Hella Solutions blog: "Document. Share. Inspire."

The 2007 Third Coast International Audio Festival (TCIAF) officially kicked off this evening with an opening meet-and-greet schmooze of the 400 or so attendees. This is my first time at this event and I have to say it’s been a tad bit intimidating. Don’t get me wrong, the people are all easy going and very friendly but I feel like I’m invading their territory. I keep asking myself, “Do I belong here?” Answer, “If you want to work in radio production you do!”

Tomorrow the sessions start and I am excited. What I have lined up are the following: “Making a Scene: The Use of Verite to Show, Not Tell, Your Story,” “When and How to Sell Out” [a pod casting seminar], and “Stand Tall” [field work seminar]. That takes me up to about 6 p.m. and then at 9:30 begins a party put on by PRX (www.prx.org) and Vocalo (www.vocalo.org) which sounds like crazy fun. Vocalo will be web casting live from the party and will be featuring some of the works of attending audio producers like myself. So on Friday November 2, be sure to be listening to www.vocalo.org between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. (Central Time) and you will hear some of my work as well as a live interview with me. You can also listen to and comment on my SisterLove project any time at http://vocalo.org/node/9055 .

…btw, it’s not hyperbole, the festival truly is international as I chatted it up with one producer from Ireland and another from New Zealand…nice!…

This year Halloween is bittersweet for me. Bitter because I don’t get to celebrate the best holiday of the year; it’s sweet because I am attending the Third Coast International Audio Festival (TCIAF) in Chicago, IL. TCIAF is three or so days of nothing but audio workshops, sessions, screenings, discussions and parties. It’s my first time going and I’m really excited! I’m hoping to learn some good skills for constructing stronger audio pieces and I’m also hoping that I’ll be able to build my contact base. You want some icing to go with that? Well here you go:

The week before coming here I was forwarded a message that a certain radio program was looking for people to pitch ideas for audio pieces that address HIV/AIDS and women (especially women of color and other marginalized communities). The catch was that I had to write this pitch, my first ever I should say, in less than 24 hours. Granted, this fit my SisterLove project to a “T” and so I really didn’t have to do more than outline much of the work I have already completed. So, I did complete the pitch and spent the next couple of days doubting myself. Turns out the producers looking for stories loved my work and hired me to complete an 8 minute segment for their 29 minute program. Awesome! My very first paid radio gig! It was quite a confidence boost and just in time for me to come out to Chicago and rub shoulders with some of the top audio producers in the world…shweeeeeet. I’ll post who hired me and when the show airs once all is completed.

Here are a couple of photos of the airline workers enjoying Halloween. The flight crew was so friendly and funny it was scary. May be everyday should be Halloween.