INDIAN DOCUMENTARY PRODUCERS’ ASSOCIATION
IDPA UPDATE September 28th 2007
223, Famous Cine Building, 20 Dr. E. Moses Road, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai 400 001
Tel: 24920757, 2496 1020
e-mail : idpaindia@gmail.com
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LUKSH an invitation from Comet Media Foundation, Mumbai
Dear Friend
Have a look at the note below. We are sure you would be interested in joining such a group.
Give a ring to Jacob at 23869052 or drop a line if you are coming. If you have any questions, speak to Lajpat 9422077888 or Aditi at 23826674.
Please forward this to your friends who are likely to be interested.
Chandita
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LUKSH
Or GNU / Linux Users knowledge Sharing House
An invitation from Comet Media Foundation, Mumbai
Most of us who use computers and the Internet in our day to day work know that information technologies change very fast. We have had the experience of changing our computers from time to time as technologies offering greater amounts of computing power at faster speeds became available, together with better Internet connections.
We tend to use terms like hardware and software to describe our computers. Many would remember going from a simple Pentium I PC to Pentium IV PC now the triple core PC. We try to get a fix on our computer hardware by remembering brand names and share the information with friends, but always have a lurking feeling that we don't have the whole picture.
Going to software, can you remember the number of times you've had to upgrade your software? Then there are virus problems, despite spending sizable sums on anti-viral protection? Then the frustration of the computer hanging up just when something important had to go? You may have moved from one vendor or service provider to another, but no satisfactory explanation was ever given for these problems.
You may have been told that you had to reset your computer for your own good. So often, you may have had to abandon your data, never knowing the reason why. A fast solution for the vendor or service provider, but such a loss to you. You just had to accept it as part of the IT game--it just happens to some people sometimes, it would seem. After all to gain such efficiency, you have to be prepared to lose something they said, as if it was a philosophical matter!
Most of the problems we have encountered have to do with the stability of the software on our systems.
To be more specific, while many of us may have heard of GNU or Linux, most of us only know Windows, the proprietary operating owned by Microsoft and Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other applications also distributed by Microsoft. By contrast, GNU/Linux is described as free software or open source meaning that its codes are open and can be modified by users.
The trouble is, even if we are ready to adopt it, GNU/Linux is not easily found. Who will show us how to install it on our computers? Will we have to make any changes in our hardware for it? How will we train ourselves to use it? Is there any vendor or service provider to help us with it? Though the solution to many of our problems may seem to lie in free software, we find it difficult to get our hands on it.
Do you know that eighty percent of the servers that the internet runs on use GNU/Linux and they remain on for 24 hours, all the time. This is because they are the most reliable operating systems.
So, what is a GNU/Linux Operating System (OS)?
And what is free software / open source? Why is it supposed to be free?
Where can we come to know more about GNU/Linux?
You can keep adding on questions which come to you.
We at Comet Media Foundation have decided to form a club to respond to these needs, LUKSH or the GNU / L inux U sers K nowledge S haring H ouse. We thought we could meet every other week, or twice a month on the second and last Saturdays, to discuss the implementation of GNU / Linux and open source software at our workplaces and homes.
Our LUKSH is simple: to share knowledge about GNU / LINUX and Open Source Software as a cost effective reliable virus-free alternate to costly proprietary software and to get ourselves out of the control of transnational IT corporations. It is about being free, not just getting something for nothing.
Please join us from 2 to 5 pm on the 29th of September 2007, for the first meeting to explore this further. The agenda will be set by you; the resource people are ready for your questions.
Lajpat Dhingra
LUKSH Coordinator, Comet Media Foundation, http://www.cometmedia.
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i4d Film Festival in Kuala Lumpur
Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS) in partnership with Global Knowledge Partneship (GKP) is organising the 2nd i4d Film Festival, between 9th and 10th December 2007, at Crowne Plaza, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The theme for the film festival is "New Media in Development". The event is slotted under the Associated Events at the GK3 calendar. Click here to view event page at GK3.
