Video from The Conversation @ Columbia

We shot the three main panels at the March edition of The Conversation, held at Columbia University. (The audio is a bit rough at points, due to some mics onstage that were cranked up a bit too high.) Thanks go to Emily Branham, director of the forthcoming doc "BeBe," for doing the shooting (and the audio issues weren't her fault, I should say!)

> Tiffany Shlain's Opening Remarks:

ConvoNYC - Tiffany Shlain's Opening Remarks from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

> Ira Deutchman's Opening Remarks:

ConvoNYC - Ira Deutchman's Opening Remarks from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

> Panel: What I've Learned About Attracting an Audience Through Social Media (in three parts, with Arin Crumley, Jason Spingarn-Koff, Ryan Werner, Sandi DuBowski, Nina Paley, and Ian Schafer...moderated by me)

ConvoNYC - Attracting Audiences Through Social Media - Part 1 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

ConvoNYC - Attracting Audiences Through Social Media - Part 2 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

ConvoNYC - Attracting Audiences Through Social Media - Part 3 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

> Digital Distribution: Addressing the Big Questions (in three parts, with Cory McAbee, Richard Lorber, Steve Savage, Hunter Weeks, and Thomas Woodrow...moderated by Peter Broderick)

ConvoNYC - Digital Distribution - Part 1 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

ConvoNYC - Digital Distribution - Part 2 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

ConvoNYC - Digital Distribution - Part 3 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

> Stories Elsewhere: Making Media in New Ways (in three parts, with Asi Burak, Gita Pullapilly, Fred Seibert, and Lance Weiler...moderated by Wendy Levy):

ConvoNYC - Stories Elsewhere - Part 1 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

ConvoNYC - Stories Elsewhere - Part 2 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

ConvoNYC - Stories Everywhere - Part 3 of 3 from Scott Kirsner on Vimeo.

The Conversation 2010: Post-Game Notes & Analysis

Thanks to everyone who made The Conversation @ Columbia happen last Saturday — after I'd moderated my opening panel on building an audience, I mostly felt like I was free to goof off and just eavesdrop on other sessions, workshops, and lunch groups.

We're posting all of the links, notes, tweets, and other material from the event over here, on The Conversation's official blog.

Open to your thoughts on what we should talk about next time, and where we should hold it. (Last time was UC/Berkeley in October 2008.)

Announcing The Conversation 2010, in New York: On Social Media, Digital Distribution, and the Future of Film

I'm excited that we're finally announcing the date, place, and a few of the early speakers for the next edition of The Conversation, a gathering we first held in the Bay Area back in 2008.

It'll be held Saturday, March 27th at Columbia University (thanks to the support of faculty member Ira Deutchman and event manager Daisy Nam there.) Those of us on The Conversation's advisory board are working to rope in some amazing speakers and sponsors, and ensure that this East Coast event will be every bit as good (better?) as the West Coast version, which brought together a phenomenal group of pioneering filmmakers, storytellers, designers, and technologists.

Registration is now open and there is a steep discount if you sign up before February 14th.

We are also soliciting your ideas for speakers, topics, and workshops you might want to run at the event, using our fancy-schmancy wiki.

And we'd love your help spreading the word.

Among the topics we plan to address:

> Adventures in Digital Distribution: What Has Worked, What Hasn't, and How the Market is Evolving

> Social Media: Where the Rubber Meets the Road -- Using Digital Tools To Sell Tickets, DVDs, and Downloads, and Get Audiences Engaged with Your Cause

> Stories Elsewhere: Telling Stories and Engaging With Viewers in New Media, Forms & Formats

> Beyond Facebook: Social Media Sites and Services That Can Benefit Filmmakers

> Site Design and SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

> Creating Internet-Native Content

> Crowdfunding Strategies and Successes