International Broadcasting Convention, Toronto International Film Festival, POP Montreal, IFP Week, are event highlights in September

The 72nd Venice International Film Festival, organized by La Biennale di Venezia, will run out of Venice Lido through September 12, directed by Alberto Barbera. The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote the various aspects of international cinema in all its forms — art, entertainment and as an industry. The Festival also organizes retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a path to foster a better understanding of the history of cinema. Established in 1895, the Venice Biennale has existed as a renowned international cultural institution claiming a significant place in international art exhibitions. In the 1930s new festivals were started: music, cinema, and theatre (Venice Film Festival was organized in 1932). In 1980 the first International Architecture Exhibition took place and in 1999 dance made its debut at the Venice Biennale. After an invitation only Opening Ceremony, the festival gets its official start with a screening of EVEREST in 3D by Baltasar Kormákur (UK, USA, 122’, language: English, s/t Italian).

At this year’s festival, La Biennale di Venezia and Persol are set to confer the Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award 2015 to Jonathan Demme (Ricki and the Flash, The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married), currently President of the Orizzonti Jury at the 72nd Venice Film Festival, on September 3. And in another planned award ceremony, the Biennale di Venezia and Jaeger-LeCoultre have announced that American director Brian De Palma will receive the Venice International Film Festival’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker 2015 Award, dedicated to creatives who have made original contributions to contemporary cinema. The award will be given on September 9 in the Palazzo del Cinema

The fourth edition of Sala Web theater will run from September 3-16. The screening room of the Venice Film Festival will serve as an opportunity for worldwide audiences to screen selected titles from the 72nd edition of the Festival. 12 feature films in the Orizzonti Competition and 3 feature films from the Biennale College – Cinema, Venice’s own laboratory dedicated to support micro-budget films, are now confirmed for the 2015 edition of the Venice Sala Web theater. The Orizzonti Competition line-up includes established filmmakers like Merzak Allouache (THE ROOFTOPS, THE REPENTANT), and Jake Mahaffy (WELLNESS, winner of the Grand Prize at SXSW)

Sala Web theater at Venice will also screen the three debut features produced and developed by the Biennale College: the Polish experimental BABY BUMP; the Japanese drama BLANKA, shot in the Philippines and THE FITS, a dance film based in Cincinnati – Three coming-of-age storieswhich will prove that growing up is not easy. Throughout all its creative divisions there have been more research and production opportunities addressed to the younger generation of artists, directly in contact with recognised teachers; this has become more systematic and continuous through the international project Biennale College, now running in the Dance, Theatre, Music, and Cinema divisions.

The Seventh Annual Burbank International Film Festival will have it’s opening night screening and gala on September 9. The screening of Hoovey will be followed by the reception at the Hokkaido Restaurant that will serve an assortment of foods and cold handcrafted beers and fine wine. In addition to honoring outstanding independent filmmakers in a variety of categories, The Burbank International Film Festival will also honor industry icons, innovators and pioneers in the world of Art, Music and Film. This year, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of “Back To The Future”, the festival will screen a special presentation of this classic courtesy of Universal Pictures.

“Back To The Future” is screened as part of the festivals “History of Cinema”. This new educational program introduces classic studio films from a historical perspective, to inspire young audiences to develop and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the art of filmmaking. There are two planned After Parties at this year’s festival, both Friday and Saturday Night. Friday Night is a Night of Dramatic Films and Saturday is a Night of Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror. This year will have more fright element as The Burbank International Film Festival honors the horror genres with a Red Carpet reception with special screenings and After Parties.

Immediately following all the Friday and Saturday evening screenings, guests will switch over to the IATSE 80 Soundstage whose 6,000 sq. ft. facility will house the galactic After-Party. Burbank has partnered with Famous Monsters of Filmland as a Media Sponsor to put on this extravaganza. Themed cocktails are planned courtesy of 40 Degrees Vodka, a Full Open Bar, Monster Energy Drinks and culinary samplings from local restaurants are planned. The atmosphere will be set to enhance networking with the filmmakers, special guests and Cosplayers in attendance. Friday Night will feature Body Art by Pashur. Music will be provided by DJ Waterbury with special performances by Marston Smith, “The Lord of the Cello,” for both nights.

Sunday evening will be the Closing Night Gala Dinner and celebrity presented Awards Show. The Burbank International Film Festival will not only acknowledge the award-winning filmmakers, but will honor industry icons and professionals that have shaped and defined the world of cinema today. The Closing Night Gala will be begin with a Media Red Carpet, Hosted Cocktail Reception, Semi-Formal Dinner, Festival Honoree Presentations, Awards Show and  wrapping up with a cocktail reception Under-The-Stars. The Festival has continued its partnership with The Castaway Restaurant located in the Burbank hills, above the city. Nicknamed “The Jewel on the Hill”, Castaway is reputed to feature a breathtaking view and has been a local landmark for over 40 years.

International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) is an electronic media global Amsterdam based tradeshow for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of electronic media and entertainment. The event's exhibitions and conference agenda, from September 10-15, survey the latest developments in traditional media, mobile TV, IPTV, digital signage and R&D, making it a resource for everyone's understanding of the industry and its future. Like other wide ranging conventions, IBC is organized along the lines of agenda and events that define its show. IBC Leaders’ Summit, IBC Rising Stars, IBC Awards, IBC Big Screen Experience, IBC Future Zone, IBC Hackfest, IBC Content Everywhere Hub, IBC Content Everywhere Technology in Action Theater, IBC Drone Zone, IBC Launch Pad, IBC Partners’ Pavillon. Over time the International Broadcasting Convention, IBC has evolved from its technical broadcast roots and today it encompasses the whole breadth of media creation management and delivery.

