BRAVE NEW FELLOWSHIP

This is the innovative evolution of the Open Door Training Program. Progressives need an entirely new generation of message maestros adept with the new tools and trained to shape public opinion.

The Brave New Fellowship will be a political and creative training ground for a diverse group of four talented young recruits each year. The Fellowship will focus on staffing groups and campaigns in the progressive movement with the diverse voices they sorely need. This will be a group of activist filmmakers who will work within the progressive movement. Their voices will provide a unique perspective to the social, racial and economic diversity issues which are not adequately represented within the system. Most groups have already hired online campaign experts, and we fully expect them to be looking for people skilled in video conversation.

In collaboration with experienced staff, the trainees will produce online videos individually and with each other for underserved urban communities. They will learn and explore new methods of outreach and organizing. Technical training will include production and post production techniques -- everything from camera, sound lighting and composition to Final Cut Pro and media management. The impact will be measured by following up with the individual trainees and the overall impact of their videos.

ISSUE CAMPAIGNS

There is a pressing need for strong narratives and storytelling throughout the progressive movement. During 2007, Brave New Foundation will be making short films to give focus on particular issues.

We will spend the year reaching a wider audience -- younger, more urban and diverse, even conservative -- with short pieces that are connected to changing perceptions and building social movements. The issues we will cover will generate interest and concern on both sides of the fence because these are the issues that directly affect the people in our country. Working with groups we will distribute these pieces for free via the internet. Our goal is to promote civic engagement with these pieces by having the viewers accomplish concrete tasks that help to shift attitudes and make a difference. Through feedback, evaluation, and measurement of success we also hope to discover what issues most concern the people of this country and how effective this short form media is in helping to clarify information, and cause people to take action.

There will be a total of 50 films which will be 30 seconds to 10 minutes in length and will cover the following topics: Economic Diversity, War, Environment, Racism, Sexism, Homophobia,
Immigration, HealthCare, Media Criticism, Restoring Democracy (civil liberties, voter rights, campaign finance), and Criminal Justice

We will also be producing pieces to give the full story to current media events. Some recent examples include: Supreme Court nominations, voter ID laws, specific boondoggles in Iraq, and migrant workers not getting paid for Katrina reconstruction. These 'current event' issues will get a 'rapid response' with our unique point of view and call to action.

The films themselves will focus on David vs. Goliath issues. The education and outreach associated with the films will give people the opportunity to do something to make a difference and to change the current system. As we did with our "Iraq For Sale" Action Guide, we will partner with faith-based, youth, scientific, business, veteran and human rights groups not only to disseminate the films to the public, but to give concrete examples of tasks any ordinary person can accomplish to make a difference. In this way, the short films will be designed to educate and activate.

BRAVE NEW THEATERS

Brave New Theaters is a website that brings together a global network of screening hosts and filmmakers by providing services to both so they can reach more people. The site will emphasize films with a political message.

Filmmakers think their job is to make the film and then someone else will distribute it for them. They dream they will go to Sundance, sign with the Weinstein brothers and win an Oscar. Eventually reality sets in and they realize that if anyone is going to see their film, it's up to them to make it happen. BNT will help these filmmakers reach a diverse audience using the distribution methods that have made the documentaries of Brave New Films a success. Through our screening tool, the films on BNT will reach an audience that is looking for this material. We will also help to turn that audience into activists to promote social change by using the films to organize, educate, empower and inspire.

PATRIOTS AGAINST WAR PROFITEERING

PAWP is a program which enables free copies of the 'Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers' DVD to be delivered to school, libraries, and community groups across the country as well as active military around the world.

Through the generous donations of several Patriots we have already been able to send out thousands of DVD's and we continue to send out more every day. As part of our education and outreach program we have partnered with over 100 nationwide organizations. In order to mail out as many DVD's as possible we have solicited these groups as well as our base to target the most effective distribution.

Our goal is to have people not only see the film, but to be prepared to take specific action to make a difference. The Action Guide we have put together with 10 of our partners is helpful in determining what you can do. Please download the guide as a Word docoument or Adobe PDF file.

The PAWP program is being facilitated by our fiscal sponsor DreamCatchers which is a non-profit 501c(3) organization.

Here are what some of the recipients have said:

"Thank you so much for your generous donation of Iraq For Sale to the Brandon Free Public Library. I know it will be enjoyed by many of our patrons. Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated. Sincerely, Stephanie Chomar, Librarian"

"Thanks so much for sharing the copies of Iraq for Sale with Seton High School. As soon as they came, I shared the news with our Social Justice teacher, who was quite thrilled. Our service coordinator immediately put dibs on the second copy, so I?ll be waiting in line to see it (should have kept the news to myself until I?d seen the film!) Thanks again for including Seton High School. Sincerely, Monica Williams-Mitchell, MLS"

"On behalf of the International Humanities Center and Afghan Women's Mission, we acknowledge and sincerely appreciate your donation of 125 "Iraq For Sale" DVD's. Your donation will empower Afghan Women's Mission to accomplish far more than they otherwise could have without your assistance. Sincerely, Steve Sugarman, Executive Director"

"On behalf of the University of Alabama Libraries, I am pleased to acknowledge your recent gift of the DVD 'Iraq For Sale'. We are appreciative of the support of friends like you - support which enables us to continue to provide quality service to our patrons. Thank you for your interest in our libraries. Sincerely, Louis A. Pitschmann, Dean"