doc it out » Travels http://agnesvarnum.com watching, ranting and connecting with documentary film Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 Blog Update http://agnesvarnum.com/2009/06/21/blog-update/ http://agnesvarnum.com/2009/06/21/blog-update/#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:21:56 +0000 Agnes Varnum http://agnesvarnum.com/?p=785 Dear Readers, I’d like to share an update on where I have been and what’s going on in my blog life. As many of you know, I moved to hoping to find a better work/life balance. I’m happy to report that I’ve been successful in that search, but it has meant not too much posting here. Without traveling to festivals regularly, I haven’t had as much to report on or documentaries to discuss. I’m feeling good about the new balance but wondering where that leaves this blog. Most probably, it will evolve to something not specifically focused on documentaries, but we’ll see. Lest you think I’m just being lazy, I’d like to bring your attention to the other online projects I’m working on…

The Film Society has a great journal called Persistence of Vision. I’ve been working on taking the journal online into blog format. The journal has two print editions annually but now exists online with regular updates. The focus of the blog is the film scene with a bend toward AFS and its members, but I’ll be expanding it in time to hopefully include Texas film. If indeed is the third coast of filmmaking, I hope to make this new blog a one-stop-shop for news on film in the area. It’s a work in progress, but bookmark it now. There is an amazing creative community here and my aim is to promote the people and work that make this an amazing place to live and work. If you are in , feel free to send on your film-related news to afs-communications@austinfilm.org.

The other project I’m working on is the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program website, DocSource. Also a work-in-progress, the idea there is to create a space for program fellows to connect with one another and to share more in-depth information about the projects that are part of DFP’s various programs. Some of the best documentaries go through Sundance so keep your eye there for news. Especially exciting are the projects from the Skoll Foundation partnership, Stories of Change. The docs are focused on social entrepreneurs–people who are using grassroots support and ingenuity to make an impact on some of the most serious issues facing humanity–and include filmmakers such as Annie Sundberg, Jonathan Stack, Tracy Strain and Peter Friedman. The films are still in production so you can watch the evolution of those films.

Thanks so much for all of your support in my various endeavors!

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]]> http://agnesvarnum.com/2009/06/21/blog-update/feed/ 1 A letter from Austin http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/10/06/a-letter-from-austin/ http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/10/06/a-letter-from-austin/#comments Sat, 06 Oct 2007 14:52:32 +0000 Agnes Varnum http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/10/06/a-letter-from-austin/ Blog silence this week was unintended but I’m sure you can imagine that in the midst of moving to a new city and starting a new job, it was tough to keep up with my digital life. I managed Twitter and Facebook updates a few times since I could send from my cell phone; I can technically make blog posts from my phone as well but the keyboard on my Treo isn’t conducive to typing in anything of substantial length, as I learned during my hour-and-a-half commute to Brooklyn (which I’m not missing).

I haven’t even scratched the surface of yet, but amazingly, it feels like home very quickly. My move was motivated by a great apartment, which I’ve happily landed west of on Lake , and I’ve started my job as Communications Manager at the Austin Film Society. On Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending my first AFS event, which just happened to be a work-in-progress screening of a new documentary by Richard Linklater, one of the film luminaries here in town.

AFS’s Docs-In-Progress was started by doc filmmakers Marcy Garriott (Inside the Circle) and Karen Bernstein (Troop 1500) and modeled on NYC’s DocuClub. Since I helped out with DocuClub for about a year, seeing the version was a great way to transition from one locale to another. It was run a bit differently, as Marcy, the moderator for the evening, had everyone fill out questionnaires and then gather for a discussion in the round. Rather than doing both in the theater as was the case in NY, AFS is lucky to have a screening room and another big conference area, so the luxury of space gave more time for discussion. The discussion, I thought, went great with insightful feedback and willingness of the filmmakers to examine their work in light of the comments. I look forward to seeing the next cut of the film, as was always the pleasure with DocuClub screenings.

Coming up this month in are the Austin Film Festival and the NAMAC conference. I will be attending both as time permits and if anyone is in town for either, let me know.

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]]> http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/10/06/a-letter-from-austin/feed/ 3 Wish Me Luck http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/09/23/wish-me-luck/ http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/09/23/wish-me-luck/#comments Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:58:26 +0000 Agnes Varnum http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/09/23/wish-me-luck/ lake_austin.jpgThe time has come for me to bid farewell to New York/New Jersey! Next week, I will become a new resident of Austin, Texas and will be the new communications manager for the Austin Film Society. I’m very excited about all of this but of course sad to be leaving my amazing East Coast friends. I know most film folks will, at least, stop by SXSW so I’ll see you in March, and I certainly hope to continue to hit festivals. I am continuing on as indieWIRE’s documentary columnist and as a contributor to Renew Media’s Resources, so for those who know me online, it might not be too different. If you are going to be in , let me know. I’ll be sure to have all the BBQ spots scoped out.

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]]> http://agnesvarnum.com/2007/09/23/wish-me-luck/feed/ 11 Meet me at Newport http://agnesvarnum.com/2006/05/18/meet-me-at-newport/ http://agnesvarnum.com/2006/05/18/meet-me-at-newport/#comments Thu, 18 May 2006 20:32:14 +0000 Agnes Varnum http://agnesvarnum.com/2006/05/18/meet-me-at-newport/ Sun, ocean, beach, salty breeze, cocktails and films! Granted, I spent all of my summers as a kid in Rhode Island but tell me that doesn’t sound awesome?

As some might know I’m coordinating panel discussions at this years’ Newport International Film Festival. We are in a frenzy planning the party and it is looking fantastic. NYC folks probably know David Nugent (pictured left with Jessica Wolfson of IFC), formerly with DocuClub, who is now in his rookie year as director of programming with Newport, but after seeing the line-up I can attest to his skills not to mention all of the great work the staff up in Newport are doing to get the place ready for us! So, come on up to Newport from June 6 – 11. We’ll watch movies all day and frolick all night!

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