OUTREACH
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.
Examples?
Seminars
In 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. |
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Special Screenings
In London, England, the Dulwich Paradiso Film Club give occasional film shows
of commercial movies that are "autistic-friendly".
 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.
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 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. |
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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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Legalities
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...
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Contact the Motion Picture
Licensing Corporation for details of their licensing scheme. MPLC claim
their rates are cost-effective but each is calculated individually. Think
around $250 for a year's coverage at any venue. Some venues may already be
covered, but do check with them first. This is also a prime target for
sponsorship since the donor would be licensing the venue for all its
not-for-profit screenings for a year.
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Movie Licensing USA
offers cover for K-12 school venues. It is a division of ...
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Swank Motion Pictures Inc
- a booking agency which can provide 16mm and 35mm film copies of many movies
as well as DVDs.
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.
Anything Else?
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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