Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Monday, November 22, 2010

Meet the New Pro Tools Family

Come out and see the new Avid® Pro Tools® family—live at an event near you. Meet our Pro Tools experts as they take you through all the exciting things you can do with the new line-up:

* Work the way you want—more than ever—using Pro Tools 9
* Get the benefits of Pro Tools HD in a native solution with Pro ToolsHD Native
* Hear what you’ve been missing with the Pro Tools HD Series interfaces
* Expand your mixing options with the Artist Series and Pro Series (formerly Euphonix) controllers/consoles
* Elevate recording with the all-new Pro Tools Mbox® family

Join Avid and The Audio DAWg and test-drive the latest gear in our workstations, get your questions answered, and mingle with your peers over hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. This event is free, but space is limited, so RSVP today to reserve your spot.

December 2nd Dallas, TX : Register Now

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Free "Still to Motion" talk -

The FREE talk will be held Thursday, November 4, 2010 from 7:00-9:00pm.
Doors open at 6:30pm.
Location: Angelika Film Center Theater, 5321 East Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX

Still to Motion is a presentation about the transition from still photography to video format. Speakers Jonathan Chapman and Stewart Cohen will present and discuss their work as well as give insight about changes, challenges and advancements photographers face in the industry. A Q&A will wrap up the discussion. The event is moderated by Leslie White, Director of Photography from the Dallas Morning News.

Jonathan Chapman is a Minneapolis based photographer and director specializes in people and places for advertising, corporate and editorial clients. He embodies a fresh approach
creatively and visually, tapping his photojournalistic roots for both still and motion based projects. Since the advent of HDDSLR cameras, and their capabilities, Jonathan has enthusiastically embraced their presence and potential for application in his commercial work. Recent clients who have brought Jonathan in for combined still + video based projects include: McDonald's, Sprint, AARP, United Health Care and Boeing.

Stewart Cohen is a Dallas based advertising photographer and commercial film director is the winner of over fifty prestigious industry awards and numerous other honors. His work has
appeared in every major advertising and photography publication and has been exhibited in museums, galleries and corporate art collections across the country. Cohen’s work has graced the cover and he has been profiled in Communication Arts and Photographer’s Forum. Adweek selected him as Photographer of the Year. His many clients for print, advertising and commercials include MasterCard, Fender, NFL, Amstel Light and Bank of America.

Leslie White has been Director of Photography at The Dallas Morning News since September 2006. As photo director, Leslie led the department's transition from a strict still image newspaper environment to its increased emphasis on video, multimedia and multi-platform content creation. She hails from New Orleans and worked as a staff photographer at the Times-Picayune before joining TDMN.

Dallas Chapter - American Society of Media Photographers
The Dallas Chapter is one of 40 chapters nationwide of the American Society of Media Photographers, a trade organization that promotes photographers’ rights, educates photographers in better business practices, and produces business publications for photographers. It was founded in 1944 by a handful of the world’s leading photojournalists and is recognized internationally for its leadership role. Photographers helping photographers since 1944.

For more information, or to join, visit: www.asmpdallas.org.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Helping Students Find Actors -

Allow me to introduce myself to all of you. I am Ralph Goin, actor and moderator of the DALLAS TABLE, a group of industry professionals dedicated to supporting all facets of the film-TV-commercial-industrial and stage aspects of the entertainment industry. Our members include all vocations behind and in front of the camera. We are a chapter of the L.A. TABLE, founded 19 years ago, by Marc and Elaine Zicree, long time writers and directors in Los Angeles. As a way of demonstrating the support of our members, we are particularly interested in helping our members find quality student films to practice their craft in. This is a very rewarding for our actor members. We know how intimidating this process can be for students. So, we are having a special DALLAS TABLE meeting next Wednesday evening, during which we will have a group discussion on this topic, from the perspective of the actors your students are trying to contact and cast.

The reason this topic came up is that many of us, who have made a practice of auditioning and acting in student films, have noticed in the recent past, that the quality of the notices and the audition process for student films in the DFW area has not been as high as we have seen over the years. Many of us have not been auditioning for as many student films as a result of this trend. By making the faculty members aware of this challenge, we hope to increase the success rate of your students' auditions. We will also tap into the expertise of the producers and directors attending the meeting.

We therefore would like to extend an invitation to a faculty member of your film school to attend. Just reply to my email so we can have an approximate count of attendees. We usually have 40 to 55 of our 145 members at our meetings.

