September Welcome.

I always like the fall. The brisk air, the blue of the sky, the explosion of color that reminds us of the power and the beauty of natures truth. It is change. I know, I use that word a lot. But a very wise person once said, ‘Change is the only constant.’ And considering many of us have recently seen The Odyssey, it’s not a bad idea to nod to the old Heraclitus.

As August closes, the second installation of The New Youth Times also wrapped. Another cohort of five young media minds put their efforts into learning and absorbing the magic of media making. It is breathtaking to be around those that catch the fire. It reminds me of the joy behind storytelling and the tools we use. We ‘get’ to do this work. That can be forgotten sometimes in the day to day. Then we show it to a young mind and their eyes light with possibility and the pure joy of the floods back in. Look for the release party invitation coming soon.

The Cassidy Brothers have a new film screening. Here’s what the press release says about it…
Maine Filmmakers Launch Grassroots Theatrical Run of New Movie Saving Black Bear

The sophomore feature film from the Cassidy Brothers is a love letter to indie film, indie cinemas, and the state they call home

Now, after a sneak preview at the Vacationland Film Festival in Biddeford on August 23rd, Saving Black Bear will return to Black Bear Cinemas in Orono for its World Premiere on September 9th, then continue to its Portland Premiere (sponsored by StreamState) at O’Maine Studios on September 13th. Additional screenings and more can be found at savingblackbear.com.

DREADLINE FILM FESTIVAL HERE AT PORTLAND MEDIA CENTER

A film festival of short horror films that will send your popcorn to the roof and back. Local and beyond, these films are fear on film.
Click on the the image or click right here to get your tickets now.
https://portlandmedia.org/events/

August already…and I am Hopeful.

I try not to repeat myself, but these are repetitive times. Change is constant. Turning this institution into a real modern media center takes heavy lifting, and it takes many hands, many minds, all pulling in the same direction.

That’s the mission. Make this space a community space. Share our stories and our skills with the people who call this place home.

At this time, so much of that community is aching. There’s real fear moving through it, fear that’s being inflicted, not imagined. And in times like these, coming together matters more, not less. We open our doors as a safe space and a communal one, a place to hold and share the stories of who we are.

Portland Media Center keeps changing and evolving as the community around it also changes and evolves. We tell stories on broadcast, on podcast, in video, in spoken word, in improv. 

However you tell yours, there’s a place for it here.

Come in. Join us. Share your story.

July brought some visitors in.  

Story Corps

was here at Portland Media Center for the last week, conducting interviews for the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress about what it was like to live through the COVID-19 pandemic. This brought in so many from the community to share their stories. These will be available for generations to come to hear the experiences of those who lived through the pandemic.

Charlie Hewitt the creative genius behind the sculpture across the street and the ‘Hopeful’ sign was here and he gave us the sign you can now see in our front window. Such a great message to display to Portland.

NEW YOUTH TIMES 2.0

For the second year in a row we have offered a cohort of students an opportunity to engage with Portland Media Center, Portland at large and the tools of the trade of media storytelling with the New Youth Times Initiative. They are working very hard on creating their project.

Watch The New Youth Times at work.

WATCH VIDEO HERE!

It is exhilarating watching them work together and learn the basics of our profession. Young media makers are our future.


ONE MORE THING! OUR ANNUAL MEETING!

We are planning our annual meeting for September 24. Please hold the date so we can discuss the past year and what the future holds. There are big ideas brewing. We’re looking forward to seeing you then.

YES & CO. Click Below for ticketd

July brings another youth intensive, young minds make media.

Here we are entering summer, and we’re running steady. Our newly minted show, Rule of Law is forming into the episodic explanation of how the system works, which is exactly what we had wanted. Each episode takes you on a journey into the system of laws that our government is built on. Our host, Roger Katz, talks with guests that are masters in their domain. But the conversation is made for those of us that didn’t go to law school, those that might need an easier explanation of Habeas Corpus. The experts deliver. This episode brought some Maine media titans to the table to discuss the Second Amendment and the freedom of the press. We’ve produced six episodes to date, the latest premieres July 6 at 7pm.
This show is starting to take off. We’re really proud of it.

Harold Pachios continues to bring savvy politicos to the table on Pachios on the News. This month’s episode features the late Barney Frank, recorded shortly before his passing in May at his home in Ogunquit. Few people shaped national policy quite like he did, from the Dodd-Frank financial reforms to decades of fearless advocacy in Congress. We’re honored to share one of his last conversations with you.

Our New Youth Times Initiative, the youth-led summer intensive that kicked off last year, just released a behind-the-scenes look at youth-led Blunt Youth Radio from WMPG. The collaboration keeps growing, and we aired that docu-short as part of the screening of the full documentary An Extraordinary Place, directed by Tom Bell and produced by Annella Linton. It’s a love letter to community radio and the people who keep it humming. Watching young minds bend radio waves in the Blunt Youth Documentary is another thrill to behold.

Speaking of the New Youth Times Initiative, we’re hosting another cohort of students this summer, continuing the program in partnership with The Opportunity Alliance and Maine Youth Action Network. The goal is to build this into a continuing endeavor and empower the future media makers. Our own Douglas Symington, who came up through the intensive last year and stuck around as staff, is stepping into the Team Leader role this time. He’s got a sharp crew with him, and they’re out to make something new and put a real message into the community.

We keep moving forward, building on what we started and hopefully turning a few more heads along the way. Our aim is to be the belle of the ball, but you can’t have a ball without all of you.

Thanks for tuning in.