IBC has started up the Rising Stars programme aimed at helping the new generation of content and media technology professionals find their feet in the industry, and the exclusive invitation-only Leaders’ Summit, an event for 150 leaders of the electronic media and entertainment industry shaping future strategy. IBC has also created a new series of events – IBC Content Everywhere. IBC Content Everywhere Europe combines accompanying exhibitions with features specifically designed to help visitors quickly and efficiently expand their knowledge and understanding of the latest trends, strategies and developments in online TV and video. Suited to professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide, IBC Content Everywhere are global events spanning Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). These events will cover rich media production, devices, apps, digital marketing, social media, content personalisation, big data, cloud services, second screens, investment and more.

IBC Rising Stars is an innovative programme of curated special events and mentoring for young professionals and industry starters taking their first steps in the industry. Two success stories of the new generation of content creators on YouTube will be speaking on September 12 in ‘Digital Creators – The New Mainstream’ (15:00 - 16:00). Gamer and Content Creator David Harms is the man behind DusDavidGames, a gaming YouTube channel in the Netherlands with more than 550,000 subscribers reaching more than 9,500,000 views a month. And from a humble start of eight views and three comments for her first upload, Nikkie de Jager's channel, NikkieTutorials, has established itself as a highly subscribed and watched beauty channel in the Netherlands. Nikkie's channel reached the 1,4 million subscribers after her viral hit “The Power of Make-up."

The Toronto International Film Festival offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops, industry support and the chance to meet filmmakers from Canada and around the world. TIFF is a well regarded launching pad for international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema, and is arguably regarded as the most important film festival after Cannes. Although the festival starts off with a screening of LAND OF MINE, Martin Zandvliet, Director, a Gala Presentation will be held later in the evening with a screening of DEMOLITION, Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Although not an Oscar qualifying festival, TIFF’s international status is known to be a factor in generating Oscar buzz. Beyond screenings TIFF will surely have many areas of events and activities going on besides film screenings. Following are some of the noteworthy industry events at this TIFF 2015 that will run September 10-20.

Talent Lab is an educational development programme that provides emerging talent with an introduction to the global community of filmmaking. For five days of the Toronto International Film Festival, selected participants have the opportunity to interact with filmmakers drawing on the Festival’s relationships with world-class filmmakers. Talent Lab is presented by the Industry Office. TIFF Rising Stars showcases new Canadian acting talent at the Toronto International Film Festival. Designed to find the next generation of Canadian actors poised for international careers, TIFF Rising Stars draws homegrown talent into the spotlight provided by the annual September Festival. The initiative exposes four selected actors in three days of public events and private industry meetings at the Festival. And they receive intensive professional development with international casting directors, filmmakers, producers and development executives.

Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS! is in its 16th year of the Toronto International Film Festival. It offers an opportunity to bring a feature film project to life. All genres and styles of presentation that are original and compelling stories are admitted. Six teams will have six minutes to pitch their feature film idea to a live audience of industry delegates and a jury of development and production pros. Teams will pitch polished ideas to a live audience of over 250 Industry delegates. A jury of  experts review the pitches and the projects and choose a winner. Winning team will receive $15,000 to assist with the development of their feature film idea.

The Ontario Media Development Corporation’s hosted International Financing Forum (IFF) will be a feature film co-financing event at the Toronto International Film Festival. Canadian and international feature film producers are invited to apply to participate in IFF. Now in its tenth year, OMDC’s IFF has introduced hundreds of projects to the international marketplace with over 60 successfully financed to date. Registration is free but competitive, with final selection based on the company's track record and the project's suitability.

The sixth edition of Producers Lab Toronto is set to launch during the Toronto International Film Festival from September 9–12, 2015. Producers Lab Toronto (PLT) is an international co-production forum presented via collaboration between TIFF Industry, the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), and European Film Promotion (EFP). Selected participants will be taking part in pitching sessions, case studies, roundtables and various networking events with key people from the film industry and film funds in order to develop their understanding and deepen relationships in creating projects with a broadening international scope. The participants of the Producers Lab Toronto 2015 programme have prior co-production experience and high-quality projects in the pipeline which could be interesting for the international market.

An original exhibition celebrating visionary artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol will be presented at TIFF Bell Lightbox just past the festival dates. Running from October 30, 2015 to January 24, 2016, Andy Warhol: Stars of the Silver Screen (organized by The Andy Warhol Museum, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, and presented in collaboration with TIFF) will include photographs and artifacts from Warhol’s personal collection and related artworks from The Andy Warhol Museum that explore his fascination with fame and stardom. And also worth noting, TIFF’s Film Reference Library holds an extensive English language collection of Canadian film-related material, including collections from Canada's most esteemed contemporary filmmakers.

Starting its 14th year, POP Montreal offers five days of  concerts, symposium discussions, artisan/crafts and visual art exhibitions, fashion shows, film screenings, besides a few all-night parties. Programming sections that POP Montreal usually breaks down along include: Puces POP, Kids POP, Art POP, Film POP, Espace POP, POP Symposium, Marche Des Possibles. Now in its 12th edition, POP Montreal‘s film segment, Film POP, continues its mission to present a variety of music-related film events, including premieres, retrospective screenings, cinema performances, live film scores, music videos and shorts. Montreal indie band, Arcade Fire will meld in with the projection screen of the Rialto Theatre for the Quebec premiere of The Reflektor Tapes, a fragmented rendition of the band’s headspace during the conception, recording and touring of their 2013 album Reflektor.