Our next meeting will be next Wednesday, 11/3/10, at 6:30P.M. at the Golden Corral Restaurant, 3312 Forest Ln., Dallas. That is just East of Web Chapel. Our meeting room is in the far right hand corner of the restaurant as you enter the facility. If you wish, you may purchase a serve yourself dinner. We really hope your school will be represented. We look forward to a healthy exchange of ideas. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call at 972.998.4910.

Sincerely,

Ralph Goin

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Free Photography & Video Lecture

If you are a professional photographer or an aspiring pro- photographer, this event is FREE and critically important (and relevant): The Dallas Chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers and the ASMP Foundation is presenting a lecture called "Still 2 Motion".

Thursday, November 4, 2010. 7:00-9:00pm.
Doors open at 6:30pm.
Angelika Film Center Theater, 5321 East Mockingbird Ln, Dallas, TX 75206

Still to Motion is a presentation about the transition from still photography to video format. Speakers Jonathan Chapman and Stewart Cohen will present and discuss their work as well as give insight about changes, challenges and advancements photographers face in the industry. A Q&A will wrap up the discussion.

The event is moderated by Leslie White, Director of Photography from the Dallas Morning News. http://www.asmpdallas.org/articles/dallas-asmp-and-asmp-foundation-present-still-2-motion-nov-4-dallas-angelika-film-center-th

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Submit Your Film to NFFTY 2011!

The world’s largest youth film festival: 4 days – 200 films – 7,000 fans

A Film for Every Fan


Submission Deadlines + Entry Fees – Online Application and Film Received By:

  • November 30, 2010 $25
  • January 31, 2011 $35
Eligibility
The film’s director(s) must have been 22 years old or younger at completion of filming.
International directors welcome. Films must be entered into only one of seven categories.
All music and other copyrighted material used in films must be original or filmmakers must have obtained permission from the owner. All films must be in English or subtitled in English.



Categories
All films (national and international) may be submitted into only one category:

  • Feature – any narrative film over 30 minutes in length.
  • Short – any narrative short film under 30 minutes.
  • Documentary – documentary of any length.
  • Music Video – music video of any length.
  • Animation – any form of animation, any length.
  • Experimental – any length film that does not fit the mold of typical filmmaking.
  • Action Sports – any film 10 minutes or under that represents, showcases or is inspired by Action Sports including skateboard, snowboard, surf, wake, BMX, and freeski.

How to Submit – Submission Process


Read the Official Rules and FAQs Make sure you understand rules and submission requirements before you start your online application.

Complete an Online Application (click ‘submit’ below to launch) Must be completed online no later than midnight PST, January 31, 2011.

Upload Your Film or Mail in DVD You will have the option of uploading your film to a secure website as part of the application process. Films submitted via DVD will still be uploaded to this system for judging, so we highly recommend filmmakers do their own uploading to ensure a high quality and error free submission. Smart filmmakers choose to upload and avoid mailing DVDs.

Before you start the online application, make sure you have the following items ready:

  • Good quality digital file of your film for upload. See Encoding Guidelines.
  • Film Still (300 dp1 recommended)
  • Synopsis and other film/director information
  • Credit Card Payment ready or mail in check

Ready to go? - SUBMIT YOUR FILM HERE

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Matrox Fall 2010 Road Tour - (Dallas)

Discover More Than Just I/O for Your Favorite Editing App

Join us at the Dallas Final Cut Pro User Group1 meeting on November 11. The Dallas FCPUG provides the community with local support for video producers, editors, and amateurs.
Matrox Video Products Group will be showcasing the full line-up of Matrox MXO2 devices that give you broadcast-quality input/output, monitoring, and up/down/cross conversion to streamline your workflow with Apple Final Cut Studio and Adobe CS5 Production Premium and Avid Media Composer 5. You’ll get an in-depth look at Matrox MAX technology that lets you deliver H.264 content for the web, iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Blu-ray discs up to 500% faster than software alone without sacrificing quality.

Be sure to attend for a chance to participate in the big raffle!

Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: AMS Productions
16986 North Dallas Parkway
Dallas, TX 75248
Register today

Flick meeting today...

(click to enlarge)

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

"Last Call with Carson Daly"

My name is Al Santos and I am the Production Coordinator for NBC’s "Last Call with Carson Daly".

