POLITICAL SATIRE CHANGES THE (NEW MEDIA) WORLD

POLITICAL SATIRE CHANGES THE (NEW MEDIA) WORLD:
An Evening with Ben Relles, Founder of BarelyPolitical.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The political arena has been one of the heaviest contributors to the social media revolution. The 2008 presidential election saw a groundbreaking new media campaign from President Obama, including mobile marketing, liveblogging, and online video, but was also at the epicenter of a groundswell in online political satire, including 'The Last Republican,' endless user-generated parodies of candidates, and one of the most compelling viral video campaigns of all time – 'Obama Girl.' The singular creation of BarelyPolitical.com's Ben Relles, the Obama Girl phenomenon captured the public fascination with candidate Obama and helped lay the foundation for online discourse that, in many ways, rivaled mainstream media's attempts to keep up with "netizens".

Ben Relles, founder, BarelyPolitical.com
Ben Relles launched his political satire website BarelyPolitical.com with the hit video "I Got a Crush on Obama." In total, he has produced more than 150 online videos, which have been viewed more than 200 million times worldwide. Recently, Ben launched BarelyDigital.com, an online video network satirizing the world of technology. He has spoken at conferences that include: Forbes MEET, Streaming Media East, and NATPE; has guest lectured on college campuses nationwide, and appears regularly on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN. Born in Wisconsin, Ben was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After college, Ben co-founded MarketVision, Inc., where he was a partner from 1997 - 2002. Later, Ben received his MBA from the Wharton School, and has spent time working for Omnicom marketing agencies.

Moderator: Chris Pfaff, President, Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC; board delegate, PGA NMC
A board delegate of the PGA New Media Council since 2006 and a PGA NMC member since 2004, Chris Pfaff leads a consultancy – Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC – that represents some of the leading service providers, audio/video technology firms, networking vendors, and media companies in the world, from PRIMEDIA and Eastman Kodak to Cantor Telecom. A veteran of the venture world, Chris helped launch more than 20 ventures from the Lucent New Ventures Group, including iBiquity Digital; Flarion; Lucent Digital Video, and GeoVideo Networks, among others. In addition, he has helped launch AT&T's Internet strategy; the Viacom New Media division of Viacom, Inc.; Sony Electronics' Digital Betacam format, and Sharp Electronics' LCD product division.

7pm – 7:45pm – Networking mixer with wine and light refreshments
7:45 – 9pm – Conversation with Ben Relles
9pm – 9:30pm – Mixer continues/wrap up

The Core Club
66 East 55th Street
Between Madison and Park Aves.
New York City
www.thecoreclub.com

Space is limited; RSVP required. Please RSVP to rsvp@pga-ny.org.
NOTE: PGA members are encouraged to bring a qualified prospective member as a guest. Guests required to reconfirm their RSVP 24 hours prior to event.

Broadband Video Leadership Evening

VideoNuze, in conjunction with NATPE, will hold its Broadband Video Leadership Evening on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, from 6:00-9:00 pm at the Hudson Theater, 145 W. 44th Street in Manhattan. Will Richmond, from VideoNuze, will be presiding.

The evening includes a networking reception from 6:00-7:30 pm, followed by a 7:30-9:00 pm panel featuring senior executives (read: not producers) in the broadband video industry, including:

Albert Cheng, EVP, Digital Media, Disney/ABC Television Group

Greg Clayman, EVP, Digital Distribution & Business Development, MTV Networks

Karin Gilford, SVP of Fancast and Online Entertainment, Comcast Interactive Media

Curt Hecht, President, VivaKi (Publicis Groupe)

Tom Morgan, Chief Strategy Officer, Move Networks

Moderator: Will Richmond, Editor/Publisher, VideoNuze

For more info VideoNuze

The Power of Online Storytelling

We are pleased to invite you to our first New School event of 2009, which we are producing in conjunction with The Screenwriters Colony and The New School.

The ‘Power of Online Storytelling’ events takes place next Thursday, February 5th, from 6:30-8:30 pm, at Wollman Hall, at The New School (65 W. 11th Street, 5th Floor). Enter at 66 W. 12th Street.

See the full program invite below.

We are pleased to have two NMC East members on this panel – Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner (and NMC East member-at-large and NMC Board delegate) and Dina Kaplan, co-founder of blip.tv – and we are quite sure that this will be over-subscribed, so please RSVP today to rsvp@thepacificfoundation.org to request a seat.

