The Femmebots

Archive for August, 2011

Film & Electronic Media Orientation

Posted by Femmebot On August - 26 - 2011

Butler Boardroom, 6th floor Butler Pavillion

8am: Check-In Begins
8:30am-9:15am: Welcome and Introductions by Sharmeen Ahsan-Bracciale, Director of Graduate Services and Jean McGee, Director of Graduate Advising

9:15am-9:45am: Welcome from the SOC Dean Larry Kirkman

9:45am-10:05am: Library Services for SOC Students explained by Robin Chin Rhomer, Communication Librarian, University Library

10:05am-10:10am: Academic Integrity Code with Rose Ann Robertson, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

10:10am-10:30am: my.american.edu with Jacqueline Palumbo, Manager, Training & Performance Improvement

10:30am-10:45am: Administrative Services Overview with Jean McGee, Director of Graduate Advising

11am-12pm: Opening Convocation with President Kerwin (Bender Arena)

Lunch Immediately Following Convocation (Tavern, Mary Graydon Center)

1:30pm-2:30pm: Meeting with Division Directors and Faculty: Public Communication, Film & Media Arts (wooo!!!), International Media, Political Communication

2:30pm-2:50pm: Graduate Studies at AU with Dr. Jonathan Tubman, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies & Research

2:50pm-3pm: Web Content with Michael Wargo, Online Content Manager

3pm-3:10pm: SOC Technology with Zack Prichard, Manager, SOC Computing Labs

3:10pm-3:25pm: Career Center with Julia Beyer, SOC Career Advisor and Felicia Parks, SOC Career Advisor

3:25pm-3:35pm: SOC Graduate Council and American University Graduate Leadership Council with Ayofemi Kirby, President, SOC Grad Council; Carl Boles, VP, SOC Grad Council, Elliott-Bell-Krasner, Exec Chair, Graduate Leadership Council

3:35pm-3:40pm: Information for Graduate Assistants with Sharmeen Ahsan-Bracciale, Director of Graduate Services (Parking Permits, Campus Bookstore, Health Center)

3:40pm: Wrap Up, Door Prizes, SOC Graduate Council Ice Cream Social

—-

I am officially converting fiction into reality this week.

The Multimedia Production Company I have been writing about for the last 3 years is materializing before my very eyes.

It is a great birthday gift to myself.

And in the next 2 weeks I will find out if I won a Fellowship that will pay the tuition for the first year.

If I get it, then everything I have saved over the summer can be used toward other investments, namely, Brazil. My future is there.

I just told a colleague that she won’t start seriously making preparations for living abroad until she buys a ticket.

I can take my own advice.

And she told me she has started researching necessary visas for the various countries she intends on visiting.

I didn’t even think about that. Just found out US Citizens need a visa to enter Brazil.

This will cost about $160.

I found a flight for $936 this afternoon but just noticed the prices changed so I will check back again later this week.

Part of orientation is shifting my mind from that of a full-paying consumer to a student who gets discounts. A friend reminded me yesterday to look into STA Travel. Just checked and their prices are higher than Kayak’s, but my friend said I am better off talking to an actual human being to book the trip. Imagine that! There are probably so many things I can learn from a person who knows the travel agency rather than trying to beat the online booking system.

Just searched Kayak again and the $936 flight is available again. Should I buy it? There will be an 8-hour layover on the way back. Perhaps I can use this as time to write about everything that transpired in Brazil. And after a Google search, it looks like there is plenty I can do in Panama City.

Lots to upload at orientation.

I met my 2 professors today: Larry Engel and John Douglass
Legal issues! Join Wala – allows access to ent lawyers when doing films/projects. http://thewala.org/

We are liable for first $5k damage/loss.

Can get insurance. NSSI.com up to $20k for a full year covers equip, computers.

Make sure equip works before checking it out.

Virginia Film Commission is good.

Eagle Bucks!!

Check out new web site for grad students. Student Work section featured on AU web site.

