Tropfest Roughcut 2006 - 11 November

"Hosted by Sony, the event will offer you a range of industry-renowned speakers, the chance to hear from a previous Tropfest winner, and hands-on time with the latest filmmaking equipment.

Master class sessions include:
* Cinematography
* The Tropfest experience from a previous winner
* Editing
* Sound
* Script development
* Panel Q&A session"

There are only 400 places and out of the people who register to attend, 400 people will be chosen randomly to attend this free filmmaking workshop.

W: http://www.sony.com.au/objects/Other/Roughcut2006/roughcutreg2006.htm

Adobe Creative Suite 2.3 seminar - 6 Nov in Sydney

Attend the Free Adobe seminar in cities in Australia and New Zealand in October and November.

"To get in the right headspace for cracking great ideas, you need to stay up-to-date with the latest tools for expressing them.

To learn about all the new tips and tricks for the NEW enhanced Acrobat® 8 Professional with easier file sharing, InDesign®, Illustrator®, Dreamweaver®, Photoshop®, After Effects®, Premiere Pro®, and more from Adobe experts, register now for the FREE Adobe Creative Suite 2.3 Seminar."

To register and for more info go to: http://www.adobe.com/au/roadshow

Cool the globe - online petition

"Sunrise is actively fighting global warming with its campaign to COOL THE GLOBE.

We've shown how solar energy can help - with the sun able to force energy back into the electricity grid.

But our Federal Government has already slashed solar electricity rebates and is planning to phase them out completely by the middle of next year.

SIGN our on-line petition now to stop it from happening."

28,776 signatures so far.

W: http://sunrisefamily.com.au/current/petition/index.php

Pecha Kucha night

Went to the Pecha Kucha event last Thursday night. It was held at the Commercial Travellers Association Bar, Martin Place. The atmosphere was very supportive, community spirited. The presentations kicked off around 7.30pm. Heard 11 speakers. They'd present 20 slides and there was an autoplay where each slide was up on the screen for 20 seconds. A diverse range of presenters were represented: from animation to architecture to landscape design to design publishing. Speakers included: MIke Horne - Turf Design, Kasia Wydrowski, Ove Arup, Kevin Finn of Open Manifesto. It was a fun night! Looking forward to the next one.

W: http://www.pecha-kucha.org/sydney

Portable Film Festival - until 22 October

"The Portable Film Festival is an international festival of short films just for portable devices. Sony PSPs, iPod videos, 3G phones, laptop screens, you name it. Films compete through an open vote by punters who review, argue and score the films online. And it’s all free. Sign up now to download and vote or submit your film for screening."

W: http://www.portablefilmfestival.com/

Supanova - pop culture expo 27-29 October

"Whether its Star Wars, Harry Potter, DragonBall Z, Spider-Man, Lord of the Rings, Pokemon, Transformers, Star Trek, Superman, or any other number of imaginary universes, Supanova Pop Culture Expo is the place to check these all out, and to meet many of the stars who act in, or produce, the things we love."

Where: Exhibition Hall 2, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney

W: http://www.supanova.com.au

State of Design Victoria 2006 - 4-14 October

"Commencing on 4 October, 2006, the State of Design is a dynamic program of design events, exhibitions, workshops, conferences and seminars showcasing the design of the times. At the heart of the State of Design are the Premier's Design Awards 2006, recognising and rewarding innovation and achievement across all disciplines of Victorian design...

The State of Design 2006 is dedicated to promoting a better and broader understanding of design; its contribution to the economy, as a professional service to local and international manufacturing, education and tourism, retail, communications and entertainment whilst enhancing Victoria's cultural identity..."

W: http://www.stateofdesign.com.au
Events calendar: http://www.stateofdesign.com.au/events_calendar_keydates.php

Walking - a life and death issue - 19 October

"This free public seminar by the Australian Institute of Urban Studies (NSW) will look at the concepts of 'walkability' and 'liveability'.

Planning and environment experts will be joined by speakers from City of Sydney and the state government in a discussion on whether our love of cars is killing our cities. Or are we seeing a 'tipping point' towards more active transport and liveable/walkable communities evidenced by belated awareness of 'peak oil' issues, a return by some to central city living, a disernable reversal of the decline in public transport patronage and an acknowledgement of the public health crisis of obesity?

