Your only beat if you stop working for yourself. There is no better time then now for you to reinvent your approach and change your outlook.

Last night, I spoke on WIFV panel for online distribution, marketing, advertising, etc... I had a blast. It was great to see that there are still people out there motivated and ambitious to expand their product, concept, dream, to a bigger audience but more importantly  to audience that would be willing to pay for it.

My co- panelisnt included:

John Wetmore, Mr. Wetmore received a B.A. with High Honors from Princeton University and an M.A. and M. Phil. in economics from Yale University. He is an independent television producer, specializing in documentaries when he isn't working on Perils For Pedestrians.

Jeff Porro, Mr. Purroholds a Ph.D. in political science from U.C.L.A. and has been involved in public policy in Washington, D.C., since 1976. Before starting his own business in 1991, he was an associate editor of Teacher Magazine, an assistant editor of the National Academy of Sciences' Issues in Science and Technology, and an op/ed and speechwriter for People for the American Way. Porro has also served as a Senate staffer, a State Department official, and an arms control specialist for the Arms Control Association. 

Since 1991, he has ghosted OpEds for national and international leaders; written speeches, Web content, press releases, newspaper ads, press kits, and annual reports for public interest and corporate clients; and written articles for Science and Technology in Government, The Nature Conservancy Magazine, Cable in the Classroom, and Science. He has been the lead writer for Newsline, the monthly newsletter of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, and wrote a monthly online newsletter for America Online. He was senior vice president of M&R Strategic Services, a Washington, D.C., political communications firm, from 1999 to 2002. Also, wrote The Greate Debaters.(Porro Associates)

And Oxana Holtman, Ms. Holtman was born in a Siberian city Novosibirsk, Oxana Holtmann got her B.A. form her hometown university, and her Masters in Chinese studies from The Moscow State University. She worked for several years as an English language instructor and interpreter, in particular at numerous workshops led by American and English psychotherapists. After Perestroika, she worked as an interpreter for what later became one of the biggest microfinance programs in Russia. In 2002-2003 her family moved first to Germany and then to Washington, DC.

Holtman made the transition from language to film in fall 2005 when she took a Sony PD170 to East Africa to videotape the story of the fastest growing microfinance bank in Kenya. Several of her subsequent African projects, including The Microfinance Podcast, were produced in close cooperation with MicroSave, India.

Holtman is a member of Women in Film and Video of Washington, DC; Television, Internet and Video Association of DC, and The DC Podcaster Alliance.



Overall, the event was a success and I would like to thank all those who attended.

Looking forward to next time!

Summary of Enlightening Moments:
- Finding out that some film festivals refuse entry if your film is posted on the internet.
-AmericaFree TV's wide range of channels and large variety of programming.
-Pod casting sites like http://www.libsyn.com/index.php?&mode=logout&message=       
 which offer stats of your users and downlands.
-The WEB VIDEO CHEAT SHEET.
-The power of IndieGoGo. com and its focus on the filmmakers niche market. (<-- me) :) 

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