"For Hollywood, the action's in D.C." by Ted Johnson
(Variety, December 31, 2008)

When Hollywood descends on D.C. for the presidential inauguration in a couple of weeks, much attention will be paid to the fetes, and who was where with whom.

Several nonpartisan, nonprofits emerged in the 2008 cycle tied to the idea of fusing entertainment with politics and causes -- among them the Artists and Athletes Alliance, which has a star-studded advisory board that includes honorary co-chairs Kelsey Grammer and Jason Alexander -- with the intent of helping notables navigate the corridors of Washington power.

Another org, Causecast, features online vids and celebs to help connect individuals and brands to social issues. Meaningful Media, based in Culver City, Calif., is an all-purpose resource for activists and creative types. Sarah Ingersoll, the latter org's director of development and strategy, says the industry's activism has been largely ad hoc. "It's just never been done in any kind of strategic way," she says.

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"A New Lens" by Frank Shyong
(The Daily Bruin, April 24, 2008)

A single picture stands out from the infamous dozen that were leaked to the public from Abu Ghraib prison in late 2003.

The photo was a window into an appalling aspect of the U.S. Army that the public had never seen before, but the pictures only told part of the story. "Standard Operating Procedure," the latest documentary from Oscar-winning director Errol Morris, looks beyond the lens of the prison guard's cameras to tell the story happening around the photos.

The documentary, which will open in theaters Friday, screens tonight through Melnitz Movies at the James Bridges Theater, followed by an exhibition of war-themed art and a catered reception. The event is sponsored by the nonprofit organization Meaningful Media in cooperation with Artists for Amnesty.

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"Drumming up awareness" by Jake Ayres
(The Daily Bruin, October 23, 2007)

Melnitz Movies is about to get louder, and it's not because of THX. African drummers will be performing at Melnitz as part of a screening of WAR DANCE, the award-winning documentary about Uganda's refugee population. The screening is sponsored by Meaningful Media, a nonprofit organization that is working with Melnitz Movies to organize quarterly showings of movies intending to promote social consciousness.

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