Introduce Yourself: Sign In Here First

Saludos a todos. Rich Potter checking in. I'm a young filmmaker
currently living and working in Panama City, Republic of Panamá. I do a
bit of everything--fiction, doc, commercial--in DV and edit with FCP on
G4's. Primarily signed on for the distribution discussion, thinking of
the half hour narrative short we just completed, but I see there's more
going on here than just that. Look forward to learning a few things
from you all.

Bien.
Rp.

Goodmorning. I've been making films for more than 20 years. I did a
dramatic version of a play I wrote about Edith Wharton called "Songs
From The Heart" which aired on BRAVO and many PBS stations, a
documentary about Nicaragua in 1990, and have just finished a feature-
length documentary about GE and PCBs.
Thanks for hosting this,
Mickey Friedman

Just finished the IFP Market in New York with our Hudson River Film
and Video production "Manhood and Violence: Fatal Peril" about a
violence-prevention program in the San Francisco County Jail that
reduces violent re-arrests by 80%, You watch part of the process as
these men are transformed. Just started to apply to festivals.
Wanted to check out this forum to see what it was about. If we have
questions later how could we get in touch with you or other
panelists?

Ask away in The Mentoring Room {LINK NOT IMPORTED}, Michelle. Welcome to you,
Mickey and Rich.

I'm Fel Blake from Sydney, Australia, and I've accidentally started a
documentary production company. I have a slate of three at the
moment, an investor is waving money at me, I have a bit of equipment,
a lot of contacts and I've written scripts/ treatments for two docs,
but that doesn't change the fact that I don't have a clue!
I have a degree in film and work in the development side of the
industry here in Australia, but have little production experience.
I hope to commence production on my first Doc (DV, shooting in the
M.E.) next March.
Thanks for having me at this forum- I look forward to chatting with
you all, and learning from those better informed than myself!
- Fel.

Hi, Fel. Congrats - having an investor waving money at you is FAR
more important than having a clue ;-)

Producing docs is 80% hard work and persistence, 20% good ol' common
sense. I'm sure you'll do just fine, but we're happy to help in
whatever way we can.

I suggest you join The D-Word Community: www.d-word.com/join

Hi. I'm Alysa Nahmias from New York; currently producing and
directing a doc about the history and architecture of the National
Art Schools in Cuba (see www.ajnafilm.com). I'm a first time
filmmaker happy to be in dialogue with all these experts.

Hola!
Is this Cuba week or something?
I am Bette Wanderman and my film " A CUBAN LEGEND" just finished a
week's run at a theatre in New York. I literally just came back from
the theatre with the spoils which are, 2 movie posters, 3 trailers , 2
DVtapes and the tour de resisitance, a great The New York Times
review!. I hope to find some tips on distribution in other
territories and different media.

Best!
Bette
www.cubanlegends.com

Welcome, Alysa. Nice to have you here. And kudos, Bette, and good
luck with the rest of the run. Hope the Times review opens some
(theater) doors!

Hello all,
I'm putting together a proposal for a short on
girls and civic/public expression. Just starting the process actually,
and looking around for good resources/guidance. A workshop leader at
Women Make Movies in NYC recommended this forum, so here I am.
-Christina

Well, you got a good steer, Christina ;-) Welcome to our virtual
corner of the world.

Hello to everyone on the forum,

I'm organizing a new networking group for NYC producers and directors
(both documentary and narrative film). The group focuses on bringing
together producers and directors in the independent filmmaking
community, with the goal of getting directors together with the right
producers for their project and vice versa. We'll be meeting on a
monthly basis, and our first event is this coming Tuesday, Oct. 29, a
cash bar Happy Hour at the Screening Room, 54 Varick Street, on the
2nd Floor Lounge, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. If you're interested in
attending or would like to be placed on the mailing list for future
events, send me an e-mail at digitalnyc@hotmail.com with info on your
previous or current projects, to facilitate introductions.

Thanks.

i'm a producer with our new doc company in California called
Pacific Rimshot . We have a development slate of several
shows, and I'm looking to meeting other filmmakers and sharing
ideas.

doug block or ben should be along any minute to invite you to
join the professional side of this community.

welcome.

Welcome, Una and Mary. I've mentinoned it any number of times, but
anyone with professional documentary experience is welcome to join The
D-Word Community: www.d-word.com/join.

Hi there all. My name is Leslie Bielanski. I am President of LNB
Productions/IndieSource. I am a documentary filmmaker who started a
production company with my husband in January. We are documentary
producers who also rent digital filmmaking equipment. We were
recently at an IDA conference where we learned about this site. We
are excited to be a part of a this documentary community.

Hi everyone!
My name is Sy, and I am an forth year honours student studying in
Scotland. As part of my degree I am producing and directing a
documentry about Bengali dance. I discover this website by accident
and although most of you guys are halfway around the world, I feel I
can gain something from this site.
Cheers!

Welcome to The D-Word, Syeda (and all other newbies!)

Most of us guys are half-way round the world, but there is the
occasional Scot in here (three in total, plus myself counting as
honorary one).

Where in Scotland do you study?

Hi Doug--and Syeda!

I was trying to find an appropriate place to thank Doug for the Al
Maysles-Susan Froemke dialogue. A HUGE THANK YOU! After joining
early this year, I'd been too preoccupied with
equipment/funding/paying my rent etc. This reminded me why I was doing
all of the other stuff.

And of course I discover Syeda--a Bengali doing a project on Bengali
dance in Scotland. I am a Bengali from west of the Padma. What kind
of Bengali dance? Write me if you read this.

Thanks, Jayasri. Nice to hear from you again and hope you'll find a
little spare time to join us more often on The D-Word Community.

Lots of people have expressed their appreciation for the conference.
We'll definitely try to do more like it in the future (though Al and
Susan are one-of-a-kind).

Hi Doug and Jayasri!

I am studying in Dundee, a little town about a 30 minutes drive away
from the capital, Edinburgh. As for the Dance documentry, I am
directing a documentry about the bengali community here in dundee,
and the dance school that has arisen from it. I'm looking forward to
producing and directing it, as this is my first major project , and I
will be glad to recieve any comments or tips!

I was in Edinburgh many years ago but never made it as far as
Dundee. I look forward to seeing your doc, Syeda. I am sure your
University is putting you in touch with the doc community in the
U.K. You are lucky to have a lot of public support over there. I
have relatives in England and Wales--may be useful when the time
comes for distribution. Have you seen a Canadian doc called "Little
Red Dot" made by a South Asian woman? Not directly related to your
subject, but I just like the tone and style. I know she has a
website for it--see if you can take a look. Keep us posted on your
progress.

Dundee 30 minutes away from Edinburgh?? Must be a different Scotland ;-)

Syeda, any time you have a specific question just ask us in The
Mentoring Room. Good luck with your shooting.

Hi

My name is David Mowbray and I lead two related lives. After a career
as a science/environment journalist for the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC) I moved into making and telling stories about
international development issues – especially science and environment
related in the worlds poorest countries. I have made one hour-long
documentary and many shorts. One -- "White Plague" -- was a finalist
in the educational category at the Yorkton festival a few years ago.
So my first life is as a filmmaker with my own small company based in
Canada called Baobab Productions Inc. My second life is as the Head
of Communications and Information at the International Institute of
Tropical Agriculture based in Ibadan, Nigeria, from where I am
writing this note. You can learn more about both my lives at:
www.baobab.net and www.iita.org (but only if you are interested :-))

Regards to all