Date: Friday, February 7, 2014 - 8:15am - 5:00pm
Location: Katzen Arts Center, Abramson Family Recital Hall, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
Media That Matters is an annual conference designed for established and aspiring filmmakers, nonprofit communication leaders, funders, and students who want to learn and share cutting-edge practices to make their media matter.
As the center’s flagship program, conference brings together top players in the field to talk about media and social change.
This year’s 10th anniversary highlights the Center’s important role serving as a resource for social impact media makers while celebrating the community’s ongoing success and innovation.
Sponsorship opportunities [2] available!
8:15am Conference check-in and registration open / Bagels & Coffee
9:15am Welcome and Announcements
9:30 - 10:15am Keynote Address
Speaker: Alden E. Stoner, Vice President, Social Action Film Campaigns, Participant Media [3]
Moderator: Caty Borum Chattoo [4], Center for Media & Social ImpactHow can media makers take advantage of innovative storytelling platforms and strategies to effect meaningful change? Participant Media's Alden Stoner talks with the Center's Caty Borum Chattoo about the process of running a successful social action campaign, the importance of independent media, and the challenges that face future makers.
10:15 - 11:30am First Talk
Radio Matters: How sound carries a story and other takeaways
Speakers: Erika Lantz, PRX Remix [5]; Rob Rosenthal [6], Transom Story Workshop [7]; Rebecca Sheir [8], Metro Connection [9]
Moderator: Russell Williams [10], American UniversityThe first thing we learn in film school is there are no second chances to get the audio! Strategic sound design can create an intimate and powerful storytelling experience and is an essential tool in social impact media. In Radio Matters we talk to the audio experts: radio producers who rely exclusively on sound to carry the story. How can you leverage your audio to build a better story experience?
11:30 - 11:45am Shout Outs
Step up to the mic and introduce yourself! We set aside this time to help facilitate networking - find your next program partner and grab lunch together.
11:45am - 12:45pm Lunch
12:45 - 1:15pm
Festival Matters with David Holbrooke [11], Mountainfilm [12]
The Netflix Original Documentary "Mitt" began streaming just days after it premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. In an age of video on demand and digital distribution, are film festivals still relevant for distribution? Join a conversation with CMSI Director Pat Aufderheide and David Holdbrooke, festival director with Mountainfilm in Telluride, on festivals strategies in the digital age. How important are festivals for social impact documentary? What's unique about Mountainfilm, and how are festivals like it evolving?
1:15 - 2:30pm Second Talk
Digital Games: Using persuasive play for social impact
Speakers: Kunal Gupta [13], Babycastles [14] and Silent Barn [15]; Colleen Macklin [16], Parsons The New School for Design [17]; Meghan Ventura [18], Games For Change [19]
Moderator: Lindsay Grace [20], American UniversityWhy should social impact media makers pay attention to games? Professor Lindsay Grace--game designer, researcher and purveyor of play--introduces persuasive gaming and constructing digital experiences that lead to social impact. Grace will lead a discussion on the status of public purpose gaming, its potential for future impact, the capacity of the new AU gaming lab, and how strategies for social impact documentary relate to gaming.
2:30 - 3:00pm Networking Break
We know that's why you're here! Refresh your coffee cup and collect some emails.
3:00 - 4:15pm Third talk
Image Matters: Graphic ways to visualize policy, history, news and more
Speakers: Daniel Burwen [21], Cognito Comics [22]; Greg Pak [23], comic book writer; Marissa Valeri [24], Common Cause [25]
Moderator: Andrew Lih [26], American UniversityThe right combination of aesthetics can take your social impact media to the next level. From traditional journalism to iPad apps, comics and creative graphics can be an exciting new way to build an emotional connection with audiences. How can these graphics help build your social impact story? Where can you find the artists, and what are the keys to a successful collaboration?
4:15pm Raffle and Closing
What are people saying about MTM?
"It is informative, thought provoking, resourceful, eye opener, interactive and broadens the outlook towards documentary film making and advocacy driven documentaries."
"Inspiring sessions and great networking, well-planned and executed event."
"One of two must-attend events for the DC-area documentary film community."
"Sessions that provide new ideas. Industry contacts. Moments of discovery when sharing with colleagues."
...
Links:
[1] https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6474/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=69510
[2] http://cmsimpact.org/media-impact/conference/media-matters-sponsorship-marketing-opportunities
[3] http://www.participantmedia.com/
[4] http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/chattoo.cfm
[5] http://www.prx.org/remix
[6] http://howsound.org/
[7] http://transom.org/?page_id=32517
[8] http://wamu.org/author/rebecca_sheir
[9] http://wamu.org/programs/metro_connection
[10] http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/rwill.cfm
[11] http://www.mountainfilm.org/personality/david-holbrooke
[12] http://www.mountainfilm.org/
[13] http://babycastles.com/website/people/
[14] http://www.babycastles.com/
[15] http://www.silentbarn.org/
[16] http://www.colleenmacklin.com/
[17] http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/
[18] http://www.gamesforchange.org/bio/meghan-ventura/
[19] http://www.gamesforchange.org/
[20] http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/grace.cfm
[21] http://www.danielburwen.com/
[22] http://www.cognitocomics.com/
[23] http://gregpak.com/
[24] http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=8684437
[25] http://www.commoncause.org/
[26] http://www.andrewlih.com/Welcome.html