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User Group News Bulletin
UGRL Report: MagnumMac Founder Murray Wood
MagnumMac founder Murray Wood was among the more than 140 people who lost their lives in the February 22, 2011 earthquake that devastated the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
“Murray Wood will best be remembered by members of New Zealand’s Mac User Group community as the founder of MagnumMac. He was very involved with the Christchurch group as its Patron and spent a lot of time in Wellington when he was the owner of the Wellington branch. He assisted our group in the early years of the Digital Solutions Expo and the MovieFest competition providing some of his musical talent at the prize giving ceremony in Te Papa’s Soundings Theatre.
The following is from the New Zealand Heralds web site and sums up Murray as those of us who knew him remember him.
“Murray Wood’s day job was managing director of Canterbury Television. But outside his office he would often be found hammering the keys of his piano around the garden city.
Mr Wood was one of 15 CTV staffers believed to have been killed inside their building on Madras St.
Long-time friend Robert Bijl said the father of six was an energetic and enthusiastic music lover with a big heart.
“He’s extremely kind, extremely generous, enormously talented, very dedicated to his family and he adored his wife, Nicki,” Mr Bijl said. Mr Wood was proud of his five sons and one daughter.
Mr Wood was an avid piano player and could often be found playing in gigs, at fundraisers or just for friends. Mr Bijl spent time with Mr Wood’s family and the surviving staff from CTV – who were not in the building when the quake hit – after they heard the news. “Everyone was devastated … stunned.”
One of Mr Wood’s business partners, Nick Smith, said the loss was tragic. “All I can say about Murray is he’s a real enthusiast for the industry. He’s a good guy to have around, with a good sense of humour.”
He will be greatly missed and our condolences go out to his wife and family.”
Graeme Moffatt
Apple User Group Regional Liaison for Australasia
Call for Photos: User Group Activities and Members at Macworld
Were you part of Macworld 2011 and are you willing to share photos? If so, we’d love to see any photos you may have taken of user group events or user group members having fun. Who knows, your photos may become part of the next Apple User Groups Reunion slide show.
Send them our way!
ugbeditor at me dot com
North Queensland: Members’ Stop Motion Video Competition
The Apple Users’ Group of North Queensland (AUQNQ) has an unusual tech-based activity for members: a stop-motion video competition, with entries accepted until April 12. The rules are simple: the film can be no more than 30 seconds long, with a maximum of 750 frames and on any topic. Prefer sound or silent? Either is okay. An independent judge will determine the winning entry and, of course, the winner will get a prize. Better yet, the competition offers members a new and fun way to learn novel techniques.
See what the North Queensland group is doing.
LAFCPUG: Larry Garb, Fabienne Bouville and More
On February 23 the Los Angeles Final Cut Pro User Group will host editors Larry Garb, Zack Arnold, and Fabienne Bouville. These three presenters have a wealth of knowledge regarding film making and the industry. As usual, there will be the group’s World Famous Raffle and a session of “Stump the Gurus”.
Add in the the group’s guests, recent High School graduates Jory Federighi and Brian Legoo, who will show off some of their current work and the evening should have a bit of something for everyone.
Wow!
Help for Editors: All Offers on a Single Page
Newsletter editors,
Are you looking for an easy way to pass each month’s vendor offers along to your members? Want a cut-and-paste version for your newsletter? Each month’s Apple User Group Bulletin contains a password for a single page that lists all offers. Not getting the Bulletin? Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a single issue.
Subscribe.
ASHMUG: iMovie ’11 Workshop
Following up on a February Macworld Extravaganza meeting with presentations from Macworld attendees, ASHMUG of Ashland, Oregon, will be offering a two-day workshop covering iMovie ’11 on March 5th and 19th.
March 5 will cover the application in depth, while the March 19 session offers an opportunity for one-on-one advice and mentoring, as well as an opportunity to work on (and show) individual projects.
Attend.
MacTechnics: Demo Fair Returns
Looking for an novel twist for a meeting? MacTechnics offers an interesting idea with their Demo Fairs. Using a Wiki interface for sign-up, each fair features members who sign up to demo their selected applications, services or hardware. What a great way to get a lot of information into a single get together, while making sure that each demo is done by someone who knows his or her selected product inside out!
Check it out.
Strait Mac: Sequim Tech and Media Fair
On March 19, members of the Strait Macintosh User Group from Washington State’s North Olympic Peninsula will participate in the Sequim Tech and Media Fair. The day will be filled with technology and media-related seminars, demonstrations, exhibits and more. Interestingly, Strait Macintosh alternates meetings in two cities, Sequim and Port Angeles, so as to meet the needs of members in both cities.
Strait Macintosh User Group
http://www.straitmac.com/StraitMac_Welcome.html
Sequim Tech and Media Fair
http://exhibits.drchuck-sequim.com/
Congrats to Apple User Group Ambassador Ray Bentsen and Strait Macintosh members.
User Group Reunion 2011 Thanks
Many thanks to the fifty vendor sponsors who helped make User Group Reunion 2011, held on January 27 at Macworld 2011 in San Francisco, a rousing success.
Thanks also go to the many attendees, VIP guests, volunteers, the UGAB and UGRL team members, and especially to IDG, who generously provided the room and A/V support for the event.
Together we made User Group Reunion 2011 an event to remember.
SF Cutters: SF2011 SuperMeet Free Workshops
If you have been to a SuperMeet, you already know the excitement, information, networking and incredibly-generous raffles, that have made each SuperMeet a can’t-miss event. This year’s SuperMeet planners have added to the excitement with free (yep – free) SuperMeet Workshops on Friday, January 28, at the Mission Bay Conference Center. If you are in film, video, motion graphics, editing or related industries, you need to network and learn at the next SuperMeet and you want to check out these workshops.