As we begin our 10th season, our show will be amping up its segment “The Last Call of Last Call" and will be taking our viewer submitted content to the next level. We are looking to showcase your students’ original videos, 30 seconds or less, to be premiered nationally on our show. These videos can be of ranging quality – anything from webcam submissions to fully produced work.
We are looking for videos of ranging content as well, including but not limited to:
  • documentary style
  • webcam
  • animation
  • music
  • experimental
  • comedy
  • story-driven pieces

For each episode our producers will choose one clip to air in the fourth act of our show. The clip's author will also receive on-air recognition.

As a reminder, the clip will be aired on national television so it must adhere to a TV-14 rating or less. Most importantly, the submitter must own the rights to ALL their video’s content.

To assist in gaining submissions I have attached a flyer that can be posted around your campus. Feel free to spread the word throughout your school however you see fit.

For digital submissions and video links, use: LastCallVideos@gmail.com

Although we prefer digital submissions, we will accept physical submissions sent to:

The Last Call of Last Call
Last Call with Carson Daly
3000 W. Alameda
Bungalow 1600
Burbank, CA 91523

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you and we look forward to seeing all submissions!

Al Santos

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Monday, August 23, 2010

THE ACTOR'S DEN

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 1ST

THE ACTOR'S DEN
OPEN MIC For Actors, Directors and Filmmakers

SHOW starts at 8pm

SIGN-UP 7-7:45PM

THE BACKBEAT CAFE
300 N. AKARD ST. (downtown in the bldg. w/AMPM LOUNGE)
ADMISSION ONLY $1.OO
"The best dollar you'll spend all week"

PERFORMERS
MONOLOGUES 3MINS.

SCENES 5MINS.
FILM CLIPS 5-10MINS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE

WE WILL BE SHOWING TRAILERS FROM UPCOMING FILM & TV PROJECTS & THE PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS WILL BE IN THE AUDIENCE. ALSO WE HAVE A SPECIAL MUSIC SPOT LIGHT WITH THE MELLOW SOUNDS OF ACOUSTIC GUITARIST ABRAHAM MELLISH, DOING SONGS FROM HIS NEW ALBUM "THE GUITARIST" . JOIN US FOR FOOD, FUN, NETWORKING AND OF COURSE ACTING!

FOR MORE INFO. CALL
INSIDE THE INDUSTRY STUDIOS @ 214-988-5466
http://www.insidetheindustrystudios.com/

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Panasonic “Shoot it. Share it” Video Contest

Panasonic gives you the chance to win exciting prizes by showcasing your creative work in the new "Shoot It. Share It." video contest (http://www.shootitshareit.com/). From Aug. 18th through October 15th, 2010, users of Panasonic P2 HD, AVCCAM and DVCPRO HD camcorders * can submit up to five videos demonstrating their compelling use of the camera for a chance to win wide-ranging honors, including the grand prize of an AG-HPX370 P2 HD Camcorder package.

HOW IT WORKS

Step 1: Shoot a video that showcases the innovative way that you are using your Panasonic professional camcorder.

Step 2: Upload the video (no more than 5 minutes in length) on the www.ShootItShareIt.com web site

Step 3: After the submission deadline of Friday, October 15th at 5 p.m. EST, a panel of judges will choose the 1st and 2nd place winners in each category.

On Oct. 19th, 1st and 2nd place category winners will be posted online. From Oct.19th through Oct. 22nd, the public will have the opportunity to vote for the Grand Prize winner. The Grand Prize winner will be announced on November 3rd during the Createasphere Exposition in Burbank, CA.

More information at http://www.shootitshareit.com/

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Commando Lighting & Grip Show and Tell


Great event - great turn out

Thank you Flick!

The Actor's Den -

Thanks so much for posting this. As I said, The Actor's Den is an open mic for actor's filmmakers and directors. The event is every first Tues. of the month, but for Sept. only it will be on the first Wed. which is Sept. 1st. I would like to invite any of your students to showcase their projects. If they have a film it shouldn't be any longer than 10mins. If they want to do a scene or monologue; monologues should be no longer than 3 mins. and scenes 5 mins.

Last month it was standing room only, we also had a Dallas critic in the house that wrote great reviews. In fact, we will be featured soon on TheaterJones. com. It's a fun night, there is food and drinks at the cafe, we have music and lots of networking. The admission is only $1.

If anyone is interested, I would feature them in advertising for Sept. They can reach me at 972-480-7575.

Thanks so much,

Khadijah Karriem
972-480-7575

Women In Film

Women In Film.Dallas would like to share with you a couple upcoming opportunities available for your school and your female film students.

