May News from the Open Media Foundation
May 2013
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| Last Call: RSVP for May Breakfast, 'Collective Perspective: A Higher Definition of Media' | |
On Wednesday, May 22nd the Open Media Foundation will once again be holding it's annual free breakfast at the Mi Casa Resource Center from 7:30-8:30am. Join OMF Executive Director, Tony Shawcross, OMF Board President, Tanya Ishikawa, OMF Board Member, Rebecca Askew and prior youth group member now web entrepreneur, Sacha Heppel, as well as an empowering video of OMF's work bringing the Collective Perspective to our community. The event promises to be a very inspirational hour celebrating the work of the Open Media Foundation.
A Higher Definition of Media Free Fundraising Breakfast
Wednesday, May 22nd 7:30-8:30am
Mi Casa Resource Center
360 Acoma St. Denver, CO, 80223
- The Breakfast is FREE
- It will be exactly one hour long
- Yes, it is a fundraiser. You will be asked to consider making a contribution. There is no minimum and no maximum gift requested. It will be the job of OMF to inspire people to want to give.
To RSVP to this event, please email Heather Schreck, Fundraising Events Manager at heather@openmediafoundation.org or register online at denveropenmedia.org/rsvp |
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| Upcoming Classes & Events | |
Click the class titles to read class descriptions and register online.
May 3
7-9pm
May 4 11am-6pm
May 9 6-8pm
May 14 6-9pm
May 15 & 16 6-9pm
May 16 6-9pm
Final Cut Pro 7 Workshop
May 18
11am-6pm
OMF Fundraising Breakfast: A Higher Definition of Media
May 22
7:30-8:30am
Editing with iMovie
May 23
6-9pm
Intro to 3D Animation Using Blender
May 29 & 30
6-9pm
Adobe Photoshop Workshop
June 4
6-9pm
Livestreaming for Nonprofits
June 5
4-5:30pm
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Class Spotlight:
LiveStreaming for Nonprofits Workshop | |
On Weds. June 5 at 4pm, join Open Media Foundation for a 90-minute class and learn how to live video stream of your events for FREE via YouTube. Google Grants and YouTube for Nonprofits offer this amazing resource for nonprofit organizations, a tool to help you engage your audience regardless of location, build relationships with your constituents and, most importantly, tell your story. Sign your organization up for this great program, and learn how to livestream your events!
Pricing:
FREE for Nonprofit Organizational Members of Denver Open Media (DOM); $40 for individual DOM members;
$80 for non-members.
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| Sisters of Color United for Education Recieves 2013 OMF Multimedia and Outreach Grant |
"If your first issue is not media, it should be your second, " said SOCUE after finding out they had won the grant. The Multimedia and Outreach Assistance Grant, which is valued at $15,000, will equip SOCUE with the tools and resources necessary to create their own media. In addition, OMF will work closely with SOCUE to produce an in-studio production and a quality promotional video for their organization. SOCUE's mission is to promote wellness in community through mind, body, and spirit. "Being able to create media content that showcases not only health disparities but also the ability to overcome and the capacity of community to advocate, and create change is a blessing."
OMF awarded an additional $10,000 in services to ten other applicants in the form of a year-long Nonprofit Organization Membership to Denver Open Media with 4 free media classes to ensure these organizations would have the opportunity to let their stories be heard in the community.
Congratulations to Project WISE, Servicios de La Raza, Colorado Progressive Coalition, Latino Community Foundation, YESS Institute, COLOR, Rights for All People, Cafe Cultura, Escuela de Guadalupe, and Confluence Ministries.
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| Executive Director Report from Tony Shawcross |
Our work with the National Conference for Media Reform last month helped to frame the work we're doing here in Denver on a national scale. OMF is part of a national movement working to build a media system that truly reflects the voice of the people, as opposed to the current mainstream media conversation which is designed around an advertising model that promotes the perspectives of corporations and the wealthy far more than it reflects the views of middle-class or low-income communities.
We've been making some great strides at OMF, and by all accounts 2013 is shaping up to be our best year yet. At the same time, we've recognized that media reform (or reform of any kind) is challenging in a political environment where our campaign finance structure results in a government of representatives who have little choice but to favor the interests of the corporate and wealthy donors who they depend upon to finance their campaigns.