In the music line up, expect acts like: Anatole, Anne Waldman and Fast Speaking Music, Anthrax, Aralune, Babes In Toyland, Bantam Wing, Bionic, Brendan Philip, Bud Rice, Burning Hell, Chevalier Avant Garde, Clarke And The Himselfs, Conrad Clifton, Dany LAJ & The Looks, Dead Beat Poet Society, FARAO, Fashion Police, Giorgio Moroder, Jerusalem In My Heart, Joana Serrat, Lizzy Boredom, Loc-Nar, Matt Dorgan Project, Mello Mel, OHARA, Police Des Moeurs, Prism House, Rebecca West, Shash’u, Thanya Iyer, Walrus, Xania, Xarah Dion. Everyone can apply to play POP Montréal by going to our submission page (http://popmontreal.com/submissions/). The submission process closes in May and bands will be notified in July or August as to whether they’ve been selected or not. Applicants that have questions about the status of an application can send email to: artist@popmontreal.com.

This year, POP Symposium hosts Montreal native, Andy Kim, acclaimed for some 30 million records sold worldwide, but especially known for his number one hit song Sugar, Sugar. The performer and songwriter discusses a considerable part of his career, from moving to New York at 17, to songwriting in the Golden Age alongside greats such as The Monkeys, Jeff Barry and most recently Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene). And fans of Arto Lindsay get an opportunity to spend an afternoon discussing writing about music. Arto Lindsay, also known for his collaborations, including with Animal Collective, Selena, David Byrne and Laurie Anderson, will travel with his favourite pieces of writing about music — e.g., Charles Rosen on Chopin — and attendees are invited to do the same. Participants will read to one another and discuss different kinds of writing about music and the potential relations between the two media.

Other POP Symposium collaborations planned at POP Montreal include: with Third Side Music, Money vs Exposure: Who Wins?; with the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), “Click This, Please”: Get Streamed; with RACS, Polaris Panel; with Artisti, Copyrights in performances: What are they? How much are they worth? and … WHERE IS THE MONEY???; with Art POP, Artist Talk: K8 Hardy in Conversation with Dr. Rebecca Duclos; with the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, Indigenous Beats; with The Walrus, Total Control (Businesses, Not-for-Profits, Co-operatives, and Charities): It’s Time to Build The “Industry” You Want; with MESLA, POP Law: The Mechanics of the Deals; with Art POP, Screenings and Artist Talk: Olaf Breuning; with Miscellaneum Studios, Heroes Never Lose and Multijoueur, POP Arcade; with Constellation, The Politics Of Independent Music: An Open Forum; with Third Side Music and Miscellaneum Studios, Music, Video Games and New Technologies: The Shape of Fun to Come.

The San Sebastian Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival — being one of the 14 "A" category competitive festivals accredited by the FIAPF — held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastián (Basque Country) every September. It has hosted several important events of the history of cinema, such as the international premiers of Vertigo, by Alfred Hitchcock and the European premier of Star Wars. San Sebastian's grand honor is the Golden Seashell awarded to the best film of the festival and also the Donostia Award as an honorary award to deserving film personalities. British actress Emily Watson will receive the Donostia Award in recognition of her film career at a gala on September 25 in the Kursaal Auditorium. Hotel Transylvania 2, the new film from Sony Pictures Animation, will be screened at the  Festival, as part of the Velodrome Section. The screening will take place at the Antonio Elorza Velodrome with the presence of the cast featured in the Spanish version

The festival has special sections for Latin America cinema and for cinema made in Spain. Titles programmed for the 63nd edition of the San Sebastian Festival include: A Cambio De Nada (Nothing In Return), Daniel Guzman, Director; Las Altas Persiones (The High Pressures), Angel Santos, Director; El Cami Mes Llarg Per Tornar A Casa (The Long Way Home), Sergi Perez Gomez, Director; Hablar (Talk), Joaquin Oristrell, Director; Los Heroes Del Mal (The Heroes of Evil), Zoe Berriatua, Director; Felices 140 (Happy 140), Gracia Querejeta, Director; Mortadelo Y Filemon Contra Jimmy El Cachondo (Mortadella & Filemon: Mission Implausible), Javier Fesser, Director; Requisites Para Ser Una Persona Normal (Requirements to Be A Normal Person), Leticia Dolera, Director; Rey Gitano (Gipsy King), Juanma Bajo Ulloa, Director; Sexo Facil, Peliculas Tristes (Easy Sex, Sad Movies), Alejo Flah, Director; Torrente 5: Mision Eurovegas, Santiago Segura, Director. Mad Max: Fury Road has been voted best film by the International Federation of Film Critics, FIPRESCI. Mad Max: Fury Road, released in Spain last May 15 by Warner Bros. Pictures, will have a special screening on September 18 at the San Sebastian Festival, attended by George Miller, who will collect the FIPRESCI Grand Prix at the Festival opening gala.

In conjunction with the Festival, Creative Europe MEDIA have organized the European Film Forum to launch a planned conference. Audiences in Motion, will address the new part played by an evolving media savvy audience in the creation, production, distribution and exhibition of audiovisual contents. It will survey the changes brought by internet and digital technologies to existing models of creation, production, distribution and exhibition. Discussion will also revolve around innovative formulas emerging in relation to audience participation in the new audiovisual paradigm, offering a catalogue of new opportunities to share with professionals in the sector. The European Film Forum opened in Berlin this year and will conduct events on culture and media within the most significant European Film Festivals and industry gatherings (Cannes, Sarajevo, Venice, San Sebastian, MIPCOM, etc.).

Based in New York City, IFP guides storytellers through the process of making and distributing their work. It offers creative, technological and business support through year-round programming, which includes Filmmaker Magazine, Independent Film Week, Envision, The Gotham Independent Film Awards, and the Independent Filmmaker Labs. IFP’s latest initiative, the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, is an incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, where storytellers from multiple disciplines, industries, and platforms can create, collaborate and connect. Through its programming—which also includes seminars, conferences, and mentorships—IFP creates exciting opportunities for promising new voices from a diverse range of racial, ethnic, religious, ideological and sexual perspectives.

