How to Be a Movie Star in the Progressive Movement

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Nov 20, 2007 9:28 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Film Club

Hey Film Clubbers - it's Mark again.

Two things I wanted to say this time.  First, I'm thrilled to get so much feedback from members about the DFA Film Club.  In addition to all the responses on last week's blog thread, I've gotten 21 personal emails from members with suggestions on how to take Film Club into 2008.  I will be posting another blog entry summing up your feedback next week.

But the main reason I'm talking to you today is I want to tell you about an exciting new concept that we're experimenting with for the Film Club. 

Documentary filmmaker and Club member Edwin Rutsch is working on a film about what constitutes progressive values... and he wants to hear from you!  Here's your way of not just watching a progressive film, but actually helping create one!

To get the inside scoop on what Edwin's doing and how you can help him (and maybe even be in his movie), go sign up for his Progressive Values Study Group on DFA-Link or visit his website at www.ProgressiveSpirit.com. 

Please help Edwin out on his project and let your voice be heard about why you're a progressive by signing up today.   In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and I'll talk to you next week about the next steps for the DFA Film Club.

DFA Film Club: Plotting A Course for 2008

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Nov 15, 2007 8:08 AM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Film Club

Hey everyone, it's Mark Naccarato - the guy who put the DFA Film Club together.

I've been out of the loop for a while since starting a new job and learning how to be a new dad, but I think I'm about ready to get back into the fight.

Anyway, I want to hear from you about what you think the DFA Film Club might work on in 2008.  As the Club was originally set up, we set out to try and chase down the rights from film distributors to let us screen their films publicly so that DFA members could show them to large audiences (if they wanted to), free from fear of legal action.  This also allowed the film distributors to get more buzz about their films since people like you were showing them all across the country during the same month.  And, we think, it helped the film's sales as hosts would order copies (though we never had a way to track that).

This model worked well for a while, especially since we were working with Ironweed Films who were very easy to work with and excited about the concept.  But then, several things happened - I got busy with other stuff and Ironweed started turning out some selections that members seemed not to be very excited about.

So the question is - do we continue with this concept and just keep trying to hunt down new films that members would be interested in or is there another "model" that we should take a look at.  One person has suggested that DFA Film Club just exist as a blog or discussion board where people can talk about movies they like and post reviews.  Another person has suggested that the Film Club be some type of clearinghouse where members can post YouTube videos related to politics or progressivism.

What do you think?

Please use this thread to talk about what you think the Film Club can be or if you know of a new film coming out that we might select to screen.

In the meantime, I hope everyone's "SiCKO" screenings went well yesterday.  We had to call ours on account of a serious thunderstorm last night in Nashville and we'll be rescheduling after Thanksgiving.

Take care and I promise I will stay in touch more now.

-Mark

Election and Referendum Victories in Oak Ridge!

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Jun 8, 2007 8:44 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee

Democracy For East Tennessee beat back the special interests trying to spend public dollars on the wealthy and helped elect a new progressive voice to the City Council... Ellen Smith!

Ellen is the newest member of the Oak Ridge City Council and she ran for office saying, "Oak Ridge can thrive if we maintain and enhance (our) assets. I believe that many Oak Ridgers share this perspective, and I think we deserve more of a voice in city affairs. I want to help provide that voice on City Council.”

It's a message that resonated with Oak Ridge residents who gave Ellen the second highest vote count out of seven candidates.

Ellen's voice, with grassroots support from DFET, battled a proposed shopping development that would have been supported with tax dollars.

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LAST CHANCE to Sign Up for DFA TRAINING ACADEMY in Knoxville!

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 24, 2007 9:17 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee

TIME IS RUNNING OUT to sign up for DFA TRAINING ACADEMY! 

The most comprehensive campaign training to come to Tennessee will be in Knoxville THIS WEEKEND, April 28 & 29, and NOW is the time to sign up!!

