{"id":1624,"date":"2008-02-11T13:41:00","date_gmt":"2008-02-11T18:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/2008\/02\/11\/making-your-media-matter-conference\/"},"modified":"2008-02-11T13:41:00","modified_gmt":"2008-02-11T18:41:00","slug":"making-your-media-matter-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/2008\/02\/11\/making-your-media-matter-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Your Media Matter Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tTaking place February 7-8th, 2008, this year’s “Making your media matter” conference was quite a success. The Center for Social Media did a wonderful job organizing and executing this forum. I took some notes on the various sessions and have posted them below.<\/p>\n

Games for social change seminar <\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Suzanne Seggerman (Games for change)<\/li>\n
      \n
    1. Most people are afraid of the printed word, novels, and films when they first come out, but over time accept them.<\/li>\n
    2. Games are good at immersion in a new environment, as well as a chance to change a scenario safely.<\/li>\n
    3. You have a different cognitive thinking when using video games versus reading.<\/li>\n
    4. Games for change<\/i> is a non-profit organization that assumes three things are important and attainable with video games:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

      i. <\/span> Education<\/p>\n

      <\/span>ii. <\/span><\/span> Social change<\/p>\n

      <\/span>iii. <\/span><\/span> Culture<\/p>\n

        \n
          \n
        1. Tries to shape the public outlook and increase the outlook for the positive.<\/li>\n
        2. \u201cFilm was the dominant aspect of the 20th<\/sup> century, interactive media will be the dominant one of the 21st<\/sup>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        3. Heidi Boisvert (ICED!)<\/li>\n
            \n
          1. The game is out to teach users about the 1996 U.S. immigration policy. <\/span>It\u2019s a free role-playing game targeting high school and college students.<\/li>\n
          2. The law itself has deported over 1.4 million people. <\/span>It costs $95\/day to detain someone. <\/span>Human rights have been denied some of these detainees.<\/li>\n
          3. The game allows you to play as an immigrant youth seeking asylum. <\/span>It is a mix of civic questions and avoidance of immigration officers.<\/li>\n
          4. Developed by over one hundred New York City youths from all over the boroughs.<\/li>\n
          5. Emphasizes freewill of characters.<\/li>\n
          6. Attempts to reframe the immigration debate from just illegal aliens.<\/li>\n
          7. Launching February 18, 2008 on both PC\/Mac platforms.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          8. Eric Brown (Impact Games)<\/li>\n
              \n
            1. Created a for-profit company in order to launch Peacemaker<\/i>, a game that addresses the Israeli\/Palestinian conflict.<\/li>\n
            2. Emotional impact comes from connection to real life, not just spectacle. <\/span>Games in include real footage.<\/li>\n
            3. Their new online platform has constant updates (http:\/\/beta-ptn.impactgames.com<\/a>)<\/li>\n
            4. The \u201cPlay the news\u201d option allows users to read and play other conflicts currently going on in the world. <\/span>People can sign up by emailing beta@impactgames.com<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            5. Ivan Marovic (A force more powerful)<\/li>\n
                \n
              1. A single term strategy is a game, which it is a player versus the computer. As a protester you are trying to take down a government, non-violently.<\/li>\n
              2. It teaches analytical skills and decisions without consequences that you would have in real life, like getting killed or thrown in prison.<\/li>\n
              3. Ivan\u2019s background is based in non-violence and had designed the game as a tool for others.<\/li>\n
              4. Documentary films about political uprisings are framed with the filmmaker\u2019s point of view, not the protester. <\/span>And the film is always linear, with one solution.<\/li>\n
              5. The game has 10 different scenarios, from fighting for women\u2019s rights to a corrupt city or a government eroding the constitution. <\/span>This allows the users to tweak each game and scenario according to the data they import.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              6. Dennis Palmieri (World without oil)<\/li>\n
                  \n
                1. More involved in television, but funded web based content. <\/span>World without oil<\/i>, was the first game they sponsored and hosted.<\/li>\n
                2. World without oil<\/i> ran for a finite time period in 2007. <\/span>It corresponded to \u201creal time,\u201d a day equaled a day in this online reality.<\/li>\n
                3. The programmers created a shell in which people using it created the content. <\/span>These users made videos, blogs, and comics, which were hosted offsite.<\/li>\n
                4. The users were sometimes so impacted by the game, that they changed their real lives, making themselves more environmentally friendly.<\/li>\n
                5. http:\/\/www.filmocracy.com<\/a> will allow users to mash-up content from \u201cKing corn\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

