Blogs

Minneapolis Producers Workshop - Sept, 2012

I took away many things from Minneapolis this past September. Firstly, I really enjoyed being there with my partner in this film together. not only did we tackle some some issues and hurdles with our current cut from twenty thousand feet over Colorado, we had each other to springboard points and issues that emerged during the workshop. We were touched that NAPT was happy to have us both there and I think my partner Christian especially was able to offer some technical insights to the group too.  Speaking of the group, such as was in Santa Fe last August, it was the network that you become engrained, intertwined and bonded with by the end of the weekend that is of great importance. Although it sounds silly, being in Los Angeles can be isolating for this native film world and to make acquaintances, friends, confidants And possibly future collaborators is important. I learned just as much of the process of producing a film in certain ways sitting around the lobby firepit at the end of the night with the group as I did during the workshop. This interaction, relation-building and expanding of my film-making community was a great outcome. That is not too say I didn't learn anything during the  workshop, on the contrary it did clarify some aspects of the process of a PBS grant. There was some healthy information mon social networking for your film and the various new outlets for thAt as well as the fact that NAPT is eAger to share and promote your film-related posts. some of the information  that was brought up during the day I had already read on my contract as well as the producers handbook though people's questions helped elaborate on some of those things further. All of the presentations were great, especially Blu introducing me to the world of "Prezzi". One critique that seemed to be shared throughout the group was that the presentations could for been condensed a touch, perhaps up until lunch break. The second half of the day could expand on the 2 examples of film projects we sAw followed by a q&a. I think if everyone was able to show a 5 minute clip of their project and have a group discourse following it would be really helpful, as getting feedback from peers never hurts in the long run even if its bad. I think that would of rounded out the day perfectly after having a morning full of projected information from team leaders followed by a round table discussion on what people love or don't care for of everybody's work. it's rare together a room full of native film makers and producers in the room together so why waste that opportunity.?

Overall I thought the weekend was a good one, good food, good people, good projects, etc. speaking of food, in hindsight I personally would off liked that opening dinner party to instead come at the end, once everybody has already Bonded. Maybe we can mooch off an opening event like the Walker Art Centers as the kickoff meet and Greet and save the expensive dinner gathering for once we all have Minneapolis workshop battle scars together.  

In September of 2012, I was received the opportunity to attend the NAPT Producer Workshop as well as the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture (NAMAC) conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I drove up from Lincoln, Nebraska with the NAPT staff to the downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel. The hotel, evocative of Stanley Kubrick films, hosted both the Producers Workshop and NAMAC Conference. To my joy and delight, my film “Native Daughters: The Road Home” was selected to showcase in the NAMAC Documentary Screenings.

During the Producers Workshop, the NAPT staff presented vital information on how to get your film through the public media system to eventual broadcast on television. I learned as an independent producer, you really have to be organized and plan strategically in all aspect of your film; from how do you want your film to “feel”, to best practice marketing strategies, to educational and community outreach. How can the average viewer use your film? What precisely do I want my film to do once I cut off the proverbial umbilical cord and let it wonder off in the world on it’s own two feet?

I met some very talented, creative, hard-working and passionate filmmakers working in Indian Country and tried to mingle with everyone that I could. Intimate conversations ranging from experience at Sundance’s writing lab, to the Canon 5D video quality, then relating to other Native women and how they are balancing life, family, and work responsibilities. It’s good to know you’re not alone after all. After screening my film in the NAMAC showcase, I was able to answer questions and discuss the film with fellow filmmakers, which was wonderful. I think for filmmakers or artistic people in general, seeing how your work can effect another human being in a positive way is extremely fulfilling.

A puddle where a moth can shake the sky. The NAMAC conference had wonderful speakers and insights which was a great follow up from the producer’s workshop. I attended sessions like Teaching (and learning) Media in the Arts, Journalism’s New Directions and Open Space Documentaries: all refreshing and thought provoking. I learned that it’s good practice to let the children make their zombie movies when trying to work with them in video production. I found out what comic journalism is (http://3bute.com/) and how they open the door to interaction with the readers. I learned “hacker spaces” for the truly geeky. Then how the documentary model of “pushing out” information to the mass public can be switched around to “pulling in” sharing information around a film’s issues. I discovered that I love the idea of collaborating with other professionals in the arts field and how experimentation is good practice. An example that comes to mind was Kaneko’s Portals performance in Omaha, Nebraska (See video below).

The whole experience at the workshop and conference being able to both screen and discuss my film, meeting Native filmmakers from across the country and attending the NAMAC sessions opened my mind and eyes once more to possibilities that are out there. And my, what a world of possibilities there are…

The NAPT producer workshop opened by eyes in more ways than one. We’ve been working on Bridge the Gap to Pine Ridge for almost two years now. The film started as a web series, then it blossomed into a 1 hour program for potential distribution on PBS Plus. Now we have been given a green light for distribution on the National Programming Schedule. Once I received word that we would be broadcast on the NPS, I sort of figured we would not need to do any promotion on our side of the equation. The NAPT workshop helped me realize how wrong I was, and opened my eyes to what is possible.

