Thursday, April 12, 2007

BootCamp - Pittsburgh - a rich, but no charge, event of community and technology. Be there!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Justin Kownacki

Kownacki Productions, LLC

412-628-4231

jkownacki@gmail.com

http://www.bootcamppgh.org

FREE Internet BootCamp Announces Schedule

Pittsburgh, PA, April 12, 2007 – The organizers of last year’s wildly successful PodCamp Pittsburgh are pleased to announce the schedule for BootCamp PGH, a FREE one-day introductory event for internet users on April 21. The 25 sessions will cover the basics of blogging, podcasting, and “social networking” (i.e. making social and business contacts using websites like MySpace). Presenters include a wide range of experts, including popular podcasting musician Matthew Ebel, online entertainment guru and PodCamp co-founder Chris Brogan of Network2, the creator and cast of local web series “Something To Be Desired”, and Pittsburgh-based internet personality iJustine, runner-up in Yahoo’s recent national Talent Search. The event will be held at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, 420 Boulevard of the Allies, on Saturday April 21, from 9am-5pm. For more information and to register for FREE, go to www.bootcamppgh.org.

The 25 scheduled sessions include an introduction to blogging including a hands-on workshop where participants will create blogs of their own, a step-by-step guide to creating a podcast along with discussions of what to talk about and how to talk about it more effectively, an exploration of using the internet to expand small businesses, and a beginner’s guide to creating an online identity and posting photos using sites like MySpace, Flickr, and Twitter. Many sessions will be held in computer labs with high-speed internet access, so having a laptop is not necessary to attend, although they are welcome. Additional individual help will be offered throughout the day in the “Mentoring Lounge”. By the end of the day, participants will be able to start their own blogs and podcasts and will be fully prepared for the more in-depth topics that will be covered at PodCamp Pittsburgh 2, another FREE weekend event in August that’s expected to draw some of the biggest names on the internet. For more information and a complete list of the sessions and their times, go to www.bootcamppgh.org.

Matthew Ebel is a singer-songwriter whose last album was recorded using Garage Band, a standard piece of software that usually comes pre-installed on Macintosh computers. He is also the host of the High Orbit Podcast, which features “podsafe music” which can be used for free on any podcast. Mr. Ebel will lead the introduction to audio recording.

Chris Brogan is the community developer for Network2, the online guide to internet TV. He is also the co-founder of PodCamp, a worldwide movement bringing together the most influential names in “new media”. Mr. Brogan will be discussing the value of building an online community and will also help present the introduction to podcasting.

Something To Be Desired”, the only ongoing web series set and shot in Pittsburgh and one of the longest-running shows on the internet, has been online since 2003 and has developed a devoted worldwide following. The cast, along with creator Justin Kownacki, who is also a co-organizer of BootCamp PGH and the upcoming PodCamp Pittsburgh 2, will offer performance tips and discuss finding your unique voice in order to create compelling content.

Justine Ezarik, known to much of the world as iJustine, came in second in the recent Yahoo! Talent Search, a national competition to find the next internet superstar, and is Pittsburgh’s top videoblogger. Her video shorts can be seen at www.MommyPackMyLunch.com, and her official blog is www.TastyBlogSnack.com. Ms. Ezarik will present numerous sessions throughout the day, including hands-on demonstrations of social media tools like MySpace and Twitter.

Other presenters include the co-founders of Pittsburgh Bloggers: Cynthia Closkey, Mike Woycheck, and Christina Schulman; Alex Landefeld of Silurian-Devonian Films and the Minute Lit podcast; Mike Sorg and the Wrestling Mayhem crew; Guru.com’s Jia Ji; Shawn Smith of weekly podcast Geek Riot; Jim Shireman of Pittsburgh sports blog and podcast Sportsocracy; Allegheny County Executive candidate Mark Rauterkus; Mark Juliano, VP of podcast hosting site TalkShoe; and more.

BootCamp PGH is seeking additional sponsors and is open to adding presenters. Interested parties should contact Justin Kownacki at jkownacki@gmail.com.

For additional information, Contact:

Justin Kownacki
Kownacki Productions, LLC
412-628-4231
jkownacki@gmail.com

http://www.bootcamppgh.org

Matthew Ebel

The Cast of “Something To Be Desired”

iJustine

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