Over the past ten years, CSDMS has hosted many international conferences and been producing extensive content in the form of its four magazines, however the limitation of the spoken and written word usually excludes a vast majority of the effected community from the discussions. A lot of community-generated content, which focuses on the needs of the grassroots community, is available in the form of videos. This content, however, is scattered. The first i4d Film Festival, Beyond the Mainstream held in New Delhi, India was an attempt to bring together this community of filmmakers. After the tremendous success of the first festival, with the overwhelming response in the form of content, it has expanded the festival to take place over two days instead of one.
The film festival is inviting submissions of films in the following genres:
- Films documenting ICT use for Development
- Films created by the Community for the Community.
The topics of the films should address the Millennium Development Goals in their essence such as:
- Poverty alleviation
- Education
- Health
- Gender equality
- Women empowerment
Please log on to www.i4donline.net/filmfestival for more details and feel free to contact Sulakshana Bhattacharya at sulakshana@csdms.in
SIGNS 2007 Video festival
Entries in documentary and short fiction are invited for the SIGNS 2007 festival in video for the JOHN ABRAHAM National Awards
Please log on to www.ffsikeralam.org for more details.
Last date for submitting your entry is extended to 1st October 2007
Federation of Film Societies of India
South - West Region (FFSI-SWR)
Kalabhavan, Vazhuthacad
Thiruvananthapuram.695014,Keralam.
tel. +91 471 2321953,+91 9447401822,
+91 9446748294,+91 9447190642.
www.ffsikeralam.org
Under Construction
Magic Lantern Foundation magiclantern.foundation@gmail.com of Delhi has announced their initiative distributing independent films Under Construction. They welcome filmmakers - Indian and foreign – to talk to them about distributing your films. You can find details of this initiative on their website www.magiclanternfoundation.org in the page marked: Films for Distribution.
To put it briefly, they draw up a contract, make a master, make and sell VCD or DVD copies. They retain 35% of the revenue towards their costs and remit 65% to the filmmakers as royalty, every quarter. Filmmakers can choose how long they want to give them the film for and the territories they want Under Construction to work in on their behalf. Filmmakers can also jointly decide the price of copies with them.
They also have another system for those who don't want to formalise the relationship and prefer to give them copies to sell. They also distribute foreign filmmaker's films in India or at most, South Asia. Indian filmmakers can choose any - India, South Asia, Asia, and World as their territory in this system.
Before taking a film on for distribution they preview it and not all films submitted are selected or taken on. This is a non-commercial, non-broadcast distribution for education aimed at connecting films to audience and expanding the audience for independent films.
Anyone who is interested to pursue this opportunity may communicate directly with: Priyanka Mukherjee at: <underconstruction@magiclanternfoundation.org>
Magic Lantern Foundation
J 1881 Chittaranjan Park, Basement, New Delhi 110019
P: +91 11 41605239 and 26273244
E: magiclantern.foundation@gmail.com/ magiclf@vsnl.com
W: http://www.magiclanternfoundation.org
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"Documentary"
NDTV 24x7 begins a new half - hour, prime time slot for documentaries to provide viewers an in-depth look at life and insights into the fast-changing, globalising world of today.
"Documentary" will go beyond the headlines and hype of instant news to focus on issues and individuals whose stories have a universal resonance.
The series begins in October and will feature episodes by both in-house correspondents and film makers from India and abroad. The films must not have been shown on television in India before.
NDTV is looking for quality films between 22 and 23 minutes long for a half hour slot. They films should meet technical specifications given below and need to have an English voice-over. They don't need a Censor's certificate.
NDTV will pay Rs 60,000 per episode and each episode will be shown twice -- on Thursdays at 9.30 pm and on Sundays. (Time not fixed yet). NDTV will not have the right to reuse any portion of the film again without permission of the film maker.
If you wish to participate or need any clarifications, please contact Natasha Badhwar at: NATASHA@ndtv.com or natasha.badhwar@gmail.com
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Calling Environmental Films Makers
The IUCN World Conservation Congress (October 2008) has a slot for Conservation Cinema, in which films would be screened. There are expected to be 10,000 people at the Congress, so it may be a great place to exhibit your films. Check out the site http://www.iucn.org/congress/2008/contributions
Incidentally, Ashish Kothari, Member, Kalpavriksh is also Co-Chair, IUCN Theme on Indigenous/Local Communities, Equity, and Protected Areas. He can be contacted at ashishkothari@vsnl.com and the organisation's website: www.kalpavriksh.org
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