Hello Movie Makers!
I greet you as one of the new board members of the West Michigan Film and Video Alliance! I was installed as a board member last Tuesday night at a town hall meeting of the group, at the Compass College of Cinematic Arts campus in downtown Grand Rapids. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a bridge between our group and a sister organization that is celebrating its tenth year!
I invite you to go to the WMFVA website ( http://wmfva.org) today and learn about the organization, but….stay tuned for huge changes to the website and to the way the organization functions. By joining forces with the West Michigan Film Office, and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, the WMFVA is growing and changing. The three organizations have defined goals and roles, dividing up some of the work of building on the last ten years of growing a regional film production presence on the left coast of Michigan. The new website and a new database of crew and talent will replace the outdated STARMAP. There is money in the pipeline for speakers and workshops, bringing some big names to our area. There are opportunities for screening your work to a bigger audience. There are new membership levels, and the premier level features the ability of a film maker to use the WMFVA as a pass through for tax deductible donations to help you get your movie made! All of this is good for us, up here in the North.
I will be writing more about the changes and what they could mean for us, M3, over the next few weeks, but, this is mostly an invitation to join me at the big party coming up on Friday night. This is a celebration of the ten years of WMFVA! The group is taking over a bar and planning a night of of fun. We are all invited to join them, and, you can become a member there at the party.
I think it would be wonderful if a few of us would go, and become members. This will solidify the link between our two groups, and help me be more of a voice for you, when I work with their board. This is a three year commitment for me, and I intend to use this experience to help bring even more to the table at M3!
If you are interested in going to this party, we could meet and travel together and perhaps some people would like to carpool.
You can connect with me at klmadrine@gmail.com if you are interested in working that out.
Get Ready to Party!
Friday, January 23, 2015, 6:30pm – 10pm
SpeakEZ Lounge
600 Monroe Avenue NW (corner of Trowbridge)
Grand Rapids, MI, 49503
We’re not kidding – 2015 will be the year to CELEBRATE the WMFVA Big 10 ANNIVERSARY! All WMFVA members join us for free on Friday, January 23, at the SpeakEZ Lounge — and we’re taking over the whole place for the party! A special 10th Anniversary drink will be served in our honor! A special commemorative booklet will be the party favor!
So plan now to join us. Free parking is located in the lot directly across Monroe Ave from the SpeakEZ. Entry to the SpeakEZ is on Trowbridge.
This is just the beginning of a year to remember – you don’t want to miss the Grand Opening!
Yours truly,
Krystn Madrine
M3 Marketing and Social Media committee member