Motion Picture Association of America

Ever heard of MPAA, well it stands for Motion Picture Association of America. MPAA is a non-profit business and trade association. The MPAA website contains information on film ratings and the rating system. 

The MPAA Ratings Are:

G-General Audiences: All Ages Admitted

PG-Parental Guidance Suggested: Some Material May Not Be Suitable For Children

PG-13-Parents Strongly Cautioned: Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13

R-Restricted: Children Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian

NC-17-No One 17 and Under Admitted

Not only does MPAA's website contain information about film ratings, it provides information about Content Protection, Policy & Research and the latest news on film and ratings. 

I like this website because as a young videographer and filmmaker, I can educate myself to what certain ratings mean and what is the appropriate rating for each of my future films. It also will help me with content laws and copy writing. I also believe a lot of production companies and film festivals use this website in order to correctly rate films.

According to MPAA's news press release, there has been several recent stories of online theft and copyright infringement. They also give links to sites with issues important to Motion Picture Association of America.

The website also features external links to other websites with further details in ratings, copy writes and content laws. 

This website is fabulous and it has been wonderful to learn and study.

Sources:

Motion_Picture_Association_of_America-logo-0FDAF8FC1B-seeklogo.com.gif

What is TEDTalk?

Many of you may be wondering what TEDTalk or TED.com is, well for those of you who wonder, TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, is a small non-profit group who are devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.


In the video below, TED's Executive Director Chris Anderson gives a presentation on how web video powers global innovation. In his speech, Chris first jokes about how overwhelming it can be to speak in front of such a large crowd, then proposes an idea that would help generate large crowds.






Chris's main subject is dancing and how web video creates a cycle of improvement. He suggests that it's a crowd accelerated innovation. By this he means to draw a crowd who share the same common interest. He also talks about how the feedback lets people know that web videos are evolving and becoming more popular. Chris also believes that this technology will allow the world to share their talents digitally. I agree with Chris completely because web video has become very influential in the passed 10 years. Not only is it a way to market oneself, it can be very informative and educational. I myself have start to watch web videos more often, whether it's for entertaining purposes or general information. It is also another way to market one's talent and has been known that many people have been discovered in the entertainment industry by their talents on videos by website such as YouTube.

I don't think Chris inspired his audience however, I do believe he grasp their attention and they were able to relate and understand his point. By him grasping their attention he built a trust between himself and the audience. His speech overall did help the audience in a deep understanding but, it was a bit lengthy.

I think it could've been chopped down in length and straight to the point. Overall, it was a good speech, just a little long

Source:
TED
Chris Anderson

The Planned Event

What is DMV International Film Festival and what was your reason for creating this project?

DMV International Film Festival is a film festival dedicated to visual art artists located in Washington D.C.  It is a non-profit organization who has devoted their time towards development and presentation of original stories for new screen media. I created this project because there is so much hidden talent in this area and people don't know it. I have met so many different people from the DMV who love and appreciate their craft and are trying to make it to Hollywood. So may people want to be directors, actors and producers but don't grind hard as if they really want it. This film festival will determine the difference between the people who are serious about their craft and those who enjoy film as a hobby.

What are some core steps you follow during to the film festival week?

Last years festival was held between June 25, 2010 and June 30, 2010. Each day there is a screening block, where the public can come and view the feature films, short films or music videos. After the screening process we select 25-50 feature films and 15-30 short films to play in one of the 5 festival programs. As

films are viewed in their entirety, we try to keep the selection process as fair as possible. The films that are selected to be in the 5 programs are eligible for Jury Prizes (prize chosen by jury). Eligibility for each program varies.

How is DMVIFF funded?

We have several supporter and sponsors who donate and provided venues, money, equipment, etc. I did undergrad in Charlotte, NC, lived in Atlanta, GA and attended University of East London for my Master's. I have traveled over the United States and entered in several film festivals, so I have done my share of networking and always keep in touch with the right people. There is also a fee for submitters who want to submit there work into the film festival and fees to attend the different events. Our budget is quite small because it's still a small business and have only succeeded the first year.  We are currently preparing for the 2nd DMVIFF being held June 10, 2011-June 12, 2011. It will be available for independent filmmakers, artists, musicians, etc.

Sources

Tanecia Britt

DMVIFF.com

What Is A Team

Working in a team can be important to any industry because it contributes more than one idea. Each person in a team delivers something different but all members are trying to achieve one goal. The film industry is a team effort because you need more than one person to do each task.

For example, when filming a movie, the contributor are as follows:

Producer 

Director

Editor

Camera Operator

Cast

Sound Production

+more

There are smaller teams within this big one.

Putting a team together is all about networking. It's not only who you know but who 

When I am creating a project, I look for people who not only have the experience but who has good networking and can create a team within their section.

Communication between a team can be different depending on the situation. Most people in the film industry use interpersonal communication. If they are separated throughout different states, there are many sources of communication, whether it's video chat, chat or email.

Teams can be very beneficial for any industry.  

Chris Brown Announces New Album Title

Phenomenal singer Chris Brown has had a rough year and a half with his tragic situation with R&B singer Rihanna. Even though it's been a tough year he has managed to stay focus and continue his career. With his latest role in new movie Takers, it has given him an opportunity to regain some fans he once lost. Brown has announced the new title of his album will be Fame.

According to MTV News Brown states: 

"I'm putting out singles a lot right now, so everything's coming together. But I definitely am gonna to say this and plug it quick: The name of my album is Fame so make sure you check it out," Brown said when he recently played radio host on 102.3 The Beat in Austin, Texas. 

The singer's new single Deuces featuring Kevin McCall and Young Money's member Tyga has topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts. He has also appeared in Twista's video Make a Movie. Chris Brown tells his fans to look out for singles Yeah 3X and Calypso. 

For more information check out Chris Brown's twitter page: Chris Brown