It’s no small revelation that the tools for creating and managing digital content are becoming increasingly easier to use and more immediately accessible. For that reason, it is smart for companies that make these tools available to rethink their marketing strategies and how they offer their products to the creative community. Venues which provided results in the past no longer provide the return on investment that they used to. Today, tradeshows where companies typically spend much of their marketing dollars are now downscaling and being rethought as companies focus moreso on web, on-demand and satellite delivery with rich media to drive messaging. Now faced with the need to adapt, it’s no longer interesting nor practical for manufacturers to stand behind a table and dog and pony all day.

IDG World Expo, producers of this years’ Macworld Conference and Expo Boston, understand that from past years the trend is moving in this direction, and that the best way to engage people is to involve them. Herein lies the revolution, and the modus operandi, at least for those involved with this years’ Macworld Boston event which takes place July 11th - 14th, this time in an extremely accessible location – downtown Boston at the Hynes Convention Center – to make this years’ show more of a live, and mobile experience.

For the digital filmmaking community, there is much to look forward to at this years’ event: four conference days of cutting-edge content with industry experts, a valuable two day User Conference geared for the digital storyteller, a Geeks and Gadgets Stage focused on iPod, music creation and the Mac Mini, and even a music-based interactive Dream Studio and nightly music festival presented by faculty and musicians from the Berklee College of Music.


Now, for this year, the hand is on the throttle: the Lexus is revved up for twice the editing performance, and with it comes a community of mobile field editors ready to take the wheel and explore online distribution for filmmakers.

IDG World Expo has invited the Boston Final Cut Pro User Group (BOSFCPUG) this year to team up with Tech Superpowers (TSP) for a themed exhibit labeled as “Going Mobile.” Collectively, both will share a 20’x 20’ booth (twice as big as last year) which will host this year’s “Geek My Ride” Video Competition. In addition, the BOSFCPUG will focus on mobile field editing with Final Cut Studio and on podcasting and new distribution methods using the latest software for citizen media to put your own radio and tv on the web.

Like last year's popular competition, competitors will have 90 minutes to compose a Macworld-themed movie of any length while inside the Lexus. Prizes, including a $500 first-prize, will be awarded based on originality, plot, and overall technical complexity of the entry.


New for the 2005 "Geek My Ride" Lexus are two complete "backseat" editing suites powered by Apple's Xsan, the shared storage solution that allows for extreme performance with multiple workstations.  All of this, made portable by Tech Superpowers, will allow for filmmakers to enter the contest together. With one person working on effects and titling, and the other editing the final video, the emphasis is on team editing in a collaborative environment that has been a staple of the mission and outreach of BOSFCPUG.


As Leader of the BOSFCPUG, I invite all filmmakers coming to Macworld Boston to take a seat in the Digital Storytelling Revolution and mobilize themselves. These tools are easy to use, and Apple’s vision to lead the cutting edge for today’s digital filmmaker continues to open up the avenues of distribution for immediacy and collaboration, two essential concepts of digital storytelling and learning.

For More Info on "Going Mobile"
iMovie, Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro editors of all skill levels are invited to team together. “Geek My Ride” participants will be given slots on a first-come first-served basis. There is no cost of entry, but you must have a Macworld exhibit hall pass to enter. Registration info is available on the Macworld Expo website. Use BOSFCPUG Discount Code H0201 to register. Stay tuned to this website for a complete update on “Going Mobile” and all Macworld Boston-related BOSFCPUG events.

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Daniel Berube is an Apple Certified Trainer and Leader of the Boston Final Cut Pro User Group, and Co-Leader of the East Coast Final Cut Pro User Groups and of the Final Cut Pro User Group Network. He is presently on the Board of Directors for the Woods Hole Film Festival (WHFF) and is Coordinating Producer of Xwhaves, a two day networking kickoff event at WHFF focused on Digital Technology in storytelling and distribution.

Daniel and his brother Donald are founders of noisybrain. Productions, LLC, a collaborative of established filmmakers who share the vision of creating and producing compelling storytelling using the new tools for digital cinema. Both Dan and Don are world-traveled with over two decades of production and editing credits on public and network television. They are presently writing a series of articles on tapeless capturing for Studio Monthly Magazine. In addition, Dan and Don are collaborating with wildlife filmmaker Art C. Smith on DIVINE OF THE MADDENING, a documentary about climatic changes taking place within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Daniel can be contacted at .