Free!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a reminder to all of you production folks that our friends at Media Services offer some excellent free software (Mac & PC). That's right free! Mighty recession friendly of them, isn't it!

See if there is anything you can use (or pay it forward and pass onto a friend or colleage) at: http://www.showbizsoftware.com/category_s/46.htm

And while you are there, check out their other offerings . . . including their "Bargain Bin" where you'll find some great production resource books on sale for a low $9.95.

Or if you are in LA or NYC check out their free workshops.

Learning is FREE! And it's can't be repossessed once you have it!

I guess everyone loves free stuff. I know I love getting a gift bag full of goodies, I love swag and I especially love free workshops. I know we are all watching our money these days and many of us just aren't working as much as we'd like and consequently have a little more free time on our hands. I'm of the opinion that even if you aren't working at a paying job that you need to keep a schedule and engage in work related activities. Whether it be up dating your demo reel & resume and looking for work, networking, or doing what ever you can to keep current on the industry - we all need to be keeping busy.  So I've found some free or nearly free workshops that you should consider.

The first should be obvious to most of you since the majority of us in this industry are Mac owners . . . 

Your local Apple store has free hour long workshops on everything from how to use your new iPhone to iDVD and iMovie. Now I know that most of your think you know how to use this stuff but I also know that most of you don't really use all the features on your iPhone, your Mac, etc - here's an opportunity to make sure you really know how to use the tools of the trade. You've paid a lot of money for this stuff - ask yourself, "how dumb is it that you don't fully know how to use them efficiently?" And how dumb is that when there are free workshops you could take advantage of?

So go onto the Apple site and find your nearest local Apple store and sign up. 

Once you've run through the free one hour workshops, most Apple stores offer advanced workshops for cheap. You can take Final Cut or Photoshop or other workshops for around a $100 bucks. Trust me, that's cheaper than just about any where else that offers them. 

Next, is B&H Photo - yes, I know they are in NYC and you are in Philly or the Philly burbs. You certainly have a lot of excuses, don't you? Get off the sofa and stop watching Court TV - after all, I've already wrapped out how you can take The Bolt Bus or China Town Bus up and back to The Big Apple for cheap. 

B&H Photo is offering free workshops -go to  www.bhphoto.com/eventspace to check out the current offerings. You'll find workshops covering everything from still photography, directing, screenwriting, producing and more. Not only are they FREE (are you listening to me? I said, "FREE!") but you'll be hangin' with other folks and you can network - who knows who you'll meet. Don't forget to RSVP to reserve your space!

If you are hell bent on "keeping it local" there are some great options here in the Philly metro area as well . . . 

While the offerings aren't as frequent as I'd like to see, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office often has free (or nearly free) workshops and events worth attending - www.film.org

Free, nearly free (or at least relatively cheap) workshops:

Scribe - www.scribe.org - workshops are film and video related and based in Philly.

MiND TV (formerly WYBE channel 35) is offering the following workshops: MiND Bootcamp "How to make a 5-minute TV Program" (FREE), Camera Training (March 24th) and Video Pre-Production (April 7th) and Audio Recording (April 13th) - www.mindtv.org

And for those who want to break out of a rut, get their creative juices going and need a little hand holding on getting the inspiration mojo back there is always, Landmark Education - www.landmarkeducation.com - their introductions are free and there is NO OBLIGATION to sign up for future programs. They have a center in Philly and most other major cities. I've took the basic core curriculum( The Forum, The Advanced Course and The Self-Expression and Leadership) seminars last year and found it to be an effective way re-energize myself, re-focus my energies and re-discover what is possible. 

Know of other free, nearly free or cheap workshops? Let me know. Email me at palmer@redmaiden.tv and I'll add them to the blog.

And as a last suggestion - Mandy.com posts workshops on their "Noticeboard" and ShootingPeople.com also frequently lists free or cheap workshops on their email newsletter. You can sign up to get the basic newsletter for free - you'll get it a day or so later than the paying members or for a couple of bucks you can join and get the daily newsletter. I get it and have found it to be an excellent resource for everything from jobs to workshops, and then some.

