creative Commons license. It was originally published on MediaRights.org, a project of Arts Engine, Inc. This notice must accompany the article at all times.
]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/20/youth_activism_take_action_pack http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/20/youth_activism_take_action_pack Article Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:22:16 -0500 Call for Entries: 2009 Princeton Environmental Film Festival; Oct 1 Deadline! www.princetonlibrary.org/peff/.]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/19/call_for_entries_2009_princeton_environmental_film_festival_oct_1_deadline http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/19/call_for_entries_2009_princeton_environmental_film_festival_oct_1_deadline Event / Call to action Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:57:41 -0500 Aug 31 Deadline: Apply for the Crossover Docs Residential Lab Crossover Docs, which is supported by the BBC and Channel 4, is a unique five-day residential laboratory for experienced creative professionals from all sectors of the audio-visual industries. Held in a remote country retreat, the lab will explore new approaches to engaging audiences with factual stories and issues. It will generate innovative ideas for cross-platform projects which address big ideas and contemporary challenges including climate change and other scientific issues. Crossover is directed by Frank Boyd and Heather Croall with leading mentors from the interactive and documentary industries. A number of commissioning editors, channel controllers and other buyers will visit during the week, to engage in the process and to hear the ideas that emerge from it. Commissioners attending in 2007 included the BBC, Channel 4, More 4, SBS, Al Jazeera and Current TV. The lab is for people with previous credits in either interactive/new media or documentary/factual projects. We are looking for up to 24 participants from across the audio-visual and creative industries: producers, designers, developers, writers, animators. If you're interested in applying or finding out more go to www.crossoverlabs.org or contact info@crossoverlabs.org Application deadline is 31 August 2008. The Lab will be held between 10 - 15 October 2008. "Crossover completely opened my eyes to the future of documentary" Roger Graef, Films of Record. "The most stimulating brilliantly workshop I have attended... it has the capacity to change entire businesses as well as creatives such as myself." Roy Ackerman, Creative Director, Diverse Crossover Docs is funded by Skillset, NESTA, London Development Agency, The Wellcome Trust and Screen Yorkshire.]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/19/aug_31_deadline_apply_for_the_crossover_docs_residential_lab http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/19/aug_31_deadline_apply_for_the_crossover_docs_residential_lab Event / Call to action Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:32:19 -0500 Oct 22-26: Breadmakers at Planet in Focus; Toronto, CA Breadmakers (Dir. Yasmin Fedda) will be shown at the 9th annual Planet in Focus International Environmental Film and Video Festival, which takes place in Toronto between the 22nd and 26th October 2008. Planet in Focus promotes and showcases outstanding and compelling films and videos in all forms (documentary, drama, animation, experimental, new media), focusing on environmental themes and subjects by Canadian and international filmmakers. Throughout the year and at their annual festival, Planet in Focus use environmental artistic expression as a catalyst for public awareness, discussion and appropriate action on the ecological and social health of the planet. More details can be found at: http://www.planetinfocus.org/]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/19/oct_2226_breadmakers_at_planet_in_focus_toronto_ca http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/19/oct_2226_breadmakers_at_planet_in_focus_toronto_ca Film / Screening Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:28:34 -0500 Sept 18: P.O.V.'s The Last Conquistador, NMAI at 6pm The Last Conquistador at The Museum of American Indian on September 18th at 6 pm. Q & A with filmmakers John J. Valadez and Cristina Ibarra to follow. This event is hosted by NMAI, P.O.V./The American Documentary and the American Indian Community House. The NMAI is located at One Bowling Green. Reservations recommended: FVC@si.edu or (212) 514-3737. John Houser's project of sculpting an immense bronze equestrian statue of Juan de Onate for the city of El Paso to honor the Hispanic contribution to the building of the American West ignites a controversy; Native Americans remember the Spanish Conquistador as one who brought genocide and brutal treatment to their peoples. The documentary charts the transformation of the statue into a representation of unresolved conflicts between race, class, and the historical memories of people living in a multicultural society. To learn more about this film or event visit: pbs.org/pov/lastconquistador or www.nativenetworks.si.edu.]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/18/sept_18_povs_the_last_conquistador_nmai_at_6pm http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/18/sept_18_povs_the_last_conquistador_nmai_at_6pm Film / Screening Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:15:14 -0500 Interview with Rev. Melissa Mummert, Director of Perversion of Justice By Amanda Coggin In Perversion of Justice, director Rev. Melissa Mummert introduces us to Hamedah Hasan, a mother of three serving a mandatory life sentence for a drug crime she didn't commit. I interviewed Rev. Mummert, whose film debuted at the San Francisco Women's Film Festival.
melissamummert2.jpg

