7/14/2015

<- Back to archive

Attendees

• Sarah
• Libbie, hi, I really like berries
• Sean, i'm going to Africa tomorrow
• Liz, I think jelly beans are delicious
• Gerald part of the Oscar Grant Committere
• Anka whenver you need pizza call me
• Jabari bla bla bla
• Dennis, he's new
• Yousef and Ala'a brought delicious food!
• Noemie

Announcements

• Sean is leaving but will be filming
• OGC was called by Peace and Freedom party to do a forum on september 25th. We'll have various families talking about the specific situations. Followed by members of the OGC explain publically why we support to demand the slogan BLM and insist to follow with All Lives Matter. We're also going to roll out what is the program? That's what out program will be about. Saturday the 25th of July.
• Max from Phat Beets asked Anka to film an anti-gentrification event but she's going out of town. Libbie volunteers, jabari will also go to this event also.
• Shilmat brought a safe for secure storage and gave us the key

New Members

• Gerald
  • Admitted with no blocking concerns!

Practices when working on projects

• Proposal on creating precedents and learning from our experiences. If someone brings a project to OpAl:
  • Gerald: we need a method to approach this work that is systematic. We need to be able to think and not take more work than we can do. Not do more than what we can do. Learn how to say no.
  • Liz: lesson from the omni fundraising video: have clearly defined roles from the outset. I don't have a preference as in horizontal or hollywood style, but make sure we have clearly defined roles to avoid conflict.
  • Anka: Making sure that the project is not too broad. When we started the gentrification project there was so much. We should narrow it down.
  • Sarah: It would be necessary for a film maker with a project in mind to have a really clear time line for how long they want it to take. We should be clear about our boundaries as of the amount of time. Offer education too.
  • Yousef: if we focus more on the projects that we wanna make rather than open the doors to projects. The projects that the members want to work on and make them a priority. IN regards to the equipment. It needs to be made more formal.Each and everyone who takes or rent the equipment needs to write. So everyone can be accountable.
  • Noemie: two things - 1. It's really easy to gather people to film, but the editing process is long and hard and that's where projects tend to taper off and remain unfinished. So it's good to have people who are committed to editing and for them to be included in the filming process as well. 2. It is also easy for us to become overwhelmed with work; I think we will feel more committment to an outside project if we have some stakeholdership in the project and be included in decisionmaking and editing.
  • Ala'a: we can have a person in charge of that. With a schedule. A scheduling for the equipment.
  • Yousef: we should do an inventory for the equipment.

(* Members consent on whether the project is in line with the collective's mission. If not, limit the ways in which we collaborate. Up to anyone, but maybe possibility to block if it's really offensive to one member?

• Members work on it provided they have a real stakeholdership in the creative process, from the exploratory phase to the editing and publishing phase. (As opposed to providing free labor for a project where the decisions are taken without them).
• We must consent on the terms/organizational model of the project with the people bringing the project before we start: how can we make the project an opportunity for peer learning rather than specialization?
  • Organize writing sessions to figure out what the outline of the documentary can be / to involve the participants in the projects.
  • Ask who is interested in learning which skill, and distribute the work accordingly.
  • Editing: determine the people who will be interested in editing and give them a voice as to the amount of shoots that are organized and how they are organized.
  • Prepare interviews by writing questions collaboratively.
  • Operate do-ocratically as much as possible. (The one who does can take initiative)
  • Work in pairs so that there is a mentor system.
• If someone brings a project and wants to be the director/ ultimately making the decisions, and we want to help them: allow them to reserve the editing room. Provide help in exchange for their contribution to the community: donations or work.
• If they pay a crew and ask for our help, we can ask for money.)

Finances

• Jabari went to the bank yesterday, we'll soon have an account. We'll have $600.

Libbie

• Youth programs happening at the omni. They're asking if there are film making capacities.

Is there collective knowledge of this group.

• Gerald: I think that we are at a foundational stage of this collective. We are trying to develop the discipline. In this condition, I'd be happy if we were able to finish the work we've started.
• Noemi: I disagree; I don't think those two things are incompatible. I think as a group we are craving new people, new energy, young people especially. I think it's an awesome opportunity. Something I've noticed is that when we actually set a deadline for ourselves, we can commit to it (like we did for FTP festival). I think we can do it, I'm willing to put in the effort.
• Anka: I'm kind of in the middle. We talked about youth training being something we want to do, but it is a lot of work, and at this stage I'm not sure if we can do it. We also don't have a lot of equipment. Depends also on how long the commitment is. We need more details.
• Yousef: I also think it's a great idea, but perhaps this is not tho time for it; we need more internal organization.
• Sarah: I'm interested in teaching a screenwriting workshop, maybe just a two-day one.

Questions for Libbie to get back to us: • What is the time commitment? (start and end, weekly meetups, hours of the day) • What is the age range? • How many students? • We have limited equipment. Does this school or organization have any gear? • Are there insurance requirements or background checks for us to be working with underage youth? Release forms?

Next month's screening

• Paris is burning is a young lesbian woman went into NY and filmed transwomen and drag queen.
• Flag Wars, Laura Poitras
• Gerald: Let's start an ongoing list. I'll make a flyer. I'm also willing to cook spaghetti.
• Setting the date: Thursday, August 6th. Doors open at 7, film screens at 7:30. Noemie will do Omni booking and FB event.
• Libbie: when2meet.com - you fill in when you're free

Next week : shooting a video!

Screenwritng scene Sarah will explain

• S wants to shoot a scene at omni direct it and shoot it in one day. Want to do it in stages. Next meeting screen writing session where two people do a screen writing.
• Gerald: it sounds like an educational project. Time is a real problem for me. i want to see how it unfolds. I need to learn how to edit fast and dirty.
• Liz: it's fun practice and a fun teaching tool. I'm guessing that it will be optional to participate in it.
• Libbie: when2meet.com - you fill in when you're free
• First meetup will be next Tuesday at 8:30, after OpAl meeting