From Yorkton with love-A film festival bitten by social media
A couple weeks ago I told you about going to theYorkton Short Film and Video Festival and yesterday afternoon I returned from Yorkton a very tired but also more enriched person. Before I went I didn’t know that the Yorkton Film Festival was the longest-running film festival in North America (62 years). I didn’t know that the film and video community was so fun to hang out with. And I didn’t know how excited I would be about interactive storytelling.
I was the “fourth panelist” with Erica Hargreave, Richard Gustin, Peter Raymont, and Gresham Bradley on stage. I led the interactive side of things with Lee Robertson and Karen Brownlee helping me spread the word. What was amazing was how the audience outside the room got involved in the discussion. So much so that Erica and I believe that we made the top twitter trends for a short period of time. To my knowledge I believe that’s the first time a conference and session was pushed to the top mostly by the people outside of it instead of the people attending. Pretty damn amazing.
Saturday Erica and I spent most of the afternoon, could have gone on longer if not for the amazing awards gala, helping people get on Twitter. The broadcast community are like social media sponges, they just want to learn more and more about how to reach out to their fans and the community.
Erica and I didn’t pick Twitter over blogs or Flickr or YouTube because it’s the “in thing” we picked it because it’s easy to get started with. We know that there is a lot of hype around Twitter, but given that we could get someone an account, put up a profile pic, and start using the tool in a few minutes, well it makes for teachable moments.
Like sending pictures through Twitter of a woman winning two awards (including the big festival prize) to her sister. Instantly. Before the awards had been warmed by her hands, a sister 1000s of miles away who couldn’t be there, was there.
Tris Hussey, Richard Gustin, Gresham Bradley by Erica Hargreave
Showing producers and writers how their characters could come alive online. Showing filmmakers how building an audience during production can build enthusiasm for their works down the road.
Powerful stuff.
I’ve said many times lately that Social Media is at a great point in time right now. We’re at a plateau that allows us to be creative and take the new tools and put them together in creative ways.
After launching the Urban Peasant, and meeting with the broadcast people in Canada, I’m more excited than ever to be here at M2O.
Better watch out, the next big thing might be right under our noses.
Yes, was a very cool couple of days in Yorkton. My heads still buzzing from it. Was so glad you could be a part of it Tris.
Make sure you add this post and your initial one to the Yorkton blog.
Hugs,
Erica