Letter from the President

Dear ASIFA-Hollywood Members,

As many of you already know, ASIFA-Hollywood is going through many changes in this year of transitions. There are new initiatives to provide even greater services to our members, new Annie Award categories and voting procedures, new emphasis on bringing the organization in line with the needs and aspirations of the broadest possible scope of our nearly 4,000 members.

To that end, The Board of Directors of ASIFA-Hollywood has agreed to raise the dues for all members beginning September 23, 2011. New dues will be $150 for professional, outside the US and corporate memberships, and $45 for associate non-voting memberships (students, studio support and animation enthusiasts).

While we recognize that this a sizable increase and a difficult time in which to ask our professional members to pay more, we believe our new dues structure has been leveled at or below the rates of other professional organizations, while providing much greater benefits, allowing us to staff and reopen the Animation Archives, hold more events throughout the year, increase our educational initiatives and be more responsive to both our professional and non-professional members.

In order to ease the burden of this increase, we are allowing all members, both individual and corporate, to renew their memberships at the current rate ($75 professional, $30 student) until September 23rd. Memberships may be renewed on-line at www.asifa-hollywood.org by logging in with your email address and password (member number). You may also retrieve your member number at the website. Please note that student memberships will require a copy of your full-time student ID via postal mail to our office address or email to membership@asifa-hollywood.org. Members renewing before their current membership expires will have a full year added to their current membership.

As in the past, we will continue to have a protocol for members who are experiencing financial hardships, determined on a case-by-case, and very confidential basis.

If your membership has already expired, or you are joining for the first time, you may use this link HERE to register. You do not need a PayPal account to pay online with a credit card. You may also print out a membership form and send it with a check payable to ASIFAHollywood. To take advantage of the lower rates, forms must be postmarked/e-mailed by September 23rd.

There will be many more changes to come (though no other changes will raise membership dues!) and we encourage you to stay connected to the ASIFA website, e-mail blasts, special
announcements and the industry press for future developments. It is our intention to continue to communicate with you in the most complete and responsive manner possible.

If you’ve any questions, comments or concerns, we welcome them, either through e-mail, regular post or in person. (Our board meetings, which are generally called for the first Monday of every month, are open to any member who wishes to attend.)

Most sincerely,
Frank Gladstone
President, ASIFA-Hollywood