Filmmaker Melissa Mummert

Amanda Coggin: What inspired you to volunteer at the women's prison and spend your time making a film that spreads the word about mandatory minimum sentencing? Melissa Mummert: I'm a minister by training. Everyone had to do an internship to work as a chaplain. Most chose to do theirs in a hospital, but a prison sounded more interesting to me. My dad did a little time in prison when I was in elementary school, so it was something I felt strangely comfortable doing. I met many other women with stories like Hamadeh's. I had talked about it [her story] with others and kept hearing about conspiracy. Then one of the other chaplains brought in a conspiracy article from Salon.com about how women are suffering in prisons. I was moved by my experience and wanted people to have the same experience--to see and hear prisoners in these situations. It was not an easy thing to do; it was hard to get into a prison. There aren't many people who are going to take the initiative to bring their stories to a broader audience and humanize female prisoners and all prisoners who are affected by the drug war. AC: How did you decide to focus on Hamedah and keep it a short film rather than tell all of the women's stories that you met who had similar sentences? MM: I worked with the media person from FAMM (Families Against Mandatory Minimums) to interview all of the women who were in the documentary. It was originally going to be a feature, an hour at least, but it didn't work out. [There were] many nuances about the laws that didn't get in there, but I wanted it [the film] to be about the kids and Hamedah and not just about the legal issues. Jodie Israel [in the film] was pardoned on the day I was supposed to interview her, and Danielle Metz's involved guns. Hamedah's story was quite clean. I really connected with Hamedah; when I met her, it just felt like an instant heart-to-heart connection. AC: Do you believe mandatory minimum sentencing for petty drug crimes is a case of gender and race inequality? MM: The whole situation of this crack cocaine/powder cocaine discrepancy is big in politics right now and there have already been some reforms to that end. It's the most blatant example of racism. It takes a hundred grams of powder cocaine to warrant the same sentence for one gram of crack cocaine. What many don't know is that most users of crack cocaine are white, but it's not enforced against them as much. I tend to think the best of people. I tend to think it [racial inequality] wasn't conscious when they made these laws, but it still needs to be changed. is sending out information right now about having unwarranted black men in prison and that any person who is aware of this should take notice. I've heard people say that this is the civil rights issue of our time, this insane, overbuilt prison system. We have to stop the way this is going. It doesn't make sense. AC: How do you see your film helping prisoners like Hamedah? MM: I'm hoping that my film is a grassroots, guerilla, hand-to-hand marketed film. PBS might broadcast it, but real change happens in church basements and real people's houses. I'm working on putting a shorter piece up on the Web. It's also with Media That Matters, who has a seven-minute version. I hope it will open some doors and give me some tools. Being my first documentary, my impetus was never, "I'm going to be this filmmaker." It was, "No, I want to change laws." It's not about maintaining exclusive rights and making money. It's how many legislative offices and churches and living rooms can I get this in as possible. AC: What was the biggest challenge you faced making this film? MM: I could say that fundraising and getting into the prisons was the biggest challenge, but doing social justice work, it's the internal messages we give ourselves, the "who am I to do this" messages that shut us down and keep us from trying to change the world. "[We might say] this is too big, I'm just one person." It's still a struggle to really just be bold, and be as bold as we need to be when we see something wrong in the world. I think it may have been Parker Palmer who said, "That which you can't not do." I wanted to put this project down a million times, I didn't know what I was doing, yet I had to keep doing it because it felt like I had to do it. Being a person of faith, [it pushed] something in the deepest part of me and [was something] more than me. AC: What is the biggest challenge going forward for Hamedah and other prisoners like her? MM: Her best chance is a presidential commutation. The pardon office has been essentially broken for the last few years. Hamedah and others, their cases have been on the pardon desk for two years and they [the office] say nothing, and the head of the office just left. There's hope that there will be some reform and relief. Hamedah is the most resilient person I've ever met. She is grounded in her faith. She tries to make the best of her day. She doesn't like it, but she accepts it. She takes ceramics and paralegal classes. She does whatever she can do. AC: What kind of action could viewers of your documentary or the public do to help transform cases like Hamedah's? MM: A lot of people want to do something way out there. We all want to make this really hard. [The best thing to do is to] make your legislature your best friend. Just let our legislatures know that we want to be smart on crime and not just tough on crime. You probably aren't going to be like me and stay up at night worrying about justice and fairness for alleged drug dealers. It might not be your top issue, but if you sign up for email alerts on FAMM, they'll tell you when to contact your legislature and why and that's just what you need to do.

