Members of the San Francisco Coordinating Committee (SFCC) got the year off to a great start with their first educational event taking place before their Annual General Membership Meeting.
The all-day seminar, "Mental Kung Fu," was presented by Southern California AD/UPM member John Marias on January 10 and covered problem solving and creative thinking for all members of the director's team. Marias, well-known for his national and international work, gave attendees insights into improving creative and critical thinking, especially in tight spots. His informative presentation was interspersed with physical exercises that challenged individual members and the entire group to think quickly, clearly and concisely, while working in concert with the other members of the team. This seminar was so well liked by local members that many recommended to Special Projects that Marias present it to the membership in Southern California.
On January 24 at the Concordia Argonaut Club, the SFCC held their largest Annual General Membership Meeting in recent memory, to welcome DGA Third Vice President Paris Barclay and DGA Director of Government & International Affairs Kathy Garmezy. Barclay spoke at length on issues facing Guild members in the coming year such as preparing for contract negotiations, and Garmezy outlined strategic action with state and federal legislators that the Guild is undertaking on behalf of members to promote creative rights and fight runaway production.
During the Membership Meeting, members heard reports on SFCC activities of 2003, which included, for the second consecutive year, an April workshop on New Technologies at John Carlson's Monaco Labs, a Financial Planning Seminar by local fiduciary Louise Nathe in June, a networking mixer in October and UPM Bob Koster's Scheduling & Budgeting Seminar in November.