Cheap Rides Outta Town

Need to expand your networking beyond Philly? Thinking NYC or DC? Now you can go press the flesh with creatives at the Adholes cocktail hour in NYC or to the WIF job fair in DC?

Let's look at the options:

Yes, you can drive your car. Gas is cheaper than it was but it'll take you at least 2+ hours just to get yourself to the tunnel where you'll sit for another 30 minutes just to land in midtown. You'll pay tolls up and back on the NJ Turnpike and another $6 bucks to get through the Lincoln Tunnel into NYC (fortunately it's free to leave-lol) and then there's parking which you'll be lucky if that only sets you back $30 bucks (and you could easily spend much more). Oh, and gas which is currently averaging around $1.75/gal. When all is said and done it's a pricey trip.

You could take Amtrak. Amtrak's a good ride but will cost you an arm and a leg starting at around $45 bucks at the cheapest for a one way ride. More if you take the high speed Acela. And you'll pay $17 bucks to park your car in the garage. It is however, the fastest way to get there and probably the most comfortable. However, no WiFi and if you train back to Philly after 10pm - no cafe car (a sobering experience, let's say).

www.amtrak.com

Then  there is the local train option - for around $20 bucks each way you can take Septa to Trenton, change trains to the NJ Transit and get to NYC that way. You'll ride with the hoi polloi on seats that have seen better days and you guessed it, no cafe car-ever! And if you take it during commuter hours, be prepared to stand the entire way.

And now the good news - you've got some other options these days: The Bolt Bus and the Chinatown Bus. 

My personal favorite is the Bolt which leaves from both down town Philly and from the Cherry Hill Mall. The mall departure point is especially good for us southern NJ suburbanites and unlike China Town, there is loads of free parking. The Bolt bus is brand new, comfortable, has free WiFi so you can work or surf or Facebook while you ride and you can order tickets and guarantee your seat online. Seats are guaranteed as long as you show up 15 minutes prior to departure. Fail to do that and your seat could be sold to another passenger.

www.boltbus.com

The China Town bus has been an option for a while. You may have heard a few hipsters and PA's mention it. I've never taken it yet myself and understand that while it's the cheapest option it can also be reminiscent of Toad's wild ride (that's a reference from the children's book "Wind in the Willows" for those of you who didn't get it.). The drivers drive fast and there have been accidents. Would you expect anything else? After all, "it's Chinatown." 

www.chinatown-bus.com

In any case, all options will get you outta Dodge and given that Philly is only a market made even more stale in this rancid economy, why stay a second longer where you aren't wanted or needed? Strike out and bring back some work. You'll be a hero and your inert friends and colleagues will love you for your adventurous spirit. 

Going West! LA Bound.

I'm about to head out to Los Angles to establish myself as bi-coastal. I love working on the east coast. NYC is great and Philadelphia continues to be a well-kept secret . . . though the secret is getting out thanks to the great works of the GPFO (Greater Philadelphia Film Office) . . . while I'll maintain my east coast roots, this awesome, woman director needs a bigger pond to swim in!

For years I've been told I should "Go West!"

So I'm taking off on what given the current rising gas prices maybe the last great cross country road trip of a lifetime and heading to LA to establish a west coast base on July 19th and I'll be there by July 30th.

As a fellow filmmaker friend said,

"L.A. is where the work is! If you fancy yourself a salmon fisherman, you go where the salmon are."

NYC and Philly friends, colleagues and clients--don't worry . . . I'm not leaving, I'm just going to L.A. I'll still be maintaining my east coast base and going back and forth between the coasts as needed. As always, I'll be reachable via my cell phone and email.

L.A. friends, colleagues and prospective clients--I could use some help and advice on establishing myself in L.A. I'd love to get some referrals to production companies looking to add an awesome, emerging, woman director to their roster. If anyone needs a house sitter or knows of an expensive housing option in the west side/Santa Monica/Venice/Marina Del Rey areas, please let me know. I'll need networking opportunities, party invites, work, friends, and so on. So please keep me in mind.