Media Tech Tonic: monthly demo/seminar series in Boston

Media Tech Tonic is a series of monthly demos/seminars held in Boston on media technology topics for media makers and artists. Meetings are hosted by MassArt Professional and Continuing Education, presented in collaboration with Boston Media Makers and organized by yours truly. Check out the Media Tech Tonic web site for information on upcoming sessions.

The origin of the name (which I believe came from a suggestion by Steve Garfield during a brainstorming conversation we had on the name for this) comes from: Media: 1. plural of medium, 2. the means of communication that reach or influence people widely, 3. pertaining to or concerned with such means, origin: from the latin medius, central; Tech: 1. technical, 2. a technician, 3. technology, origin: shortening of technology, from the greek technologia, systematic treatment; Tonic: 1. a medicine that invigorates or strengthens, 2. anything invigorating physically, mentally, or morally, 3. the first degree of the scale, the keynote (music), 4. quinine water, 5. soda pop (new england), origin: from the greek tonikos, pertaining to stretching or tones; and thus, Media Tech Tonic.

If you would like to present at one of these meetings, contact me about it.

Facing Realities: Dialogues in Boston Documentary Filmmaking

The LEF Foundation recently announce its support of a new film screening series, Facing Realities: Dialogues in Boston Documentary Filmmaking. The film series is part of an effort to highlight the history and deepen the understanding of Boston’s documentary tradition, which continues today. The first screening in the series will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Films include Forest of Bliss (Robert Gardner, 1986, 90 min.) and Today the Hawk Takes One Chick (Jane Gillooly, 2007, 72 min.) followed by a discussion with Robert Gardner and Jane Gillooly led by film scholar Scott MacDonald. Visit the Facing Realities web site for more information. Photo:
Bell and Howell Regent 8mm
by aka Kath

Boston Filmmaking Resources

Table of Contents

1. Regional Vendors
2. Regional Publications & Information Resources
3. Regional Organizations

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1. Regional Vendors

• Central Booking (Crew booking service)
• High Output (Lighting, Grip, and Electric rentals, studio space, production and event support)
• Talamas (Audio sales and rentals, camera rentals)
• Boston Camera Rental Company (Film and Video Camera rentals, Panasonic sales via Abel Cine Tech in NY)
• Rule Broadcast Systems (Video Camera and Audio rentals, Sony sales)
• Barbizon (Lighting, Grip, and Expendables sales)
• Parsons Audio (Audio equipment sales and training)
• Kaye Lites (Lighting and Grip Rentals and sales)
• ScreenLight & Grip (Lighting and Grip rental and production services)
• Heartpunch Studios (Audio postproduction)
• Digital Playroom (Audio postproduction)
• National Boston (Postproduction services, telecine transfers)
• Film Shack (Equipment rentals, telecine transfers, workshops)
• CineLab (35/16mm lab services, processing and return the next day to your post house, Super16 to DI can gives HD a run for the money)
• The Camera Company (Retail sales of consumer, prosumer, and broadcast video equipment)
• Newtonville Camera (Retail sales of consumer and prosumer video equipment)

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2. Regional Publications and Information Resources

• Imagine (Print publication and online archive covering the film, video, and new media industry in New England, includes an annual production directory)
• NEFilm (Online publication providing New England independent filmmaking news, articles, event and job listings, discussion boards, casting calls, crew calls, etc.)
• Craig’s List-Boston-television-film-video-radio (regional crew calls and more)
• Craig’s List-Boston-talent-gigs (regional casting calls and more)

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3. Regional Organizations

• Massachusetts Film Office (provides a range of services to productions shooting in Massachusetts, including making sense of the new Massachusetts tax credits)
• The Center for Independent Documentary (offering fiscal sponsorship, creative and technical support, fundraising advice)
• Filmmakers Collaborative (Local association of independent filmmakers providing fiscal sponsorship, hosts Film Talks,Outreach, Annual Filmmaker’s Expo)
• Documentary Educational Resources (provides fiscal sponsorship, consulting, and distribution of documentary films)
• Color of Film Collaborative (works to support media makers of color and others who have an interest in creating and developing new and diverse images of people of color)
• Massachusetts Production Coalition (MPC) (a new professional forum created to help increase the level of production in the state through advocacy and community building Read this article for more about MPC)
• SMPTE, New England Chapter (SMPTE/NE) (Their monthly meetings are very informative, more technical in nature than other groups)
• Boston Avid User Group (BAVUG) (A user group of Avid enthusiasts, filmmakers, and broadcast professionals, interesting and informative meetings)
• Boston Final Cut Pro User Group (BOSFCPUG) (A user group of Final Cut Pro enthusiasts, filmmakers, and broadcast professionals, interesting and informative meetings)
  

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Got a link you think should be on this list? If so, please contact me, thanks!