For what it's worth, I've closed thequality.com home page in support of the online demonstration.
"thequality.com is an internet company in every sense of the word. From its origins as a web consultancy to the next generation film projects undertaken today, the company owes its very existence to the open source software movement and the ongoing availability of free software.
Rather than rushing through leglislation without sufficient consultation, the European Parliament needs to acknowledge the growing global opposition to software patents and pause to consider the ramifications of adopting US-style leglislation that can be used to render software copyright useless and stifle creativity.
Due to the directive validating Software Patents that will be voted this 1st September at the European Parliament, we have decided to protest. Consider closing your websites.
This action is in support of the real demonstration that will take place in Brussels this wed 27 Aug."
Internet organisations are being urged to block access to their own websites tomorrow and support
Aug 27 Demonstrations against EU Software Patent Plans. Given the furor and confusion surrounding many US software patents, it's not suprising the vocal opposition to a similar patenting framework being adopted by the European Parliament. Whether that will be enough to prevent a new regime of monopolies remains to be seen.
With 5hrs of sleep over the weekend, "michela's mob" got a 48hr film challenge entry in on time.
At 11:15am Saturday we were assigned the title "The Scheme" and the genre "Suspense". We shoot 47 setups on Saturday, 2pm till 4am and then another 3 shots on Sunday afternoon. Along the way we managed to pick up a documentary film crew as well. At one point we had a queue of people waiting for the loo at my place, while an actor sat on the toilet seat, having her hair and makeup done, while the documentary guys interviewed her. "Out! Everybody out of the house!! We gotta go!", I screamed.
12:15am Monday, after spending 3hrs sweating over a non-existent technical problem, last crew standing Caitlin and I dropped a MiniDV tape of a five minute film into the Curzon Mayfair cinema.
And here it is...
"Michela's Mob" has been registered as a team for this weekend's the national 48 hour film challenge.
Still looking for crew to make up this adventure.
ESPECIALLY WANTED: Actors, sound recordist, editor, storyboard artist, camera assistant, and a driver.
Call 07775 840 950 for more info.
A new 10-minute vision mix has just gone up on my VJ page along wth new 5 loops to sample. DVDs/VHS copies on request.