[Imc-outreach] Member Handbook

[Drew Tarico]

Here we go, add/subtract as you see fit.  Sorry it's a bit late!
~drew

video:

The video group has access to video editing facilities, a camera and
related equipment (mics, tripods), and several venues to show video
pieces: the IMC, Urbana Public TV (Insight channel 6), and other public
screening venues.  Projects in the past have included documentaries, news
reporting, educational commissions, and conference documentation.  We are
currently involved in helping a local copwatch get off the ground with our
equipment and expertise.

Producing video is really fun, but can be very time consuming! 
Organization is very important when conceiving a video project - the more
you plan, the better the results.  A n excellent resource for new video
producers is a film called the Cascadia Media Video Primer, which the
video group loves to screen for new members; ask us if you’re interested. 
This video covers camera shooting basics and steps to take for better
video journalism.  Cinematic video is not outside of our interests, just
our budgets and most of our talents!

Editing video is what takes most of the time for any project.  In general,
you can expect to spend an hour to get 5-10 minutes of video from well
documented and planned footage.  This also depends on how picky you are
about aesthetics and details.  Details can be the make or break of video. 
For example, how many movie reviews have you read that praise a film for
its overall plot or idea?

A typical video group meeting involves discussion of what we’ve
accomplished in the past weeks and where we need to head for our current
projects.  A new project might get proposed something like this:

Someone brings an idea to the group, and the group members express their
level of interest in the project.  If no one is interested, that’s not
stopping the idea from happening, it can either be modified or carried out
solo until someone does decide to help out.  Once several of us commit to
a project we usually split up the initial planning among ourselves and
regroup in a working envrionment.  This could be back at the IMC or on a
shooting location.  Some work is done, and we report this to the group to
see if anyone wants to jump on for a next stage in production.  This cycle
continues until the project is finished.

There can be many small projects to one big project that we are working on
at once.  Sometimes we don’t have any, so come on down and bring your
video thinking cap!  The video group meets every 2nd and 4th week of the
month on Thursdays at 8pm.  For more information email the group:
video at ucimc.org or Drew Tarico: tarico at puresimplicity.net
join the email list at:
lists.cu.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-video



RFU

Radio Free Urbana plans to blow corporate radio out of Urbana’s airwaves
with its communal creativity and commitment to public awareness.

WRFU is Urbana’s newest radio station that will broadcast 100 watts of
power at 104.5 FM by June 2005.  WRFU has a newly offered Low Power FM
license held by a local group called Socialist Forum.  The Socialist Forum
is working with the IMC (funder and equipment owner) to build a community
radio station, similar to WEFT.  The station will be housed at the IMC's
new building - somewhere in Urbana!

All broadcast material will be produced by program groups - collectives of
rfu members assigned various time-slots by the the large rfu collective. 
These groups will cohere around content of their broadcasting, time-slots,
or just interest in making sure that there is something on the air
overnight.  We hope this structure allows the involvement of as many
people as possible in all aspects of the station.

Right now RFU is in its fundraising phase, because we’ll need money to get
our equipment before next year.  The main ideas behind fundraising have so
far been concerts- one big or many small, speaking arrangements, and other
public gatherings to increase the awareness of RFU and foster donations.

RFU’s production is now very open to any suggestions since we don’t even
have a studio yet!  But that doesn’t mean it’s all uncharted airwaves;
news production happens right in our building with the IMC radio news
team.  They’re a great resource for any independent journalist looking to
practice the craft. (see radio.ucimc.org)  Check out WEFT 90.1 FM if you
want to hear the music and public affairs your community has to offer. 
And don’t forget to tune your dial in between the big stations to see if
there’s any independent spirit left on the air!

Community radio has a good long history in Champaign-Urbana, and RFU hopes
to keep that history alive through the addition of more public access to
our airwaves.  If you’re interested in making local radio say what you
want, come to our meetings held every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at
8pm.   For more information, email the rfu group: rfu at ucimc.org
join the email list at:
lists.cu.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/rfu



> Hey Kids
>
> My brain is getting a little bit frazzled, and I'm not sure if I was clear
> about this at the meeting or not, but if you are
> writing something for the member handbook, I need it ASAP. Tonight would
> be ideal so I could have all tomorrow to put
> it together and get it sent out to you all and proofed, to be copied
> Saturday Morning (nothing like the last minute to get
> things done), but let's have 2pm tomorrow (Friday) as  a firm deadline.
>
> These are things that I am expecting:
> History of IMC from Arun
> Video and RFU from Drew
> Shows from Jane
> Print from Meghan
>
> If someone is writing something else let me know pretty much immediately
> so I stop trying to write it.
>
> Thanks!
> Ellen
> your friendly radical librarian
> --
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