One of Oil
City's downtown arts revitalization projects earned the blessing of city
council members on Monday.
City council
members also voiced their support of Venango Video's need to raise
$450,000 to $1.8 million by 2009 for equipment upgrades - or face the
possibility of going off the air.
In the first
matter, Troy Wood, chairman of the Venango Digital Film Association, asked
council to offer support for "what we hope to be an annual film
competition" throughout Venango County in September 2007.
The project
will include a five- to 10-page script contest marketed to participants
around the globe with six winners and a countywide three- to five-person
film crew contest, also with six winners.
Script
contest winners will have their vision filmed by film crew contest
winners.
"The basic
premise is for each film crew to shoot the script in one day, edit the
film in one day and show the completed films the next and final day," Wood
said.
The program
will have support and direction from former Franklin resident and
filmmaking enthusiast Scott Wohlstein.
"I believe
that a contest of this kind will, if not in its first year, but in
subsequent years, bring additional revenue to the local area businesses
and even the municipalities involved," Wood said.
It is
expected that at the end of the film festival's three days, the films will
be screened at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin. Winners will be shown
at Erie's Great Lakes Independent Film Festival.
In another
matter, Jonathan Wenner, Venango Video's full-time production coordinator
updated city council members on the non-profit cable access station's
financial state of affairs.
"We are at a
crucial point in developing a plan for better exposure, financial support
and programming," Venango Video's board of directors wrote to council
members. "In 2009, we will be mandated to make the transition to an
all-digital operating system, which we need to begin raising funds for
now. The estimated cost of this transition is between $450,000 and $1.8
million."
Wenner and
board president David Weaver told the newspaper last week that the station
is still feeling the negative effects of earning only about half the money
last year that it usually takes in from spring and autumn auctions.
With an
annual operating budget of about $60,000, 60 percent of that comes from
the two televised auctions. Last year's auctions captured only half of the
annual and planned-for $30,000. The other 40 percent is comprised of
revenue from sponsorships, donations and operational support from local
cable providers.
The group is
applying to federal sources for grant money.
"We certainly
will work with Venango Video if there's something they feel we can apply
for on their behalf," said City Manager Tom Rockovich.
Councilwoman
Sonja Hawkins suggested the station should investigate other cable access
stations across the state to see how they are approaching similar
financial situations in the face of the Federal Communication's Commission
upgrade mandate.
"I'd really
hate to see something like this go by the wayside," Mayor Ed Sharp added,
saying council would be "glad" to issue a letter of support for the
station's financial endeavors.
Wenner also
appealed to the public to make tax-deductible monetary contributions to
the station and to donate items for the Oil City auction scheduled for
Nov. 17, 18 and 19.
More
information may be obtained by calling 432-8022.
In addition
to the support appeals, volunteer Venango Video cameraman Dave Grams
reminded council of the station's assets beyond providing coverage of
local community events, church services, debates, forums and municipal
meetings.
"There's an
awful lot of learning that people can get from this station," Grams said.
"Let's not forget the numbers of people from Venango Video who've gone
onto bigger and better things from here. Volunteers have gone on to make a
career after their time with us."
The
Derrick 10/24/06