Video activist exchange
Draft Activist Video Exchange Event
Basement Social Centre 18th / 19th Feb, 24 Lever St, Manchester, M1 1DZ 0161 2371832
Due to space considerations and the desire for this to be a small, focused gathering, this event is by invite. But you can invite yourself, and to do this please post to the imc-uk-video@lists.indymedia.org list and say why you want to come along.
Overview: A weekend in Manchester with an aim of Exchanging Video files and Video Encoding and distribution knowledge.
We can look at how groups are currently working with each other, how we swap video files, and how we can make use of distribution technologies like RSS, peer to peer and video podcasting.
Specifically the main areas of Interest of the weekend will be:
Video Resources / Video Archive: Looking at what Video resources we have for Video screenings and Educational work, exchanging these resources and working out how best to catalogue them and make them available for other groups.
In the Manchester venue we’ll have a Video server that you can connect to and download all the video you need and upload new Video files you want to share. If you bring a hard drive with loads of space, you should be able to create a library suitable for a social centre, activist screeners group or college. We can then work out how to keep each other’s collection of Video files up-to-date.
Encoding: Creating, collecting or planning the creation of Training resources for Encoding Video for CDroms, DVDs and the Web. There are some materials available on the Net and a lot of good experience out there. We can put them together to create practical help files.
Copy Left on the shelf? Many film makers are now distributing their films under a non-commercial copyleft licence. This means that we can distribute their films free of charge, and screen them as part of non-profit making events. But how can we make this system work for the film makers as well. What are the best ways to screen a film and encourage those who can afford it to buy a copy from the film maker? Can we evolve an independent distribution network that can feed payment back to the films makers? Or is this a separate project from a screenings archive and network of screeners?
Video Distribution via the Internet: This session can help feed into a global conference on the same subject called “Transmission” which will bring together many global partners in this area. 4 delegates from the UK are invited to this event. Who they should be may become clearer after this session.
On the subject of Video Distribution via the Internet: What exists now? How do distributors work together? How could it be better? What are the areas of converging technology? How can we put video online to make it accessible now and to take advantage of emerging technology like Media RSS readers? What Content Managements Systems exist to put Video online? Should we be working together to develop or create and migrate our video data to a new system?
As far as Media RSS is concerned. We should be able to demystify this technology to make it usefully and accessible to the activist, campaign and independent music and media communities. One of the active projects to help do this is the clearer channel project