AIVF Birmingham
Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers
 
Ezine Number 54, November 11, 2003
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Let's remember all our Armed Service Veterans who have sacrificed in the past so that we may enjoy our freedoms today.
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AIVF Salon news
 
The biggest news is that AIVF Birmingham Salon will be changing to AIVF Jefferson County Salon.  With the plans that we started discussing several years ago we saw that expanding to include all of the municipalities would help everyone. We've been working on this plan for some time and we're sure you'll be please with the direction we are going.
 
This also means that the name of the Ezine will change. The next Ezine will have the mast,
 
AIVF Jefferson County

Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers

that will appear in your mail box. I will still continue with the number sequence and will be using the same e-mail address until further arrangements can be made.

One of the plans we discussed earlier that we put into action is a web site. The temporary address is www.reelscene.com/jeffcosalon.html . As that might change as the site is developed please bookmark the home page at www.reelscene.com .

AIVF Jefferson County Salon meeting

 
The next meeting of the Jefferson County Salon will be on 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 18, 2003 at the Irondale Public Library (next to the Irondale Police Station). 
 
Our topic will of conversation will center around implementing plans to increase or establish a film industry here in Alabama. We've talk enough about it for the last several years so let's get to work. We're also interested in encouraging local filmmakers so come tell us what you are doing and find out what other people are doing.
 
Come ask for crew for your next project or of you want to learn filmmaking, volunteer to work on someone's film.
 
 We will also be planning out our next several meetings so this would be your chance to participate.
 
The meeting is free to the public.
 
The address of the Irondale Public Library is 105 South 20th Street in Irondale and the meeting room is in back, you will need to turn at the corner on to 2nd Avenue South to see the entrance. A map will follow later but for now the directions are, from Crestwood Blvd./Hwy 78 you go past Eastwood Mall into Irondale, turn left (away from the interstate) at Kilgore Memorial Drive, in about 100 feet this will merge left into 20th Street So. Head northeast, go around a right-hand curve, go past Studio By The Tracks, over a single railroad track till you come to a stop sign at the corner of 20th Street and 2nd Avenue, the Library is on the corner. If you drive past there you will see the Irondale Police Station and straight ahead will be another set of railroad tracks.  If you are coming on the interstate, it will be I-20 and the exit will be Exit 133/Kilgore Memorial Drive.
 
The Irondale Cafe, inspiration for the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes", will be serving a dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There are also a number of eating establishments along Crestwood Blvd. you can stop at either before the meeting or afterward.  

 Script Development Workshop

The next meeting of the Script Development Workshop will be 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 20 at Books & Co. in Brookwood Village. Bring a script you are working on and share it with like minded peers. At the last meeting someone brought their own feature length script. The meeting generally last to 9:00 p.m. although you are free to stay and talk till store closing. For more information contact Angela at angela@boang.com .
 
Special note; this will the week before Thanksgiving.
 
Workshops, classes
 
From IMAGE in Atlanta

The classes and workshops schedule is now on-line with full descriptions.
See the IMAGE web site: www.imagefv.org.  Please check periodically for new
information.
 
Upcoming Registration Deadlines:

DOCUMENTARY 101: FROM DEVELOPMENT TO DISTRIBUTION
Instructor: Gayla Jamison
Don't pick up a camera without becoming well versed in the documentary
filmmaker's "must know" checklist. Topics include developing your concept;
research and treatment writing; creating a budget; funding, including fiscal
sponsorship, in-kind support, and fundraisers; the planning, researching and
organizing of pre-production; the production stage (and the realization that
interviews are not as easy as they look!); post-production scripting and
editing; and the final stages of distribution. Class participants should be
prepared to submit their documentary ideas on paper to be used as in-class
examples.
Saturday, November 15, 2003. 10am-4pm. $75 for members, $95 general public.
Registration deadline: November 12. Limited to 12 students.
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From the National AIVF
 
ADVOCACY ALERT
 
Protect Funding to Community Access Television Stations
 
Community Access Television stations exist because of the franchise fees
that cable companies pay the local communities for the service of allowing
cable to run through public lands. The franchise fees pay for everything
from equipment to administration for the television stations that are
community run.
 
Senate Bill 150 is "The Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act." This Act
enables you to do business over the internet without paying taxes. However,
in the new incarnation of the Act, set to pass through the Senate before the
end of the month, ambiguous language about telecommunications services is
included. The problem is, that if cable is classified in the future as a
telecommunications service (because of internet carriage) then the franchise
fees which account for up to nine billion dollars in revenue nationwide
would no longer be mandated.
 
The bill is currently in the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation. If you wish to support and protect the funding of Community
Access Television stations, consider contacting one of he following Senators
to request that wording be placed in Senate Bill 150 to protect franchise
fees.  Senators Evan Bayh [IN], Sam Brownback [KS], Jim Bunning [KY],Conrad
R.  Burns [MT], John E. Ensign [NV], Judd Gregg [NH], Zell Miller [GA],
Gordon Smith [OR], John E. Sununu [NH], and John W. Warner [VA] all are a
part of this committee and are currently co-sponsoring this bill.
 
For contact information go to: http://www.congressmerge.com
 
 
Tell the FCC that the broadcast flag has no place in your home!
 
The "broadcast flag" is a system that the FCC and Hollywood would like to
adopt in the name of anti-piracy. In practice it could prohibit you from
taping your favorite shows for replay without the purchase of new equipment.
 
It is imperative that you read about the broadcast flag and how it could
hamper your rights as a media consumer.
 
 
For more information and to send a fax go to:
http://www2.publicknowledge.org/
 

For more information about AIVF media advocacy visit:
http://www.aivf.org/advocacy/
 
Film Festivals

THE BLACK MAN FILM FESTIVAL
November 8 & 9  --  FREE
Auburn Avenue African American Research Library - 101 Auburn Ave. NE
 
Family, culture, hip-hop, politics, youth and spiritual issues related to
Black men are explored through feature films, documentaries, shorts,
comedies, student films and more.  For a schedule see: www.afrikan.net/hype,
or call 404 432-2194


THE INDEPENDENT BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
Deadline:  December 1, 2003
 
The Independent Black Film Festival is extending the deadline to submit
films, screenplays, and film soundtrack scores.  For complete info
see www.indieblackfilm.com
 
 
If you would like to respond with any comments, updates, announcements, blurbs, quips, jibs, exhortations or advice, you can contact,
 
Ezine Editor, aivfbham@bellsouth.net