2007 TCF Conference - November 1-3, 2007.
Chicago City Centre Hotel and Sports Club, Chicago, IL

Come spend two-plus days at the 2007 TCF Conference, immersing yourself in the art and craft of producing stories for radio and the Internet. This year's gathering features an all-star line-up of sessions and presenters, along with a robust schedule of special events and other opportunities. And it all caps off with the annual Awards Ceremony honoring the winnners of the 2007 TCF/ Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED!

Counting down the days till the 2007 Conference...here's the latest news:

- The 2007 Conference has already begun(!), because over at transom.org, ShortDoc maker and radio newbie David Maxon, has already started blogging the Festival. Please chime in before, during and after the conference.

- Weekend America would like to give three people attending the conference a brand new recorder, microphone and set of headphones. Really!

- Vocalo.org/PRX After Party Live Broadcast!
This year the Conference's annual Friday night after-party is happening from 9:30 pm - 1 am at Chicago Public Radio's Navy Pier headquarters. Vocalo.org and PRX are co-hosting, so in addition to dancing, djs, Superdawgs, and booze, there will be a special live broadcast from 10pm-midnight in the Vocalo studios!

If you want to be part of this special broadcast, you can upload audio pieces to Vocalo.org (the site explains how) by noon on Thursday Nov. 1 and tag the submission "Third Coast Festival." Vocalo will curate this
material to become part of the broadcast. The field is wide open for sound, style, and content, but Vocalo would prefer stuff that's not typical public radio fare.

Other Conference Q&A:

- Questions about how to get to the hotel from the airports? What to wear? How to sign up for the Educators Breakfast? Stay tuned for the long email full of such information, which should land in your inbox about one week out from the Conference.

- The conference begins with an opening reception on Thursday, November 1st, from 7 - 9:30. Registration will be open that day from 5pm - 9 pm. Check out a basic schedule.

- The registration fee includes a ticket to the Awards Ceremony. Tickets to other TCF events during the conference weekend are available for purchase on the registration form.

-  Refund policy: Your registration fee will be refunded in its entirety until September 20th. You’ll receive half of the fee back from September 21st-October 18th. After October 18th, the fee is non-refundable.

- If you have questions about your registration please contact Hamilton Associates at 727-742-9835.

- The conference will take place at the Chicago City Centre Hotel and Sports Club (formerly the Holiday Inn) located at 300 East Ohio Street. Rooms are available for $149 single or double, $169 for a triple or quad. We've reserved a block of rooms but once they run out we sadly can't guarantee that rate at this hotel or any other downtown. (We've looked. It's tough.) There is a hostel not too far from the Conference that you may want to look into.

To make reservations call toll free 888-859-6222 or direct 312-787-6100 and remember to say that you're attending the Third Coast Festival Conference. Or you can make your room reservations online. The deadline for hotel reservations at the special rate above is October 10th. (Note! this is before the Conference registration deadline!)

- You can fly into O'Hare or Midway Airports to get to the conference. Mass transit is available from both airports as are cabs and limos. You'll find detailed transportation information here.

- We're continuing to add and refine elements of the conference. Please check back regularly to see the latest information or email us with specific questions.

We're pleased to announce the TCF is offering scholarships to help ten young people, members of ethnic or racial minorities, attend the 2007 conference. Our hope is to encourage diversity in the radio profession among the up and coming generation of producers. (Applicants must be 18-25 years old.) Those selected to receive scholarships will have their registration fees waived.

Complete and return the TCF Minority Student Scholarship Application by September 6th, 2007. You will also need to send a work sample and a teacher/mentor reference, both are described in more detail on the application.

The TCF will make scholarship decisions based upon the quality of the student’s answers on the application form, the potential of his or her abilities based upon the required work sample and the recommendation. The TCF will let applicants know on a rolling basis if they’ve been selected.  

Mail the application and reference to:
Third Coast Festival
Chicago Public Radio
848 East Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611.

Or fax it to 312-948-4899.

Please email us with questions, or call 312-948-4652.

There are numerous conference-related happenings and public events timed to the conference weekend. We suggest you check them out before making your final flight/hotel arrangements!

Breifly, here's what planned for Sunday, November 4th:

- The Second Annual Educators Breakfast: People who teach audio are invited to gather and share ideas, curricula and opportunities for collaboration at the second annual Educators Breakfast. We'll gather at Chicago Public Radio, 848 East Grand Ave, from 10-11:30 am.

- Meet the Makers with host Michele Norris: NPR's Michele Norris will interview the winners of the 2007 TCF / Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition and present excerpts from their remarkable documentaries. This public event, presented in in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Millennium Park, takes place in the Choral Rehearsal Space at Millennium Park, from 4-5:30pm.

All scheduled events take place at the Chicago City Centre Hotel and Sports Club, unless otherwise noted.
Read more about conference sessions and other happenings.

Thursday, November 1

5 - 9 pm - Registration
6 - 9 pm - Young Producer registration and listening party (Chicago Public Radio)
7-9:30 pm - Opening Reception
10 - 11:30 pm - Piping Through the Tubes (presented by AIR)

Friday, November 2

7:30 - 8:45 am - Breakfast
Sponsored by NPR

8:45 - 10 am - Welcome/ Opening Session
10:30 - 11 am - Break

11 am - 12:30 pm - Breakouts A
- Making a Scene: The Use of Verite to Show, Not Tell, Your Story
- Secrets, Whispers and Lies: Crafting a Personal Documentary
- The Sounds Inside
-  Emancipation of Sound

12:30 - 2 pm - Lunch

2 - 3:30 pm - Breakouts B
- Documenter and Documentee
-  When and How to Sell Out
- Greenberger and Greenberg: On Story and Music
- Options and Futures: Teenagers on the Radio
- Group [Radio] Therapy

3:30 - 4 pm - Break
Sponsored by PRI

4 - 5:30 pm - Breakouts C
- The Wonders of Narcissism
- Stand Tall
- She Launched Channel Zero
- Getting to Yes: Perfecting Your Pitch

8 - 10 pm - Public event with Pamela Z (Chicago History Museum)
10pm - 1 am - PRX/Vocalo party (Chicago Public Radio)

Saturday, November 3

7:45 - 9 am - Breakfast
Sponsored by Weekend America

9 - 10:30 am - Breakouts D
- Documenter and Documentee
- She Launched Channel Zero
- Greenberger and Greenberg: On Story and Music
- Options and Futures: Teenagers on the Radio

10:30 - 11 am - Break

11 am - 12:30 pm - Breakouts E
- Making a Scene: The Use of Verite to Show, Not Tell, Your Story
- Secrets, Whispers and Lies: Crafting a Personal Documentary
- The Sounds Inside
- With a Bird’s Eye View

12:30 - 2 pm - Lunch

2 - 3:30 pm - Breakouts F
- The Wonders of Narcissism
- Stand Tall
- When and How to Sell Out
- Getting to Yes: Perfecting Your Pitch
- Group [Radio] Therapy

3:30 - 4 pm - Break
Sponsored by PRX

4 - 5:30 - Closing Session

8 - 10:30 pm - Awards Ceremony (Vittum Theater)
11 pm - 2 am - Post-Ceremony Hoopla (Stop Smiling Magazine HQ)

Sunday, November 4

10 - 11:30 am - Educators' Breakfast (Chicago Public Radio)
4 - 5:30 pm - "Meet the Makers," a public event with Michele Norris (Millenium Park - Choral Rehearsal Room)