We can help provide a structured path to successfully implementing a Meaningful Movies group. With a broad overview and understanding of all that’s involved, you can decide how this might best meet your needs, what specific form it might take, the effort and resources required and how this might change as you evolve. This can be a lot more work than it appears, and we might be able to help avoid a few pitfalls.

The intent of Meaningful Movies as a network is to mutually support one another to make this easier and more rewarding for all of us. The Meaningful Movies Project acts in the capacity of an administrator for the network. The resources and ongoing support lies within the members of the network, but we’re always here to advise.

We help as the connecting link between various neighborhood Meaningful Movies groups. Our new website and web-based communication system will facilitate this coordination.

MMP can serve as a central location for promoting our events, to the general media as well as to one another. Our developing web-based events calendar will be broadcast widely.

Access to screening rights may be one of the more complicated and time consuming processes required for Meaningful Movies. We are here to work with you, advise and teach you how to navigate this. We also encourage network members to work together to make this an easier and more effective process.

MMP maintains a limited amount of quality projection and sound equipment for use by network members, for free (or if possible, by voluntary donation). The intent is to make loaned equipment available until you find another permanent source or have grown to the point that you can purchase your own equipment. We also provide training on this equipment.

On an ongoing basis, we help organize workshops on topics the network expresses interest in. In the past we’ve held these on topics from general discussion facilitation to marketing to social media.

We assist other social justice groups with using film and film focused discussion as both an educational and an organizing tool. We help connect community organizations with local film/discussion groups, to serve as resources for one another. On occasion, we may be able to provide equipment and technical support.

We have more than 1400 film titles on a wide range of social justice issues. These are available for loan on a personal basis to anyone in the community for free. DVDs are checked out at Meaningful Movies in Wallingford, and returned at the same location the following month, or they can be mailed to our office. Voluntary donations are requested to support the film library for new purchases and DVD replacements. DVDs are also available for loan to network organizations to review for possible screening selections. The library is maintained as a personal film library. None of the films come with screening rights, and are for personal use only. We encourage individuals to organize potlucks for home screenings with their neighbors and friends, and to begin discussions on critical issues that resonate. We consider these ‘living room screenings’ to be as important as our main event screenings. Visit the “Lending Library” page for more information.

We offer our own venue, Meaningful Movies in Wallingford as a laboratory for skills training and for experimenting with new formats, facilitation techniques, and operations. One or more of our Meaningful Movies venues can be used as a laboratory for skills training and for experimenting with new formats, facilitation techniques, and operations. We also occasionally offer a  venue to filmmakers to test their films on audiences while in development or prior to final release. Many of our attendees, while not formally trained in film, have seen scores of documentary films and participated in critical discussion over the years. This provides a unique test venue for audience response and critique of new films in development.