                  \u201cPlight Entertainment\u201d: Engaging audiences with difficult stories <\/b>seminar <\/b><\/p>\n

                  <\/b><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. Julia Bacha (Edited\/co-wrote Control room<\/i>)<\/li>\n
                      \n
                    1. Directed Encounter point<\/i>.<\/li>\n
                    2. Set from the point of view of civilians in the Israeli\/Palestinian conflict.<\/li>\n
                    3. Was first released in film festivals, but as interest grew, was released for purchase then television networks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                    4. Giovanna Chesler (AU Professor)<\/li>\n
                        \n
                      1. http:\/\/www.g6pictures.com<\/a><\/li>\n
                      2. http:\/\/www.periodthemovie.com<\/a><\/li>\n
                      3. Focused in on women who have taken drugs to stop their periods.<\/li>\n
                      4. The image\/video was shot on 16mm film and non-synch audio was used.<\/li>\n
                      5. Rejected from every film festival it was submitted to.<\/li>\n
                      6. Distributors \u201cgot it\u201d and it is being released through Cinema Guild.<\/li>\n
                      7. Latest project is web-based. <\/span>http:\/\/www.hpvboredom.com<\/a> follows primarily college students and their stories about sexually transmitted diseases.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                      8. Bristol Baughan (Good Magazine)<\/li>\n
                          \n
                        1. Graduated from SIS in 2004.<\/li>\n
                        2. Works for Good<\/i> magazine, which allows is involved in film and the web.<\/li>\n
                        3. Started last year as a film studio.<\/li>\n
                        4. Michael Apted directed their first film, a documentary about soccer, but it was not theatrically released.<\/li>\n
                        5. Marshall Curry, who directed Streetfight<\/i>, is doing a follow-up about NASCAR from the point of view of kids.<\/li>\n
                        6. Which way is home<\/i> is a documentary about immigrants who leave their kids in the U.S. hoping they will be able to stay on their own. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

                          Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes <\/b>seminar <\/b>

                          <\/b><\/p>\n

                            \n
                          1. Byron Hurt (Writer\/director Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes<\/i>)<\/li>\n
                              \n
                            1. ITVS gave completion funds and the Ford Foundation covered him when he ran over budget.<\/li>\n
                            2. It took six years to shoot. <\/span>While a fan of hip-hop, Byron is critical of the negative stereotypes that the music propagates (Misogyny, sexism, homophobia, etc.)<\/li>\n
                            3. His first film was rejected by PBS, I am a black man<\/i>. <\/span>But it helped create the template for Beyond beats and rhymes<\/i>.<\/li>\n
                            4. Although there were documentaries about some of the issues his film focused in on, he tried to frame the issue of the manhood complex. <\/span>Likewise, he tried to structure it so fans of hip-hop could enjoy it, without alienating non-fans.<\/li>\n
                            5. He has numerous screenings which he had the audience fill out surveys which he took very seriously. <\/span>It actually altered how the film was edited.<\/li>\n
                            6. Although it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2006, but won no awards. <\/span>However, the media really built up a buzz. <\/span>ITVS used it as an outreach program.<\/li>\n
                            7. After it was broadcast, Firelight Media started to represent it and continued to be involved its community\u2019s outreach.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                            8. Sonya Childress (Firelight Media)<\/li>\n
                                \n
                              1. Firelight Media was initially just a production house that used Beyond beats and rhymes<\/i> as their first outreach project.<\/li>\n
                              2. <\/span>The success of Beyond beats and rhymes<\/i> was rooted in the fact Byron was such a fan of hip-hop while finding a great story.<\/li>\n
                              3. ITVS decided to air the program during their Independent Lens series. <\/span>The problem was the ideal audience was not who do not typically watch PBS.<\/li>\n
                              4. Pre-broadcast was focused on service providers, teachers, organizations.<\/li>\n
                              5. Tried to empower organizations (Big brother, Boys and girls\u2019 clubs, etc.) to utilize the film specific to each goal, created interactive content, advance screenings, and discussion guides.<\/li>\n
                              6. The Corporation for public broadcasting gave them funds for advertising and they premiered at 1.1 million. <\/span>However, PBS continued to give supporting funds after the broadcast (Almost unheard of.).<\/li>\n
                              7. About a month after the broadcast, the Don Imus controversy happened where he blamed hip-hop for his comments.<\/li>\n
                              8. The biggest problem was the film never gave an answer\/solution which frustrated some viewers.<\/li>\n
                              9. After the film aired, Byron has toured for the past two years so he is finally starting to step back so he can begin working on his next project.<\/li>\n
                              10. The majority of the places he is touring are historical black colleges and universities. <\/span>The Ford Foundation helps subsidize his travel costs.<\/li>\n
                              11. Emulate what the norm is watching, but insert a subversive message. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