The discussion will be preceded by a showing of the recently released documentary film 'Contested Streets - Breaking New York City Gridlock' which compares New York traffic past and present with approaches in Copenhagen, Paris and London."

Where: Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, Sydney
When: 19 October 2006 3-7pm (Doors Open 2:30pm)

W: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/WhatsOn/html/custom/2234-event-details.asp?EventID=16158

Fernside Skate Competition - 22 October

"An annual skateboarding competition at the new Waterloo Oval Skate Park. Young pro-am skaters compete for cash prizes and sponsor products, with break-dancers, DJ's and emcee's adding to the energy of this highly contested competition.

SOUTH SYDNEY YOUTH SERVICES is calling for sponsored and non-sponsored skaters to register for the 2006 FERNSIDE SKATE COMP held on Sunday October 22nd at Sydney's newest skate park - the Waterloo Oval Skate Park, Elizabeth St Waterloo."

The Fernside Skate Competition is park of the City of Sydney's Danks Street Festival, held on the same day at Danks Street Waterloo.

Where: Waterloo Skate Park, Cnr McEvoy and Elizabeth Streets
When: 22 October 2006 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (Doors Open 9:00 AM)

W: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/WhatsOn/html/custom/2234-event-details.asp?EventID=15929

Sydney Food and Wine Fair - 28 October

"More than 100 of Sydney's leading restaurants, cafes and winemakers will whip up their signature dishes, heavenly desserts and open their finest wines to raise money for the AIDS Trust of Australia."

Where: Hyde Park bounded by College, Elizabeth, Liverpool Streets
Sydney Food & Wine Fair 2006, 28 October 2006 12- 5pm.

W: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/WhatsOn/html/custom/2234-event-details.asp?EventID=16099

Walking the Street - King St art exhibition 7-22 Oct

Walking the Street (WTS) has been an annual event since 1991 and art works are displayed in the shop front windows along the south end of King St, Newtown, Sydney. "WTS aims both to raise the profile of emerging artists and community art groups and to involve the broader community in a celebration of the artistic endeavours and cultural diversity of the Inner West."

W: http://www.ar.com.au/~iwcs/WTS.html

Possible Worlds - Sydney's Canadian Film Festival - 30 Nov-6 Dec

"Taking place November 30th - December 6th 2006 in Sydney, the first annual Possible Worlds Film Festival will run a week of Canadian film premieres, talks, Q&A's, workshops & parties.

Welcoming prestigious Canadian filmmakers to Sydney, the Festival provides a rare chance for Australians to watch the best new Canadian films and meet the artists.

The recently renovated Chauvel Cinema in Paddington hosts the event, with a selection of films going on to tour across Australia.

Why Canada? Find out when we unleash the best new features, docs and shorts made north of Hollywood. Discover a cinema both familiar and refreshingly different! Highlights include the Australian premiere of acclaimed Quebec drama "Familia" (Best Canadian First Feature at the Toronto International Film Festival).

Documentary highlights include graffiti travelogue "Next: A Primer on Urban Painting", Douglas Coupland's exploration of cultural identity "Souvenir of Canada", and Ron Mann's "Tales of the Rat Fink", a colourful portrait of counter-culture icon Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.

Possible Worlds is also a unique chance to catch the best shorts from Toronto's Worldwide Short Film Festival, talks, filmmaker Q&A's, parties and our mad Kino Kabaret workshop."

W: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/WhatsOn/html/custom/2234-event-details.asp?EventID=16053

Possible Worlds website: http://www.possibleworlds.net.au/

The Festivalists blog (The Festivalists are a Sydney-based non-profit organisation dedicated to the production of film festivals and touring programs. This is our mission in life. This is our blog. Welcome to the family!) : http://www.thefestivalists.com/blog.htm

Walk to work day - 6 October

"Walk to Work Day is an event to promote regular walking and physical activity. It is an annual, national event in which the community can become involved in a healthy and environmentally friendly activity.