At OMF, we've been working for years to put the power of media in the hands of the people. That's still our mission, but as our organization grows we are expanding our focus to include government media that brings the public into the work of their government on a level never before possible. This week, you can see it in action as the Colorado Channel gives us an unprecedented level of access to the work of our State Legislature.
On May 22nd, I hope you'll join us at our free breakfast fundraiser, share your perspective, and help direct the path forward for a more participatory, engaged community. My table still has some empty seats, so if you are interested in working with us to address these root causes of inequity in Denver and beyond, please send me an email and join me to celebrate recent accomplishments, and set a path for a new future.
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| First Friday at DOM, May 3 |  Join us for First Friday at DOM on May 3 when Steel Pennies will be performing live, and the show will also spotlight our new neighbors, The Denver VOICE! The rusty, lonesome, sound of the Steel Pennies harkens back to the heyday of bluegrass music, listen to their music online. Food from Illegal Pete's and adult beverages available, suggested donations are always welcome and encouraged! On TV Denver Comcast Channel 57Time: Doors at 6 p.m. Live Show is 7-9pm
Location: Denver Open Media, Studio A
700 Kalamath St, Denver, CO
On the first Friday of each month, DOM hosts a free community event with local performance groups, musical acts, and nonprofit partners. These events are broadcast live on Comcast Channel 57 as well as streamed on DOM's website. Events are cablecast and streamed live in Denver Open Media's Studio A.
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NCMR and NAB Reports, Upcoming ACM Conference
|  April was a busy month for the OMF team. We participated in the National Conference for Media Reform here in Denver and hosted an NCMR party during First Friday with special guest Amy Goodman. OMF was on display in the Exhibitors Hall along with a host of community media oriented groups from all over the country.
In May, OMF will be presenting at the Alliance for Community Media Annual Conference in San Francisco. The presentations will be done by Tony Shawcross and Ann Theis for the following subjects: "Leave it to the Experts: Leveraging Archive.org and Creative Commons for PEG" and "Embracing Diversity, Lowering Access Barriers, and New Approaches to Practicing Inclusion." If you are apart of the media community, consider attending this informative conference about the future of community media, read more about registration online. |
| Intern Spotlight: Susannah McLeod, Production/Editing |  Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am originally from Augusta, GA, studied musical theatre at the University of Miami and worked professionally as an actor based out of New York City for several years before moving to Denver last year with my fiancee, Chloe, and our adorable dog, Zaxby. In addition to the arts, I love hiking, biking, running, and pretty much anything active or outdoorsy... so Colorado has been a great fit!
How did you become involved in multimedia/web development work?
A few years back while living in NYC, Chloe & I were both working actors but were often booking jobs out of the city. We loved the travel but hated that we kept being taken apart, so we decided to start a project of our own. We came up with the idea for "Sus & Chlo on the Go," a travel series focusing on affordable adventures around the country. I took a weekend-long camera intensive, she took a crash course in video editing and we hit the road to start working on the show. We now have eight full-length episodes you can see on our website, www.susandchloonthego.com, and are planning to film several more around Colorado this summer!
Tell us about why you decided to do an internship with Open Media Foundation.
Everything I had learned about video production while working on "Sus & Chlo on the Go" was self-taught, so I was looking to find ways to work with other people who really knew what they were doing and learn from them. Also, since Chloe & I had recently moved to town, we had been looking for a way to give back. When I found out that OMF worked with so many non-profits, I thought that the internship would be a great way to do both!
What have you gotten out of your internship with OMF?
I only started a few weeks ago but I already feel like I've learned a great deal. I have taken several of the classes that are offered (which are free to interns) and they've been really helpful. That said, I have probably learned even more just from working on projects with some of the OMF staff. It makes a big difference to be able to learn by doing but also to learn from others- and the internship really encourages both. I've also gotten to use different equipment and programs than I'm used to so that's pushed me to keep self-teaching too, which I think is important.
Why do you think community media centers are important?
I never really thought about the importance of community media until I got involved with OMF, but now I realize that it's really crucial to have a part of the media that is in the hands of "the people." Whereas mainstream TV is constrained by advertising, community media allows for anyone to have a voice in programming and gives viewers a chance to see new and different points of view. |
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