The DFA Training Academy is an intensive, two-day series of workshops geared toward your particular political landscape. The primary focus will be on campaign management, field organizing, communications, grassroots advocacy, and precinct organization.  You'll get personalized, one-on-one instruction from some of the most experienced political campaign experts in the country and we make sure that you can use your training as soon as you get home.

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DFA Training Academy is sponsored by Democracy for America, Democracy for Tennessee, and Democracy for Knoxville.

"Green Tennessee" Launches at DFT Convention!

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 13, 2007 7:49 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee

I'm pleased to say that the Green Tennessee (GT) Campaign is off and running with a great start!  First of all, a huge thanks to everyone who attended the workshop and campaign launch: You all made the workshop a big success and a real pleasure to host. The diversity of ages and backgrounds represented was quite heartening, and exactly what I think is needed to get the kind of legislation enacted we want in order to protect our environment. So again, to everyone there, thank you!

After presenting a brief overview of the GT campaign, I handed things off to Seannalyn Brandmeir, presenter for the Climate Project. She provided an excellent overview of the goals and structure of Climate Project presentations, leading us through many great examples and explaining how the presentation builds its argument from start to finish. Next, Jeff Barrie, filmmaker and creator of Kilowatt Ours explained why he made the film, and how the Kilowatt Ours film and project seeks to show people how they can practically and dramatically reduce their energy usage without nearly as much effort or sacrifice as one might think.

From there, we discussed the policy agenda for the GT campaign -- geothermal power for city and county schools, energy reviews for government buildings, and creating greener cities with the LEED standards -- and went into some detail on how individuals and local DFA chapters can go about hosting a Town Hall meeting. The ultimate goal of Town Hall meetings, of course, will be to see relevant legislation enacted, which we also discussed in some detail.

Plans are already in progress to host the first GT Town Hall meeting in Nashville, and most likely Chatanooga very shortly thereafter. So, expect to be hearing from me soon on how YOU can help out with these Town Hall meetings. Finally, we'll be using a website to organize these and future events, so keep an eye out for that. The website will be www.green-tennessee.org, which should have some content available in the next week or two.

Doug Morse,
Green Tennessee campaign manager

Nashville's Mayoral Candidates Respond to DFA's Issues at Candidate Forum

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 12, 2007 7:51 AM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Nashville

Democracy for Tennessee's Candidate Forum for Nashville's mayoral candidates at the DFT Convention was a huge success, the only downside being that it wasn’t longer. The best part: that we were able to incorporate some of the issues we had been working with earlier in the day into the questions asked of the five wannabes. As we have in the past, we asked audience members to submit questions and selected some to ask the candidates after their three-minute speeches.

One campaign manager commented afterward it was the first forum where the candidates didn’t have the questions beforehand. Sorry, but the teacher in me doesn’t want to dumb down the test. If they haven’t even thought about the issues we care about without being told to prepare, that’s something we need to know about them. For the most part, I was pleased with what they said. The four audience-submitted questions were about the right to organize and earn a living wage, Vote By Mail, LEED, also known as "green building" standards, and also one about education.

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Tennessee Turns Out for Lamont, Dean, and the DFT Convention!

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 10, 2007 9:00 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee

On Easter weekend, close to 80 progressives from Memphis to Knoxville and all points in between attended Democracy for Tennessee’s Convention ’07 in Nashville throughout the day on Saturday.

Kicking off the ceremonies were myself and Jim Grinstead, who inspired DFA members to keep the momentum going for the progressive movement in Tennessee. I then unveiled FROM THE GROUND UP: The Plan for a Progressive Tennessee, DFT’s strategic plan that not only lays out our vision for the progressive changes we want to make in 2007, but also how we’re going to do it. Vote By Mail and Green Tennessee are two initiatives that we will be focusing on at the local level. Campaigns for Tennessee is a program involving campaign training (starting with the DFA Training Academy on April 28 & 29) and actual elections as we target the Nashville Metro Council races by helping elect a slate of new progressive candidates. Meanwhile, we will be unveiling Blog for Tennessee over the next few weeks. BFT will be a clearinghouse for state and local news that is important to progressives and will become a vehicle to push back against local conservatives’ propaganda.