RSVPs are for one person only. All RSVPs must be re-confirmed to be considered valid. Wine and light refreshments will be served during a networking mixer after the programming.


The panel consists of:

Mary Feuer, writer ‘LonelyGirl15,’ ‘With the Angels’

Jeff Gomez, Starlight Runner, James Cameron’s ‘Avatar,’ Microsoft’s ‘Halo’

Kathleen Grace & Thom Woodley, writers, ‘The Burg,’ ‘The All-For-Nots’

Amy B. Harris, writer/producer, ‘Sex and the City,’ ‘Puppy Love’

Dina Kaplan, co-founder, blip.tv

Moderator: Virginia Heffernan, columnist (‘The Medium’), The New York Times

"FAIR USE vs. FARE USE"

Producers Guild of America

"FAIR USE vs. FARE USE"
The Boundaries of Legitimacy or Theft
in Using Other Artist's Work

a special joint Workshop from

PGA East Documentary and Non-Fiction
Committee

and

New Media Council East



Monday, December 15, 2008

7pm – 9pm

Whether you are doing a documentary film, non-fiction television, or a social network viral video or webisode, if you are using other people's copyrighted materials, this workshop is for you!

FAIR USE and LEGAL POLICY of Copyright Material: A workshop panel for PGA members *ONLY*
on its use in Film, Television and New Media
from one of the foremost experts in the field, DR. PETER JASZI

CASE STUDIES, and current application in recent Film, TV and On-line Video:

The Producers Guild of America New Media Council East and the PGA East Documentary and Non-Fiction Committee presents a workshop on the future of media policy, and the current changes in Copyright Law that effect the use of video, music and material choices all producers need and have wanted to choose to get their stories across, but have been held back because of the costs of clearances and the hesitancy of what is Fair Use and what is not. The advances in new technology also have created different ways material is used and these areas will be examined as well as the traditional role this material is used in Film and Television. Case studies will be discussed and members may bring up specific ways they are using copyrighted material and the accepted rights and clearances necessary, or NOT necessary, regarding E&O insurance, rights clearances costs, lengths of material accepted for use, and the interpretation of the law accepted in today's world, of the term "Fair Use".


The ability to easily create and share online video presents unprecedented opportunities for self-expression, but has at the same time generated significant confusion about what is permissable versus impermissable copying. How does one balance the rights of copyright holders and the rights of those who use content for new, valuable and expressive purposes.


Dr. Peter Jaszi having spent many years educating and speaking on "Fair Use" policies for Film and Television, has now turned his attention to Online video, as well.

Dr. Peter Jaszi, Professor of Law and Director of Intellectual Property Law Clinic at American University
Professor of Law, and Director of Intellectual Property Law Clinic at American University, Peter Jaszi has literally written the book on copyright and Fair Use.
www.centerforsocialmedia.org


Moderators:

Mark Marabella, President, MARABELLA PRODUCTIONS, Co-Chair of the Documentary and Non-Fiction Committee
Mark is an Emmy® nominated executive producer and founder of Marabella Productions. He has more than 15 years experience developing, writing, producing, and directing documentaries and television series. The company has produced more than 20 hours of primetime factual programming for the Discovery Channel, The History Channel, The Science Channel, and The National Geographic Channel.
Mark is the PGA East Co-Chair of the Documentary Committee.
www.marabellaproductions.com

Paul Waterman, President, COSMIC SCREEN, LLC; board delegate, PGA New Media Council
Paul Waterman is the founder and chief executive officer of Cosmic Screen, LLC, a global production company that specializes in original entertainment programming for digital media platforms. The company’s initial production, ‘7 Sins,’ is one of the first original HD web production made for the syndication market. Paul has produced a large body of live video and studio music productions, ranging from his work with NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ to productions with Showtime and pay-per-view events with the Rolling Stones, acquiring the use of video segments. He is regarded as one of the industry’s premier performance rights negotiators, and has expanded this expertise into new media production rights management.
www.cosmicscreen.com


REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED.

LOCATION:
HBO - Conference Room
1100 Avenue of the Americas
(Between 42nd and 43rd)
New York City


Space is *VERY* limited to 35 participants so a confirmed RSVP for this event is required.