While most of the team is recuperating from the IFFB-whirlwind, I've decided my job in this blog will be to cover (and receive feedback) on two important topics. One will be future plans, as well as questions and suggestions about the future.....

Secondly, is to bring you info about what is going in the net in terms of film/video tools and resources. No, I do not have some kind of magic ball (though it'd be great accompaniment to my magic lamp). I just happen to know.

So in the latter regard here is an announcement that is making a splash. Joost, the company that is considered to be the emerging 500-pound gorilla to face off Youtube, has had massive, massive (and well-deserved) hype, and was until recently in secretive beta, is now permitting current users to make unlimited invites of friends. Until now, every user had a limited number of invites so only a few people have seen what the system will include. Expect them to go public in a few days. A great number of ad companies (Coca Cola, T Mobile) and major content providers (Warner Bros, MTV, Comedy Channel, etc.) have joined already to both sponsor and drive the content engine. We're literally seeing the emergence of the equivalent of the TV networks of today.

If anyone wants an invite contact me with your email address (beanywood.com/safa). I might be able to do something about it.

Another new cool site (though not as likely to entirely change the playing field) is Cruxy.com. They permit you to upload your artistic content (be it audio, video, text, etc. in any format) which you can sell by placing the HTML badge anywhere you like. They basically take a cut of 10% off of it (that includes any credit card expenses as well!). It's a pretty good deal as there's no setup fee at all.

PS: btw, I'd like to encourage people to post comments on the blog (so if you liked the networking party let us know, if you liked the evening with film-makers at IFFB as well).

So, The networking event was alot of fun.  Though personally, I spent alot of time flipping through name tags :)

We filled the whole left bar of the Tavern in the Square restaraunt in Central Square, Cambridge. 

In between the organizing I got to meet some great people.

Carol Patton of Imagine Magazine made an appearance to tell us about the uprising of the New England Film movement.

Aaron Howland (who is getting some awesome groups up and running on the site [in the "groups" section if you were not aware) made an announcement about the upcoming Boston Motion Picture Awards getting ready for submissions (search his name to get the link to the site or talk w/ him personally)

Beth Curran let Beanywood members know about some of the upcoming screenings for the Chlotrudis Society.

Beth Curran (above) and Steve Garfield (above)

I finally got to meet Steve Garfield in the flesh after being a member of the Boston Media Makers online community.

 Steve  invited filmmakers to check out the Boston Media Makers site.  They have meetings the first Sunday of every month.  (check out this months meeting at Sweet Finnish in JP on the 6th at 10am)

I also met Ned Scannell for the first time.  He is looking for opportunities to screen his newly completed film "The Color of Cannibals"

Rod Webber announced that he is looking for crew and background actors for his feature film "Monkfish" which will complete production this summer.

If any of the announcements sound interesting search the names that were mentioned in reference.  Also, let me know if you are interested in helping organize the next one!!!

Let me know any feedback you had this time around!