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Involving your club in the community is great publicity ... and can give a stimulus to the club too.
We join clubs to separate ourselves from the rest of the community - albeit briefly each week - so that we can be with people who share our interests and ideas. But being too isolated means the community does not get to know about the club ... and can mean that club evenings become a bit repetitious.
One answer is to involve the club - or small groups within it - in working with other parts of the community. That spreads the word about the club and can often win attention in the local press, radio and tv. It also gives those groups in the club a slightly different type of project to tackle - and you might be amazed at some of the talents and knowledge revealed.
SeminarsIn Australia, Brisbane VideoMakers’ Association give what they call Public Seminars every three or four months in an expanding suburb of the city. The aim is to introduce the hobby of video-making to people who have just purchased or are about to purchase a camera. Before lunch there is discussion of types of camera, the pros and cons of various formats and so on, After lunch they have a session on editing using Windows Moviemaker which most of those attending already have on their computers. The day finishes with a a complete movie assembled on a high-end editing systems from the demo clips using during the day, which lets participants see the differences that can be obtained. The organizers get lots of thanks and praise plus comments like: "If only we had come to this before we bought the camera!” The team also find they have their work cut out keeping bang up to date with the latest developments in camcorders, formats and so on.
What's involved?Booking a room with a blackout, arranging refreshments - perhaps using a deal with a local cafe - and preparing presentations in simple terms. (It's tough to avoid the jargon of our hobby!) Liaising with local photo dealers, media and community groups of all kinds to spread the word about the event. A shrewd club publicity officer will make sure every press release mentions the club and gives contact details, every delegate gets a promotional leaflet inviting them to the club and that afterwards delegate comments are part of reports fed to local news media. |
Special ScreeningsIn London, England, the Dulwich Paradiso Film Club give occasional film shows of commercial movies that are "autistic-friendly".
In York, England, a special film club was organized a few years ago to put on shows for people with all sorts of disabilities. Volunteers from first-aid organizations helped. Volunteer drivers collected people from their homes and returned them afterwards. In both cases all sorts of local and national charities helped with sponsorship, publicity and practical assistance. It's the noisiest film show I've ever attended ... but a thoroughly uplifting and enjoyable experience. What's involved?Booking a suitable room - ideally one with easy access for those in wheelchairs. Liaising with experts from the various speciality organizations. Timetabling all the volunteers, arranging phone contacts (often someone's condition can change at the last minute), booking suitable films. There's no club publicity officer in the world who cannot parlay that sort of event into some useful publicity for the club. Try contacting local chapters of organizations for the special group concerned and the disability support departments of many large colleges and universities. Links
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As with most aspects of the law the details sound discouraging! Don't panic.
Showing any commercial movie outside your own home requires a special licence
- no matter where, what sort of organization you are, whether it is
not-for-profit, whether you own the DVD or have rented it. There are various
agencies to help you do it right. This is an ideal task for a sub-committee
of your project team...
There are other organizations which can license films - usually from a restricted range of movies - in different parts of the country. Ask at your local school or library.
This type of show is probably not the place to screen your own club movies, but if you do show these you may still need permission from the people who supplied any music on your movie and the PRS - Performers/Performance Rights Societies. Click here for a list of them in USA and Canada.
In other countries there are usually similar laws and agencies. Sometimes you also have to reach a deal with the PRS - Performers/Performance Rights Societies.
Consider third-party liability insurance - many venues are already covered, but make sure their insurance covers your show.
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Autistic children often find it impossible to sit still and
quiet for any length of time, so taking them to a normal cinema show can
be embarrassing and miserable for parents and siblings. The group organize
shows in a friendly school hall, complete with lemonade and popcorn. They
use their video projector to show a commercial movie suitable for kids. Often
it is the first time families have been able to go out to a film show together.