News from Davis Media Access – April 2017

News from Davis Media Access – April 2017

Contents:
Youth Media
KDRT Highlights
Save the Date

Please Support DMA’s Community Building Work

How do you get community members dialoguing with each other?

In Davis, you typically organize a forum or event, and—as it’s said—they will come. But how do you continue that dialog, involving others who weren’t able to attend?

That’s one of the truly powerful things about community media such as Davis Media Access (DMA). DMA frequently records community town halls, events and other forums, capturing that content and making it widely available via cable TV, radio, online archives, and social media. I describe this aspect of DMA’s work as documenting our collective history.

There are numerous other ways we do that, too, whether it’s putting cameras into the hands of middle school kids, bringing elected officials into the studio, or hosting a wide range of experts, pundits, activists, and performers. Together, all this local content informs, calls to action, and helps tell the story of a community that is engaged and cares.

Please support DMA during our annual fundraiser.

I believe that DMA’s work is central to an informed, connected community. Each spring, we ask our community to confirm that by pledging their support of our mission and services. We’ve raised about $14,000 of our $25,000 goal, with less than a month to go. These funds keep KDRT on the air, and help support our work on youth media and local elections. Thank you for your support not only of DMA, but of community engagement and cohesiveness in a time of unprecedented division. Please visit davismedia.org/donate to support our work, and join our list of supporters.

Autumn Labbe-Renault, Executive Director

Youth Media

Summer Youth Media Workshops

Building community through media is what we do at Davis Media Access (DMA), and we make sure that starts with some of the younger members of our community. DMA has decades of experience teaching youth the basics of media production. These exciting classes teach production skills in areas such as camera and lighting, storyboarding and script development, sound, and stop-motion animation. DMA builds into all its curriculum critically needed media literacy training, and our workshops take place in the only HD studio in town. Participants get hands-on experience with quality equipment, work collaboratively, and share their work at the completion of the camp. Classes are taught by DMA staff and frequently assisted by students from past workshops.

Please note enrollment deadline of June 12, 2017. Classes do fill, and early registration is encouraged. Camps are limited to kids aged 9-13. Each camp is $175 per child.

Media Production Workshops

In the Media Production Workshop, participants learn how to produce a program in DMA's television studio, including storyboarding, operating cameras and sound equipment, and media literacy training. Students also work with HD field cameras, and get an introduction to the radio booth at KDRT (link is external) 95.7 FM, DMA's low-power community radio station. Week ends with a screening of student work & a pizza party.

Stop-Motion Animation Workshops

During Animation Workshops, participants will learn how to plan and storyboard an animation, record dialogue and effects, and light and create stop-motion animations, as well as experiment with 2D-animation and watch examples of various styles for inspiration.  Past participants have animated everything from modeling clay to snack foods!

KDRT Highlights

KDRT is a small station that makes so much possible. At the end of 2016, we raised money to boost the signal of KDRT by purchasing a new antenna. We're waiting...and waiting...for the rains to stop, and getting ready to do the engineering for the project. Target installation date is early summer, and we'll keep you posted!

Once again KDRT will be in the Picnic Day Parade. Last year we were a walking group, but this year we'll be hauling a trailer with a live band.  It's a lot of fun, so come out and join the fun and give us a wave.  This year's theme is "Growing Together" and KDRT is where the grassroots grow, so we'll fit right in.  The parade is this coming Saturday, April 22 at 10 a.m.

Jesse Deere, longtime programmer of Dead Wax, will be retiring from the show soon.  Dead Wax is a vinyl-centric exploration of Americana, from classic country to roots rock and blues.  Fellow KDRT volunteers and programmers hope to take over in rotating shifts to keep the show going.

Shawn Witt, AKA Rainbow has moved his radio show, Music Eclectica, from Tuesdays at 10 a.m. to Fridays  at 10 a.m.  The program explores every genre of music in a unlimited fashion.

Sam Hawk's Independent and Local, which focuses on local music, has also moved to Fridays at 11 a.m. following Shawn's show.

Bill Wagman hosted Austin, Texas singer-songwriter Amilia K. Spicer on Live DiRT at the KDRT studio, Friday March 31. Spicer has been described as “a formidable singer, songwriter and pianist with a voice that ranges from soaring to smoky…possessing a keen observational lyricism and an innate talent for accessible melodies.”

Save the Date

“Closing the Palms Playhouse - The End of an Era in Davis,” a documentary by Davis filmmaker Alvin Remmers, makes its world premier on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at the Veterans Memorial Theatre in Davis.

The film chronicles the venue’s 28-year history in Davis, features firsthand and archival footage, interviews with Palms founder Linda McDonagh, original Bad Actors members, long-time manager Dave Fleming, musicians who appeared on its legendary stage, and recollection and stories from many Valley patrons. The film also chronicles the last two months of the Palms' existence - filmed in July and August of 2002 - in musical performances from a star-studded lineup, and interviews capturing the raw emotions of the performers and patrons as the clock ticks down on the old barn. Performances filmed on the Palms stage during the last two months are included in the documentary. Interviews with Utah Phillips, Dave Alvin, Mumbo Gumbo, Golden Bough, Steve Seskin, and more are featured.