”
You volunteered us to do WHAT, Suzanne??
”
I can still picture the faces of my small but spirited staff
when I told them that I had volunteered CMAP to manage a video
festival for the Alliance for Community Media.
“You volunteered us to do WHAT, Suzanne??” I can still picture the faces of my small but spirited staff when I told them that I had volunteered CMAP to manage a video festival for the Alliance for Community Media. They were okay with the idea, until I told them that we’d be receiving and inventorying about 500 videotapes. “Are you NUTS?? We’re in the middle of building our OWN station.” Unfortunately, I was leaving for Maui just days after the contest submission deadline, which I knew might be problematic… but I still pushed to take on the task. “Why do we need to manage a video contest??” My answer was one word: Programming.
Every year, an access station volunteers to manage the WAVE Awards for the Alliance for Community Media. The annual contest features entries in 22 categories, like Best Performing Arts Program, Best Sports Coverage, etc. Entries come in from California, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, Colorado and Utah. Videos range dramatically in content and in quality, but they all manage to inspire other videographers to keep producing.
I explained to my staff that I was soliciting the permission of the WAVE entrants to air their programming on our start up public access Channel 20.
As a fellow access producer, I knew that most indie videographers are chomping at the bit to get their programs aired in other communities. Some access producers have a whole network of “sponsors” in communities across the country. They solicit residents of a community to submit tapes to their local access station for airing. It’s quite a racquet. I was sure that if producers were willing to go through such lengths to get their shows on the air, they would no doubt jump at CMAP’s offer to premiere their programs in Gilroy, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista.
My hunch was right. About 85 percent of the people who entered gave us the thumbs up to air their programs. As our staff sifted through stacks of tapes from all over the western United States, the enthusiasm over the content grew. Cable subscribers were about to get a taste of some of the best access program we had to offer.
For the next several months, CMAP will be rotating these tapes on Channel 20 so that you can get an idea of what types of shows garnish WAVE Awards, and what programs are possible through your public access station. I hope that the person who is considering producing an access show will become inspired, and less intimidated by the idea, through watching these award-winning shows.
Immediately following our channel launch on Jan. 10, I walked into the playback room and looked up at the four TVs each showing one of our channels. I was delighted to see one of my all-time-favorite access producers on Channel 20: Bruce Latimer. Bruce has produced 600 episodes of his program over the last decade … with no budget and an all volunteer crew. Latimer features musicians, comedians, poets and politicians on his late night Letterman-style talk show. He’s the quintessential access producer/talk show host. Oh … and he manages a cemetery by day. Gotta love that guy.
I’ve also caught the “Indian Gourmet Cooking Show,” shot out of the Cupertino Access Center at DeAnza College, as well as the performance art piece out of Santa Cruz, “Dr. WuWu Sleeps.” One access center down south did an inspiring feature called “Canine Companions,” about a training center for guide dogs funded by Sci-Fi Author Dean Koontz. Producer Val Jeffrey scored a finalist award for her talk show “Wanna Make a Movie,” that’s been getting plenty of airplay on Channel 20.
This step-by-step expose on how indie producers go about creating a film will hopefully inspire residents to try their hand at moviemaking. I was thrilled to hear that Val recently moved to Gilroy, and is becoming involved in our access center. Lucky us!
In the next couple of weeks, CMAP will be publishing our channel schedules on our website and in The Dispatch. For now, be sure to stop by Channel 20 as you surf. We’d love to hear your feedback on the eclectic, commercial free programming.
While the task of facilitating the WAVE Awards was at times overwhelming, I think we’re all appreciating the results now. Next year, I’ll be sure to schedule that trip to Maui well after that WAVE submission deadline … lol.
Suzanne St. John is the director of CMAP. Her column, highlighting the news from our local community access television station, is published each Thursday in The Dispatch. Reach her at: ss*****@ma***.us
