The DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books has announced the panel lineup for its fifth annual Los Angeles show.
Two full days of panels, workshops and schmoozing, set for the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 11-12, are focused on creating, promoting and distributing independent film, music and books. The conference caps a week of music performances and film screenings by DIY and nationally known independents that runs Feb. 7-12.
Keynoting the conference portion of the event are two veteran musicians who have successfully launched DIY enterprises.
John Waite has been a worldwide hitmaker for four decades, the voice and songwriter behind such rock radio staples as “Missing You” and “When I See You Smile.” He’s now balancing a burgeoning career as a film music composer with stage appearances and returns as a born-again DIY’er with his new album, “The Hard Way,” issued on his own No Brakes Records. Waite will keynote the Friday, Feb. 11 session at the Roosevelt.
Doug Gillard has been a long-time creative force on the independent music scene as part of such cult favorites as Guided by Voices, Death of Samantha and Cobra Verde. Now the Cleveland, Ohio-based guitarist has stepped up with his first solo album, “Salamander,” a strong mix of pop rock recently hailed by Amazon.com’s editors as one of the top ten alternative recordings of the year. Gillard will keynote the DIY Convention on Sat. Feb. 12th at the Roosevelt and will headline the 2005 DIY Music Festival grand finale showcase on Feb. 10th.
This year’s expanded DIY Convention features five nights of national independent music acts booked by Spaceland Productions; two days of DIY Film Festival screenings; two days of panels, workshops and exhibits; and many special parties and events coordinated in conjunction with the week-long schedule of events.
FRIDAY SCHEDULE:
Welcoming Remarks
STARTING YOUR OWN ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS. Successful entrepreneurs will discuss how they started their own thriving enterprises in entertainment and the secrets for sustained growth.
DIGITAL DELIVERY. The current state and future possibilities of digital delivery in film, music and books, as explained by people who are driving the trend.
KEYNOTE: JOHN WAITE
BRANDING AND SPONSORSHIP. Creating and growing a brand isn’t only for multinational corporations. A panel of entrepreneurs and sponsorship experts tells how money and attention can be captured by the independent community.
VIDEO GAMESMANSHIP Licensing music for this specialized area has many considerations. A panel of experts details the ins-and-outs of the business.
THE STATE OF PUNK: The underground art form is now a mass market consumer favorite. How has the genre changed and where is it heading when everything from Avril to the smallest independent band is punk?
‘ZINE WORLD: Starting and building your own independent publication, as told by people who have been there/done that. Followed by a screening of Joe Biel’s “$100 and a T-Shirt,” a chronicle of the history of ‘zines.
SONGWRITER 101/102: Two days of expert advice to aspirants on getting where you want to be from top songwriters and their associates.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
SETTING UP SUCCESS: Success in film, music and books starts with knowing what your obligations are to the state and federal government. We’ll tell you the steps in quick, painless fashion…and tell you about money you may be owed!
LICENSING YOUR MUSIC FOR FILM/ TV: There are thousands of films, TV shows and commericials looks for music. Our panel of experts will talk about the many opportunities for independent music in these productions.
KEYNOTE: DOUG GILLARD
MUSIC TRACK
HOW TO SELL 10,000 CDs THIS YEAR: How to attain a level of success that will allow you to make a living and position you for the next step in career success.
INDIE, MAJOR OR DIY: The pros and cons of each path to music glory will be debated by veterans who have been there/done that.
THE STATE OF URBAN MUSIC: The hottest genre in the business was built by thriving independents. A panel of artists and experts details where the opportunities are and where they’re headed.
MUSIC MARKETING, PUBLICITY, PROMOTION: The secrets of getting the word out, DIY-style, on a limited budget.
FILM TRACK
DIGITAL FILMMAKING 101: An idea, a camera, a movie. We’ll show you the steps to take to make your film…..
FILM MARKETING, PUBLICITY, PROMOTION: From festivals to art houses to press, you’ll learn new ways to raise the profile of your production.
SPECIAL EFFECTS ON A DIY BUDGET: Want to know how to make your modest budget film look like a $100 million epic? You may not want that, but there are ways to do big special effects for a fraction of the cost.
DISTRIBUTION PATHS: Getting your film viewed by a wider audience is every filmmaker’s dream. A discussion of the methods you can use to capture that elusive distribution deal and ways you can self-distribute. Featuring our own Mark Bell!
PUBLISHING TRACK:
3:15 p.m. INDEPENDENT PRESS: Media moguls talk about the process of creating your own independent empire.
4:15 p.m. GETTING PUBLISHED – Everything you need to know
about the process of getting a book to press.
WORKSHOPS
THE PITCH: How well do you describe your project to someone else? Our panel, who give and receive pitches for a living, rate your skills.
4:15 p.m. YOU CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE: How to set up out-of-town readings, screenings and gigs revealed by people who do it for a living.
For more info, visit the DIY Convention website.
