The Center for Social Media invited established and aspiring filmmakers, non-profit communications leaders, funders, and students to our 5th annual Making Your Media Matter conference. This was a perfect opportunity to learn and share cutting-edge practices for creating media that matters.
Where: American University's Katzen Arts Center
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016When: February 12-13, 2009
Coming soon: Video and podcasts from the conference, and a Rapporteur's report. Keep watching for updates!
Keynote speakers included: Gordon Quinn and George Stoney.
SCHEDULE
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12th
4:30 Registration opens
5:30 Introduction by School of Communication's Dean Larry Kirkman
5:50 Mini-keynote: George Stoney on ethics in social-issue film
6:15 Keynote: Gordon Quinn and the ethics of Cinema Verite
7:30 Reception
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13TH
9:00 Registration, coffee/bagels, and demos
10:00 Welcome and Logistics
10:15 Panel: Money and Mission
An in-depth look at the issue of funding social issue media, and how to meet the demands of funders while also fulfilling the ethical needs of your mission. Featuring:
- Danny Alpert, Executive Producer of See3 and Kindling Group
- Julie Goldman, founder of Cactus Three Films
- Alyce Myatt, Executive Director of Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media
- Sheila Leddy, Executive Director of the Fledgling Fund
11:45 Announcements/Shout-outs
11:50 Birds of a Feather Lunch
Birds of a Feather lunch is a way to sign up for a theme or issue you would like to discuss before the conference, network online with people with similar interests, and meet for lunch to discuss that topic. You can sign up for your BOF group or create a new one on our networking site.
1:15 Raffle
1:30 Panel: Outreach and Connection
This panel focused on the various ways that outreach and audience connection can be incorporated into social-issue media, and provide new approaches in measuring impact. Featuring:
- Andrew Mer of Snagfilms
- Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar, film makers of Made in LA
- Scott Kirsner, author of CinemaTech
- Maia L. Ermita, Director of Festival and Outreach at Arts Engine
- Wendy Levy, Director of Creative Programming of the Bay Area Video Coalition
3:00 Networking Break
3:30 Panel: Art, Ethics and Mission
What happens when you make a beautiful film about a dark subject? This panel took a look at how to marry the ethics of media making with the aesthetic choices required to make powerful art. Featuring:
- Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, film makers of War Dance
- Cara Mertes, Director of the Sundance Documentary Film Program
- Thomas Allen Harris, Director of Chimpanzee Productions
- Sky Sitney, Programming Director of SILVERDOCS
5:00 Reception
Be sure to join our network for Making Your Media Matter, and begin making contacts with other attendees today!
The Making Your Media Matter network
Accommodations and Directions
Georgetown Holiday Inn (be sure to mention you're part of the conference at American University for a reduced rate)
Directions to American University
Campus Map (Katzen Arts Center located on corner of Nebraska and Massachusetts)
To learn more about Making Your Media Matter, read the Rapporteur's Report from the 2008 conference here.
Special thanks to Mashable!