| Media consolidation is reducing the breadth | | | | three weeks it will be for sale. Note that |
| and depth of the information Americans | | | | you never have to spend $2000 to imprint a |
| receive about the important issues that | | | | bunch of your DVDs as used to be the case. |
| confront us as a nation. Hard facts, in depth | | | | CustomFlix does DVD-on-Demand, which means |
| analysis, and first person accounts about | | | | they produce the DVDs when they are ordered. |
| serious matters like the Iraq War, torture, | | | | If you order your own DVDs you get them at |
| war profiteering, electronic vote tampering, | | | | the base production price (about $7), and the |
| health insurance cost increases, medical | | | | price goes down if you order many copies. If |
| errors & malpractice and a host of other | | | | you set the retail price at $14.95 you'll |
| important issues are driven off the | | | | make $4-$7 when someone buys one. |
| mainstream news by things like the ascension | | | | |
| of a new pope or the funeral of a statesmen. | | | | If you don't want to make your DVD available |
| | | | on Amazon, check out and who do |
| Political activists, through years of | | | | DVD-on-demand as well and have no setup fee |
| research, are often better informed than the | | | | at all. |
| average citizen about one or more issues, and | | | | |
| they are often much better informed than the | | | | Promote your DVD by telling people about it |
| average reporter. The question is, how can | | | | at events. You may even want to buy a bunch |
| political activists package their data in a | | | | to sell. Let other activists purchase your |
| format that most American's are willing and | | | | DVD at a discount. Customflix makes this |
| able to accept? The answer is by creating | | | | pretty easy. You just give them a discount |
| independent films that communicate the | | | | code. |
| compelling facts. | | | | |
| | | | Reach a national audience try keyword |
| Creating a documentary used to be something | | | | advertising through Note that I've found |
| undertaken only by the media elite. Buying | | | | ads that cost $0.05-$0.25 per click-thru do |
| and developing film, using three cameras at a | | | | better than those that cost more. |
| time, cutting and pasting film strips to | | | | |
| create the finished product ensured that the | | | | Post excerpts from your DVD on and Its |
| vast majority of documentaries were created | | | | free and its a great way to get exposure for |
| by well funded professionals. All that has | | | | your work. Creating Google ads that point at |
| changed. | | | | your video on these sites is a great way to |
| | | | get the word out about your issue, and |
| A political activist needs just a few tools | | | | perhaps sell a few DVDs to people who want to |
| in order to begin creating and selling | | | | know more. Just make sure your video clips |
| documentaries nationally. > Here's how: | | | | show your web address. |
| | | | |
| Acquire a digital video camera for $300-$600. | | | | Make sure you get releases for anyone you put |
| A mini DV camera is probably best since it | | | | on film. You can find the form anywhere on |
| uses small one hour tapes that don't cost | | | | the internet. You should also ask people you |
| much. You can pay more for an HD (high | | | | interview if its OK to use them in your |
| definition) "prosumer" camera, but buy what | | | | documentary while the camera is running. |
| you can afford. While you are at the video | | | | Make sure you tell them the documentary will |
| store, pick up a good clip-on microphone. You | | | | be available on Amazon so they know it will |
| will find getting good sound key to creating | | | | be commercially available. Putting someone |
| a great documentary. | | | | on film without having their permission is |
| | | | likely to get you sued. |
| Acquire a new MACINTOSH computer with 500-750 | | | | |
| GB of storage for $1500-$2400. I say this as | | | | Will you make a million dollars making |
| a person who teaches people how to use PCs | | | | documentaries? |
| day in and day out. New Macintosh computers | | | | |
| come with the software required to make | | | | Probably not. I know folks ( who went to |
| films. The free iMOVIE software makes | | | | Fallujah just days after the US stopped |
| loading the images captured on your DV tapes | | | | bombing it and had interviews with the |
| as easy as plugging your camera into the | | | | inhabitants returning to the ruins. |
| computer and clicking capture. You can load | | | | Mainstream media is very unlikely to pick up |
| multiple tapes, cut and paste segments, add | | | | your documentary no matter how good it is. |
| sound & music tracks, and burn DVDs. Doing | | | | Keep that in mind while making it and budget |
| all that on a PC takes longer and costs more | | | | accordingly. Not everyone will enjoy Michael |
| for the same quality. Learning to use the | | | | Moore's (Farenheit 9/11) or Robert |
| software and hardware on a PC takes longer | | | | Greenwald's (Iraq for Sale) success. |
| too. | | | | |
| | | | On the other hand, its very likely that a |
| Set up an account for your DVD at for | | | | political activist who is actually |
| $50-$75. CustomFlix is a subsidiary of | | | | politically active will have no problem |
| Amazon. After you set up an account, fill in | | | | breaking even on most their projects. Perhaps |
| the blanks about your DVD (including the | | | | more important, a tidal wave of documentaries |
| price), upload some 300 DPI images using | | | | that address the issues people care about is |
| their templates to define the cover and face | | | | the best remedy for our nation's extremely |
| of the DVD. Ship them your DVD. In about | | | | consolidated media. |