With Deadine Looming, Proposed NYC Film Permit Rules Rile Indies

With stenciled Bolex camera protest signs and no permit to assemble, some 400 people demonstrated at a downtown Manhattan rally on Friday to protest New York's moves to alter rules that govern filming and photography on the city's streets. On that same day, members of NYC's independent film community met with the Mayors Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting (MOFTB) to discuss the proposed changes. The announcement by the NYC MOFTB that it would institute formal and potentially restrictive rules for those engaged in filmmaking or photography in and around the city has stirred vocal criticism (and increasing media attention) in the final days of a public comment period.
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AIVF To Close; Org Hopes to Keep Magazine Alive

In a letter to its approximately 4,000 members, the thirty-one year old Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF) has formally announced that the organization will close at the end of this month. The movie was widely expected in light of recent news that an emergency fundraising initiative failed to raise enough money to support the entity's future planning goals. In the statement to members, the AIVF indicated that it hopes to find a way to continue publishing The Independent magazine, while at the same time exploring ways to relaunch the organization as a membership group.
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After Failing To Meet Fundraising Goal, AIVF's Future Is in Question

The Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF) failed to meet its goal of raising $60,000 and the organization has moved into a holding pattern, according to the non-profit organization's interim executive director Lina Srivastava. In a conversation with indieWIRE she explained, "(The organization has) kind of gone into moth balls to a certain extent." Last week, AIVF membership director Priscilla Grim was the latest staff member laid off by the group, which seems to be facing an even more bleak future. The organization also recently notified subletting tenants at its Lower Manhattan office space that it will be moving out of the site at the end of June.
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First Person: Jim Mckay - The Fate of AIVF and the Question of Community

While I have cherished the AIVF for years and benefited from the organization and my participation in it greatly, I feel that it has, for quite awhile now, consistently failed to live up to its mission. This is not necessarily the fault, as I see it, of any recent Executive Directors, staff members, or board (though we all had our negatives, I'm sure). It is simply because as time has passed and the country and its media and art scenes have changed, the mission of AIVF has became increasingly impossible to fulfill.
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First Person: Brian Newman on Nonprofit Media Arts Orgs - The Situation Has Never Been More Dire

[This is the latest in a regular series of "First Person" articles written by members of the film community. It is meant to showcase the opinions of our readers. indieWIRE readers interested in contributing a future "First Person" column should contact us by email: office AT indiewire DOT com.] The recently announced crisis at AIVF has led to a mix of responses -- from supporters trying to save the organization to others saying they wouldn't miss its disappearance. Unfortunately, the problems at AIVF are symptomatic of a much larger crisis, and while few will admit it, the situation at most nonprofit media arts centers has never been more dire. It's no secret that there has been some recent turmoil at Film Arts Foundation, IDA, IFP and Film/Video Arts, and some organizations, such as the Boston Film & Video Foundation closed their doors a few years ago. While there are some notable exceptions to this trend, such as the Austin Film Society, the ever-perilous condition of nonprofit media centers has been getting worse and it's very likely that many of them will disappear soon. Intelligent people can debate whether this is a good or a bad thing, but it is clear that things are rapidly changing. At the very least, those of us who care about independent film need to recognize this crisis, analyze what went wrong, think about the future of independent film and decide what is and isn't worth saving.
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Attempting to Avoid Closure, Nonprofit AIVF Implements Emergency Fundraising Initiative

The more than 30 year-old Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF), publisher of The Independent magazine and a leading membership organization for filmmakers, is facing a continuing financial crisis that is threatening the livelihood of the organization. Group board members and a new interim executive director have indicated that if the organization does not receive adequate resources from its current emergency fundraising campaign, the AIVF will not survive. The news comes at a time when a number of other non-profit film groups have faced similar challenges.
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