Provided by DivineCaroline.com, a website where well-informed people like you can read and contribute stories, reviews, and forums. Please visit our vibrant community soon.

]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/12/interview_with_rev_melissa_mummert_director_of_perversion_of_justice http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/12/interview_with_rev_melissa_mummert_director_of_perversion_of_justice Article Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:32:12 -0500 Managing Perspective: Wrestling Heavy Issues Without Getting Weighed Down POV's 21st season, which means four months of daring, moving, illuminating and, in some cases, harrowing films. This year, for example, the PBS series, which features 14-16 independent documentary films every summer to fall, will include Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North by Katrina Browne. The film is an account of Browne and her relatives tracing their family history back to the slave trade, and finding that they were the biggest slave trading family in the North.
tracesofthetrade.jpg

Traces of the Trade

In making the film, Browne underwent a complete change of perspective. "I was shocked, but realized immediately that I already knew about my family's role in the slave trade, but had somehow buried it," she said in a statement for POV. "So the bigger shock was what I was now discovering: my amnesia [italics hers]." Browne's is a situation where a change in perspective is crucial not only to the film but to the cause. "...[W]hile in seminary, I wrote a master's thesis on Aristotle's theories on the power of Greek tragedies to create empathy and emotional catharses that can lead citizens to better judgment on civic and political affairs," she said. "Having worked in Washington, this resonated with my growing sense that internal transformation is as important as external transformation." Such is the case for most political and human rights related films - making them is a learning process - but in the meantime it's important not to let the subject matter overwhelm you and take over your life. Reverend Ginny Dempsey of Briarcliff Baptist Church in Atlanta says that in any career, forgetting to nurture a personal life is common. "Many times people make the mistake of allowing their career to become their personal life," she says. "It is easy to blur the boundaries between the two and to work more and allow time for friends, family, fun, etc. less." Browne found solace by simply including her family in the film. "I told my family members that we should all be prepared to make mistakes, to embarrass ourselves as we felt, and perhaps fumbled our way through the treacherous landscape of slavery, race and class," she said. "We're human, and I wanted to humanize our attempts to get things right." As another way of coping, Reverend Dempsey recommends making time for yourself. "Make sure you have a day off every week where you can set aside work things and issues and concentrate on your life and issues and what makes you happy," she says. "Try as best as possible to create a ritual that helps you leave work behind for that day of the week--whether it is leaving a briefcase at the door, turning off a pager or cell phone, or symbolically lighting a candle or touching a tree or some other signal to your mind and body that this day and time is for you." Dr. Kaslow calls this self-care. "There's no one right thing to do," she says. "Different people find different activities to be helpful. You have to find out what works for you."
jamesmoll.jpg

