MMN: THRIVING IN A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

June 8, 2012
MassArt Boston
9am to 6:30pm

Opening Plenary: “Embracing the Disruption”
We used to decide how and when we consumed media. Now it’s impossible to escape it. Our lives are saturated with media: television, computers, smartphones, tablets, radio, ipods and e-readers. How do these various platforms affect how we tell stories, how we reach audiences, and how we create impact today? Has the glut of media made us more or less media literate? And what does excellence mean in this crowded, 24/7 landscape? These are some of the big issues we’ll explore in the opening plenary session of MMN.

Moderator: Jeff Leifer
Speakers: Charles Sennott, Jesse Shapins
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Panel: “Media-Fueled Impact”
Media has always had the potential to influence and transform society, and today’s multiplexed media world offers more opportunities than ever before to catalyze social action. Come join some of the country’s top media makers and thinkers as they share their methods for engaging audiences to action. Learn about creating transmedia content; designing treetop and grassroots initiatives; forging effective strategic partnerships; harnessing social media; and inspiring audiences to take measurable positive action. These campaigns will not only help your media project change the world – they will also help you attract the funding you need!

Moderator: Anne Zeiser
Panelists: Johanna Blakley, Beth Murphy, Michael Sheridan
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Case Study: “Kickstarter”
Not long ago it looked as if long-form documentaries were a dying art form, with traditional sources of funding all but dried up. Then along came Kickstarter and other crowd-sourced funding models, upending everything. Filmmakers can now hope to raise six-figures funding in a month or two, from the public. Come hear one case study, of how FC filmmaker Bill Lichtenstein raised over $104,100 in just 30 days for his documentary, “The American Revolution” about WBCN radio 104.1 FM.

Presenters: Laura Azevedo, Bill Lichtenstein
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Panel: “Art of the Pitch”
Pitching your media project effectively is one of the most important skills you can develop if you want to be successful at fundraising and audience-building. In this session you’ll watch five producers pitch their films to a panel of industry insiders who will critique the presentations and suggest what it takes to craft a winning pitch. At the end of the day a winner will be selected and will get a modest cash prize!

Moderator: Judith Vecchione
Panelists: Kathryn Lo, Karen Mittelman, Ben Fowlie
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Panel: “Reframing Distribution: Times are a Changin’”
Back in the day (like four years ago) the film distribution model was easy to understand: find a distributor, and sell cable and foreign rights. Now we live in a Balkanized world with many more options, and risks. There are many alluring new ways of finding an audience, and the filmmaker has more control than ever, if only the clutter doesn’t get in the way. In this panel we will explore where we are headed, and how we can best take advantage of the new opportunities that are definitely out there.

Moderator: Garen Daly
Panelists: Anthony Kaufman, Brian Newman, Paola Freccero
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Roundtable: “Demystifying Video Workflow”
The revolution in shooting, editing and post production has kept pace with all the other dizzying changes in the media industry. From the moment you begin production you will face choices that may boggle your mind: Which camera to use? What format to shoot on? How will you import your media, and to what editing system? Are there “best” choices out there to match your budget? And what can really be fixed in post? Come hear three industry veterans as they break down your choices and give you a commonsense primer to help you select a video workflow that’s best for you.

Panelists: Austin De Besche, Megan McGough, Tom Talbot
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Closing Session: “Industry Speed Dating”
Win a fabulous dinner for 4 to develop your idea!
Put any four creative people together with the right questions and incentives and chances are they will discover a project that they could do together. At this session, which caps the day at MMN, participants will have a three chances to discover what they and three strangers have to offer. It could be an idea for a film, or a web business. It could be a new distribution platform, or a new way of framing an educational or sporting event. The options are limitless – but not the time. You’ll have just 8 minutes to develop your idea and describe it in one sentence. The judges will vote on best and most viable idea and award the prize!

Moderator: Joe Douillette
Proctors & Judges: Students from ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art)
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