House Telecom Regulation/Infrastructure Committee Meeting

The MN House Telecom Regulation/ Infrastructure committee is headed by St. Paul Rep. Sheldon Johnson. The committee will be meeting FRIDAY, February 2, 2007 at 8:00 AM in Room: 200 State Office Building. The Agenda will include Presentations by Office of Enterprise Technology and St Paul Neighborhood Network. HF116 (Atkins) Customer sales and service call center requirements imposed. The committee meeting is open to anyone who would like to attend. The cable companies and phone companies have been talking with committee members about changing the rules governing how franchise agreements are reached. This could impact Access Centers. Mike Wassenaar, Executive Director of SPNN will be testifying at the committee on Friday.

Action Alert

Go to Save Access to take action. There is a link of to the side.

The new Senate Commerce Committee meets on Thursday this week in a Hearing entitled: "Assessing the Communications Marketplace: A View from the FCC".

This annual Q/A of the FCC by the Senate Committee is an important moment for us to respond to the December 20th FCC Ruling on Video Franchising. That FCC ruling went far deeper than the failed Congressional legislation of last year in attacking Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Access channels and facilities. It also threatens local municipalities ability to exercise control over their 'rights of way" and provides little protection against the red-lining of entire communities. Worse of all, the FCC hearing on the matter was rife with inaccuracies and half-truths that even the phone companies backed away from. Such behavior by a Federal agency is reprehensible and we demand full accountability now!

The organizations representing cities, along with the Alliance for Community Media, have promised a lawsuit - but we need for the Senate to hear from the people and respond accordingly. Congressional intervention can stop this mess now!

Please take a moment today to send our letter to the Senate committee! We have to ensure that 'local video franchising' is on the Senate's list of problematic issues with the FCC (because it's a long list!). And though we are seriously miffed about this mess, we have a proper and polite letter you can send to all the members of the Senate Commerce Committee right here.

Multi Camera Shoot

One way to step up your game without wasting tons of time editing is to do a mulit-camera shoot. We have a switcher with a digital deck, two cameras and audio mixer that can be checked out. You can utilize this piece of equipment to for bands, interviews, or whatever strikes your fancy. The class is January 30th at 6:30. Cost is $20. You will learn the switcher, the headsets, and cameras in a way to have a successful multi camera shoot.

You Tube

Get yourself on one of the hottest video websites. You Tube can host video up to 100 mg and ten minutes in length. In this workshop you will learn how to compress your video using iMovie or FCE and then upload that video to You Tube. The workshop is Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30pm. The cost is right, FREE! Come check it out.

Also don't forget the studio lighting workshop is also that night at 6:30pm.

Lighting Workshop

Lighting can set the mood, or no mood at all if it is used inappropriately. Lighting can be subtle or dramatic and it is so much more than just flooding the set with light. Learn when to use gels, how to set the tone, and how to create the mood from our professional production staff. Now good lighting takes years of practice and lots of trial and error. This workshop is not intended to be the “be all end all “of what you need to know, but instead to give you some frames of reference of what lighting can do, techniques to accomplish your goal and a place to start playing with lighting. The workshop will be held on January 23rd starting at 6:30. Cost for the workshop is $10.

New Set Pieces have arrived!

SPNN contracted with Troy Schaefer to build some new set pieces for us. The two proto types have arrived. They are metal frames with pexiglass inserts they also have a spandex sock that can fit over the frame. Both can be used as is or lit with different gels to give them color. Next time you are in the studio check them out. Right now we have two. We will be ordering four more to complete the set to make sure we have enough to satisfy members needs. We also plan to order more inserts so that the look can change with each show. The idea is to make sure there are options for members to utilize to make their show unique. We'd like to have a set design workshop in the Spring to help members utilize the pieces.

iDVD Workshop

Don't forget the iDVD workshop this Saturday at 11am. Learn how to make profesional looking DVD's to hand out to friends, clients, and guests. Cost is only $20.

Also we are closed on Monday, January 15th for Martine Luther King Day. Please plan accordingly. This will mean if you check out gear on Friday you will have an extra day since you won't be able to return it until Tuesday.

Interview with Rep. Sheldon Johnson

Last week I interviewed Rep. Sheldon Johnson for the January edition of All Things Access. We spoke about what he sees as important legislative issues this session as well as what he sees impacting St. Paul residents. Listen below.

A Film Challenge

I just got this Film Challenge via an email. I am posting it so people find out about it, but I don't any more information than what's contained below. Please contact those in charge of the challenge for more information.

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE SCREENLABS CHALLENGE
>
> THE THEME: "A Simple Twist of Fate"
>
> Historic, metaphoric, anamorphic, allegoric... the
> choices are all yours!
>
> THE LOCATION: Stone Arch Bridge (downtown
> Minneapolis)
>
> Tell a story, make a moving 12 minute short
> picture, and take the ScreenLabs Challenge.
>
> For more information we invite you to visit the
> ScreenLabs Challenge web site, read the rules and
> sign up for the Challenge.
>
> We want to keep the application process for
> ScreenLabs Challenge simple and direct. It costs
> nothing to register, you will not be
> under any obligation to finish a film by
> registering, and there is a online form to use so
> you'll even save your money on postage.
>
> http://www.screen-labs.com/drupal/
>
> Our purpose with online registration is to
> determine the level of community interest how we can
> best assist you will completing the ScreenLabs
> Challenge.
>
> Please sign up before JANUARY 15TH, 2007
>
> You can start writing anytime! Fortunately, you
> will have much more than 48 hours to write your
> script but don't use that as an
> excuse to procrastinate, stare at the white page,
> and delay. Start NOW! Win Prizes!
>
> Completed short films will be submitted on DVD by
> June 15th, 2007
>
> Thanks, good writing and good luck!
>
> -- The ScreenLabs Team!
>
> screenlabschallenge@mac.com

iDVD Workshop

An iDVD workshop will be held on January 13th at 11am. This class will allow you to utilize the iDVD software to make professional looking DVD’s with menus, chapters, and animation. You can than hand the DVD’s out to your friends, family, potential clients and funding sources. Cost of the workshop is $10.