The Milwaukee 48 Hour Film Project is returning in 2008!
Returning in 2008
The 48 Hour Film Project will return to Milwaukee from June 20th to June 22nd, 2008. Filmmakers from all over the Milwaukee area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world for the title "Best 48 Hour Film of 2008".
Registration opens Monday, April 28th.
Go here to learn more: http://www.48hourfilm.com/milwaukee/
Buzz on the street says - The October 17th meeting in Fort Atkinson is THE place to be.
All three Wisconsin MCA-I chapters; Milwaukee, Madison and Greater Wisconsin will be in Fort Atkinson this Wednesday, October 17th at Salty Earth Pictures. For this monster of a meeting.
Hollywood actor David Ruprecht will offer a presentation about working with Hollywood talent, agents and unions. The excitement will culminate when David hosts a live game show with audience participants vying for prizes and fun.
DisClonersPlus and Steven F. Zambo Productions, Inc. are co-hosts along with Salty Earth Pictures.
This is a great opportunity for professional development, networking and catching up with fellow MCA-I members from across the state.
5:30 - Networking reception and tour of Salty Earth Pictures.
7:00 - 8:30 Program - David Ruprecht on Hollywood Talent & Live Game Show
(you could be a participant!)
-- The inside scoop is the grand prize is pretty amazing!! --
WHERE: Salty Earth Pictures, 36 South Third Street West, Fort Atkinson, WI [click for map]
COST: Free to MCA-I Members & Students; $5 for nonmembers
Just hop in your car and come on down. Hope to see you there!
MCA-I ProTrack 2007 is coming to Milwaukee September 20-22nd!
Online Registration runs through September 12!
Experience three jam-packed days of information designed to keep you on top of your craft AND your business. Look for sessions such as...
-Digital Asset Management
-HD/Blu-ray DVD authoring
-High Def Production
-Streaming Media
-Marketing and Customer Service
-Podcasting and Social Media
-Corporate Media Management
For more onformation go to:
Pro Track Information
The MCA-I groups in Wisconsin are planning an All Wisconsin Chapter Meeting to be held on Wednesday October the 17th. The location will be Salty Earth Pictures in Fort Atkinson Wisconsin.
This meeting promises to be a spectacular social and networking event! The Milwaukee, Madison and Greater Wisconsin Chapter's will all participate. Television & film actor and host of the popular game show "Supermarket Sweep," David Ruprecht will host the event and will also be conducting a live game show with contestants chosen from the meeting attendees. More details about this "don't miss" event will be coming soon. Until then reserve Wednesday October the 17th on your calendar!!
Every once in a while we get a project that I would classify as "non-professional." This is no reflection on the quality of the project - I just mean that it comes from someone who doesn't produce or author DVD programs as their "livelihood." Inevitably these projects very often contain music or images that are covered under a copyright. Someone's favorite song - a movie clip, picture of a celebrity.... you name it.
Although some duplicators may see this as a "grey-area" - our policy has been, and will continue to be to make a phone call or send an email. In our correspondence we apologize for the fact that we can not - and will not - duplicate their program.
The client will usually defend their use of the popular music or familiar images with things like "this is fair-use" or "I'm not charging anyone for the copies they are a gift." The only thing to understand here is - it does not matter - a gift, a charity program or even a wedding video - you must obtain the right to use copyrighted content.
The fact is - no matter how you use it - you can not distribute or use copyrighted music or images without getting the permission of the owner or the publisher and sometimes from both.
Yes - it is probable in these cases - that nothing may happen to you or that the owner may not consider your use a "threat" to royalties or see this limited use as a "true" infringement on their rights - BUT (and this is a big but) - the law is the law and the law says you can't do it - so it is best you don't.
We try to educate our "non-professional" clients on this fact - and they are usually very appreciative -- after all - they will be the ones getting the notice of infringement - and the ones having to pay the fines. We want them to understand the law and understand we take it very seriously - so we will not and can not duplicate programs with content that they do not have the right to use.
Today the internet has helped make getting "royalty free" music and stock images much less expensive and puts it within reach of even the lowest budget "video maker." If you search the internet can find a number of affordable options for downloadable, royalty-free music that you can use in your programs. Here are just a few examples:
http://www.stockmusic.net/
http://www.soundrangers.com/sound-categories.cfm?cat_template=music
http://www.freshmusic.com/prod.html?xKey=839153
I know The Rolling Stones, Dire Straits and others may sound better, or you just want to use your favorite song - but unless you are willing to do the homework, gather the budget and trace down the person or company that owns the rights - leave it out of your program!
If you have questions on copyrights and the true meaning of "fair-use" here is a link to some more detailed information.
I'm always looking for new and informative sites to learn more about (and stay up-to-date on) video and film production and post. Well, here is another. ICOM Magazine run by Jerry Jackson in Manor Texas is a great resource for anyone in film and video. The site is well organized and easy to navigate. It also has a great directory feature to help you find sources for: post production, rental equipment, make-up artists (and of course duplicators)and more!. The site has been in service since 1997 - which makes it a veteran of the business.
Check it out for yourself at: ICOM Magazine
And be sure to look for my article titled : "Back to Basics" next month on page 8.