Filmmaker James Moll

Randy Vasquez, whose film Something's Moving was featured in the Media That Matters Film Festival, copes with the emotional affects that making his film has had on him through physical exertion, such as long walks and other exercise. "It's also called on me to be really honest with myself and with other people," he said. He says that his next step is to find a good therapist. Kaslow differentiates between adaptive ways of coping, and those that are "not so adaptive." The former include meditation, yoga, and other activities to take your mind off of work. "Exercise is super-adaptive," she says. "So are spending time with people that you're connected to; activities like going to the movies and sports; distracting, personally meaningful conversations, and pampering yourself." Some of the maladaptive behaviors to look out for include drinking excessively, overeating, and violent behavior towards your partner or children. Although Kaslow says that talking it out is helpful for some people but not necessarily everyone, Reverend Dempsey still recommends talking to someone, whether it's a close friend or a counselor outside of your work environment. "Be open and honest with him/her and subsequently with yourself," she says. "If there is a problem you cannot handle, discuss it together...[M]ake sure the other individual keeps everything confidential, but knowing you have someone outside of your particular situation who can help you gain perspective or just allow you to vent your frustrations is a wonderful gift and benefit." But perhaps the most important thing for filmmakers to do to keep their wits about them is to keep their cause in mind. According to an article by Christopher Michaelson in the Journal of Business Ethics, "...avoiding the deathbed regret for a more meaningful life could be at least partially be addressed through more meaningful work--that is, a belief about one's work that it is integral to a life well lived." Filmmaker James Moll, who made the POV film Inheritance, agrees. "It's an occupational hazard," he said. "But I keep going back for more. These are the subjects that I find most interesting and compelling and most valuable. It's personally rewarding to do things that have meaning and significance." Moll has worked on various human rights related films from the one he is currently working on, which is about the Iraq War to The Last Days, which is about the Holocaust.
The-Last-Days.jpg

The Last Days

On the other hand, the intensity of Vasquez's film's subject matter has at times made him question whether he can continue with the project. "Sometimes it gives me a lot of doubt about whether I've bitten off more than I can chew," he said. "But hopefully I'll make a film that makes people pause about Native American history in this country." Although it's important for filmmakers to engage with their subject matter, allowing that emotional response to seep into the rest of their lives can be draining. Some ways of coping with that are through hobbies, taking time to nurture relationships with family and friends, and especially talking it out with people. For those who don't have anyone that they feel comfortable talking with about how they feel, there are also numerous anonymous support groups online, such as DailyStrength.org, MDJunction.com, and PsychCentral.com's Neurotalk section.]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/12/managing_perspective_wrestling_heavy_issues_without_getting_weighed_down http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/12/managing_perspective_wrestling_heavy_issues_without_getting_weighed_down Article Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:15:30 -0500 Counter Military Recruitment Movement -- SuBRepublic The online magazine SuBRepublic.net has just completed their short documentary on the counter military recruitment movement in Los Angeles. The film focuses on giving a voice to students who are resisting being preyed upon by recruiters hoping to send them off to war with no other options. Check out the video at this link: http://subrepublic.net/webpagetry_10_5_06_045.htm http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/11/counter_military_recruitment_movement_subrepublic http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/11/counter_military_recruitment_movement_subrepublic Film / Screening Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:18:18 -0500 2nd Annual Studio 60093 Children's Video Fest Second Annual Studio 60093 Children's Video Festival for student directors and actors in grades k thru 12. Videos will be judged in the following age groups k-8 and 9-12. Enter in any of the following three categories: Animation Live Action Library Commercial Videos must not exceed 5 minutes(including credits). Videos entered in the Commercial category must be between 30-90 seconds in length. For additional information, and for entry forms, please check our website at www.winnetkalibrary.org or www. northfieldbranch.org http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/08/2nd_annual_studio_60093_childrens_video_fest http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/08/2nd_annual_studio_60093_childrens_video_fest Event / Call to action Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:43:42 -0500 Women Make Movies seeking Fall 2008 interns Women Make Movies now accepting Fall 2008 internship applications. Women Make Movies is a national not-for-profit media arts organization dedicated to the production, distribution, and exhibition of independent films and videotapes by and about women. Women Make Movies facilitates the development of feminist media through a national distribution service, production assistance program, touring exhibition programs, periodic publications, workshops and conferences. Women Make Movies strongly encourages lesbians, older women, and women of color to apply for placement. Please note that Women Make Movies is not a film production company. We are seeking interns for spring 2008 and beyond in the following departments: DISTRIBUTION THEATRICAL AND BROADCAST MARKETING EDUCATIONAL MARKETING ADMINISTRATION PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE/WORKSHOP SERIES Interns work a minimum of 15 hours per week. WMM Interns receive: Local travel reimbursement Free workshop attendance Access to screen titles from the Women Make Movies collection Please consult our website and fill out an application at: http://www.wmm.com/about/jobs.shtml If you have any questions, please contact Gayathri Iyer at giyer@wmm.com Women Make Movies | 462 Broadway, Suite 500WS | New York 10013 | 212.925.0606 http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/08/women_make_movies_seeking_fall_2008_interns http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/08/women_make_movies_seeking_fall_2008_interns Job / Internship Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:36:59 -0500 Wendy Cohen's Shortlist The Shortlist article series is your opportunity to learn about the films that inspire intellectual, artistic and activist leaders -- leaders like Wendy Cohen. We asked Wendy to share her favorite films and her thoughts on the power of documentary to change the world. So what films make Wendy Cohen's Shortlist? Keep reading to find out. Who is Wendy Cohen?
wendy_cohen.jpg

