DIY Filmmaking
By consider | June 23, 2008
A view into the life and thinking of an independent (really independent) filmmaker.
The process of self distribution and driving around the country promoting Considering Democracy has been an interesting process. I finished a Southern Tour at the end of May, then have been catching up on the endless task of picking up all the other facets that have been loose ends. While it’s really nice to be connected through the world via the internet, there’s still a lot of other maintenance and things to do. For example, I go to the post office almost every day with DVDs. Last week, I sent out over 100 query letters to other nonprofits and the responses are coming in. I’m catching up with web maintenance, as well as cutting a new internet based short to help promote the film online. People expressed the desire to have recipes on the website as ideas for screening parties, so I did some cooking yesterday, and those ideas are now on the website today.
The process of learning is a constant. There’s not a day that is totally outside of the drive to figure out and keep arranging distribution. I’m learning google maps to try to figure out a way for people to put in their information as to where they are holding screening parties, but that feature will be up and running for the second screening parties at the end of August, coinciding with the Democratic and Republican conventions.
The process of doing and arranging is also a constant. I’m once again beginning to contact groups and organizations to arrange screenings in August and September. It goes on and on. Although sometimes I think of where I could be, in public education, and I realize that instead of simply doing a job to someone else’s standard (I won’t get into No Child Left Behind. You can ask any teacher and our response will probably be the same) the difference is that I’m really enjoying the whole process of filmmaking and distribution. There’s a lot of problem solving involved. I’m using creativity and really learning a lot. I’m also humbled every day. I don’t have the luxury of putting things off and procrastinating, instead, I’m constantly prioritizing and I keep moving, while still being able to barely keep up.
So enough of reflection, I must get to other stuff.
Topics: DIY! | No Comments »
Rights of Individuals and Rights of Corporations
By consider | May 31, 2008
Respond to this theoretical situation: There is a community of 10,000 people and an outside corporation comes into that community and decides to make a 15,000 head hog farm in the middle of the community, right next to the river that also supplies water for the community. Under current laws, who has more rights, the community of 10,000 people, or the corporation with a lot of hogs run by three well connected people?
Topics: Lobbyists and Corporate Power | 1 Comment »
Changes in Society
By consider | May 31, 2008
Businesses have been benefiting societies for thousands of years by supplying goods and services to them. Recently, in the 1970s, U.S. corporations were given a more broad interpretation of rights. Some people believe that this has impacted the political and societal landscape of the United States. Do you think that American society has changed since the 1970s? Is so, how? (We’re talking about the general nature of American society, not technological advances.)
Topics: Political Finance and the Supreme Court Questions | No Comments »
Foreign Aid Spending
By consider | May 31, 2008
Did you know your taxes are going to other countries as weaponry grants? Do you think that people in other countries know that American dollars are funding the purchase of weapons and possible instability in their country? How would you react if you found out that another country was funding weaponry and instability in your country?
Topics: Foreign Aid Questions | No Comments »
Foreign Policy Spending
By consider | May 31, 2008
As the elections approach, it seems that there is a lot of talk about strengthening America, but not so much talk in specifics. Specifically speaking, the FY (Fiscal Year) 2009 budget allocated on the upwards of 700 Billion dollars on Defense, (the defense request was 540 billion, but Iraq, Afghanistan and ‘anti-terrorism’ spending are funded separately) while education and health are allocated 61B and 52B, respectively.
Do you think that large amounts of spending (for privately contracted jobs) are strengthening America? Why or why not?
Topics: Foreign Policy Questions | No Comments »
Your Media Sources
By consider | May 31, 2008
How do you receive your information? What portion of your information do you get from the TV, radio, newspapers, internet and/or other sources? Do your friends, or those that you associate, get their information from similar sources? Do you have good friends that believe very differently? If so, what do you talk about?
On a slightly different note, do you think certain topics and questions are avoided on the news? If so, which ones?
Topics: Media Questions | No Comments »
Media and Advertisements
By consider | May 31, 2008
Other countries often have TV news programs that actually don’t have commercials in them that ’sponsor’ the news show. Do you think the U.S. news would be different if it didn’t have any commercials?
Topics: Media Questions | No Comments »
Healthcare and Taxes
By consider | May 31, 2008
A large portion of the U.S. working population pays a Medicare tax, but many people have seemingly been convinced that they should not benefit from this tax, that instead it is for the poor and the old. It’s quite different from the other countries. Do you think that Americans would like to feel more secure in their healthcare system and they just don’t know about what the other countries are doing, or do you think they just like to pay a lot of money for healthcare? There’s one other time that comes to mind when Americans did not like they were paying taxes into a government that did not represent their interests. Can anyone remember what happened?
Topics: Healthcare, Politics | No Comments »
Annual National Minimum Wage Increase
By consider | May 31, 2008
Most developing and first world countries have an annual method of raising the minimum wage so that the minimum wage can adjust to the rate of inflation. The U.S. minimum wage was frozen from 1997 to 2007. Why do you think other countries have a regular method of raising the minimum wage? What is the overall impact on the economy?
Topics: Americans, Work and Leisure | No Comments »
Healthcare and American Ideas
By consider | May 31, 2008
How do you think you formed your ideas on healthcare? Have you traveled outside of the United States? Have you benefited from healthcare in other countries? In what way? I heard that there are insurance companies in the U.S. that will fly an American to get healthcare in India because it’s more cost effective.
Topics: Healthcare | No Comments »