If you're looking for a comprehensive list of Wisconsin's film and video professionals - try visiting "The Wisconsin Production Guide." Here you can find everything from camera operators to special effects technicians. The best thing about the guide is all the people listed are screened and qualified as professionals - so you can be sure you are getting someone with experience and know how.
You can visit the Wisconsin Production Guide here: "Wisconsin Production Guide"
Pass it on!
The fight continues between the two high definition DVD formats and there seems to be no end in sight. Some manufacturers are realizing that the only way to land on the right side of this fight is to supply a player for both. Sony (Blu-Ray camp) makes a very good comparison in an article on their learning website. If you want to get a good dose of high definition DVD facts (if not a bit skewed to Blu-ray) - take a look:
DVD Comparison
The Shriner's Hospitals for Children
My friend and resident special effects expert - Clay Simchick - is a Shriner and he also plays bagpipes in the Tripoli Shrine pipes and drums band.
This year after Milwaukee's St. Patrick's Parade (which is on March 10th) Clay's band will be visiting a few bars in a sort of pub crawl, playing some Irish tunes and looking for donations. More information on locations can be found here: http://www.tripolihighlanders.org/pubcrawl.html
This locations will also be selling paper fezzes for $1. Each fez that gets sold is another dollar for the hospitals. So if you are out and about in the area of one of these places and get hungry or thirsty, please stop in and buy a fez! Bonus - maybe you can see Clay in a kilt?
ON THE LOT, executive-produced by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg, will give aspiring filmmakers from around the world the chance to earn a $1-million development deal at DreamWorks.
Airing next spring on FOX, this unscripted series will feature a cast of 16 undiscovered filmmakers who will compete to win the support of the show's viewers, as their fate will be decided by a weekly audience vote.
The competition will air over two nights weekly, with a one-hour "Film Premiere" episode, followed the next night by a half-hour "Box Office" results show.
My Friend and fellow filmmaker Carlo Besasie has a film on the show's website right now and you can view it here:
http://films.thelot.com/films/18730
Be sure to rate the film and tell your friends - it may finally get Carlo a paying film gig!
Eyejot is a fun and interesting concept. It is essentially a online video messaging platform. Right now, DEMO attendees can try it out. After signing up, you create and receive video messages in a self-contained window using an inexpensive webcam.
There is no software to install, so once you sign up, you can use it in any browser, on any platform. In addition to sharing video snippets separately through your visual only address book, you can also watch it in iTunes, your iPod, mobile devices and social networks such as MySpace.
You can sign up here: http://eyejot.com
Give it a try!
Anyone who is interested in networking should at the very least list themselves on Linked-In.
The basic service is free and you will be surprised to find quite a few of your clients, colleagues and friends listed here. It is a great way to stay in touch with business acquaintances and find new ones.
You can find out more and join at: https://www.linkedin.com/
Be sure to look me up - and invite me to be a contact!
Frank Datzer
The link below is to an article about a new dual HD format DVD player FINALLY coming to market.
Interesting development and I'm sure more manufacturers will following this lead.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/macworld/20070104/tc_macworld/lg20070104_0
Once in a great while we get a request for mini CDs. You might also know them by the name "Business Card CDs."
Although at DiscClonersPlus we have the ability to make these "little buggers," our policy is to do our best to talk our clients out of it. These CDs were a popular "fad" a few years ago - as stories about computer problems and even lawsuits made their way into the news the "fad" began to fade.
The main problem is with slot-load CD/DVD drives - if you own a slot load CD or DVD drive - like those on most Macintosh computers and a growing number of PCs (slot load drives are being used to reduce the size of laptops) you'll be in for trouble if you try to insert one of these "mini-messes" into your drive - or should I say try to get it back out. There are also numerous forum sites that talk about mini-cds being incompatible with even some "tray-loading" drives.
The "slot-load" mechanism is just not made for them. Not only will it not play them but once inserted, you will be stuck with the impossible task of trying to get it out!
So, get out the screwdriver - the only way out now will be to dismantle your computer.
If this is not enough incentive to rethink the mini-cd decision - these "tiny-terrors" also have been known to break off the pins that secure standard size CDs/DVDs in your drive! So not only do you get the pleasure of a non-playable, stuck disc - but you may also be rewarded with having to replace your disc drive!
So - Take my advice..... size does matter! Stay clear of the mini-disc!
Disc Cloners Plus is now offering customers a new high gloss print option. This new premium inkjet print option is available for any quantity of DVD or CD duplication - from 1 to 1000 (or more). You have to see this print to really appreciate it.
For just 60ยข more than our standard high-quality full-color "direct-on-disc" inkjet print - customers can now get our NEW premium print. It provides a high gloss, scratch resistant, smudge resistant, photo-quality "direct-on-disc" image and gives your DVD or CD a unique and eye-catching look!.
Our premium print is amazing! - better than silk-screen print, and we believe at the very least as good - if not better - than "off-set print!"
Below is actual scan of a disc with our new premium print option. You can click on it to see a larger image - but if you really want to see the beauty of this print...contact us to send you a sample.
call 414.446.4954 or email me frank@discclonersplus.com
If you have a job that would benefit from this new print option - give us a call? 414-446-4954.