The Filmmaker Conference of IFP Week takes into consideration all recent forms of visual communication, whether stories are told through film, TV, online, or new media channels. And running concurrently to Independent Film Week since 2010, the IFP Festival Forum assembles leaders of international and U.S. film festival leadership to come together to develop curatorial and operational efficiencies, professional standards and best practices, and leverage their collective interests to the international film community. The Festival Forum includes over 100 U.S. & International festival programmers and executives, including representatives from Berlin, Cannes, Full Frame, Hot Docs, New York Film Festival, New Directors, Rotterdam, Slamdance, Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca who attend each year to ensure they find new work and and discover pioneering artists

Themed sessions day-to-day will run like this: The Story Business, September 20; Bew Barratives, September 21; Documenting Truth, September 22; Ideas and Influencers, September 23-24; Meet the Decision Makers, September 25. Application into Independent Film Week happens primarily through Project Forum which provides both creative and business opportunities to original, narrative and documentary filmmakers, as well as web, episodic and transmedia storytellers and helping them to connect with financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers. Project Forum consists of four sections, including: RBC’s Emerging Storytellers, No Borders International Co-Production Market, Independent Filmmaker Labs, and Spotlight on Documentaries.

New York Film Festival highlights world cinema with films from established directors and fresh talent. The programming for NYFF 2015 is partitioned into sections: Main Slate, Convergence, Projections, Retrospective, Revivals, Special Events, Spotlight on Documentary, Talks. The films are selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. This year’s NYFF Main Slate covers a vast range of topics. Robert Zemeckis’s film about Philippe Petit (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in the 1970s, serves as the Festival’s opening night world premiere. THE WALK also stars Ben Kingsley as Petit’s mentor. Other Main Slate offerings include Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin’s STEVE JOBS, starring Michael Fassbender; Don Cheadle’s MILES AHEAD, a biopic about Miles Davis in the 70’s.

The New York Film Festival Convergence 2015 program offers a variety of interactive experiences, panels, and presentations. Audiences can explore indie storytelling games in the GameScape arcade, attend a virtual reality dinner party via The Dog House. Complementing the experiential programs — all free and open to the public — is a series of talks and panels featuring creators, filmmakers, game designers, and storytellers discussing their work and the evolving state of storytelling in the interactive age. An NYFF53 On Cinema Talk with director, Hou Hsiao-hsien, discusses his body of work over the years in conjunction with the presentation of his new film, THE ASSASSIN. In an HBO Directors Dialogue, Michael Moore presents and discusses circumstances around his new film WHERE TO INVADE NEXT.

Film Society of Lincoln Center presents year-round programming that includes premieres of new films from an international roster of established and emerging directors; major retrospectives; in-depth symposia and high profile events. The organization has been a pioneer among film institutions and one of the film world’s most respected and influential arbiters of cinematic trends and discoveries. François Truffaut, R.W. Fassbinder, Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodóvar, Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson—over the last four decades there is scarcely a major director who has not been introduced to American audiences by the Film Society.

The Film Society is best known for two world-class international festivals—the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films (celebrating new cinematic artists). It runs two state-of-the-art year round cinemas, the Walter Reade Theater and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, and publishes the well regarded cinematic journal, Film Comment. Each year the organization presents its annual Gala Tribute honoring legendary stars and industry leaders of the generation at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. At various times of the year the Film Society partners with Hollywood studios to present premieres and special live appearances.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page. If you like this report and other content found on The Actor's Checklist, please consider liking the Facebook page at this link. This month's photo placement displays featured artists at POP Montreal, Burbank International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and San Sebastian International Film Festival. If the photos do not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Heading into the fall months activity picks up, so looking ahead into the next month, be aware that: Edmonton International Film Festival opens in Edmonton, the 20th Busan International Film Festival will be in Haeundae-gu, FREAK SHOW Horror Film Festival opens in Orlando, TV:Xperience opens in New York City, MIA Animation Conference is in Miami, The BFI London Film Festival opens in London, NYC Television Week opens in New York City, the annual Live Design International (LDI) tradeshow and conference returns to Las Vegas, the 27th edition of Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will be in Tokyo, the World Animation and VFX Summit returns to Marina Del Rey and the Vienna International Film Festival will be in Vienna.

Mezzrow Joins Smalls, Independent Film Week, Kiev Media Week, Pop Montreal, are highlights in September's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

The fifth annual Burbank International Film Festival - in Burbank - has Opening Night Ceremony and featured film, film screenings, seminars and panels with industry participants, parties and special events that will lead up to a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on the final day of the Festival. Opening night will feature the world premiere of the documentary feature, “Elvis: That’s The Way It Is”. It is preceded by a short film program. Day by day, the festival programming breaks down along these lines: Wednesday opening, short film and documentary feature film screening; Thursday, comedy and new media; Friday, drama; Saturday, family programming, including student films, animated films, faith-based films, films by women; Saturday, Sci-fi, Fantasy and Horror; Sunday, Documentaries, Foreign Films and the September 7 Closing Night Awards Gala.

This year the festival screens the 1956 MGM Science Fiction classic Forbidden Planet as part of the festivals “History of Cinema” Program. This new educational program introduces classic studio films from a historical perspective to inspire young audiences into a deeper appreciation for the art of filmmaking. Forbidden Planet was entered into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2013, being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film features special effects which were nominated for an Academy Award, and features the first groundbreaking use of an entirely electronic musical score by Louis and Bebe Barron who will be posthumously honored with a Special Award for their music at the screening. Similarly, and in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the classic, “The Little Mermaid”, the festival is set to screen a special presentation of this animated classic courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.

