Category: Newsletter

Happy Holiday Season to one and all.

Here are the big items of the moment:

Firstly, I am finally practicing what I preach and will be including my personal short films in the Reframe Collection (www.reframecollection.org). A link to the page will most likely appear in the next newsletter. There is a process involved, and thanks to the kindness and patience of my previous collaborator, writer Carl Kelsch, I have been getting all the technical deliverables together to move forward. Room Tone (2002), my first directing project, and Bench Warmers (2005) have gotten positive feedback in the past so perhaps someone I do not know can find use for them as well. There will also be a compilation DVD of 4 shorts that will include these two plus Writing on the Wall, and Open Shutter, films I am excited about the opportunity of getting out more.

I am now officially a member of the American Library Association, and of the Video Round Table within ALA, and I am very happy about it.

The Reframe Collection is also looking for bloggers and curators from colleges and universities to provide each other peer-reviewed media that they have found useful. If you are interested in participating in such a venture, contact Teri Tynes at teritynes@hotmail.com. Tell her I sent you. She is good people and very open to ideas.

Reframe is sending me to the Mid-Winter conference of the American Library Association in January, which will take place in Denver. If you or anyone you know will be attending, I would love to connect with them. I have been asked by my brilliant friend Tom Ipri to talk about indie film and distribution at one of the meetings so I am looking forward to more interaction on this subject.

“Events” and film-specific announcements tend to thin out as the year comes to a close but I am extremely happy to report that The Gillian Film will be screening at the conference of Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc, January 13-16 of 2009. The subject of the film, Gillian, and her mother/filmmaker Joanne Hershfeld, will be in attendance to speak with the film. You can learn more about the film by going to www.TheGillianFilm.com and the conference by going to www.ipulidaho.org.

Shooting People recently requested I write a blog for their tools section about non-theatrical distribution, so here is the first part of that essay. I hope you find it useful:

http://shootingpeople.org/tools/2008/12/01/a-primer-on-non-theatrical-distribution-part-1/

Thanks very much for your interest in independent film. As usual, you are welcomed to pass this on to whomever you wish, and if you would like to get knocked off the list, please tell me so gently.

With warm regards,

Rachel

Hello Folks! Tons of interesting news…it has been a busy fall. This may not be as eloquent as usual because I am going to concentrate more on substance than language, but so many wonderful things have been going on that I think these things will speak well for themselves.

I produced, and am in the process of releasing, the new DVD by filmmaker Alice Elliott (The Collector of Bedford Street) called Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy, which chronicles a grand experiment in independent living for two disability advocates who have been living interdependently to pursue social action work for 38 years. This film was recently nominated as a Notable Videos for Adults by the Video Roundtable of the American Library Association. There were several screenings taking place this month – which is National Disability Awareness Month. You can find it by going to the following link:

http://www.newday.com/films/body&souldiana&kathy.html – if you are an institution or

http://dianaandkathy.com/purchase/homevideo.php – if you are looking for home video

Creating a DVD was not easy, especially as we were insistent that it have many accessibility features as it was the story of disability advocates that needs to be shared with the widest audience possible. I highly recommend anyone creating a DVD to look into these features – closed-captioning, audio description, and creating talking menus. It provides added value to what you are trying to sell and it also expands the audience you are able to reach. I recently produced and participated in a panel discussion about creating such features on DVDs for NYWIFT and I suggest perusing websites of companies like CaptionMax (www.captionmax.com) to learn more about the process and products that shape the ability to view a film.

In Good Conscience is really starting to make its mark, being reviewed by the Catholic Library Association and in nomination for Video Librarian’s “Best of 2008”. Check out their updated website at: www.ingoodconscience.com

Two of the films I worked with were positively reviewed by Spectrum Magazine, a magazine that provides insight and resources to families with children who have a disability. The Gillian Film was reviewed in their August/September issue and Freedom Machines was reviewed in the October/November issue.

I will be attending more conferences for the Reframe Collection (www.reframecollection.org). I have been asked to talk about independent distribution at a discussion group during the American Library Association Mid-Winter meeting in January (will experience Colorado cold) and have submitted a proposal for a panel discussion at the bi-annual ACRL (Association of College and Research Librarians) in Seattle in March. I am happy and honored to be a part of an apex of independent filmmakers and the communities they hope to have an impact on.

A fiction film I helped produce, called Under the Raven’s Wing will be playing at the Queens Film Festival on November 6 at 10pm! It also screened at the Dark Carnival Festival in Indiana in September. Susie is a really bold filmmaker who I also have the honor to call a dear friend and I deeply admire her for writing and directing a film that doesn’t get boxed into an easily capsulated genre. For more information, go to:

www.undertheravenswing.com

As for personal projects, I began taping the documentary series on homeopathy last month and will continue shooting next month, when I will put the focus on my own health and roll tape at the same time. I will most likely also be taping some of the naturopathy segment when going to Seattle in March.

I hope life is treating you well. As always, if you do not wish to be receiving this newsletter, please tell me gently to go away and if you think somebody else could use it, by all means pass it on.