First, WIFD awards a $2,500 tuition scholarship each year to a female film school student. Applications are now being accepted and the deadline is September 20. More information can be found in the attached flyer that we hope you will post around campus or email to your students.

Second, our 9th Annual Chick Flicks Film Festival is October 14th and we are seeking short film submissions that must be postmarked by September 3. Additional information is in the attached flyer that we also hope you will share with your students. Students receive a discount on both submission entry fees and tickets for the festival.

More information about all of these opportunities can be found on our website at http://www.wifdallas.org/ and any questions about the film festival can be emailed to chickflicks@wifdallas.org .

Thank you for your time and support of Women In Film!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

doddle iPhone App is now ONLINE!!!!

doddle has finally launched our online version and we are so excited to be able to show you all the great features we offer.
doddle is the "Easy Guide to Production"
doddle's mobile app for iPhone takes the worlds production resources and puts them in the palm of your hand. It is available to download in the iTunes App store right now. Our online version has finally gone live, so anyone without a smartphone can now search our database at our doddle Website
doddle allows any entity servicing the film and video industry to register in hundreds of categories under; Vendors * Crews * Talent * Locations * Film Offices
So matter what service you provide to the industry, we've got you covered. doddle is fast becoming the "go to" tool for professionals to reach out and search for professionals in the business.
MovieMaker Magazine just named doddle one of the top 25 "Must-Have" apps for Film Making.
Get Listed TODAY for FREE!!!

doddle utilizes all the great features of the Smartphone and Online to ensure all users get the most out of our directory.
Don't forget to download from the iTunes App Store
If you already registered, remember to complete and activate that listing...and find out how a premium listing increases your chance to showcase your work.

If you want to own top billing in your market for a year, purchase a "Banner Ad" now. Orders received by August 31st, 2010 will receive a complimentary EXTRA 3 MONTHS added to their year. Email us or call us at 1-877-doddleme to claim your Banner, TODAY!

Check out the site and register right now at our doddle website - http://doddleme.com/

Monday, August 9, 2010

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

August 2010 Meeting - Business of Production

The Dallas Producers Association, Women in Film/Dallas and the Dallas Screenwriters Association are joining forces to present a panel discussion on the Business of Production. This meeting will focus on insurance, taxes, legal issues, contracts, payroll - anything and everything concerning the business side of production for features to television to corporate media to documentary to commercials. Join us at InMotion Imagery for this informative evening.

WHEN:
Thursday, August 5, 2010
6:30pm to 9:30pm – Program
DPA, WIF/D & DSA Members – FREE


WHERE:
InMotion Imagery
922 Dragon Street
Dallas, Texas 75207
214-748-2225

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

CONGRATS GOES OUT TO OUR STUDENTS!!


Jonathan Nguyen, Justin Pfannsteil, Ozzy Barrera and Carlos Garcia, Emmanuel Jimenez, Jaime Pacheco, Matthew Rojas and Daryl Cummins, AID Digital Filmmaking and Video Production students took home second place at the 24 hour Film Race last night at Angelika Theater. “It is what it is” by F-stop Roulette Productions is about two guys robbing a McDonalds realizing that they must accept the consequences of their action. The film requirements - prop: a cell phone; theme: acceptance; location: exterior of a fast food restaurant; line of dialog: "Is this all there is?"

“We are very proud of their accomplishment”, says Lysa Ausmus, Director of Digital Filmmaking and Video Production.

You can watch the film at YouTube.com/wazin

Texas Monthly Short Film Contest -

(click to enlarge)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Dates

Click to enlarge...

Flash Is No Longer Necessary?

The debate over Flash support on Apple devices was escalated with Steve Jobs' recent letter on Flash. If you want to read the full text of the letter, you can do so here:
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/

As a developer, specializing in Flash development, the debate is of great interest to me, and as you can probably guess, I am not all that thrilled with the stance that Apple is taking. I have a hard time understanding why Jobs is so adverse to Flash, if nothing more than the fact that omitting Flash from the iPad, and iPhone, is omitting any and all profits that could be made from the sale of Flash built apps being sold through the iTunes store.

Let me first mention that I am by no means against abandoning one technology, for a superior technology. My livelihood depends on my ability to maintain my edge, and not become a dinosaur. When Flash introduced AS3.0, I made it a priority to abandon AS2.0, and learn my way around the overhauled language so that I could develop faster, lighter, more powerful, and ultimately better products. If something other than Flash gives me the power to do all I can in Flash, and more, I will be all over it.