The Closing Night Gala Dinner and Awards Show will not only acknowledge the award-winning filmmakers, but will honor industry icons and professionals that have shaped and defined the world of cinema today. The Closing Night Gala will be opened with a Media Red Carpet, Hosted Cocktail Reception, Semi-Formal Dinner, Festival Honoree Presentations, Awards Show and finishing with a cocktail reception Under-The-Stars. In the 1920's, Burbank began to flourish with both entertainment and aviation. Both industries came to Burbank because of its location and the available space. Today Burbank is a media and entertainment production destination, comprised of some of the best known studios and production houses including Warner Brothers, Disney, Universal Studios, ABC, NBC, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network to name a few.

Since 2001, the Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) has brought independent cinema to the gold rush era town of Nevada City. The program presents four days of screenings, panels, comedy shows and live music. This year’s opening night feature is 'Creep', the directorial debut of Nevada County native Patrick Brice. Creep premiered at SXSW in Austin this past spring. The Director will be on hand for a Q&A following the film. Multimedia performance artist Miwa Matreyek - who has presented at Sundance - is scheduled to present two special performances of “This World Make Itself” and “Myth and Infrastructure” at the Festival during First Friday Art Walk in Nevada City. The artist combines animation with the art of movement, using a projection of her silhouette to interact with her creations.

Comedian Marc Maron from IFC series “Maron” and the podcast “WTF with Marc Maron” will headline NCFF’s Live Comedy Show. Maron has appeared on Louie, Letterman, Leno, Craig Ferguson, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Real Time with Bill Maher, John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up, and The Green Room. Maron’s podcast, 'WTF' with Marc Maron, premiered in September 2009. His IFC comedy series Maron is currently in its second season. In one of the planned NCFF workshops, Dave Kneebone, producer of such comedy shows as Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Drunk History, The Eric Andre Show and Nathan For You. Kneebone will discuss how to create a successful comedy series for both television and online on September 6. Another workshop for the same day explores "Storytelling With GoPro" which can be used to shoot time-lapse, still photos, and video for everything from extreme sports to mainstream movies. NCFF handles submissions through its website. Submissions for the next cycle reopen in December. The NCFF and it's non-profit the Magic Lantern Corporation are a community service organization located in Nevada City.

The operators of the Smalls Jazz Club are opening a new music venue dedicated to jazz piano. The new listening room and lounge, outfitted with a classic 1923 Steinway, will feature stellar jazz pianists. It will be a place for cultivated listeners to enjoy the relaxed social atmosphere of a jazz club and to have an intimate experience with the artists who are performing. Mezzrow is owned and operated by the folks from Smalls Jazz Club (next door at 183 west 10th street) – a musical environment run by musicians for musicians. The new venue takes its name from Milton “MEZZ” Mezzrow, (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), born in Chicago to a poor Jewish immigrant family. In his early youth as a juvenile delinquent, he was in and out of reformatory schools and prisons where he was exposed to jazz and blues music. He began to play the clarinet and eventually became a ubiquitous figure on the Chicago jazz scene of the 1920’s. In the late thirties, he moved to New York City's Harlem community and continued to play as well as organize recording sessions with many great artists. Mezzrow opened on September 3 with Johnny O'Neal who continues there as a Monday night featured act.

Being practically next door to each other, Mezzrow and Smalls will likely operate in tandem, sharing and cooperating, and with patrons able to go back and forth between the two clubs. Although Mezzrow will start out with a tightly focused agenda as a listening room with  refined piano players in various duet configurations, Smalls has evolved a broad talent showcase and mentoring program over the years, anchored by a nightly jam session that invites visiting musicians, singers, dancers and poets to sit in on freewheeling improvisational sessions. It also works into its programming artist development sessions and events. On early Sunday afternoons there is a Vocal Masterclass with Marion Cowings, then, a Smalls Chamber Music Salon follows that. Wednesdays early evening, Tap Dancer Michela Marino Lerman hosts a formal Tap Dance Jam. There is a live video stream that lets you view the clubs nightly performances at Smalls (www.smallsjazzclub.com), free with a simple registration, there is an audio archive that will grant access to later listening of the club's performances through the same registration form and there is a Music Store making available for sale audio recordings from the Smalls Live Catalog, the Photo Catalog and collectible merchandise.

Sync Summit is a focused networking event where music supervisors, heads of music in visual and interactive media (TV, film, video games, advertising, the internet and mobile), label executives, publishers, music libraries, composers, artists, technologists, lawyers, accountants, brand managers and service providers gather for two days of discussion, networking and dealmaking. The Beverly Hills located event will focus on the ways and means used to find music, how music is used and paid for, what are the considerations in terms of publishing, payment, music discovery methods, branding, the process of acquisition and best practices for maximizing profitability, success and how rights holders and creators can best meet and do business with music supervisors and heads of music in visual and interactive media. Sync Summit also presents an event in Paris and it will happen next on April 9-10, 2015.

A panel on "Bandvertising (Artist X Sync) = AudienceRevenue²" on September 8, presents experts on branding, sync and promotion as they discuss the process by which artists build their presence in the 21st century. The Summit's final day, September 9, a panel examines "Changing Business Models of Music in Visual Media", spotlights the ways and models, new and old, that content owners, creators and music supervisors use for administration, discovery, asset management and deal negotiation, with particular attention paid to the best practices, services and tools that are most successful and more efficient. Bands and performers slated to perform at the two-day Summit include: Mayaeni, Pierce Driessen, Gary Calamar, Debbie Reifer, Tribazik, Smoove and Turrell Soundsystem, Dirty Vegas and others. A Sync Summit Hollywood Sync Competition is open to registered attendees and was started to give artists, composers and rights holders of all types opportunities to sync their original compositions or tracks to videos provided by the Sync Competition Jury.