Be there.
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1175133857/efblike
SF Cutters
http://www.sfcutters.org/pages/links.htm
(Thanks to Claudia Crask of SF Cutters for this tip!)
Digital CONNtent Creators: Growing by Working Together
In 2003 Keith Larson and a team of Final Cut Pro users started the Connecticut Final Cut Pro User Group. They have come a long way in the past 8 years, seeing their name change, membership expand to more than 500 members and focus widen. Now they are called Digital CONNtent Creators, with a mission of building connections between editors, motion graphics artists, independent filmmakers, students and video professionals who embrace the digital desktop media revolution. What’s’ next? This fall will bring ProductionCONN 2011, a two-day Exposition with a cross section of Interactive Workshops designed for production professional, featuring 10,000 square feet of vendors, interactive workshops, networking and events.
Watch them grow.
Tuscarawas: Supporting Students With Scholarships
The Tuscarawas County Macintosh Users Group (TCMUG) knows that today’s students are tomorrows’ leaders. For this reason, they offer scholarships annually to encourage local high school students in the the creative use of Apple computers. To be eligible for the scholarship competition, students must graduate in 2011, attend a school in Tuscarawa county and submit a project plan where an Apple computer or Apple software is used as a fundamental tool. Because of TCMUG, the future looks bright in Tuscarawas County.
Learn more about TCMUG.
HMAUS: A Bit of Something for Everyone
Groups often face a dilemma: offer simple topics and the techies will be bored, leading to a drop off in meeting attendance. Offer topics that meet the needs of advanced users and the newbies or casual users will decide that the group is not the right fit for their needs. The Hawaii Macintosh and Apple Users’ Society (HMAUS) meets the needs of both by offering multiple types of special events. Their MacLearn workshops, Geek Days and Boot Camps offer hands-on tutorials, while their monthly Mac Monday Manias emphasize the fun side of technology. Add in their HI Touch Learning Clinics, offering face-to-face help and hands-on support, and you can see why this group truly meets the needs of all members!
Check them out.
FCP Network: SuperMeet and SuperMeet Workshops Return
Join the FCPUG Network, including SF Cutters, lafcpug, BOSFCPUG and other FCPUG and digital video user groups around the Globe in San Francisco for the largest gathering of Final Cut Pro and digital content creators and Gurus on the Planet.
This year’s SuperMeet includes SuperMeet Workshops during the day in tandem with the SuperMeet Digital Showcase and SuperMeet extravaganza. With more than 35 vendors, a world-class raffle, expert speakers and more, this is a can’t-miss event held during the week of the Macworld Expo.
Check it out.
(Thanks to SF Cutters for this tip!)
NCMUG: Helping the Homeless
A good user group improves the lives of its members. A great group improves its community as well. For example, when President Lorene Romero sent out a call for donations of warm clothing for the homeless in Sonoma County, the group collected an amazing amount on short notice. One member, Lynn Ashmore, even donated 7 bins of warm sweaters and related items. Mac User Groups can make a difference. Does yours?
Visit North Coast Mac to learn more.
CapMac: LeVitus Delivers Annual State of the Mac Address
On December 14 Austin’s Capitol Mac (CapMac) will host Bob LeVitus as he delivers his popular “State of the Mac” address. Bob Levitus, better known as “Dr. Mac,” is one of the top-selling authors of Mac and Apple books on the planet. Funny, smart, honest and incredibly down-to-earth, “Dr. Mac” will offer tips, thoughts and guidance. Better yet, the evening will include a blooper reel from his recent, CapMac-sponsored, public service announcements.
Be there.
Vendor Sponsors for User Group Reunion 2011
User Group Reunion 2011 will feature of door prizes from more than fifty vendors.
Take a look at the growing list of sponsors for this exciting event.
DCFCPUG: Special Holiday Event, Hollywood Feature Films & More
The DC Metro group has had a busy year, with both leaders and members working on a Hollywood feature film and other projects. During GVExpo 2010, they will be holding a special event, with an incredible raffle. Final Cut Pro groups are known for their world-famous raffles, so what makes this one special? The raffle includes $10,000 (US) in vendor provided equipment, services and software. Add in good food, great networking and special guests, and this will be a fun time for all.
Congrats to DCFCPUG for a very successful year.
Thanks to DCFCPUG Leader Rodney Mitchell for these great tips!)
NCMUG: Another Exciting and Successful Mac Computer Expo
On October 2, 2010, North Coast Mac Users Group hosted their 17th Mac Computer Expo. With an all-star list of presenters, over 30 top-drawer sponsors, a raffle that included an iPad basket bundle, over a thousand attendees and free electronic equipment recycling as a public service, there was something for everyone.
Congrats to President (and past Apple User Group Advisory Board Vendor Queen) Lorene Romero, Vice-President Ronnie Roche, Treasurer Stephen Henry, Membership Secretary Joan O’Brien, officers and members of NCMUG for another stellar event.
Want to see what you missed?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXUCggjzg8
Visit the North Coast Mac Users Group to learn more.
iMug: Maestros Making Multimedia and Music
On December 7, the members of the Internet Macintosh User Group (iMug) of Australia will host an unusual meeting, featuring speaker Tim Hart, Director of Information, Multimedia and Technology at Museum Victoria, and artists Lucas de Jong, opera singer and Musical Director for the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir, and Colin MacLeod, Scottish violinist. After the meeting, the group will adjourn for dinner at the Garden View. Learn about augmented reality applications, hear about 3D display techniques, enjoy the music and expand your imagination: iMug offers it all.
Be there.
http://www.imug.com.au/meetings.php
(Congratulations to President Les Posen and members of iMug.)