While Jobs makes several of his opinions come off as though they are facts in his letter, the one I find most outrageous is that thanks to HTML 5, “Flash is no longer necessary to watch video or consume any kind of web content.”

Who is Jobs to tell us what is necessary and what is not. Was James Cameron’s Avatar in 3D necessary? Is an Aston Martin necessary? Is a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label necessary? All online content should serve a purpose – sometimes that purpose is to get the right information quickly and without a lot of fluff (which is usually true for mobile devices with small screens), and other times that purpose might be to get a 15-year-old boy excited about the soon-to-be-released installment of Call of Duty for their Playstation or XBOX 360. And just like any tool, Flash, HTML 5, Objective C, PHP, or AJAX… you need to select the proper tool for the job.

I’ll be honest, I am not an expert on HTML 5… yet, but from what I have seen, it is impressive, and shows a great deal of potential, and is ultimately a step in the right direction.The only problem is, since HTML 5 is not plug-in based, if your browser does not support HTML 5, you are out of luck. I know that most of us in the design and development industry are savvy enough to install and run the latest technology, especially when it comes to browsers, but sadly we are the exception, not the norm.

Macromedia, and now Adobe, have worked hard over the years to make upgrading one's Flash player a simple, smooth, and painless experience for even the most novice of users. This is one of the reasons Flash has become so successful over the years. Not only being able to tell your clients that what you are about to build for them will be viewable by over 98% of the population, but also allowing us developers to spend more time developing content, rather than fussing around with browser compatibility issues.
If HTML 5 can help make H.264 encoded video the standard, I have no real problem with that, but when it comes to the demand for rich, engaging, brand driven content and interaction, I just don’t see how HTML 5 can compete with Flash at this time. And by the time HTML 5 becomes any sort of realistic standard, with enough browser support for us to start responsibly pushing HTML 5 upon our clients (which I estimate is still 3 to 5 years out), I expect advances in what Flash can do, will make HTML feel severely outdated.

The simple truth is that player based technology, proprietary or not, is not only a great way to develop once, and run anywhere, but it is also the best way to minimize the span of time between when the latest technology becomes available, and when the latest technology is accepted as a standard.
If Flash is really so lousy, Apple should trust that the market would naturally weed it out, rather than playing the Big Brother role, and restricting it from their devices. If the claim that Flash content chews through battery life on mobile devices, people can choose not to install those apps if they don’t feel the sacrifice is worth it. If Flash content experienced through multi-touch yields a subpar experience, again… let people choose to not run those apps in favor of ones that do.

In the end, it’s not Flash, or any other language/platform that is to blame for bulky content, or lousy experiences, it’s the development community. Depending on the skill of the developer, any program, written in any language, can be well written and highly optimized, or it can be sluggish, full of memory leaks, and prone to cause a system crash.

Like myself, there are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Flash developers who have spent the last 3, 5, or 10 years refining their craft when it comes to using Flash to create anything from non-interactive animations, banner ads (which help keep much of the online content free, by the way), embedded components, micro-sites, custom video players, touch-screen kiosks, games, etc. And I’m guessing most of us would like to start applying that experience to building iPhone/iPad apps, which could be sold via iTunes to the benefit of Apple’s bottom-line – but thanks to Apple and Steve Jobs, that reality was snatched from us in a spiteful and vindictive fashion that proves there is more at play than Apple wanting to “provide the most advanced and innovative platform…”

Regardless, the fact remains that there are still billions of dollars worth of web content that has been developed, and will continue to be developed via Flash, and the thought that businesses around the globe have the desire and or budget to scrap these sites and components, and rebuild it so that nominal iPad community can consume the content is simply unrealistic. This coupled with the lack of USB port or SD slot, means the device is effectively hobbled as a serious consideration for a laptop replacement. And as Google and others begin releasing their tablets to the market, without such restrictions, it will be hard for those of us who don’t worship at the altar of Apple to justify the purchase of a device as restrictive and limiting as the iPad.

Apple is an impressive organization that has done so much to help define and refine the user experience, and for that I commend them. I personally love my iPod, and my iPhone, thanks to their sleek and compact design, the ease of use, and the utility they provide on a daily basis. But more and more lately, Apple is starting to evolve into everything they hated about Microsoft twenty years ago. I also expect that the 10 years from now, we will probably look back on the recent letter from Steve Jobs and chuckle just a little, just like when we look back on the quote from Bill Gates, from 1981, where he made the claim that “640K ought to be enough for anybody.”