NAB 2014 Radioshow opening in Indianapolis allows radio broadcasters and industry colleagues to come together to share knowledge, discover the latest innovations, network with industry colleagues and explore creative business strategies to help radio thrive in the digital age. There will be sessions in content segments targeted to sales managers, group executives, engineers, programming professionals, marketing professionals and others. The show, stretching from September 10-12, will also feature an exclusive vendor resource and networking destination - The Marketplace - and a number of sessions focused on: Sales and Marketing, Finance, Legislative/Regulatory Issues, Digital Media, Management, Programming. The Radio Advertising Bureau and National Association of Broadcasters have partnered to bring the show to the radio industry. At September 10 opening session, advertising notable Bob Hoffman offers insights during his keynote presentation, "The Golden Age of BS" during the opening session. Attendees will also learn about the current radio landscape and what the future holds for radio. Erica Farber, president and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau and Gordon H. Smith, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters will make presentations and offer insights. On September 11, at the Leadership Breakfast, hear from radio's top executives as they identify challenges facing the industry, share their strategies for growth and explain their vision for radio's future. The Awards Dinner & Show will be held September 11 and will recognize stations and individuals for their excellence and performance in 21 categories.

DocMiami International Film Festival presents The Florida Documentary Film Festival, a new edition of DocMiami set up to bring the festival experience to different cities throughout Florida. This DocMiami event will be conducted from Boca Raton. The 2014 Florida Documentary Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing documentary filmmakers worldwide. From September 12-14 there are planned documentary screenings, expert panel workshops for filmmakers and the community to attend. The opening night cocktails and hors d'oeuvre celebration is paired to a screening of 'This Land is a Skeleton'.

Speakers lined up for DocMiami 2014 include: Melissa Mackenzie, Senior Vice President Worldwide Film Acquisitions and Creative Development, Maverick Entertainment Group Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area; Mariana Rodriguez, Anchor Acceso Total Show/Entertainment Reporter, NBC/Telemundo Miami; William Garcia, President, Playworld Pictures Hollywoord, Florida; Eloy Cepero, Cuban Music Historian and Writer and Television Host, Grandes Leyendas Musicales (Grand Music Legends) Coral Gables, Florida; Chief Nathaniel B. Styles, Jr., Executive Director, OsunMiamiACCAC/ Community Builders HDC. Tito Puente, Jr and his band will perform at the awards ceremony which includes cocktails and hor'dourves. The 2014 "el Rey" Tito Puente Contribution to the Arts Award recipient is esteemed drummer for Bon Jovi, Tico Torres.

Independent Film Week 2014 in New York City draws the international film and media community to New York City to seed new projects and their creators and support the future of storytelling. Independent Film Week combines the Filmmaker Conference, and the concurrently run Project Forum, showcases how media projects and creatives connect with collaborators and audiences to create works that are viewwed across multiple platforms and mediums. The Project Forum is part of Independent Film Week, which is comprised of selected projects in four sections: RBC’s Emerging Storytellers, Independent Filmmaker Labs, No Borders International Co-Production Market, and Spotlight on Documentaries. Oculus’ Director of Film and Media, Eugene Chung, will provide a Keynote address at the 2014 Filmmaker Conference.

Each day of the IFW conference, running September 14-18, guides filmmakers in the art, technology and business of independent filmmaking. The IFP organization championed the early work of pioneering independent filmmakers Charles Burnett, Todd Haynes, Mira Nair, Michael Moore, Joel and Ethan Cohen, Kevin Smith, Todd Solondz, and Wayne Wang. Recently, it has also played a role in launching the first films of many of today’s up and coming on the independent scene including Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Debra Granik, (Down to the Bone) Miranda July (Me, You and Everyone We Know), and Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson).

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) supports the future of media makers by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. Nurturing an independent storytelling community through its year-round programs is done through Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. From the Project Forum, media artists connect with financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences.

IFP will place a spotlight on RBC’s Emerging Storytellers program for producers developing episodic content for digital platforms. This new Web Storytellers spotlight includes works from filmmakers Desiree Akhavan (Appropriate Behavior, HBO’s Girls), Calvin Reeder (The Rambler), and Gregory Bayne (Person of Interest) and others. The documentary selection includes new work from seasoned non-fiction directors such as Emmy winners Robert Bahar and Almudena Carracedo (Made in LA), Pamela Yates (Granito: How to Nail a Dictator), Ramona Diaz (Imelda; Don’t Stop Believin’) Gini Reticker (Pray the Devil Back to Hell) and others. IFP membership provides access to IFP events and resources and is easily handled via its online website.

Over five days in the city of Kiev, Kiev Media Week consists of a range of events for professionals of TV, movie, new media and other media industries that facilitates networking among colleagues in a formal and informal atmosphere (the organizers are planning a number of special entertaining events), to tie up beneficial contracting opportunities and to learn about current trends of the international media business. The planned LIONS Creativity Days is a range of activities organized by the official Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Representatives in Ukraine. It is the professional section dedicated to advertising that will be held on final day, September 19. For the days agenda, eight advertising industry experts will be presenting the best cases of promotional execution in: Promo and Activations, Cyber, PR, Film and Film Craft, Branded content and Entertainment, Design, Media. There is also a planned VIP-party and TVC-screenings of the best of 2014 Cannes Lions in Film and Film Craft categories.

Kiev Media Week arranges the consolidation of different and separate industrial events in order to achieve synergy and create a unified communication platform for media professionals with varying interests from all around the world. Format Show is a conference with speeches of European experts of the format business and screening of the newest and most popular TV formats from across the globe - including the complete catalogue of Ukrainian TV formats, held on September 15. The Ukrainian Content Market 2014 Innovation, from September 16-18 sets up a Screening Room that gives content sellers a unique opportunity to present their projects to UCM 2014 buyers through a virtual online catalogue. The September 16 KIEV CoProduction Meetings is a regional content marketplace structured for pitching and promotion of TV projects in different formats that seek co-production, as well as facilitate the co-production market in the region by allowing the local Producers to cooperate with international TV projects.

