New Indie Coalition is so 90's

There's a new indie coalition that seems to have formed. I can't link you to it, because in a fit of genius, the organizers have not started a website, nor a blog, or anything else you would expect for modern advocacy. Instead, drum roll, they started a listserv. And how did I hear about it? Someone picked up a copy of a three page, single-spaced diatribe they distributed at a recent media conference, and gave it to me. The document is titled "A Call for an Independent Producer's Voice in the Digital Debate" and some of their points are valid. In summary, it seems to be saying - hey, all this YouTube and other digital stuff is great, but what about indies that need to make a living. This conversation itself is one worth having, so that's why I'm listing it here, but I have to say I am more than a bit weary of a coalition forming to address the changing needs of digital when their spokesperson (or people, I'm not sure, though I have a hunch who is behind this) can send out a document that worries about "itoones" treating indies fairly. The geniuses behind this should at least develop an understanding of what's going on before trying to address it, and not knowing how to spell what is arguably the most important piece of the pie is a bit, well, looney.

Anyone who knows me and my writing knows I care passionately about advocacy for artist's needs, but I am pretty sure that what is needed in this day and age is a new form of advocacy, and I'm pretty sure it should begin with more than a listserv, more than a mimeograph and more of a clue about the changing nature of advocacy in a digital age. Geesh, it's not like we don't have plenty of political examples to look at! Anyway, if you want to learn more, send an email to them at indiecoalition-subscribe at yahoogroups com.

In the meantime, I am thinking about how advocacy has changed, and will hopefully get to do something interesting about it as a result of our recently announced combination with the Tribeca Film Institute. It's keeping me too busy to blog - I am seriously humbled by some of my friends who can keep this up, but I hope to be back with more after the Tribeca Film Festival.