Wendy Cohen

Wendy was born and raised in Montreal and moved to New York in 2003 for an internship with Women Make Movies. A few months later she joined the Arts Engine family as their Outreach Coordinator. While working there, she was a research and creative assistant for The Art of the Documentary (New Riders Press 2005) as well as co-founded and became the National Director of Screening Liberally. After an exciting year as the Community Manager at the Huffington Post, Wendy moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and is now the Manager of Community and Alliances at Participant Media. She produced her first short film Every Third Bite with the Meerkat Media Collective about bees and the problems of colony collapse disorder. Wendy Cohen on the Power of Film I love movies and I believe they can change the world. Seeing someone's face, hearing someone's voice brings you into a story and can inspire you in a way that no other media can. Films are transformative--you can briefly feel what is like in someone else's shoes. Films move someone from apathy to inspiration to action. In an era of conglomerates and ownership, we have to rely on documentarians to show the stories rarely seen in the mainstream. And with the Internet, documentaries are more easily available, and we can more easily take part in this issues raised in the film. Wendy Cohen's Film Picks Philadelphia: This fiction film was based on a true story and it's one of the first big budget, big star movies to address AIDS and homosexuality. I was 12 years old when I saw the film in theaters with my family and remember feeling so devastated and speechless afterward. I certainly didn't know very much about AIDS, and I remember so clearly leaving the theater and not being able to describe how amazed I was--not only at the story but that a film could have such an impact. That film had such a profound impact on me and, for me, exemplifies what a film can do. Promises: Filmmaker B.Z. Goldberg travels though the West Bank and Jerusalem to bring Israeli and Palestinian children together first through letters and phone calls and then in person. The film is such a personalized look at Middle East conflict and offers hope for resolution while showing how much hatred runs between both sides. There is remarkable scene of two soccer matches: one in a Palestinian refugee camp and one in Jerusalem. The boys are playing the same game and have the exact same excitement and emotion and then devastation when they lose. The games are cut together and it shows us how these boys are so similar but their worlds are completely disparate. My Left Breast: This is a film about Gerry Rogers' journey as she battles breast cancer and turns to a video camera for catharsis and comfort. Gerry takes us to chemotherapy and family gatherings, and speaks to us in the middle of the night about how scared she is to lose this fight with her body. It is such an honest and intimate film and with Gerry's wit and candor it left me with the most inspiring outlook on life. It is certainly one of the films I most return to. Murderball: This is such a mesmerizing and edge-of-your-seat sport documentary. Murderball is the non-commercial name for wheelchair rugby played by quadriplegic young men. It is a full contact, trilling game and this film shows us how the sport gives hope and meaning to the young men who have become disabled by tragic accidents. There is so much excitement and laughter throughout the film, and most amazingly, the film doesn't take the melodramatic, teary message route about living with a disability. These guys want to win medals; they are not looking for anyone's pity. And the thrill and suspense of the matches rival any fiction sport film out there. Something Other Than Other: This experimental short film is one of the most beautiful and powerful I have seen. Filmmakers Jerry A. Henry and Andrea J. Chi made a video diary as they were pregnant with their first child and they use Super 8mm to give it the look and feel of old home movies. But they add a gorgeous and slightly unsettling, disjointed feeling throughout--much like the experience they had when their child was first born. My little cousin is