You've sent us your suggestions on ways to improve the website and we have listened! Later this year, our website will begin a cutting-edge redesign. Here are just a few examples of features on the drawing board:

• The ability to create your own personal favorites list of Crew & Vendors
• The ability to assign your own Username & Password
• A featured Crew & Vendors section on the homepage – Each day (3) randomly selected listings will appear on the homepage giving each TAFTP member a piece of prime real estate for optimum exposure
• Web banners will be sold on a year-to-year bases instead of by impressions.  Lessens the confusion and stretches your advertising dollars
• Members only access of Production jobs searchable from the homepage.
• TAFTP will also be able to promote YOU, the member, more effectively by attending more industry events around the state. By displaying your literature, business cards and demo reels at events such as WorldFest, SXSW the Texas Roundup, numerous film festivals and trade shows; it increases your exposure and heightens your chance to get work. We intend to enhance our social network as well by getting back into the swing of things with regional quarterly mixers, seminars and newsletters. TAFTP will continue to support TXMPA and host fundraisers across the state.

In years past, the TAFTP printed directory was the most valuable tool we offered, but with the acceptance and availability of today's internet, the high costs of printing and the limited resources of an all volunteer non-profit organization the consensus is that we need to use our members' dues better and focus on more cost effective ways of promoting our real assets, YOU, the film community as TAFTP members. Therefore, the 2009-2010 TAFTP Board of Directors have decided not to produce a 2011 printed directory.

The TAFTP website continues to be the best resource for hiring crew & vendors throughout the state of Texas. Last year we averaged over 2,000 hits per month from places as far away as Australia and Europe.  We also launched a simple mobile browser making it simple for people to search for crew & vendors from the palm of their hand. If you want to check it out visit http://mobile.taftp.com on your mobile device.

To show our appreciation for your continued support, we have a sweet savings offer for you as we kickoff our 35th year.  For a LIMITED TIME you can purchase your 2011 membership for only $75.00.

That's half off the regular price of dues. Extra Regions and Categories have also been reduced over 50% to just $15/each.  Information on new web banner advertising opportunities will be coming soon! To take advantage of this sweet deal, we're asking you to:

Click Here, and show your support by joining or renew your membership today!

If you wish to join at the reduced rate and pay by check, you can send your payment to our offices at: TAFTP, 4819 Woodall St., Dallas, TX 75247

Since 1976, TAFTP has striven to be the best resource when it comes to hiring Texas crew and we will continue that mission in the years to come. We thank you for your continued support. As a reminder, we are on all volunteer organization, if you would like to help out, please contact our offices.

Our regular membership drive begins July 1st so don't miss this opportunity to save some BIG bucks!

Sincerely,

TAFTP Board of Directors, 2009-2010

"Hire a professional"
by Katherine Erenzo
Makeup Artist

Words wisely spoken. High definition has presented a challenge in all areas of our industry with a finer resolution and almost ten times more clarity to the picture detail. Makeup artists have also had to adjust their application and sought the next generation of tools and products to meet the progressive changes in the digital format.

Closely related to the 'less is more' attitude of film, the airbrush has proved to be the tool now in the kit of the majority of our professional makeup artist community. 

With the blinding speed that technology changes, around every corner lies a new adventure.  I use the terms adventure quite literally.  An adventure, after all, is both fun and exciting, while also challenging and with elements of danger.  The newest technological adventure, the tapeless video production workflow, holds true to this classical definition.

For myself and my company (Frozen Fire Films), we decided to take the plunge into tapeless in March of 2006.  The brand new Panasonic P2 camera (the HVX200) had just hit the shelves and it sported all of the elements we were looking for in a camera:  true DVCProHD recording quality (same format as the Varicam), variable frame-rates (like the varicam), and a recent revolution to the production world, P2 recording technology.