• Part Time Vagabond has been going well. I’ve started doing video productions for the blog, and have been in talks to do some interviews and instructional videos for upcoming posts. The site is something that I’m pretty proud of, but of course, I’m always looking to do more and expand the reach of it.
• Teaching at Maine College of Art was canceled for the fall semester. After speaking with administrators, we set up the Citizen Journalism class for the Spring 2010 semester. Course information is available here.
• No news from the National Park Service on the Inside Ellis Island podcasts. If I hear any news, I’ll let you know.
• I’ve been working on making connections at several non-profits and nature conservancies to learn about the status of their public relations, marketing, and video productions needs.

And that’s all the news. I’m currently debating the next steps for Filmosity Productions. It’s not an easy time in the economy, and the need for video productions has dropped dramatically, while people attempting to enter the field has increased. My goal is to determine a path for the company that is less traveled but more likely to keep us making content. Stay tuned for more as we move forward!

When ordinary people are thrust into extraordinary situations, they can become citizen journalists. In this hands-on course, students will use social media websites like Twitter and Qik, consumer-grade production tools, and journalistic practices to provide immediate coverage of breaking events. The course will cover the basics of video and audio production, the use of social media tools, and the application of journalism principles for the gathering of news and information. As citizen journalists,? students will learn their responsibilities as news gatherers and apply those lessons to real world situations. Over the course of the class, each student will create accounts on social networking sites, report on topical subjects, and submit stories for peer review. We will analyze the ultimate effect that using such technology inevitably has on what topics are covered and how they are reported.

I’m really excited be teaching a college level course after doing workshops and presentations for years on social media. I think citizen journalism has so much potential for influence on the newsgathering industry that I had to propose this class. This will be fun.

Classes will be held for 8 weeks on Thursday mornings, 9:30am – 12pm beginning October 1. If you’re in the Portland, Maine area and are interested in taking the class, or you know someone who might be, check out the MECA Continuing Studies Course Page.

Again, I’m not sure when this episode will be available, but I’ll post all the info here as soon as I know. It looks like my contact at Ellis Island is moving to a new job soon, so I’m hoping this happens soon. Stay tuned….

Episode 1 of Inside Ellis Island has been complete for awhile now, and it should be available soon through the National Park Service’s website for Ellis Island National Monument, though I have yet to receive word of a release date. As soon as I know, you’ll know too! Episode 2 is awaitng some additional archive footage, and then I can online it and send it out for approval.

One of the more permanent body modifications, tattooing has very strong roots with deep meaning for many people. For some, it’s an expression of who they think they are at a given point in their lives. For others, it’s simply a work of art they can display on their bodies. And for a few, the reasons behind getting a tattoo remain a mystery no one but they will ever know. Whether spiritual, religious, artistic, or just plain stupid, the reasons for getting inked are numerous and varied. In my path toward my first tattoo, I’ll talk to people about their tattoos, gaining insight into why one would want to modify their body in such a permanent, and many times, beautiful way.

“Word On The Tweet is the weekly podcast for everything about Twitter. Each week @jeffparsons and @CostaVidaFred are joined by fellow tweeps to discuss the Twitterverse, covering Twitter news, tools, celebs and more.”

On this particular episode, I joined Jeff Parsons and Fred Abaroa and their other guests, Lynnelle Wilson of Bold Vision Consulting, and Maggi Blue of magpiecreative.com and dyelotcollective.com to talk about five worst Tweets ever, how retailers are beginning to use Twitter, and whether celebrities are “ruining” Twitter. A fun episode, to be sure.

From our About page: “This is the present and future of all media – old and new. CCD is a podcast for creators, consumers, and “deleters” of all kinds of media. Blogs, podcasts, video, television, film – even books & magazines! Hosts Chris Cavs and Rob Blatt hold a regular discussion on the issues that affect content creators and consumers, and help them to become better at what they do. Tips and tricks, how-tos, Q&As, professional discussions… they’re all part of the CCD experience. create/consume/delete is a podcast about how media is created, consumed and deleted.”

The show is pushed weekly as a podcast, and is available on createconsumedelete.com. We talk about all kinds of media creation, from podcasts and blogs, to video and self-publishing, attempting to demystify the technical aspects of the creative process so beginners can take the leap into content creation. Rob Blatt, of Blattcave Productions is a professional Audio Engineer and media producer with several years of experience and several awards (including Oscars and Grammys) to show for it. I appear on the show as “Chris Cavs.” I’m a professional television cameraman, director of photography, producer, and writer, with many years under my belt and a couple of awards to show for it. More important than experience or awards, though, is the excitement and enjoyment we both get out of media creation and teaching others about it. We love this stuff, and it shows.

I’d appreciate it if you took a few minutes to click over to the website for www.createconsumedelete.com to listen to a few shows, perhaps even subscribe using the RSS or iTunes links in the sidebar. If you enjoy the show and think it’s worthwhile, leave us some comments, send us an email, or – more importantly – tell your friends and acquaintances who are interested in learning about making media about the show. The world will be a better place.

Below I’ve included a short segment of the 50 minute film “The Lakota Elders Project: The Journey of the Generations,” entitled “The Wounded Knee Massacre.” The moving piece profiles several direct descendants of victims of the massacre as they describe the events of that day and the emotional and political impact the massacre had on future generations.

Seriously, you would. I am part of the Volunteer-In-Parks (VIP) Program with the National Park Service, and I’m based at Ellis Island National Monument here in New Jersey. When I first volunteered, I went in with the idea that I would be giving tours, doing some research, or helping people find the restrooms. Yet, as I put in more hours on Ellis, I realized that there is a tremendous amount of history that has yet to be told to the general public. The Rangers and Guides who work there are treasure troves of information, and are just itching to tell the stories of the millions of immigrants who passed through those halls on their way to the promise of America. Unfortunately, the majority of the stories of the island’s history, architecture, and future remain untold.

Until now.

With the help of Park Service staff, I’ve begun development of a new video series for Ellis Island National Monument. The as-of-yet-untitled video podcast will take viewers to areas of the park the general public can’t go, tell stories they’ve never heard, and show a way of life they’ve never lived.

When the podcast is launched, I’ll post the announcement and links right here on Filmosity.com.