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Last Chance to Sign Up for the DFT Convention!

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 4, 2007 11:25 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee

 

That's right, the Democracy for Tennessee Convention is right around the corner - THIS SATURDAY - and time is running out to sign up for the hottest political ticket of the year!!

:: CONVENTION UPDATES ::

• NED LAMONT & JIM DEAN will be Guest Lecturers on the Root Camp campaign training workshop!!
• LUNCH WITH LAMONT!  If you're really busy on Saturday and don't have time for the whole DFT Convention, tickets for lunch with U.S. Senate candidate Ned Lamont are still available for only $20!  Make sure you rsvp now so that we order enough food.
• JEFF BARRIE, an independent filmmaker who created the nationally-known documentary, Kilowatt Ours will be a Guest Lecturer at the Green Tennessee workshop!
• OTHER PANELISTS ADDED:  State Representative Rob Briley added to the Grassroots on the Hill workshop!  David Lubell of the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition at the Building the Movement discussion panel!  Adam Smith from the national Vote By Mail Project joins the Vote By Mail workshop via conference call!

The current Convention Schedule is available now for download HERE!

PRE-REGISTRATION ENDS ON THURSDAY NIGHT @ 11:59 PM!  After that, admissions go up by $5.  Sign up NOW at www.DFTConvention.com!

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Meet the Candidates for Mayor this Saturday!

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 2, 2007 3:34 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Nashville

DFA Nashville is proud to host the candidates for Nashville Mayor at a forum NEXT SATURDAY, APRIL 7, as part of the Democracy for Tennessee Convention!

CLICK HERE to RSVP!

If you're concerned about things like jobs, growth, public schools, the environment, public safety, or any other local issue, now's your chance to ask the major candidates for Mayor of Nashville what their positions on the issues are.

Confirmed at this time are DAVID BRILEY, KARL DEAN, BUCK DOZIER, KENNETH EATON, and HOWARD GENTRY.  Each candidate will give a statement followed by questions submitted from the audience.  The Forum's moderator is MARY MANCINI of Liberadio.

The DFT Candidate Forum starts at 4:00 PM and is the closing event of the Democracy for Tennessee Convention.  The DFT Convention also features workshops and panels on campaign training, lobbying, movement-building, and issue advocacy on Vote By Mail and the Green Tennessee initiative.  The keynote speaker is NED LAMONT, who defeated Sen. Joe Lieberman in last year's Democratic primary.

Pre-Registration for the DFT Convention ends in just a few days, so sign up now!

CLICK HERE to RSVP!

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What is "Green Tennessee"?

Written by: Mark Naccarato on Apr 2, 2007 12:43 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Tennessee

You may have seen Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, which made millions of people around the globe think about climate change and global warming.  But have you thought about what you can do with other people in your county to help the environment?

Democracy for Tennessee is teaming up with presenters from Al Gore's Climate Project and the filmmakers of the documentary Kilowatt Ours to launch the Green Tennessee initiative.

Green Tennessee is a plan to build a community of environmentally-aware people across the state who can educate their neighbors on the dangers of global warming and how to be a better energy consumer.  Green Tennessee also urges local elected officials to pass specific pieces of legislation that promote geothermal electricity in our schools and "energy audits" that have saved taxpayers millions while also cutting down on energy costs.

Green Tennessee is a "people-powered" campaign and can only work if you help us.  Find out how at the Green Tennessee Workshop at the Democracy for Tennessee Convention this coming Saturday at 9 am in Nashville. 

Click here to Sign Up!

The Green Tennessee Workshop will feature a tutorial on the Green Tennessee platform, the proposed legislation, and how to organize town hall meetings featuring screenings of Kilowatt Ours and presentations by representatives from Al Gore's Climate Project.

If you're ready to start making a difference about climate change, we want you to help us get a green Tennessee in 2007!

SIGN UP NOW!

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