Joe Mease is a Denver-based designer and developer, specializing in building heavily branded, dynamic, user-centric applications using Adobe Flash. Joe has been a respected member of the Flash development community for over 10 years. Find his work at joemeasecreative.com.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Texas Production Roundup


Dallas Producers Association
presents the 2010 Texas Production Roundup

Sponsored by Videotex Systems, Inc.


DATE: Thursday, May 27, 2010
TIME: 8:00am - 4:00pm
LOCATION: Grapevine Convention Center
1209 South Main Street
Grapevine, Texas 76051

Texas Production Roundup - Mark your calendars! Thursday May 27, 2010 at the Grapevine Convention Center, the Dallas Producers Association will present Texas Production Roundup. Come see the latest in gadgetry and whizbangery and everything you need for any size production, from cameras to support gear, software to full-blown edit systems, and all the tape and peripheral supplies you could ever need. Talk with experts from Adobe, Avid, Sony, Panasonic, Cartoni, Lowel, and many more.

Monday, April 19, 2010

10 Job-Search Mistakes...

People entering the job market (and all job seekers) should avoid these common errors.

Although this year's college graduates are facing a tough job market (and the smart ones are facing it now, rather than waiting until after graduation), they have an advantage over other job seekers, according to Andy Chan, vice president of career development at Wake Forest University: they are among the age group most likely to be hired in coming months.

"Organizations are very interested in hiring young people because they have a lot of energy and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done," Chan says.
But no matter how well-positioned these young people are, they--and all job seekers--will have a better chance of success if they avoid these common job-hunting mistakes of new college grads:

1. Not being proactive enough Emily Bennington, the author of "Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job," says, "This isn't the time to sit back and be casual in your approach. Create a hit list of five to ten target companies, and really utilize your network to locate an 'in' at each."

2. Relying solely on the Internet In a recent Yahoo! HotJobs poll, 57% of respondents said networking was a factor in landing their current or most recent job. Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, says, "When thousands of candidates are applying to the same jobs online and posting their resume to the same job boards, candidates need to stand out by making connections and networking their way into a company." Job boards are an important tool, but Karsh says new grads also need to focus energy on networking.

3. Not creating wide networks Career expert Liz Ryan agrees: "Use your parents', grandparents', and friends' networks to help you in your post-graduation job search," she says. "Don't be shy--reach out to any long-ago Scoutmaster, choir director, or babysitting or leaf-raking boss. ... There's no statute of limitations on networking." (Read more Yahoo! HotJobs articles about effective networking.)

4. Not creating customized resumes Ryan says, "Don't send out any resumes that simply list your courses, the degree you've earned, and your part-time and summer jobs--use this opportunity to make a stronger statement about what you want to do with your adult life." And according to Jay Block, the author of "101 Best Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times," younger job seekers often haven't thought about what they have to offer an employer (as opposed to what they want to get from one). With this mindset, they create resumes that are "boring biographies" instead of effective marketing tools. (Read more Yahoo! HotJobs articles about crafting better resumes.)

5. Misusing the Internet Tory Johnson, CEO of Women For Hire and the author of "Fired to Hired," says, "New grads don't use LinkedIn--it's not sexy like Facebook or Twitter. But it's the best resource for getting names and building a professional identity. Don't overlook it."

6. Failing to follow up Johnson says, "It's not enough to send resumes and pray the phone rings." She cautions that job seekers can't expect a resume to be discovered in that "big black online hole." "Hustle to follow up," she says.

7. Setting expectations too high Johnson says new graduates too often focus on looking for the perfect job, instead of a first job: "Especially in this economy, the first job should be about finding a position where you'll learn a great deal, you'll be super busy, and you'll be surrounded by lots of people."

8. Appearing unprofessional Make sure you're ready for employers' scrutiny, says Tim McIntyre, president and CEO of The Executive Search Group. That means you should "sanitize your MySpace page--right now. It will be checked," he says. He notes that many college students will need to change off-color voicemail greetings. Ryan adds, "Don't assume that Facebook's privacy settings will keep your youthful antics away from curious eyes. Rid your profile page of any photos of the 'three Bs' (beer, bongs, and bikinis)."

9. Not taking the job interview seriously Even when you're applying for an unpaid internship, you need to adhere to common standards of professionalism. McIntyre says those standards include demonstrating you've done your research on the company and dressing appropriately. Block adds that new grads are often unprepared for tough (but standard) interview questions, such as "Where do you see yourself in three years?" and "What are your weaknesses?" (Read more Yahoo! HotJobs articles about effective interview tactics.)