PayTV in Ukraine-2014, a September 16 conference dedicated to current issues of the pay TV industry in Ukraine, will be organized by Telecommunications Chamber of Ukraine Association with the support of Ukrainian entertainment market leader — VOLIA company. The September 16 Film Business event will feature a Producers’ Workshop, Legal Workshop and Financial Workshop and allows the attendees to have direct conversation with the film industry professionals from different countries. A September 18 Television As Business session is planned as a meeting place for legends of Ukrainian television industry, Leading TV-brands managers, media experts and investors discuss current content, finances, management and new media technologies. The Kiev Media Week Opening Party is set for September 17.

Entering its 13th year of operation, POP Montreal International Music Festival is an annual not-for-profit curated cultural event that champions independence in the arts by presenting emerging artistic talents from around the world. It amounts to five days of concerts -- fielding over 400 bands in 40 venues, symposium discussions, artisan and visual art exhibitions, fashion shows, film screenings, and, a few all-night parties added in for good measure. Matthew Zapruder is the festival's 2014 Lit POP poetry judge. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including the recent release 'Sun Bear', (Copper Canyon/Anansi). A partial listing of artists scheduled to perform September 17-21 include: Calypso Rose & Kobo Town, Dot Wiggin Band, Grey Lands, Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds, Lydia Ainsworth, Mozart's Sister, Joachim Pastor, Sheryl Crow, Shonen Knife, The Gaslight Anthem, Zebulon, Suzanne Vega, Stranger Cole, others.

POP Montreal's programming is comprised of six separate event sections. Spring POP is a weekend-long event with live outdoor shows, with Kids POP activities and the Puces POP fair. POP Lafontaine is a free two-night concert series at a Theâtre in Parc Lafontaine. Espace POP is a non-profit community event space in the Mile-End neighborhood of Montreal, available for short-term rental. Puces POP which was born in 2004 brings together the assemblage of designers, crafters and artists that Montreal can fit into one marketplace. Today Puces POP is more than a fair, it has developed beyond the marketplace and organizes several year-round events, including the two day business seminar Lil’ Biz, the fashion gala and competition Fashion POP, the POP Up Shop Vintage POP sales, the Record Fair, and the design contest Design POP. Kids POP is the kid-focused segment of POP Montreal that happens every spring and fall, offering programming with the same quality and innovativeness as its older sibling, but suited to kids of all ages. As the visual arts component Art POP seeks to present and help facilitate new ideas and collaborations through exhibitions, site-specific installations, performances, screenings, and artist talks.

POP Montreal's Symposium program offers a range of the figures, ideas and forces at the heart of today's music world, focusing on the relationships between art, culture and creativity. The Symposium presents a series of conversations about pressing music-related issues. Each year, Film POP presents a variety of music-related film events, including important premieres, retrospective screenings, expanded cinema performances, live film scores, music videos and free family screenings at a variety of professional and unconventional spaces. POP Montreal accepts submissions every year between the month of November and May, either by mail or through Sonicbids. You can get all the info at the submission area of the website. POP Montreal also offers year-round concerts, activities and special events.

The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at: http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html. The events blog also shows links to pages that are translated into ten of the most widely used international languages read over the Internet other than English. This month's photo placement highlights the opening of Mezzrow, a new jazz piano lounge by the owners of the Smalls Jazz Club in New York City and the POP Montreal Festival in Montreal. If the photo does not appear in this post please visit the blog page to view it. Looking ahead into the next month that begins the fall season, be aware that: the 12th Annual Hispanic Television Summit opens in New York City, Durango Songwriters Expo opens in Broomfield, PLASA London comes to London, MIA Animation Conference is in Miami, GameSoundCon will be in Los Angeles, the New York Television Festival opens in New York City.

AFM/AFI, Leeds Film Festival, Billboard's FutureSound Conference, Alpha Night on Broadway, are highlights in November's Global Media and Entertainment Industry

American Film Market is headquartered in Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas is the site for the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

AFM is the anticipated, annual film event that's not quite festival, not quite conference, but mostly business opportunity — the business of independent motion picture production and distribution — set oceanside against Santa Monica beach. Generally, 8,000 industry leaders converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings, seminars, networking and parties, right up till November 9. Participants come from over 70 countries and include acquisition and development executives, agents, attorneys, directors, distributors, festival directors, financiers, film commissioners, producers, writers, the world's press, and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry. Separate from the conference schedule, the AFM Industry Conversations are interactive and informative discussions led by Hollywood thought leaders, decision makers, trendsetters and experts, and are free to anyone with an AFM Badge.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards. And AFI FEST holds the FIAPF accreditation (FIAPF.org), assuring a high standard of quality and reliability for the international film community. The festival opens with the Clint Eastwood directed, 'J. Edgar', with Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Josh Lucas and Judi Dench. Individual tickets became available to the general public from October 27. Tickets will be released the day before each screening at AFI.com and the day of each screening at the AT&T Box Office at Hollywood & Highland Center. The American Film Market (AFM) in Santa Monica, is the market partner of AFI FEST.

Leeds International Film Festival will be held in West Yorkshire through November 20. It primarily supports the work of fresh talent in fiction and documentary filmmaking (both features and shorts), and importantly, work from existing talent that has not received some exposure yet in the UK. Every section of Leeds is structured as a film festival in itself. Cherry Kino is the forum for "wondermental" cinema at the festival. Cinema Versa is the home of documentaries inspired by the underground festival aesthetic, running two major themes: Music on Film and Underground Voices, incorporating live special events and collaborations. Fanomenon is the genre section of the film festival offering a mix of fantasy cinema experiences, light and dark. To celebrate its fifth birthday, this year's Thought Bubble festival programme will be extended over seven days taking place at venues across the city. Thought Bubble 2011 will include free workshops for all ages, a three day academic conference, talks and masterclasses led by industry professionals, a giant free book crossing and giveaway, and a programme of film and documentary screenings.

