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 -

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TXU Video Contest -

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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

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/

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