Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:28:29 -0400 From: "Jim Menke" <jim99jr-AT-gmail.com> To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] encouragement - joining puppet organizations IS After over 50 years as a member of P of A I finally stopped. The Journal is BORING trying to be a literary publication with little to offer the working puppeteer. The idea of a Guild is good, but in Western New York there are only 2 or 3 puppeteers and no chance of there being a Guild. Most serious puppeteers I know do not belong to P or A. They either never belonged or quit for the same reasons I did. P of A needs a serious restructuring with real membership goals to serve ALL members. It is a very elitist organization that refuses to really serve the members. I get more from one visit to Puppet Hub than 2 years of P of A. On 7/15/08, jon green <puppen-AT-mac.com> wrote: > > I agree with what has been said, and I am a member of POA, UNIMA_USA > and my local guild. However, I do have a few observations: > > 1. POA has never really been able to find its' focus. This seems to > have been an issue when the organization began and is still an issue > today. Perhaps Allan know of a time when there was more on a unity > of purpose, but from my observation, it seems just as fragmented as > it was in the '40s. It seems like three or four groups of puppeteers > divided by a common interest. > > 2. POA is more re-active than active. I found Puptcrit because I > complained to the president that POA did not have such a group. The > bulletin board works as a virtual bulletin board, but it does not > serve as an exchange of ideas. I was told that the POA did not have > such a group as they did not want to compete with Puptcrit, however; > there a numerous groups that compete with Puptcrit and quite frankly > Puptcrit does just fine. Not having an electronic way for POA > members to exchange ideas is just stodgy and alienates younger > members. The fact of the matter is that POA should have done this > before Puptcrit was even an idea. The same goes for the puppet face- > book-like site (sorry, having a senior moment, I cannot remember the > name.) It just shows that a great deal of the excitement, > enthusiasm, and innovation in communication between puppeteers is > happening outside the POA. > > 3. POA needs to take a harder look at what the benefits are for > members. Forget the airy-fairy goodwill stuff and really look at it > from a cynical "what's in it for me" point of view. As Allan pointed > out, times are hard, and money is scarce- and it isn't going to get > any better. People, particularly puppeteers, are really going to > have to get the most return for their money. As far as I can tell, > the main benefits are the gatherings/ festivals, newsletters/journal, > and insurance. I admit that I have not checked out the new store, > but it has been so user unfriendly that it could not count as a > benefit. What should be a major benefit are the local guilds. > Personally, I would like to see POA membership be a required part of > guild membership (yeh, I know I will get flamed for that comment.) > The local guilds are really the most immediate benefit of the POA. > Everyone should take advantage of their local guild,and if you don't, > I would love to know why not. The beauty of a local guild is it is > as good as "you" make it. > > 4. POA needs to cultivate more enthusiasts. After all the most > important part of the puppet performance is the audience. Also, from > my experience with other organizations, they are the worker bees. > Most puppeteers are either working their tails off to keep their own > company afloat, or working a civilian job and being a puppeteer. > Encouraging the involvement of non-puppeteer "patrons" would help > with the work load and probably the financial health of the POA as > well. The trick is that the puppeteers cannot treat them like > "untermenschen" > > > Now as to UNIMA, I really am not sure what the benefits. I belong. > I get the magazine. But, that is it. Perhaps, I do not know how to > use my membership to the best advantage. > > Jon > > > > > > . > _______________________________________________ > List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org > Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit > Archives: http://www.driftline.org > -- JIM MENKE PUPPETS open your mind fantasies unwind www.jimmenkepuppets.com _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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