News

The judging process for our Spirit of Place competition is now underway, but there are other great competitions to submit your work to.  One of the best around is the PDN Photo Annual, which has just extended its deadline to February 19. With ten different submission categories, more than 20 industry heavyweight judges, and thousands of dollars in cash awards, it's one of the best places we can think of to get your work seen.  The mother of all awards is the $15,000 Arnold Newman prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture. We can think of a ton of great ways to spend that money! Destination workshops? Summer Residency here in Rockport? And cash is the not the only prize. Winners' images are reproduced in the June Photo Annual issue of PDN, shown in an online gallery, and you'll be the toast of NYC at their exclusive party. 

Documentary filmmakers should be sure to check out The International Documentary Challenge, a wild and wooly sprint of a competition! Doc Challenge participants are assigned a documentary genre and a theme, and then have just five days to make a four to seven-minute non-fiction film.  For those of you that have taken a few of our week-long documentary workshops, this should be a walk in park, right? The top 12 films will premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival in Toronto. Be sure to sign up soon, the challenge begins on Febrary 28!

Are you an emerging filmmaker from Maine who could use a cash infusion to advance your skills? The Maine Community Foundation has just sent word of its Jane Morrison Memorial Film Fund Scholarship, a grant of up to $2,000 to support educational opportunities for Maine filmmakers in the early stages of their career development. The application deadline is April 5, with funds to be used for instructional guidance between May 2013 and May 2014.  

Maine Media also offers a number of scholarships to our students, including support targeted to women, Maine residents, Professional Certificate and MFA candidates, emerging photojournalists, and young artists.  We encourage all of our students to apply.

Several lucky students have already won big discounts in our 40 Days / 40 Nights Anniversary Special. Maybe you can, too! Your chance to win a discount on your next workshop ends on March 3, so don't dilly dally.  

Beginning at 12:01am on January 22, every 40^th registration for a class in Rockport received over the following 40 days, ending at 12:01am on March 3, will receive a 10% discount AND a special limited edition MMW+C 40^th Anniversary t-shirt. Winners will be notified via email. Check out all the new courses on our website, and good luck to all of you! 

We've seen that look hundreds of times. It's Saturday, and your workshop has ended.  You've been put through your paces, challenged and encouraged by your instructor and peers. You had your short crisis of faith, followed by a breakthrough that sent you speeding along with your creative drive pegged and your mind reeling with ideas. But now it's time to go home. Sometimes a week is exactly what you need to get moving again. But sometimes it's just not enough. For those of you who want to dive deeper into the creative process, take on more complex projects, or prepare for a professional career, Maine Media has what you need. This year, think about joining us for one of our long-term programs and leverage the reach and connections we've built with renowned professionals, industry giants, and master artists. Whether it's a four-week documentary workshop, a six-week work study, a 12-week residency, a 30-week Professional Certificate, or a three-year MFA degree, our long terms programs will launch you light-years ahead. Our programs are designed to suit every skill level, from novice to master, and are tailored to meet your interests.  Give us a call, and we'll guide you to the program that's right for you.