First and foremost, publicity is the responsibility of the producer. The NPS time slot will help with coverage on a national scale, but doesn’t have too much to do with how many people will tune in to the actual program. The 30 second teaser does impact viewership, but there are many more ways a producer can promote his or her film. NAPT helped me to realize the importance of creating publicity in magazines, on like minded blogs, through film critics, on social media, and maybe even on local TV stations. Most importantly, this workshop taught me that it’s crucial to give at least 3 months notice to publicity outlets. I thought we could reach out to marketing avenues a few weeks before our premiere date, now I know that is not a smart thing to do at all.

The second truly valuable portion of the conference for me was with NAMAC. I attended several sessions, but the most valuable was the Grantmaking Speed dating session. Many grantmakers have strict guidelines of when they accept proposals, and most have turnaround times of up to one year before the film is funded. This is a real disappointment for me, and one that was shared by some of the funders. The representative from NEA stated how she felt it’s crucial for foundations to have a faster turnaround time in order to fund truly innovative projects. If turnaround times are too slow, the idea might be taken by another entity, or might never be executed.

I have the possibility of having a limited series of Bridge the Gap on PBS. In order to do this I’ve got to raise over $500,000. Surprisingly, I learned at this conference that there are not many funders who can award that type of money, even with the time slot being provided by PBS. This event has once again shown me that the Television world moves slower than I’ve anticipated. Although I am confident that I will be able to raise the money to film this program before the end of 2013.

Here are the specific and most valuable takeaways for me during the conference:

• Allow 3 months for publicity on any PBS film
  
  
• Do not expect the time slot or carrier to do the work for you
  
  
• Explore multiple avenues such as print, TV, radio, blogs, and social media for promotion
  
  
• It’s crucial to get educational content on PBS Learning Media
  
  
• Make sure to be honest as a filmmaker, especially as a non-native. Because natives know the truth about whatever story is at hand. If you don’t know something, or you mess up, ask for forgiveness, and be up front.
  
  
• Always Network! I met some great contacts from the Sundance Institute, Public Enemy artist Hank Shocklee, and representatives from various foundations including NEA.

My husband and co-Producer, Evon Peter, and I had the honor of attending the recent NAPT Producer Workshop and National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture (NAMAC) conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Our film “We Breathe Again” was selected for NAPT funding support recently and we were then invited to attend this producer workshop and conference.  The entire trip was greatly informative, both inside and outside the workshops.

NAPT Producer Workshop brought together some thirty native filmmakers who are all working on exciting projects.  The opportunity to get to know other experienced and new filmmakers was definitely a highlight of the trip.  In addition to this excellent networking time the information presented during the Producer Workshop was very informative.  We came away from the daylong presentation having a much clearer understanding of NAPT on the whole as well as Public Television in general.  Of particular value were the discussions around addition funding sources available for film projects such as ours.  It was also excellent to learn about the marketing support and educational engagement opportunities that NAPT will be able to offer our film throughout our relationship with NAPT.  Additionally, we had an interesting and informative session on social media. 

Overall the NAPT workshop was interesting and informative, however, there was a lot packed into a one-day session.  There was little time throughout the single day to really get into constructive conversations with the other filmmakers or NAPT staff.  Yet, we realize the constraints of time, especially when bringing busy people together, so while our time together was understandably short we are happy with our time spent at this gathering and hope to continue growing the relationships begun during this time.

Furthermore the NAMAC conference was informative and provided more time for networking.  Between the two of us we went to a number of sessions during the NAMAC conference, including the Plenary session “Artists as Leaders”; Mobile Engagement; Digital Frontiers: Copyright/Privacy, etc; Creating “Leaderful” Organizations and Networks; Public Art: Engaging Communities; and Digital Distribution. In addition, we watched a number of short films – Native and non-Native produced – and we even had time to check out the “Hack Factory”.  The Hack Factory was an interesting space for hands on learning; I had a good time learning how to pick different types of locks (although I’m not quite sure what the applicability is to film production other than the fact that I do tend to lock myself out of things often).  Moreover, the NAMAC conference provided more time for us to be able to meet further with other producers and resource people.  In fact, during this additional time we made a number of valuable connections with people who were not at the NAPT workshop.

Overall our time at this gathering was very productive and worthwhile.  Being fairly new to the world of film production I was happy to learn that much of my experience and knowledge from the past 12 years of community organizing and non-profit management will translate well to producing films!  Thanks NAPT for a great opportunity to expand our knowledge and network!