biracial and this film is such moving short about what it is like to grow up biracial in America. Some films I couldn't leave out... Four Little Girls Born into Brothels Street Fight Hotel Rwanda Network A Question of Silence]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/wendy_cohens_shortlist http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/wendy_cohens_shortlist Article Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:51:08 -0500 Aug 12 - Sept 2: International Youth Day Celebration on StoriesForChange.net Help Stories for Change celebrate youth voices! In honor of International Youth Day, Stories for Change is excited to announce our online campaign to feature the digital stories made by youth from around the world that are working to make the world a better place. Starting August 12th through September 2nd, we will be displaying a rotating assortment of stories on the homepage as well as encouraging dialogue on strategies for doing digital storytelling projects with youth. We also encourage youth members and those working with youth to consider uploading their own stories on this theme and including the "youth" tag so they can be added to our growing collection. This celebration is a part of a Stories for Change's initiative of sharing stories on particular themes, to coincide with various international days and celebrations. The goal of this initiative is to highlight both the diversity of voices on the site and the common social justice threads going on in the world of digital storytelling today. Through this initiative, we are working to connect with other organization's doing work on specific social justice issues and encourage them to become involved in the Stories for Change community. http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/aug_12_sept_2_international_youth_day_celebration_on_storiesforchangenet http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/aug_12_sept_2_international_youth_day_celebration_on_storiesforchangenet Event / Call to action Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:50:23 -0500 <![CDATA[Aug 14: Marketing & Distribution Your Film on the Internet Workshop; NYC]]> www.MarketMyMovie.com or call: 732-321-0711]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/aug_14_marketing_distribution_your_film_on_the_internet_workshop_nyc http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/aug_14_marketing_distribution_your_film_on_the_internet_workshop_nyc Event / Call to action Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:47:00 -0500 Call for Entries: Natural Heroes on PublicTV seeks your Enviro-film www.naturalheroes.org. Questions? Email naturalheroes@krcb.org Valerie Landes Series Producer "Natural Heroes" KRCB-TV 5850 Labath Ave. Rohnert Park, CA 94928 USA 1-800-287-2722 x2024 www.naturalheroes.org]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/call_for_entries_natural_heroes_on_publictv_seeks_your_envirofilm http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/call_for_entries_natural_heroes_on_publictv_seeks_your_envirofilm Film / Screening Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:42:06 -0500 Soundfactor Music Productions Royalty-Free Audio Packages www.soundfactor.biz ). In here you can find tracks perfect for commercials, websites, documentaries, shorts, video games, podcasts, mobile contents. Is divided in genres and easy to use. You choose a song and you'll receive it within 24 hours. All our music, customized and stock, is royalty free. Once we give a song to you, you can use it as many times you need, for any use you want. Prices: One year: 250 Euros Two years: 450 Euros Three years 600 Euros The payment has to be via Paypal. You can listen to samples ( low quality ) of our music on our music database: www.soundfactor.biz. Best Fernando Fidanza Music Director Soundfactor Music Productions www.soundfactor.biz fernando@soundfactor.biz]]> http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/soundfactor_music_productions_royaltyfree_audio_packages http://www.mediarights.org/news/2008/08/01/soundfactor_music_productions_royaltyfree_audio_packages Film / Screening Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:19:13 -0500