Canadian-born composer Trevor Morris has earned multiple Emmy and Gemini Nominations and Awards for his work on Showtime's The Tudors, The Borgias, and Starz Entertainment's The Pillars of the Earth. For a November 8 evening event in Los Angeles, he and the Grammy Museum's Executive Director, Bob Santelli, discuss his career and the process of writing scores for films and television. Along with the discussion, Morris will take questions from the audience, instruct a live composing demonstration, and audience members will be among the first to see clips from upcoming 3D action adventure feature, Immortals, which he has contributed to.

Every November, the Lone Star Film Society presents the Lone Star International Film Festival bringing top selections in cinema to the City of Fort Worth. Along with celebrating emerging visions, the festival also pays homage to the masters of the medium throughout five days of screenings, panels, and parties. The focus of the 2011 Lone Star International Film Festival, opening for a five day run starting November 9, will be to examine new models of film distribution and marketing with the objective of contributing to the creation of industry best practices for filmmakers and other professionals working within this transitioning environment. The LSIFF Feature Film Competition Program focuses on new works from emerging talents made with modest budgets. The LSFS rationalizes this as the best way to identify new visions that are strong enough to see through barriers such as limited resources.

The Sixth Annual HPA Awards Show Gala is held to recognize the very best in Post Production, and will be held in Los Angeles on November 10. The Hollywood Post Alliance®, also known as HPA®, is the trade association serving the Southern California-based professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content. Cocktail attire is suggested for this event, and a champagne and dessert reception immediately follows the show.

The Oaxaca International Independent Film and Video Festival is an official cultural event of the city of Oaxaca de Juarez, happening November 12-19. Quality film submissions of any length are welcome from all genres from anywhere in the world. A strong emphasis of the Oaxaca International Independent Film and Video Festival is to contribute to the economic and creative vitality of the city of Oaxaca and expand the audience for independent film. Opening night after party at Bar Txalaparta, and closing night after party at Bar Desestresse.

Billboard's FutureSound conference will bring together musical artists, entrepreneurs, investors and meaningful rights-holders for focused conversations about next-generation opportunities in music over two days in San Francisco from November 17. These ideas will be presented and discussed on-site to produce a Billboard publication cover story detailing best practices and ideas. During a scheduled Friday panel, Steve Jang, Founder/CEO, SoundTracking, Ryan Sarver, Head of Platform, Twitter, take part in a panel moderated by Joe Marchese, SVP Marketing & Digital, FUSE, on "Twitter and The Socialization of Music". In addition to the conference, Billboard will also be featuring installations of next generation platforms and music products to create a backdrop for the day's discussions.

Established and recognized magazine on the film circuit, Independent Film Quarterly presents its Film & New Media Festival in New York City, November 17-24. The festival provides a platform where filmmakers can showcase their work (features, shorts, new media, animation, music videos and documentaries), increase opportunities for producers and maximize potential for distribution, press and industry recognition. The Festival will exhibit a selection of short- and long-form works that exhibit strong personal visions combined with the high standards of artistic merit and technical achievement consistent with, and reflective of Independent Film Quarterly.

At the Music In Media Industry Professionals Mixer running from November 18-19, attendees can get up close and personal with top industry movers and shakers who will be on hand to connect and meet Hollywood Music In Media (HMMA) artists and members. The Hollywood based event officially known as MIMIpro™, features groovin' music, tasty appetizers and a full bar that will be used to create an ambiance for networking while award winners, industry luminaries and personalities deliver candid and revealing interviews live in the hotel's mid-century styled lounge. All HMMA members, guests, friends and awards attendees are welcome to this complimentary two day experience. Live broadcast is carried via www.stageit.com both nights beginning at 8 pm PST. A post event celebration follows.

Held during the official proclamation of "Animation Week" in Burbank, the CTN animation eXpo which runs three days starting on November 20, is an assemblage of presentations, workshops, screenings, networking, recruiting, to mutually benefit the animation artist, games, education, film and video communities and the individuals in those communities. In one planned conference panel, "The Media is the Message!", panel participants explore the topic of developing content in new media such as web-based, iPad apps, PDA oriented content, streaming content, multi-platform content linked with gaming, apps, feature films and more. Since its inception in 2004 The Creative Talent Network® stands as the organized community for the top creators of both traditional and digital animated films, and hosts of the CTN animation eXpo.

Our Gang Productions joins with Rho Psi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and the producers of the Broadway play, Stick Fly, for one night, November 20, to divert a portion of the evening's box office into a fundraiser for the Rho Psi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, leading up to a 2012 Historic Black college and university tour and College Boot Camp that underprivileged urban youth will take part in. The evening begins with a pre-reception at B. Smith's Restaurant on Restaurant Row of Hell's Kitchen, then onto the Broadway play, Stick Fly, followed by a Q&A panel discussion moderated by Dion Michael Ashman of Get Ready for Primetime Radio. Stick Fly is written by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Kenny Leon, and executive produced by Grammy winner, Alicia Keys, who composed an original score for the production.
The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the "Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events" page at http://www.actorschecklist.com/news.html which now has a language translation button to convert page contents into most widely used languages. In a look ahead into December event dates, there is the anticipated Bahamas International Film Festival in Nassau & Paradise Island, the 2011 International Film Festival Summit in  Las Vegas, Monaco International Film Festival in Monte Carlo, the Metropolitan Film Festival of New York in New York City, and Queer Fruits Film Festival in Lismore, to give a small sample of the upcoming events in the month ahead. Also to alert viewers, a site revamp and redesign of The Actor's Checklist is close at hand, with new interactive features, tools and resources to aid members, so please stay tuned.