Ezine Number 9, July 21, 2002
 
From the Ezine Editor
 
This issue of the Ezine will be about AIVF topics and the meeting on Tuesday July 16th. We had quite a bit to go over and naturally didn't cover everything so we'll be continuing with those topics over the next several meetings. We've got some unique opportunities opening up and we'll need to plan how best to organize our resources. We'll be pushing ahead with plans for our web site and production directory to showcase our talent, two important features, as promised by some other people, that are long overdue.
 
With these next two features, AIVF Birmingham will be better able to serve you the filmmaker with more choices, options and information. It will take some work to accomplish this along with willing and able volunteers, people who put forth the effort. With all of us doing a little bit ( Many hands make light work. ) we'll have an organization where we can have access to equipment, actors, locations, distribution and more. Of course it's not going to be easy, growth never is. With a sacrifice of time and a little old-fashion elbow grease we can be in the next era of filmmaking. Building for the future, your future, will require visionaries with a professional view, not a limited view as a Yahoo group.
 
Summary of AIVF meeting, July 16th
 
There were a fair amount in attendance for July 16th. Some of the AIVF people who were planning to attend that evening were selected at the last minute to be in some addition scenes of Nippon TV's 'Black Widow' at Sloss Furnace. Those who were there represented a wide range of experience from interested novice to seasoned pros. Salon Leader, Jim Brucke hosted the meeting.
 
Fred Purchis had a lot of insights and information. He reminded us of the NAPTE convention in January '03 will be in New Orleans ( This is a big media buying event for the North American TV market.-ed ) which makes it a easy trip for those that may want to go.
 
We discussed about an outreach to the colleges and schools in our area. Miles, Samford and others have Theater Departments and Art Departments along with TV Production. Putting up flyers and placing ads in the student publications would attract students. Radio PSAs would be another way to attract interested people.
 
The soon-to-be web site would be a good tool, not only locally but on a national stage. The AIVF production directory would also be beneficial, both of these are still in the formative stages and will be discussed further at later meetings.
 
Fred and Earl Hilliard Jr. both led the discussion of the way to improve the filmmaking situation is to make TV shows here. A movie may come here from LA or New York to shoot and may spend money on food and hotels but will leave after six weeks taking the equipment and support personnel with them. Any film will need a lot of trained people to make it work and that's who we need to stay and live here.
 
Earl had a good example of what happen in Baltimore. Baltimore was a nice little city with a seaport until 'Homicide: Life On The Street' started production. For the first year it was just the TV company bringing everything in but soon a sound studio open up, then a prop house, then another production studio. By the time production of 'Homicide' ended 6 years later there was a whole film industry in Baltimore that was established because a TV show was shot there. Same sort of thing with 'Dawson's Creek', shot in North Carolina, a lot of the actors and crew have bought houses there for their residence.
 
Making films and TV shows here will establish an industry, and that industry will need people, people who live here. 
 
Finding a good meeting place was discussed. It may be kind of atmospheric to meet in an actual production studio but conflicting schedules have arose when the production place needed to shoot something. We're still looking.
 
A brief update of filmmaker incentives offered by our State Legislature. We can get tax breaks on cine film processed within Alabama. Which company processes cine film in Alabama, none that I know about.
 
We had an inquiry as to what the Alabama Film Office is doing and a response of how they handled some location pictures.
 
There was discussion as to what the next election will bring. Brian Kurlander was appointed by
Gov. Seigleman but we were interested in gubernatorial candidate Bob Riley's position on supporting the filmmaking industry.
 
And for added interest, AIVF Birmingham is part of the Regions 2020 arts council.
 
We ended around 9:30 p.m. Thanks to those that contributed to the discussion. The next meeting place is yet to be decided, stay tuned.
 
Editors' note, these are just highlights not an exact transcript.
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In closing I'll add that the next issues of the AIVF Ezine will cover production news and the 'Black Widow'.