If you are on the lookout for some new useful tools that can help you better manage your distributed virtual room or your vacationing class of students, here is Master New Media new weekly set of cool online collaboration tools that you may have recently missed on their launch date and that Nico Canali De Rossi has carefully hand-picked and summary-reviewed for you.

Photo credit: Daniel Gilbey – edited by Robin Good

This week online collaboration technologies selection includes these eight tools:

1. Beam It Up: Compress your music, pictures or videos, and share them with a text message
2. ScreenStream: Free downloadable software allows you to show your screen to other people
3. Ulteo: Run OpenOffice online, and share your editing sessions in real time with anyone
4. Centericq: Text mode multi-protocol instant messenger connects you to major IM services through a simple interface
5. Easy Message: Smallest downloadable multi-protocol IM client allows you to connect to the major IM networks
6. Mindomo: Online mind-mapping tool lets you create and share mind-maps with your team
7. SmartSheet: Online task manager and spreadsheet editor allows you to collaborate with your colleagues
8. Wippien: Multi-protocol instant messenger with VPN enables you to chat and collaborate with your friends

Here the details:

1. Beam It Up
   
   Beam It Up is a free online service that you can use to compress files and send them on any mobile phone. It is really fast and easy to use: just select a file to upload(music, pictures, videos or docs), choose the compression settings, type the mobile number, and a download link will be automatically sent to that number via SMS text message so that your friend can pick the file up. Free to use, no registration needed.
   http://beam-it-up-scotty.com/
2. ScreenStream
   
   ScreenStream is a free downloadable software that lets others ‘watch’ your screen on their computers. After you have downloaded the small application and started the sharing session, you just have to give people a link that they will have to paste into their browser without installing anything. They can continue to watch your screen until turn off screen sharing. Free to use.
   http://www.nchsoftware.com/screen/index.html
3. Ulteo
   
   Ulteo is a web-based tool that lets you run OpenOffice 2.3 online. You can manage all of your documents online in various formats(OpenDocument, Microsoft, and PDF…), up to 1GB per account, and collaborate with people: all you need is a web-browser with Javascript and Sun Java Runtime 1.4+. OpenOffice sessions can be shared with anyone. Free to use, registration needed.
   http://www.ulteo.com/
4. Centericq
   
   Centericq is a text mode multi-protocol IM client that supports the ICQ, Yahoo!, AIM, IRC, MSN, Gadu-Gadu and Jabber protocols. Despite its old-style light interface, it fully supports all of the other clients’ features, such as text-chat, file transfer, contact list groups, group chats, invisible mode, and more. Completely free, it is available for download and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
   http://thekonst.net/en/centericq
5. Easy Message
   
   Easy Message is the smallest downloadable instant messenger, just 240 kb, that allows users to chat on multiple instant messaging networks from one place, supporting MSN, AOL, ICQ and Yahoo. Its main features are file transfer, group chat and mail notification. It is completely free and you can download it here.
   http://www.easymessage.net/
6. Mindomo
   
   Mindomo is an online mind-mapping tool that you can use to create and share mind-maps with any PC and browser. Mindomo free version lets you store up to 7 maps and invite as many people as you want to see and edit them. You can also check out other versions.
   http://www.mindomo.com/
7. SmartSheet
   
   SmartSheet is a web-based spreadsheet editor that lets you create and share spreadsheets with your team mates. With the free plan you can create and share up to five spreadsheets, with an unlimited number of people. You can use it for free or check the advanced plans.
   http://www.smartsheet.com/
8. Wippien
   
   Wippien is a full featured instant messaging client that supports the major chat protocols, including AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, GTalk, Jabber, and ICQ. The unique feature of Wippien is that it has a VPN (Virtual Private Network) baked right in and can be used to manipulate your online buddies’ network shares, printers, desktop, and more. Free to download
   http://wippien.com

Originally written and prepared by Nico Canali De Rossi for Master New Media

Originallly printed at FilmStew.com
They cast their extras via MySpace, found locations and props through CraigsList and raised part of their $8,000 filmmaking budget by buying and reselling used horror film DVDs. They also relied upon MySpace to recruit their film’s soundtrack composer, a member of the Church of Satan, and for the critical role of babies, enlisted the services of a newborn nephew and niece.

Now, Baltimore pals Chris LaMartina and Jimmy George have a Best Feature Award from Shockerfest 2007 and a screening at the Charles Theater on October 23rd to show for Book of Lore, their indirect homage to the horror films of the 1980’s. Blending together the intrigue of a string of 1985 murders, a contemporary killing spree and a found book urban legends, Lamartina’s follow-up to his horror anthology film Dead Teenagers has been garnering solid reviews.

Given the fact that Teenagers was made for $300, it may well have the capability to cause brain damage, which happens to be the name of company distributing it on DVD via the Internet – Brain Damage Films. But say what you will, going from a budget of $300 to one of $8,000 is an exponential leap; at this rate, LaMartina and George may well be playing with a couple hundred thousand in a few years. In the meantime, there’s another small budget to raise for their next film, Dismember the Dolls.

“It’s an anthology, a sardonic splatter flick,” LaMartina tells the City Paper of Baltimore, where he works as a videographer for the office of Mayor Sheila Dixon. “It’s this guy who has to go around on Valentine’s Day and get all the body parts of the women he used to date. I’m thinking of it as Phone Booth meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.”

I have to put my Film School by Phone Calls on hold for a few weeks. I've gone and gotten myself booked on a series of jobs and can't make the schedule for these calls work. What I will do though, is get the past calls up online in the next couple of days in a format that works. . .

Have you seen the new and improved AssistantDirectors.com? If not, you should check it out. I've made a lot of upgrades. Lot's of good stuff there too.

On another note, I am looking for contributors to the news section on AssistantDirectors.com. I will give you a byline and a link back to your site with each article. What I am looking for are filmmaking tips, experiences, industry news (from your area) and movie reviews. Interested? Email me here.