10. Not using the college's career office "A career office can help [students] identify networking contacts, learn important job-search skills, and significantly improve their resume and cover letter," says Wake Forest University's Chan. Ryan agrees, but adds that this is just a first step. The career office's job is to "to prepare you for your job search, not to conduct it for you," she says. "Use LinkedIn, reach out to everyone you can, and begin researching employers who'd be likely targets for your job-search." (Start your job search now.)

by Charles Purdy, Yahoo! HotJobs

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Video Contest Support -

This is an Art Institute Student's entry for the http://freeenterprise.com Video Contest. Click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaSOw9UQznA&feature=player_embedded

"I believe that as a nation, we can come together to inspire each other, and help foster a better tomorrow. Through "NEW MEDIA" and virtual networking. We can establish new jobs that can and will grow from ideas and innovative collaboration. This platform with YOUR help will help launch our nation into a new revolution!"

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Career Services Week. April 19-22

Plan to attend. These topics are relevant to you!
Alumni are also welcome to attend but should RSVP to jjanik@aii.edu.

Click on the image below to enlarge:

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Listen Up, People!



The Art Institutes and The Creative Group have teamed up to create meaningful contnt and relationships that will positively benefit the students of The Art Institutes nationwide.



The podcast series was designed with you in mind by The Art Institutes and http://www.creativegroup.com/. The Career Blueprint Podcasts give you smart, insightful information from those in the know. Why not invest five minutes in yourself and your career? You're worth it!

Click the link below to hear Megan Slabinski, District President of The Creative Group give practical tips on finding early career jobs and internships that are the right fit for you.

Groundfloor Opportunities: Doorways to the Future

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Friday, March 5, 2010

EPA Announces Environmental Justice Video Contest: Faces of the Grassroots

WASHINGTON --The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring an environmental justice video contest that challenges professional or aspiring filmmakers to create videos that capture the faces of the environmental justice movement. The Faces of the Grassroots contest is an opportunity to publicly exhibit creativity with environmental justice stories, and connect with others working to raise awareness of the movement.

“Faces of the Grassroots will help EPA expand the conversation on environmentalism and work for environmental justice,” said Charles Lee, director of EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice. “Participants can make a difference for the historically underrepresented in their community by using motion pictures to show the struggles and triumphs they have endured to advance environmental justice.”

Videos can focus on any environmental justice activity, issue, or topic. Examples would be a music video about climate change, or a video recording a successful environmental justice project that has made a community a healthier and happier place to live.

Awards will be given to the winning submissions in each category. The videos will also be featured on EPA’s Web site and may be used as public service announcements. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, April 8, 2010. EPA will announce winners in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

Below are the categories and prize money:
Public Service Announcements (30 or 60 seconds)
1st Place - $2,500
2nd Place - $1,500
3rd Place - $1,000
Student Winner - $500 (13-18 years old)
Informational Video (3-5 minutes)
1st Place - $2,500
2nd Place - $1,500
3rd Place - $1,000
Student Winner - $500 (13-18 years old)
Informational video on the contest: CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Herman Miller Video Contest -

"Hey, where do you learn best?"
Student Video Contest

OK, college students, this one's for you.

Where you do you learn the best?
What makes for the perfect place to learn?
Could be anywhere—it's up to you.

Herman Miller, Inc., invites you to answer the question "Where do you learn best?" in our first Student Video Contest. Give it some thought, have fun, be as creative as you want to be, put your answer in a video.

Submit it to us no later than March 26, 2010.

First place—$2500 Visa gift card
Second place—$1500 Visa gift card
Third place—$1000 Visa gift card

Video submissions must be no longer than three minutes. Follow our simple submission guidelines. It's that easy. We want to hear from you and look forward to seeing your entry.

MORE INFORMATION & CONTEST RULES: http://www.hermanmiller.com/Student-Video-Contest

FLICK Workshop -

(click to enlarge)

Friday, February 5, 2010

TXU Video Contest -

(click on image to enlarge)

Videos should reflect one of the following topics/themes:
1) Renewable Energy: Express through video the benefit of a renewable electricity plan for the home, like TXU Energy EarthWiseSM, which is a 100% renewable energy plan, utilizing Texas wind energy. Looking into the future, what do you think Texas would "look" like, given the potential impact of renewable energy plans?
2) Role Model Influences: Choose someone who may have influenced you or others, like a family member, friend, school, business or other organization that exemplifies forward-thinking, creativity and/or innovation with regard to energy conservation and/or energy efficiency and showcase them, their methods, accomplishments and influence upon others.
3) Behaviors: Express through video how you do, can or would influence people around you to be more engaged in energy conservation and to be more energy efficient. You might consider if it’s possible to achieve desired results without changing your lifestyle. You might also consider how you could expand your sphere of influence. Could your efforts become a "movement"?
4) Home Power Saver Challenge: What are the big energy wasters in the home that people should pay attention to? What are things that average people and families can do at home to make a big impact on being more energy-conservation and energy-efficiency minded?

