[mfm-list]MacFilmmakers, what's going on?

[Kevin Johnson]

Howdy--

Rumors have been flying and, in my silence, perhaps understandably so.  
One rumor is true, one is false. Here's to setting the record straight.

(1) Rumor: MacFilmmakers has disbanded.

Reality: FALSE. MacFilmmakers HAS been on hiatus, mostly planned-- 
first through the November/December holiday period and then through  
January (for Sundance, where I was out of town for the latter half of  
the month)--but we are most definitely NOT "disbanded". We do plan to  
meet again and on a regular, if reduced, schedule (see below). That  
said...

(2) Rumor: Apple has announced that user groups, such as  
MacFilmmakers, can no longer schedule rooms on the Apple campus.

Reality: Sadly, this rumor is TRUE. I have confirmed with the powers  
that be that, as of this moment, we (and all other user groups) will  
NOT be allowed to use Apple meeting rooms going forward. However, that  
is not necessarily the final word on the subject as I am aggressively  
(but nicely, of course) following through to see if there are creative  
and/or agreeable workarounds; I'll have more to say about this after  
such internal exploration has happened. Naturally, even if this icky  
status quo remains in place, there are other meeting locations that  
might be available.

So, pending finding a suitable location for March-ish, we are likely  
to have a MacFilmmakers meeting. Going forward, however, we might be  
looking at a different kind of schedule, i.e., rather than monthly  
meetings perhaps quarterly meetings. And/or perhaps more "co- 
sponsored" meetings, ourselves with other established groups, and then  
splitting costs that might be associated with room fees (if any).

And, independent of meeting room challenges, there are other ways we  
can stay vital and viable as a group. For example, there is a short  
filmmaking project tentatively scheduled for production at the end of  
March/early April that could involve large portions of our membership-- 
more information on this as the schedule is fleshed out in pre- 
production.

Anyway, my apologies for my lack of communication. I had planned to  
send out an update in January before I left for Sundance--and then  
promptly got sick for the two weeks preceding Sundance. Then, the day  
I got back from Sundance, I got sick again for another week-ish.  
Nothing scary either time--and thankfully I was in perfect health  
during Sundance--but both illnesses were enough to knock me on my  
keister for those several weeks.

--Kevin