Career advisor is Julia Beyer for Film and Media arts

Job Fair Sept 21 (Wed)

Annual trip to NY in Jan (next year)

AUCareerWeb
Virtual Tools (resume builder)
www.American.edu/careercenter

http://www.american.edu/soc/resources/technology-services.cfm
Lab: 202-885-2085
M-Th 9-11pm
9-5 fri, sat
Sun closed

madison@american.edu

External Hard Drives with FireWire
Thunderbolt
Gtek

SDHC Class 6 card (there will be a graphic c on the label) – look for transcend label. Pelican case allows you to hold a few.

Class 10 (more expensive but more flexible and mre read/write capabilities)

Class specifies speed of recording

32 gig cheaper than 2 16s

5min per gig

Back up cards as quickly as possible. They are fragile.

Librarian: Robin Chin Roemer

Can discuss research goals with Robin and set up a one on one meeting

Degree from Univ of Wash, Univ of Santa Barbara, majored in literature

Used to work in Online Learning

Media Services area includes sound recording. Located on bottom floor.

Digital Media Studio has 5 computers loaded with all software and includes training.

New Media Center (new) also has AV check out – cameras!!

300 Databases can search by subject and program

Business section can do arts management and marketing research

Blog: Communication Librarian
comm.librarian.wordpress.com
Also on Twitter

Aladin for print books

Lynda.com software training free for students!!

Anderson computing lab can take software training classes

Check female prof who does Internet stuff

Dottie Lynch, pub communications – CBS

Katie Shatu, pub comm – senior vp @ fleishman hillard, worked in Hollywood, filmmaker

Prof Larry Kirkman
Don’t be comfortable in silos!

–
Science journalism, filmmaking
“Science and Society” series
Center for Environ Filmmaking – good for research (just one of a few centers). “Ecoviews” based in Maryland. Evry Tues nite

Community Voice project – connects communities and non profits, “Doc Storytelling.”

Center for Social Media (media that matters conference in Feb)
Human Rights Film series in Fall with Law School – Sept 22 on Earth Liberation Front at Katzen Theater

Investigative Reporting workshop partner is associated press & frontline. Map of investigative reporting orgs – good for doc filmmaking

Need to check out the Newseum.

Alumni – scale of engagement with school is big asset. Reception in spring for alumni, can go on 3-day tour on NY to meet alumni.
Mentoring program for 40 students.

Get out of comfort zones!
Latin American Film Festival org by
Embassies
@AFI Silver

2 inputs for sound (lavalier is for close-up and shotgun mic will change perspective, which is good for long shots. The bigger the mic the better the quality of sound).

Lavalier to channel 1, shotgun to channel 2. Captures 50-100 feet.

Audio Mixer on side of camera:
Mic
Line
Attn (turn on or off?)
If battery don’t need to apply 48 volts – determine levels from earphones.

Sony on ear or in ear to recording (not noise canceling)

Look up all this info in Syllabus

Buy rechargeable batteries not alkalines

Switch on barrel to focus and zoom

Thesis: Not too early to start thinking about it.

Prague is in Spring for narrative. CET.
Galapagos program in Ecuador
Cross cultural communication – partnership with univ in Costa Rica (Spring Break)
Alaska – extreme filmmaking
Florida program
AU has Strong affiliation with embassies, esp Czech
Prof Pat – History of Doc and Social Doc. Runs Center for Social Media
7-11 is required course – take before very last semester. Attend conf a week before school starts in Jan.
Book: “Reclaiming Fair Use” – save money, be a better filmmkaker

Relationships are most valuable thing during grad studies

“Doc Film, A Very Short Introduction.”

Pat can help with submitting to conferences.

Sara – studio class
Pitch a show on NBC
Discover the World of Communication summer high school program – MFA can be hired to teach. 4 weeks. Paid.
Can get practice teaching with Montgomery and Howard counties.

Create Vimeo account

Need to join Wala

Gonna be in the technology center a lot

Do I want to rent or buy textbooks?
http://www.bkstr.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/OnlineRegistration?langId=-1&storeId=10061