Videos and completed permission and release forms must be received by February 10, 2010 in order to be considered for entry.

Click on the link below for complete rules & information: http://gotxu.com/fastforward

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Brinker International Forum - The Creative Process

Date: February 26, 2010
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: AT&T Performing Arts Center
The Brinker International Forum
2301 Flora Street
Dallas, TX, US 75201

The collective experience of Bob Balaban, Peter Guber and Brett Ratner represents every aspect in the process of creating a film, from producing to writing to directing and acting. A product of Old Hollywood, Bob Balaban grew up in “ the business” and was the first person in his family to venture to the creative side.

An actor, writer and director, Mr. Balaban appeared in Gosford Park, A Mighty Wind and Capote, and directed the Off-Broadway hit The Exonerated.

Peter Guber, founder and chairman of Manadalay Entertainment, has produced films—including Rain Man, The Color Purple and Batman—that resonate with audiences around the world.

Producer and director Brett Ratner began making movies in elementary school and never stopped. His feature films include the Rush Hour series, The Family Man and X-Men: The Last Stand.

CNN anchor Campbell Brown will moderate this panel discussion, exploring how an initial idea becomes a feature film.

more information: http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/event-series/brinker-international-forum/

TEXAS BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

STUDIO MOVIE GRILL - Dalllas, TX
February 4th through February 6th

The Texas Black Film Festival will host three (3) full days of entertaining and insightful films, workshops, and events. Programmed for family entertainment and inspired by the African-American experience, this festival will provide film makers an opportunity to reach audiences with films seldom recognized through major theatrical release.

All the details at this website:
http://www.texasblackfilmfestival.com/

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Building an Online Portfolio -

Whether you're a new media professional or in the marketing or communications field, it pays to put your work on the Web. Your online portfolio holds the advantage of showcasing your services 24/7, enabling potential clients to find you with just a few clicks. When building a website, keep in mind that anyone can visit it at any time before contacting you. Therefore, a key goal should be to provide enough information about your services to convince prospects to take the next step: making personal contact.

Following are six essential elements every site should have to ensure a positive user experience:
1-Home page. Some visitors may not go any further than your home page, so make sure it clearly conveys who you are and the services you offer, and provides complete contact information.

2-Biographical information/credentials. Your visitors will want to know about the person behind your website. A brief professional biography gives clients a snapshot of your qualifications, experience and expertise.

3-Printer-friendly resume. This is especially necessary if you're looking for a full-time job, so make sure it's easily accessible and ready to print. (PDF files work well for this.)

4-Work samples. The primary reason anyone will visit your website is to see your work, so give them enough to look at - but not too much - and organize your pieces strategically. Be sure you have permission to post any work that belongs to clients or employers.

5-Partial client list. Include a list of your past employers and clients (with their permission). Testimonials lend even more credibility.

6-Contact information. Make it as easy as possible for anyone with the slightest interest to reach you. Give them as many options as possible: phone, fax, e-mail, mail - and make the contact information accessible from every page on your site.

Here are some additional tips for creating an effective online portfolio:


* Keep it clean and concise. The best web portfolios are succinct and straightforward. You risk irritating visitors by showing too many samples or requiring excessive scrolling and clicking. Include only your best pieces and make them prominent or easily accessible from the home page.

* Make it "mega-lyte." All your files should be sized appropriately for the Web. The last thing you want to do is cause a prospective client's computer to crash.

* Tell the story. Just as you must clearly label the pieces in your print portfolio, you also should describe the samples you post online. For each item, provide the client name (with their permission), your role in the project, the date, and any software or special skills used.

* Take it a for a test drive. Make sure your e-portfolio can be accessed using a variety of platforms and browsers before directing anyone to your site. Also, check that all URLs you post are still active and displaying your work.

Contributed by The Creative Group

Monday, January 25, 2010

Friday, January 8, 2010