[Mark Rabinowitz] A few stories bouncing around the Interweb, today. A new market for docs, a call to help colleagues in trouble and spotlight on a Pittsburgh filmmaker.

Doc Market To Launch In Panaji
According to Indiaglitz.com, the upcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is setting up a market especially for the buying and selling of short films and docs. According to the site, the market will be run by the Indian Documentary Film Producers Association and the festival's organizers, Entertainment Society of Goa. The festival runs in the Goan city of Panaji from November 22 through December 3.

Berends Calls For Help For Samuel George, Joe Bussio
As I and many others have mentioned, while it's fantastic news that Andrew Berends was released by the Nigerian authorities earlier this month, we cannot forget his interpreter Samuel George and host Joe Bussio. Well, it appears that there's an effort underway to not only have charges against George dropped (Bussio is out of the legal woods) but to help the pair meet their $10,000 in legal fees. So far approximately $6,500 has been raised, but more is needed. To learn more and to chip in, please visit: http://helpandy.chipin.com/

DIY & Local: Pittsburgh Filmmaker Chronicles A Changing Neighborhood
36 year-old Pittsburgh filmmaker Chris Ivey is doing what he can to follow and document the redevelopment efforts in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of East Liberty. He's completed two films so far and is at work on the third. The first, "A Story of Good Intentions" premiered in 2006 while the follow up, "The Fear of Us" was completed in February. A profile on Ivey ran in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ivey is "trying to raise funds for the third installment, which will follow residents displaced after the demolition of the high rises to see where they landed," according to the story. "A fourth documentary will focus on youth culture and violence."

What about this story caught my eye? Well, it's encouraging to hear about filmmakers outside of New York and LA, for starters. I know, I know...there are thousands of them, but they're not always written up. The Internets helps to spread the word and I guess I have my "documentaries" Google search to thank for this one. Also, Ivey lives in Squirrel Hill, the same Pittsburgh neighborhood as my sister. And, he apparently likes bacon:

"There's still so much to be addressed," he says later, in between sips of Maudite beer and bites of smoky, crispy bacon at Bacon Night at the Harris Grill in Shadyside.

He's also pretty devoted to Pittsburgh. According to the story he's working on a it seems, to wit: He also is working on a full-length feature film about Pittsburgh paramedics. "I really like filming here," he says. "It's easier to get access to locations, and the film community [now] is like family."