Introduce Yourself: Sign In Here First

It'll cost you a pint to get an answer to that, young man. Welcome to the D-Word where the virtual tap never runs dry!

Hi all,
I've been meaning to introduce myself for some time now. I met Doug Block long ago on a train from MYC to the Flaherty Film Seminar in Aurora New York. At that time I was working in Philadelphia as director of the Neighborhood Film/Video Project, a media arts center specializing in exhibition, community engagement, and eventually we also became the service organization for local independents. And we initiated the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema in 1992 I think it was. So I'm a programmer/exhibitor/festival person with some experience in funding from peer review panels, being on the board of a community foundation, and the board of the long defunct The Film Fund. I also subsequently got to co-program the Flaherty Seminar. Twice. In 1997 I came to San Francisco to help with the SF Asian American Film Festival and also worked at the Hamptons Film Festival. Now I'm director of programming at the San Francisco Film Society which produces the San Francisco International Film Festival and now so much more: year round exhibition, youth education, and since this summer, filmmaker services including classes, residencies, grants and fiscal sponsorship. I'm really pleased to be working again in an organization that supports filmmakers in so many ways. More on our two websites: sffs.org and sf360.org (a daily trade magazine about media art activities in the SF Bay Area). OK, that's some about me. See some of you in Sundance. Anyone going on to Rotterdam?
Linda Blackaby

That's NYC

Yep, Linda, we go pretty far back – that Flaherty Seminar was during year two of the making of my first film, well before I got funding for it. And at un-air conditioned Wells College in the midst of a horrific heat wave. An unforgettable experience.

Anyway, Linda is one of those longtime, unsung heros of the indie film world and it's great having you here with us at The D-Word. A very warm welcome to you.

Hi all,

I have been making, studying, and working on documentaries since about 2003, though I've been cloistered in grad-school world for the past 2.5 years... As I near the end of my MFA I'm looking beyond the walls at the big bad docu world out there, trying to gain an idea of what paths to take. I look forward to learning from others on this forum and adding to topics when I can contribute something of value.

I heard about D-Word when Doug Block visited one of my classes (Prof. Paul Stekler) back in 2006

In reply to Issar Shulman's post on Mon 5 Jan 2009 :

Issar, welcome to d-word! (took me some time to read your introduction...).

Welcome, Madeleine. Wow, 2006, talk about procrastination... ;-) Anyway, glad you finally found your way here.

good to see you Hilla!we will meet soon

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please welcome a new addition to the team of Hosts of The D-Word:

Marj Safinia.

Thanks, Ben.

For those of you who don't know me I'm a long time member and contributor to The D-Word, although I don't post so often in the Public Topics. That will be changing :)

I'm also a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, having passed through New York, London and Tehran on my way here. I'm all about building community, which is one of the reasons I love documentary work, and so I'm thrilled to be welcomed as a new co-host in my favorite community of all.

I'm currently working on a new project, The Department of Expansion with fellow D-Worder and uber-DP, Nick Higgins and his amazingly talented producer/director wife Kristina.

Finally, I've just joined the Board of Directors of the International Documentary Association, so I'm looking forward to creating stronger ties between this community and the IDA in the months to come.

Big thanks to Doug, Ben and John for inviting me to join them as a co-host, and welcome to all our newer members and enthusiasts!

Marj is a bundle of energy, a truly world citizen, a talented filmmaker, an inveterate networker, seems to have several projects on the go at any one time and still has oodles of karma and good humour to spare. We're delighted to have her join us as our Co-Host. Welcome, Marj!

Hello everyone! My name is Yung Chang. I made a film called Up The Yangtze. I'm a brand-new member here. The great Doug Block came to speak to us at the Canadian Film Center where I'm doing a residency. Thank you Doug for bringing me into this D-world. Also, Ben Kempas and I went searching for whales in Reykjavik in September but to no avail. Our tickets are good for a year. Next year right, Ben? I look forward to meeting, discussing and consuming.

welcome, Yung! great to have you in the D-Word community... absolutely loved UP THE YANGTZE and it totally deserves all the acclaim it has received. personally, i especially appreciate a fellow asian american filmmaker getting notice in a world often devoid of non-white docmakers.

So great that you made it to The D-Word, Yung. Hope you'll hang out here and post often. It was a privilege to meet you and talk to the group. The irony of being asked to share my insights and experiences with other filmmakers is that I probably learn a great deal more from the interaction than they do.

Be sure to let folks here know more about your current project, The Fruit Hunters, in the Works in Progress topic. It's a fascinating idea and I'm sure we can be helpful. Meanwhile, can't wait to see Up The Yangtze which I've heard only great things about.

Welcome, Yung! I saw UP THE YANGTZE last year at the Varsity Theater in Seattle and was very impressed by it. Great to have you in The D-word.

Welcome indeed. UP THE YANGTZE was breathtakingly beautiful. Good to have you here.

A big welcome to the great dam builders from the great dam removers!

And yes, we'll need to claim those whale-watching vouchers. I hear Iceland is rather cheap these days...?

Hi

I'm a photographer retraining as doc director & looking forward to learning from this forum

Sasha

Welcome, Sasha.

Hey Yung, nice to see you here! I didn't know Ben was in Reykjavik at that time as well. Ben, I hope you got to experience Yung's mad DJ skillz. My wife and I went whale watching as well and didn't see a thing, but seeing as she was seasick, I'm not sure we'll do the freebie. :)

By the way, Yung is a true gentleman, helping my wife and I get a lift home from a far-flung screening (a three-hour silent epic completely in Icelandic, no less!)

Wecome Yung .. always nice to have another Canuck in the room.

His Excellency DALAI LAMA had seen my film in the eyes of FREE SPRIT FILM FESTIVAL 2008. you don't miss it.log on to-www.Glimz.net
Go to documentary section, you can see the film :MAN,FREEDOM & GOD
38minute duration.

Hello everyone. I have a question for doc fans: Have you ever heard about a company named CINE TV BERLIN? I am looking for a documentary produced by them around 1984, "Saxons in Transylvania" or "Transylvania's Saxons". I'm trying to find this film for a while so every information is really important for me. Thank you in advance.

Maybe you should post this (with the original German title) to the German Association of Documentary Producers AGDOK

Hello! I'm new to this community, but looking forward to check out all features!! By the way, I do work at this: www.zeligfilm.it – and more specifically at this: www.esodoc.eu
see ya, t.