The aims of Walk to Work Day are:
To promote regular walking as a healthy activity (better physical, mental & social health)
To reduce the reliance on the private motor vehicle (reduce car-dependency)
To promote and improve the use of public transport (less traffic)
To improve air quality by reducing unnecessary vehicle emissions (reduce global warming)

How to participate:
You can be a Walking Class Hero on Friday 6 October 2006 by simply walking all or part of the way to work. Use public transport and get off the bus, train, tram or ferry a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way. Or take a half-hour walk at lunch-time. And where possible, walk up stairs. But, PLEASE, leave the car at home. If you have to drive, leave the car at least a kilometre or two from your destination and walk the remaining distance."

W: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/WhatsOn/html/custom/2234-event-details.asp?EventID=16156 or

Walk to Work Day website: http://www.walk.com.au

Danks St Waterloo Festival - 22 October

"Danks Street, Waterloo, has rapidly become one of the city’s most exciting precincts. Full of art galleries, cafes and restaurants, it’s groovy, accessible and fun. Come down on Sunday 22 October, to celebrate the second Danks Street Festival and take part in all the festivities. Check out exhibitions at some of Sydney’s most prestigious galleries. Or, find yourself a bargain at the Festival Artists’ Market, where local artists could well be selling the masterpieces of the future.

Live music from Martini Club, Waiting for Guiness, The Donovans and Johnny G and the E Types will have you up and dancing. Or chill out to DJs Stevie G and Lady Tre..."

Community buses will be running from 10:30am to 4:15pm every 15 minutes from Redfern station and other stops within the Redfern Waterloo area. For more information visit www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/whatson.

Danks Street, Waterloo, Sunday 22 October, 11am–4pm

W: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/artandabout/ExhibitionsEvents/DankStreet.asp

Primavera 2006 - 13 Sep-19 Nov

Primavera 2006: Exhibition by young Australian artists
13 September - 19 November 2006

"Now in its 15th year, Primavera is the MCA’s annual exhibition of work by young Australian artists. This popular series was inaugurated in 1992 by Dr Edward and Mrs Cynthia Jackson, in memory of their talented daughter Belinda. It has since come to play a significant role in profiling emerging artists from across the country, bringing their work to the attention of a broader public.

Primavera 2006 will be curated by Aaron Seeto, former curator of Gallery 4A, Asia-Australia Arts Centre, Sydney, who is also a practising artist..."

W: http://www.mca.com.au/default.asp?page_id=10&content_id=1941

Melbourne Design Market - 3 December

"Each year during the Melbourne Design Festival in July, a popular one day design market takes place. Due to popular demand, a second design market will take place on 3 December, 2006.

The market features emerging and established designers, design retailers, businesses and design institutions. Products for sale range from jewellery to graphic art products, homewares to fashion, and much more...

To be held again at Federation Square under cover car park, the experience will be complete with fine foods and coffee for all to enjoy, plus the wonderful products and ambience that have made this event such a popular success."

Sunday 3 December 2006, 10am - 5pm
Federation Square, Under Cover Car Park (Enter via Riverside Walk or Russell Street, Melbourne)

W: http://www.nationaldesigncentre.com/index.php?c=170

Sketches of Frank Gehry

Have read a bit about the 'Sketches of Frank Gehry' film. Definitely want to check it out. Sounds really interesting.

"Director Sydney Pollack has made his first feature length documentary on the acclaimed architect, Frank O. Gehry.

The two men have been friends for many years, and Pollack completed the film over a period of five years, starting in 2000.

Frank Gehry loves to sketch; it is the beginning of his architectural process. And it is his love of the sketch that gave Pollack his first clues to the style of this documentary film. Beginning with Gehry’s own original sketches for each major project, the film explores Gehry’s process of turning these abstract drawings, first into tangible, three-dimensional models, often made simply of cardboard and scotch tape, then into finished buildings of titanium and glass, concrete and steel, wood and stone.

To capture the sketch quality in the documentary, Pollack uses a combination of film and Mini DV (digital video) as his media. Spending countless hours in Gehry’s studio, on building sites, and in his home, this unobtrusive and quiet shooting style has captured, for the first time, the essence of Gehry’s unique architectural process, and his shy and elusive personality..."

Hopscotch Films: http://www.hopscotchfilms.com.au

W: http://www.sonyclassics.com/sketchesoffrankgehry/