                                Short shorts and hot platforms <\/b>seminar <\/b>

                                <\/b><\/p>\n

                                  \n
                                1. Matisse Bustos-Hawkes (WITNESS Hub)<\/li>\n
                                    \n
                                  1. Works with Witness, an organization that Peter Gabriel started 15 years ago which tries to get a video camera into different people hands to shoot their own stories.<\/li>\n
                                  2. The hub (http:\/\/www.witness.org<\/a>) is a website that allows users to upload content dealing with human rights.<\/li>\n
                                  3. The creation of the site was a result of concern of the safety of filmmakers and those depicted in the content.<\/li>\n
                                  4. They offer options (email, uploading, anonymous logins, etc.) for those without top equipment and those who live in places which are monitored. <\/span>It allows you to also imbed other site\u2019s videos.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                  5. Leba Haber (Where My Ladies At?)<\/li>\n
                                      \n
                                    1. Utilized http:\/\/youtube.com<\/a> by creating her own video channel and embedding the videos in her own site (http:\/\/www.wheremyladiesat.com\/<\/a>). <\/span>That way she did not have to host these videos. <\/span>Cost-wise this is a very good idea.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                    2. Melissa Roberts (Free Range Studios)<\/li>\n
                                        \n
                                      1. Works closely with flash animation; example, Store wars<\/i>.<\/li>\n
                                      2. Current project, The story of stuff<\/i> (http:\/\/www.thestoryofstuff.com<\/a>) deals with where things come from, how they are made and where they go when they are thrown away.<\/li>\n
                                      3. Site is very interactive, allows users to check all the facts, but is presented in a humorous way, appealing to all demographics.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                      4. Leighton Woodhouse (Brave New Films)<\/li>\n
                                          \n
                                        1. Brave New Films started as a feature documentary production house, but over time it has branched into online shorts, primarily hosted on their own channel at http:\/\/www.youtube.com<\/a>.<\/li>\n
                                        2. Three goals for every project:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

                                          <\/span>i. <\/span><\/span> Fix a target. <\/span>No matter what the subject, have focus.<\/p>\n

                                          <\/span>ii. <\/span><\/span> Have a story.<\/p>\n

                                          <\/span>iii. <\/span><\/span> Ask people to take action at the end of the piece in a very specific clear way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                          Taking place February 7-8th, 2008, this year’s “Making your media matter” conference was quite a success. The Center for Social Media did a wonderful job organizing and executing this forum. I took some notes on the various sessions and have posted them below. Games for social change seminar Suzanne Seggerman (Games for change) Most people […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[78,218],"class_list":["post-1624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-center-for-social-media","tag-making-your-media-matter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1